by Jon F. Merz
"The station only has two Snowcats. So, whatever happened to the crew, they didn't take the transportation."
"You think they walked?"
"Well, we certainly won't be able to track them. Not after last night. Besides, we've got no idea how long they've been gone."
"Had to be some time between their last radio check-in with Tierra Del Fuego and when we arrived. That gives us - what, a week?"
"Four days."
"Ninety-six hours is an awful long time to get lost in," said Julia. "I don't like it."
"No one does," said Wilkins. "Kendall's still skulking around the place looking for what he calls 'clues.'"
"What's he think he's going to find?"
"Probably nothing. But he's not really looking for anything solid. He's looking to spread enough paranoia that the crew loses faith in you and turns to him for guidance."
"Wonderful."
"I wouldn't worry about it. We all know what kind of guy he is. I don't think anyone's ready to throw their lot in with him."
"In the meantime, we've got our mission to get going."
"Have you seen the weather report?"
"Not yet."
"It's not good."
"What's not good?"
"Another storm heading this way. Havel says we'll be lucky if we can get a twelve-hour window in today before it hits again."
"Great. Well, we'd better get going then, hadn't we? If the Snowcats are gassed up, we should be good to go. The range is only forty miles away. Two hours there, two hours back, that leaves us a good solid bit of time to explore." She looked at Wilkins. "Is everyone ready?"
"Everyone's up except for Vikorsky. I didn't catch him at breakfast. He might be sleeping in."
"Better wake him up. I want us saddled up and ready to roll within the hour."
"You got it, boss."
Julia watched him walk away. She turned and started off into the distance. The white horizon ended where the bright blue of sky began. Overhead, the sun gleamed in the sky. The was no sign of last night's storm that had dumped a foot of snow on the station.
Today.
She'd see the mountains today.
At long last.
Was it silly, she wondered? Was it silly that she should be so focused on actually seeing the mountains that had occupied her dreams for so long?
Kendall would say so, she figured. But then again, Kendall would say anything to make her look bad and make himself look all the better.
To hell with Kendall.
She had her dreams to follow.
She'd followed them this far; there'd be no sense in turning back now.
She glanced back at the research station. Every one of her crew was here following their dreams as well. Darren, Nung, Havel, Vikorsky, Wilkins, Mick, and even Kendall - even if he would never admit it.
Julia figured Kendall's dreams involved leading the group on some exploration that would uncover a hidden secret thereby granting him untold acclaim and fortune.
But that's what you're after, too.
She laughed. At least she could be honest with herself.
After so many years spent trying to please everyone else, at least Julia could please herself.
A cold wind swept the lined hood up against her cheeks. She felt the sting hit the few exposed patches of her skin and smiled. It almost felt like the huge continent was welcoming her.
The prefabricated units that made up the research station seemed so alien here; stark against the backdrop of white snow. And even though the designers had tried to reduce their profile, the rounded half moons arcing up from the ground still seemed almost grotesque.
While the rest of the landscape seemed so virgin.
She turned upon hearing the main entryway open again. She watched a few of the crew come out and begin loading gear onto the two Snowcats. The big transport vehicles had a cruising speed of about twenty miles per hour over the snow and ice. Their thick caterpillar treads could easily carve out a road with little problem. Seating would be cramped given that the vehicles could hold two comfortable and Julia would ask them to double that load.
But what the hell. If they'd wanted creature comforts, they never should have even come here.
The bottom of the world.
It hit her then in a way it hadn't previously. How bizarre to imagine oneself at the very bottom of the world. Julia grinned. I'm standing upside now, at least in relation to my perspective.
But was there really any true perspective? Gravity made sure no one fell off the planet. But once out into outer space, what was up and what was down? Were those concepts even viable any more?
Nung climbed into the cab of the first Snowcat and turned the engine on. The machine turned over nicely, a deep throaty growl that settled into a smooth purr as the first cloud of exhaust billowed out of its backside and stained the snow behind it sooty gray.
So much for virginity, thought Julia. She walked over and climbed into the cab of the second Snowcat. She pushed the starter button and felt the engine shudder underneath her before smoothing out like Nung's had.
Julia cranked the heater, although she knew it would take a few minutes before the engine would be warm enough to throw off heat. Still, inside the cab she could at least take her hood off.
Mick opened the door opposite and climbed in. "Good morning."
She smiled. "Sleep well?"
"Remarkably so, actually. I stayed up a little late watching the storm settle on top of us. I must have fallen asleep in my chair."
"You slept in the lounge all night?"
Mick shook his head. "Nah. I woke up around four, I think. I stumbled into my sleep chamber and conked out there."
"Was it still snowing when you went to sleep?"
Mick shrugged. "Don't know. My eyes were so heavy I couldn't even see. I think someone else must have been up, though. I thought I heard someone moving around."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, down by the greenhouse."
"You didn't check it out?"
Mick looked at her. "I would have, but I was too wasted. My head and back were killing me, those chairs in the lounge aren't very comfortable."
Julia nodded. Outside, she watched Kendall climb into Nung's Snowcat followed by Havel and Darren. That meant Wilkins and Vikorsky would ride with Mick and her.
"It's going to be cramped in the cab here," said Mick.
She smiled at him. "I guess so."
"Will that be a problem?"
Why were his eyes so blue? "Not at all."
Mick said nothing but just kept smiling. Julia turned away. "What's taking Wilkins so long? According to Havel, we're due for another snow storm tonight."
Mick nodded. "I saw that. You ever heard about this place receiving so much snow?"
"No."
"Me either." He cleared his throat. "That strike you as odd?"
"What- the snow?"
"Yeah."
"Should it?"
"Maybe."
"You mean given the fact that the former crew has gone missing?"
"I mean that, yeah. Also, last night's deal with everyone having the same dreams about this place."
"Got you spooked?"
Mick smirked. "A lot of things spook me, Julia. I've seen a lot of shit that would freak most people out."
"Like what?"
"I don't give my secrets away that easily."
"But you do give them away? Eventually?" Julia felt her skin grow warm. Had she blushed when she said that? What was it about him that made her feel this way?
"Not always," said Mick. "But sometimes."
Julia started to say something but stopped when she saw Wilkins come running out of the station. "It's about time."
Wilkins pulled on the door and opened it. Julia waved him in. "Get in, we're late."
He shook his head. "We can't go!"
"What? Why not?" She frowned. "Where's Vikorsky?"
"Missing," said Wilkins. "I've looked all over the station for him. He'
s gone."
"Gone? How? That doesn't make any sense. We saw him last night. Where would he have gone?"
"I don't know."
Julia looked at Mick. "You think that's what you heard last night?"
Mick shrugged. "Could have been. I don't know."
"What did you hear?"
Mick looked at Wilkins. "I went to bed late last night. As I was turning in, I thought I heard something down by the greenhouse."
Wilkins frowned. "You didn't look into it?"
"He was tired," said Julia. "Forget about it."
"Well, whatever he heard, the fact is Vikorsky is gone."
"No signs at all of where he disappeared to?"
"None," said Wilkins.
Julia looked out the windshield toward the horizon. They were there. The mountains. She could feel them, unseen over the horizon, pulling her - urging her to drive to them. She felt the pull, the tug, and the stronger yank of whatever secrets they held.
She desperately wanted to drive.
But Viksorksy was gone.
Vanished.
The mountains would have to wait.
"Tell Nung to shut the Cat down."
Mick looked at her. "We're not going?"
"We can't drive off now," said Julia. "What if Viksorksy is somewhere inside the station? He might be hurt. He might be somewhere we don't know about. He might need us. Leaving this place for eight hours might even mean his death."
Mick looked down. "He might already be dead. Did you ever think of that?"
"I've considered it," said Julia. "I don't want to accept that yet, though."
"Kendall's going to have a field day with this one," said Wilkins.
"Just tell Nung to shut it down. I want everyone inside. We'll organize a search party and see if we can comb the place over again."
Wilkins shut the door and hurried to the other Snowcat. Julia watched him pull the door open and begin gesturing with his arms. She could see the disappointment on the faces of the other crewmembers.
Did they feel it, too? Did they feel the inexorable pull coming from the horizon. Did the mountains have some sort of weird control over them?
"Julia?"
Mick's voice.
Beside her.
Warm.
Soothing.
She turned. His blue eyes bore into her. "Yes?"
"You ready to go inside?"
She nodded. But the only place she wanted to go was to the mountains over the horizon.
Chapter Five
Julia thanked her guardian angels for including Wilkins on the trip. As soon as they got inside he stood right behind Julia. She could feel his strength and warmth behind her and it lent her the stability she felt she needed.
"Vikorsky's gone missing. We're going to find him."
Kendall's predictable frown stood out among their faces. "How are you planning on doing that? Remember, the other crew vanished without a trace."
"We're not discussing my memory," said Julia. "The others disappeared before we got here. There's not much we can do about that right now. What I'm concerned about is Vikorsky. He was here with us last night." She glanced around again. "Did anyone see him after we went to bed last night?"
Mick spoke up. "Just what I told you a few minutes ago."
"What was that?" asked Kendall.
"Mick heard some noises down by the greenhouse, apparently," said Julia. "It was late, he was tired and didn't investigate. It doesn't help us much."
Kendall peered at Mick. "How come you didn't check it out?"
Mick stared back at him. Julia marveled at his stony expression. "I was tired. I wanted to sleep. Besides, it might have just been a strong gust of wind."
"It might have been Vikorsky pleading for help, too."
Wilkins cleared his throat. "I don't think we're accomplishing anything debating what might have happened."
Julia nodded. "We'll search in pairs."
"We're not an even number, anymore," said Kendall.
"Wilkins, Mick and I will search as one group. The rest of you can pair up. We'll take the greenhouse. Everyone grab some radios out of communications and we'll stay in touch that way."
"Does this mean we aren't going out today?"
Julia looked at Kendall. "I think we'd all agree that our first priority is to see if Vikorsky is still here. If he hasn't vanished, he might be hurt."
"And if we don't find him?"
"We'll go out tomorrow. Weather report says there's another batch of snow headed our way."
Kendall sighed. "This is turning into one helluva trip."
Julia smiled. "You can always start for home, Kendall. Provided you don't mind walking and swimming."
Kendall frowned and walked out of the room followed by Darren. Julia turned to Wilkins and Mick. "You guys ready?"
Wilkins held up a walkie-talkie. "Already grabbed a radio on the way in. Let's go."
He led them down the cylindrical corridor. Overhead, an extensive array of ductwork funneled heat throughout the station. Julia felt like she was walking down a long series of tubes. Behind her, she heard Mick chuckle.
"I feel like I'm in a habitrail."
At the next intersection, Wilkins bore right. Julia could see the heavy door ahead that kept the greenhouse warmer and more humid than the rest of the complex. Wilkins punched the open button and they stepped inside.
A wave of sticky heat enveloped them.
"Sauna City," said Mick.
"Has to be this way," said Julia. "The vegetables and plants do best in this kind of weather."
"What exactly do they grow here?"
Wilkins moved off from them, already poking among the tall stalks of green that sprouted up from the floor. Julia inhaled the scent of produce. She could pick out the rich scent of soil, the delicate fragrance of flowering buds and an almost ethereal quality to the air.
"The greenhouse grows everything from carrots and potatoes to onions, tomatoes, and broccoli."
"I hate broccoli," said Mick.
Julia could see Wilkins ahead some ten feet. "Anything up there?"
Wilkins looked up. "Not a damned thing."
"What exactly did you hear last night?" Julia looked at Mick.
He frowned. "Wish I was more awake. It sounded like it might have been a thud or something. I mean, there was nothing especially exciting about it. If it had sounded unusual, I would have come down."
"Well, let's see if there's anything here." She turned right and moved down the narrow walkway. She heard Mick fade off the other direction.
The greenhouse itself was forty feet by forty feet. Julia's direction took her toward the leafy stalks of plants the station used in horticultural research. She didn't recognize the varieties, but knew the station had been attempting to study soil conditions hundreds of feet below the surface. One of the scientists apparently believed the conditions would be extremely fertile. The plants had been flown in to test their ability to grow in soil samples retrieved through deep-boring efforts.
From the look of it, they seemed to be doing well.
Indeed, as Julia stooped lower to check in and among the plants, the stems seemed to loom larger around her, almost closing in and shutting out the sunlight that filtered in through the opaque heavy duty roof.
Julia sighed, hoping she wouldn't find Vikorsky's body down in the dirt and among the plants.
At the same time, she longed to hear the crackle of the radio informing her that Vikorsky had been found - alive and perfectly safe.
But she only heard quiet.
She moved ahead, dropping now to her hands and knees to peer in the tightly woven stems. She could almost imagine the stalks entangling a human body and slowly devouring it like some type of giant Venus flytrap.
But that was silly.
Wasn't it?
"Find anything?"
Julia jumped. Mick. Behind her. She breathed.
He smiled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
"That's okay." Juli
a sighed. "You just caught me daydreaming is all."
"Anything good?"
"Nope."
Mick thumbed over his shoulder. "There's noting back that way."
"Where's Wilkins?"
Mick turned. "I don't know. He oughta be up where we saw him last."
Julia stood and followed Mick back to the main throughway. "Wilkins?"
His head appeared among some corn stalks further up. "Yo."
Julia relaxed. For a minute she'd almost thought that Wilkins would disappear. That wouldn't have been good. Not at all.
"Find anything?"
Wilkins shook his head. "Nothing. You guys?"
Mick frowned. "Nada."
Wilkins nodded and pointed skyward. "What about the roof?"
Julia frowned. "What about it?"
"Those panels up there, they're individually locked into place. What if one of the is loose?"
"You think there might be?"
Wilkins shrugged. "Never know until we check it out."
Mick shrugged. "Do we have a ladder?"
"In the corner when we came in. Oughta be a magnesium ladder. Nice and light."
Mick got the ladder and opened it up. Julia braced it again the wall. "How will you be able to check all the panels?"
"There's a gridwork up there I can maneuver around on," said Mick. He glanced at Wilkins. "You stay close in case I fall?"
Wilkins grinned. "I'm touched you want me to catch you."
"I was thinking you'd break my fall."
"Get up there."
It wasn't that far to climb. The roof itself was only twenty feet high with the gridwork underneath it by four feet. Mick reached the gridwork and left the ladder behind, easing onto the gridwork in a sort-of crawl. Julia watched him move around, slowly checking each panel.
From her vantagepoint, she couldn't help but appreciate the outline of his body. There was obviously a lot of muscle underneath his clothing. A quick image flashed through her mind and she cleared her throat quickly, chasing it away. Stay focused, she thought.
Maybe there'd be time for that later.
Mick had covered half of the greenhouse roof when he stopped suddenly.
Wilkins exhaled. "What's wrong?"
