James Rollins - Deep Fathom

She coughed to clear her throat, then briefly summarized the past twenty-four hours: her capture, the trip by helicopter, the imprisonment in the sea base. Afterward, she continued, “I tossed a bone the researchers’ way and told them about the rongorongo connection. It’s a useless lead without the additional examples we discovered, but they don’t know that. By feigning cooperation, they’ve given me a little latitude.” She looked over her shoulder when a spat of laughter echoed down the curving length of the tier. “The others are up at dinner or working in private. I don’t know how long I can keep this line open without arousing suspicion.”

“I’ll find a way to get you out of there,” Jack said. “Trust me.”

Karen leaned closer to the screen. “I wanted you to know. They’re planning to blow up the obelisk sometime tomorrow afternoon. They’ve probed the area and seem to believe there’s a larger deposit under it. The tip of the proverbial iceberg.”

On the monitor, Jack glanced to the side. “You were right, Charlie!”

“Of course I was,” someone said off screen.

Karen frowned. “What do you mean? What do you know?”

She listened as Jack sketchily recounted what they had learned from the platinum book and Charlie’s theories. Karen sat frozen as the story unfolded: ancient disasters, dark matter, solar storms. She listened with her mouth hanging open as Jack told her of the coming danger.

“Oh my God!” she said. “When is this storm supposed to strike?”

“Just after noon tomorrow.”

A new face appeared on the screen. Jack made the introduction. “This is Charlie Mollier, the ship’s geologist.”

“So what do we do?” Karen asked. Sweat trickled down her back. She was sure she would be caught any moment.

“Tell me about the explosives and intent of the demolition squad,” Charlie said.

Karen explained the Navy’s plan to blast into the core of the crystal’s main vein.

Jack spoke up. “Maybe that’d be good. At least the pillar won’t be poking out any longer.”

“No,” Charlie said, “if they succeed, it’ll make matters worse. They’ll be laying open the very heart of the deposit, increasing, not lessening, the area of exposure to the solar storm. The only way to protect against this disaster is to bury the pillar or cleanly clip it off, separating it from the main deposit.”

“In other words, knock down the lightning rod,” Jack said.

Karen checked her watch. If the geologist was right, they had only seventeen hours. “What if we specifically target the crystal pillar with the explosives?”

“Still dangerous,” Charlie mumbled. “Even if you could arrange it, the kinetic energy of the blast could be absorbed into the main deposit.” He shook his head. “It’s risky. The strength of an explosion sufficient to crack a pillar of that immense size could trigger the very disaster we’re trying to avoid.”

The video phone line went silent as parties pondered the hopelessness of their situation.

“We need more help,” Charlie mumbled.

Karen chewed on this idea. “I could try enlisting the aid of the head researcher here. Dr. Cortez. He’s cautioned the Navy against blasting the crystal, and I don’t think he’s a big fan of Spangler’s, either.”

“I don’t know,” Jack said. “I’m suspicious of anyone working alongside that bastard.”

“But he’s a geophysicist,” Karen argued. “Renowned in his field.”

“And I could truly use some expert help,” Charlie agreed.

Jack frowned and looked directly into the camera. “But can we trust him, Karen?”

She sat quiet for a long moment, then sighed. “I think so. But I’ll need your data. I’ll need to convince him.”

Jack turned to Charlie. “Can you download your research?”

He nodded and disappeared.

Miyuki spoke from off screen. “I’ll compile all the translations, and prepare Gabriel to transmit everything.”

“Great,” Jack replied. He turned back to the camera, and Karen thought he seemed to stare right into her heart. “How are you doing?” he asked softly.

“Considering the fact that I’m imprisoned a mile under the sea and the world’s gonna end tomorrow, I’m not too bad.”

“Did they rough you up?”

She remembered her black eye, fingering its sore edges. “No, I fell onto a doorknob…a few times in a row.”

“I’m sorry, Karen. I shouldn’t have gotten you involved in all this.”

She sat straighter. “Don’t take the guilt for this, Jack. I’d rather be where I am now than back at the university, oblivious to all this. If there’s a way to stop what’s gonna happen, I’d rather be here on the front lines.”

Miyuki spoke from off screen. “I’ve got all the data collected. But to send it, I’ll need this video line to upload the information.”

Jack nodded. “You hear that?”

“Y-Yes,” Karen fought to keep her voice from breaking. She hated the thought of losing contact with her friends.

“Gabriel will keep monitoring this channel afterward,” Miyuki said. “Use his code if you want to speak to us.”

Jack leaned nearer, his face filling the little screen. “Be careful, Karen. David is an ass, but he’s no fool.”

“I know.”

They stared at one another for an extra breath. Jack kissed his fingers and pressed them against the screen. “I’ll get you out of there.”

Before she could answer, the phone line switched off and the video square vanished. Replacing it was a colored bar, filling slowly with the incoming data stream. She directed the information to a DVD recorder. Alone, she waited for the file to be transmitted.

A voice spoke off to the side. “What are you doing?”

Karen turned. David was climbing up from the lower deck. He was supposed to be out in the Perseus, overseeing the demolition team. He must have returned early.

Barefoot and in a wet suit, he stepped from the ladder and moved toward her. “I told Cortez to keep someone with you at all times. What are you doing here unattended?”

She fixed a bland expression on her face. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the colored bar fill slowly. “I gave Cortez what you wanted. The key to the ancient script. They’re researching it and didn’t want my help.”

He moved to her side.

Karen twisted around, blocking the view of the data bar with her elbow.

He glanced at the screen, then back at her. His eyes narrowed. “If you’re not needed, you should be confined to your quarters.” He grabbed her by the shoulder. “Come with me.”

He yanked her to her feet. She dared not even glance back at the screen, lest it draw his attention. “Why confine me?” she asked boldly, stepping in front of him, blocking his view. “Where am I going to go?”

David scowled. “Because those were my orders. No one goes against them. Not even Cortez.”

“To hell with—”

The back of his hand struck her face, hard, knocking her to the side. Caught by surprise, Karen gasped and almost fell to one knee. She grabbed her chair to keep upright.

“No one questions my orders,” he said thickly. Rubbing the back of his hand, his eyes flicked to the computer monitor.

Karen winced. Oh, God …She turned to the screen.

It was mercifully empty. The transmission had been completed.

She straightened with relief.

David glanced along the curved row of labs, clearly suspicious, looking for some evidence of a foul plan. She saw his nostrils flaring, scenting the air like a bloodhound, before he whipped back toward her.

Karen inadvertently shied away.

He leaned near her. “I can smell Kirkland on you, bitch. I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’ll find out.”