A quick update for once! Thanks to everyone for the feedback on the last chapter.

Chapter Thirty

Still cursing and cradling his injured hand against his chest, Scott crawled over to his gun, craving the security it offered even though he couldn't shoot left-handed with any kind of accuracy. Not that he really thought he'd need the weapon now - but that thought didn't make him feel any better, not when it meant that Sahara and the other man were gone, along with Virgil. Things hadn't gone to plan, not since he'd had to ditch the jetpack a mile away from the factory and run the remaining distance through slush and mud. The hasty recharging had meant that there simply hadn't been enough power to handle the distance as well as the speed. He'd barely made it safely to the ground, watching in despair as the helicopter had grown ever smaller in the distance, only to leap up in delight as it suddenly started to descend. Alan had been able to use Five's satellites to scan the locality and to direct him to the only buildings in the area.

He'd planned to disable both helicopters, just in case something like this happened and Sahara tried to escape, but the first thing he'd seen as he'd approached the nearest one was a blood-stained piece of metal lying on the ground. He'd known the blood had to be Virgil's and so he'd allowed sentiment to get in the way of practicality, immediately heading for the nearest window, desperate to know what was happening to his brother.

He hadn't been able to hear anything, but he could see what was going on - and it hadn't been what he'd expected. Sahara was undressing his brother! It was a relief when Scott realised that she had to be looking for evidence of a bullet wound. At least, he hoped she was... Either way, he'd known he had to act.

Quickly informing Alan as to his intentions and ignoring his brother's plea to wait until they could get some reinforcements there, Scott had barged in. Oh, it wasn't just to save International Rescue - he'd never have let Virgil go through with this in the first place if that was all that was at stake. No, this was for Penny. Scott had suspected the woman would have served her purpose once Sahara was confident she had a more valuable bargaining chip. To his relief he'd been in time and Sahara still didn't have her proof.

Not yet, anyway, he thought. His actions had bought them time, nothing else. His brother was still in the hands of a dangerous and angry woman. A woman with two good hands, he thought ruefully as he used his nose to activate his watch in order to inform Alan that Sahara was getting away.

"Scott?"

He turned back to Penny and just for a moment, Virgil was forgotten. He'd never seen the woman look so vulnerable. It wasn't just the fact that she was tied to a pillar wearing rumpled, ill-fitting clothes which looked like they belonged on a teenage boy, her hair a mess and her face bare of make-up. No, it was the look in her eyes. He knew that expression - he'd seen it in the mirror often enough after Tin-Tin had died. A time when he'd been so desolate he'd ended up looking to this same woman for comfort...

"She's calling in!" Alan's voice came through on his communicator, jarring Scott from his thoughts. So Sahara wanted to gloat - or to threaten. Well, it didn't matter either way. There would be no escape for her. The signal would be sent and the damaged helicopter would have to land.

He jogged over to Penny, reaching into the pack on his belt and pulling out a laser cutter. He could use this one-handed and it was no problem to release the grateful aristocrat.

Penny gasped as the feeling returned to her arms, numb from being held in the same position for several long hours. He was tempted to reach out to her - if anyone ever looked like they needed a hug it was Penny right now - but he suddenly found himself pulling back. Irving Ross had told him of Sahara's revelation to Simon, but that had just been a cruel piece of manipulation - hadn't it? Penny surely didn't have feelings for him - they were just friends. Apart from that one night, of course... But then if that was the case, why couldn't she look him in the eye?

"Penny?"

She looked up then. Their eyes met, but before Scott could begin to fathom what her expression meant, Alan came through on the communicator, his voice full of panic.

"She's not going to land!"

"What?" Penny was forgotten as Scott took in his brother's words.

"She started to. But she's gaining height again and that engine's going to cut out any second. I can't reverse it, Scott."

"Dammit! I should have known she wouldn't give in. Okay, Al, give me the coordinates. There's another chopper out there - I'll take that."

He grabbed Penny's arms and pulled her roughly to her feet. "Let's go!"

Penny hesitated, her legs as numb as her arms, but Scott didn't notice, having already started to head towards the door. By the time he'd turned back she'd stumbled across to the desk where she picked up the laptop.

"Penny, come on!" Scott wasn't happy at the delay. "Any news, Alan?" he asked.

"No, there's no response. The helicopter's on the ground but I don't know what shape it's in. You need to hurry, Scott."

"Can you fly?" Penny asked as they reached the helicopter.

Scott didn't bother to dignify that with an answer. Of course he could fly one-handed - hell, he'd steer the thing with his teeth if that was what it took to get to Virgil. He managed to get the engines started easily enough, but the one thing that defeated him was the safety belt. Penny leaned across him to help him out and for the briefest moment, as her hair brushed against his cheek, he was once again reminded of their night together. She'd smelled a lot different that night - the scent of Chanel perfume had lingered in his room for hours afterwards, even though he'd flung all the windows open, panicking in case Grandma should come in...

Why was he thinking about that when Virgil could be lying injured in the wreckage of Sahara's helicopter - if he was alive at all? "Hurry up!" he snapped, as she fumbled with the clasp.

He didn't notice how unhappy she looked. It didn't register that she was uncharacteristically quiet, either - he wasn't exactly in the mood for a conversation himself, the effort of keeping the helicopter in the air monopolising all his attention. The snow which had been threatening all morning had finally begun to fall and he cursed yet another obstacle the fates had seen fit to throw in his way.

"Oh no..." Penny gasped as they hovered over the crash site. When it had become clear that she wasn't going to be able to keep control, Sahara had managed to steer the helicopter towards a wood. The trees had provided some cushioning against the crash, but the craft was badly damaged, one side of the cabin apparently crushed. It had come to rest upside down and smoke poured from the engine.

Scott couldn't get too close - the trees might have worked in Sahara's favour, but they didn't help him. He had to fly some distance before he found a suitable landing space. His landing was clumsy, the helicopter bumping violently a few times before settling, but then he wasn't just flying one-handed in horrendous conditions, he was also battling against the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.

The safety belt fought him once again and he wasted agonising seconds as Penny struggled to get a grip on it. Then he was free and he flung himself out of the helicopter, snapping a curt command to Penny to stay where she was, not wanting her to witness the horrors he was sure would be awaiting him.

His worst fears - that the cabin would have been engulfed by flames - weren't realised. But the scene was unpleasantly quiet - only the occasional crackle of electricity breaking the silence. No cries for help, no moans of pain... nothing.

"Virgil!"

Silence.

Then...

"What kept you?"

"Virg!"

Scott dived into the wreckage, pulling open a door that was half-hanging off and jumping back when Chen's body fell out after it.

One down. But that still left Sahara... In his worry over his brother, Scott had forgotten all about the danger the woman posed. Still, it was too late to take precautions now and Scott figured that if she was going to shoot him she would have - or that Virgil would have given him some kind of warning.

But there was nothing to be concerned about. Sahara was slumped unconscious over the controls and Scott couldn't fight the wave of pleasure the sight invoked.

"Take your time, Scott."

Scott looked into the back of the helicopter and couldn't stop the grin which broke out over his face. Virgil was hanging upside down, only the safety belt keeping him in place. The sight was an uncanny reminder of the aftermath of their first encounter with FireFlash. The airplane company had certainly paid their debt to them today, Scott thought, as he clasped one of Virgil's hands in his own - there had been no hesitation when they'd agreed to help International Rescue in a 'training exercise'.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Do I look okay?" Virgil scowled and Scott couldn't help laughing. His brother was utterly dishevelled, his shirt hanging open, a new bruise to add to the ones he'd got in the fight with Parker and a nasty wound in his thigh. Scott thought he'd never looked better!

"Ready to get out of here?"

Virgil raised an eyebrow. "No, I thought I'd hang out here all day. Of course I'm ready to get out of here, Scott. I'm cold!"

"Me too. Come on - and try not to land on your head this time."

With Virgil finally the right way up and back on his feet, Scott turned his attention to Sahara. "She'll be okay, " he said. "Those trees took most of the impact. Thank goodness." He shot a glance at Virgil as he said this, still unable to believe he'd survived unscathed.

"Guess we've got a few loose ends to tie up," Virgil said. "Back to the farm?"

"Sure. Come on, let's get back to Penny. You can do the honours and tie Sahara up."

Virgil had to admit he rather liked that idea!