'Hate is a strong word, Allie,' murmured John half-heartedly, but before Alan could reply the welcome sounds of Two returning interrupted them. Although John had told Virgil where he was Alan set off for the hangars, desperate for his brothers and Grandmother. He didn't say anything as John followed.
Virgil rushed through his post-flight checks, Gordon and Kayo both helping to speed things up, and the three of them had just finished and exited Two when suddenly he was almost bowled over by a blonde fury. He immediately wrapped Alan up in a tight hug while watching John approach. Virgil raised both eyebrows in question and John shook his head. He sighed.
'I take it the meeting is over?'
'Yes.'
'And?'
'It was far worse than we expected.'
'Damn. When Dad hadn't called for Scott immediately I thought it meant he was safe. I would never have left them alone if I had known.'
Grandma's hand appeared on Virgil's shoulder.
'You and me both, kid.'
On hearing his Grandma Alan let go of Virgil and transferred himself to her arms instead. The five of them exchanged a silent smile of both fondness and sadness over Alan's head. Eventually he pulled away, and no one mentioned the redness of his eyes.
'Ok,' said Grandma, taking charge. 'I love my boy but when it comes to Scott he can be a bit of an idiot. John, show us what happened.'
'Yes, Grandma.'
Alan didn't want to watch that again, so he wandered into the open pod and began sorting through the supplies. It would be dinnertime in a moment and then they would all descend and put the stuff away, so it made sense to get a head start.
It didn't stop him hearing the reactions of his brothers and sister and Grandma. Alan didn't think his Grandmother swore, and it wasn't a word he was familiar with, so he filed that under 'weird things that have happened today' and carried on sorting until Kayo's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
'It's time for dinner, Al.'
Gordon and Kayo grabbed the takeout and they all headed up to the kitchen to eat.
This had always been one of Alan's most favourite times of day, when they gathered as a family and ate a meal together. It was seldom possible with rescues and that made it all the more precious.
He had a feeling today's dinner was not going to be as pleasant as usual.
'Where's Scott?' his dad asked from the doorway. No-one answered, and it was almost comical how everyone's eyes shot from John to their father, but he didn't seem to notice and he came and sat himself in Scott's vacant seat. Jeff frowned. 'If Scott can't be bothered to be here then leave him be. This looks like a feast! Tuck in everyone.' So, everyone did. At first the atmosphere was strained, but it didn't take long for the family to start relaxing.
Except, they didn't. Alan could feel a tension underlying everything. Grandma had pursed lips and, when she thought no-one was looking, was frowning at Jeff. John didn't partake of any conversation – not unusual really – but he refused to meet anyone's eyes. Virgil looked resigned. Gordon looked like he was barely managing to contain himself, and even Kayo was tense.
His father was oblivious to it all.
It was one of the worst family meals he had ever had. Bar possibly the time when Gordon set the barn on fire back home trying to light the BBQ so that they could surprise Scott with dinner. That was certainly a surprise, considering he was four and Gordon was nine, and neither should have had access to matches, let alone petrol. It took months for Gordon's eyebrows to grow back. The memory made him smile to himself.
No one mentioned Scott's absence, and Alan followed his brothers lead. This was obviously a long-term issue that the two oldest at least knew about, and he trusted them completely.
Once dinner was over and the table cleared, the four of them made their way back to the hangar to put the supplies away properly while Virgil and Grandma looked after their dad.
They worked together in silence for nearly ten minutes before Virgil joined them. Carrying on in silence only seemed to make the atmosphere more tense. Eventually everything was packed away. The five sat in the now empty pod.
Virgil was the one who eventually made a move, and everyone followed except Kayo, who hung back at the hangar and waved Alan on when he looked at her. They made their way to Scott's room and stopped short. A silent argument was then carried out between John and Virgil's eyebrows before Gordon snorted and stopped them all.
'Oh for goodness sake!'
He knocked and went to open the door but it was locked.
Alan didn't know when Scott had ever locked his brothers out. He stood there, the unease sinking into his bones as Virgil gently knocked.
'Scott? It's us.'
There was no reply at first, and they waited, determined to be there for their brother when he was ready. They all knew Scott would have done the same if it had been any of them, hell, he'd be breaking the door down. But that wouldn't work on Scott. So they waited.
They didn't wait long.
Scott held his door open, the silent invitation to enter taken up by all. To the untrained eye his room was neat and tidy, but his brothers knew better. By the foot of the bed was his weekend holdall, packed and ready to go. His comm unit was still on, but he strode across the room and flicked it off.
But not before Gordon and John had seen the logo on the screen. They shared an uneasy glance but kept quiet as Virgil pulled Scott into a hug. They all joined in and just held each other.
Eventually they split up, Scott sitting on his bed and inviting Alan to sit beside him. Alan immediately leaned into him and Scott wrapped his arm around him and pulled him close. They both needed it. Gordon broke the silence.
'So? Want to tell us what's happening?'
'I take it you all know what happened between Dad and me?'
'Yeah.'
'Is it true, Scott? Is Dad stopping International Rescue?'
'In the short term, sprout. He wants to restructure.'
'But what will that mean for the world?'
'The GDF will have to up their game, Al.'
'And what about you, Scott?'
Scott sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. He'd hoped the fact that his dad hadn't wanted to talk to him before was a good sign, that for once they might be on the same side. He should have known it was too good to be true.
Years ago, when John and Virgil had begun to understand how their dad treated Scott differently and that there would one day come a time when this could be a major problem, an eight-year-old John taught a fourteen-year-old Scott how to invest his pocket money as their dad had taught him. It was a lesson the Math major learnt quickly and learnt well, investing his money in secret – he was underage after all and he didn't want his father to find out – and it meant that now Scott was a multi-millionaire in his own right.
Despite the board trying, as well as his brothers and Grandmother tried to persuade him to take a wage for the excellent job he had done, was doing, but he had consistently refused. Now he was really glad he had, it meant that he'd never taken a penny of his father's money and could walk away clean.
A clean break. That was the only option left to him now.
'I'll be alright, Al. I have fallbacks.'
He ignored the varied looks his brothers shot him as Alan hugged him closer. Scott knew that John and Virgil would understand but he wasn't too sure about the youngest two. However he might want to have this conversation with them, now was not the time. If he didn't do act now Scott knew he wouldn't get another opportunity. Jeff would see to that.
He kissed the top of Alan's head and untangled himself, standing up and grabbing his bag. Scott smiled at them all and made his way through the villa to his father's room, knowing his brothers were right behind him.
As they always were.
Jeff didn't look up from the desk as a knock sounded. He was expecting Scott to come and apologise so he called the boy in. He heard the door open and close but carried on working as usual without looking. He didn't get to where he was in business without knowing how to deal with people.
What he wasn't prepared for was looking up and seeing all his boys, Kayo and his Ma standing around the room, Scott front and centre. He frowned.
'Scott. You have something to say to me?'
'Yes, Sir.'
'Well, we seem to have an audience. Is that appropriate?'
'Yes, Sir. I have something to say that will affect everyone in this room.'
Jeff put his pen down, folded his arms and stared. He was not happy at having an audience for this conversation, but Scott was immune to his father today.
'After our meeting I have done some thinking.'
'That offer is no longer on the table after the way you behaved.'
'I – I don't need your charity!'
Scott stood tall already, but he straightened up. If he let his father railroad him now…
'Effective immediately I resign permanently from International Rescue and Tracy Industries.'
'I accept your resignation.'
'Further, I will be leaving the island as soon as this meeting is over.'
Jeff hadn't expected that and sat back, contemplating the man before him. Part of him had expected Scott to capitulate and they could just move on as usual. Instead Jeff realised he no longer knew the man in front of him.
This was not the Scott Carpenter Tracy that he had left eight years ago.
'Fine. Go. Don't expect to take any of my planes with you.'
'I have my own. I don't need anything from you.'
There was a pregnant pause, one that Alan eventually broke.
'Do you really mean to stop iR, Dad?'
Alan couldn't believe this. This was not the father he vaguely remembered, and it certainly wasn't the loving Dad that Scott had taught him Jeff was. He didn't know this 'dad' and he was rapidly approaching his limits.
'I do, Alan. International Rescue needs some serious reorganising in light of what had happened while I have been gone, and since your brother is walking out on it I need to look for a replacement.'
That was it. Alan straightened up like Scott was and stepped up to his eldest brother's side.
'Then find one for me too. I'm going with Scott.'
'THE HELL YOU ARE!'
Jeff roared the words, jumping up and slamming his hands on the desk. Scott flinched ever so slightly and Alan had a moment of crystal clarity.
'You can't stop me, Dad. I'm eighteen.'
'This is all your fault, Scott! What are you going to do?'
'Nothing. If Alan wants to come with me then I'll happily take him.'
Seeing Alan standing with Scott hit Jeff hard. His nostrils flared and his lip curled, and he clenched his fists.
'Once a bastard, always a bastard,' he snarled.
Scott flinched at both the words and the venom, but it was Gordon who reacted first.
'Oh F*** off, Dad,' he yelled back, standing on Scott's other side.
There was a moment of absolute silence, then the two youngest ushered Scott out of the room, with Virgil, John and Kayo not far behind.
Sally looked sadly at her son. He was angry, sure, but she could see the uncertainty in his face. None of his sons had ever stood up to him before now, and it had come as a shock to him that it was the two youngest.
She sighed and Jeff looked at her as he sat back down heavily.
'Oh Jefferson. What have you done?'
