Celine noticed that her mom did not acknowledge Dr. Baylor.
Celine reached for Dr. Baylor’s hand. “I am so confused.”
“Life can be that way,” Dr. Baylor said. “Everything is not always black and white.”
Celine rolled her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Can I have something to eat now? I’m hungry.”
Dr. Baylor smiled. “Why, of course! I’m glad you’ve changed your mind…” Dr. Baylor paused for a moment. “You know you’re very special, Celine. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
◆ ◆ ◆
Later that day, Dr. Duke returned to the infirmary.
“It’s time for her to go back to her own compartment,” Dr. Duke said to Dr. Baylor. “There’s no longer a need for isolation. Plus I need to get that room ready for Mr. Rittenhouse.”
“Sure. I’ll put her with Hannah for now.”
“What about her father?” Dr. Duke inquired.
“I don’t know yet. We’ll have to diagnose his condition before we make any further decisions.”
“Noted.”
“So, Rittenhouse and his entourage are coming in today. Can’t wait.”
“He’s already announced that he’s going out tomorrow in that floater.”
Dr. Baylor groaned. “That old thing’s nothing but a glorified helicopter without propellers. But anyway, he’s bringing in our shipment.”
“Great. Glad to know he can actually help us with something.”
“I ordered contact lenses for Celine. The refractions should hide any glowing issues so to speak.”
“Are you sure we can’t reverse it? Her mother—”
“She’s gone too long without that so-called ‘Brain Booster.’ Fortunately, it can’t be reversed at this point.”
“Her mom won’t be happy about this.”
“She has no choice but to accept it,” Dr. Baylor muttered.
◆ ◆ ◆
Mr. Rittenhouse’s ship docked outside of the isolation chamber. He had brought along a shipment of equipment for enlarging the colony’s greenhouse, as well as a large supply of dried meats, berries, and nuts. His assistants took the supplies to the decontamination dock.
Mr. Rittenhouse quickly strode into the isolation suite with his head held high and his chest puffed out. My cousin will be happy with some decent food for a change. And that little Celine—should I thank her or punish her? Alex wouldn’t have been out there in some cave if it weren’t for her.
He began firing questions at Dr. Duke the moment he laid eyes on him.
“I need to speak with Celine. Where is she? Why’d she leave Alex?”
“Calm down,” Dr. Duke said gently to Mr. Rittenhouse.
“I’ll calm down when I am calm. Where is my boy? Lost in some cave?”
“Mr. Rittenhouse, the Administrative team will be here shortly to discuss the rescue efforts.”
“Why hasn’t anyone left here already?”
“Sir, you did hear about the storm, right? The lightning? It took Celine three days on foot to get here…I understand we’ll be using your floater?”
“Indeed—where is the thing? I didn’t see it when we were landing.”
“It’s covered, sir. You know,” Dr. Duke cleared his throat, “the weather.”
“It appears you’ve gotten much smarter since the last time I saw you.”
Dr. Duke ignored the backhanded compliment. “We’re still making good time despite the storm, Mr. Rittenhouse. You did bring energy packs for the floater, right? And our medical supplies, sir?”
Mr. Rittenhouse rolled his eyes and twisted his mouth to one side. He turned to his entourage and began barking orders about the supplies.
◆ ◆ ◆
Later, the administrative team, Celine, and Mr. Musk, a geologist, came down to the isolation chamber.
Mr. Rittenhouse looked back and forth between the digital timer on the wall and Mr. Musk, who was setting up a table and a three-dimensional model of the Chaos Region.
“It’s about time,” Mr. Rittenhouse said when Mr. Musk finally completed the model.
Admin Rittenhouse commenced the meeting. “This model was created from satellite images of the region. We have completed an electromagnetic sweep of the Chaos Region for life signatures and were unable to pick up any. We’ve taken heat image of the region, but the hills and caves are impenetrable…We’ve come up cold.”
“They’re in the mud,” Celine chimed in.
“Elaborate, Celine,” Mr. Rittenhouse said in an encouraging manner.
“There’s a mud pond in the cavern, and it blocks life signatures.”
“Mud?” Mr. Rittenhouse said. “So, you mean my boy found water?”
“There’s lots of water in the cavern, sir. But it’s not safe there.” Celine looked down. “They’re sick.”
Mr. Rittenhouse’s eyes widened.
Dr. Baylor continued where Celine stopped. “Dr. Duke and I speculate there might be some kind of neurotoxins in the air.”
“But Celine.” Mr. Rittenhouse gestured at the girl. “She’s OK, right?”
“Celine did not breathe the air. Her lungs were dormant the entire time she was in the cave. The toxins we found, we found in her hair.”
Mr. Rittenhouse squinted.
“I’ll give you the data later,” Dr. Baylor said.
Admin Rittenhouse interposed. “Celine, can you just show us the cave where you left your dad and Alex?”
Celine looked at the model for a few minutes. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell.” She paused and looked at Mr. Musk. “Where is the canyon?” she asked.
“There’s no canyon in the Chaos Region,” the technician said. “Wait a minute! There is a canyon just east of the Chaos. Right here.” He pointed to the model. Celine bent over to get a closer look.
“That’s it! That’s it! That’s the cave,” she shouted, pointing to the model.
Mr. Musk began entering the cave’s coordinates into his computer.
“Give the coordinates to my captain,” Mr. Rittenhouse told Mr. Musk.
With the mood lightened ever so slightly, Admin Rittenhouse addressed Mr. Rittenhouse. “So cuz, did you bring some of the good food with you this time?” Everyone laughed. “And the energy packs for your reconditioned helicopter?” she added.
“It’s a floater,” he replied. “My captain has already installed the energy packs and is taking it for a test run. We’ll be on our way to the cave at first light.”
“We?” Admin Rittenhouse said. “You, Dr. Baylor, your man Stan, and Celine will comprise the rescue party.” Mr. Rittenhouse started to say something and then shook his head in agreement.
“OK,” Admin Rittenhouse confirmed. “Now have your people hurry up and bring in some of that food. I’m famished.”
CHAPTER 24
On the Floater
◆ ◆ ◆
Celine sat in a firm yet comfortable chair while on board the floater. She was amazed at how quickly it sped. She had never ridden above ground before, and it made her slightly nauseous and dizzy. She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat.
“What the heck is that?” Mr. Rittenhouse called out when he saw the wild puppy chasing the floater’s shadow. Stan moved quickly to the other side of the vehicle to record the animal.
“This may be good material for a commercial,” Stan said in a giddy, juvenile manner.
Mr. Rittenhouse chuckled. “You’re a good man, Stan. I appreciate your loyalty.” Stan raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Celine opened her eyes just in time to see the puppy. “The puppy!” she squealed in excitement.
“Look at it go.” She laughed.
Mr. Rittenhouse shot Dr. Baylor a questioning glance.
“Puppy?” Mr. Rittenhouse asked Celine.
“I want it,” she said. “The drone killed its mother. Now it’s alone.”
“Celine, we’ve had this discussion,” said Dr. Baylor.
“What discussion?” Mr. Rittenhouse interje
cted.
“She said I can’t have a wild animal as a pet.” Celine ignored Dr. Baylor’s smirk.
“Nonsense! Alex has a pet seal for crying out loud.”
“Well, Alex’s pet seal won’t have him for dinner,” Dr. Baylor fired back, defending her stance.
Celine looked out the window and waved at the wild dog.
“If you had a pet, Celine, how could you even take care of it?” Mr. Rittenhouse asked.
Dr. Baylor sucked in air and turned her head to look out of the window.
“I wouldn’t have to take care of it. It can take care of itself!”
Mr. Rittenhouse snickered, and Dr. Baylor rolled her eyes at Celine.
“Tell us about the cavern where you left your father and Alex,” Dr. Baylor said.
Before answering, Celine looked at Mr. Rittenhouse in hopes he would override Dr. Baylor’s authority.
“We’ll continue this conversation later. Let’s save my boy,” Mr. Rittenhouse said.
“Celine,” Dr. Baylor said, calling her attention back to the matter at hand.
“Well, it’s huge, and there’re lots of lava tubes. We will have to go through one of them to get to the cavern where I left them.”
“You said there were glowworms in the lava tubes that provided light,” Dr. Baylor said.
“Yes ma’am. They’re actually really creepy. Sometimes they watch—no, they sense your movements.”
“Did you ever feel threatened by them?” Mr. Rittenhouse asked.
“Once, but that’s only because Alex shot some with a ray gun. They shot bolts of electricity back at us.”
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Mr. Rittenhouse said. “Why didn’t you mention this back when we were in the Compound?”
“I did. I told Dr. Baylor that Dad and Alex have eaten some of them.”
Mr. Rittenhouse looked at Dr. Baylor and shook his head in disgust. “Oh, Alex.”
◆ ◆ ◆
Moments later, the floater circled around the cave in the Chaos Region. The captain could not find a flat area near the cave that was large enough to land the vehicle.
“I’ll release the ladder for you,” he said to Mr. Rittenhouse. “I’ll wait for you in the canyon. Call me when you are ready to leave.”
“Roger that. Let’s suit up,” Mr. Rittenhouse said.
Celine put on her helmet and attached a small oxygen canister to its hose. After everyone was suited, Stan climbed down to the surface first; Dr. Baylor, then Celine, and finally Mr. Rittenhouse followed.
As Celine climbed down the ladder, she was reminded of her climb from the cave apartment. She wondered if she’d have a chance to see it one last time.
As they waited for Mr. Rittenhouse to finish his descent, Celine remembered there were quite a few things she hadn’t mentioned. She had not told anyone about her visions in the cave, or the soldiers she had encountered, or the moaning she had heard. It kind of sounded like Morg now that I think about it. Suddenly, Celine noticed a shiny cap on Dr. Baylor’s head.
“When did you put that on?” Celine asked Dr. Baylor. The cap appeared to have been made of a metal mesh.
“Just a moment ago, on the floater. Only a few colonists have caps like these.”
“Why is that so?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Celine didn’t expect that answer. Dr. Baylor always seemed secretive.
Celine’s chest tightened as she began piecing together Morg’s whereabouts in her mind. Morg’s in the cave too. That moaning I heard—I know it was him…He left my dad in there to die. He doesn’t deserve to come back to the Compound.
“What’s the matter?” Dr. Baylor asked as she noticed Celine’s sour facial expression.
“Nothing. I want to hurry and get Dad and Alex and leave this place.”
“I agree. Lead the way.”
As Mr. Rittenhouse joined them, Stan took his ray gun from his backpack. Celine sighed with relief when she saw it.
“This is incredible!” Mr. Rittenhouse said as they walked in the entry cave.
Dr. Baylor had her data recorder in her hand. “The air is twenty-two percent oxygen, and the temperature is twenty-five degrees Celsius,” she said.
“Is that good?” Mr. Rittenhouse asked.
“It would be the perfect place to set up a colony if it wasn’t for the organophosphates. The level is way too high: ten percent.”
“What?” Mr. Rittenhouse asked Dr. Baylor.
“There are toxins in the air.”
Mr. Rittenhouse nodded. “What’s the source?” he asked as he gazed at the ceiling of the cave.
“I’m not sure. It appears to be a byproduct of the glowworms,” Dr. Baylor replied as she entered a lava tube and stood beneath the quietly observing glowworms.
“Why is it so warm?” Stan asked no one in particular.
“Judging by these lava tubes, I would say we are uncomfortably close to a volcano,” Dr. Baylor replied.
“Why are we standing around lollygagging? Let’s go get my boy,” said Mr. Rittenhouse firmly.
“This way!” Celine said. She pointed to one of the lava tubes. Six days had passed since she had last seen them. Images of two very old men flashed through her mind. I hope they’re still here, only six days older.
Stan and Mr. Rittenhouse followed her through the lava tube. Dr. Baylor continued to collect data from the glowworms inside the lava tube.
“They won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt them,” Celine said.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Dr. Baylor. Using the spear end of her data collector, she picked up a dead worm from the floor.
“Look at these cute little lightning bugs,” Stan said. He reached for a glowworm on the lower part of the ceiling as they traveled through the tube. The instant he touched one, he appeared to be frozen. It seemed as if his finger was glued to the glowworm for a moment. He shook but said nothing. Then he dropped to the floor and rolled back and forth.
“Don’t touch him,” Dr. Baylor said. “Theses glowworms pack the punch of an electric eel. Nearly sixty percent of their bodies are…well…in layman’s terms, it’s like an electric battery.” She looked at Celine.
Mr. Rittenhouse stood a few feet from Stan and asked if he was OK.
Stan opened his eyes after a few moments.
“What the heck happened?” he asked. He looked at Dr. Baylor.
“You touched one of those cute little lighting bugs. And the next thing we knew you were rolling around in the dirt,” Dr. Baylor said.
“It starts like this…” Celine said with fear in her voice. “Alex started doing dumb things—things out of character. Then before you knew it, he just…” Celine trailed off.
“I don’t think Stan is acting out of character,” Dr. Baylor said. Stan sat up and rubbed his helmet as if he were rubbing his own head. Dr. Baylor pointed her data recorder at him. “He’ll live,” she said.
“Don’t touch anything else in here. Understood?”
“Absolutely.” Stan attempted to stand, his legs still trembling.
“I’m still not picking up their life signatures,” Dr. Baylor said as she entered the cavern.
“My dad removed his. I’m not sure about Alex. They might be in the mud pond, over here.” Celine stood beside the mud pond. She turned on the speaker in her helmet.
“Dad, Alex!” Celine called. “Come out! It’s Celine!”
No one came out of the pond.
Mr. Rittenhouse and Dr. Baylor looked at each other.
“Dad, I’m stealing your backpack! Alex, I’m taking your tent!”
Suddenly, her father and Alex rose from the mud pit. Mud caked their hair and dripped from their faces. It was apparent they had not washed since she left them.
“Celine.” Her father smiled. One of his teeth was missing.
“I brought help,” she said, “Dr. Baylor and Mr. Rittenhouse—and Stan.”
“Dad, you came for me,” Alex squawked.
M
r. Rittenhouse glanced at Dr. Baylor, who was taking injectors filled with sedatives from her medical bag.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “It’ll go back to normal once he’s been in the Compound for a few days.”
Alex rose from the pond and took giants steps toward his father.
“My boy!” said Mr. Rittenhouse. He opened his arms wide. Alex ran to his dad’s arms and sobbed unabashedly.
Dr. Baylor used that moment to swab Alex’s neck and give him an injection.
Alex slapped his neck as if stung by an insect. Then he collapsed in his dad’s arms.
When Mr. Red Cloud saw Alex collapse, he backed away from Dr. Baylor, right into Stan’s waiting arms.
Stan easily held the weakened man until Dr. Baylor gave Mr. Red Cloud the injection as well. Then Stan helped the doctor wrap her patients in radiation protection bags connected to canisters of oxygen.
“Why didn’t they bathe? You’d think with all of this water, they’d use some of it to clean themselves,” Stan muttered.
“Who knows what they were thinking,” Dr. Baylor replied. “It seems they’ve only used it for drinking.”
“This is a gold mine,” Mr. Rittenhouse said. “My son struck water! I need to borrow Stan from you, Doc,” Mr. Rittenhouse said.
“Here, Stan.” Mr. Rittenhouse held his arms out like he was a king appraising his land. “Get busy videotaping that river and the pond. Don’t miss these pillars.”
“Mr. Rittenhouse, I’d like to get the patients back to the Compound before the sedatives wear off,” Dr. Baylor stated.
“Oh, of course,” Mr. Rittenhouse replied. “Just a few pictures,” he told Stan.
Celine was so relieved that her father and Alex were finally getting the help they needed, but a wave of guilt rushed over her knowing that she had told no one about Morg. She hated what Morg had done, but she couldn’t stoop to his level.
“Dr. Baylor,” she said. “I think Morg might be in here. Before I left this place, I heard someone crying. It sounded like Morg.” Celine pointed past Alex’s tent. “Down there,” she said.
“Stan and I will check on it,” Dr. Baylor said to Mr. Rittenhouse. “You and Celine can wait here with the patients.”
“Captain, bring the floater,” Mr. Rittenhouse said into the Com. He turned to address Dr. Baylor. “You have ten minutes. Then we’re out of here.”
Lost in the Red Hills of Mars Page 21