CHAPTER TWO

The wall flipped around and revealed Scott, his uniform and face both quite dirty.

"Hello, son."

"Father," Scott nodded. "Have Brains check out my refrigeration unit, would ya? It's so damn hot in that cockpit."

Jeff nodded, noting that Scott's grimy face was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. "You all right?"

"Yeah. Just hot. I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Okay. See you out here later."

"F.A.B."

An hour later, as Scott re-emerged into the Lounge, Virgil, Gordon and Alan were just returning from having dropped the victims off at a mainland hospital. Jeff noted the three of them didn't look any better than their elder brother as he sent them off to get washed up.

Scott flopped unceremoniously onto the settee in front of Jeff's desk, surprising his father. In spite of the fact that he was wearing shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, Scott still felt like he was in an oven.

"You did well on this one, Scott. Especially where that boy was concerned."

"Oh, yeah, I did real well," Scott snorted. "Damn kid killed himself."

"You couldn't have prevented that. You didn't know it was coming."

"But I should have known, right, Father?" Scott said hotly, jumping to his feet. He began pacing in front of the desk as Jeff watched in confusion. "I'm the first one on the scene, I'm supposed to be ready for anything! Big Brother Scott, Mr. Never-Makes-A-Mistake. Well, I did this time. I lost someone, so go ahead and yell at me, I know it's what you wanna do."

"I don't have any desire to yell at you. Losing that boy was not your fault."

"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever," Scott mumbled, collapsing onto the settee again.

"What's got into you, Scott?"

"What's got into me?" Scott yelled, jumping to his feet again. "I'll tell you what's got into me, Dad. I'm sick and tired of being the one making all the decisions out there. I'm tired of telling everybody what to do! They're all grown men; they can make their own decisions! Why do I have to be first? Because I'm the oldest? To hell with that! I don't want the damned responsibility anymore! I'm sick to death of this whole thing!"

Jeff watched his son's tirade open-mouthed and couldn't even form a sentence as Scott stalked out of the Lounge. He was still looking quite in shock when his other three Earth-bound sons entered the room.

"Father, what's wrong?" Virgil asked, wiping his forehead with his hand.

"You-I--uh, I don't...quite know for sure. Your brother just had a, uh, well, a tantrum, I think."

"A tantrum? Scott?" Alan asked.

Jeff nodded. "I think I'd better try and find him. Will you boys mind the store?"

"Sure, Father," Gordon replied as the three took up various positions around the Lounge.

As Jeff disappeared down the hall, Alan asked the question all three had been asking themselves. "Scott threw a tantrum?"

"I wonder why," Gordon said.

"Probably because he's sick of being in command all the time, just like I'm sick and tired of being the Second Fiddle ferry boy," Virgil retorted from the piano bench. His brothers looked at him in surprise. "We oughtta switch places. See how he'd like being stuck in Thunderbird 2 for a change."

"Virgil?" Gordon asked.

"What?" he snapped.

"Uh, never mind."

Virgil began playing a rather loud march on the piano. Alan and Gordon frowned and headed for the patio.

"What's with him?" Alan asked.

"Don't know. Maybe the same thing that's with Scott. Man, it's evening, but it's so hot out here."

"You're right," Alan replied, fanning his face with his hand. "Let's go for a dip in the pool."

"But Father asked us to keep an eye out for emergencies."

"Aren't you tired of being told what to do?" Alan asked, frowning.

"Uh...huh? Well, I-I guess so. But we're the youngest. It comes with the territory."

"So let's break the cycle. I say we go for a dip in the pool and let Mr. Personality keep an ear open for blinks and beeps."

"Okay!" Gordon agreed.

The two raced down the staircase, shedding clothes along the way until, by the time they reached the water, they were both buck-naked. They did cannonballs into the pool and splashed and yelled, acting like two ten-year olds instead of two twenty-somethings.

Jeff found his oldest boy in his room. He tapped on the door softly before entering to find Scott standing out on his balcony, wearing nothing but his boxers.

"Son?" he said softly.

"Can't you just leave me be?"

"I'd rather not. I'd rather find out what's going on."

"I already told you," Scott spat, unwilling to turn and face his father.

"Are you telling me you want to quit International Rescue?"

He whirled on Jeff, eyes dark, and body fairly dripping with sweat. "So now you think I'm a quitter?" he menaced.

"I never said that. It's just...you said you were tired of it all, so I thought..."

"Yeah, Father, you thought. You always think. You think you know what's best. You've locked us on this island, a bunch of grown men. Grown men with needs! Did you ever stop to think about that? Are we s'posed to be goddamn monks for the rest of our lives just to save a bunch of ingrates who couldn't care less?"

Jeff was speechless as he sank down onto his son's bed. Is this how Scott really felt? Is this how they all felt?

"But you went into this willingly, Scott. You knew what life would be like. You all knew."

"You're right. We did know. But did you honestly think any of us would say no to you? To our father? To the great astronaut and billionaire Jeff Tracy? Please, you already had Brains building the damn machines; you already had most of this hunk of rock carved out before you even asked us. What were we gonna do? We had no choice."

Becoming angry, Jeff rose to his feet to face his son eye-to-eye. "Don't tell me you didn't have a choice. I must have asked all of you twenty times if this is what you really wanted. Every single one of you assured me it was. You could have backed out any time before we started operating."

"Sure. And be the quitter. Just like now. Right?"

Scott's newly flippant attitude confused Jeff even more. He decided the conversation couldn't possibly go anywhere in his son's present state of mind, so figured he'd let him cool off before attempting to continue. "I don't think you're a quitter. I think you're a hero," he said quietly as he exited the room.

Turning back to face the ocean's breeze, which wasn't all that cooling at the moment, Scott snorted, "Hero, my ass."

Jeff returned to the Lounge to find his middle son engaged in the loudest rendition of the Thunderbird march he'd ever borne witness to. It was so loud it actually hurt his ears.

"Virgil!"

"WHAT?"

The angry face turned upon him startled Jeff, to say the least. Thankfully, Virgil had stopped playing, but why did he look so livid?

"I was just wondering why you were playing the piano so loudly."

"Sorry, was I bothering you?" The question was not asked with actual concern or regret.

"Well, it was a bit loud."

"So sorry to be bothering you, Sir," Virgil ground out as he rose from his seat.

"Virgil, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"What's going on? I'll tell you what's going on!"

By now, Jeff was ready to commit himself to an asylum. First Scott, and now Virgil? What in blazes was happening? He just nodded for Virgil to continue, wondering if this conversation would prove as fruitless as his last.

"I'm tired of playing second banana to the Great and Powerful Scott," Virgil began, pacing across the Lounge to the patio doors and back as he spoke. His voice dripped with hatred, a sound his father had never before heard from him. "He always goes first, he's always telling us what to do. He's not so great. I don't get a chance to make my own decisions unless for some reason you can't get hold of the Golden Boy."

"Virgil, that's not true, and you know it."

"You can deny it all you want, Father, but you stuck me behind a goddamned freighter. I wasn't good enough to pilot Thunderbird 1. I wasn't smart enough to be made commander of International Rescue whenever you left the Island. I'm the one who has to do all the dirty work while your perfect firstborn sits on his ass at Mobile Control! God forbid one flippin' lock of hair gets out of place or one tiny scratch mars his James Bond face."

Jeff found himself once more with a mouth that hung wide open, unable to move. Had has sons gone mad? "I depend on you for your level headedness, your strength and your determination. You are the backbone of our operations in the field. I thought you understood that."

"Backbone? Strength? Sure, I'm the biggest one of all us Tracys, I'm the big brute, I can do all the tough stuff and I can pilot the big lug of a ship that doesn't go a third as fast as Scott's, but that's okay because I'm only second born."

"Son, the order in which you boys were born makes no difference to me. You're all first."

"Yeah, right. You put us into these roles. You did, no one else. You stick Mr. Bright and Wonderful in the anchor because he's so...bright and wonderful. You've got Water Boy who's perfect for 4. You've got a kid you forced to go to astronaut training that you throw up into space to get rid of, and another one who looks so much like Mom you wanted him up in space so you wouldn't have to look at him any more than necessary."

"Virgil Grissom Tracy, you'd better stop while you're still ahead of the game. You have your roles based on what you're best at, nothing more. I talked this over with each of you before the craft were even built, before assignments were even decided upon. If you're all so unhappy, why haven't you come to me before now? Why keep it all inside?"

"Yeah, you're really one for heart-to-hearts, Dad. Just forget it!" Virgil stormed out of the Lounge, leaving a shocked and somewhat angry Jeff Tracy in his wake.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?" Jeff yelled to the empty room.

Gordon and Alan had tired of splashing in the pool and, as if Jeff needed any more surprises that night, came waltzing into the Lounge completely nude, as if it were the most natural thing on Earth.

"BOYS!" he bellowed.

"What?" they asked in unison, frowning.

"Put some clothes on! Kyrano, Grandma and Tin-Tin will be returning soon. You can't be standing here like that when they do."

"Oh," Gordon snickered, "like Tin-Tin's never seen a naked Tracy before." Alan punched him in the arm. Hard. "OW!"

"What did you just say?" Jeff asked, his face turning scarlet.

"Shut up, Gordon, you jackass!" Alan fumed, fists at the ready.

"Hey, knock it off, you little hothead!" Gordon retorted.

"Just you keep your mouth shut about Tin-Tin!"

"Who's gonna make me, Squirt, you?"

"Don't call me that!" Alan roared, lunging for his brother.

"Boys! You stop fighting this instant!"

"I'll call you whatever I want, you whiny little shit!"

"Screw you all to hell you little weakling!"

"I am not a weakling!"

"Yeah, that's why you can't do heavy rescue, wimp!"

"Boys, get off each other NOW!" Jeff tried to move in to break them up, but instead found himself getting kicked and punched. He could do nothing but back away and pray they didn't kill each other.

"You know I have a bad back!"

"Yeah, because you can't even pilot a Hydrofoil right. That's why your sorry ass got stuck with Thunderbird 4!"

"Yeah, well the only reason you've got Thunderbird 3 is because Dad wants to get rid of you for a month at a time!"

"That's not true!" Alan yelled. Then, just as quickly as the fight started, it was over. Alan came to his feet and walked up to his dazed father. "Is it?"

"What?"

"Is what Gordon said true?"

"Of course it is, you stupid jerk," Gordon interjected, nursing a large bruise forming on his stomach.

"Shut up, mermaid," Alan hissed. "So? Father? Is that true? You sent me off to be an astronaut so you could get rid of me?"

"No, it's not true. I sent you to astronaut training because I thought it would discipline you. And because I wanted you to share in my love of space."

"Discipline me? Jeezus, Father, I'm not a flippin' kid!"

"You were back then, son. You were out of control. You nearly destroyed an entire building."

"I see. So...let me get this straight...I'm a hotheaded, out of control little shithead that you're glad to be rid of every other month on that damned space station."

"That's not what I said."

"You didn't have to!"

Alan, Gordon and Jeff didn't realize Grandma, Kyrano and Tin-Tin had returned and were walking into the Lounge at this very moment.

"Oh!" Tin-Tin exclaimed, covering her eyes with her hands and running out of the room.

"Hey, you scared your girlfriend without any clothes on!" Gordon guffawed, earning him an evil glare.

"I'll deal with you later!" he said to Gordon. Then he turned back to his father as Grandma and Kyrano scurried back to the kitchen. "And you...you can take your piece of shit astronaut job and shove it up your ass! I'm through!"

Alan turned heel and headed for his bedroom while Gordon laughed uncontrollably from the couch in the middle of the room.

"He finally gave it to you!"

"Gordon, what is going on here? You boys have lost your minds!"

"No, we've just finally grown balls enough to speak them, Dad." He rose from the couch, oblivious of the fact he was in his birthday suit, and looked his father right in the eyes. "Everything Alan says is true, at least that's how you see me. I know you do."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm the weakest one of all of us. That's why you gave me Thunderbird 4. It's not as strenuous as the other vehicles. The rescues are easier because they're in water. My back's screwed up, so I'm pretty much useless to you as a real member of International Rescue." Gordon's voice was low and full of pain, but he put up a brave front. "I know you're ashamed of me. I'm not as strong as Virgil or as smart as Scott or as useful as John or as fearless as Alan. I'm the boy you want to hide under the water, the one who can't hack it out on real rescues."

Jeff shook his head. Who was next now? John? "Gordon, please, that couldn't be further from the truth. I admire you for what you go through every time Pod 4 is dropped into the water. I know that has to hurt your back, but you endure without complaint. You are steadfast and even-keeled. You always make us laugh and keep even the direst situations from getting to us. You have a gift, and I respect every facet of the man you are."

When he spoke, Gordon's voice was barely a whisper. "I don't believe you."

Jeff frowned, looking deep into his son's eyes before Gordon turned on his heel and left. He could do nothing but stare after him as Gordon walked determinedly away. Sagging into the chair behind his desk, Jeff put his head in his hands. He was this close to putting his fist through a wall just as Kyrano, Grandma and Tin-Tin entered the room.

"Jeff?" Grandma asked as the three approached his desk. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, Mother," he replied quietly. "I just don't know."

"I've activated the view screens in each of their rooms."

"Thank you, Tin-Tin. And they're all present and accounted for?"

"Yes, Mr. Tracy. Would you mind explaining to us what's happened?"

"I can't figure it out. They were fine when they left for the rescue, and even afterward when they reported in from their Thunderbirds. It was after Scott finished showering that he went into a tirade in the Lounge. When I confronted him in his room, he just went crazy. Then I came back out here and found Virgil pounding at the piano. He pretty much blew a gasket the same way Scott did. And then Alan and Gordon came in dressed in nothing more than their birthday suits and started fighting."

"Why would they act in such a manner, Sir?"

"I wish I could tell you, Kyrano. Brains, any ideas?"

"W-Well, it's, uh, pretty clear th-they aren't themselves. C-Can you tell me m-more about this island Cumbaquay?"

Jeff relayed what he knew to the group as they all watched the vid monitors showing each of the boys in their bedrooms. Suddenly Tin-Tin screamed. "Scott!"

"Oh, my God!" Jeff cried, racing to the patio doors. Tin-Tin and Brains were in hot pursuit while Kyrano held Grandma, trying his best to soothe her.

They ran full-boar down the steps and around to the left. When they arrived at the place below Scott's balcony, they skidded to a halt, staring at a small ledge about six feet from the edge of the house where Scott lay motionless. Tin-Tin began to cry.

"I'll get him," Jeff said as he began climbing the side of the cliff. "You two get back in there and keep an eye on the boys."

Tin-Tin led Grandma and her father to Grandma's room. She could sense neither of them wanted to be alone right now, but she wanted them to stay hidden until they could figure out what was happening to the Tracy boys. Tin-Tin was quite frightened. They had always been sweet and kind, full of love and respect for each other and everyone around them. How had this changed so suddenly?

Brains stayed and watched the vids showing the rooms of Alan, Gordon and Virgil. The latter looked like he was asleep on the floor while Gordon sat in his desk chair crying and Alan sat out on his patio with his arms crossed, a mean look on his face. Brains flipped through the Rolodex in his mind, trying desperately to figure out what could be causing their odd behavior.

"I wonder..." he mused, sitting down in Jeff's chair and flipping on the computer console behind the desk.

Jeff managed to make it up to the ledge with only a few scrapes here and there on his hands. He found Scott seemingly passed out. Jeff sat down next to his boy and looked at his peaceful face, so different from the angry man he'd encountered a mere hour before. "What's happened to you, my son?" he asked sadly.

Suddenly Scott's eyes snapped open. Jeff couldn't help himself...he flinched, wondering what would be next. But contrary to what he expected, Scott's eyes suddenly filled with tears that overflowed onto his cheeks as he began to cry. He grabbed his father's pant legs and pulled himself up until he was grabbing his shirt and jacket, then finally buried his face in his chest, sobbing so hard Jeff could feel the wetness soak through his clothing.

"Scott, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked, wrapping his arms around the shaking body in his lap.

But Scott either couldn't or wouldn't speak, so Jeff just let him cry, gently rocking him to and fro as he stroked his hair and back. Just the sound of Scott in such anguish cut him to the quick. He was confused and frightened...he was hurt and sad...he just didn't know which feeling to feel first.

Tin-Tin had returned to the Lounge and was watching the monitors while Brains headed for his Lab. He had an idea, but needed to do further research on his supercomputer. Tin-Tin watched the boys, wondering where Mr. Tracy and Scott were.

Suddenly, Virgil jumped up off the floor, startling her. He ran to the door before she could even get out of the chair, and was standing against the painting of the rocket before her hand hit the COM link to the Lab. She watched as the picture flipped backwards, carrying Virgil far beneath toward his ship.

"Brains! It's Virgil! He's on his way to Thunderbird 2!"

"What? O-Okay, d-don't worry, uh, Tin-Tin. I'll jam her so she can't start." Brains turned and punched some commands into his computer.

The chute dropped Virgil into the pilot's chair in the cockpit of Thunderbird 2. The chair folded and clicked into place on its stand. Virgil reached out his left hand and pulled a lever towards him. He expected the lights to come on and the steering unit to start moving toward him.

But nothing happened.

He flicked the lever back and forth again and again. Still nothing. "YOU BASTARD!" he screamed, fists clenched. "YOU LOCKED ME OUTTA MY OWN SHIP!"

Brains had opened a COM link to Thunderbird 2. He sighed in relief when Virgil yelled, knowing at least he wouldn't be able to get the ship airborne. He decided he'd better lock down the other Thunderbirds and Pod vehicles as well. One-by-one he sent lockout commands to all of them until at last, twenty minutes later, his mission was complete.

"I don't believe it," he whispered as he returned to his research. "For the first time in almost five years, International Rescue is non-operational."

Tin-Tin couldn't stand it anymore. While Alan had fallen asleep out on his balcony, Gordon had continued crying uncontrollably for over thirty minutes. She, too, had begun to cry. She reasoned that since Alan was asleep, she could steal into Gordon's room for a moment to see if she could help.

She crept down the hall and stopped at his door. She could hear him now, and her heart broke. Softly she entered, closing the door behind her.

"Gordon?" she called out.

He stopped just long enough to lift his head and look at her. "What are you doing here?" he choked.

"I want to help."

"The only way you can help is to stop loving Alan."

"What?"

"Never mind. Just go away," he whispered, rocking back and forth on the balcony floor.

"No, I will not go away, Gordon. You're in pain. Why?"

"Because of you, Tin-Tin."

"Me? What on Earth do you mean?"

"Why did you have to love Alan, Tin-Tin? Is it because he's stronger and heartier than me? Or because he has dashing blonde hair and blue eyes and I don't?"

Realization dawning, Tin-Tin covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, my," she breathed.

Gordon sniffled and came to his feet, turning his back to her and leaning his elbows on the balcony railing. "I can't believe you've never noticed," he said quietly.

"Gordon, I-I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"No kidding. Anyway, it doesn't matter. You and Alan are an item. I just have to deal with it. Every day of every year. Deal with seeing you go gaga over him every time he returns from a rescue. Deal with you and he sitting together in the same chair even when there are five empty ones around. I just have to deal."

Tin-Tin approached him carefully. She'd truly had no idea that, "You're in love with me."

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," he said, smiling wryly.

"I-I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. There isn't anything to say. Just leave me alone."

"I don't want to."

"I don't care what you want! You've made your decision!" he yelled, his eyes darkening. "Just go! Go to your lover!"

Tin-Tin backed away, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she said before running out of the room.

Gordon looked over the balcony and wondered how far down it actually was to the ground below.

Scott's tears had finally subsided and his body heaved with leftover dry sobs.

"Talk to me, son," he pleaded, his voice barely audible.

"I...I miss Mom!" Scott wailed, clinging to his father like a lost child.

"I miss her, too, Scott."

"It's so unfair! Why did she have to die? Why?"

"I don't know. I don't know. But that's why we do what we do. In memory of your mother. We save others' lives so they don't have to feel this pain."

Suddenly the angry Scott was back. He jumped to his feet, nearly knocking Jeff over the edge of the cliff.

"Why the hell should anyone else be spared this?" he yelled. "If I have to hurt like this, why should I care what other people go through?"

Jeff came to his feet. "Scott, I don't have all the answers. I'm doing the best I can, doing what I know how to do. How can I help you?"

"You can't, Dad. Mom's gone. You can never make that better."

"I'm sorry, Scott. Truly."

"Yeah, you're sorry you got stuck with us. That's why I raised my brothers!" he spat before skidding and sliding down the cliff to the ground below.

Jeff shook his head and sank back onto the ledge. Pulling his knees up, he rested his arms and head upon them. "Oh, Lucy, what have I done to our sons? What have I done?"

Tin-Tin returned to the Lounge. She sat in Jeff's chair for a few moments letting herself cry before looking up to the vid monitors. Scott's room was empty. Virgil's was empty. Gordon was rocking to and fro on his patio again, but it looked like he wasn't crying anymore. Her eyes came to rest on Alan's room. She jumped to her feet.

Alan's room was empty.

"Oh, no! Alan! Where could you be?"

Brains had just figured out...or thought he'd figured out...what might be at the root of the Tracy boys' afflictions, when he heard a sound coming from the open com link. It sounded like...crying. He turned the volume up and continued to listen. He could tell it was Virgil...even just crying, Virgil's voice came through unmistakably. Brains frowned. He'd never seen any of them cry. Not a one. Slowly he came to his feet and headed for Thunderbird 2.

Alan felt extremely smart. He'd made it down to Thunderbird 3, only to discover that Brains had mechanically locked it so the engines wouldn't fire.

"I fixed him!" he crowed. "Guess he's not the only genius in the house!"

Through the fog that had settled over his brain, Alan thought he was doing the most logical thing in the world. He was certain his brother John hated space duty as much as he did, if not more, so he was going up to Thunderbird 5 to bring John home. Home.

"Ha!" Alan barked, slamming his fist into the console. "Father hates all of us. We're just slaves to him so he can live out his damned dream. Well, we'll see who has the last laugh in this, Father! Only one more set of adjustments and I'll be on my way. Just you try and stop me!"

Jeff gathered himself together and slid down the edge of the cliff. He'd no idea where Scott had gone, but decided he should check up on the rest of his family before attempting to locate him again.

"Virgil?" Brains whispered as he entered Thunderbird 2 cockpit via the passenger elevator.

He sat hunkered over the ship's steering unit, body shaking like a leaf trembling in the wind. He sniffled, but kept his head down. "What do you want?" his voice echoed through the hollow created by his arms.

Brains wasn't quite sure what to do. Of all the brothers, Virgil's size alone made him the most intimidating, even though he was, by far, the gentlest of all of them. "Uh...I, uh, heard you crying and, uh...well..."

Virgil sat up and turned to look at the engineer who was cowering in the elevator. He laughed. "Geez, Brains, I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Oh. O-Okay, Virgil." Brains stepped out of the elevator and took a few steps. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know. I can't...I can't think straight, I-I-" he struggled.

"I know, Virgil, I know. Just try. Try for me. What are you thinking?"

"Just...anger. I'm so angry."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I'm angry at Father, at Scott...I was angry with you for shutting Thunderbird 2 down."

"S-Sorry about that. I-I was afraid you'd, uh, you know."

"I know. I'm just...now I'm sad. This overwhelming despair, I can't--I can't explain it. It's so hopeless. Everything is so hopeless."

"Virgil, I think you may have been infected by something on Cumbaquay."

"Huh?"

Brains could see Virgil's momentary clarity was rapidly beginning to fade. "Why, uh, why don't you c-come with me?"

Virgil nodded dumbly and allowed the smaller man to lead him up in the passenger elevator.

Jeff looked up as Brains and Virgil entered the Lounge. When Virgil's eyes rested upon his father, his face took on a mask of anger once more. Brains and Jeff both noticed, and Brains had the...well, the brains...to shuffle him off to his Lab post-haste.

Jeff wondered where everyone else was. He could see Gordon in his room, but Alan and Tin-Tin were nowhere to be found. Suddenly he heard a sound that made his heart stop. He jumped to his feet and pressed a button on the back of his desk. He leapt onto the settee just as it disappeared beneath the floor.

"Good God, no. Tell me he's not," Jeff muttered, willing the damn settee to go faster.

"NO! ALAAAAAN!" Tin-Tin cried as Thunderbird 3's engines roared to life. She was close enough that she felt the heat of the rockets and the blast knocked her backwards onto the floor. She could only watch helplessly as Thunderbird 3 roared into the sky.