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Chapter One

       Virgil threw his body across the girl, knocking her to the ground. He folded his arms around her as the whole world seemed to collapse. At first there was too much noise to speak and after the noise came the dust. The girl hid her head in Virgil’s shoulder, trying to keep her face clear enough to breathe. He pulled an arm across his face and breathed into the crook of his elbow. They waited for what seemed like an eternity, and then, at last, the dust began to settle. Virgil pulled himself to a sitting position, giving the girl room to move. 
    “Are you alright?”
    “I think so. Thanks for pulling me out of the way.”
    “No problem.”
They wriggled painfully into more comfortable positions, ending up sitting side by side against the wall. Virgil could feel the girl shaking, but her voice was steady as she spoke.
    “Seems that little explosion has fused the lights.”
    “No problem.” Virgil took a light bar from his belt. Designed by Brains, these gave a steady light for 4 hours, whether wet or dry, on land or in space.
    “Do you say anything other than ‘no problem’?”
Virgil laughed. “You should ask my buddies. I usually get moaned at for talking too much.”
    “And talking about your buddies, I thought you lot were supposed to rescue people, not join us under collapsed buildings.”
    “I was hoping you wouldn’t mention that. You’re right of course, just a little misjudgement.” Virgil chatted cheerfully, attempting to distract the girl while he contacted the others. His watch must have been damaged, he couldn’t get a response. Scott would be worried sick after watching the hospital fall on them.

    The day had started as a routine rescue. The nuclear generator in an Illinois hospital had malfunctioned, and the repairmen had been unable to stop it overheating. The nuclear response squad had been called in and the situation was quickly resolved. Or so everyone thought. As the response squad left the scene a message had been received by the police.
    “That was just for starters. If we do not receive all your supplies of the new MX65 drug by 6pm today a bomb will blow your beautiful hospital to pieces. Oh, by the way, we have captured one of your nurses and hidden her in the building. If the bomb goes off she will die. So bring the drug to the fountain at Central Park and we will tell you where she is.”
    The hospital authorities had been unable to locate the bomb, and so had taken the drug to the park. Shortly another message was received.
    Thank you so much. Sorry, I seem to have forgotten where I put the girl. Goodbye.”

International rescue had been called and while Scott and Brains attempted to defuse the bomb, Virgil had gone looking for the missing nurse. With 5 minutes to go Brains had to admit defeat, and Scott radioed Virgil to leave the building at once. But Virgil had just heard a faint cry.
     The girl was tied to the piping in a boiler room, and he quickly freed her. The two had been running to the main entrance when the bomb exploded.

Virgil tried his watch again. Still nothing. The girl was watching him. 
    “Does that thing work as a radio or something?”
    “Or something, yes. But the blast seems to have damaged it. Not that it matters too much. They will know exactly where I am, and I expect they’ll pull you out too, when they find me!” He grinned at the girl. She smiled back, reassured. Virgil sighed. They would know where he was but they would not know if he was all right. They would be worrying. 

    “Dad, the bomb went off. Virgil and the girl were still in the building. He radioed to say he had found her, and then seconds later she blew. His watch must be damaged, he doesn’t answer.”
    “Alright Scott. You’d better organise some digging teams. Have you located them?”
    “Yes.” Scott signed off. Neither he nor his father had voiced the possibility that more than the watch might be damaged.
 
     Scott soon had teams of diggers organised. He wished they had brought the Excavator, but they hadn’t, so it was dig by hand. At least they had pinpointed Virgil’s location. If only they knew he was OK.

    Virgil turned to the girl beside him. “Perhaps we’d better introduce ourselves. I’m Virgil, but I’d better not tell you my surname.”
     “I’m Lucy Jeffries.”
     “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lucy. So how did you come to be tied to a pipe in a boiler room?”
     “There’s not much of a story I’m afraid. This man charged into our ward, and grabbed me because I was nearest. He told everyone he had planted a bomb, and that I was going with him. Then he tied me up. I sat there waiting to be blown up, until you arrived. You untied me and then I was blown up. End of story!”
     Virgil laughed. “You make it sound like I blew you up, personally!”
     Lucy grinned at him. “Perhaps you have,” she said.

    Scott, Brains and their teams worked feverously, but it was a slow business. Two hours had elapsed before Brains halted the diggers.
     “S..steady boys. I think we’re nearly there.”
     Scott knelt down on the pile of rubble. “Virgil!” he shouted. “VIRGIL”.
     From surprisingly close at hand came an answering cry. “Scott! We’re both fine.”
Scott looked at Brains and saw his relief mirrored in Brains’ eyes. They said nothing but turned to the work with renewed vigour. Their efforts were soon rewarded when they found a small space and there, huddled together, were Virgil and Lucy.
     “I see,” grinned Scott, looking down at his brother. “We get to do all the hard work while you just sit there entertaining pretty girls!”
     ‘Tough job, but someone’s got to do it!”

   While this banter was going on, Virgil had pulled the stiff and bruised Lucy to her feet. Scott, Brains and one of the diggers lifted her from the hole, and then Virgil, with his brother’s assistance, followed.
    “Good to see you again,” said Virgil quietly. “Thanks for digging me out.”
    “Wouldn’t have bothered ‘cept Lucy’s mom seemed to want her back.” The look on Scott’s face belied his words and he gripped Virgil’s hand briefly. They walked together down the remains of the building to where Lucy had been reunited with her family. 
     “Thank you so much. We’ll never forget what you’ve done for us today. Is there anything we can do for you? Do you accept donations to assist with your work?” Lucy’s father was in earnest, eager to do something for the men who had restored his only daughter to him.
     “Thank you, sir,” said Scott. “We don’t accept donations. Our work is financed from other sources.” He turned to put his equipment back inside Thunderbird One. Virgil hung back.
     “Goodbye Lucy,” he said.
    “Au reviour, Virgil.”

On to Chapter Two.