The Ransom (Part 18)
By Jenny Taylor
"How DARE that Tracy ACCUSE ME of being RESPONSIBLE for his STUPID FATHER'S DEMISE!" One of the world's most wanted criminal snarled angrily as he storms from the medical bay, where his prisoner is bound and held, towards his 'office' in the middle of his ship, while being shadowed by one of his minions.
"That kid will need to learn some manners when he becomes your slave boss." The minion replied with a hint of anger and disgust to Virgil's attitude towards his master.
"Yes…" The villain said slowly and menacingly as he enters his office, still angry at his captive's outburst. "And like I said to him…He'll pay for THAT!" He approaches his desk, walked round to the back and sat down in his black office chair, looking more menacing as he looks up at his minion.
"Bring me the plans of Virgil Tracy's Enhancements from storage files. I'm going to add something extra to those plans that will make him obedient to me and MEONLY! As well as making sure that he'll NEVER see his PRECIOUS family again!" The evil mastermind demanded.
"Right away boss." The minion replied and ran out of the room towards the storage area. The Hood leaned back into his chair, taking deep breaths to calm down as his mind begins plan vengeance towards the helpless Tracy.
"I'll make you pay for insolence, Virgil Tracy. And I'll strike fear into you and in a way that would make you think twice, before you cross my path again, IF you want to live." The villain said menacingly to himself, his voice filled with hatred and anger before the sound of the doors slammed open revealing his minion carrying an old box file marked 'Virgil Tracy's Enhancements' making the villain look up at his approaching 'employee'.
The minion places the box onto his boss's desk. The villain opens the box and withdrew the blue-prints of his captive's 'Enhancements'. He smiles evilly as he reaches for a drawer in his desk, opens it and withdrew a pencil and starts to make some alterations to the stolen and rejected plans, created by Jeff Tracy.
Jaycee double took at Gordon's response, in shock. Did she hear right? Did the fish of the Tracy family call her 'mom'? Scott looked up at Gordon too, frowning as too did Alan but looking at Jaycee instead of his brother with tears forming in the youngest eyes.
Jaycee turned to Scott in confusion, wanting to know if she heard right from what Gordon called her. Scott sighed looking into her eyes. "The Terrible Twosome really missed you… badly, when you disappeared from our lives all those years ago. And so did the others, especially Virgil." He replied sadly looking straight into her eyes, with unshed tears forming in his.
She then looked at Alan and saw him nodding in agreement with his eldest brother and tears are beginning to pour from his baby blue eyes. The doctor looked down towards the water, which they are standing in, in shock, sadness and understanding.
Every single member of the Tracy boys meant a lot to her as she to them, helping them through those dark days of their lives when their mom was taken away by that avalanche and they in-turn helped her from her loneliness, having no parents to look after her at the time and being bullied because of that fact.
The doctor shook her head and sighed before looking up at the Field Commander and the astronaut of International Rescue and the turning to look at the aquanaut, who is busy entertaining and calming down the 10 year old patient, before returning to eldest and youngest of the brothers.
"I missed you guys too," She said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I really do." She took a deep breath to compose herself before returning to the task at hand. "Okay boys. Let's get Joe's left leg straight again and then take him up to the waiting ambulance on the surface. Joe?"
"Y-yes Rescue Girl?" The young boy replied with a hint of pain in his voice.
"We are going to straighten your left leg in a minute, which will be painful. I need you to listen to Gordon and take deep breaths and breathe in this painkilling gas while we're doing it. Can you do that for me?" Dr. Anderson informed him.
"Yes Rescue Girl." Joe replied with a weak smile. Jaycee looked at Gordon who nodded in acknowledgement to the doctor's information and then walked back to Scott and Alan at the rear end of the stretcher.
"Ready boys?" The doctor asked. Alan and Scott replied with a nod. "Okay. Same procedure as before. Let's do it." The determined doctor spoke and resumes her position as she, Scott and Alan starts to straighten Joe's left leg.
This procedure is more delicate this time because Joe is wide awake and the movements would have to be done slowly so that it doesn't aggravate the pain any more than necessary.
After some gasps and cries of pain from Joe, Jaycee, Scott and Alan had finished straightening Joe's legs, strapped them both into the vacuum splints and used the vacuum pump to remove the air in the splints.
While Scott and Alan puts back the equipment they had just used back into the doctor's bag, while Gordon picks up the AED in order for the doctor to place another blanket on her young and cold patient. Joe looks up at his hero, smiling through the pain as she starts to strap him properly in the stretcher.
"Rescue Girl."
"Yes Joe?" The young doctor asked.
"Thank you." The young man replied calmly, weakly and smiling
"Erm…You're welcome I guess…" Jaycee scratches her helmet in confusion and shrugging, until she regained her posture, smiling back at him. "I'm just about to finish strapping you into the stretcher and then these nice 'and silly' men will help me to take you up to the ambulance where your mom will be waiting for you."
"Hey!" Gordon did an angry mock pose as Joe giggled when Jaycee whispered 'silly' making Scott and Alan look up at their fishy brother in confusion.
"What's going on Gordon?" Scott asked feeling annoyed with hands on hips.
"Little Miss Doctor here, has just told Joe that we're 'silly' men." The aquanaut replied cheekily making the hyphen sigh, which it was difficult due to him wearing Virgil's 'Jaws of Life', plus he nearly knocked over the stretcher doing it.
"Fish Brain! Watch what you are doing! You nearly knocked Joe into having another bath!" Jaycee cried out making a mock angry arm fling, which made Joe laugh, Gordon blush with embarrassment, Scott shaking his head and Alan face palming himself.
"Okay children, break it up and let's get Joe back to his mom." Scott smiled as he attempts to break up the situation between his brother and their long-lost friend, or in Virgil's case HIS girlfriend, before it gets even sillier. Gordon and Jaycee both look up at the Field Commander, Gordon pulling an innocent face and Jaycee glared at him with disgust.
"I am really tempted to insult you for calling ME that Speedy, BUT…" The face of disgust then slowly turned into a smirk. "Knowing YOUR reaction to a certain insulting nickname in the past, that would not be a good idea, plus…" She paused for a dramatic effect, her face in a full-on smiling smirk and her arms crossed in front of her chest. "YOUR reaction would make International Rescue look like a circus side show."
Scott was gobsmacked and confused by that remark, while Alan and Gordon tried their hardest not to laugh, because they knew what Jaycee is talking about. Their attempts to stifle their laughter didn't go unnoticed by their eldest brother who turned to them in confusion and determination.
"What are you two laughing about?" He demanded clearly unhappy of the confusing remark. Alan and Gordon took deep breathes to try and contain themselves before they try and attempt to speak, but it was the doctor who spoke.
"Never YOU mind Speedy! You can ask the Blonde Twins later, but right now, let's get Joe back to him mom AND THEN…" She paused as she waits for the trio to calm down as she waits for their attention, her face becoming serious with concern. "Find a way to save Virgil from the Hood."
The boys nodded and responded with a chorus of 'F.A.B.'s, filled with sadness, worry, concern and determination as they turn back towards the full stretcher and back to the task at hand.