Chapter 3 *AM RADIO*
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"You are listening to radio 3AM and now a short weather report. Today is going to be hot, hot, hot. The met. office predicts highs of 40 degrees Celsius, that's over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There'll be a hot dry westerly gusting up to 30 kilometres an hour, or for you imperialists out there that's about 18 miles per hour. So there is a total fire ban and we should be grateful that smoking is now illegal.
And now for something cooler, it's a remake of that ABBA classic 'Summer Night City'..."
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The cigarette smouldered and slowly consumed itself. The smattering of wood shavings it had come to rest on blackened, and burst into flame. The fire flickered, died back, met with a leak from an oil drum, and burst into new life. The drum exploded with a flash of blue smoke.
Upon hearing the explosion Blake, Edwards and the Boss rushed back to the rear of the warehouse.
"What the... How did that start?" the Boss quickly assumed control. "Blake, get the fire extinguisher. Edwards! Alert the others and call the fire brigade."
The old wooden warehouse's wall was fully ablaze by the time Blake arrived back with the fire extinguisher. He attempted to use it but was driven back by the heat and the smoke. "It's no good" he gasped "I may as well be using a water pistol."
The fire brigade arrived in a flurry of noise. Sirens wailing and brakes squealing, the workmen were urged back and the fire-fighters took over the battle. Edwards grabbed Blake by the arm. "You know what caused that? It was your damned cigarette. If anyone finds out..."
Blake turned on Edwards, his fist held menacingly in front of his colleagues face "No one had better find out. If you know what's good for you."
Edwards held up a reassuring hand. "Don't worry, I wont squeal, it's just that with today's forensic techniques I understand that the cops can tell what starts a fire, and if the boss puts two and two together."
Blake gave a crooked smile. "No problem then. We just say that we saw a tramp lurking around the buildings and it must have been him who started it. It also gives us an excuse why we were there."
Edwards clapped him on the back. "You're a genius. Come on we'd better join the others." They moved off to the assembly point on the road.
Unknown to them the Boss stepped out from the shadows behind where they had been standing, a knowing smile on his face.
"So" he muttered "that's your little game is it. I've had my eyes on you for a long time Blake, and now I've got you!"
Frank Holmes was idly tapping away at his computer console. It was another boring day at the boring office. He had never known life at 'Merton and Co.' to be exciting and today was proving to be no exception. The computer he was looking at was boring, his desk was boring and the cheap wooden walls of the communal office were boring. He often thought that the only thing that saved the outside of the building from being totally boring was the ivy that clung tenuously to its wall. But even the ivy was beginning to wilt in the heat. 'Probably bored too.' Frank thought.
The explosion outside his window was the first sign that just maybe today wasn't another boring day. He and his workmates clustered in the window to see what had happened.
A murmur of voices around him speculated on the cause of the fire.
"It sounded like a bomb."
"Don't be silly. Who'd want to bomb that place."
"Well it's an eyesore..."
"Could've been some welding equipment..."
"Yeah or a spark off something electrical..."
Frank offered his thoughts to all and sundry. "Wish someone would put a bomb under this place. Then maybe they'd rebuild it in a more modern style."
Someone else laughed "Nah, they'd just rebuild out of what was left over from when they built this place and Old Merton would slip the inspector a few hundred quid."
"Old Merton's a fool" someone else added "this place is a fire trap. If that fire starts to get too close, I'm outta here."
"The fire'll never get this close" Frank drawled "that gully between us it too wide."
Startled by the noise and smoke Cassie ran into the nearest building. It was a large wooden warehouse filled with barrels. Cassie wasn't to know it, but each barrel was filled with a deadly mixture of fuels, which had been stored illegally, "Until we arrange a more suitable place to store them."
Cassie held Everest close to her and hid behind one of the barrels. She could hear shouting voices outside and thought that the trolls were after her.
A figure appeared in the door and she shrank further back into the shadows.
"If it reaches this lot" a voice said "she'll go sky high."
"Nah" another voice said, "it's too far away and the wind's blowing the wrong direction."
They walked back into the sunlight and Cassie heard the door shut and the sound of a lock click.
Fearful she remained hidden for a few moments and then crept out from her hiding place. The room was dark and smelly and she wandered cautiously over to the door dragging Everest in the dust behind her.
The door was shut! She was trapped!
She sat down and started to cry.
Outside the fire had already consumed two buildings and was devouring a third. The fire chief reported back to his base. "It's no good. We can't contain it. We need more back up."
The reply was not very reassuring. "Can't help you I'm afraid. All other units have been diverted to other hot spots. It's all this hot dry weather. Fires are springing up everywhere."
The industrial estate backed onto a gully. The gully contained a thin trickle of brackish ooze, filled as it was with numerous unmentionable items. In short there was a firebreak of such proportions that the fire brigade felt it unnecessary to evacuate the office buildings on the other side. The employees of Merton and Co. were therefore unprepared for what happened next.
A fireball erupted from a warehouse and hurled itself at the companies building. The roof exploded into flame that rushed down the ivy-covered walls and into the tinder dry grass below. In less than five seconds all exits were blocked off by a wall of flame.
The fire chief was back on the radio. "This things just blown up in our faces." He yelled down the line. "We need back up and we need it now!"
The disembodied voice at the other end of the call listened sympathetically but was unable to give any reassurances. "Sorry there are not further available units. You'll have to effect a rescue yourselves."
"But there's over 20 people trapped in there and my men are all tied up containing the fire. There's no way we can get those people out in one piece. The buildings an inferno."
"We'll, I'm afraid we can't help, unless..."
The fire chief was willing to accept any idea not matter how daft they sounded. "What?"
"Do you think it's bad enough to call in International Rescue?"
"Bad enough? Get onto 'em straight away. They're those people in that buildings only hope." As he replaced the radio handset a thought came to him. "I hope they get here in time" he mused.
John Tracy was enjoying another quite day in space about Thunderbird Five. The babble of voices was having a soporific effect as he trained his telescope on a distant nebula.
"Calling International Rescue, calling International Rescue" a strange voice broke into his reverie.
He grabbed his microphone, "This is International Rescue. What can we do for you?"
The fire controller relayed his message about the people of Merton and Co. "...So you see without your help those people don't stand a chance."
"Right," agreed John, briefly reflecting on the number of times he had heard those words, "leave it with me and we'll see what we can do." He quickly opened the channel to his home base.
Back at Tracy Island Jeff was frowning at his word processor. He had an important business letter to write, but the appropriate phraseology refused to come to mind. He reflected that the worries about 5SFJ and The Mole were affecting him. An urgent beeping sound interrupted his train of thought and he raised his eyes to the row of portraits of his sons'. John's eyes were flashing at him. A flick of the switch and a concealed microphone rose from his desk. John's portrait disappeared and Jeff smiled at the video image of his most distant son.
"This one requires all speed, Father," he reported "we haven't much time..."
Jeff turned to Scott who had just entered the room. "Get moving" he said "John can brief you when you're airborne."
Scott had grasped the two wall lamps even before his father had finished speaking, his reply of "F.A.B." disappeared with him into the wall.
In response to an alarm activated by Jeff the others entered the room.
"Virgil, take pod five. You'll need the 'Firefly' and the 'Squirt'. There should also be plenty of fire blankets and oxygen hoods stored in the pod."
"That's right, Mr Tracy," Tin-Tin affirmed. "I checked it yesterday."
Virgil moved over to a painting of a rocket and stood with his back to it. As it tipped backwards and he slid down the chute he continued to hear his father giving instructions.
"Gordon, you go with him. Tin-Tin, we are going to need all the man power we've got for this one, you go too and man the Mobile Control. That will leave Scott free to assist with the rescue. Alan, you'll have to stay here..." he noted that his youngest son was about to protest. "You're due to relieve John in the Space Station in a few hours. Brains you had better go with the others too. You may get the opportunity to field test 5SFJ."
Brains rushed off to load a few shells onto Thunderbird Two's cargo chute. He then joined Gordon and Tin-Tin on the passenger elevator.
Outside there was a roar as Thunderbird One rose up through the swimming pool skyward. Scott's portrait disappeared and his video image, now clad in International Rescue's distinctive uniform, appeared in it's place. "Thunderbird One - switching to horizontal flight" he announced.
Virgil's face appeared along side that of his brother. "Everyone's aboard he stated. "Request clearance to launch."
His father double-checked the radar "F.A.B."
Fifteen minutes later the great bulk of Thunderbird Two landed beside it's sister ship.
The great green transporter reared up on its legs and the flap of Pod Five slowly swung down to the ground. Scott raced on board and met up with his colleagues. He swiftly donned his protective suit as he updated them on the rescue situation. Leaving Tin-Tin in charge of the Mobile Control they climbed into one of Brain's latest inventions. The 'Squirt' emerged from Pod Five, like an ugly ducking emerging from beneath it's mothers protective wing, and waddled over to where the door of Merton and Co. should have been.
The building was a shell of fire. It was hoped that the fire resistant lining of the building had done its job, but all communications had been knocked out, until someone entered the building there was no way of knowing.
Scott looked from the wall of flame to the blueprint of the building that he had obtained from the fire chief. "If my calculations are correct, we should be able to enter here," he said.
Brains took charge of the 'Squirt'. At the push of a button a circle of one hundred nozzles emerged from the front of the machine. Another button push and they all tilted so that they focused on the building at one point where the door should have been. A flick of a switch and each nozzle ejected a stream of Dicetyline at the same point of the door.
Scott, Virgil and Gordon moved into the forward section of the 'Squirt' and sealed the fireproof door behind them.
Slowly the nozzles each directed their stream away from the central point. Gradually a circle of fire free building emerged, big enough at first for a hand, then a torso, then a man, and then several men. The doors of the building were visible, blackened but now free of fire.
Scott, Virgil and Gordon had all donned their protective suits, silver with blue trim. They strapped oxygen cylinders to their backs and connected them to their hoods, which had a wide square mask to enable them to see. Scott always felt as if he was inside a T.V. set looking out when he wore this headgear. He tested his radio by giving Tin-Tin the instruction "Release Satellite One".
Tin-Tin pressed a button on Mobile Control. A soft whirring sound heralded the arrival of Satellite One. A small round dish, like an inverted soup plate flew gracefully from inside Thunderbird Two's pod, its miniature jets keeping it on course. On a screen on Mobile Control a map of the surrounding area appeared as the tiny craft sent back an image of the surrounding topography.
"Satellite One launched" Tin-Tin announced.
"FAB" Scott acknowledged "Activating locator beacon now" He pressed a button on his suit and the tiny satellite locked on to his signal and hovered above his position. Back on the map, in front of the building, a blue dot appeared. Another display kept a record of Scott's vital signs. All were normal although they displayed the slightly heightened rhythms of excitement.
Both Virgil and Gordon repeated the procedure and at first a yellow and then an orange indicator appeared on Mobile Controls display.
As the 'Squirt' continued to keep the flames at bay Scott activated the mechanism which opened the forward hatch and the three men stepped out into a dark hazy world.
Scott spoke "Right Tin-Tin, where do we go from here."
Tin-Tin scanned the map in front of her. The internal walls of "Merton & Co." were now visible, as were the positions of those trapped inside.
As well as the three colour coded dots that represented her colleagues, the display showed, more ominously, the fires progress. At the moment the red glow on the screen told her that the fire was a distance away from the victims, but there was no room for any complacency.
"Okay," she said "You are clear to go through the doors. Gordon - To your immediate right, there looks to be an opening. There are two victims in that room." The orange dot moved away from the others, into the building and turned right. High above the building a satellite followed the same course. "Virgil - if you continue straight down the hall you should find someone at the end."
Virgil responded with a cheerful "FAB" and the yellow dot moved forward. Above a satellite followed the same route.
"Scott - There is a room to your left, but I can't make out an entrance. Once you find it there is one person in the room, they appear to be against the far wall." The blue dot entered the building and slowly edged along the left wall. The remaining satellite tracked along the same course and then moved to the left. Scott had found the door and was making his way around the desks to the victim.
Gordon was the first to reach his objective. Reassuringly the person was very much alive. He grabbed at Gordon's protective suit. "Help me!" he gasped.
Reaching into a pocket in the leg of his suit Gordon pulled out two items. The first was a hood that fitted easily over the mans head. After ensuring that there were no gaps for smoke to enter Gordon switched on the oxygen supply. A small cylinder attached to the hood started to emit its precious gas.
The man relaxed as he realised that he could once again breathe normally. Seeing the man regain his strength Gordon gave him the second item.
"Here" he said. "wrap this fire blanket around you, and wait here until I return. There's someone else I've got to see to." He began to search amongst the clutter of desks and chairs. "Gordon to Mobile Control, can you get me a fix on the next person please."
Tin-Tin studied the screen "Move 3 feet towards 9 o-clock."
Gordon moved off at an angle and found his target partly hidden under a desk. He quickly applied the hood and the man recovered enough strength to enable him to walk with some assistance and Gordon looped an arm around him and guided back towards the door. They met up with the first man who was by now nervously shifting from one foot to the other.
"Can we go now?" he asked plaintively.
Gordon smiled at him through his mask. "Let's get going."
The hallway was even more densely filled with smoke. One of Gordon's charges walked into Scott who was also on his way back to the 'Squirt' with his victim.
Scott steadied himself and noted the condition of the three men who had been rescued. "Tell you what, I'll take your two with me, and you can carry on. Sounds like there's a few more upstairs."
"Righto" Gordon agreed and gestured for his charges to follow his brother. He then turned and headed in the opposite direction.
"Mobile Control from Gordon. Where to now?"
Tin-Tin examined the control screen. "There appears to be at least 10 people trapped in a room upstairs. There's a stairwell just to your right. Once you reach the top, keep going straight ahead. Virgil's already tending to the only victim on the east side of the building. The fire is in the far eastern corner and so far no one is in immediate danger from the flames. The smoke must be getting thick though."
"I'll say" Gordon had reached the top of the stairs. "I can't see the walls, let alone the door. Ah here it is." He turned the handle and squeezed himself through the door frame quickly, shutting the door tightly behind him.
One thing that "Old Man Merton" fortunately hadn't skimped on were smoke doors, and the air in the room was relatively clear. Relatively in that it was possible to see the people huddled by the window on the far side of the room. A window that was impossible to open and made of break resistant glass.
Gordon appraised the scene "Tin-Tin, tell Scott to bring up more hoods and blankets when he comes, I don't think we are going to have enough."
"FAB"
The orange dot started to move again.
Mitch pulled back into the driveway and sat for a moment in the car. Wanting to hurry inside but frightened of what he'd find. He realised that he'd been gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had gone white. He gingerly unhooked his fingers from the wheel and massaged them as he walked towards the house.
Teresa looked up, her expression of hopeful expectation falling into one of abject despair as she realised that Mitch was alone. He put his arms around her and gave her a comforting hug. "I'll go ring the police" he said.
The 'All Points Bulletin" went out. Those at the fire only took a passing interest in the call for the missing girl. They were having enough problems trying to keep the roads clear and sightseers away. As far as the general public was concerned an inferno was exciting enough, but any opportunity to catch a glimpse of International Rescue and their fantastic machines, wasn't to be missed.
Scott had joined Gordon in the upstairs room. "Where's Virgil?" he asked.
"Last I heard he was rescuing someone from one of the other rooms" Gordon replied. "He should have finished by now. You organise this lot and I'll go see if our exit is still clear."
He had just reached the door when an explosion rocked the building. Whipping off his glove he pressed the back of his hand to the door. The door was hot! A sure sign that the fire was travelling down the hallway. It also meant that their only exit was blocked off!
"Gordon to Mobile Control, the fire's spread. Any other available exits?"
The red glow on the screen had engulfed the eastern side of the building and the upstairs hallway. Only the western side of the building was free from flame. For now.
"Mobile Control to Virgil and Brains, we have a problem."
Virgil was helping his victim out of the 'Squirt' when he received the message. He handed his charge over to a waiting ambulance and spoke into his microphone. "What's wrong Tin-Tin?"
"Gordon and Scott are trapped with 12 others in an upstairs room. The fire has spread to the rest of the building. Their exit has been blocked off!"
Virgil acknowledged the call and gathering his thoughts returned to Brains in the 'Squirt'.
Brains had already shut down the flow of Dicetyline and had closed all the hatches in the fire fighting machine.
Virgil announced his arrival with a question. "Well Brains what do we do now?"
"I-it looks as though the only w-way to reach them is through one of the windows."
"With a laser gun?"
"Y-yes that would be quickest and safest." Together they examined a plan of the building. Brains tapped the screen, pointing to a symbol. "This window sh-should be ideal."
Brains reversed the machine a few feet and then trundled around to the west side of the building. Deftly manoeuvring the vehicle so that it faced the wall, he turned to his colleague. "W-we're in position" he said.
Virgil scrambled into a cage that sat on top of the 'Squirt'. Once inside he pushed a button and the cage, attached to a hydraulic arm, rose up into the air. He expertly guided the crane up until it was level with the window. Moving the crane arm forward he peered through the window. Those trapped inside were huddled together, all wearing International Rescue's protective hoods and wrapped in shiny fire blankets, looking, for all the world, like potatoes waiting to be cooked. Satisfied that the captives were, for the moment, safe, he fired up a laser gun and started to cut through the toughened glass.
Scott seeing the activity outside the window, sort to reassure those about him. "It won't be long now, that laser will cut through in two minutes."
Frank Holmes spoke up, saying what everyone felt. "It can't be soon enough for me."
Scott began to arrange a plan of exit. "The crane can manage six passengers at a time, the rest of us will have to wait. Do you want a vote on who goes first or do you want us to make the decision?"
Ignoring the flames that flicked around the edge of the building, Virgil concentrated on cutting a circle that was big enough for a large man to climb through. He also had to ensure that the edges weren't too sharp for bare flesh and that the base of the hole wasn't so high that people couldn't climb out. No good having an escape route if you couldn't use it!
The smoke had begun to thicken in the room. So thick that the captives were barely able to see the door, and all they could see of the window was a bright beam of light from Virgil's laser. As he turned to look back at where the door was, Scott noticed a flicker of light as the fire broke through, he had no time to reflect on the gravity of the situation as a clang alerted him to the fact that their escape route had been completed.
As usual he took control of the situation. "Right where's our first group? The rest of you stand over there, so that the exit isn't blocked."
In the time honoured tradition of 'women and children first' the five women and, in the absence of any children, one of the older men, were the first to board, helped through the hole by Virgil.
Scott fancied he could feel the heat penetrating the back of his protective suit as he tried to keep the remaining captives attention away from the approaching menace. The crane lowered slowly back out of sight and Scott glanced through the open window to see how things were progressing. The former captives, especially the man, seemed to take forever to disembark and he found himself willing those who had escaped, off the 'Squirt'.
It seemed like hours later when Virgils' face once again appeared at the window. Just then Frank noticed the encroaching fire. "We're going to die" he screamed and dove through the hole in the window, knocking Virgil sideways.
Virgil grasped at the frame work of the cage, his reflexes preventing him from falling over the edge. He turned to Frank, and resisting an impulse to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, said "Just calm down, you're alright now."
Scott and Gordon were trying to keep the rest of the captives calm and help them through the window. Not an easy job after Frank's outburst, as the remaining victims were well and truly spooked. One of them tripped as he clambered frantically through the hole and skidded across the deck. Virgil made a grab for him to stop him sliding off the edge.
At last they were all on board, all except Scott and Gordon.
"Will you guys be alright? I haven't got room for you too!" Virgil asked a frown of concern on his face."
Scott gave him a tight smile. "Yeah, these suits should protect us, and if things get too hot, we can stand on the window ledge."
"Okay" Virgil acknowledged "see you soon." He pushed the button marked down on the control panel and the rescue arm started its slow descent.
Gordon looked at Scott. "Well brother, this is one hot spot we're in."
Scott laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "If things get too hot, we can always jump."
Gordon poked his head through the hole and looked down. He made a face. "No thanks!"
In the room behind them, a desk by the door burst into flame. A tongue of fire licked its way along the wall and began to consume another desk.
The temperature began to build. Below them Virgil tried to escort his charges off the cage, but the rescued were in such a hurry that all they succeeded in doing was getting in each others way. He looked up desperately and his stomach knotted when he saw the farthest pane of glass begin to bulge outwards. The pressure behind it was enormous. Dragging his eyes away he concentrated on getting the last of his passengers out of the cage.
Scott and Gordon had also noticed the build up in pressure.
"Time to put your plan into action" Gordon shouted above the roar of the flames."
"What! You're not planning to jump?" Scott was flabbergasted.
"No, of course not. But I think we'd be safer on the ledge." Gordon swung his body out onto the window ledge and crouched down, keeping his head below the level of the window. His older brother followed suit.
The last of the captives had disembarked from the cage. Virgil frantically pressed the button marked "UP". With agonising slowness, a hiss of hydraulics and a shudder, the cage started to lift again.
The window exploded.
A shower of glass flew out over the creek, turning into a million fairy lights, as it reflected off the flames, the setting sun and the flashing lights of the rescue vehicles.
Virgil turned and ducked to avoid the flying shrapnel. Watching firemen ran for protection behind their vehicles.
The explosion seemed to set off a chain reaction. The next window expanded and exploded sending a hail of glass even farther.
Scott looked at Gordon. "Time for plan B." he said.
Gordon looked at Scott and then at the cage rising below them. He looked back at Scott "Right" he said defiantly.
The next window exploded.
Scott and Gordon took a deep breath and jumped!
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"You are listening to radio 3AM and now a short weather report. Today is going to be hot, hot, hot. The met. office predicts highs of 40 degrees Celsius, that's over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. There'll be a hot dry westerly gusting up to 30 kilometres an hour, or for you imperialists out there that's about 18 miles per hour. So there is a total fire ban and we should be grateful that smoking is now illegal.
And now for something cooler, it's a remake of that ABBA classic 'Summer Night City'..."
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The cigarette smouldered and slowly consumed itself. The smattering of wood shavings it had come to rest on blackened, and burst into flame. The fire flickered, died back, met with a leak from an oil drum, and burst into new life. The drum exploded with a flash of blue smoke.
Upon hearing the explosion Blake, Edwards and the Boss rushed back to the rear of the warehouse.
"What the... How did that start?" the Boss quickly assumed control. "Blake, get the fire extinguisher. Edwards! Alert the others and call the fire brigade."
The old wooden warehouse's wall was fully ablaze by the time Blake arrived back with the fire extinguisher. He attempted to use it but was driven back by the heat and the smoke. "It's no good" he gasped "I may as well be using a water pistol."
The fire brigade arrived in a flurry of noise. Sirens wailing and brakes squealing, the workmen were urged back and the fire-fighters took over the battle. Edwards grabbed Blake by the arm. "You know what caused that? It was your damned cigarette. If anyone finds out..."
Blake turned on Edwards, his fist held menacingly in front of his colleagues face "No one had better find out. If you know what's good for you."
Edwards held up a reassuring hand. "Don't worry, I wont squeal, it's just that with today's forensic techniques I understand that the cops can tell what starts a fire, and if the boss puts two and two together."
Blake gave a crooked smile. "No problem then. We just say that we saw a tramp lurking around the buildings and it must have been him who started it. It also gives us an excuse why we were there."
Edwards clapped him on the back. "You're a genius. Come on we'd better join the others." They moved off to the assembly point on the road.
Unknown to them the Boss stepped out from the shadows behind where they had been standing, a knowing smile on his face.
"So" he muttered "that's your little game is it. I've had my eyes on you for a long time Blake, and now I've got you!"
Frank Holmes was idly tapping away at his computer console. It was another boring day at the boring office. He had never known life at 'Merton and Co.' to be exciting and today was proving to be no exception. The computer he was looking at was boring, his desk was boring and the cheap wooden walls of the communal office were boring. He often thought that the only thing that saved the outside of the building from being totally boring was the ivy that clung tenuously to its wall. But even the ivy was beginning to wilt in the heat. 'Probably bored too.' Frank thought.
The explosion outside his window was the first sign that just maybe today wasn't another boring day. He and his workmates clustered in the window to see what had happened.
A murmur of voices around him speculated on the cause of the fire.
"It sounded like a bomb."
"Don't be silly. Who'd want to bomb that place."
"Well it's an eyesore..."
"Could've been some welding equipment..."
"Yeah or a spark off something electrical..."
Frank offered his thoughts to all and sundry. "Wish someone would put a bomb under this place. Then maybe they'd rebuild it in a more modern style."
Someone else laughed "Nah, they'd just rebuild out of what was left over from when they built this place and Old Merton would slip the inspector a few hundred quid."
"Old Merton's a fool" someone else added "this place is a fire trap. If that fire starts to get too close, I'm outta here."
"The fire'll never get this close" Frank drawled "that gully between us it too wide."
Startled by the noise and smoke Cassie ran into the nearest building. It was a large wooden warehouse filled with barrels. Cassie wasn't to know it, but each barrel was filled with a deadly mixture of fuels, which had been stored illegally, "Until we arrange a more suitable place to store them."
Cassie held Everest close to her and hid behind one of the barrels. She could hear shouting voices outside and thought that the trolls were after her.
A figure appeared in the door and she shrank further back into the shadows.
"If it reaches this lot" a voice said "she'll go sky high."
"Nah" another voice said, "it's too far away and the wind's blowing the wrong direction."
They walked back into the sunlight and Cassie heard the door shut and the sound of a lock click.
Fearful she remained hidden for a few moments and then crept out from her hiding place. The room was dark and smelly and she wandered cautiously over to the door dragging Everest in the dust behind her.
The door was shut! She was trapped!
She sat down and started to cry.
Outside the fire had already consumed two buildings and was devouring a third. The fire chief reported back to his base. "It's no good. We can't contain it. We need more back up."
The reply was not very reassuring. "Can't help you I'm afraid. All other units have been diverted to other hot spots. It's all this hot dry weather. Fires are springing up everywhere."
The industrial estate backed onto a gully. The gully contained a thin trickle of brackish ooze, filled as it was with numerous unmentionable items. In short there was a firebreak of such proportions that the fire brigade felt it unnecessary to evacuate the office buildings on the other side. The employees of Merton and Co. were therefore unprepared for what happened next.
A fireball erupted from a warehouse and hurled itself at the companies building. The roof exploded into flame that rushed down the ivy-covered walls and into the tinder dry grass below. In less than five seconds all exits were blocked off by a wall of flame.
The fire chief was back on the radio. "This things just blown up in our faces." He yelled down the line. "We need back up and we need it now!"
The disembodied voice at the other end of the call listened sympathetically but was unable to give any reassurances. "Sorry there are not further available units. You'll have to effect a rescue yourselves."
"But there's over 20 people trapped in there and my men are all tied up containing the fire. There's no way we can get those people out in one piece. The buildings an inferno."
"We'll, I'm afraid we can't help, unless..."
The fire chief was willing to accept any idea not matter how daft they sounded. "What?"
"Do you think it's bad enough to call in International Rescue?"
"Bad enough? Get onto 'em straight away. They're those people in that buildings only hope." As he replaced the radio handset a thought came to him. "I hope they get here in time" he mused.
John Tracy was enjoying another quite day in space about Thunderbird Five. The babble of voices was having a soporific effect as he trained his telescope on a distant nebula.
"Calling International Rescue, calling International Rescue" a strange voice broke into his reverie.
He grabbed his microphone, "This is International Rescue. What can we do for you?"
The fire controller relayed his message about the people of Merton and Co. "...So you see without your help those people don't stand a chance."
"Right," agreed John, briefly reflecting on the number of times he had heard those words, "leave it with me and we'll see what we can do." He quickly opened the channel to his home base.
Back at Tracy Island Jeff was frowning at his word processor. He had an important business letter to write, but the appropriate phraseology refused to come to mind. He reflected that the worries about 5SFJ and The Mole were affecting him. An urgent beeping sound interrupted his train of thought and he raised his eyes to the row of portraits of his sons'. John's eyes were flashing at him. A flick of the switch and a concealed microphone rose from his desk. John's portrait disappeared and Jeff smiled at the video image of his most distant son.
"This one requires all speed, Father," he reported "we haven't much time..."
Jeff turned to Scott who had just entered the room. "Get moving" he said "John can brief you when you're airborne."
Scott had grasped the two wall lamps even before his father had finished speaking, his reply of "F.A.B." disappeared with him into the wall.
In response to an alarm activated by Jeff the others entered the room.
"Virgil, take pod five. You'll need the 'Firefly' and the 'Squirt'. There should also be plenty of fire blankets and oxygen hoods stored in the pod."
"That's right, Mr Tracy," Tin-Tin affirmed. "I checked it yesterday."
Virgil moved over to a painting of a rocket and stood with his back to it. As it tipped backwards and he slid down the chute he continued to hear his father giving instructions.
"Gordon, you go with him. Tin-Tin, we are going to need all the man power we've got for this one, you go too and man the Mobile Control. That will leave Scott free to assist with the rescue. Alan, you'll have to stay here..." he noted that his youngest son was about to protest. "You're due to relieve John in the Space Station in a few hours. Brains you had better go with the others too. You may get the opportunity to field test 5SFJ."
Brains rushed off to load a few shells onto Thunderbird Two's cargo chute. He then joined Gordon and Tin-Tin on the passenger elevator.
Outside there was a roar as Thunderbird One rose up through the swimming pool skyward. Scott's portrait disappeared and his video image, now clad in International Rescue's distinctive uniform, appeared in it's place. "Thunderbird One - switching to horizontal flight" he announced.
Virgil's face appeared along side that of his brother. "Everyone's aboard he stated. "Request clearance to launch."
His father double-checked the radar "F.A.B."
Fifteen minutes later the great bulk of Thunderbird Two landed beside it's sister ship.
The great green transporter reared up on its legs and the flap of Pod Five slowly swung down to the ground. Scott raced on board and met up with his colleagues. He swiftly donned his protective suit as he updated them on the rescue situation. Leaving Tin-Tin in charge of the Mobile Control they climbed into one of Brain's latest inventions. The 'Squirt' emerged from Pod Five, like an ugly ducking emerging from beneath it's mothers protective wing, and waddled over to where the door of Merton and Co. should have been.
The building was a shell of fire. It was hoped that the fire resistant lining of the building had done its job, but all communications had been knocked out, until someone entered the building there was no way of knowing.
Scott looked from the wall of flame to the blueprint of the building that he had obtained from the fire chief. "If my calculations are correct, we should be able to enter here," he said.
Brains took charge of the 'Squirt'. At the push of a button a circle of one hundred nozzles emerged from the front of the machine. Another button push and they all tilted so that they focused on the building at one point where the door should have been. A flick of a switch and each nozzle ejected a stream of Dicetyline at the same point of the door.
Scott, Virgil and Gordon moved into the forward section of the 'Squirt' and sealed the fireproof door behind them.
Slowly the nozzles each directed their stream away from the central point. Gradually a circle of fire free building emerged, big enough at first for a hand, then a torso, then a man, and then several men. The doors of the building were visible, blackened but now free of fire.
Scott, Virgil and Gordon had all donned their protective suits, silver with blue trim. They strapped oxygen cylinders to their backs and connected them to their hoods, which had a wide square mask to enable them to see. Scott always felt as if he was inside a T.V. set looking out when he wore this headgear. He tested his radio by giving Tin-Tin the instruction "Release Satellite One".
Tin-Tin pressed a button on Mobile Control. A soft whirring sound heralded the arrival of Satellite One. A small round dish, like an inverted soup plate flew gracefully from inside Thunderbird Two's pod, its miniature jets keeping it on course. On a screen on Mobile Control a map of the surrounding area appeared as the tiny craft sent back an image of the surrounding topography.
"Satellite One launched" Tin-Tin announced.
"FAB" Scott acknowledged "Activating locator beacon now" He pressed a button on his suit and the tiny satellite locked on to his signal and hovered above his position. Back on the map, in front of the building, a blue dot appeared. Another display kept a record of Scott's vital signs. All were normal although they displayed the slightly heightened rhythms of excitement.
Both Virgil and Gordon repeated the procedure and at first a yellow and then an orange indicator appeared on Mobile Controls display.
As the 'Squirt' continued to keep the flames at bay Scott activated the mechanism which opened the forward hatch and the three men stepped out into a dark hazy world.
Scott spoke "Right Tin-Tin, where do we go from here."
Tin-Tin scanned the map in front of her. The internal walls of "Merton & Co." were now visible, as were the positions of those trapped inside.
As well as the three colour coded dots that represented her colleagues, the display showed, more ominously, the fires progress. At the moment the red glow on the screen told her that the fire was a distance away from the victims, but there was no room for any complacency.
"Okay," she said "You are clear to go through the doors. Gordon - To your immediate right, there looks to be an opening. There are two victims in that room." The orange dot moved away from the others, into the building and turned right. High above the building a satellite followed the same course. "Virgil - if you continue straight down the hall you should find someone at the end."
Virgil responded with a cheerful "FAB" and the yellow dot moved forward. Above a satellite followed the same route.
"Scott - There is a room to your left, but I can't make out an entrance. Once you find it there is one person in the room, they appear to be against the far wall." The blue dot entered the building and slowly edged along the left wall. The remaining satellite tracked along the same course and then moved to the left. Scott had found the door and was making his way around the desks to the victim.
Gordon was the first to reach his objective. Reassuringly the person was very much alive. He grabbed at Gordon's protective suit. "Help me!" he gasped.
Reaching into a pocket in the leg of his suit Gordon pulled out two items. The first was a hood that fitted easily over the mans head. After ensuring that there were no gaps for smoke to enter Gordon switched on the oxygen supply. A small cylinder attached to the hood started to emit its precious gas.
The man relaxed as he realised that he could once again breathe normally. Seeing the man regain his strength Gordon gave him the second item.
"Here" he said. "wrap this fire blanket around you, and wait here until I return. There's someone else I've got to see to." He began to search amongst the clutter of desks and chairs. "Gordon to Mobile Control, can you get me a fix on the next person please."
Tin-Tin studied the screen "Move 3 feet towards 9 o-clock."
Gordon moved off at an angle and found his target partly hidden under a desk. He quickly applied the hood and the man recovered enough strength to enable him to walk with some assistance and Gordon looped an arm around him and guided back towards the door. They met up with the first man who was by now nervously shifting from one foot to the other.
"Can we go now?" he asked plaintively.
Gordon smiled at him through his mask. "Let's get going."
The hallway was even more densely filled with smoke. One of Gordon's charges walked into Scott who was also on his way back to the 'Squirt' with his victim.
Scott steadied himself and noted the condition of the three men who had been rescued. "Tell you what, I'll take your two with me, and you can carry on. Sounds like there's a few more upstairs."
"Righto" Gordon agreed and gestured for his charges to follow his brother. He then turned and headed in the opposite direction.
"Mobile Control from Gordon. Where to now?"
Tin-Tin examined the control screen. "There appears to be at least 10 people trapped in a room upstairs. There's a stairwell just to your right. Once you reach the top, keep going straight ahead. Virgil's already tending to the only victim on the east side of the building. The fire is in the far eastern corner and so far no one is in immediate danger from the flames. The smoke must be getting thick though."
"I'll say" Gordon had reached the top of the stairs. "I can't see the walls, let alone the door. Ah here it is." He turned the handle and squeezed himself through the door frame quickly, shutting the door tightly behind him.
One thing that "Old Man Merton" fortunately hadn't skimped on were smoke doors, and the air in the room was relatively clear. Relatively in that it was possible to see the people huddled by the window on the far side of the room. A window that was impossible to open and made of break resistant glass.
Gordon appraised the scene "Tin-Tin, tell Scott to bring up more hoods and blankets when he comes, I don't think we are going to have enough."
"FAB"
The orange dot started to move again.
Mitch pulled back into the driveway and sat for a moment in the car. Wanting to hurry inside but frightened of what he'd find. He realised that he'd been gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had gone white. He gingerly unhooked his fingers from the wheel and massaged them as he walked towards the house.
Teresa looked up, her expression of hopeful expectation falling into one of abject despair as she realised that Mitch was alone. He put his arms around her and gave her a comforting hug. "I'll go ring the police" he said.
The 'All Points Bulletin" went out. Those at the fire only took a passing interest in the call for the missing girl. They were having enough problems trying to keep the roads clear and sightseers away. As far as the general public was concerned an inferno was exciting enough, but any opportunity to catch a glimpse of International Rescue and their fantastic machines, wasn't to be missed.
Scott had joined Gordon in the upstairs room. "Where's Virgil?" he asked.
"Last I heard he was rescuing someone from one of the other rooms" Gordon replied. "He should have finished by now. You organise this lot and I'll go see if our exit is still clear."
He had just reached the door when an explosion rocked the building. Whipping off his glove he pressed the back of his hand to the door. The door was hot! A sure sign that the fire was travelling down the hallway. It also meant that their only exit was blocked off!
"Gordon to Mobile Control, the fire's spread. Any other available exits?"
The red glow on the screen had engulfed the eastern side of the building and the upstairs hallway. Only the western side of the building was free from flame. For now.
"Mobile Control to Virgil and Brains, we have a problem."
Virgil was helping his victim out of the 'Squirt' when he received the message. He handed his charge over to a waiting ambulance and spoke into his microphone. "What's wrong Tin-Tin?"
"Gordon and Scott are trapped with 12 others in an upstairs room. The fire has spread to the rest of the building. Their exit has been blocked off!"
Virgil acknowledged the call and gathering his thoughts returned to Brains in the 'Squirt'.
Brains had already shut down the flow of Dicetyline and had closed all the hatches in the fire fighting machine.
Virgil announced his arrival with a question. "Well Brains what do we do now?"
"I-it looks as though the only w-way to reach them is through one of the windows."
"With a laser gun?"
"Y-yes that would be quickest and safest." Together they examined a plan of the building. Brains tapped the screen, pointing to a symbol. "This window sh-should be ideal."
Brains reversed the machine a few feet and then trundled around to the west side of the building. Deftly manoeuvring the vehicle so that it faced the wall, he turned to his colleague. "W-we're in position" he said.
Virgil scrambled into a cage that sat on top of the 'Squirt'. Once inside he pushed a button and the cage, attached to a hydraulic arm, rose up into the air. He expertly guided the crane up until it was level with the window. Moving the crane arm forward he peered through the window. Those trapped inside were huddled together, all wearing International Rescue's protective hoods and wrapped in shiny fire blankets, looking, for all the world, like potatoes waiting to be cooked. Satisfied that the captives were, for the moment, safe, he fired up a laser gun and started to cut through the toughened glass.
Scott seeing the activity outside the window, sort to reassure those about him. "It won't be long now, that laser will cut through in two minutes."
Frank Holmes spoke up, saying what everyone felt. "It can't be soon enough for me."
Scott began to arrange a plan of exit. "The crane can manage six passengers at a time, the rest of us will have to wait. Do you want a vote on who goes first or do you want us to make the decision?"
Ignoring the flames that flicked around the edge of the building, Virgil concentrated on cutting a circle that was big enough for a large man to climb through. He also had to ensure that the edges weren't too sharp for bare flesh and that the base of the hole wasn't so high that people couldn't climb out. No good having an escape route if you couldn't use it!
The smoke had begun to thicken in the room. So thick that the captives were barely able to see the door, and all they could see of the window was a bright beam of light from Virgil's laser. As he turned to look back at where the door was, Scott noticed a flicker of light as the fire broke through, he had no time to reflect on the gravity of the situation as a clang alerted him to the fact that their escape route had been completed.
As usual he took control of the situation. "Right where's our first group? The rest of you stand over there, so that the exit isn't blocked."
In the time honoured tradition of 'women and children first' the five women and, in the absence of any children, one of the older men, were the first to board, helped through the hole by Virgil.
Scott fancied he could feel the heat penetrating the back of his protective suit as he tried to keep the remaining captives attention away from the approaching menace. The crane lowered slowly back out of sight and Scott glanced through the open window to see how things were progressing. The former captives, especially the man, seemed to take forever to disembark and he found himself willing those who had escaped, off the 'Squirt'.
It seemed like hours later when Virgils' face once again appeared at the window. Just then Frank noticed the encroaching fire. "We're going to die" he screamed and dove through the hole in the window, knocking Virgil sideways.
Virgil grasped at the frame work of the cage, his reflexes preventing him from falling over the edge. He turned to Frank, and resisting an impulse to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, said "Just calm down, you're alright now."
Scott and Gordon were trying to keep the rest of the captives calm and help them through the window. Not an easy job after Frank's outburst, as the remaining victims were well and truly spooked. One of them tripped as he clambered frantically through the hole and skidded across the deck. Virgil made a grab for him to stop him sliding off the edge.
At last they were all on board, all except Scott and Gordon.
"Will you guys be alright? I haven't got room for you too!" Virgil asked a frown of concern on his face."
Scott gave him a tight smile. "Yeah, these suits should protect us, and if things get too hot, we can stand on the window ledge."
"Okay" Virgil acknowledged "see you soon." He pushed the button marked down on the control panel and the rescue arm started its slow descent.
Gordon looked at Scott. "Well brother, this is one hot spot we're in."
Scott laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "If things get too hot, we can always jump."
Gordon poked his head through the hole and looked down. He made a face. "No thanks!"
In the room behind them, a desk by the door burst into flame. A tongue of fire licked its way along the wall and began to consume another desk.
The temperature began to build. Below them Virgil tried to escort his charges off the cage, but the rescued were in such a hurry that all they succeeded in doing was getting in each others way. He looked up desperately and his stomach knotted when he saw the farthest pane of glass begin to bulge outwards. The pressure behind it was enormous. Dragging his eyes away he concentrated on getting the last of his passengers out of the cage.
Scott and Gordon had also noticed the build up in pressure.
"Time to put your plan into action" Gordon shouted above the roar of the flames."
"What! You're not planning to jump?" Scott was flabbergasted.
"No, of course not. But I think we'd be safer on the ledge." Gordon swung his body out onto the window ledge and crouched down, keeping his head below the level of the window. His older brother followed suit.
The last of the captives had disembarked from the cage. Virgil frantically pressed the button marked "UP". With agonising slowness, a hiss of hydraulics and a shudder, the cage started to lift again.
The window exploded.
A shower of glass flew out over the creek, turning into a million fairy lights, as it reflected off the flames, the setting sun and the flashing lights of the rescue vehicles.
Virgil turned and ducked to avoid the flying shrapnel. Watching firemen ran for protection behind their vehicles.
The explosion seemed to set off a chain reaction. The next window expanded and exploded sending a hail of glass even farther.
Scott looked at Gordon. "Time for plan B." he said.
Gordon looked at Scott and then at the cage rising below them. He looked back at Scott "Right" he said defiantly.
The next window exploded.
Scott and Gordon took a deep breath and jumped!