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And he was holding something。
A long…bladed scalpel。
Schofield stared at it。
The scalpel had blood on it。
The man spoke in a flat nasal voice。 〃Hey。 You're awake。〃
Schofield squinted in the light； tried to lift himself up off the bed。 He couldn't do it。 Something stopped him。 He saw what it was。
Two leather straps bound his arms to the sides of the bed。 Two more straps bound his legs。 When he tried to raise his head to further examine his situation； he found that he couldn't even do that。 It； too； was strapped tightly down against the bed。
Schofield's blood went instantly cold。
He was pletely tied down。
〃Just hold on a minute；〃 the short man said in his irritating nasal voice。 〃This will only take one 。。。 more 。。。 second。〃
He raised his bloody scalpel and ducked out of Schofield's field of vision。
〃Wait！〃 Schofield said quickly。
The short man returned instantly to Schofield's view。 He raised his eyebrows questioningly。 〃Yes？〃
〃Where 。。。 where am I？〃 Schofield said。 It hurt to speak。 His throat was parched； dry。
The man smiled； revealing his crooked front teeth。 〃It's OK； Lieutenant；〃 he said。 〃You're still at Wilkes Ice Station。〃
Schofield swallowed。 〃Who are you？〃
〃Why； Lieutenant Schofield；〃 the man said； 〃I'm James Renshaw。〃
〃Wele back from the grave； Lieutenant；〃 Renshaw said as he unbound the leather strap around Schofield's head。 He had just finished removing the last three bullet fragments from Schofield's neck with his scalpel。
Renshaw said； 〃You know； you were very lucky you were wearing this Kevlar plate inside your collar。 It didn't stop the bullet entirely； but it took most of the speed off it。〃
Renshaw held up the circular Kevlar insert that had previously been fitted inside Schofield's gray turtleneck collar。 Schofield had forgotten all about his neck protector。 To him； it was just another part of his uniform。 Kevlar neck protectors were issued exclusively to Marine officers； as an extra defense against snipers。 Enlisted men received no such protection； since enemy snipers rarely cared for corporals and sergeants。
With the leather strap around his forehead now removed； Schofield raised his head and looked at the Kevlar insert that Renshaw held in his hand。
It looked like a priest's white collar…curved and flat； designed to encircle its wearer's neck while remaining hidden inside his turtleneck collar。 On one side of the circular Kevlar insert； Schofield could see a jagged； gaping hole。
The bullet hole。
〃That bullet would have killed you for sure if it weren't for your insert；〃 Renshaw said。 〃Would've cut right through your carotid。 After that there would have been nothing anyone could have done for you。 As it happened； the bullet shattered as it passed through your Kevlar insert； so only a few small fragments of it lodged in your neck。 Still； that would have been enough to kill you； and as a matter of fact； I actually think it did； at least for a short time。〃
Schofield had stopped listening。 He was taking in the room around him。 It looked like someone's living quarters。 He saw a bed； a desk； a puter； and； strangely； a pair of black…and…white TV monitors mounted on top of two video recorders。
He turned to face Renshaw。 〃Huh？〃
〃Several fragments of the bullet lodged in your neck； Lieutenant。 I'm pretty sure…in fact； I'm absolutely certain…that for at least thirty seconds； you lost your pulse。 You were clinically dead。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Schofield said。 He instinctively tried to raise his hand to feel his neck。 But he couldn't move his arm。 His arms and legs were still firmly tied down to the bed。
〃Oh； don't worry； I fixed it up；〃 Renshaw said。 〃I took the bullet fragments out and I cleaned the wound。 You actually got a couple of Kevlar fragments in there； too； but they weren't a problem。 In fact； I was just trying to get them out when you woke up。〃 Renshaw indicated the bloody scalpel on a silver tray next to Schofield's bed。 Beside the scalpel lay seven tiny metal fragments； all of them covered in blood。
〃Oh； and don't worry about my qualifications；〃 Renshaw said with a smile。 〃I did two years of medicine before I dropped out and took up geophysics。〃
〃Are you going to untie me？〃 Schofield said evenly。
〃Oh； yeah。 Right。 Listen。 I'm terribly sorry about that；〃 Renshaw said。 He seemed nervous now。 〃At first I just had to keep your head still while I extracted the bullet fragments from your neck。 Did you know that you move around a lot in your sleep？ Probably not。 Well； you do。 But anyway； to cut to the chase； I figured what with all I have to tell you and all； it would be better if you were； well； a captive audience。 So to speak。〃 Renshaw smiled weakly at the pun he'd just made。
Schofield stared at him； unsure of what to make of this man named James Renshaw。 After all； this was the man who only a week before had killed one of his fellow scientists。 If nothing else； Schofield was certain of one thing。 He did not want to remain tied up at this man's mercy。
〃What do you have to tell me？〃 he said。 His eyes swept the room as he spoke。 The door on the far side of the room was firmly shut。 All of the other walls in the room were ice。
〃Lieutenant； what I have to tell you is this： I am not a murderer。 I did not kill Bernie Olson。〃
Schofield didn't say anything。
He tried to remember what Sarah Hensleigh had told him earlier…way back when he had arrived at Wilkes…about the death of the scientist Bernard Olson。
Sarah had said that on the night Olson was killed； Renshaw had been heard arguing loudly with him。 It was after that argument that Renshaw had stabbed Olson in the throat with a hypodermic syringe filled with liquid drain cleaner。 Then he had injected the contents of the syringe into Olson's bloodstream。 The other residents of Wilkes had found Olson dead soon after； with the syringe hanging loosely from his neck。
〃Do you believe me？〃 Renshaw said in a low voice； eyeing Schofield suspiciously。
Schofield still said nothing。
〃Lieutenant； you have to believe me。 I can only imagine what you've been told； and I know it must look bad； but you have to listen to me。 I didn't do it。 I swear； I didn't do it。 I could never do something like that。〃
Renshaw took a deep breath； spoke slowly。
〃Lieutenant； this station is not what it appears to be。 Things have been happening here…strange things…long before you and your men got here。 You can't trust anyone at this station； Lieutenant。〃
〃But you expect me to trust you？〃 Schofield said。
〃Yes。 Yes； I do；〃 Renshaw said pensively。 〃And that obviously creates a problem； doesn't it？ After all； as far as you're concerned； four days ago I killed a man with a hypodermic needle filled with industrial…strength Drano。 Right？ Hmmm。〃 Renshaw took a step forward； toward Schofield。 〃But I intend to rectify this situation； Lieutenant Schofield。 Conclusively。 Which is why 。。。 I'm going to do this。〃
Renshaw stood right next to the bed； towering over Schofield； his eyes hard。
Schofield tensed。 He was totally defenseless。 He had no idea what Renshaw was about to…
Snap！ The leather strap around Schofield's left arm