Alan Tracy was tired. It was the tenth rescue mission he had been on so far this week, and it is only Thursday. He loved being part of international rescue, but every growing boy needs sleep! He was only sixteen years old, no matter how much he wanted to be seen as a full adult. With four overprotective older brothers, admitting perceived weakness you could be teased for, or even worse, temporarily grounded from rescue missions for, was something to be avoided at almost all costs.
Alan knew that this was not one of his brightest ideas, but with international rescues currently heavy workload, he did not want to adhere to rule number 3, that you need to help yourself before you help others.
No matter how smart and hardworking Alan was, after all, a person had to be, to become the youngest astronaut in history at fourteen, you can't think clearly when you are sleep deprived. He knew logically deep inside that he should say something to Scott, his oldest brother and team commander. But for all of Alan's brilliance, he was still an adolescent, with arguably the Tracy family's biggest heart.
Just the thought of sitting out missions, when his brothers was probably just as tired and overworked, did not sit well with Alan. He could not bring himself to voice his concern. So, he did what he felt he had to, hold on, and keep going for his family and for the people in need of rescuing. Being stubborn to a fault seemed to be a family trait.
International rescue had been called out to rescue the scientists of one of the biggest nuclear energy research facilities. The facility was built in the ocean, just like the old fossil fuel oil rig platforms of the last century that have been long abandoned, for alternative green fuel. The research facility had been experiencing strange anomalies and an uncontrollable fire had broken out. None, but international rescue, had the resources necessary to aid the catastrophe.
John Tracy, international rescue's communication specialist, deployed all International Rescue operatives that was available on the ground. Scott, Virgil, Gordon and Alan were on route with both Thunderbird one, Thunderbird two and Thunderbird four. Nuclear energy and fire are never a winning combination, so, all hands available we're on deck.
The typhoon caused the weather conditions to be awful, with strong winds and hard rain making the rescue operation difficult.
Alan oversaw helping the trapped scientist from the facility, by getting them on to Thunderbirds twos rescue platform, where his brother Gordon received them.
As the rescuer, Alan, was of course the last one to try to get back onto the rescue platform in the hard wind and rain.
Before Alan had a chance to get on Thunderbird twos rescue platform, there was a huge explosion and Alan was thrown off the nuclear research facility, hitting his head on the metal railing and plummeting limply towards the black rocky ocean. The last thing, he heard was his brother, Gordon, screaming out his name, and then he knew no more.
Gordon felt like his heart stopped when he saw his youngest brother, the closest thing he had to a best friend, fall lifelessly towards the ocean. Gordon hooked himself to the rescue platform with his rescue line, at the same time, he called his brothers on the communications system. "Operative down, I repeat, operative down. Alan was thrown into the ocean with the last explosion. I'm hooking up a rescue line and going after him, be ready to bring us up.". As he jumped after Alan, he heard a worried FAB from his remaining brothers.
They had lost their father, Jeff Tracy, years prior on a mission sabotaged by the Hood, they did not know if he was dead or alive. As a family, they refused to lose anyone else. They were not sure if they could handle it. Alan had to be okay. He just had to be.
