The building that Butterick had claimed was full of sophisticated science equipment was just a shell—not even locked. Kanut and the major had done a recon: no equipment, not even a table or chair. Electricity and water turned off. Other than a few scattered paperclips, the place had been swept clean.
Kanut nodded toward the meadow, where long shadows stretched from the trees. “And these so-called dangerous animals?”
“They’re mutant elephants.” Butterick spoke through clenched teeth. “Small and covered with fur.”
“Small elephants,” Kanut repeated slowly. “With fur.” He let a few silent seconds tick by. “You know, there’s probably moose in those woods. They get pretty big. Maybe buffalo.” Idiot city-dwellers were always calling in a panic about a stray elk or moose.
“I know what a moose looks like! These were no goddamn moose. If I hadn’t had to waste time getting a goddamn court order . . .”
Kanut stiffened. “This isn’t Afghanistan, sir. This is the US of A. The army can’t go shooting up private property anytime it feels like it.”
Butterick’s growl suggested the world would be a better place if he had that power. “You have a court order.”
“Yes, sir. I got a cease-and-desist order to serve on this Dr. Henry Anjou—”
“Henri,” Butterick corrected.
Kanut looked up. “Yes, sir. Dr. Henry Anjou and Dr. Ginger Kim. And an order to destroy any dangerous animals in their possession. But they ain’t here.”
“They were here. You’ll have to track them down. Put out an all-points bulletin. Get an arrest warrant. That equipment belongs to the US Army. We want it back and I want those animals destroyed!”
“Right.” Kanut looked around the vacant area with deliberation. “Yes, sir. We’ll definitely keep an eye out for Dr. Anjou and Dr. Kim, and for any dangerous animals. But I got to say, sir, it looks like they already cease-and-desisted.”
As Kanut flew the helo back to Fairbanks, Butterick fumed in silence. Just as well, Kanut was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Small, furry elephants—he couldn’t wait to tell the barracks about that one.
Brandon stared at Luis. “Anjou shut down the operation?”
“Temporarily. On hiatus.”
“You mean for the move to the new facility.”
Luis took a deep breath. “There is no new facility. The equipment isn’t being moved, it’s being stored until Anjou finds a new funding source.”
“But he’s already got a grant!”
“The army pulled out. Project Hannibal’s been terminated.”
Brandon ran his hand through his hair, making it stand on end. “That doesn’t make sense. The government’s poured millions into making mammoths. Why would they stop now, when everything’s about to pay off?”
Luis turned back to erecting the tent. “Because politically, it’s not about to pay off. Population migration is getting a lot of attention in Washington. People are moving from Central America into North America, from the Southwest to the Northwest, from the Midwest into Canada. All those people look north and see great empty spaces here in Alaska. They figure, with the warming climate, maybe they can stand four months of night. The homesteaders have a lot of political clout, and a bunch of wild mammoths would just get in their way.”
“So Anjou . . . what? Abandoned us?”
“Not abandoned. Deployed early, before some blows-with-the-wind bureaucrat can tell him not to. Once the herd’s out on the tundra, Anjou will use the press to stir up some sympathy for the mammoths, try to get the funding restored. After that, it’ll be too late for anyone to round them up without a lot of controversy.”
Brandon grabbed Luis’s arm, making him stop fiddling with the tent. “Screw the herd. You’re telling me we’re out of a job.”
“Don’t worry.” Luis placed a hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “Ginger put six months’ salary in our accounts, I made sure of that. And the bush pilot who’s going to pick us up—I arranged that myself, just to be certain.”
Brandon jerked his shoulder away. “You bastard. You knew all this and you didn’t tell me?”
Luis sighed. This wasn’t going well. “Anjou swore me to secrecy until the herd was deployed. He needed to salvage his research and bug out before anyone realized he was leaving.”
“Leaving us hanging out to dry.”
“It may not be for long,” Luis said. “They’ve got Silver and Gold squirreled away somewhere, and all the equipment. As soon as the grant is straightened out, Anjou’s ready to begin a second herd. He’ll let us know when he’s back in business again.”
“Let you know, you mean. I’m nothing but collateral damage. I thought we were supposed to be partners. I thought we had a future together. But I guess I’m seeing the real you for the first time.”
Hell, the storm hadn’t even arrived yet, and it was shaping up to be a rough night.
CHAPTER 10
It’s all good
Estelle paused at the door to what had, up until a few days before, been her study. Some hasty shifting had moved Estelle’s desk and spare clothes to her bedroom, and her books had been boxed up to make space for Sera’s belongings.
Sera knelt on the carpet, sorting and refolding the clothes she’d brought from New Orleans. Cute little tops and skirts, shorts, and sandals went back into a suitcase to be stored—not much need for those in Alaska, even in June. Swimsuits, hardly bigger than a postage stamp: into the suitcase. Skimpy dress in purple and gold, just right for a Mardi Gras ball: into the suitcase, along with the matching high heels.
Sera’s mother had loved dressing up, too.
“You might keep out the dress and heels,” Estelle said. “There’ll be parties, I expect. School dances.”
Sera patted the dress into place. “I don’t feel like
