Page 17 of Carmine

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 holographicscreen. 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.

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