August 10, 2047

"Alright, boys, is everyone packed?"

Nods ensued through the clutch of children. Well, three of them nodded. John stood still, looking at the ground, and Alan was busy playing with his father's hair, from where he perched on his shoulders.

"Jeff, are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Jeff's mother walked up.

"I'll be fine, mom. You need to stay here and take care of dad."

His mother nodded, "Being a single parent with five little boys is difficult. I just don't want you in over your head."

"Don't worry, mom. I have Scott. He can help."

"Alright, whatever you say."

Jeff nodded, "Alright, to the car!"

"To the car!" Virgil, Gordon, and Scott cried.

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"Now, boys. We are going to meet someone very smart. He can help with our future. I trust you will all be very respectful?"

"How smart is this guy?" Gordon asked from the back seat.

"And who is he?" Scott asked from the passenger's seat.

"We are going to see Professor Hackenbacker."

Gordon snickered.

"He teaches Physics at Cambridge University in England, but he could also teach any of the math or science fields."

"Whoa," Scott said.

"'Whoa' is right. This guy is a very important factor in my plans, so I need you boys to be good."

"We will," Scott promised.

"What's his name, again?" Virgil asked.

Gordon answered, "Just call him 'Brains'."

Jeff turned around in his seat. "No, that is exactly what I do not want you to do!"

"Uh, dad? The road?" Scott reminded his father he was driving.

Jeff turned back to the road, "You will call him either Professor or Mr. Hackenbacker."

Gordon groaned, "But that sounds so boring!"

"I don't care, it's respectful, and I really need this guy as a business partner."

Gordon sighed, "Fine. Is there a pool where we're going?"

Jeff chuckled, "I did ask you to pack your bathing suit. Yes, there is a pool in the hotel."

Gordon was satisfied.

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August 11, 2047

"When are you meeting him?"

"At breakfast tomorrow."

"What does he look like?"

"A professor."

"When can we go swimming?"

Jeff sighed. He was attempting to answer his son's many questions, while trying to unpack his stuff, keep an eye on Alan, and get the rest of his sons to unpack their stuff.

"Scott?" Jeff called to his oldest, "Are you unpacked?"

"Almost," he replied.

"Could you help Gordon?"

Scott entered the room of the suite, "Come on, Gordon."

"Yeah! Unpacking!" Gordon left and followed Scott eagerly.

Jeff sighed, collapsing onto his bed. He heard a crash and a cry, and leapt up immediately.  He ran into the mini-kitchen, and saw John, standing next to the sink, and Alan crying on the floor next to a broken glass.

"John Glenn! Did you just drop that glass?!"

The red-head shrugged.

Jeff bent down and picked up his youngest. Alan's hand was bleeding where he had cut himself with glass.

Jeff inhaled deeply. "John, please pick this up. Make sure you get all the glass."

John shrugged again as his father left the room. Jeff set Alan on the sink, trying to ignore the wailing, and began to wash the boy's hand. He treated it and put a band aid on it, and then gave him a plastic tray of gummies. Alan quieted almost immediately and began to eat.

Jeff gave another tired sigh. It was going to be a long weekend.

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August 12, 2047

"Is that him? What about him? Ooh, that's him, isn't it?"

Jeff sighed. "No, Gordon." They were walking through a restaurant that featured a breakfast buffet. Jeff was holding Alan, holding Virgil's hand, Gordon was running around them, Scott was walking beside him, and John was trudging sulkily in the rear.

"That's him!"

"Gordon, calm -"

"Jeff T-Tracy?"

Jeff turned and looked at who spoke. A young man of Indian origin was sitting at a table looking at a hologram. He shut off the hologram and stood up.

"Professor Hackenbacker?"

The man adjusted his glasses. "T-That's me." the pair shook hands.

"How did you know it was me?" Jeff asked.

"Not many p-people walk around with five b-boys surrounding them l-like electrons."

Jeff laughed. "Yup, plenty of recruits here." he ruffled Virgil's hair, before introducing each of his sons. "This is Scott, my oldest."

Scott shook hands with the professor.

"That's John, this is Virgil, there's Gordon -"

"Hi!" The six-year-old exclaimed, being sure to show off his Shark Week T-shirt.

"- and this is Alan, my youngest."

"H-hi," Professor Hackenbacker greeted them.

Alan giggled, "Brains!"

"Alan!" Jeff scolded while Gordon smiled proudly.

Professor Hackenbacker chuckled, "That's quite alright, Mr. Tracy."

"Really?" Gordon asked, "Great!"

"Dad, I'm hungry," John stated.

"Alright, you boys can go get food. Scott, could you help Gordon? And John, do you think you could get something for Alan?"

John glared at his youngest brother. "No way."

"John," Jeff said sternly.

John turned away, "Actually, I'm not that hungry anymore."

Jeff sighed. "Fine. Scott, you get Alan, John, you can help Gordon."

"Aw, what? I can help myself! I don't need old grumpy-pants!" Gordon protested.

Jeff was about to retaliate, but the professor interrupted.

"It's o-okay, Mr. Tracy. You go help y-your sons. I-I can wait here."

Jeff nodded.

"Thanks, Brains!" Gordon cried, before taking off in the direction of the buffet.

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August 15, 2027

Jeff finally returned home at 5:45 a.m. He turned off the car and turned to look around the vehicle. Scott was stirring beside him, but the rest of his sons were out cold. John had fallen asleep looking out the window, Alan was snoozing in the seat next to him. In the very back of the vehicle, Gordon and Virgil were using each other as pillows.

Jeff heard a door open and shut, and looked out of the car to see his mother walking towards him. Jeff got out of the car to great her.

"Good morning," she smiled. She gazed behind him at the car. "How's the birthday-boy?"

"Out like a light. How's dad?"

His mother smiled sadly. "He's been okay, but his time is coming. Do you need help unloading the car?"

Jeff turned. "Help would be wonderful."

They walked to the vehicle and Jeff opened the doors. He unbuckled John as his mother unbuckled Alan. As they carried the boys into the house, Jeff's mother spoke.

"So? How was it?" she whispered, careful not to wake her cargo.

Jeff smiled. "Despite some snafus, the Professor and I will be meeting to further discuss my ideas in the near future."

His mother smiled. "That's great, Jeff. And, what 'snafus' occured?"

Jeff smiled. "When you travel with five young boys, and one of them is a major jokester, you can't expect everything to go perfectly."

His mother laughed quietly. "What has Gordon done now?"

"It seems as if Professor Hackenbacker has earned himself a nickname among the boys. 'Brains'."

His mother chuckled. "Catchy."

Jeff spoke, "Yeah. They've all used it away from his presence, and my three youngest have addressed him by it.

"Thankfully, he doesn't seem to mind. Actually, I think he likes it."

"Good. Anything else?" His mother asked as they went back to the car for the next load. Scott had removed himself from the car and gone to bed.

"Well, John was being a bit difficult when it came to Alan, as usual..." Jeff picked up Virgil.

His mother sighed as she carried Gordon into the house. "I'm sure he'll grow out of this phase soon."

"John took it especially hard. He'd always been the quiet one, and whenever the house got too noisy, or he wasn't feeling good, he'd go to Lucille. It's been a year, and he still refuses to even watch Alan for a few seconds when no one else is in the room. Frankly, I," Jeff paused, "I wouldn't let him if he agreed to. I'm scared he would try to... do something. It pains me, but I think he actually hates his youngest brother..."

Jeff's mother stopped walking. "Jeff. I know you, and I know John, and I know Alan. I know it hurts you, what you've seen, but no matter what you've observed, John does not hate Alan. They're brothers, and eventually John will realize that they have a bond that nothing can break. I don't know how long it will take - John's a gentle soul - but eventually, he will see it wasn't Alan's fault that he has a hole in his heart."

Jeff sighed, "I hope you're right, Mom."

They walked into the room that Virgil and Gordon shared. As Jeff laid his middle child down, he kissed his forehead and whispered, "Happy Birthday, my son. Our family's future is still dim, but it's slightly lighter than it was five days ago."