When we last left the action, Alan was in the clutches of the Hood, and Jeff was presented an ultimatum by The Hood- his life for Alan's. It's time for Chapter 2.
The Choice
by Girl-Detective
Chapter 2 - A Deadline Looms...
Twenty hours until deadline -
The scene in the control room was a quiet one.
Scott and Gordon sat side by side on the sofa. On the far wall John's screen was lit, showing him bent over the scanner instrument panel in deep concentration.
Virgil entered with Tin-Tin in tow. "We're back- hey, where's dad?"
"He went over to Brain's lab to come up with some ideas," Scott replied tensely. "He's really feeling the pressure on this one."
"We all are, Scott," Gordon retorted, "As much as he's annoying, Alan proved himself in the simulator along with outscoring you and me during the in-flight training I took him on. The supply runs to Thunderbird Five were dad's way of letting him test out Thunderbird Three, to see if he wanted to stick with it. There shouldn't have been any danger."
"Guys, cool it," Virgil intoned, "None of this will help us or Alan on this one. We've been in harms way more than once, this isn't new."
"Yeah, but at least we knew the risks going into some of those accident scenes," Gordon insisted. "Who knows what Alan is going through right now?"
Tin-Tin couldn't take much more of this talk. "Stop it! Stop it! Virgil's right, you are not helping anyone by sitting here and moping about this. The Hood may very well be the biggest thing you guys have faced so far, but with the right plan-"
Jeff Tracy entered the control room, finishing her sentence. "-Which I think I have."
Scott stood. "You are not going to turn yourself over to the Hood, are you father?"
"No, or at least, that is my last ditch option. John, any status report on the scans?"
He watched as his son looked at him with a tired gaze. "Nothing yet, Dad. I did find something that was bothering me, but I couldn't quite isolate it."
Jeff shook his head. "That's because you haven't taken your regular sleep shift yet, have you? John, working yourself to the bone is not going to get Alan back. I need you in good shape so we can figure out what those scans mean."
John sighed in resignation. "I will forward my readings to Brains, maybe he can make sense of them. I will catch a few winks, but I will be back in an hour or so. Thunderbird Five out."
Before Jeff could protest, John had cut the transmission. Normal sleep shifts for anyone on Thunderbird Five were normally four to six hours, but he could understand where John was coming from. Since he was the last one to see Alan off, he was feeling guilty right now.
He turned his attention to the rest of his sons and Tin-Tin. "Now I know the rest of you are worried about Alan, but I need all of your heads clear. If we are to pull off this rescue, we are going to need timing, focus, and teamwork. Are you with me?"
Jeff looked around as he saw his sons nod. He turned to Tin-Tin. "I will need your help as well. Your power was able to beat back your Uncle."
"That was only because Alan had worn him down, Mr. Tracy. Even the little bit I had done took all the strength that I had," she protested.
Jeff put a hand on her shoulder. "But maybe you can help me understand this power that is in your family. Any little bit of information can help me if I have to face him alone."
Tin-Tin nodded. "I will do my best to help."
"Good girl." Jeff then turned to the whole group. "Okay, let's get our plans in motion."
Ten hours to deadline-
Alan awoke once again, but this time he found himself alone. It took him a few moments, but he managed to make out the features of the cave he was in. He seemed to be in a dimly lit passage, and the only thing that seemed to be contrasting from the dark stone walls was dim light coming from two torches flanking either side of him. A large rectangle of light shone from the entrance at the far end of the passage.
He then turned his attention to his bonds. It looked like The Hood had bound his wrists tightly, then had looped the rope through a clamp attached to the wall. If only he could get the clamp to release-
"Naughty Alan. I can't leave you alone for a moment, now can I?"
A wave of pain tore through Alan's mind, knocking the breath out of him.
"Hurts? It should. I have grown stronger since you have seen me last."
"Everyone has their limits, Hood," Alan ground out as the pain in his head subsided.
The Hood walked into his sights. "Do they? Well, limits are made to be broken. You've probably recognized that we are in a cave. This cave is where it all began for me, Alan. The diamond discovery, the mine, the cave-in. For you, it will be where it ends. We are in the only accessible passage. Once I leave here, I will seal you in using the force of the Thunderbird 3 engines. You will run out of Oxygen in a few hours, and you will die."
"It'll never work," Alan retorted.
The Hood smiled and waggled a finger at him. "And yet, I think it will, for I know what drives International Rescue. A disaster happens and what do people do? They call their Rescuers. Your brothers will go out, but your father...he will stay behind so he doesn't miss his meeting with me. The brother's Tracy will be snared by my deathtrap and-well, it won't matter anyway. You wont be living long enough to care."
Alan fumed as he watched The Hood turn and head down the corridor towards the entrance and make his way outside.
The Hood sent Alan a parting message thru his mind. "Goodbye Alan. We will not be meeting again."
After a few moments when everything was still, he resumed working on the clamp that held his bonds. If what The Hood said was true, he would be boarding Thunderbird Three right about now. That meant Alan had no time to waste, if he didn't want to get trapped in there.
For precious minutes his numb fingers scrambled frantically, but the clamp would not budge. The Hood had not bothered to bind his feet, so Alan scrambled to his knees and turned around, trying to get a better advantage - and that was when he felt the vibration and a loud roar from outside.
I'm too late.
Alan's world shuddered violently. The torches fell from their positions on the wall, the flame from them quickly disappearing. Bits of rock rained down on his head and then all was silent as the vibrations and the noise leveled off. The end of the corridor where he had seen the entrance was obscured with a ton of rubble.
Thunderbird Three had left, and he was trapped in the dark.
Five hours to deadline-
Jeff Tracy sat alone in the control room. He wanted to be out looking for his son, but he couldn't chance missing something important from Brains or John.
Scott and Virgil wanted to go on a few recon flights and do scans from their vantage point, so they took off in Thunderbird Two some time ago. Gordon went to check on Brains progress.
"Thunderbird Five to Tracy island, come in."
He punched the comm button quickly. "What do you have for me John?"
"Not what you wanted I am afraid. Picked up a distress call on one of the open channels. There was a major meltdown in Antarctica. One of the ice mountains near a major scientific camp is breaking apart and threatening to obliterate the scientists there off the map."
Jeff sighed. The call couldn't have come at a worse time. "Thanks for the info, John."
"I'll stay on those scans, dad. Thunderbird Five out."
Jeff then opened a comm channel. "Thunderbird Two, come in."
It took a few moments, but Virgil finally replied. "This is Thunderbird Two."
"Virgil, I need you boys to get to Antarctica straight away. There is a scientific camp there that is being treatened by an avalanche from a looming ice mountain that is falling apart."
Jeff heard a long pause. "Right dad, FAB."
Hello, it's me again. I appreciate all of the reviews and replies. I am going to be tweaking chapter one a bit, but strictly for grammar's sake. Microsoft's spell and grammar checks can only go so far, I fear. Chapter Three should be in the bag in about three-four days time.
Take Care,
Girl-Detective