| |
Jonas held his gun aimed at Matthews but was hesitant to fire. Gary was, too. For a few moments, Boony wondered why. From the distance they stood, accuracy wasn’t guaranteed without laser sights. And even though Matthews was taller than Dr. Sheung, he held her at such an angle and swayed with her that he prevented an easily targeted shot.
“What do you have in mind?” Jonas asked.
Matthews shrugged. “I believe I’ve mentioned that I want to be the man in charge of Olympus Mons. Nothing less will suit me at the moment.”
“Why should we hand Mars over to you?”
“There has to be balance in the world, Jonas. I suppose now we’d have to say ‘within our universe.’ Wouldn’t you agree? Nonetheless, you could call us both giants. Grayson is one on Earth, and once I take the reins here, I’ll be the giant who opposes him.”
Jonas shook his head.
“You don’t like that analogy?” Matthews asked.
“Giants have been slain in the past.”
“Must you always spoil the fun? Didn’t you have dreams, aspirations?”
Jonas opened his mouth to reply, but Matthews cut him off.
“Of course you have. We all have. But Grayson failed to understand when he and I worked together how everything in life has a delicate balance. For a yin, there must be a yang. Where there’s light, darkness soon follows. Good, evil. You see where I’m going with this?”
“You really like to hear yourself talk, don’t you?” Boony asked.
“Oh, I suppose I do. It has been a long time, after all, since I’ve held such a captive audience.” He glanced down into Sheung’s eyes when he said it. He kissed her the top of her head and the soured expression on her face wrinkled even deeper. “So forgive me if I over embellish due to your indulgence.”
Boony glanced at Jonas and whispered, “Either reach an agreement with him or I’m going to shoot myself. I can’t handle much more of this.”
“As much as I dislike Grayson,” Jonas said, “I cannot justify handing over Olympus Mons to you.”
“I had the feeling that might be your answer, so I’ll throw out one more detail that I was holding back. Quite a surprise actually. You like surprises?” Matthews reached into his guard uniform pocket and pulled out a CAM-L. “You’re familiar with these devices. As warden and overseer, I’m sure you are.”
Jonas nodded.
“Without going into all the boring details,” Matthews said.
“Thank you!” Boony said.
Matthews narrowed his eyes. He released an agitated sigh and continued. “On my journey to Mars, after I released myself from the Sleeper Chip’s hold—”
“How’d you do that?” Boony asked.
“Look at you? Now you want details? Sorry, but that’s a secret I won’t bother boring you with.” He glanced back at Jonas. “Anyway, back to this. I spent a lot of time on my journey researching every aspect of these interesting devices, and I discovered a code that no one else probably ever noticed.”
Jonas said, “What code?”
“A master code, if you’ll pardon the poor pun, which overrides all of the CAM-Ls, including yours. By typing in a few numbers, I can release every prisoner from his or her control.”
“That’s absurd.”
“It works. Want to see?”
Jonas shook his head. “I don’t doubt that it works. But if you release these prisoners, they’ll kill everyne, including yourself.”
“Perhaps,” Matthews said, tilting his head to the side and nodding. “But I’m not so certain they’ll kill the man who has liberated them. Even criminals can hold some allegiance, especially if they know I can reclaim them with the simple touch of a button.”
“Okay,” Jonas said. “All you’ve told us is something that benefits only you and not the rest of us. What’s in it for us?”
“Are you really going to negotiate with him,” Boony whispered.
Jonas ignored her.
“My proposal, which lasts only a few minutes before I release the prisoners, is for you to choose ten people to return to Earth with you on the next passenger shuttle out. Only ten.”
“Ten?” Boony asked. “Why not all of us?”
Matthews burst into fierce laughter. “That’s too foolish a question to even consider answering, but I’ll humor you. I can’t possibly do everything here. I will need staff and guards to keep operations running properly. Jonas can choose ten people to return to Earth. No more.”
“That will cause a riot,” Jonas replied.
“Only if you make a public announcement, which isn’t advisable given the current circumstances. I’m sure you and the young lady that you’re fond of can take a few moments to discuss it. As to the guards beside you, I’ll double their earnings if they decide to stay and work for me.”
Gary glanced wide-eyed toward Carlton.
Boony placed a hand on Jonas’ elbow, but he kept his attention on Matthews.
“How can we know you won’t kill us after we’ve let you go?” Jonas asked.
Matthews grinned. “I’ll give you an hour or so to gather your belongings, board the shuttle in the landing bay, and we’ll shuttle you out. Two hours should suffice.”
“That’s not a guarantee.”
“Jonas, I’m a scientist and a businessman, not a murderer.”
Boony looked at Dr. Sheung. The doctor’s face contorted with rage. “And what about your threat on her life?”
“Simply a means of negotiation. I’m sure you can appreciate how a desperate man might resort to any means to be heard? Ah, no matter, a detail that might be missing in Grayson’s file on me is how I’ve tried to use science to help the less fortunate. Before he attempted to have me killed I had been working on a genetic rejuvenation drug capable of prolonging life and healing people of their ailments. Is that in there?”
Boony shook her head.
“Of course it isn’t.” Matthews sighed. “See? Grayson cannot stand someone else outperforming him. He won’t share the limelight if it threatens to diminish his supposed prominence. Time’s a wasting. Give me your decision.”
“If we don’t agree with you, you’re going to release the prisoners?” Boony asked.
Matthews nodded.
“And yet, you’re not a murderer?”
He smiled. “Consequences. But I won’t be the one spilling blood. They will. Tick-tock.”
“Sounds more like blackmail to me,” she replied.
“Must you delay your decision over semantics?” Matthews said.
Jonas turned and faced Boony.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
Jonas looked fatigued. “Concede.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“You said earlier that you want to go back to Earth?”
“Yes, but not like this,” she replied.
Compassion reflected in his eyes when he looked at her, like a father’s affection for a daughter. Her heart quickened.
“Look at what’s happening on Mars, Boony. Grayson has set so much contention on Earth that the Chinese have sent killing robots to slaughter us. The steel wall the guards are building won’t contain the insect hive. Those insects crave blood. Who knows what else we will face?”
“You’re certain the wall won’t hold them?”
“Boony, this is a volcano. Fissures are everywhere. It’s like setting sail on a ship made from Swiss cheese and trying to plug all the holes before it sinks. It’s impossible. Eventually, the insects will find another way out or we’ll accidentally drill another hole into their massive hive or perhaps into an entirely different one.”
“But what about Grayson?” After she asked it, she couldn’t believe she had even said it.
“What about us?”
His question made Boony flinch at the possible implications. He seemed to notice her uneasiness so he redirected his answer for clarification.
“You, me, Derek, and Gary. What about us?” Jonas asked. “Are you really concerned with Grayson keeping his hold on Mars more than our own lives?”
“No. Not really, but we’ll be handing over these prisoners and miners to another tyrant.”
“True, but then it becomes Grayson’s battle, not ours. And honestly, I cannot take much more stress. Interrogating Cain had me seconds from a heart attack or major stroke, not to mention—murder. I’ve not been that angry and worked up in years. But there’s so much more than that. I came here to work, but not to die defending this gem-mining industry. Did you sign a work contract to sacrifice your own life for this corporation?”
She shook her head, but she wanted to say that essentially she had. All of them had because their contracts allowed Grayson to treat them like they were his property.
“Well, neither did I. Boony, I almost lost Derek this week. He could have died. And I brought him here because I thought we’d be safer. It was almost a costly mistake.”
“But won’t returning to Earth place your lives into jeopardy again?” she asked.
“After this week, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. There are plenty of places on Earth where Derek and I can change our identities and hide. But, if you think fighting Matthews is the better option, now’s the time to tell me if you wish to oppose his offer.”
Boony glanced toward Matthews. When she noticed his guard uniform, she thought of Magnus. She smiled, remembering his massive body stuffed inside a uniform that was too small for him. She wanted to see him again. He was only a few weeks out into space. Leaving now meant that she might be able to find him on Earth and offer him some assistance in clearing his name before he found himself on the wrong side of the law for real murder.
She looked into Jonas’ eyes and smiled. “Let’s go home.”
After she voiced her decision, she felt an invisible weight lift off her. Instead of worrying about Olympus Mons, she could turn her attention back to a new future and what she hoped it could become.
Jonas lowered his gun and motioned for the others to do the same. “We accept the proposal but only if you’ll agree to one more thing.”
“What is that?” Matthews asked.
“Don’t inform Grayson that we’ve left for Earth and you’re in charge of the operations here for at least one week.”
Matthews nodded. “Splendid. Keep him in suspense. I like that. Certainly, I can do that.”
He released Dr. Sheung. She turned and started slapping at him. Matthews caught her hands and gently pushed her to the side of the desk to get out of her reach. “You can take her back to Earth with you.”
Jonas shook his head. “No thanks. She wasn’t part of the agreement. She’s all yours since I can only take ten passengers.”
Dr. Sheung gave a harsh glare toward Jonas.
Matthews looked at her with a slight grin. “You see? They don’t appreciate you like I do.”
Boony placed her hand upon Jonas’ forearm. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jonas nodded.
“You taking the offer?” Carlton asked Gary.
“Not if Jonas has room onboard for me,” Gary replied.
“You’re welcome to join us, Gary. And you, too, Carlton.”
Carlton shook his head. “Nah, I think I’ll see this out. Twice my pay? Hell no. I’d never find a job like that on Earth.”
“Suit yourself,” Jonas replied.
Boony smiled as they left the doctor’s office. She’d try to get a message to Magnus. The excitement of leaving Mars was stronger than her original joy of traveling to the red planet. She couldn’t wait to be back on Earth. Of course, what the mind imagined was never what reality offered.