No news is good news. No news is good news. Jeff repeated the mantra over and over inside his head as he paced the floor of the office. He had completed a few laps before even realising the presence of the figure at the doorway but then he made a turn at the end of the desk and gasped as he saw movement.

Kyrano offered his friend a small smile and waited by the open office door.

Jeff nodded a greeting and his paced slowed as he changed direction and headed towards him. "She found him."

Kyrano frowned slightly. "He phoned Scott." He corrected softly.

Jeff gave a small shrug, "But she was close."

"She sent them to London."

"Yeah … but …" He paused and regarded his friend for a moment, stepping nearer and reaching out to place his hand on his shoulder. "She has great potential."

Kyrano stared at Jeff in uncertainty.

Jeff's smile fell from his face. "You still want to go through with it?"

Kyrano opened his mouth to reply but seemed suddenly unable to say, or perhaps even find, the words.

"Are you sure …?" Jeff urged.

Kyrano shook his head.

"Man …" Jeff sighed and gave Kyrano's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry … I can't imagine what this must be like for you."

Kyrano suddenly smiled, raising his eyebrows in interest.

Jeff saw his friend's thoughts and gasped slightly, "Oh, John's not - " He stopped himself with a small smile and nodded slowly. "Okay … I see your point." He took a deep breath and held his friend's once again troubled gaze before then turning to look into the office, recalling what had occurred there. "Yeah … if there was a way I could make him better … I don't think I'd have to think twice."

"Even if he didn't want to be better?"

Jeff turned back to him.

Kyrano shrugged, "When she woke up … she told Alan she wanted this … to help this way."

"Oh."

Kyrano closed his eyes and shook his head. "Onaha and I … we need to … well …"

"Take all the time you need." Jeff offered quickly, "I'm sure we can look after ourselves for a while." He smiled at the thought and began to imagine the kitchen disasters that might be heading their way. Then suddenly he was serious again and turned his focus back to his friend. "But … listen to her."

Kyrano considered this for a moment.

"If there's one thing I've learned from all this," Jeff continued, waving his arm about them to indicate their secluded little world and all that had happened in it. "Talk to her …"

Kyrano smiled and nodded his thanks before heading from the room.

With that last little piece of advice in mind, Jeff hurried over to the desk and searched through the locator maps. With a frown, he linked the early warning system to his phone and hurried from the office.

Alan was in his room. Jeff padded through the hall and knocked lightly on the door. Suddenly realising that after such a long night perhaps his youngest was finally asleep, he turned away but then heard the quiet reply from within.

"Alan?" Jeff stepped inside the bedroom and blinked in the sudden dimness. With the light from the hall, he could just make out the figure in the bed and he closed the door.

"Dad." Alan acknowledged quietly.

Jeff stepped carefully away from the door and made his way towards the bed gingerly, past experience warning him that just about anything could trip or injure him in the haphazard room. But his path was clear and he found the edge of the bed, his eyes adjusting to the darkness and watching Alan in concern. He perched on the side of the mattress and reached out for his son.

Alan was sat upright in the bed, knees raised and his arms hugged around his legs. He leaned into his father's touch and moaned softly as he was pulled into a firm embrace.

"How you doing?" Jeff began quietly, the answer somewhat obvious.

Alan rested his head on his father's shoulder and sniffed weakly.

Jeff waited patiently, sensing his son trying to hide the fact that he was crying and not wanting to make too much of it for fear of ruining this increasingly rare moment of closeness.

"That really scared me." Alan offered in a whisper.

Jeff closed his eyes and pulled Alan further into him.

"Her eyes Dad. They … I mean … shit!"

Jeff nodded slowly.

"It was just like him."

Jeff shuddered and rested his head against Alan's.

"But she was right." Alan continued, his voice a little stronger, "She did get a link with him somehow. I mean … I know he phoned Scott and all that but … she did find him. Dad, she knew what he was thinking."

"I know." Jeff affirmed.

"She could be just as powerful as … as … well …" Alan groaned, "Dad, I called Fermat."

And Jeff laughed suddenly. "Yeah … we thought you might."

"He needs to know!" Alan defended.

"He already does."

"Yeah … I guess it was stupid of me to think that Brains' wouldn't tell him … but … well …"

"We didn't tell you." Jeff offered, guilt making his chest hurt. "God, I'm sorry …"

Alan was quiet for a moment and then leaned back from his father, blinking in the darkness and trying to read his face. "Dad? They really gonna take it all away?"

"I …" Jeff sighed, "I don't know, son." He shrugged slightly, "It's not up to me to decide that."

"Mmm … I guess … her folks are pretty wigged out, though." Alan mused, groaning in understanding. "But … how will … I mean … what does Brains have to do to her?"

Jeff frowned, "We haven't quite got that far."

And then Alan voiced the question that had been on everyone's mind since all this had come to light. "Dad … can Brains take the Hood's powers away?"

"I don't know." Jeff answered honestly, his stomach churning at the notion and how close they might have to get to the psychopath in order for Brains to even try.

"Fermat says he can."

Jeff considered this for a moment.

"But Fermat thinks his Dad can do anything!" Alan chuckled in amusement. He then calmed rapidly, remembering with sadness a time when he had felt that very same way and suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the knowledge that he must seem to feel the exact opposite notion most of the time.

Jeff could feel the sudden awkwardness between them and smiled as he pulled Alan closer. "It's okay … I understand, Alan. And … well … I think I prefer you to be honest."

"Huh?"

Jeff laughed softly, "We raised you all to be independent thinkers, son … I'd rather your occasional disappointment to total blind trust."

"Okay," Alan giggled in mischief, "I'll try to remember that and talk back more!"

"Hey!" Jeff gave his son a gentle slap on his back and laughed harder. "Wise-ass!"

"Well, it's how you brought me up, Daddy dear!"

"Little shit!" Jeff offered merrily and then gasped as the ringing of his phone made them both jump slightly. He grabbed it quickly and checked the caller ID, hoping it was Scott but groaning as he saw the icon that warned of an incoming emergency transmission. Opening the comm. link and pressing the phone to his ear, he frowned and took a deep breath. "International Rescue, go ahead."

Alan leaned across his bed and switched on the small lamp beside him, squinting in the sudden brightness and turning back to watch his father in concern.

"Understood." Jeff nodded and stood, signalling for Alan to get up and follow him.

Alan hurried after his father and, as they emerged into the house, he saw through the glass-fronted lounge that it was early morning. He sighed wearily and then continued the pursuit of his rapidly departing father. Together they hurried into the office and Jeff was still listening to the caller in growing concern, offering the odd confirmation that he was taking in all that he was being told and activating the transformation of the room to command and control.

Jeff sat at the revolving desk and called up the location maps on one of the newly appeared monitors, entering a few commands and focusing the satellite images.

Alan leaned over his shoulder and studied the map, recognising the familiar shape of the continent and frowning in concern.

"Okay, we read you loud and clear. We're on our way." Jeff glanced up at Alan and nodded a command.

Alan pressed the alert and instantly the office and house beyond were filled with the emergency alarm signal.

"Affirmative." Jeff concluded to the caller firmly, glancing at his watch and making a quick calculation. "ETA 45 minutes."

Alan frowned in confusion and then suddenly remembered that One was not waiting within her silo and would perhaps not be shooting out first on recon. He then heard the clatter of feet slapping along the corridor and looked up to see two of his brothers rushing breathlessly into the office.

Jeff signed off from the caller and stood quickly. "Flash flooding outside Alice Springs." He announced sternly, "Brains?"

"Here, Mr Tracy." Came the quick response over the comm.

"Brains, I'm gonna tag along." He smiled suddenly, "You have the bridge."

"A-a-aye, Captain."

Alan laughed in delight and hurried across to his opening hatch within the wall, smiling at his brothers merrily as adrenaline surged.

"All in Two." Jeff confirmed and hurried after him before then darting for his hatch. "Meet you down there, boys."

Tbc …