I just wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to every single person who has reviewed so far. The anonymous guest reviewers and the FanFiction account holders, thank you to every single individual one of you. I read every review and I can't tell you how much each one makes me smile!
-x-
Chapter 23.
John hated riding in Thunderbird Two.
She was loud, clunky, and ridiculously cumbersome.
But worst of all, she had copious room for passengers (a.k.a other people).
"Can I drive?" Alan asked enthusiastically, making a beeline for the pilot's seat, "I promise I won't crash!"
Scott seized the youngest by his shoulder and manhandled him into the rear passenger seat, "Not a chance. You can sit back here and zip your howling screamer while John and I drop Maria off and locate Kayo."
John, who was as opposed to Scott's plan as Lady Penelope was to polyester, scowled and dumped himself into the co-pilot's seat. The only thing he hated more than being earthbound was being forced to work with his idiot brothers on the half-baked plans they farted out with alarmingly regularity.
Alan pouted as Scott buckled up his safety belt, "Why isn't Virg coming? He'd totally let me drive."
"Because he has to stay and look after Gordon," Scott responded wearily, giving Alan's belt an experimental tug before turning towards Maria, who was strapped in behind John, "Are you comfortable, Maria?"
The young woman stared at Scott blankly, before tapping John on the shoulder and asking for a translation. The redhead replied with something foreign and Maria twisted back towards Scott with a grin and an affirmative nod.
"Lovely!" Scott flashed a fake smile as he adjusted the pilot's seat to his liking (Virgil had it far too high). After a few strategic wrenches and yanks, he was satisfied and began taxiing out of the hanger.
"Has Kayo made any effort to contact us?" Alan asked, pulling a portable gaming console out of his pocket, "And do you reckon she's still where Gordon left her?"
John snorted from his seat beside Scott and angrily flicked a few buttons on the dash, "Fat chance. She's turned off her comm and isn't wearing any of her gear, which makes her impossibly difficult to track. Plus, she's Kayo. Slipping under the radar is her specialty."
Alan frowned, "Why would she want to slip under the radar? Doesn't she want to come home?"
John raised his eyes skyward before swivelling around, "Alan, I love you. Really, I do. But you have a lot to learn about female behaviour."
Scott gave a snort of his own as Thunderbird Two elevated to the angle required for take-off, "Because you're such an authority on that yourself, John. Give the kid a break. At least he's curious enough to ask questions."
John shot Scott a look of glowering frustration before turning back to Alan, "What I meant to say, is that Kayo's actions are entirely deliberate. She's intentionally making the situation awkward for us. Why exactly, I don't know, but logic doesn't always apply where women are concerned."
Alan's frown deepened, "If we can't track her, then how are we supposed to know where to look? Rio isn't exactly small."
The sigh that left Scott's lungs was nothing short of tragic as Two's engines roared to life, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Why do you think I bullied John into coming? He could track a mouse through a cornfield if he put his mind to it."
The supposed 'compliment' flew clean over John's head as he began to punch Maria's address into the navigational system. The redhead looked on the verge of a royal temper tantrum, no doubt fuelled by his withdrawal from Thunderbird Five.
On Alan's left, Maria was fiddling nervously with the sleeves of her shirt. Alan shot her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, however faltered when he saw the dirty looks being exchanged between the responsible adults up front.
Maybe tagging along had been a mistake.
-x-
Kayo tapped her foot against the sand and checked her watch for the umpteenth time.
Her ride was late.
As if everything she'd had to deal with over the past twelve hours hadn't been bad enough. Getting duped by Carlos, having to listen to Gordon's singing, fighting off a headache from hell, being left stranded on a beach eight thousand miles from home…
Her eyes narrowed when her comm device beeped for what felt like the thousandth time. Upon seeing that it was Thunderbird Two trying to make contact yet again, she dismissed the call with an arrogant sniff. If the boys thought she was going to come quietly, then they were in for one hell of a surprise.
The sound of a car engine broke Kayo out of her train of thought. Shielding her eyes against the sun, she felt a seed of womanly pride bloom in her chest as FAB 1 circled overhead before touching down.
"Kayo!" Penelope exclaimed, opening the door before Parker had even killed the engine, "Are you quite alright? We came as soon as we received your call. Where on earth is Gordon?"
Kayo shrugged and knelt to pet Sherbert, "Back at Tracy Island, no doubt suspended over the toilet."
Penelope blinked in confusion before glancing uncertainly towards the ocean, "Might I ask why you didn't accompany him?"
A grunt was offered as Kayo made her way towards the pink Rolls-Royce, "It's a long story, and one I would much prefer to recite from the comfort of a chair."
"I'm sure that could be h'rranged, Miss," Parker assured, opening the rear passenger door and frowning when Sherbert yapped in annoyance, "Will it be 'ome for tea, m'lady?"
Penelope nodded briskly, "Quite so, Parker. Poor Kayo must be tired and hungry to say the least. I'll put the kettle on as soon as we touch down. Just give me one second to check in with John and let him know that we've found you."
"Leave it," Kayo instructed, "Let them run around in circles for a few hours. Might help cool off those hot heads of theirs."
An uncertain look passed between Penelope and Parker in the rear-view mirror, "Are you sure that's a good idea, Kayo? I imagine they're probably quite concerned about your wellbeing."
Kayo snorted as scenes of trailing behind a sopping wet Virgil, screaming at a tired Scott, and carrying an unconscious John flashed across her mind, "I doubt it. No, just take me back to London, please. I don't want to see any of the boys for a while."
Penelope's eyes twinkled with mischief, "Not even Scott?"
Kayo didn't answer.
Ever the graceful hostess, Penelope gave the order to Parker, and in no time FAB 1 was cruising at a comfortable altitude over the Atlantic Ocean. Half an hour passed before Kayo was startled out of the doze she'd fallen into by her partner in crime's compact mirror bleeping angrily.
"Oh, hello John!" Penelope chirped as she flipped the device open, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Have you heard from Kayo?" the redhead asked wearily, not even bothering with his usual pleasantries.
Penelope cast a quizzical glance towards the woman in question, who responded by burrowing down into her seat as far as she possibly could.
"Sorry, John. I'm afraid I haven't."
-x-
Meanwhile, back on Tracy Island, Virgil had a problem of his own.
It was lying beached on its stomach on the bathroom floor, groaning like a zombie, and wearing ridiculously colourful socks.
"C'mon, Gordo," Virgil sighed, heaving the aquanaut into a sitting position and lowering a spoon towards his mouth, "Time to eat something."
Gordon made an unintelligible sound before opening his mouth like a baby bird and allowing Virgil to insert the spoon. Something cold that tasted like vanilla trickled down his throat.
"Virg, you're the best," Gordon slurred, motioning for a second spoonful, "You're like a brother to me."
Virgil clicked his tongue in amusement as he laced the second spoonful with some anti-sickness medicine, "Gee Gordo, you really are too kind."
"No, seriously!" the fourth brother tried desperately to focus his watery eyes, "I've been doing some thinking. Hear me out; your mom is called mom, and my mom is called mom. Coincidence? I think not. Don't freak out on me, but I think we might be related."
Virgil was starting to think that Carlos had been feeding his brother more than just margaritas.
"Feel up to eating anything solid?" Virgil asked in an effort to steer the conversation back into the plains of normality.
"Devilled eggs," Gordon mumbled, sticking his head back in the toilet, "I always dreamt that water would be the last thing I saw before I died. I just never imagined it would be the water in a toilet bowl. "
Virgil gave a snort of laughter as he exited the bathroom, "Ease up on the drama, Gordo. You're not dead yet."
"Good," the aquanaut yanked his head out of the toilet just long enough to glance down at his mismatched pyjamas, "Because I'm not dying in this outfit."