Yana’s shoulders relaxed. As they did, Hammet turned to Zahra.
“The efforts of the Tactical Archaeological Command are greatly appreciated.” He leaned in closer to the woman. “Not everyone’s secrets are as secretive as they’d like.” He winked, then eyed Zahra. “Thank you for doing what you do. History deserves to be protected at all costs.”
“All of it?” Yana asked.
“Ja,” Hammet quickly replied. “Even the evil parts. We must learn from what we disagree with… With what we regret,” he placed his hand on his chest, “even if we were not personally responsible.”
Zahra could feel the sadness radiating from the German. She knew how touchy a subject Nazism was to modern-day Germans. It was the same for Americans whenever slavery was brought up, not that the United States invented the horrid practice. Either way, every country had its warts. Some were just larger and nastier than others.
I can see why this guy was chosen to join us.
“That’s admirable of you to say,” Zahra said, smiling.
“Danke,” he replied, thanking her.
Zahra slipped into fluent German. “You’re welcome. It’s always nice to meet someone who respects history as much as I do.”
Hammet smiled. “Most impressive, Miss Kane,” he replied, continuing the conversation in German. “It will be nice to have another German speaker on this mission.”
“Excuse me,” Yana said, “but I find that impolite and incredibly annoying. Please stop.”
“What’s her deal?” Hammet asked, staying in German.
Zahra smiled. “She’s constipated.”
The pair laughed hard.
Yana did not. “I hate you both. I hope you know that.” She glanced at Zahra. “By the way, how many languages do you speak? So far, I’ve heard four.”
Zahra patted her shoulder. “Enough.” The non-answer earned a heavy eye roll.
“Four?” Hammet asked in English. “Remarkable.”
Zahra shrugged. “I’ve always been good with languages.”
The outer doors opened behind Hammet. Luckily for everyone inside the GWR Building, the inner doors blocked any of the chilling Antarctic air from invading the interior’s warmth.
“So, where is Captain Ford?” Yana asked, moving the conversation along.
“I’m wondering the same thing,” Zahra replied. “Now that we’re here, I have no idea what to do next.”
Hammet looked around. “Likewise. He is supposed to have our travel planned out.”
Yana sat back down. “I guess we take it easy until he shows up, yes?”
No one argued.
“Well, I’ve definitely been in worse places,” Zahra said, raising her lowball of bourbon.
“As have I.” Yana agreed, clinking her glass to Zahra’s.
Chapter 14
Zahra
The cheerful voice boomed from across the room, originating from somewhere behind Hammet. Zahra’s line of sight was blocked, and she couldn’t identify the speaker until Hammet stepped out of the way. When the big German did, Zahra saw an equally imposing man standing just inside the inner entrance doors.
Hammet turned and faced the newcomer. “You Ford?”
The other man stepped forward and nodded. “I am.”
Kyle Ford was older than Zahra thought he’d be. She guessed he was somewhere in his early fifties. The hair along his temples was streaked with gray, though the rest of his head was still thick and dirty blonde. His eyes were sharp, as a pilot’s eyes should be. They darted between the trio of visitors, taking in everything about them as quickly as they could.
“I like your bar,” Yana said, holding up her drink.
The smallest of smiles formed on Kyle’s face. “Thanks, but it’s not mine.”
He skirted around the threesome, making his way to the back of the bar. He cracked his knuckles, then leaned atop it.
“What are you all drinking?”
Zahra couldn’t place the man’s accent. He sounded as if he was from up north, somewhere around the Great Lakes. At first, she guessed Wisconsin. If that were true, then he was from way, way up north.
“How long did you live on the banks of Chequamegon Bay?”
Kyle stood erect with his hands on his hips. This time, his smile was full. “Very impressive. Grew up there. Still have family in Ashland, if you know it?”
Zahra had heard of it but had not visited the northwest corner of the Badger State, but she knew the dialect of those who had spent much time around Chequamegon Bay was slightly different, lilting in certain key ways. The only area she’d ever been to in that part of the U.S. was Northern Minnesota, but she knew that accent was similar.
The team was now complete. The four chatted it up until Kyle pushed away from the bartop.
“Let me show you to your rooms. We leave in the morning.”
“Isn’t it always morning here?” Hammet asked rhetorically.
Kyle took the question in stride. “Until it’s not. You don’t want to be here during the perpetual night. It’s utterly depressing.”
“You stay here year-round?” Zahra asked.
Kyle chuckled. “Once, but never again. I go home in the offseason or use my leave and travel, like now. I just landed, same as you; expect I’ll be here for another month, at least.”
Ugh, no thanks, Zahra thought, shivering at the thought. I’ll take Levanzo any day.
“Ever have any trouble when out and about?” Yana asked.
Kyle folded his arms across his chest. “What do you mean by ‘trouble?’”
She matched his posture. “The kind you need to shoot.”
His face hardened. “Who exactly are you again?”
“Anastasia Ogievich,” Yana replied.
Hammet’s eyes darted over to her. It was his only response to the outward lie.
“She’s my number two on his operation,” Zahra explained. She met Hammet’s eyes. Just because the Germans didn’t have eyes for Yana didn’t mean the Americans didn’t. “TAC trusts her, which means I do too. Her background isn’t important except to know that it is invaluable to us all.”
Yana finished off Zahra’s compliment with a shit-eating grin.
Kyle sighed. “As for your question, Ms. Ogievich, no, we will not need weapons of any kind. This is a research mission, first and foremost, and is in conjunction with the National Science Foundation. The Tactical Archaeological Command may have put this thing together, but it still falls under the Antarctic Treaty. Military operations are strictly forbidden in Antarctica.”
Yana snorted. “Your faith in the treaty is striking. If only you knew what really happens out there.”
“I will pretend that was just more snark from you and nothing you’d like to delve deeper into.”
Yana conceded and stayed quiet.
So did Zahra, but her face must have given away her true feelings on the subject.
“You don’t agree?” he asked.
“No, I don’t.”
Yana couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “It is plain to see that you do not get out much, Captain. Betrayal and the ability to work around the laws are the basis of everything human. Murder is illegal unless it’s sanctioned by someone with the authority to do so.”
Zahra scratched her head. “She does have a point.”
“Like the American Revolution, yes?” Hammet added. “What is the old adage? It’s only illegal if you get caught?”
“Or in that specific case,” Yana said, “it’s only treason if you lose.”
Kyle’s eyebrows knit. Zahra needed to break this up before it cost them dearly.
She held up both hands. “What I think my colleagues are saying is that it would be foolish to blindly believe that all parties stationed on this frozen rock are playing by the rules and following the treaty to the letter of the law.” She lowered her hands and stared down Kyle. “I’d be curious to see what Palmer and McMurdo are storing in their more restricted areas…”