Thunderbirds Blast Off! Chapter 2: Isotope 400, a thunderbirds fanfic

Thunderbirds Blast Off

By Lee Homer

Isotope 400

The clock struck midnight over the cold and desolate countryside in Northern England. Nestled in a field, seven miles East of Birmingham, a top-secret research building, lit up the surrounding fields with its bright florescent lights. It was cordoned off to trespassers, surrounded by a high voltage fence. The grounds were patrolled by attack dogs. A huge sign stood outside the main chain-linked gate. In bold letters it read; Halt! Danger! Electrified fence 7,000 volts. No unauthorised personnel were admitted within this perimeter. The facility was built to house some of the World Government's brightest minds. In one of the station's, state of the art laboratories, two scientists were on the threshold of a new discovery. Frank Carson and Bill Williams had worked around the clock to contain a deadly new isotope that could be used to power up the UK's power grid. They called it Isotope 400.

Protecting themselves behind a lead booth with a transparent chamber, the two men carefully placed the Isotope inside a lead container. Two automatic grabs pinched the sides of it and gently lifted it towards an examination table. Unfortunately, the two scientists didn't predict the setback which came their way.

Frank felt the knot in his stomach tighten. "I don't like the look of this, Bill. I don't like the way that thing is swinging"

Suddenly, a startled Bill diverted his gaze towards danger.

"Look. Frank!" He cried. "There's a fault in the grabs! The lead container is too heavy for them!"

Frank realised the seriousness of their predicament. "Hang on, Bill... if that isotope slips, it could cause a lot of damage."

The two scientists tensed as the grabs swung wildly above their heads. After a few intense minutes, the grabs failed. The heavy lead container hit the metallic ground with a thud, fracturing the container. Radiation leaked out of it, flooding the room with the men still inside. Frank gasped at the large Geiger counter, as its needle steadily climbed towards the lethal level.

"The case is fractured...look at the instruments! They're going haywire!"

Bill nodded with a haunting look spread across his face. "This room is flooding with Radiation. We better get our protective gear on and alert the rest of the base."

Quickly, the alarm sounded and a voice ordered all personnel to evacuate the premises. Cars screamed out of the parking lot, the dogs barked and whined and surface guards calmly directed the staff to the emergency exits. The announcement repeated itself every thirty seconds.

Emergency! All stations evacuate to the twenty-mile blockhouse immediately! Condition Red!

Within five minutes, the plant completed its evacuation. Frank and Bill, however, refused to leave the facility. Frantically, they scrambled to move the fractured container into a safe box, while they could.

"All exits would have been sealed by now," Bill stated.

Frank breathed heavily between each word. "Yeah, guess we're here to stay...and there's no way of stopping the contamination."

"I've instructed the control centre to use containment protocol two. We should go underground any minute."

The two men had always known the risk. The radiation count continued to climb and there was no method of escape. Seconds raced by when the entire plant sank beneath the ground into a vast lead-lined bunker below. Once it was down there, it would be sealed in forever to prevent any spillage into the surrounding population. From the Blockhouse, twenty miles away, radio communication continued between the staff and the two scientists. They reached them through a secure landline and assured them that they were going to call for help.

"Sorry about this, boys, but you know the score. We're trying everything we can to get help to you. Your suits should protect you from radiation exposure for approximately three hours. Hang tight guys"

"The system's good," Frank replied. "I guess this way, only two of us die instead of two thousand or more.

Bill sighed and nodded in agreement."

"Yeah I'm glad everyone else got clear," said Bill. "The radiation level is still increasing. In three hours, we'll be subjected to it. I don't know about you Frank, but I want to get out of here in one piece!"

Unbeknownst to them, the scientists in the Blockhouse sent a distress call to International Rescue. With bated breath, they waited for a reply.

Far above the Earth, the radio transmissions were picked up by Thunderbird Five. John Tracy awoke from his slumber when the scientists cry flooded his ears. He walked towards the computer, listening intently.

"Calling International Rescue. This is the Scientific Chemical Plant in Birmingham. We have a critical situation and we need your help. Please come in, International Rescue!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the call was relayed to Tracy Island in the South Pacific. Jeff Tracy, accompanied by his sons, Scott and Virgil, listened to John's report. They shared John's admiration for the two trapped scientists inside the bunker.

"They're brave, valuable men, Father. Isn't there anything we can do to help them?"

Jeff smiled, concealing his doubts on the matter.

"We can try!" He replied sharply as he looked towards his eldest son. "All right, Scott. Away you go."

Scott leapt to his feet. "Yes, father!"

"John, alert the Blockhouse and inform them that we're on our way."

"FAB!" acknowledged the vigilant space monitor.

John vanished from the screen and Scott made his way towards the rotating wall that spun him round towards Thunderbird One. Minutes later, the swimming pool slid to one side, revealing the concealed silo beneath. Scott ignited the thrusters, propelling Thunderbird One through the door and into the clouds. As soon as he was underway, he radioed the Blockhouse.

"Thunderbird One to Birmingham Blockhouse. I'm part of the International Rescue organisation. I'll be with you in Thirty Minutes."

However, the Blockhouse controllers had a sudden change of heart. Convinced that International Rescue wouldn't make it in time, they returned to their authoritative state, warding the Thunderbird away. The controller's commanding tone didn't sit right with Scott and two men began to argue.

"This is a restricted area. The plant has been sealed. There is nothing you can do. You are forbidden to land."

Scott huffed in frustration as he kept a level head.

"Listen, we think we can save those guys!" He explained. "If it comes to security, our organisation acknowledges your status. We too believe in secrecy. Probably more so than you."

There was a pause over the radio. Then came the reply Scott was waiting for.

"Okay, Thunderbird One." the controller grumbled."You've convinced me, and if you can get those two men out, I reckon that Parliament will be convinced too."

The Thirty minutes raced by at a lightning pace when Thunderbird One arrived at the scene. Scott touched down safely outside the Blockhouse. He cleared his craft and entered the building where he was greeted by the two controllers. They explained the situation to him, prompting him to set up his Mobile Control Unit.

Controller: The bunker has thick lead walls to contain the radiation. The entire structure has sunk fifty feet beneath the ground where it could not harm anyone.

"Right. This sounds as though we'll need Thunderbird Two and Pod Five. I'll take care of it. "

Scott made a concise radio call to his Father. Minutes later without anytime time to spare, Thunderbird Two taxied down the runway from its hidden cliffside hangar bay. The hydraulic ramp raised it skywards and with the flip of a switch, it lifted off into the air. Virgil operated the controls, informing Scott of his status. Scott gave him the details along the way.

"I get the picture, Scott," he said as he kept his hand on the throttle. "I'll meet you at the plant area. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"FAB. We'll have to work fast," replied Scott over the radio. "The radiation level is increasing by the minute."

Encased in their lead tomb, Frank Jenkins and Bill Linker began to feel the effects of the disaster. Their suits began to deteriorate from the radiation and the laboratory began to heat up. The air felt thick and the conditions began to feel uncomfortable. The rising radiation count drained their bodies of energy. Their skin felt clammy, their legs felt heavy, and their vision began to warp. By the time Thunderbird Two arrived at the scene, both men were semi-conscious. Their minds were fogged by the radiation and the heat. As soon as the green transporter touched down, Virgil operated the hydraulic gets, which raised the craft into the air. Pod Five sat on the ground beneath her. Scott soon joined Virgil at the controls of a brand new excavating equipment.

"We'll have to dig down to the lead wall and enter from the side," he said as he assessed the area around him.

Virgil understood the plan. "Okay, Scott. I've got the cutting and sealing gear aboard. We know that The Mole couldn't burrow through the lead lining. I sure hope these drills can?"

Seconds later, the pod flap lowered and a strange, grey contraption crawled down the ramp on two thick caterpillar tracks. It had two scooping arms on either side of the cabin, with two diamond-tipped drills that were mounted on top. A large conveyor belt with steel scoops ran across the top of the vehicle. As Virgil steered the vehicle across the ground, two identical vehicles emerged from the Pod behind him. The second vehicle was driven by Scott while. The third was piloted remotely from a beam transmitter in Virgil's cabin. Lining their machines alongside the deep lead shaft, the brothers got to work, digging and crunching the sand, soil and rock that stood between them and the trapped men below. An hour elapsed when they arrived at the outer lead shell. They donned protective radiation suits, before exiting their machines. Virgil grabbed the cutting torches from his cab and handed one to Scott. They pressed the tips of their torch cutters up against the lead line surface.

"Right, Scott. Now we have to get through the lead-lined wall," he said as the controls shook his knuckles.

Scott sighed heavily. "Yeah, and then I'll seal it quickly behind you. I mustn't let too much Radiation into the atmosphere."

With their revolutionary cutting gear, the two brothers made short work of the wall. The metal softened and bubbled from the intense laser beams. Scott programmed the radio-controlled digging vehicle to move in. Virgil removed the cut section of the wall. He stepped inside and turned to face his brother.

"I'll use the suit radio to keep in touch, Scott," he said as he climbed out of his seat and towards the airlock.

Scott looked back at him. "FAB, Virgil. When you give the word, I'll start re-cutting from this side. It'll be quicker that way."

As Virgil disappeared into the contaminated building, Scott sealed the entrance with the remote-controlled vehicle, it's huge clamps pressed the metal fragment into position. He then injected solidifying foam into the gap which hardened on contact. Inside the deserted building, Virgil fumbled his way through the low lit corridors. When he got to the lab, he found the unconscious bodies of Frank and Bill. He checked the radiation dial as he grabbed Bill and flung him over his shoulder. Frank regained consciousness, and Virgil helped him to stand.

"I've found them, Scott," He reported. "The Radiation count is skyrocketing! I don't have much time left."

Frank wearily uttered a warning to Virgil.

"The radiation is increasing. It's upsetting the special chemicals stored down here."

"Take it easy, buddy. I'll get you out of here." Virgil assured him.

Then, he felt the walls shake as an explosion erupted from inside a chemical storeroom. Virgil ushered the disorientated Frank into the corridor. Virgil bit his lip anxiously. Time was against them.

"You were right. We'll have to move fast!"

Another chemical storeroom exploded ahead of them. Virgil shoved the men to the ground, shielding them from the blast. The shock from the explosion revived Bill from his vegetative state.

"We're going to have to run for it!" said Virgil. "Can you make it?"

Bill nodded. "We'll try, pal. It's our only hope."

In a desperate race against death, the three men reached the lead wall. Smoke flooded the building, intoxicating the air around them. Virgil called out to his brother.

Virgil: Scott, start opening up this tomb before we're all blown to pieces!

As the radiation continued to spread, more chemical stores erupted into deadly concentrated fireballs. On the outside, Scott removed the lead panelling with the ease of his drill vehicle. One by one, Virgil pulled the men clear of their radioactive tomb. Slumping his body up against the outer metal bulkhead of the Mole, Virgil struggled to catch his breath.

"Guess we were just in time." he panted. "The radiation gauge is going crazy!"

Scott cranked the lever. "Okay, Virgil. Stand clear. I'll stop the seepage once and for all."

Virgil whisked the two scientists to the hospital for decontamination while Scott sealed up the cracked tomb. Another International Rescue operation came to a successful end a few hours later. The radiation levels began to drop. The three vehicles returned the pod and with a sigh of relief, the two Thunderbirds took off. Scott radioed the Blockhouse for the final time.

"International Rescue to Blockhouse. Mission complete. We'd like you to remember our deal. We both have secrets to keep."

The controller happily obliged and held his end of the deal.

"After what you did, anyone would be crazy to give you away. Thanks for everything and good luck."

Accepting the compliment, Scott informed his father of their trip home. Another successful adventure came to an end. The boys looked forward to a long decontamination shower and rest before their next harrowing mission.

END