Ice Hunt

Bratt turned his attention, pulling out a grenade from a pocket. He pointed and signaled his plan. “Ready.”

Matt took a deep breath and pushed himself from his belly into a crouch, keeping low. “Go!”

Bratt lobbed the grenade. He didn’t have the arm to reach the group in the tents, not against the winds blowing out from the ice mountains. But he did a damn good job anyway. The explosion of ice obliterated the view.

That was Matt’s cue. He took off at a full sprint. Behind him, Bratt twisted to fire at the men positioned near the station entrance.

The plan might have worked, except that the Russians by the tents had managed to load their rocket launcher. Matt heard the fizzling blast, followed by the telltale whistle.

He dove and twisted, skidding a few yards on his shoulder. The sharp ice shredded his parka. He watched Bratt turn, ready to leap away, but the distances were too short, the rocket too fast.

Matt covered his face, both to protect himself and not to watch.

The rocket struck with a resounding blast. The ice shuddered under Matt. He lowered his arm and pushed up. Their temporary shelter was now a smoking hole of steam.

There was no sign of Bratt.

Then a boot landed beside him, thudding in the snow, sizzling against the ice.

Horrified, Matt rolled away. He shoved to his feet. Not allowing the man’s sacrifice to be in vain, he ran for the vehicles.

Je

“We have to move out now,” Craig said beside her, drawing her attention. “Use the distraction to grab what vehicles we can.”

“Who can drive a Cat?” Kowalski asked, pointing to the sturdy vehicle. It was only ten yards away. So close…

Ogden raised his hand. “I can.”

Kowalski nodded. “Tom and I’ll grab a couple snowmobiles to act as flankers and decoys. The Cat should hold the rest of you. I’ve got two Molotovs left.” He tossed one to Tom. “We’ll do what we can to keep the Russians off your asses.”

“Let’s do it,” Craig said.

The group bolted toward the nearby Cat. Tom and Kowalski divided and ran for two Ski-Doos.

Henry reached the Sno-Cat first and yanked the door open. Zane and Magdalene clambered into the front seat while Henry tried the engine. It sputtered, then caught. The noise seemed loud, sure to draw the attention of the Russians now that the firefight had stopped. Hopefully the soldiers were still deafened by the rocket explosion. And if not, there was always the perpetually howling wind to cover the sound.

Je

She heard one Ski-Doo engine wind up, then another. Tom and Kowalski had found their mounts.

“Inside!” Craig urged, pulling open the rear door for Amanda and Je

As Amanda grabbed the edge of the doorframe, sharp barking cut through the engine noise.

Je

She searched, then spotted movement. A figure lumbered from the snow fifty yards away. The lone Russian in the white parka. She hissed to Craig.

He came over. Amanda paused in the open door.

Je

“We’ll have to take him out,” Craig said.

Then Je

Craig saw it, too. “It looks like we won’t have to deal with the man after all. That is some mutt. A real attack dog.”

Je

She watched the man wrestle the dog, then sit up on his knees and hug him, pulling the dog tight. She fell forward two steps. “It’s Matt!”

A sob escaped Matt as he clutched Bane. How had the dog gotten here? All the way from Omega? It seemed a miracle.

He heard a small cry in the wind, but he couldn’t tell from where. He glanced up. Then he heard it again. Someone was calling his name.

Bane dashed a few steps, then turned back to Matt, clearly urging him to follow.

He did, one leg numbly stumbling after the next. He trudged after the dog, not believing his luck.

And he never should have.

Again a characteristic whistling wail pierced the winds.

Another rocket.

The Russians must know his goal. They were going to take out the parking lot, cutting off any means of escape.

Matt stumbled after Bane, meaning to catch the damn dog, drag him down. But the wolf kept ru

“Bane! No!”

Ever obedient, Bane stopped and spun back to look at him.

Then the rocket hit, blasting Matt back from the force of the concussion. He landed on his back, the wind knocked out of him. He felt the wash of heat from the explosion roll over him.

He cried in his heart and aloud. “No!”

He sat up. The parking lot ahead was gone, a blasted ruin of ice and torn vehicles. At the center gaped a hole clear to the ocean below.

Matt covered his face with his hands.

Je

Her ears ringing, she lay some twenty feet from the Sno-Cat. She remembered the jolt as ice bucked under her, throwing her high. Across the way, the Cat was crashed on its side, toppled over by the force of the explosion.

Matt…

She flashed back to seeing him just before the attack. The fear drove away her momentary daze.

Je

Beyond them, the ice field was obliterated, swirling in steam. A large hole had been blasted through to the ocean below. Wreckage of vehicles lay all around, thrown and scattered like so many toys. There was no sign of Matt or Bane, but steam still misted thickly.

Closer, Je

Oh God…

She spotted Kowalski’s vehicle halfway up the neighboring pressure ridge, on its side, motor still chugging. But there was no sign of the seaman.

“We need to help them,” Amanda said.

Je

Amanda turned. Her words were slurred more than usual. “The blast…” She shook her head. “It almost fell on top of me.”

Je

Craig joined them.

Through the Cat’s windshield, figures moved. Ogden bore a gash on his forehead. He and Magdalene were trying to calm Zane. He was dazed, flailing, half conscious.

“We have to get them out,” Je

“The door’s jammed,” Amanda said. “I tried…I couldn’t…maybe all of us together.”

Craig stepped away from the toppled Sno-Cat. “We’re not going to have the time.” He stared out beyond the blasted pit in the ice.

As the winds blew the steaming mist from the blast zone, a line of figures in white parkas were setting out across the ice, weapons ready.

Craig turned to them. “The cleanup squad. We have to get away from here before they spot us.”

Je