Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds in any way.
Hi guys! Sorry it's
been a while since my last update but I've been a bit busy and
haven't had the time. God, University is a pain in the ass!
Anyway, here's the next exciting installment. Enjoy!
The Tracy house was silent in the early hours of the following morning. It was just coming up to 7 a.m and the sun was up casting its glorious rays through the glass-fronted villa. Onaha was already busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the many hungry mouths to feed. Jeff was sat at the dining table reading the morning's paper dropped off in the airmail delivery, when Scott plodded slowly into the kitchen, dressed in blue shorts and a white t-shirt in search of caffeine.
"Good Morning Scott" She smiled at him and handed him a clean mug.
"Morning, thanks Onaha". Heading straight for the coffee machine he poured himself a fresh mug of coffee then went and sat down at the table next to his father, yawning.
"Do you need a hand Onaha?"
"It's alright dear, I'm nearly done" she replied as she placed two plates, piled high with blueberry pancakes on the dining table.
Jeff looked up at his eldest son, "Morning, you're up a little later than usual". Ever since his astronaut days Jeff had always been an early riser and was always out of bed by 5 a.m.
Scott ran a hand through his scruffy slept on hair. "Yeah well, I had trouble sleeping. I think it's the heat".
Jeff nodded in understanding. Although the house was fully air-conditioned it was the hottest summer on record and the air conditioning units were struggling in the heat. "I know what you mean, it is hot this year. Maybe I should get Brains to have a look at the air-conditioning, he might be able to do something".
Scott helped himself to pancakes as they waited for the rest of the inhabitants to surface. Surprisingly, Tin Tin was the next to walk into the living area.
"Morning mom".
"Good morning sweet heart. Did you sleep well?"
Tin Tin went over and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek then sat down at the table. "Yeah, like a log". She poured herself some orange juice then pulled a plate of pancakes towards her. Despite the hot weather Tin Tin never had a problem sleeping.
Jeff smiled and placed the refolded newspaper down on the table. "Well, I hope everyone else is going to get up soon or they'll miss breakfast".
"They better not be too long or it will get cold " Onaha commented and placed a jug of syrup on the table.
After drowning his breakfast in syrup Scott dug into his pancakes full force, as the others also began to eat. Tin Tin hadn't realized how hungry she was and was so focused on her eating she jumped when an alarm suddenly went off through the large villa.
"Mr. Tracy, what is that?" Tin Tin asked slightly alarmed at the loud beeping alarm.
Jeff stood and didn't have time to answer her question before the cause of the alarm became deafeningly apparent. A loud roaring, rumbling sound came from outside and began to vibrate through the glass front of the house. Before any of them had time to process what was happening Thunderbird One slowly rose out from under the pool as it slid back and locked into place. The long silver rocket passed by the glass-fronted villa leaving behind a trail of smoke and the whole house shuddered under the intense force of the ship's thrusters as it soared into the sky.
Scott's eyes widened as he stood, dropping his knife and fork absently back on the table. "What the…hell?"
Momentarily stunned, Jeff and Scott stared through the glass; slack jawed, at the giant rocket tearing off into the morning sun.
Jeff's own cutlery sliding out of his hands and onto the floor before he sped out of the living area at speed commendable for his age and headed straight for the control room. Scott was hot on his heels and Tin Tin followed behind him running up the rounded path.
Reaching his office Jeff quickly activated the command and control center sending the emergency klaxon sounding through the house.
Scott skidded to a halt when he entered the control room and Tin Tin jogged in behind him moments later.
"Dad, who's in Thunderbird One?" Scott panted, desperate to know who had taken his precious 'bird.
"Base to Thunderbird Five. Come in Thunderbird Five"
Gordon's face appeared on the monitor, "Go ahead Base, what's up?"
"Gordon, Thunderbird One has just made an unauthorized launch. Check the personal locators and tell us who's in the pilot seat?"
Gordon's mouth dropped open, "Thunderbird One?"
"GORDON! We don't have time for questions! Who's the pilot!" Jeff bellowed.
Gordon jumped at his father's tone and quickly checked the monitors. Frowning, he turned back to the video screen. "Uh, the locator tracker places…Alan in the pilot seat".
"Alan! Are you sure son?" To say Jeff was shocked was an understatement. Alan knew better than to play around with the Thunderbird craft.
"Yes sir, Alan is at the controls"
"Thanks Gordon. Stay on the line until we can find out more".
"FAB dad".
Almost simultaneously, a very disheveled John, Virgil, Brains and Fermat ran into the control room, coming to a halt in front of the control desk still in their nightclothes.
John looked at his father, "What's the situation dad?"
"Hold on a minute boys, and we'll try and find out". Jeff's voice was stern and gave away no emotion.
John and Virgil looked at each other in confusion while Jeff opened a link with Thunderbird One.
"Base to Thunderbird One. Alan, do you read me?"
There was no response.
"Alan, this is your father, answer me now!"
Again they were met with silence.
"Alan, turn her around and come back to the Island immediately!"
…nothing.
John frowned. "Alan?"
"What's going on dad?" Virgil watched his father, waiting for an explanation.
John looked around the group and suddenly realized something, "Uh, dad? If there's an emergency, why is Alan in Thunderbird One, and Scott's still here with us?"
Jeff frowned and looked down at the gathered group. "Thunderbird One took off a few minutes ago and triggered the unauthorized launch alarm, Alan's at the controls".
"What?" John exclaimed, wide eyed.
Virgil mimicked his father's expression "What the hell does he think he's doing?"
"I don't know. But we better get moving or we'll never catch him", Scott said looking his father in the eyes before heading over to his portrait.
Jeff nodded in agreement. "Right boys, lets go after him. Brains keep in contact with Gordon and make sure he keeps a track on Thunderbird One!"
"FAB Mr. Tracy" Brains sat down in the control chair as the Tracy family stepped into the chutes behind their portraits.
Fermat walked over to the portraits. "Mr. Tracy I want to come. Please can I!"
Jeff hesitated for a minute and looked at him.
"Please Mr. Tracy. Alan's our best friend, we need to know if he is ok" Tin Tin added.
Jeff stared at them then glanced at Brains, who smiled back his consent.
"Ok guys, come on". Jeff stepped back so Fermat and Tin Tin could step into the chute with him. The doors closed and the platforms quickly descended into the silos below.
It only took ten minutes for them to change into their uniforms and prep the Thunderbird for departure. Thunderbird Two launched moments later with a full crew and then some. As normal Jeff sat in the pilot seat, Virgil in the copilot seat and Scott, John, Fermat and Tin Tin all sat in the passenger seats behind. Fermat and Tin Tin also adorned the light gray International Rescue uniforms (with green piping to indicate the Thunderbird they operated from), as they were part of the team now.
Everyone in the cockpit had faces of completely focused concentration. All except Fermat and Tin Tin who wore identical looks of concern. Tin Tin looked around at the silent Tracy's and wondered whether this was their way of dealing with their worry and stress.
"Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird Five. Gordon where is he heading?"
Gordon's face appeared on the monitor on the control desk. "He's heading East for the main land dad. If he keeps his present course he'll hit the coast of California in 8 minutes".
"FAB. Notify us immediately if he changes course".
"Roger that"
Jeff looked stoically ahead trying not to let his emotions show. But, deep down, he had this sinking feeling that something was wrong.
Jeff decided to try and reach his youngest again on the radio.
"Thunderbird One come in"
"Alan. Please respond!"
They had continued to try and raise Alan on the radio ever since they took off, but so far they had received no reply, which only increased their concern more.
Behind the pilot and copilot seats Scott slammed his hand down hard on the armrest. "Dammit!"
John turned to look at him seemingly recognizing his brother's frustration, "Scott it's not you're fault".
"Isn't it?"
John frowned and spoke with sincerity, "Of course not. Alan's old enough to make his own decisions now. I hadn't imagined stealing a Thunderbird being one of them but…"
"I knew something was wrong. Deep down I knew. Something has been wrong for a while now" Scott cut in.
John was quiet for a minute. The silence was almost deafening, the only sounds coming from the engines as they hummed through the ship.
Scott's softly spoken voice finally cut through the silence, "I should have talked to him when I had the chance. I knew something was bothering him, and then there were the bruises. What if they were self inflicted?"
John's gentle features turned to stone "You know Alan would never do anything like that!"
"Are we sure though? After last summer he hasn't been the same".
"That's only because of what happened. That kind of situation would have been stressful for anyone…" John sighed and glanced down at his hands in thought, "…he has changed Scott".
"But, if I had only talked to him! He wouldn't have had to have resorted to going A.W.O.L!"
John studied his brother and although Scott's face was one of frustration, John could see the regret in Scott's gray eyes.
John's face softened, "You can't predict the future bro. We've all been seeing the changes in him. We don't know yet why Alan has taken Thunderbird One, but whatever the reason, we'll be there for him."
Scott sighed and looked down at the deck, "I should have been there for him more".
John smiled faintly and shook his head 'Scott, always the big brother' he thought. "You are…and you will, and he knows it too. If he needed your help he would have come to you, or dad".
Scott looked back at his younger brother and smiled. John, you could say, was the most sensitive of all of them and also had the ability to read his brothers like open books.
"Maybe"
Scott's smile faded and he turned his attention back to the front of the cockpit where their father was still trying to reach Alan via the radio with no success.
Jeff exhaled in frustration, 'what in the world was Alan playing at? If this was some kind of joy ride Alan was going to be in for the scalding of his life when they caught him. But Jeff was finding it hard to believe that Alan would do such a thing. As reckless as Alan could be at some times he was not stupid.
He glanced over his right shoulder, "What's our position Virgil?"
"We are just passing over the California state line".
Jeff looked back at the controls to try and call Alan again when Gordon's voice came over the radio.
"Gordon to Thunderbird Two. He's landed dad! He touched down in Utah a few seconds ago".
Jeff let out a sigh of relief. At least they had a chance of catching up with him now (Thunderbird One being a lot faster than Thunderbird Two).
"Thanks Gordon. What's his exact location?"
"Geographic coordinates are 133-75 degrees West. He appears to have landed in the middle of nowhere, he's miles out from the nearest populated area". Gordon was a little confused by Alan's strange and baron landing zone.
"Good son. Keep an eye on his personal locator signal"
"FAB Thunderbird Two"
Virgil frowned at his father, "Utah? What does Alan want to go to Utah for?"
Jeff continued to look ahead, with renewed determination, "There's only one way to find out". Jeff pushed the accelerator forward and Thunderbird Two roared off for Utah at maximum speed.
TBC…
Next chapter coming soon!