The Wedding
Chapter 19: Rescuing Scott
It didn't take long for Gordon to swim out to see if Scott was ok and to see if TB1 was water tight.
"Gordon is everything ok down there?" asked Virgil with worry in his voice.
"Yeah Virg but Scott is knocked out and has a cut on his fore head, but I can see that he's breathing."
"Ok Gordon, can you get Scott out of there?"
"Yeah I should be able to Virg; I will let you know once I have Scott in TB4." Gordon was definitely a goof at times but he could be serious when he needed to be.
"OK Gordon I will give Dad a call and let him and John know what is going on."
"Virg could you send a cable down to me so I can keep TB1 still, while I get Scott out of there."
"Sure Gordon will do, Base from TB2."
"Base here Virgil, have you got Scott yet?" Asked a worried Jeff, he could feel his heart hammering in his chest.
"Gordon has just gone down now but he had to use the laser on TB1 to get to Scott, he seems to have a cut to the forehead appears to be unconscious." He was alive, that's what mattered.
"Ok Virgil keep us posted Base out." As he signed off Jeff felt the breath that he didn't know he'd been holding finally leave him.
Virgil contacted Gordon. "Gordon, the cable is headed your way. Let me know when you've got it."
"Okay." The simple reply reminded Virgil that Scott wasn't the only victim here. Gordon had been on the last rescue and he was getting tired now, chances are he was going to find this harder since it was him that had to rescue Scott.
"Just hang in there, kiddo. Everything's going to be all right. The cable will be there any moment. You just hook it up and you'll be home free."
"I'm fine, Virgil. You don't have to babysit me. I've got the cable, and I'm attaching it now." There were a few moments of silence then, "Virgil? I am hitting the manual release now."
Gordon always was a tough kid...still Virgil didn't want to leave him alone down there any longer than necessary. "FAB."
Gordon boarded TB1 and made his way to Scott.
"Thunderbird Two to base. Gordon has boarded Thunderbird One. She is watertight."
"Any word on Scott yet?"
"No, Dad. Gordon is searching for him now."
"All right, son. Keep in touch."
"FAB, Dad."
"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two. Scott's alive, but unconscious. It looks like he hit his head, opened up a gash on his side. Virg, we need to get him out of here. He's lost a lot of blood."
"Ok Gordon don't panic I am sure between us we can get Scott out of there" said Virgil who was glad now that they had found Scott and could stop worrying about his oldest brother.
"All right, Gordon. Here's what we're going to do. I'll lower the rescue pod. You get Scott aboard and we'll cut the line to Thunderbird One."
"Uh, that's not going to work. The wind out there is too strong. The pod will just crash into the ship, we knew there was a storm heading this way." Virgil could hear panic setting into his younger brothers voice.
"We'll use the winch line as a guide. It'll be okay."
"Have you looked out the window lately? I'm telling you Virg, it's not going to work! The wind is just too strong. We need to pull Thunderbird One out of the water, and evacuate Scott by land."
"That's not any better. Trust me on this kiddo, you just hang tight and I'll set up the pod."
"Virgil, wait! Listen… I don't think I can get him up through the ship to the upper hatch, and the lower hatch is underwater."
Now that just confused Virgil. Why couldn't Gordon carry Scott up the ladder? It was the kind of move we practiced on a regular basis, and the ladders aboard Thunderbird One weren't substantially different from any other. His heart froze as a thought occurred. "Gordon, what aren't you telling me? Is Scott really alive?"
"Oh no Scott is alive it's just..." Gordon really didn't want to say anymore.
"It's just what Gordon?"
"My back is playing up just a bit and I don't think that I can carry Scott off TB1."
"God damn it, Gordon! What the hell is the matter with you? Why the hell didn't you say something?" Why does he always have to be so damn stubborn!
"Oh, and what was I going to say? 'Sorry, Virg, I'm just going to have to let Scott die because I hurt my back?' Geez. I'm doing what I have to do, and I'm not going to take any crap from you over it!" Gordon Snapped at his brother.
"Hold on, I'm calling base."
"No! Don't tell…" Gordon started when Virgil cut him off.
"Thunderbird Two to base. Dad, Scott's alive, but injured, and now Gordon tells me he's injured too." Virgil was so angry at Gordon that He didn't even think about how this news would be received at home.
"Ok Virgil, you look a little worried there"
"Yeah I kinda snapped at Gordon when I didn't mean too."
"No, son. You're both under a hell of a lot of stress."
"Ok Dad will call once we have Scott in TB2, Is Jo down at the sickbay now?"
"Yeah she is her, Alan and Tin-Tin are down there and I am still watching Robyn"
"Is Robyn ok Dad, I am sure that she is asking a lot of questions now." asked Virgil who was worried that Robyn had heard about Scott being in danger.
"No she is fine son, yes she has been asking a lot of questions but Penny and I are trying our best to explain everything to her."
"Ok thanks for that Dad; I was just wondering that's all." Well that was one thing off his mind at least.
"Son I better let you go and get on with rescuing Scott and call Gordon too."
"Will do TB2 out, TB2 to TB4"
"TB4 here Virg."
"How are you doing down there bro? I am sorry that I snapped at you."
"I am doing fine Virg, just looking forward to getting Scott out of here and back to base."
"Ok look Gordon to get Scott back to base; I may need to leave you behind for a bit because I need to use the grads again to lift TB1 now that we can see her."
"Ok well I have Scott in TB4 now Virg so why don't you drop the two of us off at base and then call back for the pod. Like Dad said don't worry about TB1 just yet, let's just get Scott out of here and home."
"Ok Gordon I am heading for the pod now, has Scott come round yet?"
"No not yet Virg, he has been out for ages now" answered Gordon with a worried voice.
"Gordon are you and Thunderbird 4 in the pod?"
"Yeah we are just waiting on you to pick us up"
"Ok I should be with you in a sec but I am going to call Dad."
"That is fine Virg." Gordon signed off quickly, his eyes never leaving his oldest brothers.
"TB2 calling Base."
"Base here Virgil have you got Scott yet?"
"Yeah we do Dad, Gordon has him in the pod now. I am about to go and pick them up now. Is everything ready for us coming back?" Asked Virgil, God how he wanted this rescue to be over!
"Everything is ready and Jo is in the sickbay, You know Virgil Jo would make a great member to our team."
"I know Dad just need to find a way of talking her into coming to live on the island, I know she wants to do it but I think she is scared that things are going a little fast for her."
A/N: Thanks to the writer who let me borrow a scene for this story.