Mac returns to the lab and asks Kenny and Rick to present him with their volcano vent plan. He then asks them to match it to the most recent satellite imagery of the current volcano flows. Although there is an unaccounted-for hot spot in the ocean to the west of the island where the Observatory does not have sensors, Mac is sufficiently impressed, and he directs Kenny and Rick to prepare to present their ideas to another group of people.

Civil Defense Director Tako is annoyed about being left out of the loop on the emergency preparations. He calls the tower at the local Lyman Field airport to see if he can get the airspace opened over the volcanos for the tour directors. He is told the army has ordered the airspace closed and it cannot be reopened. The air tower controller tells Tako that “something is happening” because he heard Mac was rushed off the island in the middle of the night and later army helicopters arrived and headed toward the summit.

Tako directs his assistant to find the Cutlers in the hopes of getting more information about what is going on.