FAMILY TIES
by QUILLER
RATED FRT |
|
The ties of
blood can be a strength - but they can also be a weakness.
This story is the third in my sequence of stories that began
with
Aftershock and English Symphony and continues on
immediately after the end of the latter. I have given it a
PG13 rating because of the violence in the last chapter. All
dates and ages are based on Chris Bentley's 'Complete book of
Thunderbirds.' The Hood's knowledge of the Tracy family is
based on the way he is portrayed in the John Theydon novels.
A final
word: I really get a kick out of receiving your reviews -
they're the pay-off for all the work I have put in to a story.
But for the benefit of other readers, please try not to give
the end of this story away when you review it.
1. Brothers
2. Parents
3. Half-Brothers
4. Severing the Ties
1.
Brothers
The
airport arrivals hall was busy, as such places always are,
when Virgil and Amanda finally emerged from Customs, with
Virgil pushing a heavily laden trolley.
"Is
someone coming to meet us?" questioned Amanda.
"Yes,"
replied Virgil, "but I'm not sure who - it depends whether the
guys are out on a call or not."
Then
Virgil heard a familiar voice. "Hey, little brother! Over
here!"
"Scott!"
with a yell that must have been heard the other end of the
hall, Virgil let go of the trolley and dashed over to the
barrier. Amanda saw her fiance being embraced by a taller
edition of himself, with slightly darker hair. She pushed the
trolley towards them, at the same time noticing a beautiful,
dark-skinned girl, several inches taller than herself, who was
standing next to Scott, regarding the brothers with an
affectionate expression.
Virgil let
go of his brother and turned to Amanda. "Amanda, this is my
brother Scott, and his wife Elizabeth. Scott, this is my
fiancee, Amanda."
Scott took
Amanda's hand. "So you're the one brave enough to take on my
kid brother are you? Do you really know what you're letting
yourself in for?"
She smiled
at him. "Well, maybe during my visit you can tell me what I
need to know."
"Yes, and
if he can't think of anything, I'm sure he can make it up"
said Virgil, grinning.
Amanda
found herself being led towards a sleek executive jet, where
the boys quickly stowed the luggage in the hold. As the group
boarded the plane. Scott turned towards the cockpit and Virgil
glanced after him, then looked back towards Amanda,
hesitating. She smiled at him. "You can't wait to get your
hands on the controls of a plane, can you? Go on then."
"You don't
mind?"
She shook
her head, smiling. "No, it will give Elizabeth and I the
chance for a chat."
Soon the
plane was in the air and heading for Tracy Island. Amanda
turned to her companion. "So what's it like, being married to
International Rescue?"
Elizabeth
gave her an appraising glance. "Sister, that's exactly what
it's like! With these boys it's family first, the organisation
second, and partners third." She glanced towards the door of
the cockpit and smiled to herself. "Not that I'm complaining,
mind you. Coming third with a man like Scott beats coming
first with many men I've known. These boys have a zest for
life that is infectious - it's as if their work makes them
appreciate that life is so precious that you don't waste a
minute of it. Things are certainly never dull on Tracy
island!"
"Yes."
replied Amanda, "I know what you mean. Watching Virgil recover
from his injuries was like watching someone coming awake after
a long sleep."
"You
certainly did a good job with him there. We were all really
worried about him - especially Scott. Those two are very
close. Don't let their teasing fool you - they can be fiercely
protective when needed. Their grandmother and I both protested
when Jeff sent Virgil to England - it seemed a very unfeeling
thing to do, even if it was done with the best of intentions.
But Jeff's word is law on the island and the boys never think
of questioning it."
Amanda
smiled. "Well, from my point of view, I'm glad he did."
Just then
the door of the cockpit opened. Scott emerged and approached
Amanda. "We're coming up on the island now, and as my little
brother assures me he still remembers how to land a plane, I
thought you might like to sit in the cockpit so you can get
the best view."
Amanda
entered the cockpit and sat down in the empty seat. She looked
out over a brilliant blue sea to a small, craggy island in the
distance.
Virgil
spoke into the radio. "This is Tracy Flier One requesting
clearance to land."
A gruff
voice answered. "Tracy Island to TF One. Permission granted.
Welcome home, son."
"Thanks,
Dad. It's good to be back. See you in a few minutes. TF One
out."
As the
aircraft came in over the island, Amanda had a quick view of
sandy beaches, the blue of a swimming pool, and a modern
looking house nestling against a cliff wall, as Virgil lined
them up on a runway that ran from the edge of the sea to end
against a cliff wall. She supposed that on a small island the
siting of a runway must have been fairly restricted. but was
relieved when the small craft came to a halt well short of
such a forbidding barrier. She pointed to a hangar to one side
of the runway. "Is that where you keep your Thunderbird
machines?" she asked.
Virgil
smiled, "No, they're all hidden away. That's the 'public'
hangar, where we keep our ordinary planes, like this one."
As they
made their way to the main cabin, Elizabeth was looking out of
the window. "Looks like your brothers are here to welcome you
home, Virgil."
"No," said
Virgil, grinning, "they've just come to give you a hand with
your shopping."
She
punched his arm. "Virgil, that's unfair!" She turned to Amanda
to explain. "When I first arrived here I'd lost all my
belongings, so I had to buy a lot of new stuff, and these two
will never let me forget it!"
As Scott
opened the door, Virgil looked down at the group waiting
below. "Hey, John's still here! I thought he was due up on the
station last week."
"Alan said
he could stay a few days longer as you were due home. I think
he wanted to meet Amanda. We're taking him back tomorrow
morning." Scott gave his brother a push. "Go on, you go
first."
As Virgil
reached the bottom of the steps, a slim, dark figure rushed
forwards, calling his name. Virgil picked her up and whirled
her round. "Tin Tin! So you've forgiven me for snapping at you
then, honey?"
"Of course
I have, silly! I'd forgiven you that before you left home."
Virgil was
suddenly conscious that Amanda was standing just behind him.
He put Tin Tin down and turned. "Amanda, this is Tin Tin
Kyrano. Tin Tin, this is Amanda."
The girls
shook hands, then Tin Tin said "Are you really Annabelle Lee?
I must have read all your books! I've been so looking forward
to meeting you." and any unease Amanda might have felt towards
this petite girl quickly evaporated.
Virgil
felt himself being grabbed from behind. "Don't brothers get
introduced as well?" said Gordon's voice. Virgil then found
himself enveloped in a hug on both sides.
"Hey!" he
protested, laughing, " I've just finished recovering from a
set of cracked ribs - I don't need any more!" He turned
towards Amanda, one arm still round each brother. "Amanda,
this funny looking one is my kid brother, Gordon, and the one
that looks like a pop-star is my big brother John."
After
greetings had been exchanged, Scott said "Why don't you two
head up towards the house - we'll bring the luggage up later."
Virgil and
Amanda left the other boys loading their luggage into the back
of a small electric cart and walked back down the runway and
around the base of the mountain that formed the centre of the
island. They passed a swimming pool and climbed a curving
flight of steps towards a modern house that stood with one
side against the rock wall.
At the top
of the stairs a grey-haired man who bore a resemblance to both
Scott and Virgil held out his hand. "Welcome to my home, Lady
Amanda. I'm Jeff Tracy."
Amanda
shook the offered hand. "Just 'Amanda', please Mr Tracy. I
don't use my title" she said, smiling.
"Fine,
Amanda it is, then. But you must call me Jeff."
An older
woman stepped forward. "And I'm Jeff's mother, but please call
me Grandma - everyone else does."
An older
man with oriental features bowed low, his hands folded
together. "My name is Kyrano. You may have already met my
daughter at the landing strip. I will be serving refreshments
shortly. Would you prefer coffee, Indian or Earl Grey tea?"
"Earl Grey
would be lovely, thank you."
Virgil
took Amanda by the hand. "Now you've met everyone here,
there's someone else I want you to see. Come with me while the
boys are still bringing the luggage." He led Amanda along a
corridor and down some stairs, then pushed open a door. The
room was chaotic - half built, or half dismantled pieces of
equipment piled up on benches, chairs and in corners. In the
centre of the room stood a young man wearing thick,
blue-rimmed glasses with a distracted expression. He looked
up. "Ah, V-virgil, you haven't s-seen my v-voltmeter have
you?"
Virgil
looked at him "You've got it clipped to your waist, Brains."
Brains
looked down and unclipped the instrument.
"Brains,"
said Virgil, "this is Amanda. She's here on a visit."
"Oh, er,
hallo, er, miss" said Brains, then looked at Virgil again. "I
just can't seem to get this circuit right. It keeps shorting
out on me."
Virgil
grinned. "I'll be back to give you a hand later. I'm just
taking Amanda down to the hangar." He led Amanda through to
another, even untidier, room, and pressed a concealed switch.
A bookcase swung away from the wall to reveal a passageway.
From the look of the walls, Amanda guessed they were now
walking through the natural rock of the hillside.
She turned
to Virgil. "Was that who you wanted me to meet? He didn't seem
very pleased to see you."
Virgil
laughed, "No, Brains is a genius, and without him
International Rescue wouldn't exist, but when he's working on
a new project he's not always on the same planet as the rest
of us. He probably doesn't even remember I've been away. No,"
he said, as he pushed open a door at the end of the corridor,
"this was what I wanted to show you. Hold on while I get the
lights."
He pulled
a switch and Amanda gasped. She found herself standing on a
balcony in a vast cavern. Below her, a huge, green craft stood
on stilts, its tail nearest to her and its nose towards a
large metal door. The craft's centre was hollowed out, and a
series of containers that looked as if they would fit in the
empty section, stretched away to her right.
"Thunderbird 2!" exclaimed Virgil. "Isn't she a beauty?"
"You fly
that?" said Amanda. "It's enormous!"
"Yes" said
Virgil, "she's the largest, fastest thing in the sky after
Thunderbird 1. Scott is faster but my baby has to carry all
the equipment. The rescue can't start till we get there!"
Amanda
smiled at the pride evident in his voice, then looked around
the cavern. "This place is huge. Is it a natural formation?"
Virgil
shook his head, "No, it's part natural, created by an air
pocket in the magma chamber of the volcano that formed this
island. The rest was carved out by the American government.
This whole island used to be a base for Strategic Air Command
in the twentieth century 'Cold war'. This hangar once housed a
fleet of bombers, and Thunderbirds 1 and 3 are in old missile
silos. The whole place was abandoned at the end of the last
century, then Dad got to hear about it when he was planning
International Rescue and bought it. I think he quite likes the
irony of something that was created to threaten life now being
used to save it."
Just then
they heard footsteps in the corridor and turned as Gordon came
out onto the balcony. "There you are! I told the others you'd
be showing Amanda the other lady in your life!" He looked over
the balcony at the mighty craft. "Well, you can see for
yourself, bro, I've been looking after her for you. Not a
scratch on her."
"And no
whoopee cushions on the seat?" said Virgil, suspiciously.
Gordon
held up his hand, "Brother's honour. I did think of tying a
big bow round her nose to welcome you home, but Tin Tin didn't
have enough hair-ribbons." He grinned at Virgil, then looked
serious. "I'll go over the maintenance schedules with you
later, and then I can get back to where I belong - underwater!
Right, come on, tea's ready upstairs, and if we don't hurry,
Scott will have grabbed all the cakes!"
After tea,
Virgil spent the rest of the afternoon giving Amanda a tour of
the house and island. Dusk was falling as they returned along
the beach. There seemed to be a lot of activity down by the
pool, and a tantalising smell of cooking hung in the air. "We
were wondering when you two would turn up," said Gordon,
grinning. "We'd decided to celebrate your homecoming with a
barbecue, but thought we might have to start without you."
Brains
looked up from his chair. "Virgil! You're back!"
Virgil
smiled, "Yes, Brains, I got back this afternoon. This is my
fiancee, Amanda. She'll be staying with us for a couple of
weeks." Brains shook Amanda's hand, but seemed to have no
recollection of their previous meeting.
Amanda
found herself eating a delicious meal, sitting next to Virgil
in a swing chair and watching the stars come out above her.
'Yes', she thought, 'I could definitely get to like this
lifestyle'.
After
supper, Tin Tin showed her to the poolside wash-room, so she
could clean up. As she emerged she could hear the strains of
Gershwin's 'Summertime' echoing across the pool. She looked
round to see where it was coming from and realised Gordon was
playing a harmonica. As she sat back down next to Virgil the
tune finished and she applauded. "That was beautiful, Gordon -
have you been playing long?"
"Nearly
ten years now. I like the sound of the harmonica. Besides," he
gave a sly grin towards Virgil, "it's easier to fit in a
submarine than a grand piano!"
Hearing
footsteps, Amanda turned to see Scott, who had been taking
some of the dirty dishes up to the house, returning. To her
surprise he was carrying a guitar. "Are you all musical?" she
asked.
"Well,"
said Virgil with a grin, "all but Gordon, anyway."
A cushion
came flying across the terrace. Virgil caught it and with a
flick of his wrist sent it spinning back towards Gordon.
Amanda blinked. She was still not used to the interactions
between these Tracy men. Their grandmother, however, was not
so impressed. "Boys!" she said sharply. "Remember we have a
guest!"
"Sorry,
Grandma," chorused Virgil and Gordon, then Virgil leaned back,
stretching luxuriously, "Oh, but I've missed all this!"
"What?"
queried Gordon, "having cushions thrown at you? You should
have said - we could have flown over Lady Penelope's place and
dropped a whole pod-load on you!"
As the
laughter died down, Scott started to play his guitar. Amanda
recognised the tune 'Cavatina'. When he finished, she noticed
Elizabeth reach up and stroke the back of his neck. In return
he turned his head and kissed her hand. It seemed to be a very
intimate gesture, but nobody else seemed to notice.
She looked
at the stars above her and turned to Virgil. "Can you see your
space station from here?"
Virgil
shook his head, "No, it's specially painted so it doesn't show
up, but John can show you where it is."
John came
over and knelt beside their chair. "You see that palm tree
down on the beach?" he said, pointing. "And just to the right
of it, a group of stars in a triangle? Thunderbird 5 is just
below the bottom corner of the triangle."
She looked
at this quiet young man, so different from his brothers.
"Don't you get lonely up there for weeks on end?"
He shook
his head. "Not when I have the whole world to listen to. I can
hear or watch any tv or radio programme in the world, and of
course there are always the stars to look at. I never tire of
that."
Scott
waited until John had resumed his seat, then looked across at
Gordon. "You ready for this?" and started playing a series of
chords on his guitar. Gordon responded with the melody, and
the Beatles song 'And I love her' drifted out into the night.
When the
music finished, Jeff spoke. "John, Scott, don't forget you've
got an early start in the morning." He turned to Virgil. "You
can sleep in and get over your jet-lag. You'll take back
officially from Gordon tomorrow afternoon."
"F.A.B.
Dad," they responded, and most of the party stood up, calling
their 'goodnights' as they made their way up the stairs to the
house.
Virgil
turned to Amanda. "So, do you think you'd like to live here
with us?"
"Virgil,
this is paradise!" She paused, "Mind you, I was a bit worried
when I saw Tin Tin greet you this afternoon. I'm glad you had
told me she was Alan's girlfriend, or I might have thought I
had a rival there!"
Virgil
looked at her earnestly. "To be honest, I was in love with her
at one time, but then she was the only female apart from
Grandma within a 500 mile radius. Not that it would have done
me any good - she's never looked at anyone but Alan."
"So you
don't love her now?"
"Oh, we
all love her." said Virgil, with the air of someone stating
the obvious. "There isn't one of us who wouldn't crawl through
fire for her." he paused, glancing at Amanda "and why are you
looking at me like that?"
"Sorry",
said Amanda, shaking her head and smiling, "I was just
reminding myself that when you say something like that you
might not be talking metaphorically!"
"So you're
not jealous of Tin Tin?"
"No" she
said, with a smile, "from the way you've been talking today I
think I've got more reason to be jealous of Thunderbird 2!"
Laughing
and holding hands, they made their way up the stairs to the
house.
2. Parents
The
following morning, Amanda was woken by a roar. "What's that
noise?"
Virgil
glanced at his watch. "That'll be Scott and Alan returning
home. Sounds like our cue to get up."
By the
time Amanda had dressed and found her way to the kitchen, she
entered to see a blond figure with his head inside the fridge.
"Good morning!" she said in a cheerful voice, causing the
figure to stand up suddenly - too suddenly, it seemed, as he
banged his head on the roof of the fridge.
He turned,
rubbing his head. "Good morning" he replied, smiling at the
pretty girl standing before him and extending his hand, "we
haven't met. I'm Alan."
"Hey, Alan is that you in there?" called Virgil, entering the
kitchen. The two brothers embraced.
"Virgil,
you're looking a heck of a lot better than last time I saw
you! I bet you didn't get that tan in England." He turned to
Amanda. "I was just admiring this beautiful 'English Rose'
you've brought back with you - yes, definitely worth breaking
a leg for." He grinned at Amanda and winked.
"Amanda,
don't believe anything this one tells you," said Virgil,
grinning to show that he was joking.
"It's all
right, I'm starting to get used to you Tracys en masse!" she
replied.
Just then
Gordon entered the room. "Hi, there, Virg. I see you managed
to get out of bed at last!" he smirked, then paused, "I'm
taking the catamaran out this afternoon to see some friends of
mine. Would you and Amanda like to come?"
"They're
back again, are they?" asked Virgil.
"Yes, Alan
picked up their signals this morning. We're setting off about
2pm. You're welcome to come"
Virgil
turned to Amanda. "Fancy a sea trip?"
"Sounds
fun!"
So later
that day Amanda found herself accompanying the other Tracy
brothers and their partners down to the boathouse. To her
surprise, Alan and Tin Tin dropped their load of swimming gear
outside the boathouse, and continue along the path, waving as
the others called their goodbyes.
"Aren't
they coming too?" she asked.
"No," said
Virgil, smiling after the receding figures, "they've got a bit
of catching up to do. This is only a small island, and
sometimes it's hard to get any privacy. We just give them some
time to themselves."
As they
entered the boathouse, Amanda was impressed by the range of
craft inside. There seemed to be everything from the
ocean-going yacht that she supposed no self-respecting
millionaire could do without, to speedboats, kayaks,
surfboards and jet-skis. Gordon, however was stowing the gear
aboard a sleek catamaran, and issuing orders that his brothers
jumped to obey.
Once out
in open water the boat sped along under sail "We only use the
engine if an emergency call comes in and we have to get back
in a hurry" explained Virgil, when Amanda asked.
They had
been sailing about half an hour, when Gordon, standing in the
bows, called out "There they are!" and pointed.
Amanda
looked, but couldn't see another boat. Then she saw a grey
body arching out of the water. "Gordon's 'friends' are
dolphins?"
"Yes, he's
been studying them for over ten years now. Some of them are
tagged and we can track them from Thunderbird 5. He's given
them all names, and knows who is related to who."
Gordon
peeled off his sweatshirt, and with a cry of "See you in a
minute, guys!" made a swift dive off the bow.
Amanda
watched the way his body cut through the water. "He's a good
swimmer."
"Yes,"
said Virgil, dryly, "that's probably why he's got an Olympic
gold medal for it hanging on his bedroom wall."
Amanda
looked at her fiancé. "Are you having me on?"
Virgil
shook his head, "No, don't you remember the stories in the
papers about 'Coppertop' Tracy at the '64 Olympics?"
"That name
rings a bell. Didn't he survive some terrible accident and go
on to win his medal?"
Scott
looked at his brother. "Looks like John was right to get us to
drop that name."
While they
were talking the boys had been reefing the sails, dropping
anchor, and lowering a diving platform from the stern, while
Amanda watched Gordon cavorting with his friends in the
distance. "So," she said with a smile. "lets see if I've got
this straight. Gordon's best friend is a dolphin, and Virgil's
is a big, green aeroplane. Are there any other 'best friends'
I need to know about?"
"Well,"
said Virgil, "Alan's got a pet alligator - but it's not
exactly friendly."
She gave
him a withering look. "Now I know you're kidding!"
"No,
honest!" he protested. "It's only a little one." He held his
hands about three feet apart to illustrate. "It lives in a pen
in the garden. If you ask him nicely, he'll introduce you."
By now
Gordon and his 'friends' had swum alongside the boat. "Aren't
you coming in, folks?" he called up to them.
The group
entered the water, to be met by sleek, grey bodies that slid
around them in welcome. "They always seem pleased to see us"
commented Scott, stroking the back of the creature that swam
past him.
"They'll
even take you for a ride if you want" said Virgil to Amanda.
"Yes," put
in Scott, "sometimes we can get a couple of them to pull two
of us along at once. They seem to enjoy the race as much as we
do."
"Here,"
said Gordon, "I'll show you." He patted the water a couple of
times with the palm of his hand, then held his hand curved
just above the surface. A grey shape shot up from below and
towed him away across the waves.
"That
looks fun" said Amanda.
"Yes, it's
great fun," added Elizabeth, "though if it's one of the
younger ones it can be a bit rough - a bit like being on a
very wet roller-coaster." She copied Gordon's movements and
another slim form appeared and yanked her away. However they
had only travelled a few yards when another, larger dolphin
cut across their path, forcing them to stop abruptly.
Elizabeth disappeared beneath the waves and came up
spluttering.
"What on
earth..?" she said, spitting out water.
"They've
never done that before," said Scott, looking puzzled.
Just then
Gordon returned and looked at the confused expressions.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"We're not
sure," answered Scott. "That dolphin was just taking Elizabeth
for a ride when this one stopped it, but we don't know why.
Any ideas?"
Gordon
looked at the two dolphins. "The smaller one is Frisbee - he's
one of the young males - a teenager in dolphin terms. The
larger one is Martha. She's one of the matriarchs who look
after the pod, keep an eye on the calves, that sort of thing."
He broke off, a small smile forming, and turned to Scott. "See
if she'll let you ride with him."
Scott
signalled and this time the larger dolphin made no move as the
smaller one towed him across the waves. Gordon then turned to
Elizabeth. "Now you signal to Martha." Elizabeth did as
instructed and the large dolphin towed her very slowly round
in a circle and back to Gordon, then circled around Elizabeth,
making clicking sounds. Gordon turned to Elizabeth, the grin
on his face nearly as wide as the dolphin's. "Elizabeth,
you're not pregnant, are you?"
By now
Scott was swimming back towards them. "Have you found out what
happened?"
Elizabeth
turned to him. "Gordon says the dolphin thinks I'm pregnant,"
she said, indignantly.
"Well, are
you?"
Elizabeth
blushed. "I don't know, I might be. How would they know,
anyway?"
Gordon
grinned. "The sonar they use for echo-location can see right
through our bodies. When I came back after my hydrofoil
accident they examined me all over - they could see where all
the breaks had been in my limbs. That was the first time I had
got really close to them. I think they knew I had been hurt
and somehow wanted to help."
Scott swam
over to Elizabeth and whispered in her ear. She smiled and
gave him a hug.
"I don't
suppose we've got any pregnancy testing kits in sick-bay, have
we?" he said with a smile.
"No," said
Virgil, grinning. "It's not something we've ever needed
before."
"In that
case," said Scott, still looking at Elizabeth and smiling, "I
think we'll be taking a quick trip to the mainland tomorrow.
Alan can cover for me until I get back. No one will be too
surprised if I say Elizabeth wants to do some more shopping.
Ow!" he finished as she punched him on the arm.
Elizabeth
looked a the faces in front of her. "Look, guys," she said,
hesitating, "this is a bit personal..."
"OK," said
Virgil, "we won't spill the beans. We'll wait 'til we've been
'officially' informed, rather than by dolphin."
"I
suppose" said Gordon, with a grin, "that's what you'd call
'sea-mail'"
"Gordon!"
exclaimed his brothers, wincing at the joke.
As Scott
gave his wife another embrace, Gordon whispered to Virgil,
"I've just thought, you know how over-protective Scott can be
as a big brother. Can you imagine what he's going to be like
as a father?"
The
following evening Jeff stood on the balcony watching the
sunset. He heard someone come out and turned to see his mother
standing beside him.
"Well,
Jeff," she said, smiling, "how do you like the thought of
being a grandfather?"
Jeff shook
his head, "Once I get used to the idea, I think I'll be
thrilled. At the moment I'm still trying to get my head round
it. I had thought from the way the boys were acting last night
that we were in for some major prank from Gordon, but I never
expected this." He turned to his mother, "I must say, you
didn't seem very surprised when they told us the news."
Ruth Tracy
smiled again. "I noticed the way Scott was looking at
Elizabeth last night. I've seen that look on young men's faces
before when they look at their wives - including yours, Jeff
Tracy. It's a sort of mixture of pride and awe, like they
can't quite believe what's happening."
Jeff
turned so he could see Scott and Elizabeth sitting on the
couch. "Still, it leaves me with a decision to make. Do I take
Scott off operations now, or wait until the baby is born?"
Ruth
looked at her son "Would you have wanted to be pulled off the
moon-shot because Lucille was expecting Scott?"
"Of course
not! Besides, we didn't know she was expecting until I got
back."
His mother
snorted. "You didn't, you mean."
Jeff
turned to look at her. "Mother? What are you saying?"
"Lucille
knew she was having a baby before you left for the moon, so
did I. We decided not to tell you so you wouldn't be
distracted."
Jeff was
dumbfounded. "Well, of all the...My own mother...!"
"And if
you had known, would you still have wanted to go?"
"Of course
I would - but that was different!"
"Yes,"
said his mother. "Very different. Scott never goes over a
quarter of a million miles from home. Scott is never out of
contact with everyone else on the planet. Scott always has at
least one of his brothers with him who will do their damnedest
to make sure he doesn't come to any harm."
Jeff
looked at his mother. "I never realised you worried about me
so much."
Ruth
smiled. "It's a parent's job to worry about their children."
She looked past her son to the young couple on the couch. "And
maybe if Scott takes a few less risks with his own skin
because he's got a family at home to worry about, then that
will be no bad thing either. Now, I wonder where I put those
knitting patterns for baby clothes?"
3.
Half-Brothers
The sun
was just setting over the Malaysian jungle as The Hood stormed
into his temple hide-out. He was in a foul mood. One of his
subordinates had been returning with the last payment in gold
and jewels from a foreign government for whom The Hood had
obtained some secret information. It had been a routine
journey, but then the fool had been stopped by Customs
officials, and as he was unable to give a valid explanation
for the goods he was carrying, or produce proper
documentation, the treasure had been impounded. At first The
Hood had suspected the man of keeping the treasure for
himself, until the fool had managed to convince him of his
innocence. Still, at least he had not lived long to regret his
mistake, and maybe his death would improve the performance of
the other imbeciles that worked for him.
The Hood
ground his teeth, thinking of the wasted effort on that
project. Still, he had plenty of other irons in the fire. He
glanced towards the dais in the centre of the temple, where
once the altar had stood. Whatever gods had originally been
worshipped in this place had long since gone. The only gods
The Hood worshipped were his own evil genius and lust for
power. He moved in front of the dais and waved his hand
through a photo-electric beam that swung aside the beaded
curtains and switched on the lights (he had always had a taste
for drama) illuminating an eight-foot high bronze statue of
his half-brother, Kyrano. He had heard little in the news
about International Rescue lately. It was high time he
'dropped in' on that idiot brother of his to see what was
happening. After all, he smiled to himself, families had a
duty to keep in touch.
It was
mid-afternoon on Tracy island, and Kyrano entered his room in
the self-contained flat that Jeff had provided for him and his
daughter. He sat down in his favourite chair by the window
that looked out onto his prize orchid garden. This had always
been his time for meditation, but lately it was becoming more
often time for an afternoon nap. He had to admit that the
years were starting to catch up with him. He was happy now to
leave more of the running of the household to Mr Scott's young
wife. When Miss Elizabeth had first arrived on the island,
their shared background in hotel management had given them a
common bond, and he had been impressed by the calm and
efficient way she performed her duties. Though he was not yet
ready to retire altogether from looking after the Tracys as he
had been doing for so many years, he was content to leave the
day-to-day running of the household in her capable hands.
The scents
from the garden wafted through the open windows as Kyrano felt
his eyes grow heavy. Suddenly, though, he was aware that
something was wrong - that this was no ordinary drowsiness.
There was a rustling in his ears, and a faint mist started to
obscure his thoughts. He struggled. "No, keep away! Let me
go!"
A mocking
voice echoed in his head. "Kyrano, my dear brother! Is that
any way to greet your oldest living relative?"
In his
temple, The Hood stood in front of the bronze statue, his eyes
gleaming. "Kyrano! You are powerless before me. I will see
into your mind. You cannot resist!" Kyrano felt the fog invade
his mind further, and he felt his will slipping away.
As his
brother's mind opened before him, The Hood looked at the
thoughts and images it contained. Working this way took more
effort than simply asking questions, but he had learned from
experience that it was more rewarding. If only his idiot
brother had possessed any useful knowledge, like the exact
co-ordinates of the Tracys' secret base, or technical
information on the Thunderbird craft, but the imbecile was no
use in that respect. The one time he had managed to get his
brother to do something of practical use had ended badly for
The Hood, so he had abandoned any further attempts. He
suspected that if he ever got control of that delightful niece
of his, that she would be more use in that respect. He still
cursed the time he had let her and the young scientist they
called Brains slip through his fingers at Lake Anasta, but at
the time he had been too distracted by the thought of the
treasure in the lake, and so missed the greater treasure he
now realised had been within his grasp.
The Hood
picked at the thoughts spread out before him, ignoring the
white. wriggling worm of his half-brother's personality that
lay pinned in a corner of its own mind. The first thought he
picked out was am image of Thunderbird 2 lifting off. A
rescue? <No, Mr Alan has gone to a motor race at Parola
Sands.> The Hood considered this. The young, blond whelp was
of little interest to him: perhaps if he had been accompanied
by Kyrano's daughter it might have been worth some effort on
The Hood's part to capture them both, but, no, not this time.
He picked at another thought, <The lady they call the 'English
Rose' has returned home.>. The Hood's features curled into a
snarl. He had had several encounters with the ice-cool, blonde
Englishwoman, and each time had come off worse. But, wait now,
the mental image that accompanied that thought was of an
entirely different person. He made a mental note to
investigate this further. Another thought showed Scott Tracy
and his new wife sitting together, accompanied by a feeling of
anticipation. The Hood pushed further, curious <Miss Elizabeth
is with child,> came the response. The Hood felt a wave of
anger rise inside him. Many times had he tried to steal
International Rescue's secrets, and had been foiled, and most
often by that dark-haired devil's spawn, Scott Tracy. The very
idea of that blundering young fool being able to thwart the
plans of a genius like himself was hard to bear, and the
thought of him having a happy family life brought bile to the
Hood's throat. He would not allow this! That insolent son of a
dog should suffer, as he had made The Hood suffer!
Suddenly,
an idea came to him. It was not the slow, lingering fate that
he would have liked to mete out to Jefferson Tracy's
firstborn, but even if this plan failed he himself would be in
no personal danger, and the repercussions might wreck the
Tracy family. "Kyrano!" he thundered, "you will listen to me.
You will sleep now, and remember nothing of our little chat,
but tonight, when the family are asleep, you will KILL SCOTT
TRACY!"
4.
Severing the Ties
In the
still of the night, Kyrano sat up in bed and opened his eyes.
There was something he had to do. He left his room and, with
his normal, silent tread made his way through the darkened
house to the kitchen, where he selected a long, sharp carving
knife from the rack on the wall, then turned back to the
accommodation wing. Moving like a sleepwalker he made his way
along the corridor that led to the rooms of Jeff, his mother,
Scott, and the empty room that belonged to John.
The
moonlight that shone through the window at the end of the
corridor illuminated a small white object, pale against the
dark carpet. Automatically, Kyrano bent to pick it up. Mrs
Tracy had been busy with her knitting needles - in Kyrano's
hand lay a tiny baby's bootee. Kyrano looked at it,
remembering how Mrs Tracy had sent him similar items after Tin
Tin was born. The trouble he had had to get them to stay on
his daughter's tiny feet! It had been hard raising a child on
his own, after his beloved wife had died in childbirth. A
child needed two parents.
Two
parents. Kyrano looked around, realising where he was for the
first time. He looked at the knife in his hand and the bootee
fell to the floor. "No," he whispered, softly. "No, I will not
do it."
"Yes, you
will, Kyrano!" the voice thundered in his mind. "You are
powerless before me. You will do my bidding."
"NO! I
will not! You cannot make me!" Kyrano's voice rose to a
scream. Doors opened along the corridor, illuminating the
scene of Kyrano, his face pale and sweating, and his eyes wide
with fear, struggling with himself, both hands grappling on
the handle of a wickedly sharp knife.
"Kyrano?
What's going on?" asked Jeff, still not fully awake.
"Look out,
Dad, he's got a knife!" Scott pushed Elizabeth back inside
their room, closed the door and stood protectively in front of
the doorway.
Jeff
looked at his mother. "Mother! Get back inside!"
Ruth Tracy
shook her head. "Don't be silly, Jeff. Kyrano wouldn't hurt
me."
Jeff took
a step towards his old friend, his hand extended. "Come on,
Kyrano, my friend. Give me the knife."
As Kyrano
turned to face Jeff, Scott darted forward and made a grab for
the knife, but the older man twisted round to face him waving
the knife wildly. "Stay back!" he gasped, seeming to have
trouble speaking. "He wants me to do this. I do not want to,
but he is strong."
"Who wants
you to do it, Kyrano? What's going on?" As he was talking,
Scott was trying to edge closer. "Come on, put the knife down.
I know you don't want to hurt anybody."
In the
dimly lit temple, The Hood stood in front of the statue, his
eyes blazing like twin pools of fire. "Kyrano, my brother! You
cannot resist me."
"I will
fight you. You are evil!"
"Yes" came
the mocking response in his mind, "I am evil incarnate, and
the bond of blood that ties us together makes you powerless
before me. I am in control of your mind, and of your body.
Kill Scott Tracy now!"
"No! I
will not let you use me in this way. I shall stop you,
whatever the cost to myself!" To the horror of the watchers,
Kyrano turned the knife and plunged it into his own chest,
then pulled it out and dropped it on the floor. Scott picked
up the knife, then threw it away down the corridor. Kyrano
fell to his knees, his hands pressed to his chest. Jeff moved
forward to support him. "Take it easy, my old friend. We'll
look after you." He looked up to see that Virgil and Gordon
had appeared at the top of the stairs leading from their
rooms. "Fetch Brains, quickly!" he said, then glancing down at
the blood-covered figure in his arms, added, "and Tin Tin".
Scott
knelt by his side and was using a towel to try to staunch the
flow of blood. His eyes met his father's and he shook his head
slowly. He felt Kyrano grasp his hand. "I would not have let
him do it, Mr Scott. He was strong, but I fought him."
Tin Tin
came rushing up the stairs. She gave a gasp when she saw her
father lying in an ever-spreading pool of blood, but knelt by
his side and took his hand. Virgil, following behind her,
looked over her head at his father. "Gordon and Brains have
gone to sickbay for a stretcher." He looked down at Kyrano and
Tin Tin. "Do you think I should go and get Alan?"
Jeff
looked at the scene before him "Good idea, son. Take
Thunderbird 2 and call Alan once you are airborne. He can
drive out into the desert and meet you."
Tin Tin
was bending over her father, tears on her face. "Father! What
happened?"
Kyrano
gave her a weak smile. "It was my brother. He is a powerful
man, and a truly evil one. For too long he has been making me
do wicked things," here he looked at Jeff, "giving away your
secrets. But I am dying now, and soon I shall be free of him,
so International Rescue will be in danger no longer."
"You
fool!" echoed the voice in his mind. "Your daughter is close
to you now. Her grief has brought her mind in contact with
yours. Once you are dead I shall take control of her, then she
will be my slave for the rest of her life"
"No,"
whispered Kyrano, in despair. "My daughter, I love you. I will
not let him have you."
"Yes,"
came the mocking reply in his brain. "Soon she will be mine!"
"Never!"
answered Kyrano, his eyes dimming.
"Father,
no!" cried Tin Tin, as her father's grasp on her hand
slackened.
In the
temple there was a loud crack as the great bronze statue split
on two. The essence that had once been Kyrano poured out,
powered by years of resentment and fury, hitting The Hood's
mind like a shockwave. These emotions he was used to, and
could have deflected, but they were driven by a desperation
born of love, against which the evil genius had no defence.
The was no wriggling white worm - this was a raging tiger, and
in its rage it attacked The Hood's mind, tearing it apart.
With a cry, The Hood sank to the floor and lay still.
Back on
Tracy Island the family crowded round to comfort Tin Tin as
she cradled her father's lifeless body in her arms. Overhead
came the roar of jets from Thunderbird 2 taking off.
Dawn was
just breaking over the Malaysian jungle. In a temple in a
clearing a body lay motionless on the floor in front of a
broken statue. A rat crept out of the darkness, and sniffed at
the still form. Soon it was joined by others and they began to
feed.
(Author's Final Notes: Just to
repeat what I said at the beginning - I love getting your
reviews, I really do. But if you review this, pleeeease don't
give away the end for those who have not yet read it!)
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