Page 63

Near the Hilo Botanical Gardens, Hawai‘i

Rachel Sherrill looked out the window of her hotel room and saw the helicopters in the distance, which made her think back to the day, years ago, when helicopters had appeared over the botanical gardens.

She had finally turned off the television, having watched all the local reactions to General Mark Rivers’s announcement about martial law; all the reporters were anticipating demonstrations in downtown Hilo and perhaps even at the Military Reserve.

Rachel sat down at her desk and fired up her laptop and saw that Rivers’s decision was being covered by all the cable news networks and the major newspapers on the mainland. And #martiallaw was the number one trending topic on social media.

They’re declaring martial law because of an eruption?Rachel thought.

She checked her watch.

If they hadn’t been delayed on their way from the airport by the first demonstrations, they should be here any minute.

She fixed herself another cup of coffee from the minibar setup and took it to the terrace. The helicopters were gone from the sky, perhaps off to invade O‘ahu.

Maybe Oliver Cutler, that grandstanding gasbag, had been right. Rachel had seen him on the news once she got back to her room after trying in vain to catch up with John MacGregor. Maybe this eruption was going to be the Biggest One, and that was all there was to the story.

But by now, Rachel Sherrill’s paranoia levels were high, especially when it came to anything involving the United States Army. It didn’t take much to make her flash back to the blackened banyan grove. This time it had been the helicopters.

She heard loud knocking on her door.

When she opened it, she saw a young man and a young woman. The guy had shaggy hair and a beard and wore a T-shirt underneath his wrinkled sport jacket. The young woman wore a white summer dress and reminded Rachel of Halle Berry.

“Rachel?” the guy asked.

Rachel grinned. “I have a feeling you know that already.”

The guy said, “Hey, we’re from the New York Times. We know everything.”

“Even when it’s not fit to print,” the young woman said. “May we come in?”