Related reports:
Northern Exposure - Part one
Northern Exposure - Part two
Northern Exposure - Part three
Alaska research facility - undead massacre
Ice station mystery surrounds attack


Ice Station Pardue

"Home of the Pardue Expedition, part of the 'Cicero' (Climate In Control & Environmental Research) Organization.

The goal of the study was to enrich knowledge of the relationship between sea ice coverage, atmospheric conditions, the circulation of Arctic Ocean waters, and the impact changes may have on the natural system and the human activities that depend on it.

We flew by chopper to the remote ice station. I did half expect it to be abandoned and boarded up at this point. But the small cluster of buildings was rife with scientists, hazmat teams, and a dozen or so state troopers.

It didn't take the Cicero expedition long to deploy their own crew to the site. Understandable I suppose. There was a lot of expensive equipment, rich in data information that needed securing. However, local authorities were equally concerned not to let any evidence be removed before collation. Add to that hazmat's reluctance to let anyone into the infected area and as you can imagine, tensions were high.

In fact, I was not allowed access to the interior of the main building. This was the one where all the deaths occurred, and had not yet been given clearance. Just how do you clean a small quarters where nine people were brutally slain? Where the very blood is contagious with the most deadly virus known to man? I posed this question to Sheriff Lipton. "You probably don't. I heard that it's so cold here right now, that any blood could incubate and survive." he shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know if that true or not, but I imagine they will just burn the whole place down. Make sure."

The night in question
Sheriff Lipton then proceeded to walk me through the events as they now know them.

"Well, it seems from what we can piece together that sometime between 11:30 and midnight on February 28th, the members of this facility were first aware of a figure outside their main quarters. They probably thought it was either an intruder or whet ever else. Not an undead, that's for sure. We think three members exited the facility and confronted the undead. It looks like from the tracks left in the snow that the undead was sort of shuffling around in no particular direction. Possibly even moving away from the quarters. They may have been fine if they had just kept quiet. But sadly they went out to see who he was and when they saw he was naked they perhaps thought he was drunk or in some sort of trouble. We figure at this point they went to within 10-15 feet of him. I don't know if they knew he was an undead, but they did see enough to make them run real fast back to the cabin.

The tracks suggest no struggle. They just up and ran into the building. The necro followed them and this is around 12:09 am when local state troopers received the first call."

The 911 call
Sheriff Lipton explained that it was from research worker Fran Kopach.(28) she made a frantic call describing how an unknown intruder was trying to gain entry into the facility.

911 - "Are all doors and windows locked.
FK -Yes. I think so. (shouts) Jill, Nat are all the doors closed? Are they locked?
911 - Do you have anything to protect yourself with? Can you secure the door?
FK - We have a hunting rifle. (shouts) Mark get the gun, get the (expletive) gun.
911 - Where is he now? can you see him? what's he doing?
FK - He went round ...hang on....(pause)....he went round the side.
911 - Is the intruder armed?
FK - No. He's not wearing anything.
911 - What do you mean?
KF - He's naked
911 - Did you say naked?
FK - Yes
911 - And he's outside? but not armed.
FK - Yes, ...when are you coming? when is help coming? did you send anyone yet?
911 - Yes Ma'am. They have been dispatched. A unit will be there shortly.
FK - Good. I think he might .....(sound of glass breaking) .... hang on.....(expletive)
911 - Hello?
FK - (expletive) inaudible Get it. Get it. Fire it.
Sound of three gun shots
911 - Hello? Ma'am ...are you there? what's happening now?
(Scream followed by 2 more gun shots.)
FK - Oh God, its a (expletive) necro. It's a (expletive) necro.
911 - Please repeat. I am having trouble understanding you. A what? please calm down and repeat
FK- It's a (expletive) get it shoot it again for (expletive) sake. In the head. Oh Jesus, Nathan....Nathan....get away from it....are you ok?
911 - What's happening now? Fran talk to me.
(Voice of man in background) - When are they coming? (expletive) it ....get it the (expletive) away from me. Mark hit it. Hit it. Fran get off the (expletive) phone and help me.
911 - Fran are you ......what's happening now?
FK- It's ....push it out.......push it the (expletive) outside.

At this point, it seems they managed to defend themselves to a degree where they were able to force the undead back out through the door.

911 - Fran. Authorities are almost there. What is happening now?
FK - He's gone. We got him outside. We think he was a necro.
911 - A what? Please repeat
FK - (Screams into phone) a (expletive) necro. A (expletive) zombie
911 - Ok. Fran calm down. I want you to do something for me right now. OK?
FK - Yes.
911 - I want you to see if any of your family have been bitten.
FK - (Sobbing) Its friends. We are at the research station. You know this.
(shouts) has anyone been bitten? ..........
Long pause
911 - hello?
FK- Yes. Nathan and Jill. Both bitten.
911 - Where are they bitten?
FK - On the hands.....Oh my God. Will they get it? will they become infected?
911 - Calm down Fran. It's not like in the movies. They wont just turn into zombies. We can get them to a hospital for observation and quarantine.
FK - Are you sure? Wont they turn? Should I hide?
911 - If the intruder has left, try to help your friends. But do not get any of their blood on you. Are injured or cut? Do not let blood get into an open wound. Fran, that's very important. Stay on the phone
(Loud crash, followed by inaudible shouting)
FK - Its back....is it back? Harris....where the (expletive) have you been? Help Nath. He's ok. No. Help him block the door. Leave it. Just help him.
911 - Hello
FK - It's in again......please hurry. I have to go help them.

Sadly, that was the last communication we had with Fran Kopach. When authorities arrived they found the remains of all nine Cicero workers dead. Nathan Bentley (22), Jill Green (32) and Fran Kopach (28) were all found together, Mark Norrock (31) Harris Sheer (47) and Tim Headley (29) were found in an adjoining room. Adalbert Faulke (52) Norah Race (42) and Alphonse Bruyere (25) were found in the kitchen area.

It appears that Norrock and Bentley were in a state of partial reanimation and unfortunately authorities had to neutralized them both.

As was earlier reported, the assailant was found, frozen and affixed by the blood of an open torso wound, to a tree three miles away.

So there it is. A horrible scene by anyone's imagination. Nine gifted researchers, spearheading scientific knowledge in order to benefit our planet.

There is a palpable sense of sadness that seems to hang over any murder scene, but this one seems to have an added sense of gravitas. I, as a journalist should be capable of expressing what that feeling is. But I find I cannot gather the words to convey it with any sense of justice. It's just a canopy of death that has descended over this beautiful and relatively unspoiled area of the world. Perhaps, that's it. It's the thought that even out here, death and mortosis can reach and claw it's way into your life.

Next Report: Identifying the assailant (follow shortly)

To have or have not

Two Heads

Cry Zombie

Actor returns for the sequel

Fortress Europe

Winners, losers, and snake oil

Let the lawsuits begin

M-Bomb

Read ZWN Field reporter Zandra Corbes amazing story of survival and rescue in the Haitian zombie hot zone.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Read ZWN Science Editor Dr. Nancy Chan as she answers readers questions and concerns

Life Line

Top Ten Myths &
Misunderstandings
About 'The Undead'