Deep Fathom

8:12 P.M., Deep Fathom

Jack sat on a stool in the geology lab. Charlie worked at his computer, reviewing his data. Both were searching for answers. Jack struggled to think, but Karen’s face, bruised and scared, kept appearing in his head, distracting him. He closed his eyes. “How ’bout if we tried short-circuiting the damn thing?”

“What?” Charlie asked.

“You said the deposit acts like some electromagnetic battery. What if we, I don’t know, overloaded it or something.”

Charlie turned from his computer, frowning tiredly. “That would only accelerate—” The geologist’s frown deepened. Jack could practically see the calculations running in the man’s head.

“Do you think it might work?”

His eyes focused back on Jack. “No, not at all. But you’ve given me an idea.” He stood, crossed to the worktable and scrounged through his gadgetry. In a few moments Charlie had a spare marine battery hooked to a meter.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked.

“Running a little experiment.” He lifted the battery’s leads and connected them to the steel clamps holding the crystal star. He put on one of Robert’s night vision masks. “Can you hit the lights?”

Jack slid off his stool and flicked the switch. In the dark cabin, he heard Charlie shuffling around. Then he heard a tiny snap of electricity. A blue arc zapped between the battery’s leads, painfully bright in the dark. The crystal artifact lit up like a real star.

The radiant light fractured into a spectrum of colors. Jack remembered a similar sight—when the electromagnet used to haul up sections of Air Force One had brushed too near the pillar. The spire had glowed with the same brightness.

As he watched, the star grew brighter and brighter. He raised a hand to shield his eyes. Charlie was bent over the star, flicking his gaze between it and the meter. One hand turned a dial. The hum of the battery grew louder.

“Charlie—”

“Hush.” He twisted the dial more.

The star began to rise from the table, floating a few inches off the surface. Its light was almost too intense. An electric tingling swept through the air. The small hairs began to dance on Jack’s arms, and the fillings in his teeth began to ache in his jaw. It was like being back in the sub.

His eyes were drawn to a wall clock, hanging above the experiment. The second hand was running in the wrong direction.

“Amazing,” Charlie mumbled, still bent over the floating star.

Then a loud crack exploded in the small space. Darkness fell over the room. Jack heard the crystal star drop back to the tabletop with a clatter.

“Get the lights,” Charlie ordered.

Jack rubbed the tingling from his arms, then flipped the switch. “What were you doing?”

Using tongs, Charlie picked up the star. The steel clamps holding it glowed hot. “Hmm…interesting…”

“What?”

The geologist tilted the star for Jack to see. Within the clamps, the crystal had cracked in half.

“What does it mean?” Jack asked.

Charlie looked up. “I’m not sure yet.”

8:56 P.M., Neptune base

Karen tried not to cry. She sat on a narrow cot in a cabin no larger than a half bath. What was she going to do? David had gathered the entire crew of the station in the dining room. He spent fifteen minutes browbeating them all. One of the scientists made the mistake of asking a simple question. For his impudence, David shattered his nose with a sudden blow. The room had grown deathly silent afterward. David had proven his point. He was the master here. After his demonstration, he stormed out with Karen in tow.

She soon found herself locked in this cabin. It all seemed impossible, hopeless. Over the past two days, she had hardly slept at all. She was sore, exhausted, and drained.

She rested her face in her hands. She couldn’t do this alone.

As a sob welled up from deep inside, a soft knock sounded on her door. “Dr. Grace?”

She sat up, wary. “Who is it?”

“It’s Dr. Cortez. May I come in?”

Karen almost choked with relief. “Of course.”

She stood as she heard the key in the lock. The older scientist slipped in and closed the door behind him. “I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

“No, it’s okay. I can use the company.” She allowed the relief to ring in her voice.

“He’s one scary bastard, isn’t he? I should never have left you alone down there. I wasn’t thinking. I was too excited about your discovery of the connection to the Rapa Nui script.”

Karen sat down. She waved him to the sole stool. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Well, after this is over, I’m filing a formal complaint.”

She nodded, allowing him the fantasy that it would have any impact. Spangler was operating under the guise of the highest office in the nation. He could act with full impunity.

Cortez continued, “I came here to see if you could help us. We’re still having trouble deciphering these glyphs.”

Karen swallowed. If there was to be any hope, it was time to start trusting someone else. No more games. “Dr. Cortez, I haven’t been totally honest.”

“What do you mean?”

“I possess the full translation. Not only of the pillar’s inscription, but additional texts written at the time of the obelisk’s discovery.”

Cortez sat stunned, silent, then tried to talk. “I don’t…how could…but when…?”

“I have information I must get to someone in authority,” Karen said. “Someone out of Spangler’s chain of command.”

“Information about what?”

“About the end of the world.”

Cortez frowned, looking doubtful.

Karen stood. “I know how it must sound. But get me to the workstation on Level 2, and I’ll get you proof.”

Still, he hesitated.

Karen stared him down. “After tonight’s demonstration, who are you willing to trust more, Spangler or me?”

Cortez bowed his head for a moment, then pushed off his stool. “That’s no contest. C’mon, the commander is bunked out in his cabin, but his second-in-command is patrolling. Stick to my side. As long as you’re with me, we should be okay.” He opened the door.

Karen followed him out. Though there was no ban on her being free under supervision, it still felt like a prison break. Both crept silently through the living quarters, peeking around corners, holding their breath. No one was around.