Page 52 of Escaping my Dragon

“Pretty sure you had nothing to do with earthquakes and volcanoes exploding.”

“I should have kept you close to the base. I knew something was up.”

I rolled away from him and sat up. “Are you done with the self-flagellation? We made a rational decision with the information we had at the time. Second-guessing now accomplishes nothing.”

Expression still sober, he tucked an arm behind his head. “I realize I can’t change the past, which is why I’ll pay more attention in the future.”

“Pay attention to what? It’s not like the scientists gave warning,” I reminded as I snared my shirt.

“I should have listened to you when you questioned all the sensors going offline pretty much at once.”

“You said it’s happened before and not because of an eruption.” I threw back his argument.

“But that combined with the increased quakes and the dreams should have been my wakeup call that we needed to evacuate.”

“Pretty sure telling your higher-ups that people were having nightmares wouldn’t have been a convincing argument.”

“They would have laughed at me and likely reassigned me and ordered I see a therapist.” He stood and raked fingers through his hair, his taut body a thing of beauty to gaze upon despite his agitation. “I have to wonder if Greenfield had been better vetted, if all this could have been avoided.”

“Even if he did somehow wake those volcanoes, doesn’t matter. We should be concentrating on finding a way out of here.”

“Without a boat or a plane, we’re stuck.”

“What about relocating to another station?”

He shook his head. “Only if we have to. Here we have plenty of supplies and shelter. Who knows if we’d have the same elsewhere.”

“In that case, if we have to wait, I say we go for that triple.” I winked, and his expression instantly turned smoldering. We might have made an attempt right then and there but for a knock at the door to our room.

“What is it?” Noah barked even as he bent to grab his pants.

“Um, sorry to disturb, but we’ve got a visitor.” A discomfited Vernon stated. “He’s insisting on speaking with Velma.”

“Me?” My eyes widened. Who would be looking for me here?

“Where did he come from?” Noah asked, opening the door a crack but blocking it with his body while I scrambled to finish getting dressed.

“Dunno. Joslyn’s sleeping, and I was bored so I went outside for some air when he just suddenly appeared, walking around the side of the building.”

“Surely you heard the engine of whatever brought him.”

“No-pe.” Vernon popped the P. “Which is why he just about scared the piss out of me when he said hello.”

I buttoned my pants as Noah muttered. “This base was empty. I’d swear it.”

“Probably a refuge from McMurdo or Ross Station,” I suggested as I tugged on my boots.

“Maybe.” Noah didn’t sound convinced. “But why would they ask for you specifically?”

“To get on my show. People will do and say crazy stuff for their five minutes of fame.” I snagged my jacket. “Let’s go find out who this person is.”

“I’m more interested in knowing how they knew you were here.” Noah stayed slightly ahead of me as we headed for the exit outside, his stiff stalk, and even more rigid back, showed his wariness.

“Offended they asked for the civilian and not the captain?”

He shot me a look. “You don’t find it odd they’d want to speak with you and not someone who’s lived and breathed this continent for years?”

A valid point.