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"I can't believe the sound ray traveling toward the island has the strength to cause a volcanic eruption,"

said Sandecker incredulously

"Not by itself," replied Bakewell "But e neglected to consider was Dorsett'sthe volcanoes most susceptible to outside treer volcanic activity fro dia the gaseous pressure fro, it's only a matter of ti an explosion of molten lava"

"An explosion of molten lava," Sandecker repeated mechanically "Dear God, what have we done?

Hundreds of lives will be lost"

"Don't be in a rush to confess your sins," said Bakewell seriously "There are no women and children known to be on Gladiator Island You've already saved the lives of countless families on Oahu from certain extinction Your action is bound to wake up the White House and State Department to the threat

Sanctions and legal actions against Dorsett Consolidated Mining will occur, I guarantee it Without your intervention the acoustic plague would have continued, and there is no telling what harbor city the next convergence zone ht have intersected"

"StillI ht have ordered the reflector shield to divert the sound waves toward an uninhabited landmass," said Sandecker slowly

"And watch it surge through another unsuspecting fishing fleet or cruise ship We all agreed this was the safest path Give it a rest, Jim, you have no reason to condemn yourself"

"You mean I have no choice but to live with it"

"What is Dr Ames' estimate of the sound wave's arrival at Gladiator?" inquired Bakewell, steering Sandecker away frouilt trip

Sandecker glanced at his watch "Twenty-one minutes to impact"

"There's still time to warn the inhabitants to evacuate the island"

"My people in Washington have already tried to alert Dorsett Consolidated Mining er," said Sandecker "But under orders fro operations and the outside have been cut off"

"It sounds al to happen"