Polar Shift (NUMA Files 6)

"In more ways than one. The manipulation of electromagnetic rays could be more devastating in its own way than a nuclear device. The military took Kovacs very seriously. Electromagnetic pulse weapons were tested during the first Gulf War. Some people claim that those experiments and similar ones conducted by the Soviets caused earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and weather disturbances. That's why I was interested in the bright light flashes in the sky."

"What's so significant about the bursts of light?" Austin asked.

"Many of the cases reported by witnesses to the Soviet and American experiments said they saw an aurora borealis, or great burst of light caused by electromagnetic transmissions," Hibbet said.

"Tell us more about these experiments," Austin said.

"There's a great deal of controversy over a project called HAARP, short for the High Frequency Active Aural Research Program, being carried out by this country. The idea is to shoot a focused electromagnetic beam into the ionosphere. It's been billed as an academic program to improve worldwide communications. Some people speculate that it's mainly a military project aimed at a wide range of goals, from 'Star Wars' defense to mind control. I don't know what to believe, but the project has its roots in the Kovacs Theorems."

"You said something about a Tesla coil," said Austin. "What did you mean?"

"It was a simple type of resonant transformer made up of two coils, actually. Pulses of energy are transferred from one to the other to produce a lightninglike discharge. You've probably seen them in the movies, where they seem to be a common fixture in the lab of the mad scientist."

Gamay had been listening intently to the discussion. She leaned forward. "We've talked about the transmission of these waves into solid ground or the atmosphere," she said. "What would happen if you sent them into the bottom of the sea?"

Hibbet spread his palms wide apart. "I don't have a clue. Ocean geology isn't my area of expertise."

"But it is mine," Paul Trout said. "Let me ask you a question, Al. Could amplified electromagnetic waves penetrate deep into the earth's crust?"

"Without question."

"In that case, it's possible that the transmissions could cause some anomalies in the earth's mantle in roughly the same way the HAARP program you talked about disturbed the atmosphere."

"What sort of anomalies?" Adler asked.

"Whirlpools and eddies, possibly."

"Could these create disturbances in the sea?" Austin asked.

Hibbet pinched his chin. "The swirling molten layer under the crust is what creates the magnetic field that surrounds the earth. Any disruption of the field has the potential to cause all sorts of disturbances."

Professor Adler pounded his fist on the table. "I knew I was right! Someone has been monkeying around with my ocean."

"But we're talking about vast distances and miles of surface material," Trout said, temporarily squelching Adler's exuberance. "My sense of this discussion is that it's going back to Joe's big spark plug. Or Al's coil. Even if the device turned out enormous power, it would still be puny compared to the mass of the earth."

Austin broke the brief silence that followed Trout's evaluation. "What if there were more than one device?"

He pushed the laptop to the center of the table and slowly spun it around so everyone could see the blips surrounding the disturbed area.

Trout grasped the significance right away. "Four ships, each concentrating its power on a small area. That might work."

Austin nodded. "I'll show you something else that's interesting." He called up the image taken shortly after the Belle sank. "My guess is that one of these ships became a victim of the sea disturbances it created."

There was a murmur of agreement around the table.

"That might explain how," Zavala said. "What I can't figure is why?"

"Before we answer that question," Austin said, "maybe we should concentrate on who. This isn't a case of someone making waves in a bathtub. Nameless and faceless people have gone to a great deal of trouble and expense to stir up the ocean. They have killed the crews of two ships, that we know of, and caused the loss of millions of dollars in property, in their quest for some nameless goal." He looked around the table. "Are we all ready to get down to work?"

Hibbet started to rise.

"I hope you're going to get more coffee?" Austin said with a grin.

Hibbet looked embarrassed. "No, actually, I was about to head into my office at NUMA. I assumed that you had all you need."

"Joe, tell Al about our 'Hotel California' rule."

"Glad to. It's like the old Eagles song, Al. Once you've been recruited into the Special Assignments Team, you can check out but you can never leave."