Arctic Drift - Libro della tutto

Arctic Drift
Dirk Pitt [20]
Clive Cussler Dirk Cussler
Berkley (2008)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Thriller, Adventure, Suspense, Mystery, Science Fiction
Tags:
Thrillerttt Adventurettt Suspensettt Mysteryttt Science Fictionttt
Product Description
A potential breakthrough discovery to reverse global warming…a series of unexplained sudden deaths in British Colombia…a rash of international
incidents between the United States and one of its closest allies that threatens to erupt into an actual shooting war….NUMA director Dirk Pitt and
his children, Dirk. Jr. and Summer, have reason to believe there’s a connection here somewhere, but they also know they have very little time to find
it before events escalate out of control. Their only real clue might just be a mysterious silvery mineral traced to a long-ago expedition to find the
fabled Northwest Passage. But no one survived from that doomed mission, captain and crew perished to a man – and if Pitt and his colleague Al
Giordino aren’t careful, the very same fate may await them. Filled with the breathtaking suspense and audacious imagination that have become his
hallmarks, this is a tour de force, further proof that when it comes to adventure writing, nobody beats Clive Cussler.
About the Author
Clive Cussler is the author or coauthor of thirty-five previous books, including nineteen Dirk Pitt novels, seven NUMA Files adventures, five Oregon
Files books, three works of nonfiction, and his historical adventure, The Chase. He lives in Arizona. Dirk Cussler, an MBA from Berkeley, worked
for many years in the financial arena, and now devotes himself full-time to writing. He is the coauthor with Clive Cussler of Black Wind and Treasure
of Khan. For the past several years, he has been an active participant and partner in his father’s NUMA expeditions and served as president of the
NUMA advisory board of trustees. He lives in Arizona

Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
PART I - DEVIL'S BREATH
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - APRIL 2011 THE INSIDE PASSAGE BRITISH COLUMBIA
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
PART II - BLACK KOBLUNA
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44

Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
PART III - NORTHERN PURSUIT
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
EPILOGUE - THE ROCK
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95

DIRK PITT (r) ADVENTURES BY CLIVE CUSSLER
Treasure of Khan
(with Dirk Cussler)
Black Wind
(with Dirk Cussler)
Trojan Odyssey
Valhalla Rising
Atlantis Found
Flood Tide
Shock Wave
Inca Gold
Sahara
Dragon
Treasure
Cyclops
Deep Six
Pacific Vortex
Night Probe
Vixen 03
Raise the Titanic!
Iceberg
The Mediterranean Caper
KURT AUSTIN ADVENTURES BY CLIVE CUSSLER WITH PAUL KAMPRECOS
The Navigator
Polar Shift
Lost City
White Death
Fire Ice
Blue Gold
Serpent
OREGON FILES ADVENTURES BY CLIVE CUSSLER
WITH JACK DU BRUL
Plague Ship
Skeleton Coast
Dark Watch
WITH CRAIG DIRGO
Sacred Stone
Golden Buddha
OTHER FICTION BY CLIVE CUSSLER
The Chase

NONFICTION BY CLIVE CUSSLER AND CRAIG DIRGO
The Sea Hunters The Sea Hunters II Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed

DRIFT
CLIVE CUSSLER
A N D
DIRK CUSSLER

G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
Publishers Since 1838
Published by the Penguin Group
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Copyright (c) 2008 by Sandecker, RLLLP
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Published simultaneously in Canada
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cussler, Clive.
Arctic drift / Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler.
p. cm.
eISBN : 978-1-440-65427-5
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the
publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any
control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
http://us.penguingroup.com

In memory of Leigh Hunt.
And yes, there really was a Leigh Hunt.
A dear friend, bon vivant, wit, and madcap Don Juan who had a way with women that made him the envy of every man in town.
I killed him off in the prologues of ten Dirk Pitt books. He always wanted to play a bigger role in the stories but didn't complain
because he enjoyed the fame.
So long, old pal, you are sorely missed.

PROLOGUE
PASSAGE TO DEATH

APRIL 1848 VICTORIA STRAIT THE ARCTIC OCEAN
THE CRY RATTLED THROUGH THE SHIP LIKE THE howl of a wounded jungle beast, a mournful wail that sounded like a
plea for death. The moan incited a second voice, and then a third, until a ghoulish chorus echoed through the darkness. When
the morbid cries ran their course, a few moments of uneasy silence prevailed until the tortured soul initiated the sequence
again. A few sequestered crewmen, those with their senses still intact, listened to the sounds while praying that their own
death would arrive more easily.
In his cabin, Commander James Fitzjames listened as he squeezed a clump of silver rock in his hand. Holding the cold shiny
mineral to his eye, he swore at its luster. Whatever the composite was, it seemed to have cursed his ship. Even before it had
been brought aboard, the mineral carried with it an essence of death. Two crewmen in a whaleboat had fallen overboard while
transporting the first sample rocks, quickly freezing to death in the icy Arctic waters. Another sailor had died in a knife fight,
after trying to barter some of the rocks for tobacco with a demented carpenter's mate. Now in the last few weeks, more than
half his crew had gone slowly and inexorably mad. The winter confinement was no doubt to blame, he mused, but the rocks
somehow played a role as well.
His thoughts were interrupted by a harsh banging on the cabin door. Conserving the energy needed to stand and answer, he
simply responded with a raspy, "Yes?"
The door swung open to reveal a short man in a soiled sweater, his ruddy face lean and dirty.
"Cap'n, one or two of 'em are trying to breach the barricade again," the ship's quartermaster stated in a thick Scottish accent.
"Call Lieutenant Fairholme," Fitzjames replied, rising slowly to his feet. "Have him assemble the men."
Fitzjames tossed the rock onto his bunk and followed the quartermaster out the door. They stepped down a dark and musty
passageway, illuminated by a few small candle lanterns. Passing the main hatchway, the quartermaster disappeared as
Fitzjames continued forward. He soon stopped at the base of a tall pile of debris that blocked his path. A mass of barrels,
crates, and casks had been strategically wedged into the passageway, piled to the overhead deck and creating a temporary
barricade to the forward compartments. Somewhere on the opposite side of the mound, the sound of shifting crates and human
grunts resonated through the mass.
"They're at it again, sir," spoke a sleepy-eyed marine who stood watch over the pile with a Brown Bess musket. Barely
nineteen, the guard had a dirty growth of beard that sprouted off his jaw like a patch of briar.
"We'll be leaving the ship to them soon enough," Fitzjames replied in a tired voice.
Behind them a wooden ladder creaked as three men climbed up the main hatchway from the orlop deck below. A cold blast
of frigid air surged through the passageway until one of the men tugged a canvas hatch cover in place, sealing it shut. A gaunt
man in a heavy wool officer's jacket emerged from the shadows and addressed Fitzjames.
"Sir, the arms locker is still secure," Lieutenant Fairholme reported, a frozen cloud of vapor rising from his mouth as he
spoke. "Quartermaster McDonald is assembling the men in the officers' Great Cabin." Holding up a small percussion-cap pistol,
he added, "We retrieved three weapons for ourselves."
Fitzjames nodded as he surveyed the other two men, haggard-looking Royal Marines who each clutched a musket.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. There shall be no firing except by direct order," the commander said quietly.
A shrill cry erupted from behind the barrier, followed by a loud clanging of pots and pans. The sounds were becoming more
manic, Fitzjames thought. Whatever abominations were taking place on the other side of the barricade, he could only imagine.
"They're turning increasingly violent," the lieutenant said in a hushed tone.
Fitzjames nodded grimly. Subduing a crew gone mad was a prospect he could never have imagined when he first signed on
for the Arctic Discovery Service. A bright and affable man, he had quickly risen through the ranks of the Royal Navy, attaining
command of a sloop of war by age thirty. Now thirty-six and in a fight for survival, the officer once referred to as "the bestlooking
man in the Navy" faced his toughest ordeal.
Perhaps it was no surprise that part of the crew had become deranged. Surviving an Arctic winter aboard an icebound ship
was a frightful challenge. Bound for months in darkness and unrelenting cold, the men were trapped in the cramped confines of
the ship's lower deck. There they battled rats, claustrophobia, and isolation, in addition to the physical ravages of scurvy and
frostbite. Passing a single winter was difficult enough, but Fitzjames's crew was coming off a third consecutive Arctic winter,
their ills compounded by short rations of food and fuel. The death of their expedition leader, Sir John Franklin, earlier only
added to the fading sense of optimism.
Yet Fitzjames knew there was something more sinister at work. When a bosun's mate tore off his clothes, climbed topside,
and ran screaming across the ice floes, it could have been marked down as a single case of dementia. But when three-fourths
of the crew began yelling in their sleep, staggering around listlessly, mumbling in confused speech patterns, and hallucinating,
there was clearly something else at play. When the behaviors gradually turned violent, Fitzjames had the afflicted quietly
moved to the forward deck and sequestered.
"It's something on the ship driving them mad," Fairholme said quietly, as if reading Fitzjames's mind.

Fitzjames started to nod in reply when a small crate came hurtling off the upper reaches of the barrier, nearly striking him in
the head. The pale face of an emaciated man burst through the opening, his eyes glowing red under the flickering candlelight.
He quickly squeezed himself through the opening and then tumbled down the face of the barrier. As the man staggered to his
feet, Fitzjames recognized him as one of the stokers for the ship's coal-fired steam engine. The stoker was shirtless despite the
freezing temperatures inside the ship, and in his hand he wielded a heavy butcher knife taken from the ship's galley.
"Where be the lambs for slaughter?" he cried, holding up the knife.
Before he could start slashing, one of the Royal Marines countered with a musket stock, striking the stoker on the side of the
face. The knife clanged against a crate as the man crumpled to the deck, a trickle of blood running down his face.
Fitzjames turned from the unconscious stoker to the crewmen around him. Tired, haggard, and gaunt from an inadequate
diet, they all looked to him for direction.
"We abandon ship at once. There is still more than an hour of daylight left. We will make for the Terror. Lieutenant, bring the
cold-weather gear up to the Great Cabin."
"How many sledges shall I prepare?"
"None. Pack what provisions each man can carry but no extra equipment."
"Yes, sir," Fairholme replied, taking two men with him and disappearing down the main hatch. Buried in the ship's hold were
the parkas, boots, and gloves worn by the crew when working on deck or while exploring away from the ship on sledging
parties. Fairholme and his men quickly hauled up sets of foul-weather gear and dragged them to the large officers' lounge at
the stern of the ship.
Fitzjames made his way to his stateroom, retrieving a compass, a gold watch, and some letters written to his family. He
opened the ship's log to the last entry and wrote a final notation in a shaky hand, then squeezed his eyes shut in defeat as he
closed the leather-bound book. Tradition would dictate that he take the logbook with him, but instead he locked it in his desk
atop a portfolio of daguerreotypes.
Eleven crewmen, the sane remnants of the ship's original complement of sixty-eight men, were waiting for him in the Great
Cabin. The captain slipped into a parka and boots alongside his crew, then led them up the main hatchway. Shoving aside the
top hatch, they climbed onto the main deck and into the elements. It was like stepping through the gates of a frozen hell.
From the dark, dank interior of the ship, they entered a blistering world of bone white. Howling winds hurled a trillion specks
of crystalline ice at the men, peppering their bodies with the force of a hundred-degrees-below-zero windchill. The sky could
not be distinguished from the ground, nor up from down, in the dizzying vortex of white. Fighting the gusts, Fitzjames felt his
way across the snowbound deck and down a stepladder to the frozen ice pack below.
Unseen a half mile away, the expedition's sister ship, HMS Terror, sat locked in the same ice sheet. But the relentless winds
reduced visibility to just a few yards. If they should miss locating the Terror in the ravaging winds, they would wander around
the ice pack and die. Wooden marker posts had been planted every hundred feet between the two ships for just such a
contingency, but the blinding conditions made finding the next marker post a deadly challenge.
Fitzjames pulled out his compass and took a bearing at twelve degrees, which he knew to be the direction of the Terror. The
sister ship was actually due east of his position, but her nearness to the magnetic north pole produced a deviated compass
reading. Silently praying that the ice pack had not materially moved since the last bearings were taken, he hunched over the
compass and began trudging across the ice in the targeted direction. A rope line was passed back to all the crewmen, and the
party proceeded across the ice field like a giant centipede.
The young commander shuffled along, head down and eyes glued to the compass, as the frigid wind and blowing snow
stung his face. Counting a hundred paces, he stopped and peered about. With an initial sense of relief, he spotted the first
marker post through the cottony swirls. Moving alongside the post, he took another bearing and proceeded to the next marker.
The string of men leapfrogged from marker to marker, clambering over uneven mounds of snow that often rose thirty or forty
feet high. Fitzjames focused all his energy on the journey, shaking off the disappointment of abandoning his ship to a
contingent of madmen. Deep down, he knew it was a matter of survival. After three years in the Arctic, nothing else now
mattered.
Then a deep boom shook his hopes. The sound was deafening, even over the howling winds. It sounded like the report of a
large cannon, but the captain knew better. It was the ice beneath his feet, layered in massive sheets that moved in a rhythmic
cycle of contraction and expansion.
Since the two expedition ships had become trapped in the ice in September 1846, they had been propelled over twenty
miles, pushed by the massive blanket of ice called the Beaufort ice stream. An unusually frigid summer kept them icebound
through 1847, while the current year's spring thaw had materialized only briefly. The ravages of another cold spell again made
it doubtful that the ships would break free over the coming summer. In the meantime, a shift in the ice could be fatal, crushing a
stout wooden ship like it was a box of matches. In another sixty-seven years, Ernest Shackleton would watch helplessly as his
ship the Endurance was crushed by an expanding ice pack in the Antarctic.
With his heart racing, Fitzjames increased his pace as another thunderous crack echoed in the distance. The rope in his
hands grew taut as the men behind struggled to keep up, but he refused to slow. Reaching what he knew was the last marker

pole, he squinted into the tempest. Through the blasting swirls of white, he caught a brief glimpse of a dark object ahead.
"She's just before us," he shouted to the men behind him. "Step lively, we're nearly there."
Moving as one, the group surged toward the target. Climbing over a rugged mound of ice, they at last saw the Terror before
them. At one hundred and two feet, the vessel was nearly identical in size and appearance to their own ship, down to the
black-painted hull with a wide gold band. The Terror barely resembled a ship now, however, with its sails and yardarms stowed
away, and a large canvas awning covering her stern deck. Snow had been shoveled up in mounds nearly to the rails for
insulation, while the mast and rigging were coated in a thick layer of ice. The stout bomb ship, as she was originally
designated, now looked more like a giant spilt carton of milk.
Fitzjames boarded the ship, where he was surprised to see several crewmen scurrying about the ice-covered deck. A
midshipman approached and led Fitzjames and his men down the main hatch and into the galley. A steward passed around
shots of brandy while the men shook the ice from their clothes and warmed their hands by the cookstove. Savoring the liquor
as it warmed his belly, the captain noticed a beehive of activity in the dim confines, with crewmen shouting and shoving stores
about the main passageway. Like his own men, the crew of the Terror were frightful souls to look at. Pallid and emaciated,
most of the men fought the advanced ravages of scurvy. Fitzjames had already lost two of his own teeth to the disease, a
vitamin C deficiency that causes spongy gums and bleeding scalp. Though casks of lemon juice had been carried aboard and
rationed regularly to all the crew, the juice had lost its efficacy over time. Combined with a shortage of fresh meat, the disease
had left no man untouched. And as the sailors all knew, left unchecked, scurvy could eventually prove fatal.
The captain of the Terror presently appeared, a tough Irish-man named Francis Crozier. An Arctic veteran, Crozier had spent
the better part of his life at sea. Like many before him, he had been drawn to the search for a passage between the Atlantic
and the Pacific through the unexplored regions of the Arctic. The discovery of the Northwest Passage was perhaps the last
great feat of seaborne exploration left to conquer. Dozens had tried and failed, but this expedition was different. Armed with two
Arctic-ready ships under the command of an enigmatic leader in Sir John Franklin, success had been all but guaranteed. But
Franklin had died the year before, after attempting a dash for the North American coastline too late in the summer. Unprotected
in the open sea, the ships became trapped when the ice closed in around them. The strong-willed Crozier was determined to
lead his remaining men to safety and salvage glory from the failure that was lying before them.
"You've abandoned the Erebus?" he asked Fitzjames pointedly.
The younger captain nodded in reply. "The remaining crew members have gone out of their heads."
"I received your earlier message detailing the troubles. Most peculiar. I've had one or two men lose their wits for a time but
have not experienced such a mass breakdown."
"It is damned perplexing," Fitzjames replied with obvious discomfort. "I am just thankful to be off that lunatic asylum."
"They are dead men now," Crozier muttered. "And we might be as well, soon enough."
"The pack ice. It's fracturing."
Crozier nodded. Pressure points in the ice pack ruptured frequently from the underlying movements. Though most of the
fracturing occurred in the fall and early winter as the open seas initially froze, the spring pack was also witness to dangerous
thaws and convulsions.
"The hull timbers are groaning in protest," Crozier said. "It's right upon us, I'm afraid. I've ordered the bulk of our food stores
moved onto the ice and the remaining boats put off. Looks like we are destined to give up both ships earlier than planned," he
added with dread. "I just pray the storm blows out before we have to vacate in earnest."
After sharing a measured meal of tinned mutton and parsnips, Fitzjames and his men joined the Terror's crew in offloading
provisions onto the ice pack. The thunderous convulsions seemed to lessen in frequency, though they still bellowed over the
blasting winds. Inside the Terror, the men listened to the unnerving creaks and groans of the ship's wooden timbers straining
against the shifting ice. When the last of the crates was placed on the ice, the men huddled in the murky interior and waited for
nature to deal its hand.
For forty-eight hours, they anxiously listened to the fickle ice, praying that the ship would be spared. But it was not to be. The
deathblow came quickly, striking with a sudden rupture that came without warning. The stout ship was pitched up and onto its
side before a section of its hull burst like a balloon. Only two men were injured, but the destruction was beyond any hope of
repair. In an instant, the Terror had been consigned to a watery grave, only the date of her interment left to be settled.
Crozier evacuated the crew and loaded provisions into three of the remaining lifeboats, each affixed with runners to help
navigate the ice. With foresight, Crozier and Fitzjames had already hauled several boats topped with provisions to the nearest
landfall during the past nine months. The cache on King William Land would be a welcome asset to the homeless crew. But
thirty miles of rugged ice separated the weary crew from land and the stockpile.
"We could retake the Erebus," Fitzjames suggested, peering at the masts of his former ship rising above the jagged crests of
white.
"The men are too spent to fight each other and the elements," Crozier replied. "She'll either find her way to the bottom like the
Terror or spend another wretched summer icebound, I have no doubt."
"God have mercy on their souls," Fitzjames muttered under his breath as he took a final gaze at the distant vessel.

With teams of eight men harnessed to the heavy lifeboats like mules to a plow, they trudged over the uneven ice floe toward
land. Mercifully, the winds settled, while the temperature climbed to near zero. But the exertions required of the starved and
frozen crewmen began to break the body and the spirit of every man.
Tugging and shoving the burdensome loads, they reached the pebble-strewn island after five torturous days. King William
Land, known today as King William Island, could hardly have been a less hospitable place. A low, windswept landmass the size
of Connecticut, its ecosystem supported a bare minimum of plant and animal life. Even the indigenous Inuit avoided the island,
recognizing it as a poor hunting ground for the food staples of caribou and seal.
None of this was known by Crozier and his men. Only their own exploratory sledge parties would have told them that the land
was even an island, disputing the common geographic belief of 1845 that it was a finger of the North American continent.
Crozier likely knew that, and one other thing. From where he stood on the northwest tip of King William Land, he recognized
that he was nearly a thousand miles from the nearest civilization. A meager Hudson's Bay Company trading settlement located
far to the south on the banks of the Great Fish River offered the best hope of rescue. But open water between the southern tip
of King William Land and the mouth of that river, some one hundred and fifty miles away, meant that they had to keep dragging
the cursed boats with them across the ice.
Crozier rested the crew a few days at the stockpile, allowing a temporary reward of full rations to boost their strength for the
arduous journey ahead. Then he could wait no longer. Every day would count in the race to the Hudson Bay settlement before
the autumn snows began to fall. The seasoned captain had no illusions that the full crew could make it that far or anywhere
close. But with luck, a few of the heartiest men might make it in time to send a relief party to the others. It was their only
chance.
Once again hauling the boats foot by foot, they found the shoreline ice less imposing. But the bitter reality quickly set in that
they were on a death march. The physical rigors of unending exertion in the biting cold were too much for the malnurished
body to bear. The worst agony, perhaps more than frostbite, was the sense of unquenchable thirst. Since their portable gas
stoves mostly depleted of fuel, there was no efficient way to produce fresh water from the ice. Men desperately stuffed snow in
their mouths to melt a few drops, then shivered with cold. Like a caravan crossing the Sahara, they fought the vestiges of
dehydration along with the other ailments. Day by day and one by one, men began to wither and die as the contingent marched
south. Shallow graves were dug at first, but then the dead were left on the ice as all energy was conserved for the migration.
Cresting a small snow-covered ridge, Fitzjames held up his hand and stopped in his tracks. Two sledge crews of eight men
apiece staggered to a halt behind him, letting loose the harness ropes attached to a wood-planked pinnace. The heavy
wooden boat, packed with food and gear, weighed over two thousand pounds. Transporting it was like dragging a rhinoceros
across the ice. All of the men fell to their knees to rest, sucking deep breaths of icy air into their starved lungs.
The sky was clear, showering the landscape with bright sunlight that reflected off the snow in a blinding dazzle. Fitzjames
slipped off a pair of wire-mesh snow goggles and walked from man to man, offering words of encouragement while checking
their extremities for frostbite. He was nearly through the second crew when one of the men shouted.
"Sir, it's the Erebus! She's free of the ice pack."
Fitzjames turned to see one of the seamen pointing toward the horizon. The man, a yeoman's mate, slipped out of his
harness and began scampering toward the shoreline and onto the ice pack.
"Strickland! Stand where you are!" Fitzjames ordered.
But the command fell on deaf ears. The seaman slowed not a step, stumbling and careening over the uneven ice floe toward
a dark smudge on the horizon. Fitzjames adjusted his gaze in the same direction and felt his jaw drop. Three leagues distant,
the black hull and upright masts of a large sailing ship were clearly visible. It could be no vessel but the Erebus.
Fitzjames stared for several seconds, barely breathing. Strickland was right. The ship was moving, appearing to drift clear of
the ice pack.
The startled commander stepped to the pinnace and rummaged under a bench seat until locating a folding telescope.
Training the glass on the vessel, he readily identified his former command. She looked like a ghost ship, though, with sails
furled and her decks empty. He idly wondered if the crazed men below even knew they were adrift. His excitement at seeing
the vessel was tempered when he studied the surface area around the ship. It was unbroken ice.
"She's still locked in the pack ice," he muttered, noting that the ship was moving stern first. The Erebus was in fact encased
in a ten-mile-long sheet of ice that had splintered from the frozen sea and was drifting south. Her survival prospects had
improved slightly, but she still faced the risk of pulverization from rupturing ice.
Fitzjames let out a sigh, then turned to two of his fittest crewmen.
"Reed, Sullivan, go retrieve Seaman Strickland at once," he barked.
The two men rose and charged after Strickland, who had now reached the ice pack and was disappearing over a large
hummock. Fitzjames peered again at the ship, searching for damage to the hull or signs of life above deck. But the distance
was too great to observe any detail. His thoughts turned to the expedition's commander, Franklin, whose body lay packed in
ice in the depths of the hold. Maybe the old bird will yet get buried in England, Fitzjames mused, knowing that his own
prospects of making it home, dead or alive, were looking quite thin.

A half hour passed before Reed and Sullivan returned to the boat. Fitzjames noticed that both men stared at the ground,
while one of them clutched a scarf that Strickland had been wearing around his face and neck.
"Where is he?" the commander asked.
"He broke through a snow-covered lead in the pack ice," replied Sullivan, a ship's rigger with plaintive blue eyes. "We tried to
pull him out, but he went under before we could get a good grip on him." He held up the frozen-stiff scarf, showing all they had
been able to grasp.
It was no matter, Fitzjames thought. Had they pulled him out, he would have likely died before they could have got him into
dry clothes anyway. Strickland was actually lucky. At least he got to die quickly.
Shaking the image from his mind, Fitzjames shouted harshly to the somber crew, "Back in the harnesses. Let's get the sledge
moving," dismissing the loss without another word.
THE DAYS PASSED WITH growing strain as the men trudged south. Gradually, the crewmen broke into separate parties,
divided by their physical stamina. Crozier and a small party from the Terror blazed a path down the coastline ten miles ahead of
everyone else. Fitzjames followed next but was tailed several miles behind by three or four groups of stragglers, the weakest
and sickest who could not keep pace and for all practical purposes were already dead. Fitzjames had lost three men of his
own, forging ahead with only thirteen to haul the heavy load.
Light winds and moderate temperatures had given the men hope for escape. But a late-spring blizzard turned their fortunes.
Like an approaching veil of death, a black line of clouds appeared to the west and rolled in with a fury. Blistering winds blasted
across the ice pack, pounding the low island without mercy. Buffeted by the winds and unable to see, Fitzjames had no choice
but to turn the boat turtle and seek refuge beneath its wood-planked hull. For four days, the winds pounded them like a mallet.
Imprisoned in their shell with scant food and no source of heat but their bodies, the emaciated men slowly began to succumb.
Like the rest of his men, Fitzjames drifted in and out of consciousness as his bodily functions slowly shut down. When the
end was near, an odd burst of energy surged through him, driven perhaps by a dying curiosity. Climbing over the bodies of his
comrades, he slipped under the gunwale and pulled himself upright against the exterior hull. A brief respite in the gale winds let
him stand unmolested in the elements as the fading light of dusk approached. Peering over the ice, he forced himself to look
one more time.
She was still there. A dark projectile scratching the horizon, the Erebus loomed, creeping with the ice like a black wraith.
"What mystery hath thou?" he cried, though the final words left his parched lips in barely a whisper. With its glistening eyes
locked on the horizon, Fitzjames's dead body wilted against the pinnace.
Across the ice, the Erebus silently sailed on, an ice-encrusted tomb. Like her crew, she would eventually fall victim to the
harsh Arctic environment, a last vestige of Franklin's quest to navigate the Northwest Passage. With her disappearance, the
saga of Fitzjames's mad crew would be obscured from history. But unbeknownst to her commander, the ship held a greater
mystery, one that over a century later would impact man's very survival on the planet.

PART I
DEVIL'S BREATH

1
APRIL 2011 THE INSIDE PASSAGE BRITISH COLUMBIA
THE SIXTY-FOOT STEEL-HULLED TRAWLER WAS what all commercial fishing boats ought to look like but seldom did. Her
nets were stowed neatly on their rollers, the deck was free of clutter. The boat's hull and topside were absent of rust and
grime, while a fresh coat of paint covered the most weathered areas. Even the boat's worn dock fenders had been regularly
scrubbed of grit. While not the most profitable fishing boat plying the northern waters of British Columbia, the Ventura was
easily the best maintained.
Her shipshape appearance reflected the character of her owner, a meticulous and hardworking man named Steve Miller.
Like his boat, Miller didn't fit the bill of the average independent fisherman. A trauma doctor who'd grown tired of patching up
mangled auto accident victims in Indianapolis, he'd returned to the small Pacific Northwest town of his youth to try something
different. Possessing a secure bank account and a love of the water, commercial fishing had seemed the perfect fit. Steering
the boat through an early morning drizzle now, he wore his happiness in the form of a wide grin.
A young man with shaggy black hair poked his head into the wheelhouse and called to Miller.
"Where they biting today, skipper?" he asked.
Miller gazed out the forward window, then poked his nose up and sniffed the air.
"Well, Bucky, I'd say the west coast of Gil Island, without a doubt," he grinned, taking the bait. "Better grab some shut-eye
now, as we'll be reeling them in soon enough."
"Sure, boss. Like, a whole twenty minutes?"
"I'd say closer to eighteen." He smiled, gazing at a nearby nautical chart. He cinched the wheel a few degrees, aiming the
bow toward a narrow slot dividing two green landmasses ahead of them. They were cutting across the Inside Passage, a
ribbon of protected sea that stretched from Vancouver to Juneau. Sheltered by dozens of pine-covered islands, the winding
waterway inspired comparisons to the scenic fjords of Norway.
Only the occasional commercial or tourist fishing boat, casting its lines for salmon or halibut, was found dodging the Alaskabound
cruise ship traffic. Like most independent fishermen, Miller chased after the more valuable sockeye salmon, utilizing
purse seine nets to capture the fish near inlets and in ocean waters. He was content to break even with his catches, knowing
few got rich fishing in these parts. Yet despite his limited experience, he still managed a small profit due to his planning and
enthusiasm. Sipping a mug of coffee, he glanced at a flush-mounted radar screen. Spotting two vessels several miles to the
north, he let go of the wheel and walked outside the pilothouse to inspect his nets for the third time that day. Satisfied there
were no holes in the mesh, he climbed back to the bridge.
Bucky was standing by the rail, forgoing his bunk for a cigarette instead. Puffing on a Marlboro, he nodded at Miller, then
looked up at the sky. An ever-present blanket of gray clouds floated in an airy mass yet appeared too light to dispense more
than a light drizzle. Bucky peered across Hecate Strait at the green islands that bound it to the west. Ahead off the port bow, he
noticed an unusually thick cloud rolling along the water's surface. Fog was a common companion in these waters, but there
was something peculiar about this formation. The color was a brighter white than that of a normal fogbank, its billows heavier.
Taking a long drag on his cigarette, Bucky exhaled deeply, then walked to the wheelhouse.
Miller had already taken note of the white cloud and had a pair of binoculars trained on the mist.
"You seen it too, boss? Kind of a funky-looking cloud, ain't it?" Bucky drawled.
"It is. I don't see any other vessels around that could have discharged it," Miller replied, scanning the horizon. "Might be some
sort of smoke or exhaust that drifted over from Gil."
"Yep, maybe somebody's fish smoker blew," the deckhand replied, his crooked teeth in a wide grin.
Miller set down the binoculars and grabbed the wheel. Their path around Gil Island led directly through the center of the
cloud. Miller rapped his knuckles on the worn wooden wheel in uneasiness, but he made no effort to alter course.
As the boat approached the cloud's periphery, Miller stared at the water and crinkled his brow. The color of the water
changed visibly, from green to brown to copper-red. A number of dead salmon appeared in the crimson broth, their silver
bellies pointing skyward. Then the fishing boat chugged into the haze.
The men in the wheelhouse immediately felt a change in temperature, as if a cold, wet blanket had been thrown over them.
Miller felt a dampness in his throat while tasting a strong acidic flavor. A tingling sensation rippled through his head, and he felt
a sudden tightening in his chest. When he sucked in a breath of air, his legs buckled, and stars began to appear before his
eyes. His pain was diverted when the second deckhand burst into the cabin with a shriek.
"Captain . . . I'm suffocating," gasped the man, a ruddy-faced fellow with long sideburns. The man's eyes bulged from his
head, and his face was tinted a dark shade of blue. Miller took a step toward him, but the man fell to the deck unconscious.
The cabin started to spin before Miller's eyes as he made a desperate lunge for the boat's radio. In a blur, he noticed Bucky
sprawled flat on the deck. With his chest constricting tightly, Miller grasped at the radio, scooping up the transmitter while
knocking over some charts and pencils. Pulling the transmitter to his mouth, he tried to call a Mayday, but the words refused to
leave his lips. Falling to his knees, he felt like his entire body was being crushed on an anvil. The constriction tightened as

lackness slowly crept over his vision. He fought to stay conscious but felt himself slipping into the void. Miller struggled
desperately, then let out a final deep gasp as the icy hand of death beckoned him to let go.

2
CATCH IS ABOARD," SUMMER PITT SHOUTED TOWARD the wheelhouse. "Take us to the next magic spot."
The tall, lithe oceanographer stood on the open stern deck of the research boat, dressed in a turquoise rain jacket. In her
hands, she reeled in a polypropylene line wrapped around the spool of a mock fishing pole. The line stretched to the end of a
guided rod where her prize catch dangled in the breeze. It wasn't a fish but a gray plastic tube called a Niskin bottle, which
allowed seawater samples to be collected at depth. Summer carefully grabbed the bottle and stepped toward the pilothouse as
the inboard motors suddenly revved loudly beneath the deck. The abrupt propulsion nearly threw her off her feet as the
workboat leaped forward.
"Easy on the acceleration," she yelled, finally making her way into the cabin.
Seated behind the wheel, her brother turned and chuckled.
"Just wanted to keep you on your toes," Dirk Pitt replied. "That was a remarkable imitation of a drunken ballerina, I might
add."
The comment only infuriated Summer more. Then she saw the humor in it all and just as quickly laughed it off.
"Don't be surprised to find a bucket of wet clams in your bunk tonight," she said.
"As long as they're steamed with Cajun sauce first," he replied. Dirk eased the throttle back to a more stable speed, then
eyed a digital navigation chart on a nearby monitor.
"That was sample 17-F, by the way," he said.
Summer poured the water sample into a clear vial and wrote down the designation on a preprinted label. She then placed the
vial in a foam-lined case that contained a dozen other samples of seawater. What had started as a simple study of plankton
health along the south Alaska coastline had grown in scope when the Canadian Fisheries and Oceans Department had gotten
wind of their project and asked if they could continue their assessment down to Vancouver. Besides cruise ships, the Inside
Passage also was an important migratory route for humpbacks, grays, and other whales that attracted the attention of marine
biologists. The microscopic plankton was a key to the aquatic food chain as it attracted krill, a primary food source for baleen
whales. Dirk and Summer realized the importance of obtaining a complete ecological snapshot of the region and had obtained
approval to expand the research project from their bosses at the National Underwater and Marine Agency.
"How far to the next collection point?" Summer asked, taking a seat on a wooden stool and watching the waves roll by.
Dirk peered at the computer monitor again, locating a small black triangle at the top of the screen. A HYPACK software
program marked the previous collection sites and plotted a route to the next sample target.
"We have about eight miles to go. Plenty of time for a bite before we get there." He kicked open a cooler and pulled out a
ham sandwich and a root beer, then tweaked the wheel to keep the boat on track.
The forty-five-foot aluminum workboat skimmed over the flat waters of the passage like a dart. Painted turquoise blue like all
National Underwater and Marine Agency research vessels, it was fitted with cold-water dive gear, marine survey equipment,
and even a tiny ROV for underwater videotaping. Creature comforts were minimal, but the boat was the perfect platform for
performing coastal research studies.
Dirk swung the wheel to starboard, giving wide berth to a gleaming white Princess Lines cruise ship headed in the opposite
direction. A handful of topside tourists waved heartily in their direction, whom Dirk obliged by waggling his arm out a side
window.
"Seems like one goes by every hour," Summer remarked.
"More than thirty vessels run the passage in the summer months, so it does seem like the Jersey Turnpike."
"You've never even laid eyes on the Jersey Turnpike."
Dirk shook his head. "Fine. Then it seems like Interstate H-1 in Honolulu at rush hour."
The siblings had grown up in Hawaii, where they developed a passion for the sea. Their single mother fostered an early
interest in marine biology and encouraged both children to learn to dive at a young age. Fraternal twins who were both athletic
and adventurous, Dirk and Summer spent much of their youth on or near the water. Their interest continued into college, where
both studied ocean sciences. They somehow ended on opposite coasts, Summer obtaining an advanced degree from Scripps
Institute while Dirk garnered a graduate degree in marine engineering from New York Maritime College.
It was on their mother's deathbed that they first learned the identity of their father, who ran the National Underwater and
Marine Agency and shared the same name as Dirk. An emotional reunion led to a close relationship with the man they had
never known. They now found themselves working under his tutelage in the special projects department of NUMA. It was a
dream job, enabling them to travel the world together, studying the oceans and solving some of the never-ending mysteries of
the deep.
Dirk kept the throttle down as they passed a fishing boat headed north, then pulled up a quarter mile later. As the boat
approached the designated target, he killed the engines and drifted over the position. Summer walked to the stern and rigged
her fishing line with an empty vial as a pair of Dall's porpoises broke the surface nearby and eyed the boat with curiosity.
"Watch out for Flipper when you cast that thing," Dirk said, walking onto the deck. "Beaning a porpoise brings bad karma."

"How about beaning your brother?"
"Much, much worse." He smiled as the marine mammals ducked under the surface. He scanned the surrounding waters,
waiting for them to resurface, when he noticed the fishing boat again. She had gradually changed course and was now turning
south. Dirk noted that it sailed on a circular course and would soon bear down on his own craft.
"You better make it quick, Summer. I don't think this guy is watching where he's going."
Summer glanced at the approaching boat, then tossed the water vial over the side. The weighted apparatus quickly sank into
the murk as a dozen feet of loose line was let out. When the line drew taut, Summer jerked it, causing the inverted vial to flip
over and fill with subsurface water. Reeling in the line, she looked toward the fishing boat. It continued to turn in a lazy arc
barely a hundred feet away, its bow easing toward the NUMA vessel.
Dirk had already returned to the wheelhouse and hit a button on the cowl. A honking blast erupted from a pair of trumpeted
air horns mounted on the bow. The loud bellow echoed across the water but incited no reaction from the fishing boat. It
continued to turn lazily toward a rendezvous with the research boat.
Dirk quickly fired up the engine and shoved the throttle forward as Summer finished pulling in the water sample. With a quick
surge, the boat knifed to port a few yards, then slowed as the fishing boat edged by just a few feet away.
"Doesn't look like anyone is on the bridge," Summer shouted. She saw Dirk hang up the radio transmitter.
"I get no reply on the radio," he confirmed with a nod. "Summer, come take the wheel."
Summer rushed into the cabin and stowed the water sample, then slid into the pilot's seat.
"You want to get aboard?" she asked, gauging her brother's intent.
"Yes. See if you can match speed with her, then bring us alongside."
Summer chased after the fishing boat, following in its wake, before pulling up alongside. She could tell that the fishing boat
was traveling in ever-widening circles, then looked in alarm at its projected path. A widening arc along with a peaking flood tide
was driving it in a loop toward Gil Island. In just a few minutes, the boat would reach the fringe of the island and rip its hull out
on the rocky shoreline.
"Better act quick," she yelled to her brother. "She'll be on the rocks in no time."
Dirk nodded and motioned with his hand to bring the boat closer. He had scrambled onto the bow and hunched with his feet
over the low side railing. Summer held steady for a moment, getting a feel for the other boat's speed and turning radius, then
inched closer. When she pulled within two feet of the other boat, Dirk leaped, landing on the deck beside a net roller. Summer
instantly pulled away, then followed the fishing boat a few yards behind.
Scrambling past the nets, Dirk headed straight for the fishing boat's wheelhouse, where he found a scene of horror. Three
men were sprawled on the deck, a look of agony etched on their faces. One of the men stared through open, glassy eyes and
oddly clutched a pencil with a frozen hand. Dirk could tell by their gray pallor that the men were dead, but he quickly checked
for pulses all the same. He noted curiously that the bodies were unmarked, with no visible blood or open wounds. Finding no
signs of life, he grimly took the wheel and straightened the boat's course, calling Summer over the radio to follow him. Shaking
off a chill, he anxiously piloted the vessel toward the nearest port, silently wondering what had killed the men lying dead at his
feet.

3
THE WHITE HOUSE SECURITY GUARD STOOD AT the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance and stared in puzzlement at the man
approaching on the sidewalk. He was short yet walked with a bold stride, his chest out and chin up, with an air of command.
With fire-red hair and matching goatee, he reminded the guard of a bantam rooster stalking the henhouse. But it wasn't his
appearance or demeanor that most caught the guard's attention. Rather, it was the large unlit stogie that protruded from the
man's lips.
"Charlie . . . isn't that the VP? " he asked his companion in the guard box. But his fellow agent was on the telephone and
didn't hear him. By now, the man had approached the small entryway alongside the guardhouse.
"Good evening," he said in a gritty voice. "I have an eight o'clock appointment with the President."
"May I see your credentials, sir?" the guard asked nervously.
"I don't carry that nonsense around," the man replied gruffly. He stopped and took the cigar out of his mouth. "The name's
Sandecker."
"Yes, sir. But I still need your credentials, sir," the guard replied, his face turning bright red.
Sandecker squinted at the guard, then softened. "I understand that you are just doing your job, son. Why don't you call Chief
of Staff Meade and tell him I'm at the gate?"
Before the disheveled guard could respond, his partner stuck his head out of the guard box.
"Good evening, Mr. Vice President. Another late meeting with the President?" he asked.
"Good evening, Charlie," Sandecker replied. "Yes, I'm afraid this is the only time we can talk without interruption."
"Why don't you go on in," Charlie said.
Sandecker took a step, then stopped. "See you've got a new man on the job," he said, turning to the numb guard who had
stopped him. The Vice President then reached out and shook hands with the man.
"Keep up the good work, son," he said, then turned and ambled up the drive to the White House.
Though he had spent the better part of his career in the nation's capital, James Sandecker was never one for official
Washington protocol. A retired admiral, Sandecker was well known within the Beltway for the blunt manner in which he had
administered the National Underwater and Marine Agency for many years. He'd been startled when the President asked him to
replace his elected running mate, who had died in office. Though he lacked a political bone in his body, Sandecker knew he
could be a stronger proponent for the environment and the oceans that he loved and so had readily accepted the offer.
As Vice President, Sandecker tried his best to shun the trappings that came with the office. He continually frustrated his
Secret Service contingent by ditching them at will. A physical-fitness fanatic, he was often seen out jogging solo along the Mall.
He worked out of an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building rather than utilizing a similar space in the West Wing,
preferring to avoid the political haze that enveloped all White House administrations. Even in poor weather he would stroll
down Pennsylvania Avenue for meetings in the White House, preferring a dose of fresh air to the underground tunnel that
connected the two buildings. In good weather, he was even known to hike up to Capitol Hill for congressional meetings, tiring
the Secret Service agents assigned to keep up with him.
Passing through another security checkpoint at the entrance to the West Wing, Sandecker was escorted by a White House
staffer to the Oval Office. Shown through the northwest doorway, he crossed the blue-carpeted room alone and took a seat
across from the President at his desk. It wasn't until he was seated that he took a good look at the President and nearly
winced.
President Garner Ward was a mess. The populist independent from Montana, who bore a passing resemblance in character
and appearance to Teddy Roosevelt, looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Puffy sandbags of flesh protruded beneath his
blotchy red eyes while his facial skin appeared sullen and gray. He stared at Sandecker with a grim demeanor that was
uncharacteristic of the normally jocular Chief Executive.
"Garner, you've been burning the midnight oil a bit too much," Sandecker said in a concerned tone.
"Can't be helped," the President replied in a weary voice. "We're in a helluva state at the moment."
"I saw the news that the price of gasoline has hit ten dollars a gallon. This latest oil shock is hitting quite hard."
The country was facing yet another unexpected spike in oil prices. Iran had recently halted all oil exports in response to
Western sanctions, while labor strikes in Nigeria had reduced African oil exports to nearly zero. Worse for the U.S. was the
suspension of oil exports from Venezuela, orchestrated by the country's volatile President. The price of gasoline and fuel oil
quickly skyrocketed while shortages erupted nationwide.
"We haven't seen the worst of it," the President replied. He slid a letter across his desk for Sandecker to read.
"It's from the Canadian Prime Minister," Ward continued. "Because of legislation passed by Parliament that drastically curtails
greenhouse gas emissions, the Canadian government is forcing closure of most of the Athabasca oil sands operations. The
Prime Minister regrets to inform us that all associated oil exports to the U.S. will be halted until they can solve the carbon
emission problem."
Sandecker read the letter and slowly shook his head. "Those sands account for nearly fifteen percent of our imported oil.

That'll be a crushing blow to the economy."
The recent price surge had already been felt hard across the country. Hundreds of people in the Northeast had died during a
winter cold snap when fuel oil stocks ran dry. Airlines, trucking companies, and related transport businesses were driven
toward bankruptcy, while hundreds of thousands of workers in other industries had already been laid off. The entire economy
seemed on the brink of collapse, while public outrage swelled at a government that could do little to alter the forces of supply
and demand.
"There's no sense in getting angry at the Canadians," the President said. "Shutting down Athabasca is a rather noble
gesture, in light of the accelerated global-warming figures we keep seeing."
Sandecker nodded. "I just received a National Underwater and Marine Agency report on ocean temperatures. The seas are
warming much faster than previously predicted, while rising at the same pace. There seems to be no stopping the melting of
the polar ice caps. The rise in sea level is going to create a global upheaval that we can't even imagine."
"As if we don't have enough problems," the President muttered. "And not only that, we're also facing potentially devastating
economic repercussions. The global anti-coal campaign is gaining real support. A lot of countries are considering the proposed
boycott of American and Chinese goods unless we give up burning coal."
"The problem is," Sandecker noted, "coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions--but
they also provide half of our electricity. And we have the largest coal reserves in the world. It's a painful dilemma."
"I'm not sure that our nation could survive economically if an international boycott gained momentum," the President replied in
a low voice. The exhausted Chief Executive leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "I fear we are at a tipping point, Jim,
in terms of both the economy and the environment. Disaster awaits if we don't take the right steps."
The pressures of the situation were building, and Sandecker could see that they were clearly taking a toll on the President's
health. "We're in for some tough choices," Sandecker replied. Taking pity on a man he considered a close friend, he added,
"You can't solve it all yourself, Garner."
An angry fire suddenly lit in the President's tired eyes. "Maybe I can't. But I shouldn't have to try. We've seen this coming for a
decade or more yet nobody had the will to act. Prior administrations spent their time propping up the oil companies while
throwing peanuts at renewable-energy research. The same goes for global warming. Congress was too busy protecting the
coal industry to see that they were setting the planet up for destruction. Everyone knew that our economic reliance on foreign
oil would someday come to haunt us, and now that day has arrived."
"There's no debating the shortsightedness of our predecessors," Sandecker agreed. "Washington has never been a town
known for its courage. But we owe it to the American people to do what we can to right the wrongs of the past."
"The American people," the President replied with anguish. "What am I supposed to tell them now? Sorry, we had our head in
the sand? Sorry, we're now facing rampant fuel shortages, hyperinflation, staggering unemployment, and an economic
depression? And, sorry, the rest of the world wants us to stop burning coal, so the lights are going out, too?"
The President slumped in his chair, staring at the wall in a lost gaze.
"I can't offer them a miracle," he said.
A long silence lingered over the office before Sandecker responded in a low tone. "You don't need to offer a miracle, just a
sharing of the pain. It will be a tough pill to swallow, but we'll have to take a stand and redirect our energy use away from oil.
The public is resilient when it counts. Lay it on the line, Garner, and they will stand with us and accept the sacrifices to come."
"Perhaps," the President replied in a defeated tone. "But will they stand with us when they figure out that it may be too late? "

4
ELIZABETH FINLAY STEPPED TO THE BEDROOM window and glanced at the sky. A light drizzle beat down, as it had for
most of the day, and showed no signs of letting up. She turned and gazed at the waters of Victoria Harbor, which lapped at a
stone seawall behind her house. The harbor waters appeared calm, broken by a sprinkling of whitecaps kicked up by the light
breeze. It was about as good a spring sailing day as it got in the Pacific Northwest, she thought.
Pulling on a thick sweater and a weathered yellow rain slicker, she padded down the stairs of her expansive shoreline home.
Built by her late husband in the 1990s, it featured a honeycomb of broad glass windows, which captured a dramatic view of
downtown Victoria across the harbor. T. J. Finlay had planned it that way, as a constant reminder of the city he loved. A largerthan-life
character, Finlay had dominated the local political scene. An heir to the Canadian Pacific Railway fortune, he had
entered politics at an early age, becoming a popular and long-standing MP for greater Victoria. He had died unexpectedly of a
heart attack but would have been delighted to know that his wife of thirty-five years had easily won election to his seat in
Parliament.
A delicate yet adventurous woman, Elizabeth Finlay came from a long line of Canadian settlers and was fiercely proud of her
heritage. She was troubled by what she saw as unjust external influences on Canada and was a vocal critic for tougher
immigration standards and tighter restrictions on foreign ownership and investment. While ruffling feathers in the business
community, she was widely admired for her courage, bluntness, and honesty.
Stepping out a back door, she made her way across a manicured lawn and down a flight of steps to a heavy wooden dock
that marched into the bay. A happy black Lab followed at her heels, wagging its tail in tireless bliss. Moored at the dock was a
sleek sixty-five-foot offshore motor yacht. Though nearly twenty years old, it sparkled like new, the product of impeccable care.
Opposite the yacht was a small wooden Wayfarer sailboat of sixteen feet, emblazoned with a bright yellow hull. Like the yacht,
the vintage racing sailboat was kept looking new with polished brightwork and fresh lines and sails.
At the sound of her footsteps across the wooden slats, a thin gray-haired man stepped off the yacht and greeted Finlay.
"Good morning, Mrs. Finlay. Do you wish to take out the Columbia Empress?" he asked, motioning toward the yacht.
"No, Edward, I'm up for a sail today. It's a better way to clear my head of Ottawa politics."
"An excellent proposition," he replied, helping her and the dog into the sailboat. Untying the bow and stern lines, he shoved
the boat away from the dock as Finlay raised the mainsail.
"Watch out for freighters," the caretaker said. "Traffic seems a bit lively today."
"Thank you, Edward. I shall be back by lunchtime."
The breeze quickly filled the mainsail, and Finlay was able to maneuver into the harbor without use of the outboard motor. As
the harbor opened up before her, she tacked to the southeast, maneuvering past a Seattle-bound ferry. Seated in the small
cockpit, she clipped on a safety harness, then took in the view around her. The quaint shore of Victoria Island receded on her
left, its gabled, turn-of-the-century structures resembling a row of dollhouses. In the distance ahead, a steady stream of
freighters rolled in along the Juan de Fuca Strait, splitting their forces between Vancouver and Seattle. A few other hardy
sailboats and fishing boats dotted the sound, but the open expanse of water left a wide berth to the other vessels. Finlay
watched as a small runabout roared past, its lone occupant tossing her a friendly wave before plowing on ahead of her.
She sat back and soaked in the salt air, turning up her collar to the damp sea spray. She sailed toward a small group of
islands east of Victoria, letting the Wayfarer run free while her mind did likewise. Twenty years before, she and T.J. had sailed
across the Pacific on a much larger boat. Crossing remote stretches of ocean, she found that the solitude gave her a sense of
comfort. She always considered the sailboat to be a remarkably therapeutic device. Just a few minutes on the water purged
away the daily stresses while calming her emotions. She often joked that the country needed more sailboats and fewer
psychologists.
The small boat skimmed through quietly building swells as Finlay crossed the open bay. Approaching Discovery Island, she
tacked to the southeast, breezing into a sheltered cove on the green island that stretched only a mile long. A pod of orcas
broke the surface nearby, and Finlay chased after them for several minutes until they disappeared under the surface. Tacking
again back toward the island, she saw that the nearby waters were clear of other vessels, save for the runabout that had
passed earlier. The powerboat seemed to be running in large circles ahead of her. Finlay shook her head in loathing at the
disruptive noise from its large outboard motor.
The runabout suddenly stopped a short distance ahead of her, and Finlay could see the occupant fidgeting with a fishing
pole. She shifted the rudder and tacked to her port, intending to pass offshore. Skirting by a few yards away, she was startled
to hear a loud splash followed by a cry for help.
Finlay looked to see the man flailing his arms wildly in the water, a sure sign that he didn't know how to swim. He appeared
to be weighed down by a heavy jacket and plunged under the water for a moment before struggling back to the surface. Finlay
cut the tiller sharply, catching a quick burst of wind in the mainsail that shoved the boat toward the stricken man. Drawing
closer, she quickly dropped the sails and drifted the last few yards, steering the sailboat alongside the flailing man.
Finlay could see that he was a hefty man, with short hair and a weathered face. Despite his panicked motions, the man
looked at his rescuer with penetrating eyes that showed a complete lack of fear. He turned and gave an annoyed look at the

lack Lab, who stood at the sailboat's rail barking incessantly.
Finlay knew enough not to try and struggle with a drowning victim, so she scanned the deck for a boat hook. Not finding it,
she quickly coiled up the sailboat's stern line and expertly tossed it to the man. He managed to loop an arm around the rope
before slipping once more underwater. With a leg braced against the gunwale, Finlay pulled on the line, heaving the
deadweight toward her. A few feet off the stern, the man popped to the surface, wheezing and sputtering for air.
"Take it easy," Finlay assured the man in a comforting voice. "You're going to be all right." She pulled him closer, then tied off
the line on a cleat.
The man regained his composure and pulled himself to the stern while breathing heavily.
"Can you help me aboard? " he rasped, extending an arm skyward.
Finlay instinctively reached down and grabbed the man's thick hand. Before she could brace herself to pull, she felt herself
roughly tugged toward the water. The man had gripped her wrist and flung himself backward, pushing off the sailboat's stern
with his feet. Taken off balance, the slight older woman flew over the railing and struck the water headfirst.
Elizabeth Finlay's surprise at being pulled over the rail was surpassed by the shock of immersion in the frigid waters. She
gasped at the cold, then regained her bearings and kicked to the surface. Only she couldn't get there.
The drowning man had let go of her wrist but now gripped her about the arm above the elbow. To Finlay's horror, she found
herself being dragged deeper under the water. Only her safety harness, stretched to its full extension, kept her from
descending farther into the depths. Caught in the middle of a lethal tug-of-war, she looked through a churning veil of bubbles at
her underwater assailant. She was shocked to see that he had a dive regulator in his mouth spewing a stream of exhaust
bubbles. Writhing to break free of his grasp, she pushed against him and felt a spongy layer beneath his clothes.
A dry suit. The horror of it all suddenly set in. He was trying to kill her.
Fear and panic preceded a surge of adrenaline, and the tough little woman kicked and flailed for all she was worth. A
swinging elbow connected with the man's face, knocking the regulator from his mouth. He momentarily let go of her arm, and
she made a desperate kick for the surface. But his other hand reached out and clutched her ankle just before her head broke
the water, and her fate was sealed.
Finlay struggled desperately for another minute, her lungs screaming for relief, before a shroud of darkness clouded her
vision. Amidst the terror, she curiously fretted about the safety of her pet Lab, whose muffled bark could be detected
underwater. Slowly the struggle eased as the oxygen flow to her brain ceased. Unable to hold her breath any longer, she
involuntarily gasped for air, filling her lungs with cold salt water. With a spastic choke and a final flail of the arms, Elizabeth
Finlay collapsed.
Her assailant held her limp body underwater for another two minutes, then cautiously surfaced alongside the sailboat. Seeing
no other vessels about, he swam to the runabout and hoisted himself over the side. He pulled off a loose overcoat, revealing a
dive tank and weight belt that he quickly unbuckled. Stripping out of the dry suit, he threw on some dry clothes, started the
outboard, and quickly sped past the sailboat. On board the dinghy, the black Lab barked morosely as it eyed its owner drifting
lifelessly off the stern.
The man gazed at the dog without pity, then turned from the scene of death and calmly cruised toward Victoria.

5
THE VENTURA'S ARRIVAL AT ITS HOME PORT OF Kitimat created an immediate stir. Most of the hamlet's eleven thousand
residents knew the dead fishermen as neighbors, friends, or acquaintances. It was only minutes after Dirk docked the boat at
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police wharf that word leaked out to the local townspeople. Family and friends quickly assembled
on the dock until being pushed behind a temporary barricade erected by a bull-sized Mountie.
Tying up the NUMA research boat just astern, Summer joined her brother, attracting curious gazes from the nearby
onlookers. A hospital van was backed down the dock and the three bodies loaded aboard on covered stretchers. In a dingy
bait shack a few feet away, Dirk and Summer chronicled their morbid discovery.
"All three were dead when you went aboard?"
The monotonous tone of the questioner's voice matched his face. Kitimat's police chief peered at Dirk and Summer with
unblinking gray eyes that glared over a small nose and an expressionless mouth. Dirk had immediately pegged the inspector
as a frustrated lawman trapped in a job too small for his ambitions.
"Yes," Dirk replied. "First thing I did was check for a pulse, but it was evident by their color and skin temperature that they
had died at least a short while before I got aboard."
"Did you move the bodies?"
"No. I just covered them up with some blankets when we got close to port. They looked to me like they died where they fell."
The chief nodded blankly. "Did you hear any distress calls on the radio beforehand? And were there any other vessels in the
area?"
"We heard no calls on the radio," Summer replied.
"The only other vessel I noted was a cruise ship sailing down the passage. She was several miles to the north of us when we
found the Ventura," Dirk added.
The chief stared at them for an awkward minute, then closed a small notebook he had been scribbling in. "What do you think
happened?" he asked, arching brows finally cracking his stone face.
"I'll leave that for the pathologists to determine," Dirk said, "though if you forced me to guess, I'd say carbon monoxide
poisoning. Maybe an exhaust leak under the wheelhouse allowed gases to accumulate inside."
"They were all found together in the bridge, so it might figure," the chief nodded. "You don't feel any ill effects?"
"I'm fine. Opened all the windows, just to be safe."
"Anything else you can tell me that might be of help?"
Dirk looked up for a moment then nodded. "There's the odd message on the footwell."
The chief's brows arched again. "Show me."
Dirk led him and Summer onto the Ventura and into the bridge. Standing near the wheel, he poked a toe toward the helm.
The chief dropped to his knees for a closer look, disturbed that he had missed something during his initial crime scene
investigation. A faint penciled inscription was scribbled on the face of the helm, just a few inches above the deck. It was a spot
where a prone man dying on the deck might try to leave a last message.
The inspector pulled out a flashlight and aimed it at the inscription. In a shaky hand was spelled the word CHOKE D, with a
small gap in front of the D. The chief reached over and picked up a yellow pencil that had rolled against the bulkhead.
"The writing was in reach of the captain's body," Dirk said. "Maybe he fell quickly and couldn't reach the radio."
The chief grunted, still upset he had missed it earlier. "Doesn't mean much. Might have already been there." He turned and
stared at Dirk and Summer. "What is your business in Hecate Strait?" he asked.
"We are with the National Underwater and Marine Agency, conducting a study of phytoplankton health along the Inside
Passage," Summer explained. "We are sampling the waters between Juneau and Vancouver, at the request of the Canadian
Fisheries Department."
The inspector looked at the NUMA boat, then nodded. "I'm going to have to ask you people to stay here in Kitimat for a day
or two until the preliminary investigation is complete. You can keep your boat tied up here; this is a municipal dock. There's a
motel just a block or two up the road, if you need it. Why don't you plan on coming by my office tomorrow afternoon around
three? I'll send a car to pick you up."
"Glad to be of help," Dirk replied drily, slightly annoyed at their being treated as potential suspects.
The interview complete, Dirk and Summer jumped to the dock and started walking back to their boat. They looked up as a
fiberglass workboat nearly identical to their own came roaring toward the dock. The pilot brought it in way too fast, the bow
kissing the dock hard just seconds after the engines had been cut. A tall man in a flannel shirt burst from the wheelhouse,
grabbed a bow line, and leaped to the dock. Quickly tying the line behind the NUMA boat, he stomped along the pier, his boots
pounding the wooden planks. Summer noted his rugged features and shaggy hair as he approached but sensed a measure of
grace in his wide, dark eyes.
"Are you the folks who found the Ventura?" he asked, giving Dirk and Summer a hard stare. The voice was refined and

articulate, which seemed to Summer an odd contrast to the man's appearance.
"Yes," Dirk replied. "I brought her in to port."
The man nodded briskly, then stormed down the dock, catching the police inspector as he stepped ashore. Summer watched
as the man engaged the Mountie in an animated conversation, their voices elevating to a high pitch.
"Can't say we've had the warmest of welcomes," Dirk muttered, climbing into the NUMA vessel. "Does everybody here have
the demeanor of a grizzly bear?"
"Guess we brought too much drama to sleepy little Kitimat," Summer replied.
Securing their boat and retrieving their water samples, they headed into the north-woods town, finding it not so sleepy after
all. A miniboom was taking place in Kitimat, an outgrowth of the deepwater port facility located southwest of downtown.
International industry had quietly taken notice of the shipping capabilities and was turning the town into the busiest Canadian
port north of Vancouver. A longtime Alcon Aluminum smelter had recently undergone a billion-dollar expansion, while logging
operations and tourism continued to grow.
Locating a shipping office, they overnighted their water samples to a NUMA lab facility in Seattle, then grabbed a late dinner.
Walking back to their motel, they took a detour to the dock to retrieve a few items from the boat. Standing on the bridge,
Summer found herself staring at the Ventura, moored in front of them. The police had finished their investigation and the boat
sat empty, a silent blanket of morbidity hanging over it. Dirk stepped up from belowdecks, noticing his sister's concentration.
"Can't do anything to bring them back," he said. "It's been a long day. Let's head to the motel and turn in."
"Just thinking about that message on the footwell and what the captain was trying to say. I wonder if it was a warning of
some sort."
"They died quickly. We don't even know if it was a last message."
Summer thought about the inscription again and shook her head. It meant something more than it appeared to, of that much
she was certain. Beyond that, she had no clue. Somehow, she told herself, she would figure it out.

6
THE RESTAURANT'S DECOR WOULD NEVER BE FEATURED in Architectural Digest, Dirk thought, but the smoked salmon
and eggs certainly rated five stars. He grinned at the moose head protruding above Summer as he swallowed another bite of
breakfast. The moose was only one of a dozen stuffed animal heads mounted on the wall. Each seemed to be staring at
Summer through hard glassy eyes.
"All this roadkill is enough to make a person turn vegan," Summer grimaced, shaking her head at the bared snout of a grizzly
bear.
"Kitimat's taxidermist must be the richest guy in town," Dirk replied.
"Probably owns the motel."
She sipped at a cup of coffee as the door to the cafe opened and a tall man entered the restaurant. He strode directly to their
table as Dirk and Summer recognized him as the agitated man they'd encountered on the dock the day before.
"May I please join you?" he asked in a nonthreatening manner.
"Please do," Dirk said, pushing out a chair. He stuck his hand out at the stranger. "I'm Dirk Pitt. This is my sister, Summer."
The man's brow rose a fraction as he gazed at Summer.
"Glad to know you," he replied, shaking hands. "My name is Trevor Miller. My older brother, Steve, was captain of the
Ventura."
"We're sorry for what happened yesterday," Summer replied. She could tell by the look in the man's eyes that he was deeply
shaken by the loss of his brother.
"He was a good man," Trevor said, his gaze turning distant. He then looked at Summer and offered a sheepish grin. "My
apologies for the gruff behavior yesterday. I had just received word of my brother's death over the marine radio and was a little
upset and confused."
"A natural reaction," Summer said. "I think we were all a little confused."
Trevor inquired about their involvement, and Summer told of their discovery of the fishing boat while surveying the Hecate
Strait.
"Your brother fished these waters for some time?" Dirk asked.
"No, only two or three years. He was actually a doctor who sold his practice and turned to fishing out of passion. Did pretty
well at it, too, despite all the restrictions placed on commercial fishing these days to protect the stocks."
"Seems like an odd career transition," Summer remarked.
"We grew up on the water. Our father was an engineer for the local mining company and an avid fisherman. We traveled
around a lot but always had a boat. Steve would be on the water every chance he got. He even crewed on a trawler in high
school."
"He sure kept a smart boat," Dirk said. "I've never seen such an immaculate fishing boat."
"The Ventura was the pride of the Northwest, he used to joke. Steve was a bit of a perfectionist. He always kept his boat
spotless and his equipment maintained in the highest order. That's what makes everything so troubling." He gazed out the
window, a faraway look in his eyes. Then he turned to Dirk and asked quietly, "They were dead when you found them?"
"I'm afraid so. The boat was circling haphazardly with no one at the helm when we first spotted it."
"The Ventura would have piled onto the rocks of Gil Island if Dirk hadn't jumped aboard," Summer added.
"I'm glad you did," Trevor said. "The autopsies revealed that the men died of asphyxiation. The police are certain that carbon
monoxide poisoning was the cause. Yet I went all over the Ventura and could find no evidence of an exhaust leak."
"The engine is well astern of the wheelhouse, which makes it perplexing. Perhaps there is no leak and it was just an odd mix
of wind and running conditions that allowed the exhaust fumes to accumulate in the cabin," Dirk suggested. "It does seem odd
that the three men succumbed so quickly."
"It might not be that unusual," Summer said. "There was a mystery several years ago when a high number of drowning
deaths began plaguing houseboat vacationers on Lake Powell. They finally discovered that exhaust fumes were accumulating
off the stern of the houseboats and incapacitating swimmers in the water."
"Steve was such a cautious man," Miller noted.
"It's not difficult to be overcome by an unseen killer," Dirk said.
The discussion was taking a toll on Trevor, and he paled from the strain. Summer poured him a cup of coffee and tried to
move the conversation elsewhere.
"If there is anything we can do to help, please ask," she said, her soft gray eyes showing genuine concern.
"Thank you for trying to help my brother and his crew, and for saving the Ventura. My family is grateful." Trevor hesitated,
then added, "There is one favor I would like to ask you. I wonder if you would consider taking me to the site where you found
them."

"It's over fifty miles from here," Dirk said.
"We can take my boat. She cruises at twenty-five knots. I'd just like to see where he was at the time."
Summer glanced at a clock mounted beneath a sneering mountain lion. "We don't have to meet with the police inspector until
three o'clock," she said to her brother. "We might be able to make a quick run out and back."
"I need to check out the ROV and see if we get anything back from the Seattle lab," Dirk replied. "How about you go with Mr.
Miller, and I'll handle the inspector in case you're late getting back."
"Call me Trevor. And I'll have her back on time," Trevor said, smiling at Summer as if he were asking her father's permission
to take her out. She was surprised to feel a slight blush cross her cheeks.
"Save me a seat under the hot interrogation light," she said to Dirk, rising from her chair. "I'll see you at three."

7
TREVOR HELPED SUMMER ABOARD HIS BOAT, THEN quickly cast off the lines. As the workboat edged away from the
dock, she leaned over the side and noted a NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA logo painted on the hull. When the boat had
safely slipped past the port dockage and was speeding down Douglas Channel, Summer walked into the cabin and sat on a
bench near the pilot's seat.
"What do you do for the Natural Resources Department?" she asked.
"Coastal ecologist for the department's Forestry Service," he replied, steering around a logging ship chugging down the
center of the channel. "I work mostly with industrial concerns in the northern British Columbia coastal region. I have been
fortunate to base out of Kitimat, since the ongoing port expansion provides plenty of activity." He turned to Summer and smiled.
"Tame stuff compared to what you and your brother do for NUMA, I'm sure."
"Collecting plankton samples along the Inside Passage isn't too wild and crazy," she replied.
"I would be interested in seeing your results. We've had reports of concentrated marine mortality in a few areas around here,
though I've never been able to successfully document the occurrences."
"Be only too happy to work with a fellow disciple of the deep," she laughed.
The boat snaked through the winding channel at high speed, gliding easily over the calm water. Green fingers of land laden
with thick pines jutted into the sound, a series of scenic obstacles. Following their progress on a navigation chart, Summer
instructed Trevor to slow as they entered the main cross channel of Hecate Strait. A brief rain shower pelted them for a few
minutes, leaving them in a gray gloom. As they approached Gil Island, the rain lifted, increasing visibility to a mile or two.
Looking from the radar to the horizon, Summer could see that there were no other vessels around them.
"Here, let me steer," Summer said, standing and putting a hand on the wheel. Trevor gave her a reluctant look, then stood
and stepped aside. Summer angled the boat toward the island, then slowed and swung north.
"We were situated about here when we noticed the Ventura running from the northwest, a mile or so off. She made a lazy
turn, gradually coming up on our beam. Would have struck us if we hadn't jumped off her path."
Trevor stared out the window, trying to visualize the scene.
"I had just taken a water sample. We saw no one at the helm, and a radio call went unanswered. I brought us alongside, and
Dirk was able to jump aboard. That's when he found your brother," she said, her voice trailing off.
Trevor nodded, then walked to the stern deck and gazed across the water. A light drizzle began to fall, streaming his face
with moisture. Summer left him alone with his thoughts for several minutes, then approached quietly and grabbed his hand.
"I'm sorry about your brother," she said softly.
He squeezed her hand but continued staring off in the distance. His eyes suddenly sharpened as he focused on something
nearby. A white cloud had materialized on the water a few dozen yards off the bow. The vapor grew rapidly until it encroached
upon the boat.
"Awfully white for a fogbank," Summer said with a curious look. She noted that the air took on a pungent odor as the mist
drew closer.
The cloud had billowed to the tip of the bow when the light drizzle overhead suddenly thickened into a downpour. Trevor and
Summer ducked into the wheelhouse as a deluge of rainwater pelted the boat. Through the window, they watched the
approaching white cloud disappear under the gray canopy of falling water.
"That was odd," Summer remarked as Trevor fired up the motor. He aimed the boat toward Kitimat, applying a heavy throttle,
as he noticed a scattering of dead fish whir by in the water.
"Devil's Breath," he said quietly.
"Devil's what?"
"Devil's Breath," he repeated, turning a troubled eye toward Summer. "A local native Haisla was fishing in this area a few
weeks ago and washed up dead on one of the islands. The authorities said he drowned, possibly run over by a vessel that
didn't see him in the fog. Maybe he had a heart attack, I don't really know." The rain outside had let up, but Trevor kept his
eyes on the boat's path ahead.
"Go on," Summer prodded after a lengthy pause.
"I never thought much about it. But a few days ago, my brother recovered the man's skiff while fishing out here and asked me
to return it to the family. The man had lived in Kitamaat Village, a Haisla settlement. I had done some water studies for the
village, so I was friendly with a number of residents. When I met with the family, the deceased man's uncle kept crying that
Devil's Breath had killed him."
"What did he mean?"
"He said that the devil had decided his time had come and cast down a cold white breath of death that killed him and
everything around him."
"The reported fish and marine life kills?"

Trevor turned and gave Summer a half grin. "I'm pretty sure the old guy was drunk when he told me that. The Haisla have no
shortage of supernatural deeds in their storytelling."
"It does sound like an old wives' tale," Summer agreed.
But her words didn't stop a sudden chill from tingling up her spine. The rest of the journey was made in silence, as they both
contemplated the strange words of the Haisla native and how it fit with the things they had seen.
THEY WERE WITHIN A few miles of Kitimat when an executive helicopter whisked across their bow low overhead. The
chopper angled toward a protruding chunk of land on the north bank, where an industrial facility was nestled in the trees. A
wooden pier stretched into the sound, berthing several small boats and a large luxury yacht. On an adjacent grass clearing
was pitched a large white party tent.
"Private hunting lodge for the rich and famous?" Summer asked with a tilt of her head.
"Nothing that glamorous. It's actually a prototype carbon sequestration plant, built by Terra Green Industries. I was involved
in some of the site approval and inspection work as it was being built."
"I'm familiar with the concept of carbon sequestration. Collecting and liquefying industrial carbon dioxide gases and pumping
them deep into the earth or beneath the ocean floor. Seems like an expensive way to keep pollutants out of the atmosphere."
"The new greenhouse gas emission limits make it a hot technology. The clampdown on industrial carbon dioxide releases in
Canada is especially stringent. Companies can now trade carbon credits, but the cost is much higher than many had
anticipated. Mining and power companies are particularly desperate to find lower-cost alternatives. Goyette expects to make a
lot of money from his sequestration technology if he is allowed to expand the process."
"Mitchell Goyette, the environmental magnate?"
"Yes, he's the owner of Terra Green. Goyette is something of a cultural hero to many Canadians. He's built dams, wind
farms, and solar panel fields all over the country while touting hydrogen fuel technologies."
"I'm familiar with his call for offshore wind farms along the Atlantic seaboard to produce clean energy. I have to tell you, that
doesn't exactly look like a hydrogen-powered yacht," Summer said, pointing toward the Italian-built luxury vessel.
"No, he doesn't live the self-deprived life of a true greenie. He's become a billionaire off the environmental movement, yet
nobody holds it against him. Some people say that he doesn't even believe in the movement, that it's just a means for him to
make money."
"Apparently he has succeeded," she said, still eyeing the yacht. "Why did he build a sequestration facility here?"
"In a word, Athabasca. The oil sands of Athabasca, Alberta, require a tremendous amount of energy to refine into crude oil. A
by-product of the process is carbon dioxide, apparently in large quantities. The new greenhouse gas agreement will shut down
the refinery operations unless they can find a way around their CO problem. Enter Mitchell Goyette. The oil companies were already building a
small pipeline from the oil fields to Kitimat. Goyette convinced them to build an extra pipeline to run liquefied carbon dioxide."
"We noticed a pair of small oil tankers in the channel," Summer said.
"We fought the pipelines hard for fear of oil spills, but the commerce powers won out. Goyette, meanwhile, convinced the government that a coastal location
was key for his facility, and even received a land grant from the Natural Resources Department."
"A shame it ended up in such a pristine location."
"There was a lot of dissent in the department, but the natural resources minister ultimately signed off on it. In fact, I'm told he is one of the guests visiting the
official grand opening today."
"And you didn't make the cut?" Summer asked.
"My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail. No, wait, the dog ate it." He laughed. It was the first time Summer had caught Trevor in a light moment, and she
observed a sudden warmth in his eyes.
They sped on into Kitimat, Trevor easing the boat to berth behind the docked NUMA vessel. Dirk could be seen inside the research vessel's cabin, typing on a
laptop computer. He closed the computer and stepped out with a morose look on his face as Summer and Trevor tied up the other vessel, then walked
alongside.
"Back before three, with room to spare," Summer greeted, eyeing her wristwatch.
"I think the police chief's visit is the least of our worries," Dirk replied. "I just downloaded the lab results from the water samples we sent to Seattle yesterday."
"Why so glum?"
Dirk handed the printout to Summer, then gazed across the waters of the sound. "The pristine-looking waters lying off Kitimat are threatening to kill anything
that swims through them."

8
MITCHELL GOYETTE DRAINED THE GLASS OF Krug Clos du Mesnil champagne with a smug look of satisfaction. He placed the empty crystal flute on a
cocktail table just as the wash from the helicopter's rotor rippled the tent overhead.
"Excuse me, gentlemen," he said in a deep voice. "That would be the Prime Minister." Extricating himself from a small group of province politicians, Goyette
exited the tent and strode toward a nearby landing pad.
A large and imposing man, Goyette had a polished demeanor that bordered on slick. With wide eyes, greased-back hair, and a permanent grin, he had the
look of a wild boar. Yet he moved in a fluid, almost graceful manner that belied his simmering arrogance. It was the conceit of a man who had amassed his
wealth through shrewdness, deceit, and intimidation.
Though not the product of a rags-to-riches story, Goyette had parlayed a family land inheritance into a small fortune when a power company solicited a
portion of the site for a proposed hydroelectric project. Goyette astutely negotiated a percentage of the power revenues for use of the land, correctly predicting
the insatiable power demands of a booming Vancouver. He leveraged one investment after another, acquiring mineral and logging rights, thermal power
resources, and his own hydroelectric plants. A powerful publicity campaign carefully focused on his alternative energy holdings and painted him as a man of the
people in order to increase his negotiating strength with the government powers. With his assets privately held, few knew of his major holdings in gas, coal, and
oil properties, and the complete hypocrisy of his carefully cultivated image.
Goyette watched as the Sikorsky S-76 hovered briefly, then touched its wheels down onto a wide circular landing pad. The twin engines were shut down, then
the copilot climbed out and opened the side passenger door. A short man with shiny silver hair stepped out and held his head low under the swirling rotor
blades, as two aides followed him close behind.
"Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to Kitimat and our new Terra Green facility," Goyette greeted with an extrawide smile. "How was your flight?"
"That's one plush bird. I'm just glad the rain let up so we could enjoy the view." The Canadian Prime Minister, a polished man in his own right named Barrett,
reached over and shook Goyette's hand. "Good to see you again, Mitch. And thanks for the lift. I didn't realize that you were also abducting one of my own
cabinet members."
He motioned toward a droopy-eyed man with a receding hairline who stepped off the chopper and approached the group.
"Natural Resources Minister Jameson was instrumental in approving our facility here," Goyette beamed. "Welcome to the finished product," he added, turning
to Jameson.
The resources minister didn't return the exuberance. With a forced grin, he replied, "I'm happy to see the facility operational."
"The first of many, with your help," Goyette said, winking at the Prime Minister.
"Yes, your firm's capital planning director tells us that you already have a site under development in New Brunswick." Barrett pointed back toward the
helicopter.
"My capital planning director?" Goyette asked in a confused tone. He followed the Prime Minister's gaze and turned toward the helicopter. Another man exited
the side door and stretched his arms skyward. He crinkled his dark eyes at a fleeting burst of sunlight, then ran a hand through his short-cropped hair. The
tailored blue suit he wore failed to hide his muscular build but passed the mark for corporate executive attire. Goyette had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping
as the man approached.
"Mr. Goyette"--he grinned with a self-confident smile--"I have the papers on our Vancouver property divestiture for your signature." He tapped a leather
satchel held under one arm for effect.
"Excellent," Goyette snorted, regaining his composure at the sight of his hired hit man strolling off his private helicopter. "Why don't you wait in the plant
manager's office, and we'll attend to it shortly."
Goyette turned and hurriedly escorted the Prime Minister into the white tent. Wine and hors d'oeuvres were served to the accompaniment of a string quartet
before Goyette led the dignitaries to the entrance of the sequestration facility. A droll-faced engineer identified as the plant manager took charge of the group
and led them on a short tour. They walked through two large pump stations, then moved outside, where the plant manager pointed out several mammoth
holding tanks that were partially concealed in the surrounding pines.
"The carbon dioxide is pumped as a liquid from Alberta and received into the holding tanks," the manager explained. "It is then pumped under pressure into
the ground beneath us. An eight-hundred-meter well was dug here, driving through a thick layer of caprock until reaching a porous sedimentary formation filled
with brine. It is the ideal geology to hold CO and virtually impervious to surface leakage."
"What would happen if an earthquake should strike here?" the Prime Minister asked.
"We are at least thirty miles from the nearest known fault line, so the odds of a large quake occurring here are quite remote. And at the depths we are storing the product, there is virtually no chance of an
accidental release from a geological event."
"And exactly how much of the Athabasca refineries' carbon dioxide output are we sequestering here?"
"Just a fraction, I'm afraid. We'll need many more facilities to absorb the full output from the oil sand fields and allow them to operate at peak production again."
Goyette capitalized on the line of questioning to insert a sales pitch. "As you know, Alberta oil production has had to face serious cutbacks because of the tighter carbon emission mandate. The situation is
equally dire for the coal-fired power plants back east. The economic impact to the country will be enormous. But you are standing at the heart of the solution. We've already scouted more locations in the region
that are suitable for sequestration facilities. All we need is your help to move forward."
"Perhaps, but I'm not sure I like the idea of British Columbia's coastline being a receptacle for Alberta's industrial pollution," the Prime Minister said drily. A product of Vancouver, he still had a homegrown pride
in his native province.
"Don't forget the tax that British Columbia imposes for each metric ton of carbon transferred across its border, a fraction of which goes back to the federal coffers. The fact is, it is a safe moneymaking play
for the province. Plus, you may have noticed our dock facility." Goyette pointed to a huge covered building across the grounds that sat adjacent to a small inlet. "We have a five-hundred-foot covered dock
capable of accommodating tanker ships that can carry liquid CO. We're already receiving shipments and intend to show that we can process carbon waste from Vancouver industry, as well as logging and mining businesses up and down the coast. Allow us to build similar
facilities across the country and we'll be able to manage a large portion of our national carbon quotas. And with excess capacity built into the new coastal facilities, we can even bury American and Chinese carbon at a nice profit."
The politician's eyes glimmered at the prospect of additional revenues flowing to the government's ledgers.
"The technology, it is perfectly safe?" he asked.
"We're not talking nuclear waste here, sir. This facility was built as a prototype and has been operating flawlessly for several weeks now. Mr. Prime Minister, it is a no-lose proposition. I build and operate the plants, and ensure their safety. The government just gives me the go-ahead and receives a cut
off the top."
"And there is plenty left for you?"
"I'll get by," Goyette replied, roaring like a hyena. "All I need is the continued site and pipeline approvals from you and the resources minister. And that won't be a problem, will it, Minister Jameson?"
Jameson looked at Goyette with a beaten subservience. "I should think there is little to interrupt our trusting relationship," he replied.
"Very well," Barrett said. "Send me your draft proposals and I'll run it past my advisers. Now, where's some more of that fine champagne? "
As the group made their way back to the refreshment tent, Goyette quietly pulled the resources minster aside.
"I trust you received delivery of the BMW?" Goyette asked with a sharklike grin.
"A generous gift that my wife is quite ecstatic about. I would prefer, however, that future compensations remain less conspicuous."
"Not to worry. The contribution to your offshore trust account has already been made."
Jameson ignored the comment. "What is this nonsense about building new facilities along the coast? We both know the geology here is marginal, at best. Your so-called aquifer at this site will reach capacity in just a matter of months."
"This site will run indefinitely," Goyette lectured. "We have solved the capacity issue. And as long as you send me the same geological assessment team as before, there will be no problem with our coastal expansion plans. The chief geologist was quite amenable to revising his conclusions for a rather
nominal price." He grinned.
Jameson grimaced at the knowledge that corruption flourished within the department well beyond his own dirty hands. He could never recall the exact day that he woke up and realized that Goyette had owned him. It was several years past. The two had met at a hockey game, when Jameson was making his
first bid for a seat in Parliament. In Goyette, he had seemingly found a wealthy benefactor who shared a progressive vision for the country. The political campaign contributions grew as Jameson's career advanced, and somewhere along the way he had foolishly crossed the line. Campaign contributions
progressed to jet rides and free vacations, ultimately leading to outright cash bribes. With ambition in his heart and a wife and four children to support on a civil servant's salary, he blindly took the cash, convincing himself that the policies he promoted for Goyette were just. It wasn't until he was appointed
natural resources minister that he saw the other side of Goyette. The public perception of him as an environmental prophet was just a cleverly designed facade, he came to learn, disguising Goyette's true nature as a money-hungry megalomaniac. For every wind farm he developed with public fanfare, there
were a half dozen coal mines he operated, his actual ownership buried in a laundry list of corporate subsidies. Phony mining claims, forged environmental impact statements, and outright federal grants to Goyette's holdings were all jury-rigged by the minister. In return, the bribes had been steady and
generous. Jameson had been able to purchase an elegant house in the upscale Ottawa neighborhood of Rockcliffe Park and accumulate more than enough cash in the bank to send his kids to the finest schools. Yet he had never intended for things to slip so far, and he knew there was nothing he could do to
escape.
"I don't know how much more of this I can support," he told Goyette in a tired voice.
"You will support as much as I need," Goyette hissed, his eyes quickly turning ice cold. "Unless you wish to spend the rest of your days at Kingston Penitentiary."
Jameson physically wilted, accepting the reality with a weak nod.
Confident in Jameson's indenture, Goyette, features softened, waved an arm toward the tent.

"Come, cheer up now," he said. "Let us join the Prime Minister and drink a toast to the riches he is about to bestow upon us."

9
CLAY ZAK HAD HIS FEET UP ON THE PLANT MANAGER'S desk while casually perusing a book on frontier history. He glanced out a picture window as the thumping from the departing helicopter rattled the glass panes. Goyette entered the room a few seconds later, a suppressed look of annoyance
on his face.
"Well, well, my capital planning director," Goyette remarked, "looks like you missed your flight out."
"It was rather a cramped ride," Zak replied, placing the book into his satchel. "Quite stuffy, as a matter of fact, with all those politicians aboard. You should really get a Eurocopter EC-155. A much faster ride. You wouldn't have to spend as much time trapped conversing with those prostitutes. By the way,
that natural resources minister? He really doesn't like you."
Goyette ignored the remarks and slid into a leather chair facing the desk. "The PM was just notified of Elizabeth Finlay's death. It was reported as a boating accident."
"Yes, she fell overboard and drowned. You'd think a woman of her means would know how to swim," he smiled.
"You kept things tidy?" Goyette asked in a hushed voice.
A pained look crossed Zak's face. "You know that is why I don't come cheap. Unless her dog can talk, there will be no reason to suspect it was anything but a tragic accident."
Zak leaned back in his chair and gazed up at the ceiling. "As Elizabeth Finlay goes, so goes the movement to halt natural gas and oil exports to China." He then leaned forward and prodded Goyette. "Exactly how much would that bit of legislature have cost your Melville gas field operation?"
Goyette stared into the killer's eyes but saw nothing illuminating. The man's weathered, slightly longish face showed no emotion. It was the perfect poker face. The dark eyes offered no window to his soul, if he even had one, Goyette thought. Hiring a mercenary was playing with fire, but Zak was clearly a
tactful professional. And the dividends were proving to be enormous.
"It is not an inconsequential amount," he finally replied.
"Which brings us to my compensation."
"You will be paid as agreed. Half now, half after the investigation is closed. The funds will be wired to your Cayman Islands account, as before."
"The first stop of many." Zak smiled. "It might be time for me to check in on my little nest egg and enjoy a few weeks of R and R in the sunny Caribbean."
"I think vacating Canadian soil for a short time would be a good idea." Goyette hesitated, not sure whether to keep rolling the dice. The man did nice work, he had to admit, and always covered his tracks. "I've got another project for you," he finally proposed. "Small job. It's in the States. And no body work
required."
"Name your tune," Zak said. He had yet to turn down a request. As much as he thought Goyette a cretin, he had to admit that the man paid well. Extremely well.
Goyette handed him a folder. "You can read it on the next flight out of here. There's a driver at the gate who will take you to the airport."
"Flying commercial? You may have to get a new capital planning director if this keeps up."
Zak rose and strode out of the office like an emperor, leaving Goyette sitting there shaking his head.

10
LISA LANE RUBBED HER TIRED EYES AND AGAIN scanned the periodic table of elements, the same standard chemistry chart posted in most every high school science class across the land. The research biochemist had long ago memorized the table of known elements and could probably recite it
backward if given the challenge. Now she gazed at the chart hoping for inspiration, something that would trigger a new idea.
She was searching for a durable catalyst that would separate an oxygen molecule from a carbon molecule. Scanning the periodic table, her eyes stopped at the forty-fifth element, rhodium, symbol Rh. Lane's computer modeling kept pointing to a metal compound as a likely catalyst. Rhodium had proved to
be the best she had found so far, but it was totally inefficient, in addition to being a horribly expensive precious metal. Her project at the George Washington University Environmental Research and Technology Lab had been called "blue sky research," and maybe it would stay that way. Yet the potential
benefits of a breakthrough were too enormous to overlook. There had to be an answer.
Staring at the square denoting rhodium, she noticed the preceding element had a similar symbol, Ru. Absently twisting a lock of her long brown hair, she said the name aloud: "Ruthenium." A transitional metal of the platinum family, it was an element that she had not yet been able to test.
"Bob," she called to a wiry man in a lab coat seated at a nearby computer, "did we ever receive that sample of ruthenium that I requested? "
Bob Hamilton turned from the computer and rolled his eyes. "Ruthenium. The stuff is harder to obtain than a day off. I must have contacted twenty suppliers, and none of them stocked it. I was finally referred to a geology lab in Ontario that had a limited amount. It cost even more than your rhodium sample,
so I only ordered two ounces. Let me check the stockroom to see if it came in yet."
He walked out of the lab and down a hall to a small storeroom where special materials were kept under lock and key. A graduate assistant behind a caged window retrieved a small box and slid it across the counter. Returning to the lab, Bob set the container on Lisa's desk.
"You're in luck. The sample arrived yesterday."
Lisa opened the box to find several tiny slivers of a lusterless metal housed in a plastic container. She selected one of the samples and placed it onto a slide, then examined it under a microscope. The tiny sliver resembled a furry snowball under magnification. Measuring the mass of the sample, she
placed it in the sealed compartment of a large gray housing that was attached to a mass spectrometer. No less than four computers and several pressurized gas tanks were affixed to the device. Lisa sat down at one of the keyboards and typed in a string of software commands, which initiated a test
program.
"Is that the one that's going to be your ticket to the Nobel Prize?" Bob asked.
"I'd settle for a ticket to a Redskins game if it works."
Glancing at a wall clock, she asked, "Want to go grab some lunch? I won't be able to get any preliminary results for at least an hour or so."
"I'm there," Bob replied, slipping off his lab coat and racing her to the door.
After a turkey sandwich in the cafeteria, Lisa returned to her tiny office at the back of the lab. A minute later, Bob ducked his head around the door, his eyes opened wide in bewilderment.
"Lisa, you better come take a look at this," he stammered.
Lisa quickly followed him into the lab, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Bob approach the spectrometer. He pointed to one of the computer monitors, which showed a string of numbers rushing down the screen beside a fluctuating bar graph.
"You forgot to remove the rhodium sample before you initiated the new test. But look at the results. The oxalate count is off the charts," he said quietly.
Lisa looked at the monitor and trembled. Inside the spectrometer, a detector system was tabulating the molecular outcome of the forced chemical reaction. The ruthenium catalyst was successfully breaking the carbon dioxide bond, causing the particles to recombine into a two-carbon compound called an
oxalate. Unlike her earlier catalysts, the ruthenium/rhodium combination created no material waste by-product. She had stumbled upon a result that scientists around the world had been seeking.
"I can hardly believe it," Bob muttered. "The catalytic reaction is dead-on."
Lisa felt light-headed and dropped into a chair. She checked and rechecked the output, searching for an error but finding none. She finally allowed herself to accept the probability that she had hit pay dirt.
"I've got to tell Maxwell," she said. Dr. Horace Maxwell was director of the GWU Environmental Research and Technology Lab.
"Maxwell? Are you crazy? He's testifying before Congress in two days."
"I know. I'm supposed to accompany him to the Hill."
"Now, there's a suicide mission," Bob said, shaking his head. "If you tell him now, he's liable to bring it up in testimony in order to obtain more funding for the lab."
"Would that be such a bad thing?"
"It would if the results can't be duplicated. One lab test doesn't solve the mysteries of the universe. Let's rerun things and fully document every step before going to Maxwell. At least wait until after he testifies," Bob urged.
"I suppose you're right. We can duplicate the experiment under different scenarios just to be sure. The only limitation is our supply of ruthenium."
"That, I'm sure, will be the least of our problems," Bob said with a hint of prophecy.

11
THE AIR CANADA JET SKIMMED HIGH OVER ONTARIO, the landscape below appearing like a green patchwork comforter from the tiny first-class windows. Clay Zak was oblivious to the view, focusing instead on the shapely legs of a young flight attendant pushing a drinks cart. She caught his stare
and brought over a martini in a plastic cup.
"Last one I can serve you," she said with a perky smile. "We'll be landing in Toronto shortly."
"I'll savor it all the more," he replied with a leer.
Dressed in the traveling businessman's uniform of khaki slacks and a blue blazer, he looked like just another sales manager headed to an off-site conference. The reality was quite different.
The only child of an alcoholic single mother, he'd grown up in a ragtag section of Sudbury, Ontario, with little guidance. At fifteen, he'd dropped out of school to work in the nearby nickel mines, developing the physical strength that he still retained twenty years later. His life as a miner was short-lived,
however, when he committed his first murder, driving a pickax into the ear of a fellow miner who'd taunted his family lineage.
Fleeing Ontario, he assumed a new identity in Vancouver and drifted into the drug trade. His strength and toughness were put to use as an enforcer for a major local methamphetamine trafficker named "The Swede." The money came easily, but Zak treated it with an unusual intelligence. A self-taught
man, he read voraciously, and judiciously studied business and finance. Rather than blowing his ill-gotten gains on tawdry women and flashy cars like his cohorts did, he shrewdly invested in stocks and real estate. His lucrative drug career, however, was cut short in an ambush.
It wasn't the police but a Hong Kong supplier looking to expand his control of the market. The Swede and his escorts were gunned down during a nighttime deal in Vancouver's rambling Stanley Park. Zak managed to duck the fire and disappear unscathed into a maze of hedges.
He bided his time before taking revenge, spending weeks staking out a luxury yacht leased by the Chinese syndicate. Setting off a timed explosive charge, using knowledge gleaned from his days in the nickel mines, he blew up the boat with all of the Hong Kong associates aboard. Watching from a small
speedboat as the fireball erupted, he saw a man on an adjacent yacht get thrown into the water by the concussion. Realizing the authorities would spend little time investigating the death of a known drug dealer but might expand the dragnet if a wealthy socialite was an added victim, he sped over and fished
the unconscious man out of the water.
When a sputtering Mitchell Goyette came to, his gratitude was uncharacteristically effusive.
"You saved my life," he coughed. "I will reward you for that."
"Give me a job instead," Zak said.
Zak enjoyed a huge laugh when he reminded Goyette of the whole story years later. Even Goyette conceded the humor in it. By then, the mogul had come to admire the subversive talents of the former miner, employing him as a high-level enforcer once again. But Goyette knew Zak's loyalty was based
solely on cash, and he always kept a wary eye on him. For his part, Zak enjoyed being the lone wolf. He had influence with Goyette, and while he enjoyed the compensation he also enjoyed tweaking his rich and powerful employer.
The plane landed at Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport a few minutes ahead of schedule. Shaking off the effects of the in-flight martinis, Zak stepped out of the first-class compartment and headed to the rental-car counter while waiting for his bags to be unloaded. Taking the keys to a beige
four-door sedan, he drove south, skirting the western shoreline of Lake Ontario. Cruising the lakefront expressway for another seventy miles, he exited at a sign reading NIAGARA. A mile below the famous falls, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge and entered the state of New York, handing the immigration
officer a phony Canadian passport.
Turning past the falls, it was just a short drive south to Buffalo. He found the city airport in plenty of time to catch a half-empty 767 to Washington, D.C., flying under yet another assumed name, this time with a phony American identification. Dusk had fallen as the jet crossed over the Potomac River on its
final approach to Reagan National Airport. It was Zak's first time in the nation's capital, and he duly stared at the city's monuments from the back of a cab. Watching the blinking red lights atop the Washington Monument, he idly wondered if George would have deemed the towering obelisk an absurdity.
Checking in at the Mayflower Hotel, he perused the file that Goyette had given him, then rode the elevator down to the wood-paneled Town & Country Lounge on the lobby floor. Finding a quiet corner booth, he ordered a martini and checked his watch. At a quarter past seven, a thin man with an unkempt
beard approached the table.
"Mr. Jones?" he asked, eyeing Zak nervously. Zak gave the man a weak smile.
"Yes. Please sit down," Zak replied.
"I'm Hamilton. Bob Hamilton, from the GWU Environmental Research and Technology Lab," the man said quietly. He stared at Zak with trepidation, then took a deep breath and slid tentatively into the booth.

12
A MIRACLE OF SORTS ARRIVED ON THE PRESIDENT'S desk shortly after his meeting with Sandecker. It was another letter from the Canadian Prime Minister, offering a potential solution to the growing crisis. A major natural gas field had quietly been discovered last year, the Prime Minister wrote,
in a remote section of the Canadian Arctic. Preliminary explorations indicated that the site, located in Viscount Melville Sound, could prove to be one of the richest reserves of natural gas in the world. The privately held firm that made the discovery already had a fleet of tanker ships on line to transport the
gas to America.
It was just the tonic the President was seeking to help boost his broader objectives. A major purchase agreement was quickly put in place to get the gas flowing. Though market price was exceeded, the company promised to provide all the gas it could deliver. Or so guaranteed the CEO of the private
exploration firm, one Mitchell Goyette.
IGNORING THE PLEAS FROM his economic and political advisers that he was being too brash, the President quickly acted on the news. In a nationally televised address from the Oval Office, he outlined his ambitious plans to the public.
"My fellow Americans, we are living in a moment of great peril," he said into the cameras, his normally upbeat mood masked by solemnity. "Our daily lives are imperiled by a crisis of energy while our very future existence is threatened by a crisis of the environment. Our dependency on foreign oil has
created damaging economic consequences that we all feel while promoting the emission of dangerous greenhouse gases. Troubling new evidence continues to show that we are losing the battle against global warming. For our own security, and for the safety of the entire world, I am hereby directing that
the United States achieve a national goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2020. While some may call this objective drastic or even impossible to attain, we have no other choice. I call tonight for a crash research effort by private industry, academic institutions, and our own government agencies to solve our
energy needs through alternative fuels and renewable sources. Oil cannot and will not be the fuel that powers our future economy. A funding package will be presented to Congress shortly, outlining our specific investments in new research and technology.
"With the proper resources and a determined will, I am confident that we can reach this goal together. Nevertheless, we must make sacrifices today to cut our emissions and reduce our reliance on oil, which continues to choke our economy. Due to the recent availability of natural gas supplies, I am
directing that all of our domestic coal and oil-fired power plants be converted to natural gas within two years. I am pleased to announce tonight that President Zhen of China has agreed to impose similar mandates in his country. In addition, I will be presenting plans shortly for our nation's automakers to
accelerate the production of natural-gas- and hybrid-electric-powered vehicles, which I hope will be adopted at the international level.
"We are facing difficult times, but with your support we can reach a more secure tomorrow. Thank you."
As the cameras turned off, the President's chief of staff, a short, balding man named Charles Meade, approached Ward.
"Excellent job, sir. I believe it was an effective speech, and it ought to pacify the anti-coal fanatics and their proposed boycott."
"Thanks, Charlie, I believe you are right," the President said. "It was quite effective. Effective, that is, at eliminating any chance of my being reelected," he added with a twisted grin.

13
ROOM 2318 OF THE RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING was uncharacteristically packed with reporters and spectators. Open hearings of the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment seldom drew more than a handful of onlookers. But in light of the President's mandate on greenhouse
gas emissions, the resulting media firestorm brought a flurry of attention to the subcommittee and its previously scheduled hearing. Its topic: the status of new technologies to aid the battle against global warming.
The assembled crowd slowly hushed as an anteroom door opened and eighteen members of Congress filed to their respective seats on the dais. The last member to enter was an attractive woman with cinnamon-colored hair. She was dressed in a deep purple Prada jacket and skirt, which nearly matched
the hue of her violet eyes.
Loren Smith, devoted congresswoman from Colorado's Seventh District, had never traded away her femininity since arriving at the blue-suited halls of Congress years before. Even in her forties, she still made a smart and stylish appearance, but her colleagues had learned long ago that Loren's beauty
and fashion sense did nothing to lessen her skill and intelligence in the political arena.
Walking gracefully to the center of the dais, she took her seat next to a plump, white-haired congressman from Georgia who chaired the committee.
"Ah call this hearing to order," he brayed with a thick accent. "Given the public interest in our topic, Ah will forgo opening remarks today and invite our first speaker to testify." He turned and gave a quick wink to Loren, who smiled in return. Longtime colleagues and friends despite sitting on different sides
of the aisle, they were among a rare minority of House members who shunned partisan grandstanding in order to focus on the good of the country.
A succession of industry and academic leaders took turns testifying on the latest advances in energy alternatives that emitted zero carbon. While offering up sunny long-term prospects, every speaker wavered when pressed by the committee to provide an immediate technological solution.
"Volume production of hydrogen hasn't been perfected yet," testified one expert. "Even if every man, woman, and child in the country had a hydrogen fuel cell car, there wouldn't be enough hydrogen available to power a fraction of them."
"How far off are we?" asked a representative from Missouri.
"Probably ten years," the witness replied. A ripple of murmurs quickly spread across the gallery. The story was the same from each spokesperson. Advances in technology and product improvements were hitting the marketplace, but the progress was being made in baby steps, not leaps and bounds.
There was no imminent breakthrough that would satisfy the President's mandate and save the country, and the world, from the physical and economic devastation of accelerated global warming.
The final speaker was a short bespectacled man who headed up the GWU Environmental Research and Technology Lab in suburban Maryland. Loren leaned forward and smiled as she recognized Lisa Lane taking a seat next to Dr. Horace Maxwell. After the lab director made a preliminary statement,
Loren jumped in with the initial questioning.
"Dr. Maxwell, your lab is at the forefront of alternate fuels research. Can you tell us what technological advances we might expect from your work in the near term?"
Maxwell nodded before speaking in a henlike voice. "We have several outstanding research programs in solar energy, biofuels, and hydrogen synthesis. But in answer to your question, I'm afraid we have no imminent product development that will satisfy the President's tough new mandate."
Loren noticed Lisa bite her lip at Maxwell's last remark. The rest of the House panel took over and grilled Maxwell for another hour, but it was clear there was to be no noteworthy revelation. The President had gone out on a limb to challenge the brightest minds of industry and academia to solve the energy
problem, but he was clearly striking out.
As the hearing was adjourned and the reporters rushed out of the chamber to file their stories, Loren stepped down and thanked Dr. Maxwell for his testimony, then greeted Lisa.
"Hi, roomie." She smiled, giving a hug to her old college roommate. "I thought you were still at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York."
"No, I left a few months ago to join Dr. Maxwell's program. He had more funds for blue sky research." She grinned. "I've been meaning to call you since I moved back to Washington, but I've just been swamped."
"I can sympathize. With the President's speech, the work at your lab has suddenly become very important."
Lisa's face turned solemn, and she moved closer to Loren. "I really would like to talk to you about my own research," she said in a low voice.
"Would dinner tonight work? My husband is picking me up in half an hour. We'd love to have you join us."
Lisa thought for a moment. "I'd like that. Let me tell Dr. Maxwell that I'll make my own way home tonight. Your husband won't mind driving?"
Loren laughed. "Taking a pretty girl for a ride is one of his favorite pastimes."
LOREN AND LISA STOOD on the north steps of the Rayburn Building as a string of limos and Mercedes sedans rolled through the dignitary lane, picking up the wealthier members of Congress and their ever-hovering lobbyists. Lisa was distracted by the appearance of the House Majority Leader and
almost missed seeing a rakish antique convertible come barreling to the curb, nearly creasing her thigh with its high-turned fender. She stared wide-eyed as a rugged-looking man with ebony hair and sparkling green eyes hopped out of the car and grabbed Loren in a tight embrace, then kissed her
passionately.
"Lisa," Loren said, pushing the man away with a tinge of embarrassment, "this is my husband, Dirk Pitt."
Pitt saw the look of surprise in Lisa's eyes and smiled warmly as he shook her hand. "Don't worry," he laughed, "I only maul pretty women if they're members of Congress."
Lisa felt herself blush slightly. She saw an adventuresome glow in his eyes, tempered by a warm soul.
"I invited Lisa to join us for dinner," Loren explained.
"Glad for you to come. I just hope you don't mind a little wind," Pitt said, nodding toward the car.
"That's some set of wheels," Lisa stammered. "What is it?"
"A 1932 Auburn Speedster. I just finished rebuilding the brakes last night and thought it would be fun to take her out."
Lisa gazed at the sleek car, painted in dual shades of cream and blue. The open cockpit offered cramped seating for two, and there was no backseat. Instead, the bodywork behind the driver's compartment flared to a triangular point at the rear bumper, in the classic boattail shape.
"I don't think there's room for all of us," she lamented.
"There is if somebody doesn't mind riding in back," Pitt replied. He walked over and pushed down on the flush topside surface of the boattail. A hideaway seat folded back, revealing a one-passenger compartment.
"Oh my, I've always wanted to ride in a rumble seat," Lisa said. Without hesitation, she climbed onto a foot bracket and hopped into the compartment.
"My grandfather used to tell me how he rode in the rumble seat of his father's Packard during the Depression," she explained.
"No better way to see the world," Pitt joked, winking at her before helping Loren into the front seat.
They loped through rush hour traffic along the Mall and across the George Mason Bridge before heading south into Virginia. As the city monuments grew smaller behind them, the traffic lightened and Pitt mashed down on the accelerator. With a smooth and powerful twelve-cylinder engine under the
hood, the sleek Auburn quickly sprinted past the speed limit. As the car accelerated, Lisa grinned and waved like a little girl at the passing traffic, enjoying the wind as it rustled through her hair. Up front, Loren placed a hand on Pitt's knee and smiled at her husband, who always seemed to find a touch of
adventure wherever he went.
Pitt drove past Mount Vernon, then exited the main highway. At a small crossroad, he turned down a dirt road that meandered through the trees until ending at a small restaurant facing the Potomac River. Pitt parked the Auburn and turned off the motor as the heavy scent of Old Bay Seasoning filled the
air.
"Best spiced crabs in the territory," Pitt promised.
The restaurant was an old riverside home converted to a cafe, plainly decorated but with a cozy atmosphere. They were seated at a table overlooking the Potomac as a crowd of locals began filtering in.
"Loren tells me you are a research chemist at GWU," Pitt said to Lisa, after ordering a round of beers and crab.
"Yes, I'm part of an environmental studies group looking at the global-warming problem," she replied.
"If you ever get bored, NUMA can put you to work on some cutting-edge undersea research," he offered with a smile. "We have a large team studying the effects of ocean warming and higher acidity levels. I just had a project review with a team studying carbon saturation in the oceans and possible
means of boosting carbon absorption in deep water."
"With all the focus on the atmosphere, I'm glad to see someone is paying attention to the oceans as well. It sounds like there might be some parallels with my research. I'm working on a project related to airborne carbon reduction. I'd love to see the results of your team's work."
"It's just a preliminary report, but you might find it useful. I'll send a copy to you. Or better yet, I'll drop it off to you in the morning. I have an appearance to make on the Hill myself," he added, rolling his eyes at Loren.
"All executive agencies must justify their annual budgets," Loren replied. "Especially those run by renegade pirates."
She laughed and gave Pitt a hug, then turned to her friend. "Lisa, you seemed anxious after the hearing today to discuss your research work. Tell me more about it."
Lisa took a large swallow from her beer, then looked at Loren with trusting eyes.
"I haven't spoken of this to anyone besides my lab assistant, but I believe we have hit upon a profound discovery." She spoke in a quiet voice, as if afraid the neighboring diners might hear.
"Go on," Loren urged, drawn close by Lisa's demeanor.
"My research involves molecular manipulation of hydrocarbons. We've discovered an important catalyst that I believe will allow for artificial photosynthesis on a mass scale."
"Do you mean like in plants? Converting light into energy?"
"Yes, you remember your botany. But just to make sure . . . Take that plant over there," she said, pointing to a large Boston fern dangling in a planter by the window. "It captures light energy from the sun, water from the soil, and carbon dioxide from the air to produce carbohydrates, the fuel source for it to
grow. Its only waste product is oxygen, which allows the rest of us to survive. That's the basic cycle of photosynthesis."
"Yet the actual process is so complicated, scientists have been unable to duplicate it," Pitt said with growing interest.
Lisa sat quietly as the waitress appeared and unrolled a sheet of brown butcher paper on the table, then dumped a small mountain of steamed blue crabs in front of them. When they each began attacking a spiced crab with a wood mallet, she continued.
"You're correct in the general sense. Elements of photosynthesis have been successfully duplicated, but none with anywhere near the efficiency seen in nature. The complexity is very real. That's why the hundreds of scientists around the world working on artificial photosynthesis typically focus on a single
component of the process."
"Yourself included?" Loren asked.
"Myself included. The research at our lab has focused on the ability of plants to break down water molecules into their individual elements. If we can duplicate the process efficiently, and we'll get there someday, then we'll have an unlimited source of cheap hydrogen fuel at our disposal."
"Your breakthrough is in another direction?" Loren asked.
"My focus has been on a reaction called Photosystem I, and the breakdown of carbon dioxide that occurs in the process."
"What are the primary challenges?" Pitt asked.
Lisa tore into a second crab, sucking the meat out of a hind claw.
"These are delicious, by the way. The basic problem has been in developing an efficient means of triggering a chemical breakdown. Chlorophyll plays that role in nature, but it decomposes too quickly in the lab. The trick I pursued was to find an artificial catalyst that could break down carbon dioxide
molecules."
Lisa set down her food, then spoke in a low voice again. "That's where I came up with a solution. Blundered upon it, actually. I left a rhodium sample in the test chamber by mistake and added to it another element called ruthenium. When combined with a light charge, the reaction was an immediate
dimerization of the CO molec ules into oxalate."
Loren wiped the c rab juic e off her hands and took a s ip of beer. "All of this c hemis try is s tarting to make my head s pin," s he c omplained.
"You s ure it's not the beer and the Bay Seas oning?" Pitt as ked with a grin.
"I'm s orry," Lis a s aid. "Mos t of my friends are bioc hemis ts , s o I s ometimes forget to take off my verbal lab c oat."
"Loren has a muc h better head for public polic y than for s c ienc e," Pitt kidded. "You were mentioning the outc ome of your experiment? "
"In other words , the c atalytic reac tion c onverted the c arbon dioxide into a s imple c ompound. W ith further proc es s ing, we c an get to a c arbon-bas ed fuel, s uc h as ethanol. But the c ritic al reac tion was the ac tual breakdown of the c arbon dioxide."
T he pile of c rabs had been trans formed into a mas s of broken c laws and empty s hells . T he middle-aged waitres s deftly c leared away the mes s and returned a s hort time later with c offee and key lime pie for the table.
"Forgive me, but I'm not s ure I unders tand what you are s aying," Loren s aid between bites .
Lis a gazed out the window at s ome twinkling lights on the far s ide of the river.
"I'm quite c ertain that the applic ation of my c atalys t c an be us ed to c ons truc t a high-output artific ial-photos ynthes is devic e."
"Could it be expanded to indus trial proportions ?" Pitt as ked.
Lis a nodded with a humble look. "I'm s ure of it. All that is needed is s ome light, rhodium, and ruthenium to make it tic k."
Loren s hook her head. "So what you're s aying is that we'll be able to c ons truc t a fac ility that c an filter c arbon dioxide into a harmles s s ubs tanc e? And the proc es s c an be applied to power plants and other indus trial polluters ?"
"Yes , that's the pros pec t. But even more than that."
"W hat do you mean?"
"Hundreds of fac ilities c ould be built. In terms of c arbon reduc tion, it'd be like putting a pine fores t in a box."
"So you're talking about ac tually reduc ing the exis ting levels of c arbon dioxide in the atmos phere," Pitt s tated.
Lis a nodded again, her lips purs ed tight.
Loren grabbed Lis a's hand and s queezed it hard. "T hen . . . you've found a genuine s olution to global warming." T he words c ame out in a whis per.
Lis a looked s heepis hly at her pie and nodded. "T he proc es s is s ound. T here's s till work ahead, but I s ee no reas on why we c an't have a large-s c ale artific ial-photos ynthes is fac ility des igned and built in a matter of months . All it will take is money and politic al s upport," s he s aid, looking at Loren.

Loren was too s tartled to eat her des s ert. "But the hearings today," s he s aid. "W hy didn't Dr. Maxwell mention it?"
Lis a s tared up at the fern. "I haven't told him yet," s he replied quietly. "I only jus t made the dis c overy a few days ago. T o be hones t, I was a little overwhelmed at the findings . My res earc h as s is tant c onvinc ed me not to tell Dr. Maxwell before the hearings , until we were s ure about the res ults . W e were both afraid of
the potential media frenzy."
"You would have been right about that," Pitt agreed.
"So do you s till have doubts about the res ults ?" Loren as ked.
Lis a s hook her head. "W e've duplic ated the res ults at leas t a dozen times , c ons is tently. T here is no ques tion in my mind that the c atalys t works ."
"T hen it is time to ac t," Loren urged. "Brief Maxwell tomorrow, and I'll follow up with an innoc uous hearing ques tion. T hen I'll try and get us in to s ee the Pres ident."
"T he Pres ident?" Lis a blus hed.
"Abs olutely. W e'll need an Exec utive Order to put a c ras h produc tion program into plac e until an emergenc y funding bill c an be authorized. T he Pres ident c learly unders tands the c arbon problem. If the s olution is within our gras p, I'm s ure he will ac t immediately."
Lis a fell s ilent, overc ome by the ramific ations . Finally, s he nodded her head.
"You are right, of c ours e. I'll do it. T omorrow."
Pitt paid the bill, and the trio drifted out to the c ar. T hey drove home in relative s ilenc e, their thoughts abs orbed with the magnitude of Lis a's dis c overy. W hen Pitt pulled up in front of Lis a's town hous e in Alexandria, Loren jumped out and gave her old friend a hug.
"I'm s o proud of what you've done," s he s aid. "W e us ed to joke about c hanging the world. Now you really have." She s miled.
"T hanks for giving me the c ourage to go forward," Lis a replied. "Good night, Dirk," s he s aid, waving at Pitt.
"Don't forget. I'll s ee you in the morning with the oc ean c arbon report."
After Loren c limbed bac k into the c ar, Pitt s lid the gears hift into firs t and s ped down the s treet.
"Georgetown or the hangar?" he as ked Loren.
She s nuggled c los e to him. "T he hangar tonight."
Pitt s miled as he s teered the Auburn toward Reagan National Airport. T hough married, they s till kept s eparate res idenc es . Loren maintained a fas hionable town hous e in Georgetown but s pent mos t of her time at Pitt's ec lec tic home.
Reac hing the grounds of the airport, he drove down a dus ty s ide road toward a dark, vac ant s ec tion of the field. Pas s ing through an elec tric gate, he pulled up in front of a dimly lit hangar that looked as if it had been c ollec ting dus t for s everal dec ades . Pitt pres s ed the s ec urity c ode on a wireles s trans mitter and
watc hed as a s ide door to the hangar s lid open. A bank of overhead lights popped on, revealing a glis tening interior that res embled a trans portation mus eum. Dozens of brightly polis hed antique c ars were neatly aligned in the c enter of the building. Along one wall, a majes tic Pullman railroad c ar s at parked on a s et
of s teel trac ks embedded in the floor. A rus ty bathtub with an anc ient outboard motor bolted to the s ide and a weathered and dilapidated s emi-inflatable boat s at inc ongruous ly nearby. As Pitt pulled into the hangar, the Auburn's headlights flas hed on a pair of airc raft parked at the bac k of the building. One was an
old Ford T ri-Motor and the other a s leek W orld W ar II Mes s ers c hmitt ME-162 jet. T he planes , like many of the c ars in the c ollec tion, were relic s of pas t adventures . Even the bathtub and raft told a tale of peril and los t love that Pitt retained as s entimental reminders of life's frailty.
Pitt parked the Auburn next to a 1921 Rolls -Royc e Silver Ghos t that was undergoing res toration and turned off the motor. As the garage door c los ed behind them, Loren turned to Pitt and as ked, "W hat would my c ons tituents think if they knew I was living in an abandoned airc raft hangar?"
"T hey'd probably feel pity for you and inc reas e their c ampaign donations ," Pitt replied with a laugh.
He took her hand and led her up a s piral s tairc as e to a loft apartment in one c orner of the building. Loren had exerted her marriage rights and c oerc ed Pitt to remodel the kitc hen and add an extra room to the apartment, whic h s he us ed as an exerc is e area and offic e. But s he knew better than to touc h the bras s
portholes , s hip paintings , and other nautic al artifac ts that gave the res idenc e a dec idedly mas c uline tone.
"Do you really think Lis a's dis c overy will be able to revers e global warming?" Loren as ked, pouring two glas s es of pinot noir from a bottle labeled Sea Smoke Botella.
"Given enough res ourc es , there s eems no reas on to think that it c an't happen. Of c ours e, going from the lab to real world produc tion is always more problematic than people think. But if a working des ign already exis ts , then the hard part is done."
Loren walked ac ros s the room and handed Pitt a glas s . "Onc e the bombs hell hits , it's going to get pretty hec tic ," s he s aid, already dreading the demands on her time.
Pitt hooked an arm around her wais t and drew her tight to him. "T hat's all right," he s miled with a yearning grin. "W e've s till got tonight before the wolves s tart howling."

14
AFT ER DROPPING LOREN AT T HE AIRPORT MET RO-RAIL s tation for a s ubway ride to the Hill, Pitt drove to the NUMA headquarters building, a tall glas s s truc ture that hugged the bank of the Potomac River. Collec ting a c opy of the res earc h s tudy on oc ean c arbon abs orption, he returned to the Auburn and drove
into D.C., turning northwes t up Mas s ac hus etts Avenue. It was a beautiful s pring day in the c apital c ity. T he oppres s ive heat and humidity of s ummer, when all were reminded that the c ity was built on a s wamp, was s till weeks away. T he warm morning s till felt c omfortable driving in a c onvertible. T hough he knew he
s hould have left it s afely tuc ked away in his hangar, Pitt c ouldn't res is t driving the toples s Auburn one more time. T he old c ar was remarkably nimble, and mos t of the s urrounding traffic gave him plenty of leeway as they gawked at the s leek lines of the antique.
Pitt was every bit the anac hronis m he appeared to the pas s ers by. His love of old planes and c ars ran deep, as if he had grown up with the aged mac hines in another lifetime. T he attrac tion nearly matc hed the draw of the s ea and the mys teries that c ame with exploring the deep. A gnawing s ens e of res tles s nes s
s wirled within him, always fueling the wanderlus t. Perhaps it was his s ens e of his tory that s et him apart, allowing him to s olve the problems of the modern world by finding ans wers in the pas t.
Pitt loc ated the GW U Environmental Res earc h and T ec hnology Lab on a quiet s ide s treet off Roc k Creek Park, not far from the Lebanes e embas s y. He happened upon a parking s pot in front of the three-s tory bric k building and walked to the entranc e with the oc ean s tudy tuc ked under his arm. T he lobby guard
s igned him in with a vis itor's badge, then gave him direc tions to Lis a's offic e on the s ec ond floor.
Pitt took the elevator, waiting firs t for a janitor in a gray jumps uit to pus h a tras h c art out of the lift. A broad-s houldered man with dark eyes , the janitor gave Pitt a penetrating gaze before s miling good-naturedly as he pas s ed by. Pitt pus hed the button for the s ec ond floor and s tood patiently as the c ables pulled the
elevator c ompartment s kyward. He heard a muffled ding as the elevator approac hed the s ec ond floor, but before the doors s lid open a mas s ive c onc us s ion s lammed him to the floor.
T he detonation was c entered over a hundred feet away, yet it s hook the entire building like an earthquake. Pitt felt the elevator rattle and s way before the power failed and the c ompartment turned blac k. Rubbing a knot on the bac k of his head, he gingerly pulled himself to his feet and groped for the c ontrol panel.
None of the buttons triggered a res pons e. Sliding his hands along the door, he pres s ed his fingertips into the c enter s eam and wedged open the inner doors . A few inc hes beyond, the outer doors to the s ec ond s tory ros e a foot above the floor of the elevator. Pitt reac hed over and forc ed open the outer doors and
c limbed up onto the s ec ond-floor landing, s tepping into a s c ene of c haos .
An emergenc y alarm blared with a deafening din, drowning out numerous s houting voic es . A thic k c loud of dus t hung in the air, c hoking the breath for s everal minutes . T hrough the s moky haze, Pitt s aw a c rowd of people fighting their way down a nearby s tairwell. T he damage appeared mos t s evere along a main
c orridor that s tretc hed in front of him. T he explos ion had not been powerful enough to s truc turally damage the building but had blown out s c ores of windows and s everal interior walls . Looking pas t the immediate c onges tion, Pitt grimly realized that Lis a's lab was near the heart of the blas t.
He made his way down the hallway, giving way to a group of c oughing s c ientis ts c aked in dus t. T he ground c runc hed underfoot as he pas s ed the s hattered remains of a hallway window. A pale-looking woman s taggered out of an offic e with a bleeding hand, and Pitt s topped and helped her wrap a s c arf around the
wound.
"W hic h one is Lis a Lane's offic e?" he as ked.
T he woman pointed toward a gaping hole on the left s ide of the c orridor, then s huffled off to the s tairwell.
Pitt approac hed the jagged hole where a doorway had s tood and s tepped into the bay. A thic k c loud of white s moke s till hung in the air, s lowly drifting out the s hattered remains of a pic ture window that fac ed the s treet. T hrough the vac ant window, he c ould hear the s irens of approac hing fire res c ue vehic les .
T he lab its elf was a jumbled mas s of s moldering elec tronic s and debris . Pitt noted an old Buns en burner embedded into a s ide wall from the forc e of the blas t. T he s moking remains and punc tured walls c onfirmed what he had feared. Lis a's lab had indeed been the epic enter of the explos ion. T he walls s till
s tood and the furnis hings had not been obliterated, s o it was c learly not a c ompletely debilitating blas t. Pitt gues s ed there would be no fatalities in the res t of the building. But any oc c upants of the lab were probably not s o luc ky.
Pitt quic kly s c oured the room, c alling out Lis a's name as he pic ked through the debris . He nearly mis s ed her, jus t c atc hing s ight of a dus t-c overed s hoe protruding beneath a fallen c abinet door. He quic kly pulled the c abinet as ide to reveal Lis a lying in a c rumpled heap. Her lower left leg was twis ted at an
unnatural angle, and her blous e was s oaked in blood. But her lis tles s eyes turned and gazed up at Pitt, then blinked in ac knowledgment.
"Didn't they teac h you to s tay away from c hemic al experiments that go boom?" Pitt s aid with a forc ed s mile.
He ran his hand along her blood-wet s houlder until finding a large s liver of glas s jutting from her blous e. It appeared loos e, s o he yanked it out with a quic k tug, then applied pres s ure with the palm of his hand to the s tem the bleeding. Lis a grimac ed briefly, then pas s ed out.
Pitt held s till and c hec ked her puls e with his free hand until a fireman entered the room wielding an ax.
"I need a paramedic here," Pitt s houted.
T he fireman gave Pitt a s urpris ed look, then c alled on his radio. A paramedic team arrived minutes later and quic kly attended to her injuries . Pitt followed as they plac ed her on a s tretc her and c arried her down to a waiting ambulanc e.
"Her puls e is low, but I think s he'll make it," one of the emergenc y workers told Pitt before the vehic le roared off to Georgetown Univers ity Hos pital.
T hreading his way through a horde of emergenc y workers and onlookers , Pitt was s uddenly grabbed by a young paramedic .
"Sir, you better s it down and let me take a look at that," the young man s aid exc itedly, nodding at Pitt's arm. Pitt looked down to s ee that his s leeve was s oaked red.
"No worries ," he s hrugged. "It's not my blood."
He made his way to the c urb, then s topped in dis may. T he Auburn s at c overed in a blanket of s hattered glas s . Dings and s c ratc hes poc kmarked the c ar from nos e to tail. A piec e of file c abinetry was mas hed into the grille, s pawning a growing pool of radiator fluid beneath the c ar. Ins ide, a c hunk of flying building
mortar had c arved through the leather s eats . Pitt looked up and s hook his head as he realized that he'd unknowingly parked right beneath Lis a's offic e.
Sitting on the running board and c ollec ting himself, he obs erved the s c ene of c haos around him. Sirens blared as dozens of dis heveled lab workers wandered around in a daze. Smoke s till ros e from the building, though fire had thankfully not materialized. T aking it all in, Pitt s omehow had an odd s ens e that the
explos ion was no ac c ident. Ris ing to his feet, he thought of Lis a as he gazed at the damaged Auburn, then felt a pang of anger gradually s well from within.
ST ANDING BEHIND A ROW of hedges ac ros s the s treet, Clay Zak watc hed the mayhem with idle s atis fac tion. After Lis a's ambulanc e roared away and the s moke began to c lear, he walked s everal bloc ks down a s ide alley to his parked rental c ar. Unzipping a gray jumps uit, he tos s ed it into a nearby tras h c an, then
c limbed into the c ar and c autious ly drove to Reagan National Airport.

A LOW MIST HUNG OVER T HE ST ILL W AT ERS SURROUNDING Kitimat as the firs t gray s waths of dawn s treaked the eas tern s ky. A dis tant rumble of a truc k rolling through the s treets of the town drifted over the water, breaking the early-morning s ilenc e.
In the c abin of the NUMA workboat, Dirk s et down a mug of hot c offee and s tarted the boat's engine. T he inboard dies el s prang immediately to life, murmuring quietly in the damp air. Dirk glanc ed out the c oc kpit window, s pying a tall figure approac hing on the doc k.
"Your s uitor has arrived right on time," Dirk s aid aloud.
Summer c limbed up from the berths below and gave her brother a s c ornful look, then s tepped onto the s tern dec k. T revor Miller walked up with a heavy c as e under one arm.
"Good morning," Summer greeted. "You were s uc c es s ful?"
T revor handed the c as e to Summer, then s tepped aboard. He gave Summer an admiring look, then nodded.
"A luc ky s troke for us that the munic ipality of Kitimat has its own Olympic -s ized s wimming pool. T he pool maintenanc e direc tor willfully parted with his water quality analyzer in exc hange for a c as e of beer."
"T he pric e of s c ienc e," Dirk s aid, poking his head out the wheelhous e door.
"T he res ults obvious ly won't be on a par with NUMA's c omputer analys is , but it will allow us to at leas t meas ure the pH levels ."
"T hat will give us a ballpark gauge. If we find a low pH level, then we know that the ac idity has inc reas ed. And an inc reas e in ac idity c an oc c ur from elevated amounts of c arbon dioxide in the s eawater," Summer s aid.
Summer opened the c as e, finding a c ommerc ial-grade portable water analyzer along with numerous plas tic vials . "T he important thing is to replic ate the high ac idity readings identified by the lab. T his ought to do the job for us ."
T he res ults of the Seattle lab tes t had been s hoc king. T he pH levels in s everal water s amples taken near the mouth of the Douglas Channel were three hundred times lower than bas e levels taken els ewhere along the Ins ide Pas s age. Mos t dis turbing was the final s ample taken, jus t minutes before the Ventura
nearly ran into the NUMA boat. T he tes t res ults s howed extreme ac idity not far removed from the c aus tic levels of battery ac id.
"T hanks for s tic king around," T revor s aid, as Summer c as t off the lines and Dirk powered the boat into the pas s age. "T his c ertainly appears to be jus t a loc al problem."
"T he waters know no international boundaries . If there is an environmental impac t oc c urring, then we have a res pons ibility to inves tigate," Dirk replied.
Summer looked into T revor's eyes and c ould s ee the c onc ern ran muc h deeper. Left uns poken was the potential c onnec tion to the death of his brother.
"W e met with the polic e ins pec tor yes terday," Summer s aid quietly. "He had nothing more to add about your brother's death."
"Yes ," T revor replied, his voic e turning c old. "He's c los ed the c as e, reporting the deaths as ac c idental. Claims an ac c umulation of exhaus t gas es likely c ollec ted in the wheelhous e and killed everyone. Of c ours e, there's no evidenc e for that . . ." he s aid, his voic e trailing off.
Summer thought of the s trange c loud they had s een on the water, and the eerie Hais la tale of Devil's Breath. "I don't believe it either," s he s aid.
"I don't know what the truth is . Maybe that will help tell us ," he s aid, s taring at the water s ample kit.
15
Dirk piloted the boat at top s peed for over two hours until they reac hed the Hec ate Strait. T rac king the navigation s ys tem, he c ut the engine when they reac hed the GPS c oordinates where the las t water s ample had been taken. Summer dropped a Nis kin bottle over the s ide and s c ooped up a vial of s eawater, then
ins erted a probe from the water analyzer.
"T he pH reading is about 6.4. Not nearly the extreme we found two days ago, but s till well below normal s eawater levels ."
"Low enough to c reate havoc with the phytoplankton, whic h will ultimately s ound a death knell up the food c hain," Dirk noted.
Summer gazed at the s erene beauty of Gil Is land and the s urrounding pas s age inlets , then s hook her head. "Hard to figure what c ould be c aus ing the high ac idity levels in s uc h a pris tine area," s he s aid.
"Maybe a pas s ing freighter with a leaky bilge or one that outright dumped s ome toxic was te," Dirk pos ed.
T revor s hook his head. "It's not very likely here. Commerc ial traffic generally runs on the other s ide of Gil Is land. T ypic ally, the only traffic through here is fis hing boats and ferryboats . And of c ours e the oc c as ional Alas kan c ruis e s hip."
"T hen we've got to expand our s ampling until we c an pinpoint the s ourc e," Summer s aid, labeling the s pec imen and preparing the Nis kin bottle for another drop.
For the next s everal hours , Dirk s teered the boat in ever-widening c irc les , while Summer and T revor took dozens of water s amples . T o their c hagrin, none of the s amples approac hed the low pH levels reported by the Seattle lab. Letting the boat drift as they took a late-afternoon lunc h, Dirk printed out a c hart and
s howed it to the others .
"W e've run a s eries of c irc les extending to an eight-mile radius from our initial s ample. As it turns out, that was our peak reading. Everything s outh of there s howed normal pH levels . But north of that point, it is a different s tory. W e're pic king up reduc ed pH levels in a rough c one s hape."
"Flowing with the prevailing c urrents ," T revor noted. "It might well have been a onetime s pill of pollutants ."
"Perhaps it's a natural phenomenon," Summer s ugges ted. "An underwater volc anic mineral that is c reating a high ac idity."
"Now that we know where to look, we'll be able to find the ans wer," Dirk s aid.
"I don't unders tand," T revor replied with a blank look.
"NUMA tec hnology to the res c ue," Summer replied. "W e've got s ide-s c an s onar and an ROV aboard. If there is s omething on the bottom, we'll be able to s pot it one way or another."
"But that will have to wait for another day," Dirk s aid, noting the late hour. Res tarting the motor, he nos ed the res earc h boat in the direc tion of Kitimat and ac c elerated to twenty-five knots . W hen they drew c los er to Kitimat, Dirk let out a low whis tle when he notic ed an LNG tanker tuc ked under a c overed doc k off a
s mall inlet.
"Can't believe they run one of thos e babies in and out of here," he s aid.
"She mus t be offloading at Mitc hell Goyette's c arbon s eques tration fac ility," Summer replied. As s he and T revor explained to Dirk the func tion of the fac ility, he eas ed off the throttle and turned toward the doc ked tanker.
"W hat are you doing?" Summer as ked.
"Carbon s eques tration. Carbon dioxide and ac idity go together like peanut butter and jelly--you s aid s o yours elf," he replied. "Maybe there's a c onnec tion with the tanker."
"T he tanker is bringing in CO to offload at the facility. An inbound ship could have had an accidental leakage in the passage," Trevor said. "Though that particular tanker must have come in last night or early this morning."
"Trevor's right," Summer added. "The tanker wasn't there yesterday, and we didn't see it in the channel before that." She studied the facility's pier, which stretched out into the channel, noticing that Goyette's luxury yacht and the other visiting boats had all disappeared.
"No harm in collecting a few samples to make sure they're honest," Dirk countered.
Seconds later, a dark speedboat came roaring out of the covered dock and headed directly for the NUMA vessel. Dirk ignored the boat and held his course and speed.
"Somebody's awake," he muttered. "We're not even within a mile of the place. A tad touchy, aren't they?"
He watched as the speedboat veered off when it drew near, circling around in a loop before pulling alongside the research boat. There were three men seated aboard, dressed in innocuous brown security uniforms. But there was nothing innocuous about the Heckler & Koch HK416 assault rifles they each held across their laps.
"You are approaching private waters," barked one of the men through a bullhorn. "Turn away immediately." One of his partners, a stocky Inuit wearing a crew cut, waved his rifle toward the NUMA boat's wheelhouse for added emphasis.
"I just want to fish off the inlet," Dirk yelled back, pointing toward the waterway that led to the covered dock. "There's a deep hole off the mouth teeming with coho."
"No fishing," blared the voice through the bullhorn. Crew Cut stood up and pointed his rifle at Dirk for a moment, then motioned with his barrel to turn away. Dirk casually spun the wheel to starboard and pulled away, feigning ignorance of the threat on his life as he tossed a friendly wave at the speedboat. As the boat turned away, Summer nonchalantly leaned over the stern deck gunwale and scooped up a vial of water.
"What's with the heavy security?" Dirk asked Trevor, as they sped the last few miles to Kitimat.
"They claim they're trying to protect their proprietary technology, but who knows for sure? The company has shown signs of paranoia from the first day that they broke ground. They brought in their own team of construction workers to build it and have their own team of people to run it. They're mostly Tlingit, but not from around here. I've heard that not a single local resident has been hired for any phase of the operation. On top of that, the
employees have their own housing on the grounds. They are never even seen in town."
"Have you been through the facility?"
"No," Trevor replied. "My involvement was upfront, with environmental impact statements and the like. I reviewed the plans and walked the site during construction, but was never invited back after they received all of their building approvals. I made several requests to make an on-site review after they went operational, but never got the backing from my higher-ups to press the issue."
"A powerful guy like Mitchell Goyette can incite a lot of fear in the right places," Dirk noted.
"You are exactly right. I heard rumors that his acquisition of the building site was accomplished by a great deal of coercion. His building and environmental approvals breezed through without a hiccup, which is nearly unheard-of around here. Somehow, somewhere, there were some skids greased."
Summer interrupted the conversation by entering the bridge with a vial of water held up in front of her. "Acidity level is normal, at least from a mile outside the facility."
"Too far off to tell us anything for sure," Trevor said, looking back at the facility with a contemplative gaze.
Dirk had his own deliberate look about him. He liked to play by the rules but had little tolerance for authoritarian bullying tactics. Summer liked to joke that he was a jovial Clark Kent, who always gave a handout to a beggar or held a door open for a woman. But if someone told him he couldn't do something, he was apt to turn into the Tasmanian Devil. The confrontation with the security boat rattled his sense of propriety and alerted his suspicions,
while silently elevating his blood pressure a few millimeters. He waited until the boat was docked and Trevor waved good-bye, agreeing to meet for dinner in an hour. Then he turned to Summer.
"I'd like to take a closer look at that sequestration facility," he said.
Summer stared at the first lights of Kitimat shimmering on the water as twilight approached. Then she replied, answering in a way that Dirk least expected.
"You know, I think I would, too."

IT WAS AFTER SIX P.M. WHEN LOREN AND PITT ARRIVED at Georgetown University Hospital and were allowed into Lisa Lane's room. Given her brush with death earlier in the day, she looked remarkably robust. A mammoth bandage covered her left shoulder, and her broken leg had been set in a cast and elevated. Beyond a pallor from loss of blood, she appeared fully lucid, and perked up at the sight of her visitors.
Loren rushed over and gave her a peck on the cheek while Pitt set a large vase of pink lilies next to the bed.
"Looks like the good folks of Georgetown patched you up nicely," Pitt observed with a grin.
"My dear, how are you feeling?" Loren asked, pulling a chair up alongside the bed.
"Pretty good, under the circumstances," Lisa replied with a forced smile. "The pain medication isn't quite keeping up with my throbbing leg, but the doctors tell me it will heal as good as new. Just remind me to cancel my aerobics class for the next few weeks."
She turned to Pitt with a serious look. "They've given me six units of red blood cells since I arrived. The doctor said I was lucky. I would have died from blood loss if you hadn't found me when you did. Thank you for saving my life."
Pitt winked at her. "You are much too important to lose now," he said, brushing off his actions.
"It was a miracle," Loren said. "Dirk told me how devastated the lab was. It is amazing that no one in the building was killed."
"Dr. Maxwell stopped by earlier. He promised to buy me a new lab." She smiled. "Though he was a little disappointed that I didn't know what happened."
"You don't know what caused the explosion?" Loren asked.
"No. I thought it came from a neighboring lab."
"From what I saw of the damage, it appeared that the blast was centered in the room where I found you," Pitt said.
"Yes, that's what Dr. Maxwell told me. I'm not sure he believed me when I told him that there was nothing in my lab that could have caused that large of an explosion."
"It was a pretty powerful bang," Pitt agreed.
Lisa nodded. "I've sat here and pictured every element and piece of equipment in that lab. All of the materials we have been working with are inert. We have a number of gas tanks for the experiments, but Dr. Maxwell indicated that they were all found intact. The equipment is basically benevolent. There was simply nothing volatile I can think of that would have caused such a thing."
"Don't blame yourself," Loren said. "Maybe it was something with the building, an old gas line or something."
They were interrupted by a stern-faced nurse who came in and propped up Lisa's bed, then slid a tray of dinner in front of her.
"Guess we better be on our way so that you can enjoy the hospital's epicurean delights," Pitt said.
"I'm sure it won't compare to last night's crabs," Lisa said, struggling to laugh. Then her face turned to a frown. "By the way, Dr. Maxwell mentioned that an old car parked in front of the building was severely damaged by the explosion. The Auburn?"
Pitt nodded with a hurt look. "Afraid so," he said. "But don't worry. Like you, she can be rebuilt to as good as new."
There was a knock on the door behind them, then a lean man with a ragged beard entered the room.
"Bob," Lisa greeted. "I'm glad you're here. Come meet my friends," she said, introducing Loren and Pitt to her lab assistant Bob Hamilton.
"I still can't believe you made it out without a scratch," Lisa kidded him.
"Lucky for me I was in the cafeteria having lunch when the lab went boom," he said, eyeing Loren and Pitt with uncertainty.
"A fortunate thing," Loren agreed. "Are you as stumped as Lisa by what happened?"
"Completely. There could have been a leak in one of our pressure canisters that somehow ignited, but I think it was something in the building. A freak accident, whatever the source, and now all of Lisa's research is destroyed."
"Is that true?" Pitt asked.
"All the computers were destroyed, which contained the research databases," Bob replied.
"We should be able to piece it together once I get back to the lab . . . if I still have a lab," Lisa said.
"I'll demand that the president of GWU ensure that it is safe before you step into that building again," Loren said.
She turned to Bob. "We were just leaving. Very nice to meet you, Bob." Then she leaned over and kissed Lisa again. "Take care, honey. I'll visit again tomorrow."
"What a terrible ordeal," Loren said to Pitt as they left the room and walked down the brightly lit hospital corridor to the elevator. "I'm so glad she is going to be all right."
When all she got from Pitt was a slight nod in reply, she looked into his green eyes. They had a faraway look, one she had seen on many occasions, usually when Pitt was struggling to track down a lost shipwreck or decipher the mystery of some ancient documents.
"Where are you?" she finally prodded him.
"Lunch," he replied cryptically.
"Lunch? "
"What time do most people eat lunch?" he asked.
She looked at him oddly. "Eleven-thirty to one, I suppose, for whatever that is worth."
"I walked into the building just prior to the explosion. The time was ten-fifteen, and our friend Bob was already having lunch," he said with a skeptical tone. "And I'm pretty sure I saw him standing across the street looking like a spectator after the ambulance left with Lisa. He didn't seem to show much concern that his coworker might be dead."
"He was probably in a state of shock. You were probably in a state of shock, for that matter. And maybe he's one of those guys that goes to work at five in the morning, so he'd hungry for lunch by ten." She gave him a skeptical look. "You'll have to do better than that," she added, shaking her head.
"I suppose you are right," he said, grabbing her hand as they walked out of the hospital's front door. "Who am I to argue with a politician?"
16

17
ARTHUR JAMESON WAS TIDYING UP HIS MAHOGANY desk when an aide knocked on the open door and walked in. The spacious but conservatively decorated office of the natural resources minister commanded an impressive view of Ottawa from its twenty-first-floor perch in the Sir William Logan Building, and the aide couldn't help but peek out the window as he approached the minister's desk. Seated in a high-back leather chair, Jameson
peered from the aide to an antique grandfather clock that was ticking toward four o'clock. Hopes of escaping the bureaucracy early vanished with the aide's approaching footsteps.
"Yes, Steven," the minister said, welcoming the twenty-something aide who faintly resembled Jim Carrey. "What do you have to sour my weekend?"
"Don't worry, sir, no environmental disasters of note," the aide smiled. "Just a brief report from the Pacific Forestry Centre in British Columbia that I thought you should take a look at. One of our field ecologists has reported unusually high levels of acidity in the waters off Kitimat."
"Kitimat, you say?" the minister asked, suddenly stiffening.
"Yes. You were just there visiting a carbon waste facility, weren't you?"
Jameson nodded as he grabbed the file and quickly scanned the report. He visibly relaxed after studying a small map of the area. "The results were found some sixty miles from Kitimat, along the Inside Passage. There are no industrial facilities anywhere near that area. It was probably an error in the sampling. You know how we get false reports all the time," he said with a reassuring look. He calmly closed the file and slid it to the side of his
desk without interest.
"Shouldn't we call the B.C. office and have them resample the water? "
Jameson exhaled slowly. "Yes, that would be the prudent thing to do," he said quietly. "Call them on Monday and request another test. No sense in getting excited unless they can duplicate the results."
The aide nodded in consent but stood rooted in front of the desk. Jameson gave him a fatherly look.
"Why don't you clear out of here, Steven? Go take that fiancee of yours out to dinner. I hear there's a great new bistro that just opened on the riverfront."
"You don't pay me enough to dine there," the aide grinned. "But I'll take you up on the early exit. Have a great weekend, sir, and I'll see you on Monday."
Jameson watched the aide leave his office and waited as the sound of his footsteps faded down the hallway. Then he grabbed the file and read through the report details. The acidity results didn't appear to have any correlation to Goyette's facility, but a feeling in Jameson's stomach told him otherwise. He was in too deep to get crossways with Goyette now, he thought, as the instinct for self-preservation took over. He picked up the telephone
and quickly punched a number by memory, grinding his teeth in anxiety as the line rang three times. A woman's voice finally answered, her tone feminine but efficient.
"Terra Green Industries. May I help you?"
"Resources Minister Jameson," he replied brusquely. "Calling for Mitchell Goyette."

DIRK AND SUMMER QUIETLY SHOVED THEIR BOAT away from the municipal dock and drifted into the harbor. When the current had pushed them out of view of the dock, Dirk started the engine and guided them slowly down the channel. The sky overhead had partially cleared, allowing a splash of starlight to strike the water as the midnight hour was consumed. The bellow from a bay-front honky-tonk provided the only competing sound as
they motored slowly away from town.
Dirk kept the boat in the center of the channel, following the mast light of a distant troll boat heading out early in search of some prize coho salmon. Easing away from the lights of Kitimat, they sailed in darkness for several miles until navigating a wide bend in the channel. Ahead, the water glistened like polished chrome, reflecting the bright lights of the Terra Green sequestration plant.
As the boat moved downstream, Dirk could see that the facility grounds were dotted with brilliant overhead floodlights, which cast abstract shadows against the surrounding pines. Only the huge covered dock was kept muted by the spotlights, shading the presence of the LNG tanker that lay moored inside.
Summer retrieved a pair of night vision binoculars and scrutinized the shoreline as they cruised past at a benign distance.
"All quiet on the Western Front," she said. "I only got a quick glimpse under the big top but saw no signs of life around the dock or the ship."
"Security at this hour can't be more than a couple of goons in a box staring at some video camera feeds."
"Let's hope they're watching a wrestling match on TV instead, so we can grab our water samples and get out."
Dirk held the boat at a steady pace until they had traveled two miles past the facility. Safely lost from view behind several bends in the channel, he spun the wheel to starboard and brought the boat up tight along the shoreline, then cut the running lights. The patchy starlight provided enough visibility to distinguish the tree-lined bank, but he still eased off the throttle while keeping one eye glued to the depth readings on an Odom fathometer.
Summer stood alongside, scanning for obstructions with the night vision binoculars and whispering course changes to her brother.
Moving barely over idle, they crept to within three-quarters of a mile of the Terra Green facility, staying out of direct view. A small cove provided the last point of concealment before the floodlights scorched the channel surface. Summer quietly released an anchor off the bow, then Dirk killed the engine. A slight whisper of wind through some nearby pines rattled an otherwise eerie nighttime silence. The wind shifted, bringing with it the whine of
pumps and the humming of electrical generators from the nearby facility, the noise easily concealing their movements.
Dirk glanced at his Doxa dive watch before joining Summer in slipping into a dark-colored dry suit.
"We're approaching slack tide," he said quietly. "We'll have a little head current going in, but that will give us a push at our backs on the return swim."
He had calculated as such earlier in the evening, knowing that they didn't want to be fighting the current to return to the boat. Though it probably wouldn't have mattered. Both Dirk and Summer were excellent swimmers, often engaging in marathon ocean swims whenever they were near warm water.
Summer adjusted the straps on her BC, which held a single dive tank, then clipped on a small dive bag containing several empty vials. She waited until Dirk had his tank on before slipping on a pair of fins.
"A midnight swim in the great Pacific Northwest," she said, eyeing the stars overhead. "Almost sounds romantic."
"There is nothing romantic about a swim in forty-two-degree water," Dirk replied, then clamped a snorkel between his teeth.
With a quiet nod, they both slipped over the side and into the chilly black water. Adjusting their buoyancy, they took their bearings and began kicking their way out of the cove and toward the facility. They swam near the surface, their heads just breaking the water like a pair of a prowling alligators. Conserving their dive tanks, they used snorkels to breathe, sucking in the brisk night air through their silicone breathing tubes.
The current was slightly stronger than Dirk had anticipated, led by the runoff from the Kitimat River at the head of the channel. They easily overpowered the headwaters, but the extra exertion built up body heat. Despite the frigid water, Dirk could feel himself sweating inside the thermal dry suit.
A half mile from the plant, Dirk felt Summer tap his shoulder and turned to see her pointing toward the shore. In the shadows of a jagged ridge of pine trees, he could make out a boat moored close to land. It was darkened like their own vessel, and, in the dim night light, he was unable to ascertain its dimensions.
Dirk nodded at Summer and swam deeper into the channel, putting a wide berth between them and the boat. They continued swimming at a measured pace until they closed within two hundred yards of the facility. Stopping to rest, Dirk tried to get a lay of the land beneath the blaring spotlights.
18
A large L-shaped building stretched across the grounds, its base next to the covered dock. The whine of pumps and generators emanated from the structure, which processed the liquid carbon dioxide. A separate windowed building adjacent to a helicopter pad stood a few yards away and appeared to contain offices. Dirk guessed that the housing accommodations for the workers were located up the road, in the direction of Kitimat. Off to his
right, a sturdy pier jutted into the channel, hosting a single boat. It was the same dark speedboat that had chased them away earlier in the day.
Summer swam alongside, then reached down to her dive bag. Uncorking an empty vial, she collected a water sample while they drifted.
"I gathered two additional samples on the way in," she whispered. "If we can collect another one or two around the dock, then we should have the bases covered."
"Next stop," he replied. "Let's take it underwater from here."
Dirk took a bearing with a compass on his wrist, then slipped his regulator between his teeth and expelled a burst of air from his BC. Sinking a few feet below the surface, he gently began kicking toward the massive covered dock. The corrugated tin structure was relatively narrow, offering just a few feet of leeway for the ship occupying the lone berth. Yet the dock was well over a football field long, easily accommodating the ninety-meter tanker.
The luminescent dial of the compass was barely visible in the inky water as Dirk followed his set bearing. The water grew lighter from the shoreside lights as he approached the dock entrance. He continued swimming until the dark shape of the tanker's hull loomed before him. Slowly ascending, he broke the surface almost directly beneath the tanker's stern rail. He quickly scanned the nearby dock, finding it deserted at the late hour. Pulling
his hood away from one ear, he listened for voices, but the drone of the pump house would have made a shout difficult to detect. Gently kicking away from the side of the ship, he tried to get a better look at the vessel.
Though a large ship from Dirk's perspective, she was tiny as far as LNG carriers go. Designed with a streamlined deck, she could carry twenty-five hundred cubic meters of liquefied natural gas in two horizontal metallic tanks belowdecks. Built for coastal transport duty, she was dwarfed by the large oceangoing carriers that could hold more than fifty times the amount of liquefied natural gas.
The ship was probably ten or twelve years old, Dirk gauged, showing wear at the seams but judiciously maintained. He didn't know what modifications had been made for the ship to carry liquid CO but presumed they were minor. Though CO was somewhat denser than LNG, it required less temperature and pressure extremes to reach a liquid state. He peered up at the name Chichuyaa , beaded in gold lettering across the stern, noting the home registry of Panama City painted in white lettering below.
A rise of bubbles rippled the water a few yards away, then Summer's head popped through the surface. She glanced at the ship and dock, then nodded at her brother as she pulled out a vial and collected a water sample. When she finished, Dirk pointed toward the bow and dropped back beneath the surface. Summer followed suit, tracking her brother as he swam forward. Following the dark outline of the tanker's hull, they swam down the length of the ship, quietly surfacing off the ship's bow. Dirk eyed the tanker's Plimsoll line a few feet overhead, noting that the vessel was just a foot or two shy of its fully loaded displacement.
Summer turned her attention to a series of overhead feeder tubes that dangled like thick tentacles over the ship from an adjacent dockside pumping station. Called "Chiksan arms," the large articulated pipes jimmied and swayed from the surge of the liquid CO f lowing t hr ough inside. Sm al wisps of whit e sm oke spewed f r om t he pum p building r oof , condensat ion f r om t he cooled and pr essur ized gas. Sum m er r eached down and r et r ieved t he last em pt y vial f r om her dive bag, wonder ing whet her t he wat er ar ound her was cont am inat ed wit h polut ant s as she t ook t he f inal sam ple. Zipping t he f ul vial int o her dive bag, she kicked t owar d her br ot her , who had dr if t ed near t he dock.
As she appr oached, Dir k point ed t owar d t he dock ent r ance and whisper ed, " Let 's go. "
Sum m er nodded and st ar t ed t o t ur n, t hen suddenly hesit at ed in t he wat er . Her eyes f ixat ed on t he Chiksan ar m s above Dir k's head. W it h a quizzical look on her f ace, she r aised a f inger and point ed at t he pipes f ar over head. Dir k cocked his head and gazed up at t he pipes f or a m inut e but didn't not ice anyt hing am iss.
" W hat is it ?" he whisper ed.
" Ther e's som et hing about t he m ovem ent of t he pipes, " she r eplied, st ar ing at t he ar m s. " I t hink t he car bon dioxide is being pum ped ont o t he ship. "
Dir k st ar ed up at t he wiggling ar m s. Ther e was a r hyt hm ic m ovem ent t hr ough t he pipes, but it was har dly suf f icient t o t el which way t he liquef ied gas was f lowing. He looked at his sist er and nodded. Her occasional hunches or int uit ions wer e usualy r ight . I t was enough f or him t o want t o check it out .
" Do you t hink it m eans anyt hing?" Sum m er asked, looking up at t he ship's bow.
" Har d t o say if it has any r elevance, " Dir k r eplied quiet ly. " I t doesn't m ake any sense t hat t hey would be pum ping CO ont o t he ship. M aybe t her e is an LNG pipeline f r om At habasca r unning t hr ough her e. "
" Tr evor said t her e was only a sm al oil pipeline and t he CO line. "
" Did you not ice if t he ship was sit t ing higher in t he wat er t his m or ning? "
" I couldn't say, " Sum m er r eplied. " Though she ought t o be a lot higher in t he wat er now if she's been of f - loading gas f or any am ount of t im e. "
Dir k looked up at t he hulking vessel. " W hat I know about LNG ships, and it ain't m uch, is t hat pum ps on shor e m ove t he liquid ont o t he ships, and t hey have pum ps on boar d t o m ove it of f at t he dest inat ion. Fr om t he sound of it , t he pum p house on shor e is clear ly oper at ing. "
" That could be t o pum p t he gas under gr ound or int o t em por ar y st or age t anks. "
" Tr ue. But it is t oo noisy t o t el if t he shipboar d pum ps ar e r unning. " He kicked a f ew yar ds over t o t he dock, t hen poked his head up and looked ar ound. The dock and visible por t ions of t he ship wer e st il deser t ed. Dir k slipped of f his t ank and weight belt and hung t hem f r om a near by cleat .
" You'r e not going aboar d?" Sum m er whisper ed as if her br ot her wer e insane.
Dir k's whit e t eet h f lashed in a gr in. " How else wil we solve t he m yst er y, m y dear W at son?"
Sum m er knew t hat wait ing in t he wat er f or her br ot her would be t oo ner ve- r acking, so she r eluct ant ly hung her dive gear next t o his and clim bed ont o t he dock. Folowing him quiet ly t owar d t he ship, she couldn't help m ut t er ing, " Thanks, Sher lock, " under her br eat h.

THE M O VEM ENT O N THE M O NI TO R W AS BARELY discer nible. By al r ight s, t he Aleut secur it y guar d should have m issed it . A f or t uit ous glance at t he bank of video m onit or s r evealed a slight r ipple in t he wat er f r om one of t he video f eeds, aim ed just ast er n of t he t anker . The guar d quickly hit a zoom but t on on t he r oof - m ount ed cam er a, cat ching sight of a dar k object in t he wat er seconds bef or e it disappear ed under t he sur f ace. M ost likely a waywar d har bor seal, t he guar d pr esum ed, but it of f er ed a good excuse t o t ake a br eak f r om t he dr ear y conf ines of t he secur it y st at ion.
He r eached f or a r adio and caled t he wat ch aboar d t he Chichuyaa .
" This is plant secur it y. Video picked up an object in t he wat er of f your st er n. I 'm going t o t ake t he r unabout alongside f or a look. "
" Roger , shor e, " r eplied a sleepy voice. " W e'l keep t he light s on f or you. "
The guar d slipped on a jacket and gr abbed a f lashlight , t hen st opped in f r ont of a gun cabinet . He eyed a black H&K assault r if le, t hen t hought bet t er of it , t ucking a G lock aut om at ic pist ol int o his holst er inst ead.
" Best not t o be shoot ing seals t his t im e of night , " he m ut t er ed t o him self as he walked t owar d t he pier .
THE LNG CARRI ER EM I TTED a cacophony of m echanical sounds as t he chiled gas f lowed t hr ough t he pipes st r inging of f it s deck. Dir k knew t her e would be a f ew wor ker s about m onit or ing t he f low, but t hey wer e bound t o be st at ioned in t he bowels of t he ship or at a cont r ol panel inside t he pum p house. Though t he dockside ar ea was dim ly lit , t he ship it self was br ight ly ilum inat ed and r ender ed a high degr ee of exposur e. Dir k f igur ed t hey would need just a m inut e or t wo t o slip on and det er m ine if t he ship's pum ps wer e oper at ing.
Slinking along t he dock, t hey m ade t heir way t o a m ain gangplank af f ixed am idships. Their sodden dr y suit s squished as t hey walked, but t hey m ade no ef f or t t o conceal t he noise. The whir and t hr ob of t he near by pum p st at ion was louder t han ever and easily dr owned out t he sound of t heir m ovem ent s. I t also obscur ed t he sound of an out boar d m ot or chugging t owar d t he cover ed dock.
The secur it y guar d r an t he sm al boat int o t he dock f acilit y wit hout light s. He loit er ed about t he st er n undet ect ed f or sever al m inut es, t hen cr uised down t he out boar d side of t he t anker . Passing t he pr ow of t he ship, he st ar t ed t o cir cle back when he caught sight of t he dive gear hanging on t he whar f . He quickly kiled t he engine and dr if t ed t o t he dock, t ying t he boat up and t hen exam ining t he equipm ent .
Sum m er saw him f ir st , not icing a m ovem ent out of t he cor ner of her eye as she t ur ned t o ascend t he gangplank. Dir k had alr eady t aken a f ew st eps up t he r am p.
" W e have com pany, " she whisper ed, t ilt ing her head in t he guar d's dir ect ion.
Dir k glanced quickly at t he guar d, who had his back t ur ned t o t hem . " Let 's get aboar d. W e can lose him on t he ship if he spot s us. "
Ducking low, he r aced up t he gangway t aking long st r ides. Sum m er m at ched his pace a f ew st eps behind. They wer e clear ly visible f r om t he guar d's vant age, and t hey expect ed a shout f r om him t o st op, but it never cam e. I nst ead, t hey zipped t o t he t op of t he r am p, escaping his scr ut iny. But when Dir k was a st ep f r om t he ship's open side r ail, a f aint shadow appear ed on deck, f olowed by a dar k blur . Too lat e, Dir k r ealized, t he blur was a swinging t r uncheon aim ed f or t he side of his f ace. He t r ied t o duck in m idst ep but was unable t o dodge t he blow. The wooden club caught him wit h a st inging blow acr oss t he cr own of his skul. His dr y suit hood sof t ened what would have ot her wise been a let hal blow. A kaleidoscope of st ar s cr ossed his eyes as his knees t ur ned t o jely. O f f balance when t he blow st r uck, he r eeled sideways, his hip cr ushing against t he gangplank's side r ail. His m om ent um was al high, and his t or so easily f lipped over t he side while his f eet went skywar d.
He caught a br ief glim pse of Sum m er r eaching f or him , but her f r ant ic hands slipped away. Her m out h opened in a br ief scr eam , t hough he f ailed t o hear her voice. I n an inst ant , she was gone, as he t um bled int o space.
The im pact seem ed t o t ake f or ever in com ing. W hen he f inaly colided wit h t he wat er , it sur pr isingly induced no pain. Ther e was just a cold sm el of dar kness bef or e ever yt hing t ur ned t o black.
19

THE SHADO W AT THE TO P O F THE RAM P DRI FTED int o t he light , r evealing an ox of a m an wit h a t hick unkem pt bear d t hat br ushed his chest . He st ar ed at Sum m er t hr ough f ier y eyes, his lips t ur ning up in a slight gr in as he waved t he t r uncheon casualy in her dir ect ion.
Sum m er f r oze on t he gangplank, t hen subconsciously back- pedaled as her eyes dar t ed f r om t he br ut e t o t he m ur ky wat er s below. Dir k had st r uck t he wat er har d, and he had yet t o sur f ace. She f elt t he r am p shake beneat h her f eet and t ur ned t o see t he dock guar d spr int ing up behind her . The Aleut secur it y guar d was unif or m ed and clean- shaven, appear ing t o be a saf er pr ospect t han t he heat hen on t he ship. Sum m er quickly t ook a st ep t owar d him .
" M y br ot her is in t he wat er . He's dr owning, " she yeled, r ushing t o m ove past t he guar d. He quickly puled t he G lock aut om at ic pist ol f r om a side holst er and leveled it at Sum m er 's t hin m idsect ion.
" You have t r espassed on pr ivat e pr oper t y, " he r eplied in a m onot one voice t hat was shor t on m er cy. " You shal be held in cust ody unt il com pany of f icials can be cont act ed in t he m or ning. "
" Let m e t ake her int o cust ody, " t he shipboar d br ut e bar ked. " I 'l show her som e r eal t r espassing. " He laughed wit h a below, spr aying a shower of spit t le acr oss his bear d.
" This is a shor e f acilit y secur it y m at t er , Johnson, " t he guar d said, eyeing t he ship's wat chm an wit h disdain.
" The engine died on our boat . W e just cam e looking f or help, " Sum m er pleaded. " M y br ot her . . . "
She looked over t he side and cr inged. The wat er s beneat h t he gangplank had t ur ned f lat , and t her e was no sign of Dir k.
The guar d m ot ioned wit h his gun f or Sum m er t o m ar ch down t he r am p. Folowing behind, he t ur ned over his shoulder and gr owled at Johnson.
" Fish t hat m an out of t he wat er , if you can f ind him . I f he's st il alive, t hen br ing him t o t he guar d st at ion. " He cut t he m an a shar p st ar e, t hen added, " For t he sake of your own hide, you bet t er hope he is st il alive. "
The ox gr unt ed and begr udgingly st r oled down t he gangplank behind t hem . M ar ched along t he dock, Sum m er t r ied in vain t o spot Dir k in t he wat er . Fur t her pleas t o t he guar d went unheeded. W alking beneat h an over head lam p, she saw a coldness in his eyes t hat gave her pause. W hile per haps not a sadist like t he ship's wat ch, he appear ed m or e t han capable of puling t he t r igger on an uncooper at ive capt ive. A blow of dishear t enm ent seem ed t o st r ike Sum m er , and she plodded f or war d wit h her head low, awash in helplessness. She suspect ed t hat Dir k had pr obably been unconscious when he hit t he wat er . Sever al m inut es had since elapsed, and she now choked on t he bit t er r ealit y. He was gone, and t her e was not hing she could do about it .
JO HNSO N REACHED THE BASE of t he gangplank and peer ed int o t he wat er . Ther e was no sign of Dir k's body. The bur ly t hug exam ined t he edge of t he dock but f ound no wat er m ar ks indicat ing t hat he had puled him self ashor e. Ther e was no way he could have swum t he lengt h of t he ship wit hout being seen. Som ewher e under t he sur f ace, he knew, t he m an lay dead. The wat ch st ar ed of f t he gangplank at t he f lat wat er s a last t im e, t hen am bled back ont o t he ship, cur sing t he shor e guar d.
Ten f eet under t he sur f ace, Dir k was unconscious but f ar f r om dead. Af t er t he f al, he had f ought t o r egain his senses, but he was hopelessly ensnar led in t he blackness. For br ief m om ent s, he was able t o br eak t hr ough t he veil and seize vague not ions of f eeling. He sensed his body m oving t hr ough t he wat er wit hout ef f or t . Then som et hing was wedged bet ween his lips, f olowed by t he sensat ion of a f lowing gar den hose jam m ed int o his m out h. Soon t he cur t ain r et ur ned, and he again dr if t ed away int o a calm dar kness.
A pounding at his t em ple br ought him back a second t im e. He f elt a r ap against his back and legs, t hen he f elt like he was being st uf f ed int o a closet . He hear d a voice say his nam e, but t he r est of t he wor ds wer e indecipher able. The voice vanished wit h t he sound of r eceding f oot st eps. He t r ied wit h al his m ight t o pr y open an eyelid, but t hey wer e cem ent ed shut . The pain in his head r et ur ned, gr owing f ier ce unt il a const elat ion of st ar s bur st bef or e his closed eyes. And t hen t he light s and t he sound and t he pain blissf uly depar t ed once m or e.
20

SUM M ER W AS LED O FF THE DO CK AND PAST THE long building housing t he pum ping st at ion. The unexpect ed br ut alit y against her br ot her had been a shock, but now she wiled her self t o suppr ess t he dif f icult em ot ions and t hink logicaly. W hat was so im por t ant at t he f acilit y t hat it would war r ant such behavior ? W er e t hey in f act pum ping CO ont o t he t anker ? She glanced over her shoulder at t he guar d, who m ar ched sever al paces behind wit h his pist ol dr awn. Even t he hir ed guar ds act ed like it was a t op secr et inst alat ion.
The dr one of t he pum p m achiner y r eceded as t hey walked past t he m ain building and acr oss a sm al open ar ea. Appr oaching t he adm inist r at ion of f ice and adjacent secur it y st at ion, Sum m er hear d a r ust ling in som e bushes t o her lef t . Recaling t he st uf f ed gr izzly bear in t he caf e, she quickly st epped r ight t o veer away f r om t he noise. The conf used guar d swung his gun hand af t er Sum m er while cocking his head t owar d t he bushes. The r ust ling ceased as t he guar d st epped closer , t hen suddenly a f igur e r ose f r om behind t he bushes swinging his ar m . The guar d spun his gun t o f ir e, but an object whipped out f r om t he pr owler 's hand and st r uck him on t he side of t he f ace bef or e he could shoot . Sum m er t ur ned t o see a dive belt , it s lead weight s st r ung t o t he end, clank t o t he gr ound. The guar d had also dr opped har d but m anaged t o st agger t o one knee. St unned and bleeding, he slowly r eaim ed t he pist ol at t he shadowy f igur e and squeezed t he t r igger .
Had t he t oe of Sum m er 's f oot not st r uck t he guar d's jaw, t he bulet m ight have f ound it s m ar k. But a ham m er ing kick t o his m out h f or ced t he shot high and laid t he m an out . He slum ped over unconscious, t he gun slipping out of his hand.
" Those pr et t y legs ar e m or e danger ous t han I suspect ed, " spoke a f am iliar voice.
Sum m er looked t owar d t he bushes t o see Tr evor M iler em er ge wit h a cr ooked sm ile. Like Sum m er , he was clad in a dr y suit , and appear ed slight ly out of br eat h.
" Tr evor , " she st am m er ed, shocked at seeing him t her e. " W hy ar e you her e?"
" Sam e r eason as you. Com e on, let 's get out of her e. " He picked up t he guar d's gun and f lung it int o t he bushes, t hen gr abbed her hand and began r unning t owar d t he dock. Sum m er saw a light t ur n on in t he building as she r aced t o keep up wit h Tr evor .
They didn't st op unt il t hey r eached t he dock, r ushing over t o wher e t he secur it y boat was m oor ed. Sum m er st opped and gazed down at t he wat er as Tr evor scooped up t he near by dive gear and t ossed it in t he boat .
" Dir k went in t he wat er , " Sum m er pant ed, point ing t owar d t he gangplank.
" I know, " Tr evor r eplied. He nodded t owar d t he boat , t hen st epped aside.
Spr awled acr oss t he st er n bench, dazed and gr oggy, Dir k st ar ed up at t hem t hr ough glassy eyes. W it h a labor ious ef f or t , he r aised his head slight ly and winked at his sist er . Sum m er leaped int o t he boat and colapsed next t o him in sur pr ised r elief .
" How did you m ake it out ?" she asked, eyeing a t r ickle of dr ied blood along his t em ple.
Dir k weakly r aised an ar m and point ed at Tr evor , who unt ied t he lines and jum ped int o t he boat .
" No t im e f or plat it udes, I 'm af r aid, " Tr evor said wit h a hur r ied sm ile. St ar t ing t he m ot or , he gunned t he t hr ot t le and spun t he sm al boat ar ound t he back side of t he t anker and out t he cover ed dock. Never looking back, he aim ed t he boat down t he channel and pushed it t o it s t op speed.
Sum m er t r ied t o check Dir k's wound under t he st ar light , f inding a lar ge knot on t he t op of his skul t hat was st il dam p wit h blood. His dive hood had saved him f r om a deeper gouge t o t he skin, and per haps a wor se f at e as wel.
" For got t o wear m y har d hat , " he m um bled, t r ying har d t o f ocus his eyes on Sum m er .
" Your har d head is m uch t oo t ough t o br eak, " she said, laughing aloud in an em ot ional r elease.
The boat plowed t hr ough t he dar kness, Tr evor hugging t he shor eline unt il suddenly easing of f t he t hr ot t le. The dar kened boat Sum m er had spot t ed ear lier loom ed ahead, now r ecognizable as Tr evor 's Canadian Resour ces vessel. Tr evor br ought t he out boar d alongside and helped Dir k and Sum m er aboar d, t hen let t he secur it y boat dr if t . He quickly puled anchor and m ot or ed t he r esear ch cr af t down t he channel. W hen t hey wer e wel out of sight of t he f acilit y, he cr ossed t o t he opposit e side of t he channel, t hen t ur ned and cr ept back t owar d Kit im at at slow speed.
Cr uising past t he Ter r a G r een f acilit y, t hey wit nessed sever al f lashlight beam s cr isscr ossing t he gr ounds but not iced no obvious alar m s. The boat slipped unseen int o t he Kit im at dock, and Tr evor kiled it s m ot or and t ied it of f . O n t he st er n deck, Dir k had begun t o r egain f or m , save f or som e dizziness and a pounding head. He shook Tr evor 's hand af t er t he ecologist helped him ashor e.
" Thanks f or f ishing m e out . I would have had a long sleep under wat er if not f or you. "
" Ent ir ely good luck. I was swim m ing along t he dock when I hear d t he sm al boat com e in. I was act ualy hiding in t he wat er beneat h t he gangplank when t he guar d cam e ashor e. I didn't even r ealize it was you unt il I r ecognized Sum m er 's voice r ight bef or e you went over t he side. You hit t he wat er just a f ew f eet f r om m e. W hen you didn't m ove, I im m ediat ely jam m ed m y r egulat or in your m out h. The har d par t was keeping us bot h subm er ged unt il we wer e out of view. "
" Sham e on a f eder al em ployee f or t r espassing on pr ivat e pr oper t y, " Sum m er said wit h a gr in.
" I t 's al your f ault , " Tr evor r eplied. " You kept t alking about t he im por t ance of t he wat er sam ples, so I t hought we needed t o know if t her e was a link t o t he f acilit y. " He handed Sum m er a dive bag cont aining sever al sm al vials of wat er .
" Hope t hey m at ch m ine, " Sum m er r eplied, showing her own sam ples. " O f cour se, I 'l need t o get our boat back t o com plet e t he analysis. "
" M iler 's t axi ser vice is always open. I have a m ining sit e inspect ion in t he m or ning but can r un you back down in t he af t er noon. "
" That would be f ine. Thanks, Tr evor . Per haps next t im e we should wor k a lit t le closer t oget her , " Sum m er said wit h a beguiling sm ile.
Tr evor 's eyes t winkled at her wor ds.
" I wouldn't want it any ot her way. "
21

SCATTERED CHUNKS O F I CE DO TTED THE RO LLI NG wat er s of Lancast er St r ait , appear ing in t he dusk like jagged m ar shm alows f loat ing in a sea of hot chocolat e. Against t he dim backgr ound of Devon I sland, a black behem ot h cr ept along t he hor izon bilowing a t r ail of dar k sm oke.
" Range t welve kilom et er s, sir . She's beat ing a pat h r ight acr oss our bow. " The helm sm an, a r ed- hair ed ensign wit h jug ear s, peer ed f r om a r adar scope t o t he ship's capt ain and wait ed f or a r esponse.
Capt ain Dick W eber lower ed a pair of binocular s wit hout t aking his gaze of f t he dist ant vessel.
" Keep us on int er sect , at least unt il we obt ain an ident if icat ion, " he r eplied wit hout t ur ning.
The helm sm an t wist ed t he ship's wheel a half t ur n, t hen r esum ed st udying t he r adar scr een. The eight y- f oot Canadian Coast G uar d pat r ol vessel plowed slowly t hr ough t he dar k Ar ct ic wat er s t owar d t he pat h of t he oncom ing vessel. Assigned t o int er dict ion dut y along t he east er n appr oaches t o t he Nor t hwest Passage, t he Har p had been on st at ion just a f ew days. Though t he wint er ice had cont inued t he t r end of br eaking up ear ly, t his was t he f ir st com m er cial vessel t he pat r ol cr af t had seen in t he f r ost y wat er s t his season. I n anot her m ont h or t wo, t her e would be a st eady st r eam of m assive t anker s and cont ainer ships m aking t he nor t her ly t r ansit accom panied by icebr eaker s.
Just a f ew year s pr ior , t he t hought of policing t r af f ic t hr ough t he Nor t hwest Passage would have been laughable. Since m an's ear liest f or ays int o t he Ar ct ic, m ajor sect ions of t he annual wint er pack ice r em ained f r ozen solid f or al but a f ew sum m er days. O nly a f ew har dy explor er s and t he occasional icebr eaker dar ed f ight t heir way t hr ough t he blocked passage. But global war m ing had changed ever yt hing, and now t he passage was navigable f or m ont hs out of t he year .
Scient ist s est im at e t hat over f or t y t housand squar e m iles of Ar ct ic ice have r eceded in just t he past t hir t y year s. M uch of t he blam e f or t he r apid m elt of f is due t o t he ice albedo- f eedback ef f ect . I n it s f r ozen st at e, Ar ct ic ice wil r ef lect up t o ninet y per cent of incom ing solar r adiat ion. W hen m elt ed, t he r esult ing seawat er wil conver sely absor b an equal am ount of r adiat ion, r ef lect ing only about t en per cent . This war m ing loop has account ed f or t he f act t hat Ar ct ic t em per at ur es ar e clim bing at double t he global r at e.
W at ching t he bow of his pat r ol boat slice t hr ough a sm al ice f loe, W eber silent ly cur sed what global clim at e change had done t o him . Tr ansf er r ed f r om Q uebec and com f or t able sea dut y along t he Saint Lawr ence River , he now f ound him self in com m and of a ship at one of t he m ost r em ot e locat ions on t he planet . And his job, he t hought , had been r elegat ed t o lit t le m or e t han t hat of a t olboot h oper at or .
W eber could har dly blam e his super ior s, t hough, f or t hey wer e just f olowing t he m andat e of Canada's saber - r at t ling Pr im e M inist er . W hen hist or icaly f r ozen sect ions of t he Nor t hwest Passage began t o m elt clear , t he Pr im e M inist er was quick t o act , af f ir m ing t he passage as Canadian I nt er nal W at er s and aut hor izing f unds f or a deepwat er Ar ct ic por t at Nanisivik. Pr om ises t o build a f leet of m ilit ar y icebr eaker s and est ablish new Ar ct ic bases soon f olowed. Power f ul lobbying by a shadowy int er est gr oup pr opeled t he Par liam ent t o suppor t t he Pr im e M inist er by passing t ough r est r ict ions on f or eign vessels t r ansit ing t he passage.
By law, al non- Canadian- f lagged ships seeking t r ansit t hr ough t he passage wer e now r equir ed t o not if y t he Coast G uar d of t heir planned r out e, pay a passage f ee sim ilar t o t hat im posed at t he Panam a Canal, and be accom panied by a Canadian com m er cial icebr eaker t hr ough t he m or e r est r ict ive ar eas of t he passage. A f ew count r ies, Russia, Denm ar k, and t he Unit ed St at es am ong t hem , r ef ut ed Canada's claim and discour aged t r avel t hr ough t he wat er s. But ot her developed nat ions gladly com plied in t he nam e of econom ics. M er chant ships connect ing Eur ope wit h East Asia could t r im t housands of m iles of f t heir shipping r out es by avoiding t he Panam a Canal. The savings wer e even m or e dr am at ic f or ships t oo lar ge t o pass t hr ough t he canal t hat would ot her wise have t o sail ar ound Cape Hor n. W it h t he pot ent ial t o cut t he shipping cost of an individual st or age cont ainer by a t housand dolar s, m er chant f leet s lar ge and sm al wer e quick t o eye t he Ar ct ic cr ossing as a lucr at ive com m er cial pat h.
As t he ice m elt of f expanded m or e r apidly t han scient ist s ant icipat ed, t he f ir st f ew shipping com panies had begun t est ing t he f r igid wat er s. Thick sheet s of ice st il clogged sect ions of t he r out e f or m uch of t he year , but dur ing t he heat of sum m er t he passage had r egular ly becom e ice- f r ee. Power f ul icebr eaker s aided t he m or e am bit ious m er chant f leet s t hat sought t o r un t he passage f r om Apr il t hr ough Sept em ber . I t was becom ing al t oo evident t hat wit hin a decade or t wo, t he Nor t hwest Passage would be a navigable wat er way year - r ound.
St ar ing at t he appr oaching black m er chant ship, W eber wished t he whole passage would just f r eeze solid again. At least t he pr esence of t he ship br oke up t he m onot ony of st ar ing at iceber gs, he t hought dr ily.
" Four kilom et er s and closing, " t he helm sm an r epor t ed.
W eber t ur ned t o a lanky r adiom an wedged int o a cor ner of t he sm al br idge.
" Hopkins, r equest an ident if icat ion and t he nat ur e of her car go, " he bar ked.
The r adiom an pr oceeded t o cal t he ship, but al his quer ies wer e m et wit h silence. He checked t he r adio, t hen t r ansm it t ed sever al m or e t im es.
" She's not r esponding, sir , " he f inaly r eplied wit h a per plexed look. His exper ience wit h passing vessels in t he Ar ct ic was t hat t hey wer e usualy pr one t o excessive chit chat f r om t he isolat ed cr ews.
" Keep t r ying, " W eber or der ed. " W e'r e near ly close enough f or a visual I D. "
" Two kilom et er s of f , " t he helm sm an conf ir m ed.
W eber r et r ained his binocular s and exam ined t he vessel. She was a r elat ively sm al cont ainer ship of no m or e t han f our hundr ed f eet . She was by appear ance a newer vessel but oddly showed only a f ew cont ainer s on her t opside deck. Sim ilar ships, he knew, of t en car r ied cont ainer s st acked six or seven layer s high. Cur ious, he st udied her Plim sol line, not ing t he m ar k was sever al f eet above t he wat er . M oving his gaze ver t icaly, he looked at a dar kened br idge, t hen at a m ast head behind t he super st r uct ur e. He was st ar t led t o see t he St ar s and St r ipes f lut t er ing in t he st if f br eeze.
" She's Am er ican, " he m ut t er ed. The nat ionalit y sur pr ised him , as Am er ican ships had inf or m aly boycot t ed t he passage at t he ur ging of t heir gover nm ent . W eber f ocused t he glasses on t he ship's bow, just m aking out t he nam e ATLANTA in whit e let t er ing as t he evening light began t o f ade.
" Her nam e is t he At lant a, " he said t o Hopkins. The r adio oper at or nodded and t r ied hailing t he ship by nam e, but t her e was st il no r esponse.
W eber hung t he binocular s on a m et al hook, t hen locat ed a binder on t he char t t able and f lipped it open, sear ching f or t he nam e At lant a on a com put er pr int out . Al non- Canadian vessels m aking a t r ansit of t he Nor t hwest Passage wer e r equir ed t o f ile not if icat ion wit h t he Coast G uar d ninet y- six hour s in advance. W eber checked t o see t hat his f ile had been updat ed by sat elit e link ear lier in t he day but st il f ound no r ef er ence t o t he At lant a.
" Br ing us up on her por t bow. Hopkins, t el t hem t hat t hey ar e cr ossing Canadian t er r it or ial wat er s and or der her t o st op f or boar ding and inspect ion. "
W hile Hopkins t r ansm it t ed t he m essage, t he helm sm an adjust ed t he ship's heading, t hen glanced at t he r adar scr een.
" The channel nar r ows ahead, sir , " he r epor t ed. " Pack ice encr oaching on our por t beam appr oxim at ely t hr ee kilom et er s ahead. "
W eber nodded, his eyes st il glued t o t he At lant a. The m er chant ship was m oving at a sur pr isingly f ast clip, over f if t een knot s, he guessed. As t he Coast G uar d vessel edged closer , W eber again obser ved t hat t he ship was r iding high on t he wat er . W hy would a light ly laden ship be at t em pt ing t he passage? he wonder ed.
" O ne kilom et er t o int er cept , " t he helm sm an said.
" Com e r ight . Br ing us t o wit hin a hundr ed m et er s, " t he capt ain or der ed.
The black m er chant ship was oblivious t o t he Coast G uar d pat r ol cr af t , or so it seem ed t o t he Canadians. Had t hey t r acked t he r adar set m or e closely, t hey would have not iced t hat t he Am er ican ship was bot h acceler at ing and subt ly changing cour se.
" W hy won't t hey r espond?" m ut t er ed t he helm sm an, gr owing wear y of Hopkins's unanswer ed r adio cals.
" W e'l get t heir at t ent ion now, " W eber said. The capt ain walked t o t he console and pr essed a but t on t hat act ivat ed t he ship's m ar ine air hor n. Two long blast s belowed f r om t he hor n, t he deep br ay echoing acr oss t he wat er . The blar e dr ew t he m en on t he br idge t o silence as t hey await ed a r esponse. Again, t her e was none.
Ther e was lit t le m or e W eber could do. Unlike in t he Unit ed St at es, t he Canadian Coast G uar d was oper at ed as a civilian or ganizat ion. The Har p's cr ew was not m ilit ar y t r ained, and t he vessel car r ied no ar m am ent .
The helm sm an eyed t he r adar scr een and r epor t ed, " No r educt ion in speed. I n f act , I t hink she's st il acceler at ing. Sir , we'r e com ing along t he ice pack. " W eber det ect ed a sudden ur gency in his voice. W hile f ocused on t he m er chant ship, t he helm sm an had neglect ed t o t r ack t he har dened pack ice t hat now f lanked t heir por t side. To st ar boar d, t he st eam ing m er chant ship r ode just a dozen m et er s away and had dr awn near ly even wit h t he pat r ol cr af t .
W eber looked up at t he high br idge of t he At lant a and wonder ed what kind of f ool was in com m and of t he ship. Then he not iced t he bow of t he f r eight er suddenly veer t owar d his own vessel and he quickly r ealized t his was no gam e.
" Har d lef t r udder , " he scr eam ed.
The last t hing anyone expect ed was f or t he m er chant ship t o t ur n int o t hem , but in an inst ant t he lar ger vessel was r ight on t op of t he Har p. Like a bug under t he r aised f oot of an elephant , t he pat r ol boat m adly scr am bled t o escape a cr ushing blow. Fr ant icaly r eact ing t o W eber 's com m and, t he helm sm an jam m ed t he wheel f ul over and pr ayed t hey would slip by t he bigger ship. But t he At lant a was t oo close.
The side hul of t he f r eight er slam m ed int o t he Har p wit h a deep t hud. The point of im pact cam e t o t he boat 's st er n, however , as t he sm aler vessel had near ly t ur ned away. The blow knocked t he Har p har d over , near ly capsizing her as a lar ge wave r oled over t he deck. I n what f elt like an et er nit y t o t he st r icken cr ew, t he Coast G uar d cr af t gr adualy r oled back upr ight as it f el away f r om t he br ist ling sides of t he m er chant ship. Their per il was not over , however . Unknown t o t he cr ew, t he colision had t or n of f t he vessel's r udder . W it h it s pr opeler st il spinning m adly, t he pat r ol boat sur ged st r aight int o t he near by ice pack. The Har p dr ove sever al f eet int o t he t hick ice bef or e gr ounding t o a sudden halt , f linging t he ship's cr ew f or war d.
O n t he br idge, W eber picked him self up of f t he deck and helped shut down t he vessel's engine, t hen quickly assessed t he healt h of his ship and cr ew. An assor t m ent of cut s and br uises was t he wor st of t he per sonal injur ies, but t he pat r ol boat f ar ed less wel. I n addit ion t o t he lost r udder , t he ship's cr um pled bow had com pr om ised t he out er hul. The Har p would r em ain em bedded in t he ice f or f our days bef or e a t ow could ar r ive t o t ake t he ship t o por t f or r epair s.
W iping away a t r ickle of blood f r om a gash on his cheek, W eber st epped t o t he br idge wing and peer ed t o t he west . He saw t he r unning light s of t he m er chant ship f or just a second bef or e t he big ship disappear ed int o a gloom y dar k f ogbank t hat st r et ched acr oss t he hor izon. W at ching as t he ship disappear ed, W eber shook his head.
" You br azen bast ar d, " he m ut t er ed. " You'l pay f or t his. "
W EBER'S W O RDS W O ULD PRO VE t o r ing holow. A f ast - m oving st or m f r ont sout h of Baf f in I sland gr ounded t he Canadian Air Com m and CP- 140 Aur or a r econnaissance plane caled in by t he Coast G uar d. W hen t he air cr af t f inaly lif t ed of f f r om it s base in G r eenwood, Nova Scot ia, and ar r ived over Lancast er St r ait , m or e t han six hour s had elapsed. Far t her west , a Navy icebr eaker and anot her Coast G uar d cut t er blocked t he passage of f Pr ince of W ales I sland, wait ing f or t he beliger ent f r eight er t o ar r ive. But t he lar ge black ship never appear ed.
The Canadian Coast G uar d and Air For ce scour ed t he navigable seas ar ound Lancast er St r ait f or t hr ee days in sear ch of t he r ogue vessel. Ever y available r out e west was scr ut inized sever al t im es over . Yet t he Am er ican m er chant ship was nowher e t o be seen. Baf f led, t he Canadian f or ces quiet ly caled of f t he sear ch, leaving W eber and his cr ew t o wonder how t he st r ange ship had som ehow disappear ed int o t he Ar ct ic ice.
22

DR. KEVI N BUE PEERED AT THE BLACKENI NG SKY t o t he west and gr im aced. O nly hour s ear lier , t he sun had shone br ight ly and t he air was st il while t he m er cur y in t he t her m om et er t ickled t went y degr ees Fahr enheit . But t hen t he bar om et er had dr opped like a st one in a wel, accom panied by a gr adual building of t he west er ly winds. A quar t er of a m ile away, t he gr ay wat er s of t he Ar ct ic now r oled in deep swels t hat bur st against t he r agged edge of t he ice pack wit h bilowing f ount ains of spr ay.
Tugging t he hood of his par ka t ight er , he t ur ned away f r om t he st inging winds and sur veyed his hom e of t he last f ew weeks. I ce Resear ch Lab 7 wouldn't r at e m any st ar s in t he M obil Tr avel G uide f or luxur y or com f or t . A half dozen pr ef abr icat ed buildings m ade up t he cam p, huddled in a sem icir cle wit h t heir ent r ances f acing sout h. Thr ee t iny bunkhouses wer e jam m ed t oget her on one side next t o t he lar gest building, a com binat ion galey, m ess hal, and m eet ing ar ea. A squat st r uct ur e just opposit e housed a joint lab and r adio r oom , while a snow- cover ed st or age shed r ounded out t he cam p at t he f ar end.
The r esear ch lab was one of sever al Canadian Fisher ies and O ceans Depar t m ent t em por ar y ice cam ps est ablished as f loat ing r esear ch labs t o t r ack and st udy t he m ovem ent s of t he Ar ct ic ice pack. Since t he t im e I ce Resear ch Lab 7 had been set up a year ear lier , t he cam p had m oved near ly t wo hundr ed m iles, r iding a m am m ot h sheet of polar ice sout h acr oss t he Beauf or t Sea. Now posit ioned one hundr ed and f if t y m iles f r om t he Nor t h Am er ican coast line, t he cam p sat on t he edge of t he ice shelf alm ost due nor t h of t he Yukon Ter r it or y. The cam p f aced a shor t lif e, however . The appr oaching sum m er m eant t he br eakup of t he pack ice wher e t he cam p now f ound it self . Daily m easur em ent s of t he ice beneat h t heir f eet r evealed a st eady m elt ing alr eady, which had r educed t he pack t hickness f r om t hr ee f eet t o f our t een inches. Bue f igur ed t hey had m aybe t wo m or e weeks bef or e he and his f our - m an t eam would be f or ced t o disassem ble t he cam p and wait f or evacuat ion by Twin O t t er ski- plane.
The Ar ct ic oceanogr apher t r udged t hr ough ankle- deep snow t owar d t he r adio shack. O ver t he blowing r ust le of ice par t icles bounding acr oss t he gr ound, he hear d t he whine of a diesel engine r evving up and down. Looking past t he cam p's st r uct ur es, he spot t ed a yelow f r ont - end t r ack loader r acing back and f or t h, it s blunt blade piling up high m ounds of dr if t ed snow. The plow was keeping clear a f ive- hundr ed- f oot ice r unway t hat st r et ched along t he back of t he cam p. The cr ude landing st r ip was t he cam p's lif eline, alowing Twin O t t er s t o br ing in f ood and supplies on a weekly basis. Bue m ade sur e t hat t he m akeshif t r unway was kept clear at al t im es.
I gnor ing t he r oving t r ack loader , Bue ent er ed t he joint lab and r adio hut , shaking t he snow of f his f eet in an inner door way bef or e ent er ing t he m ain st r uct ur e. M aking his way past sever al cr am ped bays f ul of scient if ic jour nals and equipm ent , he t ur ned int o t he closet - sized cubby t hat housed t he sat elit e r adio st at ion. A wild- eyed m an wit h sandy hair and a m ir t hf ul gr in looked up f r om t he r adio set . Scot t Case was a br iliant physicist who specialized in st udying solar r adiat ion at t he poles. Like ever yone else in t he cam p, Case wor e m ult iple hat s, including t hat of chief com m unicat ions oper at or .
" At m ospher ics ar e playing havoc wit h our r adio signals again, " he said t o Bue. " Sat elit e r ecept ion is nil, and our gr ound t r ansm it t er is lit t le bet t er . "
" I 'm sur e t he appr oaching st or m isn't helping m at t er s any, " Bue r eplied. " Does Tukt oyakt uk even know t hat we ar e t r ying t o hail t hem ?"
Case shook his head. " Can't t el f or sur e, but I 've det ect ed no calbacks. "
The sound of t he t r ack loader shoving a load of ice just out side t he st r uct ur e echoed of f t he t hin wals.
" You keeping t he f ield clean just in case?" he asked Bue.
" Tukt oyakt uk has us scheduled f or a supply dr op lat er t oday. They m ay not know t hat we'l be in t he m iddle of a gale- f or ce blizzar d in about an hour . Keep t r ying, Scot t . See if you can wave of f t he f light f or t oday, f or t he saf et y of t he pilot s. "
Bef or e Case could t r ansm it again, t he r adio suddenly cackled. An aut hor it at ive voice backed by st at ic int er f er ence blar ed t hr ough t he speaker .
" I ce Resear ch Lab 7, I ce Resear ch Lab 7, t his is NUM A r esear ch vessel Nar whal. Do you r ead, over ?"
Bue beat Case t o t he t r ansm it t er and r eplied quickly. " Nar whal , t his is Dr . Kevin Bue of I ce Resear ch Lab 7. G o ahead, please. "
" Dr . Bue, we'r e not t r ying t o eavesdr op, but we've hear d your r epeat ed cals t o t he Coast G uar d st at ion at Tukt oyakt uk, and we've picked up a f ew unanswer ed cals back f r om Tukt oyakt uk. I t sounds like t he weat her is keeping you t wo f r om connect ing. Can we assist in r elaying a m essage f or you?"
" W e'd be m ost gr at ef ul. " Bue had t he Am er ican ship f or war d a m essage t o Tukt oyakt uk t o delay sending t he supply plane f or t went y- f our hour s on account of t he poor weat her . A f ew m inut es lat er , t he Nar whal r adioed a conf ir m at ion back f r om Tukt oyakt uk.
" O ur sincer e t hanks, " Bue r adioed. " That wil save som e poor f lyboy a r ough t r ip. "
" Don't m ent ion it . W her e's your cam p locat ed, by t he way?"
Bue t r ansm it t ed t he lat est posit ion of t he f loat ing cam p, and t he vessel r esponded in kind.
" Ar e you boys in good shape t o r ide out t he appr oaching st or m ? Looks t o be a m ean one, " t he Nar whal r adioed.
" W e've m anaged ever yt hing t he G ood W it ch of t he Nor t h has t hr own at us so f ar , but t hanks al t he sam e, " Bue r eplied.
" Far ewel, I ce Lab 7. Nar whal out . "
Bue set down t he t r ansm it t er wit h a look of r elief .
" W ho says t he Am er icans don't belong in t he Ar ct ic af t er al?" he said t o Case, t hen slipped on his par ka and lef t t he building.
THI RTY- FI VE M I LES TO t he sout hwest , Capt ain Bil St enset h exam ined a local m et eor ological f or ecast wit h st udious concer n. An im posing m an wit h Scandinavian f eat ur es and t he build of an NFL linebacker , St enset h had weat her ed st or m s in ever y ocean of t he wor ld. Yet f acing a sudden blow in t he ice- st udded Ar ct ic st il m ade t he vet er an capt ain of t he Nar whal ner vous.
" The winds seem t o be r at chet ing up a bit in t he lat est f or ecast , " he said wit hout looking up f r om t he docum ent . " I t hink we'r e in f or a pr et t y good gale. W ouldn't want t o be t hose poor saps hunker ed down on t he ice, " he added, point ing t owar d t he r adio.
St anding beside St enset h on t he ship's br idge, Rudi G unn suppr essed a pained gr in. Sailing t hr ough t he t eet h of a power f ul Ar ct ic st or m was going t o be anyt hing but pleasant . He would gladly t r ade places wit h t he ice cam p m em ber s, who would likely sit out t he st or m in a war m hut playing pinochle, G unn t hought . St enset h's pr ef er ence f or bat t ling t he elem ent s at sea was clear ly t he m ar k of a lif elong sailor , one who never f elt com f or t able wit h his f eet on t he shor e.
G unn shar ed no sim ilar pr opensit y. Though he was an Annapolis gr aduat e who had spent sever al year s at sea, he now spent m or e t im e sailing a desk. The Deput y Dir ect or f or t he Nat ional Under wat er and M ar ine Agency, G unn was usualy f ound in t he headquar t er s building in W ashingt on, D. C. W it h a shor t , wir y build and hor n- r im m ed glasses on his nose, he was t he physical opposit e of St enset h. Yet he shar ed t he sam e advent ur ous pur suit of oceanogr aphic chalenges and was of t en on hand when a new vessel or piece of under wat er t echnology was sea- t est ed f or t he f ir st t im e.
" I 'd have m or e pit y f or t he polar bear s, " G unn said. " How long bef or e t he st or m f r ont ar r ives?"
St enset h eyed a gr owing num ber of whit ecaps cr est ing of f t he ship's bow. " About an hour . No m or e t han t wo. I would suggest r et r ieving and secur ing t he Bloodhound wit hin t he next t hir t y m inut es. "
" They won't like r et ur ning t o t he kennel so soon. I 'l head down t o t he oper at ions r oom and pass t he wor d. Capt ain, please let m e know if t he weat her det er ior at es any sooner t han pr edict ed. "
St enset h nodded as G unn lef t t he br idge and m ade his way af t . The t wo- hundr ed- f oot r esear ch ship was r oling st eadily t hr ough a building sea, and G unn had t o gr asp a handr ail sever al t im es t o st eady him self . Near ing t he st er n, he looked down at a lar ge m oon pool cut t hr ough t he vessel's hul. Sur f ace wat er was alr eady sloshing back and f or t h, spiling ont o t he sur r ounding deck. St epping down a com panionway, he ent er ed a door m ar ked LAB, which opened up int o a lar ge bay. At t he f ar end was a sect ioned ar ea wit h num er ous video m onit or s m ount ed on t he bulkhead. Two t echnicians sat t r acking and r ecor ding a dat a f eed f r om under wat er .
" Ar e t hey on t he bot t om ?" G unn asked one of t he t echnicians.
" Yes, " t he m an r eplied. " They'r e about t wo m iles east of us. Act ualy cr ossed t he bor der int o Canadian wat er s, as a m at t er of f act . "
" Do you have a live t r ansm ission?"
The m an nodded and passed his com m unicat ion headset t o G unn.
" Bloodhound, t his is Nar whal. W e'r e seeing a r apid det er ior at ion in t he weat her condit ions up her e. Request you br eak of f sur vey and r et ur n t o t he sur f ace. "
A long pause f olowed G unn's t r ansm ission, and t hen a st at ic- f iled r eply was hear d.
" Roger , Nar whal, " cam e a gr uf f voice wit h a Texas accent . " Br eaking of f sur vey in t hir t y m inut es. Bloodhound, over and out . "
G unn st ar t ed t o r eply, t hen t hought bet t er of it . I t was point less t o ar gue wit h t he pair of har dheads at t he ot her end, he t hought . Yanking of f t he headset , he silent ly shook his head, t hen sank int o a high- back chair and wait ed f or t he half hour t o pass.
23

LI KE THE CANI NE I T W AS NAM ED FO R, THE BLO O DHO UND scour ed t he ear t h wit h it s nose t o t he gr ound, only t he gr ound was t wo t housand f eet beneat h t he sur f ace of t he Beauf or t Sea and it s nose was a r igid elect r onic sensor pod. A t it anium - huled t wo- m an subm er sible, t he Bloodhound was pur pose- built t o invest igat e deepwat er hydr ot her m al vent s. The subm er ged geyser s, which spewed super heat ed wat er f r om t he ear t h's cr ust , of t en spawned a t r easur e t r ove of unusual plant and sea lif e. O f gr eat er int er est t o t he m en in t he NUM A subm er sible wer e t he pot ent ial m iner al deposit s associat ed wit h m any hydr ot her m al vent s. Dischar ged f r om deep under t he seabed, t he vent s of t en spewed a m iner al- r ich concoct ion of sm al nodules cont aining m anganese, ir on, and even gold. Advances in under wat er m ining t echnology m ade t he t her m al vent f ields pot ent ialy signif icant r esour ces.
" W at er t em per at ur e is up anot her degr ee. That ole sm oke- st ack has got t o be down her e som ewher e, " dr awled t he deep voice of Jack Dahlgr en.
Sit t ing in t he subm er sible's copilot seat , t he m uscular m ar ine engineer st udied a com put er m onit or t hr ough st eely blue eyes. Scr at ching his t hick cowboy m ust ache, he gazed out t he Plexiglas view por t at a dr ab, f eat ur eless bot t om st ar kly ilum inat ed by a half dozen high- int ensit y light s. Ther e was not hing in t he subsea physical landscape t o indicat e t hat a hydr ot her m al vent was anywher e near by.
" W e m ight just be chasing a f ew hiccups f r om down under , " r eplied t he pilot . Tur ning a shar p eye t owar d Dahlgr en, he added, " A bum st eer , you m ight say. "
Al G ior dino gr inned at t he jest of t he m uch younger Texan, near ly losing an unlit cigar t hat dangled f r om his m out h. A shor t , bur ly I t alian wit h ar m s t he size of t r ee t r unks, G ior dino was m ost at hom e r iding a pilot 's seat . Af t er spending year s in NUM A's Special Pr oject s gr oup, wher e he had pilot ed ever yt hing f r om blim ps t o bat hyscaphes, he now headed t he agency's under wat er t echnology division. For G ior dino, building and t est ing pr ot ot ype vessels such as t he Bloodhound was m or e of a passion t han a job.
He and Dahlgr en had alr eady spent t wo weeks scour ing t he Ar ct ic seabed in sear ch of t her m al vent s. Ut ilizing pr ior bat hym et r ic sur veys, t hey t ar get ed ar eas of subsur f ace r if t s and uplif t s t hat wer e out gr owt hs of volcanic act ivit y and pot ent ial hom e gr ound f or act ive t her m al vent s. The sear ch had been f r uit less so f ar , discour aging t he engineer s, who wer e anxious t o t est t he subm er sible's capabilit ies.
Dahlgr en ignor ed G ior dino's r em ar k and looked at his wat ch.
" I t 's been t went y m inut es since Rudi gave us t he calback. He's pr obably a sack of ner ves by now. W e pr obably ought t o t hink about punching t he UP but t on or else t her e wil be t wo st or m s f acing us t opside. "
" Rudi's not happy unless he has som et hing t o f r et about , " G ior dino r eplied, " but I guess t her e's no upside in t em pt ing t he weat her gods. " He t ur ned t he pilot 's yoke lef t , angling t he subm er sible t o t he west while keeping it hover ing just above t he seaf loor . They had t r aveled sever al hundr ed yar ds when t he bot t om becam e f lecked wit h a succession of sm al boulder s. The r ocks gr ew lar ger as G ior dino not ed t hat t he seaf loor was gr adualy r ising. Dahlgr en picked up a bat hym et r ic char t and t r ied t o pinpoint t heir posit ion.
" Ther e looks t o be a sm al seam ount in t he neighbor hood. Didn't look t oo pr om ising t o t he seism ic boys f or som e r eason. "
" Pr obably because t hey've been sit t ing inside a clim at e- cont r oled of f ice f or t oo m any year s. "
Dahlgr en set aside t he char t and gazed at t he com put er m onit or , suddenly jum ping up in his seat .
" Hot dam n! The wat er t em per at ur e just spiked t en degr ees. "
A slight gr in spr ead acr oss G ior dino's f ace as he not ed t he clust er of r ocks on t he seabed gr owing in size and m ass.
" The seaf loor geology is changing as wel, " he said. " The pr of ile looks good f or a vent . Let 's see if we can t r ace t he wat er t em per at ur e t o it s cor e. "
He adjust ed t he subm er sible's pat h as Dahlgr en r ead out t he wat er t em per at ur e r eadings. The higher t em per at ur es led t hem up a shar p r ise in t he seaf loor . A high m ound of boulder s blocked t heir pat h, and G ior dino dr ove t he subm er sible upwar d like an air plane, ascending nose f ir st unt il t hey clear ed t he sum m it . As t hey descended down t he opposit e side, t he scene bef or e t hem suddenly changed dr am at icaly. The gr ay, dr ab m oonscape t r ansf or m ed int o an ir idescent under wat er oasis. Yelow m olusks, r ed t ube wor m s, and br ight gold spider cr abs lit t er ed t he seaf loor in a r ainbow of color . A blue squid squir t ed past t he view por t , f olowed by a school of silver - scaled polar cod. Alm ost inst ant aneously, t hey had t r aveled f r om a desolat e wor ld of black- and- whit e t o an elect r ic- color ed plant at ion t eem ing wit h lif e.
" Now I know how Dor ot hy f elt when she landed in O z, " Dahlgr en m ut t er ed.
" W hat 's t he wat er t em per at ur e now?"
" W e've jet t ed t o sevent y- t wo degr ees Fahr enheit and r ising. Congr at ulat ions, boss, you've just bought your self a t her m al vent . "
G ior dino nodded wit h sat isf act ion. " M ar k our posit ion. Then let 's exer cise t he m iner al snif f er bef or e . . . "
The r adio suddenly cr ackled wit h a t r ansm ission sent via a pair of under wat er t r ansponder s. " Nar whal t o Bloodhound . . . Nar whal t o Bloodhound, " int er r upt ed a t ense voice over t he r adio. " Please ascend im m ediat ely. Seas ar e r unning at t en f eet and building r apidly. I r epeat , you ar e dir ect ed t o ascend im m ediat ely. "
" . . . bef or e Rudi cals us hom e, " Dahlgr en said, f inishing G ior dino's sent ence.
G ior dino gr inned. " Ever not ice how Rudi's voice goes up a couple of oct aves when he's ner vous?"
" Last t im e I looked, he was st il signing m y paycheck, " Dahlgr en caut ioned.
" I suppose we don't want t o scr at ch t he paint on our new baby her e. Let 's gr ab a f ew quick r ock sam ples f ir st , t hen we can head t opside. "
Dahlgr en r adioed a r eply t o G unn, t hen r eached over and gr abbed t he cont r ols t o an ar t iculat ed ar m t hat r est ed upr ight on t he subm er sible's ext er ior hul. G ior dino guided t he Bloodhound t o a pat ch of gr apef r uit - sized nodules, hover ing t he sensor pod over t he r ocks. Using t he st ainless st eel ar m as a br oom , Dahlgr en swept sever al of t he r ocks int o a basket beneat h t he sensor head. O nboar d com put er s quickly assayed t he densit y and m agnet ic pr oper t ies of t he r ock sam ples.
" Com posit ion is igneous, appear s consist ent wit h pyr oxene. I 'm seeing concent r at ions of m anganese and ir on. Also r eading elem ent s of nickel, plat inum , and copper sulf ides, " Dahlgr en r epor t ed, eyeing a com put er r eadout .
" That 's a pr et t y high- oct ane st ar t . Save t he assessm ent . W e'l have t he lab boys cr ack open t he sam ples and see how accur at e t he sensor r eadings ar e. O nce t he st or m passes, we can give t he sit e a t hor ough inspect ion. "
" She looks like a sweet one. "
" I am st il a bit disappoint ed, m y west Texas f r iend, " G ior dino r eplied wit h a shake of his head.
" No gold?"
" No gold. I guess t he closest I can get is just r iding t o t he sur f ace wit h a goldbr icker . "
To Dahlgr en's chagr in, G ior dino's laught er echoed of f t he int er ior wals of t he subm er sible f or t he bet t er par t of t heir ascent .
24

THE BEAUFO RT SEA W AS BO I LI NG W I TH TW ELVE- FO O T waves and near - gale- f or ce winds when t he Bloodhound bur st t hr ough t he sur f ace of t he Nar whal 's m oon pool. W at er inside t he pool sloshed ont o t he deck as t he r esear ch ship pit ched and r oled in t he m ount ing seas. Twice t he st eel f lanks of t he subm er sible slapped against t he cushioned r im of t he m oon pool bef or e hoist ing lines could be at t ached and t he vessel yanked out of t he wat er . G ior dino and Dahlgr en quickly clim bed out of t he Bloodhound and colect ed t heir r ock sam ples bef or e f leeing t he elem ent s int o t he adjacent oper at ions cent er . G unn st ood wait ing f or t hem wit h a look of displeasur e on his f ace.
" That 's a t en- m ilion- dolar subm er sible t hat you near ly cr ushed like a beer can, " he said, glar ing at G ior dino. " You know we'r e not alowed t o launch and r ecover in t hese kinds of weat her condit ions. "
As if t o em phasize his point , t he ship's dr iveshaf t suddenly shudder ed beneat h t heir f eet as t he vessel walowed heavily t hr ough a deep t r ough.
" Relax, Rudi. " G ior dino beam ed, t hen t ossed one of t he dr ipping r ocks over t o G unn. NUM A's Deput y Dir ect or f um bled t o cat ch it , sm ear ing his shir t wit h m ud and seawat er in t he pr ocess.
" You'r e on t he t r ail?" he asked, his br ows ar ching as he exam ined t he r ock.
" Bet t er t han t hat , " Dahlgr en piped in. " W e snif f ed out som e t her m al deviat ions, and Al dr ove us r ight t o t he hear t of t he vent . A sweet m ile- long r if t pour ing out hot soup wit h plent y of dum plings. "
G unn's f ace sof t ened. " You'd bet t er have f ound som et hing f or sur f acing so lat e. " His gaze becam e like t hat of a kid in a candy st or e. " Did you see indicat ions of a m iner al f ield?"
" A lar ge one, by t he looks of it , " G ior dino r eplied, nodding. " W e only saw a sect ion of it , but it appear s widely disper sed. "
" And t he elect r onic sensor s? How did t he Bloodhound per f or m ? "
" She was bar king like a coyot e under a f ul m oon, " Dahlgr en r eplied. " The sensor s diagnosed over t hir t een dif f er ent elem ent s. "
" W e'l have t o leave it f or t he lab analysis t o det er m ine t he Bloodhound's accur acy, " G ior dino added. " Accor ding t o t he sensor s, t hat soggy r ock you'r e holding is chock- f ul of m anganese and ir on. "
" Ther e's pr obably enough of t hat st uf f lit t er ing t he bot t om t o buy you a t housand Bloodhounds, Rudi, " Dahlgr en said.
" Did t he sensor s indicat e any gold cont ent ?" G unn asked.
G ior dino's eyes r oled skywar d, t hen he t ur ned t o leave t he ops cent er .
" Ever ybody t hinks I 'm M idas, " he gr um bled bef or e disappear ing out t he door .
25

THE SPRI NG STO RM W AS NO T W I DESPREAD BUT packed t he concent r at ed punch of a heavyweight boxer as it r oled sout heast acr oss t he Beauf or t Sea. Pum m eling wind gust s of over sixt y m iles per hour blew t he f aling snow in hor izont al sheet s, t ur ning t he f lakes t o har dened par t icles of ice. G ust ing swir ls spr ead t hick cur t ains over t he whit e ice, of t en plunging visibilit y down t o zer o. The alr eady host ile envir onm ent of t he Ar ct ic nor t h becam e a place of br ut al savager y.
Kevin Bue list ened t o t he f r am es of t he m ess hal cr eak and shudder under t he br ist ling gale and idly cont em plat ed t he st r uct ur e's st r engt h r at ing. Dr aining t he r em ains of a cup of cof f ee, he t r ied t o concent r at e on a scient if ic jour nal spr ead open on t he t able. Though he had exper ienced a dozen st or m s dur ing his t enur e in t he Ar ct ic, he st il f ound t heir f er ocit y unner ving. W hile t he r est of t he cr ew went about t heir jobs, Bue f ound it har d t o f ocus when t he ent ir e cam p sounded like it was about t o blow away.
A heavyset cook and par t - t im e car pent er nam ed Benson sat down at t he t able acr oss f r om Bue and sipped at his own st eam ing m ug of cof f ee.
" Pr et t y good blow, eh?" he said, gr inning t hr ough a t hick black bear d.
" Sounds like it 's about t o t ake us along wit h it , " Bue r eplied, wat ching t he r oof over head swaying back and f or t h.
" W el, if it does, I sur e hope it deposit s us som ewher e wher e t he weat her is war m and t he dr inks t ast e bet t er cold, " he r eplied, sipping at his cof f ee. Eyeing Bue's em pt y cup, he r eached over and gr abbed t he handle, t hen st ood up.
" Her e, let m e get you a r ef il. "
Benson walked acr oss t he m ess t o a lar ge silver ur n and r ef iled t he cup. He st ar t ed back t owar d Bue, t hen suddenly f r oze wit h a quizzical look on his f ace. Above t he din of t he buf f et ing wind, he det ect ed a low- pit ched m echanical chur n. That wasn't what bot her ed him , t hough. I t was t he shar p cr ackling sound accom panying it t hat st r uck a ner ve deep in his gut .
Bue glanced up at Benson, t hen picked up on t he sound as wel. The noise was dr awing upon t hem r apidly, and Bue t hought he hear d a shout som ewher e of f in t he com pound bef or e his whole wor ld colapsed ar ound him .
W it h a cr unching jar , t he back wal of t he m ess hal com plet ely disint egr at ed, r eplaced by a m assive gr ay wedge. The t ower ing object quickly sur ged t hr ough t he r oom , leaving behind a t hir t y- f oot swat h of dest r uct ion. Tor n f r ee f r om it s suppor t s, t he hut 's r oof f lew of f in a gust , while a blast of cold air f looded t he int er ior . Bue looked on in hor r or as t he gr ay m ass devour ed Benson in a spr ay of ice and f r ot h. For one m om ent , t he chef was st anding t her e holding a m ug of cof f ee. I n t he next inst ant , he was gone.
The f loor buckled up beneat h Bue, t hr owing him and t he t able t owar d t he ent r y door . St r uggling t o his f eet , he st ood and st ar ed at t he gr ay behem ot h t hat m at er ialized bef or e him . I t was a ship, his jum bled m ind f inaly f at hom ed, st or m ing t hr ough t he cent er of t he cam p and t he t hin ice beneat h it .
The swir ling, snowy winds gave t he vessel a ghost ly appear ance, but he was able t o m ake out a lar ge num ber 54 paint ed in whit e on t he bow. As t he bow bur st past wit h a deep r um ble, Bue caught a glim pse of a lar ge Am er ican f lag r ippling f r om t he ship's m ast head bef or e t he vessel disappear ed int o a cloud of whit e. He inst inct ively st agger ed back t owar d it , caling out f or Benson, unt il near ly st epping int o a black r iver of wat er t hat now t r ailed t he ship.
Dazedly shaking of f his st at e of shock, Bue puled on his par ka, which lay cr um pled on t he gr ound, and st epped past t he r em ains of t he ent r yway. Fight ing his way against t he winds, he t r ied t o assess t he condit ion of t he cam p while not ing t hat t he gr ound beneat h his f eet seem ed t o sway in an odd m anner . Cir cling a f ew dozen f eet t o his r ight , he st opped at a ledge wher e t he ice dr opped away t o open wat er . Just beyond him was wher e al t hr ee bunkhouses had st ood. Now t hey wer e al gone, r eplaced by scat t er ed chunks of ice f loat ing in t he dar k wat er .
Bue's hear t sank, knowing t hat one of his m en had been of f dut y and asleep in his bunk just a shor t t im e bef or e. That st il lef t t wo m en unaccount ed f or - - Case t he r adio oper at or and Q uinlon t he m aint enance m an.
Bue t ur ned his at t ent ion t owar d t he lab building, cat ching sight of t he st r uct ur e's blue wals st il st anding in t he dist ance. St r uggling t o m ove closer , he near ly f el int o t he wat er again, f inding a lead in t he ice t hat separ at ed him f r om t he lab. Against his bet t er judgm ent , he t ook a r unning leap and hopped over t he t hr ee- f oot chasm , f aling har d t o t he ice on t he opposit e side. W iling him self f or war d, he st agger ed int o t he wind unt il r eaching t he t hr eshold. Rest ing br ief ly, he bur st t hr ough t he door , t hen f r oze.
The int er ior of t he lab, like t he m ess hal, had been oblit er at ed by t he passing ship. Lit t le r em ained st anding beyond t he door way, just som e scat t er ed r em ains f loat ing in t he wat er a f ew f eet away. M ir aculously, t he r adio shack had som ehow sur vived t he blow, sever ed f r om t he m ain building but st il st anding upr ight . Thr ough t he whist ling wind, Bue could hear Case's voice caling out a plea f or help.
St epping closer , Bue f ound Case seat ed at his desk t alking int o a dead r adio set . The ice cam p's power gener at or s, st owed in t he st or age building, had been one of t he f ir st t hings t o sink when t he ship char ged t hr ough. Ther e was no power lef t in t he cam p, nor had t her e been any f or sever al m inut es.
Bue put his hand on Case's shoulder and t he r adiom an slowly set down t he t r ansm it t er , his eyes glazed wit h f ear . Suddenly a cr ackling sound er upt ed beneat h t hem and t he gr ound began t o shudder .
" I t 's t he ice! " Bue shout ed. " G et out of her e now. "
He puled Case t o his f eet , and t he t wo m en scr am bled out of t he shack and acr oss t he ice as t he cr ackling sound seem ed t o chase t hem . They hopped over a low r ise and t ur ned t o see t he ice beneat h t he lab and r adio hut shat t er like a cr acked m ir r or . The sur f ace splint er ed int o a dozen chunks of loose ice t hat quickly f el apar t , causing t he r em ains of t he st r uct ur e t o dissolve int o t he wat er below. I n less t han t wo m inut es, t he ent ir e cam p had disappear ed bef or e Bue's eyes.
As t he t wo m en st ar ed blankly at t he dest r uct ion, Bue t hought he hear d t he shout of a m an above t he wind. Peer ing t hr ough t he blowing m aelst r om , he st r ained t o hear it again. But f ir st his eyes caught sight of a f igur e f lailing in t he wat er , near t he sit e of t he r adio shack.
" I t 's Q uinlon, " Case yeled, also spot t ing t he m an. Regaining his com posur e, Case bolt ed t owar d t he st r uggling m aint enance m an.
Q uinlon was r apidly losing a f ight against shock f r om im m er sion int o t he icy wat er . Laden by his par ka and boot s, he would have quickly sunk had he not been able t o gr ab hold of a f loat ing chunk of ice. He quickly lost t he ener gy t o pul him self out of t he wat er but pr opeled him self t owar d Bue and Case wit h his last ounce of ef f or t .
The t wo m en r an t o t he edge of t he ice and r eached out f or Q uinlon, desper at ely gr asping a f lailing ar m . Puling him closer , t hey t r ied t o yank him f r om t he wat er but could only get him a f ew inches out of t he wat er bef or e he f el back in. W it h his sat ur at ed boot s and clot hing, t he aver age- built Q uinlon now weighed over t hr ee hundr ed pounds. Realizing t heir er r or , Bue and Case lunged at t he hum an load again, dr agging and r oling him hor izont aly unt il f inaly coer cing his ent ir e body out of t he wat er .
" W e've got t o get him out of t he wind, " Bue said, looking ar ound f or shelt er . Al of t he m an- m ade r em nant s of t he cam p wer e gone, save f or a sm al sect ion of t he cr um pled st or age shed now f loat ing away on a car - sized chunk of ice.
" The snowbank by t he r unway, " Case r eplied, point ing t hr ough t he swir ling snow.
Q uinlon's ef f or t s t o keep t he air f ield clear had r esult ed in sever al deep snowbanks built up f r om his plowing. Though m ost of t he air f ield had now vanished, Case was r ight . Ther e was a high m ound of snow less t han f if t y yar ds away.
Each m an gr abbed one of Q uinlon's ar m s and began dr agging him acr oss t he ice like a bag of pot at oes. They knew t he m aint enance m an was near deat h, and if he was t o have any chance of sur vival, t hey would have t o m ove him clear of t he m inus- t went y- degr ees windchil. Pant ing and per spir ing despit e t he bit t er cold, t hey hauled Q uinlon t o t he back side of t he t en- f oot snowbank, which blocked t he wor st of t he west er ly gale.
They quickly st r ipped of f Q uinlon's wet clot hes, which had alr eady f r ozen st if f , t hen t hey br ief ly r ubbed snow on his body t o absor b t he r em aining m oist ur e. Br ushing t he snow aside, t hey t hen wr apped his head and body in t heir own dr y par kas. Q uinlon was blue and shaking uncont r olably, but he was st il conscious, which m eant he had a chance at sur vival. Folowing Case's lead, Bue helped dig a sm al hole in t he side of t he snowbank. Sliding Q uinlon in f ir st , t he ot her t wo m en cr awled alongside, hoping t o shar e body heat while cower ing f r om t he slashing winds.
Peer ing out of t heir m eager cave, Bue could see a wat er y passage expanding bet ween t heir shelt er and t he unbr oken ice sheet . They wer e par t of a separ at e ice f loe now, dr if t ing slowly int o t he Beauf or t Sea. Ever y f ew m inut es, t he scient ist would hear a deep t hunder ous cr ack as t heir f loat ing ice shelf r upt ur ed int o sm aler and sm aler pieces. Pr opeled int o t he st or m - dr iven wat er s, he knew it would be only a m at t er of t im e bef or e t heir own f r ozen r ef uge would be bat t er ed t o bit s and al t hr ee m en t ossed int o t he sea.
W it h no one else even awar e of t heir pr edicam ent , t hey had no hope f or sur vival. Shiver ing in t he f r ight f ul cold, Bue cont em plat ed t he m er ciless gr ay ship t hat had decim at ed t he cam p so unexpect edly and wit hout r eason. Tr y as it m ight , his f r ozen m ind could m ake no sense of t he br ut al act . Shaking his head t o clear away t he m ar auding vessel's ghost like im age, he peer ed at his com r ades wit h sad com passion, t hen quiet ly await ed deat h t o visit t hem al.
26

THE RADI O CALL HAD ARRI VED FAI NTLY AND I N a single t r ansm ission. Repeat ed ef f or t s by t he Nar whal's r adio oper at or t o ver if y t he m essage wer e m et wit h com plet e silence.
Capt ain St enset h r ead t he hand- scr ibbled m essage t r anscr ibed by his r adiom an, shook his head, and t hen r ead t he m essage once m or e.
" M ayday, M ayday. This is I ce Lab 7. The cam p is br eaking up . . . " he r ecit ed aloud. " That 's al you got ? " he asked, his eyes glar ing.
The r adiom an nodded silent ly. St enset h t ur ned and st epped t o t he helm sm an.
" Al ahead f lank speed, " he bar ked. " Com e lef t , st eer cour se zer o- one- f ive. " He t ur ned t o t he execut ive of f icer . " I want a plot t o t he ice lab's r epor t ed posit ion. And cal t hr ee addit ional look- out s t o t he br idge. "
I n an inst ant , he was t ower ing over t he r adio oper at or 's shoulder .
" Not if y t he r egional U. S. and Canadian Coast G uar ds of t he dist r ess cal and t el t hem t hat we ar e r esponding. Aler t any local t r af f ic, if t her e is any. Then get G unn and G ior dino t o t he br idge. "
" Sir , t he near est Coast G uar d st at ion is Canadian, at Tukt oyakt uk. That 's over t wo hundr ed m iles away. "
St enset h gazed at t he blowing snow buf f et ing t he br idge's windscr eens, his m ind conjur ing an im age of t he ice cam p inhabit ant s. Sof t ening his t one, he r eplied quiet ly, " Then I guess t hat m eans t heir only saving angel is wear ing t ur quoise wings. "
The Nar whal was r at ed at t went y- t hr ee knot s, but even r unning f lat out t he r esear ch ship could bar ely m ust er a dozen knot s lunging t hr ough t he st or m - whipped seas. The st or m had r eached it s peak, wit h winds gust ing over sevent y m iles per hour . The sea was a violent t ur m oil of t hir t y- f oot waves t hat pit ched and r oled t he ship like it was m ade of cor k. The helm sm an ner vously m onit or ed t he ship's aut opilot , wait ing f or t he m echanism t o go t ilt f r om t he const ant cour se cor r ect ions necessar y t o keep t he vessel on a f ixed nor t heast heading.
G unn and G ior dino soon joined St enset h on t he br idge, st udying t he ice cam p's M ayday m essage.
" I t is a lit t le ear ly in t he season f or t he ice t o be br eaking up in a cat aclysm ic f ashion, " G unn said, r ubbing his chin. " Though t he m oving ice sheet can cer t ainly f r act ur e on shor t not ice. Typicaly, you would have a lit t le bit of a war ning. "
" Per haps t hey wer e sur pr ised by a sm al f r act ur e t hat st r uck a por t ion of t he cam p, such as t heir r adio f acilit y or even t heir power gener at or s, " St enset h suggest ed.
" Let 's hope it 's not hing wor se t han t hat , " G unn agr eed, gazing at t he m aelst r om out side. " As long as t hey have som e degr ee of shelt er f r om t he st or m , t hey should be al r ight f or a while. "
" Ther e is anot her possibilit y, " G ior dino added quiet ly. " The ice cam p m ay have been sit uat ed t oo close t o t he sea. The st or m sur ge could have br oken up t he leading edge of t he ice f ield, t aking t he cam p apar t in t he pr ocess. "
The ot her t wo m en nodded gr im ly, knowing t hat t he odds of sur vival wer e sever ely dim inished if t hat was t he case.
" W hat 's t he out look on t he st or m ?" G unn asked.
" Anot her six t o eight hour s bef or e it abat es. W e'l have t o wait it out bef or e we can dr op a sear ch t eam on t he ice, I 'm af r aid, " St enset h r eplied.
" Sir , " t he helm sm an int er r upt ed, " we'r e seeing lar ge ice in t he wat er . "
St enset h looked up t o see a house- sized iceber g slip past t he por t bow.
" Al engines back a t hir d. W hat 's our dist ance t o t he ice cam p? "
" Just under eight een m iles, sir . "
St enset h st epped over t o a lar ge r adar scr een and adjust ed t he r ange t o a t went y- m ile diam et er . A t hin, jagged gr een line cr ossed t he scr een near t he t op edge, which r em ained f ixed in place. The capt ain point ed t o a spot just below t he line, wher e a concent r ic r ing on t he scope indicat ed a dist ance of t went y m iles.
" Her e's t he r epor t ed posit ion of t he cam p, " he said som ber ly.
" I f it wasn't oceanf r ont pr oper t y bef or e, it is now, " G ior dino obser ved.
G unn squint ed at t he r adar scope, t hen point ed a f inger at a f uzzy dot at t he edge of t he scr een.
" Ther e's a ship near by, " he said.
St enset h t ook a look, not ing t hat t he ship was headed t o t he sout heast . He or der ed t he r adio oper at or t o hail t he ship, but t hey f ailed t o r eceive a r esponse.
" M aybe an ilegal whaler , " t he capt ain suggest ed. " The Japanese occasionaly slip int o t he Beauf or t t o hunt beluga whales. "
" I n t hese seas, t hey'r e pr obably t oo busy hanging on t o t heir shor t s t o pick up t he r adio, " G ior dino said.
The unknown vessel was quickly f or got t en as t hey closed in on t he ice shelf and t he r epor t ed posit ion of t he ice cam p. As t he Nar whal cr ept closer t o t he sit e, lar ger and lar ger slabs of br oken ice began clogging up t he sea in f r ont of t hem . By now, t he ent ir e ship's com plem ent had been aler t ed t o t he r escue m ission. M or e t han a dozen r esear ch scient ist s br aved t he har sh weat her and joined t he cr ew on deck. Dr essed in f ul f oul- weat her gear , t hey lined t he r ails of t he om inously r oling ship, scanning t he seas f or t heir f elow Ar ct ic scient ist s.
The Nar whal ar r ived at t he ice cam p's r epor t ed posit ion, and St enset h br ought t he Nar whal t o wit hin a hundr ed f eet of t he ice sheet . The r esear ch ship cr uised slowly along t he jagged bor der , dodging ar ound num er ous iceber gs t hat had r ecent ly sever ed f r om t he ice f ield. The capt ain or der ed ever y light on boar d ilum inat ed and r epeat edly let loose a blast f r om t he ship's deaf ening Kahlenber g air hor ns as a possible r escue beacon. The power ing winds began t o abat e slight ly, alowing br ief glim pses t hr ough t he swir ling snow. Al eyes scanned t he t hick shelf of t he sea ice as wel as t he f r ozen wat er s f or signs of t he ice cam p or it s inhabit ant s. Dr if t ing over t he cam p's r epor t ed posit ion, not a sign was det ect ed. I f anyt hing or anybody was lef t at t he scene, t hey wer e now r esiding t wo t housand f eet beneat h t he dar k gr ay wat er s.
27

KEVI N BUE HAD W ATCHED THEI R PERCH O N THE ice dissolve f r om a bat t leship- sized sheet of ice t o t hat of a sm al house. The bat t er ing sea waves would r ip and shove at t he iceber g, splint er ing it int o sm aler f r agm ent s t hat would be subject t o t he sam e dissect ing f or ces. W hile t heir r ef uge gr ew sm aler , t he r ide gr ew r ougher as t hey dr if t ed f ar t her int o t he Beauf or t Sea. The shr inking ber g walowed and dipped in t he chur ning seas, while sur ging waves r epeat edly swept over t he lower r eaches. Shiver ing in t he bit t er cold, Bue f ound him self suf f er ing t he added discom f or t of seasickness.
Looking at t he t wo m en beside him , he could har dly com plain. Q uinlon was close t o slipping int o a hypot her m ia- induced unconsciousness, while Case seem ed t o be headed down t he sam e pat h. The r adio oper at or sat cur led in a bal, his glazed eyes st ar ing blankly ahead. Bue's ef f or t s at conver sat ion wer e m et wit h not hing m or e t han a blink of t he eyes.
Bue consider ed st r ipping t he par kas of f Q uinlon so t hat he and Case m ight r egain som e war m t h but t hought bet t er of it . Alt hough Q uinlon was as good as dead, t heir own out look f or sur vival was no bet t er . Bue st ar ed at t he t ur bulent gr ay wat er sur r ounding t heir f r ozen r af t and cont em plat ed diving int o t he sea. At least it would end t hings quickly. The idea passed when he decided it would t ake t oo m uch ener gy t o walk t he dozen paces t o t he wat er 's edge.
A lar ge swel r ocked t he ice plat f or m , and he hear d a shar p t hum p beneat h his f eet . A cr ack suddenly m at er ialized beneat h his snow- car ved seat , ext ending r apidly acr oss t he ber g. W it h a jolt f r om t he next oncom ing wave, t he ent ir e sect ion of ice beneat h him abr upt ly f el away, dissolving int o t he dar k sea. Bue inst inct ively gr abbed on t o t he shar p f ace of t he snowbank, lodging a f oot on t he sm al ledge t hat held Q uinlon. Case, sit t ing on t he opposit e side, never m oved a m uscle as Bue desper at ely clung t o a ver t ical clef t of t he ice, dangling just a f ew f eet above t he st inging waves.
Bue f elt his hear t pounding wildly, and wit h a desper at e lunge he jabbed his f inger s int o t he ice and puled him self up and on t op of t he r em aining snow m ound. Their haven had shr unk t o t he size of a m inivan and now r ocked violent ly in t he r ough seas. Bue t eet er ed on t he t op, wait ing f or t he whole m ound t o t ur n t ur t le and send t he t hr ee m en on an icy plunge t o t heir deat hs. I t would be a m at t er of m inut es now, he knew, bef or e t heir r ide would com e t o an end.
Then t hr ough t he windswept snow he saw a br ight light , beam ing like t he sun behind a r ainsqual. I t blinded his eyes, and he shut his lids t ight ly t o escape t he sear ing beam . W hen he opened t hem a f ew seconds lat er , t he light had vanished. Al he could see was t he whit e of t he dr y ice t hat pepper ed his f ace in t he f ier ce wind. He st r ained t o det ect t he light again, but t her e was not hing t o see but t he st or m . Slowly, he closed his eyes in def eat , sagging as t he st r engt h ebbed f r om his por es.
28

JACK DAHLG REN ALREADY HAD A FUELED ZO DI AC winched above t he gunwale when t he cal cam e f r om t he br idge t o launch. Dr essed in a br ight yelow M ust ang sur vival suit , he clim bed aboar d and checked t hat a por t able G PS unit and a t wo- way r adio wer e st owed in a wat er t ight bin. He st ar t ed t he out boar d engine, t hen wait ed as a squat f igur e cam e char ging acr oss t he deck.
Al G ior dino didn't have t im e t o put on an exposur e suit ; he sim ply gr abbed a par ka on t he br idge and hust led down t o t he Zodiac. As G ior dino leaped in, Dahlgr en gave a t hum bs- up sign t o a wait ing cr ewm an, who quickly lower ed t he inf lat able boat int o t he sea. Dahlgr en wait ed unt il G ior dino r eleased t he dr op hook, t hen gunned t he m ot or . The sm al inf lat able bur st over and t hr ough a high- r oling wave, sending plum es of icy spr ay skywar d. G ior dino ducked f r om t he spr ay, t hen point ed an ar m ahead of t he Nar whal.
" W e'r e af t er a sm al ber g about t wo hundr ed yar ds of f t he por t bow, " he yeled. " Ther e's an ice sheet dead ahead, so you'l have t o go har d ar ound, " he added, waving t o t he lef t .
Though t he blinding snow, Dahlgr en could just m ake out a f uzzy m ass of whit e on t he sur f ace dir ect ly ahead. Taking a quick com pass bear ing, he eased t he Zodiac t o por t unt il t he ice sheet loom ed up a f ew yar ds in f r ont of him . Tur ning shar ply, he sped along t he per im et er , slowing slight ly when he f igur ed t hat he had r eached t he opposit e side.
The Nar whal was no longer in view behind t hem , while t he ice sheet had given way t o dozens of sm al iceber gs r oling in t he heavy seas. The pounding winds blew snow par t icles of f t he near by ice sheet , r educing visibilit y t o less t han f if t y f eet . G ior dino sat per ched on t he pr ow scanning t he seas like an eagle in sear ch of pr ey, m ot ioning Dahlgr en t o t ur n t his way, t hen t hat . They m ot or ed t hr ough t r unk- sized chunks of ice m ixed wit h lar ger ber gs, al swaying and sm ashing int o one anot her . G ior dino had t hem cir cle sever al sm al ber gs bef or e f r ant icaly point ing at a t al, swaying spir e of ice.
" That 's t he one, " he yeled.
Dahlgr en hit t he t hr ot t le, r acing over t o t he f loat ing wedge of ice t hat looked t o him like al t he ot her s. O nly t his one had a pat ch of dar kness on t he cr est . As t he Zodiac dr ew near , Dahlgr en saw t hat it was a hum an body spr awled acr oss t he t op. He quickly cir cled t he ber g, looking f or a place t o land t he boat , but t he ice showed only st eep ver t ical slopes on al sides. Reaching t he opposit e end, he not iced t wo ot her m en wedged int o a cr ude dugout cut a f ew f eet above t he wat er .
" Ram it beneat h t hat ledge, " G ior dino yeled.
Dahlgr en nodded, t hen r eplied, " Hang on. "
He cir cled t he Zodiac ar ound t o gar ner m om ent um , t hen gunned t he t hr ot t le while aim ing st r aight f or t he ber g. The inf lat able boat 's pr ow skidded over a slight lip of ice bef or e plunging har d int o t he snowbank just beneat h t he t wo hypot her m ic m en. Bot h Dahlgr en and G ior dino bar ely kept f r om f lying out of t he boat as it jar r ed t o an im m ediat e halt .
G ior dino quickly st ood up, br ushed som e snow of f his head and shoulder s, t hen sm iled at Case, who st ar ed back t hr ough list less eyes.
" Just f ive m inut es t o som e hot chicken soup, m y f r iends, " G ior dino said, gr abbing Q uinlon like a r ag dol and laying him bet ween t wo bench seat s. He t hen t ook Case's ar m and helped t he let har gic m an cr awl int o t he Zodiac. Dahlgr en r et r ieved a pair of dr y blanket s f r om a st or age locker and quickly cover ed bot h m en.
" Can you r each t he ot her one?" Dahlgr en asked.
G ior dino gazed at t he r ocking m ound of snow t hat r ose six f eet over his head.
" Yes, but keep t he engine r unning. I t hink t his ice cube is on it s last legs. "
St epping of f t he inf lat able, he kicked a t oehold int o t he har dened snow and began t o clim b. W it h each st ep, he'd punch his f ist int o t he cr ust f or a handgr ip and t hen f oot hold as he clim bed higher . The iceber g r ocked and swayed in t he r oling swels, and sever al t im es he t hought he m ight go f lying of f int o t he wat er . Ascending as quickly as he could, he popped his head over t he t op of t he r idge, f inding Bue spr ead out on t he cr est wit h his f ace down. Yanking Bue's t or so, G ior dino puled t he lim p body closer unt il he could slide him over his shoulder . Clam ping an ar m ar ound t he f r ozen m an's legs, he began t he unst eady descent down t he f ace of t he ber g.
Yet f or al Bue's deadweight , G ior dino m ight have been car r ying a sack of pot at oes. The power f ul I t alian wast ed no t im e, quickly descending sever al st eps, t hen kicking of f t he snow wal and dr opping t he last sever al f eet int o t he Zodiac's r ubber hul. Laying Bue down beside t he ot her m en, G ior dino jum ped back out and heaved his body against t he bow of t he Zodiac. Digging his shor t , power f ul legs int o t he snow, he shoved t he boat of f t he iceber g, hopping aboar d as Dahlgr en goosed t he out boar d m ot or int o r ever se.
Dahlgr en had bar ely t ur ned and m ade headway when a huge swel r oled up in f r ont of t hem . G ior dino r eached over and pinned t he pr one m en t o t he deck as t he wave cr ashed int o t he bow. I cy f oam spr ayed ever ywher e as t he Zodiac's bow shot skywar d unt il t he sm al boat st ood near ly ver t ical. Then t he big wave r oled t hr ough and away, sending t he inf lat able cr ashing int o t he f olowing t r ough. Dahlgr en st eer ed dir ect ly int o a second lar ge wave, r iding it t hr ough wit h slight ly less violence.
As t he Zodiac shook of f t he ef f ect s of t he second swel, Dahlgr en and G ior dino glanced back as t he t wo waves pum m eled t he iceber g. W at ching wit h m or bid f ascinat ion, t hey saw t he f ir st wave pit ch t he t ower ing chunk of ice near ly ont o it s side. Bef or e t he ber g could r ight it self , t he second wave st r uck, com plet ely oblit er at ing t he iceber g. As t he wave r oled past , a f ew lar ge chunks of ice slowly popped t o t he sur f ace.
Had t hey not ar r ived when t hey did, Bue, Case, and Q uinlon would have been washed int o t he f r igid sea by t he t win waves and per ished wit hin m inut es.
29

THE THREE CANADI ANS, ALL SUFFERI NG FRO M var ious degr ees of hypot her m ia, wer e able t o cling t o lif e unt il t he wave- t ossed Zodiac was clut ched f r om t he sea and dr opped ont o t he deck of t he Nar whal. Dahlgr en had been f or t unat e enough t o locat e t he r esear ch ship in just a f ew m inut es. The st or m had oblit er at ed any sat elit e signals, r ender ing t he G PS unit useless. He inst ead t ook a r ever se com pass heading and m ot or ed t owar d t he gener al posit ion of t he ship. The lar ge int er vening ice f loe had dr if t ed past , alowing an unencum ber ed r out e t hr ough t he high seas. G ior dino det ect ed t he wail of t he ship's air hor n f ir ing a st out blast , and t he br ight ly lit Nar whal appear ed t hr ough t he swir ling winds a shor t t im e lat er .
A heavily bundled Rudi G unn was st anding by when t he Zodiac hit t he deck, and he pr om pt ly dir ect ed t he t r ansf er of t he injur ed m en t o t he m edical bay. Bue and Case wer e r evived bef or e long, but Q uinlon r em ained unconscious f or sever al hour s as t he ship's doct or wor ked f ever ishly t o r aise t he m an's cor e body t em per at ur e. Twice Q uinlon's hear t st opped beat ing and t wice he was f r ant icaly r esuscit at ed, unt il his body t em per at ur e gr adualy appr oached ninet y- eight degr ees and his blood pr essur e st abilized.
Af t er shaking t he ice of f t heir gar m ent s, G ior dino and Dahlgr en changed int o dr y clot hes and m et G unn on t he br idge.
" Do we know if t her e ar e any ot her pot ent ial sur vivor s out t her e?" G unn asked t he t wo wear y m en.
Dahlgr en shook his head. " I asked t he conscious f elow t he sam e quest ion. He t old m e t her e wer e t wo ot her m en in t he ice cam p wit h t hem but t hat he is cer t ain t hey wer e bot h kiled when t he ship t or e t hr ough t he cam p. "
" A ship?"
" Not just any ship, " Dahlgr en nodded gr im ly. " An Am er ican Navy war ship. Cam e blast ing t hr ough t he ice and oblit er at ed t he ent ir e f acilit y. "
" That 's im possible, " G unn r eplied.
" I 'm just t eling you what t he m an said. "
G unn f el silent , his eyes bulging in disbelief . " W e'l sear ch som e m or e, al t he sam e, " he f inaly said in a low voice. Then, t ur ning a sym pat het ic eye t owar d bot h m en, he added, " That was a her oic r escue ef f or t under t er r ible condit ions. "
" I wouldn't have want ed t o t r ade places wit h t hose guys, " G ior dino r em ar ked. " But Dahlgr en a her o? That wil be t he day, " he added wit h a laugh.
" I 've a good m ind not t o shar e m y bot t le of Jack Daniel's wit h you f or t hat r em ar k, " Dahlgr en r et or t ed.
G ior dino put an ar m ar ound t he Texan and escor t ed him of f t he br idge.
" Just one shot , m y f r iend, and I 'l see t hat t he Yukon is your s f or t he t aking. "
THE NARW HAL SEARCHED THE sur r ounding seas f or t he next t wo hour s, f inding only t he bat t er ed r em nant s of a blue awning am ong t he ice- inf est ed wat er s. G unn r eluct ant ly caled of f t he sear ch when m ost of t he br oken f loe f r agm ent s f inaly dr if t ed clear of t he ice shelf .
" Pr udhoe Bay would have bet t er f acilit ies, but Tukt oyakt uk is t he closer por t by about f if t y m iles. They do have an air f ield, " St enset h said, eyeing a char t of t he Nor t h Am er ican coast line.
" W e'l have m or e of a f olowing sea- sailing t o t he lat t er , " G unn r eplied, looking over t he capt ain's shoulder . " I t would pr obably be best t o get t hem ashor e as soon as possible. Tukt oyakt uk it is. "
The t own was along a spar se st r et ch of nor t her n Canadian shor eline, just east of t he Alaskan bor der . The ar ea was wel nor t h of t he Ar ct ic Cir cle and beyond t he nor t her n t r ee line as wel, a r oling, r ocky land cover ed in snow m ost of t he year .
The Nar whal plowed t hr ough r ough wat er s f or f our t een hour s as t he spr ing st or m f inaly blew it self out . The Beauf or t Sea st il heaved wit h high br eaker s when t he NUM A ship edged int o t he pr ot ect ed wat er s of Kugm alit Bay beside t he t own of Tukt oyakt uk. A Canadian M ount ie pat r ol boat guided t he ship t o t he cit y's indust r ial pier , wher e an em pt y dockside ber t h await ed. W it hin m inut es, t he injur ed scient ist s wer e loaded int o a pair of vans and whisked t o t he local m edical cent er . A t hor ough checkup deem ed t he m en st able enough f or f ur t her t r avel, af t er which t hey wer e loaded ont o a plane t o Yelowknif e.
I t wasn't unt il t he next day, when t he t r io ar r ived in Calgar y on a gover nm ent jet , t hat t heir or deal becam e headline news. A m edia cir cus ensued, as ever y m ajor newspaper and t elevision net wor k jum ped on t he st or y. Bue's eyewit ness account of an Am er ican war ship bat t er ing t he ice cam p and leaving it s inhabit ant s t o die st r uck an angr y chor d wit h m any Canadians wear y of t heir sout her n neighbor 's wor ldly m ight .
Fer vor wit hin t he Canadian gover nm ent ascended t o an even higher pit ch. Alr eady st ung by t he em bar r assing incident involving t he m yst er y ship At lant a, Coast G uar d and m ilit ar y of f icials wit hin t he gover nm ent showed par t icular wr at h. The nat ionalist ic Pr im e M inist er , his popular it y waning, quickly pounced on t he incident f or polit ical gain. The r escued scient ist s Bue, Case, and Q uinlon wer e f et ed as guest s at t he Pr im e M inist er 's r esidence on Sussex Dr ive in O t t awa, t hen t r ot t ed bef or e t he t elevision cam er as t o once m or e descr ibe t he dest r uct ion of t he ice cam p at t he hands of t he Am er icans. W it h a calculat ed show of anger , t he Pr im e M inist er went so f ar as t o denounce t he incident as a bar bar ic act of war .
" Canadian sover eignt y wil no longer be violat ed by f or eign t r ansgr essions, " he shr ieked t o t he cam er as. W it h an angr y Par liam ent but t r essing his r het or ic, he or der ed addit ional naval f or ces t o t he Ar ct ic, while t hr eat ening t o close t he bor der and shut of f oil and gas expor t s. " The gr eat nat ion of Canada shal not be bulied. I f pr ot ect ion of our sover eignt y ent ails war , t hen so be it , " he cr ied, his f ace t ur ning beet r ed.
O ver night , t he Pr im e M inist er 's popular it y soar ed in t he pols. W it nessing t he public r eact ion, his f elow polit icians clam or ed bef or e t he m edia t o st r ike ant i- Am er ican pose. The st or y of t he ice cam p sur vivor s t ook on a lif e of it s own, pr opeled by a m anipulat ed m edia and a self - ser ving nat ional leader . I t becam e a glor y- f iled t ale of vict im izat ion and her oic sur vival. Yet som ehow lost in ever y r et eling of t he t r agedy was t he r ole of t he NUM A r esear ch cr ew and t he dar ing r escue ef f or t t hat had saved t he t hr ee sur vivor s.
30

JI M , DO YO U HAVE A M O M ENT?"
W alking down a cor r idor of t he W hit e House W est W ing, Vice Pr esident Jam es Sandecker t ur ned t o f ind t he Canadian Am bassador caling him f r om behind. A dist inguished- looking m an wit h bushy silver eyebr ows, Am bassador John Davis appr oached wit h a t acit ur n look on his f ace.
" G ood m or ning, John, " Sandecker gr eet ed. " W hat br ings you t o t his neck of t he woods so ear ly in t he day?"
" G ood t o see you, Jim , " Davis r eplied, his f ace br ight ening a bit . " I 'm af r aid I was sent t o ham m er on your good Pr esident over m y count r y's agit at ion wit h t his business in t he Nor t hwest Passage. "
" I 'm headed t o a m eet ing wit h t he Pr esident on t hat ver y t opic. A sad t r agedy about t he ice cam p, but I 've been t old we had no war ships anywher e near t her e. "
" A st icky m at t er never t heless. The har dliner s in our gover nm ent ar e blowing it f ul out of pr opor t ion. " He lower ed his t one t o a whisper . " Even t he Pr im e M inist er is r at t ling his saber over t he m at t er , t hough I know he's doing it st r ict ly f or polit ical gain. I just f ear a f oolish escalat ion of som e sor t t hat wil lead t o f ur t her t r agedy. " A som ber look in t he Am bassador 's gr ay eyes t old Sandecker t hat his f ear was deep- r oot ed.
" Don't wor r y, John, cooler heads wil pr evail. W e've got t oo m uch at st ake t o let som et hing like t his degener at e. "
Davis nodded his head weakly. " I sur e hope you ar e r ight . Say, Jim , I 'd like t o expr ess our t hanks t o your NUM A ship and cr ew. I t has been over looked in t he pr ess, but t hey m ade a r em ar kable r escue. "
" I 'l pass t hat along. G ive m y best t o M aggie, and let 's plan on going sailing again soon. "
" I 'd like t hat . Take car e, Jim . "
A W hit e House aide pr essed Sandecker on t o t he O val O f f ice, guiding him t hr ough t he nor t hwest ent r ance. Seat ed ar ound a cof f ee t able, Sandecker r ecognized t he Pr esident 's chief of st af f , his Nat ional Secur it y Advisor , and t he Secr et ar y of Def ense. The Pr esident st ood at a side cubby, pour ing him self a cup of cof f ee f r om an ant ique silver pot .
" Can I get you a cup, Jim ?" W ar d asked. The Pr esident st il had dar k cir cles under his eyes but appear ed m or e ener gized t han dur ing Sandecker 's last visit .
" Sur e, G ar ner . M ake it black. "
The ot her adm inist r at ion of f icials looked aghast at Sandecker f or caling t he Pr esident by his f ir st nam e, but he didn't car e. And neit her did W ar d. The Pr esident handed Sandecker his cof f ee, t hen sat down in a gold wingback chair .
" You m issed al t he f ir ewor ks, Jim , " t he Pr esident said. " The Canadian Am bassador just gave m e holy blazes about t hose t wo incident s in t he Ar ct ic. "
Sandecker nodded. " I just passed him in t he hal. They seem t o be t aking it quit e ser iously. "
" The Canadians ar e upset about our pr oposed plan t o diver t f r eshwat er f r om t he G r eat Lakes t o r eplenish t he M idwest f ar m ing aquif er s, " said Chief of St af f M eade. " Plus it is no secr et t hat t he Pr im e M inist er 's pol num ber s ar e way down ahead of a cal f or par liam ent ar y elect ions t his f al. "
" W e have r eason t o believe t her e is also an ef f or t t o keep our pet r oleum com panies out of t he Canadian Ar ct ic, " added t he Nat ional Secur it y Advisor , a shor t - hair ed blond wom an nam ed M oss. " The Canadians have been ver y pr ot ect ive about t heir Ar ct ic oil and gas r esour ces, which cont inue t o gr ow in signif icance. "
" G iven our cur r ent sit uat ion, it is har dly an oppor t une t im e f or t hem t o t ur n t heir backs on us, " said M eade.
" You m ean it 's not an oppor t une t im e f or us, " not ed Sandecker .
" You have a point , Jim , " t he Pr esident r eplied. " The Canadians cer t ainly have a f ew st r ong car ds in t heir hand at t he m om ent . "
" W hich t hey ar e alr eady st ar t ing t o play, " said M oss. " The Am bassador gave not ice t hat Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t int ends t o announce a f ul pr ohibit ion on U. S. - f lagged vessels cr ossing int o Canadian Ar ct ic seaways. Any violat ion wil be deem ed a t r espass on t er r it or ial wat er s and subject t o m ilit ar y r epr isal. "
" The Pr im e M inist er is not one f or subt let y, " t he Pr esident r em ar ked.
" He went so f ar as t o have t he Am bassador dr op t he hint t hat r educt ions in oil, nat ur al gas, and hydr oelect r ic power expor t s t o t he U. S. ar e on t he t able, " M eade said, speaking t o Sandecker .
" That is playing har dbal, " Sandecker said. " W e cur r ent ly obt ain ninet y per cent of our nat ur al gas im por t s f r om Canada alone. And I know you ar e count ing on t he new inf usion f r om M elvile Sound t o solve our im m ediat e ener gy pr oblem s, " he added, addr essing t he Pr esident .
" W e can't af f or d t o jeopar dize t hose gas im por t s, " t he Pr esident said. " They ar e cr it ical t o over com ing t his oil cr isis and st abilizing t he econom y. "
" The Pr im e M inist er 's act ions boost t he Canadian sover eignt y r het or ic he has been t out ing r ecent ly t o r ever se his waning popular it y, " not ed M oss. " He seized on t he com m er cial possibilit ies of an ice- f r ee Nor t hwest Passage som e year s ago and has st r ongly ar gued Canada's owner ship claim s. I t f it s in nicely wit h his newf ound appeal t o t he count r y's t r adit ionalist s. "
" Ther e's a good deal of power t o be had in t hose Ar ct ic r esour ces, " M eade not ed.
" The Russians ar e clam or ing over t he sam e t hing, " Sandecker said. " The U. N. Law of t he Sea Tr eat y opened t he door f or addit ional Ar ct ic em pir e building based on t he under sea ext ensions of exist ing t er r it or ial claim s. W e in f act have joined t he sam e subsur f ace land r ush as t he Canadians, Russians, Danes, and Nor wegians. "
" That is t r ue, " M oss r eplied. " But our pot ent ial claim s don't r ealy im pose m uch int o Canadian wat er s. I t 's t he passage t hat is cr eat ing al t he hyst er ia. Per haps because it is t he key t o accessing and t r anspor t ing al t hose Ar ct ic r esour ces. "
" I t seem s t o m e t hat t he Canadians have a pr et t y sound legal basis f or caling t he passage par t of t heir int er nal wat er s, " t he Pr esident said.
The Secr et ar y of Def ense br ist led. An ex- Navy m an like Sandecker , he had m anaged one of t he m ajor oil com panies bef or e r et ur ning t o public ser vice.
" M r . Pr esident , " he said in a deep voice, " it has always been t he posit ion of t he U. S. t hat t he Nor t hwest Passage const it ut es an int er nat ional st r ait . The Law of t he Sea Convent ion, I m ight add, also cals f or t he r ight of t r ansit passage t hr ough wat er ways deem ed int er nat ional st r ait s. "
" Assum ing we ar e on f r iendly t er m s wit h Canada, why do we car e if t hey claim t he st r ait as t er r it or ial wat er s?" asked t he Pr esident .
" Doing so would under m ine t he pr ecedent s alr eady set in t he St r ait of M alacca, G ibr alt ar , and Bab el- M andeb in t he Red Sea, " M oss r ecit ed. " Those wat er ways ar e open t o com m er cial ships of al nat ions, not t o m ent ion f r ee passage by our own Navy ships. "
" Not t o m ent ion t he Bospor us and Dar daneles, " Sandecker added.
" I ndeed, " r eplied M oss. " I f we wer e t o t r eat t he Nor t hwest Passage in a dif f er ent light , t hat could of f er legal encour agem ent f or t he M alaysians t o dir ect t r af f ic t hr ough t he M alacca, f or exam ple. I t 's just t oo r isky a pr oposit ion. "
" Don't f or get our subm ar ine f leet , " Sandecker added. " W e can't ver y wel walk away f r om t he Ar ct ic ar ea of oper at ions. "
" Jim 's absolut ely r ight , " said t he Secr et ar y of Def ense. " W e'r e st il playing t ag wit h t he occasional Russian Delt a up t her e, and now we have t he Chinese f leet t o wor r y about . They've just t est ed a new class of sub- launched balist ic m issile wit h a r ange of f ive t housand m iles. I t only m akes sense t hat t hey'l f olow t he t ack of t he Russians by hiding t heir subs under t he ice, in or der t o pr eser ve a f ir st - launch capabilit y. M r . Pr esident , t he Ar ct ic wil r em ain a cr it ical m ission ar ea f or pur poses of our nat ional def ense. W e can't af f or d t o be shut out of t he seaways t hat ar e wit hin spit t ing dist ance of our own bor der s. "
The Pr esident quiet ly st r oled over t o t he east window and gazed out at t he Rose G ar den. " I suppose t her e is no walking away. But t her e is also no need t o f an t he f lam es of dist r ust . Let 's volunt ar ily abide by t he ban f or ninet y days. I want no Am er ican- f lagged vessels, including subm ar ines, even t o encr oach on Canadian Ar ct ic wat er s dur ing t hat per iod. That should give ever yone t im e t o cool t heir heels. Then I 'l have St at e wor k up a m eet ing wit h Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t , and we'l t r y t o r eint r oduce som e sanit y back int o t he equat ion. "
" An excelent suggest ion, " M eade dem ur r ed. " I 'l put a cal in t o t he Secr et ar y of St at e r ight away. "
" M r . Pr esident , t her e is one ot her t hing, " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense st at ed. " I 'd like t o war - plan a f ew count er st r ike scenar ios, should event s dict at e. "
" G ood G od, " t he Pr esident t hunder ed. " W e'r e t alking about Canada her e. "
The r oom f el silent while G ar ner glar ed at t he Secr et ar y of Def ense. " Do what you have t o do. I f I know you, you pr obably alr eady have a f ul- blown invasion plan al wor ked out . "
The Secr et ar y of Def ense sat st one- f aced, unwiling t o deny t he Pr esident 's accusat ion.
" Seem s t o m e we should be f ocusing our r esour ces on invest igat ing who's r oughing up t he Canadians and why, " inject ed Sandecker . " W hat exact ly do we know about t he t wo incident s in quest ion?"
" Ver y lit t le, I 'm af r aid, since t hey bot h occur r ed in r em ot e ar eas, " r eplied M oss. " The f ir st incident involved a com m er cial vessel f lying t he Am er ican f lag t hat r am m ed a Canadian Coast G uar d cut t er . Al we know f r om t he Canadians is t hat t he vessel was a sm al cont ainer ship car r ying t he nam e At lant a. The Canadians t hought t hey would nab her f ar t her int o t he passage, near Som er set I sland, but t he ship never m at er ialized. They believe she m ay have sunk, but our analyst s believe it is possible she could have backt r acked t o t he At lant ic wit hout being seen. The m ar ine r egist r ies show a dozen ships nam ed At lant a, alt hough only one is of com par able size and conf igur at ion. I t is sit t ing in a dr y dock in M obile, Alabam a, wher e it has been par ked f or t he last t hr ee weeks. "
" Per haps t he Canadians wer e r ight , and she sank f r om her own dam age caused by t he r am m ing incident , " t he Pr esident said. " O t her wise, we have t o assum e it 's a case of m ist aken ident it y. "
" O dd t hat t hey would aim t o r un t he passage and t hen disappear , " Sandecker not ed. " W hat about t he Beauf or t Sea ice cam p? I 've been t old t hat we had no vessels anywher e near t he ar ea. "
" That is cor r ect , " M oss r eplied. " Al t hr ee of t he ice cam p sur vivor s claim t hey saw a gr ay war ship f lying Am er ican color s bur st t hr ough t he cam p. O ne of t he m en ident if ied t he ship as car r ying t he num ber 54. As it happens, FFG - 54 is cur r ent ly on st at ion in t he Beauf or t Sea. "
" O ne of our f r igat es?"
" Yes, t he For d, out of Ever et t , W ashingt on. She was suppor t ing a subm ar ine exer cise of f Point Bar r ow at t he t im e of t he incident , but t hat was over t hr ee hundr ed m iles away. Aside f r om t hat , t he For d is not ice- r at ed, so she would have had no business plowing t hr ough t he t hick sea ice t hat suppor t ed t he cam p. "
" Anot her case of m ist aken ident it y?" t he Pr esident asked.
" Nobody knows f or sur e. Ther e's just not m uch in t he way of t r af f ic in t hat ar ea, and t her e was a heavy st or m at t he t im e t hat obscur ed t hings. "
" W hat about sat elit e im ager y?" Sandecker asked.
M oss f lipped t hr ough a f older , t hen puled out a r epor t .
" Sat elit e cover age in t hat r egion is pr et t y spor adic, f or obvious r easons. Unf or t unat ely, we don't have any im ager y available wit hin t welve hour s of t he incident . "
" Do we know f or sur e it wasn't t he For d? Could t hey have m ade a m ist ake?" t he Pr esident pr obed.
" No, sir , " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense r eplied. " I had Pacif ic Com m and r eview t heir navigat ion r ecor ds. The For d never t r aveled anywher e near t he posit ion of t he ice cam p. "
" And we've shar ed t hat inf or m at ion wit h t he Canadians?"
" The Chief of t he Def ence St af f has seen t he dat a and concur s of f t he r ecor d t hat t he For d was likely not r esponsible, " r eplied t he Secr et ar y of Def ense. " But t he polit icians don't t r ust what we ar e giving t hem , quit e f r ankly. G iven t he m ileage t hey have got t en out of t he incident , t hey have no r eason t o backt r ack now. "
" Find t hose ships and we f ind our way out of t his m ess, " t he Pr esident st at ed.
His adviser s f el silent , knowing t hat t he window of oppor t unit y had likely alr eady passed. W it hout dir ect access t o t he Canadian Ar ct ic, t her e was lit t le t hey could even hope t o do.
" W e'l do what we can, " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense pr om ised.
The chief of st af f not ed t he t im e, t hen usher ed ever yone out of t he O val O f f ice in pr epar at ion f or t he Pr esident 's next m eet ing. Af t er t he ot her s had lef t t he r oom , W ar d st ood at t he window and gazed out at t he Rose G ar den.
" W ar wit h Canada, " he m ut t er ed t o him self . " Now, t her e's a r eal legacy. "
31

M I TCHELL G O YETTE PEERED O UT O F THE G LASS- W ALLED of f ice on t he t op deck of his yacht and idly wat ched a silver seaplane t axing acr oss t he har bor . The sm al plane quickly hopped of f t he wat er and cir cled sout h, bypassing t he t al buildings lining Vancouver Har bor . The m agnat e t ook a sip f r om a m ar t ini glass, t hen t ur ned his gaze t o a t hick cont r act sit t ing on t he desk.
" The t er m s and condit ions ar e accept able?" he asked.
A sm al m an wit h black hair and t hick glasses seat ed opposit e G oyet t e nodded his head.
" The legal depar t m ent has r eviewed it and f ound no issues wit h t he changes. The Chinese wer e quit e pleased wit h t he init ial t est shipm ent and ar e anxious t o r eceive an ongoing supply st r eam . "
" W it h no change in pr ice or lim it s on quant it y?"
" No, sir . They agr eed t o accept up t o f ive m ilion t ons a year of unr ef ined At habasca cr ude bit um en and al t he M elvile Sound nat ur al gas we can deliver , bot h at pr ices t en per cent above t he spot m ar ket , pr ovided t hat we agr ee t o ext ended t er m s. "
G oyet t e leaned back in his chair and sm iled. " O ur oceangoing bar ges have pr oven t heir wor t h at t r anspor t ing bot h car goes in bulk. W e've got our f if t h st r ing of LNG bar ges com ing on line next week. The pot ent ial r evenue st r eam f r om t he Chinese is shaping up quit e nicely. "
" The gas st r ike at M elvile Sound pr om ises t o be quit e a windf al. O ur pr oject ions show a net pr of it of near ly f ive m ilion dolar s is possible wit h each shipm ent t o China. Pr ovided t hat t he gover nm ent doesn't init iat e r est r ict ions on nat ur al r esour ce sales t o China, you ar e wel posit ioned t o capit alize on t heir gr owing appet it e f or ener gy. "
" The unf or t unat e deat h of M P Finlay seem s t o have aleviat ed t hat concer n, " G oyet t e r eplied wit h a knowing gr in.
" W it h t he r educt ion of At habasca r ef ining due t o t he r est r ict ive car bon dioxide m andat e, t he Chinese deal is lucr at ive f or your Alber t a holdings as wel. You wil of cour se be def ault ing on t he agr eem ent s just signed wit h t he Am er icans t o pr ovide t hem t he M elvile nat ur al gas. "
" The Chinese ar e paying m e t en per cent m or e. "
" The Pr esident was r elying on an inf lux of nat ur al gas t o halt t heir ener gy cr isis, " t he at t or ney said wit h a caut ionar y t one.
" Yes, and t hey've caled on m e and m y M elvile Sound r eser ves t o save t hem , " G oyet t e said wit h a laugh. " O nly we'r e going t o t ur n up t he heat a bit . " A f ir e suddenly bur ned in his eyes. " Let t hem st ew in t heir own juices unt il t hey r each a st at e of t r ue desper at ion. Then t hey'l play it m y way and pay m y pr ices in or der t o sur vive. W e'l have our t anker s car r y gas t o t hem and haul away t heir liquid car bon wast es on t he r et ur n t r ip, and we'l char ge a pr em ium f or bot h. O f cour se, t hat wil be af t er t hey f inance a m ajor expansion of our bar ge f leet . They'l have no choice but t o accept . " A gr in slowly cr ossed his lips.
" I st il wor r y about t he polit ical t r ouble. Ther e's t alk of ant i- Am er ican legislat ion t hat could spil over and im pact our business wit h China. Som e of t he m or e r abid m em ber s of Par liam ent ar e pr act icaly r eady t o declar e war . "
" I can't cont r ol t he idiocy of polit icians. The im por t ant point was t o r em ove t he Am er icans f r om t he Ar ct ic while we expand our acquisit ion of gas, oil, and m iner al r ight s. W e happened t o get lucky wit h t he M elvile st r ike, but t he st r at egy is clear ly wor king quit e nicely so f ar . "
" The geophysics t eam is close t o ident if ying t he necessar y t r act s t o encom pass t he M elvile gas f ield, as wel as som e ot her pr om ising locat ions. I just hope t hat t he nat ur al r esour ces m inist er cont inues t o accom m odat e our r equir em ent s. "
" Don't you wor r y about M inist er Jam eson, he wil do anyt hing I ask. By t he way, what is t he lat est f r om t he Alber t a?"
" She ar r ived in New Yor k wit hout incident , t ook on a com m er cial shipm ent , and is pr esent ly east bound t o I ndia. Ther e appear t o be no suspicions r aised. "
" G ood. Have her sent on t o I ndonesia f or a r epaint in new color s bef or e she r et ur ns t o Vancouver . "
" I t wil be done, " t he at t or ney r eplied.
G oyet t e sat back in his chair and t ook a sip of his dr ink. " Have you seen M ar cy about ?"
O ne of a handf ul of ex- st r ipper s G oyet t e kept on t he payr ol, M ar cy usualy wander ed t he boat in r evealing at t ir e. The aide shook his head f ir m ly, t aking t he cue t hat it was t im e t o leave.
" I 'l inf or m t he Chinese t hat we have a deal, " he said, t aking t he signed cont r act f r om G oyet t e and quickly exit ing t he of f ice.
G oyet t e dr ained his glass, t hen r eached f or a shipboar d phone t o cal t he m ast er st at er oom , when a f am iliar voice f r oze his m ovem ent s.
" Anot her dr ink, M it chel?"
G oyet t e t ur ned t o t he f ar side of t he of f ice, wher e Clay Zak st ood wit h a couple of m ar t inis in one hand. He was dr essed in dar k slacks and a t aupe t ur t leneck sweat er , near ly blending in wit h t he r oom 's ear t h- t oned wals. Casualy walking closer , he set one glass down in f r ont of G oyet t e, t hen t ook a seat opposit e him .
" M it chel G oyet t e, King of t he Ar ct ic, eh? I m ust say, I have seen phot ogr aphs of your oceangoing bar ges and am quit e awed. A st ir r ing display of naval ar chit ect ur e. "
" They wer e specif icaly designed f or t he t ask, " G oyet t e said, f inaly f inding his voice. A look of annoyance r em ained et ched on his f ace, and he m ade a m ent al not e t o have a wor d wit h his secur it y det ail. " Fuly loaded, t hey can sail t hr ough a Cat egor y 2 hur r icane wit hout r isk. "
" I m pr essive, " Zak r eplied, bet ween sips of his m ar t ini.
" Though I suspect your envir onm ent al wor shipper s would be disappoint ed t o know t hat you ar e r aping t he count r y's pr ist ine landscape of nat ur al r esour ces st r ict ly t o m ake a buck of f t he Chinese. "
" I didn't expect t o see you back so soon, " G oyet t e r eplied, ignor ing t he r em ar k. " Your pr oject t o t he St at es was accom plished wit h success?"
" I ndeed. You wer e cor r ect in t aking an int er est in t he lab's wor k. I had a r em ar kable conver sat ion about ar t if icial phot osynt hesis wit h your r esear ch m ole. "
Zak pr oceeded t o descr ibe t he det ails of Lisa Lane's wor k and her r ecent discover y. G oyet t e f elt his anger at Zak dim inish as t he m agnit ude of Lane's scient if ic br eakt hr ough sank in. He peer ed out t he window once m or e.
" Sounds like t hey could build an indust r ial car bon dioxide conver sion f acilit y t hat could be easily r eplicat ed, " he said. " St il, t hey've got t o be t alking year s or decades in t he f ut ur e. "
Zak shook his head. " I 'm no scient ist , but accor ding t o your boy on t he inside t hat is not t he case. He claim s t he act ual wor king pr ocess r equir es lit t le in t he way of capit al r esour ces. He suggest ed t hat wit hin f ive year s, you m ight have hundr eds of t hese f acilit ies built ar ound m ajor cit ies and key indust r ial em ission sit es. "
" But you put an end t o such possibilit ies? " G oyet t e asked, his eyes bor ing int o Zak.
The assassin sm iled. " No bodies, r em em ber ? The lab and al t heir r esear ch m at er ials ar e hist or y, as you r equest ed. But t he chief r esear cher is st il alive and she knows t he f or m ula. I 'd vent ur e t her e's a good chance plent y m or e people know t he r ecipe by now. "
G oyet t e st ar ed at Zak wit hout blinking, wonder ing if it had been a m ist ake t o r ein in t he assassin t his one t im e.
" Your own m ole is pr obably of f seling t he r esult s t o a com pet it or as we speak, " Zak cont inued.
" He won't live long if he does, " G oyet t e r eplied. His nost r ils f lar ed as he shook his head. " This could kil m y car bon sequest r at ion plant expansion. W or se st il, it would per m it t he At habasca r ef iner ies t o com e back on line, even expand. That 'd dr ive down t he pr ice of At habasca bit um en, it 'd r uin m y cont r act wit h t he Chinese! I won't have it ! "
Zak laughed at G oyet t e's gr eed- induced anger , which dr ove t he m ogul t o m or e f ur y. Reaching int o his pocket , he puled out a sm al gr ay pebble and bounced it acr oss t he desk. G oyet t e inst inct ively caught it against his chest .
" M it chel, M it chel, M it chel . . . You ar e m issing t he big pict ur e. W her e's t he gr and envir onm ent alist , t he King of G r een, t he t r ee hugger 's best f r iend?"
" W hat ar e you babbling about ?" G oyet t e sneer ed.
" You'r e holding it in your hand. A m iner al caled r ut henium . O t her wise known as t he cat alyst t o ar t if icial phot osynt hesis. I t is t he key t o t he whole t hing. "
G oyet t e st udied t he st one wit h quiet r egar d.
" G o on, " he r eplied cur t ly.
" I t is r ar er t han gold. Ther e ar e only a f ew places on ear t h wher e t he st uf f has ever been m ined and ever y one of t hose m ines has gone kaput . This sam ple cam e f r om a geology war ehouse in O nt ar io, and t hey m ight wel be t he last sour ce of t he st uf f . W it hout r ut henium , t her e can be no ar t if icial phot osynt hesis, and your pr oblem is solved. I 'm not saying it can be done, but whoever owns t he supply of t he m iner al wil own t he solut ion t o global war m ing. Think how your gr een f r iends would wor ship you t hen?"
I t was t he per f ect t onic of gr eed and power t hat m ade G oyet t e t ick. Zak could alm ost see t he dolar signs light up in his eyes as he digest ed t he possibilit ies.
" Yes, " G oyet t e nodded hungr ily. " Yes, we'l have t o explor e t he m ar ket . I 'l get som e people on it at once. "
St ar ing back at Zak, he asked, " You seem t o have a bit of t he bloodhound in you. How would you like t o visit t his war ehouse in O nt ar io and f ind out wher e t his r ut henium cam e f r om and how m uch of a supply is lef t ?"
" Pr oviding Ter r a G r een Air is oper at ing a scheduled f light , " Zak r eplied wit h a sm ile.
" You can use t he jet , " G oyet t e gr um bled. " But t her e's anot her m at t er of m inor im por t ance t hat r equir es your at t ent ion bef or ehand. I t seem s I have a sm al annoyance in Kit im at . "
" Kit im at . I sn't t hat near Pr ince Ruper t ?"
G oyet t e nodded and handed Zak t he f ax he had r eceived f r om t he nat ur al r esour ces m inist er . Reading t he docum ent , Zak nodded, t hen gulped down his m ar t ini.
" I 'l t ake car e of it on t he way t o O nt ar io, " he said, st uf f ing t he f ax int o his pocket and r ising f r om t he chair . He m oved t owar d t he door , t hen t ur ned back t owar d G oyet t e.
" You know, t hat r esear ch m ole of your s, Bob Ham ilt on? You m ight consider post ing him a nice bonus f or t he inf or m at ion he pr ovided. M ight m ake you a bit of m oney down t he r oad. "
" I suppose, " G oyet t e gr unt ed, t hen he closed his eyes and gr im aced. " Just knock next t im e, wil you please?" he said.
But when he opened his eyes, Zak was alr eady gone.
32

THE TRUE DI E- HARD M EM BERS O F THE PO TO M AC Yacht Club had alr eady capit alized on t he spar kling Sunday- m or ning weat her and t aken t o t he r iver in t heir sailboat s by t he t im e Pit t st epped ont o t he m ain dock at nine o'clock. An over weight m an t ot ing an em pt y gas can t r udged t owar d Pit t , sweat ing pr of usely in t he m uggy m or ning air .
" Excuse m e, " Pit t asked, " can you t el m e wher e t he Rober t a Ann is ber t hed?"
The f at m an's f ace br ight ened at t he nam e. " That 's Dan M ar t in's boat . He's on t he f ar dock, t he t hir d or f our t h ber t h down. Tel him Tony want s his elect r ic dr il back. "
Pit t t hanked t he m an and m ade his way t o t he last dock, quickly spot t ing t he Rober t a Ann as he st epped down a r am p f r om t he quay. She was a gleam ing wood sailboat of just under f or t y f eet . Built in Hong Kong in t he 1930s, she was al var nished t eak and m ahogany, accent ed by loads of br ass f it t ings t hat spar kled in t he sunlight . I n im peccable condit ion, she was a boat t hat oozed t he r om ance of anot her er a. Adm ir ing t he sleek lines, Pit t could pr act icaly envision Clar k G able and Car ole Lom bar d sailing her under t he st ar s t o Cat alina wit h a case of cham pagne aboar d. The im age was shat t er ed by a st r ing of f our - let t er wor ds t hat suddenly waf t ed f r om t he st er n. Pit t walked closer , t o f ind a m an hunched down in a bay t hat housed t he sailboat 's sm al inboar d m ot or .
" Per m ission t o com e aboar d?" Pit t caled out .
The m an popped upr ight , a f r ust r at ed snar l on his f ace sof t ening at t he sight of Pit t .
" Dir k Pit t . W hat a pleasant sur pr ise. Com e t o m ock m y sea- f ar ing ways?"
" O n t he cont r ar y. You have t he Rober t a Ann looking shipshape and Br ist ol f ashion, " Pit t said, st epping aboar d and shaking hands wit h Dan M ar t in. A t ough Bost onian wit h t hick br own hair , M ar t in gazed at Pit t t hr ough a pair of elf in blue eyes t hat seem ed t o dance wit h m ir t h.
" Tr ying t o get her pr epped f or t he Pr esident 's Cup Regat t a next weekend, but t he inboar d m ot or is giving m e f it s. New car bur et or , wir ing, and f uel pum p, yet she st il doesn't want t o f ir e up. "
Pit t leaned over t he hat ch and st udied t he f our - cylinder engine.
" That looks like t he m ot or f r om an old Am er ican Aust in, " he said, r ecaling a m inuscule car built in t he t went ies and t hir t ies.
" G ood guess. I t 's act ualy an Am er ican Bant am m ot or . The second owner had an Am er ican Bant am dealer ship and appar ent ly t or e out t he or iginal engine and inser t ed t he Bant am . She r an f ine unt il I decided t o over haul her . "
" Always t he case. "
" Can I get you a beer ?" M ar t in of f er ed, r ubbing his oil- st ained hands on a r ag.
" A lit t le ear ly f or m e, " Pit t r eplied, shaking his head.
M ar t in kicked open a near by ice chest and r um m aged ar ound unt il he locat ed a bot t le of Sam Adam s. Popping t he cap, he leaned on a r ail and inhaled a lar ge swig.
" I t ake it you didn't com e down her e st r ict ly t o t alk boat s, " he said.
" No, t hat 's sim ply a bonus, " Pit t said wit h a gr in. " Act ualy, Dan, I was wonder ing what you know about t he explosion at t he G eor ge W ashingt on Univer sit y r esear ch lab last week. "
" Since t he Dir ect or of NUM A isn't caling at m y of f ice, I pr esum e t his is an unof f icial inquir y?"
" Ent ir ely of f - t he- r ecor d, " Pit t r eplied wit h a nod.
" W hat 's your int er est ?" M ar t in t ur ned his gaze t o t he beer bot t le, st udying it s label.
" Lisa Lane, t he scient ist whose lab exploded, is a close f r iend of m y wif e's. I had just walked int o t he building t o give her a r epor t when t he place det onat ed. "
" Am azing nobody was kiled, " M ar t in r eplied. " But it does appear t o have been a m easur ed blast . "
" You have people wor king on it ?"
M ar t in nodded. " W hen t he D. C. police couldn't ident if y a cause, t hey f lagged it as a pot ent ial t er r or ist act and caled us in. W e sent t hr ee agent s over a f ew days ago. "
Dan M ar t in was t he dir ect or of t he FBI 's Dom est ic Ter r or ism O per at ions Unit wit hin t he agency's Count er t er r or ism Division. Like Pit t , M ar t in had an af f init y f or old car s as wel as boat s, and had becom e f r iends wit h t he NUM A Dir ect or af t er com pet ing against him at a vint age aut o concour s som e year s ear lier .
" So nobody believes t he explosion was an accident ?" Pit t asked.
" W e can't say def init ively just yet , but t hings ar e looking in t hat dir ect ion. A r upt ur ed gas line was t he f ir st t hing police invest igat or s looked at , but t he epicent er of t he explosion was wel away f r om t he near est gas line. The building's gas line didn't in f act r upt ur e f r om t he explosion, which could have caused m uch m or e dam age. "
" That would seem t o suggest t hat t he sour ce was a plant ed device, if not som et hing in t he lab it self . "
M ar t in nodded. " I 've been t old t hat t her e wer e canist er s of oxygen and car bon dioxide in t her e, so t hat 's one suspicion. But m y agent s have per f or m ed a f ul r esidue sam pling t est , so t hat ought t o t el us if t her e was any f or eign m at er ial involved t hat can't be placed in t he lab. I 'm expect ing t he r esult s on m y desk t om or r ow. "
" M iss Lane didn't seem t o believe it was caused by anyt hing t hat she br ought int o t he lab. Ar e you f am iliar wit h her ar ea of r esear ch? "
" Som e sor t of biochem ist r y r elat ed t o gr eenhouse gases, is what I was t old. "
Pit t explained Lisa's at t em pt t o cr eat e ar t if icial phot osynt hesis and her br eakt hr ough discover y r ight bef or e t he explosion.
" You t hink t her e m ight be a connect ion wit h her r esear ch wor k?" M ar t in asked, dr aining his beer and t ossing t he em pt y back int o t he cooler .
" I have no evidence, just a suspicion. You'l know as m uch when you det er m ine if t her e was a plant ed explosive. "
" Any likely culpr it s?"
Pit t shook his head. " Lane had no conceivable suspect s when I asked her dir ect ly. "
" I f we r ule out an accident al explosion, t hen we'l st ar t t he backgr ound invest igat ions and see if t her e wer e any per sonal m ot ivat ions lur king about . But I 'l add pot ent ial indust r ial sabot age t o t he list . Ther e m ight be som e out st anding lawsuit s against G W U t hat wil give us a dir ect ion t o look. "
" Ther e's one ot her avenue you m ight exam ine. Lane's assist ant , a f elow nam ed Bob Ham ilt on. Again, I 've got no evidence, but som et hing st r uck m e as odd r egar ding his absence f r om t he ar ea when t he lab went up. "
M ar t in looked at Pit t , r eading a disquiet ing sign in his eyes. He knew Pit t wel enough t o r ealize he wasn't engaging in baseless hunches or abject par anoia. I f Pit t had an inst inct , it was pr obably as good as m oney in t he bank.
" I 'l have him checked out , " M ar t in pr om ised. " Anyt hing else on your m ind?"
Pit t nodded wit h a sly sm ile. " A case of m isalignm ent , " he said, t hen clim bed int o t he sm al engine bay. He r eached over t he engine and unclipped a high- m ount ed dist r ibut or cap. Rot at ing it one hundr ed and eight y degr ees, he set it back on t he dist r ibut or housing and r eplaced t he clip.
" Tr y her now, " he t old M ar t in.
The FBI m an st epped over t o t he sailboat 's cockpit and hit t he st ar t er but t on. The lit t le engine t ur ned over t wice, t hen f ir ed t o lif e, idling like a sewing m achine on st er oids. M ar t in let t he engine war m up f or a f ew m inut es, t hen shut it of f , a look of em bar r assm ent on his f ace.
" By t he way, Tony is looking f or his dr il, " Pit t said, r ising t o leave.
M ar t in sm iled. " G ood of you t o st op by, Dir k. I 'l let you know what we com e up wit h in t he lab. "
" I 'd appr eciat e it . G ood luck in t he r egat t a. "
As Pit t clim bed ont o t he dock, M ar t in r em em ber ed som et hing and yeled over .
" I hear d you f inished t he r est or at ion on your Aubur n and have been seen r acing ar ound t own in her . I 'd love t o see her r un. "
Pit t shook his head wit h a pained look. " A nast y r um or , I 'm af r aid, " he said, t hen t ur ned and walked away.
33

THE FO RENSI C ANALYSI S O F RESI DUE FO UND I N t he G W U lab r eached M ar t in's desk at t en t he next m or ning. Af t er consult ing wit h t he lead invest igat ive agent , M ar t in picked up t he phone and caled Pit t .
" Dir k, I 've got our f ir st look at t he lab sit e- r esidue analysis. Af r aid I can't r elease a copy of t he r epor t t o you, however . "
" I under st and, " Pit t r eplied. " Can you give m e t he t hir t y- t housand- f oot view of t he f indings?"
" You wer e r ight on t he m oney. O ur lab analyst s ar e near ly cer t ain it was a plant ed explosive. They f ound t r ace sam ples of nit r oglycer in al over t he r oom . "
" I sn't t hat t he explosive elem ent of dynam it e?"
" Yes, t hat 's how it is packaged, in t he f am iliar dynam it e st icks. Not high- t ech, but it is a power f ul explosive t hat car r ies a wicked punch. "
" I didn't r ealize t hey st il m ade t he st uf f . "
" I t 's been ar ound f or year s, but t her e is st il a heavy indust r ial dem and f or it , pr im ar ily in under gr ound m ining. "
" Any chance of t r acing it s or igin?"
" Ther e ar e only a handf ul of m anuf act ur er s, and each uses a slight ly dif f er ent f or m ula, so t her e is in f act an ident if ying signat ur e in t he com pound. The lab has alr eady m at ched t he sam ples up wit h an explosives m anuf act ur er in Canada. "
" That nar r ows t hings down a bit . "
" Tr ue, but chances ar e it wil be t he end of t he line. W e'l send som e agent s up t o t alk t o t he com pany and check t heir sales r ecor ds, but I wouldn't be t oo hopef ul. The odds ar e t hat t he explosives wer e st olen f r om a m ining cust om er who doesn't even know t he st uf f is m issing. I just hope t his isn't t he st ar t of som e ser ial bom bing cam paign. "
" I 'd bet against it , " Pit t said. " I t hink Lane's r esear ch was specif icaly t ar get ed. "
" You'r e pr obably r ight . Ther e was an addit ional f inding t hat would suppor t t hat t heor y. O ur bom b analyst s det er m ined t hat t he explosives wer e packed in a car dboar d cont ainer . Unlike a pipe bom b, wher e t he shr apnel f r om t he pipe is int ended t o m aim or kil, our bom ber used a r elat ively benign appr oach. I t does appear as if t he explosion wasn't m eant t o kil, or cer t ainly kil in num ber s. "
" A saving gr ace, " Pit t r eplied, " but I t ake it your wor k is just beginning. "
" Yes, t he t est r esult s wil blow t he invest igat ion wide open. W e wil be t alking t o ever yone in t he building. That wil be our next hope, t hat som eone saw som et hing or som ebody out of place t hat wil give us our next lead. " M ar t in knew t hat r andom explosions wer e one of t he wor st cr im es t o invest igat e and of t en t he m ost dif f icult t o solve.
" Thanks f or t he updat e, Dan, and good luck. I f anyt hing com es t o m e, I 'l let you know. "
Pit t hung up and walked down t he hal t o a br ief ing on NUM A's hur r icane- war ning buoys in t he G ulf of M exico. He t hen clear ed his af t er noon calendar and m ade his way out of t he headquar t er s building. The explosion at t he G W U lab gnawed at his consciousness, and, t r y as he m ight , he couldn't shake t he f eeling t hat t her e wer e ser ious consequences at play.
He dr ove t o t he G eor get own Univer sit y Hospit al, hoping t hat Lisa had not yet been r eleased. She was st il in her r oom on t he second f loor , along wit h a squat m an in a t hr ee- piece suit . The m an r ose f r om a cor ner chair and glar ed at Pit t as he ent er ed.
" I t 's al r ight , Agent Bishop, " Lisa said f r om her bed. " This is Dir k Pit t , a f r iend of m ine. "
The FBI agent nodded wit hout em ot ion, t hen lef t t he r oom t o st and in t he halway.
" Do you believe t hat ?" Lisa said, gr eet ing Pit t . " The FBI has been quest ioning m e al day, and now t hey won't leave m e alone. "
" They m ust have a sof t spot f or pr et t y r esear ch biochem ist s, " Pit t r eplied wit h a war m gr in. He was secr et ly t hankf ul f or t he guar d, knowing t hat M ar t in was t aking t he m at t er ser iously.
Lane blushed at t he com m ent . " Lor en phoned a shor t t im e ago but didn't m ent ion t hat you would be com ing by. "
" I becam e a lit t le concer ned af t er hear ing of t he FBI 's invest igat ion, " he said.
He not ed t hat Lisa looked vast ly im pr oved since his last visit . Her color had r et ur ned, her eyes wer e clear , and her voice was st r ong. But a leg cast and a shoulder sling indicat ed t hat she was st il f ar r em oved f r om par t icipat ing in a gam e of Twist er .
" W hat 's going on? They haven't t old m e anyt hing, " she said, giving him a pleading look.
" They t hink it m ay have been a plant ed bom b t hat blew up. "
" I f igur ed t hat 's what t hey wer e dr iving at , " she said in a whisper . " I just can't believe t hat would be t r ue. "
" They appar ent ly f ound r esidue of an explosive m at er ial in your lab. I know t hat it is har d t o f igur e. Do you have any enem ies, per sonal or pr of essional, t hat m ight have a gr udge?"
" I went al t hr ough t hat wit h t he FBI agent s t his m or ning, " she said, shaking her head. " Ther e's not a soul I know who could even conceive of doing such an act . And I know t he sam e goes f or Bob. "
" I t 's possible t he explosives wer e placed in your lab at r andom , per haps by som e cr azy who had a beef wit h t he univer sit y. "
" That is t he only r at ionale I can t hink of . Though Bob and I always lock t he lab when nobody is t her e. "
" Ther e is anot her possibilit y, " Pit t of f er ed. " Do you t hink a com pet it or m ight be t hr eat ened by t he r esult s of your r esear ch? "
Lisa cont em plat ed t he quest ion f or a m om ent . " I suppose it is possible. I have published paper s r elat ed t o m y gener al r esear ch, and t her e ar e f ar - r eaching ef f ect s. But t he f act is, only you, Lor en, and Bob wer e awar e of m y cat alyst br eakt hr ough. Nobody else even knew. I t seem s har d t o believe som eone could r eact so quickly, if t hey wer e indeed awar e of t he discover y. "
Pit t r em ained silent as Lisa looked out t he window f or a m om ent .
" I t seem s t o m e t hat a wor king m eans of ar t if icial phot osynt hesis would have only a posit ive benef it . I m ean, who could possibly be hur t by a r educt ion in gr eenhouse gases?"
" Answer t hat and we have a pot ent ial suspect , " Pit t said. He eyed a wheelchair par ked along t he opposit e side of t he bed. " W hen ar e t hey going t o cut you loose f r om her e?"
" The doct or said t om or r ow af t er noon, m ost likely. Not soon enough f or m e. I 'd like t o get back t o wor k and wr it e up m y f indings. "
" You can r esur r ect t he t est r esult s?" Pit t asked.
" Concept ualy, it 's al st il up her e, " she said, t apping a f inger t o her head. " I 'l have t o bor r ow a bit of lab equipm ent t o r e- docum ent t hings, however . That 's pr oviding t he O nt ar io M iner s Co- op can com e up wit h anot her sam ple of r ut henium . "
" Your sour ce of t he m iner al?"
" Yes. I t 's ver y cost ly. The st uf f m ay end up being m y downf al. "
" You should be able t o obt ain m or e gr ant m oney now, I would t hink. "
" I t 's not just t he cost of t he r ut henium , it 's t he act ual availabilit y. Bob says it is alm ost im possible t o f ind. "
Pit t t hought a m om ent , t hen sm iled at Lisa.
" Don't wor r y, t hings wil wor k out . I bet t er not int er r upt your convalescence any m or e. I f you need som eone t o push your wheelchair , don't hesit at e t o cal. "
" Thanks, Dir k. You and Lor en have been t oo kind. As soon as I 'm m obile, you t wo ar e invit ed f or dinner . "
" I can't wait . "
Pit t m ade his way back t o his car , not ing t hat t he t im e was near ly f ive- t hir t y. Folowing a hunch, he caled Lor en and t old her he would be lat e, t hen dr ove back t o t he NUM A building. Riding t he elevat or t o t he t ent h f loor , he exit ed int o t he hear t of t he agency's com put er oper at ions. An im posing ar r ay of t he lat est inf or m at ion pr ocessor s and st or age devices held an unequaled r eposit or y of dat a on t he wor ld's oceans. Up- t o- t he- second cur r ent , t ide, and weat her condit ions f r om sat elit e- f ed sea buoys gave an inst ant snapshot of ever y m ajor body of wat er ar ound t he globe. The com put er syst em also housed a m ount ain of oceanogr aphic r esear ch m at er ials, alowing inst ant access t o t he lat est f indings in m ar ine science.
Pit t f ound a m an in a ponyt ail seat ed at a lar ge console, ar guing wit h an at t r act ive wom an st anding a f ew f eet in f r ont of him . Hir am Yaeger was t he ar chit ect of t he NUM A com put er cent er and an exper t in dat abase m anagem ent . Though dr essed eclect icaly in a t ie- dyed T- shir t and cowboy boot s, Yaeger was a devot ed f am ily m an who dot ed on his t wo t eenage daught er s. Pit t knew Yaeger always m ade br eakf ast f or his wif e and daught er s and of t en sneaked away t o soccer gam es and concer t r ecit als in t he af t er noon, m aking up t he lost t im e dur ing t he evening hour s.
As Pit t walked near , he m ar veled, as he always did, t hat t he wom an ar guing wit h Yaeger was not r eal but r at her a hologr am t hat looked r em ar kably t hr ee- dim ensional. Designed by Yaeger him self as a com put er int er f ace t o t he vast net wor k syst em , t he hologr aphic wom an was m odeled af t er his wif e and af f ect ionat ely nam ed M ax.
" M r . Pit t , can you please st r aight en out Hir am , " M ax said, t ur ning t owar d Pit t . " He doesn't want t o believe m e when I t el him a wom an's handbag should m at ch her shoes. "
" I always t r ust what you have t o say, " Pit t r eplied wit h a nod.
" Thank you. Ther e you have it , " she t ur ned, lect ur ing Yaeger .
" Fine, f ine, " Yaeger r eplied, t hr owing up his hands. " Som e help you ar e in picking out a bir t hday pr esent f or m y wif e. "
Yaeger t ur ned t owar d Pit t . " I should never have pr ogr am m ed her t o ar gue like m y wif e, " he said, shaking his head.
Pit t t ook a seat next t o him . " You want ed her t o be as lif elike as possible, " he count er ed wit h a laugh.
" Tel m e you have som et hing t o t alk about besides ladies' f ashions, " he pleaded.
" As a m at t er of f act , I 'd like M ax t o help m e wit h a f ew m iner alogy quest ions. "
" A welcom e change of t opics, " M ax r eplied, peer ing down her nose at Yaeger . " I 'm delight ed t o help you, Dir ect or . W hat is it t hat you would like t o know?"
" For st ar t er s, what can you t el m e about t he m iner al r ut henium ? "
M ax closed her eyes f or a second, t hen spoke r apidly. " Rut henium is a t r ansit ion m et al of t he plat inum gr oup, known f or it s har dness. Silver y whit e in color , it is t he f or t y- f our t h elem ent , also known by it s sym bol Ru. The nam e der ives f r om t he Lat in wor d r us, f r om which Russia or iginat es. A Russian geologist , Kar l Klaus, m ade it s discover y in 1844. "
" Ar e t her e any unique dem ands f or or uses of t he m iner al?" Pit t asked.
" I t s qualit ies as a har dener , especialy when com bined wit h ot her elem ent s such as t it anium , wer e highly valued in indust r y. Supply ir r egular it ies have pr oduced a shar p r ise in pr ices r ecent ly, f or cing m anuf act ur er s t o t ur n t o ot her com pounds. "
" How expensive can it be?" asked Yaeger .
" I t is one of t he r ar est m iner als f ound on ear t h. Recent spot m ar ket pr ices have exceeded t welve t housand dolar s an ounce. "
" W ow, " Yaeger r eplied. " That 's t en t im es t he pr ice of gold. W ish I owned a r ut henium m ine. "
" Hir am r aises a good quest ion, " Pit t said. " W her e is t he st uf f m ined? "
M ax f r owned f or a m om ent as her com put er pr ocessor s sif t ed t hr ough t he dat abases.
" The supplies ar e r at her unset t led at t he m om ent . Sout h Af r ica and t he Ur al M ount ains of Russia have been t he hist or ical sour ces f or m ined r ut henium in t he last cent ur y. Appr oxim at ely t en m et r ic t ons a year was m ined in Sout h Af r ica f r om a single m ine in Bushveld, but t heir out put peaked in t he 1970s and f el t o near ly zer o by 2000. Even wit h t he r un- up in pr ice, t hey've had no new pr oduct ion. "
" I n ot her wor ds, t heir m ines have played out , " Pit t suggest ed.
" Yes, t hat is cor r ect . Ther e have been no signif icant discover ies m ade in t he r egion in over f or t y year s. "
" That st il leaves t he Russians, " Yaeger said.
M ax shook her head. " The Russian r ut henium cam e f r om just t wo sm al m ines adjacent t o each ot her in t he Vissim Valey. Their pr oduct ion had act ualy peaked back in t he 1950s. A sever e landslide dest r oyed and bur ied bot h m ining oper at ions sever al year s ago. The Russians have abandoned bot h sit es, st at ing it would t ake m any year s t o r et ur n eit her m ine t o oper at ion. "
" No wonder t he pr ice is so st eep, " Yaeger said. " W hat 's your int er est in t he m iner al, Dir k?"
Pit t descr ibed Lisa Lane's ar t if icial phot osynt hesis discover y and t he r ole of r ut henium as a cat alyst , along wit h t he explosion in t he lab. Yaeger let out a low whist le af t er digest ing t he im plicat ions.
" That 's going t o m ake an unsuspect ing m ine owner a r ich m an, " he said.
" O nly if t he st uf f can be f ound, " Pit t r eplied. " W hich m akes m e wonder , M ax, wher e would I go t o pur chase a bulk quant it y of r ut henium ?"
M ax looked up t owar d t he ceiling. " Let 's see . . . t her e ar e one or t wo W al St r eet pr ecious- com m odit ies br oker s t hat would be able t o sel you som e f or invest m ent pur poses, but t he quant it ies available ar e quit e sm al. I 'm only f inding a sm al plat inum m ine in Sout h Am er ica t hat has t r ace by- pr oduct quant it ies f or sale, which would r equir e f ur t her pr ocessing. The pr esent known st ocks of t he m iner al appear t o be quit e m eager . The only ot her publicized sour ce is t he O nt ar io M iner s Co- op, which list s a lim it ed quant it y of high- gr ade r ut henium available by t he t r oy ounce. "
" The Co- op is wher e Lisa obt ained her sam ple, " Pit t st at ed. " W hat m or e can you t el m e about it ?"
" The M iner s Co- op r epr esent s independent ly owned m ines acr oss Canada, act ing as wholesale out let f or m ined or e. Their headquar t er s is in t he t own of Blind River , O nt ar io. "
" Thank you, M ax. You've been a gr eat help, as always, " Pit t said. He had long ago t r anscended his uneasiness at speaking t o t he com put er ized im age and, like Yaeger , alm ost f elt like M ax was a r eal per son.
" A pleasur e anyt im e, " M ax r eplied wit h a nod. Tur ning t o Yaeger , she adm onished, " Now, don't you f or get about m y advice f or your wif e. "
" G ood- bye, M ax, " Yaeger r eplied, t apping at a keyboar d. I n an inst ant , M ax disappear ed f r om view. Yaeger t ur ned t o Pit t .
" A sham e your f r iend's discover y m ay be f or naught if t her e's no r ut henium ar ound t o power t he pr ocess. "
" As im por t ant as t he r am if icat ions ar e, a sour ce wil be f ound, " Pit t said conf ident ly.
" I f your hunch about t he lab explosion is cor r ect , t hen som ebody else alr eady knows about t he scar cit y of t he m iner al. "
Pit t nodded. " M y f ear as wel. I f t hey ar e wiling t o kil t o halt t he r esear ch, t hen t hey ar e pr obably wiling t o t r y and m onopolize t he r em aining supplies. "
" So wher e do you go f r om her e?"
" Ther e's only one place t o go, " he said. " The O nt ar io M iner s Co- op, t o see how m uch r ut henium r ealy is lef t on t he planet . "
34

PART I I
BLACK KO BLUNA

SUM M ER W AS W AI TI NG AT THE DO CK W HEN SHE spot t ed Tr evor 's boat m ot or ing acr oss t he har bor . She wor e a t ight - f it t ing saf f r on- color ed sweat er , which accent uat ed t he r adiant r ed hair t hat dangled loose beneat h her shoulder s. Her gr ay eyes sof t ened as t he boat appr oached t he dock and Tr evor leaned out of t he wheelhouse and waved.
" G oing m y way, sailor ?" she asked wit h a gr in.
" I f I wasn't bef or e, I am now, " he r eplied wit h an appr oving look. He r eached up and gave Sum m er a hand as she clim bed ont o t he boat .
" W her e's Dir k?" he asked.
" His head was st il pounding t his m or ning, so he t ook som e aspir in and went back t o bed. "
Tr evor shoved t he boat away f r om t he pier and m ot or ed past t he m unicipal dock bef or e t ur ning int o t he har bor . Had he glanced at t he dock's sm al dir t par king lot , he m ight have not iced a shar p- dr essed m an sit t ing in a br own Jeep obser ving t heir depar t ur e.
" Did you f inish your inspect ion t his m or ning?" Sum m er asked, as t hey cr uised past a heavily loaded lum ber ship.
" Yes. The alum inum sm elt er is just looking at a m inor expansion of t heir r eceiving yar d. M andat or y envir onm ent al im pact st at em ent sor t of st uf f . " He looked at Sum m er wit h a t wist ed gr in. " I was r elieved not t o f ind t he police wait ing f or m e at t he boat t his m or ning. "
" I doubt anybody saw you at t he Ter r a G r een f acilit y. I t 's Dir k and m e who ar e m ost likely t o end up on a W ANTED post er at t he Kit im at post of f ice, " she r eplied wit h an uneasy laugh.
" I 'm sur e t he plant secur it y is not going t o f ile a r epor t wit h t he police. Af t er al, as f ar as t hey know, t hey'r e r esponsible f or Dir k's m ur der . "
" Unless a sur veilance cam er a caught you f ishing him out alive. "
" I n which case, we'r e al in a bit of t r ouble. " He t ur ned and gave Sum m er a concer ned look. " M aybe it would be a good idea if you and Dir k kept a low pr of ile ar ound t own. A t al, gor geous r edhead t ends t o st and out in Kit im at . "
Rat her t han blush, Sum m er m oved closer t o Tr evor and looked deep int o his eyes. He let go of t he boat 's wheel and slipped his ar m s ar ound her waist , dr awing her t ight . Ret ur ning her gaze, he kissed her once, long and passionat ely.
" I don't want anyt hing t o happen t o you, " he whisper ed.
The pilot of a sm al f r eight er passing t he ot her way happened t o wit ness t he em br ace and blew his hor n at t he t wo. Tr evor casualy r eleased one hand and waved at t he f r eight er , t hen r et ook t he wheel. Sailing br iskly down Douglas Channel, he kept his ot her ar m locked t ight ly ar ound Sum m er 's t hin waist .
The t ur quoise NUM A boat was m oor ed as t hey had lef t it , and Sum m er quickly had t he vessel under way. The t wo boat s playf uly r aced each ot her back t o Kit im at , passing f ar ar ound t he Ter r a G r een f acilit y wit hout incident . They had just t ied up at t he m unicipal pier when Dir k cam e r am bling down t he dock. His gait was slow, and he wor e a basebal cap t o cover t he bandage acr oss his skul.
" How's t he head?" Tr evor inquir ed.
" Bet t er , " Dir k r eplied. " The pounding has gone down f r om dynam it e t o sledgeham m er st r engt h. The Bels of St . M ar y's ar e st il r inging loud and clear , t hough. "
Sum m er f inished t ying up t he NUM A boat and walked over t o t he t wo m en wit h a t hick case in her hand.
" You r eady t o get t o wor k?" she asked.
" The wat er sam ples, " Tr evor said.
" Yes, t he wat er sam ples, " she r eplied, holding up t he Kit im at m unicipal pool wat er - analyzing kit .
She st epped ont o Tr evor 's boat and helped gat her up t he wat er sam ples t aken t he night bef or e. Dir k and Tr evor t ook a seat on t he gunwale as Sum m er opened t he t est kit and began checking t he acidit y of t he wat er sam ples.
" I 'm showing a pH of 8. 1, " she said af t er t est ing t he f ir st sam ple. " The acidit y is just a hair above t he levels in t he sur r ounding wat er s but not signif icant . "
She pr oceeded t o t est al of her wat er sam ples and t hen t he vials colect ed by Tr evor . The r esult s wer e near ly unif or m f or each vial t est ed. As she checked t he r esult s of t he last sam ple, a def eat ed look cr ossed her f ace.
" Again, t he pH level is r eading about 8. 1. Rem ar kably, t he wat er ar ound t he Ter r a G r een f acilit y shows no abnor m al levels of acidit y. "
" That seem s t o blow our t heor y t hat t he plant is dum ping car bon dioxide, " Tr evor said.
" A gold st ar f or M it chel G oyet t e, " Dir k said sar cast icaly.
" I can't help but wonder about t he t anker ship, " Sum m er said.
Tr evor gave her a quizzical look.
" W e got sidet r acked and couldn't pr ove it , but Dir k and I bot h t hought t he t anker m ight be t aking on CO r at her t han unloading it . "
" Doesn't m ake m uch sense, unless t hey ar e t r anspor t ing it t o anot her sequest r at ion f acilit y. O r ar e dum ping it at sea. "
" Bef or e t r ailing a t anker half way ar ound t he wor ld, I t hink we need t o t ake anot her look at t he sit e wher e we m easur ed t he ext r em e wat er acidit y, " Sum m er said, " and t hat 's Hecat e St r ait . W e've got t he gear t o invest igat e, " she added, m ot ioning t owar d t he NUM A boat .
" Right , " Dir k agr eed. " W e need t o look at t he seabed of f G il I sland. The answer has t o lie t her e. "
" Can you st ay and conduct a sur vey?" Tr evor asked wit h a hopef ul t one.
Dir k looked at Sum m er . " I r eceived a cal f r om t he Seat t le of f ice. They need t he boat back by t he end of t he week f or som e wor k in Puget Sound. W e can st ay t wo m or e days, t hen we'l have t o hit t he r oad. "
" That wil alow us t im e t o exam ine a good chunk of t er r it or y of f G il I sland, " Sum m er said. " Let 's plan f or an ear ly st ar t t om or r ow. W il you be able t o join us, Tr evor ?" I t was her t ur n t o give a hopef ul look.
" I wouldn't m iss it , " he r eplied happily.
As t hey wer e leaving t he dock t oget her , t he br own Jeep wit h a r ent al- agency st icker on it s bum per cr uised slowly along t he adjacent r oadway. The dr iver st opped br ief ly at a clear ing, which gave an unobst r uct ed view of t he m unicipal dock and har bor . Behind t he wheel, Clay Zak gazed out t he windshield, st udying t he t wo boat s at t he end of t he dock t ied up one behind t he ot her . He nodded t o him self , t hen cont inued dr iving slowly down t he r oad.
35

W HEN TREVO R ARRI VED AT THE DO CK ARO UND seven t he next m or ning, Dir k and Sum m er wer e alr eady laying out t heir sonar equipm ent on t he st er n deck. He gave Sum m er a quick peck while Dir k was occupied coiling a t ow cable, t hen he puled a sm al cooler ont o t he boat .
" Hope ever yone can st om ach som e f r esh sm oked salm on f or lunch, " he said.
" I 'd say t hat 's a vast im pr ovem ent over Dir k's st ockpile of peanut but t er and dil pickles, " Sum m er r eplied.
" Never have t o wor r y about it going bad, " Dir k def ended. He walked int o t he wheelhouse and st ar t ed t he boat 's m ot or , t hen r et ur ned t o t he st er n deck.
" I 'l need t o r ef uel bef or e we head out , " he announced.
" Ther e's a f uel dock just ar ound t he bend, " Tr evor r eplied. " I t 's a lit t le cheaper t han t he gas at t he cit y m ar ina. " He t hought f or a m om ent . " I 'm a lit t le low m yself . W hy don't you f olow m e over , and we can dr op of f m y boat on t he way out of t he channel. "
Dir k nodded in agr eem ent , and Tr evor hopped ont o t he deck and st r oled down t o his boat m oor ed just behind t he NUM A vessel. He unlocked t he door t o t he wheelhouse, t hen f ir ed up t he inboar d diesel, list ening t o it s deep t hr oat y idle. Checking his f uel gauge, he not ed a pair of sunglasses on t he dashboar d t hat Sum m er had lef t behind. Looking up, he saw her unt ying t he dock lines t o t he NUM A boat . G r abbing t he glasses, he hopped of f t he boat and jogged down t he dock.
" Som e pr ot ect ion f or t hose pr et t y gr ay eyes?" he asked.
Sum m er t ossed t he bow line aboar d, t hen looked up t o see Tr evor st anding wit h her sunglasses in an out st r et ched hand. She gazed skywar d f or a m om ent , t aking in a t hick layer of r ain clouds over head, bef or e locking eyes wit h him .
" A t ad over kil f or t oday, but t hanks f or pr oving you ar e not a t hief . "
She r eached over and gr abbed t he sunglasses as a shar p cr ack suddenly er upt ed behind t hem . The r epor t was f olowed by a t hunder ous blast t hat f lung t hem t o t he dock, a shower of splint er s t ear ing over t heir heads. Tr evor f el f or war d and ont o Sum m er , pr ot ect ing her f r om t he debr is, as sever al sm al chunks of wood and f iber glass st r uck him in t he back.
A sim ple f ive- m inut e t im ed saf et y f use, at t ached t o f our car t r idges of nit r oglycer in dynam it e and wir ed t o t he ignit ion swit ch of Tr evor 's boat , had init iat ed t he inf er no. The blast near ly r ipped t he ent ir e st er n sect ion of f t he Canadian boat , while f lat t ening m ost of t he wheelhouse. The st er n quickly sank f r om sight while t he m angled bow clung st ubbor nly t o t he sur f ace, dangling at a gr ot esque angle by t he at t ached dock line.
Dir k was st anding in t he cabin of his own vessel when t he blast st r uck and was unscat hed by any f lying debr is. He im m ediat ely scr am bled ont o t he dock and f ound Sum m er , being helped t o her f eet by Tr evor . Like Dir k, she was unhur t by t he blast . Tr evor was less f or t unat e. His back was soaked wit h blood f r om a lar ge splint er em bedded in his shoulder , and he lim ped f r om a t im ber t hat had slam m ed int o his leg. He ignor ed t he injur ies and hobbled over t o t he sm older ing r em ains of his boat . Sum m er and Dir k checked each ot her t o ensur e t hey wer e uninjur ed, t hen Dir k jum ped back aboar d and gr abbed a f ir e ext inguisher , dousing sever al sm older ing piles of debr is t hat t hr eat ened t o st ar t a lar ger f ir e.
Sum m er f ound a t owel and hur r ied over t o Tr evor , who was com pr essing t he cut on his shoulder as he st ar ed blankly at t he r uins of his boat . As a police sir en wailed it s im m inent appr oach, Tr evor t ur ned and gazed at Sum m er wit h a look of hur t and anger .
" I t has t o be Ter r a G r een, " he m ut t er ed quiet ly. " I wonder if t hey kiled m y br ot her , t oo?"
AT A HARBO RSI DE CO FFEE shop t wo m iles away, Clay Zak st ar ed out t he window, adm ir ing t he plum e of sm oke and f lam e t hat r ose above t he wat er in t he dist ance. Finishing an espr esso and Danish, he lef t a lar ge t ip on t he t able, t hen walked t o his br own r ent ed Jeep par ked up t he st r eet .
" Sm oke on t he wat er , " he m ut t er ed aloud, hum m ing t he Deep Pur ple r ock t une bef or e clim bing int o t he car . W it hout t he least concer n, he dr ove t o t he air por t out side of t own, wher e M it chel G oyet t e's pr ivat e jet wait ed f or him on t he t ar m ac.
36

THE BUSI NESS JET CI RCLED THE AI RFI ELD O NCE, wait ing f or a sm al plane t o t ake of f and clear t he f ield, bef or e t he cont r ol t ower gave appr oval t o land. Paint ed in t he sam e shade of t ur quoise as it s f elow sea vessels, t he NUM A Hawker 750 t ouched down light ly on t he r unway. The sm al jet t axied t o a r edbr ick building bef or e puling t o a halt alongside a m uch lar ger G ulf st r eam G 650. The f uselage door opened and Pit t quickly st epped out , slipping on a jacket t o war d of f a br isk chil in t he air . He walked int o t he t er m inal building, wher e he was gr eet ed by a r ot und m an st anding behind a count er .
" W elcom e t o Eliot Lake. I t 's not of t en we have t wo jet s in on t he sam e day, " he said in a f r iendly r ur al voice.
" A lit t le shor t f or t he car r ier s?" Pit t asked.
" O ur r unway is only f or t y- f ive hundr ed f eet , but we hope t o expand it next year . Can I f ix you up wit h a r ent al car ?"
Pit t nodded, and soon lef t t he t er m inal wit h a set of keys t o a blue For d SUV. Spr eading a m ap on t he hood of t he car , he st udied his new sur r oundings. Eliot Lake was a sm al t own near t he nor t heast shor es of Lake Hur on. Sit uat ed som e t wo hundr ed and sevent y- f ive m iles due nor t h of Det r oit , t he t own lay in t he Algom a Dist r ict of O nt ar io Pr ovince. Sur r ounded by Canadian wilder ness, t he landscape was a lush m ix of r ugged m ount ains, winding r iver s, and deep lakes. Pit t f ound t he air por t on his m ap, car ved out of t he dense f or est a f ew m iles sout h of t he t own. He t r aced a lone highway t hat t r aveled sout h t hr ough t he m ount ains, culm inat ing on t he shor es of Lake Hur on and t he Tr ans- Canada Highway. About f if t een m iles t o t he west was Pit t 's dest inat ion, an old logging and m ining t own caled Blind River .
The dr ive was scenic, t he r oad winding past sever al m ount ain lakes and a sur ging r iver t hat dr opped over a st eep wat er f al. The t er r ain f lat t ened as he r eached t he shor es of Lake Hur on and t he t own of Blind River . He dr ove slowly t hr ough t he sm al ham let , adm ir ing t he quaint wooden hom es, which wer e m ost ly built in t he 1930s. Pit t cont inued past t he cit y lim it s unt il he spot t ed a lar ge st eel war ehouse adjacent t o a f ield lit t er ed wit h high m ounds of r ock and or e. A lar ge m aple leaf f lag f lew above a weat her ed sign t hat r ead O NTARI O M I NERS CO - O P AND REPO SI TO RY. Pit t t ur ned in and par ked near t he ent r ance as a br oad- shoulder ed m an in a br own suit walked down t he st eps and clim bed int o a lat e- m odel whit e sedan. Pit t not iced t he m an st ar ing at him t hr ough a pair of dar k sunglasses as he clim bed out of his own r ent al car and ent er ed t he building.
The dust y int er ior r esem bled a m ining m useum . Rust y or e car t s and pickaxes jam m ed t he cor ner s, alongside high shelves t hat over f lowed wit h m ining jour nals and old phot ogr aphs. Behind a long wooden count er sat a m assive ant ique banker 's saf e t hat Pit t guessed held t he m or e valuable m iner al sam ples.
Seat ed behind t he count er was an older m an who appear ed alm ost as dust y as t he r oom 's int er ior . He had a bulb- shaped head, and his gr ay hair , eyes, and m ust ache m at ched t he f aded f lannel shir t he wor e beneat h a pair of st r iped suspender s. He peer ed at Pit t t hr ough a pair of Ben Fr anklin glasses per ched low on his nose.
" G ood m or ning, " Pit t said, int r oducing him self . G azing up at a polished t in cont ainer t hat r esem bled a lar ge liquor f lask, he r em ar ked, " Beaut if ul old oil cadger you have t her e. "
The old m an's eyes lit up as he r ealized Pit t wasn't a lost t our ist looking f or dir ect ions.
" Yep, used t o r ef il t he ear ly m iner s' oil lam ps. Cam e f r om t he near by Br uce M ines. M y gr andpappy wor ked t he copper m ines t her e t il t hey shut down in 1921, " he said in a wheezy voice.
" A lot of copper in t hese hils?" Pit t asked.
" Not enough t o last long. M ost of t he copper and gold m ines shut down decades ago. At t r act ed a lot of dir t digger s in t heir day, but not t oo m any f olks got r ich f r om it , " he r eplied, shaking his head. Looking Pit t in t he eye, he asked, " W hat can I do f or you t oday?"
" I 'd like t o know about your st ock of r ut henium . "
" Rut henium ?" he asked, looking at Pit t queer ly. " You wit h t hat big f elow t hat was just in her e?"
" No, " Pit t r eplied. He r ecaled t he odd behavior of t he m an in t he br own suit and t r ied t o shake of f a nagging sense of f am iliar it y.
" That 's peculiar , " t he m an said, eyeing Pit t wit h suspicion. " That ot her f elow was f r om t he Nat ur al Resour ces M inist r y in O t t awa. Her e checking our supply and sour ces of r ut henium . O dd t hat it was t he only m iner al he was int er est ed in and you com e walking in asking about t he sam e t hing. "
" Did he t el you his nam e?"
" John Boot h, I believe he said. A bit of an odd bir d, I t hought . Now, what 's your int er est , M r . Pit t ?"
Pit t gener aly explained Lisa Lane's r esear ch at G eor ge W ashingt on Univer sit y and r ut henium 's r ole in her scient if ic wor k. He neglect ed t o disclose t he m agnit ude of her r ecent discover y or t he r ecent explosion at t he lab.
" Yes, I r ecal sending a sam ple t o t hat lab a week or t wo ago. W e don't get t oo m any r equest s f or r ut henium , just a f ew public r esear ch labs and t he occasional high- t ech com pany. W it h t he pr ice going so cr azy, not t oo m any f olks can af f or d t o dabble wit h it anym or e. O f cour se, t hat pr ice spike has m ade us a nice pr of it when we do get an or der , " he sm iled wit h a wink. " I just wish we had a sour ce t o r eplenish our invent or y. "
" You don't have an ongoing supplier ?"
" O h heavens no, not in year s. I r eckon m y st ock wil be deplet ed bef or e long. W e used t o get som e f r om a plat inum m ine in east er n O nt ar io, but t he or e t hey ar e puling out now isn't showing any m eaningf ul cont ent . No, as I was t eling M r . Boot h, m ost of our r ut henium st ocks cam e f r om t he I nuit . "
" They m ined it up nor t h?" Pit t asked.
" Appar ent ly so. I puled t he acquisit ion r ecor ds f or M r . Boot h, " he said, point ing t o an ancient leat her - bound jour nal sit t ing at t he ot her end of t he count er . " The st uf f was acquir ed over a hundr ed year s ago. Ther e's a det ailed account ing in t he logbook. The I nuit r ef er r ed t o it as t he 'Black Kobluna' or som e such. W e always caled it t he Adelaide sam ple, as t he I nuit wer e f r om a cam p on t he Adelaide Peninsula in t he Ar ct ic. "
" So t hat 's t he ext ent of t he Canadian supply of r ut henium ?"
" As f ar as I know. But nobody knows if t her e is m or e t o t he I nuit sour ce. I t al sur f aced so long ago. The st or y was t hat t he I nuit wer e af r aid t o r et ur n t o t he island wher e t hey obt ained it because of a dar k cur se. Som et hing about bad spir it s and t he sour ce being t aint ed by deat h and insanit y, or sim ilar m um bo jum bo. A t al t ale of t he nor t h, I guess. "
" I 've f ound t hat local legends of t en have som e basis in f act , " Pit t r eplied. " Do you m ind if I t ake a look at t he jour nal?"
" Not at al. " The old geologist am bled down t o t he end of t he count er and r et ur ned wit h t he book, f lipping t hr ough it s pages as he walked. A scowl suddenly cr ossed his f ace as his skin t ur ned beet r ed.
" Sant a M ar ia! " he hissed. " He t or e out t he r ecor d, r ight in f r ont of m e. Ther e was a hand- dr awn m ap of t he m ine locat ion r ight t her e. Now it 's gone. "
The old m an slam m ed t he book t o t he count er while t ur ning an angr y eye t owar d t he door . Pit t could see wher e t wo pages had been neat ly t or n f r om t he jour nal.
" I 'd vent ur e t o say t hat your M r . Boot h isn't who he said he was, " Pit t said.
" I should have suspect ed som et hing when he didn't know what a sluice box was, " t he m an gr um bled. " I don't know why he had t o def ace our r ecor ds. He could have just asked f or a copy. "
Pit t knew t he r eason why. M r . Boot h didn't want anyone else t o know t he sour ce of t he I nuit r ut henium . He slid t he jour nal ar ound and r ead a par t ial ent r y ahead of t he m issing pages.
O ct ober 22, 1917. Hor ace Tucker of t he Chur chil Tr ading
Com pany consigned f olowing unr ef ined or e quant it ies:
5 t ons of copper or e
12 t ons of lead or e
2 t ons of zinc
1/ 4 t on of r ut henium ( Adelaide " Black Kobluna" )
Sour ce and assayer com m ent s t o f olow.
" That was t he only I nuit shipm ent you have r eceived?" Pit t asked.
The old m an nodded. " That was it . The m issing pages indicat ed t hat t he m iner al had act ualy been obt ained decades ear lier . That t r ading post in Chur chil couldn't f ind a m ar ket f or t he st uf f unt il Tucker br ought a sam ple in wit h som e m iner als f r om a m ine in M anit oba. "
" Any chance t he Chur chil Tr ading Com pany r ecor ds st il exist ? "
" Pr et t y doubt f ul. They went out of business back ar ound 1960. I m et Tucker a f ew year s lat er in W innipeg shor t ly bef or e he died. I r em em ber him t eling m e how t he old log t r ading post in Chur chil had bur ned t o t he gr ound. I would im agine t heir t r ading r ecor ds wer e dest r oyed in t he f ir e. "
" I guess t hat 's t he end of t he line, t hen. I 'm sor r y about t he t hef t of your dat a, but t hank you f or shar ing what you know. "
" Hold on a second, " t he m an r eplied. He st epped over and opened t he t hick door t o t he ancient saf e. He r um m aged ar ound a wooden bin inside, t hen t ur ned and t ossed som et hing t o Pit t . I t was a t iny sm oot h st one, silver y whit e in color .
" Black Kobluna?" he asked.
" A sam ple on t he house, so t hat you know what we've been t alking about . "
Pit t r eached acr oss t he count er and shook hands wit h t he geologist , t hanking him f or his t im e.
" O ne m or e t hing, " t he old m an said, as Pit t st r oled t owar d t he door . " You r un int o t hat Boot h f elow, you be sur e and t el him I 'm com ing af t er him wit h a pickax if I ever see him again. "
The af t er noon had t ur ned colder under t he cast of an appr oaching f r ont , and Pit t wait ed anxiously f or t he car heat er t o war m up as he exit ed t he Co- op's par king lot . G r abbing a quick lunch at a caf e in Blind River , he dr ove back t hr ough t he winding m ount ain r oad t owar d t he air por t , cont em plat ing t he I nuit r ut henium t ale. The or e had t o have com e f r om t he Ar ct ic, pr esum ably near t he I nuit cam p at Adelaide. How had t he I nuit , wit h pr im it ive t echnology, m ined t he r ut henium ? W er e t her e st il signif icant r eser ves in place? And who was John Boot h and why was he int er est ed in t he I nuit or e?
The quest ions br ought no answer s as he wound t hr ough t he scenic hils, br aking as he puled up behind a slower - m oving RV. Reaching a st r aight st r et ch in t he r oad, t he RV dr iver puled t o t he shoulder and waved f or Pit t t o pass. Pit t st om ped on t he acceler at or and sped past t he m ot or hom e, which he not ed had a Color ado license plat e.
The r oad snaked shar ply ahead of him , t he t wo lanes car ving int o t he edge of a r ocky m ount ainside t hat t um bled down t o a r iver below. Twist ing t hr ough a t ight bend, Pit t could see t he r oadway a m ile ahead, wher e t he highway near ly doubled back on a par alel f acing. He caught a glim pse of a whit e sedan par ked in a t ur nout . I t was t he sam e vehicle t hat John Boot h had clim bed int o at t he Co- op. Pit t lost sight of t he car as t he r oadway bent and t wist ed once m or e.
Rounding t hr ough a t ight S cur ve, t he r oad st r aight ened again f or a shor t st r et ch. To Pit t 's lef t , t he hilside plunged in a st eep dr op- of f , f aling sever al hundr ed f eet t o t he r iver below. As his r ent al car gained speed on t he st r aight away, Pit t hear d a f aint pop, like t he bur st of a dist ant Four t h of July f ir ewor k. He glanced ahead but not iced not hing, as a deep r um ble f olowed t he init ial noise. A m ovem ent caught his eye, and he looked up t o see a house- sized boulder sliding down t he m ount ainside above him . The huge r ock was f aling in a per f ect t r aject or y t o int er sect wit h Pit t 's car t wo hundr ed f eet down t he r oad.
Pit t inst ant ly st om ped on t he br akes, m ashing t he pedal t o t he f loor boar d. The t ir es chir ped and shim m ied in pr ot est , but t he car 's ant ilock br aking syst em kept t he vehicle f r om skidding uncont r olably. I n t he br ief seconds Pit t wait ed f or t he car t o st op, he obser ved t hat a f ul landslide was now under way. I n addit ion t o t he huge r ock, a whole wal of r ocks and gr avel was chasing t he boulder down t he m ount ainside. W it h seem ingly half of t he m ount ain bar r eling t owar d him , he knew he would have only one chance t o escape.
His quick br aking slowed t he car just enough t o pr event him f r om being f lat t ened by t he f ir st m am m ot h boulder . The huge r ock hit t he asphalt just t went y f eet in f r ont of him , splint er ing int o sever al sm aler sect ions. M ost of t he r ock pieces cont inued t heir downhil slide, sm ashing t hr ough t he guar dr ail and t um bling down t he st eep pr ecipice t owar d t he r iver . A f ew lar ge chunks died on t he r oad, soon t o be bur ied by t he im peding landslide t hat f olowed.
Pit t 's car skidded int o one of t he chunks, a f lat t ened slab of gr anit e t hat inst ant ly st opped his m om ent um . Though it m ashed t he bum per and gr ile, t he car 's m echanics wer e undam aged. I nside, Pit t f elt only a st r ong jolt , but it was enough t o inf lat e t he air bag, which balooned in f r ont of his chest as t he vehicle bounced backwar d. Pit t 's quick senses had beat en t he air bag, t hough. He had alr eady jam m ed t he aut om at ic t r ansm ission in t o r ever se and st om ped on t he acceler at or at t he m om ent of im pact .
The r ear t ir es sm oked as t hey spun wildly bef or e gr ipping t he pavem ent and pr opeling t he car backwar d. Pit t gr ipped t he st eer ing wheel and held it st eady as t he car t r ied t o f isht ail f r om t he sudden r ear war d t or que bef or e set t ling on a st able line. The t r ansm ission scr eam ed beneat h Pit t 's f eet as t he low- r at io r ever se gear f ought t o m aint ain r evolut ions wit h t he f loor ed engine. Pit t glanced up t he hil t o see t he sliding m ass of r ocks and gr avel alr eady descending upon him . The landslide had spr ead acr oss a wide line, ext ending wel t o his r ear . He quickly r ealized t her e was no way he could out r un it .
Like a slat e- color ed t idal wave, t he sliding wal of r ock cascaded ont o t he r oadway, spiling f ir st a f ew yar ds in f r ont of him . For an inst ant , it appear ed as if t he speeding car m ight slip past t he deluge, but t hen a separ at e clust er of boulder s br oke f r ee and cr ashed t o t he r oad behind him . Pit t could do not hing but hold on as t he car bar r eled int o t he m oving layer of r ocks wit h a scr eeching peal of t wist ed m et al.
The car scr aped over a lar ge boulder , snapping of f t he r ear axle and sending one of t he dr ive wheels car eening down t he hil. Pit t was t hr own back int o his seat as a secondar y wal of f aling r ocks sm ashed int o t he passenger side, lif t ing t he car up and over ont o it s r oof . Pit t was f lung t o his lef t , his head st r iking a side air bag as it inf lat ed. Seconds lat er , he was jar r ed again t o t he side again, his head banging t hr ough t he def lat ing air bag unt il st r iking t he dr iver 's- side window. A gr eat bat t er ing r oar f iled his ear s as t he car was pum m eled acr oss t he r oad, slam m ing har d t o a sudden st op. I nside, Pit t t eet er ed on t he br ink of consciousness as t he sound of r ushing gr avel sur r ounded him . His vision went blur r y as he was buf f et ed in his seat , he vaguely f elt a war m wet ness on his f ace, and t hen al f eeling vanished as he dr opped int o a silent void of blackness.
37

PI TT KNEW THAT HE W AS ALI VE FRO M THE jackham m er - like pounding t hat wr acked his skul. His audit or y senses kicked in next , det ect ing a r hyt hm ic scr aping sound near by. He wr iggled his f inger s, f inding a heavy r esist ance but conf ir m ing t hat t hey wer e st il wr apped ar ound t he st eer ing wheel of t he r ent al car . Though his legs m oved f r eely, his head, chest , and ar m s f elt com plet ely r est r ict ed. The r ealizat ion t hat he couldn't br eat he suddenly st r uck his f oggy m ind and he st r uggled t o f r ee him self , but he f elt like a bound m um m y. He slowly pr ied open t he lids of his eyes, which f elt as if t hey had been glued shut , but al he saw was black.
The gr ip on his lungs gr ew t ight er and he t hr ashed har der , f inaly f r eeing a hand and f or ear m f r om t heir m yst er ious hold. He hear d a voice and a f r ant ic scuf f ling sound, t hen a scr aping sensat ion skinned his f ace as a bur st of light blinded his eyes. He sucked in a br eat h of dust y air , t hen squint ed t hr ough a t hick sur r ounding haze. St ar ing back at him was a pair of af f ect ionat e br own eyes, af f ixed t o t he t iny head of a black- and- t an dachshund. M ost conf using t o Pit t , t he dog appear ed t o be st anding upside down. The dog inched closer , snif f ing Pit t 's exposed f ace bef or e licking him on t he nose.
" O ut of t he way, M auser , he's st il alive, " cam e a m an's voice f r om near by.
A pair of t hick hands appear ed and scooped away m or e of t he dir t and gr avel t hat had bur ied Pit t 's head and t or so. Pit t 's ar m s f inaly br oke f r ee, and he helped push t he sm al m ount ain of dir t away f r om his body. Reaching up wit h his sleeve, he wiped away t he m at t ed blood and dust f r om his eyes and f inaly t ook a look at his sur r oundings. W it h t he seat belt t ugging uncom f or t ably acr oss his chest , he f inaly r ealized t hat he was t he one upside down, not t he dachshund. The helping pair of hands r eached in and f ound t he r elease but t on on t he seat belt , dr opping Pit t t o t he ceiling of t he car . Pit t shuf f led t owar d t he dr iver 's- side window, but t he hands yanked him t owar d t he open passenger door .
" You don't want t o go t hat way, m ist er . The f ir st st ep is a doozy. "
Pit t heeded t he voice and cr awled t owar d t he passenger door , wher e he was helped out and ont o his f eet . The pounding in his head eased as he st ood upr ight , but a light t r ickle of blood st il r oled down his cheek. Looking at t he dam aged car , he shook his head at t he good f or t une t hat had saved him .
The sliding m ass of r ock and gr avel t hat had bat t er ed t he car and f lipped it on it s r oof had also pushed it acr oss t he r oad, t o t he ver y edge of t he st eep chasm t hat f el t o t he r iver below. The car would have easily gone over t he edge, t aking Pit t t o his deat h, but f or a f ir m ly cem ent ed m ileage signpost . The slim m et al post caught t he car just behind t he f r ont f ender , pinning it t o t he edge of t he r oad, as t ons of loose r ock plunged down t he hil ar ound bot h ends of t he car . The r oad it self was bur ied under a m ound of dir t and r ocks f or a st r et ch of f if t y yar ds.
" M ust be som e clean living t hat kept you f r om going over t he edge, " Pit t hear d his r escuer say.
He t ur ned t o f ace a r obust older m an wit h whit e hair and bear d who st ood gazing at Pit t t hr ough a pair of jovial gr ay eyes.
" I t wasn't clean living t hat saved m e, I can assur e you, " Pit t r eplied. " Thank you f or puling m e out . I would have suf f ocat ed in t her e if you hadn't dug your way in. "
" Don't m ent ion it . W hy don't you com e on back t o t he RV and let m e pat ch you up, " t he m an said, point ing t o a m ot or hom e par ked on unblem ished asphalt a f ew yar ds away. I t was t he sam e m ot or hom e t hat Pit t had passed ear lier on t he r oad.
Pit t nodded and f olowed t he m an and t he lit t le black- and- t an dachshund as t hey clim bed int o an open side door of t he RV. Pit t was sur pr ised t o f ind t he int er ior f inished in t eak and polished br ass, which gave t he look of a luxur y cabin on a sailing ship. O n one wal he cur iously not iced a bookcase f iled wit h r ef er ence guides on m ining and geology.
" W hy don't you get your self cleaned up while I f ind m y m edical kit ?" t he m an said.
Pit t washed his hands and f ace in a por celain sink as a Royal Canadian M ount ed Police car r aced up wit h it s light s f lashing. The old m an st epped out and spoke t o t he police, t hen r et ur ned a f ew m inut es lat er and helped Pit t apply a bandage t o a t hin gash t hat zigzagged acr oss t he lef t side of his scalp.
" The M ount ies said t her e's a highway const r uct ion cr ew wor king just a f ew m iles away. They can get a f r ont - end loader over her e pr et t y quick, and should have a lane clear ed t hr ough t he r ocks in just an hour or t wo. They'l want t o t ake a r epor t f r om you when you f eel up t o it . "
" Thanks f or put t ing t hem of f . I 'm just st ar t ing t o get m y bear ings back. "
" For give m e f or not asking ear lier , you m ust sur ely need a dr ink. W hat can I get you?"
" I 'd kil f or a t equila, if you have any, " Pit t r eplied, sagging int o a sm al leat her - upholst er ed chair . The dachshund im m ediat ely jum ped int o his lap and coaxed Pit t t o pet him behind t he ear s.
" You ar e in luck, " t he m an r eplied, puling a st ubby bot t le of Don Julio t equila out of a cabinet . Swir ling t he bot t le ar ound, he said, " St il a f ew shot s lef t . "
" I 'm lucky t wice t oday. That 's a f ine br and of t equila, " Pit t r em ar ked, r ecognizing t he expensive label of blue agave cact us juice.
" M auser and I like t o t r avel wel, " t he m an said wit h a gr in as he pour ed t wo healt hy shot s f or Pit t and him self .
Pit t let t he war m liquid t r ickle down his t hr oat , adm ir ing it s com plex f lavor . He f elt his head clear alm ost im m ediat ely.
" That was quit e a slide, " t he m an said. " G ood t hing you wer en't a f ew yar ds f ar t her down t he r oad. "
" I saw it com ing and t r ied t o back away f r om it but cam e up a lit t le shor t . "
" I don't know what kind of f ool would be blast ing above an open highway, " he said, " but I sur e hope t hey cat ch t he bugger . "
" Blast ing?" Pit t asked, suddenly r ecaling t he whit e sedan he saw par ked up t he r oad.
" I hear d t he pop and not iced a puf f of whit e sm oke up t he hil r ight bef or e t hose boulder s st ar t ed dancing. I t old t he M ount ies about it , but t hey said t her e ar e no blast ing cr ews wor king anywher e ar ound her e. "
" You don't t hink it was just a lar ge boulder t hat let go and kicked up t he r est ?"
The m an knelt down and opened a wide dr awer beneat h t he bookshelf . Digging beneat h a t hick blanket , he exposed a sm al wooden box m ar ked DYNO NO BEL. Pit t r ecognized t he m anuf act ur er 's nam e as t he of f shoot of Alf r ed Nobel, invent or of dynam it e. O pening t he lid, t he m an showed Pit t a num ber of eight - inch- long yelow car t r idges packed inside.
" I do a lit t le blast ing m yself now and t hen, when invest igat ing a pot ent ial m iner al vein. "
" You'r e a pr ospect or ?" Pit t asked, nodding t owar d t he shelf of geology books.
" M or e of a hobby t han a pr of ession, " t he m an r eplied. " I just like sear ching f or t hings of value. I would never be blast ing near civilizat ion, but t hat 's pr obably what happened her e. Som e f ool f ound som et hing shiny up t he hil and decided he had t o have a closer look. I wouldn't want t o f oot his cleanup bil if he get s caught . "
Pit t nodded silent ly, suspect ing t hat t he blast hadn't or iginat ed f r om an innocent m iner .
" W hat br ings you t o t his ar ea?" Pit t asked.
" Silver , " t he pr ospect or r eplied, holding up t he t equila bot t le and pour ing Pit t a second shot . " Ther e used t o be a wor king silver m ine up near Algom a M ils, bef or e ever yone went cr azy ar ound her e f or ur anium . I f igur e if t hey had one big st r ike in t he ar ea, t her e's bound t o be a f ew scr aps ar ound f or a sm al- t im er like m e. " He shook his head, t hen gr inned. " So f ar , m y t heor y hasn't panned out . "
Pit t sm iled, t hen downed t he glass of t equila. He t ur ned t o t he pr ospect or and asked, " W hat do you know about t he m iner al r ut henium ?"
The pr ospect or r ubbed his chin f or a m om ent . " W el, it 's a r elat ive of plat inum , t hough not associat ed wit h deposit s in t hese par t s. I know t he pr ice has skyr ocket ed, so t her e's pr obably a lot m or e f olks out sear ching f or t he st uf f , but I 've never r un acr oss any. Can't say t hat I know anybody else who has eit her . As I r ecal, t her e ar e only a f ew places in t he wor ld wher e t hey m ine it . M y only ot her r ecolect ion about r ut henium is t hat som e f olks t hought it had som et hing t o do wit h t he old Pr et or ia Lunat ic M il. "
" I 'm not f am iliar wit h t he st or y, " Pit t r eplied.
" An old m iner s' t ale out of Sout h Af r ica. I r ead about it while doing som e r esear ch on diam onds. Appar ent ly, t her e was a sm al weaving m il built near t he t ur n of t he cent ur y near Pr et or ia, Sout h Af r ica. Af t er oper at ing f or about a year , t hey st ar t ed f inding t he m il wor ker s going bat t y. I t got so bad t hey had t o close down t he f act or y. The lunacy pr obably had som et hing t o do wit h t he chem icals t hey used, but it never was clear ly ident if ied. I t was lat er not ed t hat t he plant was built next t o a plat inum m ine r ich wit h r ut henium , and t hat r ut henium or e, which had lit t le value back t hen, was st ockpiled in gr eat m ounds next t o t he m il. At least one hist or ian t hought t hat t he unusual m iner al had som et hing t o do wit h t he cr azy behavior . "
" I t 's an int er est ing st or y, " Pit t r eplied, r ecaling his discussion at t he Co- op. " Have you by chance hear d of any m ining done by t he I nuit up nor t h in t he old days?"
" Can't say t hat I have. O f cour se, t he Ar ct ic is consider ed a m ining candy land t hese days. Diam onds in t he Nor t hwest Ter r it or ies, coal on Elesm er e I sland, and of cour se oil and nat ur al gas pr ospect s al over t he place. "
They wer e int er r upt ed by a gr anit e- f aced M ount ie, who poked his head in t he door and asked Pit t t o f il out a police r epor t on his dam aged r ent al car . The r oad const r uct ion cr ew ar r ived shor t ly af t er and went t o wor k clear ing a pat h t hr ough t he debr is. The loose r ock and gr avel was quickly pushed aside, and it was only a shor t while bef or e a single lane of t r af f ic was opened t hr ough t he landslide ar ea.
" Any chance I could bum a r ide wit h you t o t he Eliot Lake air por t ?" Pit t asked t he old pr ospect or .
" I 'm headed t o t he Sudbur y r egion, so you'r e pr et t y m uch on m y way. G r ab a seat up f r ont , " he r eplied, t aking a seat behind t he wheel.
The big RV bar ely squeezed t hr ough t he debr is bef or e f inding open r oad on t he f ar side of t he landslide. The t wo m en chat t ed about hist or y and m ining unt il t he m ot or hom e puled t o a st op out side t he t iny air por t t er m inal.
" Ther e you go, m ist er , ah . . . "
" Pit t . Dir k Pit t . "
" M y nam e's Clive Cussler . Happy t r ails t o you, M r . Pit t . "
Pit t shook t he old pr ospect or 's hand, t hen gave t he dachshund a pat on t he head, bef or e clim bing out of t he RV.
" I 'm obliged t o you f or your help, " Pit t said, looking at t he pr ospect or wit h a f am iliar sense of kinship. " G ood luck in f inding t hat beckoning m ot her lode. "
Pit t walked int o t he building and appr oached t he t er m inal m anager , whose m out h gaped when he t ur ned his way. Pit t looked like he had just been r un over by a G r eyhound bus. His hair and clot hes wer e caked in dust , while a bloodied bandage cr ossed his scalp. W hen Pit t r elayed how t he r ent al car was sit t ing on t he highway upside down and f iled wit h r ocks, t he m anager near ly went int o convulsions.
W hile f iling out an endless st ack of insur ance paper s, Pit t glanced out t he window and not iced t hat t he G ulf st r eam jet was no longer par ked on t he t ar m ac.
" How long ago did our f elow jet depar t ?" he asked t he m anager .
" O h, about an hour or t wo ago. His st ay wasn't m uch longer t han your s. "
" I t hink I saw him in t own. Kind of a bur ly guy in a br own suit ? "
" Yes, t hat was t he cust om er . "
" M ind if I ask wher e he was headed?"
" You t wo ar e bot h nosy. He asked who you wer e, " he said, picking up a clipboar d and r unning his f inger down a shor t list of air cr af t ar r ivals and depar t ur es. Pit t casualy leaned over t he m anager 's shoulder , cat ching t he plane's t ail num ber , C- FTG I , which he com m it t ed t o m em or y.
" W hile I can't t el you who is aboar d, I can t el you t hat t he plane is bound f or Vancouver , wit h a scheduled f uel st op in Regina, Saskat chewan. "
" They visit Eliot Lake of t en?"
" No, I can't say I 've seen t hat plane her e bef or e. " The m anager t ilt ed his head t owar d a sm al r oom in t he cor ner of t he t er m inal. " W hy don't you gr ab a cup of cof f ee in t he lounge, and I 'l not if y your f light cr ew t hat you ar e her e. "
Pit t agr eed and m ade his way t o t he lounge, wher e he pour ed a cup of cof f ee f r om a st ained glass pot . A cor ner - m ount ed t elevision was t uned t o a Calgar y r odeo, but Pit t st ar ed past t he br onco r ider s, t oying wit h t he scat t er ed puzzle pieces of t he last f ew days. His t r ip t o t he M iner s Co- op had been m ade on a lar k, yet his hunch had been r ight . Sour cing a supply of r ut henium was of global im por t ance, and som ebody else was in on t he hunt . He t hought back t o t he wel- dr essed m an in t he whit e sedan, John Boot h. Ther e was som et hing f am iliar about t he m an, but Pit t knew no one in Vancouver who had t he m eans t o f ly in a cor por at e jet .
The t er m inal m anager popped int o t he lounge, r ef iling a lar ge cof f ee cup as he spoke t o Pit t .
" Your f light cr ew is on t heir way t o your air cr af t . I t old t hem you would be r ight out . "
As he spoke, he r ipped open a packet of sugar t o pour int o his cof f ee. The bag r ipped com plet ely in half , t hough, shower ing t he car pet ed f loor in whit e gr anules.
" Jeez, " he gr oaned, t ossing t he em pt y packet aside. " W el, t hat wil give t he night janit or som et hing t o do, " he m ut t er ed, st ar ing at t he m ess.
Pit t was likewise st ar ing at t he m ess but wit h a dif f er ent r eact ion. His eyes suddenly t ur ned br ight , and a sly gr in spr ead acr oss his lips.
" A f or t uit ous disast er , " he said t o t he m anager , who looked back at him blankly. " Thanks f or your assist ance. I need t o m ake a couple of phone cals, t hen I 'l be r ight aboar d. "
W hen he cr ossed t he t ar m ac a f ew m inut es lat er , Pit t had a spr y st ep t o his aching bones and t he gash t o his head had ceased hur t ing. Acr oss his f ace, t he sly gr in was st il f ir m ly em bedded in place.
38

M I NI STER JAM ESO N, I HAVE M I TCHELL G O YETTE on line one, " t he gr ay- hair ed secr et ar y said, poking her head int o Jam eson's of f ice like a gopher .
Jam eson nodded f r om his desk, t hen wait ed unt il his secr et ar y closed t he door on her way out bef or e hesit ant ly picking up t he phone.
" Ar t hur , how ar e t hings in our lovely capit al cit y?" G oyet t e gr eet ed wit h m ock f r iendship.
" O t t awa is enjoying a war m spr ing, t o accom pany t he hot jingoist ic clim at e in Par liam ent . "
" I t 's high t im e we r et ained Canada's r esour ces f or Canadians, " G oyet t e snor t ed.
" Yes, so t hat we can sel t hem t o t he Chinese, " t he m inist er r eplied dr ily.
G oyet t e pr om pt ly t ur ned ser ious. " Ther e's a sm al pile of r ocks in t he Ar ct ic sout heast of Vict or ia I sland caled t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. I 'l be needing t he m iner al r ight s t o t he ent ir e landm ass, " he said, as if asking f or a cup of cof f ee.
" Let m e t ake a look, " Jam eson r eplied, puling a bundle of m aps f r om his desk dr awer . Finding a m ap m ar ked Vict or ia St r ait , which was over laid wit h num ber ed gr id lines, he m oved t o a deskt op com put er . I nput t ing t he gr id num ber s, he accessed t he m inist r y's r ecor ds of explor at ion and ext r act ion licenses issued by t he gover nm ent . W it hin a f ew m inut es, he had an answer f or G oyet t e.
" I 'm af r aid we alr eady have a pr oduct ion license in place, which cover s about t hir t y per cent of t he islands, pr im ar ily t he sout her n por t ion of W est I sland. I t 's a t en- year license, but t hey ar e only ent er ing t heir second year of oper at ions. The license is held by Kingf isher Holdings, a subsidiar y of t he M id- Am er ica M ining Com pany out of But t e, M ont ana. They have built a sm al m ining f acilit y and ar e cur r ent ly ext r act ing sm al quant it ies of zinc, appar ent ly just in t he sum m er m ont hs. "
" An Am er ican f ir m holds t he license?"
" Yes, but t hr ough a Canadian shel com pany. Ther e's t echnicaly no law against it , pr oviding t hey post t he r equir ed secur it y bond and m eet t he ot her pr ovisions of t he license agr eem ent . "
" I want t he license r escinded and r eissued t o one of m y ent it ies, " G oyet t e said m at t er - of - f act ly.
Jam eson shook his head at G oyet t e's pr esum pt ion. " Ther e would have t o be a violat ion of t he license, such as envir onm ent al polut ing or shor t changing t he r oyalt y paym ent s. I t can't be done unilat er aly, M it chel, wit hout set t ing t he gover nm ent up f or a m ajor lawsuit . "
" Then how do I obt ain t he r ight s?" he huf f ed.
" M id- Am er ica is cur r ent ly in com pliance, accor ding t o t he lat est inspect ion r epor t , so your only opt ion would be t o t r y and pur chase t he r ight s dir ect ly f r om t hem . They would no doubt gouge you f or t he pleasur e. " He t hought f or a m om ent . " Ther e m ay in f act be anot her possibilit y. "
" G o ahead, " G oyet t e ur ged im pat ient ly.
" Ther e is a nat ional def ense clause in t he license. Should t his br ouhaha wit h t he Unit ed St at es cont inue t o escalat e, t her e is a possibilit y of using it f or gr ounds t o t er m inat e t he license. The clause alows f or t he t er m inat ion of f or eign- held licenses in t he event of war , conf lict , or dissolut ion of st at e r elat ions. A long shot , of cour se, but one never knows. W hat exact ly is your int er est in t he islands?"
" Som et hing t hat is as good as gold, " G oyet t e r eplied quiet ly. Regaining his br ashness, he bar ked, " Pr epar e t he necessar y det ails f or m e t o bid on a new license. I 'l f igur e out a way t o have t his M id- Am er ica Cor por at ion cough it up. "
" Ver y wel, " Jam eson r eplied, his t eet h gr it t ed. " I wil await your r esult s. "
" That 's not al. As you know, t he M elvile Sound sit e is showing ext r aor dinar ily r ich r eser ves of nat ur al gas, yet I only own r ight s t o a t iny f r act ion of t he f ields. I wil be needing t o obt ain t he ext r act ion r ight s t o t he ent ir e r egion. "
The line f el silent f or sever al seconds bef or e Jam eson f inaly m ut t er ed, " I 'm not sur e t hat wil be possible. "
" Not hing is im possible, f or t he r ight pr ice, " G oyet t e laughed. " You'l f ind t hat m ost of t he t r act s ar e pr eviously ice- cover ed r egions t hat nobody was int er est ed in. Unt il now. "
" That is t he pr oblem . W or d is out t hat m ajor shipm ent s ar e alr eady being m ade f r om M elvile. W e'r e r eceiving dozens of explor at ion r equest s f or t he ar ea. "
" W el, don't bot her r esponding t o t hem . The M elvile gas f ields wil be wor t h bilions, and I 'm not going t o let t hem slip t hr ough m y f inger s, " he snapped. " I wil be sending you sever al m aps shor t ly. They delineat e m y desir ed explor at ion zones, which encom pass lar ge sect ions of M elvile Sound and som e ot her Ar ct ic r egions. I int end t o dr am at icaly expand m y explor at ion business in t he Ar ct ic and want wholesale explor at ion licenses f or t he ent ir e lot . Ther e ar e incr edible pr of it s available t her e, and you'l be apt ly r ewar ded, so don't blow it . G ood- bye, Ar t hur . "
Jam eson hear d a click as t he line went dead. The r esour ces m inist er sat f r ozen f or a m om ent unt il a seet hing anger weled up f r om wit hin, t hen he slam m ed t he phone down wit h a whack.
T W O THO USAND M I LES TO t he west , G oyet t e punched of f his speaker phone and leaned back in his chair . G azing acr oss his of f ice desk, he st ar ed int o t he cool eyes of Clay Zak.
" Not hing ever com es easy, " he gr iped. " Now, t el m e again why t his r ut henium is so bloody im por t ant . "
" I t 's quit e sim ple, " Zak r eplied. " I f you can m onopolize t he supply of r ut henium , t hen you can cont r ol a pr im ar y solut ion t o global war m ing. W hat you elect t o do wit h t he m iner al is a m at t er of m oney . . . and ego, I suppose. "
" I 'm list ening, " G oyet t e gr unt ed.
" Assum ing t hat you cont r ol t he pr incipal supply, t hen you have a choice t o m ake. M it chel G oyet t e, t he envir onm ent alist , can becom e t he savior of t he planet and pocket a f ew bucks along t he way, f ueling t he expansion of ar t if icial phot osynt hesis f act or ies ar ound t he wor ld. "
" But t her e is a r isk on t he dem and side, " G oyet t e ar gued. " W e r ealy don't know how m uch r ut henium wil ult im at ely be needed, so t he pr of it s could be enor m ous or t hey could be squat . I 've st aked m ost of m y wor t h in developing cont r ol of t he Nor t hwest Passage. I have invest ed heavily in nat ur al gas and oil sands inf r ast r uct ur e t o be able t o ship t hr ough t he passage, suppor t ed by m y f leet of Ar ct ic vessels. I have long- t er m expor t agr eem ent s in place wit h t he Chinese and wil soon have t he Am er icans pleading on t heir knees. And I 've got a pot ent ial boom ing business in car bon dioxide sequest r at ion. I f global war m ing is r ever sed, or even halt ed, I could f ace ext ended ice issues t hat r un count er t o m y ent ir e business st r at egy. "
" I n t hat case, I suppose we can t ur n t o M it chel G oyet t e t he unr epent ant capit alist , who can r ecognize a pr of it oppor t unit y blindf olded and wil st op at not hing t o keep his f inancial em pir e expanding. "
" You f lat t er m e, " G oyet t e r eplied sar cast icaly. " But you have m ade t he decision easy. I can't af f or d t o have t he Nor t hwest Passage r ever t t o a solid chunk of ice. The r ecent m elt ing is what has alowed m e t o gain cont r ol of t he M elvile Sound gas f ields and m onopolize t r anspor t at ion in t he r egion. M aybe t en or f if t een year s f r om now, when t he oil sands and gas r eser ves ar e near ing deplet ion, I can go save t he planet . By t hen, t he r ut henium m ay even be exponent ialy m or e valuable. "
" Spoken like a t r ue capit alist . "
G oyet t e r eached over and picked up t wo t hin pages of paper lying on his desk. They wer e t he jour nal ent r ies Zak had st olen f r om t he M iner s Co- op.
" The basis f or t his whole r ut henium claim st il seem s r at her f lim sy, " he said, exam ining t he pages. " A t r ader pur chased t he or e in 1917 f r om an I nuit whose gr andf at her acquir ed t he st uf f som e sevent y year s ear lier . The gr andf at her was f r om Adelaide but claim ed t he r ut henium cam e f r om t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. O n t op of t hat , he caled it Black Kobluna and said t he sour ce was cur sed wit h dar k spir it s. Har dly t he basis of a scient if ic m ining claim . " He peer ed at Zak, unsur e whet her t he whole t hing m ight be a r use on t he par t of t he paid assassin.
Zak st ar ed back wit hout blinking. " I t m ay be a long shot . But t he I nuit r ut henium had t o com e f r om som ewher e, and we'r e t alking one hundr ed and sixt y year s ago in t he m iddle of t he Ar ct ic. The jour nal has a m ap of t he island, showing exact ly wher e it was m ined. The I nuit didn't have f r ont - end loader s and dum p t r ucks back t hen, so t hey would have had t o pr et t y m uch f ind t he st uf f lying on t he gr ound. Ther e has t o be m or e t her e. W hile t his M id- Am er ica Com pany has appear ed in t he ar ea, t hey'r e looking f or zinc, and on t he opposit e side of t he island. Yes, M it chel, it m ay wel be a long shot . But t her e could be an enor m ous payof f if it 's t her e, and an enor m ous cost t o you if som eone else get s t o it f ir st . "
" Ar en't we t he only ones who know about t he I nuit deposit s? "
Zak squint ed slight ly, his lips pr essed in a t ight gr im ace.
" Ther e is t he possibilit y t hat Dir k Pit t is awar e of t he t r ail, " he said.
" Pit t ?" G oyet t e asked, shaking his head in nonr ecognit ion.
" He's t he Dir ect or of t he Nat ional Under wat er and M ar ine Agency in t he Unit ed St at es. I r an int o him at t he r esear ch lab in W ashingt on and not iced him giving aid t o t he lab m anager af t er t he explosion. He appear ed again in O nt ar io, at t he M iner s Co- op, just af t er I t ook t hese jour nal ent r ies. I t r ied t o ar r ange an accident on t he r oad out of t own, but som e old m an helped him escape. He's obviously awar e of t he im por t ance of r ut henium in t r igger ing t he ar t if icial- phot osynt hesis pr ocess. "
" He m ight be on t o you as wel, " G oyet t e said, a cr ease cr ossing his t r oubled br ow.
" I can t ake car e of t hat easily enough, " Zak said.
" I t 's not a good idea t o be blowing up high- visibilit y gover nm ent of f icials. He can't do anyt hing f r om t he St at es. I 'l have him t ailed just t o m ake sur e he st ays t her e. Besides, I 'l need you t o go t o t he Ar ct ic and invest igat e t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. Take a secur it y t eam wit h you, and I 'l send along som e of m y t op geologist s. Then f igur e out a way t o put M id- Am er ica out of business. I want you t o f ind t he r ut henium . O bt ain it at any cost . Al of it . "
" That 's t he M it chel G oyet t e I know and love, " Zak said wit h a t wist ed sm ile. " W e haven't t alked about m y shar e. "
" I t 's a pipe dr eam at t he m om ent . Ten per cent of t he r oyalt ies is m or e t han gener ous. "
" I was t hinking of f if t y per cent . "
" That 's absur d. I 'l be incur r ing al of t he capit al cost s. Fif t een per cent . "
" I t 's going t o t ake t went y. "
G oyet t e clenched his t eet h. " G et of f m y boat . And enjoy t he cold. "
39

DESPI TE LO REN'S PLEAS FO R HI M TO STAY I N BED and r est , Pit t r ose ear ly t he next m or ning and dr essed f or wor k. His body ached wor se t han it had t he day bef or e, and he m oved slowly unt il his joint s gr adualy lim ber ed up. He cont em plat ed dr inking a t equila wit h or ange juice t o deaden t he pain but ult im at ely t hought bet t er of it . The aches of injur y t ook longer t o vanquish, he t hought , cur sing t he m ar k of t im e and it s t ol on his body.
Lor en sum m oned him t o t he bat hr oom , wher e she cleaned t he scr ape on his head and applied a f r esh bandage.
" At least your hair wil cover t hat one up, " she said, scr aping her f inger acr oss sever al scar s on Pit t 's chest and back. Num er ous bout s wit h deat h in t he past had lef t t heir shar e of physical m ar ks, as wel as a f ew m ent al ones.
" A lucky blow t o t he head, " he quipped.
" M aybe it wil knock som e sense int o you, " she r eplied, wr apping her ar m s ar ound his t or so. W hile Pit t had t old Lor en of t he event s in O nt ar io, he had neglect ed t o m ent ion t hat t he landslide had not occur r ed by accident . She r eached up and light ly kissed his scalp, t hen r em inded him t hat he had pr om ised t o t ake her t o lunch lat er in t he day.
" I 'l pick you up at noon, " he pr om ised.
He r eached his of f ice by eight o'clock and sat t hr ough a pair of r esear ch br ief ings bef or e phoning Dan M ar t in lat er in t he m or ning. The FBI dir ect or sounded excit ed t o hear f r om Pit t .
" Dir k, your t ip yest er day was a good one. You wer e cor r ect , t he janit or ial ser vice at t he G eor ge W ashingt on Univer sit y lab wor ks in t he evenings. W e r eviewed t he lab's secur it y video and f ound a clean shot of your waywar d m or ning janit or . He f it your descr ipt ion t o a t ee. "
Sit t ing in t he air por t lounge in Eliot Lake, Pit t had f inaly m ade t he connect ion bet ween t he m an at t he Co- op and t he janit or he had bum ped int o at t he lab just pr ior t o t he explosion.
" Have you been able t o ident if y him ?" Pit t asked.
" Af t er conf ir m ing t hat he was not par t of t he building m aint enance and janit or ial st af f , we r an his phot o t hr ough t he Hom e- land Secur it y ident if icat ion dat abase. Not an exact science, m ind you, but we cam e up wit h a pot ent ial hit list and one pr et t y good m at ch in par t icular . O n t his side of t he bor der , he goes by Rober t For d of Buf f alo, New Yor k. W e've alr eady conf ir m ed t hat t he r egist er ed addr ess is a f ake, as wel as t he nam e. "
Pit t r epeat ed t he nam e Rober t For d, t hen t hought of t he alias he had used in Blind River , John Boot h. Too coincident al, Pit t t hought . John W ilkes Boot h was t he m an who had shot Lincoln, while Rober t For d had kiled Jesse Jam es.
" He has an adm ir at ion f or hist or ical assassins, " Pit t of f er ed.
" M ight be his line of wor k. W e cr ossed our r ecor ds wit h t he Canadian aut hor it ies, and t hey t hink t hey have him pegged as a f elow nam ed Clay Zak. "
" Ar e t hey going t o pick him up?"
" They would if t hey knew wher e t o f ind him . He's a suspect in a t went y- year - old m ur der at a Canadian nickel m ine. His wher eabout s have been unknown ever since. "
" A nickel m ine? M ight be a t ie t o his use of dynam it e. "
" W e'r e f olowing up on t hat now. The Canadians m ight not f ind him , but if he set s f oot in t he count r y again we'l have a good chance at picking him up. "
" Nice wor k, Dan. You've accom plished a lot in shor t or der . "
" A lucky br eak t hat you r ecaled your encount er . Ther e's one m or e t hing t hat you m ight be int er est ed in knowing. Lisa Lane's lab assist ant , Bob Ham ilt on. W e wer e able t o obt ain a sear ch war r ant on t he guy's f inancial r ecor ds. I t seem s t hat he just had f if t y t housand dolar s wir ed int o his bank account f r om an of f shor e ent it y. "
" I suspect ed som et hing was am iss wit h t hat one. "
" W e wil do a lit t le m or e digging, t hen br ing him in f or quest ioning at t he end of t he week. W e'l see if t her e is a connect ion, but I have t o say, t hings look pr om ising at t he m om ent . "
" I 'm glad t he invest igat ion has legs. Thanks f or your ef f or t s. "
" Thank you, Dir k. You've given us a nice jum p on t he case. "
Pit t wonder ed how his own r esear ch was going and t ook t he st air wel down t o t he t ent h- f loor com put er oper at ions cent er . He f ound Yaeger seat ed at his console conver sing again wit h M ax, who st ood bef or e a lar ge pr oject ion scr een. A f lat t ened m ap of t he globe was displayed, wit h dozens of pinpoint light s f lashing f r om scat t er ed point s acr oss t he oceans. Each light r epr esent ed a buoy t hat r elayed sea and weat her inf o via sat elit e link t o t he headquar t er s building.
" Pr oblem wit h t he sea buoy syst em ? " Pit t asked, t aking a seat beside Yaeger .
" W e've had an uplink pr oblem wit h a num ber of segm ent s, " Yaeger r eplied. " I 'm having M ax r un som e sof t war e t est s t o t r y and isolat e t he pr oblem . "
" I f t he lat est sof t war e r elease had been pr oper ly t est ed bef or e going oper at ional, we wouldn't be incur r ing t his pr oblem , " M ax inject ed. Tur ning t o Pit t , she said good m or ning, t hen eyed Pit t 's bandage. " W hat happened t o your head?"
" I got in a slight f ender bender on a r ocky r oad, " he r eplied.
" W e've t r acked t he inf or m at ion on t he jet t ail num ber t hat you phoned in about , " Yaeger said.
" I t can wait . Fixing t he sea buoy dat a is m or e im por t ant . "
" I can m ult it ask wit h t he best of t hem , " M ax of f er ed wit h a t ouch of indignat ion.
" She's r unning a t est t hat wil t ake t went y m inut es, " Yaeger explained. " W e can exer cise her unt il t he r esult s com e back. "
Tur ning t o t he hologr aph im age, he said, " M ax, br ing up t he dat a on t he Canadian G ulf st r eam jet . "
" The air cr af t is a br and- new G ulf st r eam G 650 eight een- passenger jet , m anuf act ur ed in 2009. Accor ding t o Canadian aer onaut ical r ecor ds, t he t ail num ber C- FTG I is r egist er ed t o Ter r a G r een I ndust r ies, of Vancouver , Br it ish Colum bia. Ter r a G r een is a pr ivat ely held com pany, chair ed by a m an nam ed M it chel G oyet t e. "
" Hence t he TG I in t he t ail num ber , " Yaeger said. " At least he didn't f launt his per sonal init ials, like m ost f ilt hy r ich jet owner s. "
" G oyet t e, " Pit t m used. " I sn't he big int o gr een ener gy?"
" His holdings include wind f ar m s, geot her m al and hydr oelect r ic power plant s, and a sm al num ber of solar panel f ields, " M ax r ecit ed.
" Being pr ivat ely held t ends t o obscur e t hings, " Yaeger said, " so we did a lit t le digging. Found over t wo dozen ot her ent it ies t hat t r ace t heir owner ship t o Ter r a G r een. Tur ns out , a num ber of t he holdings wer e r elat ed t o gas, oil, and m ining explor at ion act ivit ies, par t icular ly in t he At habasca r egion of Alber t a. "
" So Ter r a G r een is appar ent ly not al t hat gr een, " Pit t quipped.
" I t 's wor se t han t hat . Anot her Ter r a G r een subsidiar y appar ent ly cont r ols a r ecent ly discover ed nat ur al gas f ield in t he M elvile Sound. I t s value could conceivably out weigh his ot her holdings com bined. W e also f ound an int er est ing naut ical link t o NUM A. I t seem s t hat over t he past f ew year s, Ter r a G r een has cont r act ed f or t he const r uct ion of sever al big icebr eaker s f r om a M ississippi G ulf shipyar d, along wit h a num ber of ver y lar ge LNG and bulk- car r ier bar ges. I t was t he sam e yar d t hat built our last r esear ch ship, which was delayed in launching due in par t t o t heir wor k f or Ter r a G r een. "
" Yes, t he Lowden Shipyar d in New O r leans, " Pit t r ecaled. " I saw one of t hose bar ges in dr y dock. I t was a m assive t hing. I wonder what t hey'r e t r anspor t ing?"
" I have not at t em pt ed t o locat e t he vessels, but I can t r y if you like, " M ax said.
Pit t shook his head. " Pr obably not im por t ant . M ax, can you det er m ine if Ter r a G r een is conduct ing any r esear ch r elat ed t o ar t if icial phot osynt hesis or ot her count er m easur es t o gr eenhouse gas em issions?"
M ax st ood m ot ionless as she scanned her dat abases f or published r esear ch r epor t s and news r eleases.
" I f ind no r ef er ences t o Ter r a G r een and ar t if icial phot osynt hesis. They oper at e a sm al r esear ch f acilit y devot ed t o solar r esear ch and have published wor k in car bon sequest r at ion. The com pany has in f act just opened a car bon sequest r at ion f acilit y in Kit im at , Br it ish Colum bia. The com pany is known t o be in discussions wit h t he Canadian gover nm ent t o build an unknown num ber of addit ional sequest r at ion f acilit ies acr oss t he count r y. "
" Kit im at ? I just r eceived an e- m ail f r om Sum m er , who was wr it ing f r om t her e, " Yaeger said.
" Yes, t he kids appar ent ly st opped t her e f or a f ew days on t heir way down t he I nside Passage t est ing t he local sea alkalinit y, " Pit t said.
" Do you t hink t he car bon sequest r at ion plant s f igur e in as a m ot ive t o halt Lisa Lane's r esear ch?" Yaeger asked.
" I can't say, but it could be a possibilit y. I t 's clear t hat G oyet t e is af t er t he r ut henium . " He explained his visit t o t he M iner s Co- op and t he chance encount er wit h t he m an he'd seen at t he G W U lab. He r ecit ed t he por t ion of t he jour nal ent r y he had r ead, and puled out his not es f or Yaeger .
" M ax, last t im e we t alked, you indicat ed t hat t her e was lit t le, if any, m ining of r ut henium t aking place, " he said.
" That 's cor r ect , just a sm al quant it y of low- gr ade or e being pr oduced f r om a m ine in Bolivia. "
" The m ining Co- op has a f init e invent or y lef t . Do you have any dat a on pot ent ial deposit s in t he Ar ct ic?"
M ax st ood m ot ionless f or a m om ent , t hen shook her head. " No, sir . I f ind no m ent ion in any r ecor ded sur veys or m ining claim s t hat I have access t o, which m ost ly dat e f r om t he 1960s. "
Pit t eyed his jour nal not es, t hen said, " I have a r ecor d f r om 1917 t hat a quant it y of r ut henium caled Black Kobluna was obt ained som e sixt y- eight year s ear lier by a num ber of Adelaide Peninsula I nuit . Does t hat m ean anyt hing t o you, M ax?"
" I 'm sor r y, sir , I st il don't f ind any r elevant m ining r ef er ences, " she r eplied, a hur t look in her t r anspar ent eyes.
" She never cals m e sir , " Yaeger m ut t er ed quiet ly.
M ax ignor ed Yaeger as she t r ied t o gener at e an added r esponse t o Pit t .
" The Adelaide Peninsula is locat ed on t he nor t h coast of Nunavut , just t o t he sout h of King W iliam I sland. The peninsula is consider ed an essent ialy uninhabit ed landm ass, hist or icaly occupied at cer t ain seasons by sm al gr oups of m igr at ing I nuit . "
" M ax, what is m eant by t he t er m 'Black Kobluna'?" Yaeger asked.
M ax hesit at ed while accessing a linguist ics dat abase at St anf or d Univer sit y. She t hen t ipped her head at Yaeger and Pit t wit h a conf used look on her f ace.
" I t is a cont r adict or y phr ase, " she said.
" Please explain, " r equest ed Yaeger .
" Kobluna is an I nuit t er m f or 'whit e m an. ' Hence it is a m ixed t r anslat ion of 'black whit e m an. ' "
" Cont r adict or y, indeed, " Yaeger said. " Per haps it m eans a whit e m an dr essed in black or vice ver sa. "
" Possibly, " Pit t said. " But t hat was a r em ot e sect ion of t he Ar ct ic. I 'm not sur e a whit e or black m an had even set f oot t her e by t hat point in t im e. I sn't t hat t r ue, M ax?"
" You ar e near ly cor r ect . I nit ial explor at ion and m apping of t he Canadian Ar ct ic cam e in a Br it ish- inspir ed quest f or a nor t hwest passage t o t he Pacif ic O cean. A lar ge por t ion of t he west er n and east er n r egions of t he Canadian Ar ct ic had been wel char t ed by t he m id- ninet eent h cent ur y. The m iddle r egions, including a num ber of passages ar ound Adelaide Peninsula, wer e in f act som e of t he last ar eas char t ed. "
Pit t glanced at his not es f r om t he M iner s Co- op. " The r ecor d indicat es t hat t he I nuit r ecover ed t he r ut henium in or ar ound 1849. "
" The hist or ical r ecor d shows t hat an expedit ion under t he guise of t he Hudson's Bay Com pany sur veyed a r egion of Nor t h Am er ican coast line in t he vicinit y bet ween 1837 and 1839. "
" That 's a lit t le t oo ear ly, " Yaeger r em ar ked.
" The next known f or ays wer e m ade by John Rae in 1851, dur ing his sear ch f or sur vivor s of t he Fr anklin Expedit ion. He was known t o have t r aveled along t he sout heast coast of Vict or ia I sland, which is st il appr oxim at ely a hundr ed m iles f r om t he Adelaide Peninsula. I t was not unt il 1859 t hat t he ar ea was r eached again, t his t im e by Fr ancis M cClint ock, who visit ed near by King W iliam I sland, just nor t h of Adelaide, dur ing anot her sear ch f or Fr anklin. "
" That 's a lit t le lat e in t he gam e, " said Yaeger .
" But t her e's Fr anklin, " Pit t said, sear ching his m em or y. " W hen did he sail int o t hose wat er s and wher e was he lost ?"
" The Fr anklin Expedit ion sailed f r om England in 1845. They wint er ed t he f ir st year at Beechey I sland, t hen t r aveled sout h unt il becom ing t r apped in t he ice of f King W iliam I sland. The expedit ion ships wer e abandoned in t he spr ing of 1848, wit h t he ent ir e cr ew lat er dying onshor e som et im e lat er . "
Pit t m uled t he dat es in his head, t hen t hanked M ax f or t he inf or m at ion. The hologr aphic wom an nodded and t ur ned aside, r esum ing her sof t war e t est calculat ions.
" I f Fr anklin's m en lef t t heir ships in 1848 wel nor t h of t he peninsula, it doesn't f igur e t hey would be lugging som e m iner als ar ound wit h t hem , " r em ar ked Yaeger .
" I t 's possible t hat t he I nuit er r ed in t he dat e, " Pit t r eplied. " The ot her point t o consider is M ax's com m ent about t he Adelaide Peninsula being an I nuit m igr at ion st op. Just because t he I nuit wer e known t o cam p on t he peninsula doesn't m ean t hat it 's wher e t hey acquir ed t he m iner al. "
" G ood point . Do you t hink t her e's a connect ion wit h t he Fr anklin Expedit ion?"
Pit t nodded slowly. " M ight be our only r eal link, " he said.
" But you hear d what M ax said. The ent ir e cr ew per ished. That would seem t o elim inat e any hope of f inding an answer t her e. "
" Ther e's always hope, " Pit t said, wit h a glint t o his eye. He looked at his wat ch, t hen r ose t o leave. " As a m at t er of f act , Hir am , I f uly expect t o be on t he r ight pat h just t his af t er noon. "
40

41
PI TT BO RRO W ED AN AG ENCY JEEP AND PI CKED UP
Lor en on Capit ol Hil, t hen dr ove acr oss downt own D. C.
" You have t im e f or a long lunch?" he asked, sit t ing at a st op- light .
" You'r e in luck, I have no hear ings scheduled f or t oday. I 'm just r eviewing som e dr af t legislat ion. W hat did you have in m ind? "
" A side t r ip t o G eor get own. "
" To m y condo, f or a lit t le af t er noon delight ?" she asked coyly.
" A t em pt ing pr oposit ion, " he r eplied, squeezing her hand, " but I 'm af r aid we have a lunch r eser vat ion t hat can't be canceled. "
The noont im e t r af f ic clogged t he st r eet s unt il Pit t m aneuver ed ont o M St r eet , which led t o t he hear t of G eor get own.
" How's Lisa com ing along?" he asked.
" She's being r eleased f r om t he hospit al t oday and is anxious t o get back t o wor k. I 'm ar r anging a br ief ing wit h t he W hit e House O f f ice on Science and Technology once she has t he chance t o docum ent and sum m ar ize her f indings. That m ight t ake a f ew weeks, t hough. Lisa caled m e t his m or ning a lit t le upset - - her lab assist ant has appar ent ly t aken anot her posit ion out of st at e, just quit on her wit hout not ice. "
" Bob Ham ilt on?"
" Yes, t hat 's his nam e. The one you don't t r ust . "
" He's supposed t o t alk t o t he FBI lat er t his week. Som et hing t els m e he won't be leaving f or t hat new job anyt im e soon. "
" I t st ar t ed out as such a pr om ising br eakt hr ough, but it 's cer t ainly t ur ned int o a m ess. I saw a pr ivat e r epor t f r om t he Depar t m ent of Ener gy which f or ecast s a m uch bleaker envir onm ent al and econom ic im pact f r om global war m ing t han anybody else is let t ing on. The lat est st udies indicat e t he at m ospher ic gr eenhouse gases ar e gr owing at an alar m ing r at e. Do you t hink a sour ce of r ut henium can be f ound quickly enough t o m ake t he ar t if icial- phot osynt hesis syst em a r ealit y?"
" Al we've got is a t enuous hist or ical account of a long f or got t en sour ce. I t m ight t ur n up em pt y, but t he best we can do is t r ack it down. "
Pit t t ur ned down a quaint r esident ial st r eet lined wit h hist or ic m ansions t hat dat ed t o t he 1840s. He f ound a par king spot beneat h a t ower ing oak t r ee, and t hey m ade t heir way t o a sm aler r esidence const r uct ed f r om t he car r iage house of an adjacent m anor . Pit t r apped a heavy br ass knocker , and t he f r ont door f lew open a m om ent lat er , r evealing a colossal m an clad in a r ed sat in sm oking jacket .
" Dir k! Lor en! Ther e you ar e, " St . Julien Per lm ut t er boom ed in a hear t y voice. The bear ded behem ot h, who t ipped t he scales at near ly f our hundr ed pounds, gave t hem each a spine- cr ushing hug as he welcom ed t hem int o his house.
" Julien, you ar e looking f it . Have you lost som e weight ?" Lor en said, pat t ing his am ple bely.
" Heavens, no, " he r oar ed. " The day I st op eat ing is t he day I die. You, on t he ot her hand, look m or e r avishing t han ever . "
" You'd best keep t hat appet it e of your s f ocused on f ood, " Pit t t hr eat ened wit h a gr in.
Per lm ut t er leaned down t o Lor en's ear . " I f you ever get t ir ed of living wit h t his advent ur esom e old cuss, you just let m e know, " he said, loud enough f or Pit t t o hear . Then r ising like a bear , he pounded acr oss t he r oom .
" Com e, t o t he dining r oom , " he beckoned.
Lor en and Pit t f olowed him past t he ent r yway, t hr ough a living r oom , and down a halway, al of which wer e f iled t o t he ceiling wit h shelved books. The ent ir e house was sim ilar ly clut t er ed, r esem bling a st at ely libr ar y m or e t han a per sonal r esidence. W it hin it s wals was t he lar gest single colect ion of hist or ic m ar it im e books and jour nals in t he wor ld. An insat iable colect or of naut ical ar chives, Per lm ut t er him self st ood as a pr e- em inent exper t on m ar it im e hist or y.
Per lm ut t er led t hem t o a sm al but or nat e dining r oom , wher e only a f ew piles of books wer e discr eet ly st acked against one wal. They t ook t heir seat s at a t hick m ahogany t able t hat f eat ur ed legs car ved in t he shape of lion paws. The t able had com e f r om t he capt ain's cabin of an ancient sailing ship, one of m any naut ical ant iques t ucked am ong t he legion of books.
Per lm ut t er opened a bot t le of Pouily- Fum e, t hen pour ed each of t hem a glass of t he dr y whit e wine.
" I 'm af r aid I alr eady f inished of f t hat bot t le of air ag t hat you sent m e f r om M ongolia, " he said t o Pit t . " M ar velous st uf f . "
" I had plent y while I was t her e. The locals consum e it like wat er , " he r eplied, r ecaling t he slight ly bit t er t ast e of t he alcoholic dr ink m ade f r om m ar e's m ilk.
Per lm ut t er t ast ed t he wine, t hen set down his glass and clapped his hands.
" M ar ie, " he caled loudly. " You m ay ser ve t he soup. "
An apr on- clad wom an appear ed f r om t he kit chen car r ying a t r ay of bowls. The physical opposit e of Per lm ut t er , she was lit he and pet it e, wit h shor t dar k hair and cof f ee- color ed eyes. She silent ly placed a bowl of soup in f r ont of each diner wit h a sm ile, t hen disappear ed int o t he kit chen. Pit t t ook a t ast e and nodded.
" Vichyssoise. Ver y f lavor f ul. "
Per lm ut t er leaned f or war d and spoke in a whisper . " M ar ie is an assist ant chef at Cit r onele her e in G eor get own. She is a gr aduat e of one of t he t op culinar y schools in Par is. Bet t er t han t hat , her f at her was a chef at M axim 's, " he added, kissing his f inger t ips in delight . " She agr eed t o com e cook f or m e t hr ee t im es a week. Lif e is good, " he declar ed in a deep below, t he f olds of f at ar ound his chin r oling as he laughed.
The t r io dined on saut eed sweet br eads wit h r isot t o and leeks, f olowed by a chocolat e m ousse. Pit t pushed his em pt y desser t plat e away wit h a sigh of sat isf act ion. Lor en t hr ew in t he t owel bef or e f inishing her s.
" O ut st anding, Julien, f r om st ar t t o f inish. I f you ever gr ow t ir ed of m ar it im e hist or y, I do believe you'd have a f ant ast ic f ut ur e as a r est aur at eur , " Lor en said.
" Per haps, but I believe t her e would be t oo m uch wor k involved, " Per lm ut t er said wit h a laugh. " Besides, as you sur ely have lear ned f r om your husband, one's love f or t he sea never wanes. "
" Tr ue. I don't know what you t wo would do wit h your selves if m an had never sailed t he seas. "
" Blasphem ous t hought , " Per lm ut t er boom ed. " W hich r em inds m e, Dir k, you said your caling involved som et hing m or e t han just f ine dining wit h a dear f r iend . . . "
" That 's r ight , Julien. I 'm on t he hunt f or a scar ce m iner al t hat m ade an appear ance in t he Ar ct ic ar ound 1849. "
" Sounds int r iguing. W hat 's your int er est ?"
Pit t sum m ar ized t he im por t ance of r ut henium and t he t ale of t he I nuit or e f r om t he M iner s Co- op.
" Adelaide Peninsula, you say? I f m y m em or y ser ves, t hat 's just below King W iliam I sland, dead cent er in t he Nor t hwest Passage, " Per lm ut t er said, st r oking t his t hick gr ay bear d. " And in 1849, t he only explor er s in t hat r egion would have been Fr anklin's par t y. "
" W ho was Fr anklin?" Lor en asked.
" Sir John Fr anklin. Br it ish naval of f icer and r enowned Ar ct ic explor er . Fought at Tr af algar on t he Beler ophon as a young lad, if I r ecal. Though a lit t le past his pr im e at age f if t y- nine, he sailed wit h t wo st out ly built ships in an at t em pt t o f ind and navigat e t he f abled Nor t hwest Passage. He cam e wit hin a hair of puling it of f , but his ships becam e t r apped in t he ice. The sur viving m en wer e f or ced t o abandon t he ships and at t em pt t o r each a f ur - t r ading cam p hundr eds of m iles t o t he sout h. Fr anklin and al one hundr ed and t hir t y- f our m en of his expedit ion par t y ult im at ely died, m aking it by f ar t he wor st t r agedy in Ar ct ic explor at ion. "
Per lm ut t er excused him self t o visit one of his r eading r oom s, r et ur ning wit h sever al old books and a cr udely bound m anuscr ipt . Flipping t hr ough one of t he books, he st opped at a page and r ead aloud.
" Her e we ar e. Fr anklin sailed f r om t he Tham es in M ay of 1845 wit h t wo ships, t he Er ebus and t he Ter r or . They wer e last seen ent er ing Baf f in Bay, of f G r eenland, lat er t hat sum m er . W it h pr ovisions t o last t he cr ew t hr ee year s, t hey wer e expect ed t o wint er at least one year in t he ice bef or e at t em pt ing a pat h t o t he Pacif ic, or else r et ur n t o England wit h pr oof t hat a passage did not exist . Fr anklin and his cr ew inst ead per ished in t he Ar ct ic, and his ships wer e never seen again. "
" Didn't anyone go looking f or t hem when t hey f ailed t o appear af t er t hr ee year s?" Lor en asked.
" O h m y dear , did t hey! Concer n gr ew by t he end of 1847 when no wor d had been hear d, and r elief ef f or t s com m enced t he next year . Lit er aly dozens of r elief expedit ions wer e sent in sear ch of Fr anklin, wit h vessels pr odding bot h ends of t he passage. Fr anklin's wif e, Lady Jane Fr anklin, f am ously f inanced num er ous expedit ions single- handedly t o locat e her husband. Rem ar kably, it wouldn't be unt il 1854, nine year s af t er t hey depar t ed England, t hat t he r em ains of som e of t he cr ewm en wer e f ound on King W iliam I sland, conf ir m ing t he wor st . "
" Did t hey leave any logbooks or r ecor ds behind?" Pit t asked.
" Just one. A chiling not e t hat was placed in a r ock cair n on t he island and discover ed in 1859. " Per lm ut t er f ound a phot ocopy of t he not e in one of his books and slid it over f or Lor en and Pit t t o r ead.
" Ther e's a not at ion t hat Fr anklin died in 1847, but it doesn't say why, " Lor en r ead.
" The not e r aises m or e quest ions t han answer s. They wer e t ant alizingly close t o t r ansit ing t he wor st sect ion of t he passage but m ay have been caught by an exceedingly shor t sum m er , and t he ships pr obably br oke up in t he ice. "
Pit t f ound a m ap in t he book, which showed t he ar ea of Fr anklin's dem ise. The point wher e his ships wer e pr esum ed abandoned was less t han a hundr ed m iles f r om Adelaide Peninsula.
" The r ut henium f ound in t he r egion was r ef er r ed t o as Black Kobluna, " Pit t said, sear ching f or a pot ent ial geogr aphic clue on t he char t .
" Kobluna. That 's an I nuit wor d, " Per lm ut t er said, puling out t he cr udely bound m anuscr ipt . O pening t he ancient par ched paper s, Lor en saw t hat t he ent ir e docum ent was handwr it t en.
" Yes, " Pit t answer ed. " I t is an I nuit t er m f or 'whit e m an. ' "
Per lm ut t er r apped a knuckle on t he open docum ent . " I n 1860, a New Yor k jour nalist nam ed St uar t Leut hner sought t o unr avel t he m yst er y of t he Fr anklin Expedit ion. He t r aveled t o t he Ar ct ic and lived in an I nuit set t lem ent f or seven year s, lear ning t heir language and cust om s. He scour ed t he r egion ar ound King W iliam I sland, int er viewing ever y inhabit ant he could f ind who had possibly int er act ed wit h Fr anklin or his cr ew. But t he clues wer e f ew, and he r et ur ned t o New Yor k disilusioned, never f inding t he def init ive answer s he was looking f or . For som e r eason he decided against publishing his f indings and lef t his wr it ings behind, t o r et ur n t o t he Ar ct ic. He t ook a young I nuit wif e, t hen vent ur ed int o t he wild t o live of f t he land and was never hear d f r om again. "
" I s t hat his jour nal f r om his t im e am ong t he I nuit ?" Pit t asked.
Per lm ut t er nodded. " I was able t o acquir e it at auct ion a f ew year s back, picking it up at a r easonable pr ice. "
" I 'm am azed it was never published, " Lor en said.
" You wouldn't be if you r ead it . Ninet y per cent of it is a discour se on cat ching and but cher ing seals, building igloos, and sur viving t he bor edom of t he dar k wint er m ont hs. "
" And t he ot her t en per cent ?" Pit t asked.
" Let us see, " Per lm ut t er sm iled.
For t he next hour , Per lm ut t er skim m ed t hr ough t he jour nal, shar ing occasional passages wher e an I nuit descr ibed wit nessing a sledge par t y on t he dist ant shor es of King W iliam I sland or not ed t he t wo lar ge ships t r apped in t he ice. Near t he ver y end of t he jour nal, Leut hner int er viewed a young m an whose st or y put Lor en and Pit t on t he edge of t heir seat s.
The account was f r om Koo- nik, a t hir t een- year - old boy in 1849 when he went on a seal- hunt ing excur sion wit h his uncle west of King W iliam I sland. He and his uncle had clim bed a lar ge hum m ock and f ound a m assive boat wedged in a lar ge ice f loe.
" Kobluna, " t he uncle had said, as t hey m ade t heir way t o t he vessel.
As t hey m oved closer , t hey hear d m uch yeling and scr eam ing com ing f r om t he dept hs of t he ship. A wild- eyed m an wit h long hair waved f or t hem t o com e alongside. W it h a f r eshly caught seal f or bar t er , t hey wer e quickly invit ed ont o t he deck. Sever al m or e m en appear ed, dir t y and em aciat ed, wit h dr ied blood cover ing t heir clot hes. O ne of t he m en st ar ed at Koo- nik, babbling incoher ent ly, as t wo ot her m en danced ar ound t he deck. The cr ew sang an odd chant , caling t hem selves t he " m en of blackness. " They al seem ed possessed by evil spir it s, Koo- nik t hought . Fr ight ened by t he spect er , Koo- nik clung t o his uncle as t he elder m an t r aded t he seal m eat f or t wo knives and som e shiny silver st ones t hat t he Koblunas said had unique war m ing power s. The Koblunas pr om ised m or e cut t ing t ools and silver st ones if t he I nuit r et ur ned wit h m or e seal m eat . Koo- nik lef t wit h his uncle but never saw t he boat again. He r epor t ed t hat his uncle and som e ot her m en t ook a lar ge num ber of seals t o t he boat a f ew weeks lat er and r et ur ned wit h m any knives and a kayak f iled wit h
t he Black Kobluna. "
" I t had t o have been t he r ut henium , " Lor en said excit edly.
" Yes, t he Black Kobluna, " Pit t agr eed. " But wher e did Fr anklin's cr ew acquir e it ?"
" I t m ight possibly have been discover ed on one of t he neighbor ing islands dur ing a sledging excur sion, while t he ships wer e locked in t he ice, " Per lm ut t er vent ur ed. " O f cour se a m ine could have been discover ed m uch ear lier in t he expedit ion, anywher e f r om G r eenland t o Vict or ia I sland, cover ing a dist ance of t housands of m iles. Not m uch t o go on, I 'm af r aid. "
" W hat I f ind st r ange is t he behavior of t he cr ew, " Lor en not ed.
" I hear d a sim ilar t ale of som e m il wor ker s in Sout h Af r ica going loony, which was blam ed on possible exposur e t o r ut henium , " Pit t r eplied. " None of it m akes sense, t hough, as t her e is not hing inher ent ly danger ous about t he m iner al. "
" Per haps it was just t he hor r ible condit ions t hey endur ed. St ar ving and f r eezing al t hose wint er s, t r apped in a dar k, cr am ped ship, " Lor en said. " That would be enough t o dr ive m e cr azy. "
" Thr ow in scur vy and f r ost bit e, not t o m ent ion bot ulism br ought on f r om a shoddy supply of t inned f oods sealed wit h lead, and you would have plent y t o t est a m an's wit s, " Per lm ut t er agr eed.
" Just one of sever al unanswer ed quest ions associat ed wit h t he expedit ion, " Pit t said.
" The account seem s t o conf ir m your t r ader 's st or y f r om t he M iner s Co- op, " Per lm ut t er not ed.
" M aybe t he answer t o wher e t he m iner al cam e f r om st il lies on t he ship, " Lor en suggest ed.
Pit t was alr eady m uling t he sam e t hought . He knew t hat t he f r igid wat er s of t he Ar ct ic alowed f or r em ar kable pr eser vat ion of ant iquit ies. The Br eadalbane, an 1843 wooden ship sent on one of t he Fr anklin r escue expedit ions and cr ushed in t he ice near Beechey I sland, had r ecent ly been discover ed f uly int act , it s m ast s st il r ising over t he deck. That a clue t o t he sour ce of t he r ut henium m ight st il exist on t he ship was ent ir ely possible. But which ship was it , and wher e was it locat ed?
" Ther e was no m ent ion of a second ship?" he asked.
" No, " Per lm ut t er r eplied. " And t he appr oxim at e locat ion t hey pr ovide is quit e a bit f ar t her sout h t han wher e t he Fr anklin ships wer e r ecor ded t o have been abandoned. "
" M aybe t he ice dr if t ed, m oving t hem apar t , " Lor en suggest ed.
" Ent ir ely plausible, " Per lm ut t er r eplied. " Leut hner has an int er est ing t idbit lat er in t he jour nal, " he said, f lipping a f ew pages f or war d. " A t hir d- par t y I nuit claim s t o have seen one of t he ships sink while t he ot her one disappear ed. Leut hner could never quit e decipher t he dist inct ion f r om t he I nuit . "
" Assum ing it is one of t he Fr anklin ships, it m ight wel be cr it ical t o ident if y t he vessel, in case t he m iner al was not br ought aboar d bot h Er ebus and Ter r or , " Pit t not ed.
" I 'm af r aid Koo- nik never ident if ied t he ship. And bot h vessels wer e near ly ident ical in appear ance, " Per lm ut t er said.
" But he said t he cr ew had a nam e f or t hem selves, " Lor en said. " W hat did he cal t hem , t he 'black m en'?"
" The 'm en of blackness' is how t hey wer e descr ibed, " Per lm ut t er r eplied. " Som ewhat odd. I suppose t hey caled t hem selves t hat f or having sur vived so m any dar k wint er s. "
" O r t her e m ight be anot her r eason, " Pit t said, a wide gr in slowly spr eading acr oss his f ace. " I f t hey wer e indeed t he m en of blackness, t hen t hey just t old us which ship t hey ser ved. "
Lor en looked at him wit h a quizzical gaze, but t he light went on f or Per lm ut t er .
" But of cour se! " t he big m an r oar ed. " I t m ust be t he Er ebus. W el done, m y boy. "
Lor en looked at her husband. " W hat did I m iss?"
" Er ebus, " Pit t r eplied. " I n G r eek m yt hology, it is an under wor ld st opping place on t he r oad t o Hades. I t is a place of per pet ual dar kness, or blackness, if you wil. "
" Fair t o say t hat 's wher e t he ship and cr ew ended up, " Per lm ut t er said. He gave Pit t a st udious look. " Do you t hink you can f ind her ?"
" I t wil be a sizable sear ch ar ea, but it 's wor t h t he gam ble. The only t hing t hat can pr event us f r om succeeding is t he sam e per il t hat doom ed Fr anklin: t he ice. "
" W e'r e near ing t he sum m er season, wher e t he m elt ing sea ice is navigable in t he r egion. Can you get a vessel t her e in t im e t o conduct a sear ch?"
" And don't f or get t he Canadians, " Lor en caut ioned. " They m ight not let you in t he door . "
Pit t 's eyes spar kled wit h opt im ism . " I t just so happens t hat I have a vessel in t he neighbor hood and t he m an in place t o f ind t he way, " he said wit h a conf ident gr in.
Per lm ut t er locat ed a dust y bot t le of vint age por t wine and pour ed sm al glasses al ar ound.
" G odspeed t o you, m y boy, " he t oast ed. " M ay you shed som e light on t he dar kened Er ebus. "
Af t er t hanking Per lm ut t er f or t he m eal and r eceiving a pr om ise f r om t he m ar ine hist or ian t hat he would pr ovide copies of any m at er ials he had on t he ship's likely posit ion, Lor en and Pit t st epped out of t he car r iage house and r et ur ned t o t he car . Clim bing int o t he car , Lor en was unusualy quiet . Her sixt h sense had kicked in, war ning of an unseen danger . She knew she couldn't st and in t he way of Pit t pur suing a lost m yst er y, but it was always har d f or her t o let him go.
" The Ar ct ic is a danger ous place, " she f inaly said in a low voice. " I 'l wor r y about you up t her e. "
" I 'l be sur e t o pack m y long under wear and st ay wel clear of iceber gs, " he said wit h cheer y com f or t .
" I know t his is im por t ant , but , st il, I wish you didn't have t o go. "
Pit t sm iled in r eassur ance, but in his eye t her e was a dist ant and det er m ined look. Lor en t ook one look at her husband and knew t hat he was alr eady t her e.

M I TCHELL G O YETTE W AS SI TTI NG O N THE FAN- TAI L of his yacht r eviewing an ear nings r epor t when his pr ivat e secr et ar y appear ed wit h a secur e por t able phone.
" Nat ur al Resour ces M inist er Jam eson is on t he line, " t he winsom e br unet t e said as she handed him t he phone.
G oyet t e gave her a sm ug leer , t hen picked up t he r eceiver .
" Ar t hur , good of you t o cal. Tel m e, how ar e you com ing along wit h m y Ar ct ic explor at ion licenses?"
" I t is t he pur pose of m y cal. I r eceived t he m aps of your desir ed Ar ct ic r esour ce explor at ion zones. The r equest ed r egions encom pass over t welve m ilion acr es, I was r at her shocked t o f ind. Q uit e unpr ecedent ed, I m ust say. "
" Yes, wel, t her e ar e r iches t o be had. Fir st t hings f ir st , however . W her e ar e we on t hose m ining claim s f or t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands?"
" As you know, a por t ion of t he islands' explor at ion and pr oduct ion r ight s ar e held by t he M id- Am er ica M ining Com pany. M y of f ice has dr af t ed up a r evocat ion of t heir license f or due cause. I f t hey f ail t o m eet pr oduct ion out put quot as in t he next t hr ee m ont hs, t hen we can r escind t heir license. I f t his polit ical cr isis wit h t he U. S. heat s up, t hen we m ay be able t o act sooner . "
" I t hink we can be assur ed t hat t hey won't m eet t heir sum m er quot a, " G oyet t e said slyly.
" The r escission can be acceler at ed if signed by t he Pr im e M inist er . I s t hat a cour se you wish t o pur sue?"
" Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t wil be no im pedim ent , " G oyet t e laughed. " You m ight say he is som et hing of a silent par t ner in t he vent ur e. "
" He's publicly pr om ot ed a policy of Ar ct ic wilder ness pr ot ect ionism , " Jam eson r em inded him .
" He wil sign anyt hing I want him t o. Now, what about m y ot her license r equest ?"
" M y st af f has f ound just a sm al por t ion of t he M elvile Sound ar ea cur r ent ly under license. Appar ent ly, you've beat en m ost ever yone t o t he m ar k. "
" Yes, because a lar ge par t of t he ar ea has been inaccessible. W it h t he war m ing t em per at ur es and m y f leet of icebr eaker s and bar ges, I 'l be able t o exploit t hose r egions bef or e anyone else can get t heir f oot in t he door . W it h your aid, of cour se, " he added acidly.
" I 'l be able t o assist wit h your Ar ct ic m ar ine explor at ion licenses, but a por t ion of t he t er r est r ial ar eas wil have t o be appr oved by t he I ndian and Nat ive Af f air s Division. "
" I s t he head of t he division appoint ed by t he Pr im e M inist er ? "
" Yes, I believe so. "
G oyet t e laughed again. " Then t her e wil be no pr oblem . How long bef or e I can lock up t he m ar ine sit es?"
" I t is a signif icant am ount of t er r it or y t o r eview and appr ove, " Jam eson said wit h hesit at ion.
" Don't you wor r y, M inist er . A f at wir e t r ansf er wil be headed your way shor t ly, and anot her one once t he licenses ar e issued. I never f or get t o pay t hose who assist m e in m y business vent ur es. "
" Ver y wel. I 'l t r y t o have t he docum ent s com plet ed wit hin t he next f ew weeks. "
" That 's m y boy. You know wher e t o f ind m e, " G oyet t e said, t hen hung up t he phone.
I n his of f ice in O t t awa, Jam eson hung up t he phone and looked acr oss his desk. The com m issioner of t he Royal Canadian M ount ed Police t ur ned of f a r ecor ding device, t hen hung up t he second handset on which he had been list ening in.
" M y G od, he has indict ed t he Pr im e M inist er as wel, " t he com m issioner m ut t er ed, shaking his head.
" Deep pocket s easily cor r upt , " Jam eson said. " You wil have m y im m unit y agr eem ent by t om or r ow?"
" Yes, " t he com m issioner r eplied, visibly shaken. " You agr ee t o t ur n st at e's evidence and t her e wil be no cr im inal char ges f iled against you. You wil, of cour se, be expect ed t o r esign your post im m ediat ely. I 'm af r aid your car eer in public ser vice wil ef f ect ively be over . "
" I can accept t hat f at e, " Jam eson r eplied wit h a sulen look. " I t wil be pr ef er able t o cont inuing as an indent ur ed ser vant t o t hat gr eedy swine. "
" Can you live wit h t aking down t he Pr im e M inist er as wel?"
" I f Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t is in G oyet t e's pocket , t hen he deser ves no less. "
The com m issioner r ose f r om his chair and packed t he list ening device and a not epad int o an at t ache case.
" Don't look so dist r aught , Com m issioner , " Jam eson said, obser ving his t r oubled expr ession. " O nce t he t r ut h about G oyet t e is r evealed, you'l be a nat ional her o f or put t ing him away. I n f act , you would m ake a good law- and- or der candidat e f or t he Pr im e M inist er 's r eplacem ent . "
" M y aspir at ions don't r un t hat high. I 'm just dr eading t he havoc a bilionair e wil wr eak on t he cr im inal just ice syst em . "
As he st epped t owar d t he door , Jam eson caled out t o him once m or e.
" Right wil win out event ualy. "
The com m issioner kept on walking, knowing it wasn't always t he case.
42

THE EXPO SED PO RTI O N O F TREVO R'S BO AT W AS st il sm older ing when a lif t bar ge bor r owed f r om t he alum inum sm elt er m oor ed alongside and hoist ed t he wr ecked vessel aboar d. Chugging t o a near by boat yar d, t he bar ge deposit ed t he wat er logged hulk ont o a cem ent pad, wher e it would await invest igat ion by t he police and an insur ance claim s adjust er . His cut s bandaged and his r epor t t o t he police com plet ed, Tr evor poked t hr ough t he char r ed hul, t hen m ade his way back over t o t he NUM A r esear ch boat . Dir k waved him aboar d, inquir ing about t he police r esponse.
" The chief isn't r eady t o concede t hat it was a plant ed explosion unt il his ar son invest igat or can have a look, " Tr evor said.
" Boat s just don't blow up, cer t ainly not in t hat f ashion, " Dir k r eplied.
" He asked if I had any suspicions, but I t old him no. "
" You don't t hink he can help?" Sum m er asked.
" Not yet . Ther e's just not enough evidence t o be able t o point f inger s. "
" W e al know som eone f r om t he sequest r at ion plant is behind it . "
" Then we need t o f ind out what t he m yst er y is al about , " Tr evor r eplied. He looked at Dir k and Sum m er st eadf ast ly. " I know you'r e shor t on t im e, but can you st il oblige m e wit h a sear ch of f G il I sland bef or e you have t o leave?"
" O ur boat is loaded, and we'r e m or e t han r eady, " Dir k r eplied. " M an t he lines and we'l be on our way. "
The r ide down Douglas Channel was m ade in r elat ive silence, wit h each wonder ing what sor t of danger t hey had st um bled int o. As t hey passed t he sequest r at ion f acilit y, Dir k t ook not e t hat t he LNG t anker had depar t ed t he cover ed dock. He nudged t he t hr ot t le t o it s st ops, anxious t o get on- sit e and see what lay beneat h t he wat er s of f G il I sland.
They wer e near ly t o t he sound when Sum m er st ood and point ed out t he windshield. The black LNG t anker loom ed up ar ound t he next bend, st eam ing slowly down t he channel.
" Look how low she's sit t ing, " Dir k said, not ing t hat t he t anker r ode near her wat er line.
" You wer e r ight , Sum m er , " Tr evor said. " She was in f act t aking on liquid CO at t he plant . I t doesn't m ake any sense. "
The NUM A vessel char ged past t he t anker , quickly r eaching t he open st r ait . Dir k st eer ed t o t he sout her n end of t he st r ait , st opping t he boat when he was even wit h t he t ip of G il I sland. He m oved t o t he st er n and lower ed a sonar f ish over t he r ail while Sum m er pr ogr am m ed a sear ch gr id int o t he navigat ion syst em . W it hin a f ew m inut es t hey wer e under way again, m oving back and f or t h acr oss t he st r ait , wit h t he sonar f ish t ailing behind.
The sonar im ages r evealed a st eep and r ocky bot t om , which dr opped f r om a f if t y- f oot dept h near t he shor eline t o over t wo hundr ed f eet in t he cent er of t he st r ait . Dir k had t o play yo- yo wit h t he sonar cable, r aising and lower ing t he f ish t o m at ch t he changing dept hs.
Their f ir st hour of sear ching r evealed lit t le of int er est , sim ply a unif or m sea bot t om lit t er ed wit h r ocks and an occasional sunken log. Tr evor quickly gr ew bor ed wat ching t he r epet it ive sonar im age and t ur ned his at t ent ion t o t he LNG t anker . The big ship had f inaly lum ber ed int o t he st r ait , cr uising t o t he nor t h of t hem at a snail's pace. I t event ualy inched ar ound t he nor t her n t ip of G il I sland and disappear ed f r om sight .
" I 'd love t o know wher e she's headed, " Tr evor said.
" W hen we get back t o Seat t le, I 'l see if our agency r esour ces can f ind out , " Sum m er said.
" I 'd hat e t o t hink she's dum ping t hat CO at sea. "
" I can't im agine t hat would be t he case, " she r eplied. " I t would be t oo danger ous f or t he cr ew if t he winds shif t ed. "
" I suppose you'r e r ight . St il, som et hing just doesn't add up. "
They wer e int er r upt ed by Dir k's voice f r om t he cabin.
" G ot som et hing. "
Sum m er and Tr evor poked t heir heads in and gazed at t he sonar m onit or . The scr een showed a t hin spindly line on t he seaf loor t hat r an of f t o t he side.
" M ight be a pipe, " Dir k said. " Def init ely appear s m an- m ade. W e should pick up m or e on t he next lane. "
They had t o wait t en m inut es, t ur ning in f r ont of t he island and heading back int o t he st r ait on t he next lane bef or e t hey spot t ed it again. The t hin line angled acr oss t he m onit or , r unning in a nor t hwest er ly dir ect ion.
" Looks t oo big t o be a com m unicat ions line, " Sum m er said, st udying t he m onit or .
" Har d t o f igur e what would be out her e, " Tr evor r em ar ked. " O ut side of a f ew pr im it ive hunt ing- and- f ishing cabins, G il I sland is uninhabit ed. "
" Has t o lead som ewher e, " Dir k said. " As long as it 's not bur ied, we'l be able t o f ind out wher e. "
They cont inued sweeping t hr ough t he gr id, but r at her t han solve t he under wat er m yst er y t hey only added t o it . A second line soon appear ed, and t hen a t hir d, al aligned in a conver ging angle t o t he nor t h. W or king t heir way t hr ough sever al m or e sear ch lanes, t hey r eached t he conjunct ion. Like a giant seven- f inger ed hand lying on t he bot t om , t he sonar r evealed f our addit ional lines t hat joined t he ot her s in a m ass conver gence. Piecing t he im ages t oget her , t hey could see t hat t he lines al f anned out f or appr oxim at ely f if t y yar ds, t hen ended abr upt ly. A single, heavier line ext ended nor t h f r om t he conjunct ion, r unning par alel t o t he shor eline. The sonar was able t o t r ack it f or a shor t dist ance bef or e it suddenly disappear ed int o t he sedim ent close t o shor e. W hen t hey r eached t he end of t he sear ch gr id, Dir k st opped t he m ot or , t hen puled in t he sonar f ish wit h Tr evor 's assist ance.
" I t 's near ly seven, " Sum m er said. " W e need t o head back wit hin t he hour if we want t o avoid r unning up t he channel in t he dar k. "
" Plent y of t im e f or a quick dive, " Dir k r eplied. " M ight be our only chance. "
Ther e was no ar gum ent f r om t he ot her s. Dir k slipped int o a dr y suit as Sum m er r eposit ioned t he boat over a m ar ked spot wher e t he seven lines had conver ged.
" Dept h is ninet y- f ive f eet , " she said. " Be awar e t her e is a lar ge vessel on t he r adar headed our way, about f if t een m iles t o t he nor t h. " She t ur ned t o Tr evor and asked, " I t hought you said t her e's no m idweek cr uise line t r af f ic t hr ough her e?"
Tr evor gave her a conf used look. " That has been m y exper ience. They f olow t he schedules pr et t y t ight . M ust be a waywar d f r eight er . "
Dir k poked his head in and eyed t he r adar scr een. " I 'l have t im e f or a good look bef or e she get s t oo close. "
Sum m er t ur ned t he boat int o t he cur r ent while Tr evor t ossed an anchor of f t he bow and secur ed t heir posit ion. Dir k adjust ed his t ank and weight belt , t hen st epped over t he side.
He hit t he wat er at near ly slack t ide and was r elieved t o f ind t he cur r ent m inim al. Swim m ing t owar d t he boat 's bow, he wr apped his f inger s ar ound t he anchor line, t hen kicked t o t he bot t om .
The cold gr een wat er gr adualy swalowed t he sur f ace light , f or cing him t o f lick on a sm al headlam p st r apped over his hood. A br own st ony bot t om dot t ed wit h ur chins and st ar f ish m at er ialized out of t he gloom , and he conf ir m ed t he dept h at ninet y- t hr ee f eet as he adjust ed his buoyancy. He let go of t he anchor line and swam a wide cir cle ar ound it unt il he f ound t he object obser ved by t he sonar .
I t was a dar k m et al pipe t hat st r et ched acr oss t he seaf loor , r unning beyond his f ield of vision. The pipe was about six inches in diam et er , and Dir k could t el it had been placed on t he bot t om r ecent ly, as t her e was no gr owt h or encr ust at ion evident on it s sm oot h sur f ace. He kicked back t o t he anchor and dr agged it over t he pipe, r eset t ing it in som e adjacent r ocks. He t hen f olowed t he pipe down a gr adual slope int o deeper wat er unt il he f ound it s open end t went y yar ds lat er . A sm al cr at er had been blast ed int o t he seaf loor ar ound t he opening, and Dir k not ed a com plet e absence of m ar ine lif e in t he sur r ounding ar ea.
He f olowed t he pipe in t he ot her dir ect ion, swim m ing int o shalower wat er , unt il m eet ing t he conjunct ion. I t was act ualy t hr ee joint s welded in t andem t hat f ed six lines f anning t o eit her side, plus one line out t he end. A t hicker , t en- inch pipe f ed int o t he conjunct ion, t r ailing back t owar d G il I sland. Dir k f olowed t he m ain pipe f or sever al hundr ed f eet unt il a ninet y- degr ee joint sent it r unning nor t h at a dept h of t hir t y f eet . Tr acking it f ar t her , he f ound it par t ialy bur ied in a slit t r ench t hat had obscur ed it s view f r om t he sonar . He f olowed t he pipe f or sever al m or e m inut es bef or e deciding t o give up t he chase and t ur n back, his air supply st ar t ing t o dwindle. He'd just r ever sed cour se when he suddenly det ect ed a r um ble under t he sur f ace. I t was a deep sound, but in t he wat er he could not t el which dir ect ion it cam e f r om . Folowing along t he pipe, he not iced t hat sand st ar t ed t o f al away f r om it s sides. He placed a gloved hand on t he pipe and f elt a st r ong vibr at ion r at t ling down it s lengt h. W it h a sudden appr ehension, he began kicking ur gent ly t owar d t he junct ion.
O n t he deck of t he boat , Sum m er looked at her wat ch, not ing t hat Dir k had been under wat er near ly t hir t y m inut es. She t ur ned t o Tr evor , who sat on t he r ail wat ching her wit h an adm ir ing gaze.
" I wish we could st ay her e longer , " she said, r eading his m ind.
" M e, t oo. I 've been t hinking. I 'l have t o t r avel t o Vancouver t o f ile m y r epor t on t he boat and see about get t ing a r eplacem ent . I t m ight t ake m e a f ew days, longer if I can m ilk it , " he added wit h a gr in. " Any chance I can com e see you in Seat t le?"
" I 'l be angr y if you don't , " she r eplied wit h a sm ile. " I t 's only a t hr ee- hour t r ain r ide away. "
Tr evor st ar t ed t o r eply when he not iced som et hing in t he wat er over Sum m er 's shoulder . I t was a r ising sur ge of bubbles about t went y yar ds f r om t he boat . He st ood t o t ake a bet t er look when Sum m er point ed t o anot her m ass of bubbles a shor t dist ance of f t he bow. I n unison, t hey scanned t he sur r ounding wat er , spot t ing a half dozen er upt ions at var ious spot s ar ound t he boat .
The r ising bubbles expanded int o a boiling t em pest t hat began em it t ing whit e puf f s of vapor . The vapor built r apidly, as bilowing clouds of whit e m ist em er ged f r om t he dept hs and expanded acr oss t he sur f ace. W it hin seconds, t he gr owing clouds had f or m ed a cir cular wal ar ound t he boat , t r apping Sum m er and Tr evor in it s cent er . As t he vapor dr ew closer , Tr evor said wit h alar m :
" I t 's t he Devil's Br eat h. "
43

THRUSTI NG HI S LEG S I N A PO W ERFUL SCI SSO RS kick, Dir k skim m ed r apidly along t he m ain pipe. Though t he visibilit y was t oo poor t o see it , he could sense a near by t ur bulence in t he wat er and knew t her e som et hing danger ous about t he pipe's em issions. The im age of t he Vent ur a and it s dead cr ew f lashed t hough his m ind. Thinking of Sum m er and Tr evor on t he sur f ace, he kicked his f ins har der , ignor ing t he gr owing pr ot est f r om his lungs.
He r eached t he pipe junct ion and im m ediat ely veer ed t o his lef t , f olowing t he sm aler pipe wher e he had f ir st dr opped down. He could now hear t he t ur bulent r ush of bubbles in t he wat er f r om t he high- pr essur e dischar ge. Chasing down t he pipe, he f inaly caught sight of t he anchor line ahead of him . He im m ediat ely shot t owar d t he sur f ace, angling t owar d t he anchor line unt il joining it just below t he boat 's bow.
W hen his head br oke t he sur f ace, he f elt like he was in a London f og. A t hick whit e m ist bilowed low over t he wat er . Keeping his f ace down, he swam along t he hul t o t he st er n, t hen st epped up a dive ladder Sum m er had dr opped over t he r ail. He r ose up on t he lower r ung just enough t o peer over t he t r ansom . The whit e clouds of vapor f loat ed acr oss t he deck, near ly obscur ing t he pilot house just a f ew f eet away.
Dir k puled his r egulat or out of his m out h long enough t o yel f or Sum m er . An acr id t ast e im m ediat ely f iled his m out h and he shoved t he r egulat or back in and t ook a br eat h f r om his air t ank. He st ood and list ened f or sever al seconds, t hen st epped of f t he ladder and dr opped int o t he wat er , his hear t skipping a beat .
Ther e had been no r eply, he r ealized, because t he boat was em pt y.
T W O HUNDRED YARDS TO t he west and t en f eet under t he wat er , Tr evor t hought he was going t o die. He couldn't believe how quickly t he f r igid wat er had sapped his st r engt h and ener gy, and near ly his wil t o live. I f not f or t he r adiant pear l gr ay eyes of Sum m er visibly im plor ing him on, he m ight have given up alt oget her .
They wer e br eat ht aking eyes, he had t o adm it , as she shoved t he r egulat or int o his m out h f or a br eat h of air . Those eyes, t hey alm ost pr ovided war m t h by t hem selves. He t ook a deep br eat h of air and passed t he r egulat or back, r ealizing his m ind was slipping. He t r ied t o r ef ocus on his t ir ing legs and kicked har der , r em inding him self t hat t hey had t o m ake it t o shor e.
I t had been a snap decision, and t he only one t hat would save t heir lives. W it h t he expanding cloud of car bon dioxide gas com plet ely sur r ounding t hem , t hey had t o t ur n t o t he wat er . Sum m er consider ed cut t ing t he anchor and m aking a f r ant ic r un t hr ough t he vapor , but if t her e was any delay in st ar t ing t he engine and f leeing t hey would die. Plus, t her e was Dir k's lif e t o consider . I f he happened t o sur f ace under t he st er n as t hey got under way, he could be cut t o r ibbons. He m ight have lit t le chance of sur viving as it was, but t her e was always hope he could out swim t he gas wit h his r em aining air .
" W e've got t o get int o t he wat er , " she yeled as t he gas er upt ed. Tr evor saw her st ep t owar d a f uly r igged dive t ank on t he side r ail.
" G et int o your dr y suit . I 'l gr ab t he t ank, " he dir ect ed.
W it h less t han a m inut e bef or e t he boat was engulf ed by vapor , Sum m er jum ped int o her dr y suit and gr abbed a m ask while Tr evor hast ily buckled on t he t ank. She bar ely had t im e t o slip her ar m s t hr ough his buoyancy vest st r aps when t he car bon dioxide waf t ed over t he boat . They f el m or e t han jum ped over t he side, splashing loudly int o t he cold wat er and subm er ging beneat h t he let hal cloud.
Unpr ot ect ed f r om t he cold, Tr evor f elt t he im m er sion like an elect r ic shock. But his adr enaline was pum ping so har d t hat he didn't f r eeze up. Clinging t oget her f ace- t o- f ace, t hey kicked awkwar dly t hr ough t he wat er , passing t he r egulat or back and f or t h f or shar ed air . They event ualy wor ked int o som et hing of a r hyt hm and soon m ade good headway t owar d t he island.
But t he cold quickly caught up wit h Tr evor . The ef f ect s wer e im per cept ible at f ir st , but t hen Sum m er not iced his kicking slow. His lips and ear s showed a t inge of blue, and she knew he was dr if t ing t owar d hypot her m ia. She incr eased her kicking pace, not want ing t o lose t heir m om ent um . She st r uggled anot her hundr ed f eet , r ealizing t hat he was slowly becom ing a deadweight . She looked down, hoping t o f ind t he seaf loor r ising up beneat h t hem , but al she could see was a f ew f eet of m ur ky wat er . She had no clue as t o how f ar t hey wer e f r om t he island or whet her t hey had in f act been swim m ing ar ound in cir cles. The t im e had com e t o r isk sur f acing.
Taking a deep br eat h f r om t he r egulat or bef or e f or cing it back int o Tr evor 's m out h, she kicked t o t he sur f ace, yanking him wit h her . Br eaking t he calm sur f ace, she quickly spun her head in al dir ect ions, t r ying t o get her bear ings. Her wor st f ear pr oved t o be unf ounded. They had escaped, at least t em por ar ily, t he t hick clouds of car bon dioxide, which st il bilowed int o t he sky a shor t dist ance away. I n t he opposit e dir ect ion, t he gr een hils of G il I sland beckoned less t han a quar t er m ile away. Alt hough t hey had not swum in a dir ect line, t heir cour se had been t r ue enough t o appr oach t he shor eline.
Sum m er sam pled a f ew br eat hs of air wit hout consequence, t hen r eached under Tr evor 's ar m and pr essed t he I NFLATE but t on on his buoyancy com pensat or . The vest quickly inf lat ed, r aising Tr evor 's t or so f r om beneat h t he wat er . She looked at his f ace and he winked in r eply, but his eyes wer e dul and list less. G r abbing t he back of t he BC, she kicked t owar d shor e, t owing him behind her while he loosely f lopped his f eet .
The island seem ed t o keep it s dist ance as f at igue caught up wit h Sum m er , who was alr eady bur dened by a sense of desper at ion t o get Tr evor ashor e. She t r ied t o keep her eyes of f t he shor eline and just f ocus on kicking, but t hat only m ade her r ealize how leaden her legs f elt . She was st r uggling t o keep her pace when Tr evor 's BC suddenly jer ked out of her hands and his body m oved ahead of her s. St ar t led by his m ovem ent s, she let go in sur pr ise, obser ving t hat his lim bs st il hung lim p. Then a head em er ged f r om t he wat er alongside Tr evor 's chest .
Dir k t ur ned and gazed at Sum m er , t hen spat out his r egulat or .
" He m ust be f r ozen. Did he inhale t he gas?" he asked.
" No, it 's just t he cold. W e've got t o get him t o shor e. How did you f ind us?"
" I saw a dive t ank was m issing f r om t he boat and f igur ed you wer e m aking f or shor e. I sur f aced a lit t le t o t he sout h and spot t ed you. "
W it hout anot her wor d, t hey m ade f or t he island as quickly as t hey could. Dir k's appear ance ser ved as a m or ale boost t o Sum m er and she suddenly swam wit h r enewed vigor . Toget her t hey m oved br iskly t hr ough t he wat er wit h Tr evor in t ow and soon yanked him up ont o a t hin band of r ocky beachf r ont . Shiver ing uncont r olably, Tr evor sat up on his own but st ar ed of f int o space.
" W e've got t o get his wet clot hes of f . I 'l give him m y dr y suit t o wear , " Dir k said.
Sum m er nodded in agr eem ent , t hen point ed down t he beach. A sm al wooden st r uct ur e sat per ched over t he wat er a hundr ed yar ds down t he shor eline.
" Looks like a f ishing hut . W hy don't you check it out , and I 'l get his clot hes of f ?"
" O kay, " Dir k said, slipping of f his t ank and weight belt . " Don't enjoy your self t oo m uch, " he chided, t hen t ur ned and headed down t he beach.
He wast ed no t im e, r ealizing Tr evor was in r eal danger . Jogging in his dr y suit , he cr ossed t he dist ance t o t he st r uct ur e in shor t or der . Sum m er was r ight , it was a sm al f ishing hut , used f or over night excur sions by m em ber s of a local f ishing club. A sim ple log st r uct ur e, it was sm aler t han a one- car gar age. Dir k not ed a f if t y- f ive- galon dr um and a cor d of chopped wood st acked along an ext er ior wal. He appr oached t he f r ont door and pr om pt ly kicked it open, f inding a single cot , a wood- bur ning st ove, and a f ish sm oker . Spot t ing a box of m at ches and a sm al st ack of dr y wood, he pr om pt ly ignit ed a sm al f ir e in t he st ove, t hen hust led back down t he beach.
Tr evor was sit t ing on a log shir t less as Sum m er r em oved his soaking pant s. Dir k helped him t o his f eet , and wit h Sum m er on t he ot her side, t hey half dr agged him t owar d t he cabin. As t hey m oved, Dir k and Sum m er bot h gazed out at t he st r ait . The whit e clouds of CO wer e st il sur ging f r om t he wat er like a volcanic er upt ion. The vapor had sweled int o a t ower ing m ass t hat st r et ched acr oss t he st r ait , r ising over f if t y f eet int o t he air . They not ed a r eddish t inge in t he wat er and saw dozens of dead f ish bobbing on t he sur f ace.
" I t m ust be t he LNG t anker , " Dir k said. " They'r e pr obably pum ping it f r om a t er m inal on t he ot her side of t he island. "
" But why do it in br oad daylight ?"
" Because t hey know we'r e her e, " he said quiet ly, a t ouch of anger in his voice.
They r eached t he cabin and lay Tr evor down on t he cot . Sum m er cover ed him wit h an old wool blanket while Dir k br ought in som e of t he cut wood f r om out side. The st ove had alr eady st ar t ed war m ing t he sm al hut , and Dir k f ed m or e wood on t he f ir e unt il a sm al blaze was r oar ing. He st ood t o f et ch som e m or e wood, when a deep below echoed in t he dist ance, r ever ber at ing of f t he island hilsides.
Dir k and Sum m er r ushed out side and looked up t he st r ait in hor r or . Two m iles t o t he nor t h, a lar ge Alaskan cr uise liner was m aking it s way down t he passage, heading dir ect ly t owar d t he let hal bank of car bon dioxide gas.
44

THE FRENCH CRUI SE LI NER DAUPHI NE W AS scheduled f or a weeklong voyage up t he Alaskan coast bef or e r et ur ning t o it s hom e por t of Vancouver . But a m ajor out br eak of gast r oint est inal ilness had sickened near ly t hr ee hundr ed passenger s, f or cing t he capt ain t o shor t en t he t r ip in f ear t hat a lar ge num ber would r equir e hospit alizat ion.
At just over nine hundr ed and f if t y f eet , t he Dauphine was one of t he lar gest , as wel as newest , cr uise ships plying t he I nside Passage. W it h t hr ee heat ed swim m ing pools, eight r est aur ant s, and an enor m ous glass- waled obser vat ion lounge above t he br idge, she car r ied t went y- one hundr ed passenger s in high com f or t and luxur y.
St anding on t he G il I sland shor eline, Dir k and Sum m er gazed at t he gleam ing whit e liner on appr oach and saw only a ship of deat h. The t oxic car bon dioxide gas st il er upt ed f r om t he seven pipe out let s, expanding t he vapor cloud f or over a half m ile in ever y dir ect ion. A slight west er ly br eeze kept t he gas away f r om G il I sland but pushed it f ar t her acr oss t he st r ait . The Dauphine would t ake near ly f ive m inut es t o pass t hr ough t he cloud, am ple t im e f or t he heavy car bon dioxide t o inf ilt r at e t he duct s and air - condit ioning syst em s t hr oughout t he vessel. Displacing t he oxygen in t he air , t he gas would br ing quick deat h t o ever y por t ion of t he ship.
" Ther e m ust be t housands of people aboar d, " Sum m er obser ved sober ly. " W e've got t o war n t hem . "
" M aybe t her e's a r adio in t he hut , " Dir k said.
They bolt ed int o t he f ishing hut , ignor ing t he m um blings f r om Tr evor as t hey t or e t he sm al shack apar t . But t her e was no r adio. St epping out side, Dir k looked int o t he bilow of whit e gas, t r ying t o spot t he r esear ch boat . I t was hopelessly concealed inside t he vapor cloud.
" How m uch air do you have lef t in your t ank?" he asked Sum m er hur r iedly. " I can t r y t o get back t o t he boat and cal t hem on t he m ar ine r adio, but I sucked m y t ank dr y. "
" No, you can't , " Sum m er said, shaking her head. " M y t ank is alm ost em pt y as wel, because we had t o shar e air . You'd never m ake it back t o t he boat alive. I won't let you go. "
Dir k accept ed his sist er 's plea, knowing it would likely be a f at al at t em pt . He desper at ely sear ched ar ound, looking f or som e way t o aler t t he ship. Then he spot t ed t he lar ge bar r el next t o t he hut . Rushing over t o t he gr im e- cover ed dr um , he placed his hands against t he t op lip and shoved. The bar r el r esist ed, t hen lif t ed wit h a slight sloshing sound, t eling him it was near ly f ul. He unscr ewed a cap on t he t op and st uck a f inger in, t hen snif f ed t he liquid inside.
" G asoline, " he said as Sum m er appr oached. " An ext r a supply f or t he f isher m en t o r ef uel t heir boat s. "
" W e can light a bonf ir e, " Sum m er suggest ed excit edly.
" Yes, " Dir k said wit h a slow nod. " O r per haps som et hing a lit t le m or e conspicuous. "
THE DAUPHI NE'S CAPTAI N happened t o be on t he br idge checking t he weat her f or ecast when t he execut ive of f icer caled t o him .
" Capt ain, t her e appear s t o be an obst r uct ion in t he wat er dir ect ly ahead. "
The capt ain f inished r eading t he weat her r epor t , t hen casualy st epped over t o t he exec, who held a pair of high- power ed binocular s t o his eyes. W it h t he whales, dolphins, and st r ay logs f r om t he lum ber boat s, t her e always appear ed t o be f loat ing obst r uct ions in t he passage. None of it was ever cause f or concer n t o t he big ship, which just plowed t hr ough any debr is like so m any t oot hpicks.
" Half a m ile ahead, sir , " t he exec said, passing over t he binocular s.
The capt ain r aised t he glasses, viewing a bilowing whit e cloud of f og in t heir pat h. Just ahead of t he f og was a low- lying object in t he wat er t hat spr out ed a black hum p and a sm aler adjacent blue hum p. The capt ain st udied t he object f or near ly a m inut e, adjust ing t he f ocus on t he binocular s.
" Ther e's a m an in t he wat er , " he suddenly blur t ed. " Looks t o be a diver . Helm , decr ease speed t o f ive knot s and pr epar e f or a cour se adjust m ent . "
He handed t he binocular s back t o t he exec, t hen st epped over t o a color m onit or , which displayed t heir posit ion against a naut ical char t of t he passage. He st udied t he im m ediat e wat er dept hs, f inding wit h sat isf act ion t hat t her e was plent y of wat er on t he east er n side of t he st r ait t o sail t hr ough. He was about t o give t he helm sm an a cour se adjust m ent t o veer ar ound t he diver when t he exec caled out again.
" Sir , I t hink you bet t er t ake anot her look. Ther e's som eone on t he shor e who appear s t o be signaling us. "
45
The capt ain gr abbed t he binocular s a second t im e and looked ahead. The ship had advanced enough t hat he could now clear ly see Dir k in his blue dr y suit swim m ing along a f loat ing Y- shaped log. W edged int o t he log's joint was a f if t y- f ive- galon dr um . He wat ched as Dir k waved t o t he shor e, t hen pushed away f r om t he log and disappear ed under t he wat er . The capt ain swung his gaze t owar d t he shor e, wher e he spot t ed Sum m er wading up t o her chest in t he wat er . She held a shar d of wood over her head t hat appear ed t o be bur ning. He wat ched in disbelief as she f lung t he bur ning st ick out int o t he channel t owar d t he f loat ing log. W hen t he bur ning em ber s hit t he wat er , t he sur f ace im m ediat ely ignit ed in a t hin bur st of f lam es. A nar r ow t r ail of f ir e slowly snaked t o t he f loat ing log, engulf ing t he dr if t wood in a f licker ing blaze. I t t ook just a f ew addit ional seconds f or t he gasoline vapor s inside t he bar r el t o ignit e, er upt ing in a sm al explosion t hat sent t he shat t er ing dr um car eening acr oss t he wat er . The capt ain st ar ed bewilder ed at t he f ier y scene, t hen f inaly cam e t o his senses.
" Ful ast er n! Ful ast er n! " he shout ed, waving his ar m s in excit em ent . " Then som eone get m e t he Coast G uar d. "

DI RK SURFACED TW ENTY YARDS FRO M THE BURNI NG gasoline and lazily swam in t he dir ect ion of t he cr uise ship, occasionaly r aising one ar m and slapping it down t o t he sur f ace in t he diver 's signal f or dist r ess. He caut iously eyed t he car bon dioxide cloud, which was st il bur geoning a f ew dozen yar ds behind t he bur ning log. He could hear shout s f r om t he shor e and glanced over t o see Sum m er yeling and waving at t he ship t o halt .
He looked nor t h t o see t he m assive ship st il bear ing down on him . He began t o wonder if anyone was awake on t he br idge and had even seen his pyr ot echnic display. Q uest ioning his own saf et y in t he pat h of t he ship, he t ur ned and swam a f ew st r okes t owar d t he shor e. Then he hear d t he dist ant wail of an alar m sounding on boar d. The wat er near t he vessel's st er n caught his eye as it chur ned int o a t ur bulent boil. Dir k r ealized t he f ier y signal had in f act been seen and t hat t he capt ain had r ever sed engines. But he began t o wonder if it was t oo lat e.
The Dauphine cont inued gliding t owar d t he t oxic cloud wit hout any appear ance of slowing. Dir k swam har der t o avoid t he oncom ing bow of t he ship as it bor e down on him . I t s t ower ing pr esence dr ew over him , t he bow cut t ing t he wat er just yar ds away. Al but giving up hope t hat t he ship would st op, he suddenly det ect ed t he liner shudder and f alt er . The ship's bow eased up t o t he dying line of f lam es, t hen gr ound t o a halt . W it h a pained slowness, t he Dauphine began backing up t he st r ait , m oving a hundr ed yar ds t o t he nor t h, bef or e dr if t ing t o a st at ionar y posit ion.
A sm al or ange launch had alr eady been lower ed over t he side and quickly r aced t owar d Dir k. As it puled alongside, t wo cr ewm en r eached over and r oughly yanked him aboar d. An aust er e- f aced m an seat ed at t he st er n gr owled at him .
" W hat kind of f ool ar e you? G r eenpeace?" he asked in a Fr ench accent .
Dir k point ed t o t he bilowing whit e vapor t o t he sout h of t hem .
" Sail int o t hat and you'l be a dead m an. You be t he f ool and ignor e m y war ning. "
He paused, st ar ing t he cr ewm an in t he eye. Flust er ed and suddenly unsur e of him self , t he Fr enchm an r em ained quiet .
" I have an injur ed m an ashor e who r equir es im m ediat e m edical at t ent ion, " Dir k cont inued, point ing t o t he f ishing hut .
W it hout anot her wor d, t hey r aced t he launch t o shor e. Dir k jum ped of f t he boat and r an t o t he hut , which was now blazing hot f r om t he st ove f ir e. Sum m er was seat ed wit h her ar m ar ound Tr evor , t alking t o him on t he cot . His eyes looked br ight er , but he st il m um bled in a st at e of gr ogginess. The launch cr ewm en helped car r y him t o t he boat , and t hey al r et ur ned t o t he Dauphine.
Af t er Tr evor was hoist ed aboar d in t he launch, Sum m er accom panied him t o t he ship's m edical st at ion while Dir k was escor t ed t o t he br idge. The ship's capt ain, a shor t m an wit h t hinning hair , looked Dir k up and down wit h an air of disdain.
" W ho ar e you and why did you set f ir e in our pat h?" he asked point edly.
" M y nam e is Pit t , f r om t he Nat ional Under wat er and M ar ine Agency. You can't pr oceed down t he st r ait or you'l kil ever yone aboar d. That whit e m ist ahead of you is a let hal cloud of car bon dioxide gas being dischar ged by a t anker ship. W e had t o abandon our boat and swim t o shor e, and m y sist er and anot her m an bar ely escaped deat h. "
The execut ive of f icer st ood near by, list ening. He shook his head and snicker ed.
" W hat an absur d t ale, " he said t o anot her cr ewm an loud enough f or Dir k t o hear .
Dir k ignor ed him , st anding t oe- t o- t oe wit h t he capt ain.
" W hat I have said is t r ue. I f you want t o r isk kiling t he t housands of passenger s aboar d, t hen go r ight ahead. Just put us ashor e bef or e you pr oceed. "
The capt ain st udied Dir k's f ace, sear ching f or signs of lunacy but f inding only st one- cold r eser ve. A cr ewm an at t he r adar st at ion br oke t he t ension.
" Sir , we'r e showing a st at ionar y vessel in t he f ogbank, appr oxim at ely one- half m ile of f our st ar boar d bow. "
The capt ain digest ed t he inf or m at ion wit hout com m ent , t hen looked again at Dir k.
" Ver y wel, we shal alt er cour se and avoid f ur t her pr ogr ess t hr ough t he st r ait . I ncident aly, t he Coast G uar d is on t heir way. I f you ar e m ist aken, M r . Pit t , t hen you wil be subject t o t heir pr osecut ion. "
A m inut e lat er , a t hum ping noise appr oached, and an or ange- and- whit e U. S. Coast G uar d helicopt er f r om Pr ince Ruper t appear ed out t he por t window.
" Capt ain, if you would, please advise t he pilot t o avoid f lying int o or above t he whit e cloud. I t m ight pr ove enlight ening if he also did a f lyby ar ound t he nor t hwest coast of G il I sland, " Dir k r equest ed.
The capt ain obliged, advising t he Coast G uar d pilot of t he sit uat ion. The helicopt er disappear ed f or t went y m inut es, t hen r eappear ed above t he cr uise ship and caled on t he r adio.
" Dauphine, we have conf ir m ed t he pr esence of an LNG t anker at a f loat ing t er m inal on t he nor t h coast of G il I sland. I t appear s you m ay be cor r ect about an unlawf ul dischar ge of gas. W e ar e issuing m ar ine hazar d war nings t hr ough t he Canadian Coast G uar d and Royal Canadian M ount ed Police. Advise you t o alt er cour se t o t he channel west of G il I sland. "
The capt ain t hanked t he Coast G uar d pilot , t hen conf igur ed an alt er nat e r out e ar ound G il I sland. A f ew m inut es lat er , he appr oached Dir k.
" I t would seem t hat you have saved m y ship f r om an im m easur able t r agedy, M r . Pit t . I apologize f or our skept icism and t hank you f or t he war ning. I f t her e is anyt hing at al I can do t o r epay you, please let m e know. "
Dir k t hought f or a m inut e, t hen said, " W el, Capt ain, at som e point I would like t o have m y boat back. "
DI RK AND SUM M ER HAD lit t le choice but t o r em ain aboar d t he Dauphine unt il she docked in Vancouver lat e t he f olowing evening. Tr evor was back on his f eet by t he t im e t hey r eached por t but was sent t o t he hospit al f or over night obser vat ion. Dir k and Sum m er st opped f or a visit bef or e cat ching a t r ain t o Seat t le.
" Ar e you f inaly t hawed out ?" Sum m er asked, f inding Tr evor under a m ount ain of blanket s in t he hospit al r oom .
" Yes, and now t hey ar e t r ying t o cook m e alive, " he r eplied, happy t o see her so soon. " Next t im e, I get t he dr y suit . "
" Deal, " she said wit h a laugh.
" Have t hey nailed t he LNG t anker ?" he asked, t ur ning ser ious.
" The Dauphine saw her headed t o sea as we skir t ed ar ound G il I sland, so t hey m ust have cut and r un once t hey saw t he helicopt er . For t unat ely, t he Coast G uar d chopper had t heir video cam er a r oling and so capt ur ed t hem at t he f loat ing t er m inal. "
" No doubt t hey'l be able t o t r ace t he ship back t o one of G oyet t e's holdings, " Dir k added. " Though he'l f ind a way t o palm of f t he blam e. "
" That 's what kiled m y br ot her , " Tr evor said solem nly. " They alm ost got us, t oo. "
" Did Sum m er t el you t hat she decipher ed your br ot her 's m essage on t he Vent ur a?" Dir k said.
" No, " he said, suddenly sit t ing up in bed and st ar ing at Sum m er .
" I 've been t hinking about it ever since we f ound t he Vent ur a, " she said. " I t cam e t o m e on t he ship last night . His m essage wasn't t hat t hey choked. I t was t hat t hey suf f er ed f r om choke dam p. "
" I 'm not f am iliar wit h t he t er m , " Tr evor said.
" I t com es f r om t he old m ining days, when under gr ound m iner s car r ied canar ies wit h t hem t o war n of asphyxiat ion. I had r un acr oss t he t er m while invest igat ing an old f looded quar r y in O hio t hat was r um or ed t o cont ain pr e- Colum bian ar t if act s. Your br ot her was a doct or , so he would have been f am iliar wit h it . I believe he t r ied t o wr it e t he m essage as a war ning t o ot her s. "
" Have you t old anyone else?" Tr evor asked.
" No, " Sum m er r eplied. " I f igur ed you'l want t o have anot her chat wit h t he chief of police in Kit im at when you r et ur n. "
Tr evor nodded but t ur ned away f r om Sum m er wit h a f ar away look in his eyes.
" W e've got a t r ain t o cat ch, " Dir k said, eyeing t he clock. " Let 's t r y a war m - wat er dive t oget her r eal soon, " he said t o Tr evor , shaking his hand.
Sum m er m oved in and gave him a passionat e kiss. " Now, r em em ber , Seat t le is only a hundr ed m iles away. "
" Yes, " Tr evor sm iled. " And t her e's no t eling how long I 'l have t o st ay in Vancouver ar r anging a new boat . "
" He'l pr obably be behind t he wheel bef or e we see our s again, " Dir k lam ent ed as t hey walked out .
But he would be pr oven wr ong. Two days af t er t hey r et ur ned t o t he NUM A r egional of f ice in Seat t le, a f lat bed t r uck showed up car r ying t heir r esear ch boat lef t behind of f G il I sland. I t had a f ul t ank of gas, and on t he pilot 's seat was an expensive bot t le of Fr ench bur gundy.
46

BY PRESI DENTI AL DI RECTI VE, THE U. S. CO AST G uar d cut t er Polar Dawn st eam ed st r ident ly acr oss t he m ar it im e boundar y wit h Canada just nor t h of t he Yukon. As it m oved east acr oss t he cor r ugat ed gr ay wat er s of t he Beauf or t Sea, Capt ain Edwin M ur dock st ar ed out t he br idge window in silent r elief . Ther e was no ar m ed Canadian f lot ila t her e t o chalenge him , as a f ew aboar d t he ship had f ear ed.
Their m ission had begun innocuously enough sever al m ont hs ear lier wit h a pr oposal t o seism icaly m ap t he per ipher y sea ice along t he Nor t hwest Passage. However , t his was wel bef or e t he At lant a and I ce Resear ch Lab 7 incident s. The Pr esident , concer ned about f anning t he f lam es of Canadian indignat ion, had init ialy canceled t he voyage, but t he Secr et ar y of Def ense had f inaly convinced him t o pr oceed wit h t he m ission, successf uly ar guing t hat t he Canadians had pr eviously given im plicit appr oval. I t m ight be year s, he asser t ed, bef or e t he U. S. could chalenge Canada's int er nal wat er s claim wit hout over t pr ovocat ion.
" Skies clear , r adar scr een em pt y, and seas at t hr ee- t o- f our , " said t he Polar Dawn's execut ive of f icer , a r ail- t hin Af r ican- Am er ican nam ed W ilkes. " Per f ect condit ions in which t o r un t he passage. "
" Let 's hope t hey cont inue f or t he next six days, " M ur dock r eplied. He not iced a glint in t he sky out t he st ar boar d br idge window. " O ur upst air s escor t is st il holding t he t r ail?" he asked.
" I believe t hey ar e going t o keep an eye on us f or t he f ir st f if t y m iles int o Canadian wat er s, " W ilkes r eplied, r ef er r ing t o a Navy P- 3 O r ion r econnaissance plane t hat lazily cir cled over head. " Af t er t hat , we'r e on our own. "
Nobody r ealy expect ed t he Canadians t o oppose t hem , but t he ship's of f icer s and cr ew wer e wel awar e of t he heat ed r het or ic t hat had been er upt ing f r om O t t awa t he past t wo weeks. M ost r ecognized it f or what it was, em pt y post ur ing by som e polit icians at t em pt ing t o capt ur e a f ew vot es. O r so t hey hoped.
The Polar Dawn m oved east t hr ough t he Beauf or t Sea, skir t ing along t he jagged edge of t he sea ice t hat occasionaly cr um bled int o a m ass of ir r egular - shaped f loes. The Coast G uar d vessel t owed a sled- shaped seism ic sensor of f t he st er n, which m apped t he dept h and densit y of t he ice sheet as t hey st eam ed by.
The wat er s held clear of t r af f ic, save f or t he occasional f ishing boat or oil explor at ion vessel. Sailing t hr ough t he f ir st br ief Ar ct ic night wit hout incident , M ur dock slowly began t o r elax. The cr ew set t led int o t heir var ied wor k schedules, which would ser ve t hem f or t he near ly t hr ee- week voyage t o New Yor k Har bor .
The sea ice had encr oached closer t o t he m ainland as t hey sailed east , gr adualy const r ict ing t he open wat er way t o less t han t hir t y m iles as t hey appr oached t he Am undsen G ulf , sout h of Banks I sland. Passing t he f ive- hundr ed- m ile m ar k f r om Alaska, M ur dock was sur pr ised t hat t hey st il hadn't encount er ed any Canadian picket vessels. He had been br ief ed t hat t wo Canadian Coast G uar d vessels r egular ly pat r oled t he Am undsen G ulf , picking up any east bound f r eight er s t hat hadn't paid t heir passage f ees.
" Vict or ia I sland com ing int o view, " W ilkes announced.
Al eyes on t he br idge st r ained t o m ake out t he t undr a- cover ed island t hr ough a dam p gr ay haze. Lar ger t han t he st at e of Kansas, t he huge island pr essed a f our - hundr ed- m ile- long coast line opposit e t he Nor t h Am er ican m ainland. The wat er way ahead of t he Polar Dawn const r ict ed again as t hey ent er ed t he Dolphin and Union St r ait , nam ed f or t wo sm al boat s used by Fr anklin on an ear lier Ar ct ic expedit ion. The ice shelf cr ept of f bot h shor elines, nar r owing t he open seaway t hr ough t he st r ait t o less t han t en m iles. The Polar Dawn could easily shove t hr ough t he adjacent m et er - t hick ice if necessar y, but t he ship kept t o t he ice- f r ee pat h m elt ed by t he war m spr ing weat her .
The Polar Dawn f or ged anot her hundr ed m iles t hr ough t he nar r owing st r ait as it s second Ar ct ic night in Canadian wat er s appr oached. M ur dock had just r et ur ned t o t he br idge af t er a lat e dinner when t he r adar oper at or announced f ir st one and t hen anot her sur f ace cont act .
" They'r e bot h st at ionar y at t he m om ent , " t he oper at or said. " O ne's t o t he nor t h, t he ot her alm ost dir ect ly sout h. W e'l r un r ight bet ween t hem on our cur r ent heading. "
" O ur picket has f inaly appear ed, " M ur dock said quiet ly.
As t hey appr oached t he t wo vessels, a lar ger ship appear ed on t he r adar som e t en m iles ahead. The sent r y vessels r em ained silent as t he Polar Dawn cr uised past , one on eit her f lank. As t he Coast G uar d ship m oved on unchalenged, M ur dock st epped over t o t he r adar st at ion and peer ed over t he oper at or 's shoulder . W it h a m easur e of chagr in, he wat ched as t he t wo vessels slowly depar t ed t heir st at ions and gr adualy f el in line behind his own ship.
" I t appear s we m ay have t r ouble passing G o and colect ing our t wo hundr ed dolar s, " he said t o W ilkes.
" The r adio is st il silent , " t he exec obser ved. " M aybe t hey'r e just bor ed. "
A hazy dusk had set t led over t he st r ait , paint ing t he dist ant shor eline of Vict or ia I sland a deep pur ple. M ur dock t r ied t o obser ve t he ship ahead t hr ough a pair of binocular s but could only m ake out a dar k gr ay m ass f r om t he bow pr of ile. The capt ain adjust ed cour se slight ly, so as t o pass t he ship on his por t side wit h plent y of leeway. But he would never get t he chance.
I n t he f ading daylight , t hey closed wit hin t wo m iles of t he lar ger ship when a sudden spr ay of or ange light bur st f r om it s gr ay shadow. The Polar Dawn's br idge cr ew hear d a f aint whist ling, t hen saw an explosion in t he wat er a quar t er m ile of f t heir st ar boar d bow. The st ar t led cr ew wat ched as t he spr ay of wat er f r om t he blast r ose f or t y f eet int o t he air .
" They f ir ed a shel at us, " W ilkes blur t ed in a shocked voice.
A second lat er , t he long silent r adio f inaly cr ackled.
" Polar Dawn, Polar Dawn, t his is t he Canadian war ship M anit oba . You ar e t r espassing in a sover eign wat er way. Please heave t o and pr epar e f or boar ding. "
M ur dock r eached f or a r adio t r ansm it t er . " M anit oba, t his is t he capt ain of t he Polar Dawn. O ur t r ansit r out e has been f iled wit h t he For eign Af f air s M inist r y in O t t awa. Request you let us pr oceed. "
M ur dock gr it t ed his t eet h as he wait ed f or a r esponse. He had been given st r ict or der s not t o pr ovoke a conf r ont at ion at any cost . But he had also been given assur ances t hat t he Polar Dawn's passage would be uncont est ed. Now he was get t ing shot at by t he M anit oba, a br and- new Canadian cr uiser built expr essly f or Ar ct ic dut y. Though t echnicaly a m ilit ar y vessel, t he Polar Dawn had no ar m am ent wit h which t o f ight . And it wasn't a par t icular ly f ast ship; cer t ainly it was incapable of out r unning a m oder n cr uiser . W it h t he t wo sm aler Canadian vessels blocking t he r ear , t her e was no place t o r un anyway.
Ther e was no im m ediat e answer t o M ur dock's r adio cal. O nly a silent pause, and t hen anot her or ange f lash f r om t he deck of t he M anit oba. This t im e t he shel f r om t he war ship's f ive- inch gun landed a scant f if t y yar ds f r om t he Coast G uar d ship, it s under wat er blast sending a concussion t hat could be f elt t hr oughout t he vessel. O n t he br idge, t he r adio cr ackled once m or e.
" Polar Dawn, t his is M anit oba, " spoke a voice wit h a kindly char m t hat was incongr uous t o t he sit uat ion at hand. " I m ust insist t hat you heave t o f or boar ding. I 'm af r aid I have or der s t o sink you if you don't com ply. O ver . "
M ur dock didn't wait f or anot her or ange f lash f r om t he M anit oba.
" Al st op, " he or der ed t he helm sm an.
I n a heavy voice, he r adioed t he M anit oba his concession. He quickly had t he r adiom an send a coded m essage t o t he Coast G uar d sect or headquar t er s in Juneau, explaining t heir pr edicam ent . Then he quiet ly wait ed f or t he Canadian boar der s, wonder ing if his car eer was al but over .
A HEAVI LY ARM ED TEAM of Canadian Special For ces puled alongside t he Polar Dawn wit hin m inut es and quickly boar ded t he ship. Execut ive O f f icer W ilkes m et t he boar der s and escor t ed t hem t o t he br idge. The leader of t he Special For ces t eam , a shor t m an wit h a lant er n jaw, salut ed M ur dock.
" Lieut enant Car pent er , Joint Task For ce 2 Special For ces, " he said. " I have or der s t o t ake com m and of your vessel and br ing her t o por t at Kuglukt uk. "
" And what of t he cr ew?" M ur dock asked.
" That 's f or t he higher - ups t o decide. "
M ur dock st epped near er , looking down on t he shor t er lieut enant . " An Ar m y soldier who knows how t o pilot a t hr ee- hundr ed- f oot ship?" he asked skept icaly.
" Ex- M er chant M ar ine. " Car pent er sm iled. " Helped push coal bar ges up t he Saint Lawr ence in m y daddy's t ug since I was t welve. "
M ur dock could do not hing but gr im ace. " The helm is your s, " he said f inaly, st anding aside.
Tr ue t o his claim , Car pent er exper t ly guided t he Polar Dawn t hr ough t he st r ait and acr oss t he west er n r eaches of Cor onat ion G ulf , nosing int o t he sm al por t of Kuglukt uk eight hour s lat er . A sm al cont ingent of Royal Canadian M ount ed Police lined t he dock as t he ship t ied up at a lar ge indust r ial whar f . The M anit oba, which had shadowed t he Polar Dawn al t he way t o por t , t oot ed it s hor n f r om out in t he bay, t hen t ur ned and headed back int o t he gulf .
The Polar Dawn's cr ew was r ounded up and m ar ched of f t he cut t er t o a whit e dockside building t hat had f or m er ly been a f ish house, it s weat her ed ext er ior peeling and blist er ed. I nside, sever al r ows of m akeshif t bunks had been hast ily set up t o accom m odat e t he im pr isoned cr ew. The m en wer e conf ined in r elat ive com f or t , however , t heir capt or s pr oviding war m f ood, cold beer , and books and videos f or ent er t ainm ent . M ur dock appr oached t he M ount ie in char ge, a t ower ing m an wit h ice blue eyes.
" How long ar e we t o be conf ined her e?" t he capt ain asked.
" I don't r ealy know m yself . Al I can t el you is t hat our gover nm ent is dem anding an apology and r epar at ions f or t he dest r uct ion of t he Beauf or t Sea ice cam p and an acknowledgm ent t hat t he Nor t hwest Passage is r ight ly par t of Canada's int er nal wat er s. I t 's up t o your gover nm ent leader s t o r espond. Your m en wil be t r eat ed wit h al consider at ion, but I m ust war n you not t o at t em pt an escape. W e have been aut hor ized t o use f or ce as necessar y. "
M ur dock nodded, suppr essing a sm ile. The r equest , he knew, would go over in W ashingt on like a lead baloon.
47

PI TT HAD JUST STEPPED O FF A CO M M ERCI AL AI RLI NE f light t o Calgar y when news of t he Polar Dawn's seizur e hit t he newswir es. M obs of passenger s wer e cr owded ar ound air por t t elevisions, t r ying t o digest t he im pact of t he event . Pit t st opped and wat ched br ief ly as a Canadian polit ical com m ent at or caled f or a shut down of al oil, gas, and hydr oelect r ic power expor t s t o t he U. S. unt il t hey agr eed t o Canada's owner ship of t he Nor t hwest Passage. Pit t st epped t o a quiet cor ner by an em pt y gat e and dialed a dir ect num ber t o t he Vice Pr esident 's of f ice. A secr et ar y im m ediat ely put t he cal t hr ough, and t he businesslike voice of Jam es Sandecker bur st t hr ough t he phone in an ir r it at ed t one.
" M ake it quick, Dir k. I 've got m y hands f ul wit h t his Canada sit uat ion, " he bar ked wit hout pr eam ble.
" I just caught t he news her e in Calgar y, " Pit t r eplied.
" That 's a long ways f r om W ashingt on. W hat ar e you doing in Calgar y? "
" W ait ing f or a f light t o Yelowknif e and t hen a puddle jum per t o Tukt oyakt uk. The Nar whal has been sit t ing in por t t her e since picking up t he sur vivor s of t he Canadian I ce Lab. "
" That 's what st ar t ed t his whole m ess. I 'd like t o get m y hands on t he r eal joker who sm ashed up t hat cam p. I n t he m eant im e, you bet t er get t hat vessel out of Canadian wat er s pr ont o, t hen r et ur n t o W ashingt on. "
" Rudi's on his way back t o D. C. wit h a dir ect ive t o suspend al NUM A r esear ch pr oject s ar ound Canada and im m ediat ely m ove our vessels t o neut r al wat er s. I 've just got a special job up her e t o close down per sonaly. "
" This have anyt hing t o do wit h t hat pet science pr oject your pr et t y wif e keeps har anguing m e about ?"
Bless Lor en's hear t , Pit t t hought . She had alr eady gone af t er t he old m an.
" Yes, it does. W e need t o f ind t he sour ce of t he or e, Adm ir al. "
The line went silent , but Pit t could hear som e paper s being shuf f led at t he ot her end.
" Lor en wr it es a bang- up policy paper , " Sandecker f inaly gr unt ed. " Like t o have her on m y st af f if she ever get s t ir ed of ser ving in Congr ess. "
" I 'm af r aid her const it uent s wouldn't let her . "
" This r ut henium . . . it 's t he r eal deal?"
" Yes, conclusively pr oven. And t her e's som ebody else in t he hunt f or it , which conf ir m s it s wor t h. "
" I f it can m ake t his ar t if icial phot osynt hesis f ly, t hen it would be invaluable. I can't begin t o t el you how bad t hings ar e econom icaly because of t he ener gy cr unch. The Pr esident 's car bon m andat e put s us on even m or e of a t ight r ope. I f we don't f ind a way out , t hen we'r e headed f or a f ul- blown m elt down. "
" Finding t he m iner al m ight be our only chance, " Pit t r eplied.
" Lor en's cover let t er says t her e m ay be a sour ce linked t o t he lost Fr anklin Expedit ion?"
" Ther e ar e som e com peling clues in t hat dir ect ion. I t seem s t o be t he only r eal lead t o a near - t er m supply of t he m iner al. "
" And you want t o conduct a sear ch?"
" Yes. "
" This is som e poor t im ing on your par t , Dir k. "
" Can't be helped. I t 's t oo im por t ant not t o t r y. And it 's t oo im por t ant t o com e up second. I 'd just like t o know wher e t hings ar e headed wit h t he Polar Dawn. "
" Ar e you on a secur e line?"
" No. "
Sandecker hesit at ed. " The chickens want t o lay som e eggs, but t he r oost er is st il pacing t he henhouse. "
" How soon bef or e br eakf ast ?"
" Soon. Ver y soon. "
Pit t knew t hat Sandecker of t en r ef er r ed t o t he Pent agon gener als as chickens, due t o t he eagle insignias on t heir caps. The m essage was clear . The Secr et ar y of Def ense was pushing f or a m ilit ar y r esponse, but t he Pr esident had not m ade up his m ind yet . A decision would be f or t hcom ing shor t ly.
" The Canadian dem and is being t r eat ed ser iously, " Sandecker cont inued. " You need t o colect your vessel and get on over t o Alaska, assum ing t he Canadians wil let you leave por t . Don't m ess ar ound, Dir k. I can't give you any suppor t in Canadian wat er s. This t hing wil likely blow over in a f ew weeks and you can r esum e your sear ch t hen. "
A f ew weeks could easily t ur n int o m ont hs, and t he sum m er season in t he Ar ct ic would be lost . Add an ear ly cold snap and t hey would be shut out f r om sear ching ar ound King W iliam I sland unt il t he f olowing spr ing t haw.
" You'r e r ight , Adm ir al. I 'l t ake t he Nar whal and sail her t o calm er wat er s. "
" Do it , Dir k. And don't delay. "
Pit t hung up t he phone wit h no int ent ion of sailing t he Nar whal t o Alaska. I f his phone conver sat ion was being m onit or ed, he could say not hing dif f er ent . And he had not lied t o Sandecker . Taking t he Nar whal f ar t her along t he passage would indeed be sailing int o m uch calm er wat er s t han t he Beauf or t Sea.
At t he ot her end of t he line, Sandecker hung up t he phone and shook his head. He knew Pit t alm ost like a son. And he knew f ul wel t hat he wasn't about t o sail t he Nar whal t o Alaska.
48

THE W HI TE FLECKS FLO ATED LAZI LY I N THE DARK sky, gr owing lar ger t o t he eye as t hey appr oached t he ear t h. I t was only when t hey r eached an alt it ude of a hundr ed f eet or so t hat t heir r apid speed of descent becam e appar ent . A f ew seconds lat er , t hey st r uck t he ice- cover ed gr ound, landing wit h a cr ackling t hud. Fir st t o t ouch down was a t r io of lar ge wooden boxes, paint ed f lat whit e t o blend wit h t he sur r oundings. Then hum an f or m s f olowed, t en in al, each r ecoiling int o a bal as t heir f eet t ouched t he gr ound. I nst ant ly, each m an st r ipped of f his har ness and r oled his par achut e int o a bal, t hen quickly bur ied t he ent ir et y beneat h a f oot of ice.
A m oder at e br eeze had scat t er ed t he m en over a half - m ile swat h, but wit hin m inut es t hey had assem bled near one of t he cr at es. Though it was a m oonless night , visibilit y was bet t er t han a hundr ed yar ds because of t he st ar s t hat t winkled br ight ly over head. The m en quickly lined up in f r ont of t heir com m ander , a t al, deeply t anned m an nam ed Rick Rom an. Like t he m en under him , Rom an was dr essed in a whit e cam ouf lage snowsuit wit h m at ching helm et and dr op- down night vision goggles. O n his hip, he car r ied a holst er ed Colt . 45 aut om at ic pist ol.
" Q ualit y dr op, m en. W e've only got an hour of dar kness ahead of us, so let 's get t o wor k. G r een Squad has r unway det ail, and Blue Squad has Zodiac and base assem bly. Let 's m ove. "
The m en, m em ber s of t he Ar m y's elit e Delt a For ce, quickly at t acked t he lar ge cr at es, spiling t heir cont ent s. Two of t he boxes each cont ained a Zodiac inf lat able boat along wit h som e cold- weat her bivouac gear . The t hir d cr at e cont ained t wo Bob- cat com pact t r ack loader s, conver t ed t o r un on elect r ic bat t er ies. A sm aler cont ainer inside held addit ional weapons, am m unit ion, m eals, and m edical kit s.
" Ser geant Bojor quez, would you accom pany m e, please?" Rom an caled out .
A bul- shaped m an wit h black eyes and pr em at ur ely gr ay hair t hr ew down t he side of a cr at e, t hen walked over and joined Rom an. The Ar m y capt ain st r ode of f t owar d an elevat ed r idge t hat r an along one side of t he landing zone.
" Nice clear night , sir , " Bojor quez said.
" Clear and cold as a penguin's but t , " Rom an r eplied, gr im acing in t he t en- degr ee t em per at ur e. He had spent his yout h in Hawai and st il hadn't adjust ed t o cold weat her despit e year s of Ar ct ic t r aining.
" Could be wor se, " Bojor quez said, f lashing a set of br ight whit e t eet h. " At least it ain't snowing. "
They hiked up t he r idge, st epping over and t hr ough r ough sect ions of ice t hat cr unched dr ily under t heir boot s. Reaching t he cr est , t hey peer ed acr oss a gent le slope of uneven ice t hat st r et ched down t he opposit e side. The inky black wat er s of Cor onat ion G ulf r ippled a m ile away, while t wo m iles beyond t winkled t he light s of Kuglukt uk. Dr opped f r om a low- f lying C- 130 out of Eielson Air For ce Base in Fair banks, Rom an and his t eam had been sent in t o seize and ext r act t he cr ew of t he Polar Dawn on a m ission aut hor ized by t he Pr esident .
" W hat 's your assessm ent ? " Rom an asked, st ar ing at t he sm al t own's light s.
The ser geant was a t went y- year m an, having ser ved in Som alia and I r aq bef or e being r ecr uit ed int o t he elit e Delt a For ces. Like m ost of t he m em ber s of t he Ar ct ic unit , he had ser ved m ult iple t our s in t he r ugged m ount ains of Af ghanist an.
" Sat elit e r econ looks pr et t y accur at e. That plat eau's not t oo chewed up, " he said, m ot ioning behind t hem t owar d t he dr op zone. " W e'l get a decent r unway clear ed, no pr oblem . "
He gazed down t owar d t he gulf wat er s and r aised an ar m . " That st r et ch t o t he dr ink is a lit t le longer t han I 'd like t o see. "
" M y concer n as wel, " Rom an r eplied. " W e've got such shor t night f al, I hat e t o t hink of t he dar kness we'l lose just get t ing t he boat s int o t he wat er . "
" No r eason we can't get a head st ar t t onight , Capt ain. "
Rom an looked at his wat ch, t hen nodded. " G et t he Zodiacs down as f ar as you can bef or e daybr eak and cover t hem up. W e m ight as wel bur n som e ener gy t onight , since we have a long day of r est t om or r ow. "
Under t he r em aining cover of dar kness, t he sm al com m ando t eam hust led acr oss t he ice like r abbit s on adr enaline. The m en of G r een Squad quickly t ook up t he t ask of car ving out an ice r unway capable of suppor t ing a pair of CV- 22 O spr eys, which would be t heir t icket out . The dr op zone had been select ed f or just t hat r eason, of f er ing a f lat plat eau hidden f r om view yet wit hin st r iking dist ance of Kuglukt uk. Though t he t ilt - r ot or O spr eys wer e capable of a ver t ical landing and t akeof f , saf et y concer ns wit h t he f ickle Ar ct ic weat her pr om pt ed or der s t hat t hey be deployed convent ionaly. The soldier s m easur ed and m ar ked a nar r ow, f ive- hundr ed- f oot pat h acr oss t he ice, t hen put t he m inibuldozer s t o wor k. Power ed f or silent r unning, t he t iny m achines f ur iously scr aped and shoved t he ice unt il a cr ude landing st r ip began t o t ake shape.
At t he edge of t he r unway, t he Blue Squad hacked a sm al enclosur e int o t he ice, which par t ialy concealed a half dozen whit e bivouac t ent s t hat ser ved as shelt er . O nce t he cam p was com plet e, t he soldier s set about inf lat ing t he r ubber Zodiacs, each boat lar ge enough t o car r y t went y m en, t hen t he boat s wer e placed on alum inum sled r unner s f or t r anspor t over t he ice.
Rom an and Bojor quez lent a hand t o t he f our m en of Blue Squad as t hey pushed t he t wo boat s acr oss t he ice. The sout her n sky was alr eady beginning t o light en when t hey r eached t he cr est of t he r idge. Rom an st opped and r est ed f or a m om ent , eyeing t he dist ant light of a ship cr ossing t he gulf t owar d Kuglukt uk. Ur ging t he m en t o keep m oving, t hey st ar t ed down t he slope. Despit e t he declining gr ade, t hey f ound t he ice m or e jagged and coar se, m aking t he going ar duous. The f or war d r unner s of t en jam m ed int o sm al cr evices, r equir ing added exer t ion t o pul f r ee.
The inf lat able boat s had been pushed a half m ile when t he golden f lam es of t he sun ar ced over t he sout heast hor izon. The m en f ought t o push t he boat s f ast er , knowing t hat pr em at ur e exposur e was t he gr eat est r isk t o t heir m ission. Yet Rom an abandoned his plan t o dit ch t he boat s at f ir st light and pushed t he t eam f or war d.
I t t ook a f ul hour bef or e t he exhaust ed m en f inaly r eached t he shor es of Cor onat ion G ulf . Rom an had t he boat s f lipped upside down and concealed in a blanket of snow and ice. Hast ily m aking t heir way back t o cam p, t hey f ound t he landing st r ip com plet ed by t heir cohor t s. Rom an m ade a quick inspect ion, t hen r et ir ed t o his t ent wit h a f eeling of sat isf act ion. The m ission pr epar at ions had gone wit hout a hit ch. W hen t he long Ar ct ic day passed, t hey would be r eady t o go.
49

THE DE HAVI LLAND O TTER TO UCHED DO W N har shly on t he f lat ice r unway, t hen t axied t o a sm al block building wit h TUKTO YAKTUK paint ed in f aded let t er ing on it . As t he plane's t win pr opeler s gr ound t o a halt , an air por t wor ker in a t hick or ange jum psuit jogged up and opened t he side door , let t ing a blast of f r igid air int o t he int er ior . Pit t wait ed at t he back of t he plane as t he ot her passenger s, m ost ly oil com pany em ployees, donned heavy jacket s bef or e exit ing down t he st air s. Event ualy m aking his way of f t he plane, he was welcom ed by a num bing gust t hat knocked t he t em per at ur e sever al degr ees below zer o on t he windchil f act or .
Hust ling t owar d t he sm al t er m inal, he was near ly sideswiped by a r ust y pickup t r uck t hat had cr ossed t he r unway and r at t led t o a st op in f r ont of t he door . A squat m an hopped out , cover ed f r om head t o f oot in m ult iple layer s of cold- weat her gear . The bulky clot hing gave him t he ef f ect of a giant walking pincushion.
" W ould t hat be King Tut 's m um m y or m y Dir ect or of Under wat er Technology bur ied under t her e?" Pit t asked as t he m an blocked his pat h.
The m an yanked a scar f away f r om his jaw, r evealing t he st aunch f ace of Al G ior dino.
" I t is I , your t r opics- loving Dir ect or of Technology, " he r eplied. " Hop int o m y heat ed char iot bef or e we bot h t ur n int o Popsicles. "
Pit t gr abbed his luggage of f a car t headed t owar d t he t er m inal and t hr ew it int o t he open t r uck bed. I nside t he t er m inal, a plain- looking wom an wit h shor t hair st ood by t he window st ar ing out at t he t wo m en. As t hey clim bed int o t he t r uck, she walked t o a pay phone in t he t er m inal and pr om pt ly m ade a colect cal t o Vancouver .
G ior dino shoved t he t r uck int o gear , t hen held his gloved hands in f r ont of t he heat er vent as he st epped on t he gas.
" The ship's cr ew t ook a vot e, " he said. " You owe us a cold- weat her pay bonus plus a week's vacat ion in Bor a- Bor a at t he end of t his job. "
" I don't under st and, " Pit t sm iled. " The long sum m er days in t he Ar ct ic ar e r enowned f or t heir balm y weat her . "
" I t ain't sum m er yet . The high was t welve degr ees yest er day, and t her e's anot her cold f r ont m oving our way. W hich r em inds m e, did Rudi escape our wint er wonder land successf uly?"
" Yes. W e m issed each ot her in t r ansit , but he phoned t o t el m e he was war m ly ensconced back at NUM A headquar t er s. "
" He's pr obably sipping m ai t ais along t he banks of t he Pot om ac t his ver y m om ent just t o spit e m e. "
The air f ield was adjacent t o t he sm al t own, and G ior dino had only a f ew blocks t o dr ive unt il r eaching t he wat er f r ont docks. Locat ed on t he bar r en coast of t he Nor t hwest Ter r it or ies, Tukt oyakt uk was a t iny I nuvialuit set t lem ent t hat had gr own int o a sm al hub f or r egional oil and gas explor at ion.
The t ur quoise hul of t he Nar whal cam e int o view, and G ior dino dr ove slight ly past t he vessel, par king t he t r uck next t o a building m ar ked HARBO RM ASTER'S O FFI CE. He r et ur ned t he keys t o t he bor r owed t r uck inside, t hen helped Pit t wit h his bags. Capt ain St enset h and Jack Dahlgr en wer e quick t o gr eet Pit t as he boar ded t he NUM A ship.
" Did Lor en f inaly t ake a r oling pin t o your noggin?" Dahlgr en asked, spot t ing t he bandage on Pit t 's head.
" Not yet . Just a r esult of som e poor dr iving on m y par t , " he answer ed, br ushing aside t he concer n.
The m en sat down in a sm al lounge near t he galey as cups of hot cof f ee wer e dist r ibut ed t o al. Dahlgr en pr oceeded t o br ief Pit t on t he abbr eviat ed discover y of t he t her m al vent while St enset h discussed t he r escue of t he Canadian I ce Lab sur vivor s.
" W hat 's t he local speculat ion on who could have been r esponsible?" Pit t asked.
" Since t he sur vivor 's descr ipt ion per f ect ly m at ches t hat of our f r igat e t he For d, ever yone t hinks it was t he Navy. W e've been t old, of cour se, t hat she was t hr ee hundr ed m iles away at t he t im e, " G ior dino said.
" W hat no one seem s t o consider is t hat t her e ar e ver y f ew act ive icebr eaker s up her e, " St enset h said. " Unless it was a r ogue f r eight er r isking it s own skin or f oolishly of f cour se, t he pot ent ial culpr it s ar e r elat ively sm al in num ber . "
" The only known Am er ican icebr eaker in t hese wat er s is t he Polar Dawn, " G ior dino said.
" M ake t hat a Canadian icebr eaker now, " Dahlgr en said, shaking his head.
" She doesn't m at ch t he descr ipt ion anyway, " St enset h said. " W hich leaves a handf ul of Canadian m ilit ar y vessels, t he At habasca escor t ships, or a f or eign icebr eaker , possibly Danish or even Russian. "
" Do you t hink it was a Canadian war ship t hat st r uck t he cam p by accident and t hey ar e t r ying t o cover it up?" Pit t asked.
" O ne of t he scient ist s, Bue was his nam e, swear s he saw an Am er ican f lag, in addit ion t o t he hul num ber t hat m at ches t he For d, " Dahlgr en said.
" I t doesn't f igur e, " G ior dino said. " The Canadian m ilit ar y wouldn't t r y t o inst igat e a conf lict by m asquer ading as an Am er ican war ship. "
" W hat about t hese At habasca escor t ships?" Pit t asked.
" By Canadian law, al com m er cial t r af f ic t hr ough ice- clogged sect ions of t he Nor t hwest Passage r equir es an icebr eaker escor t , " St enset h said. " A pr ivat e f ir m , At habasca Shipping, handles t he escor t dut y. They oper at e a num ber of lar ge icebr eaker t ugs, which ar e also used t o haul t heir f leet of oceangoing bar ges. W e saw one t owing a st r ing of enor m ous liquid- nat ur al- gas bar ges passing t hr ough t he Ber ing St r ait a f ew weeks ago. "
Pit t 's eyes lit up. He opened a br ief case and puled out a phot ogr aph of a m assive bar ge under const r uct ion in New O r leans. He handed t he pict ur e t o St enset h.
" Any r esem blance t o t his one?" Pit t asked.
St enset h looked at t he phot o and nodded. " Yes, it 's posit ively t he sam e t ype. You don't see bar ges of t hat size ver y of t en. W hat 's t he signif icance?"
Pit t br ief ed t he m en on his hunt f or t he r ut henium , it s t r ail t o t he Ar ct ic, and M it chel G oyet t e's possible involvem ent . He checked som e addit ional paper s t hat Yaeger had pr ovided, which conf ir m ed t hat t he At habasca Shipping Com pany was owned by one of G oyet t e's holding com panies.
" I f G oyet t e is shipping gas and oil f r om t he Ar ct ic, his envir onm ent al post ur ing is cer t ainly f r audulent , " G ior dino not ed.
" A dockwor ker I m et at a bar t old m e som eone was shipping t he Chinese m assive quant it ies of oil sands, or bit um en, out of Kuglukt uk, " Dahlgr en said. " He said t hey wer e bypassing t he gover nm ent 's shut down of r ef iner ies in Alber t a due t o gr eenhouse gas em issions. "
" A good bet it 's on G oyet t e's bar ges, " Pit t said. " M aybe it 's even his oil sands. "
" I t would seem t hat t his G oyet t e m ight have a power f ul incent ive t o obt ain t he r ut henium sour ce, " St enset h said. " How do you pr opose beat ing him t o it ?"
" By f inding a one- hundr ed- and- eight y- f ive- year - old ship, " Pit t r eplied. He t hen shar ed Per lm ut t er 's f indings and t he clues linking t he m iner al t o Fr anklin's expedit ion ship Er ebus.
" W e know t he ships wer e init ialy abandoned nor t hwest of King W iliam I sland. The I nuit account places t he Er ebus f ar t her sout h, so it is possible t hat a shif t ing ice sheet dr ove t he ships in t hat dir ect ion bef or e t hey sank. "
St enset h excused him self t o r un t o t he br idge, while Dahlgr en asked Pit t what he hoped t o f ind.
" Pr oviding t hat t he ice didn't com plet ely cr ush t he ships, t her e's a good chance t he vessels ar e int act and in an excelent st at e of pr eser vat ion due t o t he f r igid wat er . "
St enset h r et ur ned t o t he lounge wit h an ar m f ul of m aps and phot ogr aphs. He opened a naut ical char t t hat showed t he ar ea ar ound King W iliam I sland, t hen pr oduced a high- alt it ude phot o of t he sam e r egion.
" Sat elit e phot o of Vict or ia St r ait . W e've got updat es f or t he ent ir e passage. Som e ar eas nor t h of her e ar e st il encased in sea ice, but t he wat er s ar ound King W iliam have alr eady br oken up due t o an ear ly m elt of f t his year . " He laid t he phot ogr aph on t he t able f or al t o see. " The seas ar e essent ialy clear in t he ar ea wher e Fr anklin becam e icebound one hundr ed and sixt y- f ive year s ago. A bit of dr if t ice st il r em ains, but not hing t hat should im pede a sear ch ef f or t . "
W hile Pit t nodded wit h sat isf act ion, Dahlgr en was shaking his head.
" Ar en't we f or get t ing one m ight y im por t ant t idbit ? " he asked. " The Canadians have expeled us f r om t heir wat er s. The only r eason we have been able t o r em ain in Tukt oyakt uk so long is because we f eigned pr oblem s wit h our r udder . "
" W it h your ar r ival, t hose pr oblem s have now been r ect if ied, " St enset h said t o Pit t wit h a wily sm ile.
Pit t t ur ned t o G ior dino. " Al, I believe you wer e t asked wit h pr oposing a st r at egy t o addr ess Jack's concer n. "
" W el, as Jack can at t est , we have t aken t he oppor t unit y t o bef r iend t he sm al Canadian Coast G uar d cont ingent st at ioned her e in Tuk, " G ior dino said, using t he local's abbr eviat ion f or t he t own's I nuit nam e. " And while t his has per sonaly cost m e a num ber of high bar t abs, in addit ion t o a hangover or t wo f or Jack, I believe I have m ade com m endable pr ogr ess. "
He opened one of t he capt ain's char t s t hat showed t he west er n por t ion of t he passage, t hen sear ched t he coast line wit h his f inger .
" Cape Bat hur st , her e, is about t wo hundr ed m iles t o t he east of us. The Canadians have a r adar st at ion on t he point , which t hey use t o pick up al east bound t r af f ic t hr ough t he passage. They can r adio ahead t o Kuglukt uk, wher e a pair of vessels ar e st at ioned, or cal back her e t o Tuk, wher e a sm al cut t er is ber t hed. For t unat ely f or us, t he Canadians have post ed m ost of t heir int er cept vessels on t he ot her end of t he passage, snar ing t he bulk of t he t r af f ic ent er ing via Baf f in Bay. "
" Last t im e I checked, we didn't have st ealt h capabilit ies on our r esear ch ships, " Pit t said.
" W e don't necessar ily need it , " G ior dino cont inued. " As luck would have it , t her e's a Kor ean f r eight er her e in por t t hat st r uggled in wit h engine pr oblem s. The har bor m ast er t old m e t he r epair s have been com plet ed and t hat t hey'l be depar t ing lat er t oday. The ship is only going as f ar as Kuglukt uk wit h a load of oil dr iling r epair par t s, so it 'l be sailing wit hout an icebr eaker escor t . "
" You'r e suggest ing t hat we shadow her ?" Pit t asked.
" Pr ecisely. I f we can hold t ight t o her por t f lank while we pass Bat hur st , t hey m ight not pick us up. "
" W hat about t he Canadian picket vessels?" Dahlgr en asked.
" The Tuk cut t er just cam e int o por t t his m or ning, so she likely won't put t o sea again r ight away, " G ior dino said. " That leaves t he t wo vessels in Kuglukt uk. I 'd bet one of t hem is pr obably hanging ar ound t he Polar Dawn, which was t aken t her e. So t hat likely leaves just one vessel t hat we'd have t o slide past . "
" I 'd say t hose ar e odds wor t h t aking, " Pit t st at ed.
" W hat about air sur veilance? Can't we count on t he Canadian Air For ce t o do an occasional f lyby?" Dahlgr en asked.
St enset h puled out anot her sheet f r om his pile. " M ot her Nat ur e wil lend us a hand t her e. The weat her f or ecast f or t he next week is pr et t y dism al. I f we set sail t oday, we'l pr obably accom pany a slow- m oving low- pr essur e f r ont t hat 's f or ecast t o r ol t hr ough t he ar chipelago. "
" St or m y weat her , " G ior dino said. " W e'l know why t her e's no plane up in t he sky. "
Pit t looked ar ound t he t able, eyeing t he ot her s wit h conf idence. They wer e m en of unquest ioned loyalt y t hat he could t r ust in dif f icult t im es.
" I t 's set t led, t hen, " he said. " W e'l give t he f r eight er a couple of hour s head st ar t , t hen shove of f our selves. M ake it look like we ar e headed back t o Alaska. O nce saf ely of f shor e, we'l cir cle back and cat ch t he f r eight er wel bef or e Bat hur st . "
" W on't be a pr oblem , " St enset h said. " W e've got at least eight or t en knot s on her . "
" O ne m or e t hing, " Pit t said. " Unt il t he polit icians r esolve t he Polar Dawn sit uat ion, we ar e on our own. And t her e's a r easonable chance we could end up wit h t he sam e f at e. I want only a skelet on cr ew of volunt eer s aboar d. Ever y scient ist and nonessent ial cr ew m em ber is t o disem bar k her e as quiet ly as possible. Do what you can t o book t hem r oom s and f light s out of her e. I f anyone asks, t el t hem t hey ar e oil com pany em ployees who have been r eassigned. "
" I t wil be t aken car e of , " St enset h pr om ised.
Pit t set down his cof f ee and st ar ed acr oss t he t able wit h sudden unease. A paint ing hung on t he opposit e bulkhead, depict ing a ninet eent h- cent ur y sailing ship caught in a har r owing gale, it s sails shr edded and m ast s f aling. A jagged clust er of r ocks r ose in it s pat h, r eady t o bash t he ship t o bit s.
St or m y weat her indeed, he t hought .
50

A THI CK PLUM E O F BLACK SM O KE SI FTED O UT THE f unnel of t he f r eight er as it s lines wer e cast and t he blue- huled ship chur ned slowly away f r om t he dock. St anding on t he Nar whal 's br idge, Bil St enset h wat ched as t he Kor ean ship st eam ed out of Tukt oyakt uk's sm al har bor and ent er ed t he Beauf or t Sea. Picking up a shipboar d phone, St enset h dialed t he num ber t o a cabin belowdecks.
" Pit t her e, " cam e t he r esponse af t er a single r ing.
" The Kor ean f r eight er is on her way. "
" W hat 's our cr ew st at us?"
" Al nonessent ial per sonnel ar e of f t he ship. I t hink we f iled up ever y hot el in t own. O f cour se, t her e ar e only t wo hot els in t own. Flight s t o W hit ehor se have been ar r anged f or ever yone. They'l have an easy t im e get t ing t o Alaska f r om t her e, or even Vancouver . W e'r e lef t wit h a t ot al of f our t een m en aboar d. "
" That 's a slim cont ingent . W hen can we leave?"
" I was pr epar ing t o cast of f in anot her t wo hour s so as not t o r aise suspicion. "
" Then I guess we just need t o not if y our host s t hat we ar e headed hom e, " Pit t said.
" M y next or der of business, " St enset h r epor t ed.
The capt ain hung up, t hen colect ed G ior dino f or good m easur e and walked down t o t he Canadian Coast G uar d st at ion. The Canadian com m ander seem ed less int er est ed in St enset h's im m inent depar t ur e t han t he loss of G ior dino's char it y at t he local seam en's bar . W it h lit t le t o f ear f r om t he r esear ch ship, t he Coast G uar d com m ander said f ar ewel, neglect ing t o pr ovide an escor t out of Canadian wat er s.
" W it h t hat kind of int er nat ional goodwil, per haps t her e's a f ut ur e f or you in t he diplom at ic cor ps, " St enset h joked t o G ior dino.
" M y liver would lodge a pr ot est , " G ior dino r eplied.
The m en st opped at t he har bor m ast er 's of f ice, wher e St enset h paid t he docking f ees. Leaving t he of f ice, t hey bum ped int o Pit t st epping out of a sm al har dwar e st or e wit h a t r iangular package under one ar m .
" W er e we m issing som et hing aboar d?" St enset h asked,
" No, " Pit t r eplied wit h a t ight gr in. " Just an added insur ance policy f or when we get t o sea. "
The sky over head had gr own dar k and t hr eat ening when t he Nar whal slipped it s lines t wo hour s lat er and slowly cr uised out of t he har bor . A sm al f ishing boat passed in t he opposit e dir ect ion, seeking r ef uge in por t f r om t he pending r ough weat her . Pit t waved out t he br idge, adm ir ing t he black- paint ed boat and it s hear t y br eed of f isher m en who br aved t he Beauf or t Sea f or a living.
The waves began r oling in six- f oot swels when t he Nor t hwest Ter r it or ies coast line f el f r om view behind t hem . Light snow f lur r ies f iled t he air , cut t ing visibilit y t o less t han a m ile. The f oul weat her aided t he Nar whal 's st ealt h voyage, and t he ship quickly alt er ed cour se t o t he east . The Kor ean f r eight er had built a t went y- f ive- m ile lead, but t he f ast er r esear ch ship quickly began closing t he gap. W it hin hour s, t he oblong im age of t he f r eight er appear ed on t he f r inge of t he Nar whal 's r adar scr een. Capt ain St enset h br ought t he NUM A ship wit hin t hr ee m iles of t he f r eight er , t hen slowed unt il he had m at ched speed wit h t he lar ger ship. Like a coal t ender behind a locom ot ive, t he r esear ch ship t ailed t he f r eight er 's ever y t ur n as it st eam ed along t he uneven coast line.
Sixt y- f ive m iles ahead, Cape Bat hur st jut t ed int o t he Beauf or t Sea like a bent t hum b. I t was an ideal locat ion t o m onit or t he m ar ine t r af f ic ent er ing t he west er n appr oach t o Am undsen G ulf . Though t he near est nor t her ly landm ass, Banks I sland, was st il a hundr ed m iles away, t he sea ice encr oached t o wit hin t hir t y m iles of t he cape. W it h r adar cover age ext ending m or e t han f if t y m iles, t he sm al Coast G uar d st at ion could easily t r ack al vessels sailing t hr ough open wat er .
As Pit t and St enset h st udied a char t of t he appr oaching cape, Dahlgr en ent er ed t he br idge lugging a lapt op com put er and a st r ing of cables. He t r ipped over a canvas bag near t he bulkhead, dr opping his cables but hanging on t o t he com put er .
" W ho lef t t heir laundr y lying ar ound?" he cur sed.
He r ealized t he bag cont ained a sam ple of r ocks and picked up a sm al st one t hat had skit t er ed out of t he bag.
" That happens t o be your laundr y, " St enset h said. " Those ar e t he r ock sam ples t hat you and Al br ought back f r om t he t her m al vent . Rudi was supposed t o t ake t hem t o W ashingt on f or analysis, but he lef t t hem on t he br idge. "
" G ood old Rudi, " Dahlgr en lauded. " He could m ake an at om bom b out of a can of dog f ood, but he can't r em em ber t o t ie his shoes in t he m or ning. "
Dahlgr en slipped t he st one int o his pocket while he picked up t he cables, t hen st epped over t o t he helm . W it hout f ur t her com m ent , he opened a panel beneat h t he ship's console and began connect ing t he cables.
" Not an oppor t une t im e t o be r ef or m at t ing our nav syst em , Jack, " St enset h adm onished.
" I 'm just bor r owing a bit of dat a f or a com put er gam e, " he r eplied, st anding up and t ur ning on his com put er .
" I r ealy don't t hink we have t he need f or any gam es on t he br idge, " St enset h said, his agit at ion gr owing.
" O h, I t hink y'al wil like t his one, " he r eplied, quickly t yping in a num ber of com m ands. " I cal it Shadow Dr iver . "
The scr een on his lapt op suddenly ilum inat ed wit h t he im age of t wo boat s sailing in t andem f r om bot t om t o t op. An angular beam of gr ay spr ead f r om a point at t he t op cor ner of t he m onit or , ilum inat ing t he m ajor it y of t he scr een, save f or a m oving shadow behind t he upper boat .
" A lit t le sof t war e pr ogr am I just put t oget her , wit h som e help f r om t he ship's G PS and r adar syst em s. This shaf t of gr ay light is t ar get ed f r om Bat hur st , m im icking t he st at ion's r adar cover age. "
" W hich wil alow us t o st ay out of t he eye of t he gr ound r adar syst em ?" Pit t asked.
" You nailed her . Because of our changing angle t o t he r adar st at ion, we'l have t o const ant ly adjust our posit ion behind t he f r eight er in or der t o duck t he signal. W e just can't chug r ight alongside her or else we'd be det ect ed at t he f r inge angles. I f t he helm sm an keeps us locked in t he indicat ed shadow, t hen we have a dar n good chance of sailing past Bat hur st like t he I nvisible M an. "
St enset h st udied t he com put er , t hen t ur ned t o t he helm sm an. " Let 's put it t o t he t est bef or e we get in r ange. Engines ahead one- t hir d. Take us f ive hundr ed yar ds of f her por t beam , t hen m at ch speed. "
" And play Shadow Dr iver ?" t he helm sm an asked wit h a gr in.
" I f t his wor ks, you've got a six- pack on m e, Jack, " t he capt ain said.
" M ake it a six of Lone St ar and you'r e on, " he r eplied wit h a wink.
The Nar whal kicked it wit h an ext r a bur st of speed unt il t he r unning light s of t he f r eight er f licker ed of f t he bow. The helm sm an nudged t he NUM A ship t o por t and cont inued dr awing closer .
" O ne t hing wor r ies m e, " St enset h said, eyeing t he r ust - st r eaked f r eight er . " Hanging closer t o her side f or any lengt h of t im e is liable t o gener at e a r adio cal f r om her capt ain. And I 'm sur e our Canadian f r iends at Bat hur st have ear s as wel as eyes. "
" M y insur ance policy, " Pit t m ut t er ed. " I near ly f or got . "
He st epped down t o his cabin, t hen r et ur ned a f ew m inut es lat er wit h t he t r iangular package he had pur chased in Tukt oyakt uk.
" Tr y r unning t his up, " he said, handing t he package t o St enset h. The capt ain r ipped open t he package, unf ur ling t he Canadian m aple leaf f lag t hat was f olded inside.
" You r ealy want t o sail in har m 's way, " St enset h said, displaying t he f lag wit h uncer t aint y.
" I t 's only f or t he f r eight er 's benef it . Let t hem t hink we'r e par t of Canada's Ar ct ic ice pat r ol. They'l be less likely t o quest ion us hanging on t heir f lank f or a f ew hour s. "
St enset h looked f r om Pit t t o Dahlgr en, t hen shook his head. " Rem ind m e never t o get on t he wr ong side of a shoot ing war wit h you guys. "
Then he pr om pt ly or der ed t he f lag r un up t he m ast .
W it h t he m aple leaf r ippling over head in a st if f west er ly br eeze, t he Nar whal dr ew alongside t he Kor ean f r eight er and m at ched lur ches in t he walowing sea. Toget her t hey sailed t hr ough t he shor t night and int o a bleak gr ay dawn. O n t he br idge, Pit t kept a t ense vigil wit h St enset h, speling t he helm sm an while G ior dino appear ed ever y hour wit h m ugs of st r ong cof f ee. Holding t he r esear ch ship in t he f r eight er 's shadow t hr ough t he t ur bulent wat er s pr oved t o be a t axing job. Though t he f r eight er was a hundr ed f eet longer t han t he Nar whal, t he dist ance bet ween t he t wo vessels m ade f or a nar r ower shadow pat h. Dahlgr en's com put er pr ogr am pr oved t o be a godsend, and St enset h happily agr eed t o incr ease his beer debt wit h each hour t hey advanced undet ect ed.
W hen t he vessels r eached due nor t h of Bat hur st , t he m en on t he br idge f r oze when a cal suddenly cam e over t he r adio.
" Al st at ions, t his is Coast G uar d Bat hur st caling vessel at posit ion 70. 8590 Nor t h, 128. 4082 W est . Please ident if y your self and your dest inat ion. "
Nobody br eat hed unt il t he Kor ean ship r esponded wit h it s nam e and dest inat ion, Kuglukt uk. Af t er t he Coast G uar d acknowledged t he f r eight er , t he m en f el silent again, pr aying t her e would be no second r adio cal. Five m inut es passed, t hen t en, and st il t he r adio r em ained silent . W hen t went y m inut es slipped by wit hout a cal, t he cr ew began t o r elax. They sailed f or t hr ee m or e hour s glued t o t he side of t he f r eight er bef or e passing wel clear of t he r adar st at ion wit hout det ect ion. W hen t he Nar whal r eached a bend in t he Am undsen G ulf t hat put Bat hur st out of t he line of sight , t he capt ain incr eased speed t o t went y knot s and zipped past t he lum ber ing f r eight er .
The Kor ean ship's capt ain st udied t he t ur quoise ship wit h t he m aple leaf f lag f lut t er ing over head as it st eam ed by. Tr aining his binocular s on t he Nar whal 's br idge, he was sur pr ised t o see t he cr ew laughing and waving in his dir ect ion. The capt ain sim ply shr ugged his shoulder s in conf usion. " Too long in t he Ar ct ic, " he m ut t er ed t o him self , t hen r esum ed plot t ing his cour se t o Kuglukt uk.
" W el done, Capt ain, " Pit t said.
" I guess t her e's no t ur ning back now, " St enset h r eplied.
" W hat 's our ETA t o King W iliam I sland?" G ior dino asked.
" W e've just over f our hundr ed m iles t o go, or about t went y- t wo hour s t hr ough t hese seas, assum ing t he lousy weat her hangs wit h us. And we don't encount er any picket boat s. "
" That 's t he least of your pr oblem s, Capt ain, " Pit t said.
St enset h gave him a quest ioned look. " I t is?" he asked.
" Yes, " Pit t r eplied wit h a gr in, " f or I would like t o know wher e in t he Ar ct ic you plan on locat ing t wo cases of Lone St ar beer . "
51

KUG LUKTUK, FO RM ERLY CALLED CO PPERM I NE af t er an adjacent r iver , is a sm al t r ading t own built on t he banks of Cor onat ion G ulf . Sit uat ed on t he nor t her n coast of Canada's Nunavut pr ovince, it is one of just a handf ul of populat ed havens lying nor t h of t he Ar ct ic Cir cle.
I t was t he deepwat er por t of f er ings t hat at t r act ed M it chel G oyet t e t o Kuglukt uk. Kuglukt uk r epr esent ed t he closest por t f acilit y t o t he At habasca oil sand f ields in Alber t a, and G oyet t e invest ed heavily in or der t o st age a t er m inus f or expor t ing his unr ef ined bit um en. Cheaply acquir ing a lit t le- used r ail line f r om At habasca t o Yelowknif e, he f inanced t he expansion of t he line nor t h t o Kuglukt uk. W it h special snow- clear ing locom ot ives leading t he way, a long st r ing of t ank car s t r anspor t ed t went y- f ive t housand bar r els of bit um en on ever y t r ip. The valuable heavy oil was t hen of f - loaded ont o G oyet t e's m am m ot h bar ges and sent acr oss t he Pacif ic t o China, wher e a t idy pr of it await ed.
W it h t he next r ailr oad shipm ent sever al days away, G oyet t e's At habasca Shipping Com pany r ail t er m inus sat ghost ly quiet . The icebr eaker O t ok sat at t he dock, an em pt y bar ge t ied t o it s st er n. Two m or e of t he m assive bar ges wer e m oor ed out in t he bay, r iding high above t heir wat er lines. O nly t he r hyt hm ic pum ping of a f uel line f iling t he icebr eaker 's t anks wit h diesel f uel gave an indicat ion t hat t he boat and dock wer e not com plet ely deser t ed.
No such ilusions wer e evident inside t he ship, wher e an engaged cr ew m ade advance pr epar at ions f or depar t ing por t . Seat ed inside t he ship's war dr oom , Clay Zak t wir led a glass of bour bon over cr ushed ice as he exam ined a lar ge char t of t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. Sit t ing acr oss f r om Zak was t he O t ok's capt ain, a puf f y- f aced m an wit h gr ay hair cut close t o t he scalp.
" W e'l be r ef ueled shor t ly, " t he capt ain said in a heavy voice.
" I have no desir e t o spend any m or e of m y lif e in Kuglukt uk t han necessar y, " Zak r eplied. " W e leave at daybr eak. I t looks t o be about six hundr ed kilom et er s t o t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands, " he said, looking up f r om t he char t .
The skipper nodded. " I ce r epor t s ar e clear al t he way t o King W iliam I sland and beyond, and t his is a f ast ship. W e'l be t her e easily in about a day's sail. "
Zak t ook a sip of his bour bon. His hast ily ar r anged t r ip t o t he Ar ct ic had been under t aken wit hout a det ailed plan, which m ade him uncom f or t able. But t her e was lit t le t o go wr ong. He would dr op a t eam of G oyet t e's geologist s on t he nor t h coast of t he m ain island t o sear ch f or t he r ut henium m ine, while he exam ined t he M id- Am er ica m ining oper at ions in t he sout h. I f necessar y, he would put M id- Am er ica out of business wit h t he aid of an ar m ed t eam of secur it y specialist s he had br ought aboar d, along wit h enough explosives t o det onat e half t he island.
A door t o t he war dr oom suddenly bur st open, and a m an in black f at igues and par ka walked hur r iedly over t o Zak. He had an assault r if le st r apped t o his shoulder and car r ied a bulky pair of night vision binocular s in one hand.
" Sir , t wo r ubber boat s appr oached f r om t he bay and t ied up at t he dock just ast er n of t he bar ge. I count ed seven m en in t ot al, " he said, slight ly out of br eat h.
Zak glanced f r om t he m an's binocular s t o a bulkhead clock, which r ead half past m idnight .
" W er e t hey ar m ed?" he asked.
" Yes, sir . They m oved past t he loading f acilit y and ont o t he adjacent public dock bef or e I lost sight of t hem . "
" They'r e af t er t he Polar Dawn, " t he capt ain said excit edly. " They m ust be Am er icans. "
The Polar Dawn was docked only a f ew hundr ed f eet away. Zak had not iced a t hr ong of locals cr owding ar ound t he Am er ican cut t er when he had f ir st ar r ived in Kuglukt uk. He walked down and had a look f or him self at t he capt ur ed vessel. I t was t eem ing wit h M ount ies and Navy guar ds. Ther e was no way t hat seven m en would be able t o r et ake t he ship.
" No, t hey'r e her e f or t he cr ew, " Zak said, not knowing t he ship's cr ew was being held in t he old f ish house just a st one's t hr ow away. A devious sm ile cr ept slowly acr oss his f ace. " Ver y kind of t hem t o dr op by. I t hink t hey wil be a f ine aid in r idding us of t he M id- Am er ica M ining Com pany. "
" I don't under st and, " t he capt ain said.
" Under st and t his, " Zak said, r ising t o his f eet . " Ther e's been a change in plans. W e depar t wit hin t he hour . "
W it h t he m er cenar y in t ow, he abr upt ly m ar ched out of t he r oom .
52

RI CK RO M AN DUCKED BEHI ND A PAI R O F EM PTY f uel dr um s and looked at his wat ch. The lum inescent dial r ead 12: 45. They wer e t went y m inut es ahead of schedule. Hum ping t he Zodiacs down t o t he wat er 's edge t he night bef or e was going t o pay dividends now, he t hought . They'd be able t o m ake a clean evacuat ion wit hout f ear of losing t he cover of dar kness.
So f ar , t he m ission had gone f lawlessly. W it h a six- m an t eam , he had set of f in t he Zodiacs just bef or e m idnight , r ight af t er t he sun had f inaly m ade it s br ief r et r eat beneat h t he hor izon. Power ed by elect r ic m ot or s, t he inf lat able boat s had silent ly cr ossed t he gulf int o t he m out h of t he Copper m ine River and quiet ly t ied up at t he At habasca Shipping Com pany's m ar ine dock. The sat elit e phot os Rom an car r ied wit h him had showed t hat t he dock was em pt y sevent y- t wo hour s ear lier . A lar ge t ug cabled t o an even- lar ger bar ge now occupied t he wat er f r ont , but bot h vessels appear ed em pt y and t he dock deser t ed. Far t her down t he quay, he could see t he Polar Dawn, br ight ly ilum inat ed by t he dock light s. Even at t he lat e hour , he could see guar ds pacing her deck, m oving ceaselessly in an ef f or t t o keep war m .
Rom an t ur ned his at t ent ion t o a f aded whit e building bar ely t hir t y yar ds in f r ont of him . I nt eligence r epor t s had indicat ed it was t he holding cel f or t he Coast G uar d ship's cr ew. Judging by t he lone M ount ie st anding in t he door way, t he pr ospect s st il looked good. Rom an had assum ed t hat t he m en would be light ly guar ded and he was r ight . The har sh sur r ounding envir onm ent was enough of a det er r ent f or escape, let alone t he six- hundr ed- and- f if t y- m ile dist ance t o t he Alaskan bor der .
A low voice suddenly whisper ed t hr ough his com m unicat ions headset .
" G uppies ar e in t he pond. I r epeat , guppies ar e in t he pond. "
I t was Bojor quez, conf ir m ing t hat he had viewed t he capt ives t hr ough a sm al window at t he side of t he dilapidat ed building.
" Team s in posit ion?" Rom an whisper ed int o his m out hpiece.
" M ut t is in posit ion, " r eplied Bojor quez.
" Jef f is in posit ion, " cam e a second voice.
Rom an glanced at his wat ch again. The r escue planes would t ouch down on t he ice r unway in ninet y m inut es. I t was plent y of t im e t o get t he Polar Dawn's cr ew acr oss t he bay and up t o t he air f ield. M aybe even t oo m uch t im e.
He t ook a f inal look up and down t he dock, f inding no signs of lif e in eit her dir ect ion. Taking a deep br eat h, he r adioed his or der s.
" Com m ence go in ninet y seconds. "
Then he sat back and pr ayed t hat t heir luck would hold.
CAPTAI N M URDO CK W AS SI TTI NG on a concr et e block sm oking a cigar et t e when he hear d a loud t hum p at t he r ear of t he building. M ost of his cr ewm en wer e asleep in t heir cot s, t aking advant age of t he f ew hour s of dar kness. A handf ul of m en, also f inding sleep dif f icult , wer e cr owded int o a cor ner wat ching a m ovie on a sm al t elevision set . O ne of t he m en, a Canadian M ount ie who over saw t he capt ives inside t he building ar m ed wit h not hing but a r adio, st ood up and walked over t o t he capt ain.
" You hear som et hing?" he asked.
M ur dock nodded. " Sounded t o m e like a chunk of ice f aling of f t he r oof . "
The M ount ie t ur ned t o walk t owar d a st or er oom at t he back of t he building when t wo m en st epped quiet ly out of t he shadows. The t wo Delt a For ce com m andos had t r aded t heir Ar ct ic whit e appar el f or black jacket , f at igues, and ar m or ed vest s. They each wor e a Kevlar helm et wit h a dr op- down display over one eye and a f oldaway com m unicat ions headset . O ne of t he m en car r ied an M 4 car bine, which he point ed at M ur dock and t he M ount ie, while t he second m an f ielded a boxy- looking pist ol.
The M ount ie im m ediat ely r eached f or his r adio, but bef or e he could br ing it t o his lips t he m an wit h t he pist ol f ir ed his weapon. M ur dock not ed t hat t he gun didn't f ir e wit h a bang but em it t ed just a quiet pop. I nst ead of f ir ing a bulet , t he elect r oshock st un gun f ir ed a pair of sm al bar bs, each t ailed by a t hin wir e. As t he bar bs st r uck t he M ount ie, t he weapon deliver ed a f if t y- t housand- volt char ge t o t he m an, inst ant ly incapacit at ing his m uscular cont r ol.
The M ount ie st if f ened, t hen f el t o t he gr ound, dr opping his r adio as t he sur ge of elect r icit y jolt ed t hr ough his body. He had bar ely hit t he f loor when t he f ir ing soldier was at his side, locking his wr ist s and ankles in plast ic cuf f s and slapping a piece of t ape over his m out h.
" Nice shot , M ike, " t he ot her com m ando said, st epping f or war d while his eyes sear ched t he r oom . " You M ur dock?" he asked, t ur ning back t owar d t he capt ain.
" Yes, " M ur dock st am m er ed, st il shocked by t he sudden int r usion.
" I 'm Ser geant Bojor quez. W e'r e going t o t ake you and your cr ew on a lit t le boat r ide. Please wake your m en and get t hem dr essed quickly and quiet ly. "
" Yes, cer t ainly. Thank you, Ser geant . "
M ur dock f ound his execut ive of f icer , and t oget her t hey quiet ly r oused t he ot her m en. The f r ont door of t he building suddenly bur st open, and t wo m or e Delt a For ce soldier s bur st in, dr agging t he lim p body of anot her M ount ie guar d. St un gun bar bs pr ot r uded f r om his legs, wher e t he soldier s had been f or ced t o aim in or der t o bypass t he m an's heavy par ka. Like his par t ner , t he M ount ie was quickly gagged and handcuf f ed.
I t t ook less t han f ive m inut es f or M ur dock t o wake and assem ble his st ar t led cr ew. A f ew m en joked about t r ading M oose- head f or Budweiser and t he Red G r een Show f or Am er ican I dol, but m ost r em ained quiet , sensing t he danger of t r ying t o escape wit hout incident .
O ut side t he building, Rom an held his obser vat ion post , eyeing t he dock f or a possible Canadian r eact ion. But t he st ealt h assault had succeeded wit hout alar m , and t he Canadian m ilit ia aboar d t he Polar Dawn r em ained unawar e of t he pending escape.
O nce he r eceived a r eady signal f r om Bojor quez, Rom an wast ed no t im e in get t ing t he m en m oving. Slipping out t he back of t he building in gr oups of t hr ee and f our , t hey wer e led t hr ough t he shadows t o t he f r ont of t he dock and t he m oor ed Zodiacs. The t wo boat s f iled quickly, but Rom an r em ained on edge as Bojor quez r adioed t hat he was escor t ing t he f inal gr oup.
Rom an wait ed unt il he spot t ed Bojor quez m aking his way acr oss t he At habasca Shipping pr oper t y bef or e t aking a f inal look down t he dock. The wat er f r ont was st il deser t ed on t he bit t er - cold night , t he only sound t hat of som e dist ant pum ps and gener at or s. Rom an r ose and shuf f led quiet ly t owar d t he boat s, f eeling conf ident t hat t he m ission would succeed. Ext r act ing t he Polar Dawn's cr ew wit hout aler t ing t he Canadian f or ces was t he t ouchy par t of t he oper at ion, and t hey had appar ent ly puled it of f . Now it was a sim ple m at t er of m aking t heir way back t o t he air f ield and wait ing f or t he r escue planes t o ar r ive.
He m oved past t he dar k bar ge t o f ind Bojor quez clim bing int o one of t he boat s wit h t he last of t he Coast G uar d cr ewm en. Ther e wer e t hir t y- six m en ser ving aboar d t he Polar Dawn, and t hey had al been account ed f or . As t he Zodiacs wer e unt ied, Rom an quickly scam per ed of f t he dock and int o one of t he boat s.
" G et us out of her e, " he whisper ed t o a soldier m anning t he elect r ic m ot or .
" I 'd suggest st aying r ight wher e you ar e, " t hunder ed a loud voice f r om up high.
As t he wor ds echoed acr oss t he wat er , a bank of halogen light s suddenly f lashed on over head. The int ense light s t em por ar ily blinded Rom an as he r ealized t hat t he beam s or iginat ed f r om t he st er n of t he bar ge. He inst inct ively r aised his weapon t o shoot but r ef r ained when he hear d Bojor quez suddenly bar king, " Don't f ir e, don't f ir e. "
His eyes adjust ing t o t he br ight light s, Rom an looked up and count ed no f ewer t han six m en leaning over t he r ail of t he bar ge wit h aut om at ic weapons leveled at t he t wo boat s. W it h his own m en f olowing suit , Rom an r eluct ant ly lower ed his r if le. He peer ed up at a lar ge m an who sm iled at him f r om t he bar ge.
" That 's t he sm ar t m ove, " Clay Zak said. " Now, why don't you m en st ep back ont o t he dock and we'l get acquaint ed?"
Rom an looked f r om Zak t o t he aut om at ic weapons point ed at his m en and nodded. The sur pr ise am bush just as t hey wer e about t o escape m ade Rom an as m ad as a pit bul. Rising t o clim b of f t he boat , he gazed angr ily at his capt or s, t hen deject edly spit int o t he wind.
53

G UNNERY SERG EANT M I KE TI PTO N STARED I NTENTLY t hr ough t he night vision binocular s, scanning t he jagged ice r idge t hat descended t o Cor onat ion G ulf . Though t he f r ozen eyepiece num bed his br ow, he held his gaze, hoping f or som e sign of m ovem ent . He f inaly lower ed t he glasses when anot her m an cr awled up t he ice r idge beside him .
" Any sign of t he capt ain?" t he soldier asked, a young cor por al whose f ace was hidden behind a cold- weat her m ask.
Tipt on shook his head, t hen looked at his wat ch. " They'r e lat e, and our air cr af t ar e due in t went y m inut es. "
" Do you want m e t o br eak r adio silence and issue a cal?"
" G o ahead. Find out what 's going on and when t hey'l be her e. W e can't keep t hose bir ds on t he gr ound f or long. "
He r ose t o his f eet and t ur ned t owar d t he m akeshif t air f ield. " I 'm going t o act ivat e t he beacons. "
Tipt on walked quiet ly away. He didn't want t o hear t he r adio cal. I nst inct ively, he knew t hat som et hing had gone wr ong. Rom an had m ade an ear ly st ar t . He should have been back wit h t he Polar Dawn's cr ew near ly an hour ago. They cer t ainly should have been wit hin sight by now. Rom an was t oo good a com m ander , t he t eam t oo wel t r ained f or som et hing not t o have gone dr am at icaly wr ong.
Tipt on r eached one end of t he air f ield and t ur ned on a pair of bat t er y- oper at ed blue light s. He t hen paced t o t he opposit e end of t he coar sely gr aded r unway and act ivat ed a second pair of light s. Ret ur ning t o t he base cam p, he f ound t he cor por al vainly caling t he assault t eam over a por t able r adio, as one ot her soldier st ood lookout near by.
" I 'm not get t ing any r esponse, " t he cor por al r epor t ed.
" Keep t r ying unt il t he planes have landed. " Tipt on f aced bot h m en. " W e have our or der s. W e'l evacuat e whet her t he r est of t he t eam is her e or not . "
Tipt on st epped closer t o t he soldier on lookout , who was bar ely dist inguishable f r om t he cor por al in his heavy whit e par ka.
" Johnson, inst r uct t he pilot s t o hold f or f ive m inut es. I 'l be on t he r idge keeping lookout f or t he capt ain. Just don't leave wit hout m e, " he glower ed.
" Yes, Ser geant . "
A m inut e lat er , a f aint buzz split t he f r ozen night air . The sound gr ew louder unt il evolving int o t he r ecognizable whine of an air cr af t , f olowed by anot her . The t wo O spr eys f lew wit hout navigat ion light s and wer e invisible against t he black sky. Specialy m odif ied f or expanded r ange, t he t wo air cr af t had f lown near ly seven hundr ed m iles f r om an air st r ip in Eagle, Alaska, just over t he Yukon bor der . Skim m ing low over t he t undr a, t hey had easily evaded det ect ion f lying over one of Canada's m ost r em ot e r egions.
Tipt on r eached t he t op of t he r idge and looked back t owar d t he r unway as t he f ir st plane m ade it s appr oach. W ait ing unt il it was just f if t y f eet of f t he gr ound bef or e hit t ing it s landing light s, t he O spr ey cam e in low and slow, jost ling t o a quick st op on t he uneven sur f ace wel shor t of t he per im et er blue light s. The pilot quickly gunned t he plane t o t he end of t he r unway and whipped it ar ound in a t ight ar c. An inst ant lat er , t he second O spr ey t ouched down, bouncing r oughly over t he ice, bef or e t aking it s place in line f or t akeof f behind t he f ir st O spr ey.
Tipt on t ur ned his at t ent ion t o t he gulf , scanning t he shor eline again wit h his binocular s.
" Rom an, wher e ar e you?" he hissed aloud, angr y at t he t eam 's disappear ance.
But t her e was no sign of t he r ubber boat s or t he m en who had sailed of f in t hem . O nly an em pt y expanse of sea and ice f iled t he lenses. He pat ient ly wait ed f ive m inut es and t hen f ive m or e, but it was a f ut ile gest ur e. The assault t eam was not com ing back.
He hear d one of t he idling air cr af t r ev it s engines and he puled him self away f r om t he f r ozen vigil. Running clum sily in his heavy cold- weat her gear , he m ade f or t he open side door of t he f ir st air plane. Jum ping in, he caught a dir t y look f r om t he pilot , who im m ediat ely jam m ed t he t hr ot t le f or war d. Tipt on st agger ed t o an em pt y seat next t o t he cor por al as t he O spr ey bounced down t he r unway and lunged int o t he air .
" No sign?" t he cor por al yeled over t he plane's noisy m ot or s.
Tipt on shook his head, painf uly r ecit ing t he m ant r a " no m an lef t behind" in his head. Tur ning away f r om t he cor por al, he sought solace by st ar ing out a sm al side window.
The O spr ey, wit h it s sist er ship f olowing close behind, f lew over Cor onat ion G ulf t o gain alt it ude, t hen slowly banked ar ound t o t he west in t he dir ect ion of Alaska. Tipt on absent ly st ar ed down at t he light s of a ship st eam ing t o t he east . I n t he f ir st r ays of dawn, he could see it was an icebr eaker t owing a lar ge bar ge in it s wake.
" W her e ar e t hey?" Tipt on m ur m ur ed t o him self , t hen closed his eyes and f or ced him self t o sleep.
54

TI PTO N NEVER KNEW THAT HE HAD G AZED DO W N upon his Delt a For ce com r ades. W hat he also didn't know was t hat t he m en wer e suf f er ing al t he cr eat ur e com f or t s of a m edieval dungeon.
Zak's secur it y t eam had car ef uly st r ipped t he com m andos of t heir weapons and com m unicat ion gear bef or e m ar ching t hem ont o t he deck of t he bar ge, along wit h t he Polar Dawn's cr ew. The Am er icans wer e t hen uncer em oniously f or ced at gunpoint int o a sm al st or age hold at t he bow of t he bar ge. As t he last capt ive was f or ced down t he hold's st eel st eps, Rom an glanced back t o see t wo m en hoist ing t he Zodiac inf lat ables aboar d and secur ing t hem along t he st er n r ail.
I n t he only sign of pit y shown t he capt ives, t wo cases of bot t led wat er , f r ozen solid in t he cold, wer e t ossed int o t he hold bef or e it s heavy st eel door was slam m ed shut . The door 's locking t ur n lever was f lung over , t hen t he r at t ling of a chain could be hear d secur ing t he lever in place. St anding silent ly inside t he f r eezing black bay, t he m en f elt an im pending sense of doom hanging over t hem .
Then a penlight popped on, and soon anot her . Rom an f ound his in a chest pocket and t wist ed it on, t hankf ul t hat he had som et hing of use t hat hadn't been conf iscat ed.
The m ult iple beam s scanned t he bay, t aking in t he scar ed f aces of t he f or t y- f ive ot her m en. Rom an not iced t hat t he hold was not lar ge. Ther e was an open hat chway on t he st er n bulkhead in addit ion t o t he locked hat ch t hr ough which t hey had ent er ed. Two high coils of t hick m oor ing line wer e st acked in one cor ner , while a sm al m ount ain of t ir es lined one bulkhead. The gr im y, wor n t ir es wer e ext r a hul bum per s, used t o line t he bar ge when at dock. As he t ook invent or y, Rom an hear d t he power f ul diesel engines of t he adjacent icebr eaker f ir e up and t hen idle wit h a deep r um ble.
Rom an t ur ned his light t owar d t he cr ew of t he Polar Dawn. " I s t he capt ain am ongst you?" he asked.
A dist inguished- looking m an wit h a gr ay Vandyke bear d st epped f or war d.
" I 'm M ur dock, ex- capt ain of t he Polar Dawn. "
Rom an int r oduced him self and r ecit ed his m ission or der s. M ur dock cut him of f .
" Capt ain, it was an adm ir able ef f or t t o r escue us. But par don m e if I don't t hank you f or f r eeing us f r om t he hands of t he Canadian M ount ies, " he said dr ily, waving an ar m ar ound t he dank conf inem ent .
" W e wer e obviously not ant icipat ing out side int er f er ence, " Rom an r eplied. " Do you know who t hese people ar e?"
" I m ight wel ask you t he sam e quest ion, " M ur dock r eplied. " I know t hat a pr ivat e f ir m r uns t hese icebr eaker s as com m er cial escor t ships under license f r om t he Canadian gover nm ent . They evident ly own t he bar ges, t oo. W hy t hey would have ar m ed secur it y and an int er est in t aking us host age, I have no clue. "
Rom an was equaly st um ped. His pr e- m ission int eligence out lined no t hr eat s besides t he Canadian Navy and t he M ount ed Police. I t just didn't m ake sense.
The m en hear d t he icebr eaker 's engines t hr ot t le higher , t hen f elt a slight jar as t he lead ship puled away f r om t he dock, t owing t he bar ge wit h it . Af t er clear ing t he por t wat er s, t he engine r evolut ions incr eased again, and t he conf ined m en could begin t o f eel t he bar ge pit ch and r ol as t hey ent er ed t he choppy wat er s of Cor onat ion G ulf .
" Capt ain, any speculat ion as t o wher e t hey m ight be t aking us?" Rom an asked.
M ur dock shr ugged. " W e ar e a consider able dist ance f r om any signif icant point s of civilizat ion. I wouldn't t hink t hat t hey would leave Canadian wat er s, but t hat could st il leave us in f or a long, cold r ide. "
Rom an hear d som e gr unt ing and kicking acr oss t he hold and shined his light up t he ent r y st eps. O n t he landing, Ser geant Bojor quez was wr est ling wit h t he door , slam m ing his weight against t he hat ch lever , bef or e r eleasing a st r ing of pr of anit ies. Not ing t he beam of light on him , he st r aight ened up and f aced Rom an.
" No- go on t he door , sir . The out side lever is chained t ight . W e'd need a blowt or ch t o get t his t hing of f . "
" Thanks, Ser geant . " Rom an t ur ned t o M ur dock. " I s t her e anot her way out of her e?"
M ur dock point ed t o t he open hat chway f acing t he st er n.
" I 'm sur e t hat leads down a ladder int o t he num ber 1 hold. This t ub has f our holds, each big enough t o par k a skyscr aper in. Ther e should be an int er ior passageway f r om one hold t o t he next , accessible by clim bing down t hat ladder and up anot her on t he opposit e side. "
" W hat about t he m ain hat ch cover s? Any chance of pr ying t hem of f ?"
" No way, not wit hout a cr ane. Each one pr obably weighs t hr ee t ons. I would t hink our only chance is out t he st er n. Ther e's pr obably a sim ilar hold or separ at e access way t o t he m ain deck. " He st ar ed at Rom an wit h r esolve. " I t wil t ake som e t im e t o sear ch wit h just a penlight . "
" Bojor quez, " Rom an caled. The ser geant quickly m at er ialized alongside.
" Accom pany t he capt ain af t , " Rom an or der ed. " Find us a way out of t his r at hole. "
" Yes, sir , " Bojor quez r eplied sm ar t ly. Then wit h a wink t o his super ior , he added, " W or t h a st r ipe?"
Rom an sm ir ked. " At least one. Now, get m oving. "
A glim m er of hope seem ed t o inspir e al of t he m en, Rom an included. But t hen he r em em ber ed M ur dock's com m ent about a long voyage and r ealized t he Ar ct ic envir onm ent was st il going t o of f er t hem a f ight f or sur vival. W alking about t he hold once m or e, he began plot t ing how t o keep ever yone f r om f r eezing t o deat h.
55

I N THE W ARM CO NFI NES O F THE O TO K'S BRI DG E, Clay Zak sat com f or t ably in a high- back chair wat ching t he ice- st udded wat er s slip by. I t had been an im pulsive and danger ous act t o capt ur e t he Am er icans, he knew, and equaly im pulsive t o t oss t hem int o t he bar ge and t ow t hem along. He st il wasn't quit e sur e what he was going t o do wit h t he capt ives, but he pr aised his own good luck. The Polar Dawn's cr ew had f alen r ight int o his lap and, wit h t hem , t he oppor t unit y t o ignit e t he f lam es of cont ent ion bet ween Canada and t he U. S. The Canadian gover nm ent would be seet hing in t he belief t hat t he Polar Dawn's cr ew had escaped via an Am er ican m ilit ar y oper at ion t hat had cr ossed it s t er r it or ial bor der s. Zak laughed at t he pr ospect , knowing t hat Canada's cont em pt uous Pr im e M inist er wouldn't be let t ing t he Am er icans set f oot in t he Canadian Ar ct ic f or quit e som e t im e t o com e.
I t was m or e t han G oyet t e could have hoped f or . The indust r ialist had t old him of t he r iches in t he Ar ct ic t hat wer e t her e f or t he t aking, as global war m ing cont inued t o m elt t he bar r ier s of access. G oyet t e had alr eady st r uck it r ich wit h t he M elvile Sound nat ur al gas f ield, but t her e was also oil t o be had. By som e est im at es, pot ent ialy t went y- f ive per cent of t he planet 's t ot al oil r eser ves wer e t r apped under t he Ar ct ic. The r apid m elt of f in Ar ct ic ice was m aking it al accessible now t o t hose wit h f or esight .
The f ir st t o gr ab t he r ight s and lock up t he r esour ces would be t he one t o pr osper , G oyet t e had said. The big Am er ican oil com panies and m ining conglom er at es had alr eady been expanding t heir inf luence in t he r egion. G oyet t e could never hope t o com pet e head- t o- head. But if t hey wer e r em oved f r om t he playing f ield, it was a dif f er ent pict ur e. G oyet t e could m onopolize vast chunks of Ar ct ic r esour ces, set t ing him self up f or bilions in pr of it s.
That would be a bigger payof f t han t he r ut henium , Zak t hought . But he m ight wel scor e on bot h f r ont s. Finding t he m iner al wit hout int er f er ence was alm ost assur ed. Elim inat ing t he Am er ican com pet it ion f r om f ut ur e explor at ion was wel wit hin r each. G oyet t e would owe him and owe him big.
W it h a cont ent ed look on his f ace, Zak st ar ed back at t he passing ice and casualy wait ed f or t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands t o dr aw closer .
56

PART I I I
NO RTHERN PURSUI T

FO R A FEW BRI EF W EEKS I N LATE SUM M ER, CANADA'S Ar ct ic ar chipelago r esem bles t he paint ed deser t . Receding snow and ice lay bar e a desolat e beaut y hidden beneat h t he f r ozen landscape. The r ocky, t r eeless t er r ain is f r equent ly laden wit h st ar t ling st r eaks of gold, r ed, and pur ple. Lichens, f er ns, and a sur pr ising diver sit y of f lower s, f ight ing t o absor b t he waning sum m er sunlight , bloom wit h added bouquet s of color . Har e, m usk oxen, and bir ds ar e f ound in gr eat num ber s, sof t ening t he cold aur a of m or bidit y. A r ichly diver se wildlif e, in f act , t hr ives in t he int ense sum m er m ont hs, only t o vanish dur ing t he long, dar k days of wint er .
For t he r est of t he year , t he islands ar e a f or bidding colect ion of ice- cover ed hils edged by r ock- st r ewn shor elines- - an em pt y, bar r en landscape t hat f or cent ur ies has dr awn m en like a m agnet , som e in sear ch of dest iny, ot her s in sear ch of t hem selves. St ar ing out t he br idge at a r ibbon of sea ice clinging t o t he t um bled shor eline of Vict or ia I sland, Pit t could not help but t hink it was one of t he loneliest places he had ever seen.
Pit t st epped t o t he char t t able, wher e G ior dino was st udying a lar ge m ap of Vict or ia St r ait . The st ocky I t alian point ed t o an em pt y pat ch of wat er east of Vict or ia I sland.
" W e'r e less t han f if t y m iles f r om King W iliam I sland, " he said. " W hat ar e your t hought s on a sear ch gr id?"
Pit t puled up a st ool, t hen sat down and st udied t he char t . The pear - shaped landm ass of King W iliam I sland appear ed due east of t hem . Pit t t ook a pencil and m ar ked an " X" at a point f if t een m iles nor t hwest of t he island's upper t ip.
" This is wher e t he Er ebus and Ter r or wer e of f icialy abandoned, " he said.
G ior dino not ed a sense of disint er est in Pit t 's voice.
" But t hat 's not wher e you t hink t hey sank?" he asked.
" No, " Pit t r eplied. " The I nuit account , t hough vague, seem ed t o indicat e t hat t he Er ebus was f ar t her sout h. Bef or e I lef t W ashingt on, I had som e f olks in t he clim at ology depar t m ent do som e m odeling f or m e. They at t em pt ed t o r e- cr eat e t he weat her condit ions in Apr il 1848, when t he ships wer e abandoned, and pr edict t he pot ent ial behavior of t he sea ice. "
" So t he ice didn't just m elt and t he ships dr opped t o t he bot t om wher e X m ar ks t he spot ?"
" I t 's possible but not likely. " Pit t point ed t o a lar ge body of wat er nor t h of King W iliam caled Lar sen St r ait .
" The wint er f r eeze pr opels t he pack ice in a m oving t r ain f r om t he nor t heast , down Lar sen St r ait . I f t he sea ice of f King W iliam didn't m elt in t he sum m er of 1848, which t he clim at ologist s suggest , t hen t he ships would have been pushed sout h dur ing t he wint er f r eeze of 1849. They m ight have been r e- boar ded by a sm al par t y of sur vivor s, we just don't know. But it is consist ent wit h t he I nuit r ecor d. "
" Swel, a m oving t ar get , " G ior dino said. " Doesn't m ake f or a com pact sear ch zone. "
Pit t dr ew his f inger down t he west er n shor e of King W iliam I sland, st opping at a conglom er at ion of islands locat ed t went y m iles of f t he sout hwest coast .
" M y t heor y is t hat t hese islands her e, t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands, act ed as a r am par t against t he sout her ly m oving ice pack. That r ock pile pr obably diver t ed som e of t he ice f loe, while br eaking up a good deal m or e piling up on it s nor t her n shor e. "
" That is a pr et t y dir ect pat h f r om your X, " G ior dino not ed.
" That 's t he pr esum pt ion. No t eling how f ar t he ships act ualy m oved bef or e f aling t hr ough t he ice. But I 'd like t o st ar t wit h a t en- m ile gr id just above t hese islands and t hen m ove nor t h if we com e up em pt y. "
" Sounds like a good bet , " G ior dino agr eed. " Let 's just hope t hey dr opped t o t he bot t om in one piece so t hey'l give us a nice, clean sonar im age. " He looked at his wat ch. " I bet t er r ouse Jack and get t he AUV pr epped bef or e we get on- sit e. W e've got t wo aboar d, so we can lay out t wo separ at e gr ids and sear ch t hem sim ult aneously. "
W hile Pit t laid out t he coor dinat es f or a pair of adjoining sear ch gr ids, G ior dino and Dahlgr en pr epar ed t he AUVs f or launching. The acr onym st ood f or aut onom ous under wat er vehicles. Self - pr opeled devices t hat wer e shaped like t or pedoes, t he AUVs cont ained sonar and ot her sensing devices t hat alowed t hem t o elect r onicaly m ap t he seaf loor . Pr epr ogr am m ed t o syst em at icaly scan a designat ed sear ch gr id, t hey would cr uise a f ew m et er s above t he seabed at near ly t en knot s, adjust ing t o t he changing cont our s as t hey r an.
As he passed just nor t h of t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands, Capt ain St enset h slowed t he Nar whal as t hey ent er ed t he f ir st of Pit t 's sear ch gr ids. A f loat ing t r ansponder was dr opped of f t he st er n, t hen t he ship r aced t o t he opposit e cor ner of t he gr id wher e a second buoy was r eleased. Keyed t o t he or bit ing G PS sat elit es, t he t r ansponder s pr ovided under wat er navigat ion r ef er ence point s f or t he r oving AUVs t o keep on cour se.
O n t he st er n of t he ship, Pit t helped G ior dino and Dahlgr en download t he sear ch plan int o t he f ir st AUV's pr ocessor , t hen wat ched as a cr ane hoist ed t he lar ge yelow f ish over t he side. W it h it s sm al pr opeler spinning, t he AUV was r eleased f r om it s cr adle. The device shot f or war d and quickly dived beneat h t he dar k, r oling wat er s. G uided by t he bobbing t r ansponder s, t he AUV scoot ed t o it s st ar t ing point , t hen began weaving back and f or t h, scanning t he bot t om wit h it s elect r onic eyes.
W it h t he f ir st vehicle saf ely r eleased, St enset h pilot ed t he ship nor t h t o t he second gr id ar ea and r epeat ed t he pr ocess. A bit ing wind cut t hr ough t he m en on t he deck as t hey r eleased t he second AUV, and t hey hur r ied t o t he war m t h of t he near by oper at ions cent er . A seat ed t echnician alr eady had bot h sear ch gr ids displayed on an over head scr een, wit h visual r epr esent at ions of bot h AUVs and t he t r ansponder s. Pit t slipped out of his par ka as he eyed sever al colum ns of num ber s quickly being updat ed on t he side of t he scr een.
" Bot h AUVs ar e at dept h and r unning t r ue, " he said. " Nice wor k, gent lem en. "
" They'r e out of our hands now, " G ior dino r eplied. " Looks like it wil t ake about t welve hour s f or t he f ish t o r un t heir cour se bef or e sur f acing. "
" O nce we get t hem back aboar d, it won't t ake long t o download t he dat a and swap bat t er ies, t hen we can set 'em loose again on t he next t wo gr ids, " Dahlgr en not ed.
G ior dino r aised his br ows while Pit t shot him a wit her ing look.
" W hat did I say?" he asked in a bewilder ed t one.
" O n t his ship, " Pit t r eplied, a r azor - shar p gr in cr ossing his f ace, " t he f ir st t im e's t he char m . "
57

SI XTY M I LES TO THE W EST, THE O TO K CHURNED t hr ough t he wind- whipped wat er s on a dir ect pat h t o t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. I n t he wheelhouse, Zak st udied a sat elit e im age of t he islands t hr ough a m agnif ying glass. Two lar ge islands dom inat ed t he chain, W est I sland separ at ed by a t hin channel f r om t he sm aler East I sland. The M id- Am er ica m ining oper at ion was locat ed on t he sout her n coast of t he W est I sland, f acing Q ueen M aud G ulf . Zak could m ake out t wo buildings and a long pier in t he phot ogr aph, as wel as evidence of an open- pit m ine near by.
" A m essage cam e in f or you. "
The O t ok's unshaven capt ain appr oached and handed Zak a slip of paper . O pening it up, Zak r ead t he cont ent s:
Pit t ar r ived Tukt oyakt uk f r om D. C. ear ly Sat ur day. Boar ded NUM A r esear ch vessel Nar whal. Depar t ed 1600, pr esum ed dest inat ion Alaska. M . G .
" Alaska, " he said aloud. " They can't ver y wel go anywher e else now, can t hey?" he added wit h a sm ile.
" Ever yt hing al r ight ?"
" Yes, just a t ar dy ef f or t by t he com pet it ion. "
" W hat 's our appr oach t o t he islands?" t he capt ain asked, peer ing over Zak's shoulder .
" The sout h coast of W est I sland. W e'l m ake f or t he m ining oper at ion f ir st . Let 's r un r ight up t o t he pier and see if anyone is hom e. I t 's ear ly in t he season, so t hey m ay not have opened up sum m er oper at ions yet . "
" M ight be a good place t o dum p our capt ives. "
Zak gazed out t he af t window, wat ching t he bar ge t hat was t ailing behind walow in t he t ur bulent seas.
" No, " he r eplied af t er cont em plat ion. " They should be quit e com f or t able wher e t hey ar e. "
CO M FO RTABLE W AS HARDLY THE sent im ent t hat cam e t o Rick Rom an's m ind. But under t he cir cum st ances, he had t o adm it t hey had m ade t he best of t hings.
The cold st eel deck and bulkheads of t heir f loat ing pr ison quickly sapped t heir ef f or t s t o keep war m , but a solut ion lie in t he debr is lef t behind. Rom an or ganized t he m en under penlight and had t hem at t ack t he m ound of t ir es. Fir st , a layer of t he old r ubber was laid on t he deck, t hen a ser ies of wals wer e built up, cr eat ing a sm aler den wher e al t he m en could st il f it . The m oor ing r opes wer e t hen unwound and dr aped over t he t ir e wals and f loor , cr eat ing an ext r a layer of insulat ion, as wel as padding f or t he m en t o lie on. Huddled int o t he t ight enclave, t he m en had a com bined body heat t hat gr adualy f or ced a r ise in t he t em per at ur e. Af t er sever al hour s, Rom an f lashed his light on a bot t le of wat er at his f eet and not ed an inch or t wo of liquid sloshed at op t he f r ozen cont ent s. The insulat ed den had war m ed above f r eezing, he not ed wit h som e sat isf act ion.
I t was t he only sat isf act ion he had r eceived in som e t im e. W hen M ur dock and Bojor quez r et ur ned af t er a t wo- hour inspect ion of t he bar ge's int er ior , t he news was al bleak. M ur dock had f ound no ot her pot ent ial exit point s ast er n of t heir st or age hold, save f or t he caver nous holds t hem selves. The m am m ot h over head hat ch cover s m ight as wel have been welded shut f or t he chance t hey had at m oving t hem .
" I did f ind t his, " Bojor quez said, holding up a sm al wood- handled claw ham m er . " Som ebody m ust have dr opped it in t he hold and didn't bot her t o r et r ieve it . "
" Even a sledgeham m er wouldn't do us a lot of good on t hat hat ch, " Rom an r eplied.
Undet er r ed, Bojor quez began at t acking t he locked hat ch lever wit h t he sm al t ool. Soon t he t ap- t ap- t ap of t he pounding ham m er becam e a const ant accom panim ent t o t he cr eaking sounds of t he m oving bar ge. M en lined up t o have a go at t he ham m er , m ost ly out of bor edom , or in an at t em pt t o war m t hem selves f r om t he exer t ion. Against t he incessant r apping, M ur dock's voice suddenly r aised over t he din.
" The t ow ship is slowing. "
" Cease t he ham m er ing, " Rom an or der ed.
Ahead of t hem , t hey could hear t he engines of t he icebr eaker slow t heir deep- t hr oat ed dr one. A f ew m inut es lat er , t he engines dr opped t o an idle, t hen t he bar ge bum ped against a st at ionar y object . List ening in silence, t he m en anxiously hoped t hat t heir f r ozen im pr isonm ent was over .
58

THE RO YAL G EO G RAPHI CAL SO CI ETY I SLANDS appear ed as a m ass of buf f - color ed hils r ising above t he choppy slat e wat er s. The islands wer e chr ist ened by t he explor er Roald Am undsen in 1905, dur ing his epic voyage on t he G joa, when he becam e t he f ir st m an t o successf uly navigat e t he lengt h of t he Nor t hwest Passage. Rem ot e and f or got t en f or over a cent ur y, t he islands r em ained a f oot not e unt il a f r eelance explor at ion com pany f ound an exposed deposit of zinc on W est I sland and sold it s claim s t o M id- Am er ica.
The M id- Am er ica m ining cam p was built on a wide cove along t he island's r ugged sout her n coast , which zigzagged wit h num er ous inlet s and lagoons. A nat ur aly f or m ed deepwat er channel alowed lar ge ships t o access t he cove, pr oviding t hat t he sea ice had vanished f or t he season. The com pany had built a t hr ee- hundr ed- f oot sem if loat ing dock t hat st r et ched f r om t he cove, sit t ing em pt y and alone am id t he chunks of ice bobbing in t he sur r ounding wat er s.
Zak had t he capt ain pul t o t he dock while he scanned t he shor eline t hr ough a pair of binocular s. He viewed a pair of pr ef abr icat ed buildings per ched beneat h a sm al bluf f alongside a gr avel r oad t hat r an inland a shor t dist ance. The windows of t he buildings wer e dar k, and piles of dr if t ing snow could be seen accum ulat ed in t he door ways. Sat isf ied t hat t he f acilit y was st il abandoned f r om t he wint er shut down, he had t he O t ok t ie up t o t he dock.
" Have t he t eam of geologist s assem bled and put ashor e, " Zak inst r uct ed t he capt ain. " I want t o know t he m iner al cont ent of t he or e t hey ar e ext r act ing her e, as wel as t he geology of t he gener al ar ea. "
" I believe t he t eam is anxious t o get ashor e, " t he capt ain quipped, having seen a num ber of t he geologist s suf f er ing f r om seasickness in t he galey.
" Capt ain, I had a lar ge package sent t o t he ship bef or e I ar r ived. Did you r eceive a deliver y in Tukt oyakt uk?"
" Yes, a cr at e was t aken aboar d t her e. I had it placed in t he f or war d hold. "
" Please have it deliver ed t o m y cabin. I t cont ains som e m at er ials t hat I 'l need on shor e, " he said.
" I 'l have it t aken car e of r ight away. W hat about our capt ives on t he bar ge? They'r e pr obably near deat h, " he said, eyeing a digit al t her m om et er on t he console t hat indicat ed t he out side t em per at ur e was f ive degr ees.
" Ah yes, our f r ozen Am er icans. I 'm sur e t heir disappear ance has a f ew people excit ed by now, " Zak said wit h an ar r ogant t one. " Toss t hem som e f ood and blanket s, I suppose. I t m ay st il do f or us t o keep t hem alive. "
W hile t he geologist s m ade t heir way ashor e accom panied by an ar m ed secur it y t eam , Zak st epped down t o his cabin. His package, a m et al- skinned t r unk t ot ing a heavy padlock, sat wait ing f or him on t he car pet ed f loor . I nside was a car ef uly or ganized ar r ay of f uses and det onat or s, along wit h enough dynam it e t o f lat t en a cit y block. Zak select ed a f ew of t he it em s and placed t hem in a sm al sat chel, t hen r elocked t he t r unk. Slipping int o a heavy par ka, he m ade his way t o t he m ain deck and was about t o st ep of f t he ship when a cr ewm an st opped him .
" You have a cal on t he br idge. The capt ain asks t hat you com e r ight away. "
Zak t ook a com panionway t o t he br idge, wher e he f ound t he capt ain t alking on a secur e sat elit e t elephone.
" Yes, he's r ight her e, " t he capt ain said, t hen t ur ned and handed t he phone t o Zak.
The t est y voice of M it chel G oyet t e blar ed t hr ough t he ear piece.
" Zak, t he capt ain t els m e t hat you ar e t ied up at t he M id- Am er ica f acilit y. "
" That 's r ight . They haven't init iat ed t heir sum m er oper at ions yet , so t he place is em pt y. I was just on m y way t o m ake sur e t hey st ay out of com m ission f or t he season. "
" Excelent . The way t hings ar e heat ing up in O t t awa, I doubt an Am er ican would even be able t o set f oot up t her e. " G oyet t e's gr eed began t o chim e in. " Tr y not t o dest r oy any inf r ast r uct ur e t hat m ight be usef ul f or m e when I pur chase t he lot at a f ir e- sale pr ice, " he said wit h a snor t .
" I 'l keep t hat in m ind, " Zak r eplied.
" Tel m e, what have you lear ned about t he r ut henium ?"
" The geologist s ar e just now m aking an init ial sur vey ar ound t he m ining cam p. But we'r e pr esent ly on t he sout h side of t he island, and t he t r ader 's m ap indicat ed t hat t he I nuit m ine was locat ed on t he nor t h coast . W e'l r eposit ion t her e in a f ew hour s. "
" Ver y wel. Keep m e appr ised. "
" Ther e is som et hing you should be awar e of , " Zak r eplied, dr opping t he bom bshel. " W e have t he Am er ican cr ew of t he Polar Dawn in our capt ivit y. "
" You what ? " G oyet t e howled, f or cing Zak t o pul t he r eceiver away f r om his ear . The indust r ialist 's t em per bur ned whit e- hot , even af t er Zak descr ibed t he cir cum st ances of t he abduct ion.
" No wonder t he polit icians ar e going balist ic, " he hissed. " You'r e about t o set of f W or ld W ar Thr ee. "
" I t m akes it a sur e t hing t hat t he Am er icans won't have access t o t his r egion f or a long t im e, " Zak ar gued.
" That m ay be t r ue, but I won't enjoy pr of it ing f r om t heir absence if I 'm sit t ing in a jail cel. Dispose of t he m at t er , and wit hout incident , " he bar ked. " W hat ever you do, t her e had bet t er be no link t o m e. "
Zak hung up t he phone as t he line went dead. Just anot her unim aginat ive t hug who had bulied his way t o bilions, Zak t hought . Then he slipped his par ka back on and went ashor e.
A BRO W N RI NG O F r ock and gr avel encir cled t he island's cove, m elding int o a whit e sheet of ice as one m oved inland. The except ion was a lar ge r ect angular r ut t hat r an sever al hundr ed f eet int o t he hilside, ending in a f lat , ver t ical wal clear ly cut by m achine. The zinc- m ining oper at ion was sim ply cut t ing st r aight int o t he landscape, wher e t he m iner al- r ich or e was r eadily accessible. I n t he dist ance, Zak not iced a f ew of t he geologist s poking ar ound t he t ailings of t he m ost r ecent diggings.
The int er ior of t he cove was pr ot ect ed f r om t he wor st of t he west er ly winds, but Zak st il m oved quickly down t he dock, not wishing t o pr olong his exposur e t o t he cold. He quickly sized up t he m ining oper at ion bef or e him , which was sim ple and low- t ech. The lar ger of t wo buildings was a war ehouse t hat housed t he m ining equipm ent - - buldozer s, backhoes, and a dum p t r uck- - which dug up t he island soil and t r ansf er r ed it ont o a sm al conveyor syst em f or shipboar d loading. A sm aler building next door would be t he cr ew's bunkhouse and adm inist r at ive of f ice.
Zak m ade his way t o t he sm aler building f ir st , cur iously f inding t hat t he door had been locked. Puling a G lock aut om at ic f r om his pocket , he f ir ed t wice at t he deadbolt , t hen kicked t he door open. The int er ior was like an expansive house, wit h t wo lar ge bedr oom s f iled wit h bunk beds, plus an over size kit chen, a dining r oom , and a living ar ea. Zak walked dir ect ly t o t he kit chen and looked at t he st ove, which t r ailed a gas line t o a st or age closet cont aining a lar ge t ank of pr opane. Digging int o his sat chel, he r em oved a char ge of dynam it e and placed it beneat h t he t ank, t hen af f ixed a blast ing cap wit h a t im ed f use. Checking his wat ch, he set t he f use t o ignit e in ninet y m inut es, t hen exit ed t he building.
He walked t o t he equipm ent - st or age building, st udying it s ext er ior f or som e t im e bef or e hiking ar ound t o t he back side. Tower ing over t he building was a sm al bluf f , which was st r ewn wit h ice- cover ed r ocks and boulder s. He st r uggled up t he st eep slope t o a slight ledge t hat r an hor izont aly acr oss t he upper f ace of t he hil. Kicking a divot in t he f r ozen gr ound beneat h a car - sized boulder , he r em oved his gloves and placed anot her char ge of dynam it e under t he r ock. W it h his f inger s f r eezing, he quickly set t he f use t o t he blast ing cap. M oving a f ew yar ds away, he set a second char ge beneat h a sim ilar clum p of lar ge boulder s.
Scam per ing down t he hilside, he r et ur ned t o t he f r ont of t he building and set one m or e char ge by t he hinge of a lar ge swinging door . Af t er set t ing t he f use, he quickly st epped back t o t he dock and headed f or t he icebr eaker . As he appr oached t he ship, he could see t he capt ain peer ing down at him f r om t he br idge. Zak pum ped his ar m , m ot ioning f or him t o blow t he ship's hor n. A second lat er , t wo deaf ening blast s echoed of f t he hils, signaling t he geologist s t o r et ur n t o t he ship.
Zak t ur ned t o see t hat t he geologist s t ook not e of t he m essage, t hen he walked t o t he bar ge at t he end of t he pier . The dock just r eached t o t he bow of t he bar ge, and Zak wait ed unt il t he cur r ent nudged t he vessel against t he pylons bef or e jum ping ont o an em bedded st eel ladder t hat r ose t o t he vessel's deck. Clim bing up, he m ade his way ast er n, passing t he num ber 4 hold on t he way t o an indent ed wel on t he af t side. Kneeling against an ext er ior bulkhead, he packed his r em aining explosives, t his t im e af f ixing a r adio- cont r oled det onat or . I t wasn't posit ioned beneat h t he wat er line as he would have liked, but he knew it would do t he job in t he r oling seas t hat t hey had been encount er ing. I gnor ing t he lives of t he m en huddled a f ew f eet away, Zak st epped of f t he bar ge wit h a wr y sense of sat isf act ion. G oyet t e wasn't going t o be happy losing a newly built bar ge, but what could he say? Zak's inst r uct ions wer e t o leave no evidence, and disposing of t he bar ge wher e nobody could f ind it was t he per f ect solut ion.
The last of t he geologist s and secur it y guar ds wer e clim bing aboar d t he icebr eaker when Zak r eached t he gangplank. He headed st r aight t o t he br idge, t hankf ul t o ent er it s war m int er ior .
" Ever yone is back aboar d, " t he capt ain r epor t ed. " Ar e you r eady t o leave or did you wish t o speak t o t he geologist s f ir st ?"
" They can br ief m e on t he way. I 'm anxious t o invest igat e t he nor t h shor e. " He looked at his wat ch. " Though we m ight want t o enjoy t he show bef or e shoving of f . "
Two m inut es lat er , t he bunkhouse kit chen blew up, leveling t he wals of t he ent ir e st r uct ur e. The pr opane t ank, which was near ly f ul of gas, exploded in a m assive f ir ebal t hat sent waves of or ange f lam e skywar d, it s concussion r at t ling t he windows on t he ship. A f ew seconds lat er , t he st or age- building char ge went of f , blowing of f t he f r ont door and cr um bling t he r oof . The hilside char ges wer e next , cr eat ing a t um bling landslide of r ocks and boulder s t hat pour ed ont o t he m angled r oof . W hen a t hick cloud of air bor ne dust f inaly set t led, Zak could see t hat t he ent ir e building was pulver ized under a layer of r ock and r ubble.
" Ver y ef f ect ive, " m um bled t he capt ain. " I guess we don't need t o wor r y about an Am er ican pr esence in t he vicinit y now. "
" Q uit e, " Zak r eplied in a t one of ar r ogant cer t aint y.
59

THE W ESTERLY W I NDS W HI PPED ACRO SS VI CTO RI A St r ait , kicking up whit ecaps t hat washed over t he spor adic chunks of f loat ing ice. For ging t hr ough t he dar k wat er s, t he br ight t ur quoise NUM A ship appear ed like a beacon in a color less wor ld. W it h t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands visible of f it s bow, t he ship st eam ed slowly sout h int o t he f ir st of Pit t 's sear ch gr ids.
" Looks t o be a vessel r ounding t he nor t hwest coast , " t he helm sm an r epor t ed, eyeing t he r adar scope.
Capt ain St enset h picked up a pair of binocular s and viewed a t andem pair of dot s on t he hor izon.
" Pr obably an Asian f r eight er m aking an escor t ed at t em pt t hr ough t he passage, " he said. He t ur ned t o Pit t , who was seat ed at t he char t t able st udying a bluepr int of t he Fr anklin ships. " W e'l be appr oaching t he f inish line shor t ly. Any idea when your t or pedo wil pop up?"
Pit t glanced at his or ange- f aced Doxa dive wat ch. " She ought t o sur f ace wit hin t he next half hour . "
I t pr oved t o be t went y m inut es lat er when one of t he cr ewm en spot t ed t he yelow AUV bobbing t o t he sur f ace. St enset h m aneuver ed t he ship alongside, and t he AUV was quickly hoist ed aboar d. G ior dino r em oved it s one- t er abyt e har d dr ive and hust led t he dat a t o a sm al viewing r oom , wher e a com put er and pr oject ion syst em await ed.
" You headed t o t he m ovies?" St enset h asked as Pit t st ood up and st r et ched.
" Yes, t he f ir st of t wo r at her long double f eat ur es. You have a f ix on t he t r ansponder s?"
St enset h nodded. " W e'l go gr ab t hem next . They've act ualy been pushed quit e f ar along, due t o t he st r ong sout her ly cur r ent her e. W e wil have t o m ake a bit of a dash f or t hem bef or e t hey pile up on t he island r ocks. "
" I 'l t el Dahlgr en t o be st anding by, " Pit t r eplied. " Then we can go gr ab f ish num ber 2. "
Pit t m ade his way down t o t he dar kened viewing r oom , wher e G ior dino alr eady had t he sonar 's colect ed dat a displayed on t he scr een. A gold- color ed im age of t he seaf loor was scr oling by, r evealing a lar gely f lat but r ocky bot t om .
" A nice cr isp im age, " Pit t said, t aking a seat next t o G ior dino.
" W e boost ed t he f r equency f or a higher r esolut ion, " G ior dino explained. He handed Pit t a bowl of m icr owave popcor n. " But it st il ain't Casablanca, I 'm af r aid. "
" That 's okay. As long as we f ind som et hing wor t h playing again, Sam . "
The t wo m en sat back and st ar ed at t he scr een as an endless swat h of sea bot t om began scr oling by.
60

THE ZO DI AC PO UNDED O VER THE CHO PPY SW ELLS, car eening of f sm al chunks of ice as a f r eezing m ist spr ayed int o t he air . The pilot kept t he t hr ot t le open unt il appr oaching a wide expanse of unbr oken ice t hat st r et ched f r om t he shor eline. Finding a sect ion wit h a sloping f r ont edge, he dr ove t he inf lat able boat up and ont o t he sea ice. The har dened hul of t he Zodiac slid sever al f eet bef or e m ashing t o a halt against a low knol. Seat ed near t he st er n, Zak wait ed f or t he geology t eam t o exit t he boat bef or e he st epped out , f olowing a guar d car r ying a hunt ing r if le whose sole job was t o war d of f any inquisit ive bear s.
" Pick us up a m ile down t he coast in exact ly t wo hour s, " Zak or der ed t he pilot , waving an ar m t o t he west . Then he helped shove t he Zodiac back int o t he wat er and wat ched as t he r ubber boat sped t o t he O t ok, idling a half m ile away.
Zak could have st ayed in t he war m t h of his cabin, r eading a biogr aphy of W ild Bil Hickok t hat he had br ought along, but he f ear ed t he geologist s would dawdle in t he cold. W hat act ualy dr ove him ashor e, he didn't want t o adm it , was t he disappoint m ent he f elt wit h t heir geological assessm ent of t he M id- Am er ica m ining cam p.
W hile it was har dly a sur pr ise when t hey conf ir m ed t he r ich gr ound cont ent of zinc and ir on on t he sout h side of t he island, he had expect ed t hat som e t r ace elem ent s of r ut henium m ight be pr esent . But none wer e f ound. The geologist s in f act f ound no evidence of any plat inum - r elat ed elem ent s in t he exposed st r at um .
I t m eant not hing, he assur ed him self , since he knew exact ly wher e t he r ut henium would be f ound. Digging int o t he pocket of his par ka, he puled out t he jour nal pages t hat he had st olen f r om t he M iner s Co- op. I n heavy char coal was a hand- dr awn cir cular diagr am t hat clear ly r esem bled W est I sland. A sm al X was m ar ked on t he nor t her n shor e of t he island. At t he t op of t he page, a dif f er ent hand had wr it t en " Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands" wit h a quil pen in a Vict or ian scr ipt . I t was, accor ding t o an ear lier page in t he jour nal, t he copied diagr am of an I nuit m ap wher e t he Adelaide seal hunt er s had obt ained t he r ut henium t hey oddly caled Black Kobluna.
Zak m at ched t he cont our s wit h a m oder n m ap of t he islands and ident if ied t he t ar get ed spot slight ly west of t heir landing sit e.
" The m ine should be a half m ile or so down t he coast line, " he announced af t er t he gr oup had hiked over t he ice t o a r ock- cover ed beachf r ont . " Keep your eyes open. "
Zak m ar ched of f down t he beach ahead of t he geologist s, anxious t o m ake t he discover y him self . The cold seem ed t o f ade away as he envisioned t he pot ent ial r iches t hat wait ed just down t he coast . G oyet t e would alr eady owe him f or r idding t he Canadian Ar ct ic of Am er ican invest or s. Finding t he r ut henium would be f r ost ing on t he cake.
The r ugged shor eline was f r ont ed by an undulat ing ser ies of gulies and bluf f s t hat clim bed t owar d t he island's int er ior . The r avines wer e f iled wit h har d- packed ice, while t he hilt ops wer e bar e, cr eat ing a m ot t led pat t er n like t he dappled coat of a gr ay m ar e. Tr udging wel behind Zak, t he geologist s m oved t ent at ively in t he cold weat her , st opping f r equent ly t o exam ine exposed sect ions of t he hilsides and colect sam ples of r ock. Reaching his t ar get ar ea wit hout f inding physical evidence of a m ine, Zak anxiously paced back and f or t h unt il t he geologist s dr ew near .
" The m ine should be in t his vicinit y, " he shout ed. " Sear ch t he ar ea t hor oughly. "
As t he geologist s f anned out , t he secur it y guar d waved Zak over t o t he edge of t he sea ice. Splayed at t he m an's f eet , he f ound t he m ut ilat ed car cass of a r inged seal. The m am m al's f lesh had been t or n f r om it s skin in lar ge, jagged chunks. The guar d point ed t o t he anim al's skul, wher e a wide set of claw m ar ks had scr at ched t hr ough t he skin.
" O nly a bear would have lef t a m ar k like t hat , " t he guar d said.
" By t he look of t he decay, it was a f air ly r ecent m eal, " Zak r eplied. " Keep a shar p lookout , but don't m ent ion t his t o our scient if ic f r iends. They'r e alr eady dist r act ed enough by t he cold. "
The polar bear never m at er ialized, and, t o Zak's dism ay, neit her did t he r ut henium . Af t er an hour of diligent sear ching, t he f r ozen geologist s st agger ed t o Zak wit h conf used looks on t heir f aces.
" The visual r esult s ar e on par wit h t he sout h side of t he island, " said one of t he geologist s, a bear ded m an wit h dr oopy hazel eyes. " W e see som e out cr op m iner alizat ion wit h signs of ir on, zinc, and a bit of lead cont ent . Ther e's no obvious evidence of plat inum - gr oup or es, including r ut henium . However , we'l have t o assay our sam ples back on t he ship t o def init ely r ule out it s pr esence. "
" W hat about indicat ions of a m ine?" Zak asked.
The geologist s al looked at each ot her and shook t heir heads.
" Any m ining per f or m ed by t he I nuit one hundr ed and sixt y year s ago would be by pr im it ive m eans at best , " t he lead geologist said. " Ther e would have been evidence of sur f ace disr upt ions. Unless it is under one of t hese ice sheet s, we didn't see any such indicat ions. "
" I see, " Zak said in a palid t one. " Al r ight , back t o t he ship, t hen. I want t o see your assay r esult s as soon as possible. "
As t hey m ar ched acr oss t he sea ice t o t heir pickup sit e, Zak's m ind chur ned in bewilder m ent . I t didn't m ake sense. The jour nal was clear t hat t he r ut henium had com e f r om t he island. W as it possible t hat t he or e had al been played out in a sm al quant it y? W as t her e a m ist ake in t he jour nal or was it al a r use? As he st ood wait ing f or t he Zodiac t o ar r ive, he st ar ed of f shor e, suddenly spot t ing a t ur quoise r esear ch ship bear ing down on t he island.
His bewilder m ent quickly t ur ned t o r age.
61

PI TT AND G I O RDI NO W ERE THREE HO URS I NTO t heir r eview of t he sonar dat a when t he shipwr eck appear ed. G ior dino had set t he viewing speed at double t he capt ur e r at e, so t hey wer e near ly com plet e wit h t he f ir st gr id's r esult s. The r apidly scr oling seabed im ages had t ur ned t he m en glassy- eyed, but t hey bot h popped out of t heir seat s when t he wr eck appear ed. G ior dino im m ediat ely hit a keyboar d com m and t hat f r oze t he im age.
I t was a dist inct shadow im age of a lar ge wr eck sit t ing upr ight on t he bot t om , t ilt ed at just a slight angle. The per im et er of t he wr eck appear ed f uly int act , except f or a m angled cr evice r unning hor izont aly acr oss t he bow.
" She's a wooden ship, " Pit t r em ar ked, point ing t o a t r io of long, t aper ing m ast s t hat st r et ched acr oss t he deck and ont o t he adjacent seaf loor . " Looks t o have a blunt - shaped bow, char act er ist ic of t he bom b ships t hat t he Er ebus and Ter r or wer e or iginaly built t o be. "
G ior dino used t he com put er 's cur sor t o m easur e t he wr eck's dim ensions.
" How does t hir t y- t wo m et er s in lengt h f it ?" he asked.
" Like a glove, " Pit t r eplied, f lashing a t ir ed sm ile. " That 's got t o be one of t he Fr anklin ships. "
The door t o t he viewing r oom bur st open and Dahlgr en st r ode in, car r ying a har d dr ive under his ar m .
" Second AUV is back on boar d, and her e's what she's got t o say, " he declar ed, handing G ior dino t he device. He glanced at t he scr een, t hen st ar ed wit h bulging eyes.
" Shoot , you alr eady f ound her . M ight y f ine- looking wr eck, " he added, nodding at t he clear im age.
" Half of t he pair , " Pit t said.
" I 'l st ar t get t ing t he subm er sible pr epped. That wil m ake f or a sweet dive t o t he bot t om . "
Pit t and G ior dino f inished r eviewing t he f ir st AUV's im ager y, t hen t or e t hr ough t he dat a f r om t he second vehicle. The r em aining dat a cam e up em pt y. The sist er shipwr eck was som ewher e out side t he t wo init ial sear ch gr ids. Pit t decided against expanding t he gr ids unt il t hey det er m ined which wr eck t hey had f ound.
He m ade his way t o t he br idge wit h t he wr eck coor dinat es, wher e he f ound Capt ain St enset h gazing out t he st ar boar d wing. Less t han t wo m iles away, t he icebr eaker O t ok cam e st eam ing nor t h wit h it s em pt y bar ge in t ow.
" Lo and behold, a m at ch f or one of your f r iend G oyet t e's bar ges, " St enset h r em ar ked.
" A coincidence?" Pit t asked.
" Pr obably, " St enset h r eplied. " The bar ge is r iding high, so she's em pt y. Likely headed f or Elesm er e I sland f or a load of coal, t hen back t hr ough t he passage t o China. "
Pit t st udied t he vessels as t hey m oved closer , m ar veling at t he m assive size of t he bar ge. He st epped over t o t he char t t able and r et r ieved t he phot ogr aph Yaeger had pr ovided of t he G oyet t e bar ge under const r uct ion in New O r leans. He looked at t he pict ur e and saw it was an exact duplicat e of t he vessel appr oaching of f t he st ar boar d beam .
" W e have a m at ch, " Pit t r em ar ked.
" You t hink t hey'l r epor t our posit ion t o t he Canadian aut hor it ies? "
" I doubt it . But t her e's a chance t hey'r e her e f or t he sam e r eason we ar e. "
Pit t kept a war y eye on t he icebr eaker as it st eam ed past a quar t er m ile away. Ther e was no f r iendly chit chat over t he r adio, just t he silent r ocking f r om t he bar ge's wake as t he vessels passed by. Pit t cont inued t o wat ch as t he icebr eaker held a st eady nor t h- bound cour se.
St enset h m ust be r ight , he t hought . I t only m ade sense t hat an em pt y bar ge in t hese par t s was headed t o pick up a shipm ent , and Elesm er e I sland was wel t o t he nor t h of t hem . St il, t her e was som et hing uncom f or t able about t he appear ance of t he t wo vessels. Som ehow, he knew, t heir appear ance was no sim ple coincidence.
62

HER NAM E'S THE NARW HAL. SHE'S CANADI AN. " Zak r eached over and snat ched t he binocular s out of t he capt ain's hands and looked f or him self . St udying t he r esear ch ship, he r ead her nam e in whit e let t er s acr oss t he t r ansom . Peer ing ast er n, he f ound a yelow subm er sible on t he r ear deck wit h NUM A paint ed on t he side. He not ed wit h chagr in a m aple leaf f lag f lying at op t he br idge.
" A bold m ove, M r . Pit t , " he m ut t er ed. " That 's no Canadian ship, Capt ain. That is an Am er ican r esear ch ship oper at ed by NUM A. "
" How could an Am er ican r esear ch ship m ake it s way her e?"
Zak shook his head. " W it h som e m easur e of decept ion, appar ent ly. I have no doubt t hat t hey ar e her e af t er t he r ut henium . The f ools m ust t hink t hat it is under wat er . "
He wat ched t he NUM A ship f ade f r om view as t hey cont inued st eam ing nor t h.
" Hold our cour se unt il we ar e clear of r adar cover age. St ay out of r ange f or an hour or t wo, t hen cr eep back just t o t he point wher e you can det ect t hem . I f t hey m ove, t hen t ail t hem . " He glanced at t he br idge clock. " I 'l r et ur n shor t ly bef or e night f al wit h our next m ove. "
Zak clim bed down a com panionway t o his cabin, int ending t o t ake a nap. Failur e was m aking him ir r it able, however . The m iner al assays f or t he r ocks colect ed on t he nor t h shor e had com e back negat ive f or r ut henium , and now t her e was t he pr esence of t he NUM A ship. Reaching f or a bot t le of bour bon, he pour ed him self a glass but spiled a shot when t he ship t ook a sudden r ol. A f ew dr ops landed on t he I nuit m ap, which he had set on his night st and. He gr abbed t he m ap, holding it up as a t r ail of bour bon r an down t he page. The liquid bisect ed t he island like a br own r iver , m aking it appear t o be t wo separ at e islands. Zak st ar ed at t he m ap a long while, t hen hur r iedly yanked out a sat elit e im age of t he island gr ouping. Com par ing t he im ages of W est I sland, he m at ched t he sout h and west coast lines exact ly but not t he east er n shor eline. Sliding t he I nuit m ap over , he t hen com par ed it s shape t o t he sat elit e im age of East I sland. The east er n coast lines m at ched per f ect ly, but t her e t he sim ilar it ies ended.
" You idiot , " he m ut t er ed t o him self . " You'r e looking in t he wr ong spot . "
The answer was r ight in f r ont of him . The nar r ow wat er way t hat had split t he W est and East islands had obviously been f r ozen solid one hundr ed and f if t y year s ago. The I nuit m ap had act ualy r epr esent ed bot h islands, dr awn as one landm ass. The dif f er ence shif t ed t he posit ion of t he r ut henium sour ce near ly t wo m iles f ar t her east t han he had est im at ed.
Clim bing int o his bunk, he swalowed t he glass of bour bon, t hen lay down wit h a r enewed sense of hope. Al was not lost , f or t he r ut henium m ine m ust st il be t her e. I t had t o be. Cont ent in t he knowledge, he t ur ned his t hought s t o m or e im m ediat e issues. Fir st , he r easoned, he had t o f igur e out what t o do wit h Pit t and t he NUM A ship.
63

THE STRO NG W ESTERLY W I NDS FI NALLY BEG AN TO abat e, r educing t he seas t o a m oder at e chop. The set t ling winds br ought wit h it a wispy gr ay f og t hat was com m on t o t he r egion dur ing t he spr ing and sum m er m ont hs. The t her m om et er f inaly clim bed int o double digit s, pr om pt ing shipboar d jokes about t he balm y weat her .
Pit t was just t hankf ul t hat t he weat her had calm ed enough t o launch t he subm er sible wit hout r isk. Clim bing t hr ough t he hat ch of t he Bloodhound, he set t led int o t he pilot 's seat and began checking a bank of power gauges. Beside him in t he copilot 's seat , G ior dino r eviewed a pr edive checklist . Bot h m en wor e just light sweat er s, shiver ing in t he cold cabin t hey knew would soon t ur n t oast y f r om t he elect r ical equipm ent aboar d.
Pit t looked up as Jack Dahlgr en st uck his poker f ace int o t he hat ch.
" You boys r em em ber , t hose bat t er ies don't hold t heir char ge so wel in t his cold weat her . Now, you go br ing m e back t he ship's bel and I m ight just leave t he light s on f or you. "
" You leave t he light s on and I just m ight let you keep you job, " G ior dino ut t er ed back.
Dahlgr en sm iled and st ar t ed hum m ing t he M er le Haggar d st andar d " O kie f r om M uskogee, " t hen closed and sealed t he hat ch. A f ew m inut es lat er , he wor ked t he cont r ols of a sm al cr ane, lif t ing t he subm er sible of f t he deck and deposit ing it in t he cent er of t he ship's br ight ly ilum inat ed m oon pool. I nside, Pit t signaled f or it s r elease, and t he yelow cigar - shaped subm er sible began it s descent .
The seaf loor was just over a t housand f eet deep, and it t ook t he slowly dr if t ing Bloodhound alm ost f if t een m inut es t o r each t he bot t om . The gr ay- gr een wat er s quickly m elded t o black out side t he subm er sible's lar ge viewing por t , but Pit t wait ed unt il t hey passed t he eight - hundr ed- f oot m ar k bef or e power ing up t he br ight bank of ext er ior high- int ensit y light s.
Rubbing his hands t oget her in t he slowly war m ing cabin, G ior dino looked at Pit t wit h m ock suf f er ing.
" Did I ever t el you t hat I 'm aler gic t o t he cold?" he asked.
" At least a t housand t im es. "
" M y m am a's t hick I t alian blood just doesn't f low r ight in t hese icebox condit ions. "
" I 'd say t he f low of your blood has m or e t o do wit h your af f init y f or cigar s and pepper oni pizzas t han wit h your m ot her . "
G ior dino gave him a t hankf ul look f or t he r em inder and puled t he st ubby r em ains of an unlit cigar out of his pocket and slid it bet ween his t eet h. Then he r et r ieved a copy of t he shipwr eck's sonar im age and spr ead it acr oss his lap.
" W hat 's our plan of at t ack once we r each t he wr eck sit e?"
" I f igur e we have t hr ee object ives, " Pit t r eplied, having ear lier planned t he dive. " Fir st , and m ost obvious, is t o t r y and ident if y t he wr eck. W e know t hat t he Er ebus had a r ole in t he r ut henium t hat was obt ained by t he I nuit . W e don't know if t he sam e holds t r ue f or t he Ter r or . I f t he wr eck is t he Ter r or , t her e m ay wel be no clues what soever aboar d. The second object ive is t o penet r at e t he hold and det er m ine if t her e ar e any signif icant quant it ies of t he m iner al st il t her e. The t hir d object ive is t he m ost t enuous. That would be t o sear ch t he G r eat Cabin and t he capt ain's cabin t o det er m ine if t he ship's log st il exist s. "
" You'r e r ight , " G ior dino agr eed. " The log of t he Er ebus would be t he holy gr ail. I t sur ely would t el us wher e t he r ut henium was f ound. Sounds like a long shot t o hope t hat it sur vived int act , t hough. "
" Adm it t edly, but f ar f r om im possible. The log was pr obably a heavy leat her - bound book st or ed in a chest or locker . I n t hese cold wat er s, t her e's at least a chance t hat it 's st il in one piece. Then it would be up t o t he pr eser vat ionist s t o det er m ine if it could be conser ved and ult im at ely decipher ed. "
G ior dino eyed t he dept h gauge. " W e'r e com ing up on nine hundr ed and f if t y f eet . "
" Adjust ing f or neut r al buoyancy, " Pit t r eplied, r egulat ing t he subm er sible's var iable balast t ank. Their descent slowed t o a cr awl as t hey passed t he t housand- f oot m ar k, and, m inut es lat er , a f lat , r ocky seaf loor appear ed beneat h t hem . Pit t engaged t he pr opulsion cont r ols and dr ove t he vessel f or war d, skim m ing a f ew f eet of f t he bot t om .
The cr aggy br own seaf loor was m ost ly devoid of lif e, a cold and em pt y wor ld not f ar r em oved f r om t he f r ozen lands pr ot r uding above t he sur f ace. Pit t t ur ned t he subm er sible int o t he cur r ent , guiding t he vessel in a sweeping ser ies of S t ur ns. Though t he Nar whal had been st at ioned dir ect ly above t he wr eck, Pit t knew t hat t hey had dr if t ed consider ably sout h dur ing t heir descent .
G ior dino was t he f ir st t o spot t he wr eck, point ing out a dar k shadow on t heir st ar boar d f lank. Pit t st eer ed t he Bloodhound har d t o t he r ight unt il t he st at ely wr eck m at er ialized under t heir spot light s.
Bef or e t hem sat a ninet eent h- cent ur y wooden sailing ship. I t was one of t he m ost r em ar kable shipwr ecks Pit t had ever seen. The f r igid Ar ct ic wat er s had r et ained t he ship's condit ion in a near - per f ect st at e of pr eser vat ion. Cover ed in a f ine layer of silt , t he ship appear ed f uly int act , f r om it s bowspr it t o it s r udder . O nly t he m ast s, which had slipped f r om t he deck dur ing t he long plunge t o t he bot t om , lay out of place, dangling over t he side r ailing.
M ir ed in it s desolat e et er nal m oor ing, t he ancient ship exuded a f or lor n aur a. To Pit t , t he ship appear ed like a t om b in an em pt y gr aveyar d. He f elt an odd chil t hinking about t he m en who had sailed her , t hen been f or ced t o abandon t heir hom e of t hr ee year s under desper at e condit ions.
Slowly engaging t he subm er sible, Pit t cr uised in a t ight ar c ar ound t he vessel while G ior dino act ivat ed a f or war d- m ount ed video cam er a. The hul t im ber s st il appear ed t hick and sound, and in places wher e t he silt was t hin t hey could see a coat of black paint st il adher ing t o t he wood. As t hey r ounded t he st er n, G ior dino was st ar t led t o see t he t ips of a pr opeler pr ot r uding f r om t he sand.
" They had st eam power ?" he asked.
" A supplem ent t o sail, once t hey r eached t he ice pack, " Pit t conf ir m ed. " Bot h ships wer e equipped wit h coal- f ir ed locom ot ive engines inst aled f or added pr opulsion t hr ough t he t hinner sea ice. The st eam engines wer e also used t o pr ovide heat f or t he ship's int er ior . "
" No wonder Fr anklin had t he conf idence t o t r y t o plow t hr ough Vict or ia St r ait in lat e sum m er . "
" W hat he m ay not have had enough of by t hat point in t he expedit ion was coal. Som e f igur e t hey r an shor t of t heir coal supplies, and t hat m ay have account ed f or t he ships becom ing t r apped in t he ice. "
Pit t pushed t he subm er sible ar ound t o t he ship's por t side, anxious t o f ind let t er ing on t he bow t hat m ight r eveal t he ship's nam e. But he was disappoint ed t o f ind inst ead t he only r eal evidence of dam age t o t he ship. The hul beneat h t he bow was blown out in a jagged m ass of t im ber s, caused by t he const r ict ing ice. The dam age had ext ended t o t he t opside deck when t he weakened sect ion had st r uck t he seaf loor , causing t he t im ber s above t o buckle. A br oad sect ion of t he bow on bot h sides of t he cent er line had cr um pled like an accor dion just a f ew f eet ast er n of t he vessel's blunt pr ow. Pit t pat ient ly hover ed of f bot h sides of t he bow as G ior dino br ushed aside t he silt wit h an ar t iculat ed ar m , but no ident if ying scr ipt wor k could be f ound.
" I guess t his one want s t o play har d t o get , " Pit t m ut t er ed.
" Like t oo m any of t he wom en I 've dat ed, " G ior dino gr im aced. " I guess we'l have t o t ake Dahlgr en up on his ship's bel of f er af t er al. "
Pit t elevat ed t he subm er sible above t he deck, t hen swept t owar d t he st er n. The deck was r em ar kably clear of debr is, t he ship obviously conf igur ed in it s wint er hiber nat ion m ode when it was abandoned. The only unusual it em was a lar ge canvas st r uct ur e t hat lay acr oss t he deck am idships. Pit t knew f r om t he hist or ical account s t hat a t ent like cover ed st r uct ur e was set up on t he deck in wint er so t hat t he cr ew could escape t he int er ior conf ines of t he ship f or exer cise.
Pit t cont inued af t , wher e he f ound t he helm sm an's st at ion and t he lar ge wooden ship's wheel, st il st anding upr ight and at t ached t o t he r udder . A sm al bel was m ount ed near by, but , af t er car ef ul scr ut iny, he could f ind no m ar kings on it .
" I know wher e t he ship's bel is, " Pit t st at ed, cr uising back t owar d t he bow. Hover ing over t he t angled m ass of t im ber s and debr is wher e t he bow had buckled, he point ed down.
" I t 's in t he gar bage pit her e. "
" M ust be, " G ior dino agr eed wit h a nod. " I t 's not our day. O r night . " He checked a console of dials in f r ont of him . " W e have just under f our hour s of bat t er y power r em aining. Do you want t o r um m age ar ound f or t he bel or have a look inside?"
" Let 's t ake Rover f or a walk. Ther e's one upside t o t his dam age, I suppose. I t wil alow us easier access t o t he int er ior . "
Pit t edged t he Bloodhound t o a clear sect ion of t he deck, t hen car ef uly set t he subm er sible down. W hen t he ship's t im ber s gave no indicat ion of st r ess, he power ed of f t he pr opulsion m ot or s.
I n t he copilot seat , G ior dino was busy engaging anot her device. Tucked bet ween t he subm er sible's suppor t skids was a sm al, t et her ed RO V t he size of a sm al suit case. Equipped wit h a m icr o- sized video cam er a and sm al ar r ay of light s, it could m aneuver int o t he sm alest cor ner s of t he shipwr eck.
Jockeying a cont r oling joyst ick, G ior dino guided t he Rover out f r om it s cr adle and t owar d t he open sect ion of t he deck. Pit t f lipped down an over head m onit or , which displayed t he live video f eed f r om t he device. M et hodicaly weaving above and ar ound t he debr is, G ior dino f inaly f ound a lar ge gap in t he deck and guided t he RO V int o t he bowels of t he ship.
Pit t unr oled a cut away diagr am of t he Er ebus and t r ied t o t r ack t he RO V's locat ion as it m oved beneat h t he m ain deck. The ship had t wo levels belowdecks, plus a dank hold wher e t he engine, boiler , and coal r eser ves wer e housed below t he wat er line. The living and dining ar eas f or bot h cr ew and of f icer s wer e locat ed on t he lower deck, one level down f r om t he m ain deck. Beneat h t he lower deck was t he or lop deck, which was st r ict ly a st or age ar ea f or pr ovisions, t ools, and ship's spar es.
" You should be dr opping near t he galey, " Pit t r em ar ked. " I t 's adjacent t o t he cr ew's living quar t er s, which is a sizable com par t m ent . "
G ior dino guided t he Rover down unt il t he deck cam e int o view, t hen he t ur ned and panned t he bay. The st il wat er inside t he ship was exceedingly t r anslucent , pr oviding per f ect ly clear visibilit y. Pit t and G ior dino could see, not f ive f eet away f r om t he RO V, t he galey's lar ge cookst ove, built up on a layer of br icks. I t was a m assive st r uct ur e m ade of cast ir on and cr owned by six lar ge bur ner s on it s f lat cooking sur f ace. Sit t ing at op it wer e sever al black ir on pot s of var ying sizes.
" O ne galey, as or der ed, " G ior dino r em ar ked.
He t hen st eer ed t he RO V af t , slowly scanning back and f or t h. The t hin bulkheads sur r ounding t he galey had f alen t o t he deck, r evealing t he open cr ew's quar t er s. The bay was m ost ly em pt y of debr is, save f or a lar ge num ber of planked wooden slabs t hat lay evenly spaced acr oss t he deck.
" M ess t ables, " Pit t explained as t he Rover 's cam er as f ocused in on one of t he t ablet ops. " They wer e st owed over head t o m ake way f or t he cr ew's ham m ocks but lower ed on r opes at m eal- t im es. They've f alen t o t he deck as t he r opes det er ior at ed. "
The RO V m oved af t as t he com par t m ent nar r owed unt il f r ont ing a wide bulkhead.
" That wil be t he m ain hat chway, " Pit t explained. " Keep m oving af t and we should r each a ladder way t hat descends t o t he or lop deck. They cover ed it wit h an enclosur e t o keep out t he dr af t f r om below, but we'l have t o hope it was dislodged when t he ship sank. "
G ior dino st eer ed t he RO V ar ound t he hat chway, t hen br ought it t o a sudden halt . Tilt ing it t owar d t he deck, t he cam er a r evealed a lar ge cir cular hole cut t hr ough t he deck.
" No door her e, " he said.
" O f cour se, we can dr op t hr ough t he deck colar , " Pit t r eplied.
The deck colar held one of t he ship's t hr ee m ast s as it r an down t o t he hold. W hen t he m ast s puled f r ee dur ing t he sinking, t hey lef t an open passageway int o t he lowest dept hs of t he ship.
The Rover squeezed t hr ough t he opening, t hen spr ayed it s light s on t he black or lop deck. For t he next f if t y m inut es, t he RO V scour ed t he cor ner s of t he deck, G ior dino m et hodicaly sear ching f or possible t r aces of t he or e. But al t hey f ound was a vast supply of t ools, weapons, and t he ship's st owed canvas sails, which would never f eel a sea br eeze again. Ret ur ning t o t he m ast st and, t hey delved int o t he lower hold, f inding only a f ew scr aps of coal near t he m assive st eam boiler . Com ing up em pt y on bot h levels, G ior dino began t hr eading t he RO V back up t o t he lower deck, when t he subm er sible's r adio cr ackled.
" Nar whal t o Bloodhound, have you got your ear s on? " cam e t he r eadily dist inguishable voice of Jack Dahlgr en.
" Bloodhound her e. G o ahead, Jack, " Pit t r eplied.
" The capt ain want ed m e t o let you know t hat our f r iend wit h t he bar ge has m oseyed back ont o t he r adar scr een. Appear s t o be sit t ing st at ionar y about t en m iles nor t h of us. "
" Af f ir m at ive. Please keep us advised. "
" W il do. You boys having any luck down t her e?"
" W e sur e ar e, but it has al been bad. W e've got Rover on t he leash and ar e about t o t r y f or t he capt ain's cabin. "
" How ar e you doing on power ?"
Pit t eyed a bank of dials and m et er s over head. " W e'r e good f or anot her ninet y m inut es on t he bot t om , and we'l pr obably need it al. "
" Roger . W e'l look f or you up t op in less t han t wo. Nar whal out . "
Pit t st ar ed at t he dar k abyss beyond t he subm er sible, cont em plat ing t he icebr eaker on t he sur f ace above. W er e t hey in f act m onit or ing t he Nar whal ? His gut t old him so wit h cer t aint y. I t wouldn't be his f ir st encount er wit h t he f or ces of M it chel G oyet t e, he now knew. And what of Clay Zak? Could it be possible t hat G oyet t e's t hug was aboar d t he icebr eaker ?
G ior dino nudged him back t o t he t ask at hand.
" Ready t o m ove af t . "
" The clock is t icking, " Pit t said quiet ly. " Let 's get it done. "
64

A DENSE, I CY FO G CREPT ACRO SS THE O TO K AS dusk set t led over Vict or ia St r ait . The Nar whal was long lost f r om physical view, and Zak sear ched f or her on t he r adar scope, f inding t he r esear ch ship as a nar r ow sm udge on t he t op of t he scr een. Acr oss t he br idge, t he icebr eaker 's capt ain paced back and f or t h, having gr own bor ed wit h holding his ship st at ionar y f or t he past f ew hour s.
But t he capt ain saw no signs of bor edom in Zak's f ace. O n t he cont r ar y, t her e was an odd int ensit y about him . Like in t he m om ent bef or e an assassinat ion, he was f uly aler t , his senses in high gear . W hile he had m ur der ed m any t im es bef or e, he had never done so on a lar ge scale. I t was a t est of cunning, he liked t o t hink, t hat m ade his blood r un f ast . I t gave him a sensat ion of invincibilit y, inf lat ed by t he knowledge t hat he had always com e out on t op.
" Br ing us t o wit hin eight kilom et er s of t he Nar whal, " he f inaly dir ect ed t he capt ain. " And do so nice and easy. "
The capt ain engaged t he helm and br ought t he ship and at t ached bar ge ar ound on a sout her ly heading. Aided by t he swif t - m oving cur r ent , t he icebr eaker r an just above idle, cover ing t he dist ance in less t han an hour . Reaching t he new posit ion, t he capt ain swung his bow ar ound t o t he cur r ent in or der t o r em ain st at ionar y.
" Eight kilom et er s and holding, " he r epor t ed t o Zak.
Zak eyed t he gloom y dar kness out side t he br idge window and cr eased his lips in sat isf act ion.
" Pr epar e t o r elease t he bar ge at m y com m and, " he said.
The capt ain st ar ed at him as if he wer e insane.
" W hat ar e you saying?" he asked.
" You hear d m e. W e ar e going t o r elease t he bar ge. "
" That 's a t en- m ilion- dolar vessel. I n t his f og and cur r ent , t her e's no way we'l be able t o t ie back up t o her . She'l r ip her hul open on som e ice or r un agr ound on t he islands. Eit her way, M r . G oyet t e wil have m y head. "
Zak shook his head wit h a t hin sm ile. " She won't be t r aveling ver y f ar . As f or G oyet t e, please r ecal t he signed let t er I gave you in Kuglukt uk giving m e com plet e aut hor it y while I 'm aboar d t his ship. Believe m e, he wil consider it a sm al pr ice t o pay t o elim inat e a pr oblem t hat could cost him hundr eds of m ilions of dolar s. Besides, " he added wit h a conniving gr in, " isn't t hat what m ar ine insur ance is f or ?"
The capt ain r eluct ant ly or der ed his deckhands t o t he st er n of t he ship t o m an t he t owlines. The m en wait ed in t he cold while Zak r an down t o his cabin, t hen r et ur ned t o t he br idge car r ying his leat her sat chel. At Zak's com m and, t he capt ain r ever sed power and backed down on t he bar ge unt il t he t hick t owlines f el slack in t he wat er . The deckhands r eleased a lock plat e, t hen heaved t he looped ends of t he t owlines up and of f t he st er n bolar ds. The m en wat ched m or bidly as t he lines slid down t he st er n and disappear ed int o t he black wat er below.
W hen t he br idge r eceived an al- clear signal, t he capt ain puled t he ship f or war d, t hen cam e ar ound t he bar ge's st ar boar d f lank at Zak's ur ging. The dar k m ass of t he bar ge could bar ely be seen a f ew yar ds away as t he f og cont inued t o t hicken. Zak r eached int o his sat chel and puled out a high- f r equency r adio t r ansm it t er , t hen st epped out ont o t he br idge wing. Ext ending a sm al ant enna, he power ed on t he device and im m ediat ely pushed a r ed TRANSM I T but t on.
The r adio signal only had t o t r avel a shor t dist ance t o t r igger t he det onat or cap plant ed on t he st er n of t he bar ge. Less t han a second lat er , t he dynam it e char ge ignit ed.
The explosion was neit her loud nor visualy im pr essive, just a r esounding pop t hat r ever ber at ed wit hin t he bar ge, f olowed by a light puf f of sm oke t hat r ose f r om t he r ear deck. Zak obser ved t he scene f or just a f ew seconds, t hen r et ur ned t o t he war m t h of t he br idge, put t ing t he t r ansm it t er back int o his bag.
" I don't like having t he blood of t hose m en on m y hands, " t he capt ain gr um bled.
" But you have it al wr ong, Capt ain. The loss of t he bar ge was quit e accident al. "
The capt ain sim ply st ar ed at Zak wit h a look of dism ay.
" I t 's ver y sim ple, " Zak cont inued. " You shal wr it e in your log, and r epor t t o t he aut hor it ies back in por t , t hat t he Am er ican r esear ch ship inadver t ent ly colided wit h our bar ge in t he f og and bot h vessels sank. W e, of cour se, wer e m ost f or t unat e t o r elease t he t owlines in t he nick of t im e and suf f er ed no casualt ies. Regr et t ably, we wer e unable t o f ind any sur vivor s in t he wat er f r om t he NUM A ship. "
" But t he NUM A ship has not sunk, " t he capt ain pr ot est ed.
" That , " Zak r eplied wit h a snar l, " is about t o change. "
65

A THO USAND FEET BELO W THE SURFACE, THE I NTERVENI NG hour had been one of com plet e f r ust r at ion f or Pit t and G ior dino. W hile guiding t he Rover af t along t he lower deck, G ior dino wat ched as t he RO V jer ked t o a st andst il and r ef used t o m ove f or war d. Ret r acing it s t r ail of cable, he f ound t he power cor d had becom e t angled in som e debr is at t he head of t he galey. M at t er s only got wor se when t he RO V's t hr ust er s kicked up a huge cloud of silt ar ound t he snagged ar ea. He had t o wait t en m inut es just f or t he visibilit y t o r et ur n bef or e he could see enough t o f r ee t he cable.
The int er ior of t he subm er sible had f inaly gr own hot , and sweat dr ibbled down G ior dino's f ace as he t ensely guided t he RO V back t hr ough t he cr ew's quar t er s and down t he m ain passageway t owar d t he st er n of t he ship.
" W her e's t he lounge on t his boat ? I t hink Rover and I could bot h use a cold beer about now, " he m ut t er ed.
" You would have needed t o br eak int o t he Spir it Room belowdecks, wher e t he r um was st or ed. O f cour se, if t his is t he Er ebus, t hen you m ight be out of luck, as Fr anklin was a t eet ot aler . "
" That seals it , " G ior dino said. " No f ur t her pr oof r equir ed. M y pr esent st at e of luck dict at es t hat t his has t o be t he Er ebus. "
Despit e t he m inut es t icking down on t heir bot t om t im e, neit her m an was r eady t o give up. They pr essed t he RO V onwar d, st r iking down t he single af t passageway, past t he cr am ped of f icer s' cabins, unt il f inaly ar r iving at a lar ge com par t m ent at t he ver y st er n of t he ship. Caled t he G r eat Cabin, it st r et ched f r om beam t o beam , of f er ing t he one t r uly com f or t able haven f or t he m en of t he ship, or at least it s of f icer s. St ocked wit h a libr ar y, chess set s, playing car ds, and ot her sour ces of ent er t ainm ent , it was also a pot ent ial r eposit or y f or t he ship's log. But like t he r est of t he vessel, t he G r eat Cabin of f er ed no clues t o t he ship's ident it y.
Scat t er ed acr oss t he deck and ar ound an upt ur ned t able was a knee- deep pile of books. Lined on wide shelves acr oss each side of t he cabin, t he lar ge colect ion of books had sm ashed t hr ough t he glass cases dur ing t he sinking and been st r ewn ever ywher e. G ior dino slowly f lew t he RO V back and f or t h acr oss t he cabin, sur veying t he wal- t o- wal m ess.
" Looks like t he San Fr ancisco Libr ar y af t er t he gr eat ear t hquake, " G ior dino said.
" The ship's libr ar y cont ained t welve hundr ed volum es, " Pit t r eplied, st udying t he m ess wit h disappoint m ent . " I f t he ship's log is bur ied in t her e, it wil t ake a couple of f or t night s and a good r abbit 's f oot t o f ind it . "
Their f r ust r at ion was int er r upt ed by anot her r adio t r ansm ission f r om Dahlgr en.
" Sor r y t o br eak up t he f iest a, but t he big hand on t he clock says it 's t im e f or you t o begin your ascent , " he said.
" W e'l be on our way shor t ly, " Pit t r eplied.
" Fair enough. The capt ain says t o t el you t hat our shadow has closed t o wit hin f our m iles and is sit t ing pr et t y again. I t hink t he capt ain would f eel a whole lot bet t er if you boys got your selves aboar d pr ont o. "
" Under st ood. Bloodhound out . "
G ior dino looked at Pit t and not iced a look of concer n in his gr een eyes.
" You t hink t hat pal of your s f r om t he M iner s Co- op is aboar d t he icebr eaker ?"
" I 'm beginning t o wonder , " Pit t r eplied.
" Let 's t r y t he capt ain's cabin and t hen we'l skedaddle. "
The capt ain's cabin was locat ed of f t he f ar side of t he G r eat Cabin and r epr esent ed a f aint hope f or cont aining t he ship's log. But a sm al sliding door t o t he cabin was locked and no am ount of bum ping or cajoling by t he RO V would shake it loose. W it h less t han an hour of bat t er y power lef t and a t went y- m inut e r ide t o t he sur f ace, Pit t caled t he sur vey of f and t old G ior dino t o f et ch Rover back hom e.
G ior dino st eer ed t he RO V back t o t he galey and t owar d t he ent r y gap in t he bow, as a t ake- up spool r eeled in t he power cable. Pit t power ed up t he subm er sible's t hr ust er s, t hen gazed out t he view por t at t he Bloodhound 's elect r onic pod while wait ing f or t he RO V.
" How did t he m iner al sensor t est out ?" he asked, point ing at t he pod.
" Seem s t o wor k like a cham p, " G ior dino r eplied, his eyes glued t o t he over head m onit or as he t hr eaded t he RO V t hr ough t he f or war d debr is. " W e won't be able t o gauge it s f ul accur acy unt il we can assay our sam ples back at headquar t er s. "
Pit t r eached over and power ed on t he sensor , wat ching a near by m onit or as it com put ed t he m iner al r eadings. O f no sur pr ise t o Pit t , t he scr een r egist er ed a ver y lar ge ir on concent r at ion near by, along wit h som e t r ace elem ent s of copper and zinc. The ir on m ade per f ect sense, as t he ship was loaded wit h it , f r om t he anchor s and anchor chains dir ect ly below t hem t o t he locom ot ive engine in t he hold. But it was one of t he ot her t r ace elem ent s t hat caught his eye. W ait ing unt il t he RO V snaked out of t he lower deck, he engaged t he t hr ust er s and elevat ed t he subm er sible. M oving slowly, he br ought t he cr af t t o a hover over t he dam aged sect ion of t he bow while keeping one eye on t he sensor 's out put .
" I f you can f ind us som e gold on t his t ub, it would r edeem an ot her wise f or get t able dive, " G ior dino said.
Pit t danced t he subm er sible over t he debr is ar ea, gr adualy f ocusing on a sm al sect ion near t he ship's cent er line. Easing t o a st able sect ion of t he deck, he again set t he subm er sible down. G ior dino had puled t he RO V's cable slack and was pr epar ing t o dr op it int o it s cr adle.
" Hold on, " Pit t said. " Do you see t hat br oken t im ber st anding upr ight about t en f eet in f r ont of us?"
" G ot it . "
" Ther e's a cover ed object near it s base, a lit t le t o t he r ight . See if you can blast it of f wit h t he RO V. "
G ior dino had t he Rover in place wit hin seconds. He cut t he power and let t he RO V sink t o a sm al pile of debr is cover ed in silt . W hen t he RO V m ade cont act , he applied f ul power t o it s t iny t hr ust er s. The lit t le RO V shot upwar d, kicking up a t hick cloud of silt in t he pr ocess. The st eady bot t om cur r ent t hat r ippled over t he ship quickly clear ed away t he m ur ky wat er . Bot h m en could see a cur ved object wit h a gold lust er lying in t he debr is.
" M y gold bar s, " G ior dino said f acet iously.
" Som et hing bet t er , I t hink, " Pit t r eplied. He didn't wait f or G ior dino t o f ly t he RO V over t he object , inst ead pr opeling t he subm er sible over f or a close- up look. Peer ing down t hr ough t he view por t , t hey saw t he unm ist akable shape of a lar ge bel.
" Holy sm okes, how did you pick t hat out of t he m uck? " G ior dino asked.
" The Bloodhound's snif f er did it . I not iced a sm al r eading of copper and zinc, and r em em ber ed t hat t hey'r e t he t wo com ponent s of br ass. I f igur ed it was eit her a cleat or t he ship's bel. "
They st ar ed down at t he bel, obser ving an engr aving on t he side, which t hey couldn't quit e m ake out . Pit t f inaly backed of f a f ew f eet and let t he RO V zoom in f or a closer look.
The bel was st il caked wit h silt and cr ust aceans, but a close- up view f r om t he Rover 's cam er a r evealed t wo of t he engr aved let t er s: ER.
" Can't spel Er ebus wit hout it , " G ior dino r em ar ked wit h som e r elief .
" G ive it anot her blast , " Pit t dir ect ed.
W hile G ior dino m aneuver ed t he RO V in f or anot her go at t he silt , Pit t checked t heir bat t er y r eser ves, f inding t heir r em aining power was down t o t hir t y m inut es. Ther e was lit t le t im e lef t t o lose.
The silt bur st upwar d in a m assive cloud of br own par t iculat es f r om t he Rover 's second bur st . I t seem ed t o Pit t t hat t he wat er t ook hour s t o clear when in f act in was just a f ew seconds. G ior dino im m ediat ely guided t he RO V back over t he bel as t hey wait ed f or t he m ur ky cloud t o dr if t away. They bot h st ar ed silent ly at t he m onit or as t he bel's engr aved let t er ing slowly m at er ialized in it s ent ir et y.
I t speled TERRO R.
66

AFTER THREE DAYS O F CO NFI NEM ENT I N THE f r ozen dar kness, t he bar ge capt ives wer e living a dif f er ent kind of t er r or . Rom an had or der ed t he f ading penlight s t o be used spar ingly, so m ost of t he t im e t he m en spent gr oping ar ound in com plet e blackness. I nit ial f eelings of anger and det er m inat ion t o escape had waned t o despair in t he bleak hold, wher e t he m en huddled close t oget her t o st ave of f hypot her m ia. Hope had f lour ished when t he bar ge had com e t o a r est at t he dock and t he hat ch was br ief ly t hr own open. I t pr oved t o be not hing m or e t han an inspect ion f r om sever al ar m ed guar ds, but at least t hey had pr ovided som e f ood and blanket s bef or e t heir hast y exit . Rom an t ook it as a good sign. They wouldn't be given f ood if t hey wer e not int ended t o be kept alive, he r easoned.
But now he wasn't so sur e. W hen Bojor quez had awakened him t o r epor t a change in t he sound of t he icebr eaker 's engines, he suspect ed t hat t hey had r eached t heir dest inat ion. But t hen t he r hyt hm ic t ugging of t he t owr opes had suddenly ceased while t he r ocking m ot ion f r om t he choppy seas r em ained. He could sense t hat t hey had been cut adr if t .
Second's lat er , Zak's explosives det onat ed wit h a jolt . The explosion r ever ber at ed t hr ough t he em pt y holds of t he bar ge like a t hunder st or m in a bot t le. I nst ant ly, t he com m andos and Polar Dawn's cr ew wer e on t heir f eet , wonder ing what had happened.
" Capt ain M ur dock, " Rom an caled out , t ur ning on his penlight .
M ur dock shuf f led f or war d, a haggar d look t o his eyes f r om a lack of sleep.
" Speculat ion?" Rom an asked quiet ly.
" Sounded wel af t . I suggest we go t ake a look. "
Rom an agr eed. Then seeing t he appr ehensive look in t he f aces of t he near by m en, he caled over t o Bojor quez.
" Ser geant , get back t o wor k on t hat hat ch. I 'd like som e f r esh air in her e bef or e br eakf ast . "
M om ent s lat er , t he st ocky ser geant was pounding away at t he locked hat ch again wit h his sm al ham m er . The clanging r acket , Rom an hoped, would give t he m en a sm al lif t while m asking t he sound of what ever was happening af t .
Rom an led M ur dock t o t he open st er n hat chway and shined his light over t he t hr eshold. A st eel- r ung ladder led st r aight down int o an em pt y black void.
" Af t er you, Capt ain, " M ur dock said cur t ly.
Rom an slipped t he penlight bet ween his t eet h, t hen gr abbed t he t op r ung and slowly st ar t ed clim bing down. Though not af r aid of height s, he f ound it unner ving t o clim b int o a seem ingly bot t om less black hole inside a r oling ship.
The bot t om r ung seem ed elusive, but af t er a f or t y- f oot dr op he r eached t he base of t he num ber 1 hold. Shining his light at t he f oot of t he ladder , M ur dock appear ed r ight behind him . A r ock solid m an just over sixt y, t he gr ay- bear ded capt ain was not even br eat hing har d.
M ur dock led t he way acr oss t he hold, st ar t ling a pair of r at s t hat som ehow f lour ished even in t he bit t er cold.
" Didn't want t o say it in f r ont of t he m en but t hat sounded like an onboar d explosion t o m e, " he said.
" M y t hought s as wel, " Rom an r eplied. " Do you t hink t hey m ean t o sink us?"
" W e'l know soon enough. "
The t wo m en f ound anot her st eel ladder on t he opposit e side of t he hold, which t hey clim bed up t o a shor t passage t hat led t o t he num ber 2 hold. They r epeat ed t he pr ocess t wice m or e, cr ossing t he next t wo holds. As t hey clim bed up t he f ar side of t he t hir d hold, t hey could hear a dist ant sound of sloshing wat er . Reaching t he last passageway, Rom an scanned t he num ber 4 hold wit h his light .
O n t he opposit e cor ner , t hey spied a sm al r iver of wat er st r eam ing down t he bulkhead, splashing int o a gr owing pool below. The explosion had lef t no gaping hole in t he side of t he hul but r at her cr eat ed a ser ies of buckled st eel plat es t hat let t he wat er seep in like a br oad sieve. M ur dock st udied t he dam age and shook his head.
" Not hing we can do t o slow t hat down, " he said. " Even if we had t he pr oper m at er ials, it 's t oo widely disper sed. "
" The wat er inf low doesn't look t oo ext r em e, " Rom an said, sear ching f or som et hing posit ive.
" I t wil only get wor se. The dam age appear s t o be just above t he wat er line, but t he r ough seas ar e spiling in. As t he hold f ils, t he bar ge wil begin t o set t le by t he st er n, alowing m or e wat er t o r ush in. The f looding wil only acceler at e. "
" But t her e's a hat ch on t he passageway t hat we can lock. I f t he wat er is conf ined t o t his hold, shouldn't we be al r ight ?" Rom an asked.
M ur dock point ed over head. Ten f eet above t heir heads, t he bulkhead ended, r eplaced by a ser ies of suppor t beam s t hat r ose sever al m or e f eet t o t he over head deck.
" The holds ar e not wat er t ight com par t m ent s, " he said. " W hen t his hold f loods, it wil spil over int o t he num ber 3 hold and keep m oving f or war d. "
" How m uch f looding can she wit hst and?"
" Since she's em pt y, she should st ay af loat wit h t wo holds f looded. I f t he seas ar e calm , she m ight hang on wit h a t hir d f looded. But once t he wat er st ar t s hit t ing t hat num ber 1 hold, it wil be al over . "
Dr eading t he answer , Rom an asked how m uch t im e t hey had lef t .
" I can only guess, " M ur dock said, his voice t ur ning low. " I 'd say t wo hour s, t ops. "
Rom an aim ed t he dim m ing bulb of his penlight t owar d t he t r ickle of wat er and slowly t r aced it down t owar d t he bot t om of t he hold. A gr owing pool of black wat er was r ef lect ed in t he dist ance, it s shim m er ing sur f ace a caling car d of deat h.
67

AT THE FI RST VI SI BLE SI G NS O F A LI STI NG STERN, Zak or der ed t he O t ok t o pul away f r om t he bar ge. The sinking black hulk was quickly swalowed up by a bank of f og, it s deat h t hr oes pr oceeding wit hout an audience. Zak him self quickly t ur ned his back on t he bar ge and it s condem ned occupant s.
" M ake f or t he NUM A ship, " he or der ed. " And kil t he r unning light s. "
The capt ain nodded, br inging t he helm in line wit h t he r esear ch ship's f ixed posit ion, t hen gr adualy building speed unt il t he icebr eaker was r unning at t en knot s. The light s of t he Nar whal wer e unseen under t he blanket of f og, so it s pur suit was accom plished by r adar . The r esear ch ship st il held t o a st at ionar y posit ion as t he icebr eaker quickly closed t he gap bet ween t he vessels.
" Capt ain, when we appr oach t o wit hin t hr ee kilom et er s, I want t o acceler at e under f ul power . W e'l cr oss her bow about a kilom et er of f , t o m ake her t hink we ar e r unning inland, t hen we wil ar c back as we dr aw near and st r ike her am idships. "
" You want m e t o r am her ?" t he capt ain said incr edulously. " You'l kil us al. "
Zak gave him a bem used look. " Not har dly. As you wel know, t his vessel has a f ive- f oot - t hick st eel pr ow f r ont ing a highly r einf or ced double hul. She could bul t hr ough t he Hoover Dam wit hout a scr at ch. Pr oviding you avoid t he Nar whal 's own heavy bow, we'l slice t hr ough her like but t er . "
The capt ain peer ed at Zak wit h gr udging r espect . " You've st udied m y vessel wel, " he said br usquely. " I just hope t hat M r . G oyet t e t akes t he dr y- dock r epair s out of your salar y and not m ine. "
Zak let out a deep chor t le. " M y good Capt ain, we play our car ds r ight and I 'l per sonaly buy you your own f leet of icebr eaker s. "
T HO UG H THE DARK NI G HT and f og m asked t he sea, Bil St enset h at t ent ively t r acked ever y m ovem ent of t he icebr eaker . W it h his r adar oper at or absent , one of t he m any cr ewm en sent ashor e in Tukt oyakt uk, St enset h sat down and m onit or ed t he r adar set him self . He had becom e aler t ed when he not ed t he dist ant r adar im age slowly split in t wo. Cor r ect ly guessing t hat t he bar ge had been separ at ed f r om t he t ow ship, he car ef uly began t o t r ack bot h im ages.
He anxiously wat ched t he icebr eaker close wit hin t hr ee m iles on an int er cept cour se when he r eached f or t he m ar ine VHF r adio.
" Unident if ied vessel appr oaching sout h at 69. 2955 Nor t h, 100. 1403 W est , t his is t he r esear ch vessel Nar whal. W e ar e pr esent ly conduct ing an under wat er m ar ine sur vey. Please give clear ance of t wo kilom et er s, over . "
St enset h r epeat ed t he cal but r eceived no r eply.
" W hen's t he Bloodhound due up?" he asked t he helm sm an.
" Dahlgr en's last r epor t was t hat t hey wer e st il on t he wr eck sit e. So t hey ar e at least t went y m inut es of f . "
St enset h wat ched t he r adar scr een closely, not icing a gr adual incr ease in speed by t he icebr eaker as it appr oached wit hin t wo m iles. Ther e looked t o be a slight change in t he ship's cour se, dr if t ing of f t he Nar whal 's bow as if t o pass on her st ar boar d beam . W hat ever t heir int ent , St enset h was not in a t r ust ing m ood.
" Ahead a t hir d, " he or der ed t he helm sm an. " Bear ing t hr ee hundr ed degr ees. "
St enset h wel knew t hat t he pr ospect of a colision in t hick f og was one of a m ar iner 's wor st night m ar es. W it h visions of t he St ockholm st r iking t he Andr ea Dor ia in his m ind, he power ed his ship t o t he nor t hwest , in or der t o avoid a sim ilar head- on colision. W it h a m inut e degr ee of r elief , he saw t hat t he ot her vessel was holding t o it s sout heast cour se, widening t he angle bet ween t heir pat hs. But t he appear ance of a saf e passing was shor t - lived.
W hen t he t wo vessels appr oached wit hin a m ile, t he icebr eaker suddenly acceler at ed, near ly doubling it s speed in shor t or der . Dr iven by a m assive pair of gas t ur bine engines capable of t owing a st r ing of heavy bar ges, t he icebr eaker was a behem ot h of t or que. Fr eed t o r un unencum ber ed, t he t ow ship t ur ned int o a gr eyhound, capable of slicing t hr ough t he wat er at over t hir t y knot s. Under Zak's or der , t he ship f ound it s f ul legs and blast ed t hr ough t he waves under m axim um t hr ot t le.
I t t ook only a f ew m om ent s f or St enset h t o det ect t he change in t he icebr eaker 's speed. He held his cour se st eady unt il t he r adar t old him t hat t he ot her vessel was shar ply veer ing t o t he west .
" Ahead f lank speed! " he or der ed, his eyes glued t o t he r adar scr een
He was aghast at t he t r ack of t he icebr eaker as it swept in a shor t ar c t owar d his own vessel. He shook of f any doubt s about t he int ent of t he ot her vessel. I t clear ly int ended t o r am t he Nar whal.
St enset h's or der t o acceler at e t hwar t ed Zak's at t em pt t o cat ch t he ship and cr ew of f guar d. But t he icebr eaker st il had a decided advant age in speed, if no longer sur pr ise. The O t ok had closed t o wit hin a quar t er m ile bef or e t he r esear ch ship could br eak t went y knot s. St enset h peer ed out t he af t br idge window but could see not hing t hr ough t he black f og.
" She's com ing up quick, " t he helm sm an said, wat ching t he icebr eaker 's r adar sm udge appr oach t he cent er of t he r adar scr een. St enset h sat down and r eadjust ed t he r ange t o r ead in hundr ed- yar d incr em ent s.
" W e'l let her com e in t ight . But when she t ouches t he hundr ed- yar d m ar k, I want you t o br ing us har d t o st ar boar d, on a due east heading. Ther e's st il plent y of sea ice along t he shor e of King W iliam I sland. I f we can get close enough, t hey m ight lose our r adar signat ur e against it . "
He gazed at an open char t , not ing t heir dist ance t o King W iliam I sland was over f if t een m iles. M uch t oo f ar away, he knew, but his opt ions wer e f ew. I f t hey could par r y a bit longer , m aybe t he pur suer s would give up t he hunt . He st ood and wat ched t he r adar scr een unt il t he t ailing t ar get dr ew near , t hen he nodded at t he helm sm an.
The heavy r esear ch ship shook and gr oaned as t he r udder was jam m ed f ul over , t he vessel heeling ont o it s new cour se. I t was a let hal gam e of blindm an's bluf f . O n t he r adar scr een, t he icebr eaker seem ed t o m er ge wit h t heir own posit ion, but St enset h st il caught no sight of t he icebr eaker . The O t ok cont inued on it s west er ly cour se f or near ly a f ul m inut e bef or e det ect ing t he Nar whal 's m aneuver and t ur ning shar ply t o t he east in pur suit .
St enset h's act ion gave t he ship pr ecious seconds t o build m or e speed while t he cr ew was aler t ed and or der ed t opside. But it wasn't long bef or e t he icebr eaker was closing in on t heir st er n once again.
" Har d t o por t t his t im e, " St enset h or der ed, when t he O t ok cr ossed t he hundr ed- yar d m ar k once again.
The icebr eaker ant icipat ed t he m ove t his t im e but guessed wr ong and veer ed t o st ar boar d. She quickly t ook up t he chase again as St enset h at t em pt ed t o angle closer t o King W iliam I sland. The f ast er ship quickly m oved in and t he Nar whal was f or ced t o juke again, St enset h opt ing t o t ur n har d t o por t once m or e. But t his t im e, Zak guessed cor r ect ly.
Like a hungr y shar k st r iking f r om t he dept hs of a m ur ky sea, t he icebr eaker suddenly bur st t hr ough t he f og, it s let hal pr ow slashing int o t he f lank of t he Nar whal. The shat t er ing blow st r uck just af t of t he m oon pool, t he icebr eaker 's bow slicing f if t een f eet in f r om t he r ail. The Nar whal near ly keeled over f r om t he im pact , shudder ing sideways int o t he waves. A m assive spr ay of f r eezing wat er pour ed over t he deck as t he ship st r uggled t o r egain it s cent er of gr avit y.
The colision br ought wit h it a t housand cr ies of m echanical agony- - st eel gr at ing on st eel, hydr aulic lines bur st ing, hul plat es splint er ing, power plant s im ploding. As t he dest r uct ion r eached it s clim ax, t her e was an odd m om ent of silence, t hen t he wails of violence t ur ned t o t he gur gling m oans of m or t alit y.
The icebr eaker slowly slid f r ee of t he gaping wound, br eaking of f a sect ion of t he Nar whal's st er n as it backed away. The vessel's shar p bow had been bludgeoned f lat , but t he ship was ot her wise f uly int act , it s double hul not even com pr om ised. The O t ok linger ed on t he scene a f ew m om ent s, as Zak and t he cr ew adm ir ed t heir dest r uct ive handiwor k. Then like a deadly wr ait h, t he m ur der ous ship disappear ed int o t he night .
The Nar whal, m eanwhile, was on it s way t o a quick deat h. The ship's engine r oom f looded alm ost inst ant ly, t ugging t he st er n down in an im m ediat e list . Two of t he bulkheads f r ont ing t he m oon pool wer e cr ushed, sending addit ional f loodwat er s t o t he lower decks. Though built t o plow t hr ough ice up t o six f eet t hick, t he Nar whal was never designed t o wit hst and a cr ushing blow t o it s beam . W it hin m inut es, t he ship was half under wat er .
O n t he br idge, St enset h picked him self up of f t he deck t o f ind t he br idge a dar kened cave. They had lost al oper at ing power , and t he em er gency gener at or locat ed am idships had also been disabled in t he colision. The ent ir e ship was now as black as t he f oggy night .
The helm sm an beat St enset h t o an em er gency locker at t he r ear of t he br idge and quickly pr oduced a f lashlight .
" Capt ain, ar e you al r ight ?" he asked, sweeping t he beam acr oss t he br idge unt il it caught St enset h's t ower ing f igur e.
" Bet t er t han m y ship, " he r eplied, r ubbing a sor e ar m . " Let 's account f or t he cr ew. I 'm af r aid we'r e going t o have t o abandon ship in shor t or der . "
The t wo m en t hr ew on t heir par kas and m ade t heir way down t o t he m ain deck, which was alr eady list ing heavily t owar d t he st er n. They ent er ed t he ship's galey, f inding it ilum inat ed by a pair of bat t er y- oper at ed lant er ns. M ost of t he ship's skelet on cr ew was alr eady assem bled wit h t heir cold- weat her gear , a look of f ear et ched in t heir eyes. A shor t m an wit h a buldog- like f ace appr oached t he t wo m en.
" Capt ain, t he engine r oom is com plet ely f looded and a sect ion of t he st er n has been t or n away, " said t he m an, t he Nar whal 's chief engineer . " W at er has r epor t edly br eached t he f or war d hold. Ther e's no st opping it . "
St enset h nodded. " Any injur ies?"
The engineer point ed t o t he side of t he galey, wher e a gr im acing m an was having his lef t ar m wr apped in a m akeshif t sling.
" The cook br oke his ar m in a f al when she hit . Ever yone else cam e t hr ough clean. "
" W ho ar e we m issing?" St enset h asked, quickly count ing heads and com ing up t wo shor t .
" Dahlgr en, and Roger s, t he ship's elect r ician. They'r e t r ying t o get t he t ender launched. "
St enset h t ur ned and f aced t he r oom . " I 'm af r aid we m ust abandon ship. Ever y m an ont o t he deck- - now. I f we can't boar d t he t ender , t hen we'l use one of t he por t - side em er gency r af t s. Let 's m ake it quick. "
St enset h led t he m en out t he galey, st opping br ief ly t o not e t hat t he wat er had alr eady cr ept t o t he base of t he super st r uct ur e. Q uickening his pace, he m oved ont o t he f r ozen expanse of t he f or war d deck, f ight ing t o keep his balance against t he incr easing slope under f oot . Acr oss t he deck, he saw a beam of light f lash bet ween t wo m en cr anking on a m anual winch. A t welve- f oot wooden skif f dangled in t he air above t hem , but t he r akish angle of t he deck pr event ed t he skif f 's st er n f r om clear ing t he side r ailing. The sound of obscenit ies em br oider ed in a Texas accent r at t led t hr ough t he cold night air f r om one of t he m en.
St enset h r ushed over and, wit h t he help of sever al m or e cr ewm en, heaved t he st er n up and over t he r ailing. Dahlgr en r ever sed t he lever on t he winch and quickly lower ed t he skif f int o t he wat er . G r abbing it s bow line, St enset h walked t he boat af t t went y f eet unt il t he wat er on t he deck r eached his boot s. The cr ew t hen quickly clim bed aboar d by sim ply st epping of f t he Nar whal 's side r ail.
St enset h count ed of f a dozen- plus heads, t hen f olowed t he injur ed chef as t he last m an aboar d, st epping int o t he cr am ped wooden t ender and t aking a seat near t he st er n. A light br eeze had picked up again, blowing scat t er ed holes in t he f og while cast ing an added chop t o t he seas. The t ender quickly dr if t ed a f ew yar ds away f r om t he dying ship, st aying in sight of her f inal m om ent s.
They wer e bar ely away when t he bow of t he t ur quoise ship r ose high int o t he night air , st r uggling against t he f or ces of gr avit y. Then r eleasing a deep m oan, t he Nar whal plunged int o t he black wat er wit h a hiss of bubbles, disappear ing t o t he dept hs below.
A bur ning anger weled wit hin St enset h, t hen he gazed upon his cr ew and f elt r elief . I t was a m inor m ir acle t hat no one had died in t he colision and ever yone had m ade it saf ely of f t he ship. The capt ain shudder ed t o t hink of t he deat h t ol had Pit t not put m ost of t he cr ew and scient ist s ashor e in Tukt oyakt uk.
" I f or got t he dang r ocks. "
St enset h t ur ned t o t he m an next t o him , r ealizing in t he dar k t hat it was Dahlgr en sit t ing at t he t iler .
" Fr om t he t her m al vent , " he cont inued. " Rudi lef t t hem on t he br idge. "
" Consider your self lucky t hat you escaped wit h your skin, " St enset h r eplied. " G ood wor k in get t ing t he t ender away. "
" I didn't r ealy want t o bob ar ound t he Ar ct ic in a r ubber boat , " he r eplied. Lower ing his voice, he added, " Those guys play f or keeps, don't t hey?"
" Fat aly ser ious about t he r ut henium , I 'm af r aid. " He held his head t o t he air , t r ying t o det ect t he pr esence of t he icebr eaker . A f aint r um bling in t he dist ance t old him t he ship wasn't linger ing in t he ar ea.
" Sir , t her e's a sm al set t lem ent caled G joa Haven on t he ext r em e sout heast t ip of King W iliam I sland, " t he helm sm an piped in f r om a r ow up. " A lit t le over a hundr ed m iles f r om her e. Near est civilizat ion on t he char t s, I 'm af r aid. "
" W e should have enough f uel t o m ake King W iliam I sland. Then it wil have t o be on f oot f r om t her e, " St enset h r eplied. Tur ning back t o Dahlgr en, he asked, " Did you get a m essage of f t o Pit t ?"
" I t old t hem we wer e vacat ing t he wr eck sit e, but we lost power bef or e I could war n t hem we wouldn't be com ing back. " He t r ied t o m ake out t he dial on his wat ch. " They should be sur f acing shor t ly. "
" W e can only guess as t o wher e. Finding t hem in t his f og would be a near im possibilit y, I 'm af r aid. W e'l t r y a pass t hr ough t he ar ea, t hen we'l have t o br eak f or t he coast line and seek help. W e can't r isk being of f shor e if t he winds should st if f en. "
Dahlgr en nodded wit h a gr im look on his f ace. Pit t and G ior dino wer e no wor se of f t han t hey wer e, he t hought . Coaxing t he t ender 's m ot or t o lif e, he t ur ned t he boat sout h and disappear ed int o a dar k bank of f og.
68

PI TT AND G I O RDI NO HAD BEEN HO VERI NG O VER t he ship's bel when t hey r eceived a br ief t r ansm ission f r om Dahlgr en t hat t he Nar whal was m oving of f - sit e. Pr eoccupied wit h uncover ing t he bel's inscr ipt ion, t hey had not f olowed up t he cal.
The discover y t hat t he shipwr eck was t he Ter r or pr oved t o be a sm al r elief f or Pit t . W it h no indicat ion t hat t her e was any r ut henium aboar d, t her e was st il r oom f or hope. The I nuit m ust have obt ained t he or e f r om t he Er ebus, and per haps she alone held t he secr et t o t he covet ed m iner al. The quest ion linger ed as t o wher e had t he Er ebus ended up. The t wo ships wer e known t o have been abandoned t oget her , so pr esum ably t hey would have sunk close t o each ot her . Pit t f elt conf ident t hat expanding t he AUV's sear ch ar ea would t ur n up t he second ship.
" Bloodhound t o Nar whal, we'r e beginning our ascent , " G ior dino r adioed. " W hat 's your st at us?"
" W e'r e on t he m ove at t he m om ent . I 'm t r ying t o get an updat e f r om t he br idge. W il let you know when I do. O ver . "
I t was t he last t hey wer e t o hear f r om Dahlgr en. But having ext ended t heir bot t om t im e, t hey wer e m or e concer ned about r eaching t he sur f ace wit h auxiliar y power t o spar e. Pit t shut of f t he ext er nal light s and sensing equipm ent t o save power , while G ior dino did t he sam e wit h t he nonessent ial int er ior com put er s. As t he subm er sible f el dar k and t hey began gliding upwar d, G ior dino sat back in his chair , cr ossed his ar m s, and closed his eyes.
" W ake m e when it 's t im e t o let in som e f r esh t en- below air , " he m ut t er ed.
" I 'l m ake sur e t hat Jack has your slipper s and newspaper wait ing. "
Pit t again r eviewed t he elect r ical power r eadings wit h a war y eye. Ther e was plent y of r eser ve power f or t he lif e- suppor t syst em s and t he balast - cont r ol pum ps, but lit t le else. He r eluct ant ly shut down t he subm er sible's pr opulsion syst em , knowing t hey would be subject t o t he st r ong cur r ent s dur ing t heir ascent . Plugging t he Nar whal's m oon pool would be out , as t hey would likely end up a m ile or t wo down cur r ent when t hey br oke t he sur f ace. And t hat 's only if t he Nar whal was back on- sit e.
Pit t shut down a f ew m or e elect r ical cont r ols, t hen st ar ed out at t he black abyss beyond t he view por t . Suddenly, an ur gent cr y r ang out on t he r adio.
" Bloodhound, we've been . . . "
The t r ansm ission was cut m idsent ence and was f olowed by com plet e silence. G ior dino popped f or war d in his chair and was r et ur ning t he cal even bef or e he had his eyes open. Despit e r epeat ed at t em pt s, his t r ansm issions t o t he Nar whal went unanswer ed.
" W e m ight have lost t heir signal in a t her m ocline, " G ior dino of f er ed.
" O r t he t r ansponder link was br oken when t hey began r unning at speed, " Pit t count er ed.
They wer e m anuf act ur ed excuses t o r eason away t he t r ut h neit her m an want ed t o accept , t hat t he Nar whal was in r eal t r ouble. G ior dino cont inued m aking r adio cals ever y f ew m inut es, but t her e was no r esponse. And t her e was not hing eit her m an could do about it .
Pit t looked at t he subm er sible's dept h gauge and wonder ed if t hey wer e t ied t o t he bot t om . Since r eceiving t he int er r upt ed cal, t heir ascent r at e had slowed t o a cr awl, or so it seem ed t o Pit t . He t r ied t o keep his eyes away f r om t he gauge, knowing t he m or e he wat ched it , t he slower it m oved. Sit t ing back, he closed his eyes f or a t im e, im agining t he t r oubles t he Nar whal m ight be f acing, while G ior dino diligent ly kept up his r adio vigil.
He f inaly opened his eyes t o see t hey wer e just over a hundr ed f eet deep. A f ew m inut es lat er , t hey r ocked t o t he sur f ace am id a r ush of bubbles and f oam . Pit t kicked on t he ext er nal light s, which sim ply r ef lect ed back a sur r ounding bilow of f og. The r adio r em ained silent as t hey r ocked back and f or t h in t he heaving wat er s.
Alone in a cold and em pt y sea, Pit t and G ior dino bot h knew t hat t he wor st had happened. The Nar whal was no m or e.
69

W HAT DO YO U M EAN THE RESCUE TEAM DI SAPPEARED? "
The Pr esident 's angr y voice echoed of f t he wals of t he W hit e House Sit uat ion Room on t he lower level of t he W est W ing. An Ar m y colonel, br ought in by t he Pent agon gener als t o ser ve as a sacr if icial lam b, r esponded in a quiet m onot one.
" Sir , t he t eam f ailed t o appear at t he ext r act ion sit e at t he appoint ed t im e. The air f ield suppor t squad was not advised of any pr oblem s f r om t he st r ike t eam and wer e t hem selves evacuat ed on schedule. "
" I was pr om ised a low- r isk m ission wit h a ninet y per cent pr obabilit y of success, " t he Pr esident said, glar ing at t he Secr et ar y of Def ense.
The r oom f el silent , no one wishing t o ant agonize t he m an f ur t her .
Seat ed t wo seat s down f r om t he Pr esident , Vice Pr esident Sandecker f ound a t ouch of am usem ent t o t he inquisit ion. W hen caled t o an em er gency m eet ing by t he Nat ional Secur it y Advisor , he was sur pr ised t o f ind no less t han f ive gener als seat ed ar ound t he Secr et ar y of Def ense in t he conf er ence r oom . I t was not an om en of good t hings t o com e, he knew. Sandecker was no f an of t he secr et ar y, a m an he f ound t o be nar r ow- m inded and t r igger - happy. Yet he quickly put his per sonal f eelings aside f or t he cr isis at hand.
" Colonel, why don't you t el us exact ly what you know, " Sandecker said, def lect ing t he Pr esident 's anger .
The colonel descr ibed t he planned m ission in det ail and t he int eligence t hat suppor t ed t he r escue st r ike. " The bef uddling aspect is t hat t her e ar e indicat ions t hat t he t eam was successf ul in f r eeing t he capt ives. Radio int er cept s f r om Canadian f or ces in Tukt oyakt uk r epor t an assault on t he holding com plex and t he subsequent escape of t he Polar Dawn's cr ew. W e've det ect ed no indicat ions t hat t hey wer e r ecapt ur ed. "
" W hat if t he Special For ces t eam was sim ply delayed?" Sandecker asked. " The night s ar e shor t up t her e r ight now. Per haps t hey wer e f or ced int o hiding som ewher e f or a per iod bef or e m aking it back t o t he air f ield. "
The colonel shook his head. " W e sent an air cr af t back t o t he ext r act ion sit e under dar kness just hour s ago. They t ouched down br ief ly, but no one was t her e, and addit ional r adio cals went unanswer ed. "
" They couldn't have just vanished, " t he Pr esident gr um bled.
" W e've analyzed sat elit e r econnaissance, r adio t r af f ic, and local cont act s on t he gr ound. They've al com e up em pt y, " st at ed Julie M oss, t he Pr esident 's Nat ional Secur it y Advisor . " The only conclusion t hat can be m ade is t hat t hey wer e quiet ly r ecapt ur ed and r elocat ed t o a new locat ion. They m ight be back on t he Polar Dawn or possibly f lown out of t he ar ea. "
" W hat has been t he of f icial Canadian r esponse t o our r equest f or r elease of t he ship and cr ew?" Sandecker asked.
" Ther e has been no r esponse, " M oss said. " W e've been cur t ly ignor ed t hr ough diplom at ic channels, while t he Pr im e M inist er and Par liam ent cont inue t o m ake out landish claim s of Am er ican im per ialism t hat ar e st r aight out of a banana r epublic. "
" They have not lim it ed t hem selves t o wor ds, " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense int er ject ed. " They have placed t heir m ilit ar y f or ces on aler t st at us, in addit ion t o t heir r ecent por t closur es. "
" That 's t r ue, " M oss echoed. " The Canadian Coast G uar d has st ar t ed t ur ning away al Am er ican- f lagged ships appr oaching Vancouver and Q uebec, as wel as Tor ont o- bound bar ge t r af f ic. I t 's expect ed t hat t heir bor der cr ossings wil be t em por ar ily closed in a day or t wo. "
" This is get t ing quit e out of hand, " t he Pr esident said.
" I t is even wor se. W e've r eceived wor d t hat our pending nat ur al gas im por t s f r om M elvile Sound have been suspended. W e have r eason t o believe t he gas has been diver t ed t o t he Chinese, alt hough we don't know if t his was dir ect ed by t he gover nm ent or t he gas f ield oper at or . "
The Pr esident slunk int o his chair wit h a dazed look on his f ace. " That t hr eat ens our ent ir e f ut ur e, " he said quiet ly.
" Sir , " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense declar ed, " wit h al due r egar d, t he Canadian gover nm ent has wr ongf uly blam ed us f or t he loss of t heir Ar ct ic ice lab and dam age t o one of t heir pat r ol cr af t . They have ilegaly capt ur ed a U. S. Coast G uar d vessel in int er nat ional wat er s and ar e t r eat ing t he cr ew as pr isoner s of war . They have done t he sam e t o our Delt a For ces t eam , or per haps kiled t hem and t he ship's cr ew as wel, f or al we know. O n t op of t hat , t hey ar e t hr eat ening our ent ir e nat ion wit h ener gy blackm ail. Diplom acy has f ailed, sir . I t is t im e f or anot her opt ion. "
" W e've har dly m et t he t hr eshold f or a m ilit ar y escalat ion, " Sandecker said bit t er ly.
" You m ay be r ight , Jim , but t hose m en's lives ar e at st ake, " t he Pr esident said. " I want a f or m al dem and pr esent ed t o t he Pr im e M inist er f or t he r elease of t he cr ew and r escue t eam wit hin t went y- f our hour s. Do it pr ivat ely, so t hat t he m edia- happy PM can save f ace. W e can negot iat e f or t he ship lat er , but I want t hose m en f r eed now. And I want a r ever sal on t hose nat ur al gas shipm ent s. "
" W hat 's our r esponse if t hey don't com ply?" M oss asked.
The Secr et ar y of Def ense piped up. " M r . Pr esident , we've dr awn up sever al opt ions f or a lim it ed f ir st - st r ike engagem ent . "
" A 'lim it ed engagem ent ' . . . W hat is t hat supposed t o m ean?" t he Pr esident asked.
The conf er ence r oom door opened and a W hit e House aide silent ly ent er ed and handed a not e t o Sandecker .
" A lim it ed engagem ent , " t he Secr et ar y of Def ense cont inued, " would be deploym ent of t he m inim um r esour ces r equir ed t o incapacit at e a high per cent age of Canada's air and naval f or ces t hr ough sur gical st r ikes. "
The Pr esident 's f ace t ur ned r ed. " I 'm not t alking about a f ul- blown war . Just som et hing t o get t heir at t ent ion. "
The Secr et ar y of Def ense quickly backed down. " W e have opt ions f or single- t ar get m issions as wel, " he said quiet ly.
" W hat do you t hink, Jim ?" t he Pr esident asked, t ur ning t o Sandecker .
A gr im look spr ead acr oss t he Vice Pr esident 's f ace as he f inished r eading t he not e and held it up bef or e him .
" I 've just been inf or m ed by Rudi G unn at NUM A t hat t heir r esear ch vessel Nar whal has gone m issing in t he Nor t hwest Passage, of f Vict or ia I sland. The ship is pr esum ed capt ur ed or sunk wit h al hands, including t he Dir ect or of NUM A, Dir k Pit t . "
The Secr et ar y of Def ense br oke int o a wolf ish gr in as he gazed acr oss t he t able at Sandecker .
" I t would seem , " he said point edly, " t hat we have suddenly f ound your t hr eshold. "
70

THE UNI TED STATES HAS LAUNCHED ARM ED I N- CURSI O NS int o Canada on at least a half dozen occasions. The bloodiest invasion occur r ed dur ing t he Revolut ionar y W ar , when G ener al Richar d M ont gom er y m ar ched nor t h f r om For t Ticonder oga and capt ur ed M ont r eal, t hen m oved on Q uebec Cit y. He was joined by a secondar y f or ce t hat had ent er ed Canada via M aine, led by Benedict Ar nold. At t acking Q uebec Cit y on Decem ber 31, 1775, t he Am er icans br ief ly capt ur ed t he cit y bef or e being beat en back in a f ier ce bat t le wit h t he Br it ish. A shor t age of supplies and r einf or cem ent s, as wel as t he loss of M ont gom er y dur ing t he f ight , m eant t hat t he Am er icans had lit t le choice but t o br eak of f t he f or ay int o Canada.
W hen host ilit ies heat ed up again dur ing t he W ar of 1812, t he Am er icans launched r epeat ed st r ikes int o Canada t o f ight t he Br it ish. M ost ended in f ailur e. The m ost not able success occur r ed in 1813, when Tor ont o ( t hen Yor k) was sacked and it s par liam ent ar y buildings bur ned t o t he gr ound. The vict or y would pr ove t o haunt t he U. S. a year lat er when t he Br it ish m ar ched on W ashingt on. Anger ed by t he ear lier dest r uct ive act , t he Br it ish r et ur ned t he f avor by t aking a t or ch t o t he public buildings of t he Am er ican capit al.
W it h colonial independence achieved in 1783, Canada and t he Unit ed St at es quickly gr ew t o be am icable neighbor s and alies. Yet t he seeds of dist r ust have never com plet ely vanished. I n t he 1920s, t he U. S. W ar Depar t m ent developed st r at egic plans t o invade Canada as par t of a hypot het ical war wit h t he Unit ed Kingdom . " W ar Plan Red, " as it was nam ed, caled f or land invasions t ar get ing W innipeg and Q uebec, along wit h a naval assault on Halif ax. Not t o be out done, t he Canadians developed " Def ence Schem e No. 1, " f or a count er invasion of t he Unit ed St at es. Albany, M inneapolis, Seat t le, and G r eat Fals, M ont ana, wer e t ar get ed f or sur pr ise at t acks, in hopes t hat t he Canadians could buy t im e unt il Br it ish r einf or cem ent s ar r ived.
Tim e and t echnology had changed t he wor ld consider ably since t he 1920s. G r eat Br it ain no longer st ood in Canada's def ense, and Am er ica's m ilit ar y m ight m ade f or a dom inat ing power im balance. Though t he disappear ance of t he Nar whal anger ed t he Pr esident , it har dly just if ied an invasion. At least not yet . I t would t ake weeks t o or ganize a gr ound of f ensive anyway, should t hings degr ade t hat f ar , and he want ed a quick and f or cef ul r esponse in f or t y- eight hour s.
The st r ike plan agr eed t o, bar r ing t he r elease of t he capt ives, was sim ple yet pain- inducing. U. S. Navy war ships would be sent in t o blockade Vancouver in t he west and t he Saint Lawr ence River in t he east , ef f ect ively blocking Canada's f or eign t r ade. St ealt h bom ber s would st r ike f ir st , t ar get ing Canadian f ight er air bases at Cold Lake, Alber t a, and Bagot vile, Q uebec. Special For ces t eam s would also be on st andby t o secur e Canada's m ajor hydr oelect r ic plant s, in case of an at t em pt ed disr upt ion in expor t ed elect r ic power . A lat er st r ike would be used t o seize t he M elvile gas f ield.
Ther e was lit t le t he Canadians could do in r esponse, t he Secr et ar y of Def ense and his gener als had ar gued. Under t hr eat of cont inued air st r ikes, t hey would have t o r elease t he capt ives and agr ee t o open t er m s on t he Nor t hwest Passage. Al wer e in agr eem ent , t hough, t hat it would never com e t o t hat . The Canadians would be war ned of t he cir cum st ances if t hey didn't com ply wit h t he t went y- f our - hour deadline. They would have no choice but t o acquiesce.
But t her e was one pr oblem t hat t he Pent agon hawks had f ailed t o consider . The Canadian gover nm ent had no idea what had becom e of t he Polar Dawn's cr ew.
71

TRAPPED I N THEI R SI NKI NG I RO N CO FFI N, THE Polar Dawn's cr ew would have begged f or anot her t went y- f our hour s. But t heir pr ospect f or sur vival was down t o m inut es.
M ur dock's pr edict ion had so f ar held t r ue. The bar ge's num ber 4 hold had st eadily f iled wit h wat er unt il spiling over int o t he num ber 3 com par t m ent . As t he st er n sank lower under t he weight , t he wat er pour ed in at a f ast er r at e. I n t he sm al f or war d st or age com par t m ent , t he deck list ed om inously beneat h t he m en's f eet as t he sound of r ushing wat er dr ew near er .
A m an appear ed at t he af t hat ch, one of Rom an's com m andos, br eat hing heavily f r om scaling t he hold's ladder .
" Capt ain, " he gasped, waving a penlight ar ound t he bay unt il spot t ing his com m ander , " t he wat er is now spiling int o t he num ber 2 hold. "
" Thank you, Cor por al, " Rom an r eplied. " W hy don't you sit down and t ake a r est . Ther e's no need f or f ur t her r econ. "
Rom an sought out M ur dock and puled him aside. " W hen t he bar ge st ar t s t o go under , " he whisper ed, " wil t he hat ch cover s pop of f t he holds?"
M ur dock shook his head, t hen gave a hesit ant look.
" She'l sur ely go under bef or e t he num ber 1 hold is f looded. That m eans t her e wil be an air pocket under neat h, which wil build in pr essur e as t he bar ge sinks. Ther e's pr obably a good chance it wil blow t he hat ch cover , but we m ight be f ive hundr ed f eet deep bef or e t hat happens. "
" I t 's st il a chance, " Rom an said quiet ly.
" Then what ?" M ur dock r eplied. " A m an won't last t en m inut es in t hese wat er s. " He shook his head wit h ir r it at ion, t hen said, " Fine. G o ahead and give t he m en som e hope. I 'l let you know when I t hink t his t ub is about t o go down, and you can assem ble t he m en on t he ladder . At least t hey'l have som et hing t o hang on t o f or t he r ide t o per dit ion. "
At t he ent r y hat ch, Bojor quez had list ened t o t he exchange, t hen r esum ed his ham m er ing on t he locked lat ch. By now, he knew it was a f ut ile gest ur e. The t iny ham m er was pr oving wor t hless against t he har dened st eel. Hour s of pounding had gouged only a sm al not ch in t he lock spindle. He was m any hour s, if not days, away f r om wear ing int o t he lock m echanism .
Bet ween whacks, he looked over at his f elow capt ives. Cold, hungr y, and downcast , t hey st ood assem bled, m any st ar ing at him wit h hopef ul desper at ion. Sur pr isingly, t her e was lit t le t r ace of panic in t he air . Their em ot ions f r ozen like t he cold st eel of t he bar ge, t he capt ive m en calm ly accept ed t heir pending f at e.
72

THE NARW HAL'S TENDER W AS PERI LO USLY O VERLO ADED. Designed t o hold t welve m en, t he boat easily accom m odat ed t he f our t een cr ewm en who had evacuat ed t he ship. But t he ext r a weight was just enough t o alt er her sailing char act er ist ics in a r ough sea. W it h choppy waves slapping at her sides, it was only a shor t t im e bef or e a layer of icy wat er began sloshing ar ound t he f oot wels.
St enset h had t aken hold of t he t iler af t er a labor ious ef f or t t o st ar t t he f r ozen m ot or . W it h a pair of t en- galon cans of gasoline, t hey had just enough f uel t o r each King W iliam I sland. But St enset h alr eady had an uneasy f eeling, r ealizing t hat t hey would have t o m ar ch in t he f oot st eps of Fr anklin's doom ed cr ew if t hey wer e t o r each saf et y at G joa Haven.
Leer y of swam ping t he boat , t he capt ain m ot or ed slowly t hr ough t he whit ecapped seas. Fog st il hung heavy over t he wat er , but he could det ect a f aint light ening of t he bilows as t he br ief Ar ct ic night showed signs of passing. He r ef r ained f r om t ur ning dir ect ly east t owar d King W iliam I sland, holding t o his wor d t o m ake a br ief sear ch f or Pit t and G ior dino. W it h next t o no visibilit y, he knew t he odds of locat ing t he subm er sible wer e long. To m ake m at t er s wor se, t her e was no G PS unit in t he t ender . Relying on a com pass dist or t ed by t heir near ness t o t he m agnet ic nor t h pole, St enset h dead r eckoned t heir way back t o t he sit e of t he shipwr eck.
The helm sm an est im at ed t hat t hey had colided wit h t he icebr eaker som e six m iles nor t hwest of t he wr eck sit e. G uessing at t he cur r ent and t heir own speed, St enset h pilot ed t he boat sout heast f or t went y m inut es, t hen cut t he m ot or . Dahlgr en and t he ot her s shout ed out Pit t 's nam e t hr ough t he f og, but t he only sound t hey hear d in r eply was t he slap of t he waves against t he t ender 's hul.
St enset h r est ar t ed t he m ot or and cr uised t o t he sout heast f or t en m inut es, t hen cut t he m ot or again. Repeat ed shout s t hr ough t he f og went unanswer ed. St enset h m ot or ed on, r epeat ing t he pr ocess once m or e. W hen t he last r ound of shout s f el em pt y, he addr essed t he cr ew.
" W e can't af f or d t o r un out of f uel. O ur best bet is t o r un east t o King W iliam I sland and t r y and locat e som e help. O nce t he weat her clear s, t he subm er sible can be f ound easily. And I can t el you t hat Pit t and G ior dino ar e pr obably a lot m or e com f or t able in t hat sub t han we ar e. "
The cr ew nodded in agr eem ent . Respect r an high f or Pit t and G ior dino, but t heir own sit uat ion was f ar f r om har m less. G et t ing under way once m or e, t hey r an due east unt il t he out boar d m ot or sput t er ed t o a halt , having sucked dr y t he f ir st can of gas. St enset h swit ched f uel lines t o t he second can and was about t o r est ar t t he m ot or when t he helm sm an suddenly cr ied out .
" W ait ! "
St enset h t ur ned t o t he m an seat ed near by. " I t hink I hear d som et hing, " he said t o t he capt ain, t his t im e in a whisper .
The ent ir e boat f el deat hly quiet , each m an af r aid t o br eat he, as al ear s wer e t r ained t o t he night air . Sever al seconds passed bef or e t hey hear d it as one. A f aint t inging sound in t he dist ance, alm ost like t he chim e of a bel.
" That 's Pit t and G ior dino, " Dahlgr en shout ed. " Has t o be. They'r e t apping out an SO S on t he Bloodhound 's hul. "
St enset h looked at him wit h skept icism . Dahlgr en had t o be wr ong. They had m oved t oo f ar f r om t he subm er sible's last - known posit ion. But what else could be signaling t hr ough t he bleak Ar ct ic night ?
St enset h engaged t he out boar d m ot or and sailed t he t ender in an ever - widening ser ies of cir cles, cut t ing t he t hr ot t le at per iodic int er vals t o t r y t o det ect which dir ect ion t he sound was com ing f r om . He f inaly not ed a r ising pit ch em anat ing f r om t he east and t ur ned in t hat dir ect ion. The capt ain m ot or ed slowly but anxiously, f ear f ul t hat t he t apping m ight cease bef or e he had det er m ined a t r ue bear ing. The f og blew in t hick wisps while t he m or ning dawn st il st r uggled t o appear . As close as t hey m ight be, he knew it would be al t oo easy t o lose t he subm er sible if it f el silent .
For t unat ely, t he clanging went on. The r apping only gr ew louder , audible even over t he r um ble of t he out boar d. Changing cour se wit h slight shif t s t o t he t iler , St enset h zer oed in on t he sound unt il it echoed in his ear s. Cr uising blindly t hr ough a dar k bank of f og, he suddenly cut t he t hr ot t le as a huge black shape r ose up in f r ont of t hem .
The bar ge seem ed t o have lost it s m am m ot h scale since St enset h had last seen it , being t owed by t he icebr eaker . Then he saw why. The bar ge was sinking by t he st er n, wit h near ly half of it s lengt h alr eady subm er ged. The bow r ose at a r akish angle, r em iniscent of t he last m inut es of t he Nar whal. Having just wit nessed his own ship's dem ise, he knew t he bar ge was down t o it s last m inut es, if not seconds.
St enset h and t he cr ew r eact ed wit h disappoint m ent at t heir discover y. Their hopes had been pinned on f inding Pit t and G ior dino. But t heir disilusionm ent quickly t ur ned t o hor r or when t hey r ealized t hat t he bar ge was about t o go under .
And t hat t he t apping sound cam e f r om som eone locked aboar d.
73

DAHLG REN PLAYED A FLASHLI G HT BEAM ACRO SS t he exposed deck of t he bar ge, sear ching f or an ent r y point , but f ound only f ixed bulkheads ahead of t he f or war d hold.
" Take us ar ound t o t he st ar boar d side, Capt ain, " he r equest ed.
St enset h m ot or ed t he t ender ar ound t he t ower ing bow of t he bar ge, slowing as he appr oached t he f or war d hold. The r hyt hm ic m et alic r apping suddenly becam e not iceably louder .
" Ther e, " Dahlgr en exclaim ed, f inding t he side- com par t m ent hat ch wit h his light . A chain was visible, wr apped ar ound t he hat ch door lever and secur ed t o a r ail st anchion.
W it hout a wor d, St enset h r an t he t ender alongside t he bar ge unt il it bum ped int o a m et al r ailing t hat angled out of t he wat er . Dahlgr en was alr eady on his f eet and leaped ont o t he bar ge's deck, landing aside t he par t ialy f looded num ber 3 hold hat ch cover .
" Be quick, Jack, " St enset h yeled. " She's not long above wat er . "
He im m ediat ely backed t he t ender away f r om t he bar ge, not want ing t o get caught in it s suct ion should it suddenly plunge t o t he bot t om .
Dahlgr en had alr eady spr int ed acr oss t he angled deck and up a shor t f light of st eps t o t he locked st or age com par t m ent . Banging a gloved hand on t he hat ch, he shout ed, " Anybody hom e?"
The st ar t led voice of Ser geant Bojor quez r eplied inst ant ly.
" Yes. Can you let us out ?"
" W il do, " Dahlgr en r eplied.
He quickly st udied t he secur ing lengt h of chain, which had been cr udely knot t ed ar ound bot h t he hat ch lever and t he deck st anchion. Ther e had been lit t le slack t o begin wit h, but t he t wist ing gir der s of t he sinking ship had puled t he chain dr um t ight . Checking each end under t he beam of his f lashlight , he quickly r ealized t hat t he st anchion knot was m or e accessible, and he f ocused his ef f or t s t her e.
Yanking his gloves of f , he gr abbed hold of t he knot 's out er links and puled wit h al his m ight . The f r ozen st eel links dug int o his f lesh but r ef used t o budge. G at her ing his br eat h, he t ugged again, put t ing t he f ul power of his legs int o t he ef f or t while near ly r ipping his f inger s f r om t heir socket s. But t he chain wouldn't m ove.
The deck beneat h his f eet t ook a sudden lur ch, and he f elt t he ship t wist slight ly f r om t he uneven pul of t he r apidly f looding holds. Releasing his m angled and f r ozen f inger s f r om t he links, he looked at t he chain and t r ied anot her t ack. Leaning over t he landing in or der t o at t ack f r om a r ight angle, he began kicking at t he knot wit h his boot s. I nside t he st or age com par t m ent , he could hear panicked shout s f r om sever al voices ur ging him t o hur r y. Fr om t he wat er near by, a f ew of t he Nar whal's cr ew yeled over , echoing t he sent im ent . As if t o add it s own pr essur e, t he bar ge let out a deep m et alic gr oan f r om som ewher e f ar beneat h t he sur f ace.
W it h his hear t pounding, Dahlgr en kicked at t he chain wit h his t oe. Then he st om ped wit h his heel. He kicked har der and har der , wit h a gr owing sense of anger . Fur iously he kicked, as if his own lif e depended on it . He kept on kicking unt il a single link of chain f inaly slipped over t he t ight ly wound coil.
I t cr eat ed just enough slack t o alow t he next link t o slip t hr ough wit h a subsequent kick, and t hen one m or e. Dahlgr en dr opped t o his knees, jer king t he f r ee end of t he chain t hr ough t he loosened knot wit h his num b f inger s. He quickly uncoiled t he chain f r om t he st anchion, alowing t he hat ch lever t o m ove f r ee. Rising t o his f eet , he yanked up on t he lever , t hen puled t he hat ch open.
Dahlgr en didn't know what t o expect and f um bled wit h his f lashlight as a num ber of shapes m oved t owar d t he hat ch. Tur ning t he light inside, he was shocked t o f ind f or t y- six gaunt , f r ozen m en st ar ing back at him like a savior . Bojor quez was closest t o t he hat ch, st il clut ching his sm al ham m er .
" I don't know who you ar e, but I 'm sur e glad t o see you, " t he ser geant said wit h a t oot hy sm ile.
" Jack Dahlgr en, of t he NUM A r esear ch ship Nar whal. W hy don't you boys com e on out of t her e?"
The capt ives r ushed t hr ough t he hat chway, st agger ing out ont o t he list ing deck. Dahlgr en was sur pr ised t o see sever al of t he m en dr essed in m ilit ar y gar b, sm al U. S. f lags on t heir shoulder s. Rom an and M ur dock wer e t he last t o exit and appr oached Dahlgr en wit h a r elieved look on t heir f aces.
" I 'm M ur dock of t he Polar Dawn. This is Capt ain Rom an, who t r ied t o r escue us in Kuglukt uk. I s your vessel st anding by?"
Dahlgr en's ast onishm ent at t he r ealizat ion he had f ound t he capt ur ed Am er icans was t em per ed by t he news he had t o bear .
" O ur ship was r am m ed and sunk by your t ow vessel, " he said quiet ly.
" Then how did you get her e?" Rom an asked.
Dahlgr en point ed t o t he t ender just visible a f ew yar ds of f t he sinking bar ge.
" W e bar ely escaped our selves. Hear d your r apping on t he hat ch and t hought it was a subm er sible of our s. "
He looked ar ound at t he beat en m en st anding ar ound him , quiet ly t r ying t o f at hom t heir or deal. Their escape f r om deat h was t em por ar y, and now he f elt like t heir execut ioner . Tur ning t o Rom an and M ur dock, he spoke a gr im apology.
" I 'm sor r y t o have t o t el you, but we don't have r oom t o t ake on a single m an. "
74

STENSETH W ATCHED THE W AVES LAP O VER THE bar ge's num ber 2 hold, leaving just t he num ber 1 hold and bow sect ion st il above wat er . W hy t he bar ge hadn't yet headed f or t he bot t om , he couldn't say, but he knew her t im e was shor t .
He t ur ned his gaze t o t he haggar d m en lining t he r ail wit h looks of pleading desper at ion in t heir eyes. Like Dahlgr en, he was shocked t o count so m any m en st ep out of t he st or age hold. The blat ant at t em pt at m ass m ur der by t he cr ew of t he icebr eaker ast ounded him . W hat sor t of anim al was com m anding t he t ow ship?
His f ear s t ur ned t owar d t he saf et y of his own m en. W hen t he bar ge went under , he knew it would t ur n int o an ugly f r ee- f or - al as t he cast away m en t r ied t o clim b aboar d t he t ender . He couldn't r isk swam ping t he alr eady over loaded boat and sending his own m en t o t heir gr ave. He kept t he t ender at a saf e dist ance f r om t he bar ge, wonder ing how he could get Dahlgr en of f wit hout t he r est of t he m en t r ying t o clim b aboar d wit h him .
He spot t ed Dahlgr en t alking t o t wo m en, one of whom point ed t owar d t he f looded st er n of t he bar ge. Dahlgr en t hen st epped t o t he r ail and shout ed f or St enset h t o appr oach. The capt ain eased t he t ender up t he bar ge just beneat h Dahlgr en, keeping a war y eye on t he ot her m en. But none of t hem r ushed t he boat as Dahlgr en clim bed aboar d.
" Capt ain, please head t o t he st er n of t he bar ge, about t wo hundr ed f eet back. Q uickly, " Dahlgr en ur ged.
St enset h t ur ned t he t ender ar ound and cr uised past it s sinking hulk t owar d t he hidden st er n. He didn't not ice Dahlgr en pul of f his boot s and st r ip down t o his under wear bef or e puling his par ka back on.
" They had t wo Zodiacs st owed af t , " he shout ed by way of explanat ion.
Lit t le good t hey would do now, St enset h t hought . They've eit her dr if t ed of f or ar e t ied t o t he deck f or t y f eet under wat er . He not iced Dahlgr en st anding in t he bow point ing his f lashlight t owar d som et hing bobbing in t he wat er .
" O ver t her e, " he ur ged.
St enset h guided t he t ender t owar d a num ber of dar k object s f loat ing on t he sur f ace. They wer e t wo pair s of conical- shaped pr ot r usions t hat bobbed in unison sever al f eet apar t . Dr awing closer , St enset h r ecognized t hem as t he t aper ed pont oon ends of a pair of Zodiac boat s. The t wo inf lat able boat s wer e st anding on end under t he wat er , t heir bows af f ixed by a com m on line t o t he bar ge below.
" Anybody have a knif e?" Dahlgr en asked.
" Jack, you can't go in t he wat er , " St enset h exhor t ed, r ealizing t hat Dahlgr en had st r ipped of f his clot hes. " You'l die of exposur e. "
" I ain't planning a long bat h, " he gr inned in r eply.
The chief engineer had a f olding knif e and puled it out of his pocket and handed it t o Dahlgr en.
" A lit t le closer , please, Capt ain, " Dahlgr en asked, slipping out of his par ka.
St enset h inched t he t ender t o wit hin a f ew f eet of t he Zodiacs, t hen cut t he t hr ot t le. Dahlgr en st ood in t he bow, f lipped open t he knif e, t hen wit hout hesit at ion t ook a deep br eat h and dove over t he side.
An exper t diver , Dahlgr en had dived in cold seas al over t he wor ld, but not hing had pr epar ed him f or t he shock of im m er sion int o t went y- eight - degr ee wat er . A t housand ner ve endings inst ant ly convulsed in pain. His m uscles t ensed and an involunt ar y gasp of air bur st f r om his lungs. His ent ir e body f r oze r igid f r om t he shock, ignor ing t he com m ands f r om his br ain t o m ove. A panic sensat ion t hen t ook hold, ur ging him t o im m ediat ely head f or t he sur f ace. Dahlgr en had t o f ight t he inst inct while f or cing his dead lim bs t o m ove. Slowly he over cam e t he shock, m ent aly f or cing his body t o swim .
He had no f lashlight , but he didn't need one in t he black wat er . Br ushing a hand against one of t he Zodiac's huls gave him al t he guidance he needed. Kicking f or cef uly, he descended sever al f eet along t he hul bef or e f eeling it angle inwar d t owar d t he pr ow. Using his f inger s t o see, he r eached beyond t he bow unt il gr azing t he t hr eads of t he t aut bow line. G r asping it wit h his f r ee hand, he puled and kicked his way down t he line, sear ching f or t he m oor ing point t o bot h Zodiacs.
The exposur e t o t he f r igid wat er quickly began t o slow down his m ot or skils and he had t o wil him self t o keep descending. Twent y f eet below t he Zodiac, he r eached t he bar ge, his hand sliding against a lar ge cleat t hat was secur ing t he lines t o bot h boat s. He im m ediat ely at t acked t he f ir st line wit h t he knif e, sawing f ur iously t o br eak it . The blade was not shar p, however , and it t ook him sever al seconds bef or e he cut t he line f r ee and it jer ked t owar d t he sur f ace. Reaching f or t he second line, his lungs began t o ache f r om holding his br eat h while t he r est of his body t ur ned num b. His body signaled him t o let go of t he line and kick t o t he sur f ace, but his inner det er m inat ion r ef used t o list en. Shoving t he knif e f or war d unt il it m et t he line, he sawed t he blade back and f or t h wit h al his r em aining ener gy.
The line br oke wit h a t wang t hat was audible under wat er . M im icking t he ot her inf lat able, t he second Zodiac shot t o t he sur f ace like a r ocket , ar ching com plet ely out of t he wat er bef or e splashing down ont o it s hul. Dahlgr en m issed m ost of t he r ide, being jer ked only a f oot or t wo t owar d t he sur f ace bef or e losing his gr ip on t he line. The m om ent um pr opeled his ascent , t hough, and he br oke t he sur f ace gasping f or air as he f lailed t o st ay af loat wit h his f r ozen lim bs.
The t ender was on him inst ant ly as t hr ee set s of ar m s r eached over and plucked him f r om t he wat er . He was br iskly r ubbed dr y wit h an old blanket , t hen dr essed in m ult iple layer s of shir t s and long under wear cont r ibut ed by his f elow cr ew m em ber s. Last ly wedged int o his par ka and boot s, he st ar ed wide- eyed at St enset h while shiver ing incessant ly.
" That 's one cold pond, " he m ut t er ed. " Don't car e t o t r y t hat again. "
St enset h wast ed no t im e, whipping t he t ender alongside t he Zodiacs unt il t heir bow lines could be gr abbed, t hen he gunned t he m ot or . W it h t he Zodiacs bounding in t ow, t he t ender shot acr oss t he open expanse of wat er t owar d t he r apidly dim inishing bow st r uct ur e. The wat er level had cr ept par t way acr oss t he num ber 1 hold hat ch cover , yet t he big vessel st il r ef used t o let go.
The capt ives wer e huddled f or war d of t he hold, cer t ain t hat t he t ender had lef t t hem t o die. W hen t he out boar d m ot or suddenly gr ew louder , t hey peer ed int o t he dar kness wit h anxious hope. Seconds lat er , t he t ender appear ed out of t he gloom wit h t he t wo em pt y Zodiacs in t ow. A f ew of t he m en began t o cheer , and t hen m or e joined in, unt il t he bar ge er upt ed in an em ot ionaly char ged howl of gr at it ude.
St enset h dr ove t he t ender r ight up t he f ace of t he num ber 1 hold, skidding t o a halt as t he t wo Zodiacs r ushed alongside. As t he haggar d m en quickly clim bed in, M ur dock st epped over t o t he t ender .
" G od bless you, " he said, addr essing t he ent ir e cr ew.
" You can t hank t hat f r ozen Texan up f r ont as soon as he st ops shiver ing, " St enset h said. " I n t he m eant im e, I suggest we bot h get away f r om t his behem ot h bef or e she sucks us al under . "
M ur dock nodded and st epped over t o one of t he Zodiacs. The inf lat able boat s wer e f iled in no t im e and quickly pushed away f r om t he bar ge. W it h f looded m ot or s and no paddles, t hey wer e at t he m er cy of t he t ender f or pr opulsion. O ne of t he Nar whal 's cr ew t ossed a t owline t o one of t he Zodiacs while t he ot her inf lat able t ied on in t andem .
The t hr ee boat s dr if t ed of f t he sinking bar ge bef or e St enset h t ook up t he slack and engaged t he out boar d m ot or . Ther e was no linger ing or em ot ional f ar ewel t o t he dying bar ge, which had r epr esent ed only m iser y t o it s m en held capt ive. The t hr ee sm al boat s plowed east , quickly leaving t he st r icken vessel behind in t he f og. W it h nar y a gur gle, t he black leviat han, it s holds near ly f iled t o t he t op, silent ly slipped under t he waves a m om ent lat er .
75

I T'S AS BLACK UP HERE AS THE BO TTO M I S AT A THO USAND f eet . "
Ther e was lit t le exagger at ion in G ior dino's assessm ent of t he scene out of t he subm er sible's view por t . Just m om ent s bef or e, t he Bloodhound had punched t hr ough t he sur f ace am id a boil of f oam and bubbles. The t wo occupant s st il had hopes of f inding t he light s of t he Nar whal t winkling near by but inst ead f ound a cold, dar k sea enshr ouded in a heavy m ist .
" Bet t er t r y t he r adio again bef or e we'r e com plet ely out of juice, " Pit t said.
The subm er sible's bat t er y r eser ves wer e near ly ext inguished, and Pit t want ed t o conser ve t he r em aining power f or t he r adio. He r eached down and puled a lever t hat sealed t he balast t anks closed, t hen shut down t he int er ior air - f ilt r at ion syst em , which was bar ely f unct ioning on low volt age. They would have t o cr ack t he t op hat ch f or f r esh but bit t er ly cold air .
They caled on t he sur f ace, but t heir r adio cals cont inued t o go unanswer ed. Their f aint signals wer e picked up only by t he O t ok and blit hely ignor ed at t he or der of Zak. The Nar whal, t hey wer e now convinced, had vanished f r om t he scene.
" St il, not a wor d, " G ior dino said deject edly. Cont em plat ing t he r adio silence, he asked, " How f r iendly would your pal on t he icebr eaker be if he had a r un- in wit h t he Nar whal ?"
" Not ver y, " Pit t r eplied. " He has a penchant f or blowing t hings up wit h lit t le r egar d f or t he consequences. He's af t er t he r ut henium at al cost s. I f he's aboar d t he icebr eaker , t hen he'l be af t er us as wel. "
" M y m oney says t hat St enset h and Dahlgr en wil be a handf ul. "
I t was lit t le consolat ion t o Pit t . He was t he one who had br ought t he ship her e and it was he who had placed t he cr ew in danger . Not knowing what had happened t o t he ship, he assum ed t he wor st and blam ed him self . G ior dino sensed t he guilt in Pit t 's eyes and t r ied t o change his f ocus.
" Ar e we dead on pr opulsion?" he asked, alr eady knowing t he answer .
" Yes, " Pit t r eplied. " W e'r e at t he m er cy of t he wind and cur r ent now. "
G ior dino gazed out t he view por t . " W onder wher e t he next st op wil be?"
" W it h any luck, we'l get pushed t o one of t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands. But if t he cur r ent t hr ows us ar ound t hem , t hen we could be adr if t f or a while. "
" I f I had known we wer e going t o t ake a cr uise, I would have br ought a good book . . . and m y long under wear . "
Bot h m en wor e only light sweat er s, not ant icipat ing t he need f or anyt hing war m er . W it h t he subm er sible's elect r onic equipm ent shut down, t he int er ior quickly t ur ned chily.
" I 'd set t le f or a r oast beef sandwich and a t equila m yself , " Pit t said.
" Don't even st ar t wit h t he f ood, " G ior dino lam ent ed. He leaned back in his chair and cr ossed his ar m s, t r ying t o m aint ain war m t h. " You know, " he said, " t her e ar e days when t hat cushy leat her chair back in t he headquar t er s of f ice doesn't sound so bad. "
Pit t looked at him wit h a r aised br ow. " Had your f il of days in t he f ield?"
G ior dino gr unt ed, t hen shook his head. " No. I know t he r ealit y is, t he second I set f oot in t hat of f ice, I want back on t he wat er . W hat about you?"
Pit t had cont em plat ed t he quest ion bef or e. He'd paid a heavy pr ice, bot h physicaly and m ent aly, f or his advent ur ous scr apes over t he year s. But he knew he'd never have it any ot her way.
" Lif e's a quest , but I 've always m ade t he quest m y lif e. " He t ur ned t o G ior dino and gr inned. " I guess t hey'l have t o pr y us bot h of f t he cont r ols. "
" I t 's in our blood, I 'm af r aid. "
Helpless t o cont r ol t heir f at e, Pit t sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. Thought s of t he Nar whal and her cr ew scr oled t hr ough his m ind, f olowed by visions of Lor en back in W ashingt on. But m ost ly his m ind kept r et ur ning t o a lone por t r ait of a br oad- shoulder ed m an wit h a m enacing f ace. I t was t he im age of Clay Zak.
76

THE SUBM ERSI BLE PI TCHED AND RO LLED THRO UG H t he choppy seas while dr iven sout h at near ly t hr ee knot s. The Ar ct ic dawn gr adualy em er ged, light ening t he t hick gr ay f og hanging low over t he wat er . W it h lit t le t o do but m onit or t he r adio, t he t wo m en t r ied t o r est , but t he plunging int er ior t em per at ur e soon r ender ed it t oo uncom f or t able f or sleep.
Pit t was adjust ing t he over head hat ch when a scr aping sound f iled t he int er ior and t he subm er sible jar r ed t o a halt .
" Land ho, " G ior dino m um bled, popping open his sleepy eyes.
" Alm ost , " Pit t r eplied, peer ing out t he view por t . A light br eeze blew a sm al opening in t he f og, r evealing a whit e plat eau of ice in f r ont of t hem . The unbr oken expanse disappear ed int o a bilow of m ist a hundr ed f eet away.
" A good bet t her e is land on t he opposit e side of t his ice f ield, " Pit t speculat ed.
" And t hat 's wher e we'l f ind a hot - cof f ee st and?" G ior dino asked, r ubbing his hands t oget her t o keep war m .
" Yes . . . r oughly t wo t housand m iles sout h of her e. " He looked at G ior dino. " W e have t wo opt ions. St ay her e in t he cozy conf ines of our t it anium t ur r et or t ake a cr ack at f inding r elief . The I nuit st il hunt in t he r egion, so t her e could be a set t lem ent near by. I f t he weat her clear s, t her e's always a spor t ing chance of f lagging down a passing ship. " He looked down at his clot hes. " Unf or t unat ely, we'r e not exact ly dr essed f or a cr oss- count r y excur sion. "
G ior dino st r et ched his ar m s and yawned. " Per sonaly, I 'm t ir ed of sit t ing in t his t in can. Let 's go st r et ch our legs and see what 's in t he neighbor hood. "
" Agr eed, " Pit t nodded.
G ior dino m ade one last at t em pt t o cont act t he Nar whal, t hen shut down t he r adio equipm ent . The t wo m en clim bed out of t he t op hat ch and wer e pr om pt ly gr eet ed by an eight - degr ee chil. The bow had wedged t ight ly int o t he t hick sea ice, and t hey wer e easily able t o st ep of f t he subm er sible and ont o t he f r ozen sur f ace. A st if f ening br eeze began t o scat t er t he low- hanging m ist . Not hing but ice lay in f r ont of t hem , so t hey st ar t ed t r udging acr oss t he pack, t he dr y snow cr unching under t heir f eet .
The sea ice was m ost ly f lat , spr inkled by sm al hum m ocks t hat r ose in t iny uplif t s at scat t er ed point s. They had hiked only a shor t dist ance when G ior dino not iced som et hing of f t o his lef t . I t appear ed t o be a sm al snow cave, cr udely car ved int o a r idge of high ice.
" I t looks m an- m ade, " G ior dino said. " M aybe som ebody lef t us a pair of ear m uf f s inside. "
G ior dino walked over t o t he cave's ent r ance, t hen hunched down on one knee and st uck his head in. Pit t appr oached, t hen st opped t o st udy an im pr int in t he snow near by. He st if f ened when he r ecognized t he shape.
" Al, " he whisper ed in a caut ionar y t one.
G ior dino had alr eady hesit at ed. A f ew f eet up t he dar kened passageway, he saw t he cave expanded int o a lar ge den. I nside t he dar kened int er ior , he bar ely dist inguished a lar ge t uf t of whit e f ur r ising and f aling wit h heavy br eat hs. The polar bear was past hiber nat ing but r evisit ing it s wint er haunt f or a spr ing nap. Known f or it s unpr edict abilit y, a hungr y polar bear could easily m ake a m eal out of bot h m en.
I m m ediat ely r ecognizing t he danger , G ior dino silent ly backed out of t he cave. M out hing t he wor d " bear " t o Pit t , t hey hur r iedly m oved away f r om t he cave, st epping light ly on t he ice. W hen t hey wer e wel out of ear shot , G ior dino slowed his gait while t he color r et ur ned t o his pale f ace.
" I only hope t he seals ar e slow and plent if ul in t hese par t s, " he said, shaking his head at t he discover y.
" Yes, I 'd hat e t o see you end up as a t hr ow r ug inside t hat bear 's den, " Pit t r eplied, suppr essing a laugh.
The danger was al t oo r eal, t hey knew, and t hey kept a shar p lookout behind t hem as t hey m oved f ar t her f r om t he sea.
As t he bear cave vanished in t he f og behind t hem , a dar k r ocky r ibbon of land appear ed t hr ough t he m ist ahead. Pat ches of br own and gr ay r ose of f t he near hor izon in a wavy pat t er n of r idges and r avines. They had com e agr ound on t he nor t her n coast of t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands, as Pit t had pr edict ed, landing on W est I sland. Heavy ice, built up f r om t he wint er f loes t hat chur ned down Vict or ia St r ait , clogged t he shor eline in a wide band t hat st r et ched a half m ile wide in som e ar eas. Appr oached f r om t he f r ozen sea, t he bar r en island landscape near ly shr ieked of cold desolat ion.
The t wo m en wer e near ly t o t he shor eline when Pit t st opped in his t r acks. G ior dino t ur ned and saw t he look on Pit t 's f ace, t hen cocked an ear t o t he wind. A f aint cr ackling sound echoed in t he dist ance, accom panied by a dul r um ble. The noise cont inued unabat ed, gr owing louder as t he sour ce dr ew near .
" Def init ely a ship, " G ior dino m ut t er ed.
" An icebr eaker , " Pit t said.
" The icebr eaker ?"
G ior dino's quest ion was answer ed a f ew m inut es lat er when t he hulking pr ow of t he O t ok em er ged f r om t he m ist a hundr ed yar ds of f shor e. I t s high bow cut t hr ough t he f oot - t hick ice like it was pudding, spr aying chunks of f r ozen det r it us in al dir ect ions. As if det ect ing Pit t and G ior dino's pr esence, t he icebr eaker 's r um bling engines slowly quiet ed t o a low idle, and t he vessel gr ound t o a halt against t he buckling ice.
Pit t st ar ed at t he vessel, a sick f eeling gr ipping his f r ozen insides. He had im m ediat ely obser ved t hat t he ship's bow was m ashed blunt , t he obvious r esult of a har d colision. I t was a r ecent blow, as evidenced by sever al of t he st eel plat es being st r ipped of paint by t he im pact and yet t o show any signs of oxidat ion. M or e t eling wer e t he f lecks of t ur quoise paint , which over laid por t ions of t he scr aped and m angled bow.
" She r am m ed t he Nar whal, " Pit t st at ed wit hout speculat ion.
G ior dino nodded, having com e t o t he sam e conclusion. The sight num bed bot h m en, since t hey knew t hat t heir wor st f ear s had been r ealized. The Nar whal was sur ely at t he bot t om of Vict or ia St r ait , along wit h her cr ew. Then G ior dino not iced som et hing near ly as dist ur bing.
" The Nar whal isn't t he only t hing t hat she has r am m ed, " he said. " Look at her hul plat es ar ound t he hawsehole. "
Pit t st udied t he hul, not icing a light gouge m ar k incur r ed dur ing t he colision. The icebr eaker 's r ed hul paint had been scr aped away, r evealing a gr ay under coat ing. A r ect angular pat ch of whit e sur f aced at t he t ailing edge of t he gouge.
" A gr ay war ship in a f or m er lif e?" he vent ur ed.
" How about FFG - 54, t o be exact . A Navy f r igat e of our s known as t he For d. W e passed her in t he Beauf or t Sea a f ew weeks back. The sur vivor s of t he Canadian ice cam p of f er ed a sim ilar descr ipt ion. That sur e as beans looks like a num ber 5 paint ed under neat h in whit e. "
" A quick r epaint in U. S. Navy gr ay and, next t hing you know, you have an int er nat ional incident . "
" Zapping t hr ough t he ice cam p in t he m iddle of a blizzar d wit h t he St ar s and St r ipes f lying, it 's not har d t o see how t he ice lab scient ist s could have been f ooled. The quest ion is, why go t o t he t r ouble?"
" Bet ween t he r ut henium and t he oil and gas r esour ces ar ound her e, I 'd say M it chel G oyet t e want s t o play Ar ct ic ice bar on, " Pit t said. " I t 's a lot easier gam e f or him t o win if t he U. S. pr esence is clear ed f r om t he r egion. "
" W hich, at t he m om ent , is pr et t y m uch down t o you and m e. "
As he spoke, t hr ee m en bundled in black par kas appear ed on t he icebr eaker 's deck and appr oached t he r ail. W it hout hesit at ion, t hey each r aised a St eyr light m achine gun, t r ained t heir sight s on Pit t and G ior dino, and opened f ir e.
77

M I LES TO THE NO RTHEAST, A LO UD SPUTTERI NG and coughing sound r esonat ed over t he waves. G asping f or f uel, t he t ender 's out boar d m ot or wheezed t hr ough it s last f ew dr ops of gasoline, t hen gur gled t o a st op. The m en aboar d r em ained silent as t hey looked at one anot her ner vously. Finaly, t he Nar whal 's helm sm an r aised an em pt y t en- galon gas can int o t he air .
" She's bone- dr y, sir , " he said t o St enset h.
The Nar whal 's capt ain knew it was com ing. They would have m ade it t o shor e had t hey sailed solo. But t he t wo f uly laden Zodiacs t ailing behind had act ed like a sea anchor , sapping t heir f or war d pr ogr ess. Fight ing choppy seas and a st r ong sout her ly cur r ent had not helped m at t er s. But t her e was never a t hought of abandoning t he m en in t he ot her boat s.
" Br eak out t he oar s, a m an t o a side, " St enset h or der ed. " Let 's t r y and hold our heading. "
Leaning over t owar d t he helm sm an, who was an exper t navigat or , he quiet ly asked, " How f ar t o King W iliam I sland, would you est im at e?"
The helm sm an's f ace t wist ed.
" Dif f icult t o gauge our pr ogr ess under t hese condit ions, " he r eplied in a low t one. " I t seem s t o m e t hat we ought t o be wit hin f ive m iles or so of t he island. " He shr ugged his shoulder s slight ly, indicat ing his uncer t aint y.
" M y t hought s as wel, " St enset h r eplied, " t hough I hope we'r e a f ar sight closer . "
The pr ospect of not r eaching land began t o gnaw at his f ear s. The seas had not t ur ned, but he was cer t ain t hat t he br eeze had st if f ened slight ly. Decades at sea had honed his senses t o t he weat her . He could f eel in his bones t hat t he wat er s wer e going t o r oughen a bit m or e. I n t heir pr ecar ious st at e of navigat ion, it would pr obably be enough t o do t hem al in.
He gazed back at t he black inf lat able boat s t r ailing behind in t he m ist . Under t he f aint ly br ight ening dawn, he could begin t o m ake out t he f aces of t he r escued m en. A num ber of t hem wer e in poor shape, he could t el, suf f er ing t he il ef f ect s of pr olonged exposur e. But as a gr oup, t hey wer e a m odel of quiet br aver y, not a one lam ent ing t heir condit ion.
M ur dock caught St enset h's gaze and shout ed out t o him .
" Sir , can you t el us wher e we ar e?"
" Vict or ia St r ait . Just west of King W iliam I sland. W ish I could say t hat a passing cr uise liner is on it s way, but I have t o t el you t hat we'r e on our own. "
" W e'r e gr at ef ul f or t he r escue and f or keeping us af loat . Do you have an ext r a set of oar s?"
" No, I 'm af r aid you ar e st il at our m er cy f or pr opulsion. W e should r each landf al bef or e long, " he caled out in a f alsely opt im ist ic t one.
The Nar whal 's cr ew t ook t ur ns puling at t he oar s, wit h even St enset h wor king a shif t . I t was a labor ious ef f or t t o m ake headway, m ade f r ust r at ing by t he inabilit y t o gauge t heir pr ogr ess in t he m ist y gloom . St enset h occasionaly st r ained his ear s t o det ect t he sound of waves r oling against a shor eline, but al he could hear was t he sound of swels slapping against t he t hr ee boat s.
Tr ue t o his f or ecast , t he seas began t o gr adualy r ise wit h t he st if f ening br eeze. M or e and m or e waves st ar t ed splashing over t he sides of t he t ender , and sever al m en wer e soon assigned bailing det ail t o st em t he f looding. St enset h not ed t hat t he Zodiacs wer e suf f er ing t he sam e f at e, t aking on wat er r epeat edly over t he st er n. The sit uat ion was r apidly becom ing dir e, and t her e was st il no indicat ion t hat t hey wer e anywher e near land.
I t was when a change of oar sm en t ook place t hat a cr ewm an seat ed in t he bow suddenly yeled out .
" Sir , t her e's som et hing in t he wat er . "
St enset h and t he ot her s im m ediat ely gazed f or war d, spot t ing a dar k object at t he edge of t he f og. W hat ever it was, St enset h t hought , he knew it wasn't land.
" I t 's a whale, " som ebody shout ed.
" No, " St enset h m ut t er ed quiet ly, not ing t hat t he object sit t ing low in t he wat er was color ed black and unnat ur aly sm oot h. He looked on suspiciously, obser ving t hat it didn't m ove or m ake a sound.
Then a loud voice, elect r onicaly am plif ied t o t hunder ing pr opor t ions, bur st t hr ough t he f og. Ever y m an jum ped, losing a beat of t he hear t at t he sudden divulgence. Yet t he wor ds cam e f or t h wit h a puzzling sent im ent , incongr uous wit h t he har sh sur r ounding envir onm ent .
" Ahoy, " caled t he invisible voice. " This is t he USS Sant a Fe. Ther e is a hot t oddy and a war m bunk await ing any am ong you t hat can whist le 'Dixie. ' "
78

CLAY ZAK CO ULD NO T BELI EVE HI S EYES.
Af t er disposing of t he NUM A ship, he'd t ur ned t he icebr eaker back t owar d t he Royal G eogr aphical Societ y I slands, t hen r et ir ed t o his cabin. He'd t r ied t o sleep but only r est ed f it f uly, his m ind t oo f ocused on locat ing t he r ut henium . Ret ur ning t o t he br idge af t er just a f ew hour s, he or der ed t he ship t o W est I sland. The vessel plowed t hr ough t he bor der ing sea ice, advancing t o his r evised locat ion of t he r ut henium m ine.
The geologist s wer e r oused f r om t heir bunks as t he ship slowly gr ound t o a halt . A m inut e lat er , t he helm sm an not ed a br ight object at t he edge of t he sea ice.
" I t 's t he subm er sible f r om t he r esear ch ship, " he said.
Zak jum ped t o t he br idge window and st ar ed in disbelief . Sur e enough, t he br ight yelow subm er sible was wedged in t he ice of f t o t heir st ar boar d, just bar ely visible t hr ough t he gr ay f og.
" How can t hey know?" he cur sed, not r ealizing t he subm er sible had dr if t ed t o t he spot of it s own accor d. His hear t began pounding f ast in anger . He alone possessed t he m ining co- op's m ap t o t he I nuit r ut henium . He had just dest r oyed t he pr obing NUM A ship and m oved dir ect ly t o t he sit e. Yet he st il f ound Pit t t her e ahead of him .
The icebr eaker 's capt ain, asleep in his bunk, det ect ed t he halt ing ship and st agger ed t o t he br idge wit h dr oopy eyes.
" I t old you t o st ay out of t he sea ice wit h t hat dam aged bow, " he gr um bled. Receiving a cold glar e in r et ur n, he asked, " Ar e you r eady t o deploy t he geology t eam ?"
Zak ignor ed him as t he execut ive of f icer point ed out t he por t - side window.
" Sir , t her e's t wo m en on t he ice, " he r epor t ed.
Zak st udied t he t wo f igur es, t hen not iceably r elaxed.
" For get t he geologist s, " he said wit h an upt ur ned gr in. " Have m y secur it y t eam r epor t t o m e. Now. "
I T W AS NO T THE f ir st t im e t hat Pit t and G ior dino had been shot at , and t hey r eact ed at t he sight of t he f ir st m uzzle f lash. Scat t er ing as t he f ir st bulet s plinked t he ice just inches away, t hey bot h bolt ed t owar d t he island at a spr int . The uneven sur f ace m ade it dif f icult t o r un but f or ced t hem t o m ove in a nat ur al zigzag pat t er n, cast ing a m or e dif f icult t ar get . W isely split t ing up, t hey angled away f r om each ot her , f or cing t he shoot er s t o choose bet ween t hem .
The t r io of guns echoed a r apid t at - t at - t at - t at as chunks of ice danced of f t he gr ound ar ound t heir f eet . But Pit t and G ior dino had got t en a good jum p, and t he accur acy of t he m ar ksm en waned as t he t wo of t hem dist anced t hem selves f r om t he ship. Bot h m en r an har d t owar d a t hin bank of f og hanging over t he beach. The gr ay m ist event ualy enveloped t hem like a cloak as t hey r eached t he shor eline, r ender ing t hem invisible t o t he gunm en on t he ship.
Pant ing f or air , t he t wo m en appr oached each ot her along an ice- cover ed st r et ch of beach.
" Just what we needed, anot her war m welcom e t o t his f r ozen out post , " G ior dino said, huge clouds of vapor sur ging f r om his m out h.
" Look on t he br ight side, " Pit t gasped. " Ther e wer e a couple of seconds t her e when I f or got how cold it is. "
W it hout hat s, gloves, and par kas, bot h m en wer e cer t if iably f r ozen. The abr upt spr int had got t en t heir blood sur ging, but t heir f aces and ear s t ingled in pain while t heir f inger s had near ly t ur ned num b. The physiological ef f or t t o keep war m was alr eady sapping t heir ener gy r eser ves, and t he shor t r un lef t t hem bot h f eeling weakened.
" Som et hing t els m e our war m ly dr essed new pals wil be along shor t ly, " G ior dino said. " Have a pr ef er ence t o which way we r un?"
Pit t looked up and down t he coast line, his visibilit y lim it ed by t he slowly dissipat ing f og. A st eep r idge appear ed in f r ont of t hem , which appear ed t o r ise higher t o t heir lef t . The r idge eased lower t o t heir r ight , r oling int o anot her , som ewhat r ounder hil.
" W e need t o get of f t he ice so we'r e not leaving t r acks t o f olow. I 'd f eel bet t er t aking t he high gr ound as wel. Looks like our best bet t o m ove inland wil be down t he coast t o our r ight . "
The t wo m en t ook of f at a jog as a br ief gust of f r ozen ice par t icles blast ed t heir f aces. A r ising wind would becom e t heir enem y now, scat t er ing t he f og t hat pr ovided concealm ent . They hugged t he f ace of t he low clif f , appr oaching a st eep, ice- f iled r avine t hat bisect ed t he r idge. Deem ing it im passable, t hey r an on, sear ching f or t he next cut t hat would lead t hem inland. They advanced a half m ile down t he beach when anot her ext ended gust swir led down t he shor eline.
The wind scor ched t heir exposed skin while t heir lungs labor ed t o absor b t he f r ozen air . Just br eat hing becam e an exer cise in agony, but neit her m an slowed his pace. Then t he m et alic r apping of m achine- gun f ir e echoed again, t he bulet s r ipping a seam acr oss t he clif f a f ew yar ds behind t hem .
G lancing over his shoulder , Pit t saw t hat t he gust ing wind had clear ed an opening in t he f og behind t hem . Two m en wer e visible in t he dist ance, advancing in t heir dir ect ion. Zak had split his secur it y t eam int o t hr ee gr oups, angling t hem ashor e in dif f er ent dir ect ions. The duo sent t o t he west had caught a br eak wit h t he wind, exposing t he t wo m en on t he r un.
Up t he coast , Pit t saw anot her bank of f og bilowing t owar d t hem . I f t hey could st ay clear of gunf ir e f or anot her m inut e, t he m oving m ist would conceal t hem again.
" Those guys ar e st ar t ing t o annoy m e, " G ior dino gasped as bot h m en st epped up t heir pace.
" Hopef uly, t hat polar bear is t hinking t he sam e t hing, " Pit t r eplied.
Anot her bur st of f ir e r ipped int o t he ice wel shor t of t hem . The gunm en conceded accur acy by shoot ing on t he r un but wer e not t oo f ar away t o r ip of f a lucky shot . Spr int ing t owar d t he f og, Pit t st udied t he r idge t o his lef t . The clif f dr opped down int o anot her guly just ahead, t his one br oader t han t he ear lier r avine. I t was f iled wit h r ock and ice, but it appear ed t hat t hey could clim b t heir way up it .
" Let 's t r y t o leg up t his next r avine when t he f og blows over , " he gasped.
G ior dino nodded, st r uggling t owar d t he wal of f og, which was st il f if t y yar ds away. Anot her bur st of f ir e chat t er ed int o t he ice, t his t im e st r iking just behind t heir heels. The gunm en had halt ed t heir pur suit t o t ake a clear ly aim ed shot .
" I don't t hink we'r e going t o m ake it , " G ior dino m ut t er ed.
They wer e alm ost t o t he guly, but t he f og st il beckoned in t he dist ance. A f ew yar ds ahead, Pit t not iced a lar ge ver t ical slab of ice- cover ed r ock jut t ing f r om t he r avine. G asping f or br eat h, he sim ply point ed t o it .
The hilside just above t heir heads suddenly er upt ed in debr is as t he gunm en f ound t heir r ange. Bot h m en inst inct ively ducked, t hen st r et ched f or t he r ock slab, diving behind it as a seam of bulet s r ipped up t he gr ound just inches away. Spr awled on t he gr ound, t hey st r uggled t o cat ch t heir br eat h in t he icy air , t heir bodies aching and near ly spent . The gunf ir e ceased as t hey lay concealed f r om t heir pur suer s, while t he wispy edge of t he f ogbank f inaly ar r ived t o enshr oud t heir locat ion.
" I t hink we should clim b her e, " Pit t said, st r uggling t o his f eet . A dar k m ass of icy r ock f iled t he r avine above t hem , but a negot iable gulch r ose t o t he side.
G ior dino nodded, t hen st ood up and st epped t owar d t he slope. He st ar t ed t o clim b, t hen not iced t hat Pit t wasn't m oving. He t ur ned t o f ind his com panion st ar ing up at t he r ock slab and r ubbing a hand acr oss it s sur f ace.
" M aybe not t he best t im e t o be hanging ar ound adm ir ing t he r ocks, " he adm onished.
Pit t t r aced t he slab t owar d t he ice- cover ed hilside, t hen looked up. " I t 's not a r ock, " he said quiet ly. " I t 's a r udder . "
G ior dino looked at Pit t like he was cr azy, t hen f olowed his gaze up t he r avine. O ver head was a dar k m ass of r ock bur ied beneat h a t hin layer of ice. Sur veying t he hilside, G ior dino suddenly f elt his jaw dr op. I t wasn't a m ound of r ock at al, he r ealized wit h ast onishm ent .
Above t hem , em bedded in t he ice, t he m en f ound t hem selves st ar ing at t he wooden black hul of a ninet eent h- cent ur y sailing ship.
79

THE EREBUS STO O D LI KE A FO RG O TTEN RELI C O F a bygone er a. Caught in an ice f loe t hat had separ at ed her f r om her dam aged sist er ship, t he Er ebus had been pushed ont o t he shor e by a m am m ot h car avan of wint er sea ice t hat pr essed down Vict or ia St r ait som e one hundr ed and sixt y year s ear lier . A shipwr eck t hat r ef used t o die at sea, she had been t hr ust int o t he r avine and gr adualy ent om bed in ice.
The ice had encased t he hul and cem ent ed t he por t side of t he ship t o t he st eep hilside. The ship's t hr ee m ast s st il st ood upr ight , t ilt ed at an ir r egular angle and sheat hed in a layer of ice t hat m elded int o t he adjacent r idge. The st ar boar d sides and deck wer e r em ar kably f r ee of ice, however , as Pit t and G ior dino f ound when t hey hiked up t he gulch and clim bed over t he side r ail. The m en gazed in awe, incr edulous t hat t hey wer e pacing t he deck of Fr anklin's f lagship.
" M elt al t he ice and she looks like she could sail back t o England, " G ior dino r em ar ked.
" I f she's car r ying any r ut henium , t hen I m ight consider a side t r ip up t he Pot om ac f ir st , " Pit t r eplied.
" I 'd set t le f or a couple of blanket s and a shot of r um . "
The m en wer e shiver ing nonst op wit h cold, t heir bodies f ight ing t o keep t heir int er nal t em per at ur e f r om dr opping. Each f elt a t ouch of let har gy, and Pit t knew t hey would have t o f ind war m t h soon. He st epped over t o a ladder way af t of t he m ain hat ch and puled of f a cr um bling canvas cover .
" G ot a light ?" he asked G ior dino while peer ing down int o t he dar kened int er ior .
G ior dino puled out a Zippo light er and t ossed it t o him . " I 'l need t hat back if t her e should be any Cuban cigar s aboar d. "
Pit t led t he way down t he st eeply inclined st eps, snapping on t he light er as he r eached t he lower deck. He spot t ed a pair of candle lant er ns m ount ed t o t he bulkhead and ignit ed t heir blackened wicks. The ancient candles st il bur ned st r ong, cast ing a f licker ing or ange glow over t he wood- paneled cor r idor . G ior dino f ound a whale oil lam p hanging on a nail near by, which pr ovided t hem a por t able light .
St epping down t he passageway, t he lam p ilum inat ed a bizar r e scene of m ur der and m ayhem aboar d t he ship. Unlike t he Ter r or , wit h it s spar t an appear ance, t he Er ebus was a m ess. Cr at es, gar bage, and debr is lit t er ed t he cor r idor . Tin cups wer e scat t er ed ever ywher e, while t he dist inct sm el of r um hung in t he air , along wit h a num ber of ot her dank odor s. And t hen t her e wer e t he bodies.
M oving f or war d t o t ake a quick peek in t he cr ew's quar t er s, Pit t and G ior dino wer e m et by a m acabr e pair of shir t less f r ozen m en spr awled on t he deck. O ne had t he side of his skul cr ushed, a bloodied br ick lying near by. The ot her had a lar ge kit chen knif e pr ot r uding f r om his r ib cage. Fr ozen solid and in an eer ie st at e of pr eser vat ion, Pit t could even t el what color eyes t he m en had. I nside t he cr ew's quar t er s, t hey f ound an addit ional ar r ay of bodies in a sim ilar st at e. Pit t couldn't help not icing t hat t he dead m en had a t or m ent ed look about t hem , as if t hey had per ished f r om som et hing m or e t er r ible t han just t he elem ent s.
Pit t and G ior dino spent lit t le t im e exam ining t he gr uesom e scene, backt r acking t o t he ladder wel and descending t o t he or lop deck. They t ook a br eak f r om sear ching f or r ut henium when t hey r eached t he Slop Room . A st or er oom f or t he cr ew's out er wear , t he bay cont ained r acks of boot s, jacket s, caps, and t hick socks. Finding a pair of heavy wool of f icer 's coat s t hat near ly f it t heir f r am es, t he t wo m en bundled int o t he clot hes, adding wat ch caps and m it t ens. At last f eeling a slight sem blance of war m t h, t hey quickly r esum ed t heir sear ch of t he deck.
Like t he deck above, t he or lop deck was a scat t er ed m ess. Em pt y casks and f ood cont ainer s wer e st acked in huge piles, at t est ing t o t he lar ge am ount of f ood st or es once housed on t he ship. They ent er ed t he unlocked Spir it Room , which housed t he ship's supply of alcohol and weapons. Though a r ack of m usket s lay unt ouched, t he r est of t he bay was a m ess, wit h splint er ed r um and br andy casks scat t er ed on t he deck and t in cups ever ywher e. They m oved af t t o f ind lar ge bins t hat housed a por t ion of t he st eam engine's coal. The bins wer e em pt y, but Pit t not iced som e silver y dust and nugget s lying at t he base of one bin. He picked up one of t he nugget s, not ing it was f ar t oo heavy f or coal. G ior dino obser ved a r oled- up bur lap sack near by, kicking it over t o r ead BUSHVELD, SO UTH AFRI CA pr int ed on t he side.
" They had it her e, but it was evident ly al t r aded t o t he I nuit , " Pit t m used, t ossing t he nugget back int o t he bin.
" Then it 's down t o f inding t he ship's log t o r eveal t he sour ce, " G ior dino said.
A f aint shout was suddenly hear d out side t he ship.
" Sounds like our f r iends ar e dr awing near , " G ior dino said. " W e bet t er get m oving. " He t ook a st ep t owar d t he ladder way but not ed Pit t didn't f olow. He could see t he wheels chur ning in Pit t 's m ind.
" You t hink it 's wor t h st aying aboar d?" G ior dino asked.
" I t is if we can give t hem t he war m welcom e t hat I t hink we can, " Pit t r eplied int ent ly.
W aving t he oil lam p, he led G ior dino back t o t he Spir it Room . Set t ing t he lam p on a long ice- cover ed cr at e, he st epped t o a r ack of Br own Bess m usket s he had eyed ear lier . Puling one of f t he r ack, he held it up and exam ined it closely, f inding t he weapon t o be in pr ist ine condit ion.
" I t 's not an aut om at ic, but it should even t he odds a bit , " he said.
" I guess t he pr evious owner won't m ind, " G ior dino r eplied.
Pit t t ur ned ar ound, puzzled at his f r iend's com m ent . He f ound G ior dino point ing at t he cr at e t hat suppor t ed t he lam p. Pit t st epped closer , suddenly r ealizing it was no cr at e but a wooden cof f in suppor t ed by a pair of sawhor ses. The light f r om t he whale oil lam p shim m er ed of f a t in plat e ham m er ed t o t he enlar ged end of t he cof f in. Leaning f or war d, Pit t br ushed of f a layer of loose ice, r evealing a scr ipt of whit e let t er ing hand- paint ed on t he t in. A chil r an up his spine as he r ead t he epit aph.
80
SI R JO HN FRANKLI N
1786 - 1847
HI S SO UL BELO NG S TO THE SEA

ZAK W AI TED UNTI L HI S SECURI TY TEAM HAD closed in on Pit t and G ior dino bef or e leaving t he war m conf ines of t he icebr eaker . Though he had no way of knowing f or sur e whet her eit her m an was Pit t , his inst inct s t old him it was so.
" Thom pson and W hit e t r ailed t hem t r ying t o m ove inland, " r epor t ed one of t he m er cenar ies, who had r et ur ned t o t he ship. " Ther e's an old boat up on shor e t hat t hey appar ent ly clim bed int o. "
" A boat ?" Zak asked.
" Yes, som e old sailing ship. I t 's lodged in a r avine and cover ed wit h ice. "
Zak glanced at t he st olen co- op m ap, which was lying on t he char t t able. Had he m iscalculat ed again? W as it no m ine at al but a ship t hat was t he sour ce of t he I nuit r ut henium ?
" Take m e t o t he ship, " he bar ked. " I 'l go sor t t his out . " The wind st il blew in spor adic gust s, st inging his f ace as t hey t r udged acr oss t he sea ice. The f r eshening winds began t o clear t he gr ound f og, and Zak could see down t he coast line t o wher e sever al of his m en st ood at t he base of a nar r ow bluf f . Ther e was no sign of any ship, and he st ar t ed t o wonder if his secur it y t eam had been out in t he cold t oo long. But when he appr oached t he r avine, he saw t he m assive black hul of t he Er ebus wedged against t he r idge and he st ar ed in wonder m ent . His at t ent ion was diver t ed by one of his appr oaching m en.
" Their t r acks lead up t he gulch. W e'r e pr et t y cer t ain t hey clim bed aboar d t he ship, " said t he m an, t he gap- t oot hed t ough nam ed W hit e.
" Select t wo ot her m en and boar d t he ship, " Zak r eplied, as an addit ional f ive m en gat her ed ar ound him . " The r est of you spr ead out on t he beach, in case t hey t r y t o backt r ack. "
W hit e puled t wo m en aside and began clim bing up t he gulch wit h Zak t r ailing behind. The ice- st r ewn t er r ain r ose t o wit hin a f ew f eet of t he upper deck, r equir ing a shor t clim b up t he hul sides and over t he r ail t o get aboar d. W hit e was t he f ir st t o clim b up, slinging his gun over his shoulder as he scaled t he hul and t hr ew a leg over t he r ailing. As his f oot t ouched t he deck, he looked st r aight acr oss t o f ind a black- hair ed m an st epping up t he ladder way wit h an ar m f ul of old m usket s.
" Fr eeze! " W hit e yeled wit h deaf ening aut hor it y.
But Pit t didn't .
I t was inst ant ly a deadly r ace t o br ing t heir ar m s t o bear , neit her m an hesit at ing a second. W hit e had t he advant age of a sm aler weapon, but he was caught in an awkwar d posit ion wit h one leg st il over t he r ail. He quickly gr abbed at t he gun gr ip and f lipped t he bar r el f or war d but ner vously squeezed t he t r igger bef or e t aking aim . A har m less seam of bulet s r ipped acr oss t he deck and int o a m ound of ice near t he ladder way bef or e a loud pop er upt ed f r om acr oss t he deck.
W it h ner ves as cold as t he ice t hat encom passed t he ship, Pit t had calm ly dr opped al t he weapons but one, puling t he t hick st ock of a loaded Br own Bess m usket t o his shoulder . The gunm an's bulet s r icochet ed of f t he deck near by as he quickly aim ed t he long bar r el, t hen squeezed t he t r igger . I t f elt like m inut es t o Pit t bef or e t he ext er nal per cussion cap ignit ed t he black powder char ge and sent a lead bal blast ing out t he m uzzle.
At shor t r ange, t he Br own Bess was deadly accur at e, and Pit t 's aim held t r ue. The lead bal st r uck W hit e just below t he colar bone, t he im pact t hr owing him clear of f t he r ail. His body car t wheeled over t he side, slam m ing int o t he f r ozen t ur f at Zak's f eet . W it h a conf used look in his eye, he st ar ed up m om ent ar ily at Zak, t hen died.
Zak calously st epped over t he body while puling out his G lock aut om at ic pist ol.
" Take t hem , " he hissed at t he ot her t wo m en, waving his gun at t he ship.
The gun bat t le quickly descended int o a deadly gam e of cat and m ouse. Pit t and G ior dino t ook t ur ns popping out of t he ladder wel and r apidly f ir ing t wo or t hr ee of t he ant ique weapons, ducking bur st s f r om t he incom ing aut om at ic weapons. A heavy pal of sm oke f r om t he bur nt black powder soon obscur ed visibilit y on t he deck, m aking aim dif f icult f or t he shoot er s on bot h sides.
Pit t and G ior dino est ablished an ad hoc r eloading st at ion at t he base of t he ladder way, alowing one m an t o shoot while t he ot her r eloaded addit ional weapons. Pit t had f ound a sm al cask in t he Spir it Room cont aining f ive pounds of black powder , which he car r ied t o t he lower deck. The cask was used t o f il a num ber of sm al hand f lasks, which in t ur n wer e used t o load black powder int o t he m usket s, shot guns, and per cussion pist ols f ound below. I n t he lengt hy r eloading pr ocess f r om t he days of old, t he powder was pour ed int o t he bar r el and com pr essed wit h a r am r od, f olowed by t he lead shot and a layer of wadding, which was r am m ed yet again. Pit t was no st r anger t o f ir ing ant ique weapons and showed G ior dino t he pr oper quant it y of powder and r am m ing t echnique t o speed t he pr ocess. Loading a long- bar r eled m usket t ook half a m inut e, but wit h r epeat ed ef f or t s bot h m en wer e soon r eloading in less t han f if t een seconds. Popping out of t he ladder way, t hey would t hen f ir e singly or in succession, t r ying t o keep t heir opponent s guessing.
Despit e t heir super ior f ir epower , Zak and his m en had a t ough t im e get t ing a clean shot of f . For ced t o clim b up t he hul, t hey had t o gr ab t he side r ail and cower behind it s planking while t r ying t o br ing t heir guns t o bear . Pit t and G ior dino could easily spot t heir m ovem ent s and soon had bloodied t he hands of t he gunm en by splint er ing t he r ail wit h lead. Zak quiet ly m oved in f r ont of t he ot her t wo gunm en, clinging def t ly t o t he out er r ail. He t ur ned and whisper ed t o t he ot her m en bet ween r ounds.
" Rise and f ir e t oget her af t er t he next shot . "
Bot h m en nodded, holding t heir heads down while wait ing f or t he next bur st of m usket f ir e. I t was Pit t 's t ur n t o f ir e, and he cr ouched at op t he ladder way wit h a f lint lock pist ol on t he t op st ep and t wo m usket s acr oss his lap. Shoulder ing one of t he m usket s, he peer ed over t he lip of t he deck, scanning t he side r ail t hr ough t he gun sm oke lef t f r om G ior dino's last shot s. The t op of a black par ka waver ed above a point on t he r ail, and he quickly dr ew a bead on t he t ar get . He wait ed f or a head t o pop up but t he gunm an r ef used t o budge. Deciding t o t est t he st opping power of t he side r ail, Pit t lower ed his aim a f oot and puled t he t r igger .
The shot bor e t hr ough t he aged planking and int o t he calf m uscle of t he gunm an cr ouching behind. But his body was alr eady r eact ing t o t he sound of t he m usket shot , and he r ose wit h his m achine gun t o f ir e. Ten f eet down t he r ail, t he second gunm an f olowed suit .
Thr ough t he black haze, Pit t det ect ed bot h m en r ising and im m ediat ely ducked int o t he ladder way. But as he back- st epped, his inst inct s t ook over , and he gr abbed t he pist ol on t he st ep. As his body ducked below t he deck, his ar m went up wit h t he pist ol. His hand was aligned closer t o t he second gunm en, and he whipped t he bar r el t owar d t he m an's head and quickly squeezed t he t r igger .
A sim ult aneous explosion of lead r ipped acr oss t he sur r ounding deck, blast ing a shower of splint er s on t op of him . His ear s t old him t hat one of t he m achine guns had ceased f ir ing, while t he ot her st il pepper ed t he ladder way. Sinking t o t he lower deck wit h a slight dizziness, he t ur ned t o G ior dino, who was headed up wit h a pair of wood- handled pist ols and a Pur dey shot gun.
" I t hink I got one of t hem , " he said.
G ior dino st opped in m idst ep, not icing a pool of blood gr owing on t he deck next t o Pit t 's f eet .
" You've been hit . "
Pit t looked down, t hen r aised his r ight ar m . A V- shaped hole had been r ipped t hr ough t he sleeve beneat h his lower f or ear m , dr ipping a st eady f low of blood. Pit t squeezed his hand, which st il gr ipped his pist ol.
" M issed t he bone, " he said.
He slipped of f t he wool jacket as G ior dino st epped over and r ipped open t he sleeve on Pit t 's sweat er . Two ugly holes t or e t hr ough t he m eat y par t of his f or ear m , som ehow m issing ner ves and bone. G ior dino quickly t or e st r ips f r om Pit t 's sweat er and wr apped t hem t ight ly ar ound t he wound, t hen helped Pit t back int o his jacket .
" I 'l r eload, " Pit t said, r egaining som e color in his pale f ace. G r it t ing his t eet h, he looked G ior dino in t he eye wit h a det er m ined plea.
" G o f inish t hem of f . "
81

ZAK HAD REM AI NED HI DDEN BEHI ND THE RAI L when his t wo gunm en r ose and f ir ed. Using t heir bar r age as a cover , he t hen st ood and r oled over t he r ail, scur r ying acr oss t he deck t o t he ice- encased f or em ast . He looked af t , but t her e was no way he could m ake a clean shot on t he ladder wel, as a m ound of ice am idships cr eat ed a high bar r ier bet ween t he t wo posit ions.
I t was an absur d sit uat ion, he t hought , being held up by m en ar m ed wit h weapons over a cent ur y and a half old. He had t o adm ir e t heir cunning, which seem ed not iceably absent f r om his own secur it y t eam . He looked f or anot her vant age point f r om which t o f ir e, but , f inding none, he sear ched f or a way belowdecks. He spot t ed t he f or war d hat ch, but it was bur ied under t wo f eet of ice, and t her e was no f or war d ladder way on t he ship. Then he looked up, not icing t hat t he f or em ast was t ilt ed at an awkwar d angle. A cr oss- spar had gr ound ont o t he r idge and jam m ed t he m ast t o st ar boar d. The heavy m ast had cr acked t he deck ar ound it s base, opening a t wo- f oot gash t hat led below.
Had Zak looked back at t he exchange of gunf ir e, he m ight have wit nessed t he deat h of his second gunm an and r econsider ed his next m ove. But he was alr eady t hinking t hr ee st eps ahead as he t ucked t he G lock int o his pocket , t hen lower ed him self t hr ough t he gap in t he deck and dr opped int o t he black int er ior below.
G I O RDI NO CLI M BED CAUTI O USLY TO t he head of t he ladder way and quickly peer ed over t he ledge. The deck was silent , and he caught no sight of any m ovem ent . Then he hear d a cr y, close by but not f r om aboar d t he ship. W it h t he shot gun cocked and at t he r eady, he cr ept out of t he ladder way and t ent at ively st epped t o t he side r ail.
Aside t he ext er ior hul, he obser ved t wo bodies lying f aceup on t he ice. The m er cenar y W hit e, t he f ir st casualt y, lay wit h his eyes st il open, a pool of r ed ar ound his t or so. Beside him was a second gunm an, who had a lar ge hole t hr ough his f or ehead f r om Pit t 's last pist ol shot . G ior dino spot t ed a t hir d m an down on t he beach, who was shout ing f or help. He clut ched his leg and m oved wit h a lim p, t r ailing a t hin st ain of r ed.
G ior dino hear d a noise behind him and t ur ned t o see Pit t clim b uneasily out of t he ladder way, a pist ol in his good hand and a m usket over his shoulder .
" Did we m anage t o scar e t hem of f ?" he asked.
" Thanks t o your eagle- eyed m ar ksm anship, " G ior dino r eplied, m ot ioning over t he r ail at t he t wo dead gunm en. " I 'd say you won t he t ur key shoot t oday. "
Pit t eyed t he bodies wit h lit t le r em or se. Though he f elt no com f or t in kiling anot her m an, he had no pit y f or hir ed m ur der er s, especialy t hose t hat had had a hand in sinking t he Nar whal.
" Sounds like t hey have som e com panions on t he beach, " he said. " They'l be back in f or ce shor t ly. "
" M y t hought s as wel, " G ior dino r eplied. Looking at Pit t 's bloodied sleeve, he gave his f r iend a concer ned look. " No of f ense, but I don't r elish m aking t his old t ub m y per sonal Alam o. "
" Bet t er odds up t he r avine?"
G ior dino nodded. " I t hink it 's t im e t o vacat e t he pr em ises. They could wait unt il dar k and over r un us, or , wor se, set f ir e t o t his m at chbox. Ther e's only so long we can hold out wit h t hese popguns. They'l com e back slow and caut ious, which wil give us som e t im e t o get up t he hil. W e can car r y plent y of shot and powder t o discour age t hem f r om f olowing t oo close. Hopef uly, t hey'l just give up t he chase and let us f r eeze t o deat h on our own, " he added wr yly.
" Ther e's one ot her t hing t hat we'l be needing, " Pit t r em ar ked.
" I can't believe you haven't alr eady absconded wit h it , " G ior dino r eplied wit h a gr in. " The key t o t he whole shebang. The ship's log. "
Pit t sim ply nodded, hoping t he log could be f ound and t hat it s cont ent s would pr ove wor t hy of t he sacr if ices alr eady incur r ed.
" Take a r est , I 'l go f ind it , " G ior dino said, st epping t owar d t he ladder way.
" No, I 'l go, " Pit t r eplied, r ubbing his wounded ar m . " W it h t his m aim ed wing, I 'l have t r ouble aim ing t he long gun if com pany ar r ives. " He slipped t he m usket of f his shoulder and passed it t o G ior dino, along wit h t he pist ol. " G o ahead and shoot wel bef or e you see t he whit es of t heir eyes. "
Pit t clim bed down t he ladder way, f eeling som ewhat dizzy f r om t he loss of blood. M oving af t , he m ade his way down t he passageway t owar d t he of f icer s' quar t er s under t he dim light of t he bulkhead candles he had lit ear lier . The passageway event ualy t ur ned black as he r eached an unexplor ed por t ion of t he ship. He cur sed him self f or f or get t ing t o gr ab t he whale oil lam p and was about t o t ur n back when he not iced a f aint glow ahead in t he dar kness. Taking a f ew st eps f or war d, he saw t hat t her e was a f licker ing light at t he end of t he passage. I t was a light t hat neit her he nor G ior dino had lef t behind.
St epping light ly, he appr oached t he end of t he passageway, which opened int o t he G r eat Cabin. A candle light f licker ed wit hin, cast ing long black shadows on t he bulkheads. Pit t cr ept t o t he door way and peer ed in.
W it h his t eet h glim m er ing under t he am ber light , Clay Zak looked up f r om a lar ge t able at t he cent er of t he r oom wit h a m alicious sm ile.
" Com e on in, M r . Pit t , " he said coldly. " I 've been wait ing f or you. "
82

A DO ZEN YARDS FRO M THE EDG E O F THE SEA I CE, a bear ded seal f r olicked in t he dar k gr een wat er , sear ching f or a st r ay Ar ct ic cod. The gr ay- coat ed m am m al caught sight of a black pr ot r usion r ising out of t he wat er and swam over t o invest igat e. Pr essing a whisker ed snout against t he cold m et al object , it det ect ed no sign of pot ent ial nour ishm ent , so t ur ned and swam away.
Sixt y f eet beneat h t he sur f ace, Com m ander Bar r y Cam pbel chuckled at t he close- up im age of t he seal. Ref ocusing t he viewing lens of t he Type 18 sear ch per iscope at t he r ed- huled icebr eaker a quar t er m ile away, he car ef uly exam ined t he ship. St epping away f r om t he per iscope, he waved over Bil St enset h, who st ood near by in t he USS Sant a Fe's cr am ped cont r ol r oom .
St enset h had t aken an im m ediat e liking t o t he subm ar ine's ener get ic capt ain. W it h sandy hair and bear d, spar kling eyes, and a r eady laugh, Cam pbel r em inded St enset h of a yout hf ul Sant a Claus, pr e bely and whit e hair . A t went y- year Navy m an, t he jovial Cam pbel oper at ed wit h a sense of pur pose. Ther e was no hesit at ion when St enset h ur ged him t o conduct an elect r onic sear ch f or Pit t and G ior dino and t he m issing subm er sible. Cam pbel im m ediat ely pilot ed t he at t ack sub t o t he sout h, wit h it s f ul com plem ent of sonar at play. W hen t he icebr eaker was det ect ed linger ing in t he ar ea, Cam pbel had or der ed t he sub t o dive in or der t o m aint ain it s st ealt h.
St enset h st epped over t o t he per iscope and peer ed t hr ough it s dual eyepiece. A cr yst aline im age of t he r ed icebr eaker bur st t hr ough t he m agnif ied lens. St enset h st udied t he f lat t ened bow of t he vessel, sur pr ised t hat t he dam age wasn't gr eat er f r om it s high- speed colision wit h t he Nar whal.
" Yes, sir , t hat 's t he vessel t hat r am m ed us, " he said m at t er - of - f act ly. Keeping his f ace pr essed against t he eyepiece, he f ocused on a m an in black appr oaching t he ship on f oot . Tr acing his pat h, he obser ved sever al addit ional m en congr egat ed on t he beach.
" Ther e ar e sever al m en on t he shor eline, " he said t o Cam pbel. " They appear ar m ed. "
" Yes, I saw t hem , t oo, " Cam pbel r eplied. " Swing t he per iscope t o your r ight about ninet y degr ees, " he r equest ed.
St enset h obliged, r ot at ing t he per iscope unt il a br ight yelow object blur r ed past . M oving back, he r ef ocused t he lens while a lum p gr ew in his t hr oat . The Bloodhound appear ed t hr ough t he lens wedged against t he sea ice, it s t op hat ch t hr own open.
" That 's our subm er sible. O ur m en Pit t and G ior dino m ust have gone ashor e, " he said, a r ising t one of ur gency in his voice. He st ood up and f aced Cam pbel.
" Capt ain, t he m en on t hat icebr eaker sank m y ship and t r ied t o m ur der t he cr ew of t he Polar Dawn. They'l kil Pit t and G ior dino, t oo, if t hey haven't alr eady. I have t o ask you t o int er vene. "
Cam pbel st if f ened slight ly. " Capt ain St enset h, we sailed int o Vict or ia St r ait f or t he st r ict pur poses of a sear ch- and- r escue m ission. M y or der s ar e clear . I am not t o engage Canadian m ilit ar y f or ces under any cir cum st ances. Any deviat ion wil r equir e a r equest up t he chain of com m and, which wil likely t ake a t went y- f our - hour r esponse. "
The subm ar ine capt ain exhaled deeply, t hen gave St enset h a cr ooked sm ile as his eyes suddenly gleam ed. " O n t he ot her hand, if you t el m e t hat t wo of our own ar e lost in t he elem ent s, t hen it is wit hin m y dut y t o aut hor ize a sear ch- and- r escue m ission. "
" Yes, sir , " St enset h r eplied, r eading his dr if t . " I believe t wo of t he Nar whal's cr ew ar e eit her aboar d t he icebr eaker await ing t r ansf er or ar e ashor e wit hout pr oper f ood, clot hing, or shelt er , and r equir e our assist ance. "
" Capt ain St enset h, I don't know who t hese people ar e, but t hey sur e don't look or act like t he Canadian m ilit ar y t o m e. W e'l go get your NUM A boys. And if t hese joker s int er f er e wit h our r escue ops, I guar ant ee you t hey wil wish t hey hadn't . "
THERE W AS NO W AY Rick Rom an was going t o be denied. Though he and his com m ando t eam wer e sever ely weakened by t heir or deal on t he bar ge, t hey knew t her e was unf inished business t o t ake car e of . W hen wor d f ilt er ed down t hat a SEAL t eam was being assem bled t o sear ch f or Pit t and G ior dino, Rom an pleaded wit h t he Sant a Fe's capt ain t o par t icipat e. Knowing t hat his SEAL t eam was under m anned, Cam pbel r eluct ant ly agr eed. And in a nod t owar d just r et r ibut ion, he let Rom an lead t he t eam t o boar d and sear ch t he icebr eaker .
W it h a hot shower , dr y clot hes, and t wo ext ended t r ips t o t he of f icer s' m ess, Rom an alm ost f elt hum an again. Dr essed in a whit e Ar ct ic assault suit , he st ood assem bled wit h his t eam and t he SEAL com m andos in t he enlist ed m ess ar ea.
" Ever t hought you'd be m aking an am phibious assault of f a nuclear sub?" he asked Bojor quez.
" No, sir . I 'm st il and always wil be a landlubber . Though af t er t ast ing t he chow t hey ser ve t hese squids, I am beginning t o r et hink m y choice about joining t he Ar m y. "
A deck above t hem in t he cont r ol r oom , Com m ander Cam pbel was easing t he subm er ged Sant a Fe t o t he edge of t he ice f ield. He had spot t ed a lar ge hum m ock near by t hat appear ed t o of f er som e m easur e of concealm ent f r om t he dist ant icebr eaker . Dr opping t he per iscope, he wat ched as t he diving of f icer inched t he subm ar ine under t he ice, t hen st opped and gent ly r ose t o t he sur f ace.
W it h uncanny pr ecision, t he Sant a Fe's sail bar ely br oke t hr ough t he ice, pr ot r uding just a f ew f eet above t he sur f ace. Rom an's t eam and a pair of SEALs wer e quickly usher ed out t he br idge and ont o t he adjacent sea ice. Five m inut es lat er , t he sail and m ast s sank out of sight and t he subm ar ine again becam e a phant om of t he deep.
The com m andos quickly split up, t he t wo SEALs m oving t o invest igat e t he Bloodhound, while Rom an and his m en cr ept t owar d t he icebr eaker . The ship was a half m ile away acr oss a m ost ly f lat sheet of ice t hat of f er ed only spor adic r idges and hum m ocks f or concealm ent . I n t heir Ar ct ic whit es, however , t hey blended per f ect ly. M oving m et hodicaly, Rom an appr oached t he vessel f r om t he sea side, t hen cir cled wide ar ound it s bow, having t o avoid t he wat er y lead t hat t ailed t he st er n. Spot t ing a side st air wel t hat dr opped down t he ship's por t hul, he m oved t he t eam wit hin t went y yar ds, t hen ducked behind a sm al r idge. A f ew anxious seconds t icked by when a pair of m en in black par kas descended t he st eps, but t hey t ur ned t owar d shor e wit hout even a glance in t he dir ect ion of Rom an and his t eam .
W it h t heir posit ion secur e, Rom an sat and wait ed as a chil wind r if led over t heir pr one bodies.
83

A DECKHAND PO STI NG W ATCH DUTY O N THE O TO K ' S br idge was t he f ir st t o det ect it .
" Sir , " he caled t o t he capt ain, " t her e's som et hing br eaking up t he ice of f our por t beam . "
Seat ed at t he char t t able dr inking a cup of cof f ee, t he visibly annoyed capt ain r ose and walked slowly t o t he por t br idge window. He ar r ived in t im e t o wit ness a house- sized m ass of ice r ise up and cr um ble as a pair of gr ay- speckled t ubes poked t hr ough t he sur f ace. A second lat er , t he black t ear dr op- shaped sail of t he Sant a Fe bur st t hr ough, scat t er ing shar ds of ice in al dir ect ions.
A 688- I Los Angeles class at t ack subm ar ine, t he Sant a Fe had been m odif ied f or under - t he- ice oper at ions. W it h st r engt hened hul, f air wat er , and m ast com ponent s, she was easily capable of penet r at ing ice t hr ee f eet t hick. Rising f if t y yar ds of f t he O t ok's beam , t he Sant a Fe's f ul hul cr acked t hr ough t he ice f ield, exposing a nar r ow black st r ip of st eel t hr ee hundr ed f eet long.
The O t ok's capt ain st ar ed in disbelief at t he sudden appear ance of t he nuclear war ship. But his m ind began t o r ace when he saw a st eady f low of whit e- clad m en bur st out of t he sub's f or war d hat ch ar m ed wit h m achine guns. He f elt only m inim al solace when he not iced t hat t he ar m ed m en al r aced t owar d t he island r at her t han his ship.
" Q uick, pul up t he dr op st eps, " he shout ed at t he deckhand. Tur ning t o a cr ewm an seat ed at t he r adio set , he bar ked, " Aler t what ever secur it y f or ce is st il aboar d. "
But it was t oo lat e. A second lat er , t he br idge wing door bur st open and t hr ee f igur es dr essed in whit e char ged in. Bef or e t he capt ain could r eact , he f ound t he m uzzle of an assault r if le jam m ed int o his side. W it h a shocked sense of subm ission, he r aised his ar m s, t hen st ar ed int o t he br own eyes of t he t al m an wielding t he weapon.
" W her e . . . wher e did you com e f r om ? " he st am m er ed.
Rick Rom an looked t he capt ain in t he eye, t hen gave him a f r ost y gr in.
" I cam e f r om t hat icebox of a caboose you decided t o sink last night . "
84

ZAK SAT CO M FO RTABLY AT THE HEAD O F THE t hick wooden t able posit ioned in t he cent er of t he G r eat Cabin. A f licker ing candle lant er n on t he t able ilum inat ed a lar ge leat her - bound book pushed t o one side. I n f r ont of Zak was st acked a pile of glass plat es, each t he size of a lar ge post - car d. Lying a f ew inches f r om his r ight hand was his G lock pist ol.
" A r at her r em ar kable old ship, " Zak said, " wit h an int er est ing r ecor d of docum ent at ion. "
" The Er ebus cam e ver y close t o being t he f ir st t o navigat e t he Nor t hwest Passage, Clay, " Pit t r eplied.
Zak's br ow r ose a f r act ion at t he m ent ion of his nam e.
" I see you've done your hom ewor k. Not sur pr ising, I suppose. You ar e quit e an accom plished m an, I have lear ned. And r at her dogged in t he chase. "
Pit t st ar ed at Zak, angr y wit h him self f or not br inging t he per cussion- cap pist ol. W it h an injur ed ar m and no weapon, he was near ly helpless against t he assassin. Per haps if he could st al f or t im e, G ior dino would com e looking ar m ed wit h his shot gun.
" I 'm af r aid t hat al I know about Clay Zak is t hat he is a lousy janit or and enjoys m ur der ing innocent people, " Pit t said coldly.
" Joy doesn't ent er int o it . A necessit y of business, you m ight say. "
" And exact ly what business of your s r equir es r ut henium at any cost ?" Pit t asked.
Zak f lashed a hum or less gr in. " I t is lit t le m or e t han a shiny m et al t o m e. But it is wor t h m uch m or e t o m y em ployer . And it is obviously of st r at egic value t o your count r y. I f one wer e t o pr event t he m iner al f r om f eeding your ar t if icial- phot osynt hesis f act or ies, t hen m y em ployer cont inues t o be a ver y r ich m an. I f he can cont r ol t he supply of r ut henium out r ight , t hen he becom es an even r icher m an. "
" M it chel G oyet t e has m or e m oney t han he could ever hope t o spend. Yet his pat hological gr eed out weighs t he pot ent ial benef it t o m ilions of people ar ound t he wor ld. "
" A sent im ent alist , eh? " Zak said wit h a laugh. " A sur e sign of weakness. "
Pit t ignor ed t he com m ent , st il st aling f or t im e. Zak didn't seem t o not ice or car e t hat t he gunf ir e above deck had ceased. Per haps he assum ed t hat G ior dino had been kiled.
" A pit y t hat t he r ut henium is but a m yt h, " Pit t said. " I t would appear t hat bot h of our ef f or t s have been in vain. "
" You sear ched t he ship?"
Pit t nodded. " Ther e's not hing her e. "
" A clever deduct ion t hat t he I nuit or e had com e of f a ship. How did you r at ionalize t hat ? I was sear ching f or a m ine on t he island. "
" The r ecor ds t hat you neglect ed t o st eal f r om t he M iner s Co- op r ef er r ed t o t he or e as Black Kobluna. The nam e and dat es m at ched up t o Fr anklin's ship Er ebus, but it was a wr ong assum pt ion on m y par t , " Pit t lied.
" Ah, yes, t hat decr epit M iner s Co- op. Appar ent ly, t hey obt ained al t he r ut henium t hat was aboar d. And it was aboar d, " he added wit h a penet r at ing gaze.
Zak picked up one of t he glass plat es and slid it acr oss t he t able. Pit t picked it up and st udied it under t he candlelight . I t was a daguer r eot ype, t he out put of an ear ly phot ogr aphic pr ocess wher eby an im age was capt ur ed on a polished silver sur f ace, t hen encased in glass f or pr ot ect ion. Pit t r ecaled Per lm ut t er 's having m ent ioned t hat Fr anklin had car r ied a daguer r eot ype cam er a on t he expedit ion. The exposed plat e showed a gr oup of Er ebus cr ewm en hauling a num ber of heavy sacks aboar d t hat bulged as if loaded wit h r ocks. A glim pse of t he hor izon behind t he ship showed an ice- cover ed t er r ain, indicat ing t hat t he or e had been t aken on som ewher e in t he Ar ct ic.
" You wer e quit e r ight in your assum pt ion, " Zak said. " The or e was aboar d t he ship. W hich leaves t he quest ion as t o wher e it was m ined. "
He r eached over and pat t ed t he leat her book near t he cent er of t he t able.
" The capt ain was kind enough t o leave t he ship's logbook aboar d, " he said sm ugly. " The sour ce of t he r ut henium would be r ecor ded inside. W hat do you t hink t his book is wor t h, M r . Pit t ? A bilion dolar s?"
Pit t shook his head. " Not t he lives t hat it has alr eady cost . "
" O r t he lives t hat it is about t o cost ?" Zak added wit h a t wist ed gr in.
Beyond t he t hick t im ber s of t he ship's hul, t he sound of aut om at ic gunf ir e suddenly er upt ed. But t he noise was oddly dist ant . I t was clear ly t oo f ar away t o be dir ect ed at t he ship, and t her e was no r et ur n f ir e f r om G ior dino above deck. Ther e wer e also t wo dist inct t ones of f ir e, r epr esent ing dif f er ent t ypes of weaponr y. Som ewher e out on t he ice, a pit ched bat t le was going on bet ween unknown par t ies.
Under t he dim light of t he cabin, Pit t could det ect a subt le look of concer n cr oss Zak's f ace. Ther e was no sign of G ior dino, but t he wheels of det er m inat ion in Pit t 's head had f inaly devised an alt er nat ive gam e plan. Though he f elt f aint f r om loss of blood, he knew t he t im e t o act was now. He m ight not get anot her chance.
He st ood back a bit and lower ed t he glass plat e, as if he was done st udying it . Then he casualy f lipped it back t owar d Zak, or at least at t em pt ed t o m ake it look casual. But inst ead of sliding it acr oss t he t able, he f lung it shar ply a f ew inches above t he sur f ace. And r at her t han aim ing f or Zak, he whipped it t owar d t he candle lant er n in t he cent er of t he t able.
The heavy glass plat e easily sm ashed t hr ough t he side of t he lant er n, scat t er ing glass shar ds acr oss t he t able. But of m or e im por t ance t o Pit t , t he plat e knocked debr is acr oss t he candlewick, ext inguishing t he shor t f lam e t hat bur ned inside. I n an inst ant , t he G r eat Cabin plunged int o t ot al dar kness.
As t he plat e st r uck t he lant er n, Pit t was alr eady on t he m ove. He im m ediat ely dr opped t o t he deck, f aling t o one knee behind t he end of t he t able. Zak was not a f ool, however . The pr of essional assassin had his hand on t he gun even bef or e t he candle f licker ed out . He quickly r aised t he gun and f ir ed at t he opposit e end of t he t able.
The bulet f lew har m lessly over Pit t 's head. I gnor ing t he shot , he placed his hands on t he t wo st ubby t able legs beside him and st ar t ed shoving t he t able t owar d Zak. The assassin f ir ed t wo m or e shot s, using t he m uzzle f lash t o t r y t o locat e Pit t in t he black r oom . Realizing Pit t was shoving t he t able f or war d, he f ir ed at t he f ar t ablet op while t r ying t o r ise f r om his seat . His aim was dead- on, but his m ove t o st and was t oo slow.
A shor t seam of bulet s st r uck t he t ablet op inches f r om Pit t 's head, but t he t hick m ahogany sur f ace devour ed t he lead slugs. Pr ot ect ed by t he har d wood, Pit t pr opeled t he t able wit h r ising m om ent um . Dr iving against t he wooden legs, he buled f or war d wit h ever y ounce of ener gy he could m ust er , ignor ing t he ache in his ar m and t he dizziness in his head.
The f ar edge of t he t able caught Zak in his m idsect ion, t hr owing him back int o his chair bef or e he could get t o his f eet . The pile of glass plat es dum ped on t op of him , disr upt ing his at t em pt s t o keep f ir ing. Pit t cont inued t o dr ive his r ect angular bat t er ing r am , which now t ook Zak wit h it , sliding him backwar d in his chair . Bot h bit s of f ur nit ur e slid sever al f eet unt il t he r ear legs of t he chair st r uck an uneven deck plank. The legs held while t he t able kept com ing, knocking Zak over and backwar d, wher e he f el t o t he deck wit h a cr ash. I n his hand, t he G lock st il bar ked, f ir ing har m lessly int o t he t ablet op even as Zak t um bled over .
Pit t hear d t he cr ash, but it was only t hr ough t he br ief m uzzle f lash t hat he knew Zak was knocked down. He was now exposed t o Zak's f ir e f r om under t he t able, but he didn't hesit at e, even as he hear d t he gun dischar ge again. Digging his shoulder int o t he under side of t he t able, Pit t dr ove his legs int o t he deck and pushed upr ight wit h his last bur st of st r engt h, t ilt ing t he bur ly t able up on it s end, unt il it landed on Zak's legs. Pit t near ly had t he t able t ur ned over when he f elt his lef t leg buckle f r om under him . Lying on his back, Zak had f ir ed t hr ee blind shot s under t he t able, t hen slid his legs f r ee. Two r ounds whizzed by har m lessly but t he t hir d f ound Pit t 's leg, bur ying t he bulet int o his t high. Losing his balance, Pit t quickly shif t ed his weight ont o his r ight leg and leaned int o t he t able.
He was a second t oo lat e. Zak had got t o his knees and def lect ed t he t able t o t he side, shif t ing Pit t 's m om ent um . As t he m assive t able began t o t ot t er , Zak r ose and used his super ior st r engt h t o t wist it aside.
Suddenly lacking in lever age, Pit t was t hr own sideways wit h t he t able, cr ashing int o t he bookshelves in t he st er n. The sound of shat t er ing glass f iled t he dar kened bay as Pit t was f lung int o t he paned shelf door s. He t hen dr opped t o t he deck, f olowed by t he hef t y t able t hat colapsed ont o him wit h a dul t hud. The t able r ipped t hr ough a half dozen bookshelves along t he way, r eleasing a cascade of books and wooden shelves and glass t hat t um bled on t op of t he over t ur ned t able.
Zak st ood near by, br eat hing heavily as he caught his wind, while keeping t he gun point ed at t he t able. But st r aining his ear s, he hear d not a sound. Ther e wer e no gr oans, no shuf f les or m ovem ent s at al f r om Pit t 's bur ied body. As his eyes adjust ed t o t he dar kness, Zak could f aint ly det ect Pit t 's lif eless legs pr ot r uding f r om beneat h t he t able. Scour ing t he f loor ar ound his own f eet , he put his hands on t he heavy ship's logbook. Puling it t o his chest , he st epped caut iously t owar d t he light ed passageway, t hen m oved slowly down t he cor r idor wit hout looking back.
85

ABO VE DECK, G I O RDI NO W AS HAVI NG HI S O W N t r oubles. Af t er a lengt hy br eak in t he act ion, he spot t ed t hr ee new gunm en br oaching t he base of t he r avine under cover . W hile he cr ouched at t he r ail wait ing t o get a clear shot , addit ional gunf ir e br oke out som ewher e on t he ice. Blocked by t he r avine and m ist ing f og, G ior dino had no clue what t he f ir ing was about but not ed t hat it had no ef f ect on t he t hr ee m en advancing t owar d t he ship. He let t hem dr aw closer bef or e popping up wit h t he m usket and f ir ing at t he near est gunm an. The m an dr opped t o t he gr ound at t he sight of t he def ender , and G ior dino's shot just bar ely m issed, t he bulet r ipping har m lessly t hr ough t he m an's par ka. The gunm en lear ned t heir lesson and began t o pr ovide cover ing f ir e alt er nat ely, alowing t he ot her s t o advance. G ior dino m oved along t he ship's r ail, spr out ing up and f ir ing f r om dif f er ent locat ions bef or e having t o duck t he r et ur n f ir e. He wounded one of t he gunm en in t he leg bef or e t he ot her t wo closed on t he ship under com bined f ir e. Em pt ying t he last of his loaded m usket s,
G ior dino was f or ced t o f al back t o t he ladder wel, wonder ing what was t aking Pit t so long. Focused on his own f ir ef ight , he had not not iced t he gunshot s f ir ed below in t he G r eat Cabin.
" Dir k, I need a r eload on t he m usket s, " he shout ed down t he ladder way, but t her e was no answer . He aim ed t he shot gun at t he side r ail, t hen r eadied t wo per cussion- cap pist ols in his lap. Just a f ew m or e shot s and he'd be helpless, unless Pit t ar r ived quickly.
Near t he base of t he ladder way, a t al f igur e slowly waded t hr ough a m ass of ant ique ar m am ent lying on t he deck and peer ed up. G ior dino sat t en f eet above, per ched on t he t op t wo st eps wit h his eyes f ixat ed on t he side r ail. Had he looked down, he pr obably wouldn't have even spot t ed Zak st ar ing at him f r om t he dim ly lit lower deck. Zak cont em plat ed let t ing his secur it y t eam f inish t he job but f igur ed it would be m or e expedient t o kil G ior dino him self . Shif t ing t he ship's logbook int o his lef t ar m , he st eadied his f eet and r aised his aut om at ic pist ol at G ior dino.
He f ailed t o det ect t he sound of pained st eps shuf f ling down t he passageway som ewher e behind him . But he f linched when a loud war ning cr y suddenly echoed down t he cor r idor just as he was about t o squeeze t he t r igger .
" Al! "
Zak t ur ned and gazed down t he passageway in disbelief . St anding beneat h a candle lant er n t went y f eet away and looking like deat h per sonif ied was Dir k Pit t . His f ace was a bloody m ess f r om a dozen glass cut s while an ugly pur ple knot glist ened on his f or ehead. His r ight sleeve was wet wit h cr im son, m at ching his lef t leg, and a bloody t r ail f olowed him down t he cor r idor . He held no weapons and leaned on his good leg wit h a gr im ace of agony on his f ace. But bat t er ed and shot , he st ar ed at Zak wit h com plet e def iance.
" You'r e next , " Zak hissed, t hen t ur ned his f ocus back up t o G ior dino, who had r et ur ned Pit t 's cal but was st il unawar e of t he sit uat ion below. Zak aim ed t he G lock at G ior dino a second t im e but was dist r act ed by a br ight blur t hat f lashed t owar d him . Tur ning t o Pit t , he saw t hat t he wounded m an had hur led t he candle lant er n at him . A weak t hr ow, Zak t hought t o him self , as t he lant er n f el shor t of t he m ar k. He gazed at Pit t and snicker ed wit h a shake of his head as t he lant er n shat t er ed near his f eet .
O nly t he t hr ow wasn't weak. The lant er n st r uck t he deck exact ly wher e Pit t had aim ed it , a f ew inches shy of t he black powder cask t hey wer e using t o r eload t he m usket s. Awash wit h powder spilt f r om t heir r apid r eloadings, t he deck beneat h t he ladder way was an inf er no- in- wait ing. The shat t er ed lant er n im m ediat ely ignit ed t he loose powder in a f lash of sm oke and spar ks t hat f lar ed at Zak's f eet . The assassin inst inct ively r ecoiled, backing away f r om t he f lar e- up while unknowingly m oving closer t o t he black powder cask. An inst ant lat er , a t r ail of black powder bur ned up t o t he cask and it det onat ed in a deaf ening explosion.
The blast r ocked t he ship, shoot ing sm oke and f lam es up and out t he ladder wel. Pit t was knocked t o t he deck and shower ed wit h f lying debr is, m ost of which was absor bed by his heavy wool jacket . W it h his ear s r inging, he wait ed sever al m inut es f or t he sm oke t o clear bef or e lim ping over t o t he ladder way, coughing f r om t he acr id r esidue in t he air . The side bulkheads wer e blown out and a lar ge hole in t he deck now opened t hr ough t o t he or lop deck, but t he r em aining dam age was r elat ively lim it ed.
Pit t saw a boot lying near t he hole and r ealized gr im ly t hat a det ached f oot was st il inside. Looking up, he saw t he boot 's owner a f ew f eet away.
Clay Zak had been blown par t ialy up t he ladder wel, and his m angled body was now em bedded in t he st eps. He hung upside down, his open eyes st ar ing vacant ly of f int o space. Pit t st epped closer and st ar ed at t he dead assassin wit hout pit y.
" I t hink you wer e due f or a blast , " he said t o t he cor pse, t hen t ur ned and peer ed up t he sm oky ladder wel.
86

THE FO RCE O F THE BLACK PO W DER EXPLO SI O N had launched G ior dino up and of f t he t op st eps of t he ladder way, t hr owing him ont o t he deck eight f eet away. His clot hes singed, his lungs bur ning, and his body nicked by a bount y of splint er s and br uises, he had nonet heless sur vived t he blast in one piece. As t he explosion's t hick cloud of black sm oke dr if t ed away f r om t he ship, he st r uggled t o shake of f t he daze. He f ought a pounding in his head and a sym phony of bels r inging in his ear s as he painf uly r oled t o his side. W iping som e gr it f r om his eyes, he st if f ened as one of t he black- clad gunm en poked his head over t he r ail.
G ior dino had lost his weapons in t he explosion and t he gunm an quickly r ealized it . Rising wit hout f ear , he st ood at t he r ail and calm ly swung his m achine gun t o bear on G ior dino.
The bur st was shor t , just f our or f ive shot s. G ior dino could bar ely hear it t hr ough his r inging ear s. Yet he saw t he r esult s. Not a r ipping seam t hr ough his own f lesh or t he deck about him . I nst ead, it was t he gunm an him self who was r upt ur ed by t he shot s. A m out hf ul of blood spiled f r om his lips, and t hen he slowly sunk beneat h t he r ail, dr opping t o t he ice- cover ed gr ound below.
G ior dino st ar ed blankly, hear ing addit ional bur st s of gunf ir e. Then anot her body appear ed at t he r ail, ar m ed like t he last and point ing a gun in his dir ect ion. O nly t his gunm an was dr essed in whit e, wit h an ivor y ski m ask and pr ot ect ive goggles cover ing his ent ir e f ace. A second ar m ed m an in whit e joined him , and t he t wo scaled t he r ail and st epped t owar d G ior dino, t heir guns t r ained on him .
G ior dino was t oo f ocused on t he appr oaching m en t o not ice a t hir d m an appear at t he r ail. The newcom er looked acr oss t he deck at G ior dino, t hen shout ed som et hing at t he ot her t wo m en. I t t ook a second or t wo f or G ior dino's r inging ear s t o decipher t he wor ds.
" Hold your hor ses, Lieut enant , " t he t hir d m an yeled in a f am iliar Texas accent . " That m an is one of our s. "
The t wo Navy SEALs f r om t he Sant a Fe st opped in t heir t r acks but held t heir weapons f ixed unt il Jack Dahlgr en r ushed t o G ior dino's side. G r abbing t he sleeve of G ior dino's ant ique wool jacket and helping him t o his f eet , Dahlgr en couldn't help but ask, " You go and join t he Royal Navy?"
" W e got a lit t le chily when you wer en't ar ound t o pick us out of t he dr ink, " G ior dino m anaged t o r eply, st unned at Dahlgr en's appear ance.
" W her e's Dir k?"
" He was below. That 's wher e t he explosion or iginat ed, " he r eplied wit h a concer ned look.
W incing in pain, G ior dino st agger ed past Dahlgr en t o t he edge of t he ladder way and peer ed down. A f ew f eet below, he saw t he singed and sm oking body of a dar k- hair ed m an spr awled on t he st eps, and he shut his eyes. I t was near ly a m inut e bef or e he could open t hem again, by which t im e Dahlgr en and t he SEALs had cr owded ar ound him . W hen he looked down, he suddenly saw a light waver ing f r om t he deck below. A bloody and bat t er ed Pit t slowly st agger ed int o view at t he base of t he st eps and peer ed up at his f r iend. I n his ar m s, he clut ched a lar ge and slight ly singed leat her book.
" Som ebody got a light ?" he asked wit h a pained gr in.
PI TT W AS I M M EDI ATELY CARRI ED back t o t he Sant a Fe and usher ed int o t he subm ar ine's sick bay wit h G ior dino in t ow. Despit e a sever e loss of blood, Pit t 's injur ies wer e not lif e- t hr eat ening, and his wounds wer e quickly cleaned and bandaged. Though t he ship's sur geon or der ed him t o r em ain in bed, Pit t f ound a cane and was hobbling ar ound t he sub an hour lat er , r eunit ing wit h t he cr ew of t he Nar whal. Lim ping int o t he of f icer s' m ess wit h G ior dino, t hey f ound t he t hr ee capt ains, Cam pbel, M ur dock, and St enset h, seat ed at a t able discussing t he icebr eaker .
" Shouldn't you t wo be bedr idden?" St enset h asked.
" Ther e wil be plent y of t im e t o sleep on t he voyage hom e, " Pit t r eplied. St enset h helped him t o a chair while Cam pbel gr abbed cof f ees, and t he m en swapped t ales of t heir or deals and discover ies.
" You boys f lipping a coin t o see who dr ives t he icebr eaker ?" G ior dino asked a shor t while lat er .
" W e boar ded her st r ict ly t o sear ch f or you t wo, " Cam pbel r eplied. " I had no int ent ion of conf iscat ing her , but t hese gent lem en wer e just t eling m e t he det ails of her f ul r ole in t he Polar Dawn cr ew's abduct ion and t he sinking of t he Nar whal. "
" Ther e's som et hing else you need t o know about her , " Pit t said. " Al?"
G ior dino descr ibed t he under lying coat of gr ay paint on t he icebr eaker 's hul and t he par t ial appear ance of t he num ber 54 in whit e let t er ing.
" I 'd bet t he f ar m she dest r oyed t he Canadian ice cam p while m asquer ading as a Navy f r igat e, " he said.
Cam pbel shook his head. " These people ar e som e ser ious m aniacs. They'r e on t he ver ge of st ar t ing W or ld W ar Thr ee. I guess we've got no choice but t o t ake her t o por t in U. S. wat er s as soon as possible. "
" She's a known Canadian- f lagged ship, so t her e shouldn't be any t r ouble clear ing t he passage, " Pit t said.
" And you've got t wo capt ains r eady and wiling t o t ake her back, " St enset h said, wit h M ur dock nodding in agr eem ent .
" Pir acy it is, t hen, " Cam pbel said wit h a sm ile. " W e'l head f or Anchor age, and I 'l be your under wat er t ail just in case of t r ouble. " He gazed ar ound t he sm al conf ines of t he m ess. " Tr ut h be t old, we'r e a bit over cr owded as it is. "
" W e'l t ake bot h our cr ews t o m an t he ship, " M ur dock said, nodding his head t owar d St enset h. " Capt ain Rom an r epor t ed plent y of em pt y ber t hs on t he icebr eaker . "
" Al and I wil be happy t o accom pany t he icebr eaker , " Pit t said. " Al's claust r ophobic, and I 've got som e r eading t o cat ch upon. "
" Then we have our t r aveling or der s, " Cam pbel agr eed. " I 'l t r ansf er half m y SEAL t eam aboar d t o help wit h secur it y, t hen we can be on our way. "
The t hr ee capt ains excused t hem selves t o or ganize t he cr ews as Pit t and G ior dino f inished t heir cof f ees. G ior dino leaned back in his chair and looked at t he ceiling wit h a br oad sm ile.
" You seem awf ul m er r y, " Pit t r em ar ked.
" You hear d what t he m an said, " G ior dino r eplied. " W e'r e going t o Anchor age. Anchor age, Alaska, " he r epeat ed lovingly. " Sout h of t he Ar ct ic Cir cle. Did ever a place sound so war m and invit ing?" he asked wit h a cont ent ed gr in.
87

THE B- 2 SPI RI T HAD BEEN AI RBO RNE FO R O VER f ive hour s. Taking of f f r om W hit em an Air For ce Base in M issour i, t he wedge- shaped st ealt h bom ber had f lown west on what appear ed t o be a nor m al t r aining f light . But f ive hundr ed m iles out over t he Pacif ic, t he black- and- gr ay air cr af t , which r esem bled a giant m ant a r ay in f light , t ur ned nor t heast , f lying t owar d t he coast of W ashingt on St at e.
" AC- 016 bear ing zer o- seven- eight degr ees, " t he m ission com m ander said in a sof t Car olina accent . " She's r ight on t im e. "
" I 've got her , " r eplied t he pilot .
Tweaking t he t hr ot t les on t he f our t ur bof an jet engines, he banked t he plane by t hr ust unt il m at ching t he f light bear ing, t hen closed in on a sm al whit e t ar get visible out t he cockpit window. Sat isf ied wit h his posit ion, t he pilot backed of f on t he t hr ot t les t o m at ch t he speed of t he leading air cr af t .
Less t han a quar t er m ile ahead and a t housand f eet below was an Air Canada Boeing 777, bound f or Tor ont o f r om Hong Kong. The pilot s aboar d t he com m er cial air liner would have choked had t hey known t hat a bilion- dolar bom ber was t ailing t hem int o Canadian air space.
W it h a near ly invisible r adar signat ur e, t he cr ew of t he B- 2 need not have wor r ied about hiding in t he 777's shadow t o com plet e t heir m ission. But wit h height ened m ilit ar y aler t s on bot h sides of t he bor der , t hey wer e t aking no chances. The bom ber t ailed t he jet liner over Vancouver and acr oss Br it ish Colum bia int o Alber t a. Appr oxim at ely f if t y m iles west of Calgar y, t he Canadian air liner m ade a slight cour se adjust m ent t o t he sout heast . The B- 2 held it s posit ion, t hen veer ed shar ply t o t he nor t heast .
I t s t ar get was t he Canadian For ces Base at Cold Lake, Alber t a, one of t wo Canadian air bases t hat housed F- 18 f ight er jet s. A " quar t er st ick" of seven f ive- hundr ed- pound laser - guided bom bs was t o be dr opped on t he air f ield, wit h t he int ent t o dam age or dest r oy as m any f ight er jet s as possible while m inim izing loss of lif e. W it h no r esponse f r om t he Canadian gover nm ent af t er his t went y- f our - hour adm onit ion, t he Pr esident had elect ed t o halve t he f ir st - st r ike r ecom m endat ion f r om t he Pent agon and pr oceed wit h an at t ack on a single m ilit ar y inst alat ion.
" Eight m inut es t o t ar get , " t he m ission com m ander announced. " Per f or m ing f inal weapons ar m ing now. "
As he cycled t hr ough a com put er ized weapons- cont r ol sequence, an ur gent r adio cal suddenly t r ansm it t ed over t heir headset s.
" Deat h- 52, Deat h- 52, t his is Com m and, " cam e t he unexpect ed cal f r om W hit em an. " You ar e or der ed t o abor t m ission. I r epeat , we have a m ission abor t . Please st and down and acknowledge, over . "
The m ission com m ander acknowledged r eceipt of t he last - m inut e com m and, t hen im m ediat ely cycled down t he bom ber 's ar m am ent s. The pilot slowly r ever sed cour se, f lying back t owar d t he Pacif ic bef or e set t ing a cour se t o t heir hom e air base.
" The boss m an cut it a lit t le close t her e, " t he pilot said a shor t while lat er .
" You'r e t eling m e, " t he m ission com m ander r eplied, a deep sense of r elief in his voice. " That 's one m ission I 'm glad was scr ubbed. "
G azing out at t he Canadian Rockies passing beneat h t heir wings, he added, " I just hope nobody else f inds out how close we r ealy cam e. "
88

BI LL STENSETH LI STENED TO THE DEEP RUM BLE of t he icebr eaker 's power f ul gas t ur bine engines, t hen nodded at t he Nar whal 's helm sm an beside him t o get t he big vessel under way. As t he ship slowly began t o bul it s way t hr ough t he ice, St enset h st epped out ont o t he f r ozen br idge wing and gave a f r iendly salut e t o t he Sant a Fe, st il posit ioned in t he ice a shor t dist ance away. St anding at op t he sail, Com m ander Cam pbel r et ur ned t he gest ur e, t hen pr epar ed his own vessel t o r et ur n t o t he dept hs.
The O t ok t ur ned and f or ged it s way t hr ough t he ice t owar d t he NUM A subm er sible, easing t o a halt just alongside. A pair of cr ewm en wer e let down ont o t he ice, wher e t hey at t ached a lif t ing cable t o t he Bloodhound. A lar ge swing cr ane t hen lif t ed t he subm er sible aboar d t he icebr eaker , deposit ing it in a t ight cor ner on t he st er n deck. I n an adjacent unheat ed st or age shed, t he bodies of Clay Zak and his dead secur it y t eam m er cenar ies wer e laid out , wr apped in m akeshif t canvas body bags.
A shor t dist ance acr oss t he ice, a polar bear st uck his head over a r idge and obser ved t he oper at ions. The sam e bear t hat G ior dino had near ly awakened, it st ood and st ar ed at t he icebr eaker wit h annoyed dist ur bance, t hen t ur ned and padded acr oss t he ice in sear ch of a m eal.
O nce t he Bloodhound was secur ed, t he icebr eaker m oved on again, br eaking int o open wat er m uch t o St enset h's r elief . The ship st eam ed west , on a t ack t hr ough Q ueen M aud G ulf and on t owar d t he Beauf or t Sea. The Sant a Fe had by now slipped under t he ice and t r ailed t he icebr eaker a m ile or t wo behind. St enset h would have been sur pr ised t o lear n t hat by t he t im e t hey'd leave Canadian wat er s, t her e would be no f ewer t han t hr ee Am er ican subm ar ines sailing a silent escor t , while a bevy of long- r ange pat r ol air cr af t m onit or ed t heir pr ogr ess high over head.
Along wit h M ur dock, St enset h enjoyed t he oppor t unit y t o com m and a new vessel. W it h his own cr ew f r om t he Nar whal and m ost of t he Polar Dawn's cr ew aboar d, he was sur r ounded by able assist ant s. The icebr eaker 's f or m er cr ew was saf ely under guar d belowdecks, wat ched closely by t he Sant a Fe's SEAL cont ingent and Rick Rom an's com m ando t eam . Alm ost ever y m an had want ed t o sail hom e on t he icebr eaker , as a show of r et r ibut ion f or t he or deal suf f er ed at t he hands of her cr ew.
O nce t he ship was f r ee of t he sea ice, St enset h t ur ned t owar d a noisy congr egat ion behind him . Cr owded ar ound t he char t t able wit h his bandaged leg pr opped up on a f olding chair , Pit t sat sipping a hot cof f ee. G ior dino and Dahlgr en wer e wedged alongside, wager ing over t he cont ent s of t he t hick leat her logbook t hat sat at t he t able's cent er .
" Ar e you going t o f ind out what 's in t he Er ebus log or cont inue t o t or t ur e m e wit h suspense?" St enset h asked t he t r io.
" The capt ain is r ight , " said G ior dino, who, like Pit t , had an assor t ed ar r ay of bandages t aped t o his f ace. He ginger ly shoved t he logbook over t o Pit t .
" I believe you have t he honor s, " he said.
Pit t looked down wit h expect at ion. The Er ebus logbook was bound in hand- t ooled leat her , wit h an et ching of a globe on t he f r ont cover . The book had r eceived lit t le dam age f r om t he black powder explosion, showing only a f ew sm al bur n m ar ks on t he binding. Zak had held t he logbook opposit e t he powder cask when it exploded, unwit t ingly pr ot ect ing it wit h his body. Pit t had f ound t he book wedged in a st ep beside his m angled cor pse.
Pit t slowly opened t he cover and t ur ned t o t he f ir st f or m al ent r y.
" G oing t o build t he suspense, eh?" St enset h asked.
" Cut t o t he chase, boss, " Dahlgr en im plor ed.
" I knew I should have kept t his in m y cabin, " Pit t r eplied.
W it h pr ying eyes and endless quest ions, he gave up t hought s of digest ing t he jour nal chr onologicaly and skipped t o t he last ent r y.
" 'Apr il 21, 1848, ' " he r ead, silencing t he cr owd. " 'I t is wit h r egr et t hat I m ust abandon t he Er ebus t oday. A por t ion of t he cr ew r em ains in a m aniacal st at e, im posing danger t o t he of f icer s and ot her cr ewm en alike. I t is t he har d silver , I suspect , alt hough I know not why. W it h eleven good m en, I shal em bar k f or t he Ter r or , and t her ewit h await t he spr ing t haw. M ay t he Alm ight y have m er cy on us, and on t he il m en who st ay behind. Capt ain Jam es Fit zjam es. ' "
" The har d silver , " said G ior dino. " That m ust be t he r ut henium . "
" W hy would it cause t he m en t o go cr azy?" Dahlgr en asked.
" Ther e's no r eason t hat it should, " Pit t said, " t hough an old pr ospect or t old m e a sim ilar t ale of lunacy t hat was blam ed on r ut henium . The cr ew of t he Er ebus f aced lead poisoning and bot ulism f r om t heir canned f oods, on t op of scur vy, f r ost bit e, and t he har dship of t hr ee wint er s bound on t he ice. I t m ight have just been an accum ulat ion of f act or s. "
" He seem s t o have m ade an unf or t unat e choice t o leave t he ship, " G ior dino not ed.
" Yes, " Pit t agr eed. " The Ter r or was cr ushed in t he ice, and t hey pr obably f igur ed t he Er ebus would be as wel, so it is easy t o see t heir r at ionale f or going ashor e. But t he Er ebus som ehow r em ained locked in t he ice and was appar ent ly dr iven ashor e som et im e lat er . "
Pit t m oved backwar d t hr ough t he logbook, r eading aloud t he ent r ies f r om t he pr ior weeks and m ont hs. The jour nal t old a dist ur bing t ale t hat quickly silenced t he anxious br idge cr owd. I n t r agic det ail, Fit zjam es wr ot e of Fr anklin's il- f at ed at t em pt t o dash down Vict or ia St r ait in t he waning sum m er days of 1846. The weat her t ur ned r apidly, and bot h ships becam e t r apped in t he unpr ot ect ed sea ice f ar f r om land. Their second Ar ct ic wint er set in, dur ing which Fr anklin becam e il and died. I t was dur ing t his t im e t hat signs of m adness began t o af f lict som e of t he cr ew m em ber s. Cur iously, it was r ecor ded t hat such behavior was not ably absent aboar d t he sist er ship, Ter r or . The Er ebus's cr ew's lunacy and violent behavior cont inued t o pr olif er at e unt il Fit zjam es was f or ced t o t ake his r em aining m en and wit hdr aw t o t he Ter r or .
The ear lier logbook ent r ies t ur ned r out ine, and Pit t began skipping pages unt il f inding a lengt hy ent r y t hat r ef er enced t he har d silver .
" I t hink t his is it , " he said in a low t one, as ever y m an on t he br idge cr owded in close and st ar ed at him silent ly.
" 'August 27, 1845. Posit ion 74. 36. 212 Nor t h, 92. 17. 432 W est . O f f Devon I sland. Seas slight , som e pancake ice, winds west er ly at f ive knot s. Cr ossing Lancast er Sound ahead of Ter r or when lookout spot s sail at 0900. At 1100, appr oached by whaler G over ness Sar ah, Capet own, Sout h Af r ica, Capt ain Em lyn Br own com m anding. Br own r epor t s vessel was dam aged by ice and f or ced int o Sound f or sever al weeks, but is now r epair ed. Cr ew is ver y low on pr ovisions. W e pr ovide t hem one bar r el of f lour , f if t y pounds of salt por k, a sm al quant it y of t inned m eat s, and 1/ 4 cask r um . I t is obser ved t hat m any am ong G . S. 's cr ew exhibit odd behavior and uncout h m anner ism s. I n gr at it ude f or pr ovisions, Capt ain Br own pr ovides t en bags of 'har d silver . ' An unusual or e m ined in Sout h Af r ica, Br own claim s it has excelent heat r et ent ion pr oper t ies. Ship's cr ew has st ar t ed heat ing bucket s of or e on galey st ove and placing under bunks at night , wit h ef f ect ive r esult s.
" 'W e m ake f or Bar r ow St r ait t om or r ow. ' "
Pit t let t he wor ds set t le, t hen slowly r aised his head. A look of disappoint m ent hung on t he f aces of t he m en ar ound him . G ior dino was t he f ir st t o speak.
" Sout h Af r ica, " he r epeat ed slowly. " The bur lap bag we f ound in t he hold. I t was m ar ked Bushveld, Sout h Af r ica. Regr et t ably, it suppor t s t he account . "
" M aybe t hey'r e st il m ining t he st uf f in Af r ica?" Dahlgr en posed.
Pit t shook his head. " I should have r em em ber ed t he nam e. That was one of t he m ines t hat Yaeger checked out . I t essent ialy played out som e f or t y year s ago. "
" So t her e's no r ut henium lef t in t he Ar ct ic, " St enset h said sober ly.
" Nope, " Pit t r eplied, closing t he logbook wit h a look of def eat . " Like Fr anklin, we've pur sued a cold and deadly passage t o nowher e. "
89

EPI LO G UE
THE RO CK

THO UG H FAR FRO M A CREATURE O F HABI T, M I TCHELL G oyet t e did have one conspicuous r it ual. W hile in Vancouver , he lunched ever y Fr iday af t er noon at t he Vict or ia Club. A posh pr ivat e golf club in t he hils nor t h of t own, t he secluded enclave of f er ed a st unning view of Vancouver Har bor f r om it s or nat e clubhouse near t he eight eent h gr een. As a young m an, G oyet t e had his m em ber ship applicat ion uncondit ionaly r eject ed by t he haught y high- societ y icons t hat cont r oled t he club. But he had exact ed r evenge year s lat er when he acquir ed t he golf cour se and club in a m ajor land deal. Pr om pt ly t ossing out al of t he old m em ber s, he'd r epopulat ed t he pr ivat e club wit h banker s, polit icians, and ot her power br oker s whom he could exploit t o augm ent his f or t une. W hen not pr essing t he f lesh t o close a business deal, G oyet t e would r elax over a t hr ee- m ar t ini lunch wit h one of his gir lf r iends in a cor ner boot h over looking t he har bor .
At exact ly f ive m inut es t o noon, G oyet t e's chauf f eur - dr iven M aybach puled up t o t he f r ont guar d gat e and was pr om pt ly waved t hr ough t o t he clubhouse ent r ance. Two blocks down t he r oad, a m an in a whit e panel van wat ched t he M aybach ent er t he gr ounds, t hen st ar t ed his own car . W it h a m agnet ic sign af f ixed t o t he side r eading CO LUM BI A JANI TO RI AL SUPPLY, t he van puled up t o t he guar d gat e. The dr iver , wear ing a wor k hat and sunglasses, r oled down t he window and st uck out a clipboar d t hat had a pr int ed wor k or der at t ached.
" Deliver y f or t he Vict or ia Club, " t he dr iver said in a bor ed voice.
The guar d glanced at t he clipboar d, t hen passed it back wit hout r eading it .
" G o on in, " he r eplied. " Ser vice ent r ance is t o your r ight . "
Tr evor M iler sm iled f aint ly as he t ossed t he clipboar d wit h t he phony wor k or der ont o t he passenger seat .
" Have a good one, " he t old t he guar d, t hen sped on down t he lane.
Tr evor had never im agined t hat t he day would com e when he would be com peled t o t ake t he lif e of anot her . But t he deat h of his br ot her and count less ot her s in t he wake of G oyet t e's indust r ial gr eed was t ant am ount t o m ur der . And t he m ur der s would cont inue, he knew, accom panied by cont inued envir onm ent al devast at ion. Ther e m ight be public r et r ibut ion against G oyet t e's ent it ies, but t he m an him self would always be pr ot ect ed by a veneer of cor r upt polit icians and high- pr iced at t or neys. Ther e was only one way t o put an end t o it and t hat was t o put an end t o G oyet t e. He knew t he syst em was incapable of doing t he job, so he r at ionalized t hat it was up t o him . And who bet t er t o car r y out t he act t han a nondescr ipt st at e em ployee who ar oused lit t le suspicion and had lit t le t o lose?
Tr evor puled t he van ar ound t o t he back of t he clubhouse kit chen, par king next t o a pr oduce t r uck t hat was deliver ing f r esh or ganic veget ables. O pening t he back door , he r em oved a doly, t hen loaded f our heavy boxes ont o t he hand t r uck. W heeling it t hr ough t he back door , he was appr ehended by t he club's head chef , a plum p m an wit h a lazy r ight eye.
" Rest r oom and cleaning supplies, " Tr evor st at ed as t he chef blocked his pat h.
" I t hought we just had a deliver y last week, " t he chef r eplied wit h a puzzled look. Then he waved Tr evor t owar d a set of swinging door s at t he side of t he kit chen.
" Rest r oom s ar e out t he door s and t o t he lef t . The st or age closet is r ight alongside, " he said. " The gener al m anager should be wor king t he r eser vat ions desk. You can get him t o sign f or it . "
Tr evor nodded and pr oceeded out t he kit chen and down a shor t hal, which ended at t he m en's and ladies' r est r oom s. He poked his head inside t he windowless m en's r oom , t hen st epped back out and wait ed unt il a club m em ber in a gold polo shir t exit ed. He wheeled t he doly in and st acked t he boxes ont o t he t oilet seat in t he last st al, t hen closed t he door . He r et ur ned t o t he van and quiet ly wheeled in f our m or e loads, st acking t he addit ional boxes against t he back wal. He opened one of t he boxes and r em oved a por t able space heat er , which he plugged in beneat h a sink but lef t t ur ned of f . He t hen slid one of t he boxes acr oss t he f loor t o t he cent er of t he r oom . Using it as a st ep st ool, he r eached up wit h a wad of paper t owels and unscr ewed half of t he over head light bulbs, cast ing t he bat hr oom in a dim glow. Locat ing t he r oom 's single air - condit ioning vent , he closed t he lever s, t hen sealed t he vent wit h duct t ape.
Sat isf ied wit h his init ial wor k, he st epped int o a st al and t ook of f his hat and unzipped his wor km an's jum psuit . Under neat h, he was dr essed in a silk shir t and dar k slacks. Reaching int o t he opened box, he puled out a blue blazer and dr ess shoes, which he quickly slipped on. Checking him self in a m ir r or , he f igur ed he would easily pass m ust er as a m em ber or guest . He had shaved his t hin bear d and cut his hair shor t , gr easing it back wit h a t em por ar y dye t hat gave it a r aven sheen. He slipped on a pair of st ylish- looking eyeglasses, t hen pr oceeded t o t he clubhouse bar .
The bar and adjacent r est aur ant wer e light ly cr owded wit h businessm en and over dr essed golf er s t aking a noont im e lunch. Cat ching sight of G oyet t e in his cor ner boot h, Tr evor t ook a seat at t he bar t hat of f er ed an unim peded view of t he t ycoon.
" W hat can I get you?" asked t he bar t ender , an at t r act ive wom an wit h shor t black hair .
" A M olson, please. And I wonder if you can send one over t o M r . G oyet t e as wel, " he said, point ing t o t he cor ner .
" Cer t ainly. W hom m ay I say it is f r om ?" she asked.
" Just t el him t he Royal Bank of Canada appr eciat es his business. "
Tr evor wat ched as t he beer was deliver ed and was t hankf ul when G oyet t e m ade no acknowledgm ent or even bot her ed looking t owar d t he bar . G oyet t e was alr eady on his second m ar t ini and downed t he beer as his lunch was ser ved. Tr evor wait ed unt il G oyet t e and his gir lf r iend st ar t ed t heir m eal, t hen he r et ur ned t o t he r est r oom .
Tr evor held t he door open as an old m an exit ed, gr um bling about t he poor light ing, t hen he placed a car dboar d sign on t he out side t hat r ead CLO SED FO R REPAI RS- - PLEASE USE CLUBHO USE RESTRO O M . Ret ur ning inside, he placed a st r ip of yelow caut ion t ape acr oss t he ur inals, t hen slipped on a pair of gloves. W it h a ut ilit y knif e in hand, he went f r om box t o box, slicing open t he seam s and dum ping t he cont ent s upside down. O ut of each box t um bled f our eleven- pound blocks of com m er cial- gr ade dr y ice, f r ozen car bon dioxide, t hat was wr apped in plast ic. Flat t ening t he car dboar d boxes and st ashing t hem in t he end st al, he st acked t he dr y ice ar ound t he back of t he bat hr oom , t hen m et hodicaly shr edded open t heir plast ic wr appings. G aseous vapor began t o r ise im m ediat ely, but Tr evor cover ed t he blocks wit h t he f lat t ened boxes t o lim it t heir m elt ing. Under t he dim light ing, he was r elieved t o see t hat t he vapor was bar ely not iceable.
Checking his wat ch, he hur r iedly placed a sm al t oolbox and his hat and jum psuit near t he door . W it h a penlight and scr ewdr iver , he unscr ewed t he int er ior door handle unt il it hung just bar ely at t ached. Thr owing t he t ools in t he box, he car ef uly opened t he door and r et ur ned t o t he bar .
G oyet t e was near ly done wit h his m eal, but Tr evor sat and casualy or der ed anot her beer , keeping a shar p eye on his int ended vict im . G uf f awing loudly, G oyet t e was ever yt hing t hat Tr evor expect ed t he t ycoon t o be. Vulgar , self ish, and savagely ar r ogant , he was a walking psychiat r ic war d of deep- seat ed insecur it ies. Tr evor looked at t he m an and f ought t he t em pt at ion t o walk over and st ick a but t er knif e in his ear .
G oyet t e f inaly pushed his lunch plat e away f r om his bely and r ose f r om t he t able. Tr evor inst ant ly lef t som e bils f or t he bar m aid and hur r ied down t he hal. Puling t he CLO SED sign f r om t he door , he ducked inside and slipped back int o his jum psuit , just bar ely af f ixing his hat when G oyet t e walked in. Eyeing Tr evor in his wor km an's at t ir e, t he indust r ialist scowled.
" W hy's it so dar k in her e?" he huf f ed. " And wher e's t hat st eam com ing f r om ?" He point ed t o a low cloud of vapor visible at t he back of t he r est r oom .
" Plum bing leak, " Tr evor r eplied. " Condensat ion is cr eat ing t he vapor . I t hink t he leak m ay have shor t ed out som e of t he light s as wel. "
" W el, get it f ixed, " G oyet t e bar ked.
" Yes, sir . Right away. "
Tr evor wat ched G oyet t e as he eyed t he bar r icaded ur inals t hen m ade his way t o t he f ir st st al. As soon as t he door clicked shut , Tr evor st epped over and t ur ned t he por t able heat er on t o HI G H. Then he st r ipped away t he f lat t ened car dboar d boxes, exposing t he st acked blocks of dr y ice. He quickly spr ead a f ew of t he blocks ar ound t he r apidly war m ing r oom , as t he m elt ing vapor began t o quickly r ise.
M oving t o t he door way, Tr evor opened his t oolbox and r et r ieved his scr ewdr iver and a t r iangular r ubber door st op wit h a st r ing at t ached t o t he nar r ow end. Puling t he door open a f ew inches, he inser t ed t he door st op t o hold it in place. He t hen f inished unscr ewing t he int er ior door handle and t ossed it int o t he t oolbox.
Tur ning t o f ace t he int er ior , he could f eel t he t em per at ur e alr eady r ising f r om t he space heat er and, wit h it , t he bilowing clouds of car bon dioxide gas. He hear d t he sound of G oyet t e zipping his pant s and caled out .
" M r . G oyet t e?"
" Yes?" cam e t he r eply in an annoyed voice. " W hat is it ?"
" St eve M iler sends his r egar ds. "
Tr evor st epped t o t he door and t ur ned of f t he light s, t hen sm ashed t he plast ic f lip lever t o bit s wit h t he base of his t oolbox. Slipping out t he door , he knelt down and r ever sed t he door st op, placing it inside t he r est r oom and sliding t he st r ing under t he door . Let t ing t he door close, he yanked t he st r ing f r om t he out side, puling t he r ubber wedge t ight against t he int er ior door .
As he placed t he CLO SED sign back on t he door , he could hear G oyet t e cur sing inside. W it h a gr in of accom plishm ent , Tr evor picked up his t oolbox and exit ed t hr ough t he kit chen. W it hin m inut es, he was of f t he club's gr ounds and headed t owar d a local r ent al- car com pany in neighbor ing Sur r ey.
W it h a sublim at ion t em per at ur e of m inus one hundr ed and nine degr ees Fahr enheit , dr y ice conver t s dir ect ly t o a gaseous st at e at r oom t em per at ur e. The six hundr ed pounds of dr y ice in t he r est r oom began vapor izing r apidly as t he space heat er war m ed t he conf ined space t o over ninet y degr ees. St um bling ar ound blindly in t he dar kened r oom , G oyet t e could f eel a cold dam pness in his lungs wit h each br eat h he t ook. Feeling his way t o t he door wit h incr easing dizziness, he f um bled f or t he light swit ch wit h his lef t hand while r eaching f or t he door handle wit h his r ight . I n a sudden m om ent of t er r if ying com pr ehension, he r ealized t hey wer e bot h absent . Tr ying wit hout success t o wor k t he door open wit h his f inger t ips, he f inaly began pounding his f ist s against t he t hick wood while scr eam ing f or help. He began t o cough as t he air gr ew colder and heavier , and, wit h a f ear f ul sense of panic, he r ealized som et hing was dr eadf uly wr ong.
I t was sever al m inut es bef or e a busboy hear d his cr ies and discover ed t hat t he door was jam m ed f r om t he inside. I t t ook anot her t went y m inut es bef or e a m aint enance wor ker was sum m oned wit h som e t ools t o t ake t he door of f it s hinges. The assem bled cr owd was aghast when a whit e plum e of vapor pour ed out of t he r est r oom and G oyet t e's lif eless body was f ound lying in t he door way.
I t was a week lat er when t he Vancouver Dist r ict Cor oner 's O f f ice r eleased it s aut opsy r epor t , r evealing t hat t he bilionair e had died of asphyxiat ion f r om exposur e t o acut e levels of car bon dioxide.
" Used t o cal it 'chokedam p, ' " t he vet er an m edical exam iner t old r epor t er s at an assem bled pr ess br ief ing. " Haven't seen a case of it in year s. "
90

NEARLY A HUNDRED M EM BERS O F THE M EDI A, m or e t han half f r om t he Canadian pr ess, pushed and jost led on t he Coast G uar d pier in Anchor age as t he O t ok appear ed in t he har bor . The big icebr eaker appr oached slowly, alowing t he pr ess an am ple phot o oppor t unit y t o capt ur e her sm ashed bow and m ult iple paint jobs, bef or e t ying up behind a Coast G uar d cut t er nam ed M ust ang.
The W hit e House and t he Pent agon wast ed no t im e in dif f using t he host ilit y bet ween Canada and t he U. S. , bypassing diplom at ic channels by t aking t heir case dir ect ly t o t he public. Pr ess br ief ings had alr eady been dist r ibut ed, docum ent ing t he O t ok's r ole in dest r oying t he Canadian ice cam p under t he guise of an Am er ican war ship. Enlar ged color phot os of her hul, t aken by t he Sant a Fe, r evealed t he gr ay under coat and t he For d 's num ber 54 hidden beneat h a coat of r ed paint . An eyewit ness had even been pr oduced, who t est if ied about seeing a gr ay ship ent er ing a G oyet t e- owned dr y dock near Kuglukt uk in t he dead of night , only t o r eappear a f ew days lat er paint ed r ed.
The pr ess delight ed in phot ogr aphing t he capt ain and cr ew of t he icebr eaker as t hey wer e m ar ched of f t he ship under ar m ed guar d and placed in im m ediat e cust ody unt il lat er ext r adit ion by t he Royal Canadian M ount ed Police. W or d was quickly leaked of t he cr ew's adm ission t o dest r oying t he ice cam p, as wel as t heir kidnapping of t he Polar Dawn's cr ew.
Capt ain M ur dock and his cr ew t hen m et wit h t he r epor t er s, who wer e st unned t o lear n of t heir abduct ion in Kuglukt uk and t heir near - deat h or deal in t he bar ge. Rom an and St enset h t ook t heir t ur ns at answer ing quest ions unt il t he over whelm ed jour nalist s and br oadcast er s began t r ickling of f t o f ile t heir st or ies. W it hin hour s, a hor de of invest igat ive r epor t er s began descending on Ter r a G r een I ndust r ies t o scr ut inize M it chel G oyet t e's cor r upt act ivit ies in t he Ar ct ic.
The pr ess was long gone when Pit t hobbled of f t he ship wit h a cr ut ch under one ar m . G ior dino walked by his side, hef t ing t wo sm al duf f el bags and t he logbook f r om t he Er ebus. As t hey r eached t he end of t he dock, a slat e- color ed Lincoln Navigat or wit h black- t int ed windows puled up in f r ont of t hem . The dr iver 's window lower ed just a cr ack, r evealing a t hickheaded m an in a cr ew cut who gazed at t hem wit h unblinking eyes.
" The Vice Pr esident r equest s t hat you clim b in back, " t he dr iver said wit hout pleasant r y.
Pit t and G ior dino gave each ot her a look of t r epidat ion, t hen Pit t opened t he r ear door and t hr ew in his cr ut ch, t hen clim bed inside as G ior dino ent er ed f r om t he opposit e door . Sandecker eyed t hem f r om t he f r ont passenger seat , a t hick cigar pr ot r uding f r om his lips.
" Adm ir al, t his is a nice sur pr ise, " G ior dino said wit h his usual sar casm . " But we could have t aken a cab t o t he air por t . "
" I was about t o say t hat I 'm glad t o see you joker s alive, but I m ay have t o r et hink t hat , " Sandecker r eplied.
" I t 's good t o see you, Adm ir al, " Pit t said. " W e wer en't expect ing t o f ind you her e. "
" I pr om ised bot h Lor en and t he Pr esident t hat I 'd get you t wo hom e in one piece. "
He nodded t o t he dr iver , who exit ed t he Coast G uar d st at ion and began dr iving acr oss t he cit y t o t he Anchor age I nt er nat ional Air por t .
" You pr om ised t he Pr esident ?" G ior dino asked.
" Yes. I caught hel when he f ound out t hat t he Nar whal, wit h NUM A's Dir ect or aboar d, was sm ack in t he m iddle of t he Nor t hwest Passage. "
" By t he way, t hanks f or sending in t he Sant a Fe when you did, " Pit t said. " They'r e t he ones who saved our bacon. "
" W e wer e f or t unat e t hat t hey happened t o be in t he nor t her n Ar ct ic and could r each t he ar ea quickly. But t he Pr esident is wel awar e t hat t he Polar Dawn's cr ew would have been lost if you hadn't sailed int o har m 's way. "
" St enset h and Dahlgr en ar e t o t hank f or saving t he Polar Dawn's cr ew, " Pit t r eplied.
" M or e im por t ant , you pegged t he r use of t he icebr eaker . I can't t el you how close we wer e t o a hot f ight wit h t he Canadians. The Pr esident r ight ly cr edit s you wit h aver t ing a m ajor cr isis. "
" Then t he least he can do is f und us a r eplacem ent vessel f or t he Nar whal, " G ior dino said.
The Lincoln m ot or ed down t he r ain- slicked st r eet s, t ur ning past Delaney Par k, a wide st r ip of gr ass and t r ees t hat had been t he cit y's or iginal air f ield. Anchor age I nt er nat ional Air por t had been built lat er on a f lat t o t he sout hwest of downt own.
" How did t he pr ess br ief ings go?" Pit t asked.
" Just as we hoped. The Canadian pr ess is al over t he st or y. They'r e alr eady f ight ing t o get t o O t t awa t o gr il t he Pr im e M inist er over his m ist aken claim s about t he Ar ct ic incident s. He and his par t y wil have no choice but t o f ace t he m usic and r et r act t heir ear lier blam e against us. "
" I cer t ainly hope t his al cat ches up t o M it chel G oyet t e in a big way, " G ior dino said.
" I 'm af r aid it 's t oo lat e f or him , " Sandecker r eplied.
" Too lat e?" G ior dino asked.
" G oyet t e was f ound dead in Vancouver yest er day. He appar ent ly died under m yst er ious cir cum st ances. "
" Just ice ser ved, " Pit t said quiet ly.
" The CI A act ed t hat f ast ?" G ior dino asked.
Sandecker gave him a wit her ing st ar e. " W e had not hing t o do wit h it . "
The Vice Pr esident t ur ned back t o Pit t wit h an anxious look. " Did you f ind t he r ut henium ?"
Pit t shook his head. " Al's got t he Er ebus logbook r ight her e. The Fr anklin r ut henium was r eal, but it was obt ained in t r ade wit h a whaler f r om Sout h Af r ica. Ther e is no r ut henium sour ce in t he Ar ct ic, and t he Sout h Af r ican m ines played out year s ago. I 'm af r aid we cam e up em pt y. "
Ther e was a long silence in t he car .
" W el, we wil just have t o f ind anot her way, " Sandecker f inaly said quiet ly. " At least you f ound Fr anklin, " he added, " and put t o bed a one- hundr ed- and- sixt y- f ive- year - old m yst er y. "
" I just hope he f inaly m akes it hom e him self , " Pit t said solem nly, st ar ing at t he dist ant peaks of t he Chugach M ount ains as t he Lincoln puled alongside Air For ce Two.
91

M I TCHELL G O YETTE'S DEATH DI D LI TTLE TO quel t he m edia t em pest swir ling about his em pir e. A num ber of envir onm ent al r epor t er s had alr eady uncover ed t he car bon dioxide dum ping associat ed wit h t he Kit im at sequest r at ion plant and t he near accident wit h t he Alaskan cr uise ship. I nvest igat or s f r om Canada's Envir onm ent M inist r y had swar m ed t he f acilit y, closing it down and r em oving it s wor ker s as cr im inal and civil char ges against Ter r a G r een wer e pr epar ed. Though it t ook sever al weeks, t he LNG t anker r esponsible f or t he car bon dioxide dum ping was ult im at ely t r acked down t o a Singapor e shipyar d. Local aut hor it ies pr om pt ly im pounded t he G oyet t e- owned ship.
The m ogul's ilicit act ivit ies becam e r epeat ed headline news acr oss bot h Canada and t he U. S. I t wasn't long bef or e t he police invest igat ion int o G oyet t e's year s of cor r upt bidding f or oil, gas, and m iner al r ight s cam e t o light . W it h an im m unit y deal in place f or Resour ces M inist er Jam eson, incr im inat ing det ails began t oppling f or war d like a st r ing of dom inoes. A ser ies of high- dolar wir e t r ansf er s m ade t o t he Pr im e M inist er was exposed, br ibes paid by G oyet t e t o f ur t her t he expansion of car bon sequest r at ion plant s acr oss Canada. The m oney t r ail led t o dozens of ot her under handed deals bet ween G oyet t e and Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t t o joint ly exploit t he count r y's nat ur al r esour ces.
O pposit ion leader s quickly jum ped on t he news account s and invest igat ions, incit ing a f ul- blown wit ch hunt against t he Pr im e M inist er . Alr eady beleaguer ed by his f alse accusat ions in t he Ar ct ic incident s, t he cr im inal alegat ions f el like a t on of br icks. Abandoned of al suppor t , Pr im e M inist er Bar r et t r esigned f r om of f ice a f ew weeks lat er , along wit h m ost of his cabinet . Publicly despised, t he ex- Pr im e M inist er would f ight cr im inal char ges f or year s unt il f inaly agr eeing t o a nonsent encing plea bar gain. His r eput at ion shat t er ed, Bar r et t quiet ly f aded int o obscur it y.
G oyet t e's Ter r a G r een I ndust r ies would f ace a sim ilar dem ise. I nvest igat or s pieced t oget her his st r at egy of dom inat ing t he Ar ct ic r esour ces by expeling t he Am er ican pr esence, m onopolizing t he local t r anspor t at ion, and br ibing his way t o cont r oling r ight s. Beset by cor r upt ion f ines and envir onm ent al penalt ies t hat r ose int o t he hundr eds of m ilions, t he pr ivat e com pany quiet ly f el int o r eceiver ship. Som e of t he com pany's asset s, including t he LNG t anker , t he Vict or ia Club, and G oyet t e's per sonal yacht , wer e sold at public auct ion. M ost of t he ener gy asset s and t he f leet of vessels wer e acquir ed by t he gover nm ent , which oper at ed t he pr oper t ies at cost . O ne icebr eaker and a f leet of bar ges wer e leased t o a nonpr of it f ood bank f or a dolar a year . Relocat ed t o Hudson Bay, t he bar ges hauled sur plus M anit oba wheat t o st ar ving r egions of East Af r ica.
Am ong t he Ter r a G r een f leet holdings, analyst s discover ed a sm al cont ainer ship caled t he Alber t a. An ast ut e t eam of M ount ie invest igat or s pr oved t hat it was t he sam e vessel t hat had r am m ed t he Coast G uar d pat r ol boat Har p in Lancast er St r ait , wit h a f ew let t er s in it s nam e r epaint ed t o r ead At lant a. Like t he cr ew of t he O t ok, t he m en who ser ved aboar d t he Alber t a r eadily t est if ied at t he m er cy of t he cour t t hat t hey wer e act ing on dir ect or der s f r om M it chel G oyet t e.
As m oder at e f or ces of inf luence r egained power in t he Canadian gover nm ent , r elat ions wit h t he U. S. war m ed quickly. The Polar Dawn was quiet ly r et ur ned t o t he Am er icans, along wit h a sm al r em uner at ion f or it s cr ew. The ban on U. S. - f lagged vessels sailing t he Nor t hwest Passage was lif t ed and a st r at egic secur it y agr eem ent signed a shor t t im e lat er . For pur poses of a shar ed m ut ual def ense, t he agr eem ent st at ed, Canada pledged t hat Am er ican m ilit ar y vessels would f or ever be gr ant ed unr est r ict ed t r ansit t hr ough t he passage. M or e im por t ant t o t he Pr esident , t he Canadian gover nm ent opened up access t o t he M elvile Sound gas f ield. W it hin m ont hs, m ajor quant it ies of nat ur al gas wer e f lowing unabat ed t o t he Unit ed St at es, quickly suppr essing t he econom ic disr upt ion caused by t he spike in oil pr ices.
Behind t he scenes, t he FBI and Royal Canadian M ount ed Police joint ly r eopened t heir f iles on Clay Zak. The bom bings at t he G eor ge W ashingt on Univer sit y lab and t he zinc- m ining cam p in t he Ar ct ic wer e easily pinned on him , but his ot her cr im es wer e not so t r aceable. Alt hough suspicions wer e r aised, he was never f uly linked t o Elizabet h Finlay's deat h in Vict or ia. He was, however , suspect ed in a dozen m or e unsolved deat hs involving known opponent s of M it chel G oyet t e. Even t hough he was bur ied in a pauper 's gr ave at t he Nor t h Vancouver Cem et er y, his m ur der ous act ivit ies would keep invest igat or s busy f or year s t o com e.
The only G oyet t e associat e t o successf uly navigat e t he f lood of judicial and m edia pr obes was t he nat ur al r esour ces m inist er , Ar t hur Jam eson. Despit e his deep involvem ent in t he cor r upt ion, Jam eson sur vived t he or deal wit h an odd m ar k of public adm ir at ion. Cont em pt f or G oyet t e was so gr eat , even in deat h, t hat Jam eson's cr im es wer e over looked by his act of t ur ning evidence and blowing open t he ent ir e case.
Resigning his m inist er 's post , Jam eson was of f er ed a pr ovost posit ion at a r espect ed pr ivat e colege in O nt ar io, wher e he was caled upon t o t each a popular cour se in et hics. His st at ur e gr ew as his past m isdeeds wer e event ualy f or got t en, and Jam eson soon em br aced t he scholar ly lif e and a m odest ly downsized lif e- st yle. O nly his f our childr en wer e st ar kly r em inded of his past act ivit ies, when, upon r eaching t he age of t hir t y- f ive, t hey each inher it ed a Caym an I slands t r ust account wor t h t en m ilion dolar s.
As f or G oyet t e him self , he gained lit t le sym pat hy in deat h. His br iber y, vice, and gr eed, as wel as his t ot al disr egar d f or t he envir onm ent al im pact of his pur suit s, cr eat ed a univer sal spit e. The at t it ude per vaded even t he Royal Canadian M ount ed Police, who assigned only a cur sor y invest igat ion int o his deat h. O f f icials knew his m ur der er would be lionized and downplayed t he cir cum st ances of his deat h as pot ent ialy accident al. Public int er est in t he cr im e quickly waned, while int er naly t he police cit ed f ew clues and an endless enem ies list t hat pr ecluded a solut ion t o t he cr im e. W it h lit t le f anf ar e, t he deat h of M it chel G oyet t e quickly becam e a cold case t hat nobody car ed t o solve.
92

AN ELI TE RO YAL NAVY CO LO R G UARD UNI T CARRI ED t he dar k- wood casket down t he st eps of t he neoclassic Anglican chapel and car ef uly placed it ont o an or nat e ninet eent h- cent ur y gun car r iage. The eulogy had been long, as was t he nor m f or a r oyal cer em onial f uner al, wit h obligat or y r em ar ks r ecit ed by t he Pr im e M inist er and t he Pr ince of W ales, am ong ot her not ables. The sent im ent s wer e blust er y and pat r iot ic but not ver y per sonal, f or no one st il living had even known t he deceased.
The f uner al of Sir John Alexander Fr anklin was a gr and and noble af f air and, at t he sam e t im e, an uplif t ing event . The discover y of Fr anklin's body aboar d t he Er ebus had ar oused a nost algic r om ance am ongst t he Br it ish people, r ekindling t he days of glor y when W elingt on com m anded t he gr ound and Nelson r uled t he seas. Fr anklin's exploit s in t he Ar ct ic, a lar gely f or got t en hist or ical f oot not e t o m oder n gener at ions, was r egaled in det ail t o a suddenly ent hr aled public t hat clam or ed f or m or e.
The public f ascinat ion had placed gr eat pr essur e on t he t eam of ar chaeologist s and f or ensic specialist s t asked wit h exam ining t he ship and r et r ieving his body. W or king r ound t he clock, t hey solved t wo key m yst er ies, even bef or e Fr anklin's body ar r ived in London and was placed on view in W est m inst er Abbey.
Though a var iet y of ails cont r ibut ed t o his deat h at age sixt y- one, t he scient ist s det er m ined t hat a case of t uber culosis, easily cont r act ed wit hin t he t ight conf ines of a wint er - bound ship, m ost likely f inished him of f . M or e int r iguing was t he r evelat ion as t o why a lar ge por t ion of t he Er ebus's cr ew had t ur ned m ad. Based on t he account in t he ship's log, which Pit t had sent t o Br it ish aut hor it ies, t he scient ist s t est ed a sam ple of r ut henium f ound in an of f icer 's cabin. Assay t est ing r evealed t hat t he Sout h Af r ican or e cont ained high quant it ies of m er cur y. W hen heat ed on t he cookst ove in bucket s and bedpans, t he or e r eleased t oxic f um es t hat accum ulat ed in t he galey and cr ew's quar t er s. As wit h t he m ad hat t er s of lat er year s, m er cur y poisoning cr eat ed neur ological dam age and psychot ic r eact ions af t er m ont hs of exposur e.
The t r agic m yr iad event s just added t o t he alur e of t he st or y, and t he public f locked t o pay t heir r espect s t o Fr anklin. The gat es of Kensal G r een, an ancient , spr awling cem et er y west of London akin t o For est Lawn, had t o be closed on t he day of his f uner al af t er t hir t y t housand people congr egat ed on it s st or ied gr ounds.
I t was a hot and hum id sum m er day, f ar r em oved f r om t he Ar ct ic condit ions in which he had died. The hor se- dr awn caisson puled slowly away f r om t he chapel, r at t ling over a cobble- st one pat h, as t he st eel- shod hooves of t he black shir e m ar es clacked loudly wit h each dr opped st ep. W it h a long pr ocession f olowing behind on f oot , t he caisson r oled slowly t owar d a secluded sect ion of t he cem et er y cr owned by t ower ing chest nut t r ees. The dr iver puled t o a st op next t o a f am ily plot f r ont ed by an open gat e. A f r eshly dug gr ave lay em pt y alongside a t om b m ar ked LADY JANE FRANKLI N, 1792- 1875.
Fr anklin's beloved wif e, m or e t han anyone, had r esolved t he f at e of t he lost expedit ion. Thr ough t ir eless appeal and expense, she had per sonaly out f it t ed no f ewer t han f ive r elief expedit ions on her own. Scour ing t he Ar ct ic in sear ch of her husband and his ships, t he ear ly expedit ions had f ailed, along wit h t hose sent by t he Br it ish gover nm ent . I t was anot her Ar ct ic explor er , Fr ancis M cClint ock, who had ult im at ely discover ed Fr anklin's f at e. Sailing t he st eam yacht Fox on Lady Fr anklin's behalf , he'd f ound im por t ant r elics and a not e on King W iliam I sland t hat r evealed Fr anklin's deat h in 1847 and t he cr ew's subsequent abandonm ent of t he ships t r apped in t he ice.
I t had t aken one hundr ed and sixt y- eight year s since kissing her good- bye on t he shor es of t he Tham es, but John Fr anklin was r eunit ed wit h his wif e once m or e.
His soul would have been happy f or anot her r eason, as he was laid t o r est beside Jane. W hen a Royal Navy f r igat e had r et r ieved his cof f in f r om t he Er ebus and t r anspor t ed it back t o England, t he ship had t r aveled t he long r out e, t hr ough t he Ber ing St r ait and down t he Pacif ic t o t he Panam a Canal.
I n deat h, if not in lif e, Sir Fr anklin had f inaly sailed t he Nor t hwest Passage.
93

PI TT STARED O UT HI S O FFI CE W I NDO W AT THE PO TO M AC River f ar below, his m ind dr if t ing aim lessly like t he r iver 's cur r ent .
Since r et ur ning f r om t he Ar ct ic, he had been out of sor t s, car r ying a m ild angst m ixed wit h disappoint m ent . Par t of it was his injur ies, he knew. His leg and ar m wounds wer e healing wel, and t he doct or s said he would m ake a f ul r ecover y. Though t he pain was m ost ly absent , he st il hat ed t he loss of m obilit y. He had long since abandoned t he cr ut ch but st il r equir ed t he use of a cane at t im es. G ior dino had light ened t he need by pr oviding a walking st ick t hat cont ained a hidden vial of t equila inside. Lor en had st epped up as wel, per f or m ing her best Flor ence Night ingale r out ine by nur sing him at ever y oppor t unit y. But som et hing st il held him back.
I t was t he f ailur e, he knew. He just wasn't used t o it . The quest f or t he r ut henium had m om ent ous im por t ance, yet he had com e up dr y. He f elt like he had let down not only Lisa Lane but also ever y per son on t he planet . I t wasn't his f ault , of cour se. He'd f olowed t he clues as he f ound t hem , and would have done not hing dif f er ent ly. Cr ack geologist s t hr oughout t he gover nm ent wer e alr eady on t he hunt f or new sour ces of r ut henium , but t he near - t er m pr ospect s wer e gr im . The m iner al just didn't exist in quant it y, and t her e was not hing he could do about it .
His inst inct s had been wr ong f or a change and it gave him doubt s. M aybe he'd been at t he gam e t oo long. M aybe it was t im e f or a younger gener at ion t o t ake t he r eins. Per haps he should go back t o Hawai wit h Lor en and spend his days spear f ishing.
He t r ied t o conceal his m elancholy when a knock cam e t o t he door and he caled f or t he visit or t o ent er .
The door blew open and G ior dino, G unn, and Dahlgr en cam e m ar ching int o his of f ice like t hey owned it . Each m an had a suppr essed gr in on his f ace, and Pit t not iced t hey wer e al hiding som et hing behind t heir backs.
" W el, if it isn't t he t hr ee wise m en. O r wise guys, in t his case, " Pit t said.
" Do you have a m inut e?" G unn asked. " Ther e's som et hing we'd like t o shar e wit h you. "
" M y t im e is your s, " Pit t said, hobbling over t o his desk and t aking a seat . Eyeing t he m en suspiciously, he asked, " W hat is it t hat you ar e al t r ying t o conceal?"
Dahlgr en waved a shor t st ack of plast ic cups t hat he was car r ying.
" Just t hought we'd have a lit t le dr ink, " he explained.
G ior dino puled out a bot t le of cham pagne t hat he was hiding behind his st ubby ar m s.
" I 'm a bit t hir st y m yself , " he added.
" Hasn't anyone t old you about t he r ules r egar ding alcohol in a f eder al building?" Pit t adm onished.
" I seem t o have m isplaced t hose, " G ior dino r eplied. " Jack, do you know anyt hing about t hat ?"
Dahlgr en at t em pt ed t o look dum b and shook his head.
" Al r ight , what is t his al about ?" Pit t asked, losing pat ience wit h t he ant ics.
" I t 's r ealy Jack's doing, " G unn said. " He sor t of saved t he day. "
" You m ean, he saved your r ear , " G ior dino said, gr inning at G unn. He slipped t he f oil of f t he neck of t he cham pagne bot t le and popped t he t op. G r abbing Dahlgr en's cups, he pour ed ever yone a glass.
" I t cam e down t o t he r ock, " G unn t r ied t o explain.
" The r ock . . . " Pit t r epeat ed wit h gr owing suspicion.
" O ne of t he sam ples f r om t he t her m al vent t hat we locat ed of f Alaska, " G ior dino int er ject ed, " just bef or e t he Canadian ice cam p business. W e put al of t he r ock sam ples in a bag t hat Rudi was supposed t o br ing her e t o headquar t er s f or analysis. But he lef t t he bag on t he Nar whal when he depar t ed Tukt oyakt uk. "
" I r em em ber t hat bag, " Pit t r eplied. " Alm ost t r ipped over it ever y t im e I st epped ont o t he br idge. "
" You and m e bot h, " Dahlgr en m ut t er ed.
" W asn't it st il on t he br idge?" Pit t asked.
" W as and is, " G ior dino said. " I t 's st il sit t ing wit h t he Nar whal at t he bot t om of Vict or ia St r ait . "
" That st il doesn't explain t he cham pagne. "
" W el, it seem s our good buddy Jack f ound a r ock in his pocket when he got hom e, " G unn said.
" I 'm r ealy not a klept o, I swear , " Dahlgr en said wit h a gr in. " I t r ipped over t hat bag, t oo, and happened t o pick up one of t he loose r ocks and st ick it in m y pocket . For got al about it unt il I was changing clot hes on t he Sant a Fe and t hought I bet t er hang on t o it . "
" A ver y wise decision, " G unn agr eed.
" I t ook it down t o t he geology lab last week t o have it assayed and t hey caled t his m or ning wit h t he r esult s. "
G unn pr oduced t he r ock sam ple and slid it acr oss t he desk t o Pit t . He picked it up and st udied it , not ing it s heavy weight and dul silver color . His hear t began t o r ace as he r ecaled t he sim ilar char act er ist ics of t he or e sam ple t he old geologist at t he M iner s Co- op had given him .
" I t doesn't look like gold t o m e, " he said t o t he t r io, eyeing t heir r eact ion.
The t hr ee m en looked at one anot her and gr inned. G ior dino f inaly spoke.
" W ould you consider r ut henium ?"
Pit t 's eyes t winkled as he im m ediat ely sat up in his chair . He st udied t he r ock car ef uly, t hen looked at G unn.
" I s it t r ue?" he asked quiet ly.
G unn nodded. " High- gr ade, no less. "
" How do we know if it is t her e in any quant it y?"
" W e puled t he sensor r ecor ds f r om t he Bloodhound and t ook a second look. Though she is not conf igur ed t o sense r ut henium , she can ident if y it s plat inum - based gr ouping. And accor ding t o t he Bloodhound, t he t her m al vent has m or e plat inum and plat inum der ivat ives lying ar ound t han For t Knox has gold. I t 's a sur e bet t hat a signif icant quant it y of t hat plat inum - based or e ar ound t he vent is r ut henium . "
Pit t couldn't believe t he news. He f elt like he'd been inject ed wit h a shot of adr enaline. His whole dem eanor per ked up, and a glist en r et ur ned t o his int eligent gr een eyes.
" Congr at ulat ions, boss, " G unn said. " You've got your ver y own r ut henium m ine a t housand f eet under t he sea. "
Pit t sm iled at t he m en, t hen gr abbed one of t he cham pagnes.
" I t hink I wil dr ink t o t hat , " he said, hoist ing his cup up and t oast ing t he ot her s.
Af t er t hey each t ook a sip, Dahlgr en looked at his glass and nodded.
" You know, " he said in his slow Texas dr awl, " t his st uf f is alm ost as good as Lone St ar . "
94

I T W AS A RARE CLO UDLESS SPRI NG DAY I N KI TI M AT, t he kind t hat t ur ned t he wat er s cer ulean blue and m ade t he cr isp air t ast e of pur e oxygen. O n t he gr ounds of t he f or m er Ter r a G r een sequest r at ion plant , a sm al gr oup of dignit ar ies and m edia r epor t er s was gat her ed f or a r ibbon- cut t ing cer em ony. A cher ub- f aced m an in a beige suit , Canada's newly appoint ed m inist er of nat ur al r esour ces, bounded up t o a podium placed bef or e t he seat ed cr owd.
" Ladies and gent lem en, it is m y dist inct pleasur e t o of f icialy declar e open t he Kit im at Phot osynt hesis St at ion, t he f ir st of it s kind in t he wor ld. As you know, t he Nat ur al Resour ces M inist r y inher it ed t his f acilit y last year , built as a car bon sequest r at ion sit e, under less- t han- ideal cir cum st ances. But I am delight ed t o r epor t t hat t he f acilit y has been successf uly r eengineer ed as t he ver y f ir st ar t if icial- phot osynt hesis conver sion plant in exist ence. The Kit im at Phot osynt hesis St at ion wil saf ely and ef f icient ly conver t car bon dioxide t o wat er and hydr ogen wit hout any r isk t o t he envir onm ent . W e ar e excit ed t hat t he plant can use t he exist ing pipeline t o At habasca t o conver t near ly t en per cent of t he car bon dioxide gener at ed f r om t he oil sands r ef iner ies. Her e t oday we have t he pr ot ot ype f or a new weapon against at m ospher ic polut ant s, and ult im at ely global war m ing. "
The assem bled cr owd, including m any Kit im at r esident s, applauded loudly. The r esour ces m inist er sm iled br oadly bef or e cont inuing.
" Like any hist or ic vent ur e, t his f acilit y conver sion was accom plished by t he wor k of a gr eat m any people. I t has also been one of t he m or e f r uit f ul colabor at ive ef f or t s t hat I have ever wit nessed. The joint vent ur e bet ween t he Nat ur al Resour ces M inist r y, t he Unit ed St at es Depar t m ent of Ener gy, and G eor ge W ashingt on Univer sit y st ands as a t est am ent t o t he gr eat t hings t hat can be accom plished in t he pur suit of t he com m on good. I would like t o especialy r ecognize t he achievem ent s of M iss Lisa Lane, f or whom cr edit can be given f or t he genesis of t his f acilit y. "
Seat ed in t he f ir st r ow, Lisa waved t o t he cr owd while blushing deeply.
" I see m om ent ous changes f or al of m ankind her e t oday, and I look f or war d t o t he dawn of a new wor ld f r om our hum ble beginnings her e in Kit im at . Thank you. "
The cr owd applauded again, t hen sat t hr ough t he or at ions of sever al m or e polit icians bef or e a lar ge cer em onial r ibbon was cut f or t he cam er as. As t he speeches ended, t he r esour ces m inist er st epped over t o t he f r ont r ow wher e Pit t and Lor en wer e seat ed next t o Lisa.
" M iss Lane, it is good t o see you again, " he gr eet ed war m ly. " This m ust be a ver y excit ing day f or you. "
" I t cer t ainly is. I would not have im agined t hat a wor king ar t if icial- phot osynt hesis f acilit y would com e on line so r apidly, " she said.
" Your Pr esident and our new Pr im e M inist er showed gr eat wil in m oving t hings f or war d. "
" M inist er , I would like you t o m eet m y dear f r iend Congr esswom an Lor en Sm it h, and her husband, Dir k Pit t . "
" A pleasur e t o m eet you bot h. M r . Pit t , it was you who r ecom m ended conver t ing t he sequest r at ion plant , was it not ?"
" I t was m y kids' idea, act ualy, " he said, point ing t o Dir k and Sum m er , who wer e m aking t heir way t o t he bar . " W e al f igur ed t hat a posit ive light m ight be shone on one of M it chel G oyet t e's past sins. "
The m inist er shudder ed at t he m ent ion of G oyet t e's nam e but soon sm iled again. " Your discover y has pr oved a blessing on m any f r ont s, M iss Lane, " he said t o Lisa. " W e'l be able t o expand our oil sands oper at ions in At habasca now, as addit ional phot osynt hesis f acilit ies ar e br ought online t o capt ur e t he gr eenhouse gas em issions. That wil go a long way in abat ing oil shor t ages in bot h our count r ies. I am pushing t he Pr im e M inist er t o aut hor ize f unding f or t went y m or e plant s. How ar e t hings pr ogr essing in t he St at es?"
" Thanks t o t he ef f or t s of Lor en and t he Vice Pr esident , t hir t y plant s have been f unded, wit h plans f or an addit ional f if t y f acilit ies t o be built over t he next t hr ee year s. W e ar e st ar t ing wit h our coal- f ir ed power plant s, which em it t he m ost polut ion. Ther e is excit em ent t hat we wil f inaly be able t o saf ely bur n coal, f ueling our ut ilit ies f or decades t o com e. "
" Per haps as im por t ant , we have a signed agr eem ent wit h t he Chinese as wel, " Lor en said. " They have pr om ised t o build sevent y- f ive plant s over t he next eight year s. "
" M y, t hat is good news, since t he Chinese ar e now t he lar gest em it t er s of gr eenhouse gases. I t 's a f or t unat e t hing t hat t he t echnology is easily r eplicat ed, " t he m inist er said.
" And t hat we have an abundant supply of t he cat alyst t o m ake t he pr ocess wor k, " Lisa added. " I f M r . Pit t 's NUM A or ganizat ion hadn't m ade t he discover y of r ut henium of f t he coast of Alaska, none of t his would be possible. "
" A lucky br eak, " Pit t acknowledged. " O ur under sea m ining oper at ion is now up and r unning, and t he yield is ver y encour aging so f ar . W e hope t o m ine enough of t he m iner al t o supply t housands of plant s like t his ar ound t he wor ld. "
" Then we can look f or war d t o a possible end t o global war m ing in our lif et im e. A r em ar kable accom plishm ent , " t he m inist er said, bef or e being puled aside by an aide.
" I t looks like your days of scient if ic anonym it y ar e over , " Lor en quipped t o Lisa.
" I t is al excit ing, but t he t r ut h is I 'd r at her be back in t he lab. Ther e ar e plent y of r ef inem ent s t hat can be m ade, and we st il haven't per f ect ed t he ef f icient conver sion t o hydr ogen yet . Thankf uly, I 've got a new and even bet t er lab at t he univer sit y. Now I just need t o f ind a new lab assist ant . "
" Bob has been of f icialy char ged?" Lor en asked.
" Yes. He had over t wo hundr ed t housand dolar s in var ious places t hat wer e t r aced back t o G oyet t e. I can't believe t hat m y own f r iend sold m e out . "
" As G oyet t e pr oved, unm it igat ed gr eed wil cat ch up t o you in t he end. "
A hor de of r epor t er s suddenly appear ed, sur r ounding Lisa and bar r aging her wit h quest ions about t he f acilit y and her scient if ic discover y. Pit t and Lor en slipped of f t o t he side, t hen st r oled acr oss t he gr ounds. Pit t had r ecover ed f uly f r om his injur ies and enjoyed st r et ching his legs out door s.
" I t 's so beaut if ul her e, " Lor en r em ar ked. " W e should st ay a f ew ext r a days. "
" You f or get your congr essional panel hear ings next week. Besides, I need t o get back t o W ashingt on and r ide r oughshod over Al and Jack. W e have a new subm er sible t o t est in t he M edit er r anean next m ont h t hat we need t o pr epar e f or . "
" Alr eady on t o t he next pr oject , I see. "
Pit t sim ply nodded, a t winkle in his gr een eyes. " As som ebody once said, it 's in m y blood. "
They walked past t he f acilit y unt il r eaching t he shor eline.
" You know, t her e is a pot ent ial downside t o t his t echnology, " she not ed. " I f global war m ing can one day be r ever sed, t he Nor t hwest Passage is liable t o per m anent ly f r eeze over again. "
Pit t st ar ed out at t he near by channel.
" I t hink Fr anklin would agr ee wit h m e; t hat 's as it should be. "
ACRO SS THE CO M PO UND, a whit e boat m ot or ed up t o t he channel f r ont dock and t ied up behind a r ent ed pr ess boat . Tr evor M iler st epped ont o t he pier and st udied t he lar ge cr owd spr ead acr oss t he gr ounds bef or e spot t ing a t al wom an wit h f lowing r ed hair . Snat ching a beer along t he way, he walked up t o Dir k and Sum m er , who st ood laughing near t he f or m er secur it y hut .
" M ind if I st eal your sist er ?" he said t o Dir k.
Sum m er t ur ned t o him wit h a look of r elief , t hen quickly kissed him .
" You'r e lat e, " she said.
" I had t o put gas in m y new boat , " he t r ied t o explain.
Dir k looked at him wit h a gr in. " G o ahead and t ake m y sist er . Keep her f or as long as you like. "
Tr evor walked Sum m er back t o t he boat and r eleased t he dock line. G unning t he t hr ot t le, he shot of f t he dock and was soon r acing down Douglas Channel. He r an t he boat al t he way t o Hecat e St r ait bef or e cut t ing t he m ot or and let t ing t he boat dr if t as t he sky over head began t o dar ken. Slipping an ar m ar ound Sum m er , he m oved t o t he st er n wit h her at his side and looked out t owar d G il I sland. They st ood t oget her , st ar ing acr oss t he calm wat er s f or a long while.
" The best and wor st t hings in m y lif e seem t o happen out her e, " he f inaly whisper ed in her ear .
She slipped an ar m ar ound his waist and held him t ight as t hey wat ched t he cr im son sun sink slowly beneat h t he hor izon.
95
TEN M O NTHS LATER

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Dedicat ion
PART I - DEVI L'S BREATH
Chapt er 1 - APRI L 2011 THE I NSI DE PASSAG E BRI TI SH CO LUM BI A
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EPI LO G UE - THE RO CK
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