Devil's Gate

As he pondered this, footsteps approached him from behind. Kurt turned to see Joe Zavala, carrying a frosty tall-necked bottle of beer in each hand.

“Bohemia,” Joe said, handing him one. “Best beer in Mexico.”

Kurt took the bottle and tipped it back, savoring the icy taste on such a hot, humid day.

“Where’d you scrounge this up?” Kurt asked.

“From the captain’s private stock,” Joe said. “Supposed to be for our victory celebration.”

“And the captain let you get your paws on it early?” Kurt asked.

Joe nodded.

“That’s a bad sign,” Kurt replied. “Are we to be shot at sundown?”

“Nah,” Joe said. “But we have now been officially kicked out of the competition.”

Kurt had to laugh. Rules were rules, but stopping to rescue a competitor seemed like a good reason to make an exception.

“So how’s it feel to lose ten million dollars?” Joe asked.

Kurt thought about that. Their chances of winning had been excellent. He took another swig from the bottle and leaned back against the rail. “Suddenly,” he said, “I’m very happy that NUMA would have gotten the money anyway.”

Joe laughed, and both men turned at the sound of a helicopter approaching. They watched a gray Mk 95 Super Lynx cruise in from the east, taking a straight line toward the Argo. As it drew closer, the red-and-green insignia of the Portuguese Navy could be clearly seen on its flank.

It slowed to a hover above the fantail and then began to descend toward the helipad.

A crewman popped out of a hatch near where Kurt and Joe stood just as the helicopter was touching down.

“Cap’n wants you guys in his ready room,” the crewman said.

The timing seemed suspicious.

“Did he say why?” Kurt asked.

The crewman hesitated, looking uncomfortable. “Something to do with our new arrivals, sir.”

The crewman held the door for them, apparently unable or unwilling to say any more.

Joe looked at Kurt. “Now you’ve done it.”

Kurt’s eyebrows went up. “What makes you think this is my fault?”

“Because it always is,” Joe said.

The crewman shifted his weight nervously, then mumbled, “The cap’n said don’t be late.”

Kurt nodded and began moving forward. “I told you the cold beer was a bad sign.”

He stepped inside.

Joe followed. “At least we’re on our own ship,” he said. “They can’t make us walk the plank on our own ship… right?”

The door closed behind them, and Kurt guessed they were about to find out.

MINUTES LATER, Kurt, Joe, and Captain Haynes satin chairs around a small conference table. Like everything else on a ship the size of the Argo, this ready room was compact and efficient. But with seven men piled inside, including two high-ranking representatives of the Portuguese Navy and the governor of the Azores Islands chain, it felt a little claustrophobic.

Captain Haynes turned their way.

“Gentlemen, this is Rear Admiral Alexandre Sienna of the Portuguese Navy. He’s been put in charge of this discovery.”

Hands were shook, pleasantries exchanged, and then Admiral Sienna got down to it.

“My government believes you men have found something of great scientific importance,” the admiral began. “For this, Portugal thanks you.”

Reversal number three, Kurt thought. And probably all for nothing.

“Without samples, we don’t know what’s been found,” Kurt began. “But it’s probably just a massive chunk of magnetized iron alloy. I’ll admit, it’s a lot of specialized rock in one place, but this is an old volcano. It might be unusual, but—”

“I promise you, Senor Austin, this is more than unusual,” the admiral said. “Perhaps you have seen the aircraft flying overhead, several times a day?”

Kurt recalled the flybys; Portuguese P-3 Orions. He’d assumed they were keeping an eye on the Argo and the other vessels, as if a few naval personnel from the Forte de Sao Bras coming on board hadn’t been enough.

The admiral continued. “We have been using sophisticated instruments to study the magnetism. What we have learned so far will astound you. The magnetic force in this area is in constant flux. At one point, it would be enough to lift several hundred tons; an hour later, it’s barely stronger than the standard background level of the earth’s magnetism. And yet several hours further on, the field is more powerful than ever.”

That did astound Kurt, and perhaps it explained why maneuvering around the tower of volcanic rock was so tricky. And yet, from what he knew, ferrous, or iron-based, magnetism did not fluctuate much. That was why stones could be mined, put to use as magnets, and allowed to sit. Some magnets risked demagnetization, but certainly nothing like what the admiral was describing.

“What are you suggesting?” Kurt asked.

“We will have to study the properties to be sure,” the admiral said. “But my scientists tell me you may have discovered a naturally occurring ”—he paused as if looking for the right word—“conductive material. And that under specific geological conditions, perhaps related to underground magma movements or even fluctuations in the earth’s magnetic field, this tower of rock and metal becomes vigorously charged. As such, it exerts incredible magnetic force on objects around it.”

“Vigorous,” Joe added. “I like that. It all but pulled us in during one of those vigorous fluctuations.”

“Yes,” the admiral said. “That seems to be what it does. The experts we have spoken with think this magnetic structure may have pulled in all the ships and other objects you see resting in that caldera.”

Kurt’s eyes went wide. He felt as if they were rapidly entering UFO and Amelia Earhart territory.

“Are you kidding me?” he said. “We made it out of there towing the XP-4 along with us. I saw cargo ships down there, and at least two aircraft. You’re telling me you think this thing drew them in like some kind of siren from Greek mythology?”

The admiral looked shocked by Kurt’s boldness. Captain Haynes looked just as appalled.

Joe leaned over. “Remember the plank,” he whispered. “Walking it. Swimming with los tiburones.”

Kurt took a breath. “My apologies, Admiral. It’s just that this is something of great scientific interest, and, from the looks of things, it’s being turned into an amusement park. We should research it. At least, someone should, even if it’s not us. But it gets a lot harder to do any real science when the claims get so astronomical.”

“Yes,” the admiral said, looking disappointed. “Perhaps you are right, but, I assure you, the electromagnetic forces we have already measured are, in fact… astronomical.”

Kurt felt as if the admiral was waiting for him, maybe even baiting him, but he couldn’t help but bite. “What are you getting at?”

“Do you know what a superconductor is?”

“The basics,” Kurt said, not actually sure that he knew the basics. “They’re materials that conduct electricity without any resistance. I always hear that they’re going to end up being used in magnetically levitated trains and things like that someday.”

Captain Haynes took over for the moment, and Kurt got the distinct feeling the two men had already discussed the subject, perhaps not alone.

“Superconductors do all that and more,” Haynes began. “Their properties make them perfect for any electronic application. From operating a computer to powering a magnetically levitated train to electrical motors for cars that get the equivalent of five hundred miles per gallon. According to one