Polar Quest

by Alex Archer

  “Yeah, I guess so.” Zach sighed. “I tried to make adjustments. I changed my work schedule. Stopped going off on long hauls away from home. But even when I made the changes, it just didn’t seem like she was into the marriage anymore. I got the feeling she’d rather be off doing her own thing without the likes of me around.”

  Annja took a deep breath. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

  “Honestly, I’m not so much broken up over her. But I miss the hell out of my kids. I can’t stand thinking of them living with another guy and calling him ‘Dad.’” He shook his head. “Pretty juvenile, huh?”

  “No,” Annja said. “It’s not. It’s completely natural to think that way. After all, you helped bring them into the world in the first place.”

  Zach grinned. “I figure with this paycheck I’m getting, at least I can secure their futures for them. Even if their mother thinks I’m a bum, I can rest easy knowing they’ve got money for college and maybe a head start on life. It’s more than what I had growing up.”

  “Me, too,” Dave said. He glanced at Zach. “You’re a good man, dude. Maybe she didn’t realize that, but it’s true. You care about your kids and it shows. You’re willing to do whatever it takes so they have a better life. That’s the definition of a hero in my book.”

  Annja patted Zach on his shoulder. “It’ll work out, Zach. It’ll work out in the end.”

  “I hope so. This job could be a good stepping stone for me.”

  “I’m sure they’ll be pleased with your work. And I’ll do my best to make sure you get the credit necessary. Okay?”

  “Thanks, Annja. I really appreciate that.”

  Their radio came to life. “Attention, unmarked vehicle, you are approaching a United States government secured area. This area has been officially recognized as an environmental disaster area. You must proceed no farther. Please turn around and head back the way you came.”

  Zach smirked. “Like they don’t know it’s us.”

  Dave shrugged. “They have to be sure, I guess.”

  “Better give them what they want.”

  Dave nodded and picked up the handset. “This is Romeo-One-Five-Whiskey. Requesting permission to proceed.”

  There was a pause. “Authentication code?”

  “One-One-Zulu-Delta.”

  “Confirmed. You’re cleared to proceed. Report directly to in-processing upon arrival.”

  “Roger that.” Dave switched off the handset and glanced back at Annja. “You ready for this?”

  Annja smiled. “Always.”

  “Then here we go.”

  13

  As they rounded the bend, immense lights that had been set up to illuminate the entire area blinded Annja. She blinked several times before finally being able to focus again.

  “Slow it down,” Zach said. “They’ll want to check us out.”

  Sure enough, Annja heard a bang on the side door. Dave opened it and a soldier dressed all in white stood there with his rifle.

  “Identification?”

  Dave removed an ID card from his wallet and passed it over. The guard studied it and then handed it back. “All right. Make sure you park this and head over to in-processing.”

  Dave closed the door again and drove the Sno-Cat into a parking area that looked well sheltered from the elements. Other Sno-Cats sat there along with smaller snowmobiles.

  “This is quite the setup,” Annja said.

  Zach laughed. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Annja. Just wait.”

  Dave parked the vehicle. “All right, let’s get out and get the in-processing done. Then I need to find a toilet.”

  “Thanks for the image,” Annja said.

  Dave led them toward a hard-shell prefabricated unit with lights strung up. Inside, warm air greeted them, and they all unzipped their parkas. Dave approached a desk and the soldier sitting behind it. A sidearm was clearly visible.

  “Evening.”

  The soldier nodded. “I’ll need IDs from everyone.”

  Zach handed his over while Annja struggled to get her passport out. Finally she managed to extract it from her bag and handed it to the soldier, who looked her over.

  “Do I know you from somewhere?”

  “TV,” Annja said. “Chasing History’s Monsters.” She hoped that’s all it was.

  He nodded. “Yeah, that’s it. Hey, I really love that show. Especially when what’s-her-name is on.”

  “Kristie Chatham. Yeah, she’s a doll.” Annja tried to smile, but it came out like a zigzag line across her face.

  The soldier handed back her passport. “Enjoy your stay.”

  “Thanks.”

  They started to leave when the soldier stopped them. “Wait, don’t forget these. You have to wear them at all times. Just in case.”

  Annja took a small credit card–size box from him. “What’s this thing?”

  “Radiation detector,” the soldier said.

  “Radiation?” Annja turned to Zach. “Just what the hell is going on here anyhow?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. This is all new to me.”

  “Just a precaution, most likely,” Dave said. “Come on, let’s get the gear.”

  They walked back into the biting cold. The wind was screaming now, and anything not tied down was flapping about in the wind. Annja spotted an American flag stuck into the ground and noticed that the cold air had frozen the fibers.

  “So where’s this big environmental accident?” she asked.

  “Later,” Zach said. “Let’s get the gear and get settled. We can check it out later, like tomorrow morning.”

  “I thought we were under the gun here,” Annja said.

  He shrugged. “Right now, I want to rest and get some food into my belly. I also want to find out what’s been going on since I left.”

  “All right.”

  They got back to the Sno-Cat and opened the rear compartment. Zach handed Annja one of the boxes and she was pleased to find it wasn’t heavy at all. Dave heaved out another long box, and Zach grabbed the final bit of stuff. They walked over to another series of prefab shelters.

  Zach ducked into one of them and then waved them on in.

  Inside, Annja could see four beds set up with space heaters blasting out warm air. The lighting was great and although sparse in creature comforts, Annja did notice a closed-off toilet stall at the back.

  Dave headed right for it.

  Annja glanced at Zach. “So what’s with all the gear?”

  “Just some standard boring stuff. I wanted to see if I can get down farther into the earth with it and possibly see if there are any other items that might help describe the necklace.”

  “You think there might be?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. At this point, even being away for a couple of days, things can change on a dime. Who knows what’s been happening since I left.”

  Someone knocked on their shelter. “Yeah?” Zach said.

  Annja saw a head poke in. “Okay to come in and talk?”

  “Sure.”

  The hooded figure entered and removed his parka. Annja saw an older man of about fifty standing before them. He removed his gloves and headed right for Annja.

  “So you’re our newest addition here.”

  “I guess so.”

  “Welcome. My name is Colonel Thomson. I’m in charge of the operation here at Horlick.”

  “Nice to meet you. But what is this operation exactly? I was under the impression it was just a dig site,” Annja said.

  “Oh, it is, it is. But when Zach here found that necklace, the scope of things changed a bit. Now it’s more of a recovery operation than anything else.”

  “Recovery? What are you talking about?” Zach said.

  Colonel Thomson sat down on one of the beds. “Since you left us, Zach, the crews kept digging. We’ve found some more items.”

  Zach looked startled. “More? Like what exactly?”

  “Evidence of a race of people living here l
ong before most scientists would agree it was possible to fashion items like we’ve found. From what we’ve discovered, they were extremely advanced. And we still can’t fathom what the metal is. We’ve even sent some back to the States for analysis, and they can’t determine its origin.”

  “Incredible.” Zach sat down again.

  Colonel Thomson nodded. “So what we’re hoping is that you and Miss Creed here—”

  “Please, call me Annja,” she interrupted.

  He smiled. “Very well…Annja.” He glanced at Zach. “We’re hoping that you will be able to go down into the dig site tomorrow morning first thing and help us try to figure out who these people were.”

  “Do you have any ideas?” Annja asked.

  Colonel Thomson shook his head. “None whatsoever. The ideogram of three snakes keeps popping up, however. We feel certain that they somehow associated themselves with a serpent of sorts. Three perhaps. Maybe it figured into their mythology in some way.”

  “The other items you’ve found have had this ideogram on them, as well?” Annja asked.

  He nodded. “We’ve got a pot of sorts and some kind of kettle, it looks like. All made from the same type of metal. And both of them are emblazoned with that trio of snakes. It’s quite unusual.”

  “And what about the possibility of these items being extraterrestrial in origin?” she asked.

  Colonel Thomson smiled. “Well, now, I suppose that’s an idea that Zach had put forth.” He pointed a finger at Zach. “You’re far too obsessed about this alien thing. I just can’t see it. At least not yet.”

  “So you admit there’s a possibility,” Zach said.

  “Oh, sure, there’s always a chance. I mean, it’s certainly got all the makings of a good theory—unidentifiable metal, strange ideogram, evidence of a race existing here long before it should. Sure. It could be aliens. Why not?”

  Annja looked at him. “You seem awfully open to the idea.”

  “Annja, when you’ve been in the military as long as I have, you see things. Sometimes you ask questions—only if it’s permissible. But you still see things. And I’ve seen a lot. Certainly enough to know that nothing is as impossible as it might at first seem.”

  “I understand.”

  Thomson stood up. “All right, then. Glad we had a chance to meet up and discuss things. I look forward to seeing you both down on the dig bright and early tomorrow. Did you have any troubles getting out here?”

  “Snowslide,” Zach said. “It took out my Sno-Cat. We had to double up in the second one.”

  Thomson nodded. “All right. I’ll send a recovery team as soon as the weather breaks. I can’t do it until then—don’t want them exposed to the elements unless they can get it back. How far away was that?”

  “A couple of hours back,” Zach said.

  “Good enough.” He put his parka on. “Have a good night.” He ducked back through the door and out into the cold night.

  “Nice guy,” Zach said. “He likes to rib me on my obsession with aliens.”

  “I can tell. You’ve known him long?”

  Zach shrugged. “Just since I got here. He was in charge. I didn’t even know it was a military operation until I arrived. Up to that point, I was still thinking the oil companies were behind it.”

  “Not a chance, huh?”

  Zach smiled. “Not a chance.”

  Annja heard a flush and then the stall door opened and shut quickly. Dave emerged, looking much more relieved. “I really hope you guys don’t have to use the can anytime soon.”

  Zach sighed. “Great. I hope you left the fan on.”

  “Oh, yeah, definitely.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No sweat.” Dave lay down on his bed. “So what did the bird have to say?”

  “Bird?”

  “Full bird. A colonel. Thomson.”

  “Oh,” Zach said. “He was just filling us in on the discovery of some more items. A pot and a kettle.”

  Dave nodded. “So what’s the plan, then?”

  “First thing tomorrow,” Annja said, “we head down into the dig site.”

  “Cool.”

  “In the meantime,” Zach said, “we need to get some food and then some sleep. It’s going to be another long day tomorrow. There’s a lot of stuff to check out. And I want to be ready for anything.”

  “Is there a galley or a mess hall here?” Annja asked.

  Dave nodded. “Got a mean cook here, too. I hear tell that Colonel Thomson’s a real foodie, so any place he goes, he makes sure he brings along a good cook in his unit. And this guy is top-notch.”

  “You’ve got all the gossip, huh?” Annja asked.

  Dave shrugged. “Well, not all of it, but a fair chunk. Anything food-related, that’s a given. I love to eat.”

  “I’m getting hungry,” she said. “What say we head on over and see how good the cook really is?”

  Zach yawned. “Can I get one of you to bring me back a doggie bag? I’m kind of wiped out here.”

  Dave frowned. “You feeling okay, pal?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Just checking. I don’t want you having any lingering effects from the carbon-monoxide inhalations earlier. You think you want to get yourself checked out? Just to be sure?”

  “I’m fine. I just need some good rest. Sitting up in a Sno-Cat all day long can wear you out.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Annja looked at Zach. “You sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m fine. Get going. Just bring me back some dinner and some cookies if you don’t mind.”

  “Fair enough.” Annja looked at Dave. “Looks like it’s just you and me.”

  He bowed low. “After you, then.”

  Annja glanced back at Zach. “We’ll see you in a little while, okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  She glanced at Dave, who just shrugged. “He’ll be all right. Let’s go.”

  And they ducked back out into the Antarctic night.

  14

  Annja bit into the sliced honey ham and leaned back in her chair. “Wow, that is good.”

  Across from her, Dave nodded and chewed his food slowly, as if savoring each morsel of the meal. “Told you,” he said around bites. “The man is gifted.”

  They sat in an elongated cylindrical hut with kitchen facilities at the back and several long folding tables set out in the front. It was a sizable setup, and judging from the number of staff and people eating, the dig site numbered at least one hundred people. Not exactly the small outpost she’d expected.

  Dave raised his glass of orange juice. “This is a rarity, as well, and it sure tastes good.” He drank it down and then rose to get himself a second glass while Annja continued to survey the scene.

  She spotted a lot of soldiers, all men and all looking very tanned and heavily armed. Their conversations were hushed, as if they trusted no one but the close brotherhood they had with each other. Their weapons were always close by, leaning against the table or in between their knees while they ate. It looked as if they were expecting trouble.

  Dave sat back down. “You okay?”

  “Just curious about the guns. It’s like they think they’re going to be attacked at any second.”

  “Maybe they know something we don’t,” Dave said. But when he caught Annja glaring at him, he grinned. “It was just a joke.”

  “Not so funny,” she said.

  “Sorry. But these guys, they’re professional soldiers. People like us, we dig into the ground. We’d probably feel the same way about our shovel or pick, right?”

  “Maybe.”

  “So they like their guns. No big deal.”

  Annja noticed another group seated away from the soldiers. “And what about them? What’s their story?”

  Dave glanced over at the three men and two women sitting about twenty feet away and shrugged. “Bookworms. Scientists. We’ll probably meet them on the dig tomorrow. Right now, they look pretty worn-out.”

  It w
as true. Annja could see the streaks of dirt on their faces. Their coveralls were caked in dark mud, and their boots seemed to have tracked in part of the mountain. They spoke very little, and ate in relative silence.

  Dave finished off his ham and macaroni and cheese and went back looking for more. Annja spooned some macaroni and cheese into her mouth and marveled at the taste. The cook was damned good at his job.

  Dave came back instead with a slice of chocolate cake. “Can you believe what this guy can do back there? He’s like a genius or something.”

  “And what about you?” Annja asked.

  “Me?”

  “I thought you dug rocks.”

  Dave shrugged. “I’ve been known to.”

  Annja leaned forward. “Just what is it you really do, Dave? You told me you were a geologist when we first met.”

  “Did I?”

  “Yes.”

  Dave chewed another bite of his cake. “And you think I was lying about that?”

  “Well, then you told me you do things for the government, and I’m left wondering what kind of geologist does favors for Uncle Sam, looks after my good friend Zach and generally safeguards things. I’m coming up blank.”

  “Is it that important that you know?” Dave asked.

  “Would you trust your life to someone who wasn’t a hundred percent up-front with you?”

  Dave shrugged. “Fair point, but sometimes we can’t reveal all we want to reveal. It’s just the way things go.”

  “I understand that,” Annja said. She took a drink from her glass and set it back down on the table. “The problem is, I’ve been attacked once already and then we had that snowslide earlier. I’m not paranoid, but I am cautious. And when strange things start happening, I start looking around at the variables in my life.”

  “And I’m a variable.”

  “Definitely.”

  Dave leaned back. “Well, you’ve got nothing to fear from me,” he said plainly.

  “If only you knew how many times I’ve heard that before.”

  “Annja, you’re starting to strain our friendship. I don’t really enjoy being called out like this.”

  “So just tell me—are you a spook or what?”

  Dave wiped his mouth. “You’re convinced I am, apparently.”