The Joker and Virgil.

Virgil stepped out onto the balcony, into the glorious sunshine. He watched as his father cut a swathe through the water with Scott, while other members of his family had gathered around the pool. Collecting his portable painting kit, easel and canvas, Virgil trotted lightly down the steps that joined the main part of the house and walked briskly across the terrace, raising his hand in greeting to his Grandmother. Fielding the invitations to join them in the inviting azure waters of the full sized pool, Virgil made his way to his favourite location for painting, one that afforded him the best view of the house, pool, and surrounding landscaped terrace.  Closing his eyes for a moment Virgil tilted his head, enjoying the feel of the sun's rays on his tanned face, as the gentle breeze washed in from the shore, teasing its way through his thick dark hair. Opening his warm brown eyes, he smiled in appreciation of the view before him. No matter how many times he viewed this scene, it never failed to fire him with a zest for painting. He had painted it three times already. Once for his father, as a birthday present, then for his Grandmother, who'd taken a shine to the original and lastly for his brother John, to keep him company on Thunderbird 5.  

This one he vowed was for himself, unless Tin-Tin commandeered it, as she'd threatened. His good natured features softened as he thought of her, he never could refuse her anything, none of them could. In the background he could hear the sounds of his family splashing about in the pool as, with expert fingers, he quickly set up his easel, secured the wing nuts and placed the 20x16 inch canvas on it. Tapping the canvas that had already been primed with a solution of thinner and raw sienna, Virgil gave a nod of satisfaction as the canvas responded tautly, and with knowledgeable familiarity he quickly selected the cobalt blue; french ultramarine, titanium white, lemon yellow and permanent light green for the sea and sky. For the landscape he chose the sap green, cadmium and yellow ochres, raw and burnt umbers, French ultramarine, alizarin crimson and the viridian green which had just the right shade for the foliage and palms. Although Virgil kept his equipment clean, he still gave his palate a gentle wipe, and selecting a number eight flat hog bristle brush, he filled the jar with odour free thinners.  

Reaching for the Cobalt blue he noticed a figure come out onto the balcony and raised his hand in greeting, before returning his attention back to the oil tube. Twisting the top, he paused when it refused to budge; applying more pressure until the top grudgingly gave way. When the tube refused to yield its contents, he shrugged and reached for a newer tube, knowing from experience how quickly the paints seized up in the tropical climate if left for any length of time. This time the cap unscrewed easily and he squeezed a sizable amount onto his palette. The french ultramarine and lemon yellow joined the cobalt blue, but when he twisted the cap of the large tube of titanium white, he encountered the same stubborn refusal to move. Other tubes proved just as elusive to his ministrations. Knowing, if he was in his studio, it would be a simple matter of putting the stubborn tubes into boiling water to loosen the tops. But out here he didn't have that luxury and had to settle for using more pressure to twist the caps. He knew it wouldn't take much for the tubes to split and leak paint, and tempered his pressure accordingly. Finally he felt the cap move, stiffly at first then with greater ease. He grunted in satisfaction.

"Hi Virg', how's it going?"

His head jerked up to see a water logged Scott in shorts and an open topped short sleeved shirt standing before him. "Hi yourself Scott, what brings you over? How's the water?" he responded, squeezing at the tube with a frown.

"Curiosity and the water's fine, I'd ask you to join us, but I can see the competitions beaten me to it.  What are you painting anyway?"

Virgil grinned, "I'd tell you, if you promise not to tell Tin-Tin."

Scott returned the grin. "You're too late, she's already seen you, and if that's what I think it is, you're gonna have to hand it over when it's done……what's up?" Scott frowned as he watched Virgil drop the tube and start twisting at another.

"Damn things have seized up in the heat and when I do get the caps off, the paint won't budge. At this rate I'll….."

"Here let me give you a hand."

Smiling his thanks, Virgil handed his brother a couple of the tubes, noticing from his eye corner the figure still leaning casually on the lounge balcony.

"Thought Gordon would have been the first one in the pool."

"Yeah, me too, but he said he had pressing business."

"Him?"

Scott laughed, "Yeah I know what you mean…..okay that's got the top of one….. nothing keeps him out of the water unless it's his stomach. He's probably been raiding the fridge while Grandma's by the pool…… or something."

'Or  something.' "You don't think he's up to another of his schemes, do you?"

Scott tensed, a speculative look replaced the easy lop-sided smile, "He'd better not be, but if he is, at least we're forewarned, and we'll be ready for him…..damn but this thing's stuck tight."

"This one's the same, no, wait a minute……got it" Virgil's satisfaction was short lived when the paint stayed firmly in the tube, in spite of the considerable pressure he used. This time he took his palette knife and began prodding the tip. The paint, like the others, appeared to have well and truly set and he was just about to discard it when the tube appeared to cough. He blinked in surprise; looking up as he heard Scott's astonished oath while simultaneously registering the sudden wet sensations on his face, neck and hair. His brain was one step ahead of his investigating fingers as they came away dark red, his eyes on the other cap-less tubes that had started to move.

"Scott! Down!" he shouted, diving for cover as the tubes on his easel tray exploded in all directions. He wasn't quick enough, and from the expletives at the side of him, neither was his brother. Then the answer hit him even quicker than the paint had……Gordon. He looked up at the balcony at the figure leaning forward and could have sworn that even from that distance; he could see the grin on his brother's face before he ducked from view.

"What the heck……Gordon?" Scott deduced, picking himself up.

"Gordon!" Virgil confirmed, accepting the helping hand that pulled him to his feet. Scott had gotten off lightly, with only one or two streaks of paint finding their target, but looking down at  himself, Virgil stared grimly at the splotches of paint that were dripping down his shirt, and blinking through the red that was matching his mood.

"He's already……" but Virgil wasn't waiting to hear any more, he was on his feet tearing past his brother, past the astonished faces of his family and bounding up the steps, tripping in his haste, to catch his brother before he had the time to do his usual disappearing act.

Virgil tore into the lounge, sucking in lungfuls of air as he flew past the astonished Kyrano and dived for the switch that would reveal the bio sensor monitor.  Virgil had been banking on the fact his speed would have been enough to catch Gordon before he managed to evade the sensors picking up his bio rhythms. Virgil hoped that Gordon's predilection for staying stay close enough to see the results of his pranks, would work in his favour. He looked up as Scott shot into the lounge breathing deeply, followed moments later by the rest of the family. Jeff's face was enigmatic as he handed his son the towel he'd thought to bring.

"Thanks Dad," he said, wiping his face.

No-one said anything, they didn't have to. It was clear from Virgil's expression that this was no accident.

"You're looking for Gordon, right?" His father asked.

"How'd you know?"

"Because son," Jeff replied, "one look at you is enough to tell me this is Gordon's handiwork. So have you found him?" Jeff already knew the answer as he watched his son's fingers working feverishly over the plasma console.

Virgil nodded, his eyes never leaving the monitor, a mixture of satisfaction and exasperation on his face. "It appears the family reunion will have to wait, the sensors show my little brother has decided to postpone the moment, with a spot of scuba diving."

"What were you er; planning on doing with him when you caught up with him?" Jeff asked mildly.

"Oh I dunno Dad, something simple….like stringing him up between the opposite palms of Thunderbird Two's runway."

"Well as long as you don't intend to release the clamps holding the palms in place……"

Suddenly the good humour was restored to Virgil's face as he continued wiping at the paint residues. "I hadn't thought of that, now there's an idea…."

His face creased into a grin, and mingled with the laughter around him.

Gordon Tracy should have known better, but he's decided to chance it…….Grandma's story is next, and she's not as easily placated as her grandsons.