Prologue

The scientists at the Hermes Geographical Research Centre, in San Francisco, were continuously trying to get the thing into their heads, which was being shown at the computer screen. The research was about a volcano, in the middle of nowhere. Near the Mariana Trench, scientist had found a very big volcano, which was declared extinct. But, for some unknown reasons, the fish near that area had started to die.

The fishermen were really confused. And so were the scientists at the Hermes. ‘The reason could not be the volcano,’ thought Rowen, the lead scientist of the research centre. He had been reported that the volcano was bigger than everyone had anticipated. Not bigger, but massive. And he was also told that if that thing blows up, then the whole world would be in danger. Rowen once gain peeked at the computer screen.

It had a 3D representation of the volcano. Of a massive volcano. He took a print-out from his desk, and started to read it in bewilderment. Even though he had read this report hundred times, but it still was nerve-racking for him. The volcano was continuously showing signs of being an active one. It could even blow up any moment.

The scientists didn’t know when this would happen, but when it really blows up, doomsday will be upon the people of earth.

‘Get me the live feed from the Explorer,’ Rowen said to his co-worker, Arjun Kapoor.

Explorer was the ship that they had sent to the place in the Pacific where the volcano was situated. The crew of the ship was not happy about the decision, as they already knew about what they were stepping into. The diameter of opening of the volcano was about 60 kilometers and the full height was still unknown. Rowen didn’t understand how the scientist and the research team before him were not able to sight such a big volcano.

He let the thoughts out of his mind and concentrated on the task in hand. Well, there was no task, just bafflement. Now, the live feed from the ship came. It was not a high resolution picture, but Rowen, to his horror, was able to see bubbles coming out on the surface of the ocean.

The water was boiling.

Chapter 1

Tom Barks was driving his BMW, when he saw a police car racing past him. He knew that the number of crimes in San Francisco had increased by the years. On every road, there will surely be a cruiser present. He was going towards his office.

He was a normal worker, who, like everyone else, had a daily schedule to wake up and go to work. That’s all. Although, it was holiday for the workers, but still, they had to go because of an emergency. Someone had called and told him that he will have to reach there as soon as possible. He worked for the Hermes Research Center. He guessed that it would be about the volcano thingy that they had found just months ago.

They had guessed that it was an extinct volcano, but later they had found that it was an active one. After some time, he reached the research center and found that the parking lot was jammed. Cars were interlocked. There was no way to find a suitable spot, so he left the car wherever there was space. He then left the parking lot and went to the main building only to see tense faces staring at the screen of a computer.

He went near them and saw the computer screen. It was showing predictions of the direction of the explosion. The arrows represented the directions. And they were everywhere. That meant that the effect of the explosion will reach every single spot on the earth. He paced to the office of the lead scientist and saw him sitting there, eyes closed, and a hand supporting his head.

When he entered, Rowen opened his eyes and gestured him to sit. Barks did as he was told and just stared at Rowen’s face.

‘Well,’ Rowen broke the silence. ‘You know that you are my most trustable worker.’

‘Get to the point, Rowen,’ Barks said.

Although, Rowen was Bark’s senior but their friendship was so strong that they called each other by their name. Rowen remained silent for a very long time and Barks waited too.

Then finally, Rowen said, ‘The point is . . . that the volcano is about to erupt soon and it will cause a disaster.’ Barks was not really shocked to hear this. He had already anticipated that. He knew that it was going to happen. The disaster.

Rowen once again started speaking, ‘It is going to be more than what you are thinking.’

He said that and just kept quiet for a long time. Then, just as he was about to open his mouth again, Barks saw something completely shocking. He saw that the water inside the glass was shaking. An earthquake, he thought. It was then he realized that the earth was shaking wildly. He heard screams of both men and women from the office. With wide eyes, he saw that Rowen had ducked under the table.

‘You are a scientist and you think that this table is going to protect you?’ Barks yelled, urging Rowen to get out of the building. Rowen understood the meaning and shot out like a bullet. Barks followed him, trying to keep pace with the old man.

The rush of adrenaline, he thought was the reason of Rowen’s pace. When they reached the place from where they had been watching the computer screen, he saw that not a single soul was present there. The screen of the computer still showed the predictions. Now, they are not predictions, they are the reality now. Just then, a big chunk of brick fell down at the place where they had been just a second before.

Barks could feel his heart striking his chest. Rowen was running like a mad man. Barks thought that he was not thinking about anything but just running. After some seconds, they were outside the building, but the run was not yet over, they would have to run to an open place now. Barks was out of breath, still, his feet carried him at a good speed, but Rowen was still in front of him.

Barks peeked over his shoulder just to see that their whole building was turning into debris. While running, Barks saw many people running wildly here and there. Some were running straight towards the central park, where Barks and Rowen were headed, and some were running wildly into the streets. He saw a small dog in front of his path. It was watching everyone with bewilderment. Barks reached the dog and grabbed it to carry with himself.

Soon, they were at the central park, where people stood with craziness filling their brains. Some were trying to call their relations, without realizing that the telephone towers would be mixed to dirt. A woman came running straight towards Barks, trying to maintain her balance on the trembling earth and took the dog from his hand and hugged it as hard as she could. She thanked him and went back to a man, probably her husband, who was standing nearby.

Barks was relieved that the dog was back to its owners. In this entire craze, Barks had forgotten that his wife and children were at the home, with his own dog. The earthquake stopped after a minute. Barks knew that this was not over. A series of earthquake would come. And then a devastating tsunami would kill the remaining people. The thought made Barks shiver.