ladc - yeah I figured I had to have some kind of explanation for that choice besides that it worked for the story. Glad you found it believable.
Sarah - thanks for the review! glad to hear you like it.
moonlightbear - glad you like the memories. I was hoping I wasn't going overboard with them -especially in that last chapter.
I-like-chickens - thanks for the review!
Marblez - I forgive you. Just glad to know I haven't lost you. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Girl-detective - glad you like it. I was hoping people wouldn't think it was a little too sappy!
darkhelmeti - again glad to hear you didn't think it was a little to over the top with the emotion. The Tracy's just come off to me as a very close and caring family in the movie and the fact that they rely on each other so much during missions I think just adds to that. I guess I'll have to try harder at making you cry next time, lol!
Scott woke up from a deep sleep and looked toward the near-by clock. The glowing red numbers read six thirty a.m. He listened but didn't hear anything unusual. Still he couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't seem right.
Then it dawned on him. This was the first night in the past week that his brother's restless sleep hadn't kept or woke him up during the night.
John had shown the signs of the restless night sleep the past few days. Dark circles under his eyes. Eyes that were dulled with exhaustion and not the normal bright blue they usually were. He moved slowly and took naps here and there throughout the day.
Scott recognized himself in his brother these last few days. It had taken him about a week to adjust to be back on Thunderbird 5. To be able to close his eyes and not see the gleaming blade. He had needed time just like his brother now needed time.
Unlike himself, John didn't have to call down to Tracy island for someone to talk to. He and John had more talks like the one they did the first night. Although there had been nights when John would go to the control room and call their father. Scott just assumed that some habits never faded.
His father had called Scott a couple of times concerned about John. Scott tried to reassure him that everything was fine. That there was no need for him to come up for John. Scott often cut communications and said a short prayer that he was right. That he was doing the right thing.
His eyes now adjusted to the dim light, Scott looked toward his brother's bed. John still seemed to be resting peacefully. No nightmares had disturbed his sleep and for that Scott was thankful. He hated seeing his brother in so much pain. Not to mention they had both needed the good night sleep.
Reassured that everything was okay, Scott closed his eyes and tried to get some more sleep. It was still way too early for his liking anyway.
A few hours later, Scott opened his eyes again. He looked across the room at his brother's now empty bed. Then he looked over at the clock and saw that it was now nine o'clock.
Scott threw the blanket back and climbed out of bed himself. He quickly showered and dressed and then headed for the control room. He was sure that was where John was.
Scott heard voices before he reached the control room.
"Gordon have you got all those people off that roof yet?" Virgil asked.
"Almost, just hold this bird steady."
"I'm trying but this wind isn't making that job easy," Virgil told him.
Scott walked onto the control deck to see John sitting in his usual position. He was calmly taking in everything his computers and sensors were telling. Listening to the other's conversations as they went about the rescue.
Scott was amazed at how easy his brother was making it seem. Scott was always trying to figure out where the right screen was to get the information he wanted. Always felt rushed, trying not to let his family down on earth down.
Scott stayed where he was, standing silently just inside the entryway. He didn't want to distract his brother who had everything under control by asking what was going on. John was more than capable of handling everything anyway. Scott felt that he would probably just get in the way if he tried to help.
So he stood and watch. Trying to figure out what was going on by the conversation between his father and brothers.
"Dad, those flood waters are rising fast. You need to get out of there before they cut off you're retreat," John was saying into the radio.
"FAB John," my Dad replied. Scott heard muffled voices as Jeff Tracy presumably talked to those he was trying to help.
"Virgil, just to let you know a stronger part of the storm system is coming in winds will be picking up."
"Thanks for the heads up John," came Virgil's voice over the radio followed by another more panicked comment. "Damn it!" Virgil exclaimed as a strong gust rocked the bulky green leviathan he was trying to hold steady. "Gordon are you okay?" he asked as he stabilized the craft.
"Yeah, but I didn't realize this was going to be a roller coaster ride," came Gordon's reply as he grabbed the railing of the rescue pod and pulled himself back up to his feet. The rain was coming down fast and hard, stinging as it hit his face. He glanced at the people he had already brought to safety on the pod who all seemed to be picking themselves up, none the worse for wear.
Seeing that they were all okay, he turned his attention back to the two people still on the roof of the house. The father was holding up a little girl. Gordon knelt down and reached down for the little girl, praying that no gusts of wind rocked the ship until he had her up on the rescue pod.
"I got her," he called out to the father as he got a hold of the girl. The father let go and Gordon pulled the little girl to safety. As he pulled her up onto the rescue pod the little girl grabbed a hold of him tightly, clearly petrified.
Gordon stood up, one arm holding the little girl the other holding on to the railing. He turned to find the mother near-by. Gordon handed the little girl off to her and then turned back to help the father to safety. The waters of the Mississippi was now above the level of the first floor windows.
"John are there any clear paths to Thunderbird 1 anymore," Gordon heard his father's voice over the radio in his helmet. Gordon hoped his father wasn't in immediate danger but tried to focus on the current rescue.
"Negative Dad, at least not from where you are. The flood waters have the rocket almost completely surrounded."
"Copy that. Virgil, I'm at the police command post on the east side of the river. When you and Gordon get through with getting those people off the roof come get me."
"FAB, Dad," Virgil said glancing at the gauge for the wind speed. The stronger winds John had warned him about were starting to move in.
"I've got them all, Virgil, bring us up," came Gordon's voice over the radio.
"FAB," Virgil said hitting the control to bring the rescue pod back up into Thunderbird 2, grateful to get the all clear. "John how are the rest of the rescue going."
"Area personnel seem to have things under patrol. Somebody's on the way to rescue all known people trapped by the rising waters," John told him.
Virgil saw the light come on indicating that the rescue pod was back on board. He closed the cargo bay doors and headed the green rocket toward the command post his father was at.
"John what's the situation down river at Fitler?" Virgil heard his father asked.
"Last I knew they were just barely staying ahead of the river with the sandbags," John informed them. "It could very easily turn into another rescue zone down there."
"FAB. Vrigil, where are you at?"
"Almost to where you are Dad."
Moments later Virgil had the rocket over the command post. Trying to keep the rocket steady he let the rescue pod down to the ground, so they could let their passengers off.
"Okay, Virgil bring Gordon and me back up," Jeff Tracy said shortly after.
"FAB Dad," Virgil replied. Soon after Virgil got the indication that the rescue pod was back on board Gordon came into the cockpit. "Well you won't need a shower when we get back," Virgil quipped as he looked over at his brother as he took a seat in the co-pilot's seat."
"Cute," Gordon told, a small smile coming to his face. "Dad wants us to head to where Thunderbird 1 is. He's hoping he can still get aboard the rocket if he can get out there," Gordon told his brother.
They both knew what a blow it would be to there organization if the lost the reconnaissance rocket. It would severely hinder rescue operations as there would nobody on scene before Thunderbird 2 for a visual assessment of the rescue area. All preliminary plans would rely solely on information from Thunderbird 5.
No one had expected the flood waters to rise as fast as they had. When Jeff Tracy had left the rocket it had been well away from the rising waters of the Mississippi.
As they approached the area where Thunderbird 1 was Gordon glanced out the window. He saw what John had meant by it not being accessible from their direction. The rocket now sat on a peninsula, a small strip of land on the west being the only way it could be reached by ground. By air though, they would still be able to lower the rescue pod and get their father to the rocket. They were racing against time though as the river crept closer to the rocket.
"You'll have to move fast Dad, but we can get you to Thunderbird 1," Gordon told his father through the radio.
"Got it. I'm ready when you are."
"Lowering rescue pod now," Virgil replied.
"He's on the ground now," Gordon informed his brother still watching out the window of Thunderbird 2. He watched as his father jumped off the rescue pod to the ground and headed for Thunderbird 1.
"He's clear. Bring the rescue pod up."
"Rescue pod on the way up," Virgil told him as another strong gust of wind rocked the green rocket.
"Don't you know how to fly?" Gordon asked jokingly trying to relieve some of the tension that he felt.
"You're welcome to try and do better," Virgil told him, a smile on his face even as his eyes never leaving the controls.
"On second thought, you're doing a great job."
"I thought so," Virgil told him.
"Just got word that they've given up trying to stop the waters down in Fitler and are evacuating. One person is already in the river though and rescue personnel down there are requesting that we try finding him," John informed them.
"FAB John," Jeff replied. "I'm in Thunderbird 1 now and getting ready to take off. Thunderbird 2 are you clear."
"FAB Dad," Gordon replied letting his brother concentrate on flying the rocket ship. "We're out of Thunderbird 1's launch zone."
"Okay, head south toward Fitler. Let's see if we can't find that person."
"FAB Dad," was Virgil's quick reply as he headed the rocket down river. Thunderbird 1 soon rocketed past him heading toward their next rescue.
Three hours later, Jeff Tracy headed for his office, his hair still damp from the hot shower he had taken. They had been able to locate and rescue the fireman who had fallen into the river. Hundreds of homes had been destroyed or severely damaged by the flood waters but luckily only five lives had been lost. Over all it had been a successful mission.
However, it could have turned into a disaster and all because he didn't stop and think. He had been in such a rush to help those people that he had disregarded John's warning. John had told him the landing spot he had chosen for Thunderbird 1 was too close to the river for the rate the flood waters had been rising. John had the instruments and information up there to help him give advice on how they should proceed on the ground. He was in contact with all other rescue personnel in the area. That had been why Thunderbird 5 had been built, to help advise in situations like that. To help ensure that everyone of them made it home safe.
Still, he had decided to land there, confident that he could get to the three people struggling to pull a fourth out of the raging waters. His confidence had almost cost them Thunderbird 1.
Sure International Rescue could operate with the fast, sleek rocket ship but they would have been hindered. Thunderbird 1's speed was useful in getting someone on the scene to evaluate the situation personally and also in search and rescue operations. Without Thunderbird 1, they probably never would have gotten to that fireman in time today.
Jeff entered his office and sat down at his desk, worn out. Today would have been much easier if they had an extra person. Having two team members up on Thunderbird 5 was starting to take its toll on all of them. Virgil had ended up falling asleep on the couch when they had gotten back and Gordon had showered and retreated to his room.
Still he wasn't about to rush things. He was waiting for John to tell him that he was ready to be up there alone again or that he wanted to come back down. Yes, his mistake today could have cost them a rocket but the rocket could have been replaced. Jeff wasn't taking that kind of risk with his son's life. He had already put his son's lives in danger by creating International Rescue. It may have been their choice to become involved but he still felt responsible.
Turning on his computer, Jeff called up the radio communications and flight data from today's mission to review. Look for mistakes that had been made so that they could be learned from. So they could try and find a way to keep them from happening again.
"John, how would you feel about me going back down?" Scott asked his brother. He had been thinking about it all morning. Truth be told, he wasn't even really paying attention to the news broadcasts and other information coming in about the storm system that had caused the flooding in Mississippi. The system was moving east and they were suppose to be watching for any further situations that would require the assistance of International Rescue. Scott knew that John was doing a much better job at that then he was at the moment.
"I don't know, Scott. To tell you the truth I haven't really thought about it," John told him not taking his eyes of the computers in front of him.
Yes, being aboard the space station had gotten a lot easier for him the last couple of days. He hadn't even had any nightmares about the fire or his suicide attempt last night. Still, Scott's presence was a comfort. John wasn't sure how he would be faring if Scott wasn't here. Would the nightmares come back?
Still one of them was needed back on Tracy Island, that was all to clear to him. He could hear the stress and exhaustion in his brother's voices this morning. His father had hid it better, but John knew working with three team members actually on the rescues was getting to him to. His hasty decision on where to land Thunderbird 1 had shown that.
Thunderbird 1 needed only one person to operate it. Scott was his safety net right now but he was needed down on Earth more. John knew it would be selfish to keep him up here with him. He also knew Scott wasn't about to leave without his okay and that his father would never ask Scott to come back until he told his Dad he was ready to be up here alone. They were all waiting on him.
"John I'm not trying to rush you into anything. If you say you still need me here then I'll stay," Scott told his brother not saying the rest of what was on his mind. John however knew it without him saying it.
"But they need you more down there," John said finishing what his brother had started saying. Scott nodded as John looked at him.
Scott was sure his brother was ready. The way he had handled the rescue mission this morning was proof of that. John knew this station better than any of them. Could probably run this thing blind if need be. The question was, was he ready mentally? Emotionally? Could he handle being alone up here?
"I'll call Dad and tell him to come and get you," John said finally looking over at Scott.
"You're ready John. Your more than strong enough to do this," Scott told him. "And any time you need to talk all you have to do is call. We won't put you off this time. Believe me, we've all learned from that mistake."
"Go pack," John told him. "I'll have an easier time convincing Dad if he thinks this is totally my idea." 'And maybe I'll convince myself in the process,' John added to himself.
Scott got up and headed off the control deck. As he started down the access corridor John turned back to the control panel and placed the call to Tracy Island.