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Back Vostok Save as PDF
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover Page
  2. VOSTOK
  3. Copyright Page
  4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  5. Dedication
  6. PROLOGUE
  7. Part OneThe Beginning…
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 5 months later …
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. Part TwoEndings…
  34. 25
  35. 26
  36. 27
  37. 28
  38. 29
  39. 30
  40. 31
  41. 32
  42. 32
  43. 33
  44. 34
  45. 35
  46. 36
  47. 37
  48. 38
  49. Part ThreeBefore the Beginning…
  50. 39
  51. 40
  52. 41
  53. 42
  54. EPILOGUE

Ignoring the urge to check its sex, I gazed from one end of the luminescent-green tunnel to the other. Maybe it was fatigue, maybe it was the high oxygen content, but choosing a direction seemed a mental chore I hadn’t the strength to complete. So, I yelled out, “Which way, José?”

The tunnel to the north brightened from green to light green to yellow.

What? It’s communicating with me using the colors of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Stepping over the dead predator, I headed down the northern section of the shaft, feeling lightheaded and a bit like Alice as she made her way into the rabbit hole. Of course, Alice’s rabbit hadn’t tried to bite her head off.

I had walked about a hundred yards when the light changed from yellow to orange.

AUDIO ENTRY: FINLAY MACDONALD

25 SEPTEMBER 12:17 HOURS

I’m back onboard a transit chopper, Brandy girl, my precious bundle of joy hidden beneath my seat.

T’was no easy thing. The ride up through the ice sheet was a rough grind. Ashlynn Archer managed tae keep my mind off me bein’ sealed in an armored suit in a coffin while the laser burned through four kilometers of ice. I was unconscious when they finally pried me loose.

I awoke in Ashlynn’s sleeping bag with an I.V. feedin’ fluids intae my veins. The Colonel stopped by tae offer a congratulatory handshake. He teld me Zachary was safe and tha’ they no longer needed my services.

Ashlynn arranged for a helicopter tae take me back tae the dome for proper medical attention as soon as my I.V. drained. Fine by me, only I needed tae smuggle the egg oot of the Valkyrie’s storage compartment. Feigning fatigue, I teld Ashlynn tae return tae duty whilst I rested.

The moment she was gone, I yanked oot the I.V. and searched her quarters for something tae hide the egg inside of. I found a bathroom towel and a backpack filled wit’ paperback books. I emptied the lot, then tossed the towel in the backpack and found my way back tae the Valkyrie pod and sled.

Fortunately, the egg was where I had left it. Wrapping it snugly in the towel, I shoved it in the backpack and stowed it under my ski jacket and ECW gear that was piled atop a folding chair. Then it was back tae bed where I waited for Ashlynn tae return.

25 SEPTEMBER 2:09 HOURS

Good news and bad. The good: I’m back in the dome, and the backpack is in my tent. I’ve spoke tae Angus in our own special Highland code. He’s over the moon and is makin’ arrangements tae fly intae Davis Base aboard a charter paid for by whit he referred tae as “private investors.”

The bad news: Zach’s gone missing.

18

“Curiouser and curiouser.”

—Lewis Carroll