International Rescue: The Next Phase


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Re: The Call Goes Out [message #395 is a reply to message #369] Mon, 23 July 2012 20:33 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Tikatu is currently offline  Tikatu
Messages: 813
Registered: April 2012
Location: South Carolina
Karma:
Field Commander
Ubiquitous one
Brandon and Gordon watched as Thunderbird Two took off--without them.

The new recruit turned to the veteran. "So, how're we getting home? Will we wait for Virgil to come back and get us and the equipment?"

"Nope." Gordon pointed upwards as Thunderbird One moved into position above them. He began to shut down the portable lights. "It'll be cramped, but we'll get to where we're going just as fast if not faster."

"And where are we going?" Brandon asked as he pulled down some of the winches, letting the seats back down to where Jeff had lain just moments before.

"I'm not sure. But the faster we deal with this equipment, the faster we get out of the cold."

Brandon nodded, and buckled down to work.

xxxx

Dianne contemplated her dark-haired Irish nurse from her position at Jeff's side. Then she spoke.

"Dom, Ah think you'll have to be the one going down with Jeff and Elise. Ah can't appear at the hospital both as AhR an' as Mrs. Jefferson Tracy. An' you bettah believe that Ah'm gonna be there as Mrs. Tracy as soon as Ah can get a cab!"

"But Dr. Tracy, you need to come down to the hospital, too. It will save time to bring the patients down one right after the other." Dom protested.

"If there was a way to camouflage my hair and face, yes, Ah would...." Dianne jumped as Brains' voice broke into the conversation.

"Dianne, you'll find a polarized visor in my workshop on Thunderbird Two. I've been working on putting some Heads Up Display technology in it as a way of communication, but it's not quite ready yet. The visor, however, won't obstruct your vision and, with your baseball cap, should shield half your face. That should be sufficient."

"You think so, Brains?" Dianne asked.

"Yes. That is, if you can get that drawl of yours under control for a few minutes," Brains warned.

"Ah... I mean, I can try," Dianne said, making an effort to bury her persistent drawl. "It only comes out when Ah... I am upset or angry."

"Save it for visiting as family, Mom," Scott added. "By the way, how do we want to handle this? All of us are going to want to be there."

"Yes, and how will we manage the media? Dad's hospitalization will be news!" Virgil chimed in.

"Well, as far as I am concerned, Virgil's going to drop me off on the helijet pad at the Tracy Building so I can change clothes at the penthouse and catch a cab!" Dianne exclaimed. "Since only one of you flyboys got left behind on this rescue, I suggest that you take the Thunderbirds home. We can work out a schedule of who comes out when once we know how long he's going to be hospitalized." She sighed. "As far as the media is concerned, we'll have to let the hospital and Tracy Industries handle it. And someone needs to call Penelope, so she can brief the agents."

"We can't let the media get to Elise, Mom," Scott commented. "We have to do something to protect her, too."

"I know, Scott, I know," Dianne replied in a frustrated tone. "One thing at a time. And the first thing is to get your father to the hospital! Virgil? ETA?"

"Six minutes."

"Excellent. Dom, let's get them both prepared for transport. I'll go get that visor and tuck as much hair under my ball cap as I can." She looked sadly down at Jeff, and gently kissed his still-cold forehead. "I've got to go, love. But I'll be with you as soon as I can be."

*********************

Ned Cook and his cameraman, Joe, were drinking coffee and listening to the emergency scanners. Ned suddenly spluttered, spitting out his mouthful of java when he heard:

"International Rescue Thunderbird Two requesting heliport access at Mount Sinai Hospital Trauma Center. We have two patients, one stable, one critical."

"Mount Sinai Trauma here, heliport access granted. We are on standby for your patients."

"Thunderbird Two?" Joe cried. "At Mount Sinai?"

"Yes! This is news! Let's go down there and see who they brought in! To get an exclusive interview with an IR rescue victim, that would make my year!" Ned shouted. "C'mon, Joe!"

They sped across town to the hospital, where they found that they weren't the only members of the media to be awaiting the arrival of whoever the International Rescue team brought in. Cameras were pointed skyward as a dark blob passed between the ground and the dark sullen clouds of the approaching blizzard. The already swirling snow served to obscure the IR vehicle even more from the cameras and lights below.

"Ned, come on. I know another way in," Joe said. Ned followed as the cameraman led him to a loading dock. A security guard stopped them, but then smiled as he recognized Joe.

"You here to try and get a gander at that Thunderbird, Joe?" he asked, still blocking their way.

"Well, no, Pete. My friend, Ned, and I don't try to film the Thunderbirds anymore. Kinda a sign of respect for them, for what they did for us," Joe answered. Pete nodded.

"So what are you and the great Ned Cook doing here, talking to your ol' brother-in-law?" Pete asked, making it known that he knew he was being asked for a favor.

"We want to find out who they brought in. Maybe get an interview with them. You know we'd be careful; we know what it's like to be rescued by IR," Ned stressed.

Pete thought it over for a moment, then handed them each a badge marked "Press."

"I'm not letting you go in secretly. You have to declare who you are. And the camera stays here with me, Joe. You can take a tape recorder if you have one. I think that's fair to you and to whoever they brought in, don't you?"

"Yeah, and thanks, Pete. I owe you one," Joe said with a grin.

"You owe me lots of ones. Some day I'm gonna collect."

Ned waved at Pete as he and Joe entered the building. They found their way to the Trauma Center, where they understood the patients were to be taken. Ned turned a corner, and suddenly stopped, pulling back and stopping Joe.

"Look! Who's that with the antigravity stretcher? Is that someone from IR? He's wearing their colors in scrubs, like a doctor."

"Yeah, he is, and the IR logo is on the scrubs. But I thought their doctor was a woman."

"Maybe they have more than one. And who's following him? The one with those odd sunglasses. She's wearing an IR logo on that jacket, but that's like no uniform I've ever seen."

"Ned, forget about her, look who's on the stretcher? Isn't that...?"

"Ohmigod, yes! It is! Man, what a story this will make! Billionaire recluse Jefferson Tracy rescued by IR! Oh, Joe. I've gotta get the details!"

"Then let me hang around a bit, let me hear what I can hear. They won't know me. You sit over in the waiting area and I'll snoop around."

Twenty minutes later, Joe was back.

"Oh, man, Ned, you are not going to believe this. Jeff Tracy went up in a helijet to New Hampshire, no one knows why, and his state-of-the-art craft crashed in the blizzard! He's in critical condition, hypothermic, and they're warming him up in preparation for surgery already. The family is being notified...."

Ned's eye was caught by a woman wearing an expensive fur coat that had just come up in the elevator, accompanied by a security guard. She briskly strode to the nurses' station and was greeted by a doctor, who guided her deeper into the maze of the Trauma Center's cubicles.

"I'd say that the family has been notified. That was Dr. Dianne Tracy who just came in here," Ned said with satisfaction. "Let's keep an eye on the lady and see if we can get a word or two with her. But until then, I'd better call this in to the newsroom. Jeff Tracy in a helijet crash! That's big news!"

*******************

Dianne sat in a small lounge, one used for VIPs, a coffee cup on the table next to her and her head resting on her clasped hands.

Did we get to him in time? Did I do enough to save him? Oh, God! Please! Don't take him from me! I'll never forgive myself if he dies because of my error!

A shadow crossed the doorway. "Mom?"

Dianne looked up to see Gordon standing there. She stood and he came to her and embraced her.

"What are you doin' here, Gordon?"

"Well, we talked it over and the guys and I decided you shouldn't be by yourself. Since I was the one son who didn't have to fly a Thunderbird back to the Island, I was selected to stay. Scott came back and dropped me off at the penthouse like Virgil did you. At least he could land there and I didn't have to jump out. He's going to come back in Thunderbird One with Grandma."

"Ah hope she survives the journey! Ah might have guessed that Em would want to be heah as quickly as she could. But, oh, Ah'm glad you're heah, son." Dianne sat back down and Gordon sat next to her, taking her hand.

"So, how is he?"

"They've gotten his core temp up high enough to attempt surgery on th' internal injuries. He's been in there for, oh, about thirty minutes so far."

"Which means they've barely begun," Gordon said.

"No, not this time. This time it's all hurry, hurry, hurry since he's in such a delicate and critical condition. Doctors praised International Rescue for their work but since they couldn't say how long his core temp had been down, there are no guarantees. No guarantees that he comes out of this without brain damage. No guarantees that he comes out of this without losing some digits due to frostbite. No guarantees he comes out of this, period."

Dianne looked at her stepson with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Gordon! Ah don't want to lose mah husband!"

"And I don't want to lose my Dad, either, Mom. So let's think only that he's gonna recover. You and I both know how damned stubborn he is. He won't go quietly." Gordon pulled Dianne into another embrace, and then looked up. His eyes got wide and he swore.

"What's the matter, son?" Dianne asked, puzzled, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"It's Ned Cook, and he's coming this way! I've got to make myself scarce!" He glanced back at her before he went out the door. "Can you handle him?"

Dianne nodded. "Yes, Ah can. Come back soon. Bring bettah coffee."

Gordon nodded and walked out of the room, trying to look nonchalant and still move quickly away. He was out of sight before Ned Cook made it to the door and knocked on the frame, as the door was open.

"Dr. Tracy? Dr. Dianne Tracy?" Ned put on his most sincere tone, his most sympathetic smile. He looked at the lovely woman sitting there, her fur coat casually thrown over a chair, her designer clothes accentuating her figure, her long legs crossed at the knee, and her eyes, red from tears.

"Yes, Mistah Cook. Ah am Dianne Tracy. To what do I owe the dubious honor of yoah visit?"

Hoo boy. She knows who I am and she's not happy to see me. Not a good combination. "I was wondering if I could have a few words from you? About your husband's accident."

"Yes, you may."

Ned eagerly entered the room, but Dianne put up a hand.

"No need to come in, Mistah Cook. You can have mah words from the doorway because they are few."

Ned stopped, confused. "What do you mean, Dr. Tracy?"

Dianne smiled slightly. "Mah words on th' subject of mah husband's accident are these: mind yoah own business." She cocked her head at him. "D'you understand?"

Ned colored, but kept his temper. "Yes, Dr. Tracy. I believe I do. But if, by any stretch of the imagination, you decide you want to speak to the public about it, please call me first. My card." He stepped into the room to hand it to her.

Dianne took it, glanced at it, and put it aside. She returned her gaze to him as if willing him to go away.

"I'll leave you alone now, Dr. Tracy," he said as he turned to leave. Then he stopped and looked back. "Oh, by the way, do you have any idea why your husband was in New Hampshire?"

"Now, Mistah Cook. Would Ah tell you if Ah did?"

"No. I suppose not. Goodnight, Dr. Tracy. I hope your husband recovers."

She nodded her thanks, and he left, empty-handed.

Post by Tikatu on 02/07/2004

Jeff heartbeat Dianne plain My IR:TNP OTP!

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