23

Thank you so much for sticking with this one! I am glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. I actually managed to get some time to myself today so here is the next chapter!

Jeff had asked Kyrano for a pen and paper some time ago and hadn't looked up since. He was sat on the swing chair on the veranda with Kyrano reading next to him. Kyrano glanced across at him, he was curious to know what he was doing. He was sure Jeff would tell him in time though . The weather was balmy today but they were well protected in the shade of the veranda and the cool early evening breeze. Kyrano was still thinking about how Mr. Tracy said he would help him escape his brother's clutches. Oh! to be free! it would mean the world to him! He would be forever in Mr. Tracy's debt. More importantly his daughter would be safe and that meant everything to him.

Jeff had been locked in his mind all afternoon. The idea that had formed in the morning wouldn't leave him and he found himself keen to see how viable it was as a concept so he was drafting a rough business plan. Even the earlier altercation with Kyrano's malicious brother hadn't deterred him. He wanted to write all his ideas down as he was worried his memory might still be affected from his memory loss. This way he didn't have to worry about forgetting anything. He re-read his notes; so far he had envisioned that the service he would offer would be a global rescue force capable of dealing with the larger, specialist emergencies that other emergency services couldn't handle. Things like natural disasters, mining or engineering accidents, rockfalls and so on. It would be a non-profit venture and free of charge for those they assisted. The technology he was considering was the top of its game, so much so it would be largely experimental and incredibly advanced for its time. For this reason, he maintained that the organisation should remain secret so that their technology and hardware wasn't commandeered for nefarious means. Having met Kyrano's brother firsthand it had only served to reinforce the real risk of people like him seeking to weaponize any technology they could get their hands on. They also needed to be able to operate on their own terms internationally which meant they needed to function somewhere that wasn't governed, a neutral territory outside the legal realms and free to operate under their own will. It also needed to be free of the media, Jeff knew what a problem the press could present if they wanted to…... so that meant the based needed to be off the grid and he knew just the place!

Tin-tin breezed out onto the veranda; she was surprised to see Mr. Tracy was still writing away. She figured it was a good thing as it was distracting him from the wait for the time zones to align so he could call his children again. She was wearing khaki floral blouse and pale blue silk trousers with her raven hair tied into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She brought her laptop out with her "Do you mind if I join you Mr. Tracy?"

"Not at all!" he shifted a little to make more room "and please call me Jeff. I doubt I'll ever get your father to but Jeff is fine I assure you."

She laughed. "Very well Jeff thank you. I see you have been busy this evening."

"Evening? What time is it?"

"8pm."

"Really?! Wow well that went quick. I better think about what I'm going to tell the boys!" Jeff set his papers down carefully on the small table in front of him.

"Have you decided on your next steps?" Tin-tin enquired delicately.

Jeff and Kyrano looked at each other, they had this conversation earlier and felt that with Kyrano's brother snooping about Jeff couldn't delay returning home for much longer. It would be too risky to remain as much as Jeff was concerned about returning home and being overwhelmed by his life in general.

He sighed. "As beautiful as it is here and as much as I value yours and your father's company, I'm going to have to return sooner rather than later. When I went for a lay down earlier, I thought things through and its time I was brave and went home. I have my kids to care for, a farm and business to run. I can't hide forever." He frowned gazing off into the distance for a moment before being brought back to the realms of reality.

"Oh Jeff! That's wonderful news! if yesterday's reactions were anything to go by, they are going to be so happy!" Seeing that he needed his mind taking off of things she asked him about the boys. "So, you have five sons! Tell us a bit more about them, I am sure they are quite a handful at times!" She smiled warmly at him.

"You're not wrong!" Chuckled Jeff. "Let me see, where to begin? Well Scott's the eldest at 28 years and is currently serving in the US air force as I once did. He's takes his big brother duties seriously and is the responsible one. He's confident and quick witted. Then there's John who is the polar opposite personality wise, a proper book worm and quiet genius. He has a wicked dry sense of humour. He's currently studying at Harvard in advanced telecommunications but aspires to be an astronaut one day soon. Virgil's a kind natured soul, very creative – he loves painting and the piano almost as much as he loves engineering which is what he's just finished studying at Denver. He's works at the company now. Then there is Gordon. He's a complete rouge all ways up to some hijinks to get a laugh or two. He's currently also serving but with W.A.S.P and Alan is my youngest at 17. He is a handful in every sense of the word. Bright, resourceful and always wanting to be part of what ever is considered 'current' for a young lad these days. He's studying in Colorado – mathematics but he's still debating what he really wants to do." Jeff shook his head in exasperation. He hoped he made his mind up soon. He was costing him an arm and a leg.

"Wow!" was all Tin-tin could manage.

Jeff grinned.

"They sound like boys you should be proud of Jeff. I would like to meet them one day."

"Thank you Kyrano, I am so proud of them all and I am sure you will get your chance once I'm settled again. You'll have to come and see us."

"Oh, that would be lovely!" exclaimed Tin-tin.

"While you're here Tin-tin I wanted to run something past you." Jeff had asked her father earlier if he would mind this proposition. Initially he had been unsure as it was far too generous of Mr. Tracy but Jeff could be quite insistent as it turned out and it wasn't long before Kyrano relented and gave his consent.

"So, I heard that you were successful in one of your bursary bids which is fantastic!" Jeff congratulated her.

"Yes, I am really relieved, I still can't do the course I had hoped but there is a similar one I could apply for until I could work towards that one." It was bitter sweet but Tin-tin was just happy to have the opportunity to start somewhere and build her way up.

Jeff looked at her. "What if I told you, you don't have to worry about taking a different course to your chosen one?"

"I…... I'm not sure I understand?" She had popped the computer down. She had been researching other courses she could afford all day.

"Well I spoken to your father and he's ok with it so if your happy then I would like to sponsor your university fees. For the course that you really want."

She jumped off the chair, it rocking Jeff back as she did so from the momentum. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock, then excitement as it dawned on her.

"Oh my! Mr T - Jeff are you sure? It's a lot of money, I couldn't repay you straight away but I would in time." She looked at her father who was beaming back at her.

"I would be more than happy to. If it wasn't for you and your father I wouldn't be here, it's the least I can do by the way of a thank you. I am in your debt so consider it repaid twice over."

She skipped over and gave Jeff the biggest hug she could muster.

"Thank you! thank you! so much!"

He chuckled and hugged her back before she let go and went to hug her father. "When I get back to the states, let me know what uni you have decided on and put me in contact with the course manager and I will sort the rest. Kyrano has my contact details."

"I need to tell Kai this is so exciting!" She disappeared before Jeff or Kyrano could utter another word.

"Thank you once again; as you can see it means the world to her."

"Your welcome Kyrano I mean it, if it wasn't for you both I'd wouldn't be going home. I owe you both so much. You've given me my life back, a chance to start again with my boys and I'm so grateful. I would hate to think what would have happened to them if they had lost me too." A dark shadow flitted across his face before his expression warmed again.

"Time for tea?" Suggested Kyrano

"Sounds great."

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At eleven pm it was late enough to call the boys and his mother. He felt a little bit better about it this time, still worried but not as apprehensive. The excitement at seeing them all again was enough to dampen his other emotions. Kyrano and Tin-tin had slipped off to bed early to afford him some privacy. He was settled in the lounge with his legs propped up on the sofa and Tin-Tin's laptop in his lap. When he decided he couldn't possibly procrastinate anymore he hit the call button and waited for it to connect with bated breath.

Scott answered. "Hey Dad" he grinned as walked.

Jeff smiled back. "Hi, how are you all?"

"Yeah, we're good thanks, you?" Scott settled the camera down in the lounge. Jeff could see Scott and John crouched on the floor just in shot, Virgil and his mother were on the sofa with Alan wedged between them and Gordon perched on an arm. They were all lively and fully dressed, they must have got up early.

"Yep much better today, my mind is clearer and I've been looking forward to calling you."

"We missed you dad" piped up Alan.

Jeff smiled. "I missed you too kid, all of you."

"Jeff, are you eating well out there? you look terribly thin." His mother scrutinised his face.

"Mom, I'm eating just fine thank you. I'm just old looking these days."

"Give over" his mother swatted "Just you wait until my age boy, then you'll know what old is!" He laughed.

"So, I've been thinking and I think the best way for me to leave here is for you to pick me up Scott – if that's ok?" Scott was the only one with a pilot's license at present. Virgil was working towards his, his father was sure it wouldn't be long before he qualified.

"Yeah sure. I still have leave for the next two weeks, I could bring one of the jets but where's the nearest airport?" questioned Scott.

"That's the issue there isn't one for over 200 leagues. I think your best bet would be to land at Singapore then helicopter over here."

"Right; leave it with me father and I'll get on it, have you got a date in mind?"

"Ideally as soon as you able."

"F.A.B" Jeff's mouth quirked at the retort. It was the made-up code they used to use when the boys were kids to sign off on their walkie talkies.

"So, what have you lot been up to? Or don't I want to know?" They glanced at each other seeing who would go first.

"Well the tractor broke but I replaced the tappets and got it going again yesterday." Virgil supplied.

"Wow that's good going! The damn thing must be about thirty years old". Jeff used to drive it around the farm in his early teens. Virgil smiled. "I'm not going to lie it was an absolute pain but we got there, Gords lent a hand."

Jeff quirked an eyebrow. "What? I was bored!" shrugged Gordon. "Chasing the chickens was more fun."

"I beg your pardon?"

"The hens' escaped again Jeff." His mother supplied. Ah, that old ruse again. He wondered which son's heads she'd been trying to knock some sense into this time.

"It was fun for those spectating." Retorted John.

"Yeah" piped up Scott.

Ah! thought Jeff, so he was right there had been some tension between his two eldest. He would have to check on that situation when he got home.

"Hey! after you guys wore yourself out chasing all of three chickens, I think you'll find Alan, Virgil and I contained the rest" Gordon bristled.

"I think that's because they spent themselves chasing you!" Alan added.

Gordon shrugged, unconsciously rubbing his elbow that he managed to knock when his two brothers had finally taken him down in the dirt. Scott had grabbed the camera and took a picture with John grabbing Gordon in a headlock and claiming that it was one for the 'Tracy annuals.' It had already been uploaded to the data cloud before he could grab it back and John would have squirreled it away by now.

"Sounds like you boys are settling back in at home together then at least. Try not to scrap too much, I'd like a house to return to." He was thinking specifically about the hole in the lounge wall where one of their fists had ended up instead of their brother's face. He thought it might have been Scott and Gordon but he couldn't quite remember. There was also the time that Alan smashed the TV trying to throw the remote at John's head.

"I would like to say we promise but….." Gordon shrugged. Alan grinned and knocked him off the end of the arm, jokingly. He fell into John's lap who very quickly deposited him on Scott who just huffed in protest.

Jeff sighed. His mother had that twinkle in her eye that she got when she was about to remind Jeff about the joys of five boys. His sigh turned into a poorly stifled yawn.

"Time someone was off to bed." His mother intoned.

"I'm ok"

"It's late for you and you still look like you need your rest. Kyrano said you'd injured your leg." His mother looked concerned. Jeff noticed Scott cringe apologetically he was guessing he must have told her.

"Mom I assure you I'm ok, its just a little sore."

"Define sore."

Jeff rolled his eyes. Gordon laughed out loud. Whoops! Jeff recomposed his face quickly.

"Sore as in I got impaled on a branch and it chipped my thigh bone sore but I assure you its healing well. Couple more weeks and it will be as right as rain." He rubbed his leg an itch bothering him. It was definitely healing alright.

Virgil winced. "Ouch Dad that'll leave a scar."

"I've done worse."

His mother nodded in agreement. "Well you need rest so I suggest you head to bed."

"Alright, alright I'm going. Scott you got Tin's email, didn't you? can you send me the times and details on there?"

"Sure father."

"Great. Well goodnight all."

"Night" they all waved.

Jeff shut the laptop down and placed it carefully on the table before heading to the bathroom. He then shuffled up the corridor, almost familiar with the layout in the dark but not quite trusting himself as he inched to the door. In there he found Kyrano had already left the lamp on for him. Settling into bed he pulled the coverlet up over him and settled down. He was still worried about the unknown of what he would be returning to and how people would treat him but he was sure of one thing now. He really wanted to see his sons and his mother again, so much he could almost feel the physical pang in his chest.