Chapter Eight
Alan's Hospital Room
Sometime Later
He was running, seemingly through a maze of corridors that had no end. The cold, cruel laughter of his captor echoed everywhere and he knew that he wasn't far behind. He had to get away, he had to find away out, he couldn't let his captor hurt him again.
He turned another corner and a room was ahead at the end of the corridor. Hoping that he had at last found the way out he ran towards it and felt his hopes crumble when he saw that it was the room he'd been kept in again.
He spun around to run out again but the corridors were gone, there was only the door, the terrible door that his captor came through. As he watched the door opened and his captor came in a sneer on his face.
"No escape Alan," his captor's voice said as he approached, and Alan threw his head back and screamed in terror…
…and awoke with a jolt, shaking and sweating, and smelling of fear and panic. A hand touched his shoulder and he screamed in terror fearing that it would be the man who'd kidnapped him again.
"Easy Alan its alright it was only a dream," the familiar warm voice of his father said. "It's alright your safe."
"Dad," Alan said his voice shaking as the realisation that he really was away from his captor that he hadn't dreamed his escape sank in, emotions began welling up inside brought forth by the nightmare and the knowledge that he was safe. His eyes began to sting with tears and a sob escaped his lips as the tears began to fall in silvery rivers down his cheeks.
Jeff gently released Alan's shoulder and stood up before moving to get up as far as he could onto the bed with him, gently he reached out and brought Alan into a comforting, loving embrace. The same kind he had used on all his sons when they were children and upset, especially if like Alan had now they had just woken up from a nightmare. Alan buried his head in his father's chest and continued to cry the whole of his bruised, battered body shaking with sobs.
"It's alright Alan," he said softly into his youngest sons ear while stroking his short blond hair reassuringly, "it's alright just let it out."
Alan clung to his father as hard as he could and just continued bawling like a little kid. Part of him told him to remember that he was a Tracy that he shouldn't be like this, shouldn't show weakness, but at the moment he didn't care. He was hurting so much and in the arms of his father felt safe enough to let it show, let some of the anger, hurt and humiliation show. He felt his father stroking his hair and rocking him gently, which told him that it was okay to cry, so he didn't do anything to stop the tidal wave of emotion welling up from inside.
"I tried to stop him," Alan said between sobs. "I tried, but he was so strong. I couldn't, couldn't stop him."
"I know Alan," Jeff replied. "I know you tried."
"He wanted to know," Alan sobbed, "he wanted to know about us, when I didn't tell him he…" Alan's voice trailed off as he didn't want to say the word, he just started crying that little bit harder into his fathers shirt.
Inwardly Jeff frowned, so that was what Dennings had been after, why he'd kidnapped Alan. He wanted to know about International Rescue and when Alan had refused to tell him anything, he'd tortured and raped his youngest son. But how had Dennings known that Alan was a Thunderbird? Jeff put that bit of the puzzle out of his thoughts for now. It was something to deal with later. Right now Alan needed him and for now that was all that mattered.
"It's alright," Jeff said softly into Alan's ear for the second time, "it's alright he's not here now he can't hurt you again. Let it out son, just let it out. Your safe I'm not going to let him harm you ever again."
"I want to go home," Alan whimpered through his sobs.
"And we will go home Alan," Jeff replied. "We'll go home soon. For now just let it out, I'm here." And Alan did just that, if at all possible his tears got heavier as he gave vent to all the anguish, all the pain, hurt and humiliation, while feeling comforted and safe in the arms of his father.
Sometime Later
Jeff left Alan's room and leaned back against the corridor wall and closed his eyes with a sigh. Alan had cried for ages, cried as he hadn't for a very long time, cried until he finally fell asleep.
Seeing Alan in so much pain, hurt so badly, had been very hard to bare, all he'd wanted to do while he'd held Alan was scream. Scream his rage at what had been done to his youngest child, scream his rage at a world where such things were allowed to happen, but he hadn't. He'd kept it in for Alan's sake, there would be time for him to deal with his own anger and pain later, all that mattered at this moment in time was getting Alan through this.
And that Jeff knew was going to be a long, hard road for all of them, but especially for Alan. It would be along time before Alan recovered mentally from this experience, the physical wounds would heal quickly but the mental wounds would take longer, much longer. Though getting Alan home would be a good place to start from, there he would have his whole family around to help, to comfort, to support, to help him heal.
"Jeff," Penelope's voice said softly from close by. Jeff looked over in the direction that Penny's voice had come from to see that accompanied as ever by Parker, Penelope had just come around the corner and was now looking at him in concern.
"I'm okay Penny," Jeff replied though there was no conviction in his voice, he wasn't okay, his soul was both aching in sympathy for Alan's and burning with rage and hatred for the man who had done this to Alan. He wanted blood, he wanted revenge, and he wanted to throttle the monster in human form that had abused his youngest son. But he knew he couldn't do that, it would make him no better than Dennings, but how he wanted to do it.
Penelope looked at Jeff carefully, she could tell that he was lying, that he wasn't okay. Like any parent whose child had been abducted, let alone abducted and abused, he was experiencing a roller coaster ride of different emotions. Relief and joy that he had Alan back alive, horror and outrage at what had been done to Alan, rage at the man who'd done it, anger with himself as a parent for allowing this thing to happen, for allowing Alan to be taken in the first place. Still she didn't push him on it; she'd learned long ago that if you tried to push Jeff on anything you would run right into his stubborn streak. The boys were the same.
"How's Alan," she asked instead, from the damp look of Jeff's shirt she knew already that Alan had been crying.
"Not good Penny," Jeff replied sadly. "He's asleep at the moment finally, but he's been hurt so badly that I don't think it will be a peaceful sleep, he's already woken up once screaming. I need to make arrangements to take him home."
"Alright," Penelope answered. "Let's arrange that. Parker?"
"Yes milady?" Parker asked.
"Remain here and keep an eye on Alan while Jeff and myself go and see about his discharge," Penelope instructed.
"Yes milady," Parker replied with a slight bow to his mistress. Jeff smiled slightly knowing that Parker would keep a very close eye on Alan and ensure that no one got near him.
"Let's go then Penny," Jeff said pushing away from the wall he had been using as support. "The sooner we get to the admin area the sooner we can get Alan out of here and safely home."
"Lead on then Jeff," Penelope replied. Jeff smiled and turned around and started walking away from the room where Alan lay asleep. With a smile Penelope followed hoping they would soon be leaving the hospital altogether, taking Alan home to Tracy Island where he could rest and recover from his terrible ordeal.
Tracy Island
One Hour Later
Virgil Tracy walked with purpose and direction through the hallways of the Tracy villa heading for the gym, which he knew, was where his quarry would be. He couldn't wait to tell him the good news, the news that dad had called a few minutes ago with. Alan was coming home, and coming home today.
Entering the gym Virgil walked through it, passing all the treadmills, bikes, stair master and skiing machines, passed the free weights and weight machines, to the far side of the gym where he knew he would be. As he approached he heard repeated dull thuds. He turned a corner formed by one of the weight machines and there he was.
For a few moments he stood there just watching as his brother moved repeatedly hitting the punching bag, moving with easy grace as he repeatedly punched and kicked the bag with all his strength. The movements were so fluid, so artistic and graceful that for a moment Virgil was content to watch. Watch and admire the fluid but powerful movements. After a moment he coughed to get his brothers attention.
"Scott," he said but Scott didn't seem to hear him he just continued pounding and kicking the bag, his skin flushed and caked in sweat, his muscles bulging and rippling in exertion. "Scott," he repeated more loudly. This time Scott stopped.
Scott turned in place and looked at him, his chest moving up and down quickly as his lungs worked rapidly to keep his muscles charged with oxygen.
"Hi Virg," Scott replied and gestured to a side table where a towel and bottle of water had been placed. "Would you pass me the towel and some water please."
"Sure," Virgil answered not minding Scott shortening his name one bit, they all had their nicknames for each other which in his and Gordon's case involved shortening their names to Virg and Gordo respectively. Calmly he walked over to the table and retrieved the indicated items and offered them to Scott as Scott took off his boxing gloves.
"Thanks," Scott said wiping some of the sweat off his brow with the towel before putting it across his shoulders before taking a swig of water from the bottle, which was meant for gym environments and had a straw-like tube at the top. The fresh water felt cool and wonderful as it ran down his throat, he had been pounding the bag so hard, imagining it to be Dennings in his minds eye, that he hadn't noticed he was getting thirsty. After a moment he stopped drinking and turned his attention back to Virgil.
"What did you want Virg," he asked.
"Dad just called," Virgil answered, "we did try to call you but you must have been too lost in pounding the bag that you didn't hear your comm. Feel better?"
"A bit," Scott admitted. "I wish it were Dennings that I was pounding but since he's not here the bag has had to do."
"We all wish it could be Dennings bro," Virgil replied smiling, "but then we'd end up having an argument over who'd kill him first."
"True," Scott agreed. "Though you can bet dad would beat us all to it. So what did he want? Dad I mean?"
"I know who you meant," Virgil replied. "He's coming home, with Alan."
"Really! That's great! When?" Scott answered.
"They'll be leaving the hospital in about fifteen minutes," Virgil answered smiling, "so they should be back here in about two hours. Assuming they don't hit heavy traffic in Boston."
"Great. Then we better prepare for them," Scott said.
"Indeed. But you better have a shower and get changed before you do anything." Scott looked down at himself and saw that both the sleeveless muscle T-shirt he was wearing and his sweatpants were dark with sweat and clung revealingly tight to his body. Now that he thought about it he did feel very hot and sweaty. He looked back up at Virgil and smiled.
"You know Virgil you're right that would be best."
Boston General Infirmary
Twenty Minutes Later
Jeff watched carefully as Alan gingerly climb into FAB One. The bruising in Alan's battered form was starting to come out, so all of Alan's movements, normally so fluid and effortless were slow and painful. They'd only gotten Alan this far with the aide of a wheelchair as Alan just couldn't stand up and walk for more than a few minutes at a time thanks to the bruising and the pain in his side from the burns inflicted by the cattle prod.
Alan sat down in the back of FAB One with a relieved sigh and wiped the sweat that had been gathering on his forehead away with one sleeve of his shirt, even as he panted. He had no strength at all now, escaping from his captor, whose name he now knew to be Dennings, had depleted the last of his reserves. His body was exhausted and hurt and he felt every bruise in his body along with a dull throbbing pain in his left side. He was so tired that even his normal high pain tolerance wasn't there, his body wanted to rest, to sleep, to heal, but the trouble was he was afraid to sleep. Because when he did succumb to sleep the nightmares and Dennings were always waiting there, emerging from the dark spaces of his memory to taunt and torture him more.
Jeff climbed in after Alan and sat down beside his son and looking worriedly at him, he could see the lines of exhaustion and pain in Alan's features. Alan hadn't slept well at all, waking up every half hour or so screaming from nightmares, and as a result was feeling the pain of every bruise and wound his body had taken in his recent, terrible ordeal. He could only hope that when they got home Alan would be able to sleep at least semi-normally, if he couldn't they would have no choice but to sedate him so his body could rest. Jeff didn't want to do that, but he knew that it might come down to it.
Alan leaned against his father's side, seeking warmth and comfort from his parent, something Jeff was more than willing to provide. Gently he reached out an arm and put it across Alan's shoulders and pulled his youngest close to him, Alan leaned into his side and relaxed completely, the contact with his father making him feel completely safe. He knew he was safe in FAB One anyway, still the contact with dad made him feel even more secure.
Penelope climbed aboard and sat down beside Jeff before Parker climbed into the front of the car and the roof and doors closed. She would be taking Jeff and Alan to the airport so they could take Tracy One home to the island, she herself would then go out to Wharton Academy and pick up Fermat before following them to Tracy Island.
"To the airport please Parker," Penelope instructed Parker though it wasn't really necessary as Parker knew where they were going.
"Yes milady," Parker replied as he started the engine and put the car into drive mode before gently beginning to drive away.
A short distance away sitting in a parked car as if he was waiting for something a man smiled as he observed the bright pink car pull away from the hospital. Excellent, he thought, the boss will be pleased. Reaching out the watcher took a small mobile phone from a side pocket the man dialled a familiar number and waited.
After a few moments of waiting an auburn haired woman answered the hail.
"Yes Carson?" Transom asked from the small screen.
"Tell the boss phase three is complete, phase four has begun," Carson replied and Transom smiled her crooked smile.
"Excellent the Hood will be very pleased," Transom answered. "You will be handsomely rewarded." Carson smiled back, just before Transom disappeared from the screen.
Still smiling Carson started the engine and drove away leaving Boston General Infirmary behind him.