A/N - I don't know what everyone thought of the flashback earlier in the story, but I needed something to fill up the time withour giving away what the others were doing, so I came up with this.

I'm sure that you've all got ideas about what could happen now, but I wonder if any of you were expecting this. Read on to find out!

Disclaimer

Thunderbirds and all the characters etc. belong to Gerry Anderson and Working Title films, I'm just borrowing them.

Accidents

Chapter 14 – The Best Laid Plans

"All right, we know where the bomb is. Now we just need to know where they are holding Scott, Virgil and Alan. Are you sure there's no chance of tracing…"

"Not a chance. Its being bounced around so much we wouldn't even be able to tell we were using the right transmission." John interrupted. "But I have got an idea as to how to find them."

"What is the idea?"

"Scott, sit down will you? You're making me tired just watching you" Virgil snapped at his older brother, stopping him pacing the cell.

"It's just so infuriating! I can't stop thinking about it."

"Then maybe we should find something else to think about…something more entertaining. To keep our minds off it." Alan suggested

"OK…got any ideas?" Scott replied sarcastically

"Oh" There was a long silence, before Virgil started speaking again.

"I was thinking, you know they want the specs to the ships, right?" Scott and Alan nodded. "Well, the last time I actually saw them or any of Brains' technical drawings was…"

"When we were building the ships. I know." Scott continued "I don't even know where he keeps them, and I don't think I want to know. That was a hectic enough time as it is."

"Yeah, we may have had the money, space and time to build the ships, and the numerous support systems that go with them, but we didn't really have enough people with the technical expertise to pull it off." Alan said quickly. "And that's not including the fact that it was rare to have everyone on base at the same time anyway."

"But they were still were some of the best times I can remember. Though I lost count the number of times Gordon got in trouble for trying to pull jokes on people." Virgil laughed slightly as he thought of his joke-loving little brother.

"Like the one with the monorail? Brains told me about it."

"Yes, definitely that one. Dad was angry at him for days after that. Even Brains didn't want to go near him."

– Start Flashback –

Gordon walked quietly into the equipment storage area. He soon spotted John standing by a stack of partially emptied crates that had been delivered that morning.

"Hi John."

"Err, hi Gordon. Why are you all the way down here?" John asked suspiciously

"Oh, no reason. I just wanted to come and talk if you're not too busy. You look worried about something."

"No, but I think I know you pretty well by now. You've got that gleam in your eyes again, like when you're planning something."

"Who? Me? Why would I do something like that?" Gordon acted hurt.

"I honestly don't know, but while you're down here, you can make yourself useful. Help me move this." John pointed to a bulky component for one of Thunderbird 3's engines.

"Where does it need to go?"

"Into the monorail. There's a whole load of equipment I need to take down to Thunderbird 3 in a minute."

"I thought Brains was overseeing the transport of everything down to the hangers."

"He is, but there was a problem over in Thunderbird 1's hanger about an hour ago and I said I'd do it."

"Err…what sort of…problem?" Gordon asked

"Something to do with the supply monorail controls, I think. Brains said there was…" John trailed off as he saw the guilty look on his brother's face. "You did it, didn't you?"

"I was bored, and Scott looked like he needed a break. I was trying to find a way to surprise him. I didn't mean to short circuit the controls."

"So you came down here to hide and avoid getting caught and left them with even more work to do."

"You're not going to tell dad, are you?" Gordon asked, suddenly nervous.

"No, not this time. As long as you apologise to Scott and Brains for the extra work you've caused."

"Thanks John."

"Now, lets get this down to Thunderbird 3 before it's me dad is angry at."

Half an hour later, in the monorail, on the way to Thunderbird 3's hanger

"I know you said you had a lot to move, but I'm exhausted." Gordon said as he sat down heavily on one of the crates they had just moved. Seats hadn't been put in yet, as they would only get in the way when transporting equipment.

"We're exhausted all the time now. With both Virgil and Alan away at the moment, and dad having to work hard to keep the whole operation secret, everyone's rather run off their feet."

"I just wish I could help more often, but with so much of my time taken up by the World Aquanaut Security Patrol, I really don't…"

"We know your time with the WASPs is important to you. I'm sure we'll all have plenty of time once this organisation is up and running to catch up." Gordon was stopped from replying by Brains' voice over John's watch.

"John, how's it coming?"

"All right I think Brains. I got a little help from Gordon to speed it up. We're on out way to Thunderbird 3 with the equipment now."

"You're on the monorail?"

"Yes…what's up?" John asked at the tone of Brains' voice.

"Well, that short circuit earlier really messed up the system. It should all be alright to use, but avoid it for a few hours until I can do a full check."

"OK. Tell us before you deactivate the system." Brains signed off and most likely went back to his work. Gordon looked at John rather guiltily before quickly changing the subject.

"I'm glad Brains came up with the idea of these watches. They're much easier than radios."

"Yeah, and you shouldn't lose something that's strapped to your wrist!"

"There, that should do it. Give it a try Brains" Brains hit the controls and the panel in Thunderbird 1 flared to life.

"Good work Scott. I should get back to the lab and check it from there."

"OK, I'll go up to the house and tell dad about the trouble with the monorail. How long do you think it will take?"

"A full system check will take about 2 hours, add on however long it takes to fix any problems we find. Hopefully it'll be back up by tomorrow morning."

"Right."

"Gordon, pass up the box of bolts, can you?"

"Coming right up" Gordon handed the small metal box to John. "I don't like you doing this, especially when there are only 2 of us here."

"The rig's been perfectly well tested, and how else are we supposed to reach the top of Thunderbird 3 if it stands over 200 feet high already. It's not even finished yet." As he said this, John swung back into view. He was suspended about 10 feet above the maintenance railing on a rig fixed into the wall. He was working on the outside of the cockpit section of Thunderbird 3.

"All right, it's safe, but you wouldn't see me up there."

"That's probably why you're an aquanaut not an astronaut Gordon. I don't mind it. It reminds me of Zero G, except more dangerous."

"I guess…hey, what is that?"

"What?"

"That buzzing sound. Can't you hear it?"

"Oh yeah. Give me a hand down and we'll find out what it is." It took about 5 minutes for John to get out of the harness and onto the maintenance deck. By this time the buzz had turned into a high-pitched whine. "It sounds like an overload. Where's it coming from?"

"Over here I think…" Gordon moved off to one side, just as there was the sound of a small explosion and all the lights went out. "What the…?"

"Brains, what's going on?" John called into his watch.

"I think it is an overload in the power systems for the hangers, as all my equipment turned off as well. Its probably been building up for hours, but with the computer tied up with the monorail diagnostic, we didn't detect it."

"I'm glad I got off the tech rig in time then." John muttered. "We should tell dad what has happened."

"I agree. I'll meet you up at the house in a few minutes."

"OK Brains."

"Do we know what caused the overload?" Jeff asked once everyone had got to his office.

"Not for sure Mr Tracy, but I think it was probably just the strain of it being used so much over the last few weeks. We have been using a lot of power to build and test the Thunderbirds."

"I understand that. We'll have to find some way to avoid that in the future. But why wasn't it detected?"

"The computer was running a systems check of the monorail controls after the short circuit earlier. I am already working on a way to make sure that diagnostics do not interfere with other computer controls."

"All right Brains. But it would be nice to know what caused the short circuit in the first place. It has created a lot of hassle we really could have done without at the moment." Everyone took this as the end of the conversation and left, but Gordon stayed behind.

"Dad, can I tell you something?" he asked quietly. John heard him and stopped just outside the still open door.

"Sure Gordon. What is it?"

"I, um…I caused the short circuit in the monorail controls." Gordon admitted finally.

"You what?"

– End flashback –

"Those days weren't easy, but they were always interesting with Gordon around." Virgil remarked. The other brothers sniggered. Before they could start to come up with something else to pass the time, the door opened and Agent X walked in.

"We've got one of your other International Rescue friends for you to talk to now. Good night." As he left, one of his men pushed someone else into the cell and shut the door. Scott, Virgil and Alan looked at the newcomer, amazed.

"Oh no, this really isn't looking good, they've caught you as well. What happened?" Scott asked

"They ambushed our ambush." Penelope replied simply.

TBC…

I was reading through my Thunderbirds books to check something, and found out that they say Alan is the practical joker in the family and not Gordon, but it's my story, so I'm switching them around. On that point, the monorail used in the flashback is shown in my cross-sections book going under ground on Tracy Island. If anyone wants to know, it links the TB1 hanger, Tracy Island powerhouse, laboratories, TB2 pod storage bay, TB3 hanger and the boat pen. I think the monorail is seen in the episode 'Security Hazard'.

The technical details in this chapter (and any other for that matter) are completely made up, so just try to use your imagination a bit. I have no idea if they would suspend someone in a harness to build a ship like TB3, but it would be rather funny to see.