“Where are you going?” Randalf called after him.
Max barely heard as he wandered out of the control room. It would be a matter of hours before their secret was discovered and he was taken into custody.
And around the same time his client would find out, and be forced to take ultimate action to protect themselves.
He had known the risks when he signed up for this. He thought he’d accept the consequences. And yet, now it was unraveling his mind churned trying to find a way out. A way to go back.
He opened his holo and tapped a message to Carl.
FEDERATION AT TESHOV. WE’RE DONE. GOOD LUCK!
SEND.
At least that would give him a head start. After all, it would only be a matter of time before the Federation traced the flight plans back to Carl and his company.
Maybe Carl would get a few more weeks with a heads up.
He wandered down the corridors back towards his quarters. The crew bustled around him just like any other trip. Working hard, busting their asses for their next paycheck. Their next promotion.
The reality of it dawned on him as he walked, as he realized how pointless it all was.
Gaitune-67, Safe house
Carl hopped up into his truck, feeling emotionally spent, but with a new optimism growing inside of him.
He’d fucked up. That was true. But Molly was right. This was Paige they were talking about. He couldn’t just let her walk out of his life.
He was going to fight for her.
No matter what.
He started the engine, and then realized a holo communication had come through. He paused, and swiped to open it up.
He read the message. It was from Max Pike.
FEDERATION AT TESHOV. WE’RE DONE. GOOD LUCK!
He read the message several times, each time the implications became more and more real. The sensation of hope that he felt just moments before had been obliterated. Gone. A distant memory.
He had no choice.
He had to run.
If the Federation were involved it was only a matter of time before they traced calls and connections back to the person who had been organizing the whole thing.
Him.
But it wasn’t the Federation he was worried about. It was the people he had been shipping for. The clients. Governments. Dark ops. Criminals. Terrorists. He didn’t ask questions, but they knew who he was despite his low profile. They could find out where he was.
And if they even suspected the Federation was onto him, they would make it their business to find out where he was, so they could ‘manage the risk’.
Which meant a bullet in his head.
He looked at the message again.
They probably already knew. The second that ship was boarded, they knew.
There was probably someone on their way here now.
He turned off the engine and rested his head against the headrest, his mind scrambling for something - anything - that would make this go away.
Anything that would mean that he didn’t have to run and leave Paige behind.
Anything that would mean he could escape that bullet to his head within the next twenty-four hours.
“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath.
The frustration and trauma escalated. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel.
“FUCK!” he screamed, feeling like his heart was being torn out.
He banged on the steering wheel again and again, the blood rushing to his head, making him blind with rage and panic.
“FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUUUUUUUUUCCCCK!”
Chapter 21
Staðall University, seminar room
“Good evening, Doctor Jones. Glad to see you with us.” Paige handed Dr. Jones his name badge and showed him into the medium sized meeting room.
She had set up chairs enough for those expected and a few more. There was a podium at the front of the room and two aisles down between the chairs for easy access to the rows. Several of the invited had already arrived.
Paige turned back to the table with the name badges laid out, her thoughts drifting back to Carl and what she might say to him next time they talk. Her heart weighed heavy, and her brain was thick with uncertainty.
“How you holding up?” a familiar voice asked her, pulling her back to reality.
Paige peeled her eyes off the thick navy carpet and saw Abigail Von looking at her kindly. “I’m okay,” she lied. Changing the subject, she turned to people already arrived. “Looks like almost everyone we approached is going to be here.”
Von smiled and joined Paige looking out at the rows of seats. “You did a fantastic job at vetting them and extending the invitations. It’s made this process so much quicker.”
Paige smiled a little. “Thanks. It was good to have something to throw myself into.”
One of the new faculty members who was sitting in the audience turned around, recognizing Paige and waved. Paige waved back. “Plus,” she added, “it gave me a chance to meet a ton of really interesting people. At this rate, I think I’ll be signing up to all the classes this university is going to run!”
Von chuckled. “Well, that would be more than a full-time job in itself!” Her chuckle subsided. “But then, in all seriousness, it would be good for someone in your position to be fully trained in everything we’re going to teach, not that I fully understand the reach of your role. Just what I could gather from snippets Molly has shared.”
Paige nodded. It was neither the time nor the place to get into that, and she had no idea what Von was cleared for. Though if last week’s homework had been anything to go by, she had no doubt that Von would make a great strategist to have on their team.
A tall, burly Estarian wandered into the room. “I’m Dr. Augustine,” he told Paige, eyeing the name badges. “Lot more people here than I thought there would be,” he commented as Paige found his badge and handed it over.
Paige exchanged some pleasantries with him and then showed him into the room. Von noticed the quiet sadness behind her eyes as she worked.
Soon all the name badges were distributed and the room was buzzing. Paige went to the front of the room and introduced Molly, who introduced Von, and proceedings went from there.
Molly looked out at the twenty or so individuals in front of her. “Some of you will be joining us right away, and a number after this academic year has completed. For now, I’ll just introduce those who are starting immediately, so you can locate them if you need to, and everyone else will be named in a confidential register you will have access to since you’ve signed the agreement to keep this information to yourselves.”
Molly glanced around to make sure there were no objections and that everyone was on the same page. She continued. “Dr. Augustine is joining us this coming semester to teach Sarkian Social History. He’ll be joined by Professor Duffledorf, who is instructing our students on non-combative military strategy. Professor Lakin,” Molly nodded in the direction of a rather studious-looking middle aged Estarian, “will be teaching the Installation of Effective Governance, having had extensive first-hand experience in the field. Dr. Jones joins us to head up Environmental Sustainability in Urban and Colonized Settlements.”
She went on down the list, introducing a number of others, each one of whom stood and acknowledged their peers, to approving mummers and welcomes.
“You all have incredible resumes,” Molly declared, “as well as practical experience that will serve our students well as they look to take what they learn out into the real world.”
She made eye contact with as many of her new faculty as she possibly could, while reading off her scrolling holo screen. Her manner was collected, and verging on regal. Paige had never seen her quiet so... together, before.
“As you know, our goal is to shift this world to make sure that those without a voice currently are looked after by those in leadership roles now and in the future. This is what we stand for. Thi
s is why we have formed this institution. And though we will face opposition from those who have a vested interest in the old way of doing things, and indeed those who just like their education, and system the way it always has been, in the end the lives we save and the better life we can give the individuals in this system, will be worth it.”
The emotion welled in Molly as she spoke, and some part of her could sense that as she shared her vision for this new institution, those in the audience were ready to go with her. To face the odds, and succeed. She could feel their passion stirred by the chance to finally be able to make a difference.
“Never lose sight of what we are working for,” she declared emphatically. “Education, equality, and life. These will be our basic tenants.”
She held them in rapt attention. “If you’re sitting in this room it’s because we have felt that you can contribute to this shared goal. We believe that you have not just the expertise, but the personal passion to help students learn these ideas and take them out into the world.
“And I’m grateful to every single one of you who has decided to take the leap and become a part of this institution. Not all who were invited were courageous enough to see the possibilities. And that was okay.”
Molly stopped, her eye catching a familiar face at the back of the room.
And then another.
The two figures hovered in the door way, watching the proceedings and scanning the backs of the heads of the people assembled.
She stopped her speech, and fixed her eyes on the two intruders at the back of the room. “And now I see that not all of you here were invited.”
The entire room of new faculty members turned to look where Molly’s gaze had landed.
The two figures stepped out of the shadows of the doorway and into the light of the room.
Molly’s face broke into a smile so wide she could eat a banana sideways.
She left the lectern she had been speaking from and made her way across the floor to greet them. She flung her arms around the Estarian woman, hugging her tightly, tearing up. Then she turned to the middle-aged looking human in a tweed jacket. He wrapped his arms around her, and didn’t let her go for several moments. In the meantime, Paige had emerged from her seat on the front row and greeted the woman.
The room erupted in ahhs, and then applause, still oblivious to who the newcomers were.
When they had made their hellos, she turned to introduce them to the new faculty.
“My apologies,” she explained, obviously pleased to see the strangers. “May I present to you Professor Giles Kurns and Arlene Bailey. Giles is probably the most experienced and learned space anthropologist you will ever have the pleasure of meeting, and Arlene is likely the most advanced tech person on the planet right now, who is also versed in interplanetary sociology, and Estarian spirituality.”
The two received an applause which they acknowledged as gracefully as if they’d been in the spotlight their whole lives.
Most advanced tech person, eh?
Yes Oz.
Except me, you mean?
Yes, except you, Oz.
So maybe you should say the most advanced organic tech person.
Molly turned to the audience. “Oz, my on-board AI with whom many of you have communicated with already, would like me to clarify that she is the most advanced organic tech person. Oz is claiming the top spot.”
“I think that’s fair,” Arlene said loudly to the audience. Then she whispered to Molly. “I’m so glad to see you. We’ll talk later, but your name has become something of an enchantment for Mr. Giles,” she winked.
Molly froze and pretended not to hear Arlene’s last comment.
Molly showed the newcomers to some empty seats on the front row and Paige sat with them while Molly returned to the front of the room.
Molly took a moment to compose herself and then turned back to the now-hushed assembled academics. “And honestly, not to put them on the spot,” she grinned mischievously. “But one has to get a pitch in when one can.”
There were chuckles from the audience.
She turned to where Arlene and Giles were sitting to address them indirectly. “If they are planning to stay for any length of time, I would be honored if they would consider joining this esteemed faculty.”
There were ‘hear, hears’ and ‘ayes’ from the audience who, unlike any other academic community Molly had experienced, were become quite engaged and enthused by what was unfolding before them.
Giles and Arlene exchanges a few words between themselves and then Giles stood up and cleared his throat. There was a tittering around the room as the other academics were taken aback by the sheer amount of excitement. “If I may respond to that, my dear Molly.”
Molly waved her hand, palm open, inviting him to speak.
Giles looked around the room. “Arlene and I have returned from some pretty intense adventures, the subject of which we can get into another time. But our investigations have come to a brick wall. An impasse. And with nothing else planned for the foreseeable future, our happening on your gathering was no coincidence.”
It was you, Oz, wasn’t it. You knew they were going to be here.
I did.
And a heads up wouldn’t have killed you.
No, but it would have spoiled the surprise. Giles made me promise.
Hmm. You and I will talk later!
I’m sure we will.
Giles continued. “If there is space for us to contribute to the cause and the molding of young minds, we would very much love to take up teaching posts here.”
The room erupted with applause and Molly clamped her hands to her mouth in surprise and delight. She couldn’t believe all the information that was coming to her. For some reason, she felt thrilled that Giles was back, and wanted to be a part of what she was building.
Her chest welled with emotion, and her eyes teared up again. She was still smiling as a lone tear trickled down her face.
Since she couldn’t talk anyway she stepped into the small audience to hug Arlene and Giles again.
“I’m so glad you’re staying,” she said to Giles, without really realizing what it was she was feeling.
“Me too, Molly. It’s going to be good to spend some time in this neck of the woods,” he agreed.
Gaitune-67, Safe house, Paige’s Quarters
Carl glanced around the array of nail varnish samples and trinkets on the shelf in Paige’s quarters. “I’ve never been in your room here on base,” he commented.
Paige sat down on the small sofa on the other side of the room, exhausted from the evening’s event down at the University. “That’s because there are people around and, well, you know.”
He nodded. “I know,” he said quietly turning to her. “You work here.”
He seemed to suddenly remember why he was here. “So I was hoping we could talk.” He looked even more beaten down than when Paige last saw him the previous afternoon.
She didn’t move. “Sure,” she said.
He looked down at the floor, and then back up at her with resolve in his tone. “Something’s come up,” he said, as if confessing. “And it’s not good.”
Paige’s face creased up in concern. “How do you mean? What’s happened?” she asked, spontaneously getting to her feet.
His face looked pained. “I have to go away,” he told her. “This thing with Pike. The Federation got involved to stop the fracking on the planet that his client was involved with. It’s just a matter of time before they call on me.”
Paige shook her head, frowning, trying to comprehend what was happening.
“And there have been other things, too,” he added. “Where I’ve turned a blind eye, but I’ve suspected other things were going on. And if the Federation come after me, all of that information is a risk to someone. To a number of someones who were paying me to... you know …”
He went quiet.
Paige took a moment to pro
cess what he was telling her. “Maybe we can help?” she suggested, her voice weak and quiet.
He shook his head, his eyes looking at the ground again to avoid her eyes. “It’s the Federation,” he insisted. “You work for the Federation. There is no way to make this right. I’ve been involved in so many of these things. If I stay, the Federation will come for me. And if anyone knows the Federation is onto me, they will take it upon themselves to take me out.”
He sighed, his face almost wincing, as if just breathing were painful.
“Either way, I’m dead,” he told her. “If I run, I get a few weeks. I’ve got a small chance that I might even get away clean and maybe I get to just survive. Somewhere.”
Paige was in tears now. “Please,” she begged him. “Just talk to Molly. I know she —”
Carl shook his head. “It’s no good. There’s nothing she can do. At this point, even if the Federation don’t bring me in I’m exposed as a risk. Just being associated with Pike and his getting caught is enough.”
He glanced back towards the door. “I have to go.”
Paige took another step towards him. “I know we’ve had our problems, Carl. And maybe I should have been …” she shook her head, trying not to lose her thread. “But you can’t just run.”
Paige felt like her chest was going to implode. Carl stepped towards her and held her by her arms. “Believe me Paige. If I had any choice I wouldn’t be running.” He looked deep into her eyes, tears now welling up in his. His voice started to waver. “I’d be staying put and winning you back. I’d be changing and making better choices. But my choices have already caught up to me. It’s too late.”
He pulled her to him and hugged her as tightly as he dared for fear of his conviction breaking her.
She sobbed. “When will I see you again?” she asked, peeling her face from being buried in his chest.
Carl shook his head. “That’s just it,” he said, leaving the rest of the sentence for her to fill in in her mind.
He kissed her forehead and turned towards the door. Opening it, he looked back one last time, and for a moment Paige thought he might be changing his mind. And then he was gone.
The Ascension Myth Box Set Page 151