Revelations
Scott and Virgil returned to the lounge when they heard the roar of jets that announced Thunderbird Three's return. Jeff was occupying one of the seats that he'd positioned in the circle. "Take a seat boys. We'll get started as soon as the others arrive." They sat in two armchairs facing the sofa that would disgorge the crew of Thunderbird Three, Scott on his fathers' right and Virgil next to him.
They didn't have long to wait before the empty sofa slid out of sight to be replaced by a rather more full one.
"John! What are you doing here?"
He shrugged and mouthed "What's going on?" so that his father wouldn't hear. His reply was twin shrugs from Scott and Virgil.
Jeff slid the papers he'd been reading back into the envelope and stood up. "I'll go and see if your Grandmother's ready to join us." He left the room.
"Anyone got any ideas?" John asked as he slid from the crowded sofa onto the vacant chair beside.
"None." Scott told him. "We didn't even know Thunderbird Three'd gone till we got back, and to have the whole family together..." he trailed off with yet another shrug.
"What's all this?" Alan asked kicking lightly at a box.
Scott frowned. "I've seen them before, but where?"
"Yeah," John agreed, "they're kinda familiar."
"Know what this reminds me of?" Gordon asked. No one asked him what, but he continued on anyway. "Remember those old detective movies? You know where at the end the detective calls all the suspects together and says" he lowered his voice into a serious monotone. "I suppose you are all wondering why I've called you together. The murderer is..." He received an elbow in the ribs, from John, as his father and Grandmother entered the room.
Jeff held the chair for his mother, who gave John a hug of welcome first, before sitting down himself. Brains and the Kyranos had decided that this was a strictly family meeting and had retired to other parts of the house.
"Well," Jeff began. "I suppose you are all wondering why I've called you together..."
Alan and Gordon stifled laughs and received a frown, tempered with a smile, from Scott.
Jeff continued on without appearing to have heard the interruption. "I've decided that the time has come to give out some apologies." Now all the Tracy boys were frowning. "My first apology is to you five boys. I know I wasn't a very good father to you before your mother died."
"Dad..." John started to protest but stopped when Jeff raised his hand.
"I was too wrapped up in my work. Too excited by the glamour of space travel. I loved you all, but I reasoned that when my work was finished then we'd have time together. I realise now that I missed out on a lot.
"My second apology is to you, Mother." Mrs Tracy looked surprised. "I barely gave you a second thought during the accident, when Pa and Lucille died. I'm sure I could have been more support."
"I could be apologising to you for the same reason, Jeff." She replied.
"My third apology is to you three - Scott, John and Virgil. As your Father I should have been looking after you while we waited for the rescue teams to arrive. I must admit that my memories of that day are pretty hazy, but I know I did nothing to support you." He laid a hand on the envelope. "I've just been reading the official report. It's the first time I've seen it. I hadn't realised that you three tried to dig them out. I should've been by your side helping."
"It wouldn't have made any difference, Father." Scott told him. "It still took the rescue authorities at least half an hour to get there, and they had the proper equipment. Not a couple of hubcaps and a mug."
"But at least I would have been doing something constructive." Jeff protested.
"You were talking to Ma and Grandpa." John told them. "I remember his last words to me... 'Thank you for lending me the radio. You've made these last minutes so much easier.' I didn't understand at the time, but now I know that being able to talk to you, it made it much less... less..." he struggled to find the right word, "...frightening. They didn't feel that they were alone, while they were communicating with you."
Jeff thought for a moment, running back through his mind what had just been said. "Just a moment! Where'd you get the hubcaps from?"
"Scott pulled them off our car." John told him.
Jeff turned to his oldest son, who'd turned slightly pink. "But the hubcaps were locked on to that model of car. It was supposed to be a guard against theft. How'd you manage to lever them off?"
Scott turned a deeper shade of red. "Well..." he hedged. Everyone was looking at him with open interest. Alan and Gordon were on the edge of their seats waiting for what they were sure would be a juicy bit of information about big brother. Scott sighed, took a deep breath and the words came out in a rush. "It was something that a group of kids that I used to hang out with used to do. We'd steal hubcaps. It was a challenge, see who could get the most different or unusual models. Then we started using them as Frisbees, aiming them at people's windows, seeing if we were accurate enough to break them. I became something of an expert at picking car locks... I'm not proud of it now..." his voice trailed off lamely.
Everyone was looking at him in astonishment. Scott Tracy! The perfect Scott Tracy who was good at everything, never did anything wrong, kind to animals, helped little old ladies across the road. Scott Tracy a thief and vandal? Alan and Gordon were grinning from ear to ear. Jeff's mouth was slightly open in disbelief.
"Humph." It was Mrs Tracy. "I knew those boys you hung out with were no good."
"The gang had planned to convert a car, while I was on holiday - just a practise run. That's why I didn't want to go away - I didn't want to miss out on the action. We were going to steal Sean Matheson's Thunderbird when we went back to school. It's just as well I never went back."
"Always had a thing for Thunderbird's did you?" Alan chortled.
Scott couldn't look his father in the eye. "I'm ashamed of what I used to do." Telling the tale was becoming easier now. "I'd skip classes, get into fights. Ma was always at the Principal's office."
"I didn't realise... I didn't know..." Jeff was stunned.
"I told Lucille that she should tell you, but you were always going off on some dangerous mission or other and she wanted your mind fully on the job." His mother told him.
"She knew?" He sagged at the realisation. "Did you boys know?"
Virgil was shaking his head, but John spoke up. "Oh, yeah." he said casually. "If anyone was called to the Principal's office, or if there was a fight in the playground, you could guarantee that Scott was in the thick of it."
Alan and Gordon were openly laughing at Scott's expression.
Virgil had a slight grin on his face. "And to think I used to idolise you."
"Yeah. That's something that worries me now. That I would have dragged you down with me. You always looked up to me..."
"And you always hated me!"
"No I didn't!" Scott protested, and then he paused. "Yes I did. You seemed to always be in the way. 'Can I come with you Scott?' 'What are you doing Scott?' 'Help me Scott!'. I got sick of the sound of my own name, and the way you said it. John was all right. He was always off reading a book or fiddling with his telescope, but you were always in my way."
Virgil looked slightly hurt.
"There's something else that I'd like to get off my chest." Scott continued on. He forced himself to look at his father. "You remember when the case that held your moon rock was broken?"
"Yes." Said Jeff cautiously.
"And I said I'd seen Virgil do it?"
"Yes." Said Jeff.
"Yes!" Said Virgil with feeling.
"He wasn't anywhere near it. I took the rock to show my 'friends' and I broke the case trying to put it back again."
"You mean that you let me bawl your, what, five year old brother out. Punish him, for something that you did?"
"Ah, yes. Sorry Virg." It was difficult looking at either his father or Virgil now, but Jeff's attention had switched to his middle son.
"And you didn't deny it?"
Virgil shrugged. "I figured Scott must have a good reason, and besides I got my revenge." All eyes were on him now. "I got a pot of pink paint and poured it into his school bag."
Alan, Gordon and John cracked up. Mrs Tracy tried to stifle a grin.
"So that's how that got in there." Scott exclaimed. "You did me a favour. I had an assignment that was due in and I hadn't done it. I pulled my folder out of my bag and there it was dripping with wet, pink paint. I had the perfect excuse for the teacher. Better than 'the dog ate my homework.' She gave me an extension."
Virgil was astounded. "You mean you were actually pleased that I'd done that?" Scott nodded. "I wasted a perfectly good pot of paint. I remember that I wanted that colour soon afterwards and I didn't have any left." He pouted as if he were five again. "It's not fair!" He crossed his arms in a pretend sulk, and then burst into laughter along with the rest of his family.
Scott chuckled. "If it's any consolation I still failed to complete the assignment on time, and the teacher gave me lunchtime detention for a week."
"So what made you change?" Alan asked.
"Let's just say that I learnt how important family were..."
"I'm curious, Scott." John said. "While you're admitting to everything except for the sabotage of the 'Fireflash', are you going to take the blame for damaging Grandpa's antique radio, which I got punished for?"
Scott frowned. "No. I didn't do that. I thought you had."
"Oh I did. I just wondered if you were prepared to take the blame."
"Sorry Johnny. No can do."
By now Gordon and Alan were in hysterics. "Listen to you guys!" Gordon managed to gasp. "If confession is good for the soul, you four must be almost up to heaven by now."
"And Scott's being measured for his wings." Alan wiped tears of laughter from his face.
"Probably stole them off some angel." Laughing, Gordon collapsed against Alan's shoulder.
"Settle down you two." Jeff growled. "I called this meeting for a reason, and I think we'd better get back on track. Although I might want to take this topic up later on... privately..." he sent Scott a meaningful glance.
Scott looked even more uncomfortable.
Alan took advantage of the silence that followed. "What actually happened? No one's ever wanted to talk to me about it. I know there was an avalanche. I know that Gordon and I almost died. But that's all. What happened?" he said urgently.
It was his grandmother who explained to him. Told him about the events leading up to her beloved husband's death. But there she stopped. She had no recollection of what followed.
Then it was Scott, aided by John who completed the story. Explaining how they'd used the radios, how they'd tried to dig. How relieved they were to see the two tiny bundles extricated from the car and the unimaginable sorrow at seeing their mother's body.
Virgil listened quietly. Memories that had haunted him since he'd pretended to adjust his boot at the North-west Pass intensified. Feelings that had lain dormant for many years, awoke and gnawed at him. Finally they needed to be expressed. "It was my fault!" he said quietly.
It was barely a whisper. No one was sure what had been said. "What was that Virg.?" Scott asked.
This time he said it louder. "I've always felt that it was my fault that Ma and Grandpa died."
"Virgil!" Scott exclaimed.
"Darling." Mrs Tracy tried to comfort him.
"But why?" Jeff asked in concern.
"Maybe if I hadn't painted that picture and they'd got away when they wanted to they wouldn't have been in the path of the avalanche." The pain in his voice was unmistakable.
"Is that why you kept apologising?" Scott asked.
"Huh?" Virgil looked at his oldest brother, confused.
"For days afterwards all you'd say was 'sorry'. You didn't say anything else until after Alan and Gordon came home. Is that what you were apologising for? You were blaming yourself for the accident?" Scott was alarmed by his brother's admission.
"I-I don't remember. But probably."
"You can't think like that." John admonished him gently. "Why didn't you talk to someone? 22 years is along time to keep something like that bottled up."
Virgil was staring at his hands, clenched so tightly together that his knuckles were white. "How could a five year old put into words something like that? And as Alan said we haven't talked about it since."
Jeff was silent. To him this was another example of how he'd failed his sons after the accident.
Scott rubbed his brother's back in sympathy. "You don't know that it wouldn't have happened anyway."
"That's just it! I don't know! I've had to live with the guilt that maybe if I hadn't been so selfish, they would have lived." Virgil sounded as if he was close to tears.
"Well I do know!" Jeff's voice had a calming affect. "I've read the official report and it says that that avalanche was just waiting to happen. The snow was early that year. Then there was a warm spell, melting the surface into ice, and then more snow. The top layer didn't have anything to cement itself to. The slightest loud noise would have set it off. It wouldn't have mattered how much earlier they'd left, they still would have been the first vehicle to pass through and would have triggered the avalanche.
"In fact," he added, "it's just as well you did hold us up." Virgil looked at him with surprise. "If the two cars had have been travelling together, as we'd planned, we may all have been trapped. And there's one other thing." Jeff felt about in the envelope as he was talking. "You were originally to have travelled with your mother. We already had your booster seat in the back seat of her car, on the driver's side and had to change it over to mine. Ah, here it is..." he pulled at an 8 x 12 photo and handed it to Virgil. It was of the car. The driver's compartment was partially crushed. The boot and the rear passenger seat on the driver's side had been practically flattened. "If you'd travelled in that car, you'd almost certainly have been killed."
Virgil stared at the photo. He hadn't thought about that possibility.
"Feel better now?" Scott asked.
Virgil wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Yeah, I do. I hadn't realised"
"I don't think any of us had." Jeff told him. "I hadn't read the report until today. I've kept it with all these boxes in the storeroom. They contain the items that were salvaged from the car. I thought today we might finally open them."
Scott and Virgil returned to the lounge when they heard the roar of jets that announced Thunderbird Three's return. Jeff was occupying one of the seats that he'd positioned in the circle. "Take a seat boys. We'll get started as soon as the others arrive." They sat in two armchairs facing the sofa that would disgorge the crew of Thunderbird Three, Scott on his fathers' right and Virgil next to him.
They didn't have long to wait before the empty sofa slid out of sight to be replaced by a rather more full one.
"John! What are you doing here?"
He shrugged and mouthed "What's going on?" so that his father wouldn't hear. His reply was twin shrugs from Scott and Virgil.
Jeff slid the papers he'd been reading back into the envelope and stood up. "I'll go and see if your Grandmother's ready to join us." He left the room.
"Anyone got any ideas?" John asked as he slid from the crowded sofa onto the vacant chair beside.
"None." Scott told him. "We didn't even know Thunderbird Three'd gone till we got back, and to have the whole family together..." he trailed off with yet another shrug.
"What's all this?" Alan asked kicking lightly at a box.
Scott frowned. "I've seen them before, but where?"
"Yeah," John agreed, "they're kinda familiar."
"Know what this reminds me of?" Gordon asked. No one asked him what, but he continued on anyway. "Remember those old detective movies? You know where at the end the detective calls all the suspects together and says" he lowered his voice into a serious monotone. "I suppose you are all wondering why I've called you together. The murderer is..." He received an elbow in the ribs, from John, as his father and Grandmother entered the room.
Jeff held the chair for his mother, who gave John a hug of welcome first, before sitting down himself. Brains and the Kyranos had decided that this was a strictly family meeting and had retired to other parts of the house.
"Well," Jeff began. "I suppose you are all wondering why I've called you together..."
Alan and Gordon stifled laughs and received a frown, tempered with a smile, from Scott.
Jeff continued on without appearing to have heard the interruption. "I've decided that the time has come to give out some apologies." Now all the Tracy boys were frowning. "My first apology is to you five boys. I know I wasn't a very good father to you before your mother died."
"Dad..." John started to protest but stopped when Jeff raised his hand.
"I was too wrapped up in my work. Too excited by the glamour of space travel. I loved you all, but I reasoned that when my work was finished then we'd have time together. I realise now that I missed out on a lot.
"My second apology is to you, Mother." Mrs Tracy looked surprised. "I barely gave you a second thought during the accident, when Pa and Lucille died. I'm sure I could have been more support."
"I could be apologising to you for the same reason, Jeff." She replied.
"My third apology is to you three - Scott, John and Virgil. As your Father I should have been looking after you while we waited for the rescue teams to arrive. I must admit that my memories of that day are pretty hazy, but I know I did nothing to support you." He laid a hand on the envelope. "I've just been reading the official report. It's the first time I've seen it. I hadn't realised that you three tried to dig them out. I should've been by your side helping."
"It wouldn't have made any difference, Father." Scott told him. "It still took the rescue authorities at least half an hour to get there, and they had the proper equipment. Not a couple of hubcaps and a mug."
"But at least I would have been doing something constructive." Jeff protested.
"You were talking to Ma and Grandpa." John told them. "I remember his last words to me... 'Thank you for lending me the radio. You've made these last minutes so much easier.' I didn't understand at the time, but now I know that being able to talk to you, it made it much less... less..." he struggled to find the right word, "...frightening. They didn't feel that they were alone, while they were communicating with you."
Jeff thought for a moment, running back through his mind what had just been said. "Just a moment! Where'd you get the hubcaps from?"
"Scott pulled them off our car." John told him.
Jeff turned to his oldest son, who'd turned slightly pink. "But the hubcaps were locked on to that model of car. It was supposed to be a guard against theft. How'd you manage to lever them off?"
Scott turned a deeper shade of red. "Well..." he hedged. Everyone was looking at him with open interest. Alan and Gordon were on the edge of their seats waiting for what they were sure would be a juicy bit of information about big brother. Scott sighed, took a deep breath and the words came out in a rush. "It was something that a group of kids that I used to hang out with used to do. We'd steal hubcaps. It was a challenge, see who could get the most different or unusual models. Then we started using them as Frisbees, aiming them at people's windows, seeing if we were accurate enough to break them. I became something of an expert at picking car locks... I'm not proud of it now..." his voice trailed off lamely.
Everyone was looking at him in astonishment. Scott Tracy! The perfect Scott Tracy who was good at everything, never did anything wrong, kind to animals, helped little old ladies across the road. Scott Tracy a thief and vandal? Alan and Gordon were grinning from ear to ear. Jeff's mouth was slightly open in disbelief.
"Humph." It was Mrs Tracy. "I knew those boys you hung out with were no good."
"The gang had planned to convert a car, while I was on holiday - just a practise run. That's why I didn't want to go away - I didn't want to miss out on the action. We were going to steal Sean Matheson's Thunderbird when we went back to school. It's just as well I never went back."
"Always had a thing for Thunderbird's did you?" Alan chortled.
Scott couldn't look his father in the eye. "I'm ashamed of what I used to do." Telling the tale was becoming easier now. "I'd skip classes, get into fights. Ma was always at the Principal's office."
"I didn't realise... I didn't know..." Jeff was stunned.
"I told Lucille that she should tell you, but you were always going off on some dangerous mission or other and she wanted your mind fully on the job." His mother told him.
"She knew?" He sagged at the realisation. "Did you boys know?"
Virgil was shaking his head, but John spoke up. "Oh, yeah." he said casually. "If anyone was called to the Principal's office, or if there was a fight in the playground, you could guarantee that Scott was in the thick of it."
Alan and Gordon were openly laughing at Scott's expression.
Virgil had a slight grin on his face. "And to think I used to idolise you."
"Yeah. That's something that worries me now. That I would have dragged you down with me. You always looked up to me..."
"And you always hated me!"
"No I didn't!" Scott protested, and then he paused. "Yes I did. You seemed to always be in the way. 'Can I come with you Scott?' 'What are you doing Scott?' 'Help me Scott!'. I got sick of the sound of my own name, and the way you said it. John was all right. He was always off reading a book or fiddling with his telescope, but you were always in my way."
Virgil looked slightly hurt.
"There's something else that I'd like to get off my chest." Scott continued on. He forced himself to look at his father. "You remember when the case that held your moon rock was broken?"
"Yes." Said Jeff cautiously.
"And I said I'd seen Virgil do it?"
"Yes." Said Jeff.
"Yes!" Said Virgil with feeling.
"He wasn't anywhere near it. I took the rock to show my 'friends' and I broke the case trying to put it back again."
"You mean that you let me bawl your, what, five year old brother out. Punish him, for something that you did?"
"Ah, yes. Sorry Virg." It was difficult looking at either his father or Virgil now, but Jeff's attention had switched to his middle son.
"And you didn't deny it?"
Virgil shrugged. "I figured Scott must have a good reason, and besides I got my revenge." All eyes were on him now. "I got a pot of pink paint and poured it into his school bag."
Alan, Gordon and John cracked up. Mrs Tracy tried to stifle a grin.
"So that's how that got in there." Scott exclaimed. "You did me a favour. I had an assignment that was due in and I hadn't done it. I pulled my folder out of my bag and there it was dripping with wet, pink paint. I had the perfect excuse for the teacher. Better than 'the dog ate my homework.' She gave me an extension."
Virgil was astounded. "You mean you were actually pleased that I'd done that?" Scott nodded. "I wasted a perfectly good pot of paint. I remember that I wanted that colour soon afterwards and I didn't have any left." He pouted as if he were five again. "It's not fair!" He crossed his arms in a pretend sulk, and then burst into laughter along with the rest of his family.
Scott chuckled. "If it's any consolation I still failed to complete the assignment on time, and the teacher gave me lunchtime detention for a week."
"So what made you change?" Alan asked.
"Let's just say that I learnt how important family were..."
"I'm curious, Scott." John said. "While you're admitting to everything except for the sabotage of the 'Fireflash', are you going to take the blame for damaging Grandpa's antique radio, which I got punished for?"
Scott frowned. "No. I didn't do that. I thought you had."
"Oh I did. I just wondered if you were prepared to take the blame."
"Sorry Johnny. No can do."
By now Gordon and Alan were in hysterics. "Listen to you guys!" Gordon managed to gasp. "If confession is good for the soul, you four must be almost up to heaven by now."
"And Scott's being measured for his wings." Alan wiped tears of laughter from his face.
"Probably stole them off some angel." Laughing, Gordon collapsed against Alan's shoulder.
"Settle down you two." Jeff growled. "I called this meeting for a reason, and I think we'd better get back on track. Although I might want to take this topic up later on... privately..." he sent Scott a meaningful glance.
Scott looked even more uncomfortable.
Alan took advantage of the silence that followed. "What actually happened? No one's ever wanted to talk to me about it. I know there was an avalanche. I know that Gordon and I almost died. But that's all. What happened?" he said urgently.
It was his grandmother who explained to him. Told him about the events leading up to her beloved husband's death. But there she stopped. She had no recollection of what followed.
Then it was Scott, aided by John who completed the story. Explaining how they'd used the radios, how they'd tried to dig. How relieved they were to see the two tiny bundles extricated from the car and the unimaginable sorrow at seeing their mother's body.
Virgil listened quietly. Memories that had haunted him since he'd pretended to adjust his boot at the North-west Pass intensified. Feelings that had lain dormant for many years, awoke and gnawed at him. Finally they needed to be expressed. "It was my fault!" he said quietly.
It was barely a whisper. No one was sure what had been said. "What was that Virg.?" Scott asked.
This time he said it louder. "I've always felt that it was my fault that Ma and Grandpa died."
"Virgil!" Scott exclaimed.
"Darling." Mrs Tracy tried to comfort him.
"But why?" Jeff asked in concern.
"Maybe if I hadn't painted that picture and they'd got away when they wanted to they wouldn't have been in the path of the avalanche." The pain in his voice was unmistakable.
"Is that why you kept apologising?" Scott asked.
"Huh?" Virgil looked at his oldest brother, confused.
"For days afterwards all you'd say was 'sorry'. You didn't say anything else until after Alan and Gordon came home. Is that what you were apologising for? You were blaming yourself for the accident?" Scott was alarmed by his brother's admission.
"I-I don't remember. But probably."
"You can't think like that." John admonished him gently. "Why didn't you talk to someone? 22 years is along time to keep something like that bottled up."
Virgil was staring at his hands, clenched so tightly together that his knuckles were white. "How could a five year old put into words something like that? And as Alan said we haven't talked about it since."
Jeff was silent. To him this was another example of how he'd failed his sons after the accident.
Scott rubbed his brother's back in sympathy. "You don't know that it wouldn't have happened anyway."
"That's just it! I don't know! I've had to live with the guilt that maybe if I hadn't been so selfish, they would have lived." Virgil sounded as if he was close to tears.
"Well I do know!" Jeff's voice had a calming affect. "I've read the official report and it says that that avalanche was just waiting to happen. The snow was early that year. Then there was a warm spell, melting the surface into ice, and then more snow. The top layer didn't have anything to cement itself to. The slightest loud noise would have set it off. It wouldn't have mattered how much earlier they'd left, they still would have been the first vehicle to pass through and would have triggered the avalanche.
"In fact," he added, "it's just as well you did hold us up." Virgil looked at him with surprise. "If the two cars had have been travelling together, as we'd planned, we may all have been trapped. And there's one other thing." Jeff felt about in the envelope as he was talking. "You were originally to have travelled with your mother. We already had your booster seat in the back seat of her car, on the driver's side and had to change it over to mine. Ah, here it is..." he pulled at an 8 x 12 photo and handed it to Virgil. It was of the car. The driver's compartment was partially crushed. The boot and the rear passenger seat on the driver's side had been practically flattened. "If you'd travelled in that car, you'd almost certainly have been killed."
Virgil stared at the photo. He hadn't thought about that possibility.
"Feel better now?" Scott asked.
Virgil wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Yeah, I do. I hadn't realised"
"I don't think any of us had." Jeff told him. "I hadn't read the report until today. I've kept it with all these boxes in the storeroom. They contain the items that were salvaged from the car. I thought today we might finally open them."