Mine rescue
When the alarm sounded, Gordon dropped the surfboard he had been carrying from the boathouse and ran up the steps to the house. In the week since Virgil's wedding they had only had one other call-out and he was eager for some action. He arrived in the lounge just in time to see Scott disappearing through the panel that led to Thunderbird One's silo. "What have you got for me, Dad?" he asked.
"A party of holidaymakers have got themselves trapped in an old gold mine in northern California. The local sheriff called us because he can hear water and he's worried that the mine might become flooded before they could be reached by conventional means. It sounds a fairly straightforward job. Take the Mole, but I don't think you'll need any back-up – I'm sure you can manage this on your own. John will give you the co-ordinates once you're airborne"
"F.A.B. Dad!" Gordon replied cheerfully, turning to the painting that led to Thunderbird 2. As the picture tipped he couldn't help smiling to himself. No wonder Virgil enjoyed piloting the big green craft when he got his own, private amusement park ride at the start of every flight.
When he arrived in Thunderbird 2 he swiftly checked the inventory and selected the correct pod then ran through the pre-flight checks. He might have the reputation as the family joker when he was off-duty, but when working he showed a professionalism and determination that had marked him down for rapid promotion during his days with the WASP. As he taxied out onto the runway he remembered being told by one commanding officer, "Tracy, you're going to make captain by the time you're twenty-five – that's if you haven't been keel-hauled first for one of your pranks!"
Thirty minutes later he heard Scott's voice on the radio. "Just to give you an update, Gordon. I've landed at the danger zone and we've managed to contact the people in the mine. It's not quite as bad as we first thought – there is some water coming in to where they are trapped, but it's not rising very fast, so they are in no immediate danger."
"How many are there down there?"
"Seven, of which two are injured. What's your ETA?"
Gordon looked at his instruments. "You should be hearing me in about ten minutes."
"F.A.B."
Soon Gordon was flying over the danger zone. He could see Thunderbird One, and nearby two vehicles: one a jeep, which he presumed belonged to the sheriff, and the other a minibus with the words 'Action Adventure Holidays' on the side. As he landed he reflected that the holiday-makers were probably getting a bit more action and adventure than they had bargained for.
Scott came on the radio again. "I've managed to find some maps of the mine that I'm transmitting to the Mole now. I suggest you start drilling at a point twenty yards north-east of your current position. The victims are in gallery 3, about eighty feet below ground level."
Gordon followed his brother's instructions and the giant drilling machine began to eat into the ground, spewing up dirt and rock behind him. Gordon wondered if there was any gold in the waste he was throwing out – that would give the next lot of visitors to the mine something to look for. He kept a sharp eye on his instruments as Brains' invention made its way down through the earth, until he saw that the drill bit had hit empty space. He eased forward, giving those trapped time to get out of his way, then stopped and climbed down from the cabin, to find he was standing in ankle deep water. "International Rescue here!" he called, waving his torch.
A figure approached in the gloom, dressed in overalls and wearing a hard hat. "Are we glad to see you!" The man, his face grimy with dust, held out his hand "Doug Reynolds, I'm in charge of this group." He indicated other figures, similarly clad, who were huddled against a wall.
"I gather you have some people injured?" asked Gordon, reaching into the cabin for his medical kit.
"Yes, they're over here, where we could keep them out of the water." He indicated two figures further down the passage. "Luckily one of our group, Meg Latimer, is a nurse, so she's been looking after them."
Gordon made his way over to the small group and crouched down. "What have we got here?" he asked.
A figure dressed like the others glanced at him through dirt-covered features. "Alison has a broken leg, so we'll need a splint for that. Gary I suspect has a broken clavicle. I've already put a sling on his arm, but I'd like to put him in a neck brace as well."
Gordon couldn't help smiling inwardly as he fished the necessary items out of his pack. Her voice and efficient manner reminded him of so many other nurses he'd known. He'd often wondered if they were cloned in some laboratory.
As the nurse tended to her patients, Gordon made a quick survey of the area, then turned to Doug. "I can't take you all in the Mole at once, so I'll take the injured and Ms Latimer on the first trip, then come back for the rest of you. If the water starts to rise any faster you can always wait in the tunnel I've made. I shouldn't be too long."
"Sounds fine by me" replied Doug. "Do you want some help getting the injured into your craft?"
"Yes, please. I'll bring a stretcher for the girl. I think the man should be able to walk, if he's helped."
With his passengers safely stowed in the back of the Mole, Gordon made his way to the surface. Once there, Scott helped him carry the injured girl out on a stretcher, while the sheriff gave the nurse a hand with the other patient and followed them out.
Scott looked at the injured, then at his brother. "Why don't you take these two to hospital, while I go back in the Mole for the others? They can go home in the minibus. By the time you get back I should have the Mole back in the pod, so all you will need to do is retrieve it and then we can head home" He turned to the nurse. "Would you mind accompanying these people to hospital?"
The nurse shook her head, "No, I don't mind."
"OK, just follow us."
They made their way on board Thunderbird 2 and into the sickbay. This and the passenger cabin were the only parts of the craft to which the public were ever given access.
As Gordon left the room he turned to see the nurse bending over one of her charges. "I'll be taking off in a couple of minutes, so make sure you're strapped in, but once we're airborne you can move around again." He pointed to a sink in the corner. "If you want to start cleaning them up there's plenty of water, and you'll find swabs and bandages in the drawers to your left."
She thanked him without looking up and he left. A few minutes later Thunderbird 2 was heading for San Francisco. Gordon contacted the hospital to warn them of his arrival and gave them a brief description of his patients. It wasn't long before he was touching down in a cordoned-off area of the parking lot. A group of medics were waiting to receive the patients, who were soon being wheeled off towards the building. Gordon watched them go, then turned to the nurse who was still standing beside him, as if uncertain what to do. "Thank you for your help, Miss." he said.
She turned to face him, a quiet smile on her lips.
"Haven't you recognised me yet, Gordon?" she said.
Gordon looked at her, seeing her as a person, rather than a co-worker, for the first time. During the flight she had removed her helmet and washed the dirt from her face. "Megan?" he said, hesitatingly, "Megan Riley? But… they called you…"
"Oh, Latimer is my married name, and Meg is what my husband called me, so it's what most people know me as now."
"Oh, you're married now?"
She shook her head, "Not any more. It only lasted a few years. Why else would I be on an 'action adventure singles weekend?" She paused. "Look, there's a lot I want to say to you, but I know you've got to get back to your brother – that was Scott at the mine, wasn't it? Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone." She thrust a piece of paper into his hand. "Here's my number. I'll leave it to you to decide what to do about it."
With that she turned and walked towards the hospital. Gordon stood, looking after her, then, still in a daze made his way back on board and took off. All through the flight back to the mine, and then home, his hand kept going to the paper in his pocket, to reassure himself that he hadn't imagined the whole thing.
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So, who is Megan Riley? You have met her before if you have been following my stories, though you may not remember her. Read on to find out who she is and what she meant to Gordon.
