The graphs showed identical pressure surges beneath Marlin Ridge: Ward’s seventeen-year-old data aligning eerily with current USGS readings. After verifying timestamps, instrument logs, and coordinates, analysts admitted the pattern was undeniable. One official rubbed his temples. “If these projections hold,” he said, “we’ve built a town on a faulted pressure cooker.”
Within hours, a rapid on-site survey was ordered. Fresh readings confirmed what Ward had once tried to warn: the vents were partially sealed and the heat trapped. Controlled relief wells were recommended as quickly as possible. Evacuation alerts began to roll out across the ridge, phone screens lighting up with unfamiliar urgency.