Out Of Place
AN – I can't quite believe the continued response this story is getting, thank you so much to everyone who continues to read, follow and particularly to those that review. I'm posting this a bit earlier than I meant to because I think I've kept you in suspense for long enough.
Disclaimer – I don't own Thunderbirds
Chapter Twenty Three – Reunited
It was a sombre party sat in the pink Rolls Royce as they waited for their transport to arrive at the Peninsula helipad. Parker idly drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, lifting them away at the glare he received from Lady Penelope in his rear view mirror. The Lady herself was pale but composed, although her demeanour was incredibly tense. Unlike John, who almost seemed catatonic in his state of shock. Parker didn't know this John, but if anything like their John he probably didn't get out on rescues much and have to deal with things in the flesh, so to speak.
The silence became almost stifling. Parker lifted his fingers to drum again but replaced them back gently at the polite cough behind him.
"'Ere, you know that the cat burglar was known for getting out of h'anything, right?"
"I'm not sure we need false platitudes right now, Parker." Penelope warned with the tiniest tremor in her voice. If Parker hadn't known her for so many years he probably would have missed it.
"I'm just saying milady… h'if h'anyone could survive that, it would be 'er."
"What do you mean? She could be alive?" John spoke for the first time since they'd turned at the other end of the peninsula, a tiny spark of hope entering his voice. Parker opened his mouth to elaborate but the thrum of an engine interrupted him. All three occupants of the car looked up as the green behemoth that was Thunderbird 2 descended towards the helipad.
"Oh good, our lift is here. If you would, Parker."
The bulk of the machine was now lifted to reveal a green pod emblazoned with the number five. The front of it then lowered as a ramp, allowing Parker to drive FAB1 straight up and into position in front of the in built laboratory.
Hustling out of his door in order to open hers, Parker frowned at the sight of Gordon in the pod. "H'I thought 'e might 'ave come down 'imself."
"He's staying up in the cockpit, means we can get out of here faster. The two Brains's are around somewhere too." Gordon looked at the people climbing out of the car. "We're one short. Where's Annie?"
"Gordon, she's gone." The tiniest hitch in Penelope's voice betrayed how upset she really was. Gordon looked around them blankly, settling his eyes on the one he knew must be John.
"What do you mean gone?"
"She was on a motorbike when it crashed," Penelope answered. "We need to go, did you find out anything else about the device?"
"No." John spoke up, shaking his head firmly. "You said we would meet here at four and it's still a few minutes to. We can't leave until four, in case she is on her way."
"John dear," Penelope touched his arm gently but he shrugged it off.
"No, I'm going to wait for her. You go." John resolutely turned back to the open ramp, looking out at the darkness surrounding the brightly lit helipad. Behind him Penelope looked at Gordon helplessly.
"You go on up to the cockpit," Gordon suggested. "I'll wait with John." Penelope nodded and disappeared up the stairs at the back of the pod that would enable her to enter the main part of the ship. Gordon looked over at where John was staring out at the helipad and turned to Parker.
"What are the chances, really?"
Parker shrugged. "H'if h'anyone can get out of that, it was 'er." He then proceeded to tell Gordon about the motorbike chase in a low voice, while all three waited to see if Angel would arrive.
As the time reached five past four, Gordon shook his head. "We need to get out of here before someone notices us."
"But-" John started.
"No, we need to get to Malaysia before they have the chance to hide their operation there." Gordon walked over to the control panel to the right of the ramp and was about to press the button to raise it when John darted out into the dark.
"What on earth is he doing?" Gordon muttered, peering out of the pod. He couldn't see past the bright lights of the helipad, around it everything was pitch black. But then there was a shuffling noise and John came back into view – supporting a battered Angel. She was limping badly and one arm was slung over John's shoulders, who was walking hunched to try to match her height.
"Blimey!" Parker exclaimed, as he dashed forward to help. He pulled Angel's free arm over his shoulder and between him and John they manoeuvred her into the pod. Parker stepped away as soon as they were inside, the ramp closing behind them.
"H'I'll go and tell 'er ladyship you're ok and tell Master Virgil that 'e needs to 'ave a look at you." He started to head towards the door out of the pod, saying to Angel before he left. "H'I knew if h'anyone could survive that crash it'd be little Miss H'Annie."
Once he had gone John turned to face Angel, letting out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He felt the world rush back into focus around him as he cupped her face with his hand to make sure that she was real and here and okay. The moment he'd caught sight of a flicker of movement the adrenaline had kicked in, causing him to move faster than he'd ever done before to reach her. She was sopping wet and obviously sore, but alive and that was all John cared about in this moment. "I thought you had been caught in the explosion and died." He whispered as his fingers grazed the soft skin of her cheek. "I… I didn't…" he stuttered to a halt as all the emotions he had felt in the last hour caught the words in his throat. The soft touch of her warm, living skin underneath his fingers was almost more than he could bear.
Angel frowned at him, taking his hand in hers and feeling his fingers trembling as she moved it away from her face. "I jumped into the water when the bike went," she explained, stepping back away from him. She dropped his hand and moved to the entrance to the cockpit, where Gordon was still stood waiting for them. John felt her absence immediately.
"Annie," Gordon nodded as she limped up to him, casting his eyes over her contemplatively. "Get Virgil to check you over once we're airborne." She patted his arm as she passed, disappearing from view.
John took several deep breaths to steady himself before following out of the pod, only realising as he moved to the door that Gordon was still watching him with a knowing expression as he blocked the exit.
"Your hair really is a brighter red than mine," he commented idly as John approached. John just raised an eyebrow in return.
"It's very odd to see a red haired Gordon."
"It's even odder to see a red haired John," Gordon shot back with a cheeky grin, suddenly transforming him into the Gordon that John knew. "You know, I don't want you to feel like I'm sticking my nose in or anything." Gordon started as he fell into step next to John on their way to the cockpit. "But Annie and Scott… they're pretty inseparable. Might be worth keeping that in mind."
John stopped walking and turned to face Gordon, a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean?"
Gordon rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" At John's continued blank expression, Gordon's voice turned from sarcastic to incredulous. "Seriously, seriously? Oh man, you are every bit as clueless as our John. Look, just don't say I didn't warn you." Gordon walked off shaking his head and muttering under his breath. John followed a couple of steps back, mulling over Gordon's words.
The meaning hit him about five strides later and he shuddered to a halt again, his face draining of colour. Through the open doorway to the cockpit ahead he could see the back of Angel's head as she was helped into one of the seats by Penelope. Gordon was looking back through the doorway at him, clearly waiting for him to come in. John didn't have the time to process the revelation he'd just had. Taking a deep breath he entered the room.
Virgil was sat at the controls. There was something just so… Virgil about him that John didn't need to ask for introductions. Angel was sitting on a bench next to Penelope whilst trying to fend off her attentions. Parker also hovered nearby, attentively waiting to see if he could be of any service to either of them. John shakily walked over to the free bench seat and sat down ramrod straight, determinedly not looking at Angel the whole time. Except he couldn't stop his eyes straying over to where the two women were sat.
"Didn't you say Brains was here?" Penelope broke the silence, asking Gordon but it was Virgil who answered.
"I think they are in the sickbay. They've managed to reverse the effects of the dimension device somehow with Tintin's help – so as soon as we can grab the Hood and get confirmation that Scott and Alan have the Black Phantom they can switch it on. If Tintin does the same thing at her end then everyone will hopefully go back to where they are supposed to be." When he finished talking Virgil flipped some switches and there was a shudder as the machine sat down on its pod.
"I bet you'll be relieved to get home," Gordon said to John, a knowing gleam in his eye and a smirk on his face.
"I suppose I will be," John replied, risking a glance at Angel to see that she wasn't really listening. Penelope was prodding at her and Angel had her teeth gritted in pain, head thrown back on the seat. Despite the discomfort she was obviously in John drank in the sight – now that Gordon had alerted him to his feelings he was all too aware of them. As Angel shifted and turned her face towards him he averted his eyes to the floor, a blush staining his cheeks. With a roar they were all distracted by the launch of Thunderbird 2.
The moment they were in the air Virgil flipped a lever and stood up from the seat. "Gordon, take over. Angel, sickbay, now. What kind of damage have you done to yourself this time?"
"It wasn't exactly intentional," she ground out, standing up stiffly. "I took a dive into the water at quite some speed. It was that or be incinerated in the fireball they all saw."
"What gave you away?" Gordon asked. "It sounded as though you were making progress. Did he recognise you?" He directed this to John, who thought about it for a moment.
"I'm not sure… maybe eventually he might have done? But he actually recognised Angel as Scott's wife."
"Wait, what?" Everyone in the cockpit froze in shocked silence, but it was Virgil who asked the question. "Wife?!"
Angel winced, this time not because of her injuries. "Um…surprise?"
John's eyes widened. "Oh no, I'm sorry. I had no idea-"
"And why would you," Angel waved away his apology. "It's ok, it's a complicated story that I didn't want to get into. Suffice to say, their father doesn't exactly approve of me but we've been waiting for each other long enough."
Gordon let out a low whistle. "Dad is gonna be steamed."
Angel shrugged. "Well then we'll deal with it. Ouch!" She hissed as Virgil's probing hit another sore point. The medic stood up.
"Well I think you've cracked a rib again and that collar bone looks suspect. If we drop you at a hospital-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Angel glared at him. "Just give me some tramadol, I can get sorted out when this is all over."
Virgil shook his head disapprovingly but disappeared from the cockpit, coming back in a few moments later with a glass of water and a couple of tablets. "This isn't tramadol, it is a form of codeine. We don't know what we're walking into and we don't need you as high as a kite. Also, for the rest of this flight I'm confining you to that seat."
Angel grumbled but complied, throwing back her head to swallow the tablets. Again John forced his eyes away, but not before Gordon caught him staring.
"Aren't you meant to be flying this thing?" He asked his fellow redhead irritatedly.
Gordon shrugged. "It's on autopilot anyway. I want to hear more about why Annie and Scott thought that getting married secretly was a good idea."
Angel glared at him. "You'll have to take that up with your brother. It was his idea."
"Why do you can her Annie?" John asked curiously.
"Oh, when we first met her she had amnesia," Gordon waved a hand airily, turning to face the front of the aircraft again. "She was going by the name Annie and it kind of stuck, you know?"
"Only for you," Angel muttered. "I have no problem with my actual name."
"Well you're basically our sister now," Gordon told her. "You don't get a choice anymore."
John risked another glance over, smiling at the glare she was giving the back of Gordon's head. But then he looked closer and realised she was shivering.
"Do you have a change of clothes?" he asked her seriously. "You're freezing."
Virgil paused in the middle of his exam and took in Angel's chattering teeth, swearing. "How did you notice when I didn't! Do you have anything?"
"Back of P-P-Penelope's car," Angel replied, her shivering becoming more pronounced. Parker immediately disappeared out of the door to the hangers.
"How is the pain doing now?" Virgil asked her.
"I-ve h-had worse," she told him.
"That isn't particularly reassuring." Virgil looked behind her to where Parker had returned with her hold-all. "I rescind my order for you to stay sitting, go and get changed into something warm and dry. Pen, can you help her?"
"Of course," Penelope stood and helped Angel to her feet. "This way, I believe there is a small sickbay which will serve as a changing room."
"There's some of Brains's bruise paste on a shelf in there somewhere, use it liberally!" Virgil called after them. He then ousted Gordon from the pilot's seat. "It isn't going to take us too long to get there," Virgil commented to those that remained in the cockpit. "Do you know where we are going?" He then asked John. "Penny told me Selangor, but that's quite a large area."
"Near Sepang, I think Angel told us in the car," John added, coming forwards to look at Virgil's dials but frowning when he realised nothing looked remotely like a map. "You don't have digital charts?"
Gordon had been rummaging through a cabinet whilst John and Virgil had spoken. "Don't tell me, you have fancy digital displays that show you anywhere in the world?"
"Actually, I have a three dimensional holographic global display which is fully interactive and that I can orientate in whichever way I want, add data to in various locations and use to coordinate multiple concurrent rescues." John replied, feeling a little smug. At Gordon's incredulous expression John looked a bit sheepish. "I am the space monitor, I do have to coordinate all the rescues."
"Even so, our John would kill for anything half that good." Gordon pulled some charts out. "Plus you coordinate rescues, seriously? I think dad does that."
John froze slightly. "Alan must have told you that our dad was missing for a long time? We adapted without him. Really, we're only just beginning to get used to having him back."
Gordon fell silent at that, working his way through the charts until he found the one he wanted. "Let's see," he muttered as he pulled it out and spread it on the floor. "Sepang… there, south of Kuala Lumpur. Very close to the old international airport."
"It's on the border between Selangor and the next district," John commented, looking closely. "Negeri Sembilan. But Angel said Selangor, so we must be looking to the west of Sepang."
"Call you call up John?" Gordon asked Virgil. "Get him to check satellite feeds in this area? We need to look for recent activity."
Virgil nodded. "Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 5, are you around John?"
The screen in front of him crackled and then solidified into an image. John moved closer, curious to see what his counterpart looked like in this dimension. The blond hair was a shock but otherwise they had similar facial features. "Hi Virgil," the blond John greeted, obviously busy doing something as he was turned away from them, fingers moving quickly over a keyboard not in the view.
"Can you have a look around Sepang in Malaysia for any sign of recent activity?"
"I'm already on it Virgil, you've been on an open channel." The blond flashed a quick grin at the occupants of the cockpit. "Hello John, well done for surviving Angel. Nice to finally meet you." He turned back to his screen and leaned forwards, concentrating. "There are a couple of large sites, one to the west and one to the south of Sepang, that look like they have been suddenly brought online recently." Again his fingers flew over some keys. "Probably the one to the west, I'll send the coordinates now."
Gordon read the coordinates and traced them out on the map, using a pen to highlight the place. "I've got it, Virgil." He showed the chart to the pilot.
"Hmm… I think I'll take us into the airport. It's close by and we don't want to draw anymore attention than necessary."
"Are you staying with Thunderbird 2?" Gordon asked him.
"I think I probably should. I think both the Brains will want to as well." He looked over his shoulder towards John. "Did I mention we had Brains on board? Your Brains, I mean."
"I think someone did," John replied. "It would be nice to see him. Alan is still on Tracy Island?"
"Yes, I think our John's going to bring him in Thunderbird 1 when we reach a point that we're able to make the switch." Virgil pressed a couple of buttons and studied a display. "Brains is in the lab in the pod, Gordon can show you. We've got some clothes for you down there too. I'll talk to our John about getting us permission to land."
John looked down at the rumpled clothes he was wearing, not exactly practical for a break in operation. Gordon gestured for him to follow back into the pod. "I can probably find my own way," John told him, amused at being guided around a Thunderbird.
"We won't be making a move for a bit and I'm curious about what Brains squared have been up to anyway. Your younger brother came up with the name." He added after seeing John's curious look. John rolled his eyes, that sounded exactly like something Alan would come up with.
The pair of redheads made their way down into the lab, opening the door carefully to see both Brains hunched over a workbench conferring quietly. As one, they both looked up when John and Gordon entered, identical expressions on their faces.
"Wow," John muttered, so quietly only Gordon could hear it.
"I know, right?" Gordon replied in the same tone, before speaking more loudly. "Gee Brains, you've been tinkering away down here for the whole flight."
"I, er, I'm just m-making sure that the oscillating frequency field is c-correct, Gordon," the Brains that John didn't know replied. The other one strode up to John excitedly.
"J-John! It's good to see you! Look, I've found an alternate me! Just wait until I t-tell Max, he won't believe it."
"Hi Brains," John replied with a smile. "Looks like you're getting on well."
"Oh I met your counterpart too," Brains told him excitedly. "He's v-very like you, but blond. Which makes n-no genetic sense, now that I think about it."
"I wouldn't worry too much Brains, I'm not sure any of this makes much sense. Apparently you've found a way to send us home?"
"Oh y-yes, well we can't take all the c-credit. Brains's Tintin helped."
"What's a Tintin?"
Gordon laughed behind John. "Never call her a what! Tintin is a who, a force of nature really. She and Brains are getting married next year."
"Really? Wow. I mean, not that I thought you wouldn't get married Brains, it's just…"
Brains decided to put John out of his awkward stuttering. "It's ok, I-I was surprised too. Especially as I think she's t-this dimension's version of K-Kayo."
John's jaw dropped. "You're engaged to Kayo? Seriously?"
Brains took off his glasses and shrugged, a faint blush darkening his skin. "W-well, I'm not. But he is, I guess, although from what he tells me she's pretty different to Kayo. She's b-been looking at the d-device we found to reverse its effects, very successfully."
John whistled. "Smart too, then? Mind you, so is Kayo." He looked over at the other Brains who was talking to Gordon. "It always surprises me how much we have in common we each other, and how many differences there are."
"Yes, a blond John is v-very confusing!" Brains laughed. "Plus, it is very strange having a Mr Tracy that has not b-been away, the dynamic is very different. And my counterpart is younger, I t-think he said he was the same age as Scott."
"How old is Scott?" John asked, trying to sound uninterested and only partly succeeding. "I don't really know much about him. I spoke to him once or twice but then we were moving too much to be able to take calls."
"He's… ah, very similar to our Scott, I think. From what V-Virgil and Gordon say he is more even tempered, but then he hasn't had to face the same responsibility. N-not that he hasn't had any, but it's not the s-same."
John tried to piece together the information he'd been given to draw a picture of Angel's husband, but it was difficult. Some part of him knew that his brain was just trying to find fault. He suddenly realised that he very much hoped never to have to meet the other Scott, to just have him as a shadowy figure without form or substance. That way he would be able to paint him as the villain, whereas if they met face to face John would see him as he now saw Virgil and Gordon – as brothers, albeit distant ones.
Virgil's voice interrupted his thoughts across the tannoy. "Can you all come up so we can discuss our approach?"
They filed into the cockpit. The first thing John noticed was Angel sitting next to Lady Penelope again. She was wearing another leather catsuit, one that made John feel like the cockpit was uncomfortably hot. He made sure he wasn't looking at her as he strode across and sat down on a bench on the opposite side. Once seated he glanced up and caught her eye before they both looked away uncomfortably.
The other John was on a screen in front of the pilots chair, a sleepy Alan standing beside him.
"Hey, John!" Alan called with a wave and a yawn. "Long time no see. You alright out there?"
"Just peachy," John replied calmly, suppressing his inner turmoil. "How is the Island?"
"Ah, well," Alan shrugged. "It's alright, a bit different to home but also kinda the same you know? But there isn't any Cavern Quest or anything here, so I've been having to learn some real old school type games. It's been nice, but I'm ready to go home now."
"And we'll do all we can to get you there." The commanding presence of Jeff Tracy moved behind the brothers. "Now, what is the plan? Ladies, I defer to you for your superior knowledge and experience in this kind of operation."
John now had a legitimate reason to look at Angel and he noticed she seemed surprised by the deference. Penelope did too, but she was faster to cover it. "I think that we first have to establish that this is the correct site, John – not you dear," she smiled at John. "I mean the John on Tracy Island should be able to monitor feeds. If the Hood thinks you have recognised him and escaped in Macau then it is highly likely that he will travel here. Once we are certain, then we need to break in to the site."
"You make breaking in sound like it's child's play," Gordon commented. "If they are using technology from a different dimension there is no knowing what they can do."
"Except we have two experts from that dimension sat right here, and a third back on Tracy Island," Penelope reminded him. "We also have two of the best, how do I say it…"
"You can call us thieves Penelope," Angel told her with a smile. "It's what we are, or rather were, after all."
"Yes, well I'm fairly sure that Angel and Parker can utilise their skills to help us enter the compound. The one party can head to the control room to disable any of the technology and to provide support, the other can ensure that the Hood is captured and any technology that doesn't belong here is destroyed."
"That sounds like a sensible plan Penelope," Jeff praised her. "Do you have anyone in mind for the two parties?"
"I believe the first party must include John, as he will be aware of the technology from his dimension. Both Brains can support from here as well but they should remain backup. I think Angel should go with him. Not only have they been working together in the past, but she will need to tread carefully and that is the most prudent course of action. Do you agree?" Penelope asked Angel directly, who nodded her assent. John felt something inside him both leap for joy and simultaneously plummet when he realised that he was to be paired with Angel again. He focussed back on what Penelope was saying to distract himself.
"Gordon, Parker and myself will try to secure the Hood and to destroy the technology. Virgil will stay with Thunderbird 2, providing support to Brains and providing extraction if required."
Virgil didn't look happy, but he nodded.
"Excellent Penelope. When you manage to secure the Hood and are preparing to transfer across dimensions, John here will fly Alan over to you in Thunderbird 1. All agreed?"
A chorus of "FAB" rang out through the cabin, and they sprang into a flurry of activity. John was presented with his own uniform by a grinning Gordon who explained that they'd detoured by Angel's house to pick it up. John went to put it on, immediately feeling more like himself again, whilst Angel and Gordon huddled in a corner with Parker discussing specifics with plans of the site spread out in front of them. Virgil was talking to his father and Penelope, presumably hammering out the fine detail before they began.
It all felt very final, John realised with a nervous start. This was it, this was them preparing to go home. A part of him missed the peace and tranquility of Thunderbird 5, but at the same time he'd never felt quite so alive. A quick glance and his eyes caught those of the woman who had been no small part of that. He returned her questioning gaze with a nod to show that he was on board with the plan, before mentally preparing himself for all that the day would bring.
