The Weathermakers (Rebelutionaries Series: Book 1) Read online

The Weathermakers

  by Beau Cornerstone

 

  Copyright 2013 by Beau Cornerstone

  4th Edition

  Before you start reading...

  Did you swipe this ebook? Or accept a copy of a copy from someone else?

  Let your conscience guide you.

  (Chances are this ebook is free there anyway!)

  Other ebooks for young adults by Beau Cornerstone

  Book 2: The Codetalkers

  For younger readers - History Changers: Expedition 2022

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Other ebooks in the series

  References and further reading

  Preamble

  I could feel the darkness engulfing me.

  “Keep your head down Maya!” ordered Jake from somewhere nearby.

  I spluttered for breath... Clawed at the blackness as though it were a curtain I could tear apart.

  “I can’t handle this for much longer Jake! I’m full-on claustrophobic when it comes to small, dark places.”

  “Listen Maya... if you don’t keep your head under here I’m gonna... I’m gonna kiss you. So unless you want a kiss you’d better keep your head tucked in. Ya hear?”

  I obediently complied. Rendered speechless by the bizarre threat.

  “It’ll subside any moment now. Just keep calm...”

  Keep calm? I’m fighting claustrophobia in the middle of an earthquake, in a pitch black cave with a 17 year old brainiac who’s just threatened to kiss me if I raise my head!

  How had I got myself into this mess anyway? And would Zac be able to get me out of it?

  Chapter 1

  It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

  -Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

  “Make seeing eyes blind Jireh,” arrow-prayed Zac, as the queue in front of him shuffled closer to the baggage inspection area.

  The customs officer looked uncomprehendingly at the images on the screen as Zac’s bags passed through and then directed his attention to their owner.

  “So... Professor Canney. The purpose of your visit to Western Australia is to conduct a series of workshops...”

  “...in geophysics and scalar technology,” finished Zac.

  “Right. What are all these electronic gadgets with tags on them anyway?”

  “Support materials. I’m here to interact with some of the brightest young minds in Australia. I want my workshops to be inspiring, not something the participants fall asleep in.”

  “Your itinerary indicates you’ll be spending time in the north-eastern Goldfields as well as Perth...”

  “I’m undertaking geophysical fieldwork in the Goldfields region with select Australian students... That part of my stay has largely been organised for me by others though, so I’m not exactly sure of the finer details.”

  “That’s fair enough. Everything seems to be in order here... Enjoy your stay in Western Australia Professor.”

  “Thanks,” replied Zac, flashing a near genuine smile. “I have a hunch it’s gonna be a memorable visit.”

  Ω

  “What are you doing Maya?”

  I stopped momentarily in the act of eating, and looked up at my interrogator with feigned innocence.

  “Consuming preservatives,” I replied, biting into a choc-chip muffin.

  “The quake you’re supposed to be covering is a thousand kilometres that-a-way.”

  Frank pointed east with his thumb as if hitching a ride.

  “There isn’t any hurry. It’ll be a boring non-event.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  “Only one quake’s ever been recorded in the Laverton area – back in 1993. And consensus of opinion has it that was probably just a meteor strike anyway.”

  “There was a quake in Kalgoorlie in 2010...”

  “Probably triggered by the expansion of the Superpit.”

  Frank looked about five seconds away from detonation.

  “I’ve got a gut feeling it’s a scoop...”

  Instant attention.

  “Why didn’t you say so? When’s the flight leave?”

  “10:30.”

  “Accommodation?”

  “Jody couldn’t raise reception in the only hotel in town, but it’s unlikely to be booked out.”

  Frank’s grin spawned lines of amusement around the corners of his eyes as I rushed around.

  “Works every time!” he chuckled, as I tore out the door.

  Ω

  Jake glanced at the photo he had been sent and almost immediately spotted Zac. He wasn’t hard to miss, because he had the physique of a basketball player and an energetic stride which set him apart from the other travel-weary arrivals.

  “Professor Canney...”

  “Yeah. Gidday. But call me Zac.”

  Jake grasped the extended hand, trying not to feel overwhelmed.

  “Um... Our connecting flight... We have to go to the domestic airport. Do you mind taking the shuttle bus? We can get a taxi if you mind.”

  “The shuttle bus will be just fine.”

  Zac loaded his bags and boarded the bus. He stretched himself out on the back seat and casually took in his surroundings. He could sense the young student staring at him in blunt appraisal but chose to overlook his lack of etiquette. Eventually the silence became too much for Jake.

  “You’re not like I thought you’d be,” said Jake cautiously.

  “You’re just like I thought you’d be!” retorted Zac with a grin. “How about we push through this awkwardness and you tell me about yourself?”

  “Um... I’m Jacob. Um... Jake.”

  “And your specialty?”

  “Postgrad studies in planetary physics.”

  “That’s what you’re studying. But what’s your passion?”

  “My passion?”

  “What do you spend your free time thinking and dreaming about?”

  A nervous laugh.

  “Um... Tesla mostly... What are you passionate about Sir?”

  “Weather manipulation... earthquake engineering... and what the Creator of this planet thinks about us... Although not necessarily in that order.”

  “You’re not passionate about women?”

  Jake’s face instantly expressed his mortified embarrassment.

  “Sorry Sir. I can’t believe I just asked you that!”

  Zac relaxed him with a grin.

  “There’s a time and season for everything under the sun Jake. Including making passionate love to a woman. But it’d take one gutsy woman to keep up with me at the moment. So for now I’m teaming up with bright young men like you.”

  “Rad...You are so un-Professor-like!” replied Jake, as they got off the bus.

  “And you’re finally starting to sound real around me. Here... Give me a look at that paperwork you’ve been clutching onto for dear life and let’s find our charter flight to Laverton, eh?”

  Ω

  “Are you saying there isn’t a single hire car left at this tin-pot airport so I can get myself into town?”

  I was travel somnolent and the gum-chewing receptionist was pushing me over the edge. Possibly because she was wearing a badge that said, ‘I’m not deaf - I’m just not listening to you.’

&nb
sp; “We had a run on hire cars this morning. I’ve made an arrangement with a local mine. They’re making some of their fleet vehicles available for hire to address the shortfall. I can offer you one of those when they arrive.”

  “When will they arrive?”

  “After tonight’s shift change. About 5 pm.”

  “You mean I have to wait five hours?”

  An indolent shrug from the receptionist.

  “Don’t just sit there doing nothing! Get on the phone and do something about this, will you?”

  “I called Avis earlier. They can’t send more cars up here for two days. They’re short in Kalgoorlie themselves and they’ve got to get extras trucked from Perth or somethin’.”

  “Why can’t I hire that Landcruiser baking out near the runway that says AVIS RENTAL on its door?”

  I bit the question off querulously.

  “It’s pre-booked. For the blokes that came in on the charter behind your domestic a few minutes ago.”

  “Can’t you tell whoever pre-booked the Cruiser that you’ve accidentally hired it out and make them wait until tonight for a mine-site vehicle?”

  “No she can’t do that because we’d know she was fibbing.”

  I hadn’t heard anyone walk in behind me but I liked the smile in his voice. I turned around and decided I liked how he looked too. Broad shoulders and statuesque abs hidden by a khaki polo shirt, cargo pants and sturdy hiking boots. A studious-looking geek was trailing him. Mr Greek-statue gently nudged me out of the way.

  “Hey! I was in front of you!”

  Zac ignored my protest and grinned at the receptionist. She sucked in a breath of recycled, refrigerated air and tried to smile back.

  “Here. Let me autograph the paperwork so we can whisk the lady in front of us out of your life, eh?”

  The receptionist looked mega relieved.

  “You’re offering me a ride into Laverton... er... Professor Canney?” I said deciphering his scribbled signature.

  “We’ll even take your bags for the ride.”

  He picked up my two heaviest bags like they were empty. I shouldered the remainder of my bags and walked outside. His weedy offsider clumsily pushed their luggage further forward so I could cram my bags into the Cruiser behind theirs. I only just managed to close the rear door of the 4WD.

  “Half of my luggage is work-related. I pride myself in travelling lightly for a woman actually.”

  Twinkling eyes dissolved my defensiveness.

  “Have you been to Laverton before?”

  “No.”

  “Neither have we. I took note as our aircraft approached final though. Town’s that direction...”

  Ω

  I climbed down out of the Landcruiser. My three inch heels sank into an inch of red dust. He pretended not to notice.

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  “That’s okay. Jake and I were interested in looking around anyway.”

  I scrutinized what was supposed to be the centre of town. Eight buildings in all. Two of them were obviously disused.

  “There’s not much to see.”

  “I agree it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it town. On the surface anyway.”

  “Oh well. Perhaps I’ll catch up with you later. Since there’s only one hotel in town.”

  “Actually we’re staying out of town. Towards Leonora.”

  “You brought me into town when you were heading the other direction?”

  “Hey, someone had to rescue that teenager at airport reception. That donger might’ve turned into a crime scene if you two were forced to hang out in it together for five hours!”

  “Stupid gum-chewing kid. She wouldn’t last two minutes as a receptionist in the city.”

  “I thought she was rather resourceful actually. Arranging alternative hire vehicles from a local mine-site until Avis get their act together. Not to mention she stayed polite around someone with ‘tude like you!”

  I laughed and bear-cuffed him. He ducked easily and steadied me as my heels sank another inch into the dust. An immoderate belly laugh from him. I couldn’t bite back.

  “We’ll be in the area for a bit. Jake and I might see you ‘round.”

  His farewell grin left me feeling weak at the knees, making balancing on my heels even more difficult. I stood there waving like a teenager with a crush. He wound up the Cruiser’s window and slowly drove out of my life.