Kayo watched the bead of sweat form on his temple, more from nerves than exertion and she smiled, "I said, attack me."
The blonde shifted where he stood, Gordon obviously uncomfortable with the command and for good reason, "In the kitchen? Aren't you worried you might break something? Y'know, like me?"
"The training room would be safer, but you're not always going to be surrounded by padding," she moved one of her arms behind her back, "I'll even give you an advantage."
"We both know that's not much of an advantage," defeated, the aquanaut stepped away from the counter and the snack he'd been making, dropping into a defensive stance. The bead of sweat fell just as he moved, running forward in a headon attack. She'd taught him better than that, however and in the last second he leapt to her right, skidding over the countertop and landing at her back. It didn't go unnoticed that he'd picked the side with the "incopacitated" appendage.
Before Gordon's arms could make contact, Kayo sprung away and dropped into a crouch. Her leg swung out before the blonde registered his mistake and his knee buckled under the blow. In the next turn, she was up and dodging as he desperately tried to restrain her from his new position. It only managed to send him off balance, barely stopping himself from crashing to the floor.
Her next strike was a risky one and Kayo was dependent on her brother's skills as she threw her heel towards his head. As expected, Gordon blocked it, rolling away - just like she'd trained him to do.
Maybe it was deceptive that she used her own training against him, but it was part of her job. Don't let the boys get too comfortable with their own safety skills. She took a step towards the counter. And if it gave her access to the last of the ice cream, then she was more than happy to teach Gordon a lesson as she lifted the bowl and spoon, "Better luck next time, Fish-face."
"Aw, c'mon, Kayo," the blonde pushed himself up to his feet, blocking her exit. Their eyes met and the new challenge presented itself. His eyes flicked down to the bowl and back to her and she could actually see him contemplating the risk and reward of actually taking her on.
"Is it worth it?" She held the dessert up.
"Last of the seasonal peppermint chip," Gordon's lip twitched, "Yeah, it is." And he dove, aiming for her legs and she only had a moment to jump out of the way as he attempted to tangle himself around any appendage he could get hold of. The thing about Gordon was, he fought dirty.
Kayo landed a step away and he latched onto her ankle, using her own steadiness to slide himself over the floor. His foot came up and knocked the bowl from her grasp, condensation making it slippery.
Well, crud. There goes perfectly good - before the dish could hit the floor, an arm stretched out, Gordon's palm cradling the base of the bowl as he caught it.
"Ha! Got it!" He beamed up at her, the smile infectious as she grinned back.
"So it seems," and the challenge mingled in her tone, letting him know he might lose it again if he wasn't careful.
The day had something else in mind, however, as a klaxon sounded from the lounge upstairs. Kayo backed off immediately and helped Gordon to his feet. The torn look on his face as he set the ice cream on the counter to melt was impossible to miss. Consequences of the job.
"Ow," Gordon let out a whine as they started up the stairs. She would have been more concerned had he not been taking the steps two at a time and pouting. "Next time, no kicking," and for emphasis, he rubbed his knee once they made it to the lounge.
Kayo shook her head, activating the comm, "This is International Rescue, what is your emergency?"
"We ne-need help, my husband and I fell. He hasn't moved and my leg's broken," a woman's voice came through the static filled transmission.
"Do you know where you are?" Gordon asked, already pulling up a map at his father's desk to start a trace.
"We were foll-following an unmarked trail - away from the gorge," her voice grew strained as she began to cry. "It's so dark."
"Just hold tight. I'm tracking your exact location now," the blonde had an icon flashing over New Zealand, their systems working to narrow down the coordinates. "My name's Gordon, what's yours?"
"Natalie," she sniffled, Gordon's calm reaching through the distance.
"And your husband?" Another few seconds and they'd have what they needed.
"Kevin, he's still not moving," they were losing her again.
The trace finished and Gordon sent the coordinates to their network for transfer once he launched, "Just keep talking to him, Natalie. I have your location and I'll be there soon, okay?"
"Okay, please hurry."
Gordon ended the call, talking as he headed for his launch tube, "I'll take one of the pods. If Virgil finishes up before I'm done, can you send him out? I might need help with transport."
"I'll go with you," that stopped him, the blonde turning to make sure he'd heard correctly. Kayo continued before he could argue, "We can take Thunderbird Shadow and be there faster than the pod."
"There won't be enough room if we need to transport them to a hospital," he tried, mostly correct in his observation.
"Remote pilot the pod to our location. That'll give us time to search," and it had been a while since she'd simply gone on a rescue, especially with Gordon.
She watched the idea roll through him and he smiled, "Sounds good to me. I'll meet you in Shadow as soon as I've got the pod ready."
"FAB," a spark of excitement and they were headed in their own directions, Kayo content to be working with a brother instead of GDF for once. It wasn't that she disliked her role with the defense force, especially if it meant keeping her family safe, but the levels of superiority within the organization were frustrating to maneuver on occasion. With International Rescue, there was no need to prove herself. Not any more. She trusted them just as they trusted her.
Kayo was midway through preflight checks when the aquanaut climbed onto the platform. He was still fiddling with the pod controls as he stopped beside the black jet, "There, the pod is clear of the island and on autopilot to the coordinates." He grinned up at her before surveying her 'bird, "Um, will I fit?"
"It'll be snug, but we'll be fine. Come on, they're waiting for us," that was all Gordon needed to leap up Shadow's side, maneuvering his way into the cramped space behind her.
"And Virgil calls Four a sardine can," he grumbled once he was settled and Kayo jumped in.
She chuckled as the jet shifted into position, rotating for launch and filling the cabin with sunlight, "Yes, but can Four do this?"
The turbines burst to life sending a low rumble to Shadow's hull, and then, the craft fell back, twisting in her somersault until the jets kicked in and launched her into the open sky. Kayo didn't catch the high pitched squeak until she leveled her Thunderbird out.
The squeak turned into a groan, "No, and for good reason." Another groan, "I think my guts switched places."
So Virgil was right about their brother's dislike of intense G's. She'd been skeptical, but it appeared she owed the engineer a new set of paints. "You really don't enjoy that? What about roller coasters?"
"When was the last time this family went to a theme park?" Gordon's humor returned with the obvious poke at the lack of holidays centered around amusement parks. They usually went to remote, low key resorts, which made her job simpler.
"The better question would be when was the last time we went on holiday?" The answer was over two years ago if they were talking about the entire family.
"Ugh, yeah, that's a logistical nightmare I'm not about to even try to fix," she could hear him fiddling with hid holocomm and a moment later she had her heading. They'd be there in six minutes. "Could throw it at John? We'd end up in the least populated resort, or he'd just book the place out."
"Ooh, now there's an idea," Kayo smirked. "An entire park to ourselves. No lines for the fastest rides."
Gordon groaned, as expected and suddenly the challenge was presented. International Rescue deserved a holiday.
The area where the hikers were supposed to be was densely wooded, forcing Kayo to land atop one of the rocky hills about a kilometer away. Gordon took point as they trekked through the foliage, much of the area untouched by humans due to the difficult terrain. Boulders and overgrowth made walking slow, but as they neared the gorge, it thinned and they were running the final few meters.
"Their signal puts them in front of us," Gordon warned. "Keep an eye out for anywhere they could've fallen down." His wrist came up a second later as he activated the comm, "Natalie? This is Gordon. We're at your location. Has anything changed?"
"N-no, Kevin's still un-unconscious," her voice wavered with the wetness of tears.
"Alright, just stay where you are. We'll find you," he left the comm open, muting their end as, methodically, they walked in a limited line, eyes scanning the ground. For all of their technology, it still had its limitations, unable to find a whole amongst all the earthen debris.
Kayo stepped over a root, moving closer to Gordon as the area opened up again into more stone and moss. Her foot barely hit the patch of green when she stumbled, earth shifting under her as something gave. A hand on her shoulder shoved her back, the security officer landing none too gracefully on her rear. She'd have a bruise to pin on her brother later and she looked up to confront - and probably thank - him, only to find him gone.
"Gordon?!" There was no answer as she listened to the comms and the sound of falling rocks she couldn't see.
A scream from Natalie, short from surprise, and then Kayo got her answer, "Hello? Are you okay?"
"Natalie? My name's Kayo. Do you see Gordon down there?" It was the only thing that made sense and when the woman gave an affirmative, the security officer continued, "Is he awake?"
"Yes, he's moving - sitting up," she sounded worried.
Kayo switched tactics, "Gordon, can you hear me?"
Silence until Natalie answered, "He's nodding."
A second later, they heard the strained intake of breath, "I'm okay - just winded."
Getting to her feet, Kayo crouched, pulling away handfuls of moss until she'd uncovered a tear through the ground. It spread a few feet across, plenty of room to swallow someone, but narrow enough to make the ride down unpleasant. Activating the torch on her helmet, she aimed it into the crevasse in search of her brother and the two hikers. All she found was more rock and shadow.
"I'm going to need to set up a repelling line to get to you, but I'm not sure how useful it'll be getting them back up," Kayo informed Gordon after muting her connection to Natalie.
"The pod'll - be here soon," his voice was stronger, but still held an edge of pain that sent a thread of worry through her chest.
"I'll clear the area and take over remote control," she began moving more of the foliage and moss away, revealing a minefield of holes. With the sternness of a concerned sister, she asked, "Gordon, are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," and to appease her, he added, "Gonna have some bruises. The walls decided to act like a giant plinko machine. Probably what kept me from breaking a leg though."
That was a positive. At least he was mobile and could take care of their victims in the meantime. Kayo gave him the instruction to let her know if anything changed and went back to directing the pod. A few minutes later, it came into view and the brunette gradually lowered it to a clear - or as clear as it was going to get - area among the rocky forest. She was careful to watch her step, not wanting to take the quickest route down before she could get the climbing gear.
"We're gonna need a stretcher," Gordon called and Kayo was grateful for the steadiness in his tone. "I'll need to stabilize Kevin for transport."
"FAB, what about Natalie?" The rear of the pod opened to reveal the section Gordon had intended for medical transport and Kayo grabbed a collapsible stretcher and medical bag.
"I'll need to brace her leg, but she should be okay to move without a stretcher," and his voice changed, "Hey, sorry, I'm letting my partner know what's going on. Just relax and we'll get you both out of here in no time."
Right, that was the goal. Kayo grabbed the tow line from the pod, letting the winch run the cable out as she attached the end to the bag and stretcher, "Sending down some supplies. I'll get a frame ready over the largest opening and then head down."
The gear disappeared into a crack near the one that had taken Gordon and she let it continue the journey on its own in order to grab the metal frame that would be needed to support the weight of an iR operative and a victim. Set up was quick, her brother giving her confirmation that he had the bag and stretcher. The cable retracted and in one smooth move she had it secured on the frame's pulley system and attached to herself.
"On my way down," Kayo hoped, sliding into the crack and remotely lowering herself into the darkness. To her relief, she'd chosen correctly, the space wide enough to accommodate two people. It wasn't a fresh opening either. Her helmet lights cut over the rocky walls and she caught sight of roots clinging to the surface. Water had washed any loose debris away and Kayo felt the slight thrill of exploration. She hadn't felt it since her father had retired, leaving her in charge of the Tracys' safety. Exploring the island had taken a back seat to her new job.
Eventually, the rock wall disappeared, changing into an underground cavern just tall enough for her to stand. Light alerted Kayo to the trio on the other side of the cramped cavern, Gordon carefully securing a young woman's leg in a brace. The stretcher sat next to Kevin and the question of his condition flitted through her head before she pushed it aside and stepped over to Gordon - and frowned.
Under the light of his helmet, he was pale, a thin layer of sweat covering his brow. She smothered a burst of worry, instead directing her concern to finding answers, "Gordon, what's wrong? And don't say 'nothing'."
Amber eyes met hers with a hint of confusion until he realized who she was referring to, "I'm okay. I think I hit the wall a little too hard, bruised some ribs." He flashed her a reassuring smile as he finished latching the splint in place and turned the grin to Natalie, "You're all set. Wait here while Kayo and I get Kevin ready to go."
"Th-thank you," the young woman sniffled, hands clutching the fabric of her hiking pants.
Kayo followed the aquanaut to Kevin's side, his hands gently landing on the man's shoulder. When she caught Gordon's expression this time, there was a heavy sadness. She made sure their comms were private before asking, "Is he alive?"
He nodded, but the frown remained and his other hand came down to pull back Kevin's shirt to reveal a large bruise covering the base of his spine. There was no telling if his back was broken, but it would mean they needed to be exceedingly careful when they moved him.
"Extend the stretcher while I get him in position," and there was a different kind of pain in Gordon's voice. She didn't like it, seeing the what ifs and could have beens flow over his face. She had her own memories that threatened to delay her task, but with the weight of the stretcher anchoring her, Kayo began unfolding it.
The transfer had them both holding their breath, but now Kevin was secure and blissfully unaware of his trauma. Gordon activated the hover mechanism, the lift smooth and easy as they moved into the next phase.
"Head up with him," Gordon instructed and Kayo didn't miss the hand that rubbed against his chest, seemingly trying to ease the aches from the fall. "I'll get Natalie in a harness."
"FAB," her gaze lingered on the aquanaut for a moment, watching him crouch to pack the med bag. Once they were all up, Gordon would be getting scanned. No arguments.
Focus returning to her charge, Kayo positioned Kevin just below the crack that still had the cable extending from it. She released the four corner cables embedded in the stretcher and attached them to the main. Above the main hook, she connected her own cable, ready to ride above Kevin and direct him away from the walls. One last glance at Gordon and she set off.
The trip was over in a couple minutes, her charge positioned away from the crack, and Kayo sent the cable back down after a call to her brother. The rush of relief that comes towards the end of a rescue was threatening to push away her earlier worry. Their victim was still in the cavern with a potentially injured Gordon.
Nothing made that more clear than the pained grunt from the blonde, "All set, Kay."
The sound of gears drawing the cable in filled the wilderness with unnatural noise, but it was music to her ears. The silence from Gordon was concerning enough, Kayo used to his constant chatter. Just another reason to demand a mediscan.
Peering into the opening, she could see the glow of his helmet, giving the security officer a better understanding of how far down they'd been. She'd make sure the rangers that maintained the area knew about the danger so no one else fell in.
Reaching out as Gordon and Natalie cleared the opening, Kayo pulled them over solid ground. They both worked to remove the harnesses, each supporting the young woman as they hobbled over the treacherous area with Kevin in tow.
"You're safe now," Kayo smiled at Natalie as she checked the belt keeping her strapped into the rear of the pod. It was always a good feeling to offer some relief, an end to a bleak moment until medical attention could be given.
She wasn't surprised when Natalie smiled back, tears in her eyes, "Thank you."
"Glad to help. We'll have you to hospital in a few minutes," and she secured the door, intent on completing her next task before they could take off. Gordon, who had yet to say a word since surfacing, stood with a hand over his chest, face pinched and pale. "Gordon?"
"I - I think… it's more than a bruised rib," he swayed and it was well trained reflexes that had her grabbing hold of him before he could land in one of the holes. Kayo quickly wrapped her arms around him as all his weight fell against her and she was forced to follow him to kneel on the ground.
"Gordon! Easy, I'm going to lay you down," she didn't wait for an answer, doing her best to be gentle as she lowered him. His expression spoke more to his level of consciousness than the pain, his eyelids drooping, gaze unfocused. "Hey, stay with me. What hurts?" The answer wasn't important, Kayo reaching over to grab the medical bag and the mediscanner. She needed to know he was there and give him something to focus on.
"Stom'ch - dizzy," his answer had her brow pinching until the scanner sent a readout to her gauntlet.
Muscle bruising, cracked rib… "Internal bleeding… Gordon -" Kayo stopped the what do I do from sparking a fear within them both. She knew what Gordon needed and they were both lucky enough that hospital was where they were headed. Focusing on the obstacle in her way was the logical next step, "I need to get you in the pod. Can you stand?" She hoped so, because the thought of lifting him over her shoulder, potentially causing more harm, wasn't what she wanted to do.
"Maybe," Gordon reached up and she grabbed his forearm, collecting the other hand to help leverage him into a sitting position. A grunt of effort and he was standing, if that was what it could be called, much of him leaning on Kayo as she wedged herself under his arm. Walking was slow, but they were by the pod's hatch within a few steps, Gordon crawling up the side and Kayo helping to swing his legs over the edge. He slid into the rear seat with much less grace than they desired, a hissed groan letting her know it wasn't a pleasant landing.
When Kayo lowered the shoulder restraints, she noticed his eyes were shut, breaths heavy as he crumpled against the seat. The security officer rushed to grab the rest of the gear, tossing it into a storage hatch while her mind screamed at her to move. He could die.
It was a cold reality that had Kayo keying up the launch protocols much too fast. The propellers spinning to life let her ignore the internal voice demanding she slow down and a moment later, they were in the air.
"Kayo to Thunderbird 5," the urge to open all comms was held at bay by the knowledge that the rest of her family were on their own rescues.
"Go ahead, Kayo," EOS answered,which meant John was busy helping the others.
"I need coordinates for the closest hospital from my current location," to the point, because further explanation could come after everyone was being taken care of.
"Sending them to you now," the AI's calm voice helped to ease her pounding heart.
A breath and she set the pod to autopilot, turning in her seat as much as she could to get a better look at the aquanaut. Blonde hair filled much of her vision as Gordon's head swayed with the momentum of the craft. Kayo tried to hold onto the idea that unconsciousness brought with it an anaesthetic effect. If he was out, he couldn't feel the pain in his gut.
Turning around she keyed Thunderbird 5 once more, "EOS."
"Yes, Kayo?" She trilled innocently.
"Let John know that Gordon's been injured. He'll know what to do," because they had protocols for when one of them was injured and the others couldn't be interrupted.
"FAB," a bit more emotion that made John's creation seem that much more human and then, the link cut off.
"Hang in there, Fish-face," Kayo whispered back and didn't receive a response, not that she expected one, but hope was one thing Gordon Tracy always held close. She could too, for his sake.
Hospital staff had been waiting for them when they arrived, likely thanks to John or EOS, and in seconds, Kayo's three passengers were carted off for surgeries. She'd been left to secure the pod before finding a seat in the waiting room. She had toyed with the idea of remote piloting Shadow back to Tracy Island, but decided against it. Her 'bird was safe. She could get it later…once she knew Gordon would be okay.
A hand landed on her shoulder, drawing her attention away from a TV that was trying to educate on the dangers of plaque build up in the arteries. She hadn't been all that interested, only watching as a way to drag her mind off the time ticking by. Turning, she found a set of blue eyes, a smudge of dirt running across his chin.
"Hey," Scott kept his voice low and took the seat next to hers. "Any news?"
Kayo shook her head, "He's been in surgery. They confirmed what the mediscanner said."
Scott nodded, a dimple forming on his cheek as he smiled, "He'll be okay. Gordon's tough."
A spark of anger shot through her chest at that, partly aimed at Gordon, but also herself, "I should've known something was wrong. Instead, I let him lift victims. While didn't he tell me he was worse than I thought?"
The smile fell slightly, "He's got a pretty high tolerance for pain." Memories pinched at the corners of his eyes, bringing with them the ache of failure. Failure to protect. Of having to watch a little brother work through intense therapy sessions that wore at the sunny resolve.
She scoffed before she could catch herself and when Scott turned a questioning brow to her, Kayo clarified, "This is the same Gordon who complained three days straight about a papercut."
A chuckle, "True. Maybe I should say he has a high tolerance when it matters. He was focused on the rescue. Paired with the adrenaline, he probably didn't know until his body made the decision for him." Scott's smile stayed, "and to his credit, that was a pretty nasty papercut."
Despite how she was feeling, Kayo smiled. Scott was right. She would file the information away for later, in case something similar happened on other rescues. For now, she could hold onto hope that she wouldn't need to recall it.
An arm wrapped around her shoulders and Scott pulled her into a much needed hug. She leaned into him, letting the stress of the last few hours fade. The sound of the television came back and she listened to a woman explain the health benefits of kale in her salad recipe. It was something Gordon would appreciate, regardless of his earlier snack choice. It was his version of balance.
Kayo's stomach growled, loud and unmistakable.
"Hungry?" Scott's voice was light, "I can go grab something?"
The thought of a hot meal sounded wonderful, but that meant hunting down the cafeteria. That didn't seem fair, so she would opt for vending. She was about to voice just that when the ED doors opened and every bit of appetite left her at the sight of Gordon's doctor.
Gordon's fine, Kayo told herself as she stepped into the quiet hospital room behind Scott. The doctor's words reiterated her own voice. Surgery had gone well. They'd repaired the bleed, stabilized the ribs and now he was resting comfortably with all the necessary medications needed to stave off pain without leaving him too loopy.
"Scooter!" Although, Gordon didn't need much help when it came to silliness. Amber eyes lit with surprise as he found her, "Kay! Good, good, two makes it easier to escape."
"Sorry, Squirt," Scott interjected, "You're here for at least another day."
That statement squashed the bright mood and Kayo watched the exaggerated pout form, something one wouldn't associate with a well trained rescue operative. He looked so pitiful.
"I could always bring you a milkshake?" Kayo offered with a knowing smile.
"See, Scott," Gordon pointed a finger at the security officer. "You gotta lead with that."
"Point taken," a gloved hand ruffled the disheveled blonde waves. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore, hungry, ready to go home," a huff turned into a wince.
"In time," Scott tried to hide his own grimace, but she knew how worried he got when his family was hurt.
Kayo felt a pang of guilt, one that had been sitting in her gut since the rescue had gone south. She'd been there the whole time and done nothing, potentially leading to Gordon being much worse off than he could have been if she'd told him to sit out the rest of the rescue. They both recognized he'd had at least some level of injury. Why hadn't she -
"Hey," Gordon's voice cut through the self-loathing, firm and commenting. Nothing like the brother she was used to, "Stop. This wasn't your fault."
Kayo blinked, stumbling mentally away from her thoughts, but unable to find purchase on his words, "I… this…. It could've gone better. I should have…"
His hand waved out between them and in that motion, the playful side was back, "Coulda, shoulda, if you knew how many times Virgil and I have had that same conversation…" His focus shifted to the ceiling as his hands came up to puppet his brother and himself, "Gordon, you should've let me go first. Virgil, I should've placed the charges, I'm faster than you. Gords, if you drown, I'm taping you to your seat on Two for the foreseeable future and you can pilot Four remotely!" The discourse ended with the two puppets arguing indiscernibly.
Green eyes flicked up to see the concern growing on Scott's face. He knew about many of those situations and the injuries that had caused them. When she looked back at the aquanaut in the bed, a wariness had claimed him, eyes blinking a little slower.
Kayo's lips thinned, considering his words carefully. Accidents happened and there was little they could do that they already hadn't done. They had the best safety equipment in the world, but it could only go so far. The human factor would always come in, make choices that saved one life only to injure another. Simple a thought as any. She smiled, letting out a breath that held much of her self doubt, "I think I'll go get you that milkshake."
His face lit up and it was worth deviating the conversation until later. They still needed to debrief and as she left the room and the two men she would die for, Kayo allowed herself a small victory. Had she not been there today, she might have had one less brother to pester for their snacks.