The darkness was absolute.
Virgil blinked slowly. What had happened?
Something was very wrong in his belly. Gordon made fun of his abs. Said he could bounce a coin off them.
Felt like he had bounced a boulder.
Gordon.
Little fish brother.
His eyes were closed again.
Grandpa smiled at him, all his freckles bouncing, red hair caught in the wind.
"Virg? You there?"
He startled, flinging his eyes open to that same darkness again. Gordon. Gordon needed him!
"Gord'n!"
"Hey, hey, big man, relax a notch. We're coming to get you. John's got your 'bird and we're lifting that building off you. Finally."
"I'm sorry." He clutched his little brother to his chest.
Grandpa reached out and tousled his hair. "You're a good kid, squirt. Little Gordon is lucky to have you as a big brother. You'll look after him, I know you will." His freckled smile sparkled in the sun as he handed him a roll of fencing wire. "Now we need to go out and fix that fence again. Wanna drive the tractor?"
Virgil's eyes widened. "Can I?"
His grandfather grinned and drew him into a hug. Flannel and the scent of tilled earth tangled in his nostrils.
-o-o-o-
Scott was beyond angry. But he had no time. Virgil was dying under a building.
He had no idea what had changed, but suddenly the bastard politician was happy to help. Alan reported the sudden appearance of a compatible generator at the hospital and within moments the medical facility was fully powered.
Which meant the power could finally be cut.
Which meant it would be safe enough to tackle the debris with out risking further lives.
Which meant they could get to Virgil.
Virgil whose signal was now clear and strong and telling every Tracy on and above the planet that they were on the verge of losing one of their own.
John took to the sky with Two and began pulling chunks of masonry off the pick up stick pile in a very careful and methodical piece by piece.
Gordon had a earth pod with massive claws that did its best to replace Virgil's exo-suit in the excavation equation. His little fish brother was beyond upset, but being the military man he was, only let it out between gritted teeth.
Alan was on his way back.
Scott flipped midair, his helipod grabbing debris as Two lifted a massive chunk of wall off their brother.
As one, International Rescue moved.
-o-o-o-
Virgil had made a gamble.
And lost.
He held the wire up to the dark sky. It was far too thin to do what it needed to do, so technically, it hadn't been a gamble at all. More a certainty that the fence wouldn't hold, that the wires would snap.
And the building would come tumbling down.
"You have to build good, son. Always over-engineer, always over-compensate because catastrophic failure is exactly that - catastrophic."
"But it is only a fence, Grandpa."
"And what if one of the sheep get caught on it while it is broken? One of the lambs? What if they get out and wander out onto the road? They could kill and be killed. Build failure is never a good thing. Always stack the odds against that happening."
Virgil fingered the wire again. "Yes, Grandpa. I will."
And the sun was suddenly shining. Risen from beyond the horizon, lighting up his hands and the wires they held.
"Virgil!"
Gordon! Oh, god, Gordon!
There were hands on him, a familiar voice, familiar face…little Gordon was hovering over him. "Gord'n."
Gordon grabbed his hand and didn't let go.
"Aw, hell, Virg…Thunderbird One, we have a civilian injury. Young male, approximately three years, unresponsive. I need an extra 'stretcher in here."
"FAB, on your tail, Thunderbird Four. Virgil's status?"
Scotty, that was Scotty's voice. But Virgil's eyes were closed again. Sunlight was red.
"Pinned, Thunderbird One. I'm requesting a heavy lifting exo-suit that fits me, goddamnit. We need one."
"Focus, Thunderbird Four."
"On his back, obscured up to lowest rib, suspected abdominal injury, leg condition unknown, consciousness varied and barely coherent. Civilian also partially obscured. We need a proper structural scan before moving any of this." Gordon was still holding his hand. "Hang in there a little longer, Virg. We'll get you out."
He must have faded out for a bit there, because next he knew Scott was there. "Hey, Virgil." Another hand, this time on the opposite side to Gordon. "I need you to let go." Scott was gently trying to pry his grip away from the little boy in his arms.
Little strawberry blond boy.
Little Gordy.
"Gotta protect Gordy."
"He's not Gordon, Virgil. Gordon is over there." He pointed at a blue figure busy clearing debris. "This little one needs urgent medical attention. You need to let go."
"Gordy?" Scott blurred a moment.
A shadow passed over him. "I'm here, Virg. I know I'm younger than you, but don't you think that's a bit extreme?" Sunshine sparkled in his eyes.
"Grandpa?"
"Virg? You need to let go." Grandpa took his hand.
Other hands were tugging at his. "C'mon, Virgil. He's safe now." Scott had Mom's hair and Dad's smile.
Scott.
He could trust Scott.
With everything.
A sigh flowed over his lips as he did what his big brother asked and a weight was lifted off him. He gasped as pain radiated across his belly. "Gordy…"
Sunlight danced on open fields and Grandpa was humming while he worked. A simple tune as he hammered in a u-nail. Virgil still had the roll of wire in his hands.
"Virgil!"
Maybe Grandpa would let him drive the tractor back to the house.
"Virgil! Stay with me."
"Grandpa…" The wire slipped from his fingers.
"Virgil!"
-o-o-o-