AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally...
During the past hour, Heng had sectioned off a sliver of the black coral found in the museum’s box and mounted it with double-sided carbon tape to the SEM’s aluminum stud, then air-sprayed away particulate debris. It had taken extra time, but he had wanted as clean an image as possible.
Heng opened the folder, which contained a pair of photos at different magnifications. He tapped the first one. The image showed two crusty holes—calledcalyxes—which was where the polyps normally nested within the coral.
Xue placed a hand on Heng’s shoulder as he leaned closer. His palm was hot, as was his breath on Heng’s cheek. “Does this look like the same type of calcification you found in the afflicted submariners?”
“Maybe.” Heng stammered a bit, flustered with the man so close. “Let me be sure.”
Heng opened the second image. It revealed a magnified close-up of the crystals bordering one of the calyxes.
Xue’s fingers tightened on Heng’s shoulder. “They’re orthorhombic crystals. Same as those found in the submariners’ tissues.”
“And the lunar dust collected by Chang’e-5’s lander,” Heng added.
“Well done.” Xue patted his shoulder.
Heng’s face heated up. He shifted out of the man’s reach before turning around. “But what does this prove?”
Excitement brightened Xue’s eyes as he continued to stare at the screen. “It proves that the events of the pastdohave bearing on the present.”
“If so, what now? You said there was an avenue of pursuit that you still wanted to investigate on the island.”
Xue straightened to his full height. “There is a site that I’d like to check out. Where Sir Stamford Raffles kept an office while he resided here as lieutenant-governor.”
“The old governor’s office? It’s still here?”
“It is. The original city hall of Batavia still stands. It was turned into the Jakarta History Museum.” Xue waved Heng up. “Now that you’ve confirmed that history is indeed repeating itself, we have no more time to waste.”
Heng hurried to gather his research material. “Why? What’s the rush?”
Xue looked back over his shoulder. “I was told a few minutes ago that the Americans are headed there, too—to the same museum.”
“Told by whom?” Heng asked.
Xue ignored him. He was halfway across the lab, striding toward the exit, ready to rouse Captain Wen. Heng suspected the chance to confront the Americans again would be enough to convince the captain to remain on the island.
More than survival, Wen surely had a greater desire, especially after losing seven of his men.
Revenge.
Fifth
24
January 24, 6:32A.M.NCT
Under the Coral Sea
Kowalski lost count of the number of times he had stalked around the circumference of Tethys Tier. It had to be more than a thousand.
At least, it felt that way.
It had been three hours since the station had uncoupled into pieces. Frustrated, he ground the stub of his cold cigar between his molars. The others had made him snub it out, complaining about the limited air in the twenty-yard-wide tier—whichwasa growing concern.
They couldn’t stay down here forever. While each level could become its own saucer-shaped submersible, the oxygen reserves were limited. Normally the carbon-fiber tanks were replaced from topside shipments. But Tethys Tier had been late for its replenishment due to the recent quakes. According to Byrd, they had maybe another six hours of reserves left before they’d all asphyxiate.
Still, they dared not head straight back up.
