Ultra Deep

A new rocket called the A2e fails spectacularly soon after launch, and the problem is worse than a lost vehicle: it carries a nuclear reactor. Once the craft plunges into the Pacific, the reactor starts a countdown toward a dangerous meltdown, and the world's attention turns to the sea floor. The reactor lies at extreme depth, so a rescue mission has to be organised quickly. Dane Brande, an unconventional oceanographer regarded as one of the best in his field, leads a team of specialists equipped with advanced machinery. Every step of the recovery is slowed by government agencies and officials in several nations who refuse to cooperate. The novel asks whether Brande can reach the wreck in time, or whether he, like those before him, will be lost in the attempt to bring the rocket and its dangerous payload back.