"Thunderbird Five to Thunderbird Two".
"Go ahead Gordon".
"Guys, Alan's locator is moving away from Thunderbird One in a Northerly direction".
Jeff frowned, "Do you know where he's going?"
"Negative dad. There's no civilization for miles".
Jeff glanced over at Virgil who wore an identical frown, "…Ok Gordon. Keep track of him. At maximum speed our E.T.A is seven minutes".
"FAB. The weather over Utah is pretty rough. They've got a front coming in from the South and it looks like its gonna be one hell of a storm".
'Wonderful' Jeff thought dryly. "Thanks for the warning Gordon. Call us if there are any changes with Alan or that storm front".
"Will do. Five out".
Jeff looked out the window ahead. The sky was already clouded over, the dark clouds swirling around slowly as lightning flashed in the distance lighting up the sky ahead. Thunderbird Two shuddered slightly as the wind speed outside picked up.
"Hang on guys, we're gonna be in for a bit of a rough ride", Jeff called to the others behind.
Fermat gripped his seat tightly against the turbulence. Tin Tin looked over at him and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry Fermat it's only a little turbulence".
"Yeah, I'm ok", he breathed quietly, his voice a little higher than normal.
Scott stared out the window at the approaching dark clouds. Rain started to fall as they passed over the state line into Utah. A rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance as rivulets of water cascaded down the windows.
"Into the eye of the storm we go" Scott whispered as a stroke of lightning flashed up in front of them. The feeling of unease growing as the storm came nearer.
Virgil tore his eyes away from the windows and looked back down at the monitors. "Dad E.T.A in four minutes".
"Ok guys. Prepare for landing, I'm bringing her down".
Jeff slowly eased Thunderbird Two down from her cruising height of 50,000 feet. The craft shuddered and shook a little, due to the weather outside, as they descended towards the ground. At 5,000 feet Jeff pulled back on the accelerator and slowed their descent.
"Look at it out there" Virgil exclaimed leaning over to look out the side window. "I can barely see the ground from here".
Thunderbird Two shuddered again as a loud clap of thunder echoed through the sky.
"Coming into land. Virgil watch the wind shear"
"I'm on it" Virgil glued his eyes to his instruments. "Thunderbird One is right below us."
"Roger that. Coming down along side her"
Thunderbird Two slowly descended and Thunderbird One soon came in to view. The giant craft shuddered again as the wind speed pick up again but Jeff quickly steadied her and continued towards the ground. Vertical landing thrusters firing, Thunderbird Two touched down next to Thunderbird One executing a slow but perfect landing despite the horrendous flying conditions.
"Lets get suited up". Unbuckling their safety harnesses Jeff followed the others out of the cockpit and down to the personal equipment room.
Minutes later they climbed down the ladder from a hatch on the lower port side all kitted out with headsets, rain clothes and emergency packs. The storm was now at full strength darkening the daylight sky and rain lashed down on them like sharp needles. The dark clouds lit up like a doorway to heaven with every lightning flash and thunder rolled over the land like waves in the ocean.
Although Alan's locator was moving away from Thunderbird One they wanted to be sure. Scott jogged over to Thunderbird One and checked inside the cockpit. There was no sign of Alan. Scott returned to the rest of the group after locking up the craft.
"He's not in there dad. He didn't take a headset with him either".
'Dammit. What's that boy playing at?' Jeff thought angrily as they closed up Thunderbird Two. Despite his anger he was truly worried about Alan.
"Gordon, do you read me?" Jeff had to shout over the noise of the rain.
"Loud and clear dad"
"We're on the ground. What's Alan's location?"
"He's about 110 meters from your current location. He stopped a few minutes ago and now…he's just staying there", there was confusion in Gordon's voice.
"Roger that Gordon. We'll find him. Keep this channel open understood?"
"Yes sir"
Scott studied the handheld locator tracker, the size and shape of a mobile phone. "I've got him…" he wiped the collecting rain drops off the small screen "…that way". Scott shouted over the din and pointed in the direction his youngest brother had gone.
Jeff moved to Scott's side and looked down at the screen that showed a small flashing yellow dot North of their position. "Ok let's go".
They set off in a group. Jeff and Scott took the lead, Tin Tin and Fermat followed behind them sticking close and John and Virgil brought up the rear. The terrain was rocky and the storm didn't make it easy going.
They reached the edge of the clearing Thunderbird One and Two had landed in and continued on into the underbrush and woodlands. Scott squinted into the distance trying to see through the heavy curtain of rain. The 'path' they were on was littered with stones and large rocks, which were now slippery wet and hard to walk on. Scott kept glancing down at the tracker but Alan hadn't moved.
Fermat slipped on the rocky ground and landed hard on his side, "Uugh!" Tin Tin stopped and looked back.
John knelt down beside him. "You ok Fermat?"
Fermat took John's offered hands and let him pull him up. "Y-yeah. Just bruised."
John smiled and patted Fermat on the back to get him moving back up the path to catch up with the others. Thunder rumbled overhead and a flash of lightning silhouetted the treetops against their path below. Jeff looked at the tracker in Scott's right hand. "How far?"
"He hasn't moved. We're about half way. Another 50 meters to go"
Jeff nodded and glanced back at the rest of the group. They were right behind them but Jeff could only make out their outlines through the rain. Considering the bad weather they had encountered Jeff started to wonder if he had made the right call in letting Tin Tin and Fermat come with them. It wasn't exactly safe terrain and neither had much rescue experience. Then he remembered the events of last summer and he smiled, 'after going through all that and still coming out on top, those kids can survive anything', he hoped.
They reached the top of the path and the ground leveled out. Jeff took Tin Tin's hand and helped pull her up and over a slippery patch of ground.
"How are you two holding up?"
"We're ok Mr. Tracy" Tin Tin replied loudly clutching at the neck of her raincoat.
Fermat brushed some mud off his sleeve, "Yes sir, easy as p-pi-p piece of cake." Jeff ushered them both over to where Virgil and John were standing looking over Scott's shoulders.
Scott looked around at their surroundings and realized that they were pretty deep inside the forest now. The trees were denser and were only dissipated by large rock formations that appeared all over the forest floor. In front of them was a twenty-foot high rock face.
Scott looked back down at the tracker. "He's this way" He started to walk in the direction of the yellow blip on the tracker, Jeff caught up with him and the others followed behind them.
Scott led them down a small path off to the left, which was mostly solid rock that built up on both sides and was very hazardous. It was dangerous and Jeff insisted that Tin Tin go in front of Virgil and Fermat in front of John so they could keep an eye on them. Slowly they picked their way down the narrow gap hanging onto the rock face as they went until they came out onto another open area. It was a small rock platform that cascaded down the hillside some 12 feet away from the rock face.
Scott stopped in the middle of the platform. "This is it". Looking up from the tracker he gazed round the area.
The others came over to where Scott stood and also looked round trying to see Alan. Jeff came to Scott's side, "Are you sure son?"
"Yeah, he's here!" Scott replied slightly exasperated at his father.
Jeff turned to the group, "Ok guys, spread out."
They all spread out and began to search the area each heading to a different location. The storm was still raging and didn't show any signs of dissipating any time soon. Fermat and Tin Tin stayed close to each other and looked around the rock face and the many piles of giant rocks that cluttered the side of the cliff. Virgil and John searched around the edge of the platform and downwards cautiously climbing down the cascading rock.
"Search team to Thunderbird Five. Come in Gordon"
"Go ahead dad"
"Gordon, what's the status on this storm?"
Up in Thunderbird Five Gordon was closely monitoring the weather patterns over North America. "The front is completely over Utah now. It looks set to continue for at least another 2 hours…. Any sign of Alan dad?"
Jeff could hear the concern in Gordon's words. "Not yet, but don't worry son, we'll find him."
"Watch your backs guys"
"We will. Search team out." Jeff left Scott's side and began to search the platform. Meanwhile Scott's eyes scanned the surroundings. The tracker only located their watch locators within a 20-meter radius and there were many places in their current location where Alan could be… or be hiding.
Over by the rock face Tin Tin and Fermat were searching from opposite ends of the cliff and working their way towards each other. Tin Tin looked around every rock; big or small, searching for any sign of her friend and across from her Fermat was doing the same leaving nothing unchecked.
John had looked all around the surrounding area below and was slowly and carefully making his way back up the rocky slope to the platform with Virgil just behind him. He was almost at the top when something caught his eye. Stopping his climb he reached out to the right and picked up the small object caked in mud.
John pulled himself over the edge, stood and started wiping away the mud. As the object was revealed John didn't know whether what he had found was a good thing or a bad thing. "Dad! I've found Alan's watch!"
John handed it over and Jeff studied it in his hands, a frown on his face. The watch had a long crack along the face. "Did you see any sign of him down there?"
"No. There's no sign of him".
The others came over to see what John had found.
Virgil frowned at the metallic item, "Do you think Alan doesn't want us to follow him?"
"This whole thing is just getting weirder and weirder," John added shaking his head.
Jeff looked up from the watch. "I agree, but we need to find your brother".
Scott joined the group. "Is that Alan's watch? Where did you find it?"
"Just down there" John pointed down the rocky slope behind them.
Scott hurried over to the edge and stared out at the surroundings. The rain still limited visibility as he looked closely down the slope. His eyes traveled down and then along the ground beyond.
"Hey look over there! Those look like caves!" Scott shouted back but suddenly noticed that they were all next to him also looking down the slope.
Jeff followed Scott's train of vision and could just make out a mouth of a hole, most likely a cave. "I see it Scott…" Jeff looked around the group "…lets take a look".
TBC
Oooooh...its getting murkier and murkier. Apologies if the terrain of Utah isn't quite right but I've never been there.
Hope this chapter meets with your approval.
Reviews are always welcome