Chapter 29

Tin-Tin skittered along the corridor nearly knocking her father's prized blue porcelain vase off the counter as she sped past. As soon as she had heard what happened, she had sprinted off. Her breath coming in short sharp bursts as the panic welled inside her. She burst through the swing back doors into lab, which continued to swing wildly behind her. The lab was Brian's inner sanctum where the majority of his ingenious ideas were brought to life. His work stations were miraculously clutter free, each tool and component had its own designated space on the metal trellises above or in carefully labelled drawers below. Only the rubber mat that protected the metal worktops below showed signs of wear with scorch and pocket markets from various experiments.

Her eyes roved the space anxiously. "Brains!" She called out several times, where was he? She paced over to the door of the containment unit and then the washroom but no one was there. The doors clattered from behind, causing her to whip round.

"Brains! I heard the news. I want to help find them." Tin-Tin wrung her hands together.

"I-I'm sorry Tin-Tin. There's not much that we can err… do. We have their last k-known location but the communications have failed and we have no other vehicle that can ah! reach them." His pushed his specs back up.

"Oh." Suddenly realising the hopelessness of the situation, she dropped onto a stool. Tears threatened to spill, her eyes burning as she forced them back. "Could I sit here and wait for news? I fear I'm getting in Mr Tracy's way."

"S-sure. Try to worry, I'm sure they are ok it wasn't a err major aftershock and the mole is v-very robust."

Tin-Tin sniffed. Brains looked away not knowing how to respond before suddenly scrabbling for his pockets. Where were his manners? He pulled out a fresh hanker chief "Here." He offered awkwardly. Tin-Tin gave a weak smile as she accepted it from him.

"Thank you."

"Take as long as you need. I'll be err just next door." then practically bolted out of the room, hitting himself with his clipboard in the process.

Once he had left, she rested her elbows on the counter, burying her head in her hands. She felt so guilty. Her last words to Alan were awful and he'd effectively accused her of dumping him for Gordon! If that was to be their last exchange…. when they were so broken…... to have to live with that for the rest of her days knowing they left each other so wounded…. She shook her head. And then there was Gordon. Gordon was her closest friend here on the island. He understood her like no one else, could cheer her up on the worst days and make her believe in herself again. She'd been offended by Alan's accusation because she'd never do that to him but at the same time it dawned on her like an awakening. Alan's accusation hurt because it was closer to the truth than she was willing to admit, even to herself.

She couldn't deny the appeal, The more time she had spent with Gordon the more she discovered what a true relationship could feel like. When she was with Gordon she never felt alone in his company. Being together was infectious, she couldn't not feel joyful in his presence, the way he made her heart jump when she caught him looking at her. Or when he got flustered in her company. She enjoyed the regular teasing that cemented their bond. She could never do that with Alan for fear of offending him, apart from their love of parties they had very little in common but there was this spark, this attraction that still anchored her to him. Alan had the potential, she always believed he could be moulded into the man she envisioned being with. Gordon on the other hand was the polar opposite to Alan. Gordon was kind, mature but funny, protective but not possessive with it. He could read her moods in a way Alan couldn't comprehend. Sometimes he misunderstood her intentions and needs completely, yet Alan was daring and charismatic. You couldn't help but be swept up in his youthful enthusiasm for living life to the fullest. She bit her lip, her stomach cramped painfully, rolling with anxiety and panic. To lose one would break her but if they were both gone…...

She scrubbed her eyes and opened the communication channel so she could hear the full operation that was underway. All she could do was hope and pray, pray that they would both return unharmed.

"Scott there must be something we can do!" Virgil implored.

"Virgil we're out of options here, we don't have another mole or any way of reaching their location. They're simply too far under. Brains has estimated they'll fallen at least another 20ft - 30ft below the level of the bunker. We need to prioritise rescuing the rest of this village then we'll review the situation. Brains says we don't have long till that bunker collapses, it's at thirty percent integrity now. I'm still hailing them every ten minutes." Scott pushed back in his seat, kicking the dirt in frustration. He was still running through several potential rescue scenarios in his head for their brothers but he was coming up blank. As much as it pained him, he knew that rescuing two people over a village couldn't be justified. Even if they were family. Primary objective first then they could secure the secondary objective. It may seem cold but that was what he was trained to do.

"Okay well keep me updated, I will try and evacuate the rest of the villagers with the emergency services here."

"Will do." Scott cut the transmission, unable to bear Virgil's concerned tone any longer.

"This is mobile control to the Mole. Gordon – Alan do you read me?" Scott strained his ears for any little sound that might tell him they were alive. "Guys! Come on, are you receiving me?"

"Sir?" Scott swivelled round to see a local army sergeant had arrived. With one last concerned look towards the silent console, he addressed the sergeant.

"How may I help you Sergeant?"

"Kham Sir. We overheard two of your own are missing, underground?"

"Unfortunately; yes that is the case."

"I'm very sorry." Scott nodded in acknowledgement. "We have been working on a prototype, a kind of underground tank to help fight against the separatist cells who hide their units underground. We think if you will allow us that we can reach your missing men."

Scott's blue eyes seemed to spark. "I'm listening" ….

Fingers twitched on the work surface, the cabin was still eerily silent with all the power disengaged expect for the emergency lighting and life support systems. The fingers clawed tighter around the counter before his eyes fluttered open. Gordon lifted his head he hissed in pain. "Gee that hurts." He rose more slowly, his fingers probing the wound in the dark to quickly assess the severity. Some bleeding but the cut felt shallow so that was something. Probably a mild concussion brewing, maybe a lump or bruising later. "Joy" he muttered sarcastically. As he started to become more aware of his surroundings, he suddenly remembered he wasn't alone.

"Alan!" Gordon fumbled for the harness, realising at last minute that he was sat sideways. They were on their side. That wasn't good. Using his stool leg and the counter to balance on he reached up to Alan's prone form. He shook him firmly, not being able to reach his neck or arm to feel for a pulse. There was no response but the movement caused one of Alan's arms to slip towards him. He reached out for it before firmly grasping his wrist. Gordon sighed in relief at the steady rhythm of his brother's pulse. "Alan! Its Gordon, wake up!" He shook him again. This time there was a grumble. "Come on Alan!"

"Get off will you."

"Yep. You're definitely your normal self." Gordon pushed back awkwardly into his seat.

"Woah, where are we?" Alan struggled against his restraints, the sensation of suddenly being awake on his side causing him some confusion.

"Somewhere below the Himalaya's - rockslides and earthquakes, you know standard workday stuff." Now Gordon knew Alan was okay he turned his attention to the controls. His hands skimmed over the desk for the transmission button.

"I remember the aftershock." He glanced at his watch. "I estimate that was approximately thirty minutes ago?" Alan rubbed the back of his neck, he was stiff and a little sore in places but otherwise well.

"Yep. This is the Mole calling Mobile control, can you hear me?" Gordon strapped his harness back on, it was the only thing that would keep him suspended in this position. "Mobile control do you read us?" All they heard was static. He tried his watch but it was the same story. "Damn it! We're out of range, or worse the comms are damaged. Can you get a fix on our location?"

"Erm….. three of the four external cameras are damaged or offline. According to the map we are twenty to twenty-five feet below are last location. We must have fallen down somewhere." Alan rolled the cursor integrated into the console as he tried to reposition the one functioning camera but it was wedged against something hard, most likely rock.

Gordon tried the ignition. Tick. Tick. Tick. "Not good." Okay, no need to panic yet, he would just simply shut all the systems down and start again. This time he fired the ignition and pumped his foot on the accelerator several times. Tick. Splut. Tick… "Come on baby!" Alan patted the dash.

The sound of the engines roared and spluttered into life through the cabin. Both boys slumped back on their chairs in relief. Gordon was just about to engage the drill rotors when Alan whipped his hand over the controls preventing him. "Remember Brains said we needed to stick to the path or face more collapses."

"I know. What do you propose we do? We can't get hold of them and they haven't got the rescue equipment to get us out of here. We are literally up the creek without a paddle here." Gordon threw a hand in the air.

"Alright. I'll plot us on a forty-five-degree protectory until we realign with our original course. Just take it easy."

Gordon waited impatiently whilst he readjusted the coordinates, it was freezing in here, the heater must have gone off when they crashed. All his hairs were on end, the joints in his fingers stiff from the cold.

The mole rumbled a long at a steady rate, one that Gordon hoped wouldn't bring more rubble crashing around them. Both of them had seen the devastation around them and knew they were lucky to be alive. Alan checked their sensors plus the readings to ensure that everything was indeed functioning as it should be.

"Did you sleep with her?" He blurted.

"What!? No!" Gordon looked at him incredulously. "Seriously you want to do this now?" He pivoted to face his brother.

Alan stared at Gordon realising he was telling the truth. A mixture or relief and embarrassment rushed through him, colouring his face. "Yes, we could have died back there and I would never have known! It's been tearing me apart all week!"

"Good."

"Good?" Alan looked affronted.

"Yes, you deserve every moment of the pain it caused you. You kissed someone else Alan. You're lucky she chose to give you a chance to redeem yourself by offering a break. If you'd broken my trust like that, you'd be out of my life quicker than you could say I'm sorry."

Alan cringed. "She told you, she said she wouldn't tell anyone."

"I thought I'd upset her by spoiling your weekend away. It took me days to discover the real reason she was crying herself to sleep most nights."

Alan hung his head. "I don't deserve her."

"No; you don't asshole." Gordon didn't take his eyes off the map. Alan didn't even respond; his brother was right.

"So, there's nothing between you? Only that night you came home…." He asked meekly.

Gordon's shoulders twitched forwards as if something was pushing him in the chest. "No. We're just friends, all I want is for Tin-Tin to be happy."

"As do I." Alan replied sincerely.

"Well learn to act like it." He retorted. Tin-Tin may be willing to forgive but Gordon wasn't going to make it easy for him. Let him stew.

An awkward silence permeated the cabin once again. Alan was going to go and tidy up the supplies to give his brother some space but he was worried there might be further aftershocks and thought it best to remain where he was. It was at that point he noticed the red dot gravitating towards them on the map, any minute and they would collide. "Say what do you suppose that is?" Alan indicated to the radar.

Gordon glanced across before doing a double take. "Something's coming towards us! But there shouldn't be anything down here! Try the comms."

"This is the Mole to mobile control, do you read me?" Still static. Alan thumped the desk in frustration. "Why is it when one of us crashes the one of the first things to get damaged is the communications?"

Gordon shrugged but it was a fair point. Gordon started to bring the Mole back to a slow crawl ready to greet whatever was coming towards them. Alan pivoted there one remaining camera to the front, the picture was grainy from the damage but they could still make out the bit drilling through the earth. They were now mere meters from whatever it was so Gordon came to a halt completely.

They both watched in fascination tinged with anxiety as the red blip continued on its crash course. They watched as the soil and slit started to tremor in front of them before a massive drill bit burst forth. Both men leaned forwards in surprise. It was some kind of machine, a brighter yellow than the mole and decked in more lights than a Christmas tree a small cabin made the main bulk of the vehicle with a rotor drill bit on the front. It wasn't as long as the bit on the mole but it was wider in girth. The module was raised up on compact caterpillar tracks and had a network of windscreens over the top of the cabin a bit light a hood you would get on a jet cockpit.

"I thought we didn't have another mole?" Stated Alan.

"We don't" Gordon replied still in awe.

The machine stopped in front of them. They stood; unsure what to make of the situation, not wanting to be the first to go outside in case it was a trap. Suddenly there was a knock on the outer door. The clanging felt alien, causing them to jump. The door hissed open as a garrison cap peeked around the corner.

"Scott!" Alan exclaimed.

"Thank god!" Scott shouted something unintelligible out the door and waved. The other vehicle started to reverse back the way it had come. Scott hopped in and crossed the floor in a few short steps. He had Gordon's chin in his hand surveying the cut to his head before Gordon even knew what was happening. He jerked away.

"We're fine." Alan backed away so he didn't receive the same treatment.

"What was that machine?" Gordon asked intrigued.

"I'll tell you later - What happened? We couldn't get hold of you at all!" Scott crossed his arms.

"Comms are busted from where we fell and overturned."

"Any other damage?" Scott asked concerned as he walked around the interior surveying the damage he could observe."

"Smashed external cameras, most of the rations and first aid kits spoiled and a few dings but otherwise not bad all things considered. Do we still have people to rescue?" Alan asked.

"Nope Virg's got the last of them. Just waiting on you."

"Sorry we made you get off your ass." Gordon gave a wicked smirk before Scott cuffed him over the head. They all teased Scott about mobile control at some point. They knew Scott's role was a specialism few of them could emulate but that didn't stop them taking the mick that he spent most rescues sat at a desk. Alan laughed as Gordon half dodged the blow. Scott was just relieved they were safe and semi happy to take the jesting for once.

They set off once more. Alan and Scott prised off the panel and worked on the comms till they were close enough to the surface to be able to communicate via their wristwatches. Virgil was waiting for them when they emerged with all the other kit packed and ready to go including mobile control. The lads loaded the Mole straight onto two before hopping out to greet Virgil. "Right, everything's good here I think its time to go before you two get in anymore trouble."

"But it wasn't my fault this time!" Gordon protested. Scott could hear them bantering and bickering all the way to the cabin. He grinned. Sometimes there were benefits to flying solo he did not envy Virgil's trip home.