Virgil stopped dead in his tracks. Behind him and to his left, Kyrano skidded to a halt as well. They were on a boat of some sort, a small fishing boat. The bridge was raised high above the deck on top of some other sort of room, and he and Kyrano were standing near the bow. He turned to the sultan. "Where are we?"

"Hey, there! Who are you?" a voice called.

They whipped around to find a weathered fisherman heading toward them along the side of the boat. "Remember, he cannot see you," Kyrano whispered. "Hello!" he called out to the fisherman. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you!"

The fisherman advanced slowly. "You're dressed pretty funny," he said, eyeing the gray native Malay tunic Kyrano wore. "How'd you get on my boat?"

"That is...somewhat difficult to explain. Tell me, kind sir, do you have an unconscious man on board? A man you pulled from the ocean?"

His eyes widened. "How the hell would you know about that?"

"You do have him." Kyrano cast a sidelong glance at Virgil. "Where is he?"

"Over there, in the cabin," the captain jerked a thumb behind him.

Virgil jogged across the deck and along the side of the ship, rounding the corner and entering the cabin. He looked down...and there he was. In his uniform, but with no sash or hat. His hair was matted back on his head, and his uniform was quite filthy, but other than that, he saw only one bruise on his cheek. His head twisted as he watched his chest rise and fall slowly.

It was...odd...to be looking at yourself like that. I look so peaceful. To know that all the time you've been somewhere else, you really haven't been anywhere at all. Just lying there like I'm asleep. It made you wonder how much of what you knew was real. Did it all really happen? Lying there, totally unaware that somewhere in a place you never knew existed was a brother you'd never met. It's all starting to fade so fast...so fast. That your father had died saving your brothers. He couldn't even see me. Watching your brother fall to his death, body broken and barely recognizable on the hangar floor. Oh, Scott...

"Virgil." He turned and found Kyrano entering the small cabin.

"It's me," he whispered. "Just look."

"I see that," Kyrano said softly. "I think it is time for you to return, Virgil. Return to your body."

He scrunched up his face. "But...how?"

"The me who is no longer here would know."

Virgil nodded. "What happened to the fisherman?"

"I believe he is in the process of calling the Coast Guard to report a...pirate."

"Pirate?" Virgil nearly laughed out loud. "You? Oh, you have got to be kidding."

"I am not."

Virgil looked down at the arm band he wore. "Hey, what about this thing? What happens to it if I get back into myself?"

"I do not know, but since I cannot touch it, we have little choice but to find out."

"But what do I do?" Virgil asked, staring down at his unmoving form. "How do I get back in?"

"I 'ave the boat h'in question h'in sight, milady."

"Very good, Parker. Have you had any success at raising her?"

"No' yet, milady. It's h'as if she's go' 'er ears turned off h'on purpose."

"I wonder..." Lady Penelope approached and took the seat Parker vacated for her. "Thank you, Parker. Why don't you let me fuss with this a bit?"

"H'If ya don't mind me askin', milady, wot did Mr. Tracy 'ave to say?"

"Well, Parker, he was understandably surprised by our story, and rather sad over the loss of Kyrano. In fact, it has hit him pretty hard, I'm afraid."

"Did you tell 'im about Mister Virgil, then?"

"I did, and he's hopeful, but I can tell it's guarded."

"Makes sense, 'e don't want to get 'is 'opes up, H'I'd bet."

"Right you are, Parker," Lady Penelope said, clicking a dial slightly to the left. "There, let's try this then, shall we?" She leaned in closer to the microphone. "This is Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward calling the fishing vessel Kanoa. I understand you have a passenger aboard that you found in the Pacific. There is a handsome reward if you turn the passenger over to my care as soon as possible. Over."

"Coo, smart as whip, you are, milady."

She smiled demurely. "Thank you, Parker."

"Hello? Lady, uh...what was it? Penelope?"

Penny all-out grinned and winked at Parker. "Yes, this is Lady Penelope."

"This is the Kanoa. Lady, I hate to tell you, but someone else has already come to claim your passenger."

"What?" Penelope grew alarmed. "Who?"

"Don't know. I was just trying the Coast Guard. He looks like a pirate."

"A pirate?" Penny repeated, exchanging glances with her butler.

"You think it's the 'ood, milady?"

"Oh, dear, for poor Virgil's sake, I certainly hope not." She turned back toward the radio. "What did this, em, pirate, look like?"

"Well, he's still in the cabin there. He's got this sort of salt-and-pepper colored hair, but he don't look white, he's darker, and he's got a different look to him, like he's from the Far East or something."

"Hair? It can't be the Hood."

"Unless he's wearing a disguise," Ruth said as she approached the duo. "Don't underestimate him."

"But he's in the other dimension," Brains said from his spot at the helm.

"Perhaps he's found a way back to this one. He is, unfortunately, terribly clever," Penny remarked. Into the microphone she said, "Please, sir, can you tell me what this pirate of yours is doing right now?"

"Hang on, I'll take a look."

Penny, Ruth and Parker exchanged worried glances. "He has to be okay," Ruth said uncertainly. "We can't have found him now only to have that bastard get his hands on him." Penelope placed a comforting hand on her arm.

They all started when a strong and steady voice came from the doorway. "Take me to the boat."

They turned in unison. "Tin-Tin?" Brains nearly squeaked when he took in her appearance. For she seemed to have grown at least five inches and her hair was no longer shiny black, but instead had begun turning gray. Her shoulders seemed broader somehow, and her eyes had changed from their normally sparkling hazel color to something more resembling brown than green.

"Tin-Tin!" Penny cried, at her side in an instant. "What on Earth?"

"Take me to the Kanoa," she said in a voice that sounded like a mix of male and female together.

"Why?" Ruth asked, eyes wide as she moved to stand in front of the younger woman. "Why do you want to go to the Kanoa?"

"Take me," Tin-Tin replied firmly. "Take me or I shall swim."

"All right," Penelope said. "All right, Tin-Tin, calm down. We're on our way there now. Mrs. Tracy, take care of her for me, will you?" Penelope headed back to the radio, eyes darting over to watch as Ruth led Tin-Tin to a chair near the weather station.

"Hello, this is Lady Penelope. Are you still there?"

"Yes, I just got back from having a look. The pirate's still in there, but he's talking to someone."

"Who? Is it to the passenger?"

"I couldn't tell, but from the looks of it, he's nutty as a fruitcake, ma'am. I'd be mighty glad if you took him off my hands along with the guy who's out cold."

"Very well. We shall be coming alongside in no more than twenty minutes. Please do try to keep them on board. It is of extreme importance."

"Will do, Lady. You'd better get here quick, though. I don't trust this wacko. Kanoa out."

Brains approached Penny and the two looked across the bridge at where Tin-Tin sat rigid and unseeing. "What happened to her, Brains?"

"I...I have no idea, ah, Lady Penelope. I-I've never seen anything like it. She's...i-it's like she's morphing into..."

"Into what?"

"Not, ah, what, Penelope. Who."

"All right, then. Morphing into who?"

Brains' large blue eyes looked directly into hers. "Into her father," he breathed before looking back over at Tin-Tin. "Into Kyrano."

"Kyrano! Kyrano, look!"

"What is it?"

"Out the window there! It's...it's Tracy Six!"

"What is a Tracy Six?"

"Our yacht! It's Father! It has to be!"

"They have found you. That is good. However, remember what Radzi said, Virgil. That your body is growing weaker the longer you are out of it."

Virgil eyed him. "And you believed him?"

"I do not know, but it does make sense. If your life force is no longer within your body, it seems logical that the body would eventually die even if it is in good health."

Wouldn't it be ironic to have finally found my way home, only to not be able to live?

"At least we know I'm not dead. I guess I worried a lot for nothing."

"You were not to know for certain."

"That still doesn't tell me how to get back into...me."

"Perhaps...would the Tin-Tin of this dimension know?"

Virgil grinned. "That's a fantastic idea! I'll bet she would! Kyrano's taught her a lot of his ways, I know that much. Stay here. I'll be right back." He looked down at his body once more, then said, "I wish I were with Tin-Tin."

But nothing happened.

"Hey, what...why am I still here?"

"Perhaps because you have returned to your own dimension."

"Shit," Virgil said, turning and walking toward the cabin wall. No one was more surprised than he when instead of walking through it, he bumped right into it. "What in the—what's going on here?"

"I..." Kyrano shook his head. "I do not know."

Virgil looked out the window again. "Come on, Dad. Come on," he whispered, watching as the yacht headed straight for them. Then he turned back to face the sultan. "Kyrano, can...I mean, if this doesn't work, I...please, you must tell them..."

"Tell them what?"

"Tell them about me. About what happened. And...tell Dad about Ben. He needs to know."

"You will be able to tell him yourself."

"You don't know that!" Virgil nearly shouted, whirling on his friend. "I haven't got a fucking clue how to get back into my body! And if Tin-Tin's not there, or if she doesn't know..." He shook his head and turned back to face the windows. "Just promise me, if something happens and I don't make it back...tell them."

"I will, Virgil. I promise."

He nodded. "Thank you."

Just then, the captain entered the cabin. "Hey, mister, you, uh...you know that ship out there?"

"Yes, I do," Kyrano replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, she wants that fella there," he replied, pointing at Virgil's body.

"She? She who?" Virgil asked.

"Who is the 'she' of which you speak?"

"Someone calling themselves...Lady...something...Penelope?"

"Penelope?" Virgil exclaimed. "Penny! Oh, God, yes! It's Penny!"

"Penny?" Kyrano repeated, looking curiously at his invisible companion.

"You know her then, huh?"

"Y-Yes," Kyrano faltered. "I do know her."

"Good. Cuz she's coming here to take charge of you and your friend there. So just sit tight 'til she gets here, okay?"

"Very well," Kyrano nodded.

"Why Penny?"

"What?" Kyrano asked as the captain exited the cabin.

"Why is it Penny calling and not my father?" Virgil looked at him, eyes full of sadness. "Oh, God...it couldn't be..."

"Virgil, I suggest you remain calm. There could be a very simple explanation as to why your father did not place the call to this captain."

"Yeah, there sure could," Virgil replied. "It could be because he's..." His voice trailed off.

Please don't let it be true. The Hood said he wanted to kill him...surely he wouldn't have said that if he were already...gone...

"Dad..."

"We're coming h'up alongside 'er now, milady."

"Thank you, Parker. Please throw a line to the Kanoa."

"Yes, milady."

Penelope started heading off the bridge after Parker, but was stopped by Tin-Tin, who approached and walked right past her, not even sparing her a glance. The young woman looked even older now, her hair flecked salt-and-pepper, her skin becoming wrinkled. She barely looked like Tin-Tin at all anymore. She was even more surprised when Tin-Tin walked across the deck, stood atop the railing and leapt from it to the deck of the Kanoa.

"Strewth!" Parker cried. "'ow you figure that one, then?"

Penelope took his offered hand as she climbed aboard the Kanoa, where the captain had one eye on her and the other on the woman who'd just hopped onto his boat.

"Strange, the whole thing," the captain muttered as he helped Penelope to the deck.

"I do apologize, we seem to have made a rather unseemly entrance," she said, wrinkling her nose a bit at the odor coming from the weathered seaman. She watched as Tin-Tin walked around the side of the boat and disappeared into a cabin below the bridge. "Where are the pirate and the passenger you spoke of?" she asked, palming a pistol hidden in the back of her slacks.

"Right in there, where your girlfriend just went," the captain replied. He watched as the Lady and two men followed the girl. He looked up at the deck of the yacht and found an old woman staring down at him. "Strange indeed. Be glad when they're off my ship."

Virgil looked up as...someone...entered the room. At first, he didn't recognize her. But then her face seemed to change into...

"My God! Tin-Tin?"

"My daughter!" Kyrano cried. "What has happened to you?"

"Father!" she cried, entirely in her own voice. She ran up and gave him a long hug, clinging to him like a small child. "Oh, Father, help me!"

"What can I do, my Tin-Tin? What can I do?"

A sharp gasp, almost sounding like a shriek, came from the cabin door. Virgil and Kyrano looked up to find Lady Penelope, eyes wide as saucers, staring at the sultan. Her face had gone deathly pale, matching those of Parker and Brains, who had entered the room behind her.

"My God!" Penny cried. "Kyrano! How...this isn't possible!"

"I believe I can explain...Lady Penelope, is it?"

"Yes, I'm...wait a moment...you don't know me?"

"No, I do not. And you do not know me."

"Father!" Tin-Tin cried. He looked down at her and found her staring across to the corner of the cabin. Staring right at Virgil. "It's...but..." Tin-Tin looked at the body on the cot, then back up to the corner. "There are two Virgils!"

"Two Virgils?" Brains asked, pushing forward. "Tin-Tin, where? Where is the other Virgil?"

She raised her hand. "There," she whispered.

"My God, Kyrano, she can see me," Virgil breathed. "She can see me!"

"Yes, of course she can. She is my daughter, after all."

"'oo are you talking to, Kyrano?" Parker asked.

"Listen, all of you. I know this will seem difficult to understand or even believe, but Virgil's life may very well depend on it." He tenderly took Tin-Tin's chin and moved her face until their eyes were locked. "My daughter, you are different, and I do not understand why. But I believe you can help him," he said, nodding to the Virgil who stood confused in the far corner.

All at once, Tin-Tin's hazel eyes disappeared into brown. She stood straighter and backed away from him. "I can help him, but I must ask that you return the favor by helping me." Again, her voice sounded like a strange mixture of both hers and her father's.

Virgil moved forward. "Kyrano, what...what's happened to her? She looks like..."

"Like me," Kyrano breathed. "How can I help you, Tin-Tin?"

"You will help me return to my body."

"Your body? What do you mean?"

"My God, it can't be."

"Brains?" Penny turned and looked at the engineer. "What on Earth is going on here?"

"I...I think I understand now. But...we must hurry. Kyrano's been dead a long time. There's no telling when it'll be too late."

"When what will be too late?" Penny asked.

But nobody was paying attention.

Tin-Tin turned to face Virgil. The soul of Virgil. "You must lie down upon your body," she said resolutely. "When the tether appears, you must grasp it and allow it to pull you into yourself. Only then can your body be reunited with your soul."

"That's it? I just have to...lay down there?"

Tin-Tin nodded. "Quickly. Time is short."

Virgil took a deep breath. This was it. For so long he'd been a ghost...an apparition...a shadow of his real self. For so long he hadn't been able to talk to anyone but Kyrano...and hadn't been able to touch anyone or anything. Now here he was about to take a leap of faith he wasn't even sure he had.

"Remember what I told you, Kyrano," he said softly as he approached his body. "Please remember."

"I will," Kyrano replied, smiling. "Safe journey, Virgil Tracy."

"Is 'e talking to Mister Virgil?" Parker asked.

"I think he must be," Penny whispered in wonder. "Unbelievable."

Virgil took a deep breath, then sat down on the edge of the cot. To his surprise, it was solid beneath him. He looked up at Tin-Tin and for a split second, saw her father in her. Then he took one last look at the sultan.

Please let this work. Please don't let me die.

And he laid down upon the cot. Laid down inside of his own body. As Tin-Tin had said, the tether...like a strange, twisting umbilical cord...appeared above him. "Take it!" she cried. "Take it, Virgil! Now!"

He reached up and grabbed the cord firmly with both hands...and suddenly felt like vomiting. His world went black and he felt like he was falling...falling...

I'm dying. Oh, my God, it didn't work! I'm dying!

Jeff grunted as he swung his legs over the side of his hospital bed.

"Hey, you sure you should be trying to get up?" a voice asked. He looked up to find a familiar figure in the doorway.

"Cook, glad to see you're up and about. How's Adi?"

"She'll be all right. I've just come from her room." Ned crossed the distance between them. "You sure you should be getting up?" he repeated.

"Well, hell, a man's got to be able to get to the bathroom."

Ned chuckled. "I guess so. Here, I'll help you."

Jeff looked up. He still didn't entirely trust Cook. "Just get me to my feet. I can make it from there."

"Didn't you have some sort of back surgery?"

"Yes, to repair one of my vertebrae."

"How the hell are you even able to move?"

"Well, it's been a week. Besides, I'm a stubborn sonofabitch. I'm getting out of this bed whether they like it or not."

"I'll buy that," Ned replied as he held out his arm. Jeff took it and used it to haul himself off the bed. "By the face you're making, I'm guessing you're going to need some painkillers when you get done."

"Can't...argue with you..." Jeff grunted as he steadied himself.

"Sure you'll make it?"

Jeff nodded as he began shuffling toward the bathroom.

"Okay, I'll go have the nurse prepare you a cocktail. Be right back. And don't fall!"

He waved Ned away and continued toward the bathroom. "Jesus H., this hurts," he mumbled as Ned left the room. "What a man's got to do to pee. By the time I get there," he groaned as a rather sharp bolt of pain shot through him, "it'll be all down my leg."

Tin-Tin's hands waved slowly over Virgil's body, her mouth moving silently as the others stood by and watched. At last her hands lowered to her sides and she turned to face Kyrano. "Now you must come to the yacht," she said matter-of-factly.

"But...what about...?" Penny started to ask, stopped by a movement from the cot. She pushed forward and knelt next to it. "Virgil?" she breathed.

Brains checked Virgil's carotid. "Strong and steady," he reported. Just then Virgil's head moved to the side and his eyelids began to open. "Virgil!"

The sultan stood beaming and nodding his head. "Good, Virgil," he said softly. "You made it." He turned back to Tin-Tin. "I will go with you now."

The two left, barely noticed by the rest of them as they gathered around the cot. "Virgil," Penelope said, laying a hand on his arm. "Virgil, it's Penelope. Can you hear me?"

"Hey, wot's that on 'is arm?"

"What, Parker?"

"My God!" Brains exclaimed. "It's the device! How did it get on his arm?"

Virgil's eyes blinked open. "Virgil?" Penny repeated. "Virgil, can you hear me?"

He heard voices. And...he felt something...someone...touching his arm.

Touching.

Touching?

His eyes snapped open. The lovely face of Lady Penelope was the first thing he saw, and then Brains to her right and Parker down near the foot of the cot. Slowly he sat up, a smile creeping across his face. "I made it," he said, his voice cracking.

OhmyGodI'maliveI'maliveI'malive!

"I made it!" he crowed. "I'm back!"

Penelope laughed as he reached out and wrapped his arms around her. "Virgil! Oh, I'm ever so glad to see you!"

"Oh, Penny, I...I made it!" he said, reveling in the ability to feel...actually feel her. He pulled away and looked around the cabin. "Kyrano! Where's Kyrano?"

"I..." She turned to look around the cabin. "I don't know."

"H'I believe 'e and Miss Tin-Tin 'ave reboarded the yacht," Parker offered.

"Oh, good heavens, if Mrs. Tracy saw him, she's liable to have gone into cardiac arrest," Penny lamented, rising to her feet. "I must see to her at once."

Brains moved to help Virgil as he swung his legs over the side of the cot. He rose to unsteady feet, grasping Brains' hand tightly.

It's so good to feel again. To feel human flesh.

He smiled at the engineer, who returned the gesture warmly. "Let's get you back o-on board Tracy Six," he said.

"Wait..." Virgil stopped him as Penny and Parker left the cabin.

"What is it?"

"Father. Is he...is he alive?"

"Yes. He is. He's in the hospital. They all are, but they're all going to be o-okay."

"Scott, too?"

Brains nodded. "Scott, too."

"Oh, thank God," Virgil sighed in relief, finally letting go of Brains' hand. "Let's go, Brains. I've had enough of not being myself to last me a lifetime."

The engineer smiled curiously, betting that Virgil had one helluva story to tell.

"I do not understand what I can do," Kyrano said as he stood before his lifeless body...the lifeless body of his counterpart, he reminded himself.

"I am within my daughter," Tin-Tin's strange voice replied. "You must return me to my own."

"But how? You have been dead for some hours, I understand."

"Only you can return me. But you must leave before it is complete."

"Because we cannot be together in the same dimension."

"Yes."

"I...how will I leave?"

"I can help you with that," came a voice from behind them.

Kyrano turned to look and smiled. "Virgil. You have returned."

"I have," Virgil replied. "But I never could have done this without you." Remembering what he had seen a follower do in Kyrano's palace, he knelt before him and took both of his hands in his own. "Sultan," he said and kissed the back of his left hand.

"Only to you, my brave friend," the sultan said softly. "Only to you." Virgil rose, still with Kyrano's hands in his own.

"Whatever it is you have to do, I think Brains and I can get you out of here before it's over, like Tin-Tin said. We went over this arm device," he continued, indicating the arm which still wore it, "and I think I have it down."

The sultan nodded once to him before turning to face his...the other Kyrano's...daughter. "Tin-Tin?"

"Father, you must listen to me. Place one hand upon my chest, the other upon his," she said, nodding to the Kyrano on the sofa. "Repeat the words I speak and I shall transfer back into myself."

"Transfer?" Virgil asked. "You mean...Kyrano's not dead?"

"Only his body," Tin-Tin replied. "He transferred his spirit to me in order to save my life. If he does not return, I shall remain as two trapped in one forever."

Virgil backed away as Brains entered the room. "We'll get you out, Sultan," he said. "I promise you we will."

Kyrano nodded and moved to stand between Tin-Tin and this dimension's Kyrano. As instructed, he laid one hand on her chest, one hand on his. Tin-Tin began to speak in Malay. Kyrano closed his eyes and started to repeat her words.

"Quickly, Brains, I don't know how long we have. I need to open a door back to his dimension. He has to be able to leave or all hell will break loose."

Brains nodded. "Matter and anti-matter, I know. Let's have a-a look at the device."

While the two men worked at figuring out how to re-open the portal, a strange glow suddenly enveloped Tin-Tin. Brains recognized it as the same yellow aura-like glow he'd seen earlier when Kyrano had saved Tin-Tin's life. But he forced himself back to the task at hand. If he and Virgil didn't get that device ready to fire, there was no telling what would happen.

Penelope and Parker entered the room, supporting Ruth between them. Ruth, who looked as though she'd seen several ghosts. They stayed back near the door, not understanding anything that was going on, but unable to tear their eyes from the spectacle before them.

The yellow light flowed from Tin-Tin into the sultan, surrounding his body, before moving down his arm and into their Kyrano's chest. Slowly the light left Tin-Tin completely until she no longer glowed at all, and she backed away from his hand, staggering into Brains. His arms reached out and caught her just in time.

They continued to watch as the light now moved down the sultan's arm, creeping around the dead Kyrano like a blanket. Virgil placed two fingers over two buttons on the device, which was still snugly fitted on his arm, and waited.

"Now!" Tin-Tin suddenly cried, leaping out of Brains' arms and to her feet. "Now, now!"

Virgil sent up a silent prayer and pushed the buttons. A loud whining, whirring noise nearly deafened them as the ball of white light appeared to the right of the sofa.

"Kyrano!" Virgil cried.

He was so deeply entranced, he didn't respond.

"Get him out now, Virgil!" Tin-Tin yelled above the din. "Or they'll both die!"

"Kyrano!" Virgil hollered, reaching out and pushing his shoulder. But the man still did not move.

"Virgil, please!" Tin-Tin pleaded, her eyes wide in horror as the last of the yellow aura slipped from the sultan and into her father. "Please!"

Eyes darting around wildly, he knew he had no choice. He took a few steps back, then ran full-bore, tackling Kyrano and sending them both tumbling into the portal.

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone. The silence was deafening as Ruth tore away from Parker's and Penny's grasps. "No!" she cried, looking around the room helplessly. "He's gone! Virgil!" She looked at Brains and Tin-Tin, who could offer her nothing. "No! Not again! Virgil!"

Kyrano and Virgil sprawled onto the floor. But what floor was it? They rose to their feet and looked around.

"My room. We have returned to the palace," Kyrano said.

"Oh, thank God. I didn't think we were going to get you out of there in time."

"Virgil, before you leave, I am curious as to the device."

"What about it?"

"You say Radzi used it, apparently in both dimensions, to travel from one place to another, but I am not certain I understand how."

Virgil nodded. "Well, Brains told me it was kind of like opening up a tunnel. Gaat had this rigged to open a rip in the fabric of our dimension, pop into yours, and then reopen another portal to enter our dimension again at a point of his choosing."

"Ah, so he would only stay in my dimension long enough to let the first portal close, pinpoint his target and reopen a new portal into yours."

"Yes. It's how he was able to sneak up on Thunderbirds 1 and 2. And your Gaat was doing the same thing from here: using our dimension as a holding place until he reopened a portal into yours."

"So all you are doing is stopping the process halfway. You open a portal to here, leave me and then just return through the same doorway."

"Exactly!" Virgil grinned.

Kyrano smiled, then his countenance turned sad. "I shall have to contact Ben and the others," he said softly. "In my dimension, the Tracys have suffered great losses."

A pang shot through Virgil's chest as he remembered seeing Scott lying on the bottom of One's hangar. He squeezed his eyes closed, willing the image away. But he knew it wouldn't soon be leaving him.

"I believe it is time to say good-bye, Virgil Tracy."

He reopened his eyes, smiling fondly at the king who was now back where he belonged in his royal palace. "I meant what I said before, you know. I couldn't have done this without you. And if what Tin-Tin said was true, you've even brought my Kyrano back to life. We all owe you a great deal."

"Think nothing of it. What good is a king who cannot help those he cares for?" Kyrano said softly.

Virgil approached him, hesitated, then made his decision. He gently enveloped the sultan in a hug. "Thank you."

Kyrano smiled and returned the gesture, briefly wrapping his arms around the larger man. "I am honored to have known you, Virgil. Honored."

"And I, you. Good-bye."

They backed away from one another, and Virgil adjusted a few settings on the device. He looked one last time at the sultan, who bowed as Virgil pointed his arm toward the other side of the room. He pushed two buttons, and the white ball of light appeared. With a quick wave, he turned and ran into it, disappearing from the sultan's dimension...forever.

"Good-bye," Kyrano whispered as the light winked out of existence. "And good luck."

Jeff had finally shuffled back into his bed, greatly relieved, and was working at making himself comfortable when a deafening sound filled his room. He cried out, hands covering his ears, as a brilliant light filled the room.

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone.

Jeff opened his eyes, sparkles dancing before them. He thought he saw someone, and assumed it to be Ned as he lowered his hands. "Cook, did you see that?"

"Dad?"

Jeff's head snapped up at the sound of that voice. His heart welled up in his throat. It can't be.

The figure advanced as Jeff's vision finally returned to normal. He looked up to find a very dirty...very dishevelled...but very alive Virgil standing next to the bed.

"Virgil!" Jeff nearly catapulted out of the bed, completely forgetting the pain he was in. "My God! Son!"

His arms grabbed Virgil in a tight hug and Virgil grinned. "Oh, Dad..." He wrapped his arms around the older man. "You're alive."

"What happened? Virgil, where have you been? And how did you get here?"

Virgil backed away. He just couldn't stop looking at his father's face. Couldn't stop seeing the Jeff who'd been dead on the floor of the helijet. The Jeff that Brains had tried to revive but couldn't. "Dad, I...you have no idea how good it is to see you."

"Virgil? What's happened, son?"

"It...nothing...everything." Virgil eased his father back down onto the bed. "I have so much to tell you."

"Where's Penny? And the yacht?"

"In the Pacific. They found me, and...oh, God, Dad."

"The Pacific? They found you? Then how the hell did you get here?"

"I...I'll tell you, Dad. I promise. But first...what room is Scott in?"

Jeff grinned and shook his head. Figured the first thing Virgil would do is ask for Scott. "Just down the hall in 426."

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

Jeff watched as Virgil exited the room. "I'll be damned."

A sharp jab of pain made that statement feel like a very real possibility. "Dammit, where the hell is Ned with that nurse?"

He barely had a chance to hit the call button before Virgil was racing back into his room, a wild look in his eyes. "Dad! Where's Scott?"

"What? What do you mean, where is he? I told you, he's in 426."

"No! He's not there! The bed hasn't even been slept in!"

"What?"

At that moment, Ned Cook entered with a nurse.

"Where's my son?" Jeff bellowed, pain contorting his face. "Scott Tracy, where is he?"

"He...uh...I'll go check the records," the nurse stammered, thrusting a small cup of pills into Ned's hands.

"Dad, where is he?"

"Hold on, son, she's checking."

"Mr. Tracy? What's wrong?"

"Scott's not in his room!" Virgil answered. "Cook? What're...never mind. Have you seen him? Have you seen Scott?"

"Uh...no, I haven't, but truthfully, I haven't been looking for him."

The nurse rushed back into the room. "Mr. Tracy, sir, according to our records, your son Scott checked himself out."

"What?" Jeff roared. "When?"

"Two days ago, sir. Against medical advice."

"And no one thought to tell me this? I'll have this hospital's neck if something's happened to him!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir, i-it happened in the middle of the night. I-I guess the night duty nurse didn't want to wake you..."

"Where would he have gone?" Ned asked. "I can try to help find him for you."

"I don't know," Jeff breathed. "Virgil?"

"After the Hood, maybe?"

"Not without me, he doesn't!" Ned said hotly.

"But it's a futile search," Virgil said. "The Hood's gone, trapped in the other dimension. He's not here to be found anymore."

"What? Virgil, what the hell are you talking about, other dimension? You're not making any sense!"

Where could he be? Virgil thought, ignoring his father. Scott, where would you go? Back to One's crash site? To try and find me at Two's?

"Virgil, I-I think you should know...Scott thinks you're dead."

"He what? Father, why would he think that?"

"I don't know exactly, he just...he said something about not being able to feel you. And that since he couldn't feel you, it meant you were dead."

"Couldn't feel me? What does...oh. He means...of course he couldn't feel me. I wasn't here!"

"Here? Where, here at the hospital?"

But Virgil ignored his father's question. "Wait a minute," he finally said. "In that dimension, you died," he pointed to his father. "But here, you didn't. And in that dimension, Scott...oh...oh, no."

"What? Virgil, what the—?"

"My God! I know where he is!"

"Where? Where?"

"I have to stop him. I have to stop him!"

With that, Virgil raised his arm and keyed something into the device's number pad.

"Virgil, explain to me what's going on!"

"I can't, Dad. Not right now. Scott's life might depend on it!"

"What the—Virgil!"

Without a word, he pointed his arm across the room and pushed the two buttons that fired the device. Once again, the white ball of light and accompanying noise filled the room, blinding Ned and Jeff, who squinted against its brilliance. Then it disappeared. And with it, so did Virgil.

"Virgil!" Jeff called out, then fell back into the bed, groaning in agony.

"Nurse! Do something!" Ned cried as the nurse rushed toward Jeff, who was now writhing on the bed in pain.

"My sons!" Jeff ground out. "Ned, find them! Find them!"

Nodding, Ned ran out into the hall. But he hadn't a clue where to look.

"Where could he be?" Penelope asked as the yacht moved full-steam across the open Pacific. "I don't understand."

"Lady, ah, Penelope, I-I don't think you need to worry about Virgil. He seems to, ah, have the device well in hand."

"But to have found him and then..." Her voice trailed off as Ruth appeared in the doorway of the bridge. "Mrs. Tracy, how are they?"

Ruth had tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. "I tell you, Penny, I've never seen anything like it in all my born days. Not only is Tin-Tin completely normal, but Kyrano...Penny, he looks like nothing ever happened. In fact, he says he doesn't remember anything about it. Thinks he just fell asleep or something."

Penny laughed in relief. "Thank goodness for that at least. I tell you, once we get Virgil back, I don't think I'm letting any of this lot leave Tracy Island for a good, long while."

"You won't find me arguing with you on that one," Ruth replied. "You know, I overheard something earlier today," she said mischievously.

"You did?" Penny asked, a twinkle in her eye. "And what would that be, pray tell?"

"I heard Tin-Tin and Alan finally say they loved each other."

"No!"

Ruth nodded. "I sure did. And it's about damn time, too. I'm going to die before I ever have a great-grandchild at this rate."

Penny laughed again, then her countenance soured as a thought crossed her mind. "I've tried calling Jeff's room three times, Mrs. Tracy. He's not answering."

"Maybe he's at physical therapy or something?"

"I don't know. I also tried Scott's room, but got nothing there either."

"What about the others?"

"I have not tried them as yet. I shall try again in a few minutes. I'm certain it's nothing untoward." There was a few moments of silence before she spoke again. "Oh, I do hope Virgil finds his way back. And soon."

"Hear, hear," Ruth said, squeezing her hand. "Hear, hear."

Virgil ran out of the large white ball and waited until it disappeared before opening his eyes. He was in Scott's bedroom on Tracy Island, right where he'd aimed for. He looked around and noted with relief that it was the same room he remembered – complete with photos of the family, including the one of the two of them as kids. The one of the blonde woman was no longer on the night stand, and various Air Force certificates as well as his diplomas lined the walls.

He moved through the bedroom into the sitting room, but found it empty. Out into the hall, he made his way to the Lounge. The house was completely silent and mostly dark. A single light from Jeff's desk illuminated the large room, casting unearthly shadows over everything. He looked up at the row of portraits, noting that his own face was up there once more, that he was the one wearing the yellow sash. He smiled until his eyes came to rest on his older brother's portrait.

"Scott?" he called out. "Scott, are you here?"

His eyes moved back to Jeff's desk, then past it to the wall where the two light fixtures hung, innocently taking their place as part of the room's décor. "It couldn't be," he breathed. He was across the room in no time, and placing his back against the wall.

Wait...what if...what if in this dimension I'm the one who startles him?

Virgil kept his arms down at his sides.

What if I'm the one who...who makes him lose his balance?

He moved away from the wall, turning to face it. "Scott? Scott, can you hear me?"

No, of course Scott couldn't hear him, even if he was in there. Like nearly every wall in the villa, this one was completely soundproof. Virgil could yell himself hoarse and Scott would never even have known he was there to begin with.

"But what if I don't go in there and he slips and falls anyway?"

God, Kyrano, where are you when I need you?

He wondered if Scott was wearing his wrist comm. Virgil wasn't, he had no idea what had happened to it. But he could call Scott's watch from the console behind their father's desk. He moved to do so, pressing the button that would open a secure channel.

"This is Virgil calling Scott. Do you read me?"

There was no response.

"Scott, it's me, Virg. Are you there?"

Nothing. He turned and pulled the GPS up on the computer, only then realizing the watch was right there on Jeff's desk. Scott had broken the cardinal rule of International Rescue. He'd taken off his communicator. Not only that...it was off.

Definitely not good.

"Oh, to hell with it!" he said, moving back to the rotating wall. This time, he did reach up and grab the light fixtures.

I just won't say anything. Then he won't be startled.

Praypraypraypraypraypray...

The wall whirled him around and came to a stop. Virgil peered into the dimly lit hangar. Sure enough, there was Scott, leaning against the hangar railing.

With a half-empty tall glass of whiskey in his hand.

His heart seemed to stop beating as Scott moved along the gantry, toward its outer edge where Thunderbird One should have been. It was like deja vu, watching the scene play out before him. Like a movie he'd seen before.

Only it hadn't been a movie. Scott's voice startled him, so much so that he actually jumped.

"I know they haven't found your body, Virg, but...I don't know, it's just..."

Oh, Scott.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Scott was so close to the edge of the walkway. So close. He didn't dare risk it. Silently, he moved forward. He watched as Scott took another swig of whiskey, then held the glass out over the gaping silo chasm.

"Shouldn' be drinkin' so much of this poison," Scott whispered, opening his hand. The glass of whiskey fell through the air silently, until both Virgil and Scott heard it shatter on the concrete and steel below.

"Oh, my God," Virgil breathed. "The glass. Just like before."

Scott turned halfway around, frowning. "Who's'ere?"

Virgil froze. "Scott? Scott, it's me."

"What? Virgil?" he slurred. "Naw, can' be. You're missing."

He shook his head. "No, Scott. I'm here. I'm right here. They found me."

Scott turned to look at him. "I mus' be goin' crazy."

"No, you're not. Scott, trust your eyes and ears. It's me."

Scott backed up a bit. Virgil immediately stopped moving. "Scott, watch it. You're awful close to the edge."

"Yeah, the edge of fuckin' sanity. I'm too fucking drunk, is what it is."

"No, Scott, dammit, stop being so stubborn! It's me!"

Scott swayed slightly. "Virgil?" he slurred.

"Yes!" Virgil cried, moving towards him. "Yes, it's me!"

Scott's eyes widened in disbelief, his face morphing from extremely drunk patient who shouldn't have left the hospital to extremely shocked big brother who couldn't believe his eyes.

Just as he moved, he caught his arm on the railing. Before Virgil knew what was happening, Scott had lost his balance and was teetering precariously on the edge of the gantry. His arms flailed, trying to grasp something solid.

"No!" Virgil cried. "Not again! Scott!"

He ran forward as Scott's fingers barely caught the railing. Sweating and gasping, he hung on with just the tips of his fingers as Virgil neared.

"Virgil," Scott breathed, eyes wide with panic.

Just as Virgil reached him, Scott's fingers lost their grip.

"SCOTT!"

"SCOTT!"

to Part IX: Trepidation >>