He scratched his chin. “During the third German Antarctic Expedition of 1938.”
“1938?” Yana asked. “But I thought we decided that this place was older than that?”
“We did,” Zahra replied. “It seems that history is, once again, wrong.”
“No,” Hammet added, “not wrong, but deceived — hidden. The Sixth Seal was already here by the time Alfred Ritscher
“So,” Yana said, “he
Hammet shook his head softly. “No, I don’t think so. It seems that Himmler and Dietrich Krause were operating deep beneath the
“Geez.” Zahra couldn’t believe it. “These guys were serious about their work, huh?”
“But what was their work?” Yana asked. “So far, I don’t see anything that warrants any of this.”
“Yeah…” Zahra said, thinking. “We need to check the other wings.”
A heavy clunk announced that they had reached their destination. The trio exited the elevator and continued out into the middle of the factory floor. The split that ran north to south was even more apparent now. Zahra knelt and rubbed her bare hand across it.
“This isn’t stone, it’s metal.”
“What do you think is down there?” Yana asked.
Zahra looked up at her. “Was there a button for a level lower than this one?”
The Russian reentered the lift. “No, but, huh…
“
Yana exited the elevator. “There’s a keyhole.”
Zahra stood. “We need to find that key.” She thumbed behind her toward the West Wing. “I’ll take the west.”
“I’ll stay here and have a look,” Yana offered. “I have some flight experience. I might be able to figure something out with more time.”
Zahra looked at Hammet. “That means you have the East Wing.”
“I don’t think we should split up,” he said.
Zahra shrugged. “I don’t either, but we don’t have a choice. There’s too much ground to cover.” She held up her hand and tapped her wristwatch. “Meet back here in thirty minutes.”
“Fine, but don’t dawdle,” Hammet said.
“
Henri Vogel had been waiting for this moment for two and a half decades. He had been recruited into the Sixth Seal by Ulrich Krause himself while serving in the German Army. Henri didn’t know how, but the shadowy figure had evidence that Henri was descended from one of Himmler’s top researchers within the
That wasn’t an uncommon scenario, considering it was only three generations since the war. There were still plenty of people alive who shared blood with those at the top of Hitler and Himmler’s world. But Ulrich also knew that Henri secretly dreamed of a world where the Nazis had succeeded. And when Ulrich had revealed his organization’s motives, Henri had gleefully agreed to join.
Now, Henri was the Sixth Seal’s field commander, taking over the role from Ulrich following his death in Switzerland five years earlier.
Henri opened the Sno-Cat’s door and climbed down. He circled to the front of the vehicle, meeting Master Chief Luka Meier in the process. He had decided to bring the young man along as a treat for the lieutenant. Emil’s selection of the man to lead a strike team here had proved wise. When all was said and done, Luka would receive accolades.
The pair marched forward and were quickly met by Emil and two other men. The Sixth Seal didn’t outwardly salute higher-ranking officers. Subordinates were only required to stand at attention and keep their mouths shut unless what they had to say was essential.
“Show me,” Henri said.
Emil fell in line next to him and led his commander forward. They crested a rise, and when they did, Henri was… disappointed. He looked past Zahra’s parked Sno-Cat to see nothing except rock and ice.
“An enormous set of hangar doors closed not long after the other team entered,” Emil explained. “I guess that they’re on a timer.”
“Or they closed them with the hopes of keeping us out,” Henri added.
“Yes. That too.”
He scanned the rockface in his binoculars. “How did they get in?”
“There is a panel over to the left somewhere.”
That perked up Henri some. He trusted Emil. If his lieutenant saw it, then he saw it.
“Should we report in?” Emil asked.
Henri heard himself say, “No,” before he could properly think it over. He decided that the quick answer had been the correct one. “No, I want more information first.”
He didn’t tell his trusted number two why, but Henri wanted to see what else was hiding from him and the other loyal Sixth Seal foot soldiers first before calling in their discovery. Henri wanted to know what else Himmler and Dietrich Krause were working on. He knew of Black Sunset, but he hadn’t been privy to exactly what the project was. There had been rumors but nothing concrete. Given the men involved, it could have been anything, so he refused to waste his time thinking about it.
