Disclaimer: The Thunderbirds belong to other people. And the line from the 3 Doors Down song "Landing in London" that is quoted belongs to the band and is off their CD "Seventeen Days"
I'll use your light to guide the way.
-3 Doors Down "Landing in London"
Chapter Three: Mind Games
After the regroup meeting, John and Alan sat in the command area, each working on tasks that would hopefully lead them to Virgil. It was at the thirty-four hour mark when a call interrupted their work.
"DAD!" Alan yelled.
Jeff raced into the room to find his youngest son looking over John's shoulder. And John was looking at a very familiar face.
"Virgil!" Jeff exclaimed when he saw his middle son's face on the screen.
"Hi Dad," Virgil replied, distantly.
"Everything alright?" Jeff asked, noticing the dazed look to his son's brown eyes.
"Just want to come home," Virgil answered flatly.
"I've triangulated the signal and have your coordinates," John told Virgil. "We'll be there in a few hours."
Virgil nodded and the screen went black.
"What did I miss?" Jeff asked both John and Alan.
"We were looking into those two missing men when he just called," John began.
"The second I saw his face I yelled for you," Alan added.
"You know the rest," John finished.
Scott and Gordon ran into the room seconds later and Jeff quickly updated them. There was no question of who was going…all the Tracys were going on this rescue. Jeff also wanted Brains along while Tin-Tin and Kyrano stayed behind at the villa.
Brains and Jeff flew Thunderbird Two with the four brothers as passengers. They quickly arrived at the coordinates and set down. Brains stayed with the craft while the others exited and began their way to the coordinates. It took them a while to find the place since it was deep in the forest. They found Virgil sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree.
"Virgil?" Jeff said as they approached since Virgil had yet to move.
Virgil slowly lifted his head, then got to his feet. But he didn't take one step toward his family. Jeff noticed that his son wasn't wearing his International Rescue uniform, and that the clothes he was wearing hung rather awkwardly off of his frame. But Jeff wasn't concerned with his son's clothing, he was concerned that Virgil wasn't going over to them. But before he could ask his question, Scott did.
"Is something wrong?" Scott asked.
Virgil nodded slowly. "Terribly wrong."
"What?" Jeff asked anxiously. "What is it?"
"I led you all into a trap," Virgil answered.
And before anyone could say another word, men dressed in black popped out of nowhere. And all that was heard was the sound of guns being cocked.
"Welcome, Jeff," a sinister voice taunted.
"The Hood," Jeff growled.
"I hope you didn't forget about me again," The Hood said, appearing from behind a two of the armed men, and from behind Virgil.
"What's this about?"
"You'll find out soon enough," The Hood answered. Then, addressing his armed men, The Hood commanded, "Tie them up. Tightly."
Virgil was the only one left free. The others were tied to trees, and none could move more than an inch. Although he was untied, Virgil didn't move at all.
"What have you done to my son?" Jeff asked, struggling against his restraints.
The Hood laughed. "I control him now. He was so easy to break."
"Virgil is stronger than that!" Scott spat.
"Look at him, boy," The Hood said. "He doesn't appear strong at all now."
"Virgil!" Jeff called, but his son didn't move to look toward him. "Virgil!"
"Nothing, Jeff, that's all you'll get. I won't allow him to recognize you anymore."
The Hood led Virgil away, leaving the guards behind. The other Tracys just watched Virgil disappear into the woods.
"We've got to do something!" Alan cried, struggling himself.
"What do you have in mind?" Gordon asked.
"I don't know. Something!"
They each tried to get free to no avail. And it wasn't long before The Hood and Virgil returned.
"I'm afraid that I really must be going," The Hood said. "But there is one thing before I leave."
"What?" Jeff asked, dread apparent in his voice.
"Oh, don't be like that, Jeff. You'll be walking about of here. One of your sons, however, won't. So, which one is it, Jeff? Which one dies?"
"None of them!" Jeff shouted.
"Pick one, now."
But Jeff refused to say another word. And The Hood grinned at the father of the Tracy clan. Then The Hood turned his attention to Virgil.
"Virgil, kindly shoot one of these four men. Any one of them, it makes no difference."
Virgil's empty eyes scanned over his four brothers who were now unrecognizable to him. "That one," he finally said.
Jeff looked on in horror as Virgil raised the gun and pulled the trigger.