He hadn't wanted to believe it at first, back in Two's module. No way people could be like this. Stuff like this was supposed to be part of the history books- things kids learned about in school so the next wave of insane, unthinking fanatics wouldn't happen. But somehow it was happening again and a new batch of insane, unthinking fanatics were preaching hate for things they didn't understand.
Gordon frowned as he lay on the floor, a foam roller underneath him to stretch his aching back, tablet on his chest and scrolling through the latest dump of information that EOS, Kayo and Penelope had compiled.
This all felt so wrong.
Water is wet, Thunderbird Four is yellow and people are good. It was how the world worked in the Big Book Of Life According To Gordon. He saw it every day- ordinary people with nothing more than their willingness to help, jumping in boots and all when bad things happened.
People who weren't good were supposed to be the outliers…but looking at the lists, the screen names, the forums, the message boards… it was getting harder and harder to hold onto that narrative with the sheer number of people active on the Pandora forums and the hate and vitriol they were spewing.
Gordon tossed the tablet up onto his bed with a sigh. He was supposed to be getting some sleep before heading up to take over monitor duty on Five in a few hours, but sleep was elusive tonight.
A tapping on his door drew his attention.
"Come in." He called, craning his neck to see who it was.
Kayo nudged the door open with her foot, a steaming cup in each hand. "I thought you could do with some company." She said as she lowered herself to sit next to him, placing one cup within his reach. "Hot chocolate, just some packet mix I'm afraid, we're out of cream." She apologised.
"Hey, hot chocolate is hot chocolate, thanks Kayo." Gordon sat up, claimed his cup and took a sip. "Everyone okay out there?"
"Yes. Virgil's with John and Alan, Scott's in bed and at least resting because Virgil threatened to give him a syringe-full of nap time if he didn't, MAX ran off with the cloaking device that you confiscated at the observatory and the motion detectors went off in Brain's lab about five minutes later so it's safe to say he's up, and Grandma Tracy's asleep." She reported and took a drink from her cup. "How about you?"
"I'm just really over people right now. They suck." Gordon huffed a sigh and flicked a glance at his abandoned tablet. "We do all that good out there and they come after us like this?" He frowned. "I know we're supposed to be above that, but it makes me want to find some of my old buddies from WASP and go knock some heads together."
"I know what you mean." Kayo frowned into the depths of her cup.
"I think what you mean to say is that a small amount of sucky people are being really loud right now." Virgil announced as he entered the room and unceremoniously plunked himself down on the floor between Gordon and Kayo. "How's your back, Gordo? Need any help with it?" He asked, spying the foam roller.
"Nah,I'm good. I thought you were in the infirmary?" Gordon looked at him curiously.
"John and Alan are fine so I put them on baby monitor mode and left them to it. John's got photophobia but it's already starting to clear up, Alan's dozed off again." Virgil replied. "I was on my way to bed when I heard you, you left the door open." He frowned at them. "It's four in the morning, you both should have been in bed ages ago."
"If you're about to threaten me with a dose of nap time, you'll regret it." Kayo warned, but her tone was playful.
"Oh I know I will." Virgil nodded. "That's why I'm saving it for a special occasion."
"You wouldn't." Kayo didn't quite look so certain of herself in the face of Virgil's conviction of yes he could and yes he would. Threats weren't quite as effective if the person being threatened didn't care about the consequences.
"Wanna bet?" He grinned at her. Kayo laughed in spite of herself and Gordon chuckled too.
"But seriously, right now all we're getting is a zoomed in view of a problem." Virgil scrubbed one eye with the back of his fist and tried to not yawn as the day caught up with him. "People by and large are either good or people who want to do good and need pointing in the right direction. Good people don't tend to be noisy about how good they are, they just get on with it. It's the small number of bad ones who like making noise and fuss who get all the attention and make themselves look bigger than they are." This time he couldn't stop the yawn, stretched and scratched the back of his head. "Stop doom-scrolling and get some sleep, both of you. It'll be easier to deal with in the morning." He said as he got up to leave.
"F.A.B." Kayo reluctantly nodded as she got up and stifled her own yawn, hating to admit that the day was catching up to her too. "Good night Gordon, Virgil."
"Good night."
" 'night."
Once they left Gordon finished the hot chocolate and hoisted himself up onto his bed, shutting off the lights and staring into the darkness with his hands behind his head.
Maybe it would be better in the morning.