“My science advisers tell me,” the president continued, his voice breaking, “that such an impact will send a wall of water a mile or more in height across all of southern California. . . .” There was another long pause. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is very hard for me. Similar waves will cause tidal waves throughout the entire Pacific Basin. Seismologists have told me that the impact may also cause other natural disturbances, including movement of the tectonic plates under the entire Pacific Rim. If they are correct, this will, in turn, set off a series of major earthquakes with unknown and generally unpredictable consequences all across the Pacific.”

By this point there were hysterical shouts, moans, and weeping in the terminal. It was so loud that, at one point, Carl and others had to yell for quiet. Everyone could see that the president was visibly shaken. Carl noticed the haunted look in the president’s eyes and briefly wondered if the president might just stop talking and walk away. But he continued.

“We are expecting, in addition, volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and Alaska. . . . This is terrible,” he said, looking away from the cameras briefly. “From there, our scientists anticipate that further eruptions will be triggered in Japan and the Philippines. I wish that were the end of it, but it’s not. Within days, I am told, clouds of volcanic ash will fill the earth’s atmosphere to such a degree that the sun and the stars will be obscured—for months, possibly even years.”

The president paused, visibly pained and grief-stricken, then slowly continued his somber words, interspersed with tears and labored breathing. “I regret to tell you that our American ships—including United States Navy vessels located in the Pacific, and particularly those within fifteen hundred miles of the West Coast—are going to be in terrible danger. I understand that many will likely capsize and sink within hours of the meteor’s impact. There is, in addition, a high probability of serious damage to commercial and military shipping between the West Coast and Japan—as far east as Southeast Asia.

“All civilian and military aircraft located anywhere in the Pacific area have been ordered to evacuate as many passengers as possible to designated locations of safety.”

Lori and Carl were being jostled by the crowds gathering around the television monitors. The talking, crying, and yelling were growing increasingly louder by the minute until several airline personnel, who were also standing by watching the broadcast, called loudly for quiet.

“In just the past few minutes,” the president said, “I have ordered all our United States armed forces and national guard units to maximum alert status. Our military personnel are ordered to take all necessary steps to save lives and minimize suffering. At the same time, civilian relief agencies are authorized by me to spare no expense or effort to try to render aid wherever they are able to do so.”

Drawing his hand across his eyes, the president gasped audibly, and tears began streaming down his cheeks. Suddenly his eyes took on the look of a hunted animal. “I have been told by my advisers that there is no realistic hope of evacuating the inhabitants of Greater Los Angeles tonight. All freeways and feeder roads in and around the city are clogged at this hour with stalled and abandoned vehicles. No significant assistance to the population of southern California is possible from this point on. . . .” Then sobbing, he added, “Unless there is some dramatic change in the situation, and none is expected, I fear that millions will die and there is nothing either I or your government can do to stop what is about to happen. . . . Absolutely nothing!”