Ninety Two - BF
"Has anyone seen Scott and Virgil?" Jeff asked.
The rest of the family had assembled for the meeting.
"They've each gone for a walk." Grandma Tracy informed him. "But I know they'd both remembered the meeting."
"They're not late." Alan pointed out. "They've still got two minutes."
"Where are they?" Jeff asked fractiously.
"They'll be there!" John said confidently. "Have you ever known Scott to be late for anything?"
"Sure." Gordon was equally as confident. "He's probably trying to convince Virgil to hurry up. Did you tell him the meeting was in the lounge?"
"Yes!" Jeff snapped.
"Don't you think that's a bit mean, Jeff?" his mother asked. "He hasn't been in here since..."
"I know! And that's one reason why I wanted to hold the meeting here. He can't run away from things forever."
She pouted, showing her disapproval.
"So, what's the meeting for, Dad?" Gordon asked.
"You'll find out soon enough!" Jeff Tracy was clearly on edge. "That's if those two ever turn up." He strode out on the patio to see if he could see his errant sons.
The rest of the family took the opportunity to do a little speculation amongst themselves.
"Anyone know what we're here for?" Alan asked in a stage whisper.
"Is it to do with International Rescue or family?" John wondered.
"I-International Rescue." Brains opined firmly. "Th-The Kyrano's and I wouldn't be h-here if it were family."
"Yes you would." John rebuked him. "You guys are as much family as any of us."
"Is it something to do with Virgil?" Tin-Tin asked.
"No. If it was why would there be all this secrecy." Alan looked over to the scientist. "There's nothing we should know about him, is there Brains?"
Brains looked away. "N-No."
Jeff came striding back in. "I'm going to call Scott!"
***
Scott heard the signal but was powerless to answer. He shouted, hopeful that maybe his wristwatch communicator would pick up his voice.
He began to feel desperate when the signal ceased.
He looked back down the beach to where Virgil was almost out of sight.
"Virgil!!!"
***
Virgil didn't want to go back home, to face the lounge, but by the same token he didn't want everyone setting out on another search for him. He continued his slow progress in the direction of the villa.
A seagull landed on the beach ahead of him. He watched it and it cocked its head as if it were listening to something.
"You don't know how lucky you are," he told it.
It opened its mouth in a silent screech and flew off into the air.
His eyes followed its path.
"Scott!!!"
***
Jeff angrily disconnected the link to Scott's watch. "Does anyone know where he's gone!?"
"No.", and "Sorry, Dad, and the shaking of heads were his replies.
"Has Virgil got his Comm-specs with him?"
"He left them with me." Grandma reached into the pocket of her apron and removed the articles. "That's how I know he'd remembered the meeting. He didn't want them while he was on his walk, but wanted to be able to come straight here afterwards."
"It's not like either of them to be late, or for Scott to be out of touch." John said uneasily.
"They're probably talking somewhere." Tin-Tin offered. "And lost track of the time."
"I know they need to talk." Jeff muttered loudly. "But why now?" He received querying looks from his family. "I'm going to try to contact Virgil. He won't hear me, but at least it might remind him."
The words were barely out of his mouth when the eyes in Virgil's portrait started flashing urgently.
Jeff flicked the switch. "Go ahead, Virgil!"
The way the picture was jumping around, and the way Virgil wasn't concentrating on the watch, told them that he was running.
"Scott's fallen down the cliff! He's hanging part way down! We're to the west! Near the end of the beach!"
"How is he?" Jeff asked uselessly, fear gripping his heart.
Gordon, Alan and Brains had already sprung into action, heading for Thunderbird Two. As Jeff looked to them to give his commands he was just in time to see Gordon tip out of sight.
The rest of the family ran for the patio and the steps that led to the beach.
"John!" Jeff ordered. "Get a bearing on Scott's watch. Send the information through to Thunderbird Two."
John was already on his computer. "Got it in hand, Dad." He pressed a key. "It's done!"
"Where's Virgil?"
"He's close to Scott and gaining altitude. I'd say he's climbing up to him."
***
Virgil crawled the last few metres, trying to spread his body weight and prevent more of the track collapsing. He reached the gap in the trail and lent over, grabbing Scott by the wrist. "Are you okay?"
Scott gave him a reassuring smile.
"Hold tight. I've got a message to the others."
'Hold tight!' Scott thought to himself. 'I've been doing that for the last five minutes!'
"Can you twist round?" Virgil asked.
Scott shook his head and the movement caused the plant to loosen its hold a fraction more.
"Hang in there. They won't be long."
'Hang in there! Virgil we've got to do something about your use of clichés.' Scott thought. But he appreciated his brothers concern.
***
"There they are!" Tin-Tin yelled as she emerged from between the rocks the marked the end of this beach.
She was followed by Jeff, then Kyrano, and finally Grandma. "Oh my!" she gasped when she spied her two grandsons. "Jeff! We've got to do something!"
At that moment the light from the sun was eclipsed as Thunderbird Two swung into view.
"Something's being done Mother. Just relax."
***
"How's things going guys?" John asked anxiously.
"We've got a visual on them." Gordon replied. "I'll send you video."
"Thanks." John watched the scene unfolding, as Thunderbird Two was manoeuvred into position. "How did he get there?"
"I'll ask him as soon as we've got him on board."
***
Brains and Alan were preparing the elevator car.
"You set with the winch?" Alan yelled above the noise of Thunderbird Two's jets and the wind.
"F-A-B."
Alan spoke into the microphone. "Ready when you are Gordon."
"Okay. I'm swinging into position now."
***
Virgil glanced up when the shadow fell over them. "Told you they wouldn't be long."
The plant gave up its tenuous grip on the cliff face and fell...
***
"Has anyone seen Scott and Virgil?" Jeff asked.
The rest of the family had assembled for the meeting.
"They've each gone for a walk." Grandma Tracy informed him. "But I know they'd both remembered the meeting."
"They're not late." Alan pointed out. "They've still got two minutes."
"Where are they?" Jeff asked fractiously.
"They'll be there!" John said confidently. "Have you ever known Scott to be late for anything?"
"Sure." Gordon was equally as confident. "He's probably trying to convince Virgil to hurry up. Did you tell him the meeting was in the lounge?"
"Yes!" Jeff snapped.
"Don't you think that's a bit mean, Jeff?" his mother asked. "He hasn't been in here since..."
"I know! And that's one reason why I wanted to hold the meeting here. He can't run away from things forever."
She pouted, showing her disapproval.
"So, what's the meeting for, Dad?" Gordon asked.
"You'll find out soon enough!" Jeff Tracy was clearly on edge. "That's if those two ever turn up." He strode out on the patio to see if he could see his errant sons.
The rest of the family took the opportunity to do a little speculation amongst themselves.
"Anyone know what we're here for?" Alan asked in a stage whisper.
"Is it to do with International Rescue or family?" John wondered.
"I-International Rescue." Brains opined firmly. "Th-The Kyrano's and I wouldn't be h-here if it were family."
"Yes you would." John rebuked him. "You guys are as much family as any of us."
"Is it something to do with Virgil?" Tin-Tin asked.
"No. If it was why would there be all this secrecy." Alan looked over to the scientist. "There's nothing we should know about him, is there Brains?"
Brains looked away. "N-No."
Jeff came striding back in. "I'm going to call Scott!"
***
Scott heard the signal but was powerless to answer. He shouted, hopeful that maybe his wristwatch communicator would pick up his voice.
He began to feel desperate when the signal ceased.
He looked back down the beach to where Virgil was almost out of sight.
"Virgil!!!"
***
Virgil didn't want to go back home, to face the lounge, but by the same token he didn't want everyone setting out on another search for him. He continued his slow progress in the direction of the villa.
A seagull landed on the beach ahead of him. He watched it and it cocked its head as if it were listening to something.
"You don't know how lucky you are," he told it.
It opened its mouth in a silent screech and flew off into the air.
His eyes followed its path.
"Scott!!!"
***
Jeff angrily disconnected the link to Scott's watch. "Does anyone know where he's gone!?"
"No.", and "Sorry, Dad, and the shaking of heads were his replies.
"Has Virgil got his Comm-specs with him?"
"He left them with me." Grandma reached into the pocket of her apron and removed the articles. "That's how I know he'd remembered the meeting. He didn't want them while he was on his walk, but wanted to be able to come straight here afterwards."
"It's not like either of them to be late, or for Scott to be out of touch." John said uneasily.
"They're probably talking somewhere." Tin-Tin offered. "And lost track of the time."
"I know they need to talk." Jeff muttered loudly. "But why now?" He received querying looks from his family. "I'm going to try to contact Virgil. He won't hear me, but at least it might remind him."
The words were barely out of his mouth when the eyes in Virgil's portrait started flashing urgently.
Jeff flicked the switch. "Go ahead, Virgil!"
The way the picture was jumping around, and the way Virgil wasn't concentrating on the watch, told them that he was running.
"Scott's fallen down the cliff! He's hanging part way down! We're to the west! Near the end of the beach!"
"How is he?" Jeff asked uselessly, fear gripping his heart.
Gordon, Alan and Brains had already sprung into action, heading for Thunderbird Two. As Jeff looked to them to give his commands he was just in time to see Gordon tip out of sight.
The rest of the family ran for the patio and the steps that led to the beach.
"John!" Jeff ordered. "Get a bearing on Scott's watch. Send the information through to Thunderbird Two."
John was already on his computer. "Got it in hand, Dad." He pressed a key. "It's done!"
"Where's Virgil?"
"He's close to Scott and gaining altitude. I'd say he's climbing up to him."
***
Virgil crawled the last few metres, trying to spread his body weight and prevent more of the track collapsing. He reached the gap in the trail and lent over, grabbing Scott by the wrist. "Are you okay?"
Scott gave him a reassuring smile.
"Hold tight. I've got a message to the others."
'Hold tight!' Scott thought to himself. 'I've been doing that for the last five minutes!'
"Can you twist round?" Virgil asked.
Scott shook his head and the movement caused the plant to loosen its hold a fraction more.
"Hang in there. They won't be long."
'Hang in there! Virgil we've got to do something about your use of clichés.' Scott thought. But he appreciated his brothers concern.
***
"There they are!" Tin-Tin yelled as she emerged from between the rocks the marked the end of this beach.
She was followed by Jeff, then Kyrano, and finally Grandma. "Oh my!" she gasped when she spied her two grandsons. "Jeff! We've got to do something!"
At that moment the light from the sun was eclipsed as Thunderbird Two swung into view.
"Something's being done Mother. Just relax."
***
"How's things going guys?" John asked anxiously.
"We've got a visual on them." Gordon replied. "I'll send you video."
"Thanks." John watched the scene unfolding, as Thunderbird Two was manoeuvred into position. "How did he get there?"
"I'll ask him as soon as we've got him on board."
***
Brains and Alan were preparing the elevator car.
"You set with the winch?" Alan yelled above the noise of Thunderbird Two's jets and the wind.
"F-A-B."
Alan spoke into the microphone. "Ready when you are Gordon."
"Okay. I'm swinging into position now."
***
Virgil glanced up when the shadow fell over them. "Told you they wouldn't be long."
The plant gave up its tenuous grip on the cliff face and fell...
***