why do we have to keep doing these disclaimers? Of course I don't own them
OH, and because there has been some confusion, Kate (Scott's wife) was introduced in my first Thunderbirds story, The Greatest Gift, and was also featured in Understanding and I Loved Her First. So if you want to know how they met or more about Kate, please read these. And because Megz McGizzle and Shadowwolf919 demanded it, here is an Alan chapter.
Chapter Three – Where There's Smoke
Alan Tracy loved hiking in the woods. With Wharton Academy for Boys being in the heart of the Berkshires as it was, Alan frequently hiked through the woods on the school grounds. This year, as a reward for the State Championship Track and Field Trophy that now stood in the school's administration hall, Coach Bob Michaels had promised the team a hike in the Berkshire National Forest, ending at The Cascade Waterfalls. Alan mused how different he was than just over a year ago. He had learned how to be a team player and when Coach Michaels told the team where they would be hiking, Alan had actually read up on the area. He knew about the natural wonders, and topography. As they reached the half way point of the hike, Alan enjoyed the mist from the waterfall. New England as summer approached was hot and muggy. Almost like his tropical home, but without the pleasure of a dual swimming pool, beaches within walking distances, Onaha's great cooking and going on rescues.
"Days like this," Alan groused "I wish Dad had found a boarding school in New Zealand."
"Why?" asked Alan's teammate Kyle Wescott. Unlike most of the team, Kyle didn't really like Alan, but since everyone knew Alan Tracy was one of the reasons the team had won the championship and was an eventual shoe-in for team captain, once the sophomore became a senior, Kyle was not about to actively alienate the boy. "So you could be closer to Daddy?"
Alan threw a look at Kyle. Deciding that the whiny young man, who sadly was not only on the track team but in several of Alan's classes, was not worth an argument on the last day of school, Alan just smiled. "In New Zealand, winter is just beginning. MUCH cooler." Several of their teammates overheard the exchange and chuckled. Coach Michaels just smiled. He never knew what had happened to Alan Tracy during Spring Break last year, but the change was miraculous. Coach had always suspected the youngest Tracy would be a great addition to his team, but even he had been surprised. And unlike many of the sons of privilege under his care, Alan had a loving, supportive family whom he both saw on a regular basis and heard from at least once a week. Michaels was sure this made a difference in the boy. If only all of the students at Wharton's could be as sure that they were as important to their families as the latest deal or trip to the had to be seen at location.
Seemingly unaware of the speculation he was under – or the dirty looks being shot his way by Kyle – Alan glanced at his watch. Dad and Brains were supposed to be picking them up around five o'clock. It was a little past noon and they were heading back down the trails after passing the Cascades. If they kept to their schedule, they should be back to the school by three. That would give Alan a chance for a quick shower. Just as that thought ran through his head a flash of lightening cracked over head. Great, Alan thought, he wanted a shower AFTER the hike, not during it. But no thunder could be heard, no rain was forthcoming from the clouds that had quickly rolled in.
Looking up at the sky, Coach Michaels became worried. Here he was, in the middle of a national forest, with fifteen teenage boys. He was nervous. If a severe storm came up, shelter was not exactly readily available. Lousy weather service, with their 20 chance of thundershowers. Any other time they predict that level, there wouldn't be so much as a dark cloud in the sky. But with any luck this would just be a case of heat lightning. Annoying, but as long as the strikes kept away from their location, it should be alright.
As if Bob Michaels had tempted the gods of fate, a bolt of lightning shimmied down twenty feet in front of the group. An old stately pine that had stood for centuries was shorn in two. Even as each of them felt every hair stand on edge from the closeness of the discharge, the boys froze as the groaning noise warned of the huge hunk of lumber falling directly at them.
"Everyone, fall back!" Alan yelled. Four of his teammates, including Kyle, remained frozen. The other ten boys had moved back sufficiently. Recognizing the danger, Michaels and Alan each grabbed two boys and pulled them back, effectively tossing them towards their teammates into a safety zone. But the sudden action had the consequence of knocking the duo off their feet. Unfortunately for them, they were on the edge of a sheer drop. As suddenly as the calamity had begun, it was seemingly over, with Alan and Coach Michaels at the bottom of the drop.
Fortunately, Alan had his Thunderbird training and knew how to take a fall. He was sore, with scratches and bruises along his entire body. As he quickly evaluated his own injuries, Alan was distracted by a groan from his coach.
"Coach Michaels, are you OK?" Alan was quickly kneeling by the older man, evaluating any injuries. Relying on what his family had taught him, Alan was able to see no serious damage to the upper regions of the coach, but his left leg… "Well, that answers my question doesn't it? Looks like a compound fracture of the left femur. We'll need to splint that and make a travois to get you out of here." Alan raised his eyes to see his teammates staring down at them anxiously. "Sanchez, Donovan – I need two branches, at least two inches around and six feet in length. Carter – I'll need another two branches, half an inch to an inch in diameter, about two feet in length. Hung, Torres – gather up five of the packs, put the stuff into other packs but quickly. We'll use them as a base to set Coach Michaels on."
As the boys set about to follow Alan's orders, Kyle called down. "Hey Tracy, why should we listen to you?"
"Gee, I don't know," Alan replied sarcastically. "Who else here has field rescue training? Hmm? No takers? Didn't think so. Now either help me Wescott or shut the hell up!" Alan had already begun to dig through his own pack, pulling out bandages and a Swiss Army knife.
As the boys began to drop the required items by Alan's side, the teenager began to splint the coach's leg carefully. While he performed first aid, Alan instructed the other boys in the making a travois on which they could place their fallen coach. Alan turned to look at the older man when he felt the constant observing stare. "Coach? I'm trying to do this as carefully as possible, let me know if you are having any nausea or extreme discomfort." Coach Michaels just smiled up at the teen. "You really have trained for this, haven't you?"
Alan smiled back. "Yes, sir, I have. My father made sure all of us have had basic medic training. Living where we do, self-reliance is important."
"I can see why your heroes are the Thunderbirds. You just might make a good one."
Alan laughed. Well, he actually was one but… "No, sir, I admire the Thunderbirds but they aren't my heroes." He smiled as he finished the splint, and nodded to at the travois the other boys had made. "My family is my heroes. I just do my best to live up to what I think they would expect of me." Kyle made a rude noise. "Wescott, I don't know what your major malfunction is, but if you can't contribute anything useful then shut up. Yes, my family is my heroes. My Dad raised five boys on his own after my Mom died, while running and building up a multi-billion dollar company. My older brother Scott was pilot who was injured in a terrorist act while saving a unit of ground troops and civilian refugees. That was after he sacrificed most of his teen years helping Dad raise us. My brother John overcame his fears of flying to join NASA so that he could be closer to the stars he loved so much. Virgil ignored what people said about his "natural" gifts and studied his butt off because he wanted to become a mechanical engineer. Gordy…" Alan swallowed, then continued, "Gordon nearly DIED in a hydrofoil crash. Then they told him he would never walk again. He not only walked, he became an Olympic athlete." Alan looked back at his work and helped guide the transfer of the couch to the travois.
He turned angrily to Kyle. "Then there was just before Christmas. I know you heard the news reports. I know everyone heard them. Yes, I was kidnapped. Yes, I was beat up by the creep and threatened. No, nothing sexual. Just some punches and a lot of threats. Oh, and he repeatedly held a gun to my head and said how he wanted to blow my head off to get to my Dad. It was my family who saved me. Yes, it was Kate, as an FBI agent, who took out Mitchell, but it was my family – a bunch of civilians – who helped her. She said could never have done it without them. I am alive today because of my family. So YES, they are my heroes. Got a problem with that?" Alan nodded at the other boys. "OK, let's move out."
The group had barely begun to move when two more lightning strikes hit the ground, one about a mile in front of them, the second less than a minute later, somewhere behind them. Both strikes caused the dry foliage to burst into flames. As a forest fire began to wrap around the area, Alan took in the sight and said the most exact, thoughtful thing he could manage.
"Oh, shit."
A/N - Told you I would bring in Alan. But will he survive? And how is the Tsunami rescue going? Is Kate ready to strangle Scott yet? More to come... Review! Please... Oh, and The Berkshires, Cascade Falls and Akoroa are all real place. Though I may have played fast and loose with the facts... This is fiction, OK?