Z-Minus Box Set 2

by Perrin Briar

  “Yeah,” Kate said. “Fancy that. I suppose the universe moves in mysterious ways.”

  “Very mysterious,” Hamish said. “How are you holding up?”

  “You’ve seen the facilities, right?” Kate said. “How do you think I’m holding up?”

  “What made you come all this way to live on an ice cube?” Hamish said. “The last I remember, you were enjoying the sandy Florida beaches.”

  “Alas, you can only enjoy beaches for so long before you start to miss frigid cold temperatures,” Kate said.

  “Yes,” Hamish said. “I’ve heard that.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t meet you earlier,” Kate said. “I was busy half-drowning myself in freezing water.”

  “Sounds like fun,” Hamish said.

  “Oh, it is,” Kate said. “Nothing like your life flashing before your eyes to wake you up in the morning.”

  “It’s terrible what happened to Dr. Scott,” Hamish said.

  “It is,” Kate said. “We don’t know why he did it. He seemed his usual happy self.”

  “I suppose all people who disappear do,” Hamish said. “That’s why they disappear in the first place, otherwise someone would stop them.”

  “I suppose,” Kate said. “But Dr. Scott didn’t disappear. He’s dead.”

  Hamish glanced out his door, checking no one was there.

  “Daniel doesn’t seem to think Dr. Scott is really dead,” he said.

  Kate rolled her eyes.

  “He wouldn’t,” she said.

  Hamish cocked his head to the side at her cynical comment.

  “Dr. Scott was like a grandfather to me,” Kate said. “Kind, caring. Supportive. To others he was more like a father figure.”

  “And to Daniel?” Hamish said.

  “A shining beacon of light,” Kate said. “He funded this whole expedition too, which only reinforced his power in Daniel’s eyes. Don’t get me wrong, I love being here and I have huge respect for Dr. Scott, but there needs to be some relativity.”

  Kate’s eyes flickered to the grin on Hamish’s face.

  “What?” she said.

  “Nothing,” Hamish said.

  “There’s clearly something,” Kate said.

  “It’s just good to see you still haven’t become part of the system,” Hamish said.

  Kate shrugged.

  “I am who I am,” she said. “Nothing I can do about that, I’m afraid.”

  “Good,” Hamish said. “I wouldn’t want you to.”

  Kate grinned. Her eyes flickered up to his eyes, and then away again.

  “Anyway, forget about me,” she said. “What brought you here?”

  Hamish smiled.

  “What brings anyone here?” he said. “Opportunity.”

  “That’s one way to look at it, I guess,” Kate said.

  Her eyes caught on the bubblehead on the desk. She pressed his head so he nodded.

  “You got one too, huh?” Kate said.

  “My new friend,” Hamish said. “He’s a bit of a yes man. He only ever agrees with everything I say.”

  Kate smiled. The little bubblehead kept nodding.

  “I wish he didn’t want them handed out,” Kate said. “I think they’re creepy.”

  “In what way?” Hamish said. “Looks pretty twee to me.”

  “It’s like a fake scene that has been engineered to look pleasant and nice, when there’s really something hidden and sinister underneath,” Kate said.

  “I know what you mean,” Hamish said. “But he’s also a cute little guy with a bone.”

  “That’s because yours isn’t some kind of cross-dressing Middle Age knight,” Kate said. “They really vary in quality.”

  “They’re harmless,” Hamish said. “Kids toys, that’s all. You’re reading too much into them. The viewer sees what they want to see.”

  “Thanks, Dr. Freud,” Kate said. “The heads are filled with a liquid, did you know? It helps them to bob their heads more, and in a more random kind of way. I’m worried about breaking it if I touch it.”

  “A sign of superior craftsmanship, I’m sure,” Hamish said.

  “It’s a strange thing to leave to someone, don’t you think?” Kate said.

  Hamish shrugged.

  “It’s all he had here,” Hamish said. “What else could he give? His dirty winter socks?”

  “Dirty winter socks would have been more useful to me,” Kate said. “I could barely pack everything I needed already. Have you met the others yet?”

  “Only Patrick and Ian,” Hamish said.

  “Typical Daniel,” Kate said, rolling her eyes. “Always thinking about work and not the people. Come with me. I’ll introduce you to the others.”

  Z-MINUS: 6 hours 1 minute

  Kate helped Hamish with his winter gear. It smelled fusty, of dirt and sweat. Not surprising, as he was already sweating before they even stepped outside. The coveralls were a brand called Carhartts. They were comfortable, easy to move in, and very warm. The boots and hood had some kind of animal fur on the inside. It was itchy and still smelled like the animal after it had died. The items were all the same shade of green. Kate’s were a deep orange.

  “Why are we wearing different colors?” Hamish said.

  “So we can easily identify each other outside,” Kate said. “It’s easy now, while it’s clear, but it’d be impossible to recognize each other if we were caught in a blizzard. Ready?”

  Hamish wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be ready for, but he nodded anyway. Kate pushed the door of the little changing room open. They were hit by a wall of pure cold. Hamish immediately stopped sweating, the cold snatching his breath away. Kate closed the door and fastened it behind them.

  The world was silent, calm, a strong wind blowing across the landscape. Its calm whistle played over the rocky landscape. It was much colder on this side of the shack than it had been on the entrance side. He supposed it was because there was no soothing sea, nothing to break the cold that swept across the Antarctic landscape, save the three huts before them.

  The one on the left was small, not much larger than a garden shed. It was the immersion shed, Kate explained. Where the divers entered the ice and explored beneath the surface. The middle shed was about the size of a garage. The last one was by far the largest. These were color-coordinated too. Hamish supposed it was for the same reason as the main base – in case of low visibility during a storm.

  Kate led them toward the smallest hut. Hamish had to lean forward, using his weight as momentum to carry him forward. He caught himself with each step before he fell. It wasn’t far to the hut, but it was a hard slog.

  “The cold weather wreaks havoc on batteries, so if you carry a computer, camera, or iPod, stick a hand-warmer in your pocket,” Kate said. “Oh, and a word of advice: preheat your engine before you get in bed. Do sit ups, jumping jacks, anything to get your blood pumping before you get in bed. And your room will be very cold in the morning. Put your clothes underneath the covers at the foot of your bed the night before. They’ll be nice and toasty come morning.”

  Kate opened the smallest shed’s door. The warmth hit Hamish like a brick wall, a fresh layer of sweat expelling from his body. Kate and Hamish hustled inside and shut the door behind them.

  Hamish followed Kate’s lead and removed his hood and unzipped his Carhartts. There were two other men in the small hut. It was cramped with all four of them. They stood beside a small heater that radiated orange heat.

  The two men were in terrific shape. They wore the figure-hugging material of scuba divers, their goggles on top of their wet hair. Air canisters leaned against the wall to one side.

  “Daniel you’ve already met,” Kate said, nodding to each of the men. “This is Carl.”

  “And you must be Hamish,” the one called Carl said.

  He extended a large hand. Hamish shook it.

  “Kate has told me so much about you,” Daniel said.

  He wore a grin that would not have looked
out of place on a shark. It was pointed at the corners and reminded Hamish of the Joker.

  “Thanks,” Hamish said. “I’m afraid I haven’t heard much about you yet.”

  “That’s not surprising,” Daniel said. “Kate and I only met when we arrived here. Didn’t we, babe.”

  Daniel wrapped an arm around Kate, who smiled, and didn’t look at Hamish, with the shyness of someone not at total comfort with showing affection in public. But she didn’t resist either.

  “Easier to keep warm when you have someone to snuggle up with,” Daniel said.

  “All right,” Carl said. “Don’t rub it in.”

  What had Hamish expected? That Kate would remain single forever, hoping he might one day pluck up the courage and ask her out on a date? Of course not. She was an intelligent, beautiful woman. She could have any guy she wanted. Though Hamish wished she hadn’t chosen Daniel. He could have been the pinup for what constituted the perfect boyfriend. A natural charmer. Everything someone like Kate deserved.

  Hamish felt very foolish. He’d come all this way across the world, journeyed till he was exhausted and couldn’t carry on, only to find the girl he wanted to be with was already with someone else – someone else taller, in better shape, better looking, and if he hadn’t missed his guess, younger too.

  Hamish wanted to turn around, call the Laurence M. Gould and head back home right then. But he knew that wasn’t possible. Captain Meadows would not turn back, and even if he did, Hamish had a job to do. He was going to be stuck here for the next two months whether he liked it or not.

  Still, he didn’t have to be happy about the situation. And he wasn’t. It wasn’t Daniel’s fault. It wasn’t Kate’s fault either. It was his own. But he refused to pity himself. He would bury himself in work, he decided. He would disappear inside the world of biology and history and float in a sea of calmness. He wouldn’t let any of this affect him. He had a job to do.

  Hamish cleared his throat.

  “So, what do you guys do here?” Hamish said.

  Frankly, he couldn’t care less, but they had to talk about something.

  “We’re divers,” Daniel said.

  “Some of the best in the world,” Carl said.

  “I’m not sure whether they’re the best,” Kate said. “But certainly the craziest. You’d have to be to go down there for any length of time.”

  “How cold does it get down there?” Hamish said.

  “Anything down to minus thirty-six,” Daniel said.

  “Wow,” Hamish said. “That’s certainly very chilly.”

  “Some of the coldest waters in the world,” Carl said.

  More self-validation.

  “You go down there anyway?” Hamish said. “Rather you than me.”

  The two divers chuckled.

  “What do you do down there?” Hamish said.

  “We research and investigate the various life forms,” Carl said, “get samples for the other scientists, help set up experimental equipment. Things like that.”

  Hamish turned to Daniel.

  “So, not only do you assist Dr. Scott, you’re also a world-class diver?” he said.

  Daniel shrugged modestly.

  “We all have our hobbies,” he said.

  Hamish peered through the hole. The crust was thick. Slushy ice rose and fell several inches at a time, slapping against the sides.

  “Dismal way to go, don’t you think?” Carl said.

  “Dismal for who?” Hamish said.

  “The doc,” Carl said.

  Hamish frowned.

  “I don’t understand,” Hamish said. “This is how Dr. Scott went?”

  “It’s one theory,” Daniel said.

  “Yep,” Carl said, as if Daniel hadn’t spoken. “As close as we can figure, anyway. He left his coat and boots in the cloakroom area before he disappeared. The pole had been used to break the ice. There’s no reason he would have done that without following through and heading into the ice himself.”

  “And he took a pair of tanks with him,” Kate said.

  “Come on, guys,” Daniel said, throwing up his hands. “How many times do we have to go through this? He just stepped out.”

  “Step out… in freezing cold temperatures,” Carl said. “That makes a lot of sense.”

  “He might have just wanted to set up a distraction,” Daniel said. “A diversion.”

  “A diversion for who?” Carl said. “We keep going over this, and you never explain why the doctor would want to hide something like this from us.”

  “He’s a genius,” Daniel said. “How are we supposed to know?”

  “Genius is as genius does,” Carl said, nodding as if that meant something. “But I still don’t buy it.”

  Hamish edged closer to the hole in the ice. The frigid cold water below rose and fell gently, sloshing against the crust. Its true thickness was lost beneath the water level. There was no telling how deep it went.

  “A horrible way to die,” Hamish said.

  “One of the worst,” Kate said. “You would literally freeze to death.”

  “Why would someone choose to die like that?” Hamish said.

  “As good a way to die as any, I suppose,” Carl said.

  “No,” Hamish said. “I don’t think it is.”

  “What do you mean?” Kate said.

  “Well, we’re out in the middle of nowhere, presumably there are lots of ways you could kill yourself,” Hamish said. “Why do it in the most difficult and painful way? I assume it doesn’t happen immediately. It’ll be slow and drawn-out.”

  “It would,” Daniel said with a nod. “But not so long if you didn’t wear all the proper equipment. That’s why we’re here. We’ve been scouring the water for any signs of his body.”

  “Any luck yet?” Hamish said.

  “No,” Daniel said. “We haven’t found any signs he was down there.”

  “We’re not likely to either,” Carl said.

  “What do you mean?” Hamish said.

  “You need to do your homework on the Antarctic,” Carl said. “The Antarctic is a landmass, not made of pure frozen ice like the Arctic. This means there are frozen rivers and lakes underneath the ice. They still move, admittedly often slowly, but they still move, and it’s that current that would have carried Dr. Scott’s body away. He’d have been taken out to sea and we’d never see him again.”

  “It’s not possible he could have just slipped?” Hamish said.

  “And accidentally remove his coat and boots while he was at it?” Carl said. “Which magically stored themselves in the cupboard too? Only if you can bring yourself to believe in fairytales.”

  “But still,” Hamish said. “Why commit suicide this way? He could have just gone for a long walk, like the other famous Scott, and never come back.”

  “Because it doesn’t leave a trace,” Kate said, looking at the others. The thought had just dawned on her. “Right? He’d get taken away, and the specimen he took with him.”

  “No one would know where you’d gone or how you’d have done it?” Hamish said.

  “Think about it,” Kate said. “You’d lose the body and all the evidence associated with it. The real question is, why?”

  “Why what?” Daniel said.

  “Why would he want no sign of his body to remain?” Kate said. “He donated his body to science years ago. He would have wanted them to have it. Instead, he disposes of it so no one can ever find it.”

  “Maybe he changed his mind,” Daniel said.

  Carl rolled his eyes at him.

  “Do you think that’s likely?” he said.

  “It’s possible, isn’t it?” Daniel said.

  “So, he committed suicide in a way to make sure no one found his body,” Hamish said. “As Kate said, the real question is: what made him decide to commit suicide in the first place?”

  “Maybe he discovered he was sick and wanted to end his life clean,” Carl said.

  “Sure,” Daniel said. “Maybe he deci
ded he didn’t want the help of his world-famous friends to cure him of his illness so he could carry on doing the job he’d dedicated his life to.”

  “So he’s only presumed missing,” Hamish said. “He might still be alive somewhere.”

  Daniel nodded.

  “That’s what I’ve been saying,” he said.

  “Anywhere else on the world, possibly, yes,” Kate said. “But out here in these conditions? No, I don’t think so.”

  “It’s a mystery, all right,” Carl said.

  And it was one that would soon involve them all.

  Z-MINUS: 5 hours 42 minutes

  Hamish sat at his desk, bored to tears. Kate had been called away and couldn’t complete her tour. Hamish had spent the past few hours going through the files on the computer and desk in an attempt to put them into something resembling order. Dr. Scott may have been a genius, but organization clearly wasn’t a strong point.

  Without windows, the office Hamish was sat in could have been an office in a building anywhere. That’s if you could avoid all the morgue-like cupboards behind you, which Hamish certainly couldn’t. Every time he turned round he thought there was going to be someone’s undead eyes staring back at him.

  Hamish sighed and turned back to the monitor.

  “Hey,” Kate said.

  She stood in his doorway. The world had brightened.

  “Hey,” Hamish said.

  “Have you seen enough of these blank walls yet?” Kate said.

  “What other choice do I have?” Hamish said.

  “Plenty,” Kate said. “Follow me. I have yet to give you the full nickel tour.”

  “I thought you already showed me around?” Hamish said.

  “I did,” Kate said. “But not the outside. Or the other sheds.”

  They went to the changing room at the end of the corridor and put on their winter best. The sweat didn’t smell so bad this time. Perhaps Hamish had gotten used to it, or he had a cold coming on and his blocked nose had reduced its effect on him. He was sweating and toasty in no time.

  “Come on,” Kate said.

  She led Hamish toward the third shed. It was green and worn. It was set back slightly from the others. They entered, and Hamish was once again bathed in warmth. But this one was earthy, and smelled thickly of soil. The air was wet, well on its way to condensation.