“Yeah.” His jaw tensed up as he realized the importance of what they carried on board. “We’ve got the tubes, on ice, and possibly the only survivor who knows what the hell they were up to down there.”
“Hell of a shit sandwich your brother made here, Cooper.” Now that they’d gained altitude, Eric could hear the sparkle in Leo’s voice. It might sound like a complaint, but now that the initial shock had passed, she was happy. Because although they’d all left the armed forces for one reason or another, his friends ached for a mission as much as he did. And this adrenaline-filled ride was exactly what they’d been missing.
He grinned back at her. “You’re telling me.”
* * *
It had been one hell of a day. Katherine was enjoying a much-needed scotch in front of the fire when the phone rang, interrupting a long, dreamy thread of memories.
She fumbled with the handset. “Yes?”
“Tenny’s alive.” It was Senator Mitchum, his voice without its usual rich, self-satisfied timbre.
“Excuse me?”
“He’s on a plane, headed to U.S. soil as we speak.”
Speechless for a few seconds, Katherine’s hand trembled so hard she had to set her glass down. “That is a…surprise.” She swallowed. “I was told no aircraft could land in Antarctica in this weather. Much less take off.”
“No idea how, but some paramilitary organization took the risk. Went in and evacuated the lot of ’em, apparently, in the nick of time. Including the inhabitants of an entire Antarctic research station.” She could hear the wry smile in his voice. “There’s already talk of a miracle.”
She squinted. “Whatparamilitary organization precisely?” If this was Sampson’s work, she’d take him out personally. Right in this room, with poison or her letter opener or her daddy’s pistol. The man had gone off the reservation entirely, using resources that weren’t his to—
“It’s unclear. Appears to involve a team of ex-SEALS and a combat pilot. Possibly linked to one of the Antarctic researchers.” All right then. So not Sampson. She had been correct in her assumption that he’d never returned to the facility.
Cooper. She felt it, could almost hear his name with absolute certainty. The one Sampson had left behind, along with the station’s cook. He’d wanted to wait for the man, but she’d made the call to leave them to die.My fault then.Self-flagellation, rather than punishment.
Not nearly as satisfying.
“What can we do?”
“We’ll take care of them.”
She nodded, tired. So tired. Her vision blurred as she stared at the dancing flames.
And then something occurred to her.
“What about the virus?” Her breathing picked up speed. “Do they have the virus on board?”
“Is that a possibility?” The senator sounded as worked up as she felt.
“There’s only one way to find out.” She slugged back her scotch and stood, a little bleary. “We need access to that plane.”
Chapter 50
An hour into the flight, Eric went into the back, motioned to Ans and Von to grab Tenny, and marched him toward the unoccupied section of the plane behind the cockpit.
“What are you doing? You can’t… Hey!” The man’s protests were almost impossible to hear through the drone of the big plane. “Where are you taking me? This is highly—”
“Not sure I introduced myself down there. I’m Eric Cooper. We talked on the phone a few days back. Remember me, Dr. Tenny?”
He shut his mouth, wisely, and nodded.
“Right now we’re a couple hours out from Punta Arenas, Chile. After that, we plan to head to San Diego. Any idea what’ll be waiting for us there?”
Tenny eyed the group of big tough men. He must have come to the correct conclusion that they wouldn’t let him leave this aircraft without an explanation.
“Not exactly.” He paused. “But I know it won’t be good.”
