Eight Below Page #4

- So l'm a little busy right now.|- All we need is a plane, sir...

- Do you want us to do that, sir?|- Do what?

- Start moving some planes.|- Will you give me one minute?

Listen. lf we could just get a plane|like the one that we flew in on,

it would only take three hours.

Son, the only thing|we've got left are C-1 30s

and they sure as hell|can't land at a field base.

We can't just leave 'em out there.

There's nothing l can do. l'm sorry.

- Let's start moving those planes.|- Yes, sir, right away, captain.

Yeah, come in.

Hey.

How we doing?

When's your flight leave?|You and Rosie?

A couple hours ahead of you,|Coop and the doc.

Jerry, l'm so sorry.

l'm really sorry, Jerry.

l don't want to talk about it.|You want a drink?

Sure.

- Fresca.|- Yeah, sorry. That's all l got.

You know this wasn't your fault.|This wasn't anybody's fault.

- We just left 'em there.|- Come on. We didn't just leave them.

Don't do this to yourself.|The dogs are strong.

Maybe there's a chance.

We tightened their collars|so they wouldn't get loose.

Listen, l...

l know...

l know you want me to find|a way to get us back there somehow.

l know you're disappointed in me.

No.

You know, sometimes you just|have to lower your expectations.

You know what, Jerry?|l'm sorry. l really am.

l've got to go pack.

Fill this out. Take it down to admin.|Just follow the red line on the floor.

With any luck, you could|have some funding by August.

August?

No, wait. l don't think you understand.|ln a few days those dogs...

l have to go now.

l'm sorry, Mr. Shepard.|Once winter sets in,

as you know, there's no|coming or goings down there.

We had to cancel|the winter teams this year.

- Couldn't get 'em in before the storm.|- There must be somebody going south.

Mr. Shepard, be reasonable. This is|the biggest Antarctic storm in 25 years.

lf you don't believe me,|take a look at this weather report.

Yeah, good, good.

- Where's the rocket going?|- What a surprise!

- To Mars, Dad.|- Come on in.

Yeah?

Well, look who l found.

Hey. Hey, world traveler.

- How you been?|- l'm good, l'm good.

- How's your fingers?|- Oh, l get to keep 'em.

- Great.|- How's the leg?

Hard to tell. The cast is|coming along great, thanks to Eric.

There's a pot of coffee|in the kitchen, so...

Eric, let's go find|a real coloring book.

- What a great surprise.|- Give you a hand?

- No, l'm all right.|- You got it?

So, what brings you to LA?

l brought you something.

Thanks.

l gotta get back there. Right now.

l can't sleep at night. l've been|to NSF, agencies, foundations.

l've been to TV networks to convince|them to follow me with a camera.

Anything to raise money.|lt just... lt all takes too long.

Now l've only got one week to get|back down there before winter hits.

Then no one gets in for six months.|You've got those guys in your pocket.

The, uh, the science fund guys.

- The university endowment?|- They'd do anything for you right now.

- Jerry, listen to what you're saying.|- No, it would just be me,

just a three-day trip in.|You could tell 'em.

- Tell 'em l'm scouting your next trip.|- They'd be throwing their money away.

- No, they wouldn't.|- Even if you could get down there,

- by now it's 50 below.|- No.

Jerry, be realistic.|lt's already been...

l know how long it's been.

But l need to know for sure.|l have to go.

lt's not possible, Jerry.

lt's just not possible.

And you gotta find a way|to forget about all this.

Forget?

And you can do that?

Hey, Jer. It's Kate.

It's been a week.|Jnst checking if you're home yet.

Bye.

Jer, it's Kate again.|Call me back. Bye.

Over here.

All right, the ocean|has a mind of its own.

So respect the ocean. Stay alert.

Now, go on ahead and take the paddle|like this, in both hands.

There you go.|We're gonna do an even paddle,

alternating blades.

Like that.

Hey, Al, will you take over for me?

Hey, what are you doing here?

Somebody told me Jerry Shepard|was working at the kiddie pool.

l said, "No way.|l have to see that for myself."

ls that why you're here?|You're here to mock me?

l'm the chauffeur.|Somebody else wanted to see you.

Brandy! Come here. Go see Jerry!

Wow.

- Look who's all grown up and beautiful.|- She's smart too. Just like you said.

ls she? Let's see|how well she's got you trained, then.

Go get it!

She's looking good.

But l'm still not sure|what you're doing here.

Come on. You didn't return my calls.|l got worried.

- l've been busy.|- Oh, yeah, l can see that.

What about you?|What have you been up to?

Nothing much. l'm seeing somebody.

- Really.|- Yeah, l mean,

l'm not seeing him for long,|but l kind of like him.

He's such the opposite of us.|A complete head guy.

He's an engineer.

Like on a train?

Shut up.

- Yeah.|- Good girl.

Go, Brandy!

So l heard you pulled yourself|off the McKinley expedition.

Listen, l know leaving the dogs|was hard for you.

Well, it is what it is.|There's really nothing to talk about.

Nothing to talk about? Jerry, come on.

l don't want to talk about it.

You can't just keep|hiding out here, Jerry.

l mean, come on.|Renting kayaks to nine-year-olds?

Well, what am l supposed|to do then, huh?

Maybe you can help me out or something|'cause l'm not sure anymore.

You know what you're supposed to do?|Let yourself off the hook.

lt doesn't mean that you have to forget.

He knows a dog person|when he smells one.

Hey, Mindo.

- How you doing? Easy trip?|- Yeah, it wasn't bad.

- Appreciate you seeing me.|- My pleasure.

You're part of the family.

Here. l thought you'd like to have this.

Thanks. Come on in.

So, you came to apologize, hmm?

l just knew...

l just knew that you raised 'em.

You don't have to apologize to me.|lt's not about being sorry for anything.

What is it then?

Back when l was a young man,

my father ran a team of sled dogs|up in the Yukon.

One summer he was out in the bush|walking with six of them.

They came across a grizzly bear.|Young, but big.

The first thing he did was maul|my father within an inch of his life.

When he came to,|he saw that two of his dogs

had been killed trying to save him.|The rest were gone.

When he regained his strength,|he went out looking for his dogs.

He said he had to.

You know why l told you this story?

Because l won't find my dogs.

The story's not about the dogs.|lt's about my father

honoring what the dogs|had done for him.

Jerry, what's important

is finding that one thing|that will truly put your heart at rest.

And now...

And now, ladies and gentlemen,|please join with me

in welcoming and honoring|the man who five months ago

brought back from Antarctica|the first documented Mercury meteorite,

Dr. Davis McClaren.

- Congratulations.|- Thank you.

Thank you very much. There are|several people l wish to thank,

but first and most important,|my family,

my son, Eric,|and my wife, Dr. Eve McClaren,

for her patience as l travel|around the world on these expeditions,

many of which could be better|described as wild-goose chases.

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