Part 31
You and John teleport wearily back to the Lab just in time to watch the eruption of the volcano on TIM monitors. You watch, awed, as nature reveals its astonishing power. With a roar that is all but deafening even from TIM's speakers an entire side of the mountain slumps and collapses inwards before exploding outward with astonishing force. Even having just returned from the area you find it difficult to grasp the scale of what you are seeing as the shockwave rolls down the mountainside.
"TIM!" John's voice is alarmed. "Where are the others?"
"Here." Elizabeth's voice is dripping with exhaustion as she, Andrew and Hsui Tai appear simultaneously on the jaunting pad. John embraces her tightly for a moment and then hugs the younger Tomorrow People. You ruffle Andrew's ash cakes brown hair as he moves to stand beside you.
"You three cut that far too fine." John tells them.
"You and Jay were only eight seconds ahead of the others, John." TIM points out and you glance up at his sphere's anxiously. Engrossed by the destruction on the screen you hadn't realised so little time had passed.
All five of you collapse into the sofas in the centre of the room.
"What about the villagers, TIM?" Elizabeth asks anxiously. "Did they get clear?"
"It is difficult to assess the size of the explosion, John, since the atmosphere is obscured by dust and the watchdog satellite cannot obtain clear pictures. I believe, however, that the groups of villagers you have been assisting were sufficiently distant from the volcano to be outside the initial blast radius. If the promised help arrives from the nearby towns they should suffer no long term health problems."
"You mean they're alright, TIM?" Elizabeth laughs.
"I believe that is what I just said." TIM says with dignity.
"We ought to go and check that the rescue is on its way." John says worriedly but you nudge his arm and indicate the sofa where Andrew is already curled up asleep, his head in Hsui Tai's lap as she begins to nod off. You can feel yourself yawning too and John sighs. "I suppose you're right, we could all do with some rest. Besides if we stay there until the real authorities show up now we might have rather a lot of explaining to do."
"I'm just sorry for all the soldiers in that base. We just couldn't persuade their commander." You say regretfully.
"Two trucks left the base a few seconds before the eruption began." TIM tells you. "At full speed they should outrun the shockwave. From what you have told me I suspect that the ordinary soldiers and scientists mutinied rather than wait for their commander's order to leave the base."
"Good for them." John says tiredly. "I'm worried about all those chemicals. We still don't know what they were actually doing there but I suppose there's nothing we can do about it now."
"I believe in this case, John," TIM tells him, "The Tomorrow People can consider this a job well done."
"Thanks, TIM." John looks blearily at you. "Well, Jay. Now you see the kind of mess we get ourselves into. Ready for some more?" But you don't hear him.
You're already asleep!
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