Aftershock. Don Pendleton

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      Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute

      “Sir, I believe we’re heading toward a major disaster. We have to let the media know,” Vigo Pepis said to Kan Bursa, the director of the observatory.

      “Nothing is clear on the graph, though,” Bursa answered, concern coloring his features. “And none of the other seismologists have been able to confirm on their readings.”

      “I know. The background tremors caused by the bombing and the collapse of the buildings in the area have masked any readings in the city,” Pepis explained. “But just take a look at what I’ve recorded. Outlying sensor reports seem weaker, meaning that the epicenter is going to be right beneath Van itself.”

      “There’s nothing to reinforce that fact,” Bursa replied.

      “That’s because of Lake Van,” Pepis explained. “Sensors can’t pick up anything because we couldn’t place the ground sensors in a conventional perimeter. With the closest western land more than one hundred miles away, we’re not going to get properly effective readings.”

      “How about the data we’re receiving from NASA?” Bursa asked.

      “The satellite placed in orbit over Turkey is currently being worked on by their shuttle,” Pepis stated. “It’ll be another eighteen hours before we have a current observation of thermal patterns. However, there was a lava buildup on the infrared scans of the area before the scope went down.”

      Bursa chewed his lower lip. “I’ll put out a warning, but Van is already under martial law. The military, police and Jandarma are on the hunt for the bastards who attacked the relief workers.”

      “Then we have an infrastructure already in place,” Pepis said. “That’s good.”

      “They’re hunting for terrorists,” Bursa explained. “If something does hit, they’re going to be spread doubly thin.”

      “You don’t think that the Kongras would strike in the aftermath of an earthquake, do you?” Pepis asked.

      “They might not,” Bursa said. “Usually, when we’ve had big earthquakes in the past, we’ve been able to rely on a general ceasefire to keep everyone in line.”

      “But they already hit the medical supply warehouse,” Pepis stated.

      “And relief workers,” Bursa added. “I’ll talk to the minister of defense and the minister of the interior, but right now, the earth isn’t the only threat we have to deal with. I’m sorry, Vigo.”

      Pepis took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He nodded in quiet acceptance.

      “How bad do you think it will be?” Bursa asked.

      “Huge,” Pepis answered softly. “At least a 7.0.”

      “You think it’ll be worse.”

      Pepis nodded, almost spasmodically.

      “I don’t have to remind anyone in the ministry of the interior that a 7.2 earthquake killed thousands of people a few years back,” Bursa grumbled, watching his best seismologist’s reaction.

      “I’m praying it’s not going to be that bad,” Pepis said. “But sometimes your prayers don’t get answered.”

      Bursa looked at the map of Van. “Bombings, civil war…and now an earthquake. If that city ever needed heroes, it needs them now.”

      THE EXECUTIONER’S BATTLE instincts were on alert. He saw the Jandarma jeeps racing to keep up with his vehicle, and even though they were loaded down with armed riflemen, they kept a decent pace with the much lighter jeep he was steering. Something else kept him on edge, though. Bolan didn’t believe in psychic phenomena, but he had enough experiences with subconsciously detected threat cues to realize that there were senses many people possessed that provided them with early warnings.

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