Literature

The ax. In her fear, she had entirely forgotten the ice ax attached to the rip cord on her belt. The lightweight aluminum tool was bouncing along beside her leg….

Arriving now at the doorway of the Communications Office, Tench felt alive with the thrill of the fight. Politics was war. She took a deep breath and checked her watch….

Delta-One had now finished packing snow down the woman’s throat. Before turning his attention to the others, Delta-One unhooked the woman’s belay harness. He could reconnect it later, but at…

Sexton would lie. Was this truly her first instinct regarding her candidate? Yes. He would lie… brilliantly. If these photos hit the media without Gabrielle’s having admitted the affair, the…

“Let’s go!” Norah shouted, pulling the tethered group along as she headed toward the perimeter of the illuminated circle. “I don’t know what NASA’s up to here, but I sure…

Norah took a final look up the incline, grateful for the illuminated pathway home. As she looked out, though, something odd occurred. For an instant, one of the nearest flares…

Gabrielle saw the door and headed for it. “On my desk by eight o’clock tonight, Gabrielle. Be smart.” Tench tossed her the folder of photographs on her way out. “Keep…

Making the raging river of air even more unnerving to Tolland was the slight downwind grade of the ice shelf. The ice was sloped ever so slightly toward the ocean,…

“This photo reveals,” Tench said, “that your candidate is holding secret meetings with an organization that represents private space enterprises.” Tench motioned to several other documents on the table. “We…

“My source is not your concern. But if you spend some time studying these figures, you will clearly see that Senator Sexton does not have the kind of money he…

Tench stood suddenly, her lanky frame dominating the cramped space. With the cigarette dangling from her lips, she walked over to a wall safe, removed a thick manila envelope, returned…

Ekstrom scowled. “So is it possible or not?””Not on your life,” Norah said flatly. “Totally impossible. I would have hit pockets of brine ice in my core samples.” “Core samples…

“Jesus Christ!” Norah shook the device and looked again. “Damn it! Something’s got to be wrong with this refractometer!” “Saltwater?” Corky gloated. Norah frowned. “Partial. It’s registering three percent brine-which…

The tourists laughed. Gabrielle followed past the stairway through a series of ropes and barricades into a more private section of the building. Here they entered a room Gabrielle had…

Tolland looked only partially comforted, his relief apparently clouded by a deeper mystery. “I can’t be for sure without a microscope,” Tolland said, “but it looks to me like this…

“Advanced stages of lymphoma,” the doctors explained. “Rare in people her age, but certainly not unheard of.” Celia and Tolland visited countless clinics and hospitals, consulting with specialists. The answer…

Ming’s lungs were screaming for oxygen. He held his breath, still trying to kick toward the surface. Breathe! He fought the reflex, clamping his insensate lips together. Breathe! He tried…

More laughter this time. “And,” she said, glancing down at the bottom of the screen, “I had certainly not imagined I would be sitting at the President’s desk… much less…

The President shook his head. “I’m afraid I didn’t make myself clear. You’ll be doing the briefing from where you are via video conference.” “Oh.” Rachel hesitated. “What time did…

Rachel noted how careful the President was being not to mention her father. He spoke only in terms of “the opposition” or “political opponents.” “And you think your opposition will…