“Seventeen million metric tons?” The president frowned. “You’d need fleets of tankers to carry that many particles.”
“Fortunately, we have a few advantages over volcanoes, Mr. President. Eco-Trek’s scientists have developed nanomaterials, which are far more effective at solar radiation management than ordinary sulfide-based aerosols. In addition, we aren’t limited to one geographic area. We’re able to cover the entire globe and thanks to extensive modeling, we know the optimal places to deposit our aerosols.” Samuels smiled. “All told, we’re able to achieve our goals with a miniscule amount of particles. So, we make do with just a small fleet of planes.”
“Back up a second.” Hooper cocked his head. “Other governments let you fly over their borders?”
Samuels nodded. “We’ve paid bribes and twisted arms when necessary. But mostly, we’ve relied on our network for access. Mary heads up the Forestry Club. Carly runs PlanetSavers. And John is the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. Their words carry a lot of weight with people around the globe.”
The president stared at him. “This is insanity.”
“No, it’s necessity. For centuries, mankind has slowly poisoned the climate. We’ve reached the point of no return. Our only option is to stave off anthropogenic global warming as long as possible.”
“To what end?” the president asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Your little project won’t end global warming. It’s just delaying the inevitable.”
“That’s correct, Mr. President. Solar radiation management isn’t a cure. But it will treat the symptoms while you and other world leaders fight to stop the problem at its source.”
“And how do you propose I do that?”
“Emissions reductions.”
“That’s already happening. Renewable energy is getting cheaper and more effective by the day. Energy efficiency is climbing.”
“It’s good, but not nearly enough.”
Hooper shook his head. “This is crazy. You’re conducting a science experiment with the whole world at stake.”
“That’s true. Then again industrialized society has been conducting its own climate experiment for more than two centuries. We’ve been filling our atmosphere with greenhouse gases, with no thought given to whether or not it was a good idea. Unlike that experiment, this one is perfectly controlled.” Samuels looked uncomfortable. “You see, our climate model … well, it constantly updates itself, allowing us to prepare for any eventuality.”
A disturbing realization struck the president. “All the strange weather phenomena these last eighteen months … that was Eco-Trek, wasn’t it?”
It took Samuels an extra second to answer. “I’m not sure.”
The president’s eyes blazed.
“Let me explain.” Samuels nodded at the photograph on the wall. “She’s in charge of Eco-Trek.”
Hooper nodded knowingly. “Simona Wolcott.”
“That’s right. Well, Simona is a certified genius. She built the model, figured out how to get funding from the Columbus Project, and oversaw construction of the station. Now, she runs our day-to-day operations.”
The president growled. “Get to the point.”
“The weather phenomena bothered me. So, I sent a climate expert, Alan Briggs, to check on things. He called me a little while ago. He said something was wrong.”
“What?”
Samuels exhaled. “He said Simona’s model was a fake. Before you ask, I don’t have any additional details. The call, uh, ended before he could elaborate.”
President Walters glanced at the black and white photograph on the wall. Simona was a pretty woman. Her face was angular and well-shaped, not too skinny and not too fat. Her eyes were big and piercing. Her Roman nose gave her a snobbish, almost haughty appearance. Her hair was dark and cut short.
He peered closely at her unyielding, almost robotic face. He saw coldness, toughness, and complete confidence. He recognized those traits well. They were the same things he saw in his own face when he looked in the mirror.
Most people took the careful path through life. They traded in their ambitions and carnal desires in order to achieve stability and comfort. They didn’t make much of a mark in the world, good or bad.
Then there were the special ones. People like Simona. For them, a single life wasn’t nearly enough time to make their mark. They were driven to change the world, for better or for worse. They were the type of people who lifted mankind up by its bootstraps, forced it along the path to progress. But they were also the folks who pillaged continents and thrust entire civilizations into war. What category did Simona Wolcott belong to? Did she really hope to save the world from climate change?
Or was she after something else?
“Look, sir,” Samuels said. “I imagine you’re angry but—”
“Angry doesn’t begin to cut it.” President Walters felt his temperature rising. “You stole money from my administration. You stole it from the taxpayers.”
“You should be thanking me.” Samuels inhaled sharply. “You ran on a platform of reducing emissions and saving the planet. Now, we’re giving you an opportunity to do just those things.”
President Walters stood up. He walked to the door and nodded at Hooper. Hooper, in turn, nodded at a team of men waiting in the hall. They strode into the room and quickly took charge of Samuels.
The president took a moment to converse with one of the analysts. Then he twisted toward Hooper. “I need a favor.”
Hooper eyed him. “What now?”
“Our tech guys just finished with Barney’s phone. He’s been trying to reach a satphone on Pagan for the last few hours. No one answered his calls.” The president paused. “I need you to go there for me. I need you to take charge of the station.”
“You mean right now?”
The president nodded.
“I’m not a soldier.” Hooper’s eyes shifted to the now-cuffed Secretary of Defense Bert Bane. “What if they put up resistance?”
The president’s hands trembled. Deep-seated guilt filled his gut. He couldn’t escape the growing realization that the deluges, the droughts, the deaths were possibly his fault. Sure, the Separative had fired the gun. But the president had, in a way, put it into their hands.
“A Delta Force team will accompany you.”
“Why me?”
“You know the truth about Eco-Trek. And for now, the less people that know it, the better.” President Walters studied Hooper’s face, trying to read the man’s dark eyes. “Can you do this for me?”
Hooper exhaled. “How quickly can you get me there?”
Chapter 61
The Grueler lay on its articulated metal limbs like a real-life animal. Then it started to vibrate, softly at first. The hissing grew louder. The vibrations intensified. Its lower limbs shifted. Its metallic frame rose a few inches off the ground.
The distinct hissing, which I realized belonged to the Grueler’s hydraulic system, grew louder and more strident. The noise pounded in my ears and my head started to ache.
The Grueler shifted upward, rising to its full height. Dust curled toward it, as if drawn by its electricity. I could see it was about seven feet tall on all fours and incredibly compact. Its legs, complete with hindquarters, joints, and clawed feet, looked like the real thing. Its two ends, protected by thick rubber, resembled separate sets of head and shoulders. Its facial areas jutted outward into fearsome jaws. Two rows of metal spikes lined the interior of each set of jaws.