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“And the others?”
The technician hesitated. Kurt pointed the sword toward him. “I could give you that haircut now if you’d like.”
The hesitation ended. “We’re studying them.”
“Obviously.” The labful of equipment around them was quite impressive. “Why? What’s Han looking for?”
“An alloy,” the technician said. “It’s called Golden Adamant. It has . . . unique properties. So far, it’s only been found deep within volcanic fissures. It’s believed Japan has a source. Possibly, under Mount Fuji. One of these swords may have been made with such an alloy. We were told to learn where the swords came from, how they were forged, what their metal contents are and in what manner the alloys were blended. Most importantly, to determine where the ore was mined.”
Joe’s eyebrows went up. “Now we know what Han’s people were looking for at the bottom of the East China Sea.”
“It was a first effort,” the technician said. “But the mine played itself out.”
“How was it done?” Kurt asked.
“Ultrasonic waves and high-intensity vibrations combined with a carbon-silicon fracking liquid,” the technician told them. “A unique system allows us to mine deeply without drilling.”
“Sounds logical,” Kurt said. “Did you intend to bring up vast amounts of subterranean water along with it?”
“Water was always released in the process,” the technician said. “It’s marginal.”
Kurt’s eyebrows now went up. “Marginal? Maybe you’re not aware of just how much water you’re releasing. Your fractures are bringing up millions of gallons every second of every day. Enough to flood the coastal plains around the world in a year if we don’t stop it.”
“Impossible,” the man said.
“You’ll see how possible it is very shortly,” Kurt said.
“Not if we don’t get out of here,” Joe mentioned. “Every minute we delay makes it more likely that someone notices we’ve gone missing.”
That was true. Kurt looked back at the technician. “We had an equipment bag when we came in here. I’ve lost the claim check, but if you could point out where it’s been stored . . .”
The man glanced toward a locker. Joe pried it open and found their bag, complete with swim fins, masks and the small oxygen bottles. The infrared goggles lay beside the pack. “It’s all here. Including our radio transceiver.”
“Any guns?”
Joe looked through a couple other lockers. “No.”
“Take this one,” Kurt said, handing it to Joe. “I’m going to carry the sword. After all this time, it should be returned to its rightful owners.”
Joe took the pistol and Kurt waved the technician to his feet. “You’re coming with us. You’ve got some explaining to do.”
Nagano gagged the technician and took a radio from his belt, while Kurt opened the door and checked the tunnel both ways. The tunnel was clear. “Let’s go.”
They started for the exit and were soon approaching the assembly room. As they moved past, the door swung open without warning and two of the workers came out, speaking to each other in Chinese.
They stopped in their tracks as they noticed Kurt and Joe and their gagged colleague.
Kurt pushed the technician aside and lunged toward the new arrivals, but they dove back through the doorway and slammed it. Seconds later, an alert was called out over the intercom. “The prisoners have escaped. They’re in the main tunnel. Repeat. Prisoners have escaped.”
Kurt tossed their hostage aside. The man would only slow them down. There was nothing to do now but run for it. “Go, go, go!” he shouted and the three of them rushe
d toward the exit of the mine.
53
GAO WAS still in the recording room when the warning came out over the intercom. He responded instantly. “Where are they?”
“Main tunnel. Outside the assembly room. They’re armed.”
