THROWN OFF BALANCE by ZIGGY RATED FRT

Written in response to a request in the October 2004 FicSwap Challenge on The Tracy Island Writers Forum.

The original request was: "Jeff tries to convince Grandma not to go on a mission with the boys, because she's worried about them and feels somebody needs to keep watch while they work..."

I'm watching as she advises Alan. Chances are the advice involves cars or Tin-Tin; actually it's probably both. Lips curve as I see her frown, always observing him; then a smile radiating pride and happiness as he bends forward and gently kisses her cheek. A 'thank you' is whispered in her ear before he hurries away. As she leans back I notice a sparkle in her eyes; it's probably only reflection from the pool, but I know the boys and I are her life. Any advice, help or just giving quiet time is what my mother loves to do.

Glancing up, she notices me watching; a slight tilt of the head as she looks to make sure I'm okay. I give a reassuring nod and a wave which is reciprocated. She turns back to the pool; a sense of peace seems to flow through her, knowing we're all safe on the Island.

Sipping my coffee I think back to the incident that happened four weeks ago. A knot tightens in my stomach; still unable to believe what we witnessed. The events that took place triggered a reaction in my mother that I'll never forget. My hand rubs the back of my neck, now hot from the sun's heat. It was like mother became a different person...

"Jeff, have you seen the news? Come quickly!" Mother, whose body language always spoke volumes, was transfixed by events occurring on the television screen. As I entered the lounge the sound of raucous laughter and my sons' voices drifted up from the poolside through the open windows, causing me to smile.

The smile soon faded; joining mother on the couch I was witnessing an Australian opal mine on fire. Smoke billowed from the main shaft as frantic mine and rescue workers rushed with stretchers to the main entrance. John Davidson, chief news reporter for the Australian News Network was relaying from a helicopter what happened.

"...The industrial town of Wollongong has just become victim to yet another explosion; this time at a local Opal Mine. The explosion came from within the confines of one of the tunnels. As yet we do not know what caused it. Local rescue services arrived on the scene immediately and an evacuation is now underway..."

Mother tensed. I knew what she was thinking; the same thought crossed my mind...Is this a job for International Rescue? I needed more information as my senses switched to a high state of alert.

Contacting John in Thunderbird Five, I discovered that he had already heard through one of the telecommunications monitor consoles about the explosion...

"Father, I have just talked to Dan Chambers, Chief of the Wollongong's Fire Department and he has assured me that they can handle the situation."

"Thanks, John. I'm not convinced, though, so keep me informed of any changes." Turning to mother, I told her I was putting the boys on rescue alert. I should have seen then how pale she had turned.

"Oh, Jefferson, is that necessary? They've already told you it's all in hand." I noticed her worried expression and despite my own fears I reassured her.

"It's just a precautionary measure. I will update Scott and Virgil with what has happened. They know they probably won't be needed...Watch and see, mother." After contacting the boys I returned to be by my mother's side...

I have to say that looking back on the events that followed maybe I should have sent the boys out anyway. The knot tightens as I rebuke myself. Then again, I may be the head of International Rescue, but I'm not a mind reader. There's no way I could have foreseen what happened next...

John Davidson was using his reassuring voice,

"...Yes folks, they have now rescued some thirty workers. Only one is in serious condition, the others have sustained only minor injuries. I have to say that looking at the damage caused by the explosion, I think those men are very lucky today. There are still twenty or so workers waiting to be lifted from the mine, but it's all going very... Wait, stop, something is happening..."

I froze as the camera which had been focusing on Davidson zoomed in on the danger zone. My mother's hand gripped mine as we watched in disbelief at the following events. The entire area surrounding the mine shaft collapsed. Coldness, like ice ran through my body as we saw men scrambling for their lives, only to be engulfed in a sea of debris, soil and metal. The next minutes seemed to last an eternity; my mother shrank against me as I wrapped my arms around her.

Davidson's voice had become shrill, high pitched...

Then silence...

No words could describe what we were witnessing. It was as if the earth was pulling these men to their deaths, as the ground around them sucked them in like a vacuum. We heard screams, shouts, and despairing strangled noises. I felt sick, my stomach turned, the hairs stood erect on the back of my neck. There was nothing to see on the screen except a mass of dust and smoke...

Then silence...

Only the sound of the news helicopter's rotors could be heard, beating rapidly like a machine gun; racing in time with the racing of my heart beat.

Thud...

Thud...

Thud...

Mother's voice cut the silence.

"Jeff, you can't send the boys...it's too dangerous." She had turned ghastly white and even though my mind was focused directly on what had just happened, my concern for mother multiplied. I heard Tin-Tin's voice as she rounded the couch.

"I was listening to the radio when they broke in with the news... What I can do, Mr. Tracy?" I glanced up at her, but she was looking directly at mother.

Bless Tin-Tin and her intuition. "Take mother to her room and make some tea if you would..."

"I'm not moving from here until I know you're not sending the boys." Mother's voice was determined, her face pale and grim.

"Mother, I have to talk to John again. I need to find out how many men have survived..."

"Jefferson Tracy, if you dare to send those boys out on this mission after what we have just witnessed, then I'm going with them!"

I have known mother all my life - of course! - and I had never seen her flip like that. She looks up again now and smiles; the warmth from that smile seems to mellow me as I remember how badly that disaster affected her...

My wristcom beeped.

"John, what is it...what's the latest...?" Blood ran cold through my veins as I heard his next words.

"Father, I've spoken to Chief Chambers again... There's..." he hesitated, "there's pretty much no chance that there are any survivors...but he is calling for our aid."

My chest tightened as I glanced at Mother. She was agitated, shaking, insisting to Tin-Tin she was going out on this mission with the boys, and nothing would stop her. What was I going to do? I had to get the Thunderbirds into the air, but first I needed to relocate my mother who was now talking obsessively, waving her arms around, resisting Tin-Tin's attempts to calm her..

"Get me a uniform, Tin–Tin...I have to hurry, if Jeff's going to send the boys I must be ready to go with them."

It was then I had an idea, and I had to move fast. As casually as I could, I sent a code via my wristcom, telling Scott and Virgil to head for their Thunderbirds via the hangar, not through the lounge as usual. They would wait there on standby, ready to launch, and the others would stop everything and wait for instructions.. I knew they would want answers, but I couldn't give them any right now, not with mother standing right in front of me.

"Okay mother, here's what we'll do." I glanced at Tin-Tin who grasped mother's hands. I was about to tell a lie; I had no choice "You can go on the mission. But you're right; first we must find you a uniform."

Tin-Tin stared at me in disbelief as mother gave a satisfied nod. "But, Mr. Tracy..."

"No buts, Tin-Tin. I think I saw some spare uniforms in the storage room right behind Brains' lab. They'll probably be the most accessible. Why don't you take her down there right away? Be careful, though, I think Brains is testing the new Mole engine."

It took a second, then her eyes widened slightly as she got it. Relief crossed her face and she nodded at me to show her understanding. Mother was already moving toward the doorway.

"Oh, and Tin-Tin, contact me when you get down there, okay?"

"Come on, Tin-Tin, we have to be quick!"

Tin-Tin nodded at me, then responded to my mother and hurried after her down the corridor toward the elevator. Taking a deep breath, I glanced back at the television. Davidson was talking but the words washed over me, what had happened there?

Rushing to my desk, I contacted my sons on the two way system.

"Boys, sorry for the confusion, but we have a slight problem here." I wasn't going to give anything away; they all needed to be focused.

"Everything all right, Dad?" I heard concern in Scott's voice.

"Yes Scott, just bear with me until I give you the all clear. I take it John has filled you in on all the details of this rescue?"

"Yes, Father."

"Scott, stand by. Alan and Gordon, join Virgil in Thunderbird Two and get ready to launch on my command. Now listen boys, I don't know what you will find out there. From what your grandma and I saw on the television..."

"Grandma saw that?" Virgil interrupted as I rubbed my tense neck.

"Yes, Virgil, she did." I was worried but careful not to show it.

"Is she okay?"

Too many questions. "Yes, she's fine, now just focus." My voice was firm and commanding as I briefed the boys, but deep down none of us really knew what they would encounter...maybe one victim alive, if they were really lucky. The knot in my stomach felt like a lead weight and it would remain like that until all my sons were safely home.

A red light flashed on my watch. Good, Tin-Tin had manoeuvred Mother into the storeroom behind Brains' lab. I waited a moment longer and then a deep rumbling began reaching me through the rock. Good, Brains had gotten the message and had started the engine testing. Mother would be wearing the noise cancelling headphones and would be completely unaware of what was going to happen next.

"Scott, launch Thunderbird One now! We can't delay any longer."

"Ah...yes, Father." He knew something was wrong but no questions were asked. I heard the boom of Thunderbird One's rocket engines and watched as the silver bird rose from the depths of her hiding place, like an eagle surging up out of its nest. Reaching phenomenal heights within seconds, its sleek silver body soon disappeared into the sky.

"Ready for take off father." Virgil's voice broke in.

"Okay son, off you go. Report back as soon as you approach the danger zone." The deep rumbling noise of Thunderbird Two's jets resounded through the lounge as I watched her lift into the air like a huge green whale gliding through her ocean in the sky, following her sister ship.. Another rescue was underway.

My mind returned to my mother. At times like this I found myself being torn in two directions at once. I was very concerned for my mother...she was made of very sturdy stuff, and could watch things that would curl the average person's hair without cringing, but something about what had happened at that mine had thrown her off balance, badly. Something inside her had suddenly hard-wired that horrifying scene of carnage on the television to her knowledge of the work her grandsons did. I knew what was happening...she kept seeing them in that mine, them making those awful sounds, them being sucked into the earth and suffocated without a chance for survival.

And yet we had a job to do here, and my priority had to be the rescue scene and any survivors there might be, no matter how long the odds were.

Sitting here now, weeks later, I feel again - acutely - the sacrifices I have asked my family to make. I hear splashing...Mother has removed her shoes and is cooling them at the water's edge. Tin-Tin has joined her. Their chatting seems serious for a moment as a protective arm curls around the younger woman's shoulders. I smile as the elderly lady wags her finger and shakes her head. What has Alan been up to now? It sometimes seems there are three in that relationship...Alan the rogue, Tin-Tin the boss and my mother the counsellor!

My mind drifts back to what happened four weeks ago...

Tin-Tin checked in soon after the boys had departed. They had of course been unable to find a uniform. I told her they were clear to come back upstairs now.

"Jeff," Mother's voice came over the intercom, "don't let the boys go without me. I can do this without a uniform. We'll be right back!"

I felt guilt at having to lie, but had to smile at Tin-Tin's skill in following instructions I had given her more subliminally than verbally. She had run interference for us before, of course...I had asked something similar of her when my old friend Tim Casey had visited us unexpectedly not so long ago. The inventive young lady had taken him on a day trip to the underground rock pools, ostensibly to look for "water mambas," to cover the fact that the boys had to leave on a mission. Of course, we all knew they didn't exist, but the only wildlife Tim ever paid attention to was the kind to be found in the bars around whatever Air Force base we happened to be stationed at...

Davidson's voice on the television brought me back from my reminiscences.

"International Rescue has just arrived at the scene. May I say that as fantastic and resourceful organisation as they are, I fear finding survivors may be beyond even them. " I had to agree with him, I had a sinking feeling as I heard Thunderbird One land.

"Base from Thunderbird One, come in, Father." Scott's face appeared on his portrait at the far side of the room, his voice was firm but quiet. What had he found there? I could hear the jets of Thunderbird Two as the bigger craft landed. Turning back to the television I grimaced as I was faced with the sight of body after body being removed from the rubble.

"Scott, go ahead, what's the situation?"

"Father, we can't launch the mole. There's just too much subsidence, it would be too dangerous. I've spoken to the chief of the fire department and he says there is no point in digging. They have accounted for most of the dead...but Father, my thoughts are that there are still some miners missing. They could be trapped..."

I knew what I had to do. "Scott, listen to me. Stay and help them shift the bodies and debris but under no circumstances must you unload our equipment. Once all are accounted for then you must head straight back to base."

"But Father..." He was agitated.

"Scott. Listen to me. You can use Thunderbird One's remote camera to do a thermal scan of the area. But don't unload the equipment unless you are absolutely there may be anyone alive...do you understand?" I had to be definite with my decision, we may be needed on another rescue where there were survivors and Scott knew it.

He knew I was right. "F.A.B., Dad."

"Relay my message to Virgil, Alan and Gordon." I knew my boys; they would not want to do this. They would want to risk life and limb to dig for survivors but I had watched the cave in, and I was sure there would be no one left alive.

"Yes, Father." I heard footsteps, then Mother's voice; she and Tin-Tin had returned from the depths of the Island

I closed my eyes as I heard Mother let out a cry of dismay. "Jeff, you let them go without me! What if something happens to them?"

I looked around. She was white and shaking, and the tears were starting. I glanced at Tin-Tin...I needed help with this one.

I didn't have to wait long - it came in the shape of a miracle. John Davidson's voice sounded from the television, I clasped mother's arm and led her to the couch.

"Look mother, I'm sorry, but you're not yourself. You can listen to the rescue from here and you can hear the reporter, who will let us know what's happening." I knew I was treating her like a child, but there really wasn't any choice. She seemed to understand, though, because she went with me quietly...

"...It seems that we have a small miracle on our hands, folks, and thank goodness International Rescue are here. A few minutes ago a tapping was heard thirty yards from the mine itself. Well, you'll never believe this but a group of onlookers were watching rescue events and were told to clear the area, and when they started to disband, the ground gave way. One of the older people, a seventy five year old grandma did not move quickly enough and was buried under ten feet of rubble. You may ask yourself how she survived...well, we don't know that yet... All we do know is that International rescue have everything in hand...we cannot bring you the rescue live as we have to respect International Rescue's privacy, but I will relay minute to minute happenings as they unfold."

The three of us sat listening as Davidson gave a detailed report of the rescue. Mother was silent as at last he reported that the boys from International Rescue had emerged with the seventy five year old woman, who was loaded aboard an ambulance for transfer to the nearest hospital. Sometime later Scott's pale, dirt stained face appeared on his portrait.

"We're on our way back to base, Dad..." he hesitated.

"You alright, son?" I could see he was shaken; unlike him as he had seen atrocities beyond recognition during rescue missions.

"It's just...when we pulled that old lady from the rubble...I...I...just thought about our own grandma, and how glad I am she's back there with you...safe."

"Okay son, see you when you get home." Inwardly smiling I turned to face my mother. Her colour was returning, but she remained quiet. Tin–Tin left the room to make coffee as I wrapped an arm around my mother's tiny frame.

"Are you okay?"

Her eyes met mine. "I've been thinking, son...maybe it's not such a good idea for me to go out on rescue missions. After all, the boys need me here, don't they... you know, to make sure everything is ready for when they arrive home..."

Unspoken, in her eyes, was the rest of the thought...they don't need to be digging me out of that rubble, on top of everything else they have to worry about, out there...

It takes time to recover from a shock like my mother had. To watch all those innocent men lose their lives...but we Tracys are a resilient bunch. And as I watch her now, giving Tin-Tin what is probably the best advice in the world if I remember my own experiences with her, I realize the knot in my stomach has disappeared. All is well once again in the best place on earth to be.