Chapter 5 The shaft.
"Are you sure this is the right entrance?"Virgil asked the rail engineer at his side glancing down the now open shaft,
"Yes," the man nodded."Number 51,the passenger on the train said that was the one that he could see from the train that looked intact,"Virgil nodded then turned to Alan and Gordon,
"You two start clearing an area ready for the mole to go down into,"
"Okay,"Both the younger men replied,
"Once an area is clear you can make a start down with the mole, any course alterations can be made on the way," He pulled on some safety equipment, "We don't know how much time we've got," His brothers nodded. Then he secured the communication device into his ear and felt it click into place," Are you reading me Scott?" He asked his older brother who was now sitting in thunderbird 2 not far away,
"Yep no problem,"He answered, "got every thing you need?"
"Yes,"
"Good luck,"Scott sighed."And be careful,"
"I'm always careful;"Virgil smiled, as he began to climb down the ladders that took him down towards the train and its trapped passengers,
"I wouldn't always say that,"Scott answered back remembering any number of times when his brother had taken risks.
"When you've got room to talk,"Virgil began. Scott smiled knowing that they all took risks,
"Lets just only hope Kathleen knows what she's let herself in for,"Scott said, Virgil smiled at the sound of her name,
"Just remember our deal,"Virgil told him, Scott knew what he omitted from that.
"I wouldn't forget that,"Scott said seriously.
Climbing down seamed to be taking ages, thankfully it wasn't a straight ladder down it was divided up into separate landings so he had chance for a breather every now and again though he tired to avoid resting as much as possible. Time he knew was short not just from the device failing but the earth quakes where getting stronger and part of the tunnel had already collapsed another quake could see it all collapse,
"How deep dose these tunnels run?"Virgil asked when he had gone down another two levels,
"No one really knows,"Scott answered."But you should nearly be there," Virgil grunted and started down again, half way down the ladder, the ominous rumbling started again, during it Virgil heard a creaking noise from the ladder and realised that it had pulled out of its fixings,
"Damn!"He swore.
Scott was sat in TB 2 when the earth quake began, and was forced to hang on to the console in front of him, when he heard his brother swear on the radio, despite the quake he leaned forward,
"Virgil!" He shouted, but there was no answer, at last the quake finished worried Scott again asked"Virgil can you hear me?"Once again there was no answer,
"Scott what's happened?" Alan asked him over the other radio,
"I've lost contact with Virgil, "He said sadly,
"Oh no! "He gasped, Scott stood
"I'll have to go down after him,"He said.
"Scott," Gordon voice came through to him sounding unhappy," You can't the top part of the shaft has gone," Scott sat back down on the chair and put his head in his hands. Suddenly the connection from the train sprang into life; Scott forced himself to answer it knowing the people on the train deserved to know what was happening.
Davis had grabbed the communication device as soon as the quake had finished, once the man had told him what had happened,
"We'll work something out to get you out," The voice said, to Kathleen he sound very low understandable when he has probably just lost a close friend. There was endless speculation in the press about exactly who these people where, suddenly her heart pounding maybe she could help, try and reach the man from this direction.
"How long was he down here for?"She asked,
"About fifteen minutes, why?"The voice said back,
"So he should have been nearly here,"
"I would assume so," Kathleen turned and got some of her medical supplies from her bag and placed them in a rucksack,
"What are you doing?"Davis asked.
"Going after him,"
"Are you mad?"He said "there could be another quake and you'll be killed,"Kathleen turned to face the man.
"He came down here to try and save us," She said." This is the least I can do,"
"I can't let you do this," The voice said although a little hope had entered his voice. Kathleen grinned.
"How exactly do you intend to stop me?"She asked. Scott realised that she was right he couldn't stop her, suddenly he was grateful to her,
"Thank you!"Was all he could say. Kathleen with help pushed open the train carriage door,
"Which shaft?"She asked, then picking up a torch from the same cupboard that the communications equipment was in and tested it to make sure that it worked.
"51,"Was Davis's reply, he came out of the train and handed her a screw driver so she could open the grill in front of the shaft, it took a few minutes but at last she managed to haul herself up and into the shaft, looking back,
"I'll be as quick as I can,"Davis nodded
"Good luck,"He said
"Thanks,"
For a short distance she could only crawl through but eventually it opened up and she could stand and walk properly and made better time, she came across the ladder that lead upwards grabbing the runs she started upwards.
Scott sat in TB2 feeling helpless and it was a feeling that Scott didn't like, Alan came in and stood behind his older brother,
"Do we still take the mole down?"He asked his voice reflecting his own sorrow,
"Yes,"Scott said,"Whether she manages to reach Virgil or not we have to try and get the passengers out,"
"If only those maps had been accurate,"He swore, Scott looked at his younger brother,
"I know Alan,"Scott sighed,"You best make a start,"Scott watched him leave, and he sent a silent prayer pleading for Virgil to be okay.
Kathleen had gone up two flights when she saw a faint light coming from above her. She climbed up the last few steps and saw the figure of a man lying on the landing in front of her, she knelt down at his side and placed her fingers on his neck and was relieved to find a strong pulse. Gently she used her skill to see if she could find any injuries, and was relieved when she could not find any, so very gently she turned him over to face her,
"Oh god!"She gasped, so many things fell into place when she saw him there, why he had left without saying goodbye and why he said that he couldn't promise any thing, she reached out and touched his face lightly, tears forming tracks down her face. As far as she could tell there didn't appear to be any serious injuries and had probably knocked his self out, he would have a cracking headache when he woke up but nothing more serious than that. She looked around the floor searching for some sort of communication device. On the floor not far from where he lay was a something that looked like it should fit in an ear, picking it up she placed it in her ear and felt it click into place,
"Hello!"She said softly,
Scott just about shot thorough the roof of TB2 when he heard her voice coming thorough the radio,
"Thank god,"He said with relief,"How is he?"
"He seams to be okay," She said taking off her jacket and placing under Virgil's head," Just knocked out by the fall," Scott sighed with relief. But he did note that there seamed to be an odd note to her voice, but now he knew that she could take the homing beacons down to the tunnels,
"Now," He said," What you have to do is take the black boxes at his waist down to the tunnel,"
"But!"She protested,
"At the moment you're the only one how can,"He said firmly, Kathleen hated it but she knew he was right tears again ran down her cheeks as she felt the conflicting emotions, she sighed.
"What do I have to do?"Scott gave a slight smile,
"Those boxes need fixing to the tunnel wall,"He said,"On them is a green button;"Kathleen looked at one of the boxes,
"Yes I see it,"
"You have to hold it up against the wall and press it, after that a green light should flash on the box and that means its working,"
"Then what?" She asked.
"You,"He said firmly "Get back on that train and wait for help to come,"
"You really expect me to just leave Virgil here unconscious," Kathleen realised her mistake as soon she said it but she was angry at the thought of leaving him there that she hadn't really thought about what she was saying. Scott shot forward in his seat and suddenly put two and two together and came up with the right answer but an answer he didn't like.
"Kathleen?"He said in a sick voice,
"Yes,"She said back.
"We didn't know you where there, are you all right?"He asked his voice full of concern,
"Yes I'm fine,"She said,"The people in charge of the evacuation decided to have doctors on trains going out just in case, my boss put me on this one,"Scott sighed, at least they knew where she was now,
"This doesn't change anything,"He said those boxes still have to be on those walls,"
"I know," She lent forward and lightly kissed Virgil's forehead, she hated leaving him but knew that she had to there were people on the train who were depending on her. She placed the three boxes in her rucksack sack and turned to leave, she climbed down the ladders far faster than she should of done, but she knew that time was running out for them all. Arriving back in the tunnel she quickly placed the boxes on the walls and pressed the buttons all began to flash reassuringly green, that duty over she could now return back to Virgil, but Davis blocked her way,
"He said I was to carry you back on that train if need be,"
"What!"
"Kathleen please," She heard Scots voice in her ear,"If anything happened to you Virgil would kill me,"
"And what makes you so sure that I won't,"She said angrily,"I told you I'm not leaving him there alone, he may be disorientated when he wakes and need some help,"
"I'll be the one needing help if he wakes and finds you there,"She grinned
"And just how were you to stop me, you're on the surface and we're down here,"
"Okay,"He said giving in,"Just please be careful,"
"I will,"Davis realised that he could now let her go back,"How long until that machine reaches us?"
"It'll be about twenty minutes," turning to Davis she told him how long it would be until help arrived,
"Thanks we'll be ready,"
It didn't take Kathleen long to get back to Virgil. He was still in the same position that she had left him in sitting down at his side she pulled his head into her lap then after she checked that his pulse was still strong she settled herself down to wait.
How much time had passed she wasn't sure when Virgil began to stir, she helped him to lean against the shaft wall and waited for him realise where he was, his hand went to his head with a slight groan,
"Oh man,"He said with feeling, it took him a minute to sit to focus on what was going on and that he wasn't alone, Kathleen went into her bag and brought out some bottled water and a tablet,
"Here,"She said gently,"take this it will help,"
"Thanks," He said still unable to focus on her properly, he swallowed the tablet she gave him and leaned his head back on the wall. Something was nagging at him a feeling that he knew this person, so reopening his eyes he again tired to focus on her it took a minute but at last his vision cleared,
"Kathleen!"He gasped."How did you get here?"
"I was on the train,"She said softly, he pulled her against him,"I think this is yours,"She said and handed back the radio, before he put it back on, he took her head in his hands and kissed her, without saying anything to her he replaced the radio, but still held her against him. Her head rested on his shoulder.
"Scott?"He said,
"Virgil?"Scott said with relief,"You okay?"
"Other than a pounding headache not to bad,"
"Good,"He sighed,"Listen I don't want to rush you but you've got to get down to the train, Alan's got one lot of, there was to many for one trip,"
"How long have we got,"?
"Alan will be back in about ten minutes;"Virgil pushed aside his headache,
"We'll be there;"Scott sighed with relief,
"I'll see you soon;"Virgil turned back to Kathleen,
"We have to go," She nodded and picked up her bag and started towards the ladders, they arrived back at train and Davis greeted them,
"Thank god your both here,"The man warmly shock hands with Virgil"I'm told that they'll be here in a minute,
"How many are left on the train?"
"Eight,"Virgil nodded knowing that the mole had enough room for them all, then he could hear the rumbling of the machine as it drew close, Alan stopped the machine in the right spot and the door opened
"Everyone aboard quickly,"Gordon said,"We don't have much time,"
The remaining passengers got on followed by Kathleen and Virgil; Gordon gave his brother a quick hug,
"A little to close Virg,"He said
"Tell me about it,"He said with feeling, Gordon smiled at Kathleen,
"Welcome a board doctor," Virgil leaned forward and whispered in her ear,
"We'll talk later,"And gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and left her sitting down and went up to the front of the machine. Kathleen sat back in her seat finally able to relax a little; the noise in the machine made it impossible to sleep, which she knew she needed more than anything. Her watch was broken so she had no idea of what the time was and so had no idea how long ago it was since she had slept. She felt dirty and knew that she was in desperate need of a shower as well. Time did seam to blur as they shuddered through the ground and back to the surface. She began to wonder what would happen when she reached it, she knew that she would never tell what she knew about International rescue, but would they believe her, Virgil would of that she was sure, but what would life hold now, another job, a new hospital, a new city.