The Year Without Summer: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Read online

  Crowded around a small table, Hank spent the better part of the meal showing Catherine the data while Logan spoke with Jordan about his love of basketball. It had been the first time since they’d arrived that she’d seen a smile on his face. Richard had never been a big sports fan, even though he had taken Jordan to games over the years.

  Hank leaned back in his seat, and wiped the corners of his lips.

  The smell and sizzle of steak dominated as a waiter came out and delivered the juicy dish to one of the guests across from them. They themselves had opted for pasta. Catherine and Hank had a couple of beers to ease their nerves.

  “Yeah, so they finished off turning the map room into this lounge back in late December. The gift shop was extended, and the second floor offices are now used for public meetings. I think they’ve done a good job.” Catherine gazed at the large wooden wall map that was created by the architect Robert Reamer back in the 1930s. They’d just got it back from a restoration at the NPS conservation lab in Arizona so Hank was proud to show it off.

  “I like it,” she said.

  It was cozy. Waiters in crisp black-and-white uniforms moved quickly around tables serving patrons. The sound of clinking glass and cutlery was barely noticeable over chatter.

  “They’re planning on closing it down this winter because they want to remodel the 30-plus rooms, as they don’t have any bathrooms, and they will be updating it all.”

  “Let’s hope it survives long enough for us to see it,” Logan said leaning forward.

  Catherine took a sip of her drink. “Is he always like that. The chief?”

  “Only when he doesn’t take his bipolar medication.”

  Hank nearly spat out beer. He burst into laughter.

  “Don’t let him catch you saying that.”

  “Ah, he already knows I don’t like him,” Logan said.

  “You don’t get along?” Catherine asked.

  “No, we haven’t seen eye to eye since Je…” he trailed off and Catherine noticed his head drop a little.

  “She was your girlfriend?”

  “Was. Yeah.”

  There was a pause.

  “Do you mind me asking what happened?”

  He cleared his throat and looked at her as if he wasn’t sure.

  “You don’t have to.”

  “No, it’s okay.” Logan glanced at Hank. “Eight months ago we were out at Shoshone Canyon. Myself, Jenna, and two friends.”

  “Hayden,” Hank interjected. “Another ranger.”

  Logan nodded.

  “She went into the river with Allison and…” he trailed off and got this faraway look in his eye as if he was reliving it again. “The water began to boil. I tried to get to her but it was too hot.” He breathed in deeply. “She went under and her body was recovered a day later downstream.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.” He took a hard pull on his glass of whiskey. “Anyway, they ruled it an accident. The result of a phenomenon. Isn’t that what they called it, Hank?”

  Hank looked bothered. He nodded.

  “But you think it was related to the caldera?”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think. As long as the powers that be are calling the shots, as long as this park is full, and the surrounding towns are busy, that’s all that matters. Keep the machine going. Isn’t that right, Hank?”

  Hank nodded, then finished off his drink. He cleared his throat. “Well, I should really turn in for the night. I hope you two don’t mind but I have a big day ahead and I have a feeling the superintendent is going to drag me back into another meeting tomorrow.” He rolled his eyes.

  “Oh by all means,” Catherine said.

  “Catherine, it was lovely to see you again. And you too, Jordan.”

  Hank cracked a smile.

  “Logan.”

  “Hank,” he replied.

  Hank gathered up his laptop and rolls of paper full of seismic data he’d brought with him and headed out leaving them alone. Catherine looked over at Jordan and ran a hand through his hair. He shook her hand off and Logan noticed.

  “You know I was like that when I was a kid. I mean, not with my head in a phone. But I didn’t see the value of a place like this.”

  She frowned. “So what changed?”

  “A trip with my father. My parents were divorced and he was big on the outdoors. I guess he wanted to impart some of that before he passed away.”

  “He’s gone?”

  “Died of cancer, a year after that camping trip.” Logan shook his head ever so slowly. “I guess it stuck with me. Made me think about what was really important. Up until that point I had my eyes set on living in the big city. New York, that is. I was going to go into advertising. Can you imagine that?”

  “Quite the career choice.”

  “Yeah. Thankfully, I pursued a career as a ranger and despite the headaches of dealing with an old-timer like McDonald, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

  “Even though it puts you in the bull’s-eye?”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, you’d think I’d be smart and take a position at one of the national parks out east. In fact Jenna’s father wanted me to go there.” His eyes glazed over and she could sense his loss. Logan took another hard pull on his drink. “So you really think this is the one?”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Oh, that Yellowstone is going to erupt?”

  He nodded.

  “If I hadn’t heard of NASA trying to play god, no. I’m used to crunching numbers, Logan. Basically I analyze eruptions, tremors and all manner of strange things that would give most people cause for alarm but that’s because they’re not familiar with volcanic behavior. Every volcano is different and it can take years of studying them to understand the patterns of behavior, and that’s why it’s important that we don’t misinterpret the data.”

  He leaned back in his seat, and turned his glass slowly. “So do you think we are misinterpreting data?”

  “I think we need to be sure before we raise the alarm.”

  “Because it would be damaging, raise trust issues and destroy business in towns,” a female voice said from behind her. “I’m glad to see you have learned.”

  Catherine swiveled in her seat to find the research geophysicist, otherwise known online as the scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

  Catherine groaned inwardly. She detested the woman. “Logan, this is Rebecca Lyons. She works for the YVO, and was at one time a colleague of mine.”

  “Your boss, you mean.”

  “Boss. Colleague. Whatever,” Catherine said.

  Rebecca smirked as she picked up her glass of wine from the bar and walked over. Beside her was a team of four. Catherine recognized a couple of the faces but there were a couple she hadn’t met. They greeted her warmly unlike Rebecca who took a seat without asking if she could join them.

  “I hope she hasn’t filled your head with too many horror stories, ranger…” she fished for his name.

  “Logan Miller. A pleasure.”

  She extended a hand and eyed him like she was sizing up her next sexual achievement.

  “The pleasure is mine.” She turned her attention to Jordan at the end of the table. “Jordan? Wow, you’ve grown up. You’re the spitting image of your father. The last time I saw you I was…”

  “… climbing out of my bed?” Catherine said. The memory of finding her and Richard together came back like a bad nightmare.

  Jordan’s eyes darted between them as Rebecca smiled. “You’re not still sore over that, are you?”

  “Oh no. I’ve moved on. And from what I recall I believe he did the same with you.” Catherine smiled, taking another sip of her drink.

  A scowl formed on Rebecca’s face. Humiliation. It probably wasn’t the best thing to say but it had to be said. She didn’t expect Rebecca to be any less lenient with her but at least she could beat her to the punch with an insult.

  “I spoke to Hank on the way in. He told me about the meeting y
ou had with the superintendent. I’m glad to see you showed restraint this time around.”

  “Excuse me?” Catherine said.

  Rebecca took a sip of her drink and turned to Logan. “Did she tell you about Mammoth Lakes? Not Mammoth in Yellowstone, I’m referring to the one in California.”

  Catherine’s jaw tightened. Logan looked at her, slightly confused.

  “No? Strange. Oh I would have thought that you would have told them about that. Especially since the town of Mammoth Lakes sits on the Long Valley Caldera.”

  “Drop it, Rebecca.”

  She ignored her and continued. “Back when she was working for the USGS. The town experienced six M6 earthquakes. They were monitoring at the time and discovered that the lava dome had risen by… what was it, five or ten inches?”

  Catherine gritted her teeth. She had a good mind to toss her drink on her but with Jordan sitting there she didn’t want to cause a scene.

  “Anyway, there were many more earthquakes and the dome continued to rise. At this point, Catherine issued a notice of a potential volcanic hazard. This occurred just before a local weekend festival. You can imagine what impact it had.” She let her words linger. “That’s right, the tourists stayed at home. Not long after this the economy went through a slump, housing prices dropped and over the next few years businesses closed, shopping centers were empty and most of the community decided to look for jobs and housing elsewhere. A year later two M5 earthquakes, and another swarm of smaller earthquakes hit the town. There was also more ground deformation and once again Catherine wanted to place the town on high alert in preparation for a disaster. Thankfully that’s when I came into the picture and prevented it from happening. The third time. Yes, there was a third time three years later. Who wanted to issue a warning alert?” She winked and Catherine gripped her glass tightly as Rebecca stared back at her. “However, thankfully the caldera didn’t erupt. You see, even though they have had many earthquakes and the dome has risen, there has been no eruption. Well, there hasn’t been an eruption for over 700,000 years.”

  “How many inches would give you cause for alarm?” Logan asked.

  “Well let’s put it this way… a caldera near Naples, Italy rose up nine feet and it didn’t erupt, another one in Papua New Guinea rose by more than six feet and nothing happened. Which I might add could explain the flooding that you had today with the lake and the dead fish. Again, it’s not good news but it doesn’t mean it’s going to erupt.” She took a sip of her drink. “The truth is, Logan, places like Yellowstone and Long Valley might produce volcanic eruptions that squeeze out magma from time to time but it’s liable to come out like toothpaste, not as an explosion.”

  “Or it can blow up and kill thousands,” Catherine added. “Let’s not forget that scenario.”

  “Unlikely,” Rebecca added. “Most of the material under Yellowstone is not molten, it’s hot, plastic-like rock. The upper magma chamber has around 9 percent molten rock, and the lower chamber about 2 percent.”

  “That’s an estimation. It’s not exact science.”

  “I believe that data came from the University of Utah, not us,” Rebecca said glibly and in a manner that made Catherine feel like they were playing a game. A glint in Rebecca’s eye obviously indicated she thought she was winning.

  “Well with your expertise I’m sure you’ll have no problem calming the fears of officials here then,” Catherine said. “That is, if your data is correct.”

  “We haven’t been wrong so far.”

  “So far,” Catherine added. “There is always a first. Let’s hope people don’t lose their lives here. You see, Rebecca, I might have issued a warning too soon in Mammoth Lakes but if push came to shove, and I had to make that call again, I wouldn’t change one damn thing. I would rather be wrong and see lives saved than wrong and have thousands of deaths on my conscience.”

  Rebecca snorted. “Richard said you were like this.”

  “Like?”

  She sniffed and glanced around the room as if she owned it or thought she was better than others. Instead of finishing what she was saying she changed the subject knowing it would piss Catherine off even more. And it did.

  “So Logan, do you live north of the park?”

  Catherine narrowed her eyes and glared at her.

  Logan must have picked up on it as he answered her without giving further details. “Yeah. Tell me, Miss Lyons, what happens if you are wrong?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Well, I mean, like Catherine said, there is always a first time.” He gave a thin smile and Catherine returned the same.

  “It’s possible but unlikely while I’m at the helm.”

  Logan chuckled. “I applaud your confidence but confidence has been proven to get people killed in this park. Actually last week a woman was gored. Strangest thing she said as she was airlifted out of here. She said she didn’t think the bison would do anything. Can you believe that?”

  Catherine had to stifle a laugh. She wasn’t laughing at the woman’s demise but at the point he was making. Rebecca was cocky. She’d become lax in her position and took every opportunity to blow her own horn. The same confidence was liable to get thousands killed if she wasn’t careful.

  “I guess what I’m trying to say is that when it comes to Mother Nature, sometimes it’s better to err on the side of caution. I would rather get it wrong and deal with the backlash of my peers than do nothing and have to face the families of the deceased.”

  Rebecca snorted and smiled at her team. “Well, we are professionals, Mr. Miller. We get it right so you and others don’t have to deal with the consequences of amateur mistakes.” She glanced at Catherine.

  Catherine had just about enough of her pious attitude. It hadn’t changed in all the years she’d known her. She had forgotten what a bitch she could be, and how much she appreciated no longer working for the USGS. She tossed her napkin down. “Jordan. Let’s go.”

  Rebecca’s eyes widened. “Leaving so soon? No time for a drink with an old friend?”

  “Excuse us, Logan.” She smiled and took a hold of Jordan’s arm and motioned for him to leave. With that said they turned and exited the lounge leaving her to gloat about her achievements in the USGS.

  Chapter 12

  The roar of an engine woke Billy from his slumber. Billy glanced at his watch; it was a little after seven. A bright morning sun filtered through the canopy of trees breathing life to the forest floor. The chirping of birds was a welcome sound after a jumpy night. Every time he heard a sound he would check to see if it was a bear or rangers. He pawed at his weary eyes as the world around him came back into view. The temperature had dropped that night, making it even harder to sleep, and with little to keep him warm except a pit fire, the constant threat of being caught, and an uncomfortable backpack as a cushion, he was lucky to have got five hours’ sleep.

  He regretted leaving some of their belongings in the tents back at the lake.

  Panic set in at the thought of rangers moving in on him, but those fears soon disappeared when Wyatt came into view, tearing up the slope. He sat up and pressed his back against a tree and watched as he rolled into the camp, and shut off the engine. Wyatt flipped up his goggles and looked at him. Neither of them said anything. Wyatt removed his helmet and leaned on his handlebars. “You sleep against that tree all night?”

  “Most of it.”

  Wyatt hauled off his backpack and tossed it over to him. As it hit the ground, several cans of beans, and peaches rolled out.

  “Thought you might be hungry.”

  Billy snagged up one of the cans and looked at it before glancing at him. “You came back. Why?”

  Wyatt sniffed hard and surveyed the area. “I got thinking about what you said last night. I drove for hours, and eventually made it over to West Yellowstone. I could have kept on going and headed home but…” he trailed off. “What kind of friend would I be if I did that?”

  Billy’s face curved into a smile, as Wyatt di
smounted his bike.

  “Anyway, I stopped at Madison Campground on the way back and stole a few cans from an RV. Let me tell you, Billy, there is a strong law enforcement presence on the main roads. They’re stopping vehicles and handing out flyers. Someone threw one out of their window and I scooped it up. Take a look.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of folded yellow paper and handed it to Billy. Billy opened it to find information on himself. There was no photo but they had his description down to a tee.

  “There’s a change of clothes in the backpack. I stole those too. Thought you might need them.”

  Wyatt then scooped up some dry branches and tossed them on the fire to bring it back to life. It had died down overnight and was barely alight. Nothing more than golden embers flickered. Getting down on his hands and knees, Wyatt blew into the fire, smoke circled up and the dying embers came to life. He coughed a few times before backing away. “Fortunately I wasn’t stopped. I kept to the trails but it’s bad out there. They are serious about finding you.”

  “No reward for my capture?” Billy chuckled until Wyatt gave him a serious look.

  Billy scrunched up the paper and tossed it into the fire. “Well, let’s have breakfast and get the hell out of here.”

  “Yeah about that,” he said turning towards his bike. “I’m nearly out of gas.”

  “So we head down to the marina on Yellowstone Lake. I’m sure we can siphon some from one of the trucks in Bridge Bay Campground.”

  “Oh yeah, why don’t we just fire off a flare while we are at it? Are you serious!? You should have seen Madison Campground. The place was swarming with rangers. I was lucky to not get stopped. They’ll have all the major campgrounds on high alert. And as for this morning… they are going to be out in full force searching these forests for us.”

  “Us? Yesterday it was me,” Billy said changing into the new set of clothes.

  Wyatt blew out his cheeks and ran a hand around his neck. “That was then, this is now.”

  Billy finished putting on a black sweater and a warm red jacket before stretching his limbs. Every muscle in his body ached. The hard ground was unforgiving, as was the cold night. It felt like his joints had seized up. He groaned and yawned again. “Well for what it’s worth, I appreciate you coming back, Wyatt.”