Balance of Power by Stan Lee & Stuart Moore & Andie Tong

Author:Stan Lee & Stuart Moore & Andie Tong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2017-03-06T16:00:00+00:00

“The Ring,” Duane said, “of Fire.”

Mags, the group’s caretaker/mechanic, spoke up from the computer area. “I know what that is. It’s the area in the Pacific Ocean that contains most of the active volcanoes in the world.”

“Yes,” Duane said. “And it turns out that an alarming number of these volcanoes have recently shown signs of activity. The volcanology institutes have been keeping that information quiet—”

“In order to avoid panic,” Mr. Lee said.

Malik—Ox—stood up and pushed his chair noisily under the table. Everyone turned toward him.

“Are you saying that Maxwell is triggering a massive chain of volcanic eruptions?” he asked.

“Exactly,” Duane replied.

That must be hundreds of volcanoes, Steven thought, all over the world. If they all erupt at once…what would happen?

“This could lead to massive ecological disruptions, not to mention the actual fire damage from lava flows,” Duane explained. “Billions would die or fall sick from the toxic gases. The sheer quantity of ash in the atmosphere would render air travel nearly impossible. Worst-case scenario: the end of the human race.”

“I don’t buy it,” Josie said, rising to her feet. “I’ve worked for Maxwell. He doesn’t want to kill everyone in the world. What would he gain from that?”

“Not Maxwell,” Duane said, “the Dragon.”

“This again?” Nicky—Dog—snorted. “Maxwell is the Dragon. What’s the difference?”

“It’s a big difference.” Steven moved forward, turning to face the group. “Jasmine says the Dragon has completely taken over Maxwell’s body. And the Dragon isn’t human.”

“It doesn’t think the way we do,” Duane added. “We believe it wants to wipe out all life on Earth and start over.”

“Project Firebird,” Kim said.

Steven nodded. “Raining fire across the land.”

Billy, the team’s quartermaster, gestured at the world map. “This, uh, sounds incredible,” he said. “How could any entity do this? Even the Dragon? The technology required…”

“That’s where Mount Merapi comes in.” Duane turned to Steven. “Kim told me about your rescue. You had to pass through three different areas in order to reach her, correct?”

“Yeah,” Steven replied. “But they weren’t very dangerous, except maybe the last one. I couldn’t figure it out.”

“Those were not protective measures,” Duane said. “At least not primarily. They were simulations.”

“Simulations?” Steven echoed. “Of what?”

“Tectonic plates. The enormous moving rock shelves beneath the surface of the earth.”

Roxanne nodded. “I thought that was a whole lot of tech just to booby-trap an underground jail.”

Duane clicked again. On the big screen, a geological cutaway diagram appeared. It showed two flat layers of rock beneath the earth’s surface, sliding toward each other. When they came together, one sheet of rock slipped easily past the other.

“This is called a conservative boundary,” Duane explained. “Two tectonic plates passing each other without damage to either one. I assume it looks familiar.”

“The first area,” Steven said, “inside the volcano. The floor was made up of rocky tiles that moved like that.”

“Conservative boundaries are not especially harmful. They can cause earthquakes, but that’s about all. But there is another kind of tectonic plate activity…when the plates move away from each other.”

Steven nodded, remembering. “The holes.”

“And the third type: destructive boundaries.

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