Disclaim - I own nothing, not even this computer as I am posting this one from work.

Chapter 16 – Approaching Storms

John Tracy was monitoring Hurricane Meg carefully. The former tropical storm was pounding the Carolinas after having side swept Florida. Use to tropical storms, the coastal communities had evacuated and while there would be plenty of damage, there was nothing that would require the assistance of the Thunderbirds. John began to run scenarios based on the storm's behavior to day. Frowning, he realized that the most likely scenario was that the storm would continue up the coast, more than likely ending up in the ocean somewhere off New England. While Gordon's remark of the storm hitting Boston was off the mark, it wasn't by far. All the outdoor activities the convention had planned, including a dinner cruise Saturday night in Boston Harbor would probably be cancelled. Alan was sure to be disappointed.

Thinking of his youngest brother, John smiled. Alan sure had changed in the last few years. But then again, the whole family had, between his and Scott's marriages, Jason's birth and his own forthcoming child, and life just throwing curve balls at them. Next year, would see Emily giving birth and Alan and Fermat going to colleges on different coasts. What other changes were awaiting them? John wasn't sure, but he knew they would handle the inevitable changes together.

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On Saturday morning, Alan Tracy woke to wind and rain. Leaving Fermat to sleep, he wandered down to the hotel coffee shop. Breakfast for the convention was scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and it was barely 6:30. Usually Alan was up at this time during the school year, going for a morning run. In fact, he had done that yesterday morning. But the weather today was such that Alan chose to stay inside. Having purchased a cup of hot chocolate and a bagel, Alan sat near the television which was tuned into the Weather Channel. Alan found himself wishing he had his wrist communicator. He would bet anything that John was carefully monitoring the hurricane. While Hurricane Meg was not due to hit Boston directly, the weather in front of the approaching storm was difficult enough. He wondered if anything would crop up that the Thunderbirds would be needed for.

A couple of years ago, after he had been kidnapped at Christmas time, Alan had – after a fashion – decided to get to know the only other blond Tracy better. One thing that they had discovered about each other was that they both were frightened and frustrated by being separated from their family, especially when the team was at risk during a rescue. Alan had admitted that it was the reason why he had pushed for home schooling so much – he had felt that if he was there, he could make sure he didn't lose his family. John was the only member of the family who knew two things: 1) Alan had been more accepting of the distance, though he still suffered from separation anxiety, due to the fact he had been on Tracy Island when the Hood invaded and his family had still nearly died up on Five and 2) the basis for Alan's fear of losing his family was that, contrary to what the rest thought, Alan could remember the avalanche that killed their mother. Alan remembered Lucille tossing him to Scott and John before losing her balance in the tumbling snow. The sight of the white snow covering his mother like a giant wave was imprinted on his mind for all eternity. If his mother could be snatched away so suddenly, how could he be sure if he wasn't there, that any of his remaining family wouldn't disappear as well?

Once more, Alan rubbed his wrists where his watch usually rested. Brains was in the middle of a software upgrade and the watches had been emitting occasional beeping noises. Rather than try to explain the noises, Alan and Fermat had chosen to leave their wrist communicators safely locked up in their room at Wharton's. He could have gone upstairs and gotten his phone but he chose not to. Ignoring the chill that had run down his spine, as well as the rain slamming against the windows of the coffee shop, Alan finished up his hot chocolate, tossed most of the bagel and went to go seek out the hotel gym. There had to be at least a treadmill to run on. Anything to rid himself of the feeling that something dark was approaching, something far worse than a hurricane.

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That night, as Hurricane Meg caused huge waves to rock boats from New York City to Portland, Maine, Alan woke in the night. He could have sworn… No, it must have been a dream. Alan could have sworn he had heard his mother. She had been kneeling beside his bed, urgently whispering to the teenager to get up, he had to save Fermat and the others. While Alan had trouble recalling Lucille Tracy's face without a picture, he had never forgotten the sound of her voice.

Alan looked over at the other bed in the hotel room, Fermat was fast asleep. Silently slipping from his bed, Alan went to pick up his phone and make his way to the bathroom. He could call John or the Island from there without disturbing anyone. Maybe that would rid him of the feeling of impending disaster if he knew everyone was OK

Before he reached the bathroom, Alan could have sworn he heard something from the hallway. Trying to make sure no light from an open door would wake Fermat, Alan eased open the door to the room and leaned into the hall, only to freeze in shock. Smoke choked the air out of the hallway and Alan could see the flames of a fire blazing at the other end. Running back into the room, Alan woke Fermat and then began to pound on doors to awaken the occupants of the other rooms. It was only when he had gotten the last of the teens up – the whole area being rooms of fellow conventioneers – that Alan realized why no one had gone down the stairs to escape the approaching flames. The only way out, a stairwell located next to Alan's room, was locked against regulations. They were trapped twenty stories up, with the flames inching closer every second.

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Jeff Tracy stared in horror at the screen, absorbing what his second son was saying. The alarm that he had set off was bringing Tracys running from every direction, even Brains had come in. "What is it Dad?" Kate asked, entering last, having brought Jason to Onaha before continuing on to the study.

"Hotel fire, the wind and the waves are making it impossible to reach sixteen people trapped on the twentieth floor. The building is located on the water, the rooms face the bay. Local fire and rescue personnel are sweeping the rest of the building. But they are concerned that they won't be able to get to the trapped guests."

"What else do we know John?" Scott asked his brother.

"According to a 911 call from one of the trapped guest, he woke up spotted the smoke and flames, got the rest of the people up and tried to go down the stairwell, only to discover it was locked. He led them into his room, and is using wet towels, sheets and blankets to block the doorway. The water wasn't working in their room, which may explain why the sprinkler system isn't kicking in. He smashed open a window and used the rain to dampen the linens. Unless something changes, they can last about another hour, so we have to hurry." John relayed the info tightly, Emily noted with concern, as the remaining Tracys began to head for their portraits. Jeff was turning over command and control to Brains but was trying to gain the family's attention.

Gordon grinned. "I wanna meet the guest who managed all that. Maybe we oughta recruit him." Virgil's grin faded when John answered "Too late, he already is a Thunderbird."

Jeff looked over the group before answering grimly. "It's Alan. He and Fermat are trapped in their hotel room with fourteen other boys. According to his 911 call, he is estimating they have an hour or less at this point." Jeff strode over to his portrait as it rose and stepped in, giving the voice command, "Thunderbirds are go."

a/n - Alan in jep, family in agnst. Life is good. Thanks to Sam1 for the Beta and Megz for the abuse - I mean use - of her name.