Free The Titanic Enigma by Tom West

from any habitation, great technical knowledge and the richness of resources we will need from a partner?’
    Reid held the prime minister’s gaze, unblinking ‘And you with your vast empire!’ He shook his head.
    Asquith gave the ambassador a wan smile, then turned to Rutherford and Fortescue. ‘Gentlemen, what, in your opinion, would be needed in terms of infrastructure and
resources?’
    Rutherford was taken aback. ‘Well, I can only offer an answer based upon what we were invited here today to discuss,’ he replied pointedly. ‘However, I was working
on the assumption of a team of perhaps twenty researchers, a capital investment of around 100,000 pounds, and a five- to ten-year plan to develop a fully functioning industrial energy base that
would transform manufacture.’
    ‘Sounds about right to me,’ Edison offered.
    ‘But, of course, I had no idea you were thinking in the way you have described,’ Rutherford went on. ‘I assumed this research would be conducted here in England
where we have scientists, electricity, laboratory equipment and other resources.’
    ‘We will need to move far quicker than this and with a team and a budget at least ten times the size you suggest. America can provide all we need – power, isolation,
expertise, materials,’ Asquith asserted. ‘Where does one obtain raw ibnium?’
    ‘It is extracted in minute amounts with tin and dumped as waste by a small British concern . . . Imperial Mines in the Congo. It is extremely rare.’
    ‘Very well. So it can be shipped across the Atlantic.’
    ‘Now hold on!’ Reid exclaimed, barely able to contain himself. ‘I really cannot believe you are serious!’
    ‘Have you not considered anything but the negatives?’ Churchill said, turning in his chair to face the American.
    ‘You ’ve not been terribly effusive over the positives, Winston!’
    Churchill grinned and waved a hand towards the prime minister.
    Asquith ran a hand through his hair then interlinked his fingers on the table in front of him. ‘Mr Ambassador, the knowledge this achievement will provide will be used to
transform industry. Now, Whitelaw, are you telling me that the United States government would not like a piece of that?’
    Perhaps for the first time in his life Whitelaw Reid was lost for words. He turned to his adviser, Thomas Edison, who had grasped the concept immediately and visualized the enormity
of the potential profits involved.
    ‘You want my personal opinion, Mr Ambassador?’ he asked.
    ‘Yes, I do.’
    ‘Well, then, I think,’ the inventor said slowly, deliberately, ‘that we should grab this marvellous opportunity to become partners with our British friends with
both hands.’
    ‘Well said, sir,’ Churchill commented.
    Reid looked pale, but as the concept began to filter through his mind, the gradual realization of what was being proposed was almost visible in his lined face. ‘I will speak to
the president, ’ he said.

10
    Institute of Marine Studies, Hampton, Virginia. Present day.
    Kate and Lou’s lab in Virginia had been closed up for three months while they were in Bermuda, but a team of technicians had cleaned it and checked it over while the
pair were on USS
Armstrong
.
    Walking into the lab that morning felt odd. The place was much as they had left it but this facility was so different from the lab they had used while studying artefacts brought up from the
wreck of the
Lavender
.
    The isotope from the
Titanic
had gone straight to Norfolk Naval Base a few miles from the institute, but they had been given exclusive access to the other container Lou had
retrieved.
    Freezing rain beat in a steady rhythm against the lab window.
    ‘Almost makes me wish we were still in the insect-ridden lab on Bermuda,’ Lou commented as he turned from the rain-streaked window and looked over to where Kate was operating the
controls of a pair of automated arms on the other side of a glass partition. ‘At least the rain was warm