DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimer applies. We don't own the Thunderbirds. Neither are we making any money off this endeavor.

Chapter 3 – WAITING

John flinched when he felt the needle penetrate his skin. He began to feel light-headed but then he realized that he was holding his breath. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He felt Dr. Franklin remove the syringe, and felt the guards release his arms. He rubbed the injection site waiting to feel the effects of whatever he was just injected with.

"Are you alright, John?" Jeff asked.

John took a mental inventory. "Yeah…I think." He said as he pushed the sleeve of him uniform back into place.

Jeff spun to face Dr. Franklin and angrily demanded. "Dammit Franklin, what kind of sick game are you playing? What did you inject him with?"

Dr. Franklin gave Jeff a menacing smile. "Calm yourself Jeff. Your colleague has at least four hours before the poison starts to take effect. If he is lucky, he could have as much as six hours."

At the word 'poison', Jeff looked at John again. Even though John was trying to hide it, Jeff could see that his son was scared. Actually he could see that John was terrified.

Clenching his hands into tight fists, he turned back to Franklin. "What kind of poison did you give him? So help me God…"

"Jeff, please," Dr. Franklin said holding his hands up in a mock surrender. "Let's not have any idle threats." Gesturing to his guards, he continued. "After all, it's not like you can really follow through with anything. Can you?"

"I would gladly take a bullet, if it means that I could have my hands around your throat for just one minute." Jeff growled. "Now I'll ask you once more. What kind of poison did you give him?"

"You won't recognize the name." Dr. Franklin said, laughingly. "Actually, it doesn't have a name, not yet anyways. I developed the poison myself, but I can tell you what to expect though."

Jeff closed his eyes. He could feel his anger rising. He knew that he needed to control his temper. If he lost control, he would be a detriment to his sons.

Dr. Franklin could see Jeff struggling with his emotions. It wouldn't be long before he had the head of this International Rescue team begging for his help and willing to do anything for it. The grin on his face grew as he continued.

"In a few hours, your colleague will break out in a rash. Next will come the joint and muscle pain which is followed by nausea. A fever will come after that and then he will become delirious. Eventually he will slip into a coma just before death. This will all happen over the course of the next five days."

Franklin took a perverse pleasure in watching all four of his captives pale visibly as he described the effects of the poison. Jeff stood opening and closing his fists. He no longer tried to hide his anger. It was written all over his face. John stood dumbfounded staring at his arm. Even though the injection site was now covered by the sleeve of his uniform, he stared at it like he could see right through the material. Virgil placed his hand on John's shoulder and gripped it in a silent gesture of encouragement. Scott, in an eerily similar gesture, had gripped Jeff's shoulder.

Scott however found his voice. "How do you know that all that will happen?" He asked their captor, but in the back on his mind he knew that he was not going to like the answer.

"I did my research, of course." Dr. Franklin replied in a condescending tone. "Of the twenty-four people that I injected, the pattern remained the same. The only difference was the duration of each stage. The earliest death occurred after 4 days and 21 hours. The longest one lasted 6 days and 2 hours. The average time was 5 days and 13 hours."

"You killed twenty-four people in order to 'do research'?" John asked in a tortured whisper. He couldn't believe this man was talking about killing people like it was some kind of science project.

"No, of course not." The mad doctor said. "Eight of them recovered. After all, I had to test the antidote too."

Jeff's rage overwhelmed him. "You sick son of a… When I get my hands on you…" He started to move at their captor, but Scott moved to block his path. Jeff also felt hands grab him from behind.

Scott got in close to his father's face. "Don't do it. Don't stoop to his level." Turning back to Dr. Franklin, Scott asked. "You have an antidote?"

The doctor pulled out a small vial from his pocket. He stood in front of Jeff and held the vial up for him to see. "This is all it would take to save John's life and all you have to do is give me the secrets of the Thunderbirds."

Jeff hung his head. Secrecy was imperative to International Rescue, but could he really let his son die for it. He knew that Gordon and Brains would be coming to their rescue, but it would take time. It was questionable if Brains could get the RAC working since it was still in the testing stage. He heard John's voice from behind him.

"Don't do it. Not for me." John said. "We'll think of something."

"That's very admirable, John." Dr. Franklin broke in. "But remember that I have a small army of guards. It would be suicide to take them on." Grabbing Jeff's arm, he held it up. He continued. "Make sure that you take a good look at the time when John slips into the coma because after 4 hours and 25 minutes the antidote will be useless." The doctor turned and walked to the door. He stopped in the open door. He turned and addressed Scott and Virgil. "Watch your colleague closely because that is what will happen to you too if I don't get the information that I want. So remember, if one of you gives me the information, you will not only be saving John's life, but you will also be saving your own."

"You can't seriously think that you can keep us here for five days." Scott said sarcastically. "Our other operatives aren't stupid. They will eventually figure out that something is wrong."

"You're right." Franklin replied. "They will probably even come looking for you, but they won't find you. I've made sure of that." With that he was gone and the lock was heard being slid into place.

Scott rushed the door in frustration and yelled. "Come back here, you son of…"

"Scott, calm down." Jeff ordered.

Turning to his father, he asked. "Do you think that he's right? That Gordon can't find us?"

Jeff shook his head. "I think that he is greatly underestimating International Rescue. Between Gordon and Brains, they will be able to locate us. Right now though we need to concentrate on what we can do from here to help them." Movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. Jeff looked over at John who was pale and shaking slightly. "Come on John, why don't you sit down?" He said as he guided John toward the sofa.

Jeff sat down on one side of John and Virgil sat on the other side of him.

"How are you feeling John?" Virgil asked in a quiet voice.

John looked at Virgil like he had just sprung a second head. He stood back up and started pacing in front of his brother and father. "And just how the hell am I supposed to feel, Virgil?" He asked sarcastically. "How would you feel if you had been poisoned and have five days to live?"

"John" Jeff said reaching out and stopped John's pacing by placing a hand on his arm. John looked at his dad. The anger and fear were written all over his face. Trying to calm his son, Jeff continued. "It's not over yet. Gordon and Brains will be here soon. We'll get the antidote and then we'll get out of here. I promise you. We aren't just going to sit by and let this happen."

John felt the fight leave him, and he sat back down. He turned toward his brother. "I'm sorry I snapped at you Virgil. I…uhm…this is just a lot to take in, you know. He was so…I guess…detached about all this. I mean he killed sixteen people and he has poisoned me. Yet he talked like it was nothing more than explaining a high school science project."

It's OK John." Virgil said. "I would really be losing it if I were in your shoes."

Jeff saw a look cross John's face. He knew that his son was taking this a lot harder than he was letting on. "John?" Jeff tried to get his son's attention, but John just stared off into space. "John? Come on, talk to me. Tell me what is going on in that head of yours."

John turned and looked at his father. He didn't say anything, but Jeff could see the haunted look on his son's face. Jeff put his arm around John's shoulders and pulled his son to him. "Please John," he whispered. "Tell me how you are feeling?"

John sighed and pulled back a little with his dad's arm still around his shoulders. Clearing his throat, he said in a quiet voice. "I'm OK, at least physically, really. According to the mad doctor, I still have a few hours before the effects of the poison kicks in. Mentally, however…I don't know…My feelings are all in a jumble. I know that Brains and Gordon will be coming and that you guys will do everything you can to get the antidote, but…Oh God…How do I say this…I just have this horrible feeling that things are not going to work out this time." John looked into his father's eyes. "I'm really scared. I don't think that I have ever been this scared in my life. I…I…" John's voice broke and the tears started falling.

Jeff pulled his son back to him. He knew that John was scared. Hell, he was scared himself. He rubbed John's back while his son sobbed his fears into his father's chest. He whispered softly to his son. "Let it out, John. Just let it all out."

Jeff saw that both Virgil and Scott were silently encouraging their brother. Virgil had placed one hand on John's shoulder and was also rubbing his back with the other. Scott had knelt down in front of John and rested his hands on John's knees.

Jeff in turn meet both Scott's and Virgil's looks. He could see the fear in their eyes also. "We will get through this…" Jeff said trying to encourage all his sons. "…As a family."

BACK ON THE ISLAND

Gordon came storming into Brains' lab. "Brains, how much longer before this 'RAC' will be up and running."

Brains gave Gordon a look of impatience. "I can't be p-p-p-sure Gordon. At least another hour maybe t-t-t-more."

"Come on Brains." Gordon said in exasperation. "We need to speed this up. It's already been thirty-seven hours since I got that call from Dad. We have no idea what has happened since then. They could be dead by now."

"Calm down G-G-Gordon," Brains said. "I told you that it would t-t-t-require time to get this wo-wo-up and running.

"Time, time, time. Time is the one thing that we don't have." Gordon ranted as he paced around Brains' lab. "It took time for you to come get me. It took time for us to get back to earth. It's taking time for you to work on this 'thing'. It will take us seven hours to fly to Phoenix and then another hour and a half to helijet from Phoenix to the location of the lab. If they are still there, we have to try to develop a rescue plan. Time for this. Time for that. Time, time, time. We don't have TIME Brains. My family is depending on us. You've got to speed things up."

Even though Gordon was yelling at him, Brains knew that it was because Gordon was worried about his family. "Gordon, I un-un-un-know it is frustrating, and I know that you are w-w-w-concerned about your family, but I have to b-b-think that your family's kid-kid-kid-captor wants to keep them for awhile. Why else would he f-f-f-make your dad call you? They probably want the Th-Th-ships, and they would need them al-al-able to talk to get the security pr-pr-pr-measures."

"I don't know Brains. Maybe they somehow found a way into the ships and then they needed some time to get away before we came searching for them and finding their dead bodies. Why else haven't they tried to contact us again?" Gordon said getting angry at Brains.

"Gordon, STOP!" Brains said in a commanding voice that he rarely could muster. "I am worried about your f-f-f-them too. I have to b-b-b-trust that they are still alive or I would go in-in-nuts, and then I would never get this w-w-thing working. I find it fr-fr-fr-irritating that it is taking so long but I can only go so fast. Please let me w-w-w-do my job. I can do it a lot f-f-f-more quickly without your interruption."

"All right Brains." Gordon said with the anger still resounding in his voice. "I will be down in the hanger TRIPLE checking Tracy Three to make sure that she is ready to go. Just hurry it up."

Brains went back to his work and his prayers. "Please God. Please let them be all right." He knew that if they weren't Gordon would never forgive him. For that matter he would never be able to forgive himself.

BACK AT THE WAREHOUSE

"Dad, how much longer are we going to wait for Gordon?" Virgil asked. "It's already been forty-two hours since you talked to him."

Jeff could see that Virgil was getting frustrated as time was passing. Hell, so was he. It had been almost two days since being taken captive. They had all at one time or another tried to sleep, but the stress of the situation was making it difficult. It also didn't help that Franklin had been in three times to "check on John's condition." Franklin flaunted the antidote in front of him and reminded him that all he had to do to save John's life was to give him the secrets of International Rescue. The guilt that Jeff was feeling grew each time Franklin came in to "visit." Forcing those feelings down, he looked at his son.

"We need to give them more time." Jeff said. "Don't forget. Brains had to go get Gordon. He had to make sure the RAC was working, and I have no idea what condition it was in. We had tested it twice, but Brains still wanted to tweak it. Then they will have to fly over here. Even in our fastest plane that will take hours."

"Plane?" Virgil questioned. "Why not Thunderbird 3? I know that she is primarily a spacecraft, but we have used her planet-side before. It's got to be faster than a plane."

"Yes, it would be faster." Jeff said. "But don't you think that our captor would be watching for any signs of people trying to rescue us. I think the sight of Thunderbird 3 flying anywhere near here would be a pretty big sign. Don't you? A plane or helijet would probably not even be noticed. I'm trusting that if Gordon hasn't thought of it, Brains will."

Virgil motioned toward the bed where John laid curled up on. The rash that John had broken out with the day before was visible on his face. At one point the urge to scratch was so strong that John literally sat on his hands to keep from scratching. Then a few hours ago the muscle ache started. John had laid down about an hour ago hoping to escape the pain by sleeping for awhile.

Virgil whispered to his dad. "But what about John? We are almost two days into the five days…"

"Stop talking about me." John commanded from the bed. Noticing the startled look on his father's and brother's face, he continued. "It was an educated guess guys. When you guys start whispering, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why." Slowly sitting up, he continued. "I want a promise from you guys. No matter what happens to me, you can't give Dr. Franklin the secrets of the Thunderbirds. Promise me. OK?" He met the looks of his father and brothers. None of them said anything. "I mean it guys. Promise me. Please."

Jeff could see that John was getting worked up. "Of course we promise John." He said as he looked to Scott and Virgil who both nodded their heads. "We made that promise to each other when we started International Rescue. Nothing has changed."

"Of course things have changed." John interrupted his father. "It's one thing to make that kind of promise when we were safe and sound back on the Island, but now…It's time to put our money where our mouths are. Now I need to know. I need your promises that you will maintain the oath of secrecy. It's important to me."

Scott sat down next to John and gripped John's shoulder hoping to give him comfort. He removed it immediately when he saw his brother wince. "I'm sorry John." He said. "Of course, we promise not to give away the secrets of International Rescue, but that doesn't mean that we are giving up on you. Even if Brains and Gordon don't show up, we will find a way to get out of this."

"That's right.' Jeff said. "Even though I have every confidence in Gordon and Brains, we do need to think about an alternative plan."

"I say that we rush Franklin the next time he comes in here." Virgil said vehemently.

"And what about the guards with their guns?" Jeff asked patiently. "How fast can you dodge the bullets?"

"I don't want you guys taking unnecessary risks for me." John said. "And that plan would be suicide."

Virgil sighed. "I know, but I hate this feeling of helplessness. I feel like I should be doing something. If I could just have five minutes alone with that bastard, I would make him pay for what he has done."

"We all feel that way Virgil." Jeff said. "But we need to think professionally, not emotionally. I know that it is hard. I've been having trouble myself. If you think of anything, let's talk about it. Maybe between all of us, we can work out a plan."

Jeff turned and looked at John. "How are you feeling John? Did you get any rest?"

"I dozed for a little bit." John replied. "I had a hard time finding a position to lie in. Plus my thoughts were running a mile a minute. It's weird some of the things that you think of at a time like this."

"Why don't you try to get some more rest?" Jeff told John.

"I could tell you the same thing." John said with a snort. "None of you guys have had much rest since we were captured."

"I'll make you a deal." Jeff told him. "If you lay back down and rest, so will the rest of us. Deal?"

"OK, deal." John said as he quietly accepted his Dad's help in lying back down.

Turning back to his other sons, he said. "OK boys, let's get some rest."

"OK, but you take the other bed." Scott told his father. Turning to Virgil, he said. "You have your choice Virg, the sofa or the recliner."

"I think that I will take the recliner." Virgil answered him. "Do you want me to get the lights?"

"No, that's OK. I'll get it." Scott said heading to the light switch.

As the room was plunged into darkness, the four Tracys settled down trying to get some rest. Each one left alone with their own troubled thoughts. Each one left alone with their own dark fears.

Author's note: Ok, folks, don't you just hate waiting? As far as the poison, we purposely made it a new "man-made" things, so that we can make it do whatever we want. Thanks again to all our faithful readers and reviewers. We hope that we can live up to your expectations.