Carmine (Rage MC: The Prospects #7)

Chapter Four.

Molly

I t was nine o’clock, and the meeting was starting in half an hour. I’d been in the car park for forty minutes, trying to get the courage up to enter. I’d thrown up twice this morning with nerves, as memories of last time had assaulted me. And now I sat shaking like a leaf. There was a knock on my passenger door, and then it opened, and Carmine slid inside.

“You can’t hide here all day,” he stated, grinning.

“I’m terrified,” I blurted, and Carmine reached out for my hand. Taking it, he ran his fingers over mine.

“Yeah, I can see that. Consider this. Those assholes we’ve invited from EROS already spat their shit at you. They can only repeat the same from before. But if they fail to act, then trust me, Mom and Dad won’t. You’re trying to save lives, not look like someone important, Molly. So, fuck them and their stuck-up attitude. We need one person to take you seriously,” Carmine said.

“Just one,” I muttered.

“You have firepower in your corner. Use it. Mom believes in you, and Rage does, too. Dad went back to the club and called church. They’ve already created plans to support you. If EROS don’t listen, fine, we are,” Carmine soothed.

“I can do this,” I whispered.

“Yeah. Because your data isn’t supposition, it’s fact, so remember that!”

“Thanks for the pep talk!” I said, throwing my arms around him in a hug.

Carmine hesitated, and I went to pull back, but he held me tightly against him. “You won’t be alone, I’ll stand with you,” he murmured.

Blushing red from my impromptu behaviour, I nodded.

“And nobody pisses Mom off,” he added with a laugh. “Come on, Molly. Let’s get this done.”

◆◆◆

I almost rushed out when I saw the crowded room I walked into. Phoenix was waiting by the door with Drake, and they made it very clear they supported me as they followed me to a podium on a small stage. Carmine and Klutz handed out the packets I’d created, and Phoenix began making introductions as I set up my laptop and holographic projector.

“This is Police Chief Andrew Howser and two of his detectives, Ramirez and Ben,” Phoenix said as I nodded a hello.

The chief gazed at me steadily, but Ramirez sent me a cheeky wink, which relaxed me a little.

“This is Mayor Austin Baker and the members of the council,” Phoe introduced me to them and rattled off their names. I knew I’d never remember them, but they all wore badges.

“Axel you know,” Phoe said, stopping by him. “He is second in charge of search and rescue. So, he’s here in that capacity.”

Axel sent me a wink to reassure me, and I sensed a presence at my back. A quick glance showed me Carmine was there, and I relaxed.

Phoe gave me a curious look before smiling brightly.

“Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, this is Fire Chief Bill Hawthorne and EMS Lieutenant Cole Rogers.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said with a shy smile.

“This is Professor Trevelyan from the Black Hills State University. And finally, you might know Dr Carla Stevens, Dr Sarah Dune, Dr Rip Bagshaw and Dr Amos Flight from EROS?” Phoe asked.

“Great to see you again,” I quietly muttered.

I watched as Dr Flight drew himself up. “If I had known you would be inviting this crank—”

“You’d have still come because I promised to donate three million dollars. That depends on you giving Dr Balfour-Cherlyn a fair hearing, something that didn’t happen last time and letting her finish,” Phoe said sternly and put him in his place.

Dr Flight bristled but shut up, and I hid a smile. Seeing Phoe do that filled me with confidence.

“Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, I’m Dylan Hawthorne, I run a PI firm in the city but also help out in times of disaster. May I introduce Akemi, who is part of the Juno Group. They offer support to the city and finally, Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob Reeves, who runs a team called Delta Force,” a man said with a warm smile. He bent closer as he took my offered hand and whispered in my ear, “Kick their asses, your data is solid.”

“The rest are Rage MC, who you’ll meet over time and some of the old ladies. Can everyone please take their seats? And the presentation will begin,” Phoe said.

“Sorry I’m late,” a woman announced and waltzed in.

My jaw dropped open as I gazed at one of the most respected volcanologists alive today. Dr Susan Jones-White spoke to her colleagues and took her seat.

“You’re okay. Come, I’ll sit with you,” Carmine said as the shaking in my hands increased. I nodded, walked to the table, and brought up my holographic programme. There were a few sighs, but they vanished as I started speaking.

I began the presentation with the explanation of how volcanoes and laccoliths worked and stressed that there was no active volcano in South Dakota. I also emphasised that laccoliths didn’t erupt. But then I started presenting the data from the last ten years.

“Okay, before we scare everyone here, what is the point of this, Dr Balfour-Cherlyn?” Dr Flight interrupted.

“To present the information and show my conclusions, and gain your insight,” I replied.

“Which is what? There’s no active volcano, and laccoliths don’t erupt. So, what do you hope to prove?” he questioned in his nasally superior voice.

“Amos. Shut up, I’m interested,” Dr Jones-White exclaimed loudly. Dr Flight turned to her and opened his mouth. “I said close it or leave. We promised to give Dr Balfour-Cherlyn a fair hearing. You’re spouting stuff without listening to facts.”

“Her information has already been proven false with her own words,” Dr Flight stuttered.

“I shan’t repeat myself, Amos. Quite bluntly, shut up or go. And I shall remember this,” Dr Jones-White said.

Dr Flight turned red but subsided, and I continued to the data. Everyone used the pack provided as their visual aids, and I displayed on the holographic screen.

“Where did you get this information from?” Dr Dune asked me when the seismic graph was shown.

“From seismic recorders I placed and from those that the Geological Survey team positioned. As you can see, what I recorded on mine mirrored your own,” I replied.

“Why use the two?” Dr Stevens inquired.

“Because if I only used my own, you’d accuse me of doctoring the information. But your own can’t be tampered with, and everyone knows that. Wave for wave, mine match yours.”

“There is a strong escalation, and it’s clear to see. I would like to understand how this has been missed,” Dr Jones-White interrupted.

She had her head buried in her laptop and was typing away furiously. “Please continue, Dr Balfour-Cherlyn.”

Bolstered, I continued presenting the facts, the heightened heat of the water sources I’d tested. The rising PH levels, the geyser that had erupted that could have scalded Carmine and me only yesterday. As I presented the data and showed comparisons where possible with the Geological Survey equipment, I saw Drs Stevens, Dune, and Bagshaw swap concerned looks. Dr Flight merely crossed his arms across his chest and looked bored and put upon.

“Your conclusion, Dr Balfour-Cherlyn,” Dr Jones-White demanded when I finished presenting everything.

“A laccolith is going to expel a lava flow from Buzzard’s Roost.”

“Laccoliths do not erupt. You said so yourself!” Dr Flight spat.

“No, they don’t, but there is clear volcanic activity present,” I retorted calmly.

“So you say. You’re scaremongering,” Dr Flight raised his voice.

“Before you make a bigger fool of yourself, Amos. Sit down and shut the fuck up, excuse my language,” Dr Jones-White exclaimed loudly.

Dr Flight turned to her in disbelief.

“Sarah?” Dr Jones-White spoke to Dr Dune.

“I was checking the seismic graphs. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn is correct in everything, and those charts are ones we have in our records. They haven’t been doctored. Both Dr Balfour-Cherlyn charts and ours match. I don’t understand how this has been missed,” Dr Dune murmured as she frowned and tapped my packet.

“Rip?” Dr Jones-White asked.

“I agree. I’ve been checking the facts as Dr Balfour-Cherlyn presented them, and I honestly don’t have an answer. However, there is volcanic movement, and I can only concur with Dr Balfour-Cherlyn’s hypothesis, as fantastical as it may be,” Dr Bagshaw replied.

“Carla?”

“I concur with the others. It doesn’t seem possible, but there is clear activity within the Black Hills. If it was closer to Bear’s Butte, I’d suggest that it was becoming active again. There is no volcano here in the Black Hills. So, we either have a new volcano forming, which is going to explode into existence, but this isn’t Hollywood, so, therefore, doubtful. Or we have laccoliths activating, which has never happened,” Dr Stevens replied.

“Do you want my opinion now?” Dr Flight sneered.

“No. Because you have not studied the information, you’ve sat there and been an asshole the entire time. You were pre-disposed to be the naysayer, and strongly believe this is a hoax. The data, our own, says otherwise. Please leave, you are no longer needed nor welcome here,” Dr Jones-White said and turned her back on him.

“Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, what are your suggestions?” she asked.

“We get people into the field and monitor the resources I have. Over the next few days, the shakes are going to get stronger, and they need measuring and recording diligently. The data I extrapolated suggest that the lava will flow down here,” I said, bringing up another image and showing it on the holographic screen. I traced my finger down the area I thought the lava might run.

“Can’t one hundred per cent postulate the path, but that is the likeliest. The lava will flow into Rapid City from rolling downhill into the valley where the Black Hills caves are and following that all the way down. It’ll roll down Nameless Cave Road, and I believe it will follow the SD-44, as it’s the route of least resistance,” I said.

“The other path?” Dr Jones-White asked.

“It will blow to the side and meet the SD-44 and go to the Canyon Lake. Which is the best scenario, but lava will still hit the streets of Rapid City, just not as much. Or it will flow into Rapid Creek,” I replied.

“I agree. Now I’d like all your data and you to work with me. Sarah, get the teams out to the Black Hills and have the areas monitored twenty-four seven.”

“Are you really saying a volcano might erupt here?” the mayor asked in disbelief.

“I’d like to review the information again, but yes, it appears something is gearing up. A volcano? Like Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, I can’t say for certain. There is activity present, and there shouldn’t be. Which is why it’s probably been ignored.”

“Should I be evacuating?” the mayor questioned, shaking his head.

“No. Because we don’t know if it will erupt. The seismic movement might settle down. Truthfully, we have no prior experience with this, so there are no established protocols. But my priority is getting people into the Hills who understand what they are doing and feeding the data back as soon as possible,” Dr Jones-White said.

“I can send one of my brothers with each person heading out. That way, they are not alone should something happen,” Drake offered.

“That would be helpful,” Dr Jones-White replied. “Laccoliths becoming active. Who’d have thought it?” she muttered.

“What do we do?” the mayor asked.

“Simple, Austin. We find another room and start putting together evacuation plans, fast response teams and the shit we usually do. Prepare the hospital for a potential disaster. Alert the rescue groups and wait on information. We put the emergency measures into place and check them thoroughly and work our way through them step by step,” Chief Howser said.

“But they’re saying—”

“There is cause for concern. That they have seen some volcanic activity that doesn’t make sense and are investigating it,” Dylan Hawthorne interrupted.

“Three years ago, this woman warned people and was laughed at. I heard that from the other doctor. He was calling her a crank and now it seems she’s not. Why was she mocked and sacked?” Austin demanded.

“Because some of my colleagues don’t appreciate things that don’t fit into their teachings and ideas. Because they are blinkered and idiots. And if something doesn’t align with their theories, they ridicule it rather than give it credence.

“Luckily, despite her rough treatment, Dr Balfour-Cherlyn kept at it instead of throwing in the towel. It would have been quite easy for her to sit on her heels, wait for whatever is going to happen to occur and come out and say I warned you, and you laughed at me. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn has done her very best considering the extenuating circumstances, and we owe her thanks,” Dr Jones-White replied. “Now, please. If you don’t mind, I must organise my department and get things moving. The sooner we have teams monitoring, the quicker we can figure out what’s happening.”

“Come with us, Mayor Austin. We need you to assist in coordinating everything,” Phoe ordered, taking his arm.

“I’ll stay with Doc,” Drake said as half the room began filing out. “Do you require people to record things immediately?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“Can you show my brothers how to read equipment, and we’ll send them into the field?”

“Include Davies in that, he can organise Hawthorne’s to meet you there or here,” Dylan offered as he left. Another man stepped into his place.

“Davies,” Drake acknowledged with a nod.

“Drake. Dr Balfour-Cherlyn, show me what I need to know,” Davies said.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather Dr Bagshaw show you so I can get started with Dr Balfour-Cherlyn,” Dr Jones-White interrupted.

“Fine with me,” Davies replied.

◆◆◆

Hours later, I stretched, feeling the ache in my shoulders. Dr Jones-White had dissected my data and had come to the same conclusion I had. Only nobody was calling her a crank. I suppose when one of the most respected volcanologists out there says something is wrong, people listen.

Dr Stevens had called in groups from EROS, who were now boarding a private plane that had been sent to them by Phoe. Drs Dune and Bagshaw had headed into the Hills with my maps and were leading mixed teams to the areas I’d been monitoring.

The emergency evacuation meeting had wound up, and people were heading out there to ensure their roles were completed. Dr Jones-White had contacted the GS head office and torn my old boss a new asshole. And then she’d demanded help be sent. What we were seeing was something that we’d never encountered.

Despite the possibility of a false alarm, this was a new experience for us. And the truth was, we were now winging it. The protocols for volcanoes and other activities weren’t suitable, but they were all we had to rely on.

Dr Trevelyan from the university had returned to his post but was sending some of his students our way tomorrow. Even if it was to make coffee and fetch food. He’d decided this would be a good learning curve for them. And my hypothesis was new and exciting, according to him.

Phoenix had booked an entire local campground for two weeks that had cottages just off of Chapel Ln. Ground Zero, as far as I was concerned. I was certain the lava would flow in that direction. Despite how slowly lava moved, we only had a limited time to evacuate people.

The speed of the flow depended on the steepness of the terrain and also on which type of flow it was. For example, basalt moved slower than andesite flows. If it advanced at the average ten miles per hour, it would take twenty minutes to reach the outskirts of Rapid City. The evacuation of those neighbourhoods needed more than twenty minutes. If it travelled at five mph, we had thirty minutes.

It was a worry.

A bunch of women had brought food half an hour ago, and I was just breaking to eat. As Dr Jones-White and I took a plate and started helping ourselves, a tremor sent us staggering. I began counting out loud and hit twenty-three before it stopped. As soon as we were stable, we dashed to our laptops.

“That was longer than any recorded before and stronger,” I said as I typed into the database.

“Did you guys feel that? The seismic meter thingy says it was a three point five,” a radio shrieked.

“Got it, thank you,” I replied as I brought up the meters I’d been monitoring. “Confirmed, three point five measured, and it lasted twenty-four seconds. That’s the strongest we’ve had. It also confirms that these are escalating.” “Apparently so. EROS has the same data you have. Interesting, it showed a minor quake of one point five, five minutes before the bigger one,” Dr Jones-White said.

“I see it now. That is far too close together,” I puzzled.

“Yes. And to jump that quickly. How curious,” Dr Jones-White agreed.

“Here, you both leapt away and never picked up food. I’m aware you have a puzzle in front of you, but you need to eat. If you don’t keep your strength up, you’ll both be useless,” a woman announced, who wore a cut. A quick glance informed me her name was Amberlea. Another lady named Andi stood beside her, holding a plate out.

“Eat, both of you. Would you like coffee, tea, or a soft drink?” Andi asked.

“Coffee,” both Dr Jones-White and I answered together.

“With some vanilla in it?” At our nods, Andi called out to another woman. “Mina, two vanilla lattes, please.”

“Why ask me to work the fancy shit machine?” Mina bitched and scowled at the hot drink dispenser.

“Because Penny isn’t here,” Andi shot back.

“Yeah, I’m not her, doofus,” Mina retorted and punched some buttons.

“We know!” Amberlea teased.

Mina stomped over, carrying two big mugs. “If it ain’t vanilla, don’t blame me. I just press shit.”

“Okay,” I replied, taking a cautious sniff. It smelt fine.

“Can we control the lava flow somehow?” Andi asked.

“It’s too late to attempt now,” Dr Jones-White said.

“Plus, Aurora claims it’s imminent,” Mina chipped in.

“Aurora?” Dr Jones-White questioned.

The women exchanged a look, and I guessed they’d try to protect Aurora.

“Why do you ask if we can channel the lava?” I asked, and Mina sent me a grateful glance for covering her slip-up.

“Mina has a cabin near a route you predicted,” Andi replied.

“Oh no,” I gasped.

“I apologise, but it’s probably too late to divert. If we’d taken this seriously three years ago, a lava channel could have been dug. I am sorry, Mina. But if you can pack now, you should be able to save most of your belongings,” Dr Jones-White said, her eyes sweeping the room. “Ah, Aurora-Victoria. The psychic. Has she seen visions of this?”

My jaw dropped. “You know who she is?”

“Yes, she is rather famous and has made some very true predictions. If she says she’s had one about this, I’d trust her,” Dr Jones-White replied.

“You believe in psychics?” I demanded, dumbstruck.

“Honey, you get to my age, you realise science can’t explain everything. Aurora-Victoria has never been known to be wrong. We only understand a small part of the human brain. Who’s to say she’s not correct?”

“Wow.” That put me in my place!