Home » The Archives » Chapter 9 » Regrouping and Recouperation
| Re: Regrouping and Recouperation [message #179 is a reply to message #178] |
Mon, 23 July 2012 08:59   |
artisticrainey
Messages: 1228
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
Karma:
|
Field Commander
Switzerland |
|
|
Wednesday, August 8 into Tuesday, August 7, crossing time zones over the Pacific Ocean, Thunderbird Two.
"You sure you know how to fly this baby?" Elise asked from her position in the passenger seat.
Gordon didn't turn around, but the tone of his voice spoke more than his eyes could. "Woman, I'll have you know I was flying this monster since before you were in diapers."
Elise snorted. "I'd believe it, 'Grandpa', if we didn't buck everytime you hit a pocket." She could see him wince when they hit another pocket of turbulence and Thunderbird Two shuddered a little. "And she doesn't like being called a 'monster'."
"Sheesh, Elise!" Gordon replied peevishly. "You are sounding more and more like Virgil every day!"
Elise just smiled slightly, and glanced upward. "He didn't mean it, baby. He really didn't," she murmured. In the pilot's seat, Gordon shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Can't you keep her steady, Gordon? I swear you've hit every pocket of turbulence in the sky." Alan came onto the flight deck, and took a seat beside Elise, who was dressed in her Tracy Industries flight uniform but with her IR jacket, cap and visor handy. "The sickbay's ready to go. It'll be good to see Dad and Dianne again. I hear Dad's wearing that beard."
"Your dad with a beard... what an image!" Elise said, shaking her head and smiling widely.
"You may not get to see it," Alan warned her. "He'll probably take it off the moment Two is airborne again."
The trio had gotten up early on Wednesday morning, around 5:30, with take-off from the island around 6:00. The plan was for them to fly between cruising and emergency speed to a rendezvous on the Pacific coast, where Elise would be dropped off. She was supposed to be met by Hernando Garcia, who would take her to a Tracy Industries hangar not far away. Thunderbird Two was then to continue on to Los Angeles and pick up "Doc", who was to be discharged on Tuesday around 2:00 p.m., US Pacific time. Elise would get a Tracy Industries helijet, and would rendezvous with Two at a different locale. Dianne would be transferred to the helijet, and then returned to the hospital, but this time as Dianne Tracy, auto accident victim. Then Elise would return the helijet, and again rendezvous with Two for the flight home.
xxx
"She's really not ready for discharge from the hospital," Drew had argued.
"We need to take the heat off of your hospital and the L.A. police," Jeff had insisted. "By removing 'Doc', with a press release that she's being taken either back to base or to a different, unnamed hospital, we'll do just that." He'd sighed and asked, "She's strong enough to endure a couple of hours away, isn't she?"
Drew had thought about that for a couple of long, hard minutes, then had sighed and nodded. "Just as long as you bring her back quickly. I'll do what I can to expedite her admission under her real name."
Jeff had smiled wearily. "Thanks, Drew. The hospital has been great, but it's time to take the pressure off and let you get back to business as usual."
"There's the rendezvous," Gordon said, homing in on a secluded bit of woodland. There was a glade big enough for the cargo carrier to set down, and an old logging road as access. A flash of light showed him that Hernando awaited them.
Elise and Alan got up and headed to the lower level, Alan making sure of his ordnance as he did so.
"You expect trouble?" Elise asked, her eyes narrowing.
"No, but that's when it usually happens, when you don't expect it," Alan said grimly. "Especially after that last encounter with the Hood." He helped her attach the winch cable to the rescue cage. "You have everything you need?"
Elise hefted her duffel. "My ticket to the helijet is right here. I'll remove the IR stuff and put on the rest of my Tracy Industries gear on while en route."
"Sounds good. I'll come down with you and introduce you to Hernando." Alan stepped into the rescue cage as Thunderbird Two landed with a wholly unexpected bump. He glanced upward. "Virgil would have his hide."
"Hey, I might have his hide! She's now my baby, too!" Elise quipped. Then her voice softened. "But I understand. He's in a rush to get this over with so you two can see Dianne."
"True," Alan admitted. He tapped his earphone and said, "Cousteau, we're ready down here."
"F-A-B," Gordon said. "I'll be right down."
Post by Tikatue on 12/3/2006
  
[Updated on: Mon, 20 April 2015 01:48] by Moderator Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
Current Time: Fri May 17 07:47:42 EDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.05777 seconds
|
International Rescue: The Next Phase
Search
Help
Members
Login
Home
