Page 40 of Pressure Point (Lantern Beach Blackout: Detonation #2)

CHAPTER

FORTY

Quinn approached the weather modification equipment with a mixture of recognition and dread. Her hands were already reaching for controls she didn’t consciously remember learning to operate.

The setup was more sophisticated than anything she’d imagined—banks of atmospheric monitoring equipment, ionospheric heating controls, and ocean thermal manipulation systems all coordinated through a central command interface.

But as she studied the displays, fragments of memory began crystallizing into technical knowledge.

“This is it.” She sucked in a deep breath before her fingers began moving across the control panels with growing confidence. “The ionospheric heaters are running at maximum output, superheating sections of the upper atmosphere to create pressure differentials that feed energy into the storm.”

On the central monitor, she saw Hurricane Delilah’s real-time data—wind speeds, pressure readings, the storm track. All of it artificially enhanced beyond what nature could produce.

“The ocean thermal system is heating water temperature by eight degrees along the hurricane’s path,” Quinn continued. “And they’re coordinating cloud seeding flights every forty minutes to maintain optimal moisture content in the storm’s eye wall.”

Atlas moved closer, watching her work with intense focus. “How do we shut it down?”

She pulled up on the monitoring computer what looked like a cascading shutdown protocol, her fingers hesitating over the controls.

“I need to reverse the enhancement gradually. Step down the ionospheric heating first. Then I need to reduce the ocean thermal output so I can disrupt the cloud seeding coordination.”

“How long will that take?”

“Twenty minutes for a safe shutdown.” Quinn’s voice sounded tight with concentration. “But, Atlas, I’m not sure we have twenty minutes. The storm’s already past the point where gradual reduction might work.”

She looked at another option on the screen—an emergency shutdown that would cut all enhancement systems simultaneously. The warnings displayed in red text made her stomach clench: CAUTION: RAPID SYSTEM TERMINATION MAY CAUSE SEVERE ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY.

“There’s a faster way,” she said quietly.

“Emergency termination of all systems. It would stop the artificial enhancement immediately. But the atmospheric feedback could create dangerous conditions—microbursts, massive wind shears, pressure waves that could be just as destructive as the enhanced hurricane.”

Quinn looked up at Atlas, then Jake and saw the weight of the decision in their expressions.

“If I do the emergency shutdown, Hurricane Delilah will weaken rapidly,” she continued to explain. “But the process could create dangerous localized storms. If I try the gradual shutdown, we might run out of time before it takes effect.”

Her hands hovered over the controls, the fate of thousands of people hanging on their decision. Around them, Hurricane Delilah continued to strengthen with man-made fury.

Quinn closed her eyes, trying to calculate wind patterns, pressure differentials, and the complex atmospheric dynamics that would result from either choice.

When she opened her eyes, her decision was made.

“Emergency shutdown,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. “We can’t risk letting the storm reach full artificial enhancement. Do you agree?”

Jake and Atlas exchanged a glance. Then they both nodded.

“Do what you need to do,” Jake said.

Quinn’s fingers flew across the controls, initiating shutdown sequences for all three enhancement systems simultaneously.

Warning alarms began blaring as the equipment protested.

On the central monitor, Hurricane Delilah’s data began changing. But not fast enough.

Pressure readings began fluctuating. Wind speeds dropped.

“It’s starting to work.” Quinn watched the monitor and frowned. “But Atlas, the atmospheric instability?—”

Thunder crashed overhead.

She prayed she hadn’t created a weather system that was even worse than Delilah. Please, Lord . . .

They were playing with fire right now.

She had to completely shut this program down before it could do more damage.

And she prayed she wasn’t making a terrible choice in doing so.