Goshawk | Ep. 24

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2:07The White Vault, Gosh Huck.

2:56There were two of them. I left after that. And it sounds like they've made it back to the treeline now. If we're lucky, which I'm not holding my breath for, they'll be distracted by their task for a while. Why are they doing it? I don't know. But Kidlet, get out the equipment. Really? Can do, boss.

3:29Let it go. It's just the instructions. We know how to use it by now. Irene, take off the pack. Inside there's a plastic case about the size of, I don't know, a box of crackers. A big box of crackers. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. There are a few. What color? Black and yellow. I know this could be helpful, at least to Lenea, but I don't know how close we can get. I don't think we'll need to. With everything happening, this whole place will set it off. What are these? What are you doing? See, that's one of those questions we never get the answer to. The company built these. Some kind of modified radiation meter.

4:21It can make those clicking sounds from the movies, but it's not very covert, so I've switched those off. Not sure they're needed, really. But we use them to measure a kind of radiation in a measurement system devised by the company. Radiation? Is it a Geiger counter? Is this dangerous? Another kind of dangerous? It's not a Geiger counter. Like I said, the company we work for built these. And they, well, they measure some kind of radiation. but the kind that's not physically dangerous to us. That I did ask ahead of time. No matter the pay, I wouldn't have taken this job if just walking around these places was tearing my cells apart.

5:02The sites, at least all the normal ones so far, give off some kind of radiation that's only found there. This place is abnormal, so I think we should check. Ow. Hand me that. Stop reaching for things and just ask first. What is half this stuff? The film? Dracana, are those explosives? Well, utilized explosives have proven themselves to yield advantageous and expedient results. And that's just how she pitched it to the boss. Ah, I see. So you've used them before? We have. I should brought more, really. More explosives is always better. All set. You're right. This whole area already has base measurements higher than the other site surroundings.

6:11Thanks. Gidlet. They're both coming back in the 75 to 76 range. 75-5, 75-7... What's that mean? We don't know what they mean, but we know it's high. That's the kind of reading we usually get when standing directly next to an inactive vault door. So, either this boulder is something else, or the whole of this place has more radiation than any active site we've encountered. Hmm. Should be colder. What? Right. It should be a lot colder. With this storm. And the wind? I'd say two or three degrees warmer than I'd expect. What the hell are you talking about? It's fucking freezing. Ciblet, explain. Well, the locations put out this unique radiation, and these little tools can measure it.

7:16That's clear. But usually, the unique radiation isn't stable and fluctuates widely. And we won't know about that here because we're not sticking around. But regardless, the radiation also comes with heat. Heat's just another kind of radiation, just a different wavelength. so the sites also let out low amounts of heat over a large area. In every case we know, it's not enough to bring the site temperatures above freezing, but it is enough that it's a bit warmer than the area would otherwise be without its influence. Seems both are too high. Hey, is breathing still hard? How do you feel after we moved you here?

7:59Could go for a quick nap and a hospital visit. So you're fine then. Are all these places cold? At the other sites you're talking about? They are. Siberia, Canada, Svalbard. All of them. All frozen. So you don't know what the reading of the radiation means? Just that the radiation is high and associated with these... sites? No. Not exactly. Here's how I understand it, without wanting to know more. The sites are vents, specially constructed to release types of energy not normally felt by people, and some heat. Also, the radiation readers we have are even named incorrectly. They don't read that something is there.

8:49More so that something is disrupting normal patterns, I think. But you know that it's non-ionizing radiation, so it's lower energy radiation? No idea. Not my wheelhouse. I think so. The way the guardians, the creatures, use speakers and sound and mess with power. That's about the gist of my guesses. And I don't want to know any more than that. Because I want to get paid and live a long, luxurious life of early retirement. Knock on wood. Have you seen those trees? Then be careful. You'll jinx yourself. You joke a lot for this kind of situation. Can't focus on the horrors. Just too many terrors and secrets.

9:47Need to joke and live. We should try to get readings further in the lake.

9:58Stop moving. Damn it, you're gonna. You got stabbed. Lay back down. I'll do it without you. I can go about as far as I went previously without much issue. They aren't being very quiet, so it's easy to avoid them. They're more likely to be able to get the money. I want to help and I want to see what they're doing. And you said I can't get the madness, so I should be the one looking in on it anyways. If I really am more protected from this stuff than you both, then let me help. Tell me what to do. I don't want to see you hurt anymore. If we want these readings quick so we can move to the mines and get Adele, help would be helpful.

10:42Well, I'm not going anywhere. Need a breather. But if something... Don't get too close. And we'll remain out of sight. We'll get the readings, see if it's stronger, then come back. I'm not taking any chances with myself or your goddaughter. That silence is a reluctant okay, so don't leave my side. Don't make loud noises. Stay low. Leave the backpack here. And if you see anything too fucked up, don't tell me anything I don't really need to know. And you take this one. Understood. Have fun.

11:48Stop here. This is close enough. We move a lot faster when we're not carrying someone. Not that I mind. What's the reading at? 83 to 84, 84.6. Around there. Always moving. Stay down. They'll go by with the trees. If we're close enough, the readings should increase when they pass by. These things are also flush with the radiation. Right. If these trees work for the monsters, or maybe for that woman, or maybe they're all the same thing, then why are they tearing them down? I don't know. But I don't think we'll want to find out. They're dragging the trunks to where we saw the door in the lake, but we're too far off to see or be seen.

12:39And what's the door? I tell you I can't know, and I don't want to know. And you still ask. Sorry, Habit. The reading on mine is up to 88.2. Yeah, really high. But I have a lot of questions, actually. And if I'm safe from this problem, others must be. So who can I ask? I really don't want to ask my mother. If she hasn't told me anything this whole time, I don't perceive her being very open about it all. You should talk to the boss. Given what Dragana tells me, I don't think she can tell you no. What? Why? Who is she? You and Dragana will have that talk. It's not my place. Oh, all right. Sure. I'd like more readings, but we shouldn't get closer.

13:32Data's nice. Data's money. But living is better. I don't know if I'm not sure what that is. Do you hear that? There, that. What is that? Oh, that's her satellite phone. I thought you didn't have it. It went missing when we rappelled off the helicopter. It must have fallen to the bottom of the quarry in the snow. And it's working. If we hurry, we could find it. It's attracting attention. We need to get back and stop it. Come on. Go to Drogana. I'll get the phone. They can hear it too. Please be careful.

14:26Hey. Hey. Hey, I'm back. Can you hear the satellite phone? Kid Lai went to find it. We might be able to make that call. and we got those readings from... Drugana? Drugana, wake up!

15:07I have a room booked at the hotel. I can't return to Iceland until I've rested and gotten my energy back. It wouldn't be safe for me to fly again. Not now. Tees, I don't know what you're doing here, but I hope you're careful. The world feels like it's gone crazy. Thank you. And please fly back safely once you can. We don't know how long this is going to take, or if Icelandic airspace will be open when we're done. So please get home and rest well. Kurski says his family is prepared to cover the return flights, so don't worry about us. It's certainly been a busy few days. Well, that's good to hear.

15:54I can check a new airport off my list, though Northern Maine was never really on my wish list to begin with. It's not bad. Nice little place. FBO was friendly. Are you really heading out already? No rest? Snow's coming down out there. That's nothing new. And we got to sleep some during the flights, thankfully. Karski has already arranged for our transportation here, so once he's back, we'll start off. Speak of the devil. I'll leave you to it. Good luck. Stay warm. Thank you. Rest up and fly safe.

16:42Successful? Yes. I believe we were able to procure everything, even given the short turnaround. Snow chains are on the car, but we'll switch to snowmobiles once we get to the pickup location. We've requested snowshoes, cold weather gear, poles, ample supplies, and emergency equipment. But when my family contacted the main professional guides association, they were determined to convince us not to go out into the woods. Not in this weather. They won't risk the life of one of their guides, which is admirable, so we'll need to find an alternative or just go without. If we think we still need someone when we pick up the snowmobiles, I'm sure enough money will woo someone.

17:21How experienced are you with cold weather outdoor sports? Our site is in the Hidaka Mountains, and I've spent significant time in the area. I'm certainly no outdoor enthusiast, but I've learned what I've had to. I've experienced snowshoeing, winter hiking, snowmobiling, and winter game hunting. I'm similar, though not the hunting part. I enjoy hiking back home, but generally during the summer months. I learned how to ride the snowmobile and use snowshoes as a child. But money and a little know-how will only get us so far. This snow is really coming down. And we don't know the area. Then thankfully, we still have our luck to help us.

18:04For now, we hope. Want to put anything else in the back? No, that's fine. Alright.

18:18What do you think those students are doing with Jason? Do you think they know anything? Right. I asked that already. No speculation. I'm just worried for them. Odds are they don't know anything. They're just enthused about their work. Well, that's lucky for them. The less they know, the better. The one we were able to reach out to certainly had no idea who Jason was outside of a fellow ecologist. Expense reports from the students' additional rental equipment came from a winter sports outfitter in Al... Alagash? I found it on the GPS. It's the last point of documentation we have of them, so we're headed there for now.

19:00It's 140 kilometers, so about a two-hour drive in these conditions. The pickup location for the snowmobiles is just outside of that town, and from there we can work south toward the fissureside coordinates. Are you ready? We should hurry. Yes, let's go. I can have someone from Syria call ahead for more equipment if needed. I've handled it. Like I said, Jason is our responsibility. And we have snowmobiles prepared just a bit further west of Alagash. I think we'll need them. And the other gear. It's very convenient that winter sports is so popular here. Being able to pay someone a lot of money doesn't mean anything if no one is around to provide the goods.

19:43So I've learned. Just another part of the luck, I wonder.

19:56Something funny in all this? This is the kind of car we make fun of tourists for renting back home. Well, I can see that. It's a bit much for day-to-day use, but in this snow, it has a job to do. Can you check road closures? The snow has fallen quickly. Uh, yes. I believe the state has a site for that. Seems the path between here and Alagash is clear for now. But I'm not seeing anything but dirt roads once we turn south from there. They may not be ploughed at all. Like I said, we'll have the snowmobiles and the gear we'll need. I don't know if you brought yours from the plane, but I secured us some firearms.

20:42Really? So quickly? It's America. I guess so. Still seems fast. It was a family connection. I left the handgun on the plane. You really think we'll need... Never mind. After Cairo. Yes. I think we'll need them.

21:05If this thing... I don't know how to talk about it, but... If whatever is beyond the vault doors, or the vents, or whatever they are... If it's sleeping, does that mean it has consciousness? Or are they just using terms we know, which we then adopt? I don't know. But if it has consciousness, does it know what's happening? If it could have consciousness, I don't think it has it right now. The way Creedmas was speaking, it's like it's hypernating or not fully alive. I think it isn't in an active state. Not yet. Not ever, hopefully. Right? We... we want things to stay as they are. Absolutely. Yes.

21:54Then... the Guardians, the artifacts... we don't know if the thing beyond... we don't know if it has any idea what they are or what they're doing. If it has no idea, no present consciousness, and the Guardians and artifacts are using it to feed themselves... while feeding it as part of a cycle. Then doesn't that make them a kind of parasite? If they've been feeding it, and it is feeding them, and neither party harms the other in any way, it would be mutualistic symbiosis. My son Gunnar just went over these in school. Oh, well, that's nice. But we don't know that. We don't know if the thing on the other side incurs any harm.

22:40We've never spoken with it. We've never known anything about it. So if they do harm it, which we don't know, and we wanted to continue, are we parasites? If they are para... I'm sure our guardians and artifacts, our families, are doing these things because they are the best course of action. Of course.

23:10So, back home, do you have a family? Not that family, but your own family. I've got my husband and three kids. Well, Iceland is a rather wonderful place to raise a family. We don't have to do this small talk. We're both tense, worried. I think I could actually use some time to think, if that's okay with you. Oh, thank you. God, yes. I have a few things to think on as well and silence will be golden. Good thing. Good.

24:05Oh,

24:24my God.

24:44What would Mika do? She'd tell me to think.

24:53She'd say I could do it. I could figure it out. Okay. So, it's a mine. but not a mine. Like a quarry from the outside and a quarry is just an open pit mine so maybe these were exploratory tunnels? I don't know.

25:22These all look mostly natural and really narrow. Granite caves are created by glaciers depositing large stones, mostly. And there. They're old lines for electricity. Not that it works.

25:44And the stone looks like granite. Granite quarry. I don't know a lot about this. Mika.

25:59Didn't Ivi Did she say she fell into a mine in the forest, or was it a cave? So, maybe this connects. How high are we? Would it go right under the trees? And there's that pesky hope again.