He felt like a third party monitor. In actuality, he was.
Kyle would report any more eruptions to Gene, if any. Gene was hopeful they were done. Atmospherically, levels at all of their probe sites and buoys were calm, normal, actually lower than normal.
It was his hope to find a way to get Kyle out of Ligonier before nightfall. His bird warning system wouldn’t work so well for him then.
Although Kyle did say he slept with a mask on.
Getting him out of there was more than possible. Not only did Gene have to divert Flight 3430 from flying to Gainesville, Tom and the boys weren’t long behind.
“So I estimate,” Wiley said. “The first flight should be here in ninety minutes. I can see them on the app.”
“What app?”
“The one that shows where every plane in the sky is.”
“Seriously?” Gene asked.
“Yep, there’s two. I honestly don’t think it will be working for very long. I’m surprised we still have power. But …” Wiley set down his phone. “They’ll be here soon. Should we go to the airport and greet them?”
“Like tourist or family?”
Wiley shrugged.
“I think we need to focus more on where to put them and what to do.”
“Plenty of food out there.”
“Plenty of bodies,”
“Yeah, and a hundred and forty people can move bodies.”
Gene sighed out and turned to the screen. “Susan’s phone is off now, completely. I can’t get through to Gainesville at all.”
“Good thing they helped us tap into NOAA, huh?”
“Yeah, but what are the readouts now?” Gene asked.
“I actually have no idea what I am looking at as far as ocean swells and whatever these numbers mean. Storm surges.” Wilen shrugged.
“Maybe they’re just having a bad storm,” Gene said.
“Maybe they’re underwater.”
“What?”
“Okay, just hear me out.” Wiley lifted a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I am all for models. But didn’t you think it was a bit much that of all the state of Florida predicted to be underwater, that the only dry spot is Gainesville, which happened to also be the only spot in Florida not bashed by methane heavy air. Come on, can they really have that much luck.”
Gene sighed out. “I suppose you have a point.”
“So Gainesville, is pretty much out. It’s time to think about long term survival. I mean, let’s face it. We have a good jump start with the amount of people from Flight 3430. Too bad every other flight in the sky that remained went to Gainesville.”
“I know.”
“All those people.”
“I know,” Gene partially snapped.
“Substation Two, Billings, do you copy,” came a strange male voice over the system. The last call that came was from Kyle.
Wiley looked ta Gene. “Substation two?”
“I haven’t a clue.”
Wiley grabbed the radio. ‘Um … this is Billings. We read you.”
“Have you heard from Director Diel recently?”
“Well, we think she was wiped out in the flood. Not sure, but she was in …” Wiley stopped talking when Gene removed his hand.
“We don’t even know who that is,” Gene said.
“Why does it matter?”
Gene took the radio. “This is Doctor Gene Taylor of the USGS, who am I speaking to?”
“This is Lt. Colonel Macintosh with the CMAFS,”
“What? What is that?” Gene asked.
“Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado Springs, I’m with the president and cabinet and Designated survivor network. We have been communicating with Director Diel and Dr. Armenov since yesterday and we lost contact with Diel last night, and Armenov a few hours ago.”
“Why … why are you contacting them?” Gene asked. “I actually discovered this. I set up the whole monitoring system in twenty-four hours.”
Wiley laughed.
Gene mouthed the word, “What?”
“You’re seriously acting green over them contacting someone else.”
“That’s because I am sitting here … with you … thinking no one is left.”
“No one is left.”
“Um, apparently there is a designated survivor network out of Colorado Springs with the president and neither Susan nor this Armenov asshole told us.”
“Actually, she did, remember?” Wiley said. “When she told you that the president was evacuated and you …”
“Alright. Alright.”
“Are you still there?” The Colonel asked.
Disgruntled, Gene replied. “Yeah, yeah, I’m here.”
“Good.” The Colonel said with a hint of sarcasm. “Since you are the big wig and started the monitoring, do you have the latest readouts for us? Any eruptions coming our way. We need to protect the president.”
“Yeah … um, let me check and get back to you.” He pushed the radio forward.
“You’re making them wait.”
“Hey, we’re substation … two. Two. Not one. So yeah,” Gene said. “They can wait.”
<><><><>
Flight 3430 B
Gabe was more relieved than anyone that his take off went without a hitch. He saw on his brother’s face, even through the mask, that Owen was concerned. Once they had started rolling, there was no turning back.
Gabe was proud of himself.
He gave it a minute or so after reaching what was a safe altitude and began to remove his mask.
Owen stopped him, stating if something was wrong, the last person they needed to fall victim was the person that could fly the plane. So Owen took off his oxygen first.
He was nervous, Gabe saw that. And Gabe imagined his brother was scared to take that first breath, but upon seeing that Owen was fine. Gabe took off his mask, chuckled in emotional relief and turned on the seatbelt sign.
They talked for a few minutes. Owen mentioned how cool he thought the camera system was and how it had been on the cockpit door camera the whole time. They switched it and things looked normal in first class.
Gabe had been so concerned with getting them off the ground, out of Vegas and to a safe altitude,
