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.”
Dec smiled. “And you never change, Mel.”
She gave a cackling laugh. “Life’s too short, my boy.” Her gaze moved over to the others. “I see you brought me some more eye candy.”
Logan snorted and the smallest smile touched Ronin’s lips. For a second, Peri stared at his mouth. Since they’d left Denver, she felt the distance he was putting between them. Peri didn’t like it.
“You remember Logan and Ronin,” Dec said.
“Sure do. My mountain man and my G-Man.” She hugged both the men.
Peri swallowed a smile as the THS members stoically accepted the woman’s affection. G-Man. That nickname suited Ronin, with all his former CIA stealth.
“G-Man?” she said when he stepped back beside her.
“She’s always called me that.”
“Well, I think I might have to steal it.”
“These are my two right-hand peeps, who help me keep Aurora running smoothly.” Melinda nodded at the man and woman. “Dr. Gabriela Varela and Dr. Lars Ekberg.”
“And this is Peri Butler,” Ronin said. “She’s an experienced polar guide.”
“Nice to meet you, Peri,” Melinda said.
“You, too.” Peri shook the woman’s hand. “Thanks for helping us.”
“Now, I know you’re keeping your mission a big fat secret from me.” Melinda screwed up her nose. “And frankly, I probably don’t want to know. We have two snowmobiles ready for you, and outfitted with everything you’ll need.”
“I’d like to bring you up to speed,” Dec said. “You might be able to help us out. It just wasn’t something I could discuss over the phone.”
Mel nodded thoughtfully. “Okay. But I wouldn’t want to be heading out this time of year.”
“We’ll be fine,” Dec assured her.
“Well, there’s a storm moving in. It’s not expected to last long, but it looks nasty. You won’t be able to leave today.”
Peri felt a bolt of frustration and she barely managed to swallow a curse.
“But I have bunks for you and a hot meal.” Then Melinda’s face tensed. “And I have another problem to deal with. We have two researchers missing. They went out this morning to collect ice samples. They missed check-in and they haven’t returned.”
Peri’s gut clenched. That was bad. The chances of survival out here if you hit a problem were slim.
“Lost a good researcher last year.” Melinda’s tone was charged with grief. “Fell in a crevasse. Hoping these two are still okay and just need a rescue.”
Peri was well aware of how dangerous crevasses could be. The huge cracks in the ice could be deep, and could open up without notice.
She saw the THS men all straighten and share a look.
“They have any gear with them to survive the storm?” Dec asked.
“They have some basics,” Gabriela responded. “A tent, emergency blankets, and MREs. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but they could survive. But not for long.”
“We have search teams heading out now,” Lars said.
“Let us help,” Dec said.
Relief crossed Melinda’s weathered face. “I’d appreciate it.”
Lars stepped forward. “Everyone’s going out in teams of two on snowmobiles. We have search areas mapped out based on their route and destination.”
Dec looked at Logan. “You’re with me.”
Ronin turned to Peri. “Which means you’re with me.”
Peri nodded, glad to focus on something other than her worry for Amber. “Let’s go.” She grabbed her jacket. “But I’m driving.”
Logan snorted and Ronin frowned. “No.”
“You got to drive back in Denver, so now it’s my turn, G-Man.” She raised a brow. “Besides, I bet I have way more hours on a snowmobile than you.”
Dec was grinning. “The lady has a point, Coop.”
Grumbling, Ronin pulled on his jacket. “Fine.”