Once more I do not own Arrow or Thunderbirds
CHAPTER 31
Oliver had limped over to the giant green craft and been tackled by the large brunette that treated Felicity and Roy earlier. As the man forced his way under Oliver's arm to take his weight he introduced himself and Oliver did the same before he was guided to the med bay.
After struggling for days with his knee he finally felt relief, Virgil had given him a drug, "A special concoction reserved for crew members only." That had taken away the pain completely and he was able to weight bear once more. Now he felt unease Felicity was out there with a madman and he needed to get to finding her.
"Where's John?" He asked the bustling room. Scott was talking to Sara, she had removed her mask and wig when they entered the med bay and introduced herself, and Virgil was checking Laurel over.
Scott looked about the room and Virgil did the same before they looked to each other, there was a very minute nod between them which Oliver noticed before Scott moved to the doorway. "When Virgil is finished he will bring you." He called over his shoulder.
Oliver wanted to argue but he caught Sara's eye and she shook her head and he bit his tongue it was probably a brothers moment they needed.
PAUSE
As soon as John entered 2 he made towards the flight deck, Virgil was walking towards him and before his younger brother could say a word John directed him towards Oliver.
He wanted to be alone, just a few minutes peace for his mind to catch up to reality of what was going on. His feet picked up a faster pace the further he travelled through Thunderbird 2 until he walked into the flight deck. He felt his legs turn to jelly and as he reached out for the wall he slid down it until he reached the floor.
He felt the hot wetness of tears running down his cheeks and realized that his vision was now blurry from the tears waiting to fall. He heart felt as if it was tearing into shredded pieces, the weight of the locket around his neck felt heavy as though it was pulling him down to the ground.
Removing his gloves he unzipped his uniform collar and fished out the locket clutching it in his hand as though it were a buoyancy aid. Yes drowning is exactly how he felt right about now, Felicity had embedded herself into the very fabric of his soul and now it was in jeopardy of crumbling. It frightened him how much he cared for her and he hadn't found the right time to properly tell her so and it could be too late now, who knew how far the Hood might go this time.
John had no idea how long he had been there on the floor falling apart until a heavy weight rested on his shoulder and movement brought his blurry eyes to try to focus on the figure crouching beside him. "Hey John." The soft tones of his oldest brother registered through the haze.
"Scott?" He clarified his voice a quivering mess from his breakdown.
"Yeah its me." He confirmed as he settled himself on his knees and wrapped his arms around his brother. It took a lot to make Scott Tracy, the oldest Tracy brother and field commander of International Rescue, cry but the sight of his first brother sprawled over the floor clutching a silver locket and crying his heart out was move than enough to break the barriers. "We are going to do everything we can to get her back John I swear it." He soothed.
"What if he's crazier than before Scott, if Felicity gets hurt it's my fault. He was willing to kill us last time what will he do to her to get to us or me?" John voiced his fears.
"I don't know John the Hood is another level of crazy but Felicity is smart, brave and she signed up knowing what being an agent could entail. She will get through this and we are going to help her and then take her home. Her last words to me earlier was she wanted to come 'home' John and I don't think she meant her house in Starling." Scott tried to cheer John up.
"Really?" John's body tensed under Scott's arms. Scott relaxed and moved back from his blonde brother and met his face, his eyes were drying up and a far of spark seemed to be surfacing.
He nodded. "Have I ever lied to you?" At John opening his mouth to talk Scott added. "Except about my health, well being and hiding Gordon's pranks. You need to get access to the Arrow's computers and work out how we can find her." Scott let his voice slip into his commander tone and hoped it was the right push to get John back into action.
John felt himself calm back down from the grief and fear he had just been going through, Good old smother brother to the rescue as always. He squared his jaw and set his shoulders determined to find Felicity before the Hood has too long with her to do any irreversible damage. "On it." John acknowledged his brothers order. "And thanks for…" He started to thank his brother but words failed him.
"I know now come on the other's won't be far behind." Scott tapped John once more on the shoulder before raising to his feet and holding out the same hand for John.
John took the offer and let his older brother pull him to his feet. He tucked the locked back inside is uniform and ventured over to the copilots seat to start breaking into the Arrow's computers.
PAUSE
Brains received an alert on the computers, it was the communications program detecting the use of International Rescue on a transmission. He opened up the call, "…precious to you." An oriental sounding voice came through. Brains felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise in warning, that voice was familiar.
"NO DON'T!" a scream came through next and Brains' blood ran cold it sounded just like Felicity.
"Silence." The oriental voice commanded back.
"Never!" The feminine voice cried back.
"You have two minutes to respond before I make sure that your Felicity returns to you very cold and gift wrapped." The laughter at the end cause an involuntary shiver from Brains' he switched screens and opened a comm. line to Jeff.
"M-m-m-m-m J-J-Jeff you r-r-really n-n-need to h-h-hear this." Brains stuttered more severely than normal the situation spooking him.
"Go ahead Brains." Jeff's voice came through immediately.
Brains patched the recording through to Jeff's comm. he started the message from the beginning.
Jeff Tracy was a strong man and he bore the weight of International Rescue and his company on broad shoulders. There was never a problem that couldn't be solved, but right now listening to the Hood's demands and Felicity defending them as she signed up to do he felt torn.
Felicity had come into their lives unexpectedly and left a lasting impression that has grown into her becoming a part of their family. He cared for her as a daughter just like Tin-Tin. Felicity was arguing with the Hood claiming to not give into his demands and Jeff's head agreed with her he would never do as the Hood asked, but his heart worried for her safety he sounded crazier than their last encounter.
In a second he made his decision. "This is International Rescue. We received your message Hood and you must however be mistaken." He hardened his voice making sure the turmoil of emotion he felt did not enter it.
"Ah Jeff Tracy you sound as angry as ever. Surprised to hear from me?" The Hoods voice came across casual this made Jeff bristle.
"What do you want Hood?" Jeff asked keeping everything down to business.
"Well the same as always Jeff, you and your family destroyed and the Thunderbirds in my control. I'm sure that is a reasonable request for the safe return of your space bound son's girlfriend and agent." How had the Hood known who Felicity was? He had been watching more closely than Jeff had ever wanted to imagine. With the destruction the Hood caused before with his brief control of the Thunderbirds Jeff couldn't let him have them again.
"You will never have the Thunderbirds or my family and as for an agent being held captive you must be very much mistaken." Jeff replied he gave a silent prayer to the stars and his wife that he was doing the right thing.
"Now I am sorry to hear that Jeff I hope all of you are there right now listening as I'm sure this will change your mind." A second pause drifted over the line with deafening silence. "Speak." Another pause of silence, Jeff worried and imagined what could have been going on at the other end of the line. He hoped Brains was tracking the call. "SPEAK!" Roared over the line and Jeff felt his heart jump into his mouth.
There was still silence over the line and Jeff bit him lip to prevent him from saying anything he couldn't play into the Hood's games. Then there was a click, it echoed around Jeff's head as he registered what it could be and his blood ran cold. "Say hello to your precious John." A loud bang erupted through the comm. line followed by a high-pitched screaming.
"NO!" Jeff bellowed, by now Gordon had come to stand in front of him and he looked to his father at the outburst. Jeff regained his control and held up a hand to Gordon to wait. "Don't do anything that is an innocent person not involved with either of us." Jeff chose his wording carefully not wanting to upset Gordon just yet.
A faint but assertive instruction came over the comm. "Don't do anything." The pain in Felicity's voice struck Jeff but her determination made him so proud and he stuck to his guns.
"We are NOT going to hand over the Thunderbirds." He reaffirmed to himself, Felicity and the Hood.
"Maybe some more convincing Jeff, I was not exaggerating I will kill her. Hold your breath." The Hood replied angrily.
Jeff wished he could see what was going on, the quiet after the Hood's last words was long and unsettling.
"If you want her alive Jeff you will hand over all of the Thunderbirds to me. I'm sure you have traced this phone signal, be at the location in two hours or I will kill her." The line went dead and Jeff felt his heart rate quicken in panic, there was no word from Felicity after the Hoods threat of killing her, had he done the right thing?
"M-m-m J-J-J" Brains stuttered badly over the come Jeff had forgotten that he had connected the call through to him.
"Brains I'm here. Did you get a location?" Jeff asked.
"Y-y-y, a-a-a, pos-pos-pos." Brains tried to answer.
"Thanks Brains, we will sort this." Jeff replied. "We will rendezvous with Thunderbird 1 and 2 and plan our next move."
"N-n-no l-l-look at y-y-your w-w-watch h-h-he sent a v-v-video." Brains replied sounding stressed and Jeff felt himself go cold.
"Send it through Brains." Jeff ordered. He lowered his eyes from Gordon and raised his left arm up to see his watch face.
The clock face faded away as a video came through, it was Felicity stood behind bars, Jeff noticed blood on her left side and her hands clutching over part of bloodied area.
"Felicity." A shocked cry came from beside him and he raised his eyes to see Gordon standing shoulder-to-shoulder looking at his watch.
"Gordon." Jeff warned.
"It's the Hood isn't it?" Gordon connected the snippets of conversation he had heard from his father and the state he now saw Felicity in.
"Yes." Jeff answered, both he and Gordon returned to the screen. "…Hold your breath." Came from the video and they watched her remain standing there staring blankly at the camera not moving.
It stuck both as odd she was always moving, you never saw her stop, she was like a perpetual motion machine and right now she looked unnatural.
Seconds passed and Felicity started to sway before her eyes slowly slid closed and she collapsed to the floor.
"If you want her alive Jeff you will hand over all of the Thunderbirds to me. I'm sure you have…" Jeff ended the video there he had heard the rest and now it sickened him to realize that poor Felicity was in that state because of them.
He slowly lowered his arm, "Brain's I'm sorry you saw that. I'm calling it on this rescue now will gather everyone together and contact you soon."
"FAB" Brains replied and cut the connection.
"Dad." Gordon said his voice waivered slightly and Jeff looked at him.
"I know son." Jeff replied his brave face slipping slightly.
AN – So thoughts, comments, praise or criticism please, or in short can I have a review before you leave I love Love LOVE em so much 2