Merry Christmas everyone! I thought I'd throw Chapter 5 in as a little gift. It's still kinda rough so watch out for papercuts. Anyway, hope ya'll enjoy! - Duette


Later that night, on his way back to his room after a midnight snack, Scott thought he heard something coming from the guest bedroom. Creeping closer he heard what sounded like a thud against the wall. As quietly as possible he opened the door and just stood there when he saw Oriana. She was sitting on the bed next to the window, the moonlight giving her a sort of ethereal glow in the darkness. Scott could see that there was something wrong, but was unsure as to what to do, then he remembered seeing how Alan had comforted Tin-Tin countless times. Without a word he walked over and sat on the bed, gently squeezing Oriana's arm to let her know he was there and that everything would be all right. Oriana blinked slowly and turned her head slightly towards him, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I should have stayed," was all she said as another tear followed.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked, letting go of her arm.

Oriana sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head fall against the wall, making the same sound Scott had heard earlier. They sat in silence for several minutes as Oriana gathered herself together to speak.

"I was on Flight 169. I helped murder hundreds of innocent people. And here I am, still alive, paying the ultimate punishment for such a horrid deed."

"What happened?"

Oriana sighed again and looked out the window at the stars. "I was hired by the government to intercept a new weapon being developed by some terrorist group. I received the weapon from an inside source and was traveling to New Zealand to deliver it to an agent waiting there. While on the plane, a couple of guys, possibly from the same group, hijacked the plane and, shall we say, persuaded, me to play for them."
Scott just sat there in shock as Oriana broke down. "I played for only a short time, but the plane was shaking so violently... The screams... Oh god the screams! Men and women holding on to what they could and each other as the plane shook itself apart... I don't know how I escaped. Something must have hit me in the head and knocked me unconscious. All I remember is waking up in the ocean and seeing the island, then waking up again here."

Scott sat in silence as he took in this information and watched Oriana curl up against the wall as if trying to hide from something. "Why are you telling me this?" he finally asked after a bit, letting Oriana calm herself down.

She shook her head. "I don't know. Guilt, perhaps. To clear my conscience enough so that I can go on without having to bear this burden alone. I don't know. There's just something about you that makes me feel safe talking to you."

"What happens when the government or those terrorists find out who you are and where you've been?"

Oriana sighed. "I either get fired, imprisoned, or die." She looked back at Scott. "You're going to tell your father, aren't you?"

Scott nodded. "Yes. He would have found out sooner or later. It's best to come clean about this now so that we can figure out some way to help."

She turned on him, grabbing his shoulders. "No! I don't want you, or anyone else involved. This has gotten too dangerous and I don't want the lives of more innocent people on my conscience because I got them involved. I'll handle this on my own as soon as I get off this island. It's the best way." She let go of him and turned back towards the window. "Life is short. Do what you can with your family while you can. You never know when something may take them away."

Scott sat on the bed for a couple more minutes studying her, trying to figure this puzzle of a woman out. When she said nothing more, he got up and went to the door, looking back one last time before closing it, shaking his head in wonder and pity and going back to bed.


Early the next morning, Scott was woken up by a knock on his door. Curious, he opened it, only to find someone dressed strangely like Santa Claus. Before he could say anything, Santa had pulled out a machine gun and began firing. Scott cried out in pain as he felt the stinging of many bullets hit him in the chest. He fell to the floor, gasping for air that his punctured lungs wouldn't give him. Santa walked over and kneeled beside him, removing his beard and revealing a face that seemed oddly familiar.

"Merry Christmas, Scott. May you rest in pieces!" the man said before standing up and emptying the clip into Scott, his evil laughter echoing throughout the room.


Scott woke up with a start, cold sweat covering his body. He groaned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "That's it. No more late night mobster movies and Christmas cookies. I'm going to end up giving myself a heart attack." He yawned and looked at the clock. "Four AM... Not as early as I thought it was."

Scott got out of bed and went to the bathroom to do his morning ritual of cleansing himself for the day; turning over the things Oriana had told him the night before in his mind. He got dressed and opened his door to head for the kitchen when he was suddenly met by a bucket of ice-cold water. "Gordon!!" He yelled and was met by snickers from around the corner. Quietly Scott stalked to the corner and reached around, grabbing a handful of material and yanking up Alan. Gordon was sitting beside him, a huge grin on his face as he took off, leaving Alan to bear most of Scott's wrath.

"Uh... Morning big brother!" Alan said, laughing nervously.

"Come with me," Scott said, dragging Alan with him. They went out to the pool and Alan's eyes got real wide as he figured out what Scott was about to do. Sure enough, without a word, Scott tossed Alan into the frigid waters of the pool.

"No fair! We only got you a little wet!" Alan exclaimed, swimming for the closest ladder.

"You're only a little wet now too," Scott said, crossing his arms and smiling slightly.

Alan frowned and was about to say something, but broke out into a huge grin instead. Curious, Scott was about to ask what was going on when he felt hands on his back pushing him into the pool. When Scott came up he saw Gordon and Alan laughing their heads off as they leaned on each other for support. Scott swam over and was about to grab Gordon to throw him in when Jeff appeared on the balcony and asked them to come to the lounge.

"I'll get you yet, my brother," Scott said, looking at Gordon, then to Alan. "And your little minion too."

Gordon and Alan were still laughing as they walked into the lounge, Alan and Scott still dripping wet. Jeff raised an eyebrow in question, but decided not to ask. Virgil walked in a few moments later, saw Scott and Alan, and smirked. The early morning bucket of ice water had almost become a ritual for Gordon and Alan whenever there was an important meeting. He was glad that it was Scott and not him this time. Last time the water had missed him and nearly ruined a painting he was working on. He shook his head as Scott and Alan started a little shoving match.

"All right boys, let's settle down. We have some important things to discuss," Jeff said. Alan was able to get in one last shove before Jeff shot both the boys a look that had trouble written all over it if they didn't stop.

"What's going on, father?" Gordon asked, trying not to laugh as Alan and Scott began punching each other in the arm when they thought no one was looking.

"We have a slight problem. John's coming home for Christmas this year, which means that we need someone up on Thunderbird Five, and if you two don't stop, I'll banish you BOTH up there for six months!" Jeff ended, looking straight at Scott and Alan. Alan grinned sheepishly and Scott just moved away to avoid any more temptation to beating his little brother to a pulp. "You two can finish later. Right now we have to figure out how what we're going to do about launching Thunderbird Three without Miss Gant noticing. We also have to figure out what to do with her. Once John comes home, any calls for help will be relayed here, which will make it harder to hide who we are from her."

"We can ask her where she was going and have Scott drop her off while I go get John," Alan said.

Jeff shook his head. "If anything Virgil would take her and you and Scott would go and get John. Don't look at me like that. You know it takes a crew of two to fly Thunderbird Three."

'Yeah. A pilot and a babysitter,' Alan thought as he looked over at Scott.

"What about Tin-Tin? She could fly Oriana to the mainland," Gordon stated.

"No! I don't want something to happen to Tin-Tin while I'm away," Alan said.

"Oh Alan, you worry too much!" Tin-Tin said walking in to the room. "I can handle myself should something happen."

"That's just the thing! I don't WANT anything to happen," Alan almost pouted.

"Why not have Tin-Tin go with Alan on Thunderbird Three. That would leave Scott or I open to fly Oriana to the mainland," Virgil stated.

"Please dad?" Alan asked, putting on those almost irresistible puppy-dog eyes.

Jeff sighed and nodded. "Very well. You and Tin-Tin prepare to leave at oh-seven hundred to get John."

Alan practically squealed from being so happy and left with Tin-Tin to make sure Thunderbird Three was prepped and ready for take-off. Scott waited until they were out of site before telling his father about what he had learned the night before. Jeff was not at all happy with the news that their visitor was a government agent, nor that she was dealing with terrorists, but agreed that they should help if they could.

"Hey, I know! What if we set up a Christmas concert! No, no, hear me out. The terrorists and US government are after the flute, right? Well what if we held an instrumental concert and have Oriana play the flute. Maybe not the REAL flute, but you get my drift? Anyway, we'd be catching a couple of terrorists and be able to hand that, and this weapon, to the government without worry!" Gordon said.

The others looked at him like he had lost his mind and Gordon gave up and went to thinking up something else when Virgil began adding to the somewhat odd, yet possible plan. Soon Scott had his own ideas and before long everyone was throwing in suggestions. Jeff sighed as he listened to the plans his sons were making and wondered how his connections were in the entertainment business so he could pull this off.

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Will Oriana find out about International Rescue? Will Jeff be able to pull enough strings for a Christmas concert? Will Alan ever stop whining? Find out in the next exciting chapter of A Christmas Mystery!