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Lani Hotel, Hilo, Hawai‘i

Rivers and Brett were still going at each other when the lights came back on in the ballroom.

“How could you go behind my back this way?” Brett snapped.

“If you look at the big picture,” Rivers said, “you’re the one who thought he could go behind my back, and Dr. MacGregor’s, poaching two of his people at a time when he needs all the help he can get.”

“I do what I have to do.”

“So do I, Mr. Brett,” Rivers said. “So do I.”

Brett wasn’t backing down. “Sometimes I ask myself what I’m still doing here.”

“Sometimes, Mr. Brett, I ask myself the same damn thing.”

Brett stood, nearly knocking over his chair as he did. “I don’t have to listen to this shit.”

“We both know you’re not going anywhere,” Rivers said. “Now sit your ass back down and listen to what Dr. MacGregor explained to the president a little while ago about the additional steps we have to take to save your ass and this island.”

Mac stood up and walked to the front of the ballroom.

“Okay, I’ll get right to it, we’ve clearly wasted enough time here already,” Mac said, looking directly at Brett as he did. “This thing might happen sooner than we thought, judging from the events of today. It’s why the first thing we need to do, and I mean first thing in the morning, is start covering as much territory near the Military Reserve as we can with metal sheeting.”

Brett laughed suddenly. The sound came out raw and harsh.

“Perfect,” he said sarcastically. “You’re going to turn this island into more of a firetrap than it already is if the general lets you. Just how hard did you get hit in the head today?”

“Let him finish,” Rivers said. “Or you can leave.”

“It’s going to have to be material with an extraordinarily high melting point,” Mac continued, ignoring Brett. “My team and I”—Mac paused—“or at least, my original team, gamed this out early on. Tungsten melts at six thousand degrees Fahrenheit. Titanium is right around three thousand degrees.”

Rebecca raised a hand. “You know this whole area better than anyone,” she said. “So that means you know how many square miles we’re talking about.”

“Trust me, I do,” he said. “But I believe the job is doable with the full backing of the army. Just one more thing we’re throwing at the mountain and hoping sticks.”

“Full backing, and cost be damned,” Rivers said. “There are no titanium reserves in the National Defense Stockpile, so the president has authorized me to do whatever is necessary to get this job done. We’ve purchased titanium from Japan and even China to go with the small amounts we’ve already brought in from mines in Nevada and Utah. It’s not as much as we need, but it’s all we’re getting on short notice. The president is more aware than ever of what we’re up against and the unimaginable consequences if our mission fails.”

Mac walked back to his table and picked up a folder filled with colored maps.

“Look at the highlighted areas,” he said, passing the maps around. “If this works,” he said, “we can still bury the bombs and get rid of most of the dirt and rocks in the time we have left before the eruption. Questions?”

“Just one,” Brett said. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”

Mac shrugged. “Probably.”