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The guards approached Magnus and Carter from both sides of the tunnel.
Carter stood in horror while Magnus pulled Carter to the side of him and against the wall. Magnus reached into a natural volcanic opening, which was barely wide enough for him to squeeze inside. He yanked Carter into the space and together they stepped out of view a few seconds before the two teams of guards passed one another inside the main passageway.
Magnus pushed his back against the curved opening. Part of the wall behind them cracked. He shoved harder and the brittle wall shattered, revealing a strange series of natural spiraling steps that led upward.
“Come on,” Magnus whispered.
A concerned expression crossed Carter’s face. “Where’s that lead?”
Magnus shrugged. “I have no idea, but let’s find out. I doubt any of the guards know about it, so we’re safer there than wandering in the corridor until after the guards report to their stations.”
Magnus headed up the stairs cautiously with Carter close behind. The spiral stairs ended along a narrow ridgeline that overlooked the miners below. The view was spectacular and the men below almost resembled tiny figurines.
“How did this path get here?” Carter asked.
“This must be a natural occurrence from when the volcano had been active.”
“How do we get down?”
“I’m hoping it somehow connects to one of the manmade ledges, so we can find a set of stairs that leads down.”
They walked another forty feet, and the path narrowed. The temperature increased. Blinding yellow lights glowed through the narrow cracks at the edge of the path, which seemed to be the source of heat.
“What’s down there?” Magnus asked.
Carter shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Magnus lowered himself to his knees and crawled closer to one of the cracks. The harsh brightness of the lights caused him to squint. After a few moments, his eyes adjusted. “I’ll be damned.”
“What?”
“It’s a greenhouse. Probably a couple acres of tomatoes, corn, and other vegetables.”
“Yeah,” Carter said, nodding. “I read about that project over a year ago. The vegetation increases the oxygen flow inside the mines and provides fresh vegetables to feed everyone. The leftover greens are used for small game animals like rabbits and poultry.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“They plan to expand it with each growing season.”
“I discovered something else that’s interesting.”
Carter frowned. “What?”
“All workers in the greenhouse are women.”
“Women? Seriously?”
Magnus stood and dusted off the red dust on the knees of his guard uniform. “Yep. I wonder if they’re female prisoners?”
Carter shrugged. “I don’t know. They could be. We never had any female miners on Deimos.”
“Come on. I think I see a way back down.”
Carter eagerly followed. Around a small corner, a set of manmade steps led down.
“Told you,” Magnus said. “Looks like they’ve been doing some construction. They may use this path for something eventually.”
“It almost looks like something already has, too.”
***
Grayson Enterprises
“Mr. Donald Parks,” Grayson said. “I didn’t expect to see you anytime soon.”
“You told me to report to you whenever I found out new information.”
“I did.”
Donald straightened his striped tie. The narrow pupils of his dark eyes resembled small polished obsidian stones. He was thin, about five-nine, and his face was well tanned. He worked for the CIA but for the right amount of money, he reported information that was essential for Grayson about his ongoing mission projects to own Mars.
Grayson smiled, opened a Cuban cigar box, and offered one to Parks. Parks gladly accepted.
“Please, be seated,” Grayson said with a charming smile.
The agent sat down, cut off the cigar’s tip, and puffed it while Grayson extended a lit match.
“Ah, nice!” Parks said, grinning.
“So what information do you have?”
“Well, the rumors are true. China did send a rocket to Mars.”
Grayson frowned. “When?”
“Approximately one year ago.”
“A year? No one ever informed me.”
“According to the UN Space Council, no one has to.”
“I see. Seems someone has lacked giving me this information before now.”
“Not me.”
Grayson laughed. “Of course, not you. Otherwise, you’d be elsewhere hiding and not sitting in my office.”
Parks chuckled but his face expressed relief that Grayson wasn’t accusing him. “Senator Johnson, perhaps? His son is one of the shuttle pilot inspectors.”
“Yes. I know. I’ll tend to that matter later, but I sincerely doubt Johnson has the backbone to oppose me. What did the Chinese send to Mars?”
“I don’t know that yet. It was a secretive mission.”
“Obviously.”
Parks puffed the cigar. “From the information I’ve gathered, whatever they sent was in response to the meeting you had with them about a year ago.”
Grayson’s firm brow rose, which almost indicated a flinch. Something few people ever witnessed while talking to Grayson.
“So you remember the meeting?” Parks asked.
“I do.”
“What did they want?”
“They wanted to use my landing base at Olympus Mons for free so they could deliver their supplies until after their settlements were established and running smoothly.”
“I take it that you denied them such access?”
“Of course. What they consider collaborating, I consider leeching. I see no benefit in opening up my base to pave the interplanetary road for them.”
Parks exhaled smoke. “I can’t say that I or anyone else could blame you. But, for what it’s worth, you have the tendency to piss off a lot of people around the world.”
Grayson shrugged and then grinned. “I do, but I didn’t make all my money so others can squander off me.”
“I wouldn’t expect for you to.”
“What did they ship to Mars?” Grayson eyed Parks with keen suspicion.
Parks shook his head and grinned. “Not a clue. I wasn’t lying when you asked me the first time.”
“Surely you have some idea.”
“No, but I’m working on uncovering that information for you.”
“Work faster and there’s a million dollar bonus for you.”
Parks smiled. “I’m on it.”