Wildfire

Epilogue

Out in the Great Victoria Desert, Grishkevich and Hijkoop had quite a crowd in their lab. Most of the base’s science personnel, and a visitor, had gathered around one of the TV monitors to watch a news broadcast.

The screen showed two firefighters moving slowly through a blackened building, searching the ground with powerful torches. They moved unsteadily, the wet wreckage sliding and shifting under their feet. Where it had moved, smoke rose in wisps from the deeper layers. The surface was cooling, but underneath it was still hot.

A journalist gave a commentary: ‘The first fires in Adelaide were reported at eleven this morning. By two o’clock most of the city was on fire. It burned until eight this evening — and experts say if it hadn’t been for a freak thunderstorm it might still be burning now. For many it has been a lucky escape, but the search for casualties goes on …’

Hijkoop stabbed a button and the screen went blank. He turned round. ‘How about that? Saved because the weather changed. That’s the power of nature for you. And that is why we have to be able to control it.’

His remark was addressed mainly to their guest. He was a commanding presence — tall, and wearing charcoal-blue dress uniform with gold buttons.

Major Kurtis spoke: ‘Gentlemen, I am totally in agreement. I am here to tell you that despite anything you may hear to the contrary, the HAARP experiment is very far from over.’