مقدمه

Prologue

the ES ampere

100 kilometers west of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Aboard the Elgen Superyacht Ampere.

“Is it as bad as first reported?” Chairman Schema asked. His voice was even lower and more coarse than usual due to the bronchitis he was fighting. Living at sea was taking its toll.

“Worse, Mr. Chairman. The Peruvian Starxource plant has suffered a complete bowl meltdown. More than seventy percent of the country is without power. The Peruvian government has declared a national state of emergency and they’re mobilizing engineers to restart their coal and diesel operations from before. It will be months before they have restored even half their country’s power.” Chairman Schema coughed. “The press must be having a feast.” “That’s an accurate assessment. All the major television networks have reported the story. It’s made the front pages of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, the Beijing News, the International Herald, and the London Times. Unfortunately, the media coverage is having an effect. The governments of Taiwan and Zimbabwe are holding emergency discussions about the possibility of phasing out our plants. And three countries have put Starxource plant production on hold. Brazil has completely cut off negotiations with us.” Schema dabbed his feverish forehead with a handkerchief. “This is disastrous. Were the rats contained?” “The ER were contained only because they were completely exterminated—more than a million and a half rats were killed in the bowl’s meltdown.” Schema erupted in another bout of coughing. “Have we determined the cause of the meltdown?” “The plant was attacked by a terrorist group.” “A terrorist group? The Shining Path?” “No, a group called the Electroclan.” “Michael Vey,” Schema growled. “He’s just a kid.” “Then he’s a very powerful kid.”

“He’s one of our own!” Schema shouted. “This is like Frankenstein; the monster has turned on its creator. So that was Vey’s plan—to destroy our plant and stop our global expansion?” “No. According to our sources, Mr. Vey’s mother was being held captive in the Peruvian compound. His only objective was to free her. Dr. Hatch apprehended him, but then Vey’s fellow terrorists attacked the compound to free him. The power plant was collateral damage.” “You’re telling me that we lost billions of dollars as a side effect of a boy looking for his mother?” “Yes, sir.”

“Was Mrs. Vey at the compound?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then Hatch never released Vey’s mother as he was directed.” “It would appear not.”

The chairman screamed out a long string of profanities, which ended in an equally lengthy fit of coughing. “This is Hatch’s doing! The man’s gone rogue. Has he done anything we told him to? Have the rest of the electric children been released?” “We don’t believe so.”

“Where was Hatch when all this happened?” “He was at the compound.”

“And where is he now?”

“He is on his way here—as per your summons.” “When will he arrive?”

“In about three hours.”

“Alert security. Tell them to prepare the brig. They’ll soon be accommodating a new prisoner.” “Yes, sir.”

“Does Hatch have any of the electric children with him?” “We don’t know, sir.”

“Then find out!” Schema shouted. “Under no circumstances are you to allow those children aboard this boat. Do you understand?” “Yes, sir. What do we do if they’re with him?” “Turn the helicopter away.”

“If they won’t go?”

“Then blow them out of the air.”

“With the youth aboard?”

“Yes, with the youth aboard! Are you an idiot? Do you have any idea how powerful those children are? They could take over the ship. Under no circumstance do we allow those children on this ship.” “And kill Hatch as well?”

“Did you think we were going to let him live? He knows everything. Hatch will never leave this ship alive.”