"You've done a great job here today! Now let me do mine!" - Ned Cook
The Oil Field Fire[]
International Rescue is at an oil field, trying to extinguish a fire that's broken out at one of the pumps.
While Scott directs from another rig nearby, observing with binoculars, Virgil positions the Firefly to fire an explosive shell into the blaze. The blast puts the fire out by removing the oxygen — the resultant explosion is so powerful, Firefly actually spins 180 degrees!
Elsewhere, TV news reporter Ned Cook and his cameraman Joe have observed the Thunderbirds dealing with the fire. As the team returns their machines to Thunderbird 2 and prepares to depart the area, Ned commiserates with Joe that they've been barred from filming all the action. But then, Ned decides to go against International Rescue's wishes — and film Thunderbird 1 as it leaves. When TB1's Automatic Camera Detector goes off, Scott orders Ned via a loudspeaker to destroy the film; Ned vehemently refuses, and tries to escape — driving off in the truck while Joe is still on the vehicle's rooftop camera, leaving the poor cameraman clinging on for dear life! Scott finds himself left with no other choice... and so, he uses an electromagnetic ray to wipe the videotape in Joe's camera. After telling him and Ned that his organization must protect its secrecy, Scott at last is able to head off and away...
"Missiles!"[]
By now, Thunderbird 2 is far out ahead of its delayed sister-ship; but it too has caught some unexpected — and unwelcome — attention. The U.S.N. Sentinel, a high-tech, high-speed Navy warship, is out on maneuvers; and the local airspace is meant to be clear, for the ship to conduct tests. So, when the presence of TB2 registers on its sensors - and cannot be identified as either friend or foe - the Sentinel's captain concludes it must be hostile!
Over radio, Scott hears his brother exclaim, "MISSILES!" as two of them, launched from Sentinel, are coming directly for him! Virgil activates his jammers and attempts to evade them; he's initially successful, but then Sentinel compensates and takes aim yet again. This time, TB2 is hit - its tail unit damaged. Scott immediately informs Tracy Island, and Jeff contacts Washington to call off the attack. But TB2's cockpit is filling with smoke, and Virgil's struggling to remain conscious as TB2 falls like a boulder through dead air. As TB1 rapidly gains on his position, Scott calls over the com, repeatedly urging his brother to wake up - and keep TB2 from nose-diving into the sea! The injured Virgil finally comes to - barely in time to avoid the fatal dive, and only just manages to crash-land his stricken craft on the foam-laden Tracy Island runway - bursting into flames as it skids finally to a stop...
Virgil awakens to the sight of Jeff and Scott, at his bedside. He'll recover, in time — but TB2's out of action, until repaired; and he worries over what will happen if TB2 is needed for a rescue before then...?
Moving The Empire State Building[]
At the Tracy Villa, the family gathers in the lounge to watch on television, as an ambitious plan to physically move the Empire State Building to a new site — to make room for new construction — reaches its culmination. Gordon and the convalescing Virgil, in the latter's bedroom, are watching too... Live TV coverage is provided by none other than Ned Cook and Joe; and they're standing very close to the giant transport rails. The project begins well - at first. But then, unexpected land subsidence halts progress, and then brings utter chaos - the entire historic skyscraper collapses! Nothing is heard from either Ned or Joe; and both are believed to have died in the collapse — so it's all the more shocking, when Ned's voice is suddenly heard, over the network! He and Joe are still alive — but they're trapped in an underground cave, with the rubble from the collapse covering the cavern...and it's gradually filling with water...
Thunderbird 4 Needs A Lift[]
With a traditional rescue impossible before Ned and Joe drown, International Rescue quickly decides upon a plan: Brains realises that the subsidence and flooding must have been caused by a series of rivers beneath Manhattan Island, which could navigate to make the rescue. But, how to get TB4 and Gordon there quickly, without the incapacitated TB2? Gordon's game to attempt the trip himself, but the rest of the Tracy family and Tin-Tin strenuously object. Namely, since TB4 lacks the speed and range needed to cover the distance on its own, Gordon's proposal is both dangerous and impractical. It's Virgil, ironically, who comes up with the solution: why not have the Sentinel provide transport to the danger zone? Jeff's game, and contacts Washington to arrange it. Eager to make amends, Washington immediately agrees to send the Sentinel to rendezvous with TB4.
Scott leads the way, taking TB1 to New York; his job is to keep Ned and Joe alive until then. Drawing from local resources, he and the authorities manage to pass down breathing apparatus to them through the rubble, in preparation against the cave's filling with water...
TB4 Reaches the Danger Zone...[]
The next morning, Sentinel - with TB4 hauled aboard - arrives at New York; and at last, Gordon takes over. Steering TB4 below the busy shipping lanes in the area, he begins to search for the outlet to the underground river Brains had earlier identified...
Above ground, still manning Mobile Control, Scott learns that another building in the area will also succumb to the subsidence; and when it does, the resultant cave-ins will most likely kill Ned and Joe. He tells Gordon the two must be found in the next two and a half minutes...
With the oxygen level dropping, Joe appears to have fallen unconscious. "The air level gauge reads empty," Ned tells Scott, "and Joe's in a bad way." Scott tells him not to panic; some air may be left in the tanks. Ned says he's found the entrance to find Thunderbird 4 — there's just enough room to them both to get through; and he does so, carries his helpless cameraman. Gordon's urgently searching for them, too; he keeps getting signals from them, but can't see them. Ned and Joe are struggling, while Scott urges them onward...
Gordon, standing now at his controls, races through the tunnel - "I can't see them, Scott! I can't see them!" as, far above, the Fulmer Finance Building nears its demise! But with seconds left, he sights them at last; and Ned, realizing they've been found, tells Joe that he simply must swim. Physically-spent, they reach the safety of TB4; while Scott orders Gordon to clear out of there! Just then, Fulmer Finance collapses - nearly crushing TB4. Did they make it out in time?
The Ned Cook Show[]
In a television studio, The Ned Cook Show is starting. The compere tells the audience that Ned and his cameraman were recently in a disaster that seemed inescapable. However, Ned has come for his nightly show, as he always does. And then — in a wheelchair, still somewhat worse for wear — Ned takes the stage. But the once-cocky reporter has changed in other ways, too. On behalf of himself and Joe, he thanks International Rescue from the bottom of his heart. His heartfelt speech is received with great applause from the studio audience — which, unknown to him, includes (seated, unobtrusively, in the back row) the very people to whom he owes his appearance on the stage...