I love you lot lol, didn't expect so many reviews so thank you so much! ^_^
I have split "Three Days Prior" into two parts, it's got a lot going on and needed the set up. Also I work funny times so don't get a whole lot of chances to write, I thought you'd probably prefer a chapter now rather than a ridiculously long one later.
the-artist-19 Thanks, nope it's not movie verse. The Tracy boys have the same ages as in the movie but there's no Fermat or Tintin, no incident with the Hood either. I like the play on Alan's emotions in the movie but wanted to make it more family oriented. There are a lot of similarities but I think I can justify this being in the TV section rather than movie.
babygirl09 Thanking you! I've got the story planned out so could take a while to get through it all!
Tikatu What a caring, well thought out comment.
thunderincrimson Thanking you =)
peacelovegreen *shiny new update for you*
Silverbeard Hoping you like the continuation of this!
MJ2901 More suspense for you, sorry about that ; )
hbruce Thanks, Thunderbirds is new to me so trying to get the right info in. Lovely to hear so many reviews =)
shadowfox8 *drum roll for next chapter* Really hope this makes sense, great to hear words of advice and encouragement so thank you.
Loopstagirl Scott has to be a favourite character just because he's always on edge, hope to see some more Scott madness soon!
guerrero & bubzchoc &Iniysa Taaaa!
criminally charmed lol loving the nautical themed review ;] I should really get an American dictionary or at least one with "English words not to use", I live in my little English hole filled with English words such as chuffed - sometimes it's hard to get out of! Thanks for the lovely review!
Pixie P. An update the same day as your review, can't get faster than that! x
And so it begins...
Jeff Tracy was currently sat in his main office at Tracy Enterprises, growing tired of working through the in-tray on his desk that had reached an inconceivable height. He'd been working most of the weekend, missing Alan's arrival home on the island and the time he would have liked to have spent with the youngest Tracy son. He knew that very soon he'd be feeling a wrath only Alan could demonstrate all too well.
It had always been hard watching his sons having to leave for school but boarding was really the only option, he didn't have the time for home schooling and frankly he'd never found that kind of thing entirely fair. He sure wasn't going to be the best person at teaching home economics - yes, even the boys school did that. Also being taught from home wouldn't give them the type of life experiences and contact with people that they'd need to be good at in order to become Thunderbirds.
Each of his sons hadn't liked jetting off for months on end and he knew each had felt a certain amount of abandonment for it, he'd never felt so guilty the times he'd sent them away.
When it came to Alan that was a whole new kettle of fish, being the youngest he was really only following in his older brother's footsteps yet he had developed a tough exterior image and had become increasingly despondent to the close kind of relationship the others shared. Almost as though he were afraid to let anyone to close, or perhaps worried about how it would look to the outside world - that seemed a teenage thing to do.
Sighing Jeff grudgingly looked back to the work stacked before him, this didn't help his relationship with the youngest Tracy at all. Work always seems to come first but it was either work to fund International Rescue and their luxurious life on the island or give it all in and go for the quiet life.
It was a difficult call but he'd often questioned his older sons about the decision and was constantly reminded that they were standing firmly by his side no matter what. International Rescue wasn't just for them, it was for the good of the world, at this point quitting wasn't optional.
Tracy Enterprises was a huge organisation responsible for the research and development of flight technology, machinery that was rumoured to have been the equipment the Thunderbirds themselves used, development of designs used for a vast array of things; from the smallest workings of mobile phones to the systems NASA used on the ground and from space.
Owning and directing the Tracy Enterprises name was a difficult job but as with the rescue business, someone had to do it.
Jeff actually loved his job, or rather he had done until the recent problems with a long standing business friend had arisen. It was the kind of thing you just didn't want to deal with at a time where the markets were struggling and the price of the dollar for international trading was fluctuating wildly. When things went wrong they seemed to do so with an epic style.
He'd gotten through a mere handful of forms and papers that required checking, signatures, or redirecting, he glanced at the clock and began organising his desk into a more orderly fashion and running through what he was going to say to the guy that would very shortly be sat in the chair opposite.
Taio Zucco had moved over from Italy to Chicago some twenty years previous, marrying an American woman and having a daughter between them. Taio and his wife had been strong friends of Jeff and his own wife Lucille, as both men owned businesses that were expanding quickly they shared many similarities and both women shared the similarity of being married to men with strong career drives.
The similarities between the couples increased five years after Taio's daughter's birth when the man's wife had tragically been killed by a stray bullet in a jewellery store robbery gone wrong. It was the same year that Jeff had lost Lucy, leaving behind five sons - Alan being only a baby at the time.
They'd retreated into their work, their businesses expanding at an alarming rate and beating the competition ten fold. Whilst Tracy Enterprises designed machinery and parts whilst Taio Zucco's made military products such as guns, assault rifles, new designs requiring his constant attention to keep with demand.
For a good year after the death of their wives the men had no home life. It took Jeff a good wakeup call to see the huge error he was making in retreating away from his family so heavily; a car accident as one of his housekeepers drove his sons home from school - Alan in his car seat having been too young to be at school himself.
Thankfully other than whiplash and his housekeeper having a few stitches to her head, they were all ok. But the phone call he had received and the jolt of fear that had run throughout his body was terrifying, from that moment on he had swore that he would guard his families lives with his own, he would bring them up as a father should and give them all the love his heart could muster. He wouldn't abandon them any longer than he already had. He'd always been a strong believer that if you were given powers or the use of power that could benefit others, than that is what you should do. The Thunderbirds were quick to follow.
Tracy Enterprises continued to grow with his employees taking a more hands on role, he was still pretty full on with the involvement of the business but had work sent back to the island and managed the distribution much more effectively and efficiently. It meant he could spend most of his time on the island, he could run the command and control centre of International Rescue whilst also making sure Tracy Enterprises was running smoothly.
Taio did not make the same choice.
When Jeff Tracy stepped back to take a firm role as a father and family man Taio Zucco had buried his head further in his work, annoyed that Jeff had seemingly given up and spent less and less time working together to discuss expansion and cliental. Angry at America who he'd taken to blaming for the death of his wife.
Taio stopped speaking with Jeff for some years after, the mans increasing temper not standing well with the military and work dissipating to other companies. He turned to less lucrative clients offering to give them a step up in the world - for a price.
He'd been in prison for a year for tax evasion, his anger at the world growing but his business also - cliental getting more and more shady and dubious, moving to New York to be nearer - as he'd put it, Italian accent and all - the family. His business family that was.
Jeff hadn't spoken to the man for years, he kept an eye on his stock's and shares rather sadly as he watched his old friend running himself into the wrong kind of areas, his temper being the headline of many a newspaper along with suspicious dealings and the reprimand for many a colleague and worker.
Zucco had appeared in his life a few months ago with an offer, wanting to work with Jeff's company on a design of a helicopter in return for shares in the company. From what Jeff had ascertained, Taio had been working on the designs for some time and had put a great deal of money into the project. As his business wasn't adapt to building and developing such things he had decided to reacquaint with his old friend to strike up a deal.
Jeff was glad to see the man, glad for the first minute before Taio presented himself to be only a shadow of his former self. He still held that air of over politeness and a posture designers across the world would die for, yet he'd hardened; once such a happy family man now his face seemed to hold a permanent smirk. Cocky with the power his business held and overly confident for the achievement he wished to help gain with the help of Tracy Enterprises. The reason for their re-acquaintance.
Jeff Tracy was a smart man however, his research of businesses throughout much of America and beyond was extensive and their development (or in some cases, failures) were well logged and watched. Being the director of such a large business that held so many peoples jobs in the balance made him feel as though this were his responsibility, if businesses started to crash then the market would suffer meaning somewhere down the line, Tracy Enterprises would. Looking out for just your own had never worked in the world of business, not if you wanted to succeed anyway.
He funded many a project which often turned into businesses, charity projects were also a concern - to the public a man as well known and respected as Jeff Tracy appeared to have money to burn so giving it away never seemed an issue. Giving money away was the easy part but watching where it went and making sure these projects developed was a whole new kettle of fish - it required management and commitment from himself and employees delegated and hired to run such ventures.
It was therefore no surprise that Jeff had kept track of Taio's work, kept track of the dodgy dealing and involvement with the law - always on the wrong side of it. It shouldn't have shocked Taio that Jeff Tracy knew about his dealings with mafia bosses across Italy and New York, how he dealt with gangs and not only financed such men to work for him, but supplied them with weapons and ammunition that they should never have needed.
Hoping to see a turnaround in Taio Zucco was clutching at straws yet one could always hope, and that desperate hope sailed out the window very quickly, the man's first words of conversation after years of silence made up his mind easily. Tracy Enterprises would not be tarnished with such dealings, no matter how lucrative they sounded.
Taio had not stayed to chat, obviously angered by Jeff Tracy's snap decision and downturn of his offer. It came as a slight surprise that Taio had arranged a meeting with Jeff's secretary to speak with him once more yet optimism ran rife in the Tracy family, maybe it had merely been a bad day.
The phone on his desk rang. Pressing down on the flashing button Jeff spoke into the loudspeaker.
"Send him in Judy."
"Yes sir."
As Taio Zucco entered the large office and sat himself in the chair opposite Jeff the man turned his phone off, Jeff had always considered the sign of a strong businessman to be the relationship he had with his phone. Turning it off meant that the man was here for business and did not perceive their meeting to be a short one.
"Jeff." He greeted with a nod, a short handshake shared across the mahogany desk before the man arched his fingers together. "Forgive me for leaving so quickly before, it was very rude."
"Don't worry about it." Jeff had always had an easy going relationship with clients yet this one had changed, he felt almost wary and tired, not happy about the offer he knew would be repeated and again, not happy about having to disappoint someone he still saw as a friend - be it distant.
"I can see that you know why I have come back." Taio continued. "I am in need of services you can offer my company and wish once more to try to strike a deal." He waved a hand in the air to stop Jeff interrupting. "I understand your hesitance yet you do not seem to grasp the lucrative prospects of what I am willing to offer."
"Taio, I'm not going to waste your time with this issue." Glancing down at a picture of his boys on the desk Jeff forced a smile. "We do not participate in such deals no matter what the offer, Tracy Enterprises will not become involved with this. I am sure there are plenty of other companies that would jump at the chance of such an collaboration of minds, it would also be helping them…"
"No!" Taio slapped him hand on the desk before him, eyes closing for a second as he composed himself. "They do not have the experience nor ability to help, it has to be Tracy Enterprises." He glared at Jeff, face reddened slightly. "I understand you have read much information on the dealings we have had in the past, but I value you more of a friend than a business partner and considered that we may put such differences aside for the good of my project."
Jeff sighed. "Taio, we haven't spoken in years. Our friendship has dissolved to next to nothing. I don't know what else to tell you. I know you've been living in New York but as for your family life, nothing. How is your daughter, anyway?"
Taio frowned, deciding to indirectly avoid the question. "It is all well and good discussing family yet we are no nearer to achieving my goal. We must discuss offers."
The man was so impatient and suspicious of the smallest things, Jeff barely recognised him from his former self. Jeff was always all to happy to boast about his own family achievements, how well they were doing and what they were up to. Taio avoided the subject with a sense of abandonment, it was worrying to say the least.
"We're not going to make any deals." Jeff stood and held his hand to the door, walking round the desk and opening it. "I think we're quite done, this isn't going anywhere."
Jeff knew the action could be considered rude and no doubt would be but the man was starting to grate his nerves, if they could no longer discuss life outside of work then there seemed no point in the continuation of their meeting.
Taio growled as he stood, eyes piercing Jeff with a desperate scrutiny.
"I don't think you quite understand the mistake you will be making, Jeff. I shall ask you once more to reconsider."
Staring each other down for a moment felt almost like a lifetime, such a combination of forces could do great and quite possibly, terrible things.
"No. Now I ask you to leave."
Muttering as he went Taio left, phone out of his pocket and switched back on as he vanished from the room, the door slamming loudly as he went. A trait Alan was also very fond of, yet it was on the verge of acceptable when a teenager had taken the action.
Jeff sighed as he sank back into his office chair, glad for the man to be gone and relieved that it had gone fairy smoothly - considering how well Taio Zucco was known for his temper. It was scary how the coin had landed so differently for both men, it scared Jeff to think of what he may have become had he made the same choice as Taio - to put work before everything. Yet family would now always come first, fearing losing them made certain of that.
Looking back down at one of the many photo frames on his desk he smiled to see his sons looking back at him, he was proud of each and every one of them, grateful for whatever Gods had blessed him so.
He checked the time once more, in a few hours he'd been meeting up with Scott, Virgil and Alan who were attending one of the yearly functions for one of his offices down town with him. It was rare to get such a percentage of the family together outside the island so the time would be cherished, that was if Alan had forgiven him by then.
Jeff Tracy smiled and shook his head. Teenagers.
Please R&R, keeps me going at a reasonable pace x
(Not a bribe but if you want you can treat it as such)