Bernard Olson stared up at him with cold； lifeless eyes。
He was an ugly man…fat and bald； with a pudgy； wrinkled face。 His skin was bone white in color。
Schofield didn't waste any time。 He checked the eyes first。
They were deeply red around the rims； inflamed。 Horribly bloodshot。
Then he turned his attention to the dead man's mouth。
The mouth was shut。 Schofield tried to open it； but the jaw was locked firmly in place。 It wouldn't open an inch。
Schofield leaned closer and prized the dead man's lips apart so that he could examine the tongue。
The lips came apart。
〃Urghhh；〃 he winced as he saw it。 He swallowed quickly； held back the nausea。
Bernie Olson had bitten his own tongue off。
For some reason； before he had died； Bernie Olson had bitten down hard with his teeth； clamping them shut。 He had bitten down so hard that he had cut his own tongue in half。
Ten minutes。
That's enough； time to go。
Schofield ran for the door； and as he passed Mitch Healy's body on the way out； he grabbed the dead Marine's helmet from the floor。
Schofield emerged from the freezer room just as Kirsty came running down the outer tunnel of B…deck。
〃I had to get a parka；〃 she said apologetically。 〃My other one got wet…〃
〃e on；〃 Schofield said； grabbing her hand and pulling her down the tunnel。
As they turned into the tunnel that led to the central shaft； Schofield heard someone shout； 〃Wait for me！〃
It was Renshaw。 He was hurrying as fast as his little legs would carry him； racing around the curved outer tunnel toward Schofield and Kirsty。 He was dressed in a heavy blue parka； and he was carrying a thick book under his arm。
〃What the hell were you doing？〃 Schofield said。
〃I had to get this；〃 Renshaw said； indicating the book under his arm as he ran past Schofield and headed for the central well。
Schofield and Kirsty followed。 〃What the hell is in there that's so important？〃 Schofield yelled。
Renshaw called back； 〃My innocence！〃
Outside the station； snow was flying horizontally。
It assaulted Schofield's face…bounced off his silver glasses…as he emerged from the main entrance with Kirsty and Renshaw by his side。
Eight minutes to go。
Until the SAS arrived。
The two white Marine hovercrafts were already parked outside the main entrance to the station。 Book and Rebound stood beside the two big vehicles； hustling the residents of Wilkes onto Rebound's white hovercraft。
Schofield's plan was simple。
Rebound's hovercraft would be the transport。 It held six people； so it would be used to carry all of the residents of Wilkes…Abby； Llewellyn； Harris； Robinson； and Kirsty… plus Rebound himself。
Book and Schofield would ride shotgun； defending the transport craft as it raced eastward and attempted to outrun the SAS hovercrafts speeding toward Wilkes Ice Station。
Book would drive the second Marine hovercraft； Schofield the French unit's orange hovercraft。 James Renshaw； Schofield decided； would ride with him。
Schofield saw Rebound slam the sliding door of his hovercraft； saw Book leap up onto the skirt of his hovercraft and disappear inside the cabin。 Book reemerged a second later with a large black Samsonite trunk in his hands and hurled the big black trunk across the snow toward Schofield。 It landed with a loud thud。
〃Pest control！〃 Book called。
Schofield hurried toward the trunk。
〃Here；〃 he said to Renshaw as he ran。 〃Put this on。〃
He handed Renshaw the Marine helmet that he had picked up on his way out of the freezer room。 Then he quickly picked up the big Samsonite trunk and headed for the French hovercraft。
The French hovercraft sat silently in the snow outside the main entrance to the station。 Unlike the two white USMC hovercrafts； it was painted a bright garish orange。
Seven minutes。
Schofield leaped up onto the skirt of the French hovercraft and yanked open the sliding door。 He got Renshaw to pass the big Samsonite trunk up to him； and he threw it inside。
Schofield hurried into the cabin and made for the driver's chair。 Renshaw jumped in behind him and pulled the sliding door shut。
Schofield keyed the ignition。
The engine roared to life。
The big seven…foot fan at the rear of the hovercraft began to rotate。 It got faster and faster until； like the propeller on an old biplane； it suddenly snapped into overdrive and became a rapidly spinning blur。
Beneath the hovercraft's black rubber skirt； four smaller turbofans also kicked into action。 The big hovercraft lifted slowly off the ground as the skirt inflated like a balloon。
Schofield brought the big orange vehicle around so that it came alongside the two white Marine hovercrafts。 They were all pointing outward； away from the station。
Looking out through the reinforced windscreen of his hovercraft； Schofield could see the horizon to the southwest。 It glowed a haunting orange。
Superimposed upon it were a collection of dark shadows。 Small black boxes with fat rounded bases that seemed to kick up a haze of dust behind them。
The British hovercrafts。
Closing in on Wilkes Ice Station。
〃All right； people；〃 Schofield said into his helmet mike； 〃Let's get out of here。〃
The ground raced by beneath them。
The three American hovercrafts whipped across the ice plain at phenomenal speed； side by side。 Book and Schofield were on the outside； Rebound's transport was in the middle。
They raced east； in the direction of McMurdo。 The three hovercrafts kept to the coastline； skirting around the edge of a cliff that towered above an enormous bay…like expanse of water。 From point to point； the bay was about one mile across； but to go around it by land required a trek of almost eight miles。 The mountainous waves of the Southern Ocean crashed loudly against the base of the cliffs。
As his hovercraft sped across the ice plain； Schofield looked behind him。 He saw the British hovercrafts approaching Wilkes Ice Station from the west and the south。
〃They must have landed at one of the Australian stations；〃 he said over his helmet inter。 Casey Station； most likely； he thought。 It was the nearest one； about seven hundred miles due west of Wilkes。
〃Fucking Australians；〃 Rebound's voice said。
Five miles away； in the silent interior of a black American…made Bell Textron SR。N7…S hovercraft； Brigadier General Trevor J。 Barnaby stared impassively out through the reinforced glass windshield of his hovercraft。
Trevor Barnaby was a tall； solid man； fifty…six years old； with a fully shaven head and a pointed black goatee。 He stared out through the windshield of his hovercraft with cold； hard eyes。
〃You're running； Scarecrow；〃 he said aloud。 〃My； my； you are a clever one。〃
〃They're heading east； sir；〃 a young SAS corporal manning the radio console next to Barnaby said。 〃Out along the coast〃
〃Send eight crafts after them；〃 Barnaby manded。 〃Kill them。 Everyone else is to proceed to the station as planned。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
The speedometer on Schofield's hovercraft edged over eighty miles per hour。 Snow pounded against the windshield。
〃Sir； they're ing！〃 Rebound's voice shouted over Schofield's helmet inter。
Schofield's head snapped right and he saw them。
Several British hovercrafts had broken away from the main group and were heading toward the three escaping American hovercrafts。
〃The others are going for the station；〃 Book's voice said。
〃I know；〃 Schofield said。 〃I know。〃
Schofield whirled around in the driver's seat。 He saw Renshaw standing in the back section of the cabin； looking slightly ridiculous in Mitch Healy's oversized Marine helmet。
〃Mr。 Renshaw；〃 Schofield said。
〃Yes。〃
〃Time to make yourself useful。 See if you can open that trunk on the floor there。〃
Renshaw immediately dropped to his knees and flipped the latches on the black Samsonite trunk that lay on the floor in front of him。
Schofield drove； turning around every few seconds to see how Renshaw was faring with the trunk。
〃Oh； shit；〃 Renshaw said as he opened the trunk and saw what lay inside it。
At that moment； there came a sudden booming sound from outside and Schofield snapped ar