111

 

THE LAB, 9:40 A.M.

Gwen drank her coffee. It roiled through her stomach. Caffeine was the last thing she needed. She was jittery enough. She had that sense of acceleration, of events moving beyond her, way out of control. She was reacting, desperately trying for a control that she had long since lost, and she knew it. Half of her wanted to run. The other half wanted to finish this thing, whatever the fuck it was, to see all the hidden, missing parts, dig them out, almost whatever the cost.

She got up, closed her office door, something she rarely did. She didn’t care if she looked instantly suspicious. It was way too late to care. She picked up her phone, put in the call.

Riley’s assistant, Art, answered. “Hey Gwen. She’s kinda busy at the mo. They’re all looking real close at this storm. She and Hendricks are having a real donnybrook. Kicked the rest of us out of their meeting. Shoot, sorry, shouldn’t have told ya that.”

“Art, listen, please go and get her. Drag her out if you have to. Tell her it’s me and tell her it’s urgent.”

She could feel Art conjuring a flip response but something in her voice must have stopped him.

“Sure Gwen. I’m gone.”

The roar of wind and rain blended with another, lower throb. A helicopter was flying in. Gwen angled out of her chair. She peered through the window but she could see neither the copter nor whoever was arriving or leaving. Maybe it was Messenger, showing up at last. She wanted to get up and check, but forced herself to wait for Riley.

Her friend came on the line two minutes later.

“Gwen! Thank God. I’ve been trying to get hold of you. This storm’s looking ugly. I’m trying to upgrade the warnings. Fuckwit Hendrix is blocking me. I want you off Hurricane Point. Over the hills and far away.”

“You ’n’ me both, Riley.”

“Now what’s up with you? Art got all serious. Demanded I talk to you.”

“Get those warnings upgraded all the way, Riley. And listen up. Don’t interrupt, however far-fetched this is gonna sound.” Gwen took a breath, glanced round the office. No one in sight. It seemed oddly quiet.

“This storm,” she said in a low voice. “People I know have the technology to ramp it up. You guys’re probably debating whether the AR will produce rain when it makes landfall.…”

“Got it in one!”

“Well, these people can make it produce rain. Via ionizers. I’ve seen it Riley. I’ve seen them make it rain and God help me I’ve helped them fine-tune the model so that they can increase their rain yield. They’re gonna ramp up a storm sooner or later, trying to make a monster, and I have a horrible feeling it’s sooner.”

“What, you’re telling me some people think they can make an ARk Storm?” Riley whispered, her voice faint with disbelief and horror.

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you. They have an army of drones all ready to go up and do just that. I’m gonna try and stop it, Riley, I might not manage it. I have a horrible feeling it’s too late.”