The Frozen in Time

The black car arrived at an unmarked, heavily fortified building on the outskirts of the city. A metal gate slid open silently as they passed through, revealing a high-tech facility bathed in harsh fluorescent light. Jack and Sigurd exchanged wary glances as the vehicle came to a halt in an underground parking bay.

Caldwell stepped out first, motioning for them to follow. "Come inside. We don't have much time."

They entered a sleek, sterile hallway, the walls lined with monitors displaying complex data streams. Scientists in white coats walked briskly, casting curious but nervous glances at the newcomers. Jack clutched the artifact, feeling its warmth against his palm. Whatever was coming, he knew they weren't ready for it.

A woman with short silver hair approached, her gaze sharp and assessing. "Agent Caldwell," she said crisply. "Are these the travelers?"

Caldwell nodded. "This is Jack. And that," he motioned toward Sigurd, "is Sigurd. He's seen more than most of us can imagine."

The woman crossed her arms. "Dr. Evelyn Mercer," she introduced herself. "I run the research division here. And we have a problem." She turned to a large screen displaying a swirling blue vortex. "Something did come through after you. And it's hunting."

Jack felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold. "Hunting what?"

Mercer tapped a few buttons, zooming in on a grainy satellite image. Shadows stretched across an abandoned field, distorted but unmistakable. Large, hulking figures moved through the darkness, their outlines jagged, unnatural.

Sigurd studied the image, his jaw tightening. "Frost Wraiths."

Jack's stomach dropped. "What the hell is a Frost Wraith?"

"Predators of the tundra," Sigurd said gravely. "They do not belong here."

Mercer sighed. "And yet, here they are. If they're not stopped, they'll spread beyond containment. We don't know their full capabilities, but we do know they're not the only ones who came through."

Jack glanced at Caldwell. "You knew."

Caldwell met his gaze. "We suspected. That's why we need you."

Jack ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. He had fought for survival in the Ice Age, thinking he'd left those horrors behind. But now, they had followed him.

Sigurd gripped his spear and looked at Jack. "Then we finish what we started."

Mercer pulled up another screen. "We may have a way to send them back. But we'll need bait." Her eyes locked onto Jack. "Something that calls to them."

Jack's grip tightened on the artifact. It pulsed as if it knew what was coming.

The hunt had begun.