Work Text:
Gordon & Explosive Device & Storage Unit
"Okay that should be it." Gordon nodded to the storage unit personnel as the doors to the escape pod whooshed shut. Water drained from the pipes past Gordons feet before the submersible pod detached from the unit.
Underwater storage units were very popular nowadays. Mostly for industrial use, big companies used them for long-term storage. They weren't usually staffed, except for maintenance purposes. Too bad the maintenance was the most common cause of an accident. Today was one of those situations.
The airlock doors had gotten jammed with half a meter of open space letting the unforgiving ocean overtake the facility. The escape pods had shut down due to water damage but Brains had talked him through how to override the failsafe and activate the pumps.
"All personnel are heading up to the surface now Thunderbird Two. Heading back to Four."
"FAB Gordon, good job."
Gordon waded his way through the knee-deep rushing water. He'd honestly have preferred if it had been entirely submerged, then at least he could've swam it. His eyebrows knotted together as he noticed flashing up ahead. He trudged his way forward to check it out before gasping in alarm.
He swiftly turned back the way he came, moving with much more urgency as he splashed through the water.
"Thunderbird Two, the chaos crew are here!" Gordon panted. "Fuse has left a bomb inside the facility."
"Dammit, get out of there Gordon!" Virgil growled over the comm.
"Trying!" Gordon ground out. "I'll go through the-"
Gordon was thrown forward as the explosive detonated. He felt the heat lick at his back even through his suit and fell painfully into the water. The flow became much stronger and debris now littered the stream.
"Gordon!" Virgil was shouting over the comms. "Answer me!"
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Gordon groaned as he kneeled in the water. He heard Virgil sigh in relief on the other end of the comm.
"Can you get out?" Virgil asked. "Scott and Kayo are on their way."
Gordon looked back at where the explosive had been. The blast had further damaged the integrity of the unit, water was gushing through. The lights flickered as sparks flew from the destroyed wall.
Then he heard beeping. Turning his head, he saw another bomb blinking rapidly to his right.
Too close. Too close. Gordon thought as he scrambled to his feet but it was two late. The second explosion went off and all he felt was a searing burning before he slammed into something solid and everything went black.
*
"Gordon! Gordon, please respond!" Virgil pleaded across the comms.
He opened up another channel. "Scott there's been another explosion! Gordon isn't responding."
"I'm still 10 minutes out Virgil." Scott replied regretfully over the comm.
Another explosion rocked the storage unit and Virgil cried out in alarm as the structure continued to crumble.
"I'm going down there." Virgil declared as he unbuckled his harness and stalked down to the module area. "John, can you remote pilot Four back to the surface?" He knew his space-bound brother was listening in.
John's FAB was drowned out as Scott interrupted. "It's too dangerous Virgil. What if there are more explosives? What if the chaos crew are still down there?"
"All the more reason to get Gordon sooner rather than later." Virgil replied calmly as he pulled his helmet over his head. "I'm going."
"Thunderbird Four has breached the surface." John reported before Scott could protest further.
"Just be careful Virgil." Scott demanded. "Please."
"I will Scott." Virgil softened. "Heading down."
Thunderbirds Four was always an uncomfortable fit for him. His shoulders were too wide for the seat and it always felt claustrophobic. This wasn't a choice though. He grit his teeth as he manoeuvred the small submersible down to the flooding storage facility. Moving around the structure, he started scanning it using his brothers Bird. The scans were sent straight up to Thunderbird Five.
"Anything John?" He queried once he'd been round the building once.
"There may be a small opening on the lower right side." John relayed as a map and route appeared in front of Virgil "But the inside is flooded with debris, it'll be hard to get through to him."
"I'll manage." Virgil promised before bracing himself to be flipped backwards into the water.
He swam forward once he oriented himself, the holographic map flashing from his watch. He turned on his shoulder torch as he reached the opening. He easily pulled himself though as a small current of water was still flooding the facility. The water was almost up to the ceiling, it would be fully flooded soon.
Virgil's first problem presented itself. There was a wall of debris currently cutting him off from his brothers location, this was going to be a slow process. He'd just started shifting some beams when a gasp came across the comms.
"Gordon!" He and Scott both exclaimed.
Virgil continued. "Gordon, are you okay?"
Gordon's harsh breathing continued to sound in his ear. "Virg?" Gordon croaked.
Virgil's heartrate spiked as worry surfaced once more.
"Yeah, I'm here fish, I'm coming to get you."
Gordon moaned through clenched teeth. "M'trapped."
"Just stay calm Gordon, what can you move?" Virgil queried gently as he started moving debris away faster.
He could hear his brother shifting through the comm before the younger blond gave a sharp cry of pain that turned into a sob.
Panic flared through Virgil. "Gords, what's wrong?"
"The whole left side of my suit is burned." Gordon gritted out before taking a few panicked breathes. "And there's urghh-there's a slab of concrete on my chest."
There was a shrill beeping from Gordon's end.
"What's that?" Virgil asked, fearing it was another bomb.
"M-my oxygen meter." Gordon groaned. "My suit was damaged in the explosion. I only have a few minutes of air left."
Virgil heart thudded so loud he was sure it could be heard over the comms.
Gordon gave an almost hysterical laugh. "Not looking great for me is it?" His voice cracked at the end and his breathing shuddered to reveal his true feelings.
"Just relax Gords, breathe slow." Virgil soothed, trying to keep his voice steady. "We'll get you out of this."
He switched channels so that Gordon couldn't hear him anymore. "There's no way I can shift all this stuff in time." Virgil relayed urgently. "We need a new plan."
He heard John typing frantically in the background. "Your laser won't be strong enough underwater to cut through any of the walls." John mumbled. "And Thunderbird Four won't be able to get far enough into the facilities for you to use her laser. There's not enough time to construct a pod-"
"I don't need to hear what we can't do John!" Virgil grumbled. "I need an option here."
"I'm looking Virgil!" John shot back.
"Cool it, both of you." Scott barked. "We need to keep a level head here. Treat it like any other rescue."
Virgil took a deep shaky breath. "FAB. Sorry John."
There was no answer from his space-bound brother and Virgil didn't want to interrupt him even though the seconds were ticking by far too quickly.
"I've got it!" John finally said. "There's a surface protocol built into the facility that will activate the buoyancy balloons and bring it to the surface. The control room is to your left Virgil, looks like a clear path."
Virgil was already swimming that way as Scott spoke. "Won't he be crushed without the water providing some buoyancy to the concrete?"
John hummed. "It looks like it's just one slab on top of Gordon but surfacing the building could cause further structural damage, so yes it's a risk but-"
"But we don't have any other choice." Virgil finished for him as he reached the control room. "What am I looking for John?"
"Red lever on the wall by the door."
Virgil spied said lever and grabbed it, forcing it down through the resistance of the water. Nothing seemed to happen at first and Virgil's heart sank. This was their last chance. Then the building shuddered and Virgil could hear the whoosh of air as the bags below the structure inflated. They started to rise.
"Virgil, I've mapped a new route for you to Gordon. Once the water drains, your laser should be able to cut through that wall to get to Gordon." John relayed.
"FAB." He switched comm channels again as he swam back to his brother once more. "Gordon! We're heading to the surface, just hang tight."
Gordon's wheezing breath came across the comm. "FAB."
"There might be a bit of pressure once the water drains but I'll be right there. We're going to get you out of this." Virgil was trying to convince himself just as much as Gordon.
He could tell as soon as they breached the surface, the currents increased as the water started to drain away. The building groaned dramatically and Virgil held his breath but it seemed to hold.
Once the water was at shoulder height Virgil activated his laser, cutting through the top half of the wall, impatiently waiting for more of the water to drain.
Gordon gave a choked grunt when he was almost though, crying out in pain before going eerily silent. Virgil decided he'd cut far enough at that point and finished off the incision, pushing the chuck of concrete through to the other side.
He clambered through the hole and immediately set sights on his brother. Gordon was lying on top of a collapsed wall with a thick slab of concrete pinning him down. The left side of his helmet was charred black and Virgil feared for the state of his suit once he removed the slab.
His brother was unresponsive as he set up the load-bearing stands at three key points under the concrete. Once he activated them, they slowly began to raise the debris. As soon as it was safe to do so, Virgil carefully slid his brother out from under it.
He removed his brothers helmet checking his airways. Breathing was weak but there. The worst part were the burns down Gordon's suit. From the neck to his hip, the neoprene fabric was charred and melted. Virgil could see areas where the fabric was melted into Gordon skin and he shuddered.
"Hey fish" He choked, running a hand through his brother hair. "Told you we'd get you out. Maybe open those eyes for me in return?"
Gordon face remained slack and he sighed as he took out his portable medscanner. Scott clambered through the hole in the wall, pulling a hover stretcher with him, just as he got the readings.
"Aw Gords" Scott sighed as he knelt down on the other side of him, pacing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "What does the scan say?"
"Third-degree burns all down his side, cracked ribs from the concrete, possible concussion." Virgil grimaced as he read it off. "We need to get him to a hospital."
"FAB." Scott sighed as they expertly lifted him onto the hover stretcher, the lack of response from their brother at the movement was alarming.
*
Virgil sighed as he took another sip of the 4th terrible cup of hospital coffee he'd consumed. Gordon had been in surgery for 3 hours now and they still hadn't heard anything. John and Kayo were working with the GDF to try and track down the chaos crew. Virgil clenched his fists. They'd gone too far this this time. He had no more chances left to give them.
"I think we should do some more underwater rescue training." Virgil said suddenly. Scott, the only other occupant in the room, turned towards him.
Virgil continued. "We're out of practice. Gordon deserves to know he can count on us when he needs it."
"You think he can't?" Scott queried.
Virgil shrugged. "I'm just always so out of my element down there."
"You saved him today."
"John came up with the plan." Virgil still had to apologise properly for snapping at him earlier.
"And you got him out. We're a team Virg, Gordon knows he can count on us."
Virgil hummed in supposed agreement but if he went out swimming more than usual in the next few months no one mentioned it either.
fin.