by Bryan Dunn
Yelling over the revving turbines, Amy said, “Let’s go!” They broke into a run, making a beeline for Lockwood.
A Coast Guard pilot appeared in the jet’s door holding a small Igloo cooler, then dropped down and jogged across the runway to meet Lockwood.
“Dr. Lockwood?” the pilot asked, joining him.
“Yes, I’m Lockwood.” He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the specimen container. “I’ve got the biopsy right here.”
The pilot nodded, opened the cooler, and held it out. Lockwood placed the biopsy carefully inside.
“Will that be all, sir?” the pilot asked, closing the lid.
“Yes, that’s it. And lieutenant, please be careful with it.”
The pilot gave Lockwood a salute. “Yes, sir.” Then he turned and hustled back to the jet.
“Hayden!” Amy yelled, but her words were mostly gobbled by the jet’s engines.
Lockwood turned around just in time to see Amy and Harry running across the tarmac.
“What are you doing? What’s going on?”
A hundred feet away, the Falcon jet began to roll, then turned and taxied toward the end of the runway.
Lockwood pointed toward the departing jet.
“The biopsy is being transported to New York, where attorneys for Cryolabs will collect it and immediately file a claim in the name of Cryolabs Corporation with a judge in the United States Supreme Court. This will insure that Cryolabs has all legal excavation rights to that iceberg.”
“So much for all mankind,” Harry said with a smirk.
Amy stepped up to Lockwood and put a hand on his arm. “I thought we agreed to keep this quiet for now, Hayden? We were going to free that creature from the ice first – get it safely back to the lab. Damn it, this isn’t just about Cryolabs – you may have jeopardized the whole thing.”
“Don’t be naïve. I know what I’m doing, Amy. That creature and the science it will spawn will be worth billions. I haven’t jeopardized anything. Quite the opposite – once that claim is filed in New York City, no one else can touch it.” Lockwood’s eyes narrowed, and a maniacal look flashed across his face.
At the end of the airport the Falcon jet powered up its engines. They turned and watched as the jet flashed down the runway, rotated, and lifted into the sky.
Lockwood dug into a pocket, pulled out a photograph of the creature and stared at it, letting his eyes trace the shadowy form entombed in ice. “I won’t be able to sleep until we have this magnificent creature off that iceberg.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Amy said. “I’ve made a cursory list. We’re going to need a recovery team, equipment, transportation – and I was going to add, legal advice – but it seems you’ve got that well in hand.”
“Everything’s taken care of,” Lockwood said in a cocksure tone of voice. “The Coast Guard and the Navy have already granted us full logistical support. We chopper out tomorrow as soon as the team is assembled, at which time we will exhume your remarkable find.”
“Is that enough time, Hayden? We’re going to need personnel, deicing equipment, tech support… I don’t see how it’s possible –”
“Amy, Amy… let not your heart be troubled. As we speak, an Air Force C-141 is en route with everything we’ll need. They should touch down late tonight and be ready to go at first light.”
“How in the hell did you manage that so quickly?” Harry said in disbelief. “We just got off that iceberg three hours ago.”
Lockwood laughed and smiled at Harry, clearly enjoying being so in control. “Cryolabs made its bones by beating the competition to the punch. Founder and CEO Doug Whitmer’s twenty-hour work days are legendary. He’s a freak, says so himself. Only needs three hours of sleep a night. Got the money to start his first company by playing all-night poker games. When all the other players began to get drowsy and lose their concentration, Doug would still be sharp and shear them like sheep. He’s a ruthless bastard. Most competitors find that out the hard way.”
“Sounds like a real charmer. Must be wonderful to have him for a boss.”
“He’s tough but fair. And he knows how to reward excellence.”
“And how’s that, Dr. Lockwood?”
“With money, of course.”
“Of course. Stupid question.”
“But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself. He’s flying his Gulfstream GV up here at the end of the week for a first-hand look.”
“Doug Whitmer is coming up here,” Amy asked incredulously. “I’ve never even met him. I thought he never left his Manhattan aerie.”
“Oh, that’s crap. He just doesn’t like dealing with people, hates small talk, doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke – and thinks golf is a waste of life.”
“Boy, I can’t wait to meet Mr. Excitement.”
“I think you’ll like him, Harry. The man is passionate, if nothing else – most people are actually drawn to him.”
“The same could be said about Satan.”
“True enough,” Lockwood chuckled, then rubbed his eyes. “Boy, what a day. I don’t know about you two, but I could use a shower and one of those porterhouse steaks they specialize in back at the hotel. What do you say? My treat.”
“Better keep an eye on those free offers, Dr. Lockwood, because right now Nowhere Man is doing his best to bankrupt you back at the Frozen Coconut.”
“Well, good, it would be my pleasure. The man flew his tail off today.”
Amy stretched her back and said, “The only thing I’m doing is taking a long hot bath and then falling into bed. I feel like I’ve been up for two days straight.”
“Well, Harry, what do you say? Want to join Inspector Hyde and myself for a steak? The inspector called anxious for details on your amazing discovery. The truth is, though, I think he just wants another one or two of my Cuban cigars.”
“Thanks, really, but I should go check on Boots. I’m all the family he’s got and I want to make sure he’s okay.”
“Of course. I understand. Please send my regards,” Lockwood said, then turned and marched off towards the lab.
Amy looked at Harry and said, “Would you like me to go to the hospital with you?”
“Hey, thanks, that’s a nice offer. The truth is he’s probably asleep, but I know he’s going to want to see you tomorrow and thank you for saving his life.”
“It must be hard for you. I know how close you are to him.”
“He’s going to be fine, good as new. No, why don’t you go get some rest – tomorrow is sure to be pretty crazy.”
Amy smiled, rose up on her toes, and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Harry. Thanks for putting up with me – and thanks for tolerating Hayden.”
She turned and started to leave, then added, “Breakfast on me.”
“Between you and Dr. Lockwood, I may never have to pay for a meal again.”
Chapter 27
Harry handed Amy a Styrofoam cup filled with coffee, pulled open the front door of St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, and holding it open for her, followed her inside.
Amy took a sip of coffee. “Mmm, good. Thanks.”
“Not up to Henry Chang’s standards, but it’s hot and if you drink enough of it, eventually it will wake you up.”
Amy smiled and took another sip.
Harry pointed to a bank of elevators. “We’re on the second floor.” They walked over, entered one of the waiting lifts, and pushed the button.
The elevator bonged, the doors opened, and they stepped onto 2 East and began down the corridor.
“Boots is in Room 205.”
As they walked toward the room, they noticed a middle-aged RN in the nurse’s station fixing her hair in front of a small compact. After she got it just right, she freshened her lipstick with a couple of deft swipes, gave herself one last look, straightened her uniform, then grabbed a dish containing a spectacular-looking homemade apple pie.
Harry and Amy looked at each other and exchanged smiles, but they both rem
ained quiet, fascinated to see what she would do next. To their utter amazement, they watched as she crossed the hallway, tapped lightly on Room 205, then pushed into the room, carefully balancing the pie in one hand.
Harry laughed and smiled. “I don’t believe it. That nurse is sweet on Boots!”
“If she baked that pie, this is serious,” Amy added.
When they got to the door, Harry put his fingers to his lips and gently eased it open, trying to get a peek inside.
“Harry!” Amy said loudly, chastising him and blowing their cover.
Harry let the door close and looked at Amy. “I was just having fun…”
Amy gave him a playful swat. Then Harry knocked loudly, waited, and pushed into the room.
“Hey, Boots, you decent?”
As they entered, they saw the RN, who’d been sitting on the bed pop up to her feet and nervously smooth her uniform.
“Harry!” Boots called out, obviously pleased to see his flying buddy. “Dr. Tyler! Come in and meet my guardian angel.”
Boots propped himself up on his pillow and made the introductions. “Margarita, I’d be pleased for you to meet, Harry, my boss, and this is Dr. Tyler – the person who saved me from that polar bear.”
Margarita blushed like a schoolgirl. Boots pointed to the pie sitting on the bedside table. “Margarita just baked one of her famous apple pies. If it’s all right with you, Margarita,” Boots gave her a little wink, “Let’s give Harry and Dr. Tyler a slice.”
“Oh, yes,” Margarita said. “I’ll go get some more plates.”
“It really looks delicious,” Amy said.
“So, Boots, looks like you’re making out pretty good here? I’ve never had a nurse – or come to think of it, anyone – bake a pie for me before. This looks serious.”
“You never had a pie baked for you?” Amy said looking at Harry. “Poor baby. I’ll tell you what – I’ll make you an apple pie sometime.”
“You will?” Harry said, genuinely touched.
Amy crossed her heart. “Promise.”
“Uh-oh, Harry – this looks pretty serious,” Boots said, getting in a dig.
“I’ll believe it when I see the pie,” Harry said, giving Amy a playful smile. Then he looked at Boots. “I’m not sure we’re ever going to get you out of here, Boots. Margarita has ruined you.”
“Think I’m going soft on you, Har?”
“I’m not sure what to think,” Harry said, giving him a playful tap on the leg.
“How’s the back?” Amy asked, stepping up next to the bed.
“Fifty stitches, can you believe that?” Boots said, sounding almost proud.
“Harry told me. Does it hurt?”
“Not too bad, really…” Boots said, then laughed. “Only when I breathe.”
“It can’t be that bad, he’s got old Margarita pretty flustered.”
“Come on, Harry. Knock it off.”
Boots reached up and placed a hand on Amy’s arm. “Dr.Tyler, what you did – I don’t know how to thank you. It was the bravest thing. Thank you for saving my life.”
And then Boots suddenly choked up and got teary-eyed.
Amy reached down and gently touched his forehead. “Thank you for those sweet words, Boots. But the truth is, it was a pretty stupid thing to do. We’re both just lucky that bear decided to flee. It could’ve gone either way. And for the record – it happened so fast there wasn’t time for any bravery on my part.”
Boots was mopping his eyes when Margarita swept into the room with paper plates and forks and a pint of vanilla ice cream.
“Look what I found, Edward, ice cream to go with your pie.”
Harry looked at Margarita who was staring sweetly down at Boots. Harry thought to himself, had she been a dove, she would’ve started cooing.
“Edward?” Harry said in an exaggerated voice, giving Boots a look of amazement. “You never told me your name was Edward.”
Boots blushed, obviously embarrassed. “Well, you never baked me no apple pie, neither, now did you?”
“No, I guess not,” Harry said. And everyone had a good laugh.
Margarita began slicing the pie, placing great, tall wedges on brightly colored paper plates.
Amy grabbed the ice cream scoop and said, “How many for a la mode?
The pie was passed around with Boots receiving the largest portion. As Harry was about to take a bite, his cell phone began to chirp. He put his pie down, dug out his phone, and stepped into the hallway to answer it.
“Harry’s probably late on his bank loan again,” Boots laughed, then took a giant bite of pie.
A moment later, Harry stepped back into the room and looked at Amy. “That was Nowhere Man. Everyone has to be geared up and at the airport in one hour.”
Chapter 28
Sitting on the iceberg, Nowhere Man’s Black Hawk looked like a toy next to the Sikorsky H-3 Super Stallion heavy transport helicopter perched directly ahead of him.
Its three General Electric turbo shaft engines began to wind up as the crew went through its pre-flight before dust off.
After much discussion and a certain amount of hand-wringing, it was decided that the big transport copter was too heavy to be left on the ice. In its place, they would use the lighter Black Hawk to shuttle the team and supplies back and forth to the excavation site. Personnel and equipment had been hastily off-loaded. The Super Stallion would return to St. John’s and remain on standby for the return trip and removal of the creature.
Nowhere Man sat in the Black Hawk’s cockpit and watched as the blades of the Super Stallion began to turn, become aerodynamic, and kick up loose chunks of ice and snow.
A safe distance from the spinning blades, four Navy engineers sifted through a mountain of equipment – electric generators, tents, Plexiglass panels, tools, food, water – that littered the ice. Suddenly the whole iceberg seemed to shake. They all stopped what they were doing and shielded their eyes. The Super Stallion’s thirteen thousand horsepower turbines defied gravity and gently lifted the massive machine off the ice, pushing it up and out over the water.
Harry, Amy, Lockwood, and two tech sergeants who had been dropped off at the excavation site earlier that morning all looked skyward as the thunder from the departing H-3 rolled across the iceberg.
Harry was helping Sergeant Sloan assemble the top stage of aluminum scaffolding that, when finished, would run right up the ice wall and allow them easy access to the entombed creature.
Amy, Lockwood, and the other technician, Sergeant Wilbanks, were assembling a sort of jury-rigged deicing machine. They piped in the meltwater from the pond, then channeled it into a tank surrounded by a heating element, a matrix of copper wire that would super-heat the water – and then it would be sucked into the pump and returned at high pressure through a hose attached to an adjustable nozzle. A gas-powered Honda generator would supply all the power they needed to heat the water and run the pump.
“Okay, sergeant, lock it down,” Harry said, as they fit the last section of scaffolding into place.
Sergeant Sloan inserted a pin into one of the tubular uprights, locking it into the section below. As he straightened, he faced the ice wall and got his first good look at the creature trapped inside.
“Sweet Jesus,” the technician said, more than a little awed.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Harry said, smiling at Sergeant Sloan’s shocked expression.
“I bet you’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“Not since my D.I. in boot camp, anyway.”
Harry laughed, then called down to Lockwood, “How are you guys doing? We’re about ready up here.”
“Almost got it,” Lockwood said. “We just have to connect the hoses, and we should be all set.”
Amy fought her way up from the pond with one end of the heavy hose draped over her shoulder, and with a final tug, reached the deicing equipment.
“We’re good to go,” Amy said between lungfuls of air. “The siphon is in place.”
She dropped down onto the ice and screwed the hose into the brass fitting on the pump.
“Excellent,” Lockwood said with a nod, then turned toward Sergeant Wilbanks.
“Ready for a test run, sergeant?”
“Yes, sir.” With that he reached down, started the generator, turned on the heating element, and let water flow into the tank and then back into the pump’s output chamber.
Sergeant Wilbanks felt the hose fill with water and become pressurized. Holding the hose up, he offered the brass nozzle to Lockwood. “Would you like to do the honors, doctor?”
“No, sergeant, we don’t go in for grandstanding around here – you’re doing just fine. You go ahead and run the test.”
Harry, who’d been watching everything from above, laughed out loud at Lockwood’s false modesty. Amy shot him an angry look, but Lockwood seemed to be oblivious.
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Sloan said. Then he pointed the hose at a section of wall and opened the valve. A powerful stream of hot water shot into the ice, instantly carving a deep notch amid clouds of billowing steam.
“Yeah!” Amy yelled, excited by how well it worked. “It’s perfect!”
Lockwood drew a finger across his throat, signaling for Sergeant Wilbanks to kill the pump. The sergeant waved, cut the stream of water, released the pressure, and shut down the generator.
“That was better than we could’ve hoped for,” Lockwood said, all smiles. “It’s like it was made to order.”
Harry turned and patted the section of ice wall directly over the creature. “Hold on buddy, we’re coming. We’ll have you out of there in no time.”
Chapter 29
Back at base camp, Nowhere Man, Lieutenant Cushman, and the four Navy engineers had made good progress in starting to arrange the scattered supplies. Remarkably, they almost had the main tent erected that would house the field lab.
Nowhere Man and Lieutenant Cushman had been given the task of assembling the Plexiglass panels that would form a tank large enough to hold the creature. About five feet wide and ten feet long, the tank would eventually be filled with water or antifreeze or vodka or something – no one knew for sure. Neither of them had seen the creature, but judging by the size of the tank, they both were thinking the same thing – it must be fucking huge!