Inner Strengths
Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds but my Grandma's neighbour does…-cheers!- I get free merchandise! W00t!
Summary: When a Rescue Mission goes horrifyingly wrong, its Jeff Tracy's Worst nightmare to find out his youngest son has disappeared from the Danger Zone on his first official 'Rescue.' What has become of the youngest Tracy? (-Movie Take-)
Warnings: Psychological references, prepare to be confused! XD, ok instead of drug action I think there may be summit different, like ancient powers of an ancestor of some sort, again I will warn you on chapter heading so watch out for those…one more thing; this will be updated but not quickly. I am currently working on a Stargate SG1 fic, a Relic Hunter fic and a few more AND I have started a new full time job…so you have been warned now!
Ok am using my work's computer because we are changing IP's so we have no internet at home for a bit…dunno how long it will last so don't hold your breath…you might die long before the next chapter arrives…
Oh and I have another very cool idea that I'm toying with at the mo, yes I know I gotta finish this one first but this is just a short story compared to this other idea…
Look out for it; it's another Thunderbirds one, Alan Centric again but with more of Tin-Tin and Fermat action too. It's gonna be called 'Forbidden Lives; The Slave Traders.' It's the first in a small Trilogy - possibly more than a trilogy, depends on how it plans out in my head…but yeah should interest ya. Should be up by next Wed- ish, possibly Friday.
Anyways, hope this chapter isn't too disappointing; let me know what you think… Enjoy!
Chapter Four: Racing the Winds
6:00 pm
Long sleek thrusters hummed loudly. Smoke trailed from the powerful engines and began to hover mere centimetres from the concrete ground of Thunderbird Six's silo. Fermat could feel the excitement ripple through him as the great rocket shaped ship slowly came online. Jeff gave a brief congratulating smile at his broad grin as he set the engines to maximum power and placed a gloved hand on the accelerator levers.
"Ready when you are Fermat." He said giving Fermat the thumbs up. Fermat's grin, if possible, widened as he gripped the levers and looked out through the windscreen of Thunderbird Six. A Thunderbird he'd helped to design and create…
"F.A.B-B Sir!" Fermat smiled with pride. It was time he showed Mr Tracy just what he was capable of. "Let's s-see what this baby c-can do!" he pushed the thruster levers to full power and manned the steering controls. Thunderbird Six suddenly pushed forward into the open dusky sky with a frightening speed.
"Whoa! This baby can fly!" Jeff all but shrieked as the Gravitational forces pushed him back into his seat. Fermat beamed with pride and straightened out the large rocket's horizontal path. But as sudden as the excitement came, it was gone when a sudden movement from the open vid channel to Thunderbird One caught Jeff's attention.
"What in the name of…?" His question trailed off as he concentrated harder on the screen showing his youngest son's sleeping face. But it wasn't his son's eerie stillness that had him cursing every higher deity he could think of. No it were the many moving shadows around him…
"W-what is it Mr T-Tracy?" Fermat asked as he keyed in the destination sequences and set Thunderbird Six to autopilot before turning to the small screen before Jeff Tracy.
Fermat's question filtered through the suspicion and concern welling up inside him but Jeff couldn't move away from the small flickering screen. He had to know what those shadows were…
"I'm not sure Fermat." He said unaware that he had even answered the young genius. He quickly took to the small keyboard that slid out before him and began to send commands to Thunderbird One's camera feeds. Twice the systems failed to log him in but on the third time he hit the gold. The cameras responded and began panning around at the mess inside Thunderbird One.
All was dark inside the cabin where Alan lay still but there were defiantly figures moving about in there. Jeff suddenly remembered Alan talking about wolves in his delirium and a wave of fright coursed down his spine. Images ran full pelt through his head and he cringed at some of them but as he looked closer he found that the figures were too big to be wolves. He concentrated on the fuzzy image in front of him and peered into the dim cabin…were those people?
Fermat scooted closer and peered curiously at the screen. The beings were native by the looks of their skin colour, but strangely dressed. Amateur weapons attached to small leather pouches, and bare backs.
"Who are they?" he asked, but Jeff didn't hear him. The older man's mind was racing, trying to figure out the impossible scene before him…he stared in disbelief at the old civilisation that moved around on his screen. It wasn't physically possible! Yet he was watching proof…It was like watching an old movie…
But his awe soon faded when he realised what these people were doing…
"No…"
He watched as one tried to move the chair that had wedged itself between the crushed bodywork and Alan's torso.
"Don't…"
When it didn't budge the burly man took both hands to it and began to forcibly rock it free.
Jeff watched in horror as Alan's jacket began to turn a rapid shade of red in response to the sudden jolting movement… he couldn't take it any more. These people didn't know what they were doing and while they had good intentions they had no idea how to rescue some one….
If they kept this up they'd kill him…
He had to stop them…
As much as it pained him he had to stop them from saving his youngest son…
"This is Thunderbird Six calling Thunderbird One, please respond…"
6:11 pm
The pain hit him again and began to spread further down his leg. White hot sensations ripped through his calf muscles, reaching down to his toes and then coursing upwards coming to a sickening halt just underneath his rib cage. Had he the energy to do it, Alan would've have sworn such a colourful string of abusive words that even Gordon blush would blush at.
He slowly became aware of his surroundings and that something was wrong…there was something different now but he couldn't, for the life of him, think what it was. He could hear voices surrounding him but they felt different to his ears, almost foreign. But through the haze he could hear his father's voice which sounded suspiciously angry and panicky whilst rising in volume. Alan paused for a second; Jeff Tracy never panicked, he must be hearing things…yeah that had to be it.
But his unconscious mind knew otherwise and set out to explore. His eyes flashed open for a millisecond snapping a memorable picture before closing again of their own accord; his will ignored. But that was all he needed. He knew now that someone was trying to help him but not doing a very good job of it. Another flare of pain gripped him causing him to wake more. Sounds became more understandable as his conscious mind worked to organise what his senses were reporting in.
"Hey respond! That's my Son you're-" Pain suddenly shot up his side and he gasped out a stifled cry missing some of his father's words… "God stop moving him! You'll tear his lungs! Get away from him! Alan! Wake up!" He opened his watering eyes and stared directly up into his father's near frantic gaze. "Alan! Thank Gods, tell them to move away!" Is he crying?
Alan couldn't comprehend what was being asked of him, so he just settled for staring up at his father's anguish-filled face with his pain filled eyes. "Alan, they'll kill you if you don't stop them." Kill me? Am I dead?
This time he felt something snap and the agony hit him hard, causing long dark tunnels to encircle his vision. A small groan escaped his parched lips as unconsciousness waited for him with open arms again…
"Don't you dare Alan Joseph (?) Tracy! Stay awake!" I'm sorry Dad… darkness engulfed him as his eyes rolled back and his head fell to his right. "Alan!"
(A/N Is Joseph alan's middle name?)
7:59 pm
Tin-Tin set the auto pilot on the jet and sat back, skilfully monitoring the displays and dials. It seemed that the months of tutoring from Alan and Scott and the practice and hard work had finally paid off when she received her Flying license a few weeks ago.
She had only just taken off from Tracy Island and was currently hurtling through the sky at the highest speed the jet could manage. Which wasn't very fast compared to the Thunderbirds…but still; at least she'd be there in a few hours, more if the weather front shifted course. That was something to look forward to…
But she soon found herself reliving the footage of Alan severely injured in the Vid Com screen. Her worry increased as she replayed the scenes she'd witnessed back in Thunderbird Six and the fear and anxiety she'd felt then were renewed with a passionate ferocity. Of all the stupid accidents he'd gotten himself into, she'd never seen him that bad.
And it scared her.
Silent tears slowly trailed down her soft golden cheeks as the reality of the situation hit her hard.
Alan could die.
She could really lose him…
"…don't leave me Alan…" her whispered plea barely made it to her own ears as the engines pushed her forward…her sobs unheard by many…
"Please…"
8:45 pm
Scott gripped the rocks around his buried torso and held tight. The miners had been digging at the rocks behind him trying to loosen the gap he was stuck in and they were just about ready to hit the final blows. It had taken nearly three hours to loosen the rocks underneath the ones that had him trapped…far too long in his mind. He waited impatiently as the vibrations increased steadily and the rocks became looser.
Then all of a sudden, the rocks gave way and he was forced to react with fast reflexes that had been drilled into him from an early age. He hauled himself up and out of the gap clearing the edge with centimetres to spare.
"Yes!" he cried as he turned tail and knelt back over the opening that had formed due to the lack of his rear end. He peered down into the darkness that he'd been stuck in and called down to the miners.
"You ok down there?" he asked firstly. "Anybody hit by the rocks?" Even though every muscle in his body screamed at him to run to Alan, his rescue training kept him in place checking the miners' health and safety.
"Young man, we have been mining and rock climbing for near to seven years, a few rocks are not going to scare us! We'll be fine; you go see your friend!" Scott gave a grateful smile heavenward.
Rosie, the female miner, had asked him about the small emergency he'd mentioned and he'd been forced to explain, leaving certain information out, that his friend had been hurt and needed help. She had taken on a motherly attitude instantly and immediately began to calm him down with soothing words only a mother could say.
"Ok, I'll be right back. Be careful." He called back before jumping up and sprinting to the edge of the cliff, slightly fearful of what he would find. He came to a stop at the ledge and gawked in horror; the sight that met his eyes almost made him cry. Thunderbird One was totalled, bits of his precious machine lay scattered about the small clearing that had formed when she had fallen and rolled. But it wasn't Thunderbird One he was worried about…
"Alan…" his voice was a mere whisper and he uttered it with fright as though merely saying it aloud would confirm his worst fears; could he have survived that fall? Wasting no time, he jumped into action; scaling the large cliff edge intent on making it down to the wreckage that had once been a spectacular machine.
He knew, even then, that it would take longer than he liked to reach the wreckage; it had rolled down the entire edge of the cliff, which had to be at least 400m high, and he could tell that the momentum had kept it rolling quite a way into the forestry that surrounded him for miles and miles.
He jumped down onto a small ledge and looked around at the view hoping to see a familiar green courier jet flying over in the horizon; no such luck. He paused, puzzled as to why his brother's hadn't come looking for them yet but he quickly pushed the thought aside. It just gave him all the more urgency to get to Alan quickly…
"Hang on Alan, I'm coming…"
"Ok Virg, where d'ya wan' th' cables?" Gordon asked, his slight accent leaking through in his worry as he peered out into the vast oceanic views before him. (A/N ok I think I remember Gordon having a slight accent…haven't seen it in a hell of a long time so can someone correct me if I'm wrong please…) He heard a crackle on the communications systems as Virgil responded.
"To the front, middle and rear of the ship…be careful though, I'm picking up foreign signals. Possibly our friends who did this." He replied. Gordon frowned. Hadn't they done enough damage already?
"Sure thing bro, 'ow far they 'way?" He asked as he powered the mini sub towards the sinking ship. Paranoia flared deep inside his gut as the once treasured silence and dim waters became possible enemies and danger.
"They're stationary, about 30m from your position, northward." Virgil reported sounding suspicious and worried.
"F.A.B Virg." Gordon nodded as he set to work; keeping his eyes peeled for danger at all times. It came all too soon.
He'd just managed to secure the middle cables after finishing with the rear of the ship when his radar beeped urgently. A red alert alarm blared into life as his screens flashed at him warning him of an impending doom heading straight for him.
"Gordon there's a missile heading straight for you! Get out of there! Now!" his brother's yell over the comm. systems jumpstarted his body into action. He slid into his chair quick as a flash and began powering the mini sub to full throttle while steering it to the immediate left using his basic manoeuvres skills.
The alarms continued to blare into his ears as his eyes scanned the murky waters for the speeding underwater rocket. He stopped for no one.
Mere seconds later a muted rumble shook the sub out of control; the missile had missed him and hit the ship again. Gordon gripped the steering controls hard fighting to keep control but theengines couldn't take the strain.
"C'mon baby, you can do it." He cooed but knew it was hopeless when he heard a definite snap just before the shockwave hit Thunderbird Four. He was sent careening into the underwater rocks.
The jolt sent him flying across the deck and hard into the wall behind. Darkness reached up just as his power failed and he fell into a dark abyss at the same time as his engines cut off.
Silence deafened the cabin and all was still…
"Gordon!"
