Superstorm: Possibility

"Morning Rick" Helen said, greeting Rick and his associate as they came through the front door, "Your call sounded urgent."

"You've become a regular, would you like a key?" Bob added, "What happened, they kick you out of your office?"

"I could ask all of you to meet me at the agency, but I think it's easier for me to come to you."

"Makes sense."

"Actually I like meeting here, it gets me out of the building, it's a better environment to discuss problems, and the coffee is a lot better."

"Hey, I'm thinking we could make a little money on the side by charging the NSA rental as an annex."

"Good idea Bob, you could make a fortune. But then we would be forced to charge you for cleaning up your mess, wiping memories, relocating you family...you'd be broke inside a month."

"As Bob was saying, our house is your house...you're welcome any time. I'll make a fresh pot."

"Thanks Helen."

"Who's your quiet partner?" Helen asked from the kitchen.

"You remember Jim Miller, our liaison with the scientific community." Rick said, reintroducing Jim to the family.

Bob looked at Jim for a second trying to remember.

"You do look familiar." Bob said, still trying to figure out where he had seen him before.

Jim smiled and was going to tell him when...

"The mine entrance. You were the one that gave us the maps and briefing."

Jim was still grinning, "Yep, that was me."

"I can't believe I almost forgot."

"Well, it was only a short briefing at night. I'm sure you had other things on your mind at that time."

"That's true," Bob admitted, "and I don't think working with you again is a coincidence."

"Actually, no. There are one or two people in my field that could have done this, but I volunteered."

"Volunteered?"

"Let's just say I don't get along with just anybody, and some supers are very temperamental." Jim confessed, "So, if I find supers I like dealing with, I try and work with them as much as possible."

"So, are you a federal agent or a scientist?"

"Both actually. I'm a geophysicist, if it's under, on, or over the earth...I deal with it. I work very closely with the NSA on matters concerning natural phenomena and the supers that may help in any given situation. I'm also called in to deal with some of the more difficult non-science cases dealing with supers."

"So you've probably worked with supers like Thunderhead."

"Over the years quite a few, yes. In fact I've worked with Thunderhead a number of times."

Bob laughed, "I'll bet you had to draw him a few pictures."

"Well, I admit it took a little longer to explain things, but he did his best with what ever we asked him to do." Jim smiled, "He had a heart of gold...never let us down."

"Sounds like you miss him."

"Yeah," Jim said nodding his head, "actually, I do."

"I take it then you have a science type problem?"

"Yes, one that I think your family's perfect for."

"So, what do you have?"

"Something for Violet, if she decides to work with us."

Violet was stunned for a moment.

"Me?"

"Yes ma'am, you're the one I came to see."

"How could I possibly help with natural phenomena?"

"You control energy if I'm not mistaken."

"True."

"Have you ever heard of a Coronal Mass Ejection?"

"A little in science class, but I didn't think they were that bad."

"True, they're natural occurrences that happen all the time. But what we're looking at is formation of a CME larger than any recorded in modern history."

"What does that mean?" Violet asked, visibly nervous.

"Don't worry, the earth's not going to flame out and the ashes blown into deep space. But there will be quite a bit of damage to power grids and high tension wires, among other things."

"What can I do?"

"I really don't know." Jim admitted, "That's why we're here, to examine the possibilities."

"OK, so what do you need me to do?"

"Do what you can to strengthen the EMF shield."

"If the shield is weak, I can't add to it...I can't create something that's not there."

"The first law of thermodynamics." Jim said nodding his head, "But there's a lot of energy out there you could 'borrow', like radio, TV, microwave energy from radars...things like that. Would that be a possibility?"

"I guess, never tried anything like that before."

Violet was extremely hesitant, her face had 'worry' all over it.

"Violet, I know this is a lot to take in. But if you think about it, it's a win-win for you."

"How's that?"

"You could neutralize the storm, maybe just mitigate it's effects or worst case...have no effect. No matter what happens, you were there when we called for help and did your best. You'll get a lot of respect just for stepping up."

Violet sighed, "There's a fourth outcome."

"What's that?"

"I'd weaken the shield...what would happen then?"

There was a long, heavy silence.

"Weakening the shield is a non-player." Jim stated with confidence.

"How can you say that?"

"Give yourself some credit Violet. I think, if you felt things were going wrong, you'd back off and let nature take its course."

"Felt is a good word, because I couldn't see anything, I would have to feel every part of the shield...and the world's a big place." Violet's lack of confidence was coming out, "And were do I go to do...what it is I'm supposed to do? Stand on the roof, go to the park...were?"

"That's a good question." Jim admitted, "The magnetic poles would be my guess, a good place to start anyway."

"Why there?"

"The earth is like a enormous magnet, the energy begins and and at the poles."

"Sounds reasonable, I guess."

"You don't have to do this." Rick reassured her.

"I know, but I want to do something. If there were no possibility of damaging the earth's shield, I would agree in a second..." Violet faded off in thought.

"I know you would." Rich replied with understanding.

"Listen, Violet, talk it over with your mom and dad...discuss it seriously. Here's my number." Jim handed Vi his card, "Call me any time, if you have problems or just want to talk something over."

"OK..." Vi said accepting the card, then she grinned, "...but what if I wake up a three in the morning with a question?"

"I have a phone next to my bed."