Apocalypse

55

‘What are you talking about?’ Katherine asked. ‘It’s just a broadcast.’

Ethan glanced one more time at the imagery on the screen.

‘The clouds are blowing toward the camera, so the camera is facing roughly west,’ he explained.

‘So?’ Lopez asked.

‘So,’ Ethan said as he looked at her, ‘the sun’s in his face. It’s in the east.’

Scott Bryson chuckled and looked at Ethan with the first signs of respect. ‘Not bad for a boy scout.’

‘Will somebody tell me what the hell’s going on?’ Katherine insisted.

Doug Jarvis turned to her.

‘It means that Joaquin recorded this broadcast before the earthquake actually struck,’ he explained. ‘The sun rises in the east, so he must have recorded it sometime this morning.’

‘And the only way he could have done that is if he knew the quake would happen in advance,’ Ethan replied. ‘It’s evidence enough to get a warrant for his arrest from the District Attorney.’

Lopez shook her head.

‘But why would he do this? He could have waited until the quake and then shot the broadcast. Why expose himself like this?’

‘Because he’s arrogant, greedy and not quite as clever as he thinks he is,’ Ethan guessed. ‘He would have needed to get this broadcast out as fast as possible, in order to get as much money from the public as he can, to maximize his profits from what he’s done. And he thinks that nobody will notice that the sun’s in the wrong place because it’s low enough in the sky to match the sunset, and his yacht’s at sea with no coast in sight to judge direction.’

Katherine stared at the screen and Ethan could see her shoulders sag beneath her thermal blanket as she realized, finally, that there could no longer be any doubt. Joaquin Abell was behind everything that had happened, including the death of Charles Purcell and his family, and the scientists aboard the lost airplane.

Ethan turned to her.

‘We need to stop him, Katherine, and we need to do it without a firefight. Joaquin is well protected and is almost certainly now in hiding. We need to get to his lab and we need you to help us, maybe even convince him that this is the wrong path that he’s chosen.’

‘Why me?’ she implored. ‘Surely you can just send the Navy?’

‘Because we need to bring him to trial for what he’s done,’ Jarvis said, ‘and the only way that’s going to happen is if he can be coaxed out of his underwater facility. Have you spoken to him since you left his yacht?’

‘He called me,’ she said. ‘From a satellite phone aboard the facility. I didn’t answer it.’

Katherine rummaged in her pocket and produced her cellphone.

‘Can we listen to it?’ Lopez asked. ‘Right now, any information might help us.’

Katherine switched the phone to speaker and dialed her voicemail. Ethan listened as an unknown male voice began speaking, the tones touched with urgency and fear. He noted a look of surprise on Katherine’s face as she listened.

‘Katherine, it’s Dennis. Listen to me, I don’t have much time. Joaquin isn’t running a conservation project down here. This is a military facility and he’s developed a machine to cause earthquakes and other natural disasters. He’s aiming for where you are, Katherine. I am not allowed to leave this facility. Please, if you get this message, get onto high ground until the quake has passed, and then get in touch with the authorities — the coastguard, the police. Hell, call the goddamned Navy, just get somebody out here as quickly as you can!’ The voice hesitated. ‘I’m going to try to stop him. Joaquin’s already killed hundreds, if not thousands. Please hurry, and take care of yourself, okay?’

The line cut off, and Ethan looked at Jarvis. ‘You said you wanted proof.’

Jarvis nodded as Katherine stared vacantly into the distance, the phone held limply in her hand.

‘Katherine, your husband needs to be stopped,’ Jarvis said.

Katherine replied in a ghostly whisper.

‘He’s too far gone now for that.’ Then she turned away from the screen and looked at Ethan. ‘He told me that Dennis was a part of all this. He lied to me, again.’ She shook her head, clearly angry with herself. ‘I will try to help you.’

Ethan nodded and turned to Jarvis.

‘We’re going to need a submersible of some kind.’

‘I’ll talk to the Navy,’ Jarvis said, already reaching for his cellphone. Then he looked at Bryson. ‘You’ve got an atmospheric diving suit aboard your boat, haven’t you?’

‘Yes, I have,’ Bryson nodded, ‘and that’s right where it’s staying. I’m done here.’

Lopez turned to him.

‘You can’t,’ she protested. ‘We’ve almost got him.’

Bryson turned to look down at her, his crooked smile and twinkling eye almost mocking.

‘No, you’ve almost got him. Since we met this morning I’ve had my boat shot half to hell, been knocked out by a psychotic Viking, been shot, caught in an earthquake and damned near drowned in Puerto Plata by a fucking tsunami.’ He looked at Jarvis. ‘I think you’ve got your seven thousand dollars’ worth out of me.’

Lopez grabbed Bryson’s thick forearm. ‘We can’t finish this without you.’

Bryson chuckled. ‘You’ve got the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Navy right behind you. What difference does it make to you if I’m here?’

Ethan saw Lopez glance across at him, an almost embarrassed look on her face. She looked back up at Bryson.

‘My chances of survival will be a lot better with you around.’

‘Your chances are just fine with your little boy scout here,’ Bryson replied. ‘He’d just get jealous if I stayed. That right, Ethan? You’re not going to let her come to any harm. You never take your eyes off her anyway.’

‘Get out of here, Bryson,’ Ethan muttered.

Bryson turned and without another word strode away from the vehicle toward the nearest airport gates. Neither Ethan or Jarvis made any effort to stop him from leaving.

‘You’re just going to let him go then,’ Lopez said flatly as she glared at them.

‘He’s got a point,’ Jarvis shrugged. ‘He’s done far more than he bargained for.’

Lopez ran her hands through her hair and looked at Ethan with an expression midway between anger and desperation.

‘Ethan, surely you can see that we need him around.’

Ethan shrugged. ‘He’s not a part of this. If you couldn’t convince him to stay, what chance do I have?’

‘Then how do we get to Joaquin Abell?’ Lopez demanded.

‘We sneak up on him,’ Jarvis replied, and lifted his cellphone to his ear.