Jeff Tracy was a very astute businessman. Very astute. He'd built up his father's agriculture into the multibillion, world-renown engineering business it now was.

Being that very, very astute man Jeff had made sure not to return home with his boys but to give them the night to process what he knew Scott would say.

It still meant he left the office to return home with a heavy heart and a stomach full of nerves – something he'd not had since that first night Scott had been born.

The flight home was uneventful, there wasn't even the respite of turbulence to distract him from his thoughts which he would have welcomed. Over and over his mind worked the problem of the contract.

Pieter Van Arkel was an irascible and difficult man at the best of times. Their paths had crossed occasionally and he'd always found the man to be loud and disrespectful of many things.

Jeff only hoped that he'd be able to reason with the man. Some of the clauses in the contract were definitely enough to make him forget the whole deal, even if it meant delaying International Rescue until another suitable metal was found. Brains had been adamant that only Cahelium would do, but if it came down to it…

That small voice in the back of his mind that sounded like his Lucy snarked at him. *"If this was true than why didn't he do that first rather than make their eldest give up his life. Again."*

As Jeff came in to land he mulled over the very valid point raised. Was he so blinded by the need to make sure that no one else would suffer the way his children had suffered simply due to a lack of equipment being able to reach a disaster in time that he was willing to sacrifice Scott's future to fulfil his own dream?

No. Jeff shook his head. No, if International Rescue did start up then the boys would be giving up their futures anyway – the level of tech that Brains was designing would mean secrecy of the highest level and his oldest three boys had already agreed that they would step back from the public eye as much as possible. John had already handed in his notice to NASA, giving them a whole year to train someone up to do his job. Virgil wasn't so much in public knowledge anyway, but Scott, as his eldest and heir as well as international war hero, would still be in the spotlight from time to time. Marriage to Marion Van Arkel would not change that.

He stepped off his jet into the barely lit Kansas morning and took a deep breath. Jeff never tired of coming home, even if the Island was technically 'home' now, and he always stood on the steps of the jet and took in a deep lungful.

And then Jeff choked as he noticed his Ma on the steps.

Her arms were folded and she was frowning.

Oh god.

She knew.

Ma knew before he'd had a chance to speak to her about this.

He was so dead.

Why he thought that his sons wouldn't tell his Ma escaped him for a moment. Now Jeff realised how stupid he'd been. Even if Scott hadn't had said anything his Ma would have known. She always knew when something was off. Jeff secretly thought that Scott and Virgil's freaky mind reading thing came from his Ma, as did the Scooter and Squid senses his first and fourth sons had.

'Ma? Is everything alright?'

'I don't know, Jefferson Grant Tracy. Why don't you tell me?'

He winced at the use of his full name. His Ma was not impressed at all. In hindsight he wondered why he'd not discussed this with her first, but Jeff knew that, deep down, he already knew why. His Ma would not approve. Obviously did not approve.

'Let's talk in the car.'

'Jefferson!'

'Please, Ma.'

'Fine.'

Jeff rolled his eyes at the battered green pickup that was parked in his space and didn't make a comment when his Ma climbed into the driver's seat and set off with a wheelspin Scott would have been proud of.

Nothing was said for quite a while until Sally suddenly spun the wheel and the truck bumped over one of the dirt tracks that led through the wheat fields. They carried on past the large field until they came to a clearing where the four fields met and Sally turned the engine off.

'What the hell, Jefferson?'

'Ma – I…'

Sighing, Jeff's head thumped back against the seat.

'Mom, please. I – I didn't set out to do any of this. You know how important the rescue organisation is to me, to the boys. To Lucy's memory. Brains is a genius, you know that. Those machines he's designed are going to save millions of lives, Ma. But only if we can get the Cahelium. No other metal will do. We've tried, Ma. God knows we have tried, but nothing else will work.'

'But Scott…Van Arkel…'

'Pieter Van Arkel owns the only mine in the whole world that can access Cahelium. Obviously I can't tell him that I only want one of his mines for security, but he has categorially stated that he will not sell any of his mines to me or anyone else. Van Arkel is looking for security for his daughter. The man is broke and in South Africa that is not a good place to be when you are a white rich man, no matter the progress the world has made. He wants a deal. Scott marries his daughter and he will give us the mines as a wedding gift provided they stay in Marion's name.'

'What does Lester say?'

'The contract is valid. There is at least one clause that need to be removed but other than that Van Arkel has an airtight contract as long as Scott and Marion are not pressured into this.'

'And what has Scott said?'

'I'm sure you can imagine his initial reaction, but he came down before he left and said he would do it. Not for me and not for International Rescue, but he'd do it for his Mom. For Lucy.'

'You do not deserve that boy, Jeff.'

'I know, Ma. I know. I wish - *sigh* - I wish there was another way. It's this or scrap International Rescue before we've even begun. I was so sure Van Arkel would sell with his financial issues that I didn't see this option, and wouldn't have guessed it in a million years.'

'Jeff, I'm not going to stand in your way, not if Scott is happy to do this, but you gotta know that your boys are likely never going to forgive you for this. Especially John.'

'Yeah. I guess I deserve that. All I can do is make them as safe as possible. Cahelium will do that.'

'And what of other considerations? Where are they going to live? Are they even going to live together? What will happen when International Rescue is operational? Is Scott going to tell Marion? What happens when the Cahelium runs out?'

'Some of those we still need to thrash out. But I will honour the agreement we make, to make sure Marion is taken care of financially. There's something about a twice-a-year appearance as a couple but apart from that I believe that there is no other requirements. The child clause is one I will definitely not agree to.'

'Wait – the man actually has the audacity to write in a child?'

'He did but Lester says he legally cannot require that and I know Scott will definitely not agree to it either.'

'I don't like it, Jeff. I don't like it at all. I am very worried about what this says to Scott's state of mind that he's already agreed. You need to talk to him. I think you should take him with you when you drop Alan and Gordon off at school.'

'I was going to anyway. We have a small window Van Arkel is insistent that we get this signed so that the wedding can take place "this season", whatever that means.'

'It means you better get Penny on board. You boys are going to need her expertise in this area.'

'I'll call her later when it's past lunch time over there.'

Sally patted her son's hand. She really wanted to reassure him that everything would work out, but she couldn't find it in her heart to do so, and she was sure Jeff realised that this was a distinct possibility. She drove them home in silence with the occasional side glance at her son. He was frowning and pinching his chin as he always did when he was deep in thought. She kept her thoughts to herself – she'd spoken here piece and knew that, if Scott had agreed, the marriage would go ahead regardless.

The sun was just over the horizon when they arrived at the farmhouse, a single shaft of sunlight bathing the side of the house a golden hue. Jeff paused, one foot on the truck and leaning on the window as he took in the view. He never tired of the house, and there was a part of his heart that would always call this home above the island that they were living from part-time now. All the front windows were dark except the one that was Scott's room, and Jeff took a deep breath. Time for another talk with his eldest. One where he made it a little clearer that he had done before that Scott had the right to say no.

Scott, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, looked up when there was a light tap on his door. He'd heard Bessie arrive, heard the front door open and close. He knew who was out there and for possibly the first time ever Scott paused. Only for a moment before sitting up, folding his legs and inviting his father in.

'Son. Is it alright to sit?'

'Yeah, pull up a square of bed, Dad. What can I do for you?'

'I – I want to have a more in-depth talk with you. About the arrangement.'

'No need, Dad. I've made up my mind.'

'Please, Scott. I want you to know that if you want to say no then that would be fine with me. I want to make sure that you know that.'

'I would not be fine. I agreed. We need that Cahelium. It's only a small sacrifice.'

'You're taking this awfully well. I thought that you'd be more…angry with me.'

'You are mistaking me for John, Dad. I understand exactly where you are coming from and what this all means for me.'

Jeff looked at his son. Scott looked calm and composed, and he knew that once Scott made his mind up hardly anything would change it.

'If you're sure. I would like you to come with me to drop Gordon and Alan off. I'm planning on seeing Van Arkel as soon as possible to get this rolling if you are sure.'

'I'm sure. I'll come, but I want John to come too.'

'If you want, sure. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he'll have good insights. Lester is going to meet us tomorrow. I know you're due to fly back to the island tomorrow but I'd like you to stay until we sort everything out.'

'Sure, Dad. That makes sense. I'd like to get this wedding business sorted and the other stuff. Like where am I going to live, where is she going to live. How much of a sham is this marriage going to be.'

Scott got off the bed and left Jeff sitting there in slight shock at his parting comments. He guessed he deserved that. He got off the bed to follow only to find John standing in the doorway.

'John?'

'*Sir.*'

'Please, John. There was no other way.'

'There's always another way. You just took the most direct route. Sacrificing Scott. As usual.'

'John – I…'

'Can it, Dad.'

'Fair enough. I am leaving with Gordon and Alan after breakfast and have asked Scott to come with me. He'd like you to join us. I – I'd like you to join us.'

'Sure, I can delay going back another couple of days. But I want to make sure you know that I'm going for Scott. Not for you. We clear?'

'Crystal, John.'

John moved aside and Jeff left to get his youngest two boys up, pretending not to notice John slipping into Virgil's room where his eldest son no doubt was.

The yells of "Dad!" when Jeff opened the door to Gordon and Alan's room lifted his heart a little.