Alison stepped up onto the walkway and turned back. Clay was nowhere to be seen, nor could she see the dolphin’s tank, far back on the stern. She took a deep breath and walked quickly across. Chris and Lee followed.
When all passengers were seated and counted, the plank was quickly removed, the engines roared to life, and the cutter pulled away. As they charged forward, the Pathfinder slowly shrank in the distance behind them. Alison leaned forward and caught sight of the helicopters approaching the Pathfinder’s bow, one large helicopter accompanied by two smaller Apache attack choppers on each side.
20
Kathryn Lokke was sitting at her desk but quickly stood up when she saw Phillip LeBlanc walk in. At nearly six feet tall and in his sixties, LeBlanc was the Secretary of the Interior and in Kathryn’s opinion one of the few honorable politicians left at his level. He was also her boss. Having run the USGS a few administrations prior, and just before the wave of scandals, LeBlanc noticed Kathryn early in her scientific career and became a mentor. He was instrumental in her becoming the director of the USGS as the person who encouraged her, or pushed as she recalled, to go for it.
“How was your presentation?” he asked, sitting down on a leather couch which lined the wall near her desk.
She exhaled dramatically. “Which half?”
“Not good eh?” LeBlanc asked rhetorically.
“My good friend Stevas was there.”
“Crap.”
Kathryn sat back down. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting that. And now, as far as I can tell, both he and the President think I’m a loon.”
“Stevas is a sleaze but he doesn’t think you’re crazy, or stupid for that matter. He’s just playing nasty politics. You do know he’s thinking about running next year right?”
Kathryn’s eyes shot open. “For President, are you kidding me?!”
“That’s the rumor.”
Kathryn leaned back in her chair and covered her mouth with her hands. “Jesus, can you imagine what he would do to this department?!”
“Yes, I can.”
Lokke shook her head and opened her bag withdrawing her laptop. She plugged it in and pressed the power button before looking back at LeBlanc.
“So,” he said, “I’m assuming they didn’t react the way you were expecting.”
“The way we were expecting,” she corrected him. “And no. Evidently the idea of unpredictable risk is lost on them. The President said he wants more proof before going out to other countries and risking a panic.” She spied him suspiciously. “You should have come with me.”
LeBranc frowned. “No, you run the department now Kathryn. I had nothing to add anyway.” He leaned back into the couch and crossed his legs. “So he wants more proof.”
“Yes. Hopefully something slightly less compelling than an approaching tsunami.”
He laughed. “Let’s hope so.”
Kathryn shrugged sarcastically. “Fortunately, I think they just want the day and time that it’s supposed to collapse.”
“So what’s the plan?”
Kathryn logged into her computer. “We need more evidence. And evidence that does not rely on my calculations of shrinking ocean volumes. Stevas really played me the fool on that one.” She sat back again in her large chair. “I’m thinking that if we can get more exact measurements and at the same time use early indicators from the previous Ronne break off, and the speed in which it actually separated, we may be able to present a more realistic risk level. More importantly, as long as we have a lot more facts than the other global agencies they won’t be in much of a position to argue. The only arguments left should be what we do about it and how much it will cost.”
“Who else was there, and more importantly did anyone else believe you?”
“Well ‘believe’ may be a strong word, but yes, I think there were a few who understood the risk I was trying to impart. Not surprisingly, it was the military officers and not the politicians. They seem to have a pretty solid grasp on risk and consequences. And Miller, the Secretary of Defense, seemed to be listening.”
“No surprise there.” LeBlanc replied. “After all, they have to fight wars. Politicians just start them.” He went on. “If you don’t know it by now Stevas has the President’s ear, and that’s the polite version. Your best bet is to get as much data as is possible, and convince Mason to let you present it to the President while Stevas is not around. He’d probably be a bit more receptive.”
“And how exactly do I convince Mason?” she asked.
He shrugged. “You’re a good looking woman, sweet talk him.”
Kathryn pretended to be offended. “Did you really just say that?”
“Of course I didn’t. You’re hearing things.”
Kathryn smiled and looked at her laptop, thinking. “I’m going to need to assemble a strong investigation team, starting with the group that documented the slide. We’re going to need more people.”
LeBlanc could see that she had just entered planning mode. He stood up and straightened his tie. “You’re also going to have to convince some of those people to get off their warm duffs and walk around in subzero temperatures for a while.”
She suddenly stopped typing and gave him a concerned look. He was right, she was going to have to yank people off of other projects. This was not going to make her popular.
He watched her expression change with the full scope of what she had to do dawning on her. “This might be a good time to practice that sweet talking.” And with a wink, he walked out.
21
The two Apache attack helicopters hovered just off the Pathfinder’s bow while the larger Seahawk lowered itself onto the ship’s landing pad. Immediately upon touchdown, the door slid open and four marines jumped onto the platform dressed in combat gear and carrying M4 carbine assault rifles. They ran quickly out from under the turning blades to the base of the stairs where several of the ship’s crew, still armed, stood around John Clay and the smaller Palin. Clay stood close to Palin who was handcuffed with his arms behind his back. He showed no expression as he watched the marines approach.
The first marine stopped in front of them and saluted to Captain Emerson who also stood next to Clay. The other three just a step behind did the same.
“Sir!” the marine said, turning to Clay. “We have orders to bring you back to base. Are you ready?”
Clay nodded.
The marines grabbed Palin by the arms and walked him briskly back to the helicopters, the blades still spinning at full speed. Clay grabbed his duffle bag and pulled it up over his shoulder. He turned to Emerson.
“Thanks Rudy,” he said shaking hands.
Emerson nodded. “Keep me posted.”
Clay gave an informal salute to the rest of Emerson’s crew then turned and trotted after the marines. He reached the chopper just as they hauled Palin aboard and crawled in after him. The marines sat on all sides with their rifles pointed at Palin. Clay tossed his bag into the rear, climbed in next to them and slammed the metal door shut. One of the men handed him a headset. He put it on and adjusted the microphone.
The pilot adjusted the rotors on the Seahawk, and the helicopter lightened until it lifted off the pad. It quickly rose into the air, flanked by both Apaches, and headed north slightly away from the setting sun. Behind and far below, the giant engines of the Pathfinder roared back to life. It swung to port and began steaming north.