Murder On Mars

by Sean Devney

  “All right folks – we’re now approaching the Moon. Once we get past it, we’ll go into the wormhole.”

  He looked out the window and watched as the Moon quickly passed by. There was another jolt and the speed of the ship was increasing. Then suddenly, there was nothing. The G forces stopped and ship seemed to be standing still. Walker said to the android,

  “Hey, Joe! I can’t feel anything! What’s going on?”

  “We have entered the wormhole. We are now traveling at a very high rate of speed. We will soon be approaching the speed of light.”

  The captain said,

  “All right, folks, we have now entered the wormhole. You are free to walk around the ship.”

  People got up and started wandering around. Walker said,

  “Okay, Joe – I’m going to walk around and check out the ship. See you later.”

  H got up and wandered around. He saw a map that showed several pools, gyms, theaters, etc. In the center of the ship was a food court, amusement park and a zoo. The ship was like a cruise ship on steroids. Everything was designed to keep people from being bored. Walker walked down a long hallway to a bar and restaurant. It was full of middle aged people escaping from their families. He sat down on a stool and a robot bartender walked over and asked him,

  “What will you have, sir?”

  “A Scotch on the rocks, please.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  There was a mirror behind the bar and suddenly, a tall figure wearing a dark blue cloak was staring at him with black, very intense eyes. The figure looked almost human, with yellowish gray skin. The effect was startling. Walker quickly turned around and saw no one standing behind him. The robot placed the drink in front of him and it asked Walker,

  “Are you all right, sir? Shall I notify a doctor?”

  “No, no, I’m fine,” said Walker. He felt unnerved by what he saw. Sweat began to form on his forehead. He sipped his drink and a woman asked him,

  “Is this seat taken?”

  “No, it’s – “

  Walker turned and saw a beautiful green eyed blond woman standing behind him. She was wearing a dark blue suit. She smiled warmly at him and sat down next to him. She said,

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “You could say that. You are – “

  He closed his eyes and focused his mind upon her. He said, after a moment,

  “You’re detective Samantha Edwards of the Martian Police Force. You were sent to meet me here.”

  He opened his eyes and saw that she was impressed. She said,

  “And you are Detective John Walker of the NYPD. You are a special agent – very special, I would say! Well, detective – I’m your new partner!”

  She held her hand out and Walker shook it. He felt as giddy as a schoolboy. She was a stunning beauty with sharp, intelligent eyes. She asked him,

  “So, what did you see? Was it a Martian?”

  “I – I don’t know what I saw. He’s been trying to communicate with me but I guess it’s not time yet.”

  “Hmmmm…..when I first arrived on Mars five years ago, my boss told me to expect this sort of thing and he was right! I always feel like someone is watching me. Does this ever happen to you?”

  “All the time. So, what do you know about this case?”

  “Oh, I’ve been briefed but it wasn’t much. I was told that you were sent to Mars to arrest Max Thorton. I was told to assist you in any way but let’s not talk shop right now.”

  “Agreed.”

  The robot bartender walked over and asked Edwards what she wanted. She said,

  “A martini, please.”

  “Very good, ma’am.”

  “So, is this your first trip off Earth?”

  “Yes but this isn’t the kind of space voyage I was expecting! This ship is huge and it’s got everything – I think!”

  Edwards laughed and said,

  “Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet! I’ll show you around if you like.”

  Walker smiled and said,

  “Yes. I would love that!”

  The robot placed a martini in front of Edwards. She raised her glass and she said, as they touched their glasses together,

  “To a successful hunt!”

  “Hear, hear!”

  They both swallowed their drinks and left the bar.

  CHAPTER SIX

  They walked around the enormous ship, exploring it. There was an amusement section, filled with games for children and adults. There were five movie theaters and two legit theaters. Walker said,

  “Boy, they really keep you busy, don’t they?”

  “It keeps your mind off of the flight to Mars. Most people get bored really easily. You know, it used to take months to fly to Mars. You’ll also notice there are no clocks on the ship.”

  “Hmmmm…..that’s interesting. I guess there’s no use for clocks.”

  “We’re traveling so fast that we don’t need them. Ordinary time has no meaning on the ship.”

  “I never thought of that.”

  They walked and found a small. Cozy French restaurant. They sat in the back, near a fireplace. After they ordered their food, Edwards asked Walker,

  “So, how long have you had these abilities?”

  “Oh, ever since I was a child. I just knew things. Like I knew that when my mother answered the phone, I knew that my grandfather had died. Later that night, he came to visit me when I was in bed. We were close and he stood at the end of the bed and smiled. I knew he was going to be okay. Then he was gone. I never told my mother about it. I knew she wouldn’t understand it. She was a born again Christian and she said that my gifts came from the Devil. So, I never talked to her about it anymore. Sometimes I pick up people’s thoughts like a radio station. Then I learned how to block out people’s thoughts. My father was a cop and he knew I had these abilities. Sometimes, he would bring me things to touch – things that were part of some investigation he was working on. I would touch a piece of cloth and I knew it came from a little girl who had gone missing. I saw her lying dead in a ditch. It upset me but I knew it was important. Someone had killed her and I felt I could help solve the murder.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes. It was her neighbor who had sexually abused her and then he strangled her. I told my father and he was pleased. The neighbor was the prime suspect and I helped to solve the case but that little girl haunted me. Then some men from the government came and talked to my father. They wanted to talk to me. They wanted to take me with them but my father said no. He said I needed an education first and I was grateful for that. When I got older, I joined the military and I received specialized training. They taught me how to focus my mind and soon, I was traveling around the world, helping to solve cases. After I left the military, I joined the police force. I work as a special agent. It’s been interesting, to say the least. What about you? Why did you join the police force?”

  “Well, like you, my father was also a cop and it runs in the family. I married young but the stress of the job killed my marriage. What about you?”

  “Yeah, same here. My wife couldn’t understand what I was going through. I would go on a case and see some pretty terrible things. I would have nightmares and I started drinking. It helped to numb the pain. Why did you move to Mars?”

  “Oh, to get away from Earth and all its problems. Mars is so quiet and peaceful until Johnny Rocco arrived three years ago. He and the governor created something called Sin City. That’s where the gambling houses, the drug dens and the sex robots are. They bribed the local politici
ans to look the other way. It’s like a cancer that’s spreading. It’s very depressing.”

  “Yeah, I can imagine. The snake has arrived in the Garden of Eden. So, now what?”

  “Read my mind,” said Edwards as she gave him a dirty smile. Walker laughed and said,

  “Check, please!”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  He lay in bed next to Edwards. She was asleep. They were in a small apartment in the ship. It was complete with a kitchen, living room, a large bedroom, etc. He yawned and suddenly felt very tired. He closed his eyes and when he reopened them, he was standing in the middle of an old deserted city. It was the middle of the afternoon and the hot sun was overhead. He looked around and saw that the remains of the city were covered with dust and there were car-like vehicles everywhere. It looked like a nuclear bomb had gone off. He noticed that the trees were burnt and broken. He hear a noise behind him and turned around. Standing in front of him was a tall man wearing a dark blue hooded robe. The man’s face was old and leathery and it was a dark yellow color. The eyes were a solid black and the man’s head was hairless. The man said to Walker telepathically,

  Welcome to Mars, Detective Walker.

  Walker was startled. He thought,

  Who are you? How do you know my name?

  I know everything about you. I know why you’re coming to Mars.

  Where am I?

  This was once the capital of Mars. It was called Urusla. It was once a beautiful city but it is now all gone. Everything is dead. Everything was destroyed in the Great War.

  Are you a Martian?

  Are you surprised?

  No, I guess not. What is your name?

  My name is Ka’al.

  Why did you bring me here?

  To warn you. They know you are coming. And there is another man on board your ship that is like you. He is a Russian. Be careful of him. He is not what he seems.

  What does he look like? I need more information!

  Don’t worry – you will meet him soon enough.

  Why can’t you tell me more?

  All in good time, my friend. We will meet again. Go back to sleep.

  The man raised his right hand and Walker woke up with a start. He was back in bed. He got up and walked over to a window and looked out into space. Edwards stirred and said sleepily,

  “John? Is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s fine. Go back to sleep. I’m going for a walk.”

  “Wait. I’ll come with you.”

  They both got dressed and walked out of the apartment together.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  They walked down a hallway towards a lounge. They walked over to a small coffee shop and ordered coffee from a robot waiter. Edwards asked him with concern in her voice,

  “Is everything all right?”

  “I’ve been in contact with a Martian. He told me to be careful when I get to Mars.”

  “Hmmmm….do you think it’s real?”

  “Yes.”

  “Has this ever happened to you before?”

  “Yes but this is different. I really felt I was on Mars! It was very real. It’s hard to explain. I’ve had other out of body experiences before but nothing like this.”

  “What did this Martian warn you about?”

  “Nothing specific. It was just a general warning.”

  “Do you think Martians are still alive?”

  “No. I think they all died in some sort of atomic war many years ago. I think we’re seeing their ghosts but I’m not really sure. Look, I’m sorry if I woke you.”

  “Don’t worry about it. What do you want to do now?”

  “I don’t know. I need to walk around and think about what just happened.”

  “I understand. Why don’t you introduce me to your android? I would like to meet him.”

  “Fine. Drink up.”

  They drank their coffee in silence. There were a few other people in the coffee shop. Walker and Edwards finished their coffee and got up and walked downstairs to the next level. They walked down an aisle and found the android sitting in his chair, looking at a video monitor in front of him. His dark eyes were open but he seemed asleep. When Walker and Edwards approached, the android looked over at Edwards and said,

  “You are Detective Sam Edwards of the Martian Police Force. I was told you were going to meet us.”

  She smiled at the android and said,

  “Thank you – uh, what do I call you?”

  “You can call me Joe. I like that name. So, you found Detective Walker. Good. We are halfway to Mars.”

  He looked at Walker and said,

  “I’ve been in communication with Captain Parker. He says the freighter carrying Max Thorton has been spotted by a military ship. The freighter is one of the newer models. It is a large ship and it is making very good time.”

  Walker said,

  “Can you tap into the freighter’s computer system from here?”

  “I will try. Give me a moment.”

  The android sat frozen for a moment and then said,

  “Yes, I have accessed their computer system. I am now tapping into their camera system.”

  The android pointed to the video monitor in front of him and said, as the images of the ship appeared on the monitor,

  “There. You can see the interior of the freighter.”

  Both Walker and Edwards crowded around the monitor and looked at a fuzzy picture inside the freighter. Several men and women walk by the cameras, doing various chores. Suddenly, a big man appears on the screen. He is wearing light blue work clothes and he is carrying a huge box. The android says,

  “That’s Max Thorton. He is working on board the ship. He is very strong and good with his hands.”

  Thorton walks out of camera range. Edwards asks the android,

  “Joe, what cargo are they carrying?”

  “I am accessing the ship’s cargo manifest. The ship is carrying food, supplies and equipment but nothing illegal. It appears to be a routine run for them.”

  Walker said,

  “Yeah, I don’t buy it. Why this ship I wonder? What about the captain? What’s his story?”

  “I am accessing his information.”

  A picture of a middle aged man with thinning hair and an eye patch appears on the screen against a police lineup. The android said,

  “He is Captain Edward Woodward. He lost his right eye in an accident. He is well known to the police. He has been arrested several times. He is covered with tattoos. He has been arrested for weapons smuggling.”

  “Hmmmm….makes sense. I wonder if they are smuggling anything on board this trip besides Max Thorton.”

  “I don’t know. I can’t find anything in the computer.”

  “Well, that’s okay. We’ll check out the ship when it lands on Mars. Where do they land, Joe?”

  “They have a landing site in the desert, just south of New Washington. There are several buildings and warehouses at the site.”

  “Hmmmm….okay, Joe, thanks. If you find anything else, let me know.”

  “All right, detective.”

  Walker and Edwards walked away. She said to him,

  “He’s pretty impressive. What else can he do?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t come with an instructional manual. We’ll find out eventually. Where to now?”

  “Back to my place, handsome.”

  She grabbed Walker and pulled him down the hallway to a staircase…
..

  CHAPTER NINE

  As he lay in bed, he looked up at the ceiling. Edwards was fast asleep next to him. He closed his eyes and focused his mind upon his two cats sleeping on a couch. In his mind’s eye, he entered his apartment and looked down at the cats. They were sleeping together. Walker looked around and saw that everything was okay. He focused his mind upon Times Square and suddenly, he was in the middle of it. It was late at night and there were thousands of tourists walking around. Times Square was lit up brightly. He looked up at a clock and saw that it was 4:03 AM. He walked around, passing people by and they didn’t see him. He watched as a police car drove by and overhead were a couple of police drones. Then he was standing at the edge of the Hudson River and across the river were the lights of Jersey City and Hoboken. Ships drifted by and suddenly, he felt himself being pulled back to Mars. He was standing outside a dark tunnel that led into a tall mountain. He felt compelled to walk down the tunnel and as he did so, lights came on. Ahead was a large room and as he entered it, lights came on and the room was lit up. In the center of the room was a giant red crystal that was shaped like a heart. The crystal was attached to both the top and the bottom by rock. Someone had dug the giant crystal out and they had carved the room out of rock as well. All around the base of the crystal were smooth wooden benches, all facing the crystal. All around the room were strange writings carved into the wall. Walker felt a presence in the room and he turned around and saw Ka’al standing next to him. His hood was off and Ka’al was looking at him with a warm smile. He said to Walker,

  Please sit down.

  Walker sat down on a bench. He asked,