Hamlin had to ask. The answer was too important.
“What’s wrong with Kravchuk? He looks terrible.”
Barinov snarled. “As well he should. After some arm twisting, he convinced me to let him have a look in the outer lab.”
Kravchuk’s skin color was almost grey. He sought, and then made eye contact with Hamlin.
“You were right. I’m going to have nightmares for the rest of my life.”
Hamlin had no response. The memory would be more than punishment enough.
“I presume there was no sign of Kuvayev or Pechkin,” Sokolov said.
Barinov shook his head. “No. No signs at all. No tracks—nothing. Sorry.”
“Now, now,” Sokolov soothed. “There is certainly no need to apologize. We all appreciate you going out there and putting yourselves potentially in harm’s way for our benefit. We could ask for nothing more.”
Barinov and his fellow miners looked like beaten men.
“I could use a nice, hot shower. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll indulge.” Barinov shuffled off.
“Very well,” Sokolov responded. “As for the rest of you, may I suggest that the last task of the day could be to see if there is any way to reinforce our few windows and the door? The peace of mind that comes from doing it might be invaluable while trying to sleep tonight. I have to go and prepare some medication for myself.”
This last statement put a hush over the crowd. Sokolov noticed immediately.
“May I ask for volunteers to take my temperature every few hours from here on in until such a time as when we all agree this matter has been definitively resolved in one manner or another? That helps me and gives some peace of mind to the rest of you, I would assume.”
Lena was quick to put up her hand.
“Yes, perfect. Ms. Sayansky has experience in the field of medicine, so there couldn’t be a better choice. Now, I shall leave you all to work on a security upgrade. Until later, then.”
There was plenty of scrap lumber in a small storage room near the end of the hall. Hamlin had no clue why it was there, but when coupled with an old hand saw and a hammer that looked like a relic from the when Neanderthals roamed the earth, they were able to reinforce all the windows quite well. The doors took a bit more engineering, but they finally came up with a method to secure both the hinges and the lock. And in the end, Sokolov was right. The effort, as well as the result, made everyone feel slightly better.
They had pizza for dinner. Francis was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out, considering all the ingredients were either frozen or came out of a can. That seemed to bolster everyone’s spirits somewhat—or at least everyone but Kravchuk; and Hamlin knew exactly what his problem was. Not the sort of thing food could help.
It was decided that another movie night would be a good way to wrap up the day. Hamlin was careful with what he chose. Nothing dark or scary tonight. He selected Groundhog Day, and then did a brief explanation on the premise of the movie before starting it. The reception was quite good, even a fair amount of laughter at the right moments. When the credits started to roll, Hamlin was not looking forward to lying in bed, waiting for whatever dreams may come. But the group dispersed and the end was apparent.
Obolensky was the first to act as security. He had the handgun set on the table within easy reach and also had a pile of Russian magazines which apparently were the night’s entertainment. His presence did make Hamlin feel more secure, he decided with some degree of relief. He wondered if Sokolov had anything that could help them sleep. That led him to wonder if Sokolov was going to be around much longer. He then had to contemplate the immediate future for all of them. There were so many negative thoughts. Fortunately, he had ‘borrowed’ a bottle of vodka, which now awaited his arrival in his room. Maybe sleep would be possible after all. After half a bottle, it was.
When he woke, Hamlin had no idea where he was. When that passed, he realized he had no idea what time it was. Wishing he didn’t care, but fearing the worst, he slowly rolled over. The clock said 8:37 and that was a pleasant surprise. He had slept straight through.
He got up as casually as possible, pretending that it was just another day. A shower was high on his agenda, but breakfast and some quick recognizance came first. He sauntered in the common area. Several people were preparing food; three already had plates full and were eating quietly.
Yedemsky had taken over security duties. He was flipping listlessly through the magazines. He also looked tired. Hamlin was surprised that a Russian of all people wouldn’t have thought to use vodka as a tranquilizer. He decided to walk over and see him.
“Good morning, Yedemsky. Can I get you anything from the kitchen? Food? Coffee or juice?”
Yedemsky looked up through bloodshot eyes. “No, I already had some stuff when I first got up. Thanks for asking, though.”
Hamlin decided to eat next. Then he really wanted to know how Sokolov was feeling. A simple bowl of oatmeal, two pieces of dry toast, and a small coffee got him started. He was surprised to discover he still had some appetite.
“Hey you,” Lena said as she slid him beside him. “Get any sleep last night?”
Francis had to smile despite the obvious physical side effects his indulgence from the previous evening was having. “Green Mark Cedar is becoming my favorite vodka and new best friend. How about you?”
She had to think about her answer. “I tossed and turned. Perhaps imagining Konstantine is worse than actually seeing him.”
“I wouldn’t bet any money on that,” Francis replied before taking in a steaming spoonful of oatmeal.
“I’m fighting an uncontrollable urge to ask you to describe the scene to me. Who knew I had such morbid curiosity?”
“I knew you had uncontrollable urges,” Hamlin added, taking a risk that she would find his comment funny.
“Hmm. I should have snuck into your room last night and fucked both of us to sleep. That’s got to be an improvement on shattered nerves and frequent waking. No matter what your moral compunctions might be about this deviant behavior of mine, Doctor, you’ve got to admit that this horror we’re enduring makes me and what I do look like a Sunday school teacher polishing the ambry in comparison.”
“I’m not sure I’d endorse the comparison, but trust me when I tell you that I have no complaints about your behavior since I arrived here. As a matter of fact, I’d like to bring you and a case of this awesome vodka home with me when this is all over. Lena, New England would seem so warm compared to this place, you’d never want to wear clothes again. That should go a long ways toward making the transition fun.”
She was giving him a sly grin. “No clothes, huh? I think I am having a bad influence on you, Doctor.”
“Well, maybe a G-string, pasties, and stiletto heels on the cool days. I could live with that.”
Her smile grew wider. “I guess we wouldn’t be going out much. So, tell me, Dr. Hamlin, do you own one of those huge American houses with a big garage for all your cars and a pool in the back?”
“Are you considering my offer?”
She shrugged. “You’ll have to work harder to sell it first. Who knows?”
For a brief moment Hamlin was back home, in his living room, sitting in his recliner and watching Lena walk seductively down the stairs. It was his fantasy, a man’s fantasy, so of course she was naked. Deborah was for the moment nowhere to be found. He found the whole scenario quite acceptable.
“My dear, I have a very nice house. It has four bedrooms, although God only knows why, a beautiful kitchen, and hardwood flooring throughout. No pool, mind you, but a very nice hot tub on the back deck.”