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“The rift giving way,” Kurt said.
She nodded.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There had to be a way. He looked around. His gaze fell on the Russian nuclear bomb. “What if it found some other source of energy? A closer source.”
She turned toward the bomb. “That might do it,” she said. “From this range, that might just be enough to collapse the wave.”
Kurt moved to the bomb and opened the case. “Gregorovich. How do I set this?”
“It’s a simple timer,” the Russian managed. “Set the time, press INITIATE, and it will blow at zero.”
Kurt looked for the timer. The control panel had been smashed. He flipped the timer switch to the on position. Nothing happened. He toggled it several times. “The timer is shot,” he said.
“Then you have to set it off manually,” Gregorovich said.
Kurt looked to Joe and Hayley. “You two, get out of here,” he said. “Take the vertical shaft. Get to the ship, if you can.”
“No,” Hayley said. “You can’t stay.”
“Not alone anyway,” Joe said.
The click of a pistol being cocked sounded.
All three of them looked up to see Gregorovich aiming his gun their way. “All of you will leave,” he said. “I will detonate the device.”
Kurt stared at him.
“Look at me,” he said. “I’m not going home.”
“All right,” Kurt said, well aware that Gregorovich was dying. He slid the bomb over to where Gregorovich sat against the wall.
“Remove the timer,” Gregorovich said.
Kurt pulled the timer off. A simple detonation switch rested underneath.
“Arm it.”
Kurt turned the switch to the armed position. “Are you sure you can do this?”
“It’s a simple process,” Gregorovich said. “All I have to do is press the button.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I finish what I start,” Gregorovich said.
“Eight minutes,” Hayley said, looking at the computer screen. “At that moment the wave will be about to crest. It will be at its most unstable. Blow it then. No later or Australia will be in ruins.”
Gregorovich nodded as a new tremor shook the room.
Kurt noticed that this one felt different. Stronger.
It was time to go.
He offered a hand, and Gregorovich shook it. By the time he let go, Joe and Hayley were already climbing down the scaffolding. He went to follow them.
“You were right,” Gregorovich called after him. “Even pawns come in useful every once in a while.”
Kurt nodded and ducked out. He raced to the shaft and began climbing down. Halfway to the bottom, the cave shook again as if something solid had hit it. Cracks began snaking their way up and down the walls, and frigid, icy water began pouring in from above.
