Huhu, I can see you!
Well, action starts here. And bad guys also show up. Can anything good come from this?
Walk on the Wild Side
By Sapphire
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Chapter 6: Thunderbirds Are Go, Going, Gone
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The Northern California Wind Farm had been built at the turn of the century, when rising energy costs of fossil fuel had lead to a growing interest in development of alternate energy sources. In the first building phase fifteen wind turbines had been erected, with another fifteen added a few years later. For many years the wind farm had converted the steady wind that blew up the Coastal Ridge into clean and safe electricity.
Though the technology normally required little maintenance, the age of the power plant needed a tight schedule of controls and inspections. Every Tuesday morning a crew of two would climb up the spiral staircase inside the tall towers of one of the wind turbines, switch off the turbine itself and perform the routine checks. After they had finished their checks, they oiled and greased the machinery where required, and switched the turbine back on. They then controlled wind speed and power output and when everything was to their satisfaction, they would sign off the turbine for another month and would move on to the next wind generator in the row.
But this morning something was different. While the two workmen arrived from their drive from Eureka, the closest town some fifty miles away, they were watched from the top of a small ridge close by.
Not aware of any danger, they parked their car and walked to the tower of turbine #6, their first goal of the day. They unlocked the door and entered the tower to climb up the spiral staircase to the top of the tower over two hundred and fifty feet above the ground.
The tall, bald man, with oriental features who had been watching them, lowered the spyglass he had held against his eyes. A cold smile played around his lips.
He had worked out his plan for a long time. For weeks the wind farm had been a focus of his activities. He had watched and noted the schedule of the workers, he had found out everything about the surroundings and he had found out every weak point he could exploit.
The location was perfect. Remote, a good hour's drive from the closest large settlement. If somebody needed help out here, there was nobody to come to the rescue quickly.
Well, almost nobody. The man knew exactly that there was one organisation that would not hesitate to come to help in case of an emergency. In fact, he counted on it.
All he had to do was to provide for such an emergency.
He waited patiently for the two men to reach the top of the tower. After ten minutes, the huge blades that had captured the wind, slowed down, then stopped altogether. The maintenance workers had started their job.
It was time.
He pushed the button on a small device he was holding. Over the last two days he had installed several explosive charges underneath the ridge the wind farm was standing on.
One explosion, then another rocked the ground. A large part of the neighbouring ridge collapsed in itself. The two closest turbines seemed to be suspended in mid air for a moment, then they started to slip slide their way down the hill. The next turbine - turbine #6 - began to shiver and for a moment it looked as if it would follow the other two turbines.
But the man had planted his explosives very carefully. Instead of sliding down the hill, the tall tower started to lean away from the edge of the crater. It fell to its side only to be brought up short, when one of its blades impaled itself into the earth. Pinned to the ground on one side it balanced for a moment then tipped over, only to collide with another, still standing tower.
"Yes!" the man screamed in triumph.
His plan had worked perfect.
He was sure at least one of the two workers had survived and that he would call for the only help he would get out here.
International Rescue would come.
And then he, the Hood, would finally have their secrets.
The alarm echoed through the room and ripped Scott from a sleep that felt like it had lasted no more than a minute. Momentarily confused he looked around, wondering where the heck that annoying noise was coming from. It was dark and for a moment he had no idea where he was.
But if there had been one thing that his training at the Air Force had taught him, it was to wake up quickly.
Parallel dimension.
Secret rescue organization.
An alarm in the middle of the night.
That could mean only one thing.
Hitting the light switch, he rolled off the bed, pulled on his dressing gown and was out of the door, before the alarm tapered off and was silent.
From the other rooms, tousled-haired and bleary eyed, his brothers (from this and from his own world) emerged, heading for the lounge and their father's office.
He moved to get to Virgil's side and together they followed the others.
There was still night outside, not even the faintest sign of the rising sun yet to be seen. The moon had set in the meantime, and beyond the windows nothing but the blackest night was to be seen.
In contrast, Jeff's office was ablaze with light. Like the first time he had been here during a rescue mission, the portraits on the wall had been replaced by them in the International Rescue uniform. Instead of John's portrait there was a screen and his middle brother could be seen as he reported of an accident that had happened in California to Father who was sitting behind his desk.
"… are trapped in the control booth on top of the wind turbine. At least one of them is injured, but the other one seemed to be okay. It was he who called us. The whole system seems to be pretty unstable and it's only a matter of time before it will collapse. Because of the other wind turbines, it will be nearly impossible to get to them from above, but because of the weakness of the ground, I don't see how to get to them from below."
"Thanks, John, we'll take it from here."
Jeff turned, looking at the brothers and Brains all attired in dressing gowns, stifling yawns as they sat on the couch and chairs. If he was wondering about the presence of Scott and Virgil, he didn't show it.
"Boys, this is going to be a tricky one. There has been an earth slide in the area of a wind power plant in Northern California. One of the turbines has fallen over, leaning against the tower of a neighbouring wind turbine. There was a maintenance crew working in there when it collapsed and there is no way for them to get out.
"Alan, you take Thunderbird 1. See if there's any way we can get to them from the air. Gordon, you have Thunderbird 2. Brains is going to meet you there in a minute. If push comes to shove, you'll need to pull the whole system up."
There was a chorus of 'Yes, sir!' and Alan stepped to Scott's portrait, preparing to vanish behind the picture for the hidden walkway to Thunderbird 1, while Gordon was heading for Virgil's picture.
"Sir?" Scott asked, standing up. "What about us?"
Jeff looked up, seemingly only now noticing his two inter-dimensional visitors.
"Yes, Scott?" he asked.
"We want to help, sir."
Jeff's face didn't betray anything of what he was thinking.
"Scott, this is going to be dangerous."
Scott nodded. "I know, sir. But I also know that you are two people short because of us. You can use our help."
Jeff searched Scott's eyes. "Are you sure?"
Scott looked over to Virgil, who gave him a wan smile and a nod, then back to Jeff.
He nodded again. "Yes, sir, we are sure."
Jeff hesitated for a second, then inclined his head minutely.
"All right, you can go too," he said, but holding up his hand, when he saw Scott about to follow Alan. "You are both going with Thunderbird 2. And, you will follow Alan and Gordon's command. When they say to back off, you will back off. Is that understood?"
Scott hesitated. He really had been hoping to fly with Thunderbird 1. And obeying his two youngest brothers – he didn't look forward to that. But he could understand Jeff. He and Virgil didn't have the training and the experience their counterparts in this world had.
Jeff continued, echoing the thoughts that went through Scott's head: "You two haven't done this before. I know you have a sensible head on your shoulders, so you know that you don't have the training and the experience."
Scott had no choice.
"Yes, sir," he said, hearing the same from Virgil.
"All right. Thunderbirds are go!"
TBC
And of they go, riding the white horse to the rescue (or in this case, the green horse)