章 71: The Thames Whirlpool
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster, manufactured for the U.S. military, is the third-generation model in the Globemaster series, combining the strengths of previous models. It's designed for both strategic and tactical airlift missions, enabling rapid troop deployment to military bases or straight to the battlefield and capable of handling airdrop missions when needed. This versatility significantly boosts the U.S. military's global mobility.
The transport plane was fully prepped for departure, loaded with roughly six tons of equipment, a thirty-person team, and two pilots. Departing from a military airport outside New York, the C-17's powerful turbofan engines propelled it westward with remarkable range, capable of reaching Moscow or, naturally, the much closer military airstrip outside London. To prevent fatigue during the long flight, the C-17 landed at a U.S. military base on an island in the Pacific to swap out pilots and refuel, resuming its journey soon after. By the time it approached British airspace, it was already the next morning.
Recognizing the importance of this joint international mission, the British government dispatched two military jets to escort the C-17, guiding it to the closest military airstrip to London. Over international waters in the Atlantic, two Typhoon EF2000 fighter jets appeared on either side of the C-17 to provide an escort.
This diplomacy was handled at a national level, so whatever exchanges took place between the U.S. and U.K. governments were of no concern to Miss Stark. Her task was simply to accompany the Fantastic Four team and help avert the looming crisis in central London.
Knowing what the future held, Miss Stark didn't plan to pull the Silver Surfer off his silver board just yet. Besides, without using the Infinity Stones, she had no means to separate him from it. If she didn't intend to use such a powerful force, she'd simply have to wait for Reed Richards' new invention to come into play.
As fellow members of NATO, the U.K. and the U.S. have been allies since World War II, with American troops stationed on British soil. This level of cooperation meant that a mission like this required little red tape. The C-17, escorted by the Tornado fighter jets, landed at RAF Brize Norton, the largest Royal Air Force base and Britain's sole international military airport, located just 100 kilometers from London.
Since the mission was international, the C-17 couldn't fly directly over London. Instead, it landed at Brize Norton, where two Chinook CH-47 transport helicopters were on standby to ferry the thirty-person team to the city's outskirts as quickly as possible. Though Chinooks aren't designed primarily for troop transport, the urgency of the situation left the British government with few options. The team split into two groups, boarding the helicopters and starting their airborne journey toward London.
Within the city, there were no military helipads available, so the two Chinooks landed on the rooftop of a building near Tower Bridge. Whether the British government would compensate the companies whose rooftops were requisitioned was unclear.
It was ten in the morning, and London was bustling as usual under a blazing sun. Nothing seemed different from the last time Miss Stark had been here, and it appeared that the strange phenomena affecting the rest of the world hadn't disrupted the daily lives of the British. The Chinooks touched down one after the other on two nearby rooftops, and everyone assumed a vigilant posture. Even the British helicopter pilots, perhaps influenced by the stern demeanor of the American soldiers, looked notably tense.
"Attention, everyone: stick to the original plan. Intercept the unidentified object the moment it appears and stay clear of civilians to avoid additional risk. This isn't our turf; any mishap here could lead to a diplomatic dispute between the U.S. and the U.K., ally status or not."
The two rooftops were close enough for communication, and everyone was equipped with encrypted Bluetooth earpieces to ensure coordination. As the mission consultant, Miss Stark reviewed the precautions again before they set off. She didn't intend to go down to the ground with the others, choosing to remain near the helicopter. Field command was left to General Hager, now clad in allied military gear after changing at the British base.
"Understood? Everyone, spread out according to the plan. The British police are already evacuating civilians and setting up sniper positions for the interception."
Miss Stark didn't concern herself with General Hager's orders for the interception because she knew well that neither these so-called elites nor the Fantastic Four could stop the Silver Surfer. She stayed on the rooftop near the helicopter with her five-ton briefcase, ready for any potential danger that might follow.
The two elite U.S. Special Forces units had already made their way downstairs, while Miss Stark walked to the edge of the rooftop, gazing toward the distant Thames. The rooftop wasn't far from Tower Bridge, and over the city's usual clamor, an unexpected gasp of surprise caught her attention. She shifted her gaze to the surface of the Thames, where a swirling vortex had suddenly formed, expanding outward.
The sight was so unusual that tourists and locals alike began to gather along the riverbank. The Thames is a city river with stable water levels and slow currents, making whirlpools virtually impossible unless an underground tunnel was disrupted, causing the water to be pulled down and swirl on the surface.
"It seems we're a bit late, or rather, it's already started," Miss Stark muttered, gripping the rooftop railing tightly, her eyes fixed on the expanding whirlpool on the river's surface, her gaze carrying a strange, unreadable look.
The unusual disturbance on the river's surface fascinated many tourists, who crowded along the Thames embankment to watch. Some even took out their cameras and phones to record the scene. It wouldn't be long before the Thames' strange condition became known worldwide, and many speculated on how the British government would explain it. As more people noticed the crowd gathering, they too flocked to the river to join the spectacle.
This demonstrated, once again, a near-universal tendency among ordinary people worldwide to join in on something curious. Yet, many of these onlookers had no idea they were standing dangerously close to a life-threatening situation.
The whirlpool on the Thames continued to expand, and with a tremor akin to an earthquake, the riverbanks, the water itself, and the surrounding buildings began to split with jagged cracks. The violent quake startled the crowd, and as waves from the vortex surged toward the shore, the more daring onlookers realized they might be trapped if they didn't leave immediately, prompting a panicked dash in all directions.
General Hager's two elite special forces teams hadn't yet reached their designated positions when the riverside scene turned into chaos. With a metallic snap, one of the world's largest Ferris wheels, the London Eye, was suddenly in peril: cables supporting it snapped one by one, and the metal frame emitted a grinding, teeth-clenching sound as its structural joints began to break.
"Damn it, there are people on that thing!" Reed Richards' face was grim as he cursed, a rare reaction for the usually composed scientist. He could clearly see that the London Eye's weakened axle joints could barely hold up the wheel. Only two cables remained, precariously supporting the wheel and preventing it from toppling over. It had completely ceased to rotate, trapping passengers in its thirty-two compartments.
"Susan!"
The Fantastic Four had contingency plans for emergencies like this. Though both Johnny and Susan Storm could fly, Johnny's flame-covered flight ability wasn't suitable for stabilizing the collapsing London Eye. In this urgent situation, the responsibility fell on Susan.
At Reed's urgent call, Susan nodded resolutely, summoning all her strength to lift herself into the air. Her ability allowed her to generate a field of pure energy, which not only enabled her to turn invisible but also propelled her at speeds faster than a jet.
The London Eye was now facing the greatest test of its structural integrity since its opening in the millennium. The unexplained energy waves that had caused the violent quake not only damaged the Thames embankment but also snapped the steel cables embedded in the concrete supports. The severe quake, combined with the loss of load-bearing support, finally severed the wheel's axle and supports, tilting it outward.
Given the London Eye's sheer size, if it fell horizontally, it might span the Thames rather than collapse directly into the river, forming a bizarre bridge. But the twenty-four glass observation pods along its circumference, each packed with tourists, would face a catastrophic fate.
"P-please stay calm, crouch down and cover your heads…"
In the topmost observation pod, a young tour guide tried to keep her voice steady despite the terror on her face, instructing the passengers to adopt a more stable position. But everyone knew that from such a height, a fall would be fatal. Even this defensive posture would only help ensure intact remains, not survival.
The London Eye had been designed with safety measures for a variety of emergencies—earthquakes, tsunamis—ensuring that its cables and supports would keep it safe under normal conditions. London wasn't in an earthquake-prone area, so any seismic activity would generally be minor. But this situation defied logic, and no safety measure could protect the tourists under these circumstances.
Inside the pods, passengers had gone pale. They knew that from this height, survival was impossible. Yet, what could they do? Even if they managed to pry open the doors, jumping would mean certain death. With all exits leading to the same result, many opted to reach out to loved ones for final goodbyes.
The London Eye continued to lean outward, nearing a 60-degree angle from the ground. Just as it seemed it would fall, an energy field—like water ripples in the air—formed around its axle, halting the massive wheel's descent.
Below the Ferris wheel, Susan hovered with an intense, strained expression on her usually serene face. Supporting the nearly 450-foot diameter of the London Eye wasn't easy. Just keeping it from toppling exhausted her mental strength, let alone pushing it back up and reconnecting the axle to the supports.
Seeing his fiancée struggling, Reed's own calm façade finally cracked. He extended his arms, his superpower allowing him to stretch his body like rubber. Wrapping himself around the axle and supports, he helped relieve some of the weight pressing down on Susan's mental field.
The Thing was the last to arrive. Seeing Susan and Reed holding up the wheel together, he hurried below the structure and braced it on his shoulder. With his immense strength, he began to push, serving as a stabilizing pillar. Together, the three worked in unison to reposition the London Eye, sliding it back into its original place. However, the connection points were still unsecured; the wheel could collapse again with the slightest lapse in their efforts.
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