Chapter Text
The rain was battering off Thunderbird Two’s hull as she lowered her rescue rigging to evacuate the last group of passengers from the stricken train in southern India. International Rescue had been called out when heavy rain had washed debris from above down onto the track, which clung to the side of a steep valley wall. Below it a river, swollen and raging from a flash flood as the clouds refused to cease their relentless downpour.
John had control of Thunderbird Two from orbit while his three brothers worked on site. The train had been damaged by rockfall, so while Gordon got the scared passengers secured, Alan surveyed the slope below the line in the mountain pod and Virgil cleared the debris from the track with his exosuit. A rescue train would be along later to recover the damaged one and tow it to the nearest depot.
Thunder rumbled above them over the steady roar of Two’s VTOL and the rain got heavier. The bad weather was seriously slowing them down and they couldn’t wait to get home.
“Ugh, what I’d give to be in Scott’s position right about now,” Alan grumbled over the comms.
Virgil glanced in his little brother’s direction as he dropped a rock over the edge of the railway line. “What, stuck at home grounded?”
“It’s gotta be better than this,” Alan replied. “This place is so muddy even the pod is slipping. Meanwhile Scott is tucked up in bed nice and cozy.”
Virgil rolled his eyes and heaved up another rock to move. “You’ve no right to complain, Alan. Our suits are all waterproof, and at least you’re sheltered in there.”
A grumble came back to him and Virgil knew he’d made his point. Alan was just a little grouchy because today he was supposed to start his allocated vacation time, but Scott’s health had seen that put on hold when the eldest Tracy had nearly collapsed from exhaustion the previous evening. Virgil had ordered immediate bedrest and asked Alan to hang on for a couple more days, just to give Scott a chance to get back on his feet.
“That’s the last of the passengers secured, Virgil,” Gordon’s voice came in next.
“F.A.B. Take them to the drop off zone and then come back for us. We’re nearly done here.” With Scott at home, Virgil was mission commander. “John, can you inform the GDF that this line will need to be closed until further notice. I’m not happy about some of these foundations along here.”
“Already on it,” his space dwelling brother replied. “Colonel Casey says she’ll have repair teams sent out as soon as the weather clears.”
Virgil finally got the last of the debris shifted and moved to check on Alan’s progress again. The pod was sliding around like a drunk ant on ice. Every time Alan tried to find a secure foothold the pod would slip and churn up more of the sodden ground into slick mud.
“Alan, use your grapple,” Virgil instructed. “You’re sliding too far down.”
“I can manage,” the youngest snapped back. He was clearly frustrated but Virgil didn’t take the attitude to heart. This had been far from the easiest mission, purely down to the terrible conditions. He was in no mood for arguments though.
“Just do it.” Like Alan, he just wanted to go home.
There was another grumble over the comms and finally the grapple at the front of the pod fired. It lodged itself into a rock just beneath the railway line and the winch started to pull the mud clad piece of machinery back up the slope.
Virgil secured his own line and lowered himself down to another rock, ready to help if Alan had any further trouble. “That’s it. Nice and easy on the winch.”
“Virgil, will you stop micromanaging me,” Alan complained, and it instantly made Virgil frown. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m just looking out for you, Alan.” Patience. He’s tired. He doesn’t mean it.
“Well, I don’t need you to.” The winch whirred as Alan increased the speed, which caused the nose of the pod to dip and start dragging along the slope. A protruding rock got caught up underneath and the pod jolted to a stop. The winch started to jump as it strained.
“Alan, stop.”
“It’ll work!”
“No, it won’t. There’s too much pressure.”
“Will you just back off!”
The winch failed. With a metallic ping something in the mechanism gave way, the cable went slack and the pod went sliding back down towards the raging water.
“Alan!”
Virgil threw himself off the rock he’d been perched on and slid after his younger brother. As Alan fought for control and purchase Virgil could only pray that his own safety line was long enough. He reached out for the pod and caught the winch bracket with the jaws of life, then squeezed the control in his left hand and applied the brake to his safety line.
The pod’s slide eased off, it’s weight held by the exosuit and Virgil’s hand controls. He grunted against the strain and willed his grip to hold firm.
“Virgil!” Alan’s voice sounded alarmed in his ears, the moody edge gone.
Virgil hissed out a breath through his teeth. “I can’t hold it. You’ll have to climb out.”
The canopy opened and Alan pushed the harness up, allowing him to clamber out of the seat and onto the nose of the pod. Everything lurched as the brake on Virgil’s line slipped. The exosuit was strong and solidly built, but the safety line wasn’t designed for this much weight. The pod was going to drag them both down with it.
Virgil tried desperately to dig his heels into the thick mud under him, but the deep treads of his boots were packed full and rendered useless in this terrain.
Familiar VTOL roared overhead and suddenly Thunderbird Two was directly above them, her rescue rig hanging from her belly and lowering towards them. “Hang on, guys,” Gordon’s voice called out through comms.
Virgil’s line lurched again. “Alan, jump.”
Determination flashed in those bright blue eyes and his little brother did as he was told. In an instant Virgil felt the smaller body collide with him and Alan’s hands grasped at his green baldric for purchase. With a relieved breath Virgil released the pod and let it sag in the mud as Two’s rig came within reach.
“Okay, up you go.” With the weight of the pod gone Virgil felt a lot more confident in his safety line, so he lifted the bulky right arm of his exosuit up to help his little brother and managed to clamp it to the edge of the rigging. “Hold it steady, Thunderbird Two.”
His arms felt tired and heavy as he lay there on his back, one stretched out above his head holding his line and the other suspended towards his beloved ‘bird. His hands were near cramping with the exertion.
He didn’t notice the pod’s tangled winch cable hooking around his foot until it was too late.
The instant Alan reached out and caught hold of the rigging the pod toppled over the edge of the muddy slope and was swallowed by the water. The cable pulled tight, sharp and sudden and Virgil went with it, swiped out from under Alan without warning. His impressive strength was nothing against the force of mother nature and he was dragged down the bank with no way of stopping.
Shit, shit, shit!
“Virgil!” He heard Alan’s shout as he tried to get his leg free, but then the ground disappeared from under him and the sickening sensation of falling overwhelmed him. The last thing he saw was the green of Two’s underbelly and the dark grey of the clouds, and then the water swallowed him whole. A filthy brown filled his vision, frothy with the force. Virgil was dragged, thrown and tumbled violently within the thundering swell, utterly powerless and overwhelmed by the noise and painful abuse on his body.
Fear took hold.
He didn’t see the surface again.