by David Capps
“This is Junior General Fong,” Dr. Huang said. “He is from the CNSA, China’s Space Agency.” Dr. Huang leaned closer to Guang Xi and whispered, “He’s also a member of the Ministry of State Security.”
“How can I help you?” Guang Xi said, looking at Junior General Fong.
“I just need to confirm a few facts,” Fong replied. “The curtain of light was several miles long – over a thousand feet high and bright enough to be seen in direct sunlight?”
“Yes,” Guang Xi answered.
“We have calculated the energy requirements to create a light curtain of that description,” Dr. Zheng said. “We are in the range of two terajoules.”
Guang Xi ran the numbers in his mind. “That’s the equivalent of… 480 metric tons of TNT. No wonder the earthquake was so massive. You’re saying… That’s not natural. That couldn’t happen by itself.”
Dr. Zheng nodded.
“I told you,” Dr. Huang added. “He’s the brightest grad student at the University.”
“Somebody did this,” Guang Xi said firmly. “Somebody did this to me!” Anger exploded from Guang Xi. “This was no accident. This was not fate. This was deliberate!”
“Yes,” Fong replied.
“Who did this to me?” Guang Xi screamed. “Who did this!”
“There is only one facility on the planet that can direct and focus that kind of power,” Fong said. “That facility belongs to the United States of America.”
CHAPTER 8
Dolphin Beach, Oregon
Mayor Willa McBride chaired the committee that judged the sand sculpturing competition which officially launched the summer season in Dolphin Beach. The tide was moving out, so the gray sand was wet and perfect for mounding and shaping into the exotic art forms that were such a favorite with the tourists. Artists came from the entire Pacific Northwest area, and as far south as Northern California. As Willa and the Judging Committee moved from one sculpture to the next Willa’s favorite for first prize kept changing. The pacific dolphin leaping from the water, about to jump over a surfer was her current favorite. Each year there was always a sculpture of Poseidon surrounded by mermaids that took one of the top three medals in the competition. This year there was also a mermaid riding a giant crab in the running for a medal. There was the traditional castle complete with knights standing guard and something quite unusual: a large fat Buddha with his legs crossed in the Lotus position, which appeared to be floating above the surrounding water, with a ring of fish nearly standing on their tails in admiration.
Willa held back on her opinion as the committeemen discussed their choices. With six committee members, Willa would vote only to break a tie, which wasn’t necessary this year. First prize went to the dolphin jumping over the surfer. It was, after all, Dolphin Beach. With the judging done and medals awarded, Willa strolled back to the city offices.
Oceanside Drive bordered the beach near the Village Center, with small B&B’s between the shore and Oceanside Drive both to the north and to the south. Hill Street formed the south end of the Village Center and made its way up hill to the east, connecting with Highway 101. Main Street began just to the north of Village Center and ran parallel to Oceanside Drive, ending in a cul-de-sac at the Ocean Grand Hotel and the base of Promontory Point.
A young man rose from the single visitor’s chair as Willa walked in the door. He was tall and thin, almost too thin. His hair was long, medium brown and not well combed. He also had the scruffy beginnings of a beard. He wore a dark blue sweatshirt bearing the logo of a coffee house she didn’t recognize, and a pair of faded jeans. The only thing that looked decent were the brightly colored cross-trainer shoes he was wearing.
“Ms. McBride, I’m Jason Roberts,” he said holding out his hand.
Willa shook hands with him, wondering what he wanted. “How can I help you, Jason?” she asked. Since becoming mayor, she had realized that everyone who came in to see her wanted something from her.
“Actually, I’m here to help you,” Jason replied. “I’m a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology and my master’s thesis is on the Cascadia Subduction Zone.”
“Okay,” Willa replied. “This sounds like something we’d be better off sitting down to discuss.” She led him into her office and closed the door. “Run this by me again, please.” He carried his backpack in with him and plopped it down on the floor next to the chair.
“Sure,” Jason said as he sat down. “I work in the Earth Sciences Department at Caltech. Only the brightest and the best get to go there.”
“Right,” Willa replied as she sat in her chair, wondering what was coming next.
“As I said, my master’s thesis is on the Cascadia Subduction Zone.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t understand your concern. So why are you here?”
“Most everyone’s familiar with the San Andreas fault that runs through California. What most people don’t know is that it connects with two other fault lines after it leaves the coast of northern California at the Mendocino Triple Junction. The Cascadia Subduction Zone starts there and runs north to Vancouver Island.”
“Okay, so why are you here?” Willa asked again. Why can’t he just get to the point?
“I’m actually spending my summer as a CREW volunteer. That’s the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup. I’m reviewing tsunami evacuation plans for all of the coastal towns and providing updated information where those plans need to be revised.”
“Well, our plan has been in place for years now; there are signs directing people where to go during an alert.”
“Yes, well, I accessed the plan for Dolphin Beach through the Internet, and from what we learned from the earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra, your plan needs to be revised. I’m here to help you do that.”
“It sounds like there’s some sort of a catch coming,” she said.
“Of course there is,” he replied. “But not much of one.” He reached into his pants pocket and produced a folded piece of paper and handed it to her. He also took out his wallet, removed his California Driver’s license and his Caltech ID card and placed them on her desk, as well.
The letter was from the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup introducing Jason Roberts. It authorized him to work as a volunteer and asked only that he be allowed to use local camping facilities along the Pacific Northwest Coast as he performed his review of evacuation plans during the summer break. There was a phone number if she had any questions. Willa reached for the phone and was about to dial the number when she had another idea. Instead of the number on the piece of paper, she called information and gave them the name of the organization. Jason smiled and looked around the office. Once Willa verified the phone number she asked to be directly connected. A one-minute conversation verified who Jason was and what he was doing. The lady from CREW asked if Jason had brought his backpack into the office. Willa glanced down next to the chair where Jason was sitting. There was the large dirty backpack.
“Yes,” Willa replied.
“Tell him to keep it off the furniture and the carpeting,” she said. “He treats every place as if it were a dorm room.”
“Okay, thanks,” Willa replied.
“At least you called to verify,” Jason said. “A lot of people don’t even bother doing that.”
This is annoying, she thought. The last thing I need today is some intellectual trying to show me how bright he is. “So what exactly will you be doing here?” she asked patiently.
“My dad owns the largest architectural firm in L.A. He wants me to be his legacy. I got my B.S. in architecture but really liked geology. Growing up in L.A., I became fascinated by earthquakes, so I picked Earth Sciences for my Master’s degree program. I will be looking at the topography of your town, the building structures, the infrastructure and laying out what the people of Dolphin Beach can expect during and immediately following a major earthquake and tsunami. The extent of detail will be up to you. I’d prefer a detailed plan down to the hou
sehold level, but like I said, that’s up to you and your town council. I don’t want to be invasive to the point where I’m making people uncomfortable, but the more detailed information people have, the higher the survival rate is going to be.”
Survival rate? What is he trying to do, scare everybody? “It sounds like you expect something to happen sooner rather than later. What do you know that we don’t?” Willa asked.
Jason glanced down at the floor and then around the room and through the glass window into the main reception area before returning his gaze to her. “Scientists will tell you there is no scientific method to predict an earthquake, and to a point, that is true. But there are patterns and cycles of activity and non-activity. Those patterns and cycles have been generally reliable until about a dozen years ago. What I am going to tell you isn’t a prediction, nor is it scientifically based, and it isn’t meant for public consumption. Can we agree on that?”
“Okay,” Willa said, wondering what was coming next. “What’s happening?”
“Major earthquakes are essentially random events, so sometimes they happen close in time to one another, and sometimes they don’t. We have had an unusual number of major earthquakes in the world that don’t fit the randomness associated with normal earthquakes. There’s a disturbing pattern emerging. Now the people at Cal Tech don’t agree with me, but I see a very un-natural pattern over the last twelve years, especially with subduction zones like Cascadia off the Northwest Coast.”
“So what exactly are you saying?” Willa asked, the feeling of alarm rising in her chest.
“I think the Cascadia Subduction Zone will experience a catastrophic event within the next two years, probably sooner rather than later.”
“How do you know that?” Willa demanded, her alarm turning to panic.
“Look,” Jason said quietly. “Something is wrong. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I see the pattern. It’s un-natural, and frankly, it terrifies me. Something has changed in the world and it involves geologic events, like the 8.4 Magnitude subduction zone quake in Peru, 2001, and the 9.2 Magnitude Sumatran quake in 2006 where 230,000 people perished. Add in the 7.0 Haiti quake in 2010, the recent 8.0 quake in China, and the whole thing is just spooking me out. My greatest fear is that it will happen here next. That’s really why I’m doing this. I have to do something. Warning people and helping them to be prepared is what I can do. Will you help me do that?”
Willa was having trouble focusing her thoughts. The threat of an impending major earthquake had her rattled. Trying hard to calm herself, Willa asked, “How many mayors of towns along the coast have you told about this?”
Jason lowered his head. “You’re the third one. Most of the town mayors won’t even give me a chance to talk to them. They’re too busy. They think I’m some kind of kook.”
Yeah, I can see how they might come to that conclusion. “How sure are you that this is going to happen?”
Jason looked her straight in the eyes. “I could have spent the summer surfing. Instead I’m embarrassing myself in front of every mayor along the Pacific Northwest Coast I can get in to see. If I’m wrong, my career in Earth Sciences is over before it begins. I’m not wrong.”
“Why not just alert people through the media?”
“That was my first choice,” Jason replied. “No one would believe me. No scientific proof. Even my teachers at Cal Tech don’t see the pattern, but I do. It’s there. It’s going to happen.”
Willa drummed her fingers on the desk as she thought about what Jason had said. What if he’s right and Dolphin Beach is in danger? What if he’s wrong? What if he really is just a kook? What does he have to gain from this? Money? Notoriety? He hadn’t asked for any money, and the notoriety is all bad if he’s wrong. He doesn’t gain anything unless he’s right. The fact that the lady from CREW referred to him as a super genius and said he was honest was an important factor.
“Are you on any meds?” she asked, wondering if he might be mentally ill.
Jason laughed out loud. “No,” he said. “You’re actually the first one to ask.”
“What if I tell people what’s going to happen?”
“Then you join me in kooksville. It’s political suicide, but that is entirely up to you.”
Willa carefully considered the potential consequences. Keeping quiet but prepared seemed like the most reasonable choice. Everything else involved unacceptable levels of risk. Friends would be running for city council positions in November and they were counting on her as mayor to give them a foot-hold in the election. Too much was at stake. “You said you don’t want to be invasive. Exactly what did you have in mind?”
“I like your style,” Jason said. “You obviously care about your town and the people that live here. For the most part, people won’t even know I’m here. I’ll be taking measurements of the roads and buildings. I’ve got a laser device for that, so it won’t be too obvious. I’ll create a computer model of Dolphin Beach and a model of what would happen during a major earthquake and tsunami. I’d like to present it to you and then to the town, so everyone understands exactly what could happen. The invasive part would be briefly looking at each home and business and creating a personal evacuation plan for those people. I’ll need your permission and the authorization of the town council for that phase. Most towns stop with the public presentation, but I’d really like to do more.”
“Okay,” Willa said tentatively. “Let’s take it to the presentation and then we can see what the mood of the town is after that.”
“Great,” Jason said. “It’ll take me three to four days to get the presentation ready, which looks like Saturday. Would that work for you?”
“I’ll make that happen,” Willa replied. “The city campground is free and there is electricity provided. Just pick your spot and you’re good to go.”
“Perfect,” Jason replied. “Thank you. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
CHAPTER 9
Beijing, China
A week later, Guang Xi, wrapped in a white hooded robe that covered his chest and his head, was lifted into a wheelchair. Dr. Huang supervised his transport to the Government Administration Building where they waited in a small room off the main hallway.
“Who will be here?” Guang Xi asked.
“Premier Li Qijing requested the meeting, so I presume he will be here. I am uncertain beyond that.” Dr. Huang replied.
Guang Xi’s stomach tightened and his breathing became shallow. “What am I supposed to say?”
“I don’t know,” Dr. Huang answered. “Just be open and honest.”
The door opened and several large men entered the room, closed the door and looked around. Apparently satisfied, one of them opened the door again. An older man walked in. He was of medium height and build and wore an expensive suit and silk red-striped tie. His hair was solid black and brushed back. Dr. Huang quickly stood erect and placed his hand on Guang Xi’s shoulder. Guang Xi attempted to stand but the older man shook his head and motioned for Guang Xi to remain seated.
“Premier Li Qijing,” Dr. Huang said, “this is Guang Xi.”
The Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China bowed slightly and looked into the eyes of Guang Xi. “I have heard a great deal about you,” the Premier said. “I am glad to finally meet you.”
“Premier, it is my great honor to be here and be of service to you,” Guang Xi replied, wondering if he was being too personal.
The door opened again and a second man entered the small room. This man was tall, solidly built and wore an Army General’s uniform. Guang Xi noted the applets on his shoulders; they were yellow and gold striped with five gold stars in a circle.
The Premier turned to face the General. “General, this is Guang Xi.” Turning back, the Premier completed the introduction, “Guang Xi, this is General Special Class Hu Jiang Xi, Commander of the People’s Liberation Army.” The General bowed slightly.
Guang Xi opened his mouth to speak, but his mind froze, un
able to form any words.
The General smiled. “May I have a look at your injuries?”
Guang Xi nervously nodded in response. The General stepped forward, knelt down, and gently pulled back the hood from the white robe, and then carefully opened the front of the robe. He quickly examined Guang Xi’s new skin and lack of ears. He tenderly replaced Guang Xi’s robe and looked him straight in the eyes.
“You are a true hero of the People’s Republic of China. You are the only eye witness to the cause of the 8.0 Magnitude earthquake that claimed the lives of almost 70,000 people. Are you certain that the curtain of light you saw is the primary cause of the earthquake?”
Guang Xi glanced up at Dr. Huang, who simply nodded in return. “I have studied the Longmenshan Fault for some time now,” Guang Xi said. “Normally there is some seismic activity that precedes an earthquake of this size, including some electromagnetic activity, which we were monitoring. None of that was present. I am confident that the electromagnetic energy that formed the curtain of light over the fault is the sole cause of the earthquake, and the source of that energy was the American Military facility in Alaska.”
General Hu Jiang Xi nodded slowly, stood up and faced Dr. Huang. “I understand the technology to do this is secret and generally unknown?”
“Very much so,” Dr. Huang replied. “We became aware of it only because Guang Xi was there and survived. Without his knowledge of science, we still wouldn’t know.”
The General turned toward Premier Li Qijing. “I think you’re right. This changes everything. We have to build and demonstrate our own weapon. Only then will we be in a position to stop another attack such as this from happening again.”
“I also think your point of not being able to trust the Americans is well taken. We don’t know what else they are capable of doing,” the Premier said. “Having their people inside our country presents an unacceptable risk.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number. “This decision will affect China financially. I’m bringing in Minister Hu Gao Chen of the Ministry of Commerce.”