The Extinction Series | Book 1 | Point of Extinction

by Ellis, Tara

  It was just the sort of thing Henry would have loved to screw with. Considering the drilling was the inadvertent cause of the surprise submarine volcano; raking a major corporation over the public coals was the kind of thing he lived for.

  Madeline ran her hands through her forever frizzy hair and then decided to seek out a new whiskey bottle. She wasn’t a patient person. Her mind wouldn’t shut off while she waited for the callback, which often led to either brilliant revelations or dark, tumultuous emotions. She could tell which way she was leaning.

  In the twelve hours since the collapse of the seafloor, Mads had come to an inescapable conclusion. While the undetected pocket of magma would have spewed to create the island regardless of ICONS involvement, the subsequent cataclysmic explosion earlier that day was likely due to the methane clathrate’s exposure to the magma. While they had no way of knowing about the undersea caldera, they did know about the methane.

  Mads hand shook as she poured the fiery liquid and she couldn’t get it to her mouth fast enough. Ignoring the whiskey that sloshed onto her chin, she took the cup with her to stand in front of her ever-growing board of information. Next to it was the new edition of a world map, taped to the wall. She’d run out of tacks and so the six locations were now marked with her anniversary pins from the university. For whatever reason, she’d kept them. When digging through her desk prior to her impulsive need to go pick vegetables, the container they were stored in had fallen onto the floor and they’d spilled out. Now, little solid gold emblems numbered one through six stuck out on each hemisphere.

  Yarn was tied to each pin, and led to the page of corresponding information next to it on the cork board. In addition to the MOHO, Libi Nati geyser, and Cascadia Subduction Zone, there were pins on Yellowstone, Turkmenistan, and Iceland.

  Twelve hours. In only half a day, six previously unconnected natural phenomena had either gone off or were showing signs of extreme change and indications of continuing catastrophic destruction.

  Old Faithful had suddenly stopped putting on a show. It always experienced periods of increasing and decreasing pressure on a regular basis, which wasn’t unusual for geysers. Except on that day, it simply stopped steaming, along with all of the other geothermal features in the park surrounding it.

  In Turkmenistan, a country to the north of Iran, an unsettling anomaly nicknamed the Door to Hell had stopped burning. Its real name was the Darvaza Gas Crater, a two-hundred-foot-wide hole created when an oil rig collapsed into an unknown pocket of methane. It was intentionally set on fire in 1971 to prevent the spread of methane gas into nearby towns. It was expected to burn out in a matter of weeks, but instead continued burning for fifty years. Until then.

  In southern Iceland, both Eyjafjallajokull and Katla volcanos were showing increased seismic activity. Historically, the two were thought to be connected and often erupted together, though it hadn’t occurred for some time. Katla was the greater concern. She was a massive, dangerous volcano capable of a V6 eruption, which had last occurred in 930 A.D..

  Mads picked up a compass from the table below the map and board. She’d already connected a red pen to the drawing implement and used it to make some best-guess circles around the first three events, indicating their current danger-zones. Taking another large swallow from her drink, she set the cup down and began to make three more additional circles around Old Faithful, the Door to Hell, and Katla. They were rough guesses, and for Yellowstone she went with a smaller V6 eruption vs a historical V8 or V9. If that happened, she couldn’t draw a big enough circle.

  Stepping back, Mads carefully scrutinized the results. Though she could feel the effects of the alcohol, it wasn’t enough to adequately numb her fear. She believed her mountain home was safe for the time being, though she suspected it wouldn’t take long for that to change.

  The potential for devastating seismic and geophysical anomalies was endless. If she was right, and the growing chain of events continued, in the end there would likely be very few safe places on the planet. Mads saw it as her responsibility to locate where those safe havens would be.

  It was her only chance for redemption. It was also the only way she’d be able to maintain enough control to make sure the truth never got out. Mads would survive, and she’d ensure those with the ability to procure her survival were dependent on her for both her expertise and ability to position ICONS as the dominating world power when the dust settled.

  Her computer chimed and Mads flinched before standing up straighter and setting her mouth in a firm line. It was time to go to work. First, she had to talk to Peta Kelly.

  Chapter 26

  PETA

  Somewhere over the Indian Ocean

  Northeast of Madagascar

  “It’ll be another half hour.” Lieutenant Rogers grunted as Peta cinched down the makeshift bandage on his arm.

  She frowned at her handywork. “You should have let me at this hours ago,” Peta chastised. “It was bleeding worse than you let on.”

  “The bullet went through. I’ll live,” Rogers said stoically. He shifted in the pilot’s seat so that she had to let go of the torn t-shirt she was still tying off. Peta had kicked Ensign Hernandez out of his co-pilot spot so she could gain access to Rogers. She understood the tough-guy routine, and not wanting to make a big deal out his wound when so many people were dying, but they also needed him conscious.

  Trying a different approach, Peta leaned back and scrutinized him. “You won’t do us any good as a pilot if you pass out from blood loss, you idiot.”

  Scoffing, he shook his head and turned again so Peta could finish her knot. “True, but the sort of navigating I’ve been doing for the past five hours meant the difference between us getting to the correct coordinates or being helplessly lost. Having a pilot won’t matter if we run out of fuel before finding the boat.”

  Peta tucked the loose ends in, content to see there wasn’t any blood seeping through yet. A little pressure did wonders. She motioned for him to go back to his navigating, but remained in the co-pilot’s seat. Hearing him talk about how precarious their situation was, stirred up fresh emotions. She wasn’t ready to return to the others until she got them under control. It seemed the later it got, the harder it was for her to remain positive and composed.

  If she’d done the math right, Peta figured it was sometime around three thirty in the morning, depending on if they were still in the same time zone. They’d been heading roughly north by northeast and were several hundred miles out into the middle of the Indian ocean.

  It was dark. So dark, that looking outside was disorienting. “Is it normally so lightless?” she asked. “Aren’t there normally some stars or moonlight?”

  “Yeah.” Rogers reached out and pushed at some random buttons and stared at a readout before glancing over at her. “The ash plume has already spread out into the upper atmosphere. It’s got to be higher than anything ever seen before, because it’s blocking out everything and making navigation and communications pretty shitty. It’s like we’re a surfer skidding along under the crest of a wave right now, and it’s still up in the air as to whether we’re going to make it out before it comes crashing down.”

  Peta didn’t appreciate the imagery. “We’re close?”

  “Close, but we’ll be on fumes so the boat better be there. I haven’t been able to raise anyone on the radio for over an hour.”

  Peta sat silently, mulling the information over. There was no need to respond. Sitting there in the dark, she didn’t feel like she needed to make small talk. Devon, Tyler, and his dad all fell asleep after a couple of tense hours. Peta tried to do the same. Unfortunately, in spite of how utterly exhausted she was, sleep evaded her. Probably for the best, since with all the stress she’d just fall back into her nightmare. It was a toss-up as to which was the worst option.

  The ensuing hours of solitary silence under the faint glow of the cabin light of the Sea King turned into a time of reflection for Peta. While under the constant adrenaline rus
h since the onset of the eruption, she hadn’t thought of anything beyond surviving the moment she was in. Not even about her mom, the only family Peta had back in Australia. She should be fine where she lived, but would be frantic with worry about Peta. She was hoping the radio on the helicopter might be a way to get a message to her, which was another reason Peta demanded Rogers let her up there to look at his arm. Though not surprised to learn the radio wasn’t working again, she was still disappointed.

  Peta hadn’t seen her mother for almost ten months, since being sent to Mauritius Island. They hadn’t been close though for years. Not since—

  “So, where are you from?”

  Peta twitched in response to Rogers’ voice and her eyes sprung open. She’d been drifting off, and already headed down the nightmare road. Thankful for the distraction, she wiped at her mouth and cleared her throat. “Um, Australia. A very small ocean town in Queensland. My parents had a farm, growing up, but mom sold it a long time ago, after dad died.” Blushing, Peta closed her eyes and took a breath to clear her head. She hadn’t meant to say so much. Remembering how proper social etiquette dictated she now ask a question, she rushed on before he could respond. “How about you? Where do you call home when you aren’t deployed?”

  Rogers grunted, running his good hand over his high-and-tight haircut. “I wish it were an easy answer, but I haven’t really called anywhere home for a few years. I go wherever I’m ordered, and it doesn’t make sense to have a home base since it would only sit empty.”

  “How long have you been in the navy?”

  Rogers shrugged and instead of looking at Peta he pushed more buttons. “Long enough so that I don’t remember much of anything else.”

  Peta wondered why he was being so evasive. She thought back over the past few months since Diego Garcia became more involved, and started having soldiers stay in the bunker on Mauritius. She’d been too obsessed with the work to pay much attention, but she couldn’t remember a time when they ever interacted with the rest of the research staff. In addition to herself, Devon, and Henry, there were four other scientists who rotated through. On a fully-staffed day, there’d be up to four of them in the lab, plus the front desk clerk. They’d set up several areas as a cafeteria, break room, and game room since they were essentially living there. She couldn’t remember seeing the soldiers more than a few times.

  Was that by design? Or was it because of Henry’s well-known aversion to ICONS? The thought stirred Peta’s earlier curiosity about the patch on the jumpsuits. Until seeing it, she’d had no idea the military had any affiliation with them. Though her knowledge on such things was limited, she didn’t think it was normal.

  Never one to skirt around an issue, Peta pointed at the infinity symbol on Rogers’ shoulder. “I’m curious about the whole ICONS thing and why you’ve got that patch on your shoulder. When did the US military start collaborating with private corporations?”

  There’d been rumors from the beginning about ICONS involvement in the initial drilling expedition. Most of it was fueled by Henry, though there’d been some rumbling from the crew of Outlander hinting at some off-the-books stuff.

  “You’re making a lot of assumptions,” Rogers answered. His friendly tone from earlier was gone.

  “All patched up, sir?” Hernandez interrupted, leaning forward into the cramped space in between Rogers and Peta.

  Rogers looked over at Peta evenly. Though his expression was hard to read in the shadowy light, she could see enough to understand her presence was no longer wanted. “Yeah, I’m good. Let’s get to work on our final approach.”

  Peta stood up and awkwardly made her way around Hernandez, avoiding eye-contact with the lieutenant. She felt like she’d normally be able to make sense of what he was implying, but her brain felt like it was in a fog. She was missing something, and it fueled a growing sense of unease about the unknown aspects of their rescue.

  As Peta walked back to the sleeping forms of the other passengers, she decided to do a little more digging. She nudged Bill Edmonds with her foot until he stirred and then sat looking around, confused.

  “Are we there?” he asked, taking his glasses from his front pocket.

  “Almost,” Peta whispered, scooting closer. “I have some questions for you.”

  Bill looked concerned and his eyes flicked toward the cockpit.

  “They can’t hear us,” Peta urged, leaning to within a few inches of him so he could hear her over the steady droning of the helicopter.

  “What kind of questions?” Bill set his glasses in place. “I’m sure you know a lot more about what’s happening than I do.”

  “Not according to your son.”

  Bill flinched. Peta knew it was a low-blow, but it was also the truth. They didn’t have time for niceties. She’d allowed the soft-spoken man to first shush and then console his obviously distraught son earlier, but she wasn’t letting him off the hook so easily.

  “It’s true that my wife suspected we were possibly headed for a large volcanic event, based on some new information that was shared with her.” Bill looked down at his son and then back at Peta. He was obviously racked by the same guilt as Tyler, whether it was misplaced or not. “But, my God, nothing on this scale. She was talking about being prepared for a few days of ashfall and then the airports being a mess if people tried to leave. We were in the process of arranging for me and Tyler to move in the next month. If she’d had any idea of what’—” His voice caught, and he looked away.

  Peta placed a hand on his arm and waited for him to collect himself and face her again. “I had the same information, Bill. Probably more. So, if there’s any blame to pass around here, you need to count me in. As well as the whole oversight board. The head scientist leading the investigation into the submarine volcano was Doctor Henry Crane. He was a long-time teacher, colleague and mentor of mine. He tried to warn everyone that something could happen, though not on this scale. No one would listen. Not even me.” It was Peta’s turn to look away.

  “Was?”

  Peta nodded in response to the question. “He was on a deep-sea submersible trying to gather some more evidence when the collapse happened.” Eager to change the topic, she jumped to the other question she had. “Your wife is in the Navy?”

  “Intelligence Officer,” Bill confirmed.

  Peta saw Tyler stirring and hurried on before Bill became distracted. “Then you understand about their uniforms, and patches, and stuff?”

  Bill shrugged. “I suppose, to a certain degree.”

  “Did you notice the ICONS logo Rogers and Hernandez have on their uniforms?”

  “Those aren’t Navy uniforms,” Tyler said while pushing himself into a sitting position.

  Both Bill and Peta stared at him. “What do you mean?” she asked.

  Tyler rubbed sleepily at his eyes and then slid in closer so he didn’t have to yell to be heard. “I guess they’re probably the right color and stuff, but didn’t you notice there isn’t anything else on them except for their rank and the ICONS thing?”

  Bill pushed his fingers into his right temple and rubbed them in a circle while wincing. “I wasn’t paying any attention to the guys’ uniforms. I was more concerned about being shot at and getting off that island.”

  “It was like Mom’s.”

  Bill stopped tending to his headache and looked at his son. “What are you talking about?”

  “In her bag.” Tyler squirmed under his father’s scrutiny but didn’t back down. “After you guys argued the night before she left, I…um, went through her stuff.”

  “Why would you do that?” Bill sounded more surprised than mad.

  Tyler glanced at Peta before answering. “I only heard part of what you said. I was trying to figure out why we had to move. Anyway, she had a new uniform in there. Like those guys,” he said, gesturing to the front of the helicopter. “Right color, but none of the regular Navy stuff on it. Except for her rank and the ICONS thing.”

  Peta mulled the information
over while the father and son silently stared at each other. She didn’t normally get along well with children and found them difficult to understand, especially teens, but she had to admit she liked this kid. “Does the placement of the ICONS patch mean anything?”

  Tyler frowned. “Yeah. It normally means what unit you’re serving with.”

  You’re making a lot of assumptions…

  Peta’s head jerked up and she saw that Rogers was already turned around, watching them. Was he even in the Navy, or was he a soldier belonging to a different sort of army?

  Rogers pointed to his headset and then at Peta. Reaching out numbly, she put hers back on.

  “Get ready,” he said. “We’re descending now and will be over the rendezvous site in less than five klicks.”

  After relaying the message to Bill and Tyler, Peta shook Devon awake. “It’s time,” she said simply.

  Minutes later, the outside floodlights on the helicopter flashed on, blinding them all momentarily. Squinting, Peta and Tyler edged forward until they could stare out at the ocean. There was the beginning of a very faint glow on the far horizon, which was at least a slight improvement, though it allowed for them to confirm her worst fears. She and Tyler looked at each other, and she imagined his face accurately reflected what she was feeling.

  There was no sign of a boat.

  Chapter 27

  TYLER

  Somewhere over the Indian Ocean

  Northeast of Madagascar

  “Thirty minutes,” Devon said for at least the tenth time. “This thing will float for a half hour before it sinks.”

  Tyler gave him a look of annoyance before cinching down his life vest. He didn’t need the constant reminder that having escaped being killed by fire and gas, he now got to look forward to drowning.