Torrent

by David Meyer

  "I know it's a big deal." Emily squeezed her shirt, wringing water out of the fabric. "But doesn't uranium exist all over the world?"

  "Not this type of uranium and not in these quantities," Beverly replied. "Believe me, I know. I had to study this subject pretty intensively during my military days. All natural uranium contains the same isotopic ratio. A little over ninety-nine percent is uranium-238. Uranium-235 is a little less than one-percent. And a very small fraction, less than a hundredth of a percent, consists of uranium-234."

  "Come on," Tum said. "It can't all be the same."

  "Actually, it is, at least in nature. Most cosmochemists think it's because our solar system's natural uranium ore was formed at the same time. It's been decaying at a uniform rate since then." She paused. "Uranium-235 is fissile. Millions of years ago, natural ore contained enough of it to sustain a fission chain reaction. But that's no longer the case."

  "Why not?"

  "Because uranium-235 decays much faster than uranium-238. So, it's gradually become a smaller part of natural ore. That's why nuclear weapons programs require uranium enrichment." She studied her spectrometer. "The uranium deposits appear to be heavily concentrated, representing about thirty-five percent of the material I sampled from under the two domes. My initial readings suggest a little more than twenty-four percent of the two deposits consists of uranium-235."

  "Damn." Graham shook his head. "How'd it get that way?"

  "If my extrasolar meteor theory is correct, then the uranium originated from outside the solar system. So, it could've been formed much later than Earth's natural ore. Also, the large presence of curium-247 could be a factor. Over time, curium-247 decays to uranium-235."

  I climbed out of the river and turned around to study the two domes. "They must be putting out tons of radiation. We're hundreds of feet underground. Plus, gold acts as a radiation shield. And yet there was still enough radiation to affect Rigoberta and Pacho in just two weeks."

  The others edged away from the domes.

  "It might not have killed them though." Graham glanced at Dr. Wu. "Didn't you say Rigoberta overexerted herself?"

  The doc nodded. "I'm nearly certain she was sick prior to coming here."

  "There you go." Graham turned to face the rest of us. "Plus, it didn't kill the Xibalbans. They lived here long enough to build a small city."

  "Yeah, but it could've introduced mutations into their population," I replied. "That would explain their unusual bones. That's probably how that strange cat—the nagual—came into existence too. Its ancestors started out as normal jaguars and evolved into something else."

  "Can we go somewhere?" Dr. Wu licked his lips. "Preferably a long way from here?"

  Graham ignored him. "Hunahpu must've sent a few people to investigate these caves. They probably came out looking like atomic bomb victims. So, he imprisoned these meteorites—thinking they were death gods—behind gold plates."

  "And since gold blocks radiation, it even worked in a way." My face twisted in thought. "But how could he have known to use gold?"

  "He could've used lots of things." Beverly fiddled with the mass spectrometer. "Any number of materials from the crater could've provided protection from gamma rays. Most likely, he just chose something that was readily available."

  "I bet the Xibalbans built a shield before the Mayas came here," Emily said. "It probably wasn't as fancy or as effective. But it explains why Hope's plate was inscribed on both sides. The Xibalbans carved one side. The Mayas carved the other one."

  "Xbalanque could've pulled off a few plates at a time," Emily added. "That would've left the shield largely intact. And as long as he didn't spend a lot of time doing it, he would've been able to avoid excessive radiation."

  I felt a distinct chill in the air. My initial thrill at finding the library had worn off. Now, I was starting to worry about what it could do to us if we stuck around.

  "I'm detecting traces of neodymium and ruthenium in these samples." Beverly's voice tightened. "And like the uranium ore, they're available in unusual isotopic ratios. There's far more neodymium-143 than I would expect. Same with ruthenium-99."

  Graham growled. "Less babble, more English."

  "I can't be sure. But I think the meteorites are more than just collections of strange metals and minerals," she said. "I think they're reactors … natural nuclear fission reactors."

  Chapter 107

  It took me a full ten seconds to find my tongue. "How can nuclear reactors exist in nature?"

  "There's a precedent," Beverly replied. "Back in 1972, scientists found a bunch of dead natural reactors, or georeactors, in Africa."

  "You're talking about the Oklo reactors," Graham said slowly. "I remember that. It was big news at the time."

  "That's right. They started almost two billion years ago. They ran for hundreds of thousands of years before dying out."

  "How is that possible?" I asked. "Modern power plants require tons of scientists and equipment to sustain the fission process."

  "Nature can do amazing things." She stared at the domes. "We know the meteorites contain a highly-concentrated uranium deposit. The river water could act as a neutron moderator. As the neutrons slowed down, they'd collide with other atoms without just bouncing away. That would cause atoms to split open. And thus, a nuclear chain reaction would take place."

  I stared at her. "How do you know all this?"

  "Like I said, I studied it." She gave me a knowing look. "But what I did with that knowledge is classified."

  I nodded slowly. "How would a reaction sustain itself?"

  "It would generate heat, causing the river water to boil away. That would slow the reaction. Once the area had been cooled, the water would return and the reaction would begin all over again."

  Emily looked doubtful. "If you're right about this, why haven't the meteorites exploded yet?"

  "Enough water must boil away to slow runaway reactions." She shrugged. "In other words, the system is self-correcting. Unless there's a change, it should be able to continue as is until the amount of uranium-235 becomes too small to sustain reactions."

  I had more questions. Hell, I had hundreds of them. But I forced them out of my brain. "Are you sure about this?"

  "I can't prove it. But I'm pretty sure."

  "Okay." I took another look at the gold plates lining the domes. "Here's what we're—"

  "Shh." Emily held a finger to her lips. "Do you hear that?"

  My ears perked. Above the flowing river, I heard soft slapping sounds as objects repeatedly struck the water.

  Tum furrowed his brow. "What is that?"

  "Boats." Emily gritted her teeth. "And they're heading this way."

  Chapter 108

  A small wave rose up. The raft rose with it. Seconds later, it crashed back into the water. Icy liquid sprayed over Votan and his fellow passengers.

  His left hand kept a firm grip on the safety ropes. Using his right hand, he trained his flashlight on the river. Unfortunately, the darkness obscured most of the surroundings.

  Following the river downstream had been a precarious experience. He'd swept down numerous waterfalls and steep plunges. The river had curved endlessly and eventually, he'd lost his bearings.

  He leaned forward as the river sprayed him with more water. He kept his head low. Did his best to ride with the churning waves.

  Up ahead, he saw the cavern open up into a larger space. Massive domes lay directly in front of him. Light glinted and he saw gold. His heart beat faster. Gobs of sweat formed on his forehead.

  One man directed the craft to the side of the river. A second man jumped out, grabbed a rope, and quickly tied it around a stalagmite.

  Votan climbed out of the inflatable raft. He helped Dora out and waited for the second boat to land. Then he cleared his throat. "You're looking at the Library of the Mayas. It's the most important discovery in the history of our people."

  Awed silence fell over the group.

  "The biopirates want
it for themselves," he continued. "Same with the archaeologists. But it doesn't belong to them. It belongs to us. It will give us access to the greatest brains our people ever produced. It'll tell us more about our history than all the experts combined. It'll lead to cures and other things we've only dreamt of."

  At that instant, Votan knew he was the right person to take charge of the library. Emily didn't deserve it. Neither did Miranda.

  "Get out there," he shouted. "I want a report on the library's condition in ten minutes. After that, we'll start the dismantling process."

  Chapter 109

  While the others ran deeper into the cavern, Tum darted in the opposite direction. He ran to the passage they'd used to enter Metnal and slid past the L-shaped rock. Pressing his back against the wall, he took refuge in the dark shadows.

  It couldn't be a coincidence that the library housed a pair of ancient georeactors. Hunahpu had obviously lacked the knowledge and tools required to destroy the death gods in their physical form. So, he'd trapped them inside golden cages instead. Now, Tum needed to finish the man's work. Unfortunately, there was just one way to do that.

  "I'm sorry, Hunahpu and Xbalanque," Tum whispered as he withdrew a small hunk of semtex from his pocket. "The two of you created a magnificent pyramid and an even better library. But it's time to destroy them. It's time to bring in the fifth world."

  Chapter 110

  I felt a stiff breeze at my back—but also in my face—as I darted deeper into the cavern. I had a sneaking suspicion the airflow behind me came from the crater. Votan must've broken through the ancient wall and used boats to navigate the river. I hoped the airflow in front of me came from somewhere outside the crater.

  The water roared in my ears as I ran alongside it. The river's size and power awed me. I could hardly believe I'd ventured into it without some kind of safety line.

  I snuck a peek over my shoulder. Votan stood on the ledge next to the river. He directed his gaze at the gold domes.

  The cavern wall jutted out. I ran next to it, praying he wouldn't see me. Moments later, it curved in again, providing me with a bit of cover.

  Lowering my head, I ran harder. The wall opened up a bit and I sprinted into a small, protected cove.

  I slowed to a halt and waved at the others to join me. I could barely see them in the dim light. "There's nowhere else to run." I gestured at the river. It flowed past us into a long tunnel. "That's the only way out of here."

  "I hope you don't expect us to swim." Graham nodded at his mechanical leg. "This thing doesn't do so good in water."

  "Actually, I was thinking about stealing one of Votan's boats."

  Dr. Wu gave me a skeptical look. "How?"

  "I'll sneak back while he's focused on the library. I just need to get inside it and cut the rope. The current will take care of the rest."

  "What if someone sees you?"

  "Let's hope they don't."

  "It's too risky," Beverly said. "If they catch you, you're dead."

  Deep down, I knew she was right. I swiveled my head, studying every inch of the cove. On the opposite side, I spotted a shadowy pile.

  I jogged to it. The pile consisted of large cotton blankets. Insects had carved countless holes in them. The stench of mildew hung heavy in the air.

  A shudder ran through me as I studied the blankets. They were exactly like the ones from Hot House.

  Why would Hunahpu leave these here?

  "Anything interesting?" Graham asked.

  "Maybe." I shielded my flashlight beam and aimed it into the cove. The water was calm, a vast cry from the swirling river. A couple of long shadowy objects rested beneath the surface. "What do those look like to you?"

  "Hell if I know."

  "Do me a favor. Keep your light on them."

  I hopped into the cove. The icy waters stung my skin. My body started to tremble.

  I ducked underwater and located the objects. They were roughly eight feet long and maybe two to three feet wide.

  I touched the one closest to me. It felt hard and rough. I slipped my fingers beneath it. It was hollow on the inside.

  Setting my feet on the ground, I curled my fingers. My muscles strained. So did my lungs.

  Slowly, I flipped the object onto its reverse side and inspected it with my hands. Then I pushed off the bottom and swam to the surface.

  "What are they?" Beverly whispered.

  I kicked my way to the edge of the cove. "Dugout canoes. Four of them."

  Excitement filled Graham's face. "Really?"

  "It looks like they were carved out of tree trunks." I paused to catch my breath. "The blankets must've been used as boat covers."

  Disappointment etched its way across his features. "Too bad they're so old."

  As far as I knew, no one had ever excavated an ancient Maya boat before. That meant the canoes were possibly the only ones in existence. But why had they been built in the first place? Once the boats had floated downstream, there would've been no way to get them upstream again. The river was far too fierce for that.

  I gathered air in my lungs. "I seem to recall you saying pretty much the same thing about an old Nazi rocket just a few months ago."

  "That rocket was decades old. Those boats are hundreds of years old." He shook his head. "Anyway we had lots of tools back then. I don't have anything now, not even a hammer."

  "We might not need them. The one I looked at didn't have any holes in the hull. Hunahpu must've just turned it over and let it sink under its own weight."

  "Why would he do that?"

  I shrugged.

  His face twisted with doubt. "Do you really think they're shipshape?"

  "The water is cold and dark," I replied. "There's no life down there so I'm guessing it's low on oxygen too. Under those conditions, wood can last thousands of years."

  Before he could respond, I dove to the bottom of the cove. Grabbing one end of the canoe, I dragged it toward Graham. After resurfacing for air, I lifted the ancient boat's top half out of the water.

  Graham and Dr. Wu took hold of it. Quietly, they maneuvered it to the ledge.

  I swam to the edge of the cove and took a quick look into the cavern. Votan still stood on the other end of the ledge. Several men, dressed all in black, waded through the river toward the domes.

  I returned to the canoe and watched as Graham and Dr. Wu pulled it from the water. Its internal structure reminded me of a Venetian gondola. "What do you think?" I said.

  "I think you're crazy." Graham shook his head. "Absolutely nuts."

  Chapter 111

  The loud bang caused my heart to freeze. I spun around. Graham still held his end of the second canoe. But the doc's end lay on the ledge, quivering gently.

  Emily darted around the cove and peeked into the cavern. A few moments passed before she twisted to face us. "It's okay," she whispered. "I don't think they heard it."

  I let out a long breath of air.

  Dr. Wu looked forlorn. "I'm sorry. It slipped."

  "It's okay." I shivered in the cold water. "No harm done."

  I dove back underwater. I kicked my way to the bottom and felt around in the darkness. My hands closed around a long thin paddle. Clutching it tightly, I returned to the surface. As I handed it to Dr. Wu, I caught sight of Beverly. She lay next to the cove. Her head was tilted sideways and she seemed to be studying the water.

  "Wait." Emily's soft voice floated into my ears. "There's someone else over there. It looks like … yes, it's Tum."

  My eyes widened. I hadn't even noticed he'd gone missing. "What's he doing?"

  "He's climbing into the water. He's going real slow and sticking to the shadows. It looks like he's aiming for the smaller dome. All of Votan's men are around the larger one."

  I was perplexed. But I didn't have time to worry about it. I dove underwater a few more times and retrieved the rest of the paddles. Then I climbed out of the cove.

  "Cy." A strange look plagued Beverly's eyes. "The water is rising."
<
br />   "Yeah, I noticed that earlier. I saw the former water line etched into the stone ledge. It was about a foot beneath the current level."

  "No, I mean it's rising right now." She gestured at the cove. "The water level rose a quarter of an inch in the last ten minutes."

  "Are you sure?"

  She nodded.

  "Does it matter?" I asked slowly.

  "It might." She took a deep breath. "If I'm right about the meteorites being georeactors, then they've been stable for well over a thousand years. Now, they're being saturated with extra water."

  "What does that mean?"

  "A higher water level means reactions might not be able to boil away so easily."

  "You mean they could go supercritical?"

  "Yes."

  My heart pounded against my chest. "Any idea why the river is rising?"

  "It could be all the rain or the fact that we blocked off the artificial marsh. But I think it's something else."

  "What?"

  "There are probably numerous distributaries running off the river. Votan might've accidentally blocked a major one on his way here. Now, all that extra water is flowing this way."

  "But how could that have happened?"

  "I wouldn't be surprised if Hunahpu had something to do with it."

  My heart pounded even faster. It was impossible. There was no way Hunahpu could've known how georeactors worked. And yet, I knew Beverly was right all the same.

  "I think this might be his last trap." Beverly took a deep breath. "And if we don't get out of here soon, it's going to kill us."

  Chapter 112

  "I already told you." Emily gave me a defiant look. "I'm not going."

  I studied her visage. "You'll die."

  "I spent my whole life searching for the Library of the Mayas. I'm not just going to give it up."

  "I don't think you understand. We can't get to the library without risking a gunfight."