Free Godzilla at World's End by Marc Cerasini Page B

Jersey in the middle of the winter , anyway?" the intense, dark-haired girl complained loudly. Despite her thick winter gear and her bulky gloves, Leena Sims - who was used to the weather in Southern California - was shivering in the icy winds that swept across the high stage.
    "Because where we are going it's spring now and will soon be summer," Peter Blackwater replied helpfully. He meant to be informative, but he could see by Leena's sharp look that he'd stepped over the line with the touchy young computer genius. Once again.
    "Yeah," Michael Sullivan announced, ignoring Leena's withering stare. "But you have to admit that summer in the Antarctic is a relative thing."
    Peter could hear the high-pitched whine of Michael's wheelchair over the noise of the crowd. The chair rolled to a halt at Peter's side.
    "But then I guess you'd know all about that, eh, Peter?" Michael added, smiling up at the Native American.
    "Don't worry about Peter; worry about the rest of us!" Ned Landson added, with his all-American smile. "Antarctica should be a snap for him, after those long Alaskan winters!"
    Ned, Peter, and Michael laughed nervously. The group had met only two night ago, at a dinner in a fancy restaurant with Mr. Endicott, the sponsor of the contest they'd all won. After that meal, they had been so busy with interviews and media events that they hadn't gotten the chance to know one another, not yet, anyway. Michael Sullivan, especially, was looking forward to that. The handicapped boy had few friends outside his immediate family and the folks he regularly chatted with on the Internet.
    "When are those hangar doors going to open?" Leena asked angrily, ignoring the others. "This operation is run worse than CorTell Computers!"
    Michael frowned. He still hadn't gotten over the shock of hearing about CorTell's bankruptcy the day before. The computer firm's demise had shaken people's faith in the United States economy even further - and added to a feeling that the whole country seemed to be falling apart.
    Michael wondered if other Silicon Valley computer firms would follow. Things were indeed bad today, but even after the destruction caused by Godzilla's passing, Michael thought that people would always need computers.
    Michael couldn't imagine his world without them.
    The others in the group simply ignored Leena Sims's tactless remark, as she had ignored their comments. Despite their relative unfamiliarity, the others had already learned to avoid the temperamental inventor when she acted like this.
    Michael, of course, didn't have that luxury. Because her computer expertise coincided with his own, Michael found himself teamed up with Leena in the Destiny Explorer 's computer lab. He also found himself teamed with her on a number of experiments to be conducted once they reached the south polar region.
    Michael didn't know what her problem was, but he hoped that things would get better between Leena and the rest of the competition winners once the voyage got under way.
    ***
    A few yards away from the cluster of young geniuses, Nick Gordon stamped his feet to get some feeling back into them. He feared that his toes had already frozen. Then he saw a flash of light reflected off metal, and he forgot his discomfort - he thought he'd detected some movement near the massive doors of the Max Hulse Hangar. With a surge of excitement and anticipation, Nick squinted into the sun, straining for another hint of motion.
    Finally, he saw that the hangar doors were beginning to open.
    The brass band down on the tarmac played on, but a hush of anticipation fell over the spectators. You could almost feel the tension of the crowd.
    Out of the corner of his eye, Nick spotted one of the kids - Ned Landson - point excitedly toward the hangar. The others turned and faced the massive structure.
    A moment later, the doors had moved completely aside. The interior of the hangar was still in shadow, and all the onlookers held their breath.
    A burst of laughter