Disclaimer - still no own! (Do I really have to say that each time?)

Chapter Five – Loved ones at risk

Alan was scared, but trying not to show it. It had been a dry spring in New England and the woods quickly became a roaring inferno, trapping the boys within the flames. Alan knew they had only one chance. When the team had been told where the hike was to take place, Alan had actually read up on the area. To his surprise, he had discovered a copper mine had been abandoned not far from the hiking trail. It had been built in the mid 1960's but had quickly been mined out. Massachusetts, Alan had mused, was not exactly prime mining territory. As the son of an engineer, he knew the standards for mining based on time periods. A mine of that time, in this terrain, for that mineral would be approximately 150 feet in depth, with adequate air for about two hours. If they could make it to the mine, they should be able to take shelter there.

"OK, there is an abandoned copper mine just over this way. Once we get in there, we should get as far down as we can. Hopefully, within the next ninety minutes, the fire will either burn through this area or be doused by fire control." Alan looked at his teammates; they were scared too, but willing to follow his lead. Even Kyle, while not trusting Alan, had been silent so far. I wonder how long THAT will last, Alan mused.

Coach Michaels looked at Alan and asked the question he had hoped no one would pose. "What happens if we can't leave the mine by then?"

Alan looked bleak. "Let's worry about that in a couple if hours."

It was a grim, but determined group that followed the youngest Tracy over the hill and into a failed economic venture that was now their only hope.

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Scott was sweating, but trying not to show it. He had heard Virgil's report back to John and Jeff. Kate had been shot. No matter how much everyone, even Kate, had tried to assure him that she was fine – it wasn't even as bad as when she had been shot the night they had met – Scott refused to relax. It was his duty as Kate's husband to protect her. But as her field commander, he had to trust her to do her job. In truth, Kate seemed more upset at the death of the man who had shot her, then her actual wound.

What was it Dad had said he had told Alan during the whole Hood crisis? "You can't save everyone. It doesn't matter how hard you try or how brave you are. It doesn't s even matter if it someone you love, someone you would give your life in a second to save, you just can't save everyone." Scott had thought Kate would have understood that after being an FBI Agent. But it often seemed that people had unreasonable expectations for International Rescue. Sometimes even the Thunderbirds themselves believed that they should be able to save everyone. He could only be there for Kate as she absorbed that lesson.

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Brains had made good time getting to Massachusetts. As he drove onto the grounds of Wharton Academy for Boys, he considered himself lucky that he found a parking space so close to Alan and Fermat's dorm. If the graduating seniors had not already left the week before, Brains doubted he would have found parking on the grounds at all! With a bounce in his step at the thought of seeing his son again, Brains began to climb the stairs to the boys' room. He would use the elevator when coming down with their bags, but for now, he liked to try and keep fit.

Making his way down the hall, Brains soon found himself knocking on his son's door. Fermat quickly answered. But the happy anticipation soon soured at the look on Fermat's face. "S-s-son, what's w-w- the matter?"

Fermat had to swallow three times before he could answer. "D-d-dad. I was w-w-watching the vid and they are s-s-saying there is a f-f-ire in the Berkshire Forest near the Cascades. Th-that's where Alan is!" Trying to calm himself, repeating in his head that he was a Thunderbird as well, Fermat looked to his father for inspiration. "M-maybe we sh-should call the Th-Thunderbirds!"

Brains sat on the now empty bed. "C-can't do th-that, F-Fermat. Th-that is why M-Mr. T-Tracy isn't here. Th-there is a Ts-ts... really big wave a-approaching New Z-Zealand. The Th-Thunderbirds are there now!"

Sitting next to his father, Fermat's eyes filled with tears. "B-but Dad, they are s-saying a group of h-hikers from a local sch-school was last tr-tracked to the area. Th-that they may be tr-trapped by the f-fire. A-Alan could die!"

With grim determination, Brains stood up. "Grab your b-bags, son. I k-know Mr. Tracy t-took home most of you b-boys' th-things last week. A-after we t-toss this in the tr-trunk, we are h-heading for the dis-disaster zone. D-don't f-forget, we are Th-Thunderbirds, too!"

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Up on Thunderbird Five, John quietly talked to his father while awaiting the rest of the team. Scott had already landed and was waiting anxiously for Two's arrival. Both men knew Scott would be unable to relax until he saw for himself that Kate would be fine. In the background, muted noise from the speakers were ignored. If anything were to pop up on the monitors, John would know. Just as Jeff confirmed Thunderbird Two's safe return – with Scott racing aboard before the engines were even shut down – John found himself distracted by a news bulletin. As Jeff turned back to the monitor to tell his second son that the team was on their way into the villa, he froze at the sight of John suddenly pale and shaking.

"John? Is something wrong?"

"Dad, didn't you say something about Alan going on a hike today with his track team?"

Jeff looked confused. "Yes, in the Berkshires National Forest, out by the Cascades Waterfalls. Why?"

If anything, John went paler. "Dad, the news is reporting that a group of hikers from a local school are trapped in the middle of a forest fire at that location spawned by lightning."

Frozen, Jeff tried to absorb what he had just learned. Alan was…. No, Alan would be fine. He was sure that there were other hikers in the forest that day…by the Cascades… from a local school… Oh, God, please no. Jeff grabbed his phone and dialed his youngest son's cell number. One ring… two rings… three… a click told Jeff the phone was going to voice mail. .

Jeff barely noticed as his other three earthbound sons entered the room, the oldest carrying his wife, said wife arguing that she was fine, put her down. Looking at the Tracy patriarch, shaking and pale, dialing another number, the Thunderbirds went silent. Scott gently placed his wife on the couch closest to his father's desk and made his way to stand beside Jeff. Gordon and Virgil sat on either side of Kate, Virgil checking Kate's bandaged leg, nodding in approval at Gordon's field dressing.

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In Massachusetts, the Hackenbackers had arrived at the embarking zone for the rescue teams. Mist covered much of everything from the water drops. Brains approached a man who seemed to be in charge. "S-sir, I…"

The fire chief dismissed Brains with a curt "Media, over there. Volunteers, over there. Gawkers, get lost."

Brains tried again. "S-sir, I th-think my em-em, friend's son may be tr-trapped in th-there."

The fire chief raised his eyes to Brain's. "Oh, is that so? Well, we haven't released the name of the school, but I have it here, with a list of the boys' names. Your friend's son?"

"A-Alan Tracy. He was h-hiking with the Wh-Wharton Academy Tr-track team."

Compassion filled the man's eyes at the professor's words. "I'm sorry. Several people have been trying to get that information. We had to be careful." The chief's hand settled on Brain's shoulder. "I hate to tell you, but we have had spotter planes up over the area the boys were last seen in. Got a lot of charred wood, but no trace of them. If they had made it out before hand, they would have come down the path right to this location. It will probably take the dogs to find the remains."

Seeing both Hackenbackers' pale, shocked expressions, the chief swallowed hard. There were times he hated this job.

Brains drew his son into a comforting embrace, unable to verbalize any encouraging words. They had just had it all but confirmed that Alan – the closest thing Fermat had to a brother and practically a second son to Brains – was dead. After all that boy had been through, how could it come to this? Brains pulled out his cell phone. He hated to do this but he had to call Tracy Island. But how could he tell Jeff Tracy that his baby boy was dead? How could he tell the boys that their little brother had died, as their mother had, in a freak accident that no one could prevent or rescue him from quickly enough?

As if he had willed it, Brains' cell phone began to ring; with the odd march Jeff favored sounding through the clearing. The time had come, but Brains still didn't know what to say. With a desperate gulp to swallow the lump that was threatening to choke him, Brains answered the phone. "H-hello?"

A/N Oh, I am evil stopping here, aren't I? but I promise to update soon.