Walk on the Wild Side
By Sapphire
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Chapter 13: A Case Of Dissymmetry
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They had practically pushed Bob and Chris into the waiting arms of the hospital staff and turned Thunderbird 2 around before the two had vanished inside the hospital doors.
Now Scott and Alan were waiting impatiently at the access door to Two, listening to the transmission John relayed from Virgil's and Brains' communicators, while Gordon steered the 'bird at top speed back to the place where they had left the others behind.
When the Hood ordered Virgil to come out of his hiding place, Scott wished that his brother would disobey, but at the same time, he knew that there was no way in hell that Virgil would leave somebody else in danger, when he thought that he could help. He knew that Virgil sometimes had doubts about his own bravery, but in truth this had to do more with sensibility and caution. While growing up, he and his brothers had rushed in some dangerous and sometimes downright reckless situations, and usually it had been Virgil and John who had been the ones to see sense and make them think before doing something really foolish. It was that those two tended to think more than the other brothers - himself included, as their mother had reminded him often enough after one of their more memorable exploits.
But when push came to shove, Virgil had always done what needed to be done, especially when one of the others had been in danger. He might have thought about it more thoroughly than his brothers, but he always had done the right thing.
Scott rubbed his smarting hand, willing Thunderbird 2 to fly faster. They were so close, but at the moment mere seconds counted.
"Come here," the Hood commanded somewhere ahead, with a cold voice that sent shivers down Scott's spine. "I should have killed you earlier. But this is an error I will soon rectify. Move faster, Tracy."
How did that criminal dare to threaten his brother? Alan had told him a little about the Hood, and Scott knew that the man wasn't bluffing, that he wouldn't hesitate for a second to kill Virgil or Brains. But why was he doing it? Why couldn't he just leave them alone?
"I have them on the scanner," Gordon announced from the cockpit.
A shot rang out and then two more. Scott felt as if each of them had impacted with his own body.
"What happened? Gordon, can you see something?" he asked, hoping, no fearing for an answer.
Gordon cursed over the airwaves as Thunderbird 2 banked to the left and seemingly dropped out of the sky. "Virgil has been hit," he announced, his voice dark with dread. "He's down. The Hood is running, though."
A shockwave travelled through Thunderbird 2 as she was set down way too fast, and Scott and Alan both had to hold on tight to the walls in order to remain standing. The door opened and as soon as there was enough space to squeeze through Scott was outside, running as fast as he could towards the scene of the shooting, his gun at the ready.
On a small clearing, not far from the road where Thunderbird 2 had landed, he found Brains kneeling over Virgil's body, calling his name over and over. The engineer's hands were tied behind his back, and he tried to twist around to reach him, but he couldn't.
Scott slithered to Virgil's side, also calling his name. He fell to his knees, reaching out to search for a pulse at Virgil's neck.
"Virgil, wake up."
In seconds he found the steady beat of Virgil's heart underneath his fingertips, and he blew out a breath of relief. Next he inspected Virgil's body with his eyes, searching for the place where his younger brother had been hit.
There was no blood.
It took him a moment to register this fact and also what the implication of this could be.
Virgil groaned and moved his head.
"Ouch."
"Lie still, Virg, we need to check you over," Scott said, placing his hand on Virgil's right shoulder, pressing him down gently.
Alan had cut Brains' bonds, and now the engineer pushed Scott firmly aside.
"Let me have a look," he said, for once without his usual stutter, and started his examination.
Scott looked up, surprised. Alan and Gordon, who also had joined the group, looked worried, but when they noticed Scott's questioning look, Alan showed a wry grin and said: "Brains also has a medical degree. You can trust him."
Virgil, who still looked dazed, allowed Brains' ministrations without any resistance. He looked down on his body and furrowed his brows, which, by the flash of pain that followed that move, had not been a particular good idea.
"Where have I been hit?" he asked weakly, followed by an indignant 'Ouch' when Brains touched a spot at the back of Virgil's head.
"I don't think, y-y-you have been hit," replied Brains, looking slightly puzzled. "There is n-n-no wound."
"But," Virgil looked up confused, "I've felt the impact."
He reached up with his right hand and touched his left shoulder at the height of the International Rescue symbol on his sash. His face contorted painfully at the contact, but soon his expression changed to one of surprise. Fingering the badge, he pulled off a small object that had imbedded itself in the letter 'R' of IR.
He showed it to the others. It was a bullet.
"What are those things made of?" he asked, indicating the badge.
Relief flooded Scott and he laughed out loud, soon to be joined by his brothers and Brains.
TBC
Anybody disappointed, the Virgil didn't get a matching wound to the one from the other Virgil?
Two more chapters to go ...