Chapter 6The high-decibel whine of laserdrillsset nerves on edge. A steady stream flowed from a block of ice asthered, fiery lasers sliced into it. Small chunks fell to the ground.The lasers turned the snow to slush and even our military bootscouldn’t keep the freezing water from soaking our socks. Theslush changed almost immediately back into ice. Droplets andsliversof ice spit back from the drilling and splattered our winterjacketsand goggles, clouding my vision.
We were six hundred miles north of ourcommand post.
I turned my back to the drilling andwiped away the water. My eyes focused on a smiling Astrid, goggleson, but her blue Eskimo hood partially down.
“I like cold weather,” she said.“It’s invigorating.”
“No, it’s not,” I said. “It’sjust cold. This is not just cold, this is fre
