POLAR DECEPTION

Chapter 1

April 2050

Waterboat Point, Antarctic Peninsula

Carlos Perez knelt near the opening in the dining room floor of the New González Videla Base, mesmerized by the blood-red crystals in his hand. His geologist, Dr. Omar Hasson, stood nearby. Jeff, his loyal lackey, guarded the entrance. Outside, the howling wind whipped snow from the nearby ice shelf against the windows. Carlos shivered, thankful this was the last night of their six-month stint at the Chilean research base, a lonely outpost nestled partway up Mount Frödin.

Omar tapped him on the shoulder. “Hurry. They’ll be back any minute,” referring to the other three team members expected for dinner.

Carlos extended his palm toward Omar, the crimson facets shimmering in the dim light. “Just check out these beauties.”

“Please, Carlos. We need to put the floorboards back.”

“You think you’re in charge now? Is that it?” Carlos made a dismissive motion with his hand. “Besides, you worry too much.”

“He sure does,” Jeff said. “You’re fine, Boss. They’re always late.”

Carlos returned the loose crystals to the bag, then stowed it in a bin underneath the floorboards. He had agreed to keep Omar’s research secret, but not for the standard academic reason—safeguarding innovative research. No, Carlos’s reputation and life hinged on ensuring the crystals didn’t end up in the wrong hands. Getting to his feet, he fixed his gaze on Omar. “You damn well better be certain these are the Tibbs Crystals.”

“Why do you keep asking me? Yes, I’m sure.” Omar bent over the opening and slid the floorboards into place.

“Mind your tone, Dr. Hasson.”

Omar stood, head hanging. “I’m sorry, Carlos. I meant no disrespect. Yes, once I optimize my purification process, the magnetic properties of these crystals will surpass anything I showed you before.”

“Good, Good.” Carlos’s mind raced. He thought about his next steps, including the action he needed to take tonight. “My future, our planet’s future, depends on it.”

“What does that mean?” Omar asked.

Jeff approached the men. “It means these rocks are gonna make us rich, just like you promised. Right, Boss?”

Carlos turned toward Jeff, face reddening. Lord, help me stay strong in the presence of fools. “No, you idiot. I said these ‘rocks’ will change the world.”

Omar made an odd noise in his throat. “When did you say that?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “These are research samples. There’s not enough here to ‘change the world.’ You’d have to do extensive explosive drilling to get to the motherlode.”

Mining was prohibited in Antarctica. And ever since Thwaites Glacier had collapsed, an event now referred to as the Great Melt, the remaining glaciers in the region had grown increasingly unstable.

“So?” Carlos shrugged, his tone dismissive. “Besides, Thwaites collapsed four years ago. Everyone’s adapted to a couple feet of sea level rise. No, it’s the electronics everyone misses.”

In 2029, a trade dispute between China and the United States erupted into a full-blown military conflict. The U.S., backed by NATO allies and an unlikely partnership with Russia, faced off against China. In retaliation, China—the world’s primary supplier of rare-earth minerals—halted all trade and erected North Korea-style borders. Alternate sources of rare-earth minerals elsewhere were soon exhausted. When karma struck and China's primary deposits became unrecoverable due to earthquakes and volcanoes, their economy collapsed. Without a reliable supply of these minerals anywhere in the world, essential for devices such as smartphones, televisions, and laptops, a global economic upheaval followed, ultimately bringing the age of the Internet to an end.

“That’s true,” Omar said, “but—”

“But nothing. Not only will I be the one to return electronics to the masses, I’ll bring back wind turbines, electric vehicles, MRIs—everything rendered inoperable when governments seized their rare-earth magnets.”

Omar’s voice trembled. “Carlos, why didn’t you say something earlier? I never would’ve agreed to help you. Besides, experts predict any mining here will cause catastrophic—”

“Help me? You’re helping me?” Carlos snickered. “You delusional fool. You’d still be in your lab with no funding if it weren’t for me. And these so-called experts of yours?” He pointed to himself repeatedly. “I’m the only expert who matters, and I say we can bring back the modern era with these crystals.”

Dr. Carlos Perez was once the leading climate scientist in South America, specializing in renewable technologies. But his short temper and arrogant attitude alienated everyone around him. When renewable technologies became obsolete, few minded that his expertise was no longer needed.

Omar stopped pacing and faced Carlos. “None of that will matter if we destroy the planet. You, of all people, should understand that.”

“Destroy the planet? Give me a break. Even if we melted all ice on Earth, sea levels would rise maybe seventy meters. I’m just talking about Antarctica. A temporary upheaval at most.”

“A temporary . . ..” Omar clasped his hands together. “Please, Carlos. I’m begging you not to do this. Even Dr. Tibbs didn’t think his technology was commercially viable.”

Carlos approached Omar, finger poised. Heat flushed through his body. “Your Dr. Tibbs, God rest his soul, suffered a failure of imagination, an affliction you apparently suffer from as well.” He pointed to the table. “Here, help me with this.”

Carlos grabbed one end and dragged it into place over the stored crystals. Omar repositioned the other end. Carlos’s voice intensified. “But he proved these crystals have properties far surpassing the rare-earth magnets needed for nearly every modern device. Of course, Antarctica will be mined, Dr. Hasson. What did you expect us to do with this resource? Publish papers and speculate?”

Jeff shoved a chair into place. “Would you guys just talk plain English for once?”

Carlos spun on his heel. “Here’s some plain English for you, Jeff. We’ll be altering the course of humanity when we extract the vast resources hidden beneath the ice. So what if the glaciers are unstable? That just means more resources will be exposed sooner. Sound like a problem to you?”

“Nope. Guess not. But you better pay me my fair share. I’m looking to snag a smartphone and stream some movies.”

“Missing your porn sites, eh?” Carlos snickered. “Don’t worry your tattooed little head over the details. You’ll get all your wireless toys back soon enough. Meanwhile, you can always dust off your grandparents’ VCR and watch your X-rated shows on tape, right? You know, live like it’s 1985 all over again.” He gave a throaty laugh.

Jeff sneered but said nothing.

Carlos didn’t worry about Jeff’s reaction. He had enough leverage on the man to keep him in line. He motioned toward the kitchen. “Go. Check on dinner. And set the table. I’ll sit at the head tonight.”

“Anything you say. Boss.”

Carlos glanced over at Omar, who sat at the table, his face buried in his hands. “Just one more thing, Doc.” Carlos sat across from him. “We have a slight change of plans. With the plane’s weight limit, we can only bring one bag of crystals.”

Omar looked up. “One bag? We’re leaving most everything I collected?”

“All in good time, my friend. All in good time. My buy . . . I mean, my government will understand.”

“Were you going to say buyer? What buyer?” Omar stood up and squared his shoulders in a rare display of self-confidence. “Carlos, what’s going on?”

Carlos cursed silently at his slip-up. He had assured Omar that his funding would continue if he made steady progress with his purification process. He rose to meet Omar’s gaze. “Get a grip. I meant your grant. And don’t worry about some antiquated treaty. Stay focused on the science.”

Omar’s shoulders slumped. “Okay. But the station is closing. How will we retrieve the crystals?”

Carlos picked up his chair and slammed it down with an exasperated grunt. “We’ll get back here. I’ve got a plan.” His eyes darted toward the windows, where he caught sight of the three team members approaching the outer door. “I’ll tell you after dinner.”

#

Laughter filled the room, blending with the lively clatter of silverware against dishes. The six men passed around generous portions of swordfish, boiled potatoes, and mixed vegetables. Carlos occupied himself by packing his pipe with tobacco. After everyone had loaded their plates, Carlos stood with pipe in one hand and glass in the other. He raised his glass. “To my crew. You have persevered in these harsh conditions, although it’s not as cold as it once was. Am I right?”

A general murmur of agreement and clinking of glasses filled the room.

He continued. “We’re adding to humanity’s knowledge with our ice cores. We’re doing important work, but we should be doing more. So much more.”

Dr. Edward Miller, the senior paleoclimatologist who studied Earth’s past climate by examining ice cores, spoke up. He was a quiet man with salt and pepper hair and deep-set pale blue eyes. “What do you mean, Dr. Perez?”

“We obviously need to find more resources. And as more Great Melts occur, it’s only a matter of time before enough mountain surface is exposed in Antarctica.”

“You want to mine here, in Antarctica?” Edward appeared incredulous. “For what, coal?”

Carlos drew in a sharp breath before speaking in a low, intense voice. “How dare you?”

Jeff spoke up. “Dude, his family died in that coal mining accident.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry, Sir. Of course, you—”

“Enough!” Spittle flew from Carlos’s mouth. Resting his fingertips on the table, he thought about his dad and older brothers waving goodbye for the last time. Despair had nearly destroyed him all those years ago. But the love of his dear Maria had saved him then and guided him now.

Carlos lit his pipe, took a puff, and blew smoke toward his men. With a mercurial shift in mood, he spoke in a calm, authoritative voice. “Mister Miller, my proposal does not pertain to coal mining, but to a strategic harvesting of resources. Resources that can restore the lost technologies those arrogant Yanks caused the world to lose. If achieving this goal necessitates mining in Antarctica, so be it.”

No one responded.

Carlos studied the men, his anger rising again. Their silence was the ultimate sin—disloyalty. “I see doubt in your eyes, but what choice do we have?”

Edward returned Carlos’s stare. “I thought the Antarctic Treaty prohibited mining.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned toward Omar. “Is this what you’ve been working on in such secrecy? You want to mine rare-earths here?”

“No, I—” Omar began.

“Enough talk!” Carlos ordered. “Shut up and eat.”

The crew obeyed without hesitation.

Carlos sank into his chair, placed his pipe on the table, then washed down a handful of Adderall pills with a gulp of whiskey. Hunched over his plate, he attacked each morsel of food with aggression. Their insubordination enraged him. But this pain was nothing compared to the disdain his peers held for him. No more. Soon, the entire world would recognize and applaud his extraordinary accomplishments.

The chemicals coursed through his body, washing away the last sliver of reluctance over carrying out his buyer’s instructions. Still, he took a moment to pray that his dear Maria would forgive him, God rest her soul.

Carlos set his knife and fork down carefully. After wiping his mouth, he neatly folded his napkin and placed it on his plate. Then, in one swift motion, he drew a concealed pistol from his jacket and took aim. Three shots rang out, leaving the survivors frozen in stunned silence.

Chapter 2

April 2050

Atlanta, Georgia

After finishing another lousy dinner at her lousy second-hand table, Diana Harris looked around her small apartment. Oliver, her golden retriever, sat expectantly by her side. He had easily adjusted to his new home. Not Diana. Dirty dishes filled the sink. Unopened boxes lined the dingy gray walls. Trevor’s boxes. Nearly half a year had passed since her husband’s death, and she hadn’t finished going through his belongings. She had lugged the boxes from Tallahassee two months earlier after accepting a position at the Weather Channel where her close friend, Angie Cooper, worked.

She looked into Oliver’s soulful brown eyes and scratched behind his ears. “Okay, boy, tonight’s the night.”

She stood and poured herself a glass of red wine. With her other hand, Diana pulled a box marked “DESK” over to the couch. She eased onto the middle cushion and looked down at Oliver. “We’ll go for a walk when I’m done, I promise.” Oliver perked up one ear, then circled repeatedly before plopping down on the floor with a long groan.

After savoring one more sip, Diana set her glass down, tied back her long blonde hair, and went to work. She lifted out old birthday cards, car repair receipts, and file folders stuffed with appliance instructions, car repair invoices, and medical reports. Her eyes lingered on photos taken early in their marriage. She put those in the ‘save’ pile with Trevor’s hand-written love notes and poems.

Halfway down, Diana spotted a manila folder marked ‘ANTARCTICA.’ Inside, she found notes and printouts about expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. “What the . . .?”

Trevor had understood Diana’s lifelong obsession with Antarctica, but as she’d told him repeatedly, it was only a pipe dream. Too far. Too expensive. How could she be holding receipts for payments made to ‘Antarctic Adventures?’ Trevor must’ve been saving on the side.

She read aloud from the receipt: “‘Passage for two on the MV Panorama, leaving Ushuaia, Argentina, on November 15th, 2050.’ No, Trevor, you didn’t.”

Oliver stared at her.

“Were you in on this?” He jumped up and put one paw on her arm. “You were, were you?” She gave him a tender nuzzle.

“Let’s see what else is here. Oh, goodness.” Underneath, she spotted a printout of airline itineraries for flights to Ushuaia, with the latest dates being next September. Momentarily confused, she found a handwritten note. ‘Itineraries for November 2050 not available yet. Book in December.’ This last sentence was underlined three times. Why did he? Oh, god. He died before he could book the flights.

After further digging, she found a card that read, ‘Happy Birthday to my Dear Wife.’ Diana opened it and found a note inside. When she read his words, tears streamed down her face. Trevor was going to surprise her with this trip for her birthday. Her breathing quickened. She felt trapped.

Diana jumped up and started pacing around the apartment. Oliver followed, tail wagging. “I need to get out of here. C’mon buddy.” She grabbed her jacket, clipped on Oliver’s leash, and headed out the door.

#

Diana didn’t know how long she’d been walking when she found herself climbing porch steps and knocking on a familiar front door.

The porch light popped on. Angie opened the door. “Diana! What are you doing? It’s pouring rain.”

“I know.”

“C’mon. Get in here. Both of you.”

Diana was soon wrapped in a blanket, warming her hands on a mug of tea. Angie dried Oliver with a large bath towel.

“Okay. What’s going on?” Angie sat on the opposite end of the couch. Oliver snuggled between them.

Diana pulled the folder from her bag and handed it to her friend without a word.

“‘Antarctica,’” Angie read.

“I’ll try to get his money back tomorrow.”

Angie looked through the folder. “Why would you do that? Diana, you’ve always wanted to go to Antarctica. You were supposed to do your doctoral research there. Now you can beat me there.”

Ouch. Thanks for reminding me. Diana was sure if her overcritical dad had been alive, he would have seen her decision not to pursue a doctorate in geology as just one more failure.

“Who knows, Di? Maybe you’ll find an extraterrestrial gem or two.”

“I’m a meteorologist.”

“Yes. A meteorologist who hates forecasting the weather.” Angie touched Diana’s arm. “Aren’t you the least bit intrigued?”

“Of course I am,” Diana said softly. “But Angie, this is only a two-week expedition on a boat near the Antarctic Peninsula as a tourist. I was supposed to search for meteorites containing rare-earths. It’s hardly the same thing.”

“Did you see the trip includes overnight camping, kayaking, and ice climbing? Ice climbing, Diana! That’s your thing. Well, that and ironman races.”

“My thing, eh?” She absent-mindedly rubbed the scar on her thigh, torn between wanting to go and the suddenness of it all.

“At least think about it.” Angie stood and headed toward the bathroom, muttering to herself. “Why does she always do this?”

“I heard that!” Born with exceptionally good hearing, Diana was diagnosed with mild hyperacusis, a condition that amplifies everyday sounds. She’d learned to ignore unwanted sounds and avoid eavesdropping—most of the time. But occasionally it came in handy.

“Sorry,” Angie called out. “Forgot about your bionic hearing. Didn’t mean to—”

“No worries.” Trevor had often complained about her tendency to react negatively to anything new. She closed her eyes and stroked Oliver’s head. An idea formed.

Angie returned. “You okay?”

Diana opened her eyes. “I’m fine. Maybe you’re right. I should consider going.”

“That’s great. I think? Why the change of heart?”

Diana grinned.

“Why are you—?”

Diana raised her index finger. “On one condition.”

“I knew it.” Angie crossed her arms. “Okay. And what is that?”

“You’re coming with.”

Chapter 3

DAY 1 OF VOYAGE: Late Afternoon, November 15th, 2050

Ushuaia, Argentina

Diana slung her backpack over her shoulder and joined Angie on the pier outside the security checkpoint. She shielded her eyes from the late afternoon sun. “Holy cow, Angie! Can you believe we’re finally here?”

“Yeah, I mean, no. It’s unreal.”

The Tierra del Fuego Cruise Port was a commercial pier and major gateway to Antarctica. Diana first saw it online when she was ten years old, circa 2024, back when the Internet still existed. One of her travel books on Antarctica had the same picture. She’d thumbed through it countless times, always noticing most people were looking down—at their phones.