Ice Shadows

by W. R. Heustis

  I guess when you’ve primed the pump—so to speak—and yet fail to move forward, people get curious. In other words, my story was getting a ton of coverage. It was all over social media and had gone viral. Henry even told me that people had shown up in front of Lawther’s headquarters and were now protesting in front of the building. It was like this classic David and Goliath battle: an apt story the general public could relate to. For many, the idea that the wealthy elite had far too much control had created considerable antipathy toward them.

  Environmental issues wouldn’t have become what they were if that small group of essentially men hadn’t for far too long held the purse strings along with a tight rein on their political pawns in Washington. Much of what defined social inequity wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for those who, in essence, controlled the collective narrative.

  I know...my sense of outrage was boiling over. I was beyond pissed. I was so angry I was about to do something impulsive and potentially regrettable. After all, what the other side wanted was ultimately me. They wanted my story squelched; they wanted me silenced; they wanted me under their thumb so that all of the controversy I’d created would go away. But the more I thought about that, the more it became clear that the genie was now entirely out of the bottle. Too much was out there to tamp it back into submission. Despite their threats, things had reached the point of no return. My only hope at that moment was that Thomas would call back with promising news. If others in the industry were aware of what was going on and furthermore understood that lives were at stake, it might move those who could do something to actually do it. Who knows, it was entirely possible that there were already spacecraft moon read—but had yet to make their maiden voyage? At that tenuous moment, that was my sincerest hope. For now, all I could do was wait.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  In a situation like this, I would typically begin pacing. But considering my energy level, the idea of doing anything beyond simply sitting was not worth considering. I hated feeling powerless. As it was, my career had been built solving one issue to the next. I was accustomed to things not working. Then, with thoughtful consideration, an idea or a moment of inspiration would suddenly appear. As with the out of square module issue, solutions would arrive at the moment they were most needed. But this situation was entirely different. Instead of a machine, I was dealing with human ingenuity. I was confronting the worst of human nature. Lives were at stake and I was the cause behind it.

  I kept staring at the wall. I kept hoping for an instant of insight that would provide the needed answer. But try as I might, it didn’t come; nothing appeared in the form of a valid solution. I was at my wit’s end when my newly purchased cell phone rang. I almost knocked it on the floor the moment I reached for it. Eric and Henry focused their attention on me as I fumbled to answer the call. It was Thomas. He had some news, but it might not be what I was hoping to hear. He said, “I’m not sure if this will solve the immediate problem. But one of the newer players in the industry knows about your situation and is sympathetic. They do have a cutting-edge spacecraft ready. The only issue is that it’s never been tested beyond the outer atmosphere. In other words, even with what they’ve been able to achieve, they are reluctant to test the spacecraft’s limits. They’re hesitant. Naturally, there is a lot at stake. If, for example, it fails to make it to the moon, let alone land, let alone make the return trip with your crew, their business could also fail. As it is, they’re operating on a thin margin. They don’t have the robust budget that some the bigger corporations do.”

  I had a counter thought that I felt was worth mentioning: “But if they were successful, and there was a human interest side to this story, it would bolster their business beyond anything they could imagine. You can’t buy PR any better than that.”

  Thomas agreed but said that he’d already offered that perspective. “Regardless of the best perspective, you can’t force someone to do something before they’re ready.”

  I felt downcast and disheartened. When I asked if he had anyone else to add to the conversation, he said no and that he’d tried to keep his options limited. He knew that if he didn’t, he’d hear from his superiors—who, in turn, had probably already gotten an earful from Lawther or one of his representatives. In other words, we were at a dead-end. When we hung up, I was about ready to throw in the towel. I was about to tell Eric to take me to Lawther’s headquarters and then drop me off. It felt as if checkmate were the logical next move and I was on the losing side.

  Eric surprised me. It was as if he’d been anticipating my next choice. He challenged me and said that there was no way he would take me back “to those greedy bastards.” He even warned me to stop thinking about it and that there had to be another way. I deeply sighed. Before, there had always been an answer. Sure, it might take a day or two or even a week. But with time, careful consideration, and a lot of thought, a solution would appear. But now, I was stymied to the point of thinking there was only one way out—and again, it was about surrendering. Keep in mind that Eric’s reference point for anything even close to resembling this situation had to be video games. As far as I knew—which wasn’t saying much—he had never faced such a serious crisis before, but especially on such a grand scale. But if he weren’t going to help me, perhaps I would have to do something on my own. Besides, he’d already done far more than I could ever thank him for. And the last thing I wanted was for either he or Henry to be in harm’s way. It was already far too close as it was.

  Eric’s cell phone rang. It was Ayden. There had been a change of plan. If Lawther wanted to play hardball the newsroom were ready. The public reaction was building. It had reached the point where if we failed to move forward we would lose the obvious momentum. Public opinion was on our side. Regardless of the already declared threat, if that were made public, it would simply add to the growing outrage. I needed to make an appearance. I needed my face out there and attached to my story. I needed to be the one to tell the world about the unfolding drama happening 230,000 miles away. And rather than do the press conference through a cell phone app, a news crew was on its way along with Ayden. They would be here within the hour.

  I told Ayden we needed to find somewhere neutral, somewhere that wouldn’t give away our location. He agreed and said that we could meet near the lake and somewhere where there weren’t many people. He suggested that we go there first and then send him our location. As soon as he got off the phone, he and the news crew were headed our way. Keep in mind, that by that point, none of us had eaten. And knowing how my photo was now circulating places I couldn’t even begin to imagine, it seemed imperative to stay out of the public eye and as much as possible. At the same time, I was starting to feel guilty. Now I had to lean even more on Henry’s charitableness. As it was, I was building up a tab that might soon overwhelm Henry’s limited resources. He, however, seemed undeterred. He was the one that suggested that he and Eric go out and bring something back. When they suggested Chinese food, I was all over it. It had been what felt like forever since I’d last eaten it.

  While they were out, I tried to lie down and simply be. In no time, I would be in front of the media making my case. I needed what energy I did possess to last long enough to present what I felt was a compelling story. I dozed off. It wasn’t until Eric and Henry returned that I woke up ready for what was to come next. We ate quietly. I savored every bite. Maybe with time and distance, one has a faint remembrance of a taste that is amplified the moment the real thing hits your tongue. But I was in food heaven for a few passing moments. But then the sense of urgency prevailed. We needed to get going. The world was waiting.

  Eric drove some distance until we all agreed we’d reached what felt like a somewhat isolated setting. Eric had noted the distance from the main road. He sent Ayden a text with directions. A return text confirmed he’d received it. There was enough room to pull off the road and into a reasonably open space beneath a cluster of Fir trees. But even with that, a news van would stand out; it would b
e more than obvious. I wasn’t feeling confident that the place we’d chosen would work as planned. I was afraid that before we knew it, a crowd of hikers and other curious onlookers would soon appear. But maybe that was of value rather than a hindrance. If there were as much public support out there as Ayden suggested, perhaps their presence would be to our benefit.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  I waited in the car until the last moment. I saw no point in attracting any undue attention. Eric and Henry said they were going to “go scout the area” and would be back soon. I don’t know if they were concerned about others in the area or what exactly. But they acted as if my safety was foremost on their minds. In a way, I just wanted to get all of this over. Despite knowing that the media was now my only resource and viable weapon, I looked forward to a time when my life would return to normal. As it was, I’d never been one to seek outside attention. If one of my projects got media attention or a modicum of recognition, I was cool with that. But my natural inclination was to always be behind the scenes and away from the spotlight. I wanted my work to speak for itself. My reputation wasn’t as much about me as it was about those things I’d help to create and then build that ultimately mattered.

  I looked up the moment I sensed and then saw the news van. The next moment, Ayden got out and walked toward me. I rolled down the window and was about to ask when we would get started? But before I could say a word, Ayden said that something had just come across the AP wire—something I would find of considerable interest. When I asked him what it was, he called up the article on his cell phone. He showed me the photo of Helen. She was doing what she could to not only confirm my story but to call for Lawther’s resignation. From what she said, she did have a slight say in how the business was run. Evidently, she was on the board of directors—the very last thing I would have imagined. As yet, the rest of the board wasn’t in her corner. But she wouldn’t let the issue rest until my crew was safely back on earth. That made me smile. It confirmed my faith in humanity.

  Ayden didn’t waste a moment. Before I knew it, I had been miked-up and was ready for the news conference. In a matter of minutes, the camera crew was ready and the news conference began. Ayden deftly guided me through every detail I had given him. He then opened the process to other reporters’ questions. A reporter from the BBC asked if I felt as if this situation was similar to miners being trapped deep in a coalmine? I honored his question and felt it was an apt comparison. But instead of running out of oxygen and water—which wasn’t all that far from reality—my crew was, instead, being denied food. And that was entirely due to the relentless cruelty of a corporate boss. I tried to emphasize that it never needed to be this way, but especially if those in charge had an ounce of decency let alone compassion.

  One of the cable network reporters asked if I had been in direct negotiations with Lawther? I hesitated but then responded that if what had happened to Professor Dennison was any indication of those on the other side, trying to negotiate with them was pointless and even dangerous. I added that, in a way, what we were talking about was actually more like a hostage situation than a workplace complaint. That drew other questions about conditions on the moon and how it was working there. I did my best to outline the myriad challenges one faces even—with what might seem the simplest of tasks.

  The news conference went on for half an hour or so before Ayden called an end to it. He felt as if his media cohorts had enough to go on. My story was now out there. Regardless of any further threats, the general public now knew who the culprits were as opposed to their victims. I had done all I could. But Ayden bravely supported that. But that included those above him as well. Now, the only question was if the pressure would work? Would there be enough public outcry that the corporate investors and stockholders would demand a swift and honorable intervention? And if the founder’s sister held a much more impactful role than I’d realized, it felt as if it was but a matter of time before a welcome change occurred.

  As Ayden’s crew was wrapping up, I watched as he took a call and then glanced my way. He wasn’t on the phone for more than a few moments when he walked toward me and told me there was someone on the line that wanted to talk to me. When I asked who it was, Ayden told me it was okay; I would know soon enough. I took the phone and asked whom I was talking to? I immediately recognized the voice. It was the woman—the supposed executive secretary—who had nursed me back to health. She apologized and said she was gravely sorry. She added that she’d been unable to intervene until now. She, as with others, had been misled. All along, they were given the impression that my crew and I were the problem. But I was especially at fault. But now that my story and its details were public knowledge, the board of directors knew they had no other choice than to fire Lawther.

  I pressed that time was of the essence. But I also asked if she knew the current status was of my crew? From what she had been able to discern, it sounded as if there was a standoff of sorts going on. Ted had been sequestered in his module. My crew had threatened that if he caused further trouble they would cut off his oxygen supply. Ted, of course, made my crew the villains. He had nothing to do with it. They had gone rogue. They needed to be arrested for any number of undisclosed crimes. I asked if she believed him? She seemed hesitant to say. But she did offer that it seemed as if the overall project had been grossly mismanaged on her side of things. But now that the evidence was out in the open, she wanted to sit down with me and clear the air. She and the board wanted to get a complete appraisal of where things stood as well as why the project had failed to meet expectations.

  The same helicopter that had originally spirited me away would be here once I let her know my exact location. My first reaction was to be hesitant. Was this nothing more than a convincing ruse? Was she serious? Or, instead, was this nothing more than an elegant trap? Had she tried to gain my confidence as a way to accomplish what Lawther had failed to do through his heavy-handedness? All of that gave me pause. I had very little reason to trust her. At the same time, if going along would offer a foothold where I could sit down with those who could make a difference, perhaps the risk was worth taking. I asked if she could offer any assurance for my safety? Again, she seemed hesitant to commit to much more than suggesting that we needed to meet first and then discuss things. What would happen after that would be decided at that time. I asked that she wait for a moment.

  I nodded at Ayden and asked him a direct question (with the phone on mute). “Can this woman, what did you say her name was? Can she be trusted?”

  He glanced around. Evidently, he wanted to make certain he wasn’t heard. “Her name is Anne. But if I were you, and considering where things stand at the moment, I wouldn’t trust anyone.”

  I offered a brief description of her proposal. He shrugged and didn’t seem convinced. But for some reason, and knowing this might be my last opportunity to make a difference, I decided to go ahead. Even though warning bells were going off in my mind and red flags were there along with them, I had to throw caution to the wind. It was either now or never. I took the phone off mute and said that I would be waiting on the south end of Lake Tahoe. I recalled that there was an open field where a helicopter could land.

  Anne said she was glad I had seen things her way and that, “I wouldn’t regret it.” I replied, “I hope for the sake of all concerned that proves to be accurate.” I hung up. But with that, it almost felt as if I was about to put my life on the line.

  I was about to hand Ayden his phone but he surprised me. “Hold on to it. If anything starts to get crazy, my other number is programmed into this one. If for no other reason than having it as a video witness, take it with you just in case.”

  I thanked him for all he had done. My story was out there. The general public now knew the facts. They knew my side of the story and could now make up their minds. The only person remaining to convince, however, was Eric. I knew the moment I told him what I was about to do, he would say I was crazy. Worse, he might accuse me of having a death wish.
Wasn’t that why I was always tempting my fate doing things that most people wouldn’t even attempt? Isn’t that what he would say? He would be right in one sense. But that’s what I do. It gives my life purpose and a sense of meaning.

  Once Ayden packed up and then left in the news van, I walked back to where Eric and Henry were waiting. I was trying to think of the most diplomatic way to tell Eric the news. But when I was about to try, he stopped me. He said he already knew what I was up to. He knew the instant Ayden handed me the phone that “the other side” was trying to negotiate with me. He said, “You’re going to do it, aren’t you?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right; I’ve run out of options.”

  He did something entirely unexpected: he took a step forward and hugged me. He seemed emotional when he did, but then he said, “All things considered, what else can you do? I’m not sure you have another choice.” His maturity surprised me. I pulled back and looked into his sky blue eyes. “If things work out as I hope they will, I would love to go fishing with you. You name the place and it’s done.”