This is International Rescue

There was nothing he could do. Even though Scott knew his brother was standing next to him very much in one piece.  

Then there was a large drone hovering next to him, matching his speed. An IR drone.  

Everything was going too fast, his brother was nearing the sidewalk but John caught the hint and made a grab at the bottom of the drone.  

Scott cringed. They weren’t made for people.  

John’s arms hooked around the bulky body of the drone as he tried to find some purchase while avoiding touching the rotors at the top. He was still falling fast. Once he stopped fumbling and held fast the drone whirred and picked up speed. The speed of decent slowed minutely, ever so slowly. But it was somewhat working.  

The broadcaster camera drone followed the scene with precision. Scott knew it couldn’t have been a live feed. They wouldn’t have risked the gruesome scene that could have occurred.  

In reality, John hit the ground hard, but not nearly hard enough to kill him. He went down legs first and crumpled. The drone smashed down next to him.  

Scott still winced at the rough impact. It was surprising John had only fractured his leg.  

“A camera drone?” Scott had said incredulously, almost laughing at the absurdity. 

His brother had survived a 30 floor drop by hooking onto the underside of a drone made for no weight and light winds. Of course, the drone was IR and Brains did over-engineer everything to a ridiculous standard but this was impressive even for him.   

Gordon had been flying the drone.  

“C’mere” Scott pulled his sheepish-looking second youngest brother into his side.  

Gordon struggled half-heartedly as Scott ruffled his hair.  

“Scotttttt.” He whined. 

Scott chuckled and gave his brother a tight squeeze before releasing him.  

Virgil had told him the chilling first person account later that night when the younger boys had retired to a hotel and John was snoozing quietly on the bed next to them.  

Virgil admitted to him that he’d frozen when John fell. First seeing the close-up scene from the display on the drone and then watching from the ground as the tiny figure became bigger and bigger as his brother plummeted towards the ground.  

Gordon hadn’t missed a beat. The drone was following their brother decent immediately, trying to match his speed without letting the rotators get too close.  

Virgil told him how he’d shouted at Gordon that it wasn’t going to work. How Gordon had shouted back that they didn’t have any other option.  

“I didn’t know what to do. I thought that was it.” Virgil admitted to him. Scott knew the feeling, recalling his own reaction from the room above.  

“I should’ve been in Two.” Virgil continued in a mumble. “Should’ve been ready.”  

“There was nothing you could have done Virg.” Scott said softly. He was already dealing with his own guilt around the situation but he wouldn’t stand for one of his siblings trying to do the same.  

“We almost lost him.”  

Both boys found their gazes drifting over to their sleeping brother. Scott didn’t want to pretend to Virgil that he hadn’t been scared. That he hadn’t frozen too. Not just frozen but been practically catatonic at the possibility of losing John.  

“I know.” He said, voice cracking. The emotions of the past 12 hours hadn’t quite passed yet. The concussion that was keeping him in this bed overnight was probably a factor in that.  

“You should get some sleep Scott.” 

Virgil, of course, had been distracted from his morbid train of thought by Scott’s condition and Scott was almost happy to humour his brother just this once.  

He nodded and lowered himself into the bed.  

He couldn’t resist adding. “Promise me you won’t stay in that chair all night.” 

Virgil smiled but just settled further back into the chair as Scott’s eyes closed almost involuntarily now that he was lying down.  

He drifted into an uneasy sleep with the knowledge that his family had survived the day. 

* 

John was hopping through the hospital corridors on his newly acquired crutches. Although he’d protested at first, he had to admit he probably wouldn’t have gotten down to the gardens without them. At least he’d avoided the wheelchair.  

He’d managed to make his escape after Virgil went on a morning coffee run to a place a couple of blocks over. Hospital coffee got old fast.  

He’d needed some fresh air. He was tired of watching clips of himself over and over again on the hospital television. Scott wouldn’t turn it off. John didn’t know why; his brother averted his gaze every time they played a clip of the fall. It clearly wasn’t something either one of them wanted to relive.  

This morning also had the addition of Litchwell giving his own opinion on the incident. Kayo had reported to them that the news stations had once again set up camp outside the building and were pestering the employees for interviews as they arrived at work this morning.  

Litchwell had been more than willing to give his point of view on the events. It consisted of many words like dangerous and liabilities floating around in relation to them. Scott was doing damage control with Sanders now. It was probably the only reason he’d let John go out on his own.  

He was starting to feel a little smothered by the constant attention. He understood it, and he appreciated it but the 24/7 concern was starting to weigh on him. 

So, he’d made his way out to the hospital gardens, sat on a bench and enjoyed the morning air. It was what he needed to clear his head.  

His thoughts had been spiralling since the incident. Not a lot could phase him but getting held hostage, almost being kidnapped and then falling to what he honestly believed to be his death was a lot to process.  

He thinks he’d been okay until he’d faced the prospect of being separated from Scott. He didn’t know if he’d been subconsciously holding on to the childish idea that his oldest brother could handle anything, could fix anything. He just knew he always felt safe when Scott was around.  

They were a team. They could handle a conference, they could handle the board, they could handle International Rescue. John wouldn’t be able to do any of that without Scott.  

So yeah, of course he’d been scared.  

He was ready to be back on the island. So, he eventually limped his way back inside to the room. They were due to be discharged this morning so he didn’t want to miss the doctors check-in. He was pretty sure he could get Scott to pull some strings even if they weren’t discharged, his brother was as restless in the hospital as he was. Plus, it’s not like they didn’t have the facilities to deal with their injuries at home.  

He got out of the elevator at their floor, clacking his way into the lobby area that was decorated with neon green and orange chairs in an attempt to distract from the plain white walls around them.  

He paused when a man abruptly stood up from one of the chairs when he entered. He recognised the face.  

It only took a second for it to click.  

“Mr. Denburgh?” He said uncertainly. That day at the conference felt like weeks ago instead of the couple of days that had actually passed. The man hadn’t made much of an impression. 

“John.” He said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I saw the news and wanted to come and see how you were doing?”  

Denburgh looked nervous. He was visibly sweating, and his hands were twisting together in front of him. John started to feel uneasy.  

He smiled politely. “I’m just fine Mr. Denburgh thank-you. It was nice of you to stop by.” 

He didn’t pause for an answer and instead started hopping past him towards the direction of his and Scott’s room. As usual Scott was giving him a sense of security. 

Unfortunately, the man started to walk with him. Couldn’t anyone take a hint these days? 

“Good, good.” Denburgh said distractedly. “I’m glad.” He added almost as an afterthought.  

The silence stretched on, just the clatter of John’s crutches on the linoleum echoing in the empty corridor.  

“Listen John.” The man opened, quickening his pace to get in front of him and stopping, effectively halting their progress down the corridor. “I wanted to know if you’d reconsidered my offer after everything that’s happened?” 

“The offer?” John queried before realising. “Oh, for the glasses? Um, no they’re still not for sale.”  

Now more than ever. John thought grimly.  

Those glasses had put him, his brother and the entire board in danger. He’d probably have to halt development entirely. Innovation once again stunted by the unsavoury characters of society.  

He was so lost in thought he almost fell over when a hand suddenly pushed him in towards the wall. He gasped as he put his fractured leg down on reflex to catch himself before getting his crutches under his again.  

He stared at the man in front of him about to question what the hell he was doing when his eye caught the glint of what was in his hand. A knife.  

A knife that was held with shaking hands pointed towards his lower abdomen.  

“I tried to do this the easy way okay?” Denburgh hissed but John could also hear the desperation in his voice. “I’m not leaving here without those designs.”  

“It was you.” John accused, keeping his voice level. “You hired those men to hold the board hostage.”  

“Did you not hear me?” Denburgh exclaimed wildly, brandishing the knife closer.  

“But you don’t have the funds for that.” John continued. He’d wondered about it since he’d first taken a glance at the printed offer the man had initially offered for the glasses. It was way over what John knew the man, and his company, could afford. 

He’d thought it had been suspicious but he’d temporarily dismissed it while they focused on the upcoming board meeting. He’d been planning to look into the man’s finances once he was back on Five.  

“Who are you working for? Who’s funding this?” John asked and was shoved back into the wall again for his efforts.  

“Shut it!” He seethed and John’s brain was beginning to catch up with his situation as he felt the tip of the blade make contact with his abdomen, the point threatening to break skin.  

But then there was a blur and the pressure was gone.  

“Get away from him.”  

Kayo.  

Before John can even blink, she has Denburgh on the ground with his wrists twisted behind him and the man’s own knife in her hand.  

“John?” She looks at him worriedly. “Are you okay?”  

“I’m good.” He reassures her with a sigh of relief. “Thanks Kay.”  

She releases her own shaky breath and nods while pulling zip ties out of her belt.  

“Please.” Denburgh is whimpering on the floor. “Please he’ll kill me.”  

“Who?” Kayo demands as she shakes him.  

The man twisted round to look at them. There was hopelessness in his eyes. 

“He called himself the Hood…” 

The Hood.  

Once Denburgh had calmed down he told them all about the mysterious benefactor who’d contacted him. How he seemed to have an endless supply of both money and information. Especially about them. It was unsettling.  

When the GDF finally showed up and took the man off Kayo’s hands they were both tense with the new information they’d learned. He and Kayo were the eyes and ears of the family. Not much went on that they didn’t know about. 

John was leaning against the hospital wall with his crutches in a half-supporting position as they talked. His leg was still throbbing slightly from the unexpected weight he’s put on it earlier. 

“Why are you always finding trouble when I’m not around?” Kayo remanded at him while straightening out his crinkled shirt.  

“Just making up for the time I spend on Five I guess.” John smiled sheepishly.  

“Well once that leg heals, I’m banishing you up to that little space station of yours for good.”  

“We’re in agreement on that one.” John sighed.  

He couldn’t wait to be back in his own space again, only dealing with the public over comm links. He’d had too much excitement for the year already and it was only January. 

“I’m sorry John.”  

It was said so quietly he almost missed it. Focusing back on his sister, her head was bowed to the floor and her shoulders were scrunched up and tense. He hadn’t ever seen Kayo look so defeated.  

“What?” He cringed at his own voice. Real tactful John. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there, okay?” Her tone was abrupt. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. That I couldn’t do my job”  

John got the sense she wasn’t talking about right now at the hospital. Scott had already given him a little insight into what had been going on outside of the building. She still wouldn’t look at him, keeping her stony gaze fixed on a point down the hall. 

“You made all the right decisions Kay. Everyone got out in the end and that’s all we ever really ask for right?” 

She nodded and gave him a small smile. He wanted to say more but they were interrupted. 

“John!” Scott was barrelling down the hall towards them. Denburgh was still being held by the GDF officers behind them and Scott eyed him. “Is that the guy from the conference? What the hell is going on?”  

Scott looked at him expectantly and John winced internally. He’d only just gotten out of smother hen territory. He was grateful when Kayo took the lead.  

“I think we’ve found the man behind the raid.” Kayo said simply. 

Scott face went through the full spectrum of emotions as he put it all together, glaring at Denburgh the entire time. He eyed the knife that was being scooped off the floor and bagged by the one of the officers. 

“Did he hurt you?” Scott questioned finally, hands scrunching at his sides.  

“Nah.” John said nonchalantly. “Kayo had my back.” 

He smiled as his sister and saw the corners of her mouth turn up at the words. He’d take the small victories.  

Scott nodded but gave him a look that said they’d be revisiting what had happened here in the very near future. 

“God.” Scott said scrubbing at his face tiredly before pointing an accusatory finger towards him. “I swear you are not leaving my line of sight until we are back on the island.”  

John was then promptly frog-marched back to their room. His brother did indeed keep true to his promise but luckily, they were discharged soon after and back on Tracy Island by that evening. 

And the discussions began. Retellings, reports, investigations, security upgrades, damage control and concern about the powerful new player who’d entered the game.  

The Hood. 

Who was he? Why were there no records of him? What would he do next? 

They’d just have to wait and be ready. 

Virgil had been sitting in Two, watching the feed from John’s glasses. He wasn’t sure where Gordon had run off to. As much as he hated to admit it there wasn’t much they could do right now.

Unless they wanted to fly up the side of the building in the hulk of Two, their only option was to sit and wait. Virgil had been okay with that plan until the video feed had gone down. Now his anxiety was through the roof.

He’d been left with the image of the furious man who’d taken the glasses replaying in his head. What if he hurt John? Or worse.

“Gordon.” He called over the comms. “Where are you? I’ve lost the feed.”

“Not to worry bro.” Gordon said in person, startling Virgil as he walked into the cockpit.

Gordon had a games controller out.

“What’s that?” Virgil asked, sceptical that Gordon would be playing games right now.

“One of Brains’ new camera bots.” Gordon supplied and pushed the controller closed, banishing the holoscreen on the controller in front of him and transferring the image to the larger holoscreen on Two’s dashboard.

Virgil saw the windowed sides of the Tracy Industries building as he watched the new feed. Gordon was flying a camera drone. Virgil tapped his fingers on the dash anxiously as the drone slowly came round to the side of the building that they knew the board meeting had been held in.

Gordon didn’t get too close, but they could both clearly see the room in question. The glass was completely missing from one of the panels on the 30th floor room. The sun glaring off the other windows left a dark hole into the building. The camera zoom was good though. They could see a man lingering at the edge of the window from their angled vantage point.

“I can’t get closer.” Gordon supplied. “It’s not a small drone, they’ll see it from a mile away.”

Virgil nodded his agreement.

This was enough.

The mercenaries escape route was clear now. All they’d have to do was wait until they saw the men leave and then they could go in with the GDF.

Well, that’s what Virgil thought until a familiar ginger head appeared at the edge of the window.

Virgil swore as he abruptly stood up from his chair, hands thrown out as if he could do anything while just watching on the screen. He heard Gordon cursing beside him, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

The zoom was suddenly a curse as they were forced to watch their brother hanging out of the destroyed window. John was scrambling, feet balanced precariously on the edge.

The drone moved slightly closer as Gordon also itched to do something, but they were helpless.

He wasn’t a stranger to watching brothers hang off the side of buildings, but they were usually secured or at least had the equipment to secure themselves. Not with their lives being held in the hands of a mercenary who could let go at any second.

John, in his expensive suit, lacking any grapples or means to secure himself.

His brother was finally yanked back into the room and Virgil exchanged a glance with Gordon, the terror echoing in both their eyes.

“This is escalating.” Gordon said grimly. Trying to find an angle with the drone that could reveal where their brother had disappeared to. “The GDF should go in now.”

Virgil nodded and Gordon swiftly got on the line with Kayo who was with the group of GDF officers ready to storm the building.

“Let’s go.” Virgil said when Gordon was finished.

His brother swapped the drone display back to the controller as they exited the cockpit. Virgil made sure to grab his full med-bag on the way out, hefting the heavy pack over his shoulder.  

He kept a hand on Gordon’s shoulder as they weaved their way through the crowded New York streets. His brother was focused on the drone display, keeping it on the window but out of sight.

“There’s a helicopter there now.” Gordon supplied.

“Any word from Kayo?” Virgil asked.

“Nothing.”

Virgil readjusted his grip on his brother’s shoulder, pulling Gordon towards him as the crowd thickened. All these people just getting on with their lives, commuting, not knowing what was going on in the high rise building just a few streets over. He envied them.

“They’re leaving.” Gordon said eventually, eyes still focused on the screen. Virgil took his eyes off the crowd briefly, glanced over his brother’s shoulder to see a cable extending from the window to the helicopter.

This was the moment they’d been waiting for.

He just hoped both his brothers had been left unharmed in the process. Well at least as unharmed as Virgil had last seen them. Scott with a clear head wound and John hanging halfway out of a 30th floor window.

*

Scott couldn’t tell if he was screaming or not. His ears were muted, ringing.

The helicopter had retreated, the other man still dangling from beneath, but Scott didn’t care anymore. Barely spared it a glance.

He was frozen. Staring out at the same place John had just disappeared from view.

His little brother. His crazy-smart, genius little brother. Gone.

Scott felt sick.

“Scott.” Someone said shakily behind him. He almost missed it. There was still a deafening rushing sound in his ears.

“Scott.” They said more firmly.

He turned his head slightly. Sanders. She was looking at him a little shell shocked.

“You need to breathe.” She said eventually.

Scott only now realised he was near hyperventilating and realising it only made things worse. His chest was tight, his heart thudding far too fast.

He started seeing spots as he awkwardly bent over in his chair, hands still tied behind him.

“Scott.” Henry echoed, his voice equally tight. “Please take a breath, you’re going to pass out.”  

Scott stared at the floor, and it was only all his years of training that allowed him to take a slow shaky breath. Compartmentalise. Focus.

He turned to face the room again. The board were all in varying states of shock. Sanders had tears running down her face even as she looked worriedly at him. She’d known John almost since birth.

No one said anything to him. What could you say in this situation? They were all staring at him though.

The door burst open breaking the silence and Scott flinched uncharacteristically. It was the GDF. The black-clad men and women rushed into the room; guns raised.

Scott locked eyes with Kayo. She hurried over to him.

He felt his shock turn to rage.

“Where were you?” He rasped out; his own voice unrecognisable.

Kayo looked sullen.

“I know they’ve got John, Scott. Don’t worry, they won’t get far.” Kayo softened as she knelt behind him to cut away his restraints. “John’ll be okay.”

“No.” Scott choked, aggressively pushing away from the chair as soon as he was able.

He ran, unsteadily, over to the window. “He didn’t make it on to the helicopter.”  

Scott gripped a hand on the sharp edge of the window frame, barely noticing the sting of glass cutting into his palm and leaned out of the opening. He stared down onto the street hoping for a miracle but all he could see was the sheer drop and nothing that his brother could’ve used to save himself.

His vision wobbled.

A hand yanked him backwards and his legs folded as he landed on his butt.

“Scott! What the hell are you doing?” Even as Kayo shouted at him, Scott could hear the shaky uncertainty in her voice. She knew. Deep down, like he did.

“He’s dead.”

Then Scott threw up.

*

Kayo helped Scott out through the main entrance of Tracy Industries, supporting him under the arm. A crowd had formed. The many emergency services vehicles blocking the street had led to that. The media vultures had also descended, and Kayo cursed that they’d already had knowledge of the board meeting. They knew whatever was happening was high profile and they all wanted to be the first to break the story.

Kayo was used to dealing with the press of course. Everything International Rescue and her family were involved in was high profile. This was different though. This wasn’t a carefully crafted statement about lives saved and lives lost. This was her brothers.

She’d need to release a statement before the rumours could get too out of control.

Scott’s face was blank, she wondered if he was even registering the reporter’s shouting questions at them. He’d spent the last 10 minutes throwing up the entire contents of his stomach then continuing to retch until he didn’t have any energy left.

Kayo wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him so out of control. She’d seen him stressed, tired, hurt, angry but never like this. He hadn’t been making sense when she’d first reached him, but she’d managed to piece it together. That unwelcome tightness in her stomach made a reappearance.

John. She’d sent word to the GDF about a likely body on the streets. She didn’t have the stomach to handle that herself. The last thing she’d heard from a worried Virgil was that the mercenaries appeared to be taking John with them. Something must have gone wrong.

She should’ve been there earlier. It was the first thing Scott said to her when she entered the room, and he was right. If she’d just been faster, breached the room 30 seconds earlier. They should’ve gone in straight away.

She’d made the wrong decision and John had paid the price. Kayo dug her nails into the palm of her hand as she eased Scott down to sit at the back edge of an ambulance.

It was her job to protect her brothers. It was her job to keep them safe. She’d failed.

She placed a hand on Scott’s shoulder, kneeling beside him. His face was still bloody, a likely head wound. That couldn’t be helping with the situation.

“Hey” She tried. Scott didn’t even flinch, continuing his blank stare.

Kayo felt her own eyes watering as the situation crashed down on her. This was it. There would be no recovering from this.

“Hey” She tried again, her voice cracking, her hand tightening on Scott’s shoulder as it trembled. He finally locked eyes with her.

She felt the despair overcome her as they stared into each other’s grief.

“I’m sorry.” She choked out. “I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t stop.

And then Scott was crying too. They still held each other’s gaze. She didn’t expect comfort from him at a time like this. She didn’t deserve it. But Scott’s hand grabbed at her outstretched arm and pulled her in towards him. The embrace was crushing as Scott sobbed silently into her shoulder, shakes wracking his body.

She felt her own tears spill over her cheeks. She lost track of time as they stayed frozen in that moment until a familiar voice brought her back to reality.

“Scott!” The voice sounded from behind Kayo’s back. She couldn’t turn in the bone crushing embrace Scott had on her, but she felt Scott raise his head slowly at the sound of his brother. Gordon. Sounding far too energetic.

“Are you okay?” Gordon asked speedily but uncertainly. She wondered if he’d ever seen Scott like this before. “Do you need a paramedic? I can find one?”

Kayo could practically feel him vibrating through his words even though she couldn’t actually see him.

He doesn’t know. She realised.

Scott’s grip on her loosened, his hands sliding away, and she finally turned to face her little brother. He looked confused and worried while still bouncing on the balls of his feet, as if waiting for someone to give him a task.

Scott had gone back to a more-or-less expressionless face even with his eyes still red-rimmed and wet. It was startling to see the change. She wondered if this was his way of coping. Either way, big brother was clearly not up to the task of big brothering right now.

“Gordon.” She started, her face softening even as her eyes scrunched up with the moisture filling them again. “It’s John…he…”

And then a familiar green baldric appeared from behind the ambulance door. The thing that shocked Kayo into saying anything further however was the other familiar face strung over his shoulder.

“Virgil” John groaned, hopping forward beside his brother, one foot elevated. “You’re going too fast.”

“Well, if you’d have let me carry you-” Virgil started even as he adjusted his grip, supporting John a bit more by the waist.

She was frozen. Scott was frozen beside her.

Virgin and John quieted down as the noticed the sombre atmosphere.

“Scott?” Virgil questioned sounding worried, trying to lock eyes with his brother. “Are you okay?”  

Scott’s eyes were glued on John.

“John” Kayo breathed. “How…?”

John’s eyes softened as he realised the implications.

“It’s a long story but I’m okay.” He said it with a smile, almost casually and Kayo felt the strange urge to laugh.

“You’re not okay.” Virgil grunted, shifting his grip again. “Your leg is broken.”

“It’s not broken.” John protested. “It’s just a bad sprain.”

“Yeah well, we’ll let the paramedics decide-”

Virgil was interrupted as Scott shot across to his brother like lightening. Kayo had barely even registered him moving before he was grabbing the back of John’s neck and yanking him into a strangling embrace.

John flailed for a second on one leg as he was pulled sharply away from Virgil, but Scott’s hold was unyielding, and he quickly found his balance.

John only hesitated a millisecond before his long arms were snaking around Scott’s back. Scott fisted his fingers into John rumpled, dirty dress shirt and shook his brother lightly.

“Don’t ever do that to me again.”