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SEATTLE FEDERAL BUILDING. USGS HEADQUARTERS:
Patrick Chandler lightly taps his knuckles on the window of Sharon’s office and waits until she looks up from reading the morning reports. “You’re not going to believe this. Patterson’s on line three, and will only talk to you.”
Sharon waves Patrick into the room and presses the button for the phone speaker. “Hello, Wesley.”
“Was that Chandler who answered?”
“Yes. He’s listening to us.”
“Tell him to leave.”
Sharon looks up at Chandler’s stunned expression. “Can I ask why?”
“Mount Saint Helens.”
“That was a long time ago, Wesley. He admitted to his mistake. Haven’t you ever made a wrong decision?”
“Not when people’s lives are at stake. That’s the only reason I’m calling.”
Chandler leans across the desk to the phone. “Okay, I made a wrong decision. I’m sorry.”
“Fine. Just shut up and listen. There is a research ship conducting an experiment sixty-miles west of Vancouver Island, and they might know what happened. I’m working with Alex Cave, and he’s on it right now.” He explains about the seismometer jumping off the paper and his theory about the tectonic plate movement. “Baker and Rainier are showing some activity because of those events, Sharon.”
Chandler shakes his head no at Sharon and leans across the desk. “That’s impossible. Nothing can create that much force, and we didn’t detect any activity on the mountains. This Cave person. What’s his background and why should we trust him?”
“Good bye, Sharon.”
Sharon turns off the phone and stares up at Chandler. “You’re an idiot, Patrick. I called Mister Cave and asked for his help. You said it yourself. You don’t have any idea why these seismic events are so precise and do so much damage for their size.”
“I know, but you can’t believe a crazy theory like that could really be possible, do you?”
“Unless you can give me a better explanation, I’m not going to dismiss his idea. I just hope he calls me back after Mister Cave returns from the ship.”