Seventy Nine - BF
The next day Virgil felt well enough to get up. He joined his brothers in the lounge for the debriefing.
How're you feeling now? John asked from his vantage point of the portrait.
Not bad. Virgil admitted. Though I'd feel better if I knew what was wrong with me.
Well the nutty Professor's going to be going all out to find out what's wrong. Alan told him. He was out of Thunderbird One before I'd even got the ladder fully extended.
Where's Dad? Gordon asked.
Scott looked at his watch. He set down this meeting for two p.m. It's only one fifty.
Who's going to translate what Father says for me? Virgil asked. It'll be easier if I know who to look at.
I'll do it. Alan offered.
And I'll do Brains, if he joins us. Gordon added.
Thank heavens you guys can all sign. Virgil said, then he frowned. I'll tell you one thing though, if any of you start to call me 'Verge', I'll throttle you. I'm not an extra bit on the edge of things.
You can't expect us to spell out your name every time. John pointed out.
How about Verge-L? Gordon asked.
"No!"
Verge-ill?
Only if you let me call you Gourd-on.
Gordon's face showed what he thought of that idea.
Hey yeah! Alan exclaimed. Big brother can be Scot-T, and the Eye in the Sky can be... he turned to where John was glaring down on him.
Don't even think of going there! John responded threateningly.
Just call me V. I'll be happy with that. Virgil hastily cut the argument short.
That's easy. Even Dad should be able to sign that. Gordon said.
Jeff chose that moment to enter the room. He stood behind Virgil. "How is he?" he asked.
"Don't you know it's rude to talk behind people's backs?" Virgil told him.
"How'd you know?" Jeff asked, perplexed.
Virgil watched Alan sign the question. "I could see your reflection in the chrome trim of the table. Alan's going to translate for you."
"Good! Thank you Alan." Jeff sat down. "Well, we'd better get started..."
***
***
Early the next day and Jeff was deep in thought. He had an important contract he was trying to put together for Tracy Industries and the numbers just weren't adding up. He looked at the piles of papers sitting on his desk. The excitement and stresses of the last week or so had pushed more mundane business to the background and now he was hoping for a few hours peace and quiet and the chance to catch up.
At first he didn't worry about the rhythmical sounds he could hear from further down the house. They had the same relaxing tempo as a heart beat and helped to centre his thoughts.
Then the sounds became louder.
Music?
Who'd be playing music at this volume? Everyone should be working somewhere in the complex.
The volume increased. His nerves, already stretched due to the backload of work, neared breaking point. Someone was going to get a piece of his mind!
Jeff stood, and in doing so knocked some papers to the floor. Desperate not to lose his tenuous grasp on the paper war he was currently fighting he lunged for them. His outstretched fingers just missed the falling sheets and his other elbow knocked his cup of coffee. Sliding on its coaster, the cup skidded across the desk, splashing its contents as it went. It hit the ornament that doubled as the microphone and tipped, the remaining liquid soaking much of what resided on the desk.
He stared at the mess. Hours of work had just been ruined.
Anger boiled over.
He stormed off down to the source of the noise that could no longer be referred to as music.
He barrelled in through the bedroom door and pulled the power cord from the wall.
"Virgil! What do you think you are doing!?"
Virgil had been standing by one of his speakers. He was startled when his father grabbed him by the arm and jumped backwards, inadvertently pulling the speaker with him. It crashed to the floor.
"Are you trying to deafen us all?" Jeff yelled. "I've just ruined hours of work because of that noise that you call music. What are you doing? ... Answer me!"
Virgil stared back. His face a mixture of bewilderment, frustration and a trace of fear. His eyes watching his father glower at him, trying to make sense of what was being said.
"I-I can't hear you."
Jeff felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. He immediately calmed down. "I'm sorry, son. I'm an idiot. I forgot."
Virgil still looked bewildered.
"I wish I knew sign language." Jeff said in frustration.
"What?" Virgil sounded equally frustrated.
Jeff indicated the stereo. "What were you doing?"
Virgil appeared to understand. "I was trying to see if I could feel the music. I thought maybe if I placed my hands on the speaker, I could somehow hear it. I thought maybe there was some volume I could still hear..." He sat on his bed, his hands clenched tightly in fists.
Jeff sat beside him and put a fatherly arm around his shoulders. "And can you?"
"Pardon?" Virgil asked.
Brains knocked on the door. "Excuse m-me, Mr Tracy."
"What is it Brains?"
"B-Bunny has sent through his initial test results. He's 90 percent confident th-that Virgil will make a full recovery."
"That's good." Jeff beamed. "But why only 90 percent?"
Brains held some papers in his hand, and he looked down at them. "Th-There is one or two factors that he has some concerns over."
"One or two...?" Jeff stood and positioned himself so that he could see for himself the data printouts that Brains was holding.
Virgil remained seated. From there he could see the two men talking to each other. The way they kept glancing at him he knew they were talking about him. He watched their mouths trying to gain some idea of what was being said. Smiles merged into frowns and back into expressions of relief. More talking, and more...
Finally he could take it no longer.
"You're talking about me aren't you! Do you have to do it in front of me? If you can't talk to me couldn't you at least have the decency to do it behind my back. I won't hear you either way, but at least I won't know you're talking."
"Virgil, I'm sorry..." Jeff started to apologise.
"Get out! Get out of my room! And take this with you!" Virgil pulled his stereo off its stand and thrust it into his father's arms, before striding over to his window. He leant on the windowsill and gazed out at the view, breathing heavily.
Jeff handed Brains the stereo. "Put this somewhere safe will you?"
"Of course, Mr Tracy." Brains quietly withdrew.
Jeff touched Virgil gently on the arm.
Virgil angrily brushed his hand away. "Leave me alone!"
Unable to communicate, and severely chastened, Jeff complied.
He ran into Scott standing in the hallway, arms folded disapprovingly. "You've really done it now haven't you."
Jeff ran his hand through his hair. "I forgot! I can't believe it, but I actually forgot that he can't hear. I was tearing strips off him for having the music too loud and he couldn't hear a word I said."
Scott's frown of anger transformed itself into a frown of concern. "He was playing music?"
"He said he was trying to see what he could feel... and hear."
"Why's Brains got the stereo?"
"Virgil wanted us to take it. The way he ripped it off its stand he's lucky its got wireless connections. I just wish I could talk to him. Do you know how frustrating it is trying to communicate with someone who can't understand you?"
"Every time I'm on a rescue in a non-English speaking country, trying to deal with someone who's anxious and frightened and trying to get International Rescue to help and is gabbling too fast for Mobile Control's translator to even get a handle on what language it is, let alone what is being said."
"What do you do?"
"Smile a lot, and hope they'll calm down enough that Mobile Control can cope, or else I get John to talk to them."
"I didn't do that." Jeff sighed. "I got angry and upset him."
"Should I talk to him?"
"He won't want to see me. You can at least tell him that Professor Bunsen is fairly sure that he'll get his hearing back."
"He is?" Scott's face broke into a smile. "That's great!"
"Yes. There's more he should know, but we'll worry about that later."
Scott's eyes narrowed. "More?"
"Nothing to worry about. When you've finished you show me the signs to use so I can tell him that I'm sorry."
"They're easy enough. This is sorry ."
Jeff tried to make a sentence. Me sorry.
"You mean, I'm sorry.
"What did I say?"
"Me sorry."
"Oh... I think I'd better go practise." Jeff looked disappointed. "I can't even get him to look at me at the moment. Please tell him I'm sorry, Scott. I'll try to talk to him when he's feeling better."
"Okay."
***
Scott entered the room, noticing the fallen speaker. He moved it back into its upright position, wondering if he should place it somewhere out of Virgil's sight.
He decided against it and tapped Virgil on the arm.
"I said get... Scott!"
Hi.
"Did Father send you in?"
I heard the end of your 'discussion' and offered to pass on his apologies.
"They were standing there talking as if I wasn't even here."
He's really sorry.
Virgil leant against the windowpane. "This is so frustrating."
Apparently Professor Bunsen thinks your deafness is only temporary.
Virgil brightened. "I sure hope he's right..." then he straightened up. "I need some fresh air. Fancy a walk along the beach?"
Love to.
***
The Pacific Ocean was a stormy shade of blue, Virgil noted as he gazed out over the breakers. Pacific - peaceful - "I think I can see why Gordon's so drawn to water. If I watch the sea I can fool myself into believing that I'm hearing the waves and not these noises in my head."
"T-I-N-N-I-T-U-S." Scott signed.
Virgil frowned. "What?"
"T-I-N-N-I-T-U-S. That's what the noises are called."
"Oh. So I don't have to call them Fred or something like that. How do you say it?"
Actually Brains and the Professor each pronounce it differently. Scott thought for a moment. Tin.
"Tin."
Eye.
"Eye."
T-U-S. Like bus with a T instead of a B.
"Tus."
That's it.
"Tinnitus. Tinnitus." Virgil practised a couple of times. "Am I saying it correctly?"
Sounds fine to me. How's it sound... then Scott stopped. Can't you hear what you're saying?
"No. All I can hear is the tinnitus."
You can't hear yourself at all?
"No."
Scott was obviously shocked. I hadn't realised! I just assumed that you could at least hear yourself talk.
"No." Virgil said sadly. "Nothing." He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking along the beach. "You know, in one respect you had it easier."
I had it easier? What do you mean?
"When you were blind."
"You must be really feeling sorry for yourself." Scott muttered to himself. How did I have it easier?
"It was obvious you were blind. No one could forget. You had the cane. You tended to look straight ahead. And when you talked with someone you'd sort of cock your head so that you weren't looking directly at them. Almost, but not quite. Probably because you were using your ears more than your eyes."
Did I? Scott hadn't realised.
"Deafness is invisible. Everyone forgets. I see them... they're talking to me and I can't hear them and I see anger or frustration because I'm not responding the way they expect. And then they remember and they either look frustrated or embarrassed... You all do it."
Yes we do. Scott said shamefully.
"And do you know how lonely this is?" Virgil asked. "I'm grateful that you guys can sign, I think I would have gone mad otherwise. But when I'm with one of the others, like earlier, it's as if I'm watching the TV and the mute's on and I can't find the remote. They try, and then they give up and basically ignore me."
They don't mean too.
"I know. But it's so frustrating!"
Well, remember this isn't permanent.
"That's what I keep telling myself. But what if the Professor's got it wrong?"
You'll cope, like I did. And I'll help where I can.
"Does that mean I can hit you when things get too much?" Virgil asked wryly.
I'd rather you didn't. Scott was smiling as he replied, but his thoughts were on the unfinished conversation of a couple of nights ago.
"I guess if this is permanent I won't be going on any more rescues."
Why not? I managed with a bit of equipment modification. There's nothing stopping you piloting Thunderbird Two.
"But communication is so important in International Rescue. What if I'm flying above something that's going to explode? How can you tell me to get out of there? By the time the computers translated your words, and I've read them, I could be blown to Kingdom Come."
We'll use a red emergency light.
"And telling me which direction to take?"
To turn to starboard, we can flash a green light.
"And to port?" Virgil asked wryly.
A red one! Realisation dawned in Scott. Oh, okay. Amber for the emergency. My point is it's not impossible. Brains'll think of something.
"Yeah." Virgil didn't sound convinced.
They came to a sand covered log. Virgil automatically stepped over it.
Scott was sent sprawling in the sand. Instantly Virgil was at his side. "Are you okay?"
Yeah. Scott glared at the log. I didn't see that. It's camouflaged.
"You didn't see it! Your eyesight's still not too good is it?"
Why do you think I'm not begging to be let loose in Thunderbird One? Scott stood and dusted himself down before continuing their walk down the beach. I can see your face pretty clearly... which I'm glad of." He added quickly. "My feet are out of focus, and the summit of the volcano's starting to blend into the sky. Are those storm clouds?
"I hadn't realised."
So we've both learnt something about each other today. Scott grinned.
"Yeah. We're a pair of crocks."
And we're both going to get better. Remember that.
They walked on a bit further in silence. They'd circumnavigated a quarter of the island. They came to some rocks.
"Let's have a rest." Virgil suggested.
They sat so they were facing each other...
***
Tin-Tin had been looking for them both. She followed the path that ran parallel to the beach. She began to despair that she'd missed them when the path started climbing up towards the summit. Finally she spotted them fifteen feet below her. She moved closer to the edge to try to get their attention...
***
"You know the other day..." Virgil began uncertainly, "... when you 'kidnapped' me?"
Yes. Scott said warily. Sorry about that.
" I wanted to say..."
***
"Scott!" Tin-Tin yelled, waving her arms madly. "Scott!" She took another step closer to the edge.
The ground beneath her feet gave way. She screamed as she tumbled down towards the churning waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Scott heard her.
Virgil saw her.
"Tin-Tin!"
The next day Virgil felt well enough to get up. He joined his brothers in the lounge for the debriefing.
How're you feeling now? John asked from his vantage point of the portrait.
Not bad. Virgil admitted. Though I'd feel better if I knew what was wrong with me.
Well the nutty Professor's going to be going all out to find out what's wrong. Alan told him. He was out of Thunderbird One before I'd even got the ladder fully extended.
Where's Dad? Gordon asked.
Scott looked at his watch. He set down this meeting for two p.m. It's only one fifty.
Who's going to translate what Father says for me? Virgil asked. It'll be easier if I know who to look at.
I'll do it. Alan offered.
And I'll do Brains, if he joins us. Gordon added.
Thank heavens you guys can all sign. Virgil said, then he frowned. I'll tell you one thing though, if any of you start to call me 'Verge', I'll throttle you. I'm not an extra bit on the edge of things.
You can't expect us to spell out your name every time. John pointed out.
How about Verge-L? Gordon asked.
"No!"
Verge-ill?
Only if you let me call you Gourd-on.
Gordon's face showed what he thought of that idea.
Hey yeah! Alan exclaimed. Big brother can be Scot-T, and the Eye in the Sky can be... he turned to where John was glaring down on him.
Don't even think of going there! John responded threateningly.
Just call me V. I'll be happy with that. Virgil hastily cut the argument short.
That's easy. Even Dad should be able to sign that. Gordon said.
Jeff chose that moment to enter the room. He stood behind Virgil. "How is he?" he asked.
"Don't you know it's rude to talk behind people's backs?" Virgil told him.
"How'd you know?" Jeff asked, perplexed.
Virgil watched Alan sign the question. "I could see your reflection in the chrome trim of the table. Alan's going to translate for you."
"Good! Thank you Alan." Jeff sat down. "Well, we'd better get started..."
***
***
Early the next day and Jeff was deep in thought. He had an important contract he was trying to put together for Tracy Industries and the numbers just weren't adding up. He looked at the piles of papers sitting on his desk. The excitement and stresses of the last week or so had pushed more mundane business to the background and now he was hoping for a few hours peace and quiet and the chance to catch up.
At first he didn't worry about the rhythmical sounds he could hear from further down the house. They had the same relaxing tempo as a heart beat and helped to centre his thoughts.
Then the sounds became louder.
Music?
Who'd be playing music at this volume? Everyone should be working somewhere in the complex.
The volume increased. His nerves, already stretched due to the backload of work, neared breaking point. Someone was going to get a piece of his mind!
Jeff stood, and in doing so knocked some papers to the floor. Desperate not to lose his tenuous grasp on the paper war he was currently fighting he lunged for them. His outstretched fingers just missed the falling sheets and his other elbow knocked his cup of coffee. Sliding on its coaster, the cup skidded across the desk, splashing its contents as it went. It hit the ornament that doubled as the microphone and tipped, the remaining liquid soaking much of what resided on the desk.
He stared at the mess. Hours of work had just been ruined.
Anger boiled over.
He stormed off down to the source of the noise that could no longer be referred to as music.
He barrelled in through the bedroom door and pulled the power cord from the wall.
"Virgil! What do you think you are doing!?"
Virgil had been standing by one of his speakers. He was startled when his father grabbed him by the arm and jumped backwards, inadvertently pulling the speaker with him. It crashed to the floor.
"Are you trying to deafen us all?" Jeff yelled. "I've just ruined hours of work because of that noise that you call music. What are you doing? ... Answer me!"
Virgil stared back. His face a mixture of bewilderment, frustration and a trace of fear. His eyes watching his father glower at him, trying to make sense of what was being said.
"I-I can't hear you."
Jeff felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. He immediately calmed down. "I'm sorry, son. I'm an idiot. I forgot."
Virgil still looked bewildered.
"I wish I knew sign language." Jeff said in frustration.
"What?" Virgil sounded equally frustrated.
Jeff indicated the stereo. "What were you doing?"
Virgil appeared to understand. "I was trying to see if I could feel the music. I thought maybe if I placed my hands on the speaker, I could somehow hear it. I thought maybe there was some volume I could still hear..." He sat on his bed, his hands clenched tightly in fists.
Jeff sat beside him and put a fatherly arm around his shoulders. "And can you?"
"Pardon?" Virgil asked.
Brains knocked on the door. "Excuse m-me, Mr Tracy."
"What is it Brains?"
"B-Bunny has sent through his initial test results. He's 90 percent confident th-that Virgil will make a full recovery."
"That's good." Jeff beamed. "But why only 90 percent?"
Brains held some papers in his hand, and he looked down at them. "Th-There is one or two factors that he has some concerns over."
"One or two...?" Jeff stood and positioned himself so that he could see for himself the data printouts that Brains was holding.
Virgil remained seated. From there he could see the two men talking to each other. The way they kept glancing at him he knew they were talking about him. He watched their mouths trying to gain some idea of what was being said. Smiles merged into frowns and back into expressions of relief. More talking, and more...
Finally he could take it no longer.
"You're talking about me aren't you! Do you have to do it in front of me? If you can't talk to me couldn't you at least have the decency to do it behind my back. I won't hear you either way, but at least I won't know you're talking."
"Virgil, I'm sorry..." Jeff started to apologise.
"Get out! Get out of my room! And take this with you!" Virgil pulled his stereo off its stand and thrust it into his father's arms, before striding over to his window. He leant on the windowsill and gazed out at the view, breathing heavily.
Jeff handed Brains the stereo. "Put this somewhere safe will you?"
"Of course, Mr Tracy." Brains quietly withdrew.
Jeff touched Virgil gently on the arm.
Virgil angrily brushed his hand away. "Leave me alone!"
Unable to communicate, and severely chastened, Jeff complied.
He ran into Scott standing in the hallway, arms folded disapprovingly. "You've really done it now haven't you."
Jeff ran his hand through his hair. "I forgot! I can't believe it, but I actually forgot that he can't hear. I was tearing strips off him for having the music too loud and he couldn't hear a word I said."
Scott's frown of anger transformed itself into a frown of concern. "He was playing music?"
"He said he was trying to see what he could feel... and hear."
"Why's Brains got the stereo?"
"Virgil wanted us to take it. The way he ripped it off its stand he's lucky its got wireless connections. I just wish I could talk to him. Do you know how frustrating it is trying to communicate with someone who can't understand you?"
"Every time I'm on a rescue in a non-English speaking country, trying to deal with someone who's anxious and frightened and trying to get International Rescue to help and is gabbling too fast for Mobile Control's translator to even get a handle on what language it is, let alone what is being said."
"What do you do?"
"Smile a lot, and hope they'll calm down enough that Mobile Control can cope, or else I get John to talk to them."
"I didn't do that." Jeff sighed. "I got angry and upset him."
"Should I talk to him?"
"He won't want to see me. You can at least tell him that Professor Bunsen is fairly sure that he'll get his hearing back."
"He is?" Scott's face broke into a smile. "That's great!"
"Yes. There's more he should know, but we'll worry about that later."
Scott's eyes narrowed. "More?"
"Nothing to worry about. When you've finished you show me the signs to use so I can tell him that I'm sorry."
"They're easy enough. This is sorry ."
Jeff tried to make a sentence. Me sorry.
"You mean, I'm sorry.
"What did I say?"
"Me sorry."
"Oh... I think I'd better go practise." Jeff looked disappointed. "I can't even get him to look at me at the moment. Please tell him I'm sorry, Scott. I'll try to talk to him when he's feeling better."
"Okay."
***
Scott entered the room, noticing the fallen speaker. He moved it back into its upright position, wondering if he should place it somewhere out of Virgil's sight.
He decided against it and tapped Virgil on the arm.
"I said get... Scott!"
Hi.
"Did Father send you in?"
I heard the end of your 'discussion' and offered to pass on his apologies.
"They were standing there talking as if I wasn't even here."
He's really sorry.
Virgil leant against the windowpane. "This is so frustrating."
Apparently Professor Bunsen thinks your deafness is only temporary.
Virgil brightened. "I sure hope he's right..." then he straightened up. "I need some fresh air. Fancy a walk along the beach?"
Love to.
***
The Pacific Ocean was a stormy shade of blue, Virgil noted as he gazed out over the breakers. Pacific - peaceful - "I think I can see why Gordon's so drawn to water. If I watch the sea I can fool myself into believing that I'm hearing the waves and not these noises in my head."
"T-I-N-N-I-T-U-S." Scott signed.
Virgil frowned. "What?"
"T-I-N-N-I-T-U-S. That's what the noises are called."
"Oh. So I don't have to call them Fred or something like that. How do you say it?"
Actually Brains and the Professor each pronounce it differently. Scott thought for a moment. Tin.
"Tin."
Eye.
"Eye."
T-U-S. Like bus with a T instead of a B.
"Tus."
That's it.
"Tinnitus. Tinnitus." Virgil practised a couple of times. "Am I saying it correctly?"
Sounds fine to me. How's it sound... then Scott stopped. Can't you hear what you're saying?
"No. All I can hear is the tinnitus."
You can't hear yourself at all?
"No."
Scott was obviously shocked. I hadn't realised! I just assumed that you could at least hear yourself talk.
"No." Virgil said sadly. "Nothing." He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking along the beach. "You know, in one respect you had it easier."
I had it easier? What do you mean?
"When you were blind."
"You must be really feeling sorry for yourself." Scott muttered to himself. How did I have it easier?
"It was obvious you were blind. No one could forget. You had the cane. You tended to look straight ahead. And when you talked with someone you'd sort of cock your head so that you weren't looking directly at them. Almost, but not quite. Probably because you were using your ears more than your eyes."
Did I? Scott hadn't realised.
"Deafness is invisible. Everyone forgets. I see them... they're talking to me and I can't hear them and I see anger or frustration because I'm not responding the way they expect. And then they remember and they either look frustrated or embarrassed... You all do it."
Yes we do. Scott said shamefully.
"And do you know how lonely this is?" Virgil asked. "I'm grateful that you guys can sign, I think I would have gone mad otherwise. But when I'm with one of the others, like earlier, it's as if I'm watching the TV and the mute's on and I can't find the remote. They try, and then they give up and basically ignore me."
They don't mean too.
"I know. But it's so frustrating!"
Well, remember this isn't permanent.
"That's what I keep telling myself. But what if the Professor's got it wrong?"
You'll cope, like I did. And I'll help where I can.
"Does that mean I can hit you when things get too much?" Virgil asked wryly.
I'd rather you didn't. Scott was smiling as he replied, but his thoughts were on the unfinished conversation of a couple of nights ago.
"I guess if this is permanent I won't be going on any more rescues."
Why not? I managed with a bit of equipment modification. There's nothing stopping you piloting Thunderbird Two.
"But communication is so important in International Rescue. What if I'm flying above something that's going to explode? How can you tell me to get out of there? By the time the computers translated your words, and I've read them, I could be blown to Kingdom Come."
We'll use a red emergency light.
"And telling me which direction to take?"
To turn to starboard, we can flash a green light.
"And to port?" Virgil asked wryly.
A red one! Realisation dawned in Scott. Oh, okay. Amber for the emergency. My point is it's not impossible. Brains'll think of something.
"Yeah." Virgil didn't sound convinced.
They came to a sand covered log. Virgil automatically stepped over it.
Scott was sent sprawling in the sand. Instantly Virgil was at his side. "Are you okay?"
Yeah. Scott glared at the log. I didn't see that. It's camouflaged.
"You didn't see it! Your eyesight's still not too good is it?"
Why do you think I'm not begging to be let loose in Thunderbird One? Scott stood and dusted himself down before continuing their walk down the beach. I can see your face pretty clearly... which I'm glad of." He added quickly. "My feet are out of focus, and the summit of the volcano's starting to blend into the sky. Are those storm clouds?
"I hadn't realised."
So we've both learnt something about each other today. Scott grinned.
"Yeah. We're a pair of crocks."
And we're both going to get better. Remember that.
They walked on a bit further in silence. They'd circumnavigated a quarter of the island. They came to some rocks.
"Let's have a rest." Virgil suggested.
They sat so they were facing each other...
***
Tin-Tin had been looking for them both. She followed the path that ran parallel to the beach. She began to despair that she'd missed them when the path started climbing up towards the summit. Finally she spotted them fifteen feet below her. She moved closer to the edge to try to get their attention...
***
"You know the other day..." Virgil began uncertainly, "... when you 'kidnapped' me?"
Yes. Scott said warily. Sorry about that.
" I wanted to say..."
***
"Scott!" Tin-Tin yelled, waving her arms madly. "Scott!" She took another step closer to the edge.
The ground beneath her feet gave way. She screamed as she tumbled down towards the churning waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Scott heard her.
Virgil saw her.
"Tin-Tin!"