Alan's POV:
"Alan Tracy, I want to see you," Mr. Mathews called out as the bell rang ending the end of math class.
I groaned. I knew what was coming as I had already had a very similar conversation with my history teacher the period before.
As my classmates filed out I sat in my desk, waiting for everyone to leave before making my way toMr. Mathew's desk.
"I'll wait for you in the hallway," Fermat told me as he walked by.
As I nodded, I silently added the 'again' to that statement myself. Sometimes I wondered how Fermat and I could be such good friends. We were like night and day in everything.
As Fermat followed the rest of their classmates out of the classroom, I put the math book in my back pack and slung the pack over my right shoulder. I then slowly mademy way to the front of the classroom. I might as well get the lecture over with.
"Yes Mr. Mathews?" I said as I approached the desk.
"Mr. Tracy, I must say that I'm very concerned with the results of the last few tests not to mention that you haven't turned in quite a few assignments. Is there something going on at home that you want to talk about."
"No," I told him looking down at the floor. Truth was that I had been thinking a lot about starting my training for International Rescue. School work was the last thing on my mind since Fermat and I had returned to school after becoming members of IR after our adventure with the Hood. I couldn't tell my teachers that though.
"Something at school then. One of your classmates giving you a hard time?"
"No sir," I said again.
"Well something is going on with you Alan. Granted, your grades have never been completely up to their potential in this class but you've never been failing the class altogether. That's where you stand at right now Mr. Tracy. If you don't do well, and I'm talking 90 or better, on the final then you won't pass this class."
I kept my mouth shut. I had never scored higher than an 80 on a math test before. This was not looking good.
I wasn't sure what to say. I knew my grades weren't stellar but I honestly hadn't realized that I was in danger of failing any of my classes. I knew Dad was not going to be happy about it.
"I've also talked to your other teachers, and we have all noticed a drop in your grades not to mention that you are failing two other classes besides this one."
Which meant I had to listen to another lecture from yet another teacher. I tried to think of what the third class was that I was failing. It was probably English or Science.
"Now, I have never been a fan of a week break for the kids to prepare for the finals but in this case I believe it can be beneficial for you. It will give you some extra time to catch up. I've prepared some extra review assignments for you. Perhaps you can get your friend Fermat to help you with it if you need help."
"Yes sir," I told him.
"You may go Alan," Mr. Mathews told me.
I nodded and slowly walked toward the door. This day was not going well at all. This was our last day of classes before going home for our week break and it seemed to be dragging on. I knew it wasn't going to get much better.
"What's that?" Fermat asked me as I came out of the classroom.
"Extra review material," I muttered as I kept walking toward the cafeteria.
"Alan," Fermat said hurrying to catch up to me. "Are you . . ."
"Yes Fermat, I'm failing another class. Apparently I'm failing a third class too so I get to go through the lecture a third time this afternoon."
And probably a fourth and fifth time, I added to myself. I was sure I would have to see the headmaster before I left for home tomorrow afternoon and then there was Dad. I knew he would have a nice long lecture for me when I got home. And the lecture wasn't the only thing he would have in store for me.
Dad had said he would start my IR training during this break. With how things are I could definitely see him postponing it. And if I failed any classes I could just see my Dad sending me to summer school.
"Well if you would a-a-apply yourself to your school work a l-l-l-ittle more instead of daydreaming . . ."
"Thanks for the support Fermat," I told him cutting him off. My tone was a little sharper than I meant it to be.
"S-s-sorry," he whispered.
"No, I'm the one that should be sorry," I told him with a sigh. "You're right. I only have myself to blame for this. Its just that school is so boring."
"But it is necessary," Fermat told me even though I knew he didn't share my opinion on school being boring. Fermat loved books and learning things. He was just like his Dad. Unfortunately he was right. I hated it that he always seemed to be right.
"I know but that doesn't mean I have to like it," I muttered as I joined the end of the lunch line.
Dad was quiet, and that wasn't a good sign. I could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy. The fact that Fermat was with us was probably the only thing keeping him from giving me a lecture right now.
As I expected, the headmaster had requested my presence in his office after classes today. And also as I expected, Dad was there waiting for me too. What I wasn't expecting was the presence of Mrs. Madison, my science teacher. That had clued me in to what the third class was that I was failing.
The meeting hadn't gone well. I had said as little as possible knowing that opening my mouth would probably just get me in more trouble at this point. Dad hadn't been happy to hear about math and history but he was really unhappy when he heard what Mrs. Madison had to say.
Science, which happened to be astronomy this semester, I was not only failing but my grade was so low that even if I scored a hundred on the final I could only earn a sixty-five in the class which Wharton Academy still considered as failing and no credit would be earned for the class.
The headmaster and Mrs. Madison did offer me a chance to pass the class though. For starters I had to do an extra credit report which was do when I returned to school. The second stipulation was that I score an A on the final and prove that I understood the material. Summer school was starting to look inevitable.
When we reached Tracy Island, Dad got out of the boat and headed toward the house. He still didn't say anything. I wasn't sure if that meant he wanted me to follow him or not.
"Dad?" I asked questionly. I was actually looking forward to a lecture. Anything would be better than this silence.
"We'll talk later Alan," my Dad replied without even looking back over his shoulder.
"That's n-n-not a good sign," Fermat said softly beside me.
"You're telling me," I replied.
Without another word the two of us started walking up the dock and toward the house ourselves. Halfway up the stairs leading to the lowest patio level I heard splashing and laughter. Seems my three brothers were enjoying themselves, which meant I had to walk by them in order to get to the house.
The thought of not going inside and staying out on the beach crossed my mind. However, that would only postpone things. I was going to have to face my brothers at some point and when I did the teasing would begin. If they found out that I was flunking three classes, which they probably would at some point, they would have a field day with that.
I kept walking though. What I really wanted to do was go to my room and in order to do that I had to get pass Scott, Virgil, and Gordon.
"What did you do this time Alan?" Scott called out, from the pool.
"Who said I did anything," I shot back trying to feign innocence.
"Yeah, right. I haven't seen him that mad since you blew up your school," Scott replied not buying the act at all.
"Wharton Academy is still standing right?" Gordon asked.
"Yes the school is still standing," I told him. I could feel myself getting angry and I knew my brothers could see that which would only encourage them.
"Well, we can never know with you Alan," Virgil said as he walked back toward the pool with an inflatable beach ball that he had gotten out to retrieve. "You always seem to be able to mess things up."
"I'm not even taking chemistry at Wharton Academy."
"Yeah, because they don't trust you with chemicals after what happened at the Churchill School for Boys," Gordon chimed in.
"But Alan, I'm sure you don't need chemicals to do damage to the school," Scott said.
"Yeah, there is always cooking class. I'm sure you could manage to burn down the school or something trying to bake a cake," Gordon piped in.
"He wouldn't even have to be cooking," Virgil said tossing the ball into Scott from the edge of the pool. "He would probably decide he could make the stove more efficient and blow it up in the process."
That was it. I wasn't just going to stand there and take it from them anymore. I dropped my two bags and rushed towards Virgil, shoving him into the pool.
"Ooohhh, temper, temper," Scott said as Virgil's head broke the surface and he wiped the water out of his face.
I was ready to jump in after him too, despite the fact that Scott could easily overpower me, when I felt a hand touch my arm. I looked back to see Fermat standing there with my bags plus his.
"Alan, let's just go," he said softly.
I knew it was the best thing to do. I could never win against my brothers, especially not with all three of them against me. Without saying a word I took my bags from Fermat and headed for the steps leading up to the house.
"Bye girls," I heard Scott call out as we walked away. Before long I heard laughter as they returned to their game.
Jeff's POV:
"I don't know where I went wrong with him," I said in frustration to John over the communications link with Thunderbird 5. Scott might have been the first born but there were times when John seemed much older than Scott. It seemed like in the past few years, that I had started going to John more and more when I needed to work something out.
Scott was my right hand when it came to field operations for International Rescue. He was a natural leader and he took that responsibility seriously. However, Scott was a man of action. He didn't always stop and think things through which in some instances could be a good thing when a split second decision had to be made.
John on the other hand, although perfectly capable of making leadership decision, was more than content to let others take the lead. That never stopped him from speaking up when he thought something was wrong or that somebody wasn't considering something. He was the diplomat of the group. The level headed one. The listener. It was all of those qualities that made him a good person to talk things out with.
"You didn't go wrong with him Dad. Alan's a good kid," John told me and not for the first time. John was always reminding me of that fact.
"I know that but sometimes its hard to remember that," I told him thinking about some of the things that had happened in the past that had gotten Alan kicked out of quite a few private schools.
"Trouble just seems to follow him kind of like it did Mom," John said.
I had to smile at that. He had a point. Meg always meant well but things never seemed to turn out quite the way she had planned. Alan had that trait.
"Besides Dad he won't be the first of us who failed a couple of classes," John said.
"John, failing public speaking and failing three classes and barely passing the rest is completely different," I told him. That class had been a nightmare for John. He hated being in front of large groups and it had taken him three attempts to pass the class and fulfill the requirement the school had and even then he just passed. I think part of it was his teacher knew how hard it was for him and just finally passed him. "Sometimes I think that Alan doesn't even try."
"I wasn't exactly thinking about me," John told me. "I was thinking more along the lines of Scott. I remember you use to have to sit there and watch him do his homework or he wouldn't do it and Scott turned out okay. School just isn't for everyone.
"I can understand how IR can be alluring to a boy Alan's age but he needs to at least get through high school. The rest of you did and I don't expect any less from Alan."
"I"m not saying you should but sometimes I think Alan thinks you expect him to live up to the high standards that Virgil and Gordon set. He's closer in age to those two and when it comes to school they set some pretty high standards."
I nodded. John had a point. Virgil was valedictorian and Student Council President. Gordon had been more or less an A student with a few B's here and there. He had also been a soccer and track star in school. I guess that could be a little overwhelming for Alan.
"All I want is for him to get through high school," I said. "And I intend to do everything I can to make sure he does just that. I've got no choice but to tell him I'm not starting his training this week. He needs to concentrate on his schoolwork."
"That isn't going to go over well."
"You don't think I know that."
"Dad send Alan up here for the week."
"What?" I asked a little surprised by the suggestion.
"Alan's going to have to spend some time up here learning about Thunderbird 5 at some point, why not now? There will be less distractions up here. I can help him with his school work. Show him some of the stuff I'm working on up here in my free time which might help him write that report he needs to write."
"I can't ask you to take on that responsibility, John."
"You're not, I'm volunteering."
"I don't know . . ."
"Come on Dad, I want to help. Besides it will give me a chance to spend some time with Alan."
It made sense. Alan could do some training, which I knew he would be happy about and there was less distractions up on Thunderbird 5 compared to the island. And Alan didn't see much of John, between him being away from school and John spending so much time on Thunderbird 5. Maybe the time with his older brother with do Alan good. I knew the other three teased him endlessly.
"Okay, I'll send him up tomorrow morning. Don't expect him to be thrilled about the idea though."
"What's new. None of my brothers like being up here," John said with a smile. "I'll talk to you tomorrow Dad."
"Okay, son," I said with a soft chuckle. He had a point. Scott, Virgil, and Gordon all hated being up on Thunderbird 5 even though they all took their turns. "Later John."
I closed the link as I heard a knock on the door to my office.
"Come in," I called out.
"Dinner is ready, Dad," Scott said sticking his head inside.
"Okay," I told him standing up and walking toward the door. I'd wait until after dinner to break the news to Alan.