by Don Viecelli
They reached the island home just as the sun was setting in the western sky. The place was as beautiful as Ingrid had described. It was a two story, white-framed beach house built on 12-foot high concrete pillars to protect from sea-surges during storms. It had two wrap-around decks with balconies on the first and second floors, big windows with blue shutters and a red tile roof. Ingrid walked up the stairs, opened the front door and went inside as Jack paid for the taxi ride. Jack followed with the suitcases. He walked through a bright entryway and entered the living room. There was a large window and patio door facing the ocean. Ingrid opened the patio door and let the ocean breezes flow in. Outside, below the deck, was a swimming pool with hot tub, surrounded by colored tiles and a small garden. The view of the ocean and beach was stunning. Jack could hear the ocean waves pounding the white sand on the beach a hundred meters in front of them.
“It’s low tide,” Ingrid said as they walked outside on the deck. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach.”
Jack followed Ingrid. They both took off their shoes and Jack rolled up his pant legs to keep them dry. They waded in the water. Ingrid had on a short skirt and didn’t seem to mind as it got wet in the surf. They walked along the beach in silence listening to the waves and watching the pelicans fly home for the night. Something was bothering her. Jack knew better than to say anything. He waited. Finally, she stopped and turned around to walk back. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Are you all right, Ingrid?” Jack asked, touching her shoulders.
Ingrid looked at Jack and shook her head. She began to cry softly. Jack held her closer in his arms. He just wanted to comfort her, but he was beginning to feel more for her than he was willing to admit.
“They killed my father,” Ingrid said as tears ran down her cheeks.
“I know,” Jack said softly. “I’ll find a way to prove it, I promise.” Jack tried to lighten the mood. “Let’s go back to the house. I could use a drink.”
Ingrid wiped the tears away from her eyes. She smiled at Jack. “I need a drink too. It’s just that this place reminds me of my father and the good times we had here. I miss him.” She wasn’t ready to tell Jack everything yet.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to know him, Ingrid. He must have been a good father.”
“He was, Jack. He was all I had after my mother died. I’ll show you some of our family pictures when we get back to the house. You’ll enjoy them. He was a very funny man when he wasn’t working so hard.”
“In that case, I may need a couple of drinks and maybe a dip in the hot tub,” Jack said, trying to cheer her up.
“It’s a deal. I’ll even make the drinks. Last one there has to make the beds.” Ingrid took off on a run for the beach house. Jack could barely keep up with her. She was strong and quick. Jack had to remind himself that Ingrid used to be much older and the anti-aging drug had made her young and athletic again. He struggled to keep up.
Ingrid reached the house first and turned around to watch him bent over holding his sides, trying to catch his breath. She laughed when Jack made a face at her and sat down in a chair near the pool. He resigned himself to making the beds.
“You lose. What do you want to drink, Jack?”
“I’ll take a whiskey and seven if you have it.”
Ingrid went to the bar and made them both a drink. They sat at the patio table and watched as darkness settled in. They talked quietly about many things, but nothing serious. They were just getting to know each other better. Soon they could only see whitecaps as the waves pounded the shore. The ocean was as dark as the horizon. Only the stars glowed high in the night sky. Jack could make out the constellation Pisces. He knew that Mars would not be visible until just before dawn. Jack quickly drove the thought of Mars out of his mind. It could wait until tomorrow. He thought about food instead.
They decided to order dinner from a takeout restaurant and shop for groceries in the morning. Jack wasn’t sure how long they would stay here, but it might be awhile. Besides, he was in no hurry to leave this lovely island. He felt like he was on vacation, although it was more like a forced retirement. Problem was, he would have to clear his name if he was to have any retirement at all.
Jack made the beds while Ingrid ordered the food. He got to choose one of the two bedrooms upstairs while Ingrid planned to sleep downstairs. Each room had its own bathroom and access to the outside balconies. He had a lovely view of the ocean and nothing to complain about, except he would be sleeping alone.
The food finally arrived. They had ordered Mexican. It tasted delicious. A couple of more drinks and they were exhausted and ready for bed.
“I’m tired, Ingrid. I think it’s time to get some sleep.” Jack finished his drink. “It’s been a long day.”
Ingrid agreed and they both cleared off the table. Jack put the last glass in the dishwasher and headed for the stairs. Ingrid walked up behind him and grabbed his arm. He turned around.
“Good night, Jack. I’ll see you in the morning.” Then Ingrid kissed him on the cheek. Jack smiled and said goodnight. He watched her walk to her bedroom and shut the door. Yes, it is a lovely place, Jack thought. And it didn’t hurt to share it with such a lovely woman. He went to his room.
Jack left the screen door open all night. The sound of the ocean waves and the wind blowing outside lulled him to sleep. The cool ocean breeze blew into the room. He hadn’t heard such sounds for many years. He slept like a baby. When he finally woke up in the morning, he heard birds singing and the sun was shining brightly through the door. The clock on his dresser said it was 8:00 a.m. He heard someone swimming in the pool. He assumed it was Ingrid and walked outside to the balcony to say good morning.
Jack stepped outside on the balcony and looked down. Ingrid was swimming laps in the pool. She was naked, her beautiful body shimmering in the water as she swam. Jack wasn’t sure if he should intrude, but he didn’t think she would be embarrassed by his presence. He decided to let her know he was up.
“Good morning,” Jack said watching her.
Ingrid stopped swimming and stood up. The water dripped from her smooth skin. She turned around and faced him. She wasn’t embarrassed in the least.
“Good morning.” Ingrid shook her hair and wiped the water from her face. “Come down and join me.”
“Should I put on a bathing suit?”
“Not if you don’t want too. The water feels good.”
Jack wasn’t about to protest. He took off his clothes and grabbed a towel. He walked down the stairs and out to the patio. Ingrid looked at him boldly. She smiled as he stepped into the water and swam over to her.
“Is this a local custom?” Jack asked when he reached her side.
“Only when someone saves my life. Besides, I haven’t swam naked in a pool since the last time I was here. I think we should make it a new custom.”
“I agree entirely. How many laps do I have to do to get breakfast?”
“At least ten. You sure are a hungry man. We don’t have any food in the house. Is there anything else I can get you?” Ingrid laughed as she swam off.
“Let me think about that. I’m sure I’ll think of something” Jack swam after her.
Ingrid climbed out of the pool and put on a robe. She went inside to see if she could find something to drink. She made coffee. They would have to go out for breakfast.
Jack swam his ten laps. The water refreshed him. He climbed out of the pool and dried himself off. He put the towel around his waist and sat down. Ingrid brought out the coffee and set it on the table. They drank in silence and listened to the ocean and the seagulls down by the beach. After they finished their coffee, they went to their rooms to get ready for breakfast. Jack had to shave. They both were ready to go at about the same time.
Ingrid had her own golf cart parked in the garage below the house. She let Jack drive them to the village for breakfast where they found a nice little restaurant overlooking the harbor. After breakfast, they went grocery shopping. The
y bought enough food and drinks for the week. Then they went home and put the groceries away.
Jack turned on the news. He knew he would have to find out what was happening on Mars soon. People would be looking for them, but he didn’t know if they would be looking on Earth. He had made up his mind what he must do last night. He needed a few more days to work out the details. Then he would talk to Ingrid about his plan. He was in no hurry to leave this place or jeopardize their situation. Sooner or later he would have to return to Mars to clear his name, but for now he wanted to keep a low profile and see how things turned out. He hadn’t counted on falling in love with anyone.
He looked at Ingrid while she was busy putting away the groceries. She looked so beautiful. He was trying hard not to show how much he liked her, but he was afraid he was losing the battle. They were so different. She was very smart and educated and would be world famous soon, and he was just a police detective. He didn’t feel inferior. It was just that their backgrounds were so different. He wondered if she would be interested in him? She was so young!
Correction, he thought. She wasn’t that young. She was really almost as old as he was. It was the anti-aging drug that changed her. Now, anything was possible. Even he could become young again if he used the drug. How was the world going to deal with this discovery? He could barely imagine the outcome. It was hard enough to believe what he was seeing. Ingrid turned around and caught him staring at her.
“You look so serious, Jack. What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” Jack replied, smiling. “Let’s go for a swim.”
They changed into their bathing suits and took turns rubbing suntan lotion on each other’s body. They took two beach chairs and an umbrella down to the water. The ocean was still relatively cool for this time of year. The water temperature was only 75 degrees, but it felt good after the hot sun warmed up their bodies. They decided to have lunch down on the beach. Jack served drinks around four o’clock in the afternoon. By five they were feeling good. They played in the water and dried each other off. They flirted with each other shamelessly. They took one more dip in the ocean to cool off. When they came out to dry off, Jack couldn’t resist her charms anymore. It was too much. He held her body close and kissed her passionately on the lips. Ingrid didn’t resist. It surprised him. He didn’t know what to say. Ingrid put her arms around his neck and kissed him warmly.
“Take me to bed, Jack,” Ingrid whispered in his ear and pulled him by the hand.
Jack followed her lead and they ran to the house. They removed their swimsuits in a rush and washed the sand off each other’s body under the pool shower. They embraced and Jack kissed Ingrid on the side of her neck. The sight of her warm, voluptuous body drove him crazy. Their bare skin tingled with excitement. They dried off and ran to Ingrid’s bedroom where they fell into bed. They kissed and caressed each other and made love until they could no longer move. Their bodies glistened with sweat. The bliss lasted for an hour. They were both totally exhausted and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter 17
Mars
Ivan sat at the marble conference table waiting impatiently for his fellow conspirators to appear so he could begin the meeting. Wolfgang was sitting in the chair next to him. Ivan wanted him present for this meeting.
The first hologram appeared. It was the Governorship of Mars, Alan Steed. He looked harried as usual. “I hope this won’t take too long, Ivan. I’m pretty busy,” he announced.
“It won’t take long, Alan. Give me a few moments, please. I’m waiting for the others to appear.”
Alan said something unintelligible under his breath and waved his hand. He lit up a cigar and took a puff.
Two more holograms appeared, Senator George Tillman and Orlan Reddy. They both said, “Hello,” and Ivan told them the meeting would start soon. A second later, the final two members of the group, Fred Wu and Judge Jones, appeared around the table.
Ivan began speaking. “Thank you for attending. I’ve invited Wolfgang to sit in on this meeting. Let’s get started. I’ll be brief. It’s time to announce the discovery of the anti-aging drug.”
“Are you sure we can do this without finding the woman?” Alan asked.
“We don’t have much choice,” Ivan replied. “If we wait too long, Ingrid may try to announce the discovery herself.”
“Do you know where she is?” Senator Tillman asked.
“She’s with Detective Helms. We think they fled to Earth. We found their police shuttle on Ares. I have people looking for them now.”
“What about the formula?” Tillman asked.
“It’s still missing. But I know Ingrid has it. Her father gave her a memcard with the new formula on it for safekeeping. She didn’t have time to retrieve it before she left Mars.”
“How do you propose to get it?” Alan asked.
“Ingrid can’t hide for long, or she risks losing her discovery. If I announce the discovery now, she has to try and stop me.” Ivan replied.
“Can she stop you from filing for the patent?” Senator Tillman asked, suddenly concerned.
“No. I plan to submit the patent before Ingrid can do anything about it. The only way she can stop me is if she comes back to Mars and tries to claim the discovery for herself.”
“Can she do that?” Fred Wu asked.
“She can try. But she would have to turn herself over to the police first. There’s an arrest warrant out for her and the detective.”
“So, what are you going to do?” Alan asked.
“We’ll keep looking until we find them. Then I’ll get the new formula from Ingrid.”
“What about the detective?” Judge Jones asked.
“Once he’s found, he will be dealt with,” Ivan coldly replied. Everyone understood his meaning
“And the woman?” the Judge questioned further.
“I haven’t decided. It depends on whether or not she cooperates with me.”
“This all sounds too risky. We should get rid of them both.” Tillman ventured.
“Not yet, George. We need Ingrid to give us the new formula and make sure it works. I have no use for the detective.”
“Okay. What do you want us to do?” Alan asked.
“We move ahead as planned. My lab is producing as much of the drug as possible. I will build more labs as soon as I raise more money. Once the patent is approved, I will announce the discovery. No one can stop us now.”
“All right, Ivan. I agree with you. We have too much at stake to turn back now. Let’s get this over with,” Alan spoke. The rest nodded approval.
“Okay. We’ll meet again when everything is settled.” Ivan concluded the meeting and asked Wolfgang, Orlan and Fred to stay.
“Orlan—Fred, I need you to double the illegal drug shipments this month. I need more money to expand the production lines for the new drug. If all goes well, we can cut back selling the old drugs before the space marshals crack down further.’
“No problem, Ivan,” Orlan said.
“I’ll get started right away,” Fred replied. They shut down their hologram transmissions and their images vanished.
Ivan turned to Wolfgang. “I want you to call Captain Black and tell him we must find Ingrid and Detective Helms before they jeopardize our plans.”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
“I want you to keep an eye on the captain. I don’t trust him.” Wolfgang nodded and let the room.
After the meeting with Ivan concluded, Judge Jones got up from his chair and slowly walked over to the window overlooking Marineris City. His office was on the top floor of the Mars Judicial building. He knew what Ivan Hellstrom planned to do. This wasn’t the first time Ivan had stolen a new discovery from its inventor and claimed it for SpaceMed. Each time it happened, Ivan became more ruthless. Only this time, the discovery was much bigger than anything they could have imagined. The fountain-of-youth! Who would have guessed it would be found on Mars? He was truly amazed.
But Judge Jo
nes felt troubled. Somewhere along the line, his conscience had begun to bother him. Maybe it was a sign of old age, or his ownsense of mortality. Hewasgetting old. His health was failing, and the only thing he really cared about, his wife, was lying in a private nursery home slowly dying of organ failure. His own children disowned him. There was no happiness in his life. He was criminally involved with a man who would stop at nothing to gain control of this new discovery. Ivan would become the richest and most powerful man in the solar system. And more innocent people would die. It was just a matter of time before Ivan decided he didn’t need his help anymore. Then what? The judge had a pretty good idea what would happen next.
Judge Jones knew it was time to get out. At first, he didn’t know how to do it. After more thought, he came to a sudden realization. There was a solution. But he could never turn back. He reached into his suit pocket and withdrew one of the small plastic vials filled with the anti-aging liquid. This makes anything possible, he thought. The judge knew what he must do. He put the vial back into his pocket. He ejected the memcard from his computer, gathered some files and walked out of his chamber for the last time. He shut the door and never looked back.
Chapter 18
The Asteroid Belt
Two weeks later, Captain Joe Parrish was sitting at the controls of his police shuttle sipping black coffee. He and four other space marshals were still on patrol after eight hours of monitoring shuttle traffic between Mars and the mining platforms in the asteroid belt. It was almost time to return to Ares where the Federal Drug Bureau was based.
“Anything on the screen, Manny?” Captain Parrish asked, looking at his co-pilot.
“Just a freighter on his way back from Quadrant 6 with a load of ore. Want me to signal him for an inspection?”
“No, we’ll let the next patrol team inspect it on the return trip. Call headquarters. Find out if there is any drug activity in our area before we head home.”