Beneath the Ice

by Alton Gansky

  Henry Sachs leaned over the table. “Perhaps this falls under that category of tasty secrets, Mr. President, but your chief of staff is not with us tonight.”

  “He’s on vacation,” Calvert said. “Spending time with his wife and daughter. If you promise not to talk to the media, I’ll let you in on something—he’s resigning when he gets back. The Secret Service agent that picked up his daughter was rock solid. That was lucky.”

  “Or providential,” Perry said.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “When we last met,” Henry said, “you told me a few others were connected to Enkian and that they were not as noble as Mr. Jeter turned out to be.”

  “Jeter is noble; he was willing to risk his life and that of his family to expose the conspiracy. He’s a true patriot. That’s what we’re finding. The heads of state that I’ve been speaking to have told me that several people connected to Enkian found loyalty to their country more important. You can only push an honest man so far.” Calvert leaned back and took a sip of coffee. “As for the two close associates that found Enkian’s dream more important than their own country . . . Well, they’ve both retired and moved out of the country—far out of the country.”

  Perry knew better than to ask, so he inquired about a different matter. “Enkian was in charge of the world’s largest mining company. What happens to his assets?”

  “The courts have seized them,” the president said. “They will arbitrate everything. My guess is that the company will be split up and sold off to competitors. His mines in other countries will be released to the local governments. It’s not for me to say for sure, but it’s a good guess.”

  “And what about Lake Vostok?” Griffin said. “We had just begun our research.”

  “You gathered a great deal of information,” Calvert said. “The data revealed some interesting things.”

  “Is the lake still growing?” Gwen asked.

  “Yes,” Calvert answered. “Ice is melting in the Arctic and Ant-arctic, and it seems to be melting from below. We are keeping a close eye on it. The data from your work, data you haven’t had opportunity to analyze yet, shows the lake to be warmer than expected. Geothermal activity is probably the culprit, but more testing needs to be done.”

  “And what of the artifacts?” Dr. Curtis questioned. “The one below the ice and the one discovered by Dr. Harry Hearns?”

  “Unfortunately, the one in the iceberg found by Hearns has broken off and sunk to the bottom. I imagine someday scientists will be taking a closer look. As for the ziggurat, well, it’s still there.”

  “When do we get to go back?” Griffin wondered.

  “I’m not sure,” Calvert said. “This whole Enkian thing has muddied things up. We have some explaining to do to the Russians. Their research station is the closest. The UN may get involved.”

  “It could take years,” Griffin complained.

  “I’m certain it will,” Calvert said. “I’m certain it will.”

  The informal meeting ended twenty minutes later when the president excused himself to take a phone call. Secret Service agents led them down the corridor and out into a pleasant Washington, D.C., night. Two black Lincoln Navigators were waiting for them. Perry climbed into the first and was joined by Gwen and Griffin. The others loaded into the second vehicle.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Gwen said. “I’ve never had pie with a president before.”

  “Me either,” Perry admitted.

  The car pulled from the curb. “I found him evasive about the future of Vostok,” Griffin said. “If the call comes, will you go, Perry?”

  Perry thought for a moment. The time he’d spent at the bottom of the world was the most grueling of his life. He had suffered pain, hardship, and cold, and had nearly died under two miles of ice. “Yeah, I’d go.”

  “Me too,” Griffin said. “Do you really think they’ll call us again?”

  “I hope so,” Perry said.

  A moment later, Griffin spoke again. “I have another question for you, Perry.”

  “Shoot.”

  “I’ve been thinking. Maybe I should at least hear a little about your faith before I continue to denigrate it. Do you know anyone who would be willing to tutor me?”

  Perry smiled. “It just so happens that I do.”

  The call never came.