Morning, John. What's up?
Atmospheric radon gas readings, that's what.
Er, come again?
Radiation, Scott. I'm picking up a huge spike somewhere in southern Africa
and it's rising faster than you can say catastrophic fallout.
International Rescue, we have a situation.
Five,
four,
three,
two,
one.
Thunderbirds are go.
Sorry, guys, the satellite feed's not telling me a whole lot more.
- It's an unpopulated area, thankfully. - And no power plants.
Negative. Besides, no-one's used nuclear power in decades.
It's strange. There's no sign of any kind of explosion.
So we won't be flying into a mushroom cloud.
That radiation must be coming from somewhere.
I'm gonna call Gordon and Alan back.
No, we'll take a look and report back.
- Thanks, Thunderbird 5. - FAB.
Five, four,
three, two, one.
Thunderbird 2, you at top speed?
Sure am. Got a full load. Figure we don't know what we're dealing with
so I'm carrying everything but the kitchen sink.
Scratch that. You want a kitchen sink? I reckon I could whip one up.
I'm gonna step on the gas. I'll see you there.
See you. Don't save the world before I get there.
Thunderbirds are go.
I'm looking at nothing but... Well, a whole lot of nothing.
You're right on top of it, Thunderbird 1. Please tell me I'm not imagining things.
You're not. Check this out.
An old uranium mine. Must have gotten reopened somehow.
- Better seal that baby up. - FAB. I'm on it.
A pop quiz, Scott. What's invisible,
always around you and deadly in large quantities?
The smell of grandma burning dinner again?
I heard that, young man!
Nearly. The correct answer is radiation.
It's always there and quite harmless in tiny quantities.
Unfortunately, where you are right now there's approximately
4,953 times the safe amount in the air, give or take.
If this is a pep talk, Brains, it's not going so well.
But fear not. The radiation shielding on your suit
will protect you... for a while at least.
But if I were you, I wouldn't hang around for too long.
Not planning to.
Keep an eye on your Geiger counter, Scott.
If it strays into the red get out fast
or you'll end up crispier than Grandma's meat loaf.
- I'm still here, you know. - Sorry.
Sounds like you're in more trouble than I am right now, Brains.
Thunderbird 1, out.
Ah. The system must have come back online somehow
and opened up the main hatch to the mine. Probably a short circuit.
I found the owner. Van Arkel Corp.
The largest extraction and refining operation on the continent.
But the mine and its onsite processing facility
was closed down 20 years ago in 2040.
They didn't even bother to clean up by the looks of it.
Time to pull the plug on this place for good.
Are you telling me I got all dressed up for nothing?
Sorry, Thunderbird 2. This place is history. Sealing main hatch.
Hold that thought.
- Someone's down there. - In the mine?
- Who in their right mind would do that? - Only one way to find out.
- I'm going in. - Scott, I'm ten minutes out.
Why not wait in case you need backup?
Whoever's there might have no idea how much danger they're in.
Thunderbird 5, how long can we leave this hatch open
- before it causes a major problem? - 15 minutes tops. Or maybe less.
I'm picking up a major weather system heading your way.
If that storm hits before you plug the leak,
it'll carry the fallout over downtown Pretoria -
population 12.5 million.
- Then I'd better make this quick. - If you don't, Thunderbird 1,
you'll wind up fried worse than Grandma's chicken wings.
Careful. You never know who's listening.
And, for the record, I LOVE Grandma's chicken wings.
Besides, the fall will probably finish me off long before the radiation does.
100 metres.
150.
200.
I hope I have enough grapple packs.
Oh, well. Can't hang around here all day.
Ah, this mine is deep.
You found our sites here yet, Thunderbird 1?
Negative. Still in the dark here and I'm almost out of rope.
I'm nearly there. Why don't you come up? We'll figure something out.
It's OK. I think I see my way in.
It's just gonna take a little precision timing.
Nearly there.
Thunderbird 5 was right. That storm's heading our way.
Are you nearly done, Thunderbird 1?
Scott? Everything all right down there?
What?
Falling. Falling. Someone cut line.
I didn't copy that. It sounded like you said, 'Rrr-rrr-rrr-rr.'
Hey, what?
Uh! No thanks, metal man.
Hey, listen!
Whoever's in there, can we start again?
I kinda feel like... we got off on the wrong foot.
Thunderbird 1, what's happening?
Arh! Apparently our intruder
doesn't... play well with others.
Arh! I'm a reasonable guy.
Why don't we... talk about it?
This is gonna hurt.
Unbelievable.
I'd shake your hand but I'm kinda stuck here.
- Any chance of some help? - You've wasted enough of my time already.
You won't get away with stealing that... whatever it is.
We found uranium. And I'm not stealing it, I'm taking back what's mine.
You've overloaded that, you know. The elevator's old, it won't take the weight.
Nice try.
Are you just gonna leave me down here?
It's funny, I don't remember inviting you.
Let me down. Let me down right now or you'll be sorry.
- No. No... - That's OK. You can thank me later.
Thunderbird 1, what's going on? Radiation levels are rising even faster.
Yeah, I've had er... complications.
All of the storage capsules have been compromised.
Everything was going fine till you turned up.
- Who's that? - That's er...
Er, actually, we haven't been formally introduced.
I'm Marion Van Arkel. This is - was - my family's mine.
And if there's anyone who shouldn't be here, it is you.
You didn't complain when I rescued you from that elevator malfunction.
If you hadn't barged in and made me rush.
- Hey. - Me?
- If you hadn't attacked me. - Hey.
- You're the intruder. - Hey!
Save the arguments till you're top side.
Right now we have to figure a way to get you out of there
before your organs get microwaved.
You really have a way with words, Thunderbird 2. Excuse me a second.
(I get the message. Scan the mine.) See if you can find another way out.
Our new friend isn't exactly the stable type - I'll have to keep an eye on her.
- Hey, where are you going? - I know another way out.
You can come if you want but I'm not waiting around for you.
Are you sure this is the way out?
- All these tunnels look the same to me. - I practically grew up here.
Most little girls had dolls' houses.
I had bore holes, crosscut tunnels and haulage wires.
I loved it. And then a bunch of do-gooders like you shut it down.
Mind the gap.
The way we were using nuclear power wasn't safe.
- It's a better world now. - Not for my family or for me.
You try getting a job as a nuclear materials expert
- in a world that reviles it. - So what was the plan?
Sell the leftover uranium to the highest bidder, restore your family's fortunes?
Precisely. I already had a buyer too.
Someone made you an offer you couldn't refuse and you never saw his face.
Yeah, we call him The Hood.
It makes no difference now, thanks to you.
Just doing my job.
What's this?
- Back door. - Seriously?
Thunderbird 1, I just took a radiation reading...
I know.
- Wait! - What's wrong? Can't take the pace?
I shouldn't even be helping you.
- No way up. - And no time to go down.
Thunderbird 2, we have a problem.
That's it. Scott, I'm coming down there and getting you out.
No, it's too dangerous. I don't want anyone else exposed to the radiation.
Besides, I have an idea.
FAB.
Think I've had enough standing by for one day.
And I don't care how good the plan is - he should always have a backup.
I'm going to remote-pilot Thunderbird 1 over the mine and drop a cable.
She'll have to hover. I don't think the ground's stable enough to take the weight.
But, trust me, it's a good plan.
Thunderbird 1 is looking good.
- The back door is open. - Thanks, Thunderbird 5. Dropping the cable.
The main hatch isn't any good to us now. Can you seal it remotely?
I'll see what I can do.
This better work.
- Oh, are you coming too? - What?
Joking. Just trying to lighten the mood.
OKI - steady as she goes.
- Oh, great! - What's wrong?
- We're out of cable. - Nice plan.
It's not over yet. John, we're coming up a little short here.
- Bringing Thunderbird 1 down some more. - Careful, Scott.
- You don't have a whole lot of clearance. - I know.
A little more. The downdraught is making that hole very unstable.
Just a little more.
- Nicely done. - Thanks.
Hold on tight. This could get bumpy.
- Hard to say goodbye? - It might sound funny to you...
But I was happy here once.
Maybe it's time to be happier leaving.
If you'd sold that refined uranium to the wrong person,
think of the damage they could cause. It might have restored your family's fortune,
but that doesn't make it the right thing to do.
Scott, that storm that was on the way - not on the way any more.
Finally, some good news.
No, I mean it's not on the way any more because it's here.
The cable's stuck. We'll have to climb.
Thunderbird 1, come in. Are you there?
- Just. - Glad to hear it.
I was able to tap into the mine's control system and seal the main hatch.
- That back exit is your only way out now. - Copy that, Thunderbird 5.
That's not all, Scott. With the storage capsules breaking
we're still getting a substantial radiation from the backup hatch.
Uh! Then the city still isn't safe.
If we're not up in five minutes, tell Thunderbird 2 to bury it.
Understood. Good luck, Thunderbird 1.
You're really willing to sacrifice yourself like this?
To save a city of innocent people? Wouldn't you?
Actually, don't answer that. Now climb.
It'd be easier if you dumped that backpack full of uranium.
You worry about yourself. I'm fine.
It's wrong, Marion, and you know it. You know what uranium can do.
You don't want it in the wrong hands any more than I do!
No!
I'm coming.
- Take my hand. - No.
I can get it.
Let it go. Take my hand.
- Are you OK? - Yes.
- I'm sorry. - Later. Let's get out of here.
We made it.
Sorry, there's only one seat. You'll have to share.
That's OK, Virgil. Thanks.
Yes. That's just fine.
I hereby declare this uranium mine closed for business - permanently.
That's done the trick. Radiation readings are nominal
and all populated areas are none the wiser. Good job, everyone.
- See you back at the ranch, Thunderbird 1. - Copy that.
What about my buyer? He's expecting a delivery of refined uranium.
Let us worry about that.
I picked up a little something from the control room before Virgil sealed it up.
- You'd never even know it was there. - It's for the best.
I know that now.
Guess I'll have to think about a new line of work.
Not necessarily. I know a place that could use your expertise.
- Pleased to meet you, Colonel Casey. - Welcome to the Global Defence Force.
You come highly recommended by International Rescue.
Though they never said how you met.
- It's a long story. - Shall we?