Thunderbirds and the Tracy Boys are the creation of Sylvia and Gerry Anderson and the best programme that was ever made. Mike and Jenna and are of my own making.
Chapter 4
As he closed the phone link, Mike's face was grave. He had just received an urgent call from his good friend Jeff Tracy, whom he hadn't seen since the last medical conference some four months previous. Brain's had attended that conference with Jeff and Mike had come to admire this shy young genius who was intelligent way beyond his years. Mike always jokingly tried to poach Brain's away from Jeff, asking if he would not rather have something challenging and stimulating with which to occupy his mind, unaware of course of Brains' involvement with International Rescue. Brain's always good-naturedly said he was quite happy where he was.
Mike Strachen was an amiable man, good-natured and easygoing. He was around Jeff's age, though taller, well built and, like Jeff, a widower of some years. He had a wry sense of humour, which he found relieved the stress of the work that he did, although he was never insensitive to the pain and grief of the patients he operated on or their relatives. He and his wife never had children so he was always interested to hear about Jeff's sons and would refer affectionately to them, with Jeff, as 'our boys'. So, it was with some sadness that he learned his eldest boy, Scott, was badly hurt; the public version being that it was through a climbing accident.
After hearing all the details from Brain's, Mike told Jeff that Scott was going to need a Bore Procedure to relieve the build-up of pressure in his brain and that, of course, he would come straight away. He also told him Scott was going to need intensive nursing for a while and that he would bring someone with him, someone who, he himself, trusted completely.
"Rosie, would you get Jenna to come up to my office right away, please. She should be finishing her shift right about now," Mike asked his secretary.
"Of Course, Mr Strachen," his secretary replied politely.
Within a short space of time a rather attractive young woman entered Mike's office. Jenna Rollins was 28 and radiated an inner beauty that was born of personal tragedy, enabling her to give compassion and comfort to those she nursed. She, like Mike, was easygoing and had a wry sense of humour; perhaps that's why they got on so well. That, and the fact that she had come to regard him as a surrogate father figure, for he had helped her through some very difficult times over the past years. The hospital and its staff had become like home and family for both of them. Despite her easygoing nature, though, she was totally dedicated to her job. She always seemed to be able to put, both patients and their relatives at their ease, always reassuring them with her soothing manner.
"You wanted to see me, Mike?" she asked curiously as she came into his office.
"Yes Jenna. I know this is a lot to ask and at such short notice," he began cautiously, "but I've just had a call from a good friend of mine. He needs my help and it's going to require intensive nursing afterwards. I need someone I can trust completely, someone who can be discreet and I can think of no better person that you. Are you up for it, Jenna?"
Jenna's curiosity was peaked. "Sounds mysterious," she replied with a quizzical look on her face. "Who's my patient?" She knew it had to be someone very special for Mike to just drop everything and go.
"I'm afraid I can't say, Jen. You're just going to have to trust me on this," Mike answered. "My friend values his privacy, which is why I need you're complete discretion. Jeff and his family lived with the fear of threats from a certain criminal mastermind, who seemed to have it in for the Tracy family and Scott Tracy in particular. The fact that Jeff was wealthy made him an easy target so it was a plausible enough reason. Jeff was afraid that should it be known his eldest son was so seriously ill that this mastermind might somehow find a way to get to him.
"O K," she replied slowly. "Well, can you tell me where we're going? Do I pack for hot or cold," she quipped.
Mike grimaced. "Sorry Jenna, can't tell you that either but all the arrangements have been made," he apologised.
This was getting more mysterious by the minute. Jenna knew Mike would never put her in danger but she joked with him all the same. "Please Mike, just tell me it's legit," she laughed. "I mean we're not talking gangsters or anything or the Mafia," she said in a mock whisper.
Mike laughed out loud. "Good Lord, no. Don't worry, it's perfectly legit, I promise."
"Well, can you at least tell me how long I will be away for?" she inquired, still smiling at Mike's laughter.
He nodded. "That I can tell you." He mused for a second. "I reckon it could be at least a month, maybe longer depending on the circumstances. Is that going to be a problem?" he asked, concerned.
"Now, let me see," she said, lightly. "I'll have to cancel that dinner engagement at the Consulate, delay that exotic cruise and cancel all those concerts I was going to. No Mike, I don't think that will be a problem," she laughed. "My social life is hardly that full that I'd be missed."
"Now you know that's not true," he said more seriously "and besides, whose fault is that." "There's no shortage of young men queuing up to ask you out. You should give some of them a chance, " he offered, with fatherly concern. "You don't need to be alone."
"That's my choice, Mike," Jenna smiled weakly. "Now, how soon do we need to leave?" she asked.
Mike became serious again; with the same grave expression she had seen when she entered his office. "We need to leave right away. You just have time to go down to your locker, get your spare uniforms and whatever other personal items you want. We'll arrange to get your other things sent on later. Meet me down at the entrance to the consultant's car park, there'll be some equipment I need to bring with me," he stated with some urgency.
"All right Mike, I'll be as quick as I can," she promised.
Mike called after her, "Just remember, Jen, be discreet. You can't say where you're going or what you're going to be doing."
"Well, that won't be hard; since I don't know where I'm going," she laughed as she left the office.
A short time later Jenna met up with Mike and preceded to help him load boxes of special equipment into his car and then they were off. They headed out of the city and not long after turning off the highway pulled into some impressive looking security gates. Overhead, a rather imposing sign read: TRACY AEROSPACE.
Jenna had heard, of course, of Jeff Tracy, millionaire philanthropist and head of Tracy Enterprises, who hadn't. She also knew that Jeff Tracy donated money and equipment to the hospital but didn't know that he and Mike were close friends; that was something Mike never bragged about. She began to wonder if her mystery patient was connected to the Tracy family but then thought that perhaps Mr Tracy was just allowing them to use his facilities to get them to wherever they were going. She silently studied Mike's face for any hint of a clue but he gave nothing away and she didn't press him for an answer.
After a brief word with a very stern looking security guard and showing ID they were waved on immediately passed any further security checks. They had obviously been expected, thought Jenna but then that could all just be part of the arrangements. Eventually they arrived at the far end of the complex, at a large hangar; which opened for them upon their arrival. Mike drove in, to be met by a senior technician, who proceeded to help them unload their equipment. "Your ride will be here any minute," he smiled. "I must ask you to put these on before you board," he added, handing them a pair of blindfolds.
Jenna looked at Mike suspiciously and jokingly whispered, "Are you sure this is legit?"
Mike laughed a hearty laugh, "Sure Jen, just trust me." He couldn't blame her really. She had no idea who she was going to nurse, where she was going or how they were going to get there. "Look, here she comes now," he said, looking skywards. Their attention was drawn towards the sleek, silver grey rocket ship as she gracefully descended after firing her landing retros.
"That's International Rescue," Jenna said, stating the obvious, her eyes wide with amazement. "This client of yours must be pretty important, Mike. I didn't think International Rescue ran to doing missions of mercy," she added, seriously.
"He is and they don't," he answered simply. Even Mike didn't realise the irony of the situation that his client was, in actual fact, the pilot of Thunderbird One; being unaware that International Rescue and the Tracy's are one and the same. Jeff had simply told Mike that International Rescue were willing to do him a favour in bringing Mike to the island as it was an emergency.
The clever device that Brain's had given to Alan to disguise his voice worked a treat. It was a simple voice distortion box that Alan strapped round his throat. "If you would now both put on your blindfolds we'll load your equipment, get you both on board and we'll be on our way," Alan ordered in a polite but professional manner. "International Rescue thanks you for your co-operation," he finished.
It certainly was an experience. Once they were in the air they had no idea of the speed they were travelling at so they had no idea where in the world they were; they just felt like it had seemed no time at all from they boarded until they were stepping off, into hot, tropical sunshine. Their pilot didn't speak for the remainder of the journey but they thanked him for the smooth flight, to which he replied, "International Rescue was glad to be of service."
Alan had helped them down and led them to the edge of the runway where Kyrano and Virgil were waiting for them. He gave Virgil a silent nod of greeting and had asked them to keep their blindfolds on until he had unloaded their equipment and taken off. Once Virgil was sure Thunderbird One was about to lift off he told Mike and Jenna they could now remove their blindfolds. They adjusted their eyes in time to see Thunderbird One take off. The plan was that Alan would remain airborne until they had went to the infirmary, which was soundproof, and then he could bring her in to land in her underground silo.
Jenna was immediately struck by the beauty, peace and tranquillity of the place. "You didn't tell me your friend had his own tropical island," she whispered as Kyrano and Virgil stepped forward to greet them. She noticed that Mike greeted this solemn and serious young man warmly, as though he knew him. Beckoning Jenna forward, he introduced her. "Virgil, I'd like you to meet Jenna Rollins." She smiled a warm smile as she held out her hand. "Jenna, this is Virgil Tracy and Kyrano." Virgil nodded his greeting and smiled weakly, only to well aware of why she had to be here. Kyrano bowed politely and Jenna returned his greeting.
"Tracy," she thought to herself. "I should have guessed." She smiled in recognition of the name and Mike, on seeing her, confirmed to her at last that her patient was to be Scott Tracy; eldest son of Jeff Tracy and Virgil's brother.
Picking up the boxes of equipment, Virgil and Kyrano led them towards the villa.
