Dai She smiled wickedly. “How do you think we will harness the full energy of the moon’s beams a thousand feet below the surface?”

Markhor stared blankly as it dawned on him what needed to be done. And knowing all too well that he would be the one doing it. He mentally kicked himself for not putting the pieces together earlier. “Prism alignment,” he said dismally.

Dai She nodded enthusiastically. His shrill giggle echoed off the walls. “A crystal anchored at every turn, precisely aligned to reflect and amplify the full power of the moon. When the beams reach the cavern, they will trigger a chain reaction that nothing can stop. The West Coast of the United States will cease to exist. The East Coast will fall into the ocean. Mountain ranges will tumble. Tsunamis will rage across Europe and Asia. Volcanoes will explode throughout the Pacific Ring of Fire. It will be the greatest day in history!”

His voice rose with excitement. “The hydrogen bomb will seem like a firecracker in comparison. And we will be lighting the fuse!” He marched forward, his evil cackle growing louder with each step.

Two months earlier, researchers had noted a fragile fissure in the limestone. They exercised extreme care, keeping the decibel level of their activity to a minimum. A piece of yellow tape on the tunnel wall marked the width of the fissure.

Markhor thought nothing of it as he walked past. And he didn’t see it move, ever so slightly.

The entrance to the Cave of Crystals had been sealed by a conservation group. A massive iron door, custom-fit to the opening and bolted to the cave wall, contained dead bolts and padlocks to keep out treasure hunters.

Dai She touched a wand to the center of the door and blew on it as if he were blowing out a candle. The padlocks exploded into tiny pieces and the dead bolts disintegrated. Fortunately, Markhor was standing off to the side, just barely out of range of flying fragments. He was impressed by the power Dai She had at his disposal and the speed with which he could summon it. Dai She didn’t just experiment with darkness; he embraced it. Any doubts he had about Dai She’s ability to harness the bad moon’s energy were quickly disappearing.

The big man grunted with effort as he yanked the door open. Before he could step through, he was met by a blast of heat and quickly slammed the door shut.

“I told you it was hot in there,” Markhor said as he turned to conceal the slightest of smiles.

“Then I’ll be getting my money’s worth out of you, won’t I?” Dai She answered maliciously.