When I woke up the next morning, my body felt as stiff as the Tin Man's in The Wizard of Oz. Overnight, the cold had seeped in and chilled my bones. I creaked out of bed. I wanted to hurry and wish Dad good luck on his first big day. Luckily, the room I shared with Karen had its own bathroom, and within seconds I was standing under a hot shower.
I had given up on tagging along—I couldn't figure how to stow away on a dogsled. By the time I got to the lab, it was buzzing with activity. Dad was running around, organizing gear and directing West and Justice on what to pack next on the sleds. The dig area was accessible only by dogsleds or snowmobiles. Two huge sleds waited outside, each with a line of dogs yapping next to it. They looked much skinnier than the huskies I had seen on television. Justice loaded up some boxes on the back of one of the sleds. He raised a hand and waved to me, and I waved back.
"What can I do to help?" I asked Dad.
"No need," he said, winking at me. "We're almost ready to go."
"Are you sure? I can get the lab ready for when you get back. Research, prep work—just write me a list," I said, pushing forward through a pile of gear.
"No, thanks. Have some fun. Explore the station," Dad said.
"But I want to help. Are you sure there isn't something I can do?" I asked, but Dad had already walked away, his attention on the task at hand. There was nothing I could do but observe the scientists packing up their gear.
Dad, Karen, and Justice were on one sled, and West, Ivan, and Randal were on the other. Katsu was staying behind, which I found a little odd. Why come all this way and not go to the dig site? I would've gladly taken his spot.
The dig site was about ten miles away from camp, and the group didn't expect to return until late in the afternoon. As the sleds slid away from the station, I found myself crossing my fingers and hoping really hard that Dad would find the mammoth that he had spent his whole life seeking. But if he wasn't going to put me to work, then I was on my own.
Kyle had plans to work on the helicopter with one of the mechanics. I watched as he followed a black-clad worker to the hangar where the helicopter was kept. It must be nice to have a helicopter, a hangar, and mechanics of your own.
I cracked open my field notebook and selected a studious blue pen. I wondered if ink could freeze and realized what a great experiment that would make—trying to determine the exact temperature that freezing occurred. In the meantime, I made a mental note not to do any writing outside.
Day One: Explore the station and take pictures for my presentation to the class.
Mom filled her field notebooks with scribbled thoughts, observations, and drawings in the margins. Pressed flowers and leaves would fall out when I flipped the pages. Once, a dead bug fell out, though I wasn't sure if she had meant to keep it or if the poor bug had accidentally crawled in… and hadn't crawled out. But ice and snow did not mix well with paper, so I would have to take pictures instead.
I drew a map of the station in my notebook and started snapping photos of each area. The first pictures I took were of my room and Dad's room. Next, I hit the lab and the medical facility. I was starting to feel a little like Jake, snooping around every corner, taking pictures of anything that might be interesting. Maybe my project was a little like a documentary, except so far I only had still-life photos of the station.
When I stepped outside, I reached down and grabbed the blue guideline. Hanging by each door were hooks attached to nylon belts that we were supposed to wear and then clip on to the guide rope, but it wasn't that windy and there was no storm forecasted, so I just held the rope loosely under my gloved hand and walked along. Still, I was glad the line was there.
I wanted to get a shot of the door to Randal's private room as a joke to send back to Zoey. When I turned the corner that led to the room and looked through the viewfinder, I saw Katsu slinking out of the off-limits room. He glanced quickly over his shoulder and then hurried away, pulling the door closed behind him. A big round ring of keys jingled in his hands. He had a key!
I snapped a few shots of him and then ducked back out of sight. The sound of the clicking camera was deafening. I flattened against the wall and forced myself to breathe slowly. What was he doing sneaking around in the off-limits room? Katsu had been with Dad and me when West gave us the tour and told us never to enter Randal's private space. Busted!
Hoping that Katsu hadn't seen or heard me, I peered around the corner. I waited a few more seconds until I was sure that he had gone, and then I followed. I stopped in front of the door to Randal's secret room. The sign clearly said "Private." I tested the doorknob—locked, like I knew it would be. So… had Katsu stolen the keys, or was he allowed inside? And what big secret was Randal hiding behind that door?
Once I had finished taking pictures of the base, I decided to go and see if I could get on one of the computers to e-mail Zoey and Mom. As I approached the comm center, I heard Katsu's voice coming from the room. Clearly, he was using the satellite phone. And talking quite loudly. Eavesdropping was a terrible thing. It was nosy, rude, and unacceptable behavior for good, upstanding girls, but it was also occasionally entertaining and enlightening. I wedged myself close to the crack in the door. Katsu's back was to me. He was sifting through a stack of papers as he spoke.
"Yes, yes… Calm down." He pulled a folder from his papers and opened it on the desk in front of him. "Hold on a moment. Let me check my documents." He flipped through some pages until he found the one he wanted. "Yes, it's right here in writing. The contract is very clear." He turned toward the light, and I could see him squinting at the paper. "Don't you trust me?"
He rubbed his temple and held the phone a few inches from his ear. Then he said, "No! What?… We need more space. That's too small… And make sure there's parking. And no food. The last lab you arranged for us smelled like cabbage." He cradled the phone against his shoulder and cleaned his glasses with a handkerchief.
I muffled a laugh. Who wants a lab that stinks of cabbage? But I was thinking that he must be serious about his research back home if he was already getting a lab set up.
He rubbed his eyes and exhaled an impatient sigh. "Figure it out. And do it quickly… From what I've seen today, everything's on track." He paused. "No, he has been at the dig site all day."
So, if the "he" that Katsu was talking about was Randal—who was indeed at the dig site all day—then it sounded like Randal didn't know that Katsu had broken into his private room. But I still wondered what it was that Katsu saw that made him so convinced the project was going well. I inched closer, eager to hear more.
"Of course I'm sure. What do you take me for?… We will have the DNA samples, and I will be returning to the lab—unless you are unable to get a decent facility. What about the one we saw last week?… Then call an exterminator! Must I do everything myself?"
He was silent for a moment, listening and collecting his papers. Then he laughed loudly in a barking, seal-like way. "There is no one here interested in the serious science. One of the scientists is an anthropologist and the other is a paleontologist. But both are lightweights."
He was talking about Karen and Dad. I scowled. I didn't know about Karen, but Dad was no lightweight. I couldn't wait to tell him what Katsu was up to. I listened more intently than ever.
"Randal's ego is huge. It's all about legacy with these guys. He's a buffoon. He wants to be remembered. He is a rich walrus playing on the ice… I can't wait to get home."
Though I was a fan of walruses, normally it wasn't a compliment to be called one. And neither was it nice to refer to someone as a buffoon. Katsu had seemed so polite before, but now I was seeing another side of him.
"It will all be worth it when I break the genetic code. Results are everything… Good, good. Now I must go."
DNA? Genetic code? I pulled out my notebook and started taking notes.
What was Katsu after? If it was money, Randal would be a good target. He had already funded the expedition and brought everyone out here. But Katsu hadn't mentioned money. He wanted results. The question was, what kind of results was he looking for?
I leaned in more closely… and accidentally nudged the door with my shoulder. The hinges squeaked, and the door swung wide open. Katsu jerked up and turned around in his chair. I tried to back out of the doorway, but it was too late. He knew I was there.
I stepped into the room. Maybe he hadn't seen me crouched at the door, eavesdropping.
I tried to pretend that I had just arrived. I breathed deeply and slapped my arms together, pretending that I had just walked in out of the cold. "Hello. It's freezing out there," I said a little too loudly. I put a big smile on my face. "Oh, sorry—are you on the phone?"
Katsu eyed me suspiciously but just nodded.
"I was hoping to use the computer to send my friend some pictures of the station. Are you using it?"
"No," he said, and held up the receiver.
"Right. Sorry." I used a mock whisper and inched over to the computer. "I'll be as quiet as a mouse."
I sat at the desk and pulled out my camera. Katsu turned his back to me and whispered into the phone. The high-end computer zinged to life.
Randal had spared no expense on the equipment. I connected my camera and uploaded some images. Then I pulled up the browser and began to write an e-mail to Zoey.
I wanted to research DNA and genetics, but with Katsu hovering and eyeing me suspiciously, I couldn't risk him seeing what I was reading. Instead, I sent an urgent message to Zoey. She would have to do the legwork and dig up some dirt on Katsu's and Ivan's scientific specialties. Zoey loved a good mystery. Plus, it involved DNA and genetic code. Anything sciency got her excited.
Zoey,
Need assistance. Research mammoth DNA and genetic code? Also, look into Dr. Katsu Takahashi and Dr. Ivan Petrov. Something is up. Secret room. Eyes everywhere. Pictures attached.
Later,
Maya
P. S. Adventure boy on premises!
Then I opened a new blank message and wrote an e-mail to Mom.
Katsu kept talking. Now he was speaking in a normal voice and I could hear what he was saying. "It was good to speak with you… Yes, I will keep you posted on our progress here at the station," he said. Then he hung up the phone with a loud clunk.
He glared at me the way a crocodile eyes its prey from right below the surface of the water. He eased closer. His face went neutral, calm as a pool. He leaned on the desk. His sweater was made of knobby green wool—the color of a reptile.
"I see you have been taking pictures." Katsu motioned to my camera.
"For a school project and my friend back home. I'm photographing the station." My throat was dry.
"I see. Very studious of you."
"What are you doing today?" I asked. I tried to read his expression, but his face was too carefully blank. Crocodiles are emotionless creatures. "Working on something secret?" I pried, tiptoeing near the water's edge.
Katsu blinked slowly but didn't take the bait. "No, just some boring business. My work begins when the mammoth is brought back."
"What will you do with it?"
Katsu's teeth looked small and sharp when he grinned. He reached over to collect his papers. "I will study it in great detail. Just like your father."
I may not have known what he was up to, but he was nothing like my father. He watched me from the corner of his eye as he left the room, and I wondered if he realized that I was watching him, too.
My stomach rumbled. All this sneaking around was making me hungry. I decided to head for the mess to see what there was to eat.
When I got there, Kyle was digging through one of the cabinets. He had a grease stain on his sweatshirt and a spot on the tip of his nose that made me smile.
"Hey, I found freeze-dried chili. Want some?" Kyle asked. "No one's here, so I think we're on our own as far as lunch goes."
"Sure," I said. "That sounds great." Actually, it didn't. Zoey and I had done an experiment a few years back where we ate nothing but freeze-dried food for a whole week, trying to acclimate our bodies for space travel. (That was a long story, and it involved Zoey's failed application to space camp.) All the freeze-dried meals came in shiny metallic pouches and sounded great from the description. But dried beans and meat weren't tasty, especially after the water was added. I didn't tell Kyle that, however.
Once we had reconstituted the chili and heated it up in the microwave, we poured it into mugs and sat down at the table. I toasted some rolls that I found in a cabinet, but it was hard to focus on the food.
"Is something wrong?" Kyle asked. "You seem sort of jumpy."
I pushed my chili around in my mug. "It's nothing."
"It doesn't sound like nothing."
I really wanted to confide in Kyle, tell him what I had heard and ask him what he thought. But I wasn't sure that was a good idea. What if it was nothing? What if I was overreacting? If I told him and it turned out that Katsu was fine, I didn't want to get Dad in trouble. I decided to change the subject. "I'm just acclimating." I took a bite of my roll.
"I know how it can be. It's tough being away from home, especially your first time on an expedition."
"It's not that. Though I guess I do miss my mom and my best friend," I said. Kyle seemed really nice, and of all the people here, he would understand, but I hesitated. "Have you met lots of other kids on expeditions?" I asked.
"Hardly ever." He swallowed a bite of chili. "I was really glad when I heard that you were coming with your dad."
"Really?" My pulse raced. I had no idea he would be excited for company.
"Sure. My mom works all the time, which is cool, but I get bored. You have to make your own fun in these places." He shrugged and stuffed a roll into his mouth. "It's tough meeting people and making friends—real friends in person, not just on the computer."
"Well, now you have a real-life friend," I said.
"What do you think they will find out there?" Kyle asked.
"Mammuthus primigenius," I said with a raised chin. "Or as it is more commonly known, a giant hairy elephant."
He snorted. "Then they'll lug it back and study it. Take pictures, measure it, record every little detail."
"Then the poor mammoth will probably go to a museum. So more scientists will be able to study it up close and personal," I said.
"My mom told me that lots of indigenous people believe that removing bones and creatures from their resting place is bad luck and that to do so brings a curse."
"You mean like the mummy's curse in Egypt? Many of the Egyptian tombs were said to be cursed and anyone who opened them would die a terrible death."
"Do you believe in curses?" Kyle asked.
"Maybe. Lots of archaeologists died after opening King Tut's tomb, so it could happen." It didn't seem very scientific, but I had to keep an open mind.
Kyle's eyes went wide. "Do you think mammoths bring curses? Do you think this site is cursed?" Suddenly, he jumped up and ran out of the room.
After a minute or two, I heard moaning. Then the lights shut off.
Kyle came back into the room with a flashlight held under his chin, casting a creepy glow over his face. His head and arms were loosely wrapped in toilet paper that kind of looked like the decaying bandages of a mummy. "You have entered into my tomb. You are under the mummy's curse." He held out his arms and lurched toward me, groaning like the walking dead. "I'm going to eat you."
I dodged his mummy arms as he tried to grab me. "You make a great mummy," I said. "Not very scary, though." But then I sat down and let him wrap a roll of toilet paper around my head and shoulders.
"Join us… join the extraordinary league of mummies."
A shiver went down my spine as he continued to wrap me in toilet paper. I decided to play along and stood up, taking the stumbling mummy position with my arms outstretched in front of me. Groaning, I followed Kyle. We stumbled around the room for a while, then headed down the hall to the rec room, where we finally collapsed onto the sofas.
I pulled toilet paper off my face. "I think we'll find a mammoth and everyone will be happy." Wishful thinking, perhaps. Excavation digs could take weeks to uncover real results. But Randal had brought us all out here for a reason, and we were going to find something big. We had to.
Filled with that good feeling, as well as a bunch of freeze-dried beans, I decided to tell Kyle about Katsu sneaking out of Randal's private room.
He listened to my story intently, and when I was done, he said, "Sounds like we have only one option."
"And what's that?" I asked.
"We get inside that private room and see what Katsu found that was so convincing."
I hesitated, knowing that once I agreed, I couldn't turn back.
Kyle wiggled his eyebrows at me.
"I'll do it, but we really shouldn't try to break in." But I couldn't keep from smiling. "Who knows? The private room might be cursed like a king's tomb," I said, and we both laughed.
I was relieved. I didn't have to investigate this alone.