Seventy Six - BF
International Rescue's other operatives were already in the lounge when Scott and Virgil arrived. They'd been alerted when John's attention had wavered from the exercise to genuine radio messages. Reluctantly Jeff had halted the training session.
He looked with sympathy at Scott, whose face was showing bitter disappointment.
Virgil's face was unemotional.
Jeff turned his attention back to John's portrait. "What information do you have for us, son?"
"It's an oil refinery." John said slowly, listening to the reports at the same time. The name of the company is..." his face sagged in disbelief. "Regnad Oil."
"I knew today was jinxed." Scott muttered.
"Is it a related company?" Tin-Tin asked.
Jeff was scrolling through the business who's who on his computer. He nodded. "Regnad Oil. Parent company Regnad Corporation..."
"And about 20 kilometres away from the 'top secret, highly experimental laboratory'." John informed them.
Jeff looked at him and then back at his team. "Do you want to go?"
"You've never asked us that before." Gordon said surprised.
"I've never needed to. I'm happy to leave this one to each of your own discretions."
"I'm going." Virgil announced. "There's still people who may die there."
Alan headed over to Thunderbird One's lamps. "I'll see you there, Virgil."
"You'll need help." Gordon moved towards the passenger lift.
"Can I go too?" Scott asked.
"I don't know, Scott" Jeff said reluctantly.
"I'm not asking to pilot Thunderbird One." Scott insisted. "Alan can still fly me out there and I can still man Mobile Control. From what John was saying we're going to need every available man to fight this fire. Once this is over I can drop in on Professor Bunsen for my check up. It'll save him coming here and annoying Brains."
"All right." Jeff said, still reluctant. "But the first sign of trouble..."
"I promise that on the first sign of trouble I'll get John to take over."
"Go on then."
"Great." Scott had his back to the wall and was spinning out of sight. "See yo..."
***
The fire at the refinery was not as bad as they'd first feared, Scott was happy to report back. He could almost feel the strain fall away from his father. "Oh by the way. I've met an old friend..."
"Who?" Jeff said warily.
"Doctor Hughes." Scott said with a grin. "You should've seen his face!"
***
Doctor Hughes had almost been embarrassed about approaching Mobile Control. "It seems we're working together again." He'd said shyly.
Scott had recognised his voice. "Actually I'm quite glad to meet you again..." he pulled his protective sunglasses down to the end of his nose and looked over them, "...and to see you."
Doctor Hughes started and then a smile crept onto his face. "You... you saw... The Professor."
Scott nodded as he pushed the sunglasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "The man's a miracle worker! And completely mad! Only don't tell him I said so. Don't tell anyone!"
Doctor Hughes was nodding vigorously. "I understand completely. Secrecy is most important." He winked at Scott. "But I am pleased that, in some small way, I was able to repay International Rescue for all they've done."
"Not as pleased as I am, I can assure you." Scott had turned his attention back to Mobile Control.
***
Now, barely three hours later, they were entering the final stages of the rescue... helping the local services extinguish the fire. The only two people who'd been trapped had been rescued successfully and had been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
Scott felt pleased with the way things had progressed, and the way he'd been able to use both the conventional and modified aspects of Mobile Control to his advantage. He decided that it would be a good idea to retain this particular model. It wouldn't hurt his brothers and Tin-Tin to learn how to use the improvements either.
" 'Firefly' to Mobile Control" Alan's voice called out to him via the speakers.
"Mobile Control. Go ahead, Alan."
"Fire in sector three is out. Do you need me anywhere else?"
"No. Everything's under control. You can stow 'Firefly' away now."
"F-A-B."
His youngest brother's voice was replaced by that of his oldest sibling. "Thunderbird Five to Mobile Control."
"Mobile Control. Go ahead, John."
"How's things looking?"
"Great! I can see the fire and the smoke and the buildings and..."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." John reprimanded him gently. "Things must be winding down if you're not taking this seriously."
"I've just given Alan the go-ahead to put the 'Firefly' back into the pod. Gordon's packing up a few things and Virgil's heading my way as we speak."
"You can see him?"
"I can see his yellow sash."
"Ah. How long before you think you'll be leaving."
"Maybe half an hour? It'll depend on whether there's any flare ups, though I'd say any thing that could happen now, should be able to be handled adequately by the locals."
"Okay. I'll let base know. Give me a call if there's any change to your E.T.D."
"F-A-B."
Scott's good mood disappeared when Virgil came and stood so that Mobile Control largely hid him.
He tried to regain it. "Well another rescue successfully completed!" he said with forced gaiety.
"Scott." Virgil said seriously. "Do you think there's any chance we could get Gordon to travel in Thunderbird One?"
"Why?" Scott asked astonished at this request.
"Then, um, maybe, you'd like to fly with me in Thunderbird Two? You haven't flown in her for a while, and it wouldn't hurt for you to refresh yourself on the controls, and once you've got Thunderbird One back we're never going to be able to get you out of the pilots seat, and it could be your last chance for a while, and it wouldn't hurt for Gordon to have a refresher on Thunderbird One's controls, and we're all pretty fresh at the moment since it's been such a short rescue..." he took a breath, swallowed... "And..."
A warning alarm sounded on Mobile Control.
They looked at the flashing light and then back over at one of the refinery's smaller containment facilities. Local rescue services were running for their lives from the flames that licked around the base of the cylindrical structure.
"Gordon! Get out of there!" Scott yelled at his brother who was already moving with speed away from the impending crisis. He slammed down the button that activated Mobile Control's hover units.
Virgil pushed on one side of the bulky unit and Scott the other as they fought to get it away from the danger zone.
Alan had seen what they were doing and ran to help them...
Gordon dropped the load he was carrying and turned to assist also...
Virgil looked at Scott...
Scott looked at Virgil...
"Run!" They both yelled...
***
The explosion was loud and violent. Everyone within 200 metres was knocked to the ground by the blast of searing air.
As the noise subsided, and the dust settled, people starting moving gingerly. Checking themselves for injuries.
Those closest to the explosion cleared the dust from their eyes and looked around them, ears ringing from the blast.
Three members of International Rescue stood and surveyed the damage...
Three members of International Rescue looked to check that his brothers were okay...
Three members of International Rescue ran towards one member of International Rescue who lay unmoving...
International Rescue's other operatives were already in the lounge when Scott and Virgil arrived. They'd been alerted when John's attention had wavered from the exercise to genuine radio messages. Reluctantly Jeff had halted the training session.
He looked with sympathy at Scott, whose face was showing bitter disappointment.
Virgil's face was unemotional.
Jeff turned his attention back to John's portrait. "What information do you have for us, son?"
"It's an oil refinery." John said slowly, listening to the reports at the same time. The name of the company is..." his face sagged in disbelief. "Regnad Oil."
"I knew today was jinxed." Scott muttered.
"Is it a related company?" Tin-Tin asked.
Jeff was scrolling through the business who's who on his computer. He nodded. "Regnad Oil. Parent company Regnad Corporation..."
"And about 20 kilometres away from the 'top secret, highly experimental laboratory'." John informed them.
Jeff looked at him and then back at his team. "Do you want to go?"
"You've never asked us that before." Gordon said surprised.
"I've never needed to. I'm happy to leave this one to each of your own discretions."
"I'm going." Virgil announced. "There's still people who may die there."
Alan headed over to Thunderbird One's lamps. "I'll see you there, Virgil."
"You'll need help." Gordon moved towards the passenger lift.
"Can I go too?" Scott asked.
"I don't know, Scott" Jeff said reluctantly.
"I'm not asking to pilot Thunderbird One." Scott insisted. "Alan can still fly me out there and I can still man Mobile Control. From what John was saying we're going to need every available man to fight this fire. Once this is over I can drop in on Professor Bunsen for my check up. It'll save him coming here and annoying Brains."
"All right." Jeff said, still reluctant. "But the first sign of trouble..."
"I promise that on the first sign of trouble I'll get John to take over."
"Go on then."
"Great." Scott had his back to the wall and was spinning out of sight. "See yo..."
***
The fire at the refinery was not as bad as they'd first feared, Scott was happy to report back. He could almost feel the strain fall away from his father. "Oh by the way. I've met an old friend..."
"Who?" Jeff said warily.
"Doctor Hughes." Scott said with a grin. "You should've seen his face!"
***
Doctor Hughes had almost been embarrassed about approaching Mobile Control. "It seems we're working together again." He'd said shyly.
Scott had recognised his voice. "Actually I'm quite glad to meet you again..." he pulled his protective sunglasses down to the end of his nose and looked over them, "...and to see you."
Doctor Hughes started and then a smile crept onto his face. "You... you saw... The Professor."
Scott nodded as he pushed the sunglasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "The man's a miracle worker! And completely mad! Only don't tell him I said so. Don't tell anyone!"
Doctor Hughes was nodding vigorously. "I understand completely. Secrecy is most important." He winked at Scott. "But I am pleased that, in some small way, I was able to repay International Rescue for all they've done."
"Not as pleased as I am, I can assure you." Scott had turned his attention back to Mobile Control.
***
Now, barely three hours later, they were entering the final stages of the rescue... helping the local services extinguish the fire. The only two people who'd been trapped had been rescued successfully and had been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
Scott felt pleased with the way things had progressed, and the way he'd been able to use both the conventional and modified aspects of Mobile Control to his advantage. He decided that it would be a good idea to retain this particular model. It wouldn't hurt his brothers and Tin-Tin to learn how to use the improvements either.
" 'Firefly' to Mobile Control" Alan's voice called out to him via the speakers.
"Mobile Control. Go ahead, Alan."
"Fire in sector three is out. Do you need me anywhere else?"
"No. Everything's under control. You can stow 'Firefly' away now."
"F-A-B."
His youngest brother's voice was replaced by that of his oldest sibling. "Thunderbird Five to Mobile Control."
"Mobile Control. Go ahead, John."
"How's things looking?"
"Great! I can see the fire and the smoke and the buildings and..."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." John reprimanded him gently. "Things must be winding down if you're not taking this seriously."
"I've just given Alan the go-ahead to put the 'Firefly' back into the pod. Gordon's packing up a few things and Virgil's heading my way as we speak."
"You can see him?"
"I can see his yellow sash."
"Ah. How long before you think you'll be leaving."
"Maybe half an hour? It'll depend on whether there's any flare ups, though I'd say any thing that could happen now, should be able to be handled adequately by the locals."
"Okay. I'll let base know. Give me a call if there's any change to your E.T.D."
"F-A-B."
Scott's good mood disappeared when Virgil came and stood so that Mobile Control largely hid him.
He tried to regain it. "Well another rescue successfully completed!" he said with forced gaiety.
"Scott." Virgil said seriously. "Do you think there's any chance we could get Gordon to travel in Thunderbird One?"
"Why?" Scott asked astonished at this request.
"Then, um, maybe, you'd like to fly with me in Thunderbird Two? You haven't flown in her for a while, and it wouldn't hurt for you to refresh yourself on the controls, and once you've got Thunderbird One back we're never going to be able to get you out of the pilots seat, and it could be your last chance for a while, and it wouldn't hurt for Gordon to have a refresher on Thunderbird One's controls, and we're all pretty fresh at the moment since it's been such a short rescue..." he took a breath, swallowed... "And..."
A warning alarm sounded on Mobile Control.
They looked at the flashing light and then back over at one of the refinery's smaller containment facilities. Local rescue services were running for their lives from the flames that licked around the base of the cylindrical structure.
"Gordon! Get out of there!" Scott yelled at his brother who was already moving with speed away from the impending crisis. He slammed down the button that activated Mobile Control's hover units.
Virgil pushed on one side of the bulky unit and Scott the other as they fought to get it away from the danger zone.
Alan had seen what they were doing and ran to help them...
Gordon dropped the load he was carrying and turned to assist also...
Virgil looked at Scott...
Scott looked at Virgil...
"Run!" They both yelled...
***
The explosion was loud and violent. Everyone within 200 metres was knocked to the ground by the blast of searing air.
As the noise subsided, and the dust settled, people starting moving gingerly. Checking themselves for injuries.
Those closest to the explosion cleared the dust from their eyes and looked around them, ears ringing from the blast.
Three members of International Rescue stood and surveyed the damage...
Three members of International Rescue looked to check that his brothers were okay...
Three members of International Rescue ran towards one member of International Rescue who lay unmoving...