Page 64 of Wild Oblivion

The FBI and the bomb squad went in with dogs and handheld ETD sniffers. We searched every inch of the place. The aquarium was a massive facility with dozens of large tanks that housed all kinds of aquatic life.

Nothing turned up.

We searched offices, storerooms, trash cans, the cafe, the kitchen, everything.

No bomb.

That sense of dread affected us all. Nervous anticipation slicked skin and elevated heartbeats. A ticking bomb on an unreliable timeline. The explosive device could go off at any moment.

We all regrouped near the main entrance. Looks of frustration abounded.

Emily had arrived and joined the party.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I thought I might be able to help.”

I noticed the ring on her finger. It looked like she had accepted Ashton’s proposal. I’m sure he played up the traumatic experience in the jewelry store. It certainly would make a hell of a story to tell their kids someday. I felt torn and really wanted to tell her what a douchebag he was.

"Are you sure this is the location, Wild?" Thompson asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure about anything. If you can tell me whatno clue is the cluemeans, be my guest.”

Thompson's mouth tensed with frustration. "We've searched the premises, but we haven't searched the tanks. What if he planted the device underwater?”

It was something we hadn't considered.

"Underwater shock waves travel more efficiently," I said. "But we have no way of knowing how this might affect a quantum pulse bomb.”

“It could amplify it," Emily said.

That was not what Thompson wanted to hear.

The aquariums were built to look like natural habitats. If the bomber was smart, he could have designed this device to resemble a rock at the bottom of the sea floor. It would be almost impossible to find.

Thompson looked at his watch. We had a little over four hours left, if the bomber had been truthful.

"Even if you discover the bomb in the water, it makes it that much harder to deactivate," I said. "Based on past experience, this guy likes to use mercury switches. He may use some other type of mobility sensor. If we can find the device, I doubt we'll be able to remove it without setting it off.”

Thompson's face tightened. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but he knew I was right.

“There's no way we can image it underwater,” I continued. “No way to identify the trigger logic to disarm it. We also run the risk of the wildlife bumping into it and triggering a motion sensor.”

“Cut all power and electricity to the building,” Thompson said. “I want this entire block cleared. I also want to interrogate every employee of the aquarium, and everyone who's had access over the last several weeks. This thing could have been sitting dormant in there for God knows how long.”

"Have all the neighboring buildings been evacuated?" I asked.

"Yes," Daniels said.

“Good.”

I surveyed the area, then spotted something that made me second-guess myself.

33

The Zero Point Technology building was directly across the street. I wondered if that might be the target.

“I thought you said all the buildings had been evacuated?” I said as I spotted a man in a 12th-floor window of the Zero Point building.