Hey everyone, here is the last of the chapters that have been reposted with the necessary changes. Sorry about all this. Again, I'm hoping to have new chapters up for you very soon. Thanks once again.

P.S. I do not own nor claim to own any part of the Thunderbirds. Universal Studios and others do. The only person I can claim is the shadowing figure, who will be showing there face soon.

Chapter 3: The Rescue and the Surprise

Virgil activated his VOTL rockets and lifted off. The large, green ship lifted off and quickly moved over the small blue car. Virgil made sure he was much higher then he should be, then activated the down thrusters in short bursts. The car and tree started to sway.

"Virg! Stop!" Reflexes born of constant training hours and the trust in a brother born of years together helped Virgil shut off the thrusters just before the rescue turned into a retrieval operation. Virgil wiped sweat from his forehead and then rubbed his sweaty palms on his uniform. He had almost blown it. A crackle from the radio signaled Scott's call.

"Hey Virg. It's ok. The tree held. Thank God your reflexes are so quick. You ok?" Virgil ruefully shook his head. Sometimes he thought Scott knew him better then he knew himself. Of course, the reverse was also true. He probably knew Scott better then Scott knew himself.

"Fine, Scott. Just a little shook. If you ha..." Scott sent him a look.

"There is no reason to feel like that, Virg. Now. Lets rescue some people. You are at a good height, and I think that Alan can get to the car without worrying about too many trees or their branches. Better send him down with some cutters though. He probably will have to clear some stuff out of his way."

"F.A.B."

Alan triple checked the last hook and sent Gordon a quick thumbs up signal. Gordon nodded, then flipped a switch. Alan leaned over to look down at the ground. Despite Virgil's good piloting, they were still much higher up then he would have liked. His specialty was water he did not like heights. That was especially funny, since the plan had been all along that he would go into the space program after he graduated from school. Then, Gordon and he would trade places on the THUNDERBIRDS, since Gordon was going into the WASPS next year. But for now, he was still a kid. However, ever since the huge incident with the Hood, both his father and his brothers had been giving him more responsibility. Alan was reveling in it. So, yes he would kid Scott about not wanting to go, but in reality, he would do this and more. It felt so good to be trusted by his hero brothers. He looked over to his closest brother and nodded. Then he stepped out into thin air.

Within 30 minutes, Alan was beside the car. He cautiously opened the driver's side door. The boy, Jason, was slumped over the steering wheel. Alan did not like the angle of his neck and radioed Gordon.

"Ok, Al. I'll send down the neck brace along with the VLS (visual life signs) and the back board."

"F.A.B." Alan turned his attention back to the young man. Man, he is only a few years older then me. Probably Gordon or John's age. I sure hope he doesn't die. He still has so much life to live.

A sound made Alan turn and see the orange backboard. He put the neck brace on Jason carefully, and then began the problem of getting him out without hurting him further. A groan caused him to raise his head too quickly and it made contact with the top of the doorway. Rubbing it ruefully, he glanced at the young woman, who was now blinking at him groggily.

"How are you, Miss?" She winced as her hand encountered the large bruise on her forehead.

"Aside from a headache as big as Mt. Everest, I'm doing pretty well. Jason! Is he ok?" Alan shook his head.

"He's not doing too good. If I come around and help you out of the car, could you lie on the backboard and let my bro...buddy winch you up? That would allow me more room the get him out." Meredith nodded. Alan quickly radioed Gordon and Scott and filled them in on the change of plans. Soon, Meredith was being lifted to safety, and Alan was once again stuck with the problem of moving Jason, when he should not be moved. His wristwatch suddenly beeped, and Scott's face appeared in the face.

"Alan, a Mr. Thompson is coming up to assist you. He is a trained medic, and we all agree you will need help moving Jason since he is unresponsive. Gordon will let down the line to him and winch him up to you position when he gets to the tree. Sound good to you?" Alan sighed with relief.

"F.A.B."

Gordon radioed Alan and told him Thompson was in position. Alan was soon shaking hands with a man roughly his father's age. He was worried the medic would comment on how young he was, but Thompson was too worried to notice that the International Rescue operative was only thirteen years old. Quickly, but with infinite care, the two rescuers moved Jason to the backboard. As they strapped him in, they both let out a breath they hadn't known they were holding. Alan hurriedly hooked the young man to the VLS and was relieved to hear the steady beeping. Jason was not in the greatest shape, but he was holding his own.

Gordon winched the young man up and quickly moved him on a hovercot to Thunderbird 2's sickbay. He then hurried back to the winch controls. He sent the winch down, while radioing Alan. Mr. Thompson was quickly winched up and shown to the sickbay where he got to work on Jason.

Gordon radioed Alan to get him ready for the line. Suddenly, a wind shear rocked the huge ship. Virgil fought the controls and finally, the wind slackened. The radio crackled to life and Gordon relayed his bad news to his older brother.

"The line's snagged in a tree 5 meters away from Alan. I'm going to have to climb down the line and untangle it."

"Gordon! That's too dangerous! There has to be another way." Gordon shook his head.

"Just keep her steady, bro."

All of the Tracys could hear the interchange. Jeff's face went a shade whiter and he rested his head on his arms. John stood stock-still. Scott gripped the control panel, while Alan stared helplessly up at the opening where his brother was making a hard decision. One slip and a Tracy could die.

Virgil swallowed the goose egg sized lump in his throat, and slowly nodded. Gordon got a safety line and attached it to the harness he was already wearing. He placed the two magnets on either side of the hold, and then checked to make sure they were secure. When he was certain, he stepped out into the air. The line held. Exhaling the breath he was nervously holding in, he flicked the switch on the control box on the harness and was slowly lowered to the twisted line.

Alan could see his brother moving slowly to the cable. He saw Gordon land near it and stop the line. Alan radioed Mobile Control.

"Scott, Gordon's reached the winch line and...yes, he's got it untangled. He's taking it with him and will soon send it down to me...Scott? Are you there? Do you copy? Scott, answer me!"

Thirty minutes earlier.

"Boy, you guys sure do a great work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My son probably wouldn't have made it. By the time the police and volunteer fire department had got to them..." Scott smiled at the appreciative father.

"No problem sir. I'm just glad our operative found them alive." Scott nodded to a man who had come up next to Mr. Robertson. The rather large man was wearing dark clothing and was of Oriental decent. Robertson shook the man's hand.

"Mr. Lung, good to see you. Scott, this is Mr. Lung. He moved here only two weeks ago, but he has already become a part of the community. He helped fix the sewer problem we've had since the line was put in and is helping all of us paint the courthouse." Scott smiled at the man while a shiver ran up his spine. As unobtrusively as possible, he turned on the Mobile Control's recording device. He didn't care what Robertson said. Mr. Lung was one scary man.

Mr. Lung bowed to Scott and said "Thank you for saving those two young people. They are our future. Thank you." Scott nodded and they turned to watch Jason being lifted up. Suddenly, Mr. Robertson dropped to the ground. Scott rushed over to him and checked his pulse. Everything was fine; it was almost as if he had just fallen asleep. With this thought, Scott jumped to his feet, while turning around at the same time. There stood Mr. Lung with a syringe in one hand and a gun in the other, pointed straight at Scott's heart.

"Scott, there is no reason for this to end in violence. Just drop your laser pistol and put your hands on your head. You are going on a little journey." Scott's deep blue eyes turned almost grey with the steely glare he shot at the man.

"Alright." Slowly he let the gun drop, and then put his hands on his head. He knew no one would notice. Everyone was about 10 meters away, watching the rescue. Lung moved slowly over to him, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. Just as he was about to snap the first one on Scott's wrist, Scott's leg shot out and tripped him. Soon they were wrestling, each one giving the other some good punches. Abruptly, Scott stiffened, and then went limp. Lung looked up at one of his operatives. He nodded, holding up an identical syringe to the one used on Robertson.

Lung kicked Scott off him. The master had said the Thunderbird men would be difficult. He was glad he had listened and brought several men with him. The operative spoke softly to him in their native Malaysian.

"Is this the one the master wanted?"

"Yes. The leader, the one we would find behind the control box. See, the blue edges on his uniform. Yes, this is he."

"Should we not also bring the box, sir?" Lung held up his hand for silence. Over the speakers of the control box he could hear the one his master hated the most; "Scott? Are you there? Do you copy? Scott, answer me!"

"No, they are calling him. They will soon investigate. Call the men. We must hurry from this place." The operative bowed and hurried off the gather the men. Lung grabbed one of the limp arms of his prisoner and started to lift him up. However, Scott's limp body proved heavier then he had expected and he lost his hold on the body. As the limp form fell to the ground, Lung instinctively reached out and tried to grab one of his arms. The sound of tearing fabric was accompanied with a slight thud, as Scott's body hit the ground hard. Cursing silently, the man let go of the scrap of cloth that had been left in his hand and picked up the unconscious Scott. He had to move from this place. Someone would soon come and investigate.