The three IR personnel ran into TB1 when they heard Scott yell. Somebody
was alive in Thunderbird 2. They could only hope that they both were.
Scott answered the page, "Thunderbird 2 go ahead, are you both ok?!"
"shrshr.crkl...both alive...crkrk...broken...shrhrhr....hole..", was all that they heard. Gordon's heart skipped a beat when he heard the few clear words, but needed to say it anyway, "I heard 'both alive', didn't you?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "Brains said, "L-l-loud and c-c-clear!"
Jeff was revved for action knowing that both of his boys are alive. A sense of relief washed over him, as did a new sense of urgency to get his boys out now. "OK", said Jeff, "We could all stand around here trying to communicate or we can get to work. Scott, you stay here and try to get as much information as possible. Tell them what we are doing just in case they can read us better than we can read them. The rest of us are going with the two civilians to their town to pick up some heavier equipment."
All five men got into the Jeep and headed back towards Hogs Hollow. Jeff and Brains had been chatting in the back non-stop trying to think of the best way to utilize the equipment and which pieces to buy. When they reached town, they parked in front of Jerry's hardware store, aptly named 'Jerry's Hardware Store'. Gordon went into the hardware store and Jeff and Brains went next door to Walt's store 'Hogs Hollow Feed and Supply'. Walt led them around back where the larger pieces of equipment sat. There were huge combines, plows, tractors, elevator lifts, you name it, it was back there. Jeff pointed to the truck with a bucket on it, the kind that telephone men use to fix the wires at the top of poles. "We'll take that". He then pointed to a Cat front-end loader. "If you've got two of those, I'll take them". They walked amongst the machinery. Jeff stopped and looked at a little Bobcat, but then continued on. He looked at the backhoe and said, "that one too". He turned to Walt and asked "do you have a flatbed that can haul these pieces to the site?" Jeff was surprised when Walt said "yes, we got one." There were other pieces that Jeff was second guessing himself about, but he knew that there was just so much he could get back to the rescue site in sufficient amount of time. Jeff turned to Walt and asked "I think this will do, what do I owe you?" Walt answered, "You can't buy this stuff." Jeff, not understanding glared at Walt, "What do you mean, I can't buy it?" Walt simply replied, "Your money is no good here. You can borrow anything you'd like, but you can't buy or lease any of it." Blushing slightly, Jeff said, "Thank you, but we really can." Walt held up his hand to shush Jeff, he would hear no more about it. Jeff then asked Walt if he could start getting the pieces loaded up on the flatbed while he walked around and met up with Gordon in front of the hardware store. Gordon picked up an entire roll of heavy-duty chain and extra hooks. He also had with him an acetylene torch and halogen lights, the kind used to help road crews to work at night. He didn't need anything more as they have most of the smaller hardware in TB1 already. They really came for the big equipment. Gordon looked at his dad, "Jerry won't let me pay for any of this, even though I insisted." Jeff just nodded, "That's ok, Walt did the same."
Walt came down the main street driving a truck with the loaded flatbed attached. He had someone in the passenger seat with him. Jerry was driving the telephone truck with the bucket. Another man switched places with Jerry, and Jerry took Walt's Jeep. Walt got out of the truck to check to make sure that they had everything when several more pickup trucks and SUVs pulled onto the main street. Jeff looked around at all the help that was showing up. Walt saw his confusion and stated, "Don't fight it. You need help and we want to help. Simple as that! So just shut up, and get into the Jeep so that we can get on our way." Walt climbed back into his truck, leaving Jeff with his mouth open. He then climbed into the Jeep with Brains and Gordon in the back and the caravan proceeded to leave town. What a sight it was, a Jeep in the lead, followed by a flatbed with three big heavy pieces of equipment on it, followed by a bucket truck and the five pickups and SUVs filled with people bringing up the rear. Jeff turned around to look at this convoy. He was just amazed that so many people cared. He noticed one more vehicle joining at the end of the line, an ambulance. It pained his heart to see it, but he knew that he probably would need it more than not. He was glad that whoever set up this little procession of help also thought of the ambulance.
Jerry looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the ambulance joining at the end. He also noticed Jeff looking around behind him and saw his face sadden a bit. "Our town doc is coming too. Hopefully he won't be needed much." "Thanks", was all that Jeff could muster.
When almost there, Jeff asked, "How did word get out so fast?" Jerry looked at him and smiled. "I'm also the mayor, I know who the busiest bodies are in town. One or two phone calls and that's all she took!" Jeff grinned at that Mayberry-like communication. .
After John spoke into the watch com he was overcome with joy and relief with he heard his brother Scott. The transmission was a little fuzzy, but he got most of what Scott was saying. The worst being that Scott could hardly understand anything John was saying to him. Panic was starting to well up inside John however at the realization of what Scott was saying, ".. cut the remaining clamps on the pod so that it falls away. We can then get through to you from the back entrance. Father went to the town to find some heavier equipment to speed things up a bit. Hopefully we will have you out by dark."
"Oh my God", he thought, "they still think that the two of us are still in the cockpit. We will die for sure is they just cut the pod loose."
"We're in the pod, not in the cockpit, we're in the pod, not in the cockpit!!" screamed John into the watch com.
But all that Scott heard was "we're.crckl,crkcl, .cockpit..sprsprr..pod.." Mentally he translated that as, "we're in the cockpit, ok to cut the pod loose".
The convoy pulled up to the scene as Scott looked out the viewport. "Where did all the people come from? Don't they have anything better to do than to gawk at a rescue of what most probably will be two bloody men getting pulled out?" he thought in anger. He climbed out of TB1 as the Jeep came to a halt. Jeff and the other two got out and walked up to Scott as Walt, Jerry and several other men started to unhook the heavy machinery and get it off the flatbed. Scott asked, "Is this some morbid peep show?" Allowing his anger to show. Jeff, shushed him, "they are here to help, all of them. What have you heard from John and Virgil?"
Scott told him that he thinks they receive more information from him then he did from them but what he has from them is not much more than what they had before Jeff went to town. "I did explain to them what our plans are, and I think John acknowledged that they are in the cockpit and that it is ok to let the pod loose. But," he said quietly, "I'm not sure. The only thing I know for sure is that John is the only voice I have heard so far. Nothing from Virgil."
"Ok, keep trying with the communications, I will get the rescue started." Jeff said, as he turned towards all the help and heavy machinery.
"Brains, take the laser cutter and start cutting the clamps on the back end of the pod. There are more there, but the laser cuts faster than acetylene. Make sure you anchor yourself up there. I don't know what kind of kickback you will receive when the pod goes, and it could go unexpectantly." Jeff warned.
"o-k-k-kay, Mr. Tracy."
"Gordon, you take the acetylene up to the front of the pod and start there. Anchor your ..."
"I know dad," interrupted Gordon, "just in case Thunderbird 2 kicks like a mule!"
"Walt, take the backhoe and place the bucket under the center of the pod, just for a little support while the clamps are being cut. Uh, never mind. We won't be able to move you out of the way fast enough if the clamps go. Just make sure that everything and everybody stays away from this pathway," Jeff indicated with both arms the path away from TB2 that the pod will most probably take when it falls, "we don't want to have to rescue anyone other than those two inside there." Tilting his head towards TB2.
When both Brains and Gordon were on the top of TB2 and anchored, Jeff yelled, "Ok boys. I want to try to keep the number or clamps even on both the front and back. It should make for a cleaner break. Brains, to start with, I want you to do three clamps to each of Gordon's. Then back off to two, then as we near having most clamps cut, I want you to stay one-on-one with Gordon. This means you would have to go slower since you have the faster tool."
"S-s-sure thing, Mr. Tracy."
Brains started cutting the clamps. When he finished one Gordon would start on his first clamp. Brains could do his next two as Gordon finished up with one.
John was trying frantically to figure how to tell Scott that they were both in the pod when he heard the first PING of a clamp going. "Oh God, they've started!!" He screamed again into Virgil's watch com, "WE ARE IN THE POD!!! WE ARE IN THE POD!!"
Scott answered the page, "Thunderbird 2 go ahead, are you both ok?!"
"shrshr.crkl...both alive...crkrk...broken...shrhrhr....hole..", was all that they heard. Gordon's heart skipped a beat when he heard the few clear words, but needed to say it anyway, "I heard 'both alive', didn't you?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "Brains said, "L-l-loud and c-c-clear!"
Jeff was revved for action knowing that both of his boys are alive. A sense of relief washed over him, as did a new sense of urgency to get his boys out now. "OK", said Jeff, "We could all stand around here trying to communicate or we can get to work. Scott, you stay here and try to get as much information as possible. Tell them what we are doing just in case they can read us better than we can read them. The rest of us are going with the two civilians to their town to pick up some heavier equipment."
All five men got into the Jeep and headed back towards Hogs Hollow. Jeff and Brains had been chatting in the back non-stop trying to think of the best way to utilize the equipment and which pieces to buy. When they reached town, they parked in front of Jerry's hardware store, aptly named 'Jerry's Hardware Store'. Gordon went into the hardware store and Jeff and Brains went next door to Walt's store 'Hogs Hollow Feed and Supply'. Walt led them around back where the larger pieces of equipment sat. There were huge combines, plows, tractors, elevator lifts, you name it, it was back there. Jeff pointed to the truck with a bucket on it, the kind that telephone men use to fix the wires at the top of poles. "We'll take that". He then pointed to a Cat front-end loader. "If you've got two of those, I'll take them". They walked amongst the machinery. Jeff stopped and looked at a little Bobcat, but then continued on. He looked at the backhoe and said, "that one too". He turned to Walt and asked "do you have a flatbed that can haul these pieces to the site?" Jeff was surprised when Walt said "yes, we got one." There were other pieces that Jeff was second guessing himself about, but he knew that there was just so much he could get back to the rescue site in sufficient amount of time. Jeff turned to Walt and asked "I think this will do, what do I owe you?" Walt answered, "You can't buy this stuff." Jeff, not understanding glared at Walt, "What do you mean, I can't buy it?" Walt simply replied, "Your money is no good here. You can borrow anything you'd like, but you can't buy or lease any of it." Blushing slightly, Jeff said, "Thank you, but we really can." Walt held up his hand to shush Jeff, he would hear no more about it. Jeff then asked Walt if he could start getting the pieces loaded up on the flatbed while he walked around and met up with Gordon in front of the hardware store. Gordon picked up an entire roll of heavy-duty chain and extra hooks. He also had with him an acetylene torch and halogen lights, the kind used to help road crews to work at night. He didn't need anything more as they have most of the smaller hardware in TB1 already. They really came for the big equipment. Gordon looked at his dad, "Jerry won't let me pay for any of this, even though I insisted." Jeff just nodded, "That's ok, Walt did the same."
Walt came down the main street driving a truck with the loaded flatbed attached. He had someone in the passenger seat with him. Jerry was driving the telephone truck with the bucket. Another man switched places with Jerry, and Jerry took Walt's Jeep. Walt got out of the truck to check to make sure that they had everything when several more pickup trucks and SUVs pulled onto the main street. Jeff looked around at all the help that was showing up. Walt saw his confusion and stated, "Don't fight it. You need help and we want to help. Simple as that! So just shut up, and get into the Jeep so that we can get on our way." Walt climbed back into his truck, leaving Jeff with his mouth open. He then climbed into the Jeep with Brains and Gordon in the back and the caravan proceeded to leave town. What a sight it was, a Jeep in the lead, followed by a flatbed with three big heavy pieces of equipment on it, followed by a bucket truck and the five pickups and SUVs filled with people bringing up the rear. Jeff turned around to look at this convoy. He was just amazed that so many people cared. He noticed one more vehicle joining at the end of the line, an ambulance. It pained his heart to see it, but he knew that he probably would need it more than not. He was glad that whoever set up this little procession of help also thought of the ambulance.
Jerry looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the ambulance joining at the end. He also noticed Jeff looking around behind him and saw his face sadden a bit. "Our town doc is coming too. Hopefully he won't be needed much." "Thanks", was all that Jeff could muster.
When almost there, Jeff asked, "How did word get out so fast?" Jerry looked at him and smiled. "I'm also the mayor, I know who the busiest bodies are in town. One or two phone calls and that's all she took!" Jeff grinned at that Mayberry-like communication. .
After John spoke into the watch com he was overcome with joy and relief with he heard his brother Scott. The transmission was a little fuzzy, but he got most of what Scott was saying. The worst being that Scott could hardly understand anything John was saying to him. Panic was starting to well up inside John however at the realization of what Scott was saying, ".. cut the remaining clamps on the pod so that it falls away. We can then get through to you from the back entrance. Father went to the town to find some heavier equipment to speed things up a bit. Hopefully we will have you out by dark."
"Oh my God", he thought, "they still think that the two of us are still in the cockpit. We will die for sure is they just cut the pod loose."
"We're in the pod, not in the cockpit, we're in the pod, not in the cockpit!!" screamed John into the watch com.
But all that Scott heard was "we're.crckl,crkcl, .cockpit..sprsprr..pod.." Mentally he translated that as, "we're in the cockpit, ok to cut the pod loose".
The convoy pulled up to the scene as Scott looked out the viewport. "Where did all the people come from? Don't they have anything better to do than to gawk at a rescue of what most probably will be two bloody men getting pulled out?" he thought in anger. He climbed out of TB1 as the Jeep came to a halt. Jeff and the other two got out and walked up to Scott as Walt, Jerry and several other men started to unhook the heavy machinery and get it off the flatbed. Scott asked, "Is this some morbid peep show?" Allowing his anger to show. Jeff, shushed him, "they are here to help, all of them. What have you heard from John and Virgil?"
Scott told him that he thinks they receive more information from him then he did from them but what he has from them is not much more than what they had before Jeff went to town. "I did explain to them what our plans are, and I think John acknowledged that they are in the cockpit and that it is ok to let the pod loose. But," he said quietly, "I'm not sure. The only thing I know for sure is that John is the only voice I have heard so far. Nothing from Virgil."
"Ok, keep trying with the communications, I will get the rescue started." Jeff said, as he turned towards all the help and heavy machinery.
"Brains, take the laser cutter and start cutting the clamps on the back end of the pod. There are more there, but the laser cuts faster than acetylene. Make sure you anchor yourself up there. I don't know what kind of kickback you will receive when the pod goes, and it could go unexpectantly." Jeff warned.
"o-k-k-kay, Mr. Tracy."
"Gordon, you take the acetylene up to the front of the pod and start there. Anchor your ..."
"I know dad," interrupted Gordon, "just in case Thunderbird 2 kicks like a mule!"
"Walt, take the backhoe and place the bucket under the center of the pod, just for a little support while the clamps are being cut. Uh, never mind. We won't be able to move you out of the way fast enough if the clamps go. Just make sure that everything and everybody stays away from this pathway," Jeff indicated with both arms the path away from TB2 that the pod will most probably take when it falls, "we don't want to have to rescue anyone other than those two inside there." Tilting his head towards TB2.
When both Brains and Gordon were on the top of TB2 and anchored, Jeff yelled, "Ok boys. I want to try to keep the number or clamps even on both the front and back. It should make for a cleaner break. Brains, to start with, I want you to do three clamps to each of Gordon's. Then back off to two, then as we near having most clamps cut, I want you to stay one-on-one with Gordon. This means you would have to go slower since you have the faster tool."
"S-s-sure thing, Mr. Tracy."
Brains started cutting the clamps. When he finished one Gordon would start on his first clamp. Brains could do his next two as Gordon finished up with one.
John was trying frantically to figure how to tell Scott that they were both in the pod when he heard the first PING of a clamp going. "Oh God, they've started!!" He screamed again into Virgil's watch com, "WE ARE IN THE POD!!! WE ARE IN THE POD!!"