Disclaimer - Don't own Thunderbirds or (since I am playing with them too) Numb3rs. But they make nice toys, don't they?

Chapter 11 – Hello Charlie!

Scott Tracy picked his way among the debris on the third floor of the Kragtas Building on the campus of Cal Sci. From frantic cell phone calls, he knew that twenty three students and two teaching assistants were trapped in a lecture hall at the end of the corridor. Luckily, the explosion had occurred during the summer semester, when the top two floors had been closed for renovations. That fact and the lighter student load assured that there were fewer people at risk.

Reaching the end of the hallway, Scott saw why the group was trapped. Debris had effectively sealed the double doors as securely as a castles barred entry way. Grimacing, Scott began to pull at the remains, making sure no further damage was caused to the structure.

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Jeff Tracy used a hand held scanner to check the shattered second floor of the building. They knew that more than three dozen people were trapped in a lecture hall on this floor. Snapping wire from exposed circuitry snapped at the Thunderbirds Commander. He knew from the maps that this hallway had held several computer labs and the exposed wiring would make it impossible to bring so many people back the way he came. He would either have to have Alan leave the command post to bring Two in with a rescue platform, or Jeff would have to wait until one of the others finished their tasks.

At the entrance to the lecture hall, Jeff discovered why the people hadn't tried to leave. Something – Jeff wasn't sure exactly what – had fallen in the path. Wires crackled, and smoke curled upwards. And the fire extinguisher was located on the wrong side of the debris to be of any use to those trapped inside. Grabbing the extinguisher, Jeff eliminated the immediate threat and called to Alan.

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Gordon Tracy moved gingerly among the ruins of what had been a first floor physics lab. Based on what they had been told, five grad students and an advisor had been in the lab when something – no one was still sure what – had exploded. While the advisor had made a brief call thirty minutes ago, no one had been able to reach him or any of the students since then.

Civilian fire and rescue had been reluctant to enter because of the unknown factors involved. Once International Rescue had arrived, with their stronger equipment, a sense of relief that someone would be able to save the six trapped within was felt by all.

Gordon made to pry open the doors of the lab, only to feel the heat coming through the door. Before he could act further, a muffled explosion rocked the building causing him to lose his balance. As the red-haired Tracy picked himself up, he realized that he could now see into the lab. Flames absorbed every inch of space. Through the inferno he could make out signs of remains, but no signs of life. Shaken, he called back to Alan at Field Command. The civilian fire department could extinguish blaze now. Gordon could operate the Firefly if needed, but for now Alan told his next oldest brother to get to Two; he would be manning the green monolith and its rescue platform. Their father and brother had more than sixty people waiting at windows to be pulled from the wreckage.

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Virgil Tracy guided the Thunderbird's digging machine downward. He had operated the machinery before, often with one of his brothers beside him. But this was the first time Kate had come with him. And they were trying to save Kate's Uncle Charlie.

Kate Tracy was worried. Was Uncle Charlie hurt? What would her father do if anything happened to his little brother? What would her father-in-law do when he discovered her husband had told her father that they were International Rescue? What would her father do to her for not telling him in the first place?

As the Mole dug through to the sub basement, Kate's mind was adrift with what ifs. But once they reached a clear area, she brought her thoughts back into focus. With the sole lighting coming from the Mole and their helmets, Kate and Virgil began to scan the area where infra-red had detected a life sign. As Kate moved forward, she suddenly froze at the sight of a pale hand stretched out from under a storage cabinet.

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Alan Tracy watched as Gordon guided the rescue platform repeatedly to the windows where their father and brother had herded people to. Gordon was directly playing a part in saving more than sixty people and would make sure that Jeff and Scott would not be exposed to the hazards they had faced simply getting to the rescued. But Alan knew his brother would still be bothered by the six they hadn't saved. He knew it bothered him.

Looking discretely behind him, Alan watched Kate's family. They clung to each other, many with tears in their eyes. Kate's father stood slightly apart, hands by his side, eyes forward. Although Mr. Eppes never once actually looked at Alan, the teen could feel the scrutiny. It was almost like the man was saying; Ok I let your brother marry my daughter, now save my brother. Not too logical, but people tended not to be reasonable in situations like this.

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Together, Kate and Virgil lifted the cabinet from the still form of Charles Eppes. Kate fell on her knees beside him, gently tapping his face. "Uncle Charlie? Uncle Charlie, wake up!"

The man began to moan softly, eyes slowly opening. At the sight of what looked to be a spaceman above him, Charlie Eppes tried to frantically escape. Afraid he might further injure himself; Kate removed her helmet and reached out for her uncle. "It's OK, Uncle Charlie; we're here to get you out. It's gonna be OK."

His eyes raking over her Thunderbirds uniform, Charlie Eppes smiled. His only niece looked at him puzzled – that was Uncle Charlie's slightly smug, I-knew-I-was-right smile. "I told your father that you were too excited to be going to a desk job."

a/n - ok, another successful rescue. for the most part. I let Kate's father and uncle find out, as one was bound to find out and they have a history of keeping secrets from others. in Numb3rs, they conspire to keep them from their father. so, now they will have to keep them from Kate's mother, aunt, brothers and cousins. I will say, they will keep it at least for this story. may change way in the future, but not likely. review!!!