Page 62 of Eruption
“There will be enough time for the spotlight later,” Takayama told her.
“There’s never enough time for the spotlight, Henry,” Oliver said. “By the way, is that asshole MacGregor still running point on this?”
“None other,” Takayama said. “It’s one of the biggest reasons why the two of you are here. The arrogant son of a bitch doesn’t know it yet, but you’re about to outrank him.”
Takayama smiled a self-satisfied smile. “And so am I,” he said.
As they drove off, a second Peregrine landed at the airport, this one carrying J. P. Brett.
CHAPTER 39
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Hawai‘i
Time to eruption: 66 hours
General Mark Rivers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had been appointed by the previous president and stayed on when his successor took office. Rivers had offered to step down; the new president had refused to accept his resignation. That was partly due to his competency but mostly due to his popularity, not just with all branches of the armed forces but with the public. Rivers was being considered for a fifth star because of his leadership in both Iraq wars and in Afghanistan.
The current president had joked, more than once, that he served at the pleasure of General Rivers, not the other way around.
Rivers was six feet six inches tall and had the silver hair and rugged good looks of the actor Pierce Brosnan. He had been a star tight end at the United States Military Academy and hadrisen through the ranks to become the youngest army chief of staff; before that, he had been the youngest commander of Central Command in army history. It was widely assumed in his party’s political circles that if he wanted to run for president when the man presently occupying the Oval Office concluded his second term, the nomination was his.
He was as comfortable in the field as he was on the Sunday-morning talk shows, and he dominated any setting in which he found himself. That included the Oval Office.
Now he was seated at the head of a long table on the second floor of HVO in the largest and most private conference room the place had. He was in full uniform, despite the heat outside. Briggs sat to his right, Sergeant Matthew Iona next to Briggs. Rebecca Cruz was the only one in the room representing Cruz Demolition. Mac had Jenny and Rick Ozaki with him.
Oliver and Leah Cutler with Henry Takayama between them were at the far end of the table, across from Rivers. Mac and Oliver Cutler had barely more nodded at each other.
“I just want to make something clear before we start,” Rivers said. “I’m aware that I’m going to be presented with three plans for dealing with our problem. I could have asked for written proposals, but I don’t operate that way and never have. I like to look people in the eye. It’s why I’m here. And I’m sure as hell not walking out of here without a plan.”
Mac looked around. General Mark Rivers had everybody’s complete attention.
“There’s an old army expression about success not being final and failure not being fatal,” Rivers said. “But this time it might be.” Rivers crossed his arms and leaned back slightly in his chair.
“Welcome to the dream team,” he said.
CHAPTER 40
Briggs made the first presentation, with occasional input from Iona.
The colonel spoke as plainly as he could; he seemed to be deathly afraid that Rivers wouldn’t follow all the seismological data.
The basic army plan was to dig trenches perpendicular to the lava flow, dig containment pits and ponds downslope from the trenches, and erect walls beyond the ponds.
Colonel James Briggs described the man-made channels to be built in the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours, channels that would eventually guide the bulk of the lava around the town of Hilo, with more containment ponds built as close to the town as possible.
“We’ll use drills for the basalt, which will be difficult for even our heaviest equipment to move,” Briggs said. “That’s mostly near the bottom of the volcano, where the slope is the shallowest.”
He stopped talking, poured himself some water from a pitcher, and took a sip. “Questions before I resume?” Briggs asked.
“One,” Mac said. “I’ve brought this up before: Do you really think you can accomplish all this in two days? Because I don’t.”
“With all due respect, Dr. MacGregor,” Briggs said, his voice rising, “you have absolutely no idea what the U.S. Army can do once it sets its mind to something.”
He leaned toward Mac, the veins in his forehead suddenly visible.
“Have you ever served?” Briggs asked.
“You know I haven’t, Colonel,” Mac said.