No one could have survived the intense blast as such close quarters. Jeff looked around at the ruined hotel and his rapid breaths were loud inside his helmet. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, trying to switch to the autopilot that would normally see him through a traumatic rescue.

Only this was more recovery than rescue.

"Dad?"

Jeff turned and saw Scott watching him in concern. He nodded and managed a small smile before then resuming the task at hand. It was slow going but they needed to be careful, knowing that the bodies beneath the rubble were delicate and deserved careful retrieval.

They had worked their way through from the front entrance, passing rubble back along the long line of fire fighters and piecing through the broken pieces of the building. Finding the first body had proved difficult but the young woman was not too badly disfigured and Jeff had found small hope in this. He sorted through the masonry and was sure John would be lying just as peacefully, just as apparently unharmed.

And then they found Henry.

Jeff helped carry the broken body out to the waiting medical personnel and looked on in disbelief as the man was tagged appropriately and then covered in a sheet. Knowing now that John must have been at the hotel, Jeff was barely able to bring himself to go back inside. But something made him.

And something made him order his sons to leave. They protested angrily, none more so than Alan, but Jeff was determined. He needed to find John and make sure that he was in one piece. Literally.

The notion lingered in his mind as the team entered the bar and found what was left of one of the scientists. Jeff was glad for the blanket that was hastily tossed over the man's torso and peered down at his familiar face. And that was too much. He turned and fled through the cleared path amid the rubble.

Outside the street was filled with bright artificial light and the air hummed with the noise of the generators. Jeff hurried into the cool air and removed his helmet, closing his eyes as nausea began to rise once again.

Feeling better, he turned and saw his sons huddled together sitting against the Firefly. He wandered over to them and watched their forlorn faces as they stared up at him expectantly.

Scott glanced over at the hotel entrance as another limp form was carried outside. His heart sank and he stood quickly to hurry across to the makeshift morgue area. Certain that he knew what he would find inside the jacket of the expensive suit, he held his breath and pulled out the wallet.

It was not Art.

Scott breathed a sigh of relief and stood back up slowly, passing the wallet to one of the personnel for cataloguing.

And suddenly it was over. Scott joined the group of fire fighters and was aware of his father trembling beside him. It had taken two hours to sift through the rubble and the missing people had all been accounted for. Plus a few others who Scott guessed would no doubt be reclaimed (or not) by various agencies.

The fire fighters then began to disperse as the investigation team moved in and the four of them were left alone in the middle of the street.

Alan stared at the hotel in weary confusion and shook his head slowly. "He's … he's not in there …?"

Gordon smiled and placed his arm around Alan. "Nope." He sighed in relief and let his head rest against his brother's shoulder.

Scott closed his eyes and let his head fall forward, pinching the bridge of his nose with a gloved thumb and forefinger.

"Oh god …"

Scott looked up and saw the dismay on his father's face.

Jeff turned to him and was suddenly fighting back tears. "Oh god, Scott. He's not here!"

Scott frowned and stood firm as his father turned and fell against him. He wrapped his arms around his father's shaking shoulders and closed his eyes. "So … so where the fuck is he?" He whispered to no one in particular.

Jeff lifted his head and wiped his face, unsure whether to laugh or cry. He glanced at the ruins of the hotel and sighed wearily. Standing up straight, he then stepped past Scott and headed over towards the Firefly.

Alan and Gordon got slowly to their feet, their faces pale and tearstained.

"What now?" Alan ventured quietly.

Jeff shrugged.

"Where's Virg?"

"He took Alex home." Jeff answered, aware of Scott reaching them and sensing the brief panic as his eldest suddenly realised the lack of One's presence. "Come on." Jeff nodded towards Two. "Let's pack things up."

XXXXX

Gordon backed the Firefly up the ramp and into the cargo bay, shutting down the craft's systems and glancing up to see his father and two of his brothers ambling up into Two. He stepped down from the Firefly and sighed as he headed out to meet them.

"I need to get hold of Penny and see where we should go from here." Jeff explained quietly.

"We're not leaving …" Alan gasped in alarm.

Jeff turned to him. "I don't know if it's safe, Al. We need - "

"We need to stay and find John!" Alan frowned in angry confusion.

Jeff sighed wearily. "I know … I know how you feel. Believe me." He smiled thinly and stepped closer to his youngest, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Jeff then took in the tired, distraught faces of his other sons and his smile dropped away. "I wish I knew what to do, boys … I just …"

"It's okay, Dad." Scott began quietly, "If he wasn't inside then he's okay. Right? And he couldn't have gone far."

"Maybe we should scout the area, check all the streets and alleys." Gordon shrugged, "Just in case."

Jeff shook his head slowly, "I don't think we can risk being here too much longer."

Scott sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah … if what John told me is true then … we don't want to run in to the people he was getting close to."

Alan watched the two of them in interest and then frowned in concern. "If John knew how dangerous they were … why didn't he back off?"

Jeff laughed suddenly and pulled Alan closer to him, nuzzling his face into his son's hair. "That's one of the many questions I will ask him when we find him."

"Dude …" Gordon smiled, "I so wouldn't want to be him when you do!"

Jeff smiled back at him and then took a deep breath. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Thunderbird Two from Thunderbird One?"

Jeff hurried over to a comm. console nestled in the hangar wall and opened a channel. "Yeah, Virg?"

"I'm nearing your position, Dad, you want me to join you?"

"Negative." Jeff replied quickly, "Stay away from the city. Find a secluded spot and send us the co-ordinates."

"F.A.B."

Jeff closed the channel and turned to see his other sons watching him in interest. "We need to get out of here." He explained, "But I don't want to go too far."

Scott smiled and hurried towards the flight deck. "I'll get onto Pen and wake up our contacts."

XXXXX

Jeff peered out at the quiet countryside and frowned in concern. It was dark and still, the few towns that were scattered around the north of the city seemingly fast asleep. He set Two down in a small clearing beside the lake and turned to Gordon.

"Nothing." Gordon confirmed. "There's no comm. chatter except from the emergency services in the city."

Jeff nodded thoughtfully. "We can't stay here too long, though." He looked across at Scott.

"Pen's on the case, Dad. She's waking up everyone in the vicinity."

Jeff considered this for a moment and then suddenly smiled. "You know … I think I'll have the five of you micro-chipped when we get back." He watched his three sons giggling in amusement. "This is too much for your old man."

"Sure." Alan grinned mischievously, "But I'm sure Fermat can override it if I ever needed some alone time …"

"Oh, please." Gordon scoffed, "I don't need that image in my head."

Alan laughed in delight.

"Thunderbird Two from Thunderbird One?"

Scott opened a channel. "Virg?"

"Yo, bro'! You want your plane back?"

Scott laughed, "She better not be scratched, dude."

"Oh, don't worry, I was gentle." Virgil laughed, "In fact, I don't think she's ever had it so good."

"Yeah, right." Scott groaned, "Get over yourself, Virg!" He stood slowly, "I'll be right there."

"Sure." Virgil gave a final chuckle. "And Dad?"

"Yeah." Jeff frowned.

"I think I saw something as I flew over." Virgil offered, reading out the co-ordinates he had noted down. "Light coming from a warehouse further up the river. Might be worth checking out."

Scott paused at the door to the flight deck. "Ventura?"

Jeff shrugged and watched Alan entering in the data and calling up a map of the area.

Alan frowned in concern. "Background radiation levels are higher than normal."

Gordon leaned in closer and peered over his shoulder. "Dude! I'm not surprised." He pointed at the map. "That's Chernobyl."

Alan's frown deepened. "Oh …"

Jeff moved closer to them and then turned to Scott. "Perfect cover if you're hiding a state-of-the-art rocket."

Scott nodded, "I'll go check it out." He saw the instant alarm on his father's face and smiled thinly. "Very, very carefully."

Jeff shrugged an agreement of sorts.

Scott jogged down the ramp and peered into the darkness. Just able to make out the glinting hull of his ship in the occasional moonlight breaking through the clouds. He switched on his torch and the beam quickly found the figure that was approaching.

Virgil waved a greeting, squinting in the sudden brightness.

"How's Alex?" Scott asked quickly, lowering the torch beam.

Virgil sighed as they reached each other. "Not good."

Scott hung his head.

"I don't think it helped that I had to sedate her for the trip."

"You what?" Scott gasped, "Is that okay? I mean - "

"The baby." Virgil held Scott's gaze and nodded slowly, "She told us."

Scott sighed, "I just …"

"Hey …" Virgil reached out and placed his hand on Scott's shoulder. "It's okay. Parker's gone to the mainland to get help. She'll be okay."

Scott watched Virgil smiling thinly up at him and nodded begrudgingly. "I hope so."

"Listen, bud - " Virgil began, gasping as a bright flash suddenly filled the night sky. They both ducked instinctively and then spun to see the plume of flames and smoke that rose into the air from somewhere along the river. And then the noise came. A dull thud that shook the air and made them both jump in shock.

Tbc …