silent. If not for Admiral Vanderbilt’s angered screams already rattling my headset, I would have. All alone and in pain near everywhere, my own end suddenly seems possible. No one to hear my words no matter how loud, I cannot even ask the ‘final’ question.
“The codex is secure!” one of the Russians declares.
Now, Korzhak, now ! PUNCH IT!”
With the screeching whir of the crane, I hit what has to be close to terminal velocity – upward.
“500 meters … 400 meters … 250 meters … 150 meters.…”
All around me, sheets of ice shear off the column walls as the crane drags me skyward. Complete darkness in both mind and spirit; suddenly the sun smashes into squinting, panicked eyes. My motion still upward, but as if riding a slide backward and upside down, my harness cable violently flings me out of the hole. Even more gracefully, and more on my face than not, I crash into the glacier surface.
For a good many moments, I lay motionless on the ice. Gulped breaths to re-inflate my flattened body seem like a good idea, so I do this first. Next, I crawl to my knees with a flurry of moans. Everything hurting, my suit in shredded pieces, the two sibling gems safe. I spit blood from my mouth to mingle with the smeared blood already staining the ice and look up.
To my surprise, I face the open hole from whence the crane had thrown me. It appears little as it did just before my descent. Not even twenty meters away, I could slide down the hole to my death. A deep, inclined driveway wide enough for three autos side by side now replaces the packed ice that had fallen atop me bit by painful bit. In shock, I watch large slices of ice on the opposite side of the drilled column break free and fall away every few seconds. The glacier ice making up the lip of the hole then suddenly collapses down into itself. Hearing footsteps behind me, I slowly turn my kneeling body around to meet them.
Dr. Ravensdale and Dr. Leitz are the first to arrive. As one drags me away from the collapsing hole, the other unhooks me from my harness. Now safely far enough away, Alfred pulls out a first aid kit while Alistair removes my helmet and headset. Both fall apart into pieces once he does so. Even in this condition, I reach for my darkened glasses – they are long gone, of course. Luckily, I had earlier put on my colored contacts. Sucking in the crisp air, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, gazing toward the green dome to my north.…
Are you kidding ?
Chance Saddlebirch stands proudly over our retrieved treasure. Triumphantly, as if a conqueror, is a more fitting description. With that smug look atop his rigid frame and hands on his hips, one would think that he and he alone recovered this fifth codex. All that is missing is an oversized American flag behind him rippling with the breeze.
“ Americans ,” Dr. Leitz snickers. His eyes had obviously followed mine. He then looks west with a slight nod and I do the same. Not the original operator, but Korzhak, sits in the crane operator’s seat. With a piece of ice held against his jaw, the first operator sulks close by.
I did hear a punch! In too much pain to get to my feet, I stay kneeling. My eyes stray back to the ice. Soon after, a shadow casts itself over me.
“Good … you are safe,” Dr. Korzhak says dryly. “Just as I said you would be.” I look up in shock.
“ Safe? Seriously? Do you not see me, here , bleeding, gasping for every breath … scared out of my wits … waiting to catch with frozen hands a pounding heart just ready to leap through my throat?”
“Are you dead? At risk of dying at this moment?”
As much in disbelief from this conversation as to answer, I shake my shivering head. “But … but … that is not the ––”
“Then you are safe,” Korzhak interrupts curtly. “I promised nothing more.” With a step in the air and turned away from me, he looks back.
“The codex is secure!” one of the Russians declares.
Now, Korzhak, now ! PUNCH IT!”
With the screeching whir of the crane, I hit what has to be close to terminal velocity – upward.
“500 meters … 400 meters … 250 meters … 150 meters.…”
All around me, sheets of ice shear off the column walls as the crane drags me skyward. Complete darkness in both mind and spirit; suddenly the sun smashes into squinting, panicked eyes. My motion still upward, but as if riding a slide backward and upside down, my harness cable violently flings me out of the hole. Even more gracefully, and more on my face than not, I crash into the glacier surface.
For a good many moments, I lay motionless on the ice. Gulped breaths to re-inflate my flattened body seem like a good idea, so I do this first. Next, I crawl to my knees with a flurry of moans. Everything hurting, my suit in shredded pieces, the two sibling gems safe. I spit blood from my mouth to mingle with the smeared blood already staining the ice and look up.
To my surprise, I face the open hole from whence the crane had thrown me. It appears little as it did just before my descent. Not even twenty meters away, I could slide down the hole to my death. A deep, inclined driveway wide enough for three autos side by side now replaces the packed ice that had fallen atop me bit by painful bit. In shock, I watch large slices of ice on the opposite side of the drilled column break free and fall away every few seconds. The glacier ice making up the lip of the hole then suddenly collapses down into itself. Hearing footsteps behind me, I slowly turn my kneeling body around to meet them.
Dr. Ravensdale and Dr. Leitz are the first to arrive. As one drags me away from the collapsing hole, the other unhooks me from my harness. Now safely far enough away, Alfred pulls out a first aid kit while Alistair removes my helmet and headset. Both fall apart into pieces once he does so. Even in this condition, I reach for my darkened glasses – they are long gone, of course. Luckily, I had earlier put on my colored contacts. Sucking in the crisp air, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, gazing toward the green dome to my north.…
Are you kidding ?
Chance Saddlebirch stands proudly over our retrieved treasure. Triumphantly, as if a conqueror, is a more fitting description. With that smug look atop his rigid frame and hands on his hips, one would think that he and he alone recovered this fifth codex. All that is missing is an oversized American flag behind him rippling with the breeze.
“ Americans ,” Dr. Leitz snickers. His eyes had obviously followed mine. He then looks west with a slight nod and I do the same. Not the original operator, but Korzhak, sits in the crane operator’s seat. With a piece of ice held against his jaw, the first operator sulks close by.
I did hear a punch! In too much pain to get to my feet, I stay kneeling. My eyes stray back to the ice. Soon after, a shadow casts itself over me.
“Good … you are safe,” Dr. Korzhak says dryly. “Just as I said you would be.” I look up in shock.
“ Safe? Seriously? Do you not see me, here , bleeding, gasping for every breath … scared out of my wits … waiting to catch with frozen hands a pounding heart just ready to leap through my throat?”
“Are you dead? At risk of dying at this moment?”
As much in disbelief from this conversation as to answer, I shake my shivering head. “But … but … that is not the ––”
“Then you are safe,” Korzhak interrupts curtly. “I promised nothing more.” With a step in the air and turned away from me, he looks back.
Similar Books
