Photo Shoot

By Phoenix Sparrow

This story is set not long before the Hood first dragged International Rescue into action.

Chapter two: Broken

The necessary work was complete. International Rescue was ready to go. They needed an emergency first though.

Jeff sat at his desk. He was watching a television report on the Fireflash, which wouldn't be fully operational for a good few months yet. He was distracted from his program when Alan came darting into the room.

"Whoa, what are you playing at? You know not to run in here."

"Sorry, dad, Gordon was threatening to spray me!"

"Spray you?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, with that water gun he brought back from his last visit to the mainland. Why did you say he could keep it?"

"Because I thought he was more mature than that," he replied, standing up and walking to the door Alan had just run through. Alan went ahead of him and looked through the door. Gordon was prowling about at the other end of the hallway. He spotted him and ran towards him.

"You're not getting away this time, Alan!"

He leaped at him, pulling the trigger on his gun, only to spray Jeff. Alan had gotten out the way as soon as he saw him coming. When he realised what he'd done, Gordon turned and legged it to his room.

"You'd better stay in there, Gordon!" Jeff yelled after him, while behind him Alan chuckled at his soggy father.

"Alan, if I were you, I'd leave before dad realises you're laughing at him," someone said quietly from behind him. He stopped abruptly and spun round to see Scott sat on the sofa, hiding behind a magazine. He put the magazine down and disappeared from the room as soundlessly as he had entered. Alan watched him curiously then left the room, too.

The following day, Jeff was in his room, talking to a good friend of his on the videophone.

"It's so good to hear from you again, Jeff."

"It's good to hear from you, too, Penny. How's the weather in England?"

"It's raining again. And by you?"

"Sunny again." He smiled then became serious. "Have you thought over my proposition yet?"

"Jeff, as soon as you disconnecting after telling me, I'd made up my mind, but I couldn't get through to you to tell you."

"Ah, that was probably Virgil. He used the vidphone straight after me that day."

"I see. Well, either way, I'm talking to you now, so now's as good a time as any to tell you my decision." Jeff waited patiently for her to finalise her sentence and put him out of his misery. "I would be honoured to be your England agent."

Jeff smiled and was visibly more at ease. "Well, that is good news!"

At that time, Alan ran through the hallway outside, knocking over a picture as he went. Virgil, who had been chasing him, dived to catch it, but wasn't quick enough. The glass shattered on the floor, scratching the picture inside it. Virgil cringed and crawled slowly backwards. He'd ended up nearly lying on the floor trying to grab it in time.

Jeff shut his eyes and sighed. "There's one good thing about putting this organisation together."

"Oh? What would that be then?" Penny asked curiously.

"Aside from it helping possibly millions of people," he said, looking at Alan briefly, who was trying to hide, "it will also give my boys something to do with all that excess energy they've got!"

Penny laughed. "Mmm, from what I know of them, that would be a welcome thing. What was that crash?"

Jeff shrugged and got up to investigate. On the floor lay one of the very few pictures he had of all five boys together. The only other ones he had weren't as recent. He sighed and took the broken frame back to his room. "Definitely too much energy."

"Oh, that's too bad," she said, seeing the mangled frame and scratched photo. "What you need is a new photo of all of you." She paused to think for a minute while Jeff threw the frame into the bin after carefully prying the damaged photo out of its glassy housing. "Why don't you come and visit me? I've got a photographer coming round soon; you can get a photo of all of your boys then. In fact, why not bring Brains and Tin-Tin. Then you could have a photo of your entire team."

Jeff stopped fiddling and a smile spread across his face. "You know, Penny? That's not a bad idea! Are you sure that would be ok?"

"Of course, Jeff. I don't offer things that aren't alright, do I?"

"I guess not. Thanks Penny. Um, when d'you want us then?"

"As soon as you like. The photographer will be here in about a day or two, so coming sooner would be recommendable or you'll miss him."

"Ok, Penny. Thanks again. I'd better go get this lot sorted if we're to arrive before him."

Penny smiled. "Ok, Jeff. Thank you for calling me and I'll see you soon."

"Very soon," Jeff replied. "Bye." The connection went dead and he put his photo down and went to the doorway. Virgil was sat on a chair, playing with a cut on his arm and Alan had disappeared from sight. "Ooh, that looks nasty, son. D'you do that on the picture?" Virgil nodded. "Stop playing with it and go and see Grandma or Kyrano. But hurry up about it; we're leaving for England this evening."

"England?" Virgil asked, confused.

"Yes, we're going to visit Penny to get a photo done."