“Oh, shit,” Steve blurted, then slapped a hand over his mouth and looked at the small camera Nicole had pointed out. “Sorry about that, sorry, you guys can edit that out, right? I don’t want my mom to see it.”
Paul looked at the camera closest to him and gave a little wave. “So you got the human angle. Cool. But you said you had two reasons why people would want to watch. Aside from Steve’s physical humor and my stunning good looks, what’s to keep people from changing the channel to a Golden Girls rerun?”
“Yeah,” Steve added, “cause that Blanche can be kinda hot after downing a few.”
Paul laughed and Nicole rolled her eyes.
“If you must know,” Nicole said, “Dr. Norwood told me you’d be thawing the mammoth and extracting its sperm, or eggs, depending on if it’s a male or female, before it was transported. Millions of people will tune in to see whether we find viable, clonable DNA. Even if we don’t, people will still watch, just on the chance. That is, if no one spills the beans before the show airs. But—”
Nicole noticed the stunned expressions staring back at her. Paul even let the Cat drift to the side a little.
“What?”
Steve’s face was more serious than Nicole had ever seen it. She wondered what kind of trouble she had just caused and was upset at herself for not thinking of whatever it was earlier.
“What? Tell me?”
“I’m no scientist, but I’ve been around these guys long enough to know that testing for DNA is a delicate procedure. That kind of thing is normally done is a sterile lab or something. I don’t think Brian told anyone else his plans.”
“Is that a big deal?”
Paul laughed out loud. “It’d be like trying to develop your film in a room full of holes. One mistake and the film is ruined for good. Defrosting a hunk of meat that old is risky, because it will decompose rapidly. In a controlled setting, decomposition is minimal, but out here, in the environment, anything can go wrong. They could lose any viable DNA they find.”
“I’m impressed,” Nicole said, surprised by Paul’s clear explanation of the problem at hand.
“I read Popular Science,” Paul said, as he put his eyes back to the nonexistent road.
Nicole turned to Steve. “So what does all this mean?”
Steve looked forward, eying the Sno-Cat in front of them that contained Eddy, Eve and Kevin: the three people he knew would react badly to this new information. “This means,” Steve said, as he faced Nicole, “things are going to get ugly.”
Nicole smiled. Now Steve understood why.
“Which means your ratings might go through the roof.”
An ominous cloud settled over the group, knowing things were going to get rough, physically and mentally in the days to come. The rest of the trip was spent dispensing casual small talk about the weather, sports and family issues. Steve was surprised that he and Nicole shared so much in common. Who would have guessed that the valley girl who couldn’t tell a story without saying, “She was all,” and “he was all,” would enjoy watching bone crunching hockey games—not to mention her favorite team was the Boston Bruins.
But Steve knew what some perceived as friendly interest might also be professional courtesy, especially while trapped with that person for more than a day. He knew they were all keeping a purposeful distance.
Nicole’s view was much the same. She didn’t know if she would one day have to manipulate a situation involving Steve and Paul so that it played more dramatically in front of the camera, and she never could bring herself to mess with the mind of a friend. She made sure to keep the relationships professional.
Paul was just disinterested. He knew Marie waited for him at home with a steaming bowl of fettuccini in a smooth alfredo sauce with mushrooms, grilled chicken and sautéed onions. Paul missed his wife’s cooking almost as much as he missed his Harley. Of course, these modified Cats would do in a pinch.
And Steve knew his interest in Nicole would never go beyond intense physical attraction. He could only stand her vivid brown eyes for a moment at a time. Her straight, charcoal hair looked soft and she held herself with so much confidence it drove him wild; if only she wasn’t so annoying when she spoke about anything important. True, on matters of frivolity they were a perfect match, but when it came to the stuff that mattered, she was as dim-witted as a frog on a wet highway. But Steve could get over that. He had with women before. One way or another, Steve was determined to roll over one morning and discover Nicole sleeping in bed next to him.
You’re a fool, Steve. She’s out of your league…
Steve’s inner voice was squelched by a novel thought. It took hold and dug in roots. If the opportunity even presented itself, it might just work. It was a risky move, and Steve might have to exaggerate the danger, but if the situation ever arose, Steve would be prepared to save Nicole’s life. He knew that the farther north they traveled, the more opportunity his little plan might have to reach fruition.
7
THE DIG SITE
Brian Norwood was a mix of emotions as he wrung his hands together, staring out over the ice, as a group of small dots on the horizon grew nearer. He had been keeping tabs on the crew’s progress. They weren’t following the predetermined route, but the new route seemed like a safer choice. He was further surprised that the fleet never stopped for a rest. They moved at a steady pace, and even with the greater distance, arrived four hours early. Eddy was a sharp man and a slave driver.
When he first heard that Eve had hired Eddy, he was furious and even considered delaying the dig. But he decided to forget old grudges for the sake of the future; Eddy Moore was the best man for the job. No one had more experience. No one had more skill at raising ancient beasts from their resting places. But Norwood also knew Eddy went by the book, now more than ever, to be sure.
While Norwood funded the dig with his own resources and a fat check from the G.E.C. (Global Exploration Corporation), who owned the Exploration Channel, once a team leader was hired, that man took charge and Norwood became a geneticist. He played a dual role as benefactor and crew member, but his clout disappeared once the crew set to work. For safety reasons, there could only be one leader. Conflicting orders could cause calamity and slow progress, neither of which Norwood wanted.
The line of Sno-Cats came to a stop outside of the dig site, which was a mass of high tech tents built out of honeycombed stainless steel framing and thick Mylar skins. At the center of the site was the area where Norwood had first plummeted to the icy floor covered in warm water. The massive tusks still protruded from the wall, but that was all that would be seen of the ancient creature until it was removed from the ice and thawed out.
It occurred to Norwood that Eddy might have found out about his plans to defrost the giant onsite. His stomach turned. A conflict with Eddy was best avoided, especially this early in the game. But officially, once the mammoth was free of the ice, Eddy’s job was done. Then Norwood could go about the thawing procedures and test for viable DNA, all in front of the cameras that would make him famous and thicken his already thick wallet.
The door of the nearest Sno-Cat was flung open and smacked against the hard metal side of the vehicle. Eddy hopped out, surveyed the area and locked his sights on Brian.
Norwood knew in that instant that Eddy was aware of his plans and was about to voice his opinion. Norwood sighed and put on his game face as Eddy approached. A second door was flung open and a woman, whom he recognized as Nicole Lu from the Exploration Channel, hopped out while shouting orders at her film crew, who chased after Eddy to capture the unfolding confrontation.
Knowing millions of people might hear their every word, Norwood made an attempt at civility. “Dr. Moore. Eddy, how good to see you again.”
Eddy must have been aware of the cameras, too. “Brian! Been a long time, buddy!”
He’s putting on a show, Norwood thought, and his suspicions were confirmed when Eddy gave him a hug.
“If you think I’m going to let y
ou thaw the mammoth out here, you’re insane,” Eddy whispered through gritted teeth, then patted Norwood hard on the back.
Eddy let go and began to walk away. Norwood wouldn’t let it end so soon and decided that Eddy being camera shy might work to his advantage. “Have you become an expert on how to extract DNA while you were away, Eddy?”
Eddy stopped and turned around.
Two camera crews whirled to each side, one on Eddy, the other on Norwood. Eddy glanced at the camera, then back to Norwood. “Thawing a mammoth in an unstable environment is not only risky, it’s moronic.”
“Well, I’m glad you’ve expressed how you feel, no matter how ill-founded your ideas might be, but I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter.”
Eddy smiled. “You know I do.”
Norwood returned the smile. “You should have read the fine print. Once the mammoth has been raised, team leadership reverts to a crewmember of my choosing. In this case, me.”
Eddy clenched his fists.
“Frankly, I’m surprised by your lack of adventure. If this mammoth were a giant sloth in Venezuela, things would certainly be different.”
Eddy held a fixed gaze on Norwood. “There’s no time to argue about this, Brian. It’s too risky and you know it, better than anyone else here.”
“Ah, too risky,” Norwood said with a sharp tinge of sarcasm stabbing his every word. “I see. So it’s acceptable to take risks with the lives of your crew, but not with the recovered specimen. Is that it?”
Eddy’s body became rigid. He was hyper aware of the cameras around him. He knew that his very reputation could be diminished on a global scale by what he said and did next. “I’m not giving you a choice,” Eddy said plainly.
Norwood was outraged at being dismissed so quickly. Eddy was walking away, but this wasn’t how it was going to end, not on international television. Norwood grabbed Eddy by the shoulder and yanked him around. “Now you listen to me! You—Omph!”
Eddy decided that the millions of viewers would probably want to knock Norwood out, too. And he didn’t want to disappoint. Eddy slugged Norwood in the head, pulling his punch slightly. He wanted to knock the man over, not give him a concussion.
Norwood fell to the ice and slid a few feet from the force of the punch. He was stunned. Eddy hit him! He looked up and saw Eddy storming away toward the dig site. He felt a lump growing on the side of his head.
Kevin and Eve ran over and knelt down next to Norwood.
“You shouldn’t have brought up Venezuela.”
Norwood nodded. “I know.”
Eve took a handful of ice and held it against Norwood’s growing lump. He was jolted by the cold, but remained still, knowing it would stop the swelling.
“He’s a different man now, Brian,” Eve said. “You would do well to stay out of his way, especially when it comes to taking risks. That’s not who he is anymore.”
“Could have fooled me,” Norwood said. “He took a risk when he decided to smash my brains out.”
Kevin chuckled.
Norwood looked at him. “What?”
“If Eddy really wanted to hurt you, he could have. He pulled his punch. And you’re lucky he did. I’ve seen what happens when he doesn’t.”
A twinkle of fear appeared in Norwood’s eyes. “What happens?”
Kevin smiled. “Let’s just say it would have been a while before you remembered how to use an electron microscope again.” Kevin slopped a second handful of ice onto Norwood’s head. “And all the ice in the world wouldn’t do you any good.”
Nicole let out a giggle as she stood next to the camera man who had recorded every word. Everyone turned to her, annoyed. “Sorry,” she said. “You guys are just making this too easy.”
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
Days passed and work progressed steadily. Inch by agonizing inch, a solid cube of ice and permafrost was chiseled out of the ice and propped up onto wooden boards so that several chains could be wrapped around and underneath. The crew had taken up their roles and quarreling was at a minimum. This allowed for great progress, but made for a dull documentary. Nicole grew impatient. She needed some turmoil, some personal disagreement or physical catastrophe.
Nicole called Mark, her cameraman, into her tent for a meeting of the minds during which she would fill his mind with her ideas. Mark sat by the tent’s entrance, listening for approaching footsteps as though they were shipmates planning a mutiny. The analogy wasn’t too far from the truth.
“I’ll see what I can stir up emotionally between the crew, starting with Eve. A little romance never hurts…and a broken heart is even better.” Nicole smiled. There was so much potential for things to go wrong out here. “But we need some physical drama, some kind of close call to up the stakes. Nothing too dangerous, we don’t want to get anyone killed, but…you understand?”
Mark nodded. “I think so.”
“I suppose that’s the best I can expect out of a cameraman.”
Mark let out an annoyed sigh. “You’re right. I was hired to be a cameraman, not a saboteur.”
A single eyebrow shot up on Nicole’s face. Mark was getting a spine—too much time with these roughneck scientists.
“You do this for me,” Nicole said, “and I’ll put in a good word for you back at the network. They might not make you an instant director, but it should help.”
This seemed to appease Mark somewhat. “No joke?”
“I swear.”
Mark pursed his lips as he mulled the issue over. “Okay.”
“Perfect. You won’t regret it. They’re planning on lifting the mammoth out of the ice tomorrow. Plenty of opportunities for something to go wrong. Understand?”
“I just hope I don’t get anyone killed.”
Nicole’s grin faded.
“Try not to.”
Mark unzipped the tent and slid out. He walked through the maze of orange tents toward the center of the camp where a large crane was being rigged to a series of thick metal wires wrapped around a gigantic ice cube. Steve stood at the edge watching the work progress and sucking on a cigarette.
Trying his hardest to feign casual interest, Mark stood next to Steve and looked up at the wires. “You guys are lifting that thing straight out of there?”
“Yup,” Steve said, as though in another world.
“What happens if one of the wires break?”
“They can’t break. They’re braided Liquidmetal cables. Super strong. I should know. I bought them. And the weight is distributed evenly, so each cable holds only a fraction of the weight it’s capable of handling.”
Steve took a drag from his cigarette and gave a sideways glance at Mark, who had never seemed all that interested in anything other than his camera before.
“Liquidmetal?”
“It’s the superhero of metals. Titanium and steel pale in comparison to this beauty. Of course it costs a small fortune, but we don’t want Babar here to fall and break open on the ice.”
Mark’s face twisted with confusion. “Babar?”
“You know, the kid’s book. The little elephant? Forget it. The point is, nothing can break these cables.”
“Nothing?”
“Well, every superhero has a weakness,” Steve said.
Mark waited with a wrinkled forehead and butterflies doing flip flops in his belly.
“They don’t deal too well with heat,” Steve explained. “Normal metal gets malleable somewhere around 2,100 degrees. Liquidmetal gets all loosey goosey around 750, just slightly hotter than your average oven on broil. Of course, the likelihood of that happening out here is about the same as me getting lucky with your boss.”
That got a laugh out of Mark. “She’s colder than the ice,” Mark said, trying to put Steve at ease over his line of questioning. “Hypothetically speaking, what if one broke?”
“Why?”
Steve’s bold affront caught Mark off-guard. Was he suspicious?
“Uh, I need to know how far away I should set up my equipm
ent. I don’t want to be near that thing tomorrow if it falls.”
“And you wouldn’t want to be. Thirty tons of ice, permafrost and mammoth landing on top of you wouldn’t feel all that dandy…but to answer your question, Eddy has so many chains strapped to this thing that half of them could break away and the rest could still hold the weight without breaking a sweat. Not that chains sweat, but you know what I mean.”
“Right…okay, then. Thanks.”
Mark started to walk away.
“No problemo,” Steve said, adding under his breath, “nimrod.”
Mark’s hands grew sweaty underneath his gray cotton gloves. The worst thing he’d done in his life was sneak into the girls’ locker room and hide in a stall so he could watch them change their clothes. But even then he was so scared that he just sat on the toilet without peeking once.
After entering his tent and zipping the entrance closed behind him, Mark slumped onto his sleeping bag and rubbed his temples. He was going to go to hell for this.
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
After a long day of setting up the electron microscope and computer analysis system that was supposed to make her life simpler, but really just confounded her, Eve was tired. The work was nothing compared to the dawn-til-dusk hours she put in on her father’s farm during the summers of her youth, shoveling manure and bailing hay, but then again, she wasn’t sixteen anymore, either. For a moment her mind replayed scenes from the farm—the willow tree out front, the sweet, earthy smell of the stream across the dirt road and the stars at night, endless and beautiful. At least in the Arctic, where the electric glow of civilization could only be found in their flashlights, laptops and lanterns, that old night sky was once again keeping her company. A stiff breeze brought her out of her mind’s eye and reminded her of the Arctic’s main drawback—it was damn cold.
Raising the Past Page 7