Deep Rising (An Outside the Lines Novel) (Entangled Select) by N.R. Rhodes Page A

significant?”
    “It’s the main tsunami warning center. It covers the entire Pacific Basin.”
    “Then if an earthquake occurs here at least we know they’ll detect it immediately and get on the horn.”
    “Uh-oh,” she whispered.
    Jared rubbed his temples. “Now what?”
    “I just thought of something when you mentioned horns.”
    “Spit it out, darlin’.”
    He hadn’t meant to say the endearment, but she didn’t seem to react to it, so he wouldn’t call his slipup to her attention. “Well, um, when the system of sirens starts blaring, it warns everyone within hearing range to head for higher ground.”
    “The system failed once?” he ventured.
    “Not exactly. Radio, television, local law enforcement agencies—everyone and every means is switched into gear in the event of an emergency. But back in 1993 when a small earthquake occurred off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, the warning wasn’t sufficient. There wasn’t enough time. Hundreds of people died.”
    “And you’re worried the same thing could happen here?”
    “Yes. A tsunami wave can travel up to one thousand kilometers per hour in open water. It would spell disaster for people within the immediate vicinity of the initial wave. We’re faced with two potentially lethal problems: a wave originating too close to shore and, consequently, insufficient time constraints for evacuating people to higher ground. There are thousands of elderly people, schoolchildren, hospital patients…”
    “I see where you’re headed.” He pressed his palms against his temples. “We need to stop that wave from starting.”
    Lana nodded. “Yes.” She traced the points on the map that indicated the underwater tubes. “These could penetrate deep enough beneath the island…”
    Jared considered the logistics. A tube bored into the land. Inaccessible to public scrutiny. Coupled with the water pressure, the right kinds of explosives could wreak unimaginable damage. They needed to search those tubes—and they needed to do so undetected, lest they tip off this madman before they could intercept him. Dropping his hands, he met her eyes. “We’ll have a boat at our disposal by midnight. Are you up for a night dive?”
    Lana didn’t respond right away.
    “Lana, can you handle a night dive? If you’re claustrophobic or nyctophobic tell me now.”
    “Nyctophobic?”
    “It’s a fancy way of saying afraid of the dark.”
    “Er, no, not that I know of. I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “Can you get a ROV?”
    “What’s that?”
    “A remote operated vehicle. We can launch it from the boat. It’ll allow us to cover far greater distances, and it won’t be limited to dive times or oxygen supply like we are.”
    CIA analysts, NASA think tanks, and NOAA specialists had been called in to examine Lana’s thesis—and to determine any other possible target areas. The government was using every scrap of technology at their disposal, but Lana didn’t need to know that. Nor did she need to know that US SEAL teams were likely investigating each location as they spoke. Maybe she wanted to use a ROV so she could keep her sweet little ass out of the ocean at night. Maybe she wanted a ROV so he wouldn’t be able to see or intercept the attack strategy from underwater. He was more inclined to think her apprehension came from diving at night—a risky endeavor for even highly trained personnel like him—so he played it light. “I can put in the request for your underwater bot, but I doubt it’ll fly in time.”
    “It was just a thought.”
    “Think about what your brother is doing right now. Try to anticipate his next move. I’m going to determine if our gear has arrived. Be ready to dive in an hour.”
    …
    Lana watched Jared stroll from the room. She mumbled a curse.
    His movements appeared effortlessly fluid, relaxed. Despite the leisurely execution, she detected the purposefulness in his mannerisms. She decided it must be a pretense, or an intentionally