Fifteen
In his role as commander of International Rescue Jeff Tracy had had to endure many stressful moments. 'If I listed them all' he thought grimly, 'this one would be at the top of the list.'
It had been just over 30 minutes since Alan and Gordon had set out in Thunderbird Two. Thirty minutes since he'd last seen any of his sons. Three of them he was sure of seeing again, but the other two...?
He automatically took a sip at his coffee without noticing that it was cold. He jumped when he heard a voice. "More coffee, Mr Tracy?"
"Kyrano!"
"I am sorry Mr Tracy. I did not wish to frighten you."
"I know Kyrano. I'm just a bit jumpy at the moment."
"I understand. Your boys, they will be alright."
It was a simple statement, said with simple faith. Kyrano was a simple man in tastes, but his mind was as sharp as any of the knives he used in the kitchen, and Jeff appreciated the emotional support that his friend was offering him.
"I sure hope you're right Kyrano."
"Mr Scott, Mr Virgil. They have been in trouble before and have survived. This time will not be any different."
"But this time is different. With Scott's eyesight gone..."
"He will have the eyes of his brother, but still his mind will be his own. He will think to save Mr Virgil and Mr Virgil will see to save Mr Scott. They will not fail each other."
Jeff grinned "You're right Kyrano. Those two always were a team, even when they were kids. In a strange sort of way I'm kind of glad it was them. All my boys are close, more so since we started International Rescue, but Scott and Virgil are almost telepathic."
"You agree with me. They will work together for each other, not for themselves. And they will survive."
"I just wish I knew what had happened to Virgil's communicator. It's been over two and a half hours since we heard anything."
They both jumped when an unexpected voice intruded. It was John.
"I've just been talking to Gordon, Father. They're making good time. They should be there within 35 minutes."
"Good John. Let me know of any updates, and keep trying Virgil's communicator."
"I have been. I've had no luck so far though."
"Doesn't matter. Keep trying."
"Yes Sir."
***
Gordon and Alan were quiet. They were both feeling the strain of the worry that came from not knowing how their two brothers were. Gordon bore the additional strain of piloting Thunderbird Two.
Brains and Tin-Tin were in the sickbay, ensuring that everything was ready for when Scott came on board. And hoping that Scott's burns would be the only treatment that would be needed.
"How long before we get there?" Alan asked for the hundredth time.
"About 32.5 minutes."
"How long since we heard from them?
"Alan!" Gordon said in exasperation.
"Sorry, Gordon. I just don't like not being able to do anything."
"Yeah, I know. Just sit tight, as soon as we get there, we'll retrieve The Mole and then we'll find them."
"How? Have you given that any thought? They could be anywhere in that maze. Assuming that they've been trying to find an exit and escape the water."
"And if something happened to Virgil - Scott wouldn't be able escape alone..."
"Don't! They'll both be okay. They've got to be."
"Of course they will be Alan."
Alan sat for a moment in quiet contemplation. "You know, Gordon, of all the senses, the one I'd most hate to lose would be my sight."
"Yeah. If you were deaf you could still pilot a Thunderbird, Brains could rig up some kind of communication device..."
"Is it possible to lose your sense of touch?"
"Paralysis, maybe?"
"I wouldn't like that either."
"I could live without my sense of smell." Gordon said.
"Never smelling the scent of the ocean, of Grandma's freshly baked brownies, or damp wet-suits?"
"Okay, so I wouldn't like it, but I could live with it."
"Taste?"
"Unpleasant, but liveable."
"But if we were blind... if Scott's blindness is permanent... we'd be useless to International Rescue!"
"They'd think of something we could do." Gordon glanced at the compass and made a slight adjustment.
"But it wouldn't be what we were really good at would it?"
Their morbid conversation was interrupted by John. "How's it going fellas?"
"We've got a tail wind and we're making good time." Gordon said.
"Have you heard anything yet?" Alan was standing at Gordon's shoulder.
"Negative. I keep trying Virgil's communicator, but I'm pretty sure I'm wasting my time. They would have made contact by now if it was still usable. Still at least I feel I'm doing something."
"How's everyone back at base?" Alan asked.
"I've just been talking to Father and Kyrano. I guess they're giving each other moral support. I don't know about Grandma though. How was she when you guys left."
"Oh, you know Grandma..." Gordon said, "she was being the rock of the family."
"How was Father when you left?"
"Same as he always is when one of us gets into trouble. We left him alone to work through the guilt trip and he cheered up a little when Brains came up with this plan."
"And the others? Let me guess Tin-Tin was sobbing into Alan's shoulder?"
Alan, standing behind he pilot's seat so that Gordon couldn't see him, stuck out his tongue John's video image. "If you must know she was crying into Grandma's."
"After sobbing into Alan's shoulder." Gordon added
"And Brains was thinking up a plan, and Kyrano was boiling the kettle, right?"
"Right. I wonder if they realise how predictable they all are." Despite the seriousness of it all Gordon was chuckling.
"I guess they've had plenty of practise." Alan said. "We will keep on getting into trouble."
"It's one of the 'joys' of being a member of International Rescue." John said. "Okay, talking predicablity, we know that Scott and Virgil are alright. Right!"
"Right!" Gordon and Alan both agreed emphatically.
"Right. So what are THEY doing at the moment?"
"Scott will be ordering Virgil about." Alan said. "Telling him what they need to escape, where it can be got from and how it's to be used."
"Virgil will be describing their surroundings, in his artistic way 'The colour of the fire that's about to engulf us is the same as Thunderbird Three when she launches into the setting sun'."
Alan hit Gordon lightly on the arm. "If he hears you talking like that he won't be impressed."
"But Scott will be lapping it up." John commented. "The more information he gets the better he'll be able to assess the situation."
"And Virgil be doing most of the work, probably while thinking up a tune to mark the occasion." Gordon offered.
"He'll probably be carrying Scott - on Scott's orders." Alan said.
"That weight!" John gasped. "Hey - maybe that's the tune... 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.'"
"Last centuries version or this?" Gordon asked.
"Oh, it'd have to be a Virgil version. For piano and hernia."
They laughed. For a moment their worries had gone.
"Guess I'd better get back to trying Virgil's communicator." John finally said.
"Yeah, you'd better." Gordon said. "Hey John..."
"What?"
"Thanks for the chat. I'm sure Alan will agree with me when I say it's helped."
John's video image smiled at them. "I'll talk to you soon." And he was gone.
"How long before we get there?" Alan asked for the hundred and first time.
In his role as commander of International Rescue Jeff Tracy had had to endure many stressful moments. 'If I listed them all' he thought grimly, 'this one would be at the top of the list.'
It had been just over 30 minutes since Alan and Gordon had set out in Thunderbird Two. Thirty minutes since he'd last seen any of his sons. Three of them he was sure of seeing again, but the other two...?
He automatically took a sip at his coffee without noticing that it was cold. He jumped when he heard a voice. "More coffee, Mr Tracy?"
"Kyrano!"
"I am sorry Mr Tracy. I did not wish to frighten you."
"I know Kyrano. I'm just a bit jumpy at the moment."
"I understand. Your boys, they will be alright."
It was a simple statement, said with simple faith. Kyrano was a simple man in tastes, but his mind was as sharp as any of the knives he used in the kitchen, and Jeff appreciated the emotional support that his friend was offering him.
"I sure hope you're right Kyrano."
"Mr Scott, Mr Virgil. They have been in trouble before and have survived. This time will not be any different."
"But this time is different. With Scott's eyesight gone..."
"He will have the eyes of his brother, but still his mind will be his own. He will think to save Mr Virgil and Mr Virgil will see to save Mr Scott. They will not fail each other."
Jeff grinned "You're right Kyrano. Those two always were a team, even when they were kids. In a strange sort of way I'm kind of glad it was them. All my boys are close, more so since we started International Rescue, but Scott and Virgil are almost telepathic."
"You agree with me. They will work together for each other, not for themselves. And they will survive."
"I just wish I knew what had happened to Virgil's communicator. It's been over two and a half hours since we heard anything."
They both jumped when an unexpected voice intruded. It was John.
"I've just been talking to Gordon, Father. They're making good time. They should be there within 35 minutes."
"Good John. Let me know of any updates, and keep trying Virgil's communicator."
"I have been. I've had no luck so far though."
"Doesn't matter. Keep trying."
"Yes Sir."
***
Gordon and Alan were quiet. They were both feeling the strain of the worry that came from not knowing how their two brothers were. Gordon bore the additional strain of piloting Thunderbird Two.
Brains and Tin-Tin were in the sickbay, ensuring that everything was ready for when Scott came on board. And hoping that Scott's burns would be the only treatment that would be needed.
"How long before we get there?" Alan asked for the hundredth time.
"About 32.5 minutes."
"How long since we heard from them?
"Alan!" Gordon said in exasperation.
"Sorry, Gordon. I just don't like not being able to do anything."
"Yeah, I know. Just sit tight, as soon as we get there, we'll retrieve The Mole and then we'll find them."
"How? Have you given that any thought? They could be anywhere in that maze. Assuming that they've been trying to find an exit and escape the water."
"And if something happened to Virgil - Scott wouldn't be able escape alone..."
"Don't! They'll both be okay. They've got to be."
"Of course they will be Alan."
Alan sat for a moment in quiet contemplation. "You know, Gordon, of all the senses, the one I'd most hate to lose would be my sight."
"Yeah. If you were deaf you could still pilot a Thunderbird, Brains could rig up some kind of communication device..."
"Is it possible to lose your sense of touch?"
"Paralysis, maybe?"
"I wouldn't like that either."
"I could live without my sense of smell." Gordon said.
"Never smelling the scent of the ocean, of Grandma's freshly baked brownies, or damp wet-suits?"
"Okay, so I wouldn't like it, but I could live with it."
"Taste?"
"Unpleasant, but liveable."
"But if we were blind... if Scott's blindness is permanent... we'd be useless to International Rescue!"
"They'd think of something we could do." Gordon glanced at the compass and made a slight adjustment.
"But it wouldn't be what we were really good at would it?"
Their morbid conversation was interrupted by John. "How's it going fellas?"
"We've got a tail wind and we're making good time." Gordon said.
"Have you heard anything yet?" Alan was standing at Gordon's shoulder.
"Negative. I keep trying Virgil's communicator, but I'm pretty sure I'm wasting my time. They would have made contact by now if it was still usable. Still at least I feel I'm doing something."
"How's everyone back at base?" Alan asked.
"I've just been talking to Father and Kyrano. I guess they're giving each other moral support. I don't know about Grandma though. How was she when you guys left."
"Oh, you know Grandma..." Gordon said, "she was being the rock of the family."
"How was Father when you left?"
"Same as he always is when one of us gets into trouble. We left him alone to work through the guilt trip and he cheered up a little when Brains came up with this plan."
"And the others? Let me guess Tin-Tin was sobbing into Alan's shoulder?"
Alan, standing behind he pilot's seat so that Gordon couldn't see him, stuck out his tongue John's video image. "If you must know she was crying into Grandma's."
"After sobbing into Alan's shoulder." Gordon added
"And Brains was thinking up a plan, and Kyrano was boiling the kettle, right?"
"Right. I wonder if they realise how predictable they all are." Despite the seriousness of it all Gordon was chuckling.
"I guess they've had plenty of practise." Alan said. "We will keep on getting into trouble."
"It's one of the 'joys' of being a member of International Rescue." John said. "Okay, talking predicablity, we know that Scott and Virgil are alright. Right!"
"Right!" Gordon and Alan both agreed emphatically.
"Right. So what are THEY doing at the moment?"
"Scott will be ordering Virgil about." Alan said. "Telling him what they need to escape, where it can be got from and how it's to be used."
"Virgil will be describing their surroundings, in his artistic way 'The colour of the fire that's about to engulf us is the same as Thunderbird Three when she launches into the setting sun'."
Alan hit Gordon lightly on the arm. "If he hears you talking like that he won't be impressed."
"But Scott will be lapping it up." John commented. "The more information he gets the better he'll be able to assess the situation."
"And Virgil be doing most of the work, probably while thinking up a tune to mark the occasion." Gordon offered.
"He'll probably be carrying Scott - on Scott's orders." Alan said.
"That weight!" John gasped. "Hey - maybe that's the tune... 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.'"
"Last centuries version or this?" Gordon asked.
"Oh, it'd have to be a Virgil version. For piano and hernia."
They laughed. For a moment their worries had gone.
"Guess I'd better get back to trying Virgil's communicator." John finally said.
"Yeah, you'd better." Gordon said. "Hey John..."
"What?"
"Thanks for the chat. I'm sure Alan will agree with me when I say it's helped."
John's video image smiled at them. "I'll talk to you soon." And he was gone.
"How long before we get there?" Alan asked for the hundred and first time.