The secretary for the navy glanced briefly toward Nick before addressing General Cooper. ‘Admiral Deakin and I feel the same. How do we know for sure?’
‘Our scientific experts are working on it right now.’ Cooper said. ‘We won’t act until they confirm Nick’s findings.’
The hairs on Nick’s neck prickled and he pulled at his collar for a moment. He couldn’t blame then for their scepticism, it is a frightening scenario they were all facing, maybe worse than he had told them.
‘Look, if you can’t believe the evidence, then at least prepare to take all your ships to sea to ride it out.’
‘How can they be safe at sea with waves like you’ve predicted?’ Bob Anderson asked.
‘I don’t know if they’ll be safe, but I’m guessing only large ships will survive. Tsunami at sea are rarely more than two metres high, it’s only when come ashore they’re dangerous, when they hit the continental shelf and slow down. The front slows and the massive sea following behind builds up to form huge walls of water that dump on the land. With this I think they will be high at sea too, and not a place you would want to be, but they will have a better chance at sea than docked by the land.’
Nick’s fingers pulled at his shirt neck again and he wished he was back on board the Platypus. Every man in the room had loosened their collars, some had pushed up their sleeves. Nick could smell his own body odour. There was a feeling of panic creeping into the atmosphere. These were the men who were running the country, selected from the best leaders, yet they all seemed unable to comprehend the scale of the disaster ahead.
Nick continued. ‘It’s impossible to predict the impact of these waves. Tsunami usually travel at eight to nine hundred kilometres an hour. These will be much faster, so we won’t have much warning before they’re on us. Just get the people out of the cities!’
Each statement from Nick increased their apprehension, and started another heated discussion. The hours wore on and Nick listened to the arguments back and forth and he began to switch off.
He felt like the Doomsday Prophet, and was even starting to frighten himself. He had tried to push some of these terrors from his mind in the bustle to inform everyone, but now that he had said it all, his own questions began to put up their hands. It was time to make his plans, what was he doing here helping a foreign country prepare for their survival? What about the survival of his family and friends in Australia? It was time to go home, but would they let him walk away? Surely they wouldn’t hold him to his contract.Let them try, he thought.
Then General Cooper’s words sank in.They’ll stop international flights in six days! Nick instantly realised the enormity of the situation. He had six days before all hell breaks loose. He would have to move fast and get back to Australia now! His thoughts flew to Graham who’s airline was based in Canberra. He had an office in Hawaii, but if he knew his best mate, he’d want to be in Australia when this happens. He needed to warn him before the press conference, as his international landing rights would be rescinded and his planes would be commandeered. The next conundrum would be how to get to Hawaii?
A sharp dig in his ribs from Josh brought his mind back to the present.
‘Nick? Admiral Deakin asked you a question.’ Josh said.
‘Sorry Admiral. I need some air. Josh would you mind taking over?’ He collected his papers together, rose from his chair, paused as though he had another thought then scraped his chair back and headed for the door before anyone could voice their objections.
It was six-fifteen in the evening and the constant throb of his headache refused to give up. The air outside the Capitol was cool as the day died, a slight wind ruffled the spring leaves of the American Elms in this City of Trees. Nick glanced around and pulled the collar of his jacket up to his ears. He noticed a slight tremble in his hands. Wanting to walk and think, but eager to get things happening, he made his way to a Trancab station instead and headed back to Laura’s apartment. He didn’t notice two men take the cab behind his.
Chapter Fourteen
Nick arrived at Laura’s apartment at around 7pm to find it deserted. Maxime padded down the stairs from the rooftop and joined him in the kitchen meowing excitedly, her usual disdain abandoned as she nudged his shins persistently. ‘Okay missy, but you’ll have to wait till some meat thaws out.’ He told her.
His stomach rumbled and he realised he hadn’t eaten all day and decided to prepare some food while he waited. He swallowed some aspirin, and after taking a quick shower he busied himself in the large stainless-steel kitchen. It took him some time to master the voice commands for the stove, as that was the chef’s job on board the Platypus. He had attained some quite acceptable culinary skills by working on occasions with the chef, one dish in particular he had mastered, was Bolognese sauce. He chopped tomatoes and onions and scratched around in the pantry for some herbs and spices spending an inordinate amount of time fussing while he waited. Maxime devoured the raw mince he offered her, and signified his sauce was a success by lapping up a generous serving. By eight forty-five, after a few glasses of Black Label he began to feel human again, but was worried. Where was Laura?
Between pacing and planning he scanned the television for news reports, making sure there had been no leaks. Nick had lost his appetite, and the spaghetti he had prepared so carefully remained untouched. The clock read ten thirty! Reaching for the phone, he began calling Laura’s friends but no-one knew her whereabouts.
On impulse he placed a call to his friend Graham in Hawaii, but was unsuccessful, his secretary said he’d taken a flight to Los Angeles. Graham was like that, although he employed several pilots he still loved to fly now and then; said it kept him up to date with everything, and he often frustrated everybody wishing to contact him by turning off his eye-phone. Graham said he wanted to choose whom he talked to and when. Unfortunately this was one of those times, and Nick swore as he placed another call to Los Angeles airport and left an urgent message for Graham to contact him.
Time crept on and he brooded in a lounge chair the entire night, switching channels on the television, with Maxime curled up at his feet, until finally he drifted off to sleep around five am. The intercom buzzed insistently at six, jerking him from a troubled dream. ‘Who’s there?’ He grumbled. He unfolded his long body from the chair and ran his fingers through his loose and dishevelled hair.
‘It’s Josh. Let me in!’ Rumbled from the other side of the door.
Nick opened the door slowly to find Josh red-faced and dressed in jogging clothes. His usual neat appearance was absent and his dark ebony skin glistened with perspiration. ‘I shouldn’t be here.’ He gasped pushing his way inside. ‘The CIA have got Laura and it’s my fault!’
‘What! Bloody Hell Josh! Why?’
‘I saw how agitated Laura was yesterday when she came to my office, and I guessed you’d told her everything. I know her, she has such strong ideas and I thought she might spill the beans before the press conference, apparently so did the CIA. You know what she’s like! Always looking for the truth. Anyway, I let it slip when I was talking to the head of the CIA at the meeting yesterday.’
‘You let what slip?’
Josh’s face darkened. ‘That Laura was in the know.’
‘Christ, Josh! She wouldn’t have said anything!’ Nick ran his fingers through his hair again.
‘I know that! I didn’t think…’
‘How did you find out?’
‘’Um, Bob Anderson called me last night and warned me to shut my trap. I’m sorry Nick, I…’
‘What did he say? Where is she?’