James Rollins - The 6th Extinction

“You have to understand that at the end of the war, most of the major players in Nazi Germany ended up in British hands. Rudolf Hess, Heinrich Himmler, and most important of all, the head of the German navy, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz. The Brits had unfettered access to interrogate these leaders and their confederates, well before we or the Soviets did.”

Gray understood the significance in regard to their discussion. “And as navy commander, Dönitz would certainly have intimate knowledge of the U-boat activity around that southernmost continent.”

“He did, including knowing the location of the Neuschwabenland base and what the Germans discovered on that continent. Apparently it was something incredible. Here’s a quote from Admiral Dönitz during the Nuremberg Trials, where he boasted about Nazi discoveries in Antarctica. He says they found an invulnerable fortress, a paradise-like oasis in the middle of eternal ice .”

Jason let that fact sink in before continuing. “And what’s even more unusual is that this admiral, one so high up the Nazi chain of command, ended up serving only ten years in Spandau Prison in Berlin. So while others were put to death, the Nazi fleet commander escaped with barely a slap on the hand. Why is that, do you suppose?”

“Let me guess,” Gray said. “He made some sort of deal. A lighter prison sentence in exchange for information.”

Jason nodded. “That’s what Professor Harrington claims in his exchanges with Dr. Hess.”

“And this British group has been searching for this lost cavern system for decades?” Kat said. “Why is it so important?”

Jason took in a sharp breath. “That’s all there is about it in the history files, but Professor Harrington’s private notes hint at some secret papers — maybe a map — something once in the possession of Darwin.”

Gray couldn’t hold back his shock. “As in Charles Darwin.”

“That’s right.”

Gray pointed to the file name at the top of the computer screen

D.A.R.W.I.N.

“Is that why the folder we copied from DARPA’s servers is titled like that?” he asked.

“Maybe, but it’s also apparently the acronym for the main philosophy shared by Harrington and Hess. They discuss it in several of their e-mails. It stands for Develop and Revolutionize Without Injuring Nature . The two researchers were united in an effort to seek a way to halt the current great extinction that’s sweeping the globe.”

The sixth extinction .

Gray remembered Dr. Raffee’s description of Hess’s mission: to try to engineer a way out of this mass extinction.

“But what does this past history have to do with Hess’s current synthetic biology project?” Kat asked.

“I don’t know, but I believe it all came to a head in 1999.”

“Why then?”

“Both scientists kept referencing a discovery made in October of that year, describing it as a breakthrough in both their pursuits. Harrington described it more ostentatiously, as the key to opening Hell’s gate .”

Gray didn’t like the sound of that.

“They were both very cagey when writing about it. But they did reveal what that key was.” Jason faced them. “It’s why I called you in here. I thought it might be important in regard to what’s happening in California.”

“What was it?” Gray pressed.

“I confirmed this with independent sources. This particular detail is definitely true. Back in 1999, a group of researchers discovered a virus in Antarctica — one to which no animals or humans were immune. What’s even odder is that this microbe was found far out on the desolate ice fields, where nothing else lived. Some of the scientists from that time speculated the virus could have been some form of prehistoric life that thawed out of the ice… or maybe it was part of an old biological weapons program. Either way, the discovery excited both Harrington and Hess.”

Gray understood why this detail had provoked Jason. Considering what was happening in California, it could be significant.

Before they could discuss it further, the phone on Kat’s desk rang. She picked it up. Gray hoped it was further news from California. He checked his watch; the expedition team should be on their way back out of the hot zone — hopefully with some answers.

Kat glanced to Gray. “I’m being connected to Professor Harrington.”

He straightened. Maybe this was even better .

Kat put the call on speaker.

“ Hello, hello. ” The connection was faint, cutting in and out. “ This is Alex Harrington, can you hear me? ”

“We can, Professor. You’re speaking with—”

“ I know ,” he said, cutting her off. “ You’re with Sigma .”

Kat glared at Jason.

He mouthed, “I didn’t say a word.”

“ I was good friends with Sean McKnight ,” Harrington explained.

Gray and Kat gave each other startled looks. Sean McKnight had founded Sigma Force. In fact, he had recruited Painter into the fold over a decade ago, and eventually the man gave his life in the line of duty, dying within these very walls.

“Sir,” Kat said, “we’ve been trying to reach you. I don’t know if you heard about the accident at Dr. Hess’s lab in California.”

There was a long pause, long enough that Gray worried the connection had been lost.

Then Harrington spoke again. He sounded panicked and angry. “ That fool. I warned him .”

“We need your help,” Kat pushed. “To better understand what Dr. Hess was researching.”

“ Not over the phone. If you want answers, you’ll have to come to me. ”

“Where are you?”

“ Antarctica… Queen Maud Land .”

“Can you be more specific?”

“ No. Come to the Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf. I’ll have someone meet you there — someone I can trust — and they’ll bring you to me. ”

“Professor,” Kat continued to press, “this matter is time critical.”

“ Then you’d better hurry. But first tell me this, is Dr. Hess dead or is he missing ?”

Kat’s lips narrowed, clearly judging how much to say. Finally she opted for the truth. “We believe he may have been kidnapped.”

Again there was a long pause on the line. Fear replaced anger in the professor’s voice. “ Then you’d better get here now.”

The line clicked and went dead.

A new voice spoke behind them. “Sounds like a road trip is in order.”

Gray turned to find Monk at the threshold, standing in sweatpants and a sopping T-shirt with a basketball under one arm.

“Came up to see if you wanted to play some one-on-one,” Monk said, “but it sounds like that’ll have to wait.”

“True,” Kat said. “Someone needs to go down there and interrogate Harrington immediately.”

Gray nodded to Monk. “We can handle it. It shouldn’t take more than the two of us.”

“You may be right,” Monk said, “but this trip is not for me, buddy. Not this time. You need someone familiar with Antarctica at your side.”

“Who’s that?”

Monk pointed. “How about him?”

Gray turned to Jason. The kid?

Jason looked equally surprised.

“Monk’s right,” Kat said. “Jason has read through all the files and has spent time on that continent. He’ll be a valuable resource on the ground out there.”

Gray didn’t bother arguing. He trusted Kat’s operational assessment as much as he did Painter’s. “Okay, when do we leave?”

“Right now. Before the professor changes his mind about cooperating. From his behavior just now, Harrington is clearly paranoid and terrified of something… or someone.”