Non-Participation II - Twelve.
At first it seemed like a game. Theatrically we ran from bush to tree, trying to remember our recently learned tracking skills. If the Tracy men were watching us from Thunderbird Two, they must have wondered about the advisability of sending us out on this mission. We felt like we were part of some children's adventure book, like 'Five Go To Mystery Moor', or as Trixie put it "Two go To Auckland."
I was the first to spot our quarry. I gestured to Trixie. "There he is." We ducked down behind a bush. Trixie reversed her cane, opened a couple panels and transformed it into a periscope, able to see over the bush. I was beginning to feel a little jealous. I wished I had a gizmo as useful as her walking stick. I decided that I would mention it to Brains later on.
"He's going around the corner." She whispered excitedly. "Come on!"
We dashed to the corner of the concrete security fence and peered around. I radioed Scott. "He's gone in a gate in the factories perimeter fence."
Scott sounded worried. "I don't like this Chris. I think you'd better both come back."
"We're fine Scott. We'll keep going." I shut him down in mid protest.
We crept over to the gate. It was unlocked and showed no sign of having been forced.
For the first time I felt a sense of unease.
Cautiously we entered the complex. "We're inside." I told Scott.
"What!" he exclaimed. "For a firm that's so hot on security, that's too strange..."
I had to agree with him.
The further into the plant we got, the more nervous we became. We'd moved from a children's story book, to an adults thriller.
"Look. I'm not comfortable with this and neither are you." Scott protested at one point.
"How'd you know?" I asked.
"Because it's the third time in five minutes you've called me. Now get out of there!"
"No Scott. We'll keep going. It's our job."
"Chris..." But I'd cut him off again.
We were now in one of the buildings that Virgil had partially demolished to make his bridge. Beams were scattered at unusual angles and bits of wall and ceiling were hanging loose. Smoke still hung in the air. The whole place didn't look too stable.
"Where is he?" Trixie whispered.
"Right behind you!" The voice in my ear was accompanied by a burst of pain as he twisted my arm up my back.
It was at that moment that instinct took over. I hadn't realised that my self-defence lessons had been so complete or ingrained. Without really thinking about what I was doing I let out one of my famous yells and retaliated.
The next few moments were a blur. When everything had quietened down I was standing over our quarry who was lying unconscious at my feet, a gun fallen from his outstretched hand.
"Way to go Chris!" Trixie whooped as we gave each other an exuberant high five.
My feeling of elation was tempered somewhat when I looked down at the man on the floor. "But he's not the one we were following?"
"No!" Said a voice from behind us. "That was me!"..........
At first it seemed like a game. Theatrically we ran from bush to tree, trying to remember our recently learned tracking skills. If the Tracy men were watching us from Thunderbird Two, they must have wondered about the advisability of sending us out on this mission. We felt like we were part of some children's adventure book, like 'Five Go To Mystery Moor', or as Trixie put it "Two go To Auckland."
I was the first to spot our quarry. I gestured to Trixie. "There he is." We ducked down behind a bush. Trixie reversed her cane, opened a couple panels and transformed it into a periscope, able to see over the bush. I was beginning to feel a little jealous. I wished I had a gizmo as useful as her walking stick. I decided that I would mention it to Brains later on.
"He's going around the corner." She whispered excitedly. "Come on!"
We dashed to the corner of the concrete security fence and peered around. I radioed Scott. "He's gone in a gate in the factories perimeter fence."
Scott sounded worried. "I don't like this Chris. I think you'd better both come back."
"We're fine Scott. We'll keep going." I shut him down in mid protest.
We crept over to the gate. It was unlocked and showed no sign of having been forced.
For the first time I felt a sense of unease.
Cautiously we entered the complex. "We're inside." I told Scott.
"What!" he exclaimed. "For a firm that's so hot on security, that's too strange..."
I had to agree with him.
The further into the plant we got, the more nervous we became. We'd moved from a children's story book, to an adults thriller.
"Look. I'm not comfortable with this and neither are you." Scott protested at one point.
"How'd you know?" I asked.
"Because it's the third time in five minutes you've called me. Now get out of there!"
"No Scott. We'll keep going. It's our job."
"Chris..." But I'd cut him off again.
We were now in one of the buildings that Virgil had partially demolished to make his bridge. Beams were scattered at unusual angles and bits of wall and ceiling were hanging loose. Smoke still hung in the air. The whole place didn't look too stable.
"Where is he?" Trixie whispered.
"Right behind you!" The voice in my ear was accompanied by a burst of pain as he twisted my arm up my back.
It was at that moment that instinct took over. I hadn't realised that my self-defence lessons had been so complete or ingrained. Without really thinking about what I was doing I let out one of my famous yells and retaliated.
The next few moments were a blur. When everything had quietened down I was standing over our quarry who was lying unconscious at my feet, a gun fallen from his outstretched hand.
"Way to go Chris!" Trixie whooped as we gave each other an exuberant high five.
My feeling of elation was tempered somewhat when I looked down at the man on the floor. "But he's not the one we were following?"
"No!" Said a voice from behind us. "That was me!"..........
