Unmapped (Treasure Hunter Security #6)

by Anna Hackett

  “Yes. And it was likely mapped by the civilization that called it home.”

  Peri stood up, her chair scraping on the floor. “And that advanced civilization built cities there, and possibly left technology behind that Silk Road is after?”

  Zach nodded. “That’s what I’m telling you.”

  “What do you make of this, Zach?” Darcy nodded toward the screen that currently displayed the image of the pyramid protruding from the snow.

  The archeologist strode up close to the image, his gaze narrowed as he studied the image.

  “It could be manmade,” he said. “Pyramids are a common structure that have been built by civilizations all across the globe. Egypt, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Peru, Spain, even out in the Pacific islands. This could be the remnants of an advanced civilization in Antarctica.”

  Darcy swiveled. “I’ve got some more of the information. Based on the notes on Amber’s thumb drive, I’ve confirmed that the Silk Road team flew from Punta Arenas to the currently abandoned Unity Camp at Union Glacier. It’s only active in the warmer months and finishes up by the end of January.”

  “So it’s been empty for several months,” Ronin said.

  “Yes. Now isn’t the ideal time for expeditions to Antarctica. The temperatures are falling, and the hours of light each day are dropping.”

  Dec crossed his arms. “They landed at Unity, and from there, they would have headed straight for the pyramid.”

  Peri dragged in a breath. “I don’t care what crazy theory Silk Road has, or what the hell they want to find, I just want to find my sister.”

  “I know.” Dec’s gaze met Ronin’s. “We’ll start planning a trip to go in after them.”

  Ronin saw Peri’s chest hitch. He realized she’d been worried they wouldn’t go. He touched her arm. “We’ll get down there and find her.”

  “I’m making plans now,” Darcy said with a reassuring smile. “Luckily for us, Dec has a friend who runs a research station not too far from the pyramid location.”

  Dec groaned. “Dr. Melinda Browning. She’s…a character.”

  “She’s an Australian scientist, and she’s spent years down in Antarctica,” Darcy said. “Mel’s friends with our parents. She runs the Aurora Station, which is jointly run by Australia, Sweden, and Chile. It’s on the Chilean claim, but many of its supplies come via Australia.”

  “Patch me through to her,” Dec said.

  “I will.” Darcy tucked some hair behind her ear. “There was one more thing in the information from your sister.”

  Ronin sensed something in Darcy’s tone and saw Peri tense.

  “What?” Peri asked.

  “It was a note she’d typed in a document. She was clearly interrupted writing it.” Darcy’s blue-gray gaze swung around the room. “She says that Silk Road is after a weapon.”

  Peri gasped and Ronin ground his teeth together.

  “Fuck,” Dec bit out. “As if things weren’t bad enough.”

  “Any other information?” Ronin asked. “A description of this weapon? Or what it does?”

  Darcy shook her head.

  “This doesn’t change anything. Darce,” Dec said. “Contact Aurora Station. Everyone, get to work, we have a mission to plan.”

  As everyone split off to plan the trip, Ronin saw Peri spin and stalk over to the windows. She stood there, staring out at the Denver skyline. The morning sun lit her hair up and he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a woman look so beautiful.

  Nearby, Ronin heard Morgan laugh. A sound that was perilously close to a giggle. He shook his head. Morgan was the toughest woman he knew, and one of the few people he wanted beside him in a firefight. He’d never believed that Morgan would find a man who’d take the sharpness off her edges, but clearly, Zach was that man.

  He watched Morgan lean into Zach. Their closeness just underscored how alone Peri looked.

  Ronin had rescued a lot of people in his lifetime, but he’d rarely hugged them, offered them comfort, or had the right words to help make them feel better. He knew he should stay away from Peri.

  A few seconds passed, and then he headed over to her.

  Chapter Seven

  Peri stared out the window at the Denver skyline. The sound of the THS team talking behind her, discussing and planning, was an indeterminate rumble of noise in her ears.

  She’d made a life here in Denver, was making a home. But if she lost her twin, the other part of her, something would always be missing. Her chest felt so tight it hurt.

  She sensed a presence behind her and knew instantly it was Ronin.

  “Silk Road must have found something down there,” she said.

  “Yes.”

  “And they aren’t going to let my sister walk away. Not if she’s seen this weapon.”

  “No.”

  God. He didn’t mince words. Right now, she both liked and hated that about him. She stared at their faint reflection in the glass. “Do you think she’s still alive?”

  “There’s a chance.” He spun her to face him. “And while there’s a chance, there’s hope. If they found the weapon, we would have heard something. My guess? They’re likely still down there searching, and need her help.”

  She wondered if he truly believed that. A sense of determination flared in her. She wasn’t giving up on her sister. “We’re going to find her. And I’m going to make the people holding her pay.”

  “Get over here, you two,” Dec called out. “Planning update.”

  They all circled around the table. It was covered in a mass of papers and a tablet. Dec pressed his palms against the table, his gaze running over the group. “I got a message through to Melinda. She’ll help us out.”

  “When do we go?” Peri asked.

  “I’ll lead the team,” Dec said. “We’ll keep it small. Peri, Logan, and Ronin will come, too.”

  Logan made a grumpy sound. “I hate the snow and the cold.”

  Peri saw everyone around the table roll their eyes, so she guessed this was usual operating procedure for Logan. “Gear and supplies?”

  “I’ll arrange for supplies,” Darcy said. “We can get some things in Punta Arenas. Melinda will supply the snowmobiles. You must have your own full set of expedition gear, Peri?”

  Peri nodded.

  “Well, head home and pack,” Darcy said. “I’m arranging flights to Chile now. From Punta Arenas, I’ll arrange for you to catch the regular cargo flight to Aurora Station.”

  “Ronin, you take Peri to her place,” Dec said. “Silk Road has come after her twice, so be careful.”

  Everything turned into a whirlwind of action after that. Peri let Ronin usher her out to a huge, black truck—which apparently belonged to Logan—and help her into the passenger seat.

  She’d been so alone with her worry about Amber, and now she was surrounded by these big, tough people willing to help her. Her belly quivered, and she glanced his way as he started the truck. She liked it. She liked him.

  “Where to?”

  She told him her address, and before she knew it, they were pulling up in front of her little house near Wash Park.

  She knew it needed renovating, but it had good bones. Every time she saw it, a part of her sighed. It was cute and it was hers. The fence was rotted, the porch was sagging, and the paint was peeling, but it was all hers.

  “I sunk a chunk of my savings into my gym and the house,” she said, as she led him up the path. “I’m renovating this place one project at a time.”

  “What about your gym?” he asked. “Can you afford to be away from it?”

  She nodded. “I have a great manager and a brilliant team. They’ll run just fine without me.”

  When she went to open the front door, he stopped her. “Let me check the place out first. Stay here.”

  She watched as he pulled what looked like a Glock from the holster on his side. He opened the door and slipped inside like a stealthy shadow.

  Peri waited for him to come back. As the minutes ticked by
, her muscles tightened. What if he’d run into trouble? What if he needed help? Screw this. It wasn’t in her nature to wait. She’d just pulled the door open, when he reappeared, sliding his gun back into the holster.

  His dark gaze narrowed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “It took so long, I thought you might need help.”

  He gave her a strange look, and shook his head. “When I tell you to stay somewhere, you stay there.”

  She snapped a salute at him. “Yes, sir.”

  “I can hear the sarcasm.”

  “Smart man.” She brushed past him. “I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for me to blindly follow your orders. I’m an experienced guide, Ronin, and I’m not stupid. I won’t put myself at unnecessary risk, but if someone needs help, I won’t stand by on the sidelines and do nothing.”

  He was a big, brooding presence at her back as she went upstairs to her guest room. She used the closet in there to store her cold-weather expedition gear.

  She pulled it out and laid it on the bed. Ronin lounged in the doorway, dominating the small room.

  “This house is a pretty big place for one,” he noted.

  “It’s my dream home.” She packed some things in her duffel bag. “I’m planning to grow into it, starting with getting my dog.”

  He grunted. “What kind?”

  “A beagle.” She looked at him and tilted her head. “Let me guess. You live in a loft apartment. No decorations, no photos, no food in the fridge, and a giant TV in the living room.”

  He shifted uneasily. “I’m a single guy.”

  She zipped the duffel closed. “Uh-huh. Not a closed-off man afraid to take emotional risks.”

  A scowl appeared on his face. “This—” he waved a hand at her house “—is not for me. There’ll be no wife, no kids, and no picket fence in my life, Peri.” His face closed down and he straightened. “You finished?”

  She hefted the duffel bag. “Yes.”

  “Then let’s go. We have a plane to catch to Antarctica.”

  Ronin settled back in his seat on the plane. He knew right before a mission was the time to rest and conserve strength…because you never knew when everything was going to go to hell.

  They were currently en route to Aurora Station. After an overnight flight to Santiago, Chile, followed by the smaller hop to Punta Arenas, they were all a little tired. They were currently sitting in the cargo area of the Ilyushin 76 that was their ride to Aurora. Darcy had managed to snag them all seats on a cargo plane already bound for Aurora.

  He knew the Russian-made aircraft wasn’t a military plane, but it had a similar feel. The long cargo area was currently packed with strapped-down pallets and several snowmobiles destined for research stations. The passenger seats ran along the walls with large, military-style seatbelts. As a SEAL, he’d spent too many hours to count on planes like this. Hell, as a CIA agent, he’d snagged a few flights home on military cargo transports, as well. He’d been on so many planes heading to so many different places, they all blended together.

  Across from him, Logan and Dec were napping. Ronin glanced beside him at Peri. She looked relaxed but there were dark circles under her eyes. He’d watched her on the flight down to Chile, and she hadn’t slept much. He guessed thoughts of her sister were keeping her from resting.

  Like him, she was dressed for the trip. She wore heavy-duty cargo pants, and a few layers of tight, long-sleeved tops that clung to her toned upper body. The uppermost one was a dark green that looked striking with her hair, which was currently pulled up in a knot at the back of her head. It was clear she kept in shape with her climbing…and it was also clear she had perfectly-sized breasts—not too big, not too small.

  He closed his eyes. Dammit, Cooper, you aren’t supposed to be noticing her breasts. Except that since she’d blasted into his life, he had trouble not thinking of her. She was pretty and vibrant, and loved her sister. She also tasted so damn good.

  That fiery, wild kiss they’d shared at the cabin kept tormenting him. Whenever he closed his eyes, the memory slammed into him. He wanted more.

  Still not supposed to be thinking of her. He turned his head and looked out of one of the few small circular windows. In the distance, the horizon was filled with a huge sheet of white. He was finally going to get the chance to visit the one continent he hadn’t been to before.

  “We’re getting close,” he said.

  Peri unstrapped herself and pressed one knee to the seat to look out of the window. Her shoulder pressed against his, sending a tingle down his arm.

  “The coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth,” she said.

  “Ninety-eight percent of the place is covered in ice.” He’d done his research. “And the ice averages almost two kilometers in thickness.”

  “I’ve visited McMurdo Station twice.” She looked back at him. “The largest US station. But most of my trips have been to the Arctic. Amber has much more Antarctic experience than me.” Peri dropped back into her seat, her hands clenching on her thighs.

  Ronin stopped trying to talk himself out of touching her. He grabbed her hand. “This is her terrain. That puts her at an advantage.”

  Peri nodded. “Have you met this Dr. Browning at Aurora Station before?”

  “Yes, Melinda is really salt of the Earth.” He smiled. “What you see, is what you get. I like her. She doesn’t lie and speaks bluntly.”

  “That must be refreshing for a former CIA agent.”

  “You can say that again.”

  She squeezed his fingers. “I don’t lie either, Ronin.”

  He felt himself caught by those pretty blue eyes again. Damn, what was it about this woman that tugged at him like this? “Peri—”

  Her fingers tightened on his. “Just let yourself feel, Ronin.” A faint smile on her lips. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

  Suddenly, Dec let out a yawn and leaned forward. “Where are we?”

  Ronin let go of Peri’s hand. “Just coming in over Antarctica now.”

  It wasn’t long before the pilot’s voice came over the speaker. “Prepare for landing. It can get a little bumpy.”

  “I do not love ice runways,” Peri said.

  “This aircraft was designed to land anywhere,” Ronin reassured her. “It was designed for this.”

  They touched down smoothly, only bouncing a little, the engines roaring. Finally, they rolled to a stop.

  He looked over at Peri. “Welcome to Antarctica.”

  Peri pulled on her navy-blue, cold-weather jacket. It was rated for the extreme cold, and was waterproof and windproof. She pulled the faux-fur-lined hood up, and yanked on her very expensive, ultra-warm gloves. They were very thin compared to most styles, hence the price, but they were worth it for the extra dexterity. Once she’d grabbed her duffel bag, she walked down the cargo ramp of the plane behind the men.

  They were all in their cold-weather gear as well, carrying their bags.

  When the cold hit her, she stopped and let herself adjust. The first punch was always shocking, exhilarating. She waited while the cold stole her breath away, like her chest was frozen, and then her lungs started working again.

  She stepped out onto the snow. There was sunlight right now, but she knew it would only last a few more hours. The daylight hours were short this time of year, and very quickly getting shorter.

  Several people started working, unloading the cargo for Aurora Station. Three people wearing bright-red jackets were waiting for them. It was hard to tell from a distance if they were male or female.

  Not far behind them lay the research station itself. It was a motley grouping of buildings. All of them were up on stilts to keep them off the snow and ice. The largest one was rectangular, and she guessed it was the main living area. The rest were different sizes and shapes, one of them even a perfect sphere that made her think of a golf ball. She assumed some of these had to be research labs.

  Dec strode ahead to meet the group. As they got closer, Peri
focused on the person closest to them. The woman was smiling widely, and had a wrinkled, weathered face that was surrounded by wisps of gray hair that had escaped the hood of her jacket. A patch on the chest of her jacket said Aurora Station. On her arm was a patch of the Australian flag.

  Beside her was a smaller woman, probably only a few years older than Peri, with dark eyes and hair. The patch on her arm was Chilean. The final member of the group was a tall, thin man, with pale skin and blue eyes. The scruff on his face was a pale, ginger color, so she guessed his hair was a similar color to her own. The flag on his arm was blue with a yellow cross. She had to think for a second, but she was pretty sure that was the flag of Sweden.

  “It’s colder than a polar bear’s butt today,” the older woman said in a husky voice with a heavy Australian accent. She waved toward the buildings. “Welcome to cold-ass Aurora Station.”

  “There aren’t any polar bears in Antarctica, Mel,” Dec said dryly.

  “I know.” She swiveled to lead them toward the station itself. “But a penguin’s butt doesn’t have the same ring to it. Let’s save the introductions until we’re inside.”

  They marched across the snow, and soon were moving up the stairs and into the rectangular building. Inside, they were met with a blast of heat.

  “Thank fucking God,” Logan grumbled under his breath.

  The room was dominated by rows of tables, and there was a kitchen off to one side. Shelves lined the other side of the room, filled with books and board games, and there were a few comfy couches.

  The older woman yanked her gloves off and pushed her hood back. She stripped off her coat, and hung it nearby. There were hooks on the wall, with several red jackets hanging from them. Peri saw that Dr. Browning’s hair wasn’t completely gray, but more salt-and-pepper, and pulled back in a bun.

  As Ronin and Logan started taking off their jackets, Peri did the same.

  “Nice to see you again, Declan.” The woman engulfed the man in a hearty hug. “You’re always a sight that’s easy on the eyes.”