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Bryan shut down the cameras and began hitting buttons with clear anxiety. “Dumping all ballast.”
TheCormorantstarted to ascend.
Phoebe stared up. “We have a long way to go.”
More than eight miles.
“We can do it,” Adam said, though he was unsure what sort of reception they’d get up top. There continued to be no word from theTitan X.
A loud grumbling arose around the vehicle as it shot upward. It shook theCormorantand grew steadily in volume and strength. They all shared worried looks, knowing what it was.
Another quake.
“How much farther until we reach the fissure?” Adam asked.
“Pinging sonar up there now,” Phoebe said.
Adam waited breathlessly.
“Another half mile,” she reported.
He leaned forward to view her screen. It showed a bottom-up view into the crevice. Once they reached it, they still had to climb another three thousand meters to clear it. He prayed he was wrong about the nuclear warheads below.
But if I’m right, we need to be well away from here.
Phoebe continued to ping the roof over their head.
Adam sat back, knowing there was nothing he could do. They were at the mercy of buoyancy and pressure.
“No, no, no...” Phoebe moaned.
Adam leaned forward again. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head and hit the sonar button, casting another wave upward.
He studied the image and spotted a small dot dropping from the bottom of the fissure. He pointed at it. “What’s that?”
“Can’t tell. Likely some falling debris. Maybe a rock dislodged from the cliffs overhead.”
“A damned big rock,” Adam warned.
“It doesn’t matter.” She studied the screen. “We have a far bigger problem.”
“What?”
“The fissure.” She faced them all. “The quake is closing it.”
Datuk jerked forward. “What?”
Adam stared up. “If so, we need to get moving faster.”
All eyes turned to Bryan, who shook his head. They were already ascending as quickly as they could.
“Can we reach the fissure in time?” Adam asked.
“Yes,” Phoebe said, “but it’ll do us no good.”
Datuk frowned. “Why?”
