A metallic, monotonous sound echoed in his brain, not displeased him, but somehow began to bother him. He opened his eyes with some difficulty, I was not sure where he was until that moment, his training in the special forces would be what now need to survive, closed his eyes and remained silent trying to listen to all the surrounding environment.
Has identified the metallic sound like some piece slamming against another under moderate wind passing through the ruins, he became aware that he was totally unprotected from the cold glacier and was lucky not to have died frozen. It was time to wake up to reality, with all the caution peculiar to him, he slipped through the powerful beams that prevent him from being crushed and looked around. A few meters away was the body of the pilot Mikhail crossed by a thick iron bar, little can further see the head of Mischa copilot who was out of the body, the whole identified four of its completely disfigured team, although it could not knowing they were for sure the uniforms denounced.
He made a quick and had knowledge that lost in the final nine a team of twelve of the best men that had fought account, imagined they could have suffered a terrorist attack other stakeholders in corporate research, but that it was still in field case, the best would go out to confront reality. His goal was to get a helicopter, preferably your to be more used, but under the circumstances anyone would even needed was to get out of there, otherwise, or the cold would kill him or those things that attacked their camp would end the service. That could be the mother of all wars was discovered they were victims of a terrorist action.
It crept stealthily through the snow banks and some remains of the destroyed facilities, the standard black clothing Tails Black did not help to camouflage, but not expected to be just attacked the camp, a next time, if it were to happen, I would be prepared. He opened the side door to enter the aircraft, but he knew he could not give the match immediately needed first trigger the melting of the entire fuselage systems, I was able to use almost all the available energy of the helicopter, in general missions they were programmed and the thaw made with the help of ground power units, but in this case would have to risk it. He remembered he had an APU system (Auxiliary Power Unit) on board and would be their last hope if things went wrong, to rely on the luck he had had all his life, would certainly wrong.
The total process took about twenty minutes that remained hidden inside in absolute silence, a positive thing was that at the same time thawed all the aircraft out, the internal heating also went up, it made him feel better and renewed hopes.
- Come on Vladimir... What do we do now? - He muttered under his breath to hear his own voice. Reviewed again air cards that knew by heart.
- Well, airline cards are more detailed maps, with so we will see what will be my next destination ... - Via the autonomy of the helicopter a problem to be overcome, I did not want to land out of fuel in the middle of nowhere and not as had restocked after the mission to the Vostok base, which could be considered a mistake, your options were limited.
- Then that's it! Concordia, here we go... - It left him no other alternative, only hoped not to be shot down in midair, though it was international territory, no basis liked to surprise visits.
He sat comfortably as he could in the pilot's seat and triggered the checklist buttons; leave the starting buttons to the end. He made sure that the APU was ready to add auxiliary power and took a deep breath after five minutes check. Everything was ready, pressed the start button and knew it would make a diagonal rise of low altitude and low power, but it was not the first time I needed to use this feature, I was sure that would not fail.
The sound of the powerful rotor was heard across the plain and waited to be approached by the enemy, who at this point was invisible and dangerous, but saw nothing to tell her that she was in danger. I regretted having to leave so beautiful aircraft abandoned in the middle of nowhere, but come back with a new team or what was left of his men to rescue them. Took off as the flight plan and was soon on the way to Concordia Base, hoped he had logistical support to allow him to head to Mirny and know what was going on. It would be a solitary journey of almost two hours, below could identify traces that far into the icy plain, surely some had survived, he might redeem them by the way, I thought.
It did not take more than thirty minutes to see down a dozen black spots that followed pell-mell in the opposite direction that moved, made a half turn to lower flutter and see if he could rescue them, knew how cold debilitated people including mentally. - Probably in shock and lost ... Let's see! - Maneuvered again spiral leaving the aircraft almost touch the ground, positioned himself in front of the group ran toward him.
The view we had was worthy of hell itself, the greyish, almost blue of those people was not normal. One of the first still had a piece of metal stuck in his chest, just behind came another which noted the absence of an arm torn off at the shoulder and the circus of horrors did not end each was more mangled than the other, but they seemed no pain, just as they had seen the hikers left the Vostok Station when destroyed. The contamination was much more than just biological risk was a new kind of enemy.
What more was terrified to see among those human remains, dying and wandering some of the best men who had known and that until a few hours ago were in his company. I did not dare to shoot bursts of 50 mm, tried in vain to convince himself it was the right thing, but there were many stories of lives involved and did not want it to end that way.
Vladimir saw the flash in front of where it was located, he did not believe it was true, but the glowing fire mushroom ascended to heaven that left no doubt that it was a nuclear explosion of low power. The Vostok station had to be eradicated from the earth. Definitely were at war against someone or something, I needed to get as quickly as possible to Concordia, was too far away to be hit by the shockwave, but if there was a nuclear detonation in Antarctica possibly others would follow.
Concordia Base
- What was that noise Nick? - Nadja hugged him hard to hear the reverb sound slightly shook tourism vehicle they were traveling in and stood still now as he examined carefully the sample that was "dead", but for unknown reasons the cells indicated the opposite.
- Look Nadja! - Pointed to the back of the snow vehicle, the immense pillar of fire appeared to them a second sun, but this was not possible because the sun was precisely the opposite.
- It's what I'm thinking? Will were all crazy? - Snuggled a little more in the arms of the man she loved and now to protect the world's ills.
- No Nadja ... - hugged her tightly. - This is the end of my research ... - he kissed her lightly on the forehead as if accustomed to do. - I hope you have not done anything crazy! - I was apprehensive as to the location of the explosion, if the epicenter had been in the drilling of Lake Vostok everything would be irretrievably lost.
- But why? - I had not understood the scale and seriousness of the problem.
- They do not want the contamination reaches the continent and an explosion of this magnitude here is just a side effect ... - But this contention explosion that he did not foresee could be more harmful than supposed, needed to reach the Base Concordia urgently. - Let my dear! We have no time to lose! - Sat in the front seats and out into a run to the base, were little more than an hour and would soon come.
Stuart Hershel took off his glasses that allow close and threw them across the table in front of him, took both hands to his face and sighed for a long time until picked up the phone on the table, shook him two or three times before calling Oliver McQueen.
- Oliver? - He waited for the voice on the other end of the line to speak. - Hershel talking, listen ... detonated the bomb on the perforated field ... - Made a short break.
- Yuri tried to call you but could not, however, the recommendation was that the detonation is that the source of the leak, but the NOMAD not agreed, out of our hands the problem. - He concluded with some bitterness in his voice at the news he had just communicate.
- For what reason was the NOMAD against? - Oliver knew they were n
ot experts in warlike interventions of relevance or nuclear magnitude, were in the pharmaceutical industry and the like, but not bother with the incoming news. Despite the mistakes, and respected scientific body of the company.
- We concluded that an explosion on the ice could enhance the problem and not decrease it... - He was being as objective as possible and without any detours. - It is quite possible that the final solution that the Russians have done is the start of a bigger problem... - I waited to hear something, but got no response that satisfied.
- I'll call Yuri, that bastard! - I was angry in his voice, not only for what happened, but by unilateral decision. The base was Russian, but the search was his and no one else. He hung up the phone and tried quickly the number of general in the contact list, was not slow to find. He failed on the first attempt, but was answered on Monday.
- Yuri, what the hell! - Were his first words. - What do you think you're doing? We had a deal! - His voice exuded authority he had and the reason for their discontent.
- I tried to talk to you Oliver, but it seemed that it was easier to talk to the Pope than you! - Yuri Antonov was not a man to be intimidated, was General of the Russian forces and a lot of respect patent in his country although he knew he should explain Corporation will NOMAD, all this in the best interests of both.
- What the hell did that place to detonate an atomic bomb? - This time must collect as much detail to find out what the next step would give. Still I did not believe that the battle was lost at all.
- Our experts understand, after much study the problem, it was necessary to re-seal the farm field that your corporation left open and not left in the alternative but to increase the blast radius of action! - He waited for Oliver told him something else.
- What do you extend the mileage? What do you mean by that? - I did not know what the words meant that Russian imbecile, but needed reliable information to know the extent of the problem.
- Detonation was raised to two hundred and fifty meters at ground level! Thus the impact on the ground is higher and there is a broadening of the thermal action radius, elementary physics! - Was satisfied with the explanation given, the high detonations were very efficient and the shock wave and thermal propagated by almost twice the perimeter, which was usually done by a deep detonation.
- You idiots! - Oliver sighed, did not understand much of detonations, but his agile brain ran through all the possible variables within the field of physics to reach a simple conclusion also. - A heat wave on that glacier will only increase the diameter of the hole ... - paused for a moment - you still there? - He asked.
- Yes Oliver, continue ... - Yuri was aware of what was told him, respected the intelligence of the other man's side of the line several times had already proved his intellectual ability.
- The most accomplished was melt all that ice and compacted mass protecting the surface of the frozen lake and most likely vaporized every one element we call Frost to the atmosphere... - If his calculations were correct, it would be the beginning of the end . An unsuccessful operation that aimed to investigate the Earth's climate in the past and most likely could in time be contained, was now in the hands of God, that if it exists. Were his last thoughts.
- See your satellites again Yuri and tell me I'm wrong! Please tell me I was wrong completely in my deductions... - A long silence was all we got, it seemed the Russian General would review his disastrous plan.
- All right, Oliver, we will tell us... - They turned off at the same time, there was nothing more to say at the same time that there were no words to appease the evil done. Now it seemed, was all a matter of time.
- We're coming in Concordia Base Nadja, wake up... - Nadja Romanov was physically exhausted and mentally, left to take the dream world so that the reality which was now subject was a distant and unreal memory.
- Where are we? - Still sleepy, he rubbed his eyes with both hands closed.
- Concordia! - The biologist was surprised that she was so absent the objective of the mission, in any case, it was magnificent even with messy hair and visible fatigue of the last few days. He looked at the clock and saw that four days had passed since it had all started to go wrong, but it was not a good time for lamentations, had other priorities now and was the first to report the whole matter to the French. The right not even know where to start and certainly had seen or been informed by other means that the Vostok Base had succumbed in a nuclear explosion.
- I remembered ... - He looked intently as he walked the perimeter of the Concordia Base of the French flag. No one came to greet them, which was very strange, there had already been two other times and always been welcomed in a friendly way, because his credentials as a scientist proceeded.
- There's no one... - Nick looked once more while surrounded the base slowly to the car. - Look! Traces of blood! - The western entrance several brands in parallel lines indicating that possibly bodies had been dragged somewhere and roamed several meters in different directions. He turned off the engine and waited.
- What do we do? - Nadja was apprehensive.
- Let's wait and see if there is any suspicious movement... - His eyes were now like the Raptor, the most sagacious eagle could exist at that time.
- It is possible that the contamination has come here? - He asked the beautiful woman felt in her mate salvation that hellish place. I had not given up seducing him in a different way and more audacious than he had in recent days.
- I do not know... I do not know for sure how it spreads and to date we have not seen other contaminated, even on the road. - Stuck to what we knew and avoided conjecture fanciful hypotheses. I did not want to get fancy and certainly had a lot to it. I thought about how I would be lying in the safety of her room at that moment, just looking at the big wooden clock that was done in adolescence. Although it appear smaller to the extent that grew and became a full man.
- As all this was happening, Nick? - She was still stunned by the latest developments.
- We playing God and masters of the world we are passing... - I thought about it for nights on end, how the human being was fragile to the environment in which he lived. They had the protection of large and robust exoskeletons of other animals did not have a speed that could be considered suitable to escape the big cats and even the vision determined from predators. Mankind was merely living by chance...
- Did you hear what I said? - Nadja had to give him a pinch in the arm for him to return to normal.
- Sorry... I think I got lost in thought! - He looked at her curiously. - But repeat the question! - Waited a few seconds only.
- Is not better go and find out what happened? - I was restless curiosity and wanted time away from the panic he felt the unknown. That transportation vehicle no longer protected as initially thought.
- Yes for sure! - Here we cannot no answer. Come on! - He pressed a button that activated the hydraulic system opening the front door, down unceremoniously and swiftly. Nick made sure that the door stayed closed again, cranking the handle on the front of the vehicle. I did not want surprises in the back if returned.
He held her hand and walked stealthily to the side of the icy walls of that complex. It was a little larger than the station where they came from, maybe even better equipped, but not for scientific purposes for which they were determined by the Corporation NOMAD. - "NOMAD..." - thought closely wondered for what reason had been left on their own without even having the defense power.
Nadja was the first to look at the narrow and fogged window, with one hand wiped the maximum that can accumulate ice in the glass. He needed a little help from his companion to rise half a meter the missing and entire body lightness owned and feminine delicacy, silently peered inside the station. He held a cry with his own hand in the mouth, leaving the body fall on Nick Frost caught her while she strongly entwined by the neck.
- Let's go Nick! I do not want to be here anymore... Please, let's go! - It was almost a plea before becoming completely hysterical. Frost had to put his hand heavily
on her mouth so she would not scream in terror. But still did not know what all the horror in the eyes of the woman who accompanied him in recent days and remembered them inviting and sparkling on other occasions.
He took her back to the car of snow in which they had arrived, making sure it did not receive any guests, laid it on one of the makeshift beds that have not had the pleasure of experiencing, which deeply regretted, but the successive events They did not allow them moments of greatest intimacy, in any case was not the time for lamentation. He made sure she was comfortable and protected. He came down again and went to the window that had explored initially. Nadja shrank by slightly biting full finger bent window with his fist, did his best not to scream but was panicking.
Nick Frost was tall and burly, still could not reach the window height. He took a kind of transport aluminum box that was next and positioned in such a way that could climb noiselessly and do not present any risk of sudden fall. The last thing he needed was a fracture or injury that made it difficult the journey that it seemed, was just beginning. Concordia did not seem to be a "Safe Harbor" as the plans were drawn and the options from there would be to Casey Station Australian or McMurdo Americans.
The Dantesque scene impressed in every way. It was a large room with three doors that he can count, one was closed the other two completely destroyed at some point someone tried to isolate the place, as had happened at the base, but it seemed no success which made no sense, since they were experienced people and prepared even for illegal interventions. In any case, this was not the worst of it, the scariest and worthy of a horror film were the people, if I could call those walking corpses of people.
The bluish color of the skin was already known and Nick knew very well what the source of the problem, the Frost element, but as he had arrived there in such a short time? That was the question a million dollars. He watched for a few moments without making any sudden movement, did not want to draw attention in any way. Whatever had happened, the contamination was higher than expected and thus, knew Vladimir Timochenco had failed considerably in their mission.
NZOMBIE - The Living Dead Page 7
