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deal of the responsibility would fall upon
local emergency response personnel and local elected leaders.
    Tom
walked into the conference room and was happy to find his team assembled and
ready.
    “All
right, bring up the feed, Keith.”
    Keith
Peterson brought up the satellite imagery on the monitor and began to switch
between the various images.
    “The
first image was taken a week ago, and you can see the deformation beginning to
take place in the lower quadrant of the frame. The next image was taken
yesterday, and you can see that the deformation has increased substantially,
which would correspond to magma build-up in, and around, El Misti .”
    “Theresa,
what are the gas monitors telling us?” Tom asked Theresa Gonsalves ,
a local engineer with the IGP.
    “The
sensors are showing that the volume of gas is increasing, which corresponds
with the other data we’re receiving. It looks like the indicators are all
there.”
    “Unfortunately,
I agree,” Tom said. “Unless this magma build-up suddenly finds a place to
dissipate, it looks like we have a dangerous situation developing here.
Theresa, we need you make the arrangements for us to meet with local civil
defense authorities, so we can start the emergency planning process. Keith,
contact the regional office to get our logistics staff out here as soon as we
can. I want a rough outline of a plan put together in the next seventy-two
hours. Let’s get moving people, we have a lot of work to do.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 
    The Humvee sped along the dusty road,
kicking rocks into the air as it raced towards a destination unknown to Sam who
sat wedged between armed mercenaries. As disturbing as it had been seeing her
colleagues gunned down in front of her, Sam was equally dismayed at being
forced into a military vehicle with weapon toting thugs. None
the less , Sam wouldn’t allow her captors to see the faintest sign of
distress. Her eyes were alert, as she scanned back and forth between the
soldiers seated in the Humvee—her mind working on a solution. She glanced
over at Monica who wasn’t faring as well. She seemed catatonic, clutching Sam’s
arm as her only lifeline to sanity. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see
that the lead abductor, Captain Middleton, couldn’t suppress a sickeningly evil
grin, as he contemplated their fates.
    The Humvee pulled into a
compound, which more resembled a resort than a forward operating base. Although
the buildings were only temporary structures, to the untrained eye they seemed
as solidly built and as permanent as concrete and steel reinforced buildings
that might be found at any commercial park. The complex was laid out in a
semi-circular pattern with the administrative building in the center and the
other facets of the compound emanating outward. To the east was the small dock
and shipping area with a container ship awaiting its cargo. Near it, was a
small loading crane and container truck of the variety found at commercial
ports. A small warehouse sat at the western end of the shipping area. To the
west of the administration building was a small landing pad with a shiny new Eurocopter EC 135 sitting at its center. The beautiful,
luxury copter looked like a large, looming bird sitting with its nose facing
the Humvee, rotors sagging under their own weight. To the north of the
administration building, were the luxury living quarters, complete with dining
facility, staff quarters and command center. Sam mused that it was amazing what
could be accomplished when money wasn’t an object.
    The mercenaries led the
academics into the main administration area where their host was waiting. Dumond stood in the doorway, his hands clasped behind his
back, a wry smile upon his face. “Welcome to my compound.”
    “Who are you, what do you
want with us, and what have you done with my father?” Sam seethed, her eyes
narrowing as she looked into Dumond’s .
    “Dr. Randall, I’m
offended. Is this the way to treat the man who