26 Below

“Perfect title. Perfect setting. Perfectly crafted story. I could NOT put it down. This one goes on your keeper shelf because you’ll want to read it again and again. Can’t wait for the next one!”LYNETTE EASON, best-selling and award-winning author of the Extreme Measures series“A thrill ride that kept me flipping the pages as fast as I could! With a premise as current as today’s front-page news, readers will be hooked from the first paragraph. Highly recommended!”COLLEEN COBLE, USA Today best-selling author of Edge of Dusk and the Pelican Harbor series“Just when you think it’s coming together, it all unravels! Kimberley Woodhouse shows off her suspenseful side with a villainous twist! For readers who love Dani Pettrey or Lynette Eason, you’re going to want to have this book on your shelf ASAP!”JAIME JO WRIGHT, author of The Premonition at Withers Farm and Christy Award–winning The House on Foster Hill“26 Below is an action-packed page-turner that I couldn’t put down. I’ve always enjoyed Kimberley Woodhouse’s writings, but this one blew me away. If you like stories of intrigue, action, romance, and biblical hope, this is the story for you. I can hardly wait for the rest of the series.”TRACIE PETERSON, ECPA and USA Today best-selling author of over 100 books“This book holds you in its clutches as the terrifyingly real scenario ticks down to a cold-blooded ending. Who will survive the arctic dark shadow and who will die in its frozen grip?”JANYRE TROMP, best-selling author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye“In 26 Below, Kimberley Woodhouse plunges readers into a chilling scenario that will keep them flipping the pages and turning up the thermostat. Highly recommended.”NANCY MEHL, award-winning author of the Quantico Files series ALASKAN CYBER HUNTERS26 Below8 Down70 North 26 Below© 2023 by Kimberley WoodhousePublished by Kregel Publications, a division of Kregel Inc., 2450 Oak Industrial Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. www.kregel.com.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without the publisher’s prior written permission or by license agreement. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.The persons and events portrayed in this work are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.The “Airman’s Creed” is in public domain.Lyrics to “Amazing Grace” by John Newton, 1779. Public domain.Lyrics to “O Safe to the Rock That Is Higher Than I” by W. O. Cushing, 1876. Public domain.Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataNames: Woodhouse, Kimberley, author.Title: 26 below / Kimberley Woodhouse.Other titles: Twenty-six belowIdentifiers: LCCN 2022049916 (print) | LCCN 2022049917 (ebook)Subjects: LCGFT: Thrillers (Fiction) | Novels.Classification: LCC PS3623.O665 T94 2023 (print) | LCC PS3623.O665 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6--dc23/eng/20221019ISBN 978-0-8254-4772-3, printISBN 978-0-8254-7015-8, epubISBN 978-0-8254-7110-0, KindlePrinted in the United States of America23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 / 5 4 3 2 1 This book is lovingly dedicated to my husband of thirty-one years,JEREMY.Without you, this book wouldn’t be here.You are my best friend.You are my very own Superman.You are an inspiration, encourager, brainstormer,life partner, and so much more.I could write a million words about you,and it wouldn’t be enough.I love you more.TO GOD BE THE GLORY! PREFACEDEAR READER,This series started in my mind back in December of 2009. My husband said, “Here’s an idea … what if when the temperature hits twenty-six below, all the power goes out.” From there, my mind took off. A thousand different scenarios were hashed out and brainstormed. But it all goes back to Jeremy’s original thought. He even titled the book—which I love.Never would I have guessed that a decade later, I would have a conversation with the man who would become my son-in-love and that he would assist me in adding the final element. Steven helped me to make this story what it is.I don’t know how well versed you are in all things cybersecurity, but the more I learn, the more I am grateful for men and women like him who work to keep our country safe. Steven is a West Point graduate who, at the writing of this book, has been posted at the ACI—Army Cyber Institute—at West Point for a few years. He has faithfully served his country in many postings and deployments around the world. But seeing him back at West Point, where he got engaged and then married to our daughter, has been a joy. The Cyber Research Project that he’s had the opportunity to work on is brilliant. Again, I’m so thankful for the people who work so diligently to protect us. For more information on the project, please check out the “Note from the Author” at the end of the story.You’ll see the Fairbanks Police and Alaska State Troopers mentioned a lot in the story. The city of Fairbanks has an incredible police department as well as an established presence of the state troopers. These two work separately and together. I don’t go into great detail explaining who does what because that isn’t necessary for you to follow the story, but please join me in respecting and honoring these two agencies and the men and women who keep Alaskans safe.Emergency Managers and Emergency Operations Centers are valuable mainstays of our cities. They work behind the scenes to save lives every day. They prepare for disasters, try to prevent the ones they can, and respond whenever needed. I was shocked to learn that so many people have no idea these positions even exist—until they go through a disaster and then are thankful for the foresight of the authorities.One thing I learned doing research for this series is that most attacks and disasters (especially natural ones) can’t be prevented. That’s why we need people who know how to respond and how to get us through.As you read, please know I have done a tremendous amount of research to ensure the story is accurate and applicable. Our technology is always rapidly changing, so differences will occur over