SSSD - Find the others

Ro hears voices and moves toward them, making her way carefully around the spill. As she makes her way down the long hallway she sees no one in the kitchen and no one in the dining area. Birgitte should be in the kitchen and breakfast will be soon; normally, the Norwegians would be drinking coffee and waiting to eat.

Ro speeds up, finding the others just around the corner of Julie’s lab, in the short hallway leading to the lab where Ro did her repairs yesterday. Everyone is here: Marit, Golda, Niv, Julie, and Linda. That’s not everyone.

Niv spots Ro.

“Have you seen Birgitte?” she asks, and Ro is intimidated by the sudden intensity.

The door to the lab is closed securely.

“No,” Ro replies. “But I just got up.” She looks uncertainly at Marit, but Marit is too intent on whatever’s going on to even notice. The others immediately begin talking with great urgency.

<The basement door was not opened,> Niv says.

<How many *unintelligible* did you say?> Golda asks Julie.

<I can no longer verify it. Enough for several E-mails,> Julie replies.

<Why would she leave?> Marit is asking, but nobody’s really paying attention to her, either.

Linda stands silent, her hand firm over her mouth, eyes worried.

<She must have been in contact with someone,> Golda says.

Linda shakes her head, looking close to tears.

<No vehicle has been taken. The weather has been bad.> Niv spreads her hands. <Something is wrong. There’s no time to talk about this. We have to find her. Let’s go.> She starts off down the hallway and the others follow in a gaggle, still talking.

<Did you know about this risk?> Julie is asking Golda.

<I did not expect it from Birgitte. Maybe she has *unintelligible.*> There are a lot of words that Ro doesn’t know.

<It doesn’t make sense,> Niv insists.

They reach the coat room and the Norwegians start suiting up.

It’s bad out there. Real bad. It’s morning, but it’s pretty dark. The howling wind makes the whole outpost creak.

“We’re going out there? That’s suicide,” Ro says, appalled. No one hears her. The Norwegians don’t fear the cold the way that she does. She grabs Julie’s arm. “What is happening?”

“We have to find Birgitte. Linda’s lab was opened. Something may have been taken. But finding Birgitte safe is most important,” Julie says hurriedly.

<Someone has to stay here,> Niv says as she zips up her parka.

Linda slowly raises her hand. She looks like she’s on the verge of a breakdown.

<The American should stay too,” Niv adds, glancing at Golda.

<No,> Linda says suddenly. <No. Take her with you.>

“Um, it’s fine. I can help,” Ro says. She doesn’t know what else to say; even Marit is putting on her cold-weather gear. She grabs her boots and sits on the bench, tugging them on.

“Where were you last night?” Linda asks suddenly.

“Me?” Ro points at herself.

<She was with me,> Marit replies without even looking up from what she’s doing. <All night.>

Linda frowns and nods. “OK,” she says in English. “OK.”

They’re all much faster at getting ready than Ro is. She’s still struggling with her coat and gloves when they’re waiting at the door.

Golda and Niv stand on one side. Marit and Julie are on the other.

Nobody’s telling Ro what to do; she’ll have to pick which pair she goes with. She tugs her hat on, her goggles, and her hood, then uses her teeth to pull the strings on her gloves tight to form a seal with her sleeves. She raises her facemask, just as the others have. Niv’s parka is olive drab and Golda’s is red. Marit wears gray while Julie’s coat is blue. Everyone’s face is hidden.

Should Ro go with Golda and Niv?

Or with Marit and Julie?