Even from this distance, he could feel the almost palpable weight of this many weapons trained on him. He put his hands on his head and slowly exited the aircraft, right into the biggest goat rodeo he’d encountered on this side of the Pacific.
Within moments, he, Leo, and Dr. Clive Tenny—the plane’s only occupants—were facedown on the tarmac. After a quick search of the aircraft, they were dragged to their feet and taken to three separate locations for questioning.
As Eric watched Dr. Clive Tenny being hauled into an ambulance that quickly sped away, he had the distinct feeling that it was the last he’d ever see of the man.
* * *
Clínica Sangre de Cristo, Punta Arenas, Chile—the Next Day
“Knock, knock.”
Angel’s eyes flew open to see a TV screen floating above her. Not the tent. Not Antarctica.
Her hand scrabbled at her side. No Ford.
Where the hell was she?
A beat later it came back.
A private clinic in Chile. They’d checked her in yesterday under a false name. For her own safety, she’d been told. Same for the armed guard at her door.
She blinked a few times and finally focused on Pam, who stood at the foot of the white metal bed. “Hey, Pam.”
“Sorry I woke you.”
“No. No, it’s fine.” She hit the button to sit up, still woozy after her knee surgery. “Everything okay?”
With a nod, Pam picked up Angel’s chart. “They taking good care of you?”
“Sure.” Angel shrugged as nonchalantly as she could manage.
“At least you speak Spanish.” Pam squinted at the page she was reading. “I only get half this stuff and I’m a doctor.”
Angel forced a smile to her lips. “Is he still outside my door?” she whispered.
“The guard? Yeah. You and Ford.”
“What about everybody else?”
“We’re heading home today.” Pam threw a narrow-eyed look over her shoulder and leaned closer. “You see the news?”
“No.” Angel shook her head. “Don’t want to.”
“Well, we’re the big story. The way they’re spinning it, it was all Sampson and Tenny. Two evil genius kidnappers. No higher powers involved.”
“What about Chronos and the virus and all that—”
“Shhhh.” Pam put a hand on Angel’s arm, looking…spooked? “First rule of virus isthere is no virus.” She leaned in and whispered, “It’s in a safe place. Eric and his team are already planning next steps.”
“Next steps? What does that even mean?”
“They need more information on the damned stuff. Nobody knows what it is, why it’s been buried under the ice, or what the hell those people want with it. First, they figure that out.” She shrugged. “After that, I’m not sure.”
Angel shut her eyes and pressed her fingers to them until she saw spots.
The moment she’d hidden in the supply arch and witnessed Alex Stickley getting shot to death, she’d fallen down a rabbit hole of epic proportions. Crossing the world’s coldest continent on foot suddenly seemed absurdly simple, child’s play compared to the high-level international espionage cover-up crap going on now. Ford’s brother, for example. Who the hell was he? A guy with the resources to do what he’d done, who could plan things like next steps? Next steps…who even talked like that? Thought like that?
“Shit iscrazyright now, Angel.” Pam pointed at the dark screen. “News says the president’s been on the phone with Russia, smoothing things out.”
