Faking the call to himself had been easy. Standing before the smoking hotel and trying to appear impassive was not.
The shaken residents of the higher floors who had been woken by the blast had been herded through the rear fire escapes and now huddled together in a neighbouring building, the maitre d' of the Excelsior checking their names against the manifest. He hurried over after double-checking the figures and frowned in concern.
"(I'm missing nine guests and five staff.)" The maitre d' announced quietly.
Scott watched the fire fighters surveying the devastation and listened to their concerned chatter. They were worried about structural damage and were waiting for an engineer to arrive on scene before taking one step inside.
"(What do you think?)"
Scott turned to the fire chief and nodded in agreement. "(Best be safe.)" He moved away from the building and frowned in thought. "(But we've got equipment coming soon.)"
The fire chief watched Scott in interest for a moment and then shook his head. "(Not that there's much chance of rescuing anyone.)"
Scott shrugged and headed back along the street to the waiting craft. Climbing back up inside One, he found Penny and Alex crying softly together and he leaned over them both, wrapping an arm around their shoulders.
He stayed there briefly and then moved to his chair and peered at the infrared images. The fire fighters could be seen clearly, white figures milling around the hotel front porch. In contrast, the lobby within the building remained a mixture of greys and blacks and there was still no movement.
"Shit …" Scott wiped his face with his hands and sighed loudly.
"Thunderbird One from Thunderbird Two."
Scott lifted his head back up and stared at the comm., for a moment wishing desperately to have not been first on scene this time. He cleared his throat and opened the link. "Hey, Virg."
"Be with you in three." Virgil explained quietly. "Where's a good place to park?"
"They've cordoned off this entire block. Anywhere's good."
"F.A.B."
Scott heard the tension in Virgil's professional response and he closed his eyes. This was too much. Way too much.
Penny slowly sat back from Alex and gently stroked Alex's fringe back from her flushed face. Glad to have something else to focus on besides her own pain, she watched Alex in concern and took her hand.
"Are we sure …?" Alex asked again, as she had done several times over the past twenty minutes. "I mean … are we really sure?"
Penny had no reply. She pulled Alex into a tight embrace once again and could feel her body trembling.
Scott watched the two women for a moment and then stood slowly. "I'm gonna go see what's happening." He offered and hurried from the ship.
As he neared the site of the blast, a familiar rumbling started to fill the street and he looked up as Two glided overhead. Usually she was such a welcome sight but not this time. Knowing what they had to face was making Scott's chest hurt and he began to walk past the hotel.
Two's VTOL thrusters sent dust and litter swirling along the street. She barely fit between the tall buildings and Scott frowned in concern as her wing tips moved worryingly close to the streetlamps and trees that lined the wide street.
After settling down, she started to rise up on the four pistons and the cargo bay door began to yawn open. Scott waited a safe distance and then saw the ramp meet the tarmac and hurried closer.
Jeff walked slowly down the ramp, glancing back inside the hold and seeing the Firefly and Mole powering up. He then saw Scott and sorrow filled his face.
Scott quickened his pace and met his father at the bottom of the ramp, shaking his head in despair and the first tears finally falling. He had kept it together this far but seeing his father somehow released the tight hold and he was soon sobbing desperately.
Gordon climbed from the Mole and peered down the ramp to see his eldest brother crying. Ignoring Virgil's caution, he hurried down the ramp and waited a short distance from the two men. With a frown, he took a tentative step closer. "Is it … I mean … is he …?"
Jeff leaned back from Scott and held him at arm's length. "Scott? Are you sure?"
Scott looked into his father's pale face and took a deep breath. "I … it's like I told you. We followed a lead and we heard - " He closed his eyes and tried to hold back another bout of sobbing. "And it … it just exploded."
"Has anyone been in?" Gordon urged, "Do we know for certain?"
Scott shook his head, "They won't let anyone in until the structural engineer gets here."
Jeff nodded slowly.
"So maybe he wasn't in there." Gordon offered quietly.
Scott managed a small smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe."
"Come on." Jeff patted Scott's shoulder and nodded towards the scene. "Let's go see what's going on."
Gordon watched them leave and headed back up inside Two. He saw his brothers waiting expectantly at the top of the ramp and shook his head slowly.
Alan stared in disbelief at Gordon and his face tightened as he forced back tears. "No …"
"Al …" Virgil stepped closer to him and placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.
"No!" Alan shrugged away from Virgil and glared angrily at them both. "I won't believe it. I won't." He dragged a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. "Not till I see him."
"Dude …" Gordon grimaced at the thought.
"What?" Alan demanded, flicking his head back up at him. "You saw Mom!"
"Alan." Virgil cautioned.
"No!" Alan spun at him, "You all saw Mom and I never did. I never saw her. She was just gone. And - " He coughed on a sob and clutched his arms about his chest. "If … if he's really dead then … then I have to see … I have to!"
"Hey …" Gordon edged closer and reached out for him.
"No!" Alan backed away from him, fighting the despair that was building.
Gordon hurried closer and grabbed Alan's arms, pulling him into a tight embrace. He closed his eyes as Alan began to cry quietly and then suddenly his brother was sinking to the floor, sobbing loudly. Gordon knelt down with him and hugged him tighter.
"Thunderbird Two from Thunderbird One."
Virgil tapped the comm. piece in his ear. "Yeah, Pen?"
"Virgil, if you have a moment, we could use your medical expertise."
"Be right there." Virgil agreed and glanced back at his brothers. He saw Gordon nod an affirmative and he then wandered further inside to grab an emergency bag from the small infirmary. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he jogged down the ramp and hurried past the ruined hotel.
Taking a quick look at the shattered front windows and cracked pillars of the ornate entrance, Virgil sighed and then headed on towards One. He climbed up inside and smiled a thin greeting.
"Hello, Virgil." Penny leaned back from Alex and got to her feet.
Virgil saw Alex slumped in the co-pilot seat and the bloodstained uniform. He hurried closer and frowned as he knelt down before her and peeled back the dress.
"Has … has anyone been in, yet?" Alex asked quietly.
Virgil looked up into her flushed face and shook his head slowly.
"It can't … can't be … true." Alex murmured, her breaths coming in short gasps.
Virgil reached up and pressed his fingers gently against the side of her neck. His frown grew and he glanced at Penny. "How long has she been like this?"
"Just a few minutes." Penny shrugged, "But she fainted as we left the hospital."
"Which was obviously a really good idea."
Penny recoiled slightly at his harsh tone but quickly decided to let it go, considering the circumstances.
"Safe … safer." Alex urged, meeting Virgil's concerned gaze. "Had to … had to leave."
Virgil nodded and pulled a fresh dressing from his kit, taking a look at the wound as he replaced the gauze. "This is way more than I can treat." He sighed. "She needs a hospital."
"No!" Alex argued weakly, "They'll find us."
Virgil watched her worriedly and then searched in his bag. "I can give her fluid replacement but … she needs a doctor."
"No! Can't!"
"Hey. Lie still." Virgil reached up and gently pressed Alex back against the seat.
"The closest contact is Moscow." Penny offered quietly.
"NO!" Alex insisted, fresh tears spilling onto her pale face.
"Easy." Virgil soothed.
"Brains?" Penny suggested with a shrug.
Virgil turned to her and considered the idea for a moment. "We could be there and back in a flash." He agreed quietly and got to his feet. "I'll go check with Dad."
"Stay." Alex urged suddenly, grabbing at his sleeve. "Need to … to stay."
"I'll be right back." Virgil assured, placing his hand over hers.
"No. Me. Not leaving."
Virgil glanced at Penny and saw her shrug in despair. He looked back at Alex and shook his head. "You need a doctor, Al."
Alex's face crumbled. "I need John!"
"I know." Virgil sighed and stepped back from her. "But … well … let me go and speak to Dad." He gave Penny a brief hug and then climbed back through to the hatch and down onto the street.
The powerful grumble of the Firefly bounced around the tall buildings and Virgil broke into a run. He reached the scene breathlessly and sought his father.
"Their guy is here and has given the all clear." Jeff explained quickly, pulling on his helmet and oxygen pack.
Virgil nodded and peered inside the front doors that hung open limply. "Alex needs evac."
Jeff paused and turned to look at Virgil's worried face. "That's your call." He agreed quietly.
"Yeah." Virgil turned back to look at the building. "You think Scott - "
"Won't give a shit." Jeff smiled thinly, guessing Virgil's thoughts.
"Right."
Jeff finished preparing his equipment and quickly pulled Virgil into a tight hold. "Fly safe."
"I'll hurry straight back." Virgil concurred and turned away. He then paused and glanced again at the building. "You'll call - "
"Absolutely."
"Right." Virgil concluded and headed back towards One.
Tbc …