Read The Sound of Seas for Free Online Page A

favor.”
    â€œPut Flora on,” Mikel said. There was something about Casey’s tone that did not sound like Casey, the skinny and slack-eyed figure who rarely strung more than three or four words together.
    A moment later Flora was on the line.
    â€œHello, Mikel. I’m afraid you’re going to have to do whatever Casey asks,” she said in a thick, slow voice.
    â€œ ‘Afraid’?”
    â€œHe—he has shared information that I cannot, at present, divulge,” she said.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause he—he does not wish me to,” she replied. “But you will cooperate with him, yes?”
    This too was not the Flora he knew. But Mikel knew better than to question her. Not because she was always right, but because there was no changing her mind once it was set.
    â€œOf course,” Mikel told her. “I’ll do whatever you need, Flora.”
    â€œThank you, Mikel.”
    He was immediately aware of—and concerned by—a couple of slight catches he had noticed in her voice, brief hesitations. She was one of the most certain people he had ever known. Were those catches natural, or was she trying to signal him that all was not well?
    â€œBefore you go,” Mikel asked casually, “how is my find behaving?”
    But Flora was not available to answer. Casey Skett was back on the call.
    â€œYour find is fine,” Casey informed him. “It’s under control.”
    â€œYou’ve evidently been promoted,” Mikel said.
    â€œI could not resist the compensation package,” Skett said. “And you, Dr. Jasso—you are a valued reallocated asset.”
    â€œMeaning?”
    â€œThat my promotion means you are no longer working for Flora but for me. And the favor I need is for you to go to the site where fire erupted from the ice.”
    Mikel didn’t ask how he knew. The Group has access to satellites monitoring every area of the Galderkhaani continent. “Do you know what caused it?”
    â€œSomething in the past, I believe,” he answered. “Or rather, something that began in the past and rippled through to the present. That process is one of the things I wish to understand.”
    At least he wasn’t cagey about answering. “I have a broken wrist,” Mikel said.
    â€œYou still have one hand that works? That’s all you should need.”
    â€œTrue, if I could get out there,” Mikel said. “But I’ve created problems down here—lots of them. No one is going to do me any favors.”
    â€œFind a way to compel them,” Skett replied bluntly. “They’re already trying to understand it—but from a distance, like the safe and incurious academics they are.”
    â€œHow do you—”
    â€œI saw it in a report filed by Dr. Bundy,” Skett said. “I have resources too, Dr. Jasso. Aren’t you curious about it as well?”
    â€œOf course I am,” Mikel said. “But I’m grounded, and frankly, I don’t like being under the whip hand of someone who was until today a custodian, in effect.”
    â€œWho pretended to be a custodian, in effect,” Skett said. “And spare me the hauteur. You took orders from Flora easily enough.”
    â€œShe earned my respect. You haven’t even begun.”
    â€œDr. Jasso, pride has no place in my work. You will do as I ask and that is that. However, I assure you, my reasons are not hostile even if my methods seem to have been. Inform these scientists of yours that you can show them what happened out there. Assure them they will never figure it out just using instruments, but that you can explain it.”
    â€œJust by going out there?”
    â€œCorrect,” Skett said. “By going out there and witnessing an experiment that I will be performing from here. Dr. Jasso, you know there’s more to this phenomenon than geology. You were down there, among ruins. Don’t