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irst for understanding grew until he could no longer resist。
Emmett wasn't authorized to access the PresNet； but he knew Dr。 Wang's puter was networked and would automatically access the system。 Once into the system he could read the posted messages； but to send you needed a security code。 He had ransacked Dr。 Wang's office until he found it taped to the bottom of her new chair。 The little news the islands were getting was confused and impossible to believe。 Floods； avalanches； disappearing cities； none of it made sense。 As far as he knew； Hawaii had been spared a disaster like those described on the network。
Emmett had hoped the PresNet would have more information； something that could make sense of it。 He was disappointed。 It was filled with the same kinds of reports being carried on the news； but with more detail and in more variety。 The mystery was only getting bigger。
So he sat in total frustration； watching the scientific parade pass him by； his self…pity interrupted only when he heard a tapping at the partially closed door。
Associate Professor Carrollee Chen…Slater came through the door holding two paper cups of coffee。 Emmett had his usual mixed reaction。 He was happy to see her again； but also a little apprehensive。
She was the only woman in the botany department and was highly regarded for her petence。 Carrollee was also valued because of her multicultural background。 Her mother was half Nez Perce and a quarter each of Polish and Hispanic； and her father was a mix of Chinese and Swedish。 The Slater name came from his stepfather； who adopted him。 On her office desk was a sign that read simply MELTED POT。
Carrollee was as popular with students as Emmett was。 She'd won a campus teaching award and two departmental awards。 Carroilee was also popular among the faculty。 She was friendly toward everyone； and everyone appreciated her ready smile and sense of humor。 The faculty was also generally amused by the outlandish clothes she wore。 Today her brown curly hair was pushed to the right side of her face and held in place with a large silver barrette。 Under her unbuttoned lab coat； Emmett could see a one…piece black jumpsuit with an oversize silver belt with a huge oval buckle。 He often wondered if those cover…up lab coats weren't keeping Carroilee on tenure track。
〃You know； Emmett； it's customary to wait until a person is declared dead before you move into their office。 Have you no respect？〃
Emmett took Carrollee's coffee and ments as she meant them； good…naturedly。 Carroilee was as amiable a person as Emmett had ever met。 He knew she had personally called the families of the missing faculty； and visited some。 She was respectful and somber when proper； and genuine tears of empathy came readily。 But Carroilee preferred to live her life with a smile and rarely lost it when she was with Emmett。
〃I respect the dead； but I covet the position and power of this office。〃
〃I wouldn't say that to too many people。 The way it looks you'll bee department head by default。 They start putting two and two together and you could end up at the top of the suspect list。〃
〃Suspect？ You think some lowly assistant professor wreaked worldwide havoc to bee department chairman？ I'm flattered you think I have the wherewithal to acplish this。〃
〃I don't think you have the wherewithal to remember to keep your fly closed。 Others just don't know you as well as I do。〃
〃Thanks； Carrollee；〃 Emmett said； surreptitiously checking his zipper。 〃It's nice to know that no matter how bad things get； you can always make them worse。 Of course this time I may have made things worse by myself。 Take a look at this。〃 Emmett swiveled the monitor around to make it easier for Carrollee to read。 Her eyebrows went up when she realized he was on the PresNet。 Then she clucked her tongue and shook her head。
〃Let me summarize the situation；〃 she said； plopping down into one of the visitors' chairs。 〃You've broken into a private office； accessed a puter network you are not authorized to use…that's theft of services； I think…and are in possession of sensitive information you're not cleared for。 And now you are impersonating someone with enough brains to be part of PresNet。 Did I leave anything out？〃
〃Yeah； I ate a package of Tic Tacs I found in Dr。 Wang's desk。〃
〃Of course。 I was wondering why I could get this close to you。 I don't suppose a busy lawbreaker like you has time to lend a hand to a lady？ I had a proposition for you。〃
〃You really shouldn't make a habit of propositioning people。〃
〃Hey； it keeps me from streetwalking。〃 Carrollee looked around the room。 〃Does Dr。 Wang have a radio in here？ No； then you may not have heard the news。〃
Emmett rocked forward。 Had something new happened？
Carrollee began。 〃First； there have been some ugly incidents at grocery stores throughout the islands。 I drove by a Safeway on the way in and they've got police stationed all around it。〃
Even a big island like Oahu was overstocked with people and understocked with resources。 Without supplies from the mainland there wasn't enough food to last thirty days。 Pineapple； sugar； and fish would only go so far among a million people。 Gas and oil would dwindle just as fast。 The implications of being cut off from supplies were staggering； and the consequences could be ugly。 But they weren't cut off pletely； were they？ Only interisland flights were still operating because of what had happened to the three flights from the mainland； but for how long？ What of shipping？ Emmett realized he needed to e back to reality。
〃You want me to help you get stocked up on food？〃
Carrollee briefly looked hurt； and Emmett regretted his suggestion。 She was one of the most capable people he knew。
〃Not a problem。 Richard's navy； remember？ But thanks for the offer；〃 she continued。 〃No； there's another thing you might be interested in。 You know how we thought Hawaii had been untouched by what happened？ I mean by all the disasters。 Well something strange has been drifting ashore。 Mostly plants and a few dead fish。 Nothing spectacular； but a friend of mine said it wasn't the usual kind of seaweed and grasses。 Thought you might like to e along。〃
〃You need an astrophysicist？〃
〃You don't have to e； it's just for pany。〃
Carrollee made no attempt to leave and sat unfortably。 Maybe there wasn't chaos outside of the campus； but Emmett knew Carrollee； and he understood her request wasn't for pany； it was for safety； Emmett wasn't a big guy； actually only five seven； so he wasn't being asked to e along for muscle； only numbers。 He realized he might need to make the same request of her one day。
〃How long will we be gone？〃
〃A couple of hours； tops。 You'll be back to mitting crimes in a jiff。〃
Emmett hesitated； turning toward the puter screen with the PresNet messages still displayed。 This trip with Carrollee might give him something to put on the network； if he had the nerve。
Emmett turned back to see her looking at him quizzically。
〃The puter will still be here when we get back。 Besides； it's not like you can use the network。 You need a code to get on it。〃
Emmett tried to stay stone…faced； but he blushed slightly。
〃You didn't break into the network； did you？〃
〃Absolutely not。 I found the code。〃
〃Where？〃
〃On the bottom of Dr。 Wang's chair。〃
〃Her chair just happened to fall over and land upside down？ Emmett； you're shameless。〃
They took Carrollee's car to the beach。 Too busy looking for signs of looting or other potential danger； they didn't talk much on the way。 The stores they passed were untouched； however。 A convoy of military vehicles on Kalanianaole Highway they took as a bad sign； and then realized they were being paranoid…military vehicles were mon on the highway。
Wailupe Beach turned out to look as serene and inviting as it always had to Emmett。 It took him a few seconds to realize what was wrong。 People were not on the beach but milling around in the park。 When they pulled in the parking lot they spotted two squad cars； evidence that the police were guarding the beach。
As they approached the beach Emmett realized there was an abnormal amount of debris there。 A policewoman stopped them before they got to the shore。 She looked Carrollee's outfit over。
〃Sorry； beach access is restricted；〃 the policewoman said。
〃We're from the university。 We were called to e down and check things out；〃 Carrollee answered authoritatively as if the governor had called her。
Emmett bit his tongue to keep from smiling and dug his faculty ID card out of his wallet。 It was really just a glorified library card； but his name； picture； address； and official faculty ID number undoubtably impressed the officer； who then examined Carrollee's。
〃Thanks for ing； Dr。 Chen…Slater and Dr。 Puglisi。 I can't believe you got here so fast； but we appreciate it。 We'll be here if you need us。〃
The officer walked off。 After she sealed the entrance to the park she came back with two shotguns and handed one to the other cop。
〃Is there something you're not telling me； Carrollee？〃 Emmett asked。
〃No。 I don't think so。 My friend called and said there was some unusual marine flora washing ashore。 That's all I know。〃
Carrollee lead the way down to the b