Chapter 4

NOTE: I thought I should mention that this is TV verse. I apologise if there are any grammar errors her, as I'm afraid I don't have a beta yet, but I hope to find one soon.

.Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story so far, they mean a lot to me. I don't know what to say! (Wipes a tear from eye)

Jeff Tracy had had enough.

His sons should have called in by now. This wasn't like them especially Scott, he always called in several times to give his father an update on what was going on.

Call it a 'father's intuition' but Jeff knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

There was only one thing left to do. He sent an alarm to Gordon and Virgil's watches.

Gordon and Virgil came straight into the lounge.

Jeff looked his sons' up and down. "What's that in your hair, Virgil?"

Virgil ran a hand through his chestnut coloured hair. It was paint. Things had gotten a bit out of hand in the hangar. "Umm…I…It's…" Virgil tried to explain.

"Never mind" his father interrupted. "I'll speak to you about it later."

"Yes sir. What's the emergency?"

"I need you and Gordon to take Thunderbird 2 and head out to Asia, I think Scott and Alan may be in trouble."

Virgil and Gordon looked at each other their eyes widening. Their brothers were in trouble? That wasn't good.

"What makes you think they're in trouble, father?" Gordon asked.

"Well Scott hasn't called in, and John can't get a response from either of their watches."

"Do you think they could still be somewhere around the Himalayas?"

"I'm pretty sure of it. It could explain the reason why there's no signal."

"Ok father," Virgil hurried over to the painting that also acted as an entrance to Thunderbird two's hangar. "I'll get there as fast as possible."

Gordon watched his older brother disappear, and then headed for the passenger lift.

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"Hey Scott?" Alan looked over at his older brother who like him, was beginning to shiver as the coldness swept over them.

"Yeah Al?" Scott looked towards his younger brother and Alan noticed that his lips were beginning to turn blue, he also had no doubt that his were as well.

"Are you scared?" He felt stupid asking the question, Scott wasn't afraid of anything, Scott was one of the bravest men he knew. Of course all of his brothers were courageous in their own way. It was Scott who was always the first on the scene of a rescue though, it was Scott who usually decided on a plan of action; a plan which if it failed would not only risk the lives of him and his brothers, but civilians as well. It was part of the job of being a field commander though, and that job took guts, daring, brawn and brains, all of which Scott had a lot of. So why did he look so pale now?

Scott looked over at his younger brother and smiled weakly. "Yeah kiddo, to be honest I am scared."

His words shocked Alan. Fear was something he had never associated with Scott. Alan thought for a moment and then said: "Do you still want to get me back for the sundae incident?"

"Huh?" Scott looked at him, confused.

"The sundae incident. Do you still want to get me back for it?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"Well perhaps I can help you there, because you see Scott I'm begging you, literally begging you, please don't let me die. Not like this, 'cus I couldn't stand that. Please Scott. Please!""

Scott watched in horror as tears began to run down his little brother's cheeks. It was then that he began to hurt even more. But this hurt didn't come from the pain in his arm or leg. No, this pain came from his heart. It was the pain of having to watch his little brother crying his eyes out and not being able to comfort him or anything, and for Scott that hurt more than any physical pain in the world. "Oh Alan don't cry we'll be all right, I promise."

"Really?"

"Really. Have I ever let you down before? I bet Father has already sent out Virgil and Gordon to look for us. After all the old man must be pretty worried about us by now."

"Yeah I suppose you're right," Alan smiled through his tears. Scott had a special talent of being able to calm his brothers down when they were in a fix. It was another aspect that made him an excellent field commander.

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"Do you think they're ok?" Gordon asked as Thunderbird two flew east towards Asia.

"Virgil turned his head slightly, and answered honestly: "I don't know Gordy. Neither of them are answering the calls from base, and that means that either their watches are broken or they're both…." He couldn't bring himself to say the word.

Gordon knew what he was getting at however. "Virg we can't think like that! It could be like you said, that their watches have malfunctioned or something."

"I know but I have this horrible feeling that something's wrong, or is going to go wrong. You know?"

"Yeah I know," Gordon had that queasy feeling too.

Suddenly a new voice joined them. "Base to Thunderbird two. Do you read me Virgil?"

"Reading you loud and clear Father."

"What's your ETA son?"

"We're approximately forty minutes away."

"FAB Virgil, I want a full report of what you find."

"Yes sir," Virgil cut the link to his father.

"What do you think we'll find, Virg?" Gordon wondered.

His older brother continued to focus out of the windscreen as answered the question: "I don't know Gordon, we'll have to wait until we get there."

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Sergeant Lee flew through the Himalayas, the cold wind rushing through his dark hair. He had a rifle strapped to his back and he wasn't afraid to use it.

As soon as he reached Mount Everest, Sergeant Lee got off the snow mobile and began to search the area for any signs of life; his binoculars focusing mainly on the large mountain, where the crash had occurred.

He was wondering whether he should return to General Yang and tell him that he'd

found nothing, when suddenly his binoculars spotted something.

"I don't believe it" Sergeant Lee thought, shocked. "It can't be?"

But it was. There sitting approximately 4000 feet up, obviously stranded and injured, were two men.

"They're still alive!" Sergeant Lee was amazed. He had seen the remains of the jet and had presumed that both men were dead.

But they weren't. Not yet anyway.

General Yang's last words echoed in his mind: "If there are any survivors, eliminate them."

That was a command. As horrible as it sounded, it was a command. And commands had to be obeyed. Especially General Yang's.

Sergeant Lee took the rifle from his back, loaded it, and rose it to focus on his targets.

He paused then squeezed the trigger, and fired.

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"What the….?"Scott thought as a loud bang echoed through the air. Unfortunately he didn't get a chance to find out what it was, for suddenly a sharp pain shot through his arm. He cried out in agony and instantly grabbed his injured limb which was now beginning to bleed profusely.

"SCOTT!" Alan cried, Scott what happened? Are you ok?"

Scott didn't answer.

"Scott?…..SCOTT?"

Still no answer.

"Oh God!"Alan thought desperately, he tried to lean over and check his brother, but his trapped arm made that all but impossible. He was however able to see the blood that soaked the arm of Scott's shirt.

"NO! PLEASE NO! SCOTT!" Alan shouted at the top of his voice, not caring that the volume of his cries could cause an avalanche.

However it wouldn't have made the slightest difference how loud Alan shouted. Scott couldn't hear him.

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Sergeant Lee looked through his binoculars once more. He smiled when he noticed that his first bullet had hit its target. He put the binoculars back around his neck, and then raised the rifle for a second time.

"one to go. One down,"Sergeant Leetargeted his next victimHe pointed the sleek black weapon, and once again pulled the trigger.

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Alan Tracy heard the sound of a gun once again going off. He also felt an intense pain as something hit him in the chest. He looked down and the last thing he saw before the blackness enveloped him, was the bullet hole in his shirt, and the blood.

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Sergeant Lee had a look of triumph on his face. His task had been completed. Both men had been 'eliminated'. He got back on the snowmobile and without a second glance drove away.