Industrialist Tex Calhoun is sponsoring a test flight, but has chosen another pilot to make the test instead of Airboy. But when he shows up late, heavily clothed and not wishing to speak to anyone or allow anyone near him, Airboy smells a rat, and checks his apartment, where Rick is found wounded. Airboy jumps in Birdie and heads out to chase down the pirated plane, flown by Rick's twin brother. He forces the pilot down and a long stand-off occurs before death finally wins out.; A group of climbers scale a mountain but never return to base....neither does a rescue party sent up to save them. The Heap heads up its slopes and is attacked and captured by the Mole People, then put to work as a slave digging coal like the climbers before him to feed the sacred fire of their Fire God!