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THE ICE SHEET:
Alex slides to a stop when he hears Josh’s warning and stares in the direction of the Mystic. He cannot see what he’s talking about, but then he recognizes the crackling and popping sound of fracturing ice and sees the zigzagged edge of the ice sheet quickly moving in his direction. “Ah, shit!”
He spins around, slipping on the surface as it melts and crashing onto the ice. He quickly gets back on his feet and shuffle-skates across the slick surface.
He glances back over his shoulder as the snapping and crackling grows louder and sees the zigzagged edge only twenty yards behind him. “Damn!”
He struggles to gain traction, but the ice water just gets deeper and it’s difficult keeping his balance, but he desperately fights for every inch.
***
Josh hears the thumping only seconds before an orange and white Coast Guard helicopter races past overhead. He resets the autopilot, runs outside the bridge, and climbs up onto the roof. He sees Alex sliding on the surface, only seconds from being swallowed by the crumbling ice sheet and being crushed by the slabs of ice. He holds his breath, and the helicopter seems to be taking forever to reach Alex.
***
The deep thumping of helicopter blades draws his attention and Alex looks back over his shoulder. He sees the helicopter, but knows they can’t land and pick him up. There just isn’t enough time. He grits his teeth and keeps running. If he can make it back to the motorboat, he’ll be okay.
Josh’s voice suddenly yells from the sat phone in his coat pocket. “Behind you! Behind you!”
Alex loses his footing when he turns to look, starts to fall, then grabs a rope ladder swinging across the ice. He feels the pressure through his hands as the helicopter gains altitude, and steps onto a rung, taking the strain off his arms. He sighs with relief as he it swings toward the Mystic.
***
Josh sees Alex suddenly swinging below the helicopter, raises one arm, and makes a fist. “Yes! Way to go, Alex!”
When the helicopter moves in his direction, Josh climbs down and waits outside the bridge. A few moments later, he’s grinning as he grabs Alex from the swinging ladder. He sets him on the deck, wraps his arms around him for a quick hug, then steps back. “You are one lucky son of a bitch, Alex.”
“A few moments ago, I was wondering about my luck.”
They both look into the bridge when they hear someone calling on the radio and hurry inside. Josh grabs the microphone from the clip. “This is the Mystic. Come in, over.”
“This is Coast Guard Search and Rescue. Can we be of further assistance?”
Josh stares at Alex. “What do you think?”
Alex shakes his head no. “We can’t take the chance the electronics will go out and they’ll lose control of the helicopter. We’ll just have to make our way back as the ice wall continues to fall apart.”
Josh indicates he agrees. “That’s a negative, Coast Guard. Thanks for the rescue.”
“Understood, Mystic. Good luck.”
***
THE ISLAND:
Okana stares at the rapidly melting ice. Within only a few moments, the ice dissolves around the island, and he sees the Mystic slowly moving in his direction.
He turns and smiles, expecting everyone to be standing outside, but no one is there. He realizes he was so involved watching the ice melt he hadn’t noticed how quiet it had gotten. He walks down the steps and across the ship, down to the beach, then over to the spaceship and steps inside. “The ice melted.” Stunned expressions stare at him.
Lisa hurries across the room. “Did you see the motorboat and Alex?”
Okana stops smiling. “No, but the Mystic is coming for us. Maybe he’s with Josh. You never know with Alex.”
***
MYSTIC:
Alex stares forward from inside the bridge. The ice is melting almost as fast as it had appeared. He notices a blue object floating to the right of the island and recognizes the motorboat bobbing on the water. “Over there. It’s the motorboat. She’ll need a new engine before we can use her again. That one seized up when the water froze.”
“She’s useless without a motor, so we always carry a spare. It’s in the locker with rest of the deck equipment.”
When they are close to the motorboat, Alex walks out of the bridge and down the steps to the stern, and Josh backs the Mystic up so he could grab the bow line. He ties it off to the stern with a long towrope and goes up to the bridge.
Josh checks the controls. “The interference is gone, Alex. I bet they shut down the device.”
“That would explain why the ice melted.”
Alex stares out the window as they approach the island, and sunlight suddenly finds a break in the cloud cover. He looks up and the gray ceiling is dissipating.
He decides not to call Martin until he knows more about his friends. Just like before, they did not take a portable radio to the island, so he cannot call them.
The Mystic quickly closes the distance to the island, and Josh brings her close to the dock and presses the horn button several times. A moment later, everyone on the island climbs over the V, smiling and waving before they climb down the steps to the beach.
As Josh sets the Mystic to hover, Alex shoves the sat phone into his pocket, and they both leave the bridge and walk down to the stern. Alex climbs into the boat and ties it close to the deck, and Josh hands him the new outboard motor. Once the motors are swapped, he starts the engine and slowly drives across to the dock.
He’s greeted with wide smiles. Okana grabs the side to hold the boat in place, and Alex steps out to greet his friends.
Lisa throws her arms around Alex’s neck and pulls him close for a hug, then steps back next to David. “We thought we lost you.”
“You have no idea.”
Alex shakes hands with everyone and gives Okana a quick hug and a slap on the back before stepping back. “I take it you shut down the device.”
“Yeah, but I was getting worried about you when the ice suddenly started melting.”
Henry is still smiling as he grabs Alex by the upper arm and gently pulls him toward the V. “Come, come, Alex. It is in better shape than we imagined.”
“In a moment, Doc.” He looks at Okana, who climbed into the motorboat. “Once you get everyone back on the Mystic, bring the ladder for the sub back with you. I want to check out the hatch covers on the old ship.”
“I noticed something odd about the covers, too. I’ll be back shortly.”
Alex looks down at Henry. “Lead the way, Doc.”
***
Josh paces across the stern, watching Mike, Bett, Rita, and Lisa climb into the boat with Okana, and stops pacing when Okana finally drives away from the dock. A moment later, the boat bumps against the stern. Bett jumps out and leaps into his arms.
Mike, Rita, and Lisa climb out onto the deck and wait while Okana ties the boat to the stern. When Bett lets go of Josh, Rita walks up to him. “How did the Mystic hold up through all this? Is there anything I need to fix?”
Josh smiles. “She’s purring like a kitten.”
Okana climbs out and shakes Josh’s hand. “You did the right thing by leaving. Thanks.”