Here I am again, folks! How is everything? Reviews came a lot faster this time, so thank you everybody! The wait this time was short, so be proud!
Okay, now for Chapter 9! Danny and the gang have just arrived at the library to escape the tidal wave. But for now…
At the Hedland Center, it was still snowing hard. Currently Roy Peterson was looking at a stick figure drawing in his office. John walked in and handed him a cup of tea.
John chuckled, "Is that young Drew's handiwork?"
Peterson looked up at John and answered, "Not at all. Drew's way beyond stick figures. He's already six. No, this cute little masterpiece belongs to my second grandson, Timmy."
"My, my. I can't believe Drew's six already."
"You wouldn't believe how fast they grow."
Just then, Will poked his head into the office. He said, "Professor. I've got Fredrick Fenton on the phone. He and his team have run the data we've sent them."
Peterson quickly got up and followed Will out where the phone was. John followed.
Will put Fredrick on speaker. He also connected their computer to his so they would see whatever he saw. Will said, "Here he is."
Peterson spoke into the speaker, "Fredrick, were you able to re-create the thermal cycle?"
Fredrick answered, "Yes. The storm's rotation is pulling super-cooled air all the way down from the upper troposphere." The computer showed lines resembling the rotation spiraling downward. It looked kind of like a model of a tornado.
Peterson stared at it oddly, "But shouldn't the air warm up before reaching ground level?"
"It should, but it doesn't. The air is descending to fast for any kind of heat to form."
"Is this an isolated incident?"
Steve and Brittany were also around the computer where Fredrick was. Mark was at another computer. Fredrick looked at Steve and Brittany and turned back to his own computer, "I'm afraid not. We've been able to locate two other super cells in addition to the one that froze the helicopters over Scotland. There's one over northern Canada, and a third one over Siberia."
"And do we know their projected path?"
"Yes. I'm afraid our recent estimates of six to eight weeks weren't even close. This one storm we are in right now is going to change the very face of our planet."
The computer went to a model of one cell. Fredrick explained, "This is a projection of twenty-four hours out." The computer switched to a world map of all three cells. They inhabited most parts of the United States, nearly all of Europe, and parts of Eastern Asia.
Mark got up to look as Fredrick went on, "This is forty-eight hours out." It showed the storms inhabiting nearly all parts of the Northern Hemisphere as they moved slowly south.
Fredrick continued, "And in seven to ten days." It showed the cells moving further south and spreading out wider and wider until it inhabited at least two thirds of the model of the world.
Fredrick finished, "When this storm is finally over, we'll be in a new Ice Age."
There was stunned silence as Peterson, John, and Will could only stare at the computer screen in awe. "My god," Peterson whispered.
Fredrick, Steve, Mark, and Brittany exchanged grave looks as they understood the fate of the world.
Fredrick picked up the phone, with Peterson doing the same so they could only talk to each other.
"Professor," said Fredrick, "It's time for you to get out of there."
Peterson sighed and said, "I'm afraid that time has already come and gone, my friend."
Fredrick hesitated, and then asked, "What can we do?"
"Save as many as you can." Moments later Peterson's line went dead. Fredrick sighed as he put the phone down. Across the room another phone rang. Mark answered it and then turned to Fredrick, "Fredrick. Something's happened in New York."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A few hours later, it was still raining in New York, even though the tidal wave had stopped. The city was flooded. Luckily, Danny and the gang were safe in the library, along with just about all the other freshmen.
Currently, the hundreds of people inside were gathered in a very large room. Several were on their cellphones, but it was overloading the signals so they wouldn't be on very long.
Danny was sitting down on a chair. He knew he had been lucky. Sam turned to him, "Danny, thanks for coming back for me. It was really brave."
Danny smiled, "Saving people is what I do best."
Sam chuckled. She held up the French woman's purse and said, "I should probably go return this to her, then." Then she walked over to her.
Danny watched her walk away and began to think, Man, if I had gotten back to her two seconds later, we might have both drowned. I'm glad she's okay. If anything happened to her, I don't know what I would do.
"Thinking about how you saved your girlfriend, huh Danny?" a voice rang out. Tucker walked over to him and smiled.
Danny sighed, "She's not my girlfriend, Tucker. This isn't the time to talk about it."
"Just tell her. I know you like her, and she likes you too."
Danny rolled his eyes, "I don't have time for this. Hey, did you get a signal on your PDA?"
"No, it took damage when I dropped it in the water. What about your cellphone?"
"No service." Then he got up and walked over to the head librarian at her desk. "Excuse me," he said.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Do you have any pay phones on the upper floors?"
"No, I'm afraid not. But there are some on the mezzanine."
"Great," said Danny and he started to walk away. The librarian quickly said, "But I think it's underwater!"
Danny walked past Sam toward the mezzanine. Sam asked, "Danny, where are you going? The power's out."
Danny kept walking and said, "Older pay phones like the ones here draw their power directly from the telephone line."
"I'll come with you," said Sam.
"Me too," said Tucker, but then he saw Valerie walk by. He quickly said, "Or maybe I'll stay."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jack, Maddie, and Jazz sat in the waiting room of the NOAA. They had driven there after discovering what happened in New York. Luckily, Fredrick had been told they were there and was going to meet them in there.
Fredrick walked into the waiting room and walked over to them.
As he shook their hands, Jack said, "Hi Fredrick. How are you doing? We've been trying to reach Danny."
"Where is he?" asked Fredrick.
"New York," answered Maddie, looking very worried.
"Oh my."
"Yeah," said Jazz, "We were trying to reach you but we couldn't get through."
"It's been crazy around here. Come on." Fredrick led them up to his office.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Danny and Sam walked down to the mezzanine. Sure enough, a good portion of it was underwater. The pay phones, however, were still out of the water. The water wasn't too deep either.
"Danny," said Sam, "Are you sure about this?"
Danny answered, "No." Then he started to wade through the water to the phone. It was cold, but he tried to ignore it.
Danny got to the phone and listened for a tone. He smiled, "It works." Then he called his house. But he got the machine.
"Let's see…" Danny said to himself, "Where else would they be?" Then he dialed another number.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jack asked Fredrick, "So you're saying this weather is going to cause a second Ice Age?"
Fredrick answered, "Yes. It's all because of global warming. It's shutting down the warm climate of the Northern Hemisphere."
Maddie asked, "What are we going to do about Danny?"
Just then Mark walked into the room and said, "Fredrick, Danny's on the phone. Line Three."
Jack, Maddie, Jazz, and Fredrick all gathered around the phone and Fredrick put it on speaker. "Danny?" said Jack.
"Dad!" shouted Danny in the water.
"Where are you, son? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. We're at the public library."
Maddie said, "Danny, it's mom. I'm so glad you're okay."
Jazz said, "Hi, Danny. This is Jazz. I'm happy to see that you're safe."
"Hi mom, hi Jazz," answered Danny as the water was rising around him, "Hey, could you call Tucker and Sam's parents to tell them we're alright?"
"Of course," said Maddie.
Just then Danny lost his footing and slipped under the water.
Hearing the water, Jack asked, "Danny, what is that noise?"
Sam look frightened as she said, "Danny? Danny?"
Danny reappeared above the water, panting. He spoke into the phone, "Dad, what's going on out there?"
"Danny, I'm going to put your Uncle Fredrick on. He'll tell you."
Fredrick spoke into the speaker, "Danny, this is Uncle Fredrick. Listen to me carefully."
"Okay," said Danny, "Oh, and hi."
"Danny, forget what your father said about trying to head south. It's too late for that. The storm is just going to get worse. It's going to turn into an enormous blizzard with an eye in the center just like a huge hurricane."
"Uh huh," said Danny as the water was reaching his stomach.
Fredrick went on, "Except in the eye, the air is going to be so cold you could freeze to death in seconds."
Sam kept watch on Danny with a flashlight, but she was forced to move up away from the water as it rose. "Danny!" she yelled as the water was reaching his chest.
"What should we do?" asked Danny.
"Listen to me, Danny. Whatever you do, do not go outside. Just burn whatever you can to stay warm and try to wait it out. I will come for you. Do you understand me? I will come for you."
Maddie and Jazz stared at Fredrick, but Jack suddenly shouted, "So will I, Danny!"
Danny gasped as the water was reaching his neck. "Danny?" said Fredrick, "Did you hear me?"
Danny gulped, "Yeah. And I have to tell you something."
"Danny!" shouted Sam, "Please come back!"
Danny sputtered through the water, "Guys, I'm…I'm…h-half…"
He never finished as he slipped under the water.
Cliffhanger! Danny is now underwater, while a second Ice Age is just around the corner. Will Danny be able to get out? And will Fredrick and Jack really come to get him? For now, let's wait for Chapter 10!