Free The Cold Edge by Trevor Scott Page B

pee. Can you keep an eye on that little troll for me while I scoot?”
    â€œGo ahead. Since he knows me, I’ll stay back and track him on my Blackberry.”
    Her head nodded as she hurried off.
    McLean went to the baggage carousel area and looked at the wall advertising hotels in Oslo. He could see Dixon’s reflection in the glass. Seconds later he felt a nudge at his side.
    â€œThat was quick,” McLean said, not looking down at Velda.
    â€œYou gotta go, you gotta go. Time for me to move front and center.”
    â€œPut on the charm.”
    â€œYou know me.”
    He thought about the alley encounter with her the other night. Yeah, he knew her.
    The crowd was large enough now that Jimmy McLean could turn around and watch her work. She stood a few feet from Dixon and kept checking bags, not even looking at the man. But he had noticed her. Couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. McLean walked farther away so he wouldn’t be seen. Finally the bags stopped coming and the only two who had not gotten their suitcases were Velda and Dixon. Both of them went for help, two little folks without their bags. Of course, McLean had made sure both were confiscated—Dixon’s to have a bug sewn into the lining, and hers to maintain the ruse and bring them together.

8
    Spitsbergen Island, Norway
    The night had been uncomfortable for Jake. The back of the helo was small and the three of them were packed in tight, girl girl boy, with Anna in the middle. For some reason, maybe because of Anna’s comment the evening before, he couldn’t help thinking about the three of them together. It wasn’t like he was dissatisfied with the sex that he and Anna had experienced over the past couple of years, but still. . .this was like having two Anna’s.
    But not only those thoughts had kept Jake awake. He also wondered about the box he had found with his old friend, Steve Olson. The one with the Biohazard symbol. What was in there? And, better yet, why had it been so important back in 1986 to send four KGB officers after it? Even more importantly, perhaps, was why they had not sent more officers to retrieve the box. What had changed? And why hadn’t the old CIA sent someone to find Olson and Korkala? Too many damn questions.
    Jake had told Anna and Kjersti about finding Steve and the snowmobile, but had left out the part about finding the box. No need to mention that. At least not yet. He had simply buried it again where he had found it. What if it was a biological weapon? What if the box leaked? Although the box looked completely solid, as if there was no seam or way to open it. How was that possible? It was as if the box had been formed around something. Or at least the top had been melted onto it.
    Jake finally did get to sleep. He dreamt of a beast gnawing at the bodies, even though there wasn’t much left of them.
    He woke and it was almost light outside. Sitting up, he glanced out the window and saw something from his dream.
    A huge polar bear rummaged about a few feet from the helicopter. A cub shuffled around the massive sow bear.
    Not wanting to wake Anna and Kjersti, and knowing that was probably not possible, Jake unzipped his sleeping bag and put on his jacket. Then he pulled the rifle from his side and looked at the two women sleeping. Better to wake them with a nudge than a shot.
    â€œAnna,” Jake said, shaking her.
    Her eyes opened. “Yeah?”
    â€œGot a little polar bear problem.”
    With those words Kjersti woke also and sat up, her sleeping bag falling from her shoulders. She was completely naked, or at least from the top to the waist. Jake looked away as Kjersti put on her thermal underwear top.
    â€œDon’t shoot them,” Kjersti said. “Just scare them away. Here, use my handgun.” She handed Jake her .44 magnum revolver.
    He slid the door open slightly, put his entire arm outside to keep down the noise inside, and fired off a round into a snow