Judas

Part Three: Father and Son

Disclaimer: Once again, not mine. I do not own the Double-Tree hotel in Toronto either. Just so you don't sue me for that.

Notes: I would just like to thank Claudette. I didn't mean I didn't like what you were saying honey, actually, I'm glad of it You're helping me fill in these plotholes that keep popping up. I totally agree with what you said about the conclusions part and I hope I explain some of it here. Or at least, not to give anything away, I hope it starts to lead up to it. If you spot anything else honey, don't hesitate to let me know

Other Notes: Here's your third chapter guys. Hope you like this one and I'm overwhelmed by the reviews I've been receiving This chapter may get a little confusing…we'll see.

Rating: Mild use of language.

"Scott. We have to go."

He could feel John tugging at his sleeve but he couldn't move. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the face in the folder. His youngest brother. Was the reason their secrets had been exposed.

"Scott!"

His brother's urgent cry reverberated through his head and he finally looked up to meet John's eyes. They were as horrified and pained as his. He could see Lady Penelope and Parker waiting in the corner of the room, their arms loaded down with the plans of the Thunderbirds and the other things that were tacked to the wall.

"Scott, we have to go. The authorities will be here any minute and we can't be seen around here."

Scott shook himself from his stupor and clutched the folder tight in his hands. John eyed it wryly.

"You want to take that thing? Isn't it bad enough it even exists?"

"Dad has to know John."

That was all he said as he slipped past Penelope and her butler and started down the corridor. People were already lining the corridors, and their eyes widened at the sight of the four people coming out of the hotel room, two of them splattered with blood.

Scott ignored them all, pushing past the hotel staff as they tried to stop him. All he could think of was his father. What would Jeff do now? He'd suspected. But now it was set in stone. Scott didn't know what to think anymore. He knew in his heart that Alan was innocent. But the evidence pointed everywhere but.

And the fact that his family had been so quick to accuse the blonde also hurt Scott. What was the deal there?

"Excuse me sir!"

Scott ignored the call from the hotel manager and headed straight for his Thunderbird, still on lock down at the edge of the hotel.

"Sir!"

He could hear arguing behind him, vaguely aware of John's voice in the yells, but couldn't focus on anything but getting to his Thunderbird and telling his father his youngest son was a traitor.

The room was so quiet you would have thought it empty.

But the bed in the small white room was occupied. As was the chair by it's side. The figure sitting in it stared at the small form of his son in barely contained confusion. He almost found himself stroking the hair of the young boy, but fought against it. The emotions running through his body were too much to handle.

"Oh Alan…"

The softness of the word melted in the small room, and Jeff Tracy found it difficult to imagine what would happen when Alan woke up. The stillness of the room almost reminded him of the way Thunderbird 5 had been when they'd reached the craft. There had been no movement. No sign of anything except an unconscious Alan at the foot of the Control Panel. It made no sense to Jeff. None of it did. The plans being leaked. His sons behaviour. The fact that he blamed his son at all. The way his son looked at him…

That hurt the most and he didn't know what to do. He didn't even know why he'd blamed Alan from the start. After all, he was his son. Gordon's argument still settled in the forefront of his mind and he couldn't get rid of it.

Alan deserved his belief. Belief that Alan was innocent. But Jeff didn't think he could give it. And he didn't know why. He hated it when things stopped making sense. It meant he had no control over the situation, and that was intolerable to Jeff.

He'd lived most of his life in control. There were only two things that had been out of his hands. His wife's death. And his youngest son. Alan had made no secret of his dislike at being treated like a kid. He had rebelled from the moment he had realised he'd always be treated that way. And since then, Jeff could do nothing to control his blonde son. The only one Alan remotely listened to was Gordon, and when he got involved there was absolutely no way they could control either of the boys.

"Dad…"

Jeff sat up straighter in his chair, his eyes immediately searching out his sons. But they weren't open. Alan was mumbling. Whether consciously or unconsciously, his lips were moving.

"You said you'd come. And you didn't…"

Jeff frowned. But he had come. So what was Alan talking about?

When his son woke up, Jeff was going to get the truth. No matter what it took.

Virgil was exhausted.

The rescue had taken more out of him than he would have liked and one look at Gordon told him that his younger brother felt the same. They were both tousled and tired and just wanted to get home and sleep. But as soon as Scott's voice came over the command system, letting them know it was okay to land, Virgil knew that that wasn't going to happen.

Something had happened in Toronto. Something that they weren't going to like.

Gordon's face was set as Virgil set his thunderbird down, and both boys were unbuckled and leaving the ship, before it had finished shutting down. Scott and John were already waiting at the end of the hanger, the elder looking haggard, the younger shifting from foot to foot in apprehension.

"What's going on?"

The words left Gordon's mouth, just as Virgil was about to speak them. The brothers waited for a reply. It was Gordon who noticed the blood spattered folder in Scott's hands.

"What's that?"

Scott had almost forgotten he still had it and waved away the question.

"It doesn't matter. There's something you need to know."

"What?"

John answered for his elder brother, who seemed to be struggling with something. Virgil narrowed his eyes and promised to get it out of his brother later.

"Alan's unconscious in the sick Room."

There was a momentary silence and then Gordon pushed past his brothers, racing off for the small room at the back of Tracy Island. Virgil however, knew that something else was up, and he crossed his arms.

"What's going on Scott? And don't think you can shove me off with lies."

Scott sighed and slowly handed the folder over to his brother. Virgil wordlessly opened it and stared down at the bloody photo, his heart clenching as the comprehension set in.

"This is impossible…"

"Why? You believed it before anyway. Didn't you?"

Virgil realised it wasn't a question and stared at Scott in surprise.

"What?"

Scott ripped the folder from his brother's hands and stared at both him and john. There was venom in his gaze and the two brothers found themselves shrinking back from the anger in the blue orbs.

"You suspected this all along! So aren't you happy you were proved right?"

"Don't be a jerk Scott! We wanted Alan to be as innocent as much as you did"

"Bullshit"

The word echoed round the silo and slammed against Virgil's ears as though it had been yelled. Scott was spitting fury and there was nothing either boy could say to calm him down.

"You wanted Alan to be guilty, just so you could justify the feeling you had! So that you didn't have to feel guilty! Isn't that right?"

Virgil knew he couldn't answer. Scott was right. Wasn't he? He had suspected Alan and with no good reason. So why did he suddenly feel so sick? He didn't want Alan to be guilty, but that would contradict everything he'd been feeling for the past two days. Virgil was confused and he didn't understand what he was feeling.

"Scott I…"

"Save it John. Now I have to go tell Dad about Alan."

John placed a hand on Scott's arm.

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Yeah. Maybe he can justify his feeling too."

With those words, Scott left the silo, and headed for the sick room. John and Virgil stared at his back, not able to move or speak, and left to deal with their guilt.

The silence of Thunderbird 5 was almost as bad as the tension on Tracy Island.

Fermat glanced at Tin-Tin out of the corner of his eye. She had been terrified for Alan when Jeff had taken him back to Tracy Island but both of them knew they had to stay at the Space station.

Neither knew when they would be relieved, but they'd been shown how the station worked by an over eager Alan on his third trip to the station. And they knew enough to know when an emergency was happening. But for now, all Fermat cared about was Alan and this whole secrets business. He could never suspect Alan of anything, but according to the family, there was ample evidence to suggest that Alan was at fault. If that were true, where was it?

And why hadn't they seen it?

"I'm worried Fermat."

The young genius looked Tin-tin fully in the eye, as she fiddled with the buttons on the command station, nervous.

"I know Tin-Tin. I'm sure Alan will be okay."

"That not what I mean and you know it!"

Yes. He did. But he was worried too. He didn't know how the family would pull through this one either. It seemed slightly ironic that the Tracy's would be torn apart by something other than a rescue. Fermat would have laughed if it weren't so serious.

And if it had been funny.

"We have to be strong tin-Tin. I think that sooner or later, Alan's going to need us to be strong."

Tin-Tin nodded. They were both aware that Alan was going to need them more now than he ever had before. Even during that fiasco with the Hood.

Fermat sat up straighter as the thoughts filtered through his mind.

Maybe…

Before he could process the thought, the warning klaxon on the control panel. Tin-Tin and Fermat both leant over and exchanged a muted look of horror.

"Oh no…."

Scott entered the Sick Room.

"Dad?"

Jeff Tracy looked up at his eldest son and frowned. Scott felt almost sick as the range of emotions filtered across his fathers' face to be hidden by the mask Jeff hid everything under.

"I think you need to see this."

From his position across the bed, Gordon looked up and narrowed his eyes at the small blue object in his father's hands. He knew that the folder was bad news. But he couldn't explain it.

As Jeff flicked it open, Scott saw his hands shaking. His father made no sign of movement for a moment. Then he flicked his eyes from the folder, to Alan, and then back to the folder again. He stood slowly and looked at Scott. Not saying one word, he left the room, folder still in his hands.

"Scott? What's going on?"

He wanted to answer Gordon. Really he did, but he couldn't think of anything to say. Gordon had maintained innocence in his younger brother all along, and what would this to the red-head?

He shrugged and ignored Gordon's pleas for more information. He settled for looking at Alan instead.

The sight of his youngest brother lying on the bed, so small and innocent, brought the truth smacking back in his face like a punch. And as he gazed at Alan, Scott couldn't explain it, but he knew then and there, that his brother was innocent. Despite the folder in his father's possession, despite all the evidence stacked against this little brother, Scott knew Alan had nothing to do with it. And he knew he had to prove it.

Before it tore his family apart.

The warning klaxon sounded throughout the whole of Tracy Island.

But Jeff Tracy never heard it. His eyes were trained on the photo of his youngest son. It was taken not long after Alan's fifteenth birthday. He'd been so happy at becoming Thunderbird 3's primary pilot. They had taken this photo of him, in his uniform, standing proudly before his craft.

But now the photo seemed out of place.

Parts of it were spattered with blood, and bloody fingerprints and Jeff wondered vaguely how they'd gotten hold of it. But that thought was pushed away as he thought of Alan in the Sick room. How could he begin to process this? When had things started to fall out of his control?

He'd been vaguely sick at the notion of not being able to support his son. What did that say about any father? But now, with the evidence in his hands, what was Jeff supposed to believe? His son, his youngest, could have been responsible for their secrets leaking out. secrets he had tried so hard to protect not two years ago.

He'd been worried about the Hood stealing the plans for the Thunderbirds, and for destroying everything the Thunderbirds stood for. So why was he suddenly so eager to get rid of them? It didn't make sense to Jeff, and for the first time in his life he was clueless as to what to do.

Well. Second time.

The first had been on stuck on Thunderbird 5 with no hope of rescue. It had seemed to them all, that they would die. And then Alan had contacted them. He had, against all odds, and with help from his two friends, freed the hostages, saved the Tracy family, saved a groups of people trapped in the Mono-rail carriage and stopped the Hood.

It was more than Jeff could have asked for, and more than he would have expected. But Alan had done it. Jeff was aware that since then he had pushed his youngest son harder than ever, but he'd known he was capable of it. But Alan had found it impossible to please him. and Jeff realised, belatedly, that he had never taken the time to talk to his son since. Maybe this was Alan's way of punishing him…

Jeff growled to himself and shook that thought of. As much as Alan may have been hot-headed and quick-tempered, he was not vindictive. To anybody. So why were these thoughts so easily entering his head?

"…ad!"

Jeff looked up and stared into the eyes of his middle son. Virgil looked concerned and Jeff shut the folder on his desk. Virgil looked down at it, and the frown on his face made Jeff's heart ache. This wasn't just affecting him. He had to remember that. All of his sons would be feeling the affects of this….folder.

And that hurt Jeff more than anything else.

Abruptly, the klaxon worked its way into Jeff's head, and he stared down at the computer infront of him.

"It's been going off for about five minutes Dad. Didn't you hear it?"

Jeff ignored his son and took the call from Thunderbird 5. Fermat's worried face filled the screen, and Jeff could just make out Tin-Tin behind him. The two of them seemed torn about something, but before he could question it, Fermat started speaking.

"I think you might want to call everyone together Mr Tracy. This is something you all need to hear."

Jeff looked up, opening his mouth but Virgil shook his head.

"No need Dad. John is already getting Scott and Gordon. Brains is on his way up with Kyrano, who's offered to watch over Alan."

Jeff started back at the computer screen, watching Tin-Tin and Fermat with growing concern. They shouldn't be up there. He resigned to send John back up as soon as possible.

"What's going on?"

Scott's voice filled the room, and Jeff looked up to see his eldest son enter the room, Gordon, Brains and John right behind him. Jeff caught Scott's eye and the expression on his sons face told him all he needed to know. Jeff knew how Scott felt about the folder. He hadn't said anything, but it was obvious that Scott still denied what everything was telling him. and whilst part of Jeff was inclined to agree, there was an overwhelming sense of hatred towards his youngest son that Jeff couldn't explain.

And wasn't sure he wanted to.

Jeff hated that more than anything. Hating your own child is inconceivable to any parent. And before today, Jeff would have fought anybody who said he would ever felt that way about one of his sons. And yet right now, he wanted Alan gone.

But Jeff Tracy was a military man. And the military training he had received told him to fight his feelings and get to the bottom of this. Find the cold hard facts,

And Jeff hoped with every ounce of his being that his son was innocent. Alan was his youngest. His baby. He was everything that his wife had been and if Alan was behind what wa happening…Jeff was damn sure that he wouldn't be able to cope.

None of them would.

"Mr Tracy?"

Jeff once again focused on the screen, ignoring the looks of concern his sons were throwing his way.

"Go ahead Fermat. What's the problem?"

"I w-wouldn't call it a problem. More of a m-m- big problem."

Before Jeff could ask what he meant, the screen flipped on to the World news channel, and all those gathered in the room found themselves glued to the screen. As the familiar face of field reporter Lisa Lowe filled the foreground, her words penetrated the ears of everybody.

And to Jeff Tracy, the problems his family was facing increased ten-fold.

"This is Lisa Lowe, at the Double-Tree International Hotel, in Toronto, Canada. Not a few hours ago, four men were murdered here. Surprising most, is the fact that International Rescue are at the centre of suspicion when two of their operatives were seen fleeing the scene…."

Scott opened his mouth.

Oh god…what have I done?…

I know this seems a bit confusing at the moment, but it will get better. I swear. Some of you may have noticed how Jeff and the boys are starting to wonder about how easily they accused Alan. The truth is…wait and see

Also, look out for more of those confusing italic conversations More are on the way and they're central to the fic :P

Next chapter there is also some clues as to how long Alan has been suffering his headaches- something else integral to the fic.