About that time there was a noise in the hallway and two men in crisply ironed, police-type uniforms made their way to the door of Prenetian’s cell. “Well, all the luck to you,” he said suffused with delight. He turned, the door was opened for him, and he strode down the hallway with two crisp men following closely behind.
Wayne swallowed. “What was that all about?” he managed before his next bite. Blackie was already up and stuffing his bag with everything he could find that was not bolted down – pillow, sheets, that very fine blanket – light as a feather and perfectly warm like it was programed to maintain a perfect temperature for its user, and a bottle of water. Noticing Blackie’s determined packing Mark rose and began to do the same.
Amelia also began to pack.
“Are you going to eat that?” said Wayne, pointing to a piece of toast.
“No, it’s yours,” said Amelia, passing it to him between the bars. “You think it’s not poisoned then?” she said making fun.
“I don’t know, but I’m willing to chance it,” he retorted, then smiled broadly.
“We had better leave. We need to leave right now,” said Blackie.
“Slow down mate, don’t you think we need a plan?” said Wayne.
“A plan,” blustered Blackie, “a plan, based on what? All the information we’ve corralled since being inside these jail cells? I’ll give you a plan, we leave and turn right,”
“Seems like a leap of faith,” said Mark.
Amelia was packing quietly, and then turned and agreed with Blackie, “He did say turn right. Prenetian said turn right, and he said leave before afternoon. I don’t know exactly what time it is but I’d venture to guess that after the events of yesterday we all had a good lie-in and it’s later than we think.”
Blackie looked at Amelia, than Mark. For a moment he was silent. Then he said, “I think there is more to Prenetian than we think. I don’t think his comment about doing a runner was just a suggestion. He bloody well intended for us to jump out of our skin trying to leave here, and leave here fast. We need to do just that and we need to make it quick,” he said slowly as to emphasize the words.
“Okay, okay, keep your knickers on,” Wayne said with a mischievous grin. Blackie looked for something to throw, but he had packed everything in his bag and he didn’t think the table would clear two sets of bars. He looked up. Wayne was still grinning. Blackie couldn’t help himself and returned an obscene gesture.
Mark caught his eye and said “I’m telling Mom.”
“Fine” said Blackie, “don’t tell Dad. Somewhere in the recesses of his memory he heard a faint chuckle.
They stepped out of their cells with bags stuffed to the brim with virtually everything in their cells.
“Wait, wait,” said Mark, “we’re nicking all this stuff from the jail cell, don’t you suppose they will take issue with that?”
“You mean more than transport with intent or whatever it was?” said Wayne.
“I’m just saying we could be piling more on an already bad pile,” suggested Mark.
Wayne stepped back into cell 5m, reached into his back pocket and retrieved his billfold. He hesitated for a minute then pulled out a five dollar bill and placed it on the table.
“You think that is enough? “said Amelia.
“No,” said Wayne, “I think the government probably paid ten thousand dollars for five dollars worth of bedding, but I don’t have ten thousand dollars on me,” he finished trying his best not to sound irritable.
Mark stepped to the door of the cell, looked at the five dollar bill and said,” I thought that was for a bottle of Southern Comfort before our next gig.” Wayne turned toward the cell door and began to “foam”.
“I’m out of here,” said Blackie and he turned right and went down the hallway. The rest followed.
“Hey champ, do you know where you’re going?” said Mark.
The reply came quickly “Out of here.” They came to a tee in the hallway. “Right again,” thought Blackie. Amelia followed, as did Mark. Wayne hesitated, looking down the left hallway, shrugged his shoulders and turned right. They came to a very big and heavy looking door.
“Carbon fiber,” said Mark.
“How do you know?” inquired Wayne.
“It looks like one of those carbon fiber guitars,” said Mark.
“You mean like a Blackbird,” said Amelia. They all stopped and stared at her for several seconds.
“Well really,” she said assertively, “just because I study math and astronomy doesn’t mean I’ve had my head buried in a text book forever. Besides, I play a little.”
They all continued to stare. “Oh really, I thought we were leaving.”
“Right you are,” said Blackie, “Anybody know how to open this door?” It was a good question. The door had no knob. In fact it appeared to have no hinges. More to the point the door seemed more like a carbon insert in the wall than a door. Wayne stepped up and pushed on the door.
“I did that,” said Blackie. Wayne swung his leg back and kicked it really hard. The only result was the expulsion of some keen expletives and Wayne jumping about on one foot like a pogo stick. They heard a noise, then voices from far down the hall. Mark put his shoulder to the door and pushed hard. It didn’t budge. Amelia joined him while Wayne kept jumping around the hallway and finally stopped to lean against the wall.
Blackie said, “Maybe there is a code?”
“Right,” returned Mark, “except there is no pad to enter a code is there.”
“Maybe it’s verbal.”
“Really, maybe it’s verbal, what have you been reading?”
Blackie ignored Mark, stepped up to the door and said, “Open.” Immediately the door did nothing. They heard noises and voices in the hallway but not as distant as before.
Amelia put her shoulder against the door, “Come on, open please.” There was a slight mechanical sound, as if something was disengaging. As they watched the door quickly developed lines running cattycornered from right to left and left to right. There was another mechanical sound. Wayne was now standing on both feet. Suddenly the four sections of the door slid aside and there was an unobstructed opening.
“That was the coolest thing I’ve seen since the Pink Floyd laser show,” said Wayne.
Back inside the building, in a large chamber, people were gathered for a meeting. A man in a crisp uniform walked quickly, almost at a run, into the room and approached another man who stood at the base of a lavish riser. “They are gone” said the man.
“Gone?” was the reply of the second man dressed in a similar crisp outfit. On the riser behind them, behind a large important looking desk, a chair swiveled to face the room.
“They are gone,” said the man at the base of the riser.
“We looked through all the halls,” said the first crisp man, “we checked with the clerk and they weren’t moved to different facilities, they just aren’t here.”
“I thought this might happen,” said the man in the chair.
“I’ll alert the Captain immediately, they couldn’t have gone far,” said the first crisp man.
“Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary” said Judge Prenetian as he looked down from his chair.
“Excuse me,” said the officer.
“That won’t be necessary,” came the reply, “I believe they have left, you know, done a runner so to speak. Please report to the clerk that the matter has been settled, their cells are now available, and I will supply a complete report of the court’s ruling in due time. Have a good day.” The officer understood this to mean he was excused and left the chamber.
“Judge,” said the man at the base of the riser.
“Uhmm” intoned the Judge.
“You have a meeting shortly in Chamber B with the State Department, and the Dietary Council of Alphus Nebulum to discuss extending the export ban on toast.
“Oh yes, I do indeed,” said Prenetian, “although at this juncture it may be a moot point.”
“I don�
��t believe it, open please,” Marked sniffed after they stepped through the door. They heard a slight mechanical sound, four pieces of the door slid into place and with a clicking sound the faint cattycornered lines disappeared.
“That is just more than cool,” said Wayne.
Mark shook his head “Open please,” and they made their way down the alley. Walls of the adjacent building were covered with beautiful deep red stones trimmed with a white and almost translucent material.
“You think I could export some of this?” said Blackie pointing to the stones. The alley was spotless, as if no one had ever been to the door behind them.
As they neared the street Wayne asked, “Which way?”
“Right,” said Blackie.
“Are you sure?”
Blackie wheeled around with a worried look on his face “No, but it’s worked so far.” They came to the street, turned right and walked fast, really fast like they were late for really good seats at Wayne’s Pink Floyd concert. They kept walking fast and steady and were finally near the outskirts of town.
Wayne noticed Mark examining a small card, “What’s that?”
“I’m not sure, replied Mark, “Prenetian handed this to me when we heard that first noise in the hallway and just before his escort entered the room,” He tried to remember because it happened very quickly, “I think he said it might come in handy.”
“Let me see,” said Amelia, who took the small card, examined it and exclaimed, “this is a credit card.” By now they had been walking quite some time. Without hesitation she tucked the card in her back pocket and nipped into a store whose front they were just passing.
“Is that safe?” asked Mark with a worried look on his face.
“Too late to worry mate,” said Wayne.
Several minutes later Amelia swung the door open, and looking over her shoulder at someone inside they heard her saying, “Oh, thank you very much and I appreciate the advice.” Amelia was carrying a large bag full of drinks, assorted small boxes, packages and a large loaf of toast.
Blackie reached out to help her with the bag; he could tell it was heavy. “What’s all this?” said Blackie.
“We are going to be hungry soon and it seemed like a good chance to get information,” said Amelia.
“Just like that,” said Wayne, “we are on a foreign…” he hesitated for a moment not wanting to say the word planet. We’re lost, on the run, and you thought it would be good to pop in someplace for a little chat with the locals?” he shook his head slowly as if in disbelief.
“Have a drink and shut up,” said Amelia who seemed to not be perturbed with Wayne in the least.
Mark looked at Wayne, “No harm no foul mate,” then looking at Amelia, “you got one of those drinks for me?”
“And me?” asked Blackie.
They made their way out of town and began to climb up a long rise to the base of some hills close by. “The shop keeper said her son hikes out here on weekends and normally there is no one around. She said, “Mind the caves.”
“What does that mean?” said Blackie.
“I have no idea, she told me, “you have 99.8% left on your card, mumbled something about the credits and then said, ‘Oh yes, mind the caves.”
After several hours of walking they made their way to the base of a small hill where trees surrounded a small clearing. “This is perfect,” said Blackie, we can see if anyone is coming from town and no one can approach from behind us.”
Mark looked at Wayne and then Blackie “Going commando on us are you?” Blackie pretended he didn’t hear. They had something to eat, laid out bedding and went to sleep.
Early the next morning Mark woke and roused the others. “I’m going to the store to pick up extra food and drinks. I shouldn’t be long.” Mark dusted off his pants, rubbed his eyes and started toward town. The quartz gleamed under his feet and there was a cool breeze in his face. Not a bad place to be he thought; if you can’t be at home. As he approached town there was a small building on his right where he spied a hose pipe and turning on the faucet he used some water to wash his face. Suddenly a big hand grabbed the front of his shirt.
“Water isn’t free, said the owner of the hand, “I pay for it don’t I.”
”It was just a little water,” replied Mark.
“Oh just a little water?” said the man pulling hard on Mark’s shirt.
“I can pay you,” said Mark showing the man the card.
“I don’t take cards,” spat the man.
“I don’t have anything else; if you follow me to the store I can get some cash and pay you properly.”
“Yeah,” raged the man, “and maybe the moon is going to be green tonight instead of blue, get out of here and don’t let me catch you near my place again.” Mark walked quickly down the street in the direction of the store thinking, “like that’s ever going to happen”.
Entering the store he slipped around the aisles looking for food and drinks. His basket was mostly empty when he noticed a young woman about his age at the end of the aisle. She placed something in her basket and turned into the next row. Mark followed, and between glances he placed various things in his basket to look like he was shopping. She raised her head and smiled. Mark smiled back and said, “Hello.”
“Hello,” she said and made her way to the next aisle. This went on for quite some time and finally the young woman went to the counter to check out. Mark, having filled his basket almost full while trailing the young woman followed her to the check-out counter.
“Nice day,” he said.
“Yes but it’s supposed to rain later.”
“Rain,” said Mark oddly.
“Yes, rain, you know that liquid that falls from the sky occasionally,” she laughed.
“So it rains here?” Mark said questioningly.
“I’m Nita,” said the young woman, “are you okay?”
“Splendid,” said Mark unconvincingly, “simply splendid. I think I’ll just sit for a minute.” He made his way to the corner of the store where a small area was crammed with three tables so close it was difficult to pull out a chair.
Nita finished checking out and joined him. “Here,” she said as she sat down at the table next to his and offered him a cup of coffee. The store owner appeared promptly with another cup of coffee and biscuits. “Why, thank you,” said Nita and turning to Mark said, “It’s early and you’re already having a rough day.” Mark looked at her and tried not to get lost in the green eyes he had followed around the store for the last half hour.
“On the way into town,” he began, “I got accused of stealing water from a small shop down there,” he pointed. “Now you have just told me that it’s going to rain, and my friends are camping at the base of the hill just there,” pointing again, “and I just gathered an entire basket of things I don’t need and certainly can’t carry.”
Nita laughed. “Jake, the shop owner,” she nodded in the general direction Mark had pointed, “is mean and thinks people are always trying to take advantage. I’d steer clear of him if I were you; he has quite the temper.” She stopped and took a sip of coffee. Mark watched her as she raised the cup to her lips. It was like watching a ballet. Her slightest move, the way she held the cup, how she tipped the coffee into her mouth was in perfect balance, like a ballet.
“Movie producers should be queuing to sign her to a contract,” thought Mark.
They finished their coffee and biscuits and Nita said, “How about we sort out that basket and I’ll drive you up to the hills.”
“That would be excellent,” responded Mark.
“You are not from here are you?” she said”
“No, I’m not even close to being from here,” he said. She smiled.
They packed a large bag of drinks and food then put the baby supplies back on the shelf as Nita laughed and Marked blushed. Then they checked out, and walked a short distance to Nita’s transport. It was low slung like a racecar. Mark tossed the bag of groceries in the tiniest of back se
ats and stood back to take it in. The paint was metallic red but it looked like you could almost put your hand through it. The wheels were perfect. The tires were odd. The rubber looked really hard and the wear marks were unlike any Mark had seen before. Mark knew a little about cars. He had rebuilt a 1958 Chevy back on Terra Bulga, complete with a fully restored 348 engine. “You might want to have those looked at,” he said as he looked at the tires.
“You like it?” she asked.
“Nice, really nice, he replied.” So when Nita started the transport Mark was shocked. It rose in the air about sixteen inches, the flat screen panel on the dash board indicated the “tires” had folded under, and the engine made hardly whisper.
“Do you know what kind of engine is in this thing?”
“I should,” she replied turning toward Mark, “I built it.” Nita looked out the windshield and the transport rocketed out of the parking lot like a dragster. “It’s a 49cc percussion drive,” said Nita over the wind. “It has really terrific power, about 88,000 equies, and pretty good economy if you adjust the particle induction properly.”
“Yeah,” shouted Mark, “I always have trouble with adjusting particle induction,” not having a clue what he was saying.
It began to sprinkle. Fortunately Amelia, Wayne and Blackie had stowed their bedding and were just wondering what was taking Mark so long. “Where could he be,” asked Amelia.
“Oh if I know Mark something got his attention,” said Wayne.
“Yeah, something,” sniggered Blackie, and added, “We are going to get soaked to the bone if we don’t find some cover.” He climbed up the hill a short way and called back down, “Hey, there is a cave up here.” Amelia looked at Wayne.
“I don’t like caves,” said Wayne, “I never have, they give me the creeps.”
“Well,” said Amelia, “we could stay here, I’m alright with being wet.” Wayne knew she was just trying to be kind; it seemed she was always kind.
Blackie made his way down to the clearing again and asked, “What’s the plan.”
Without hesitation Wayne said, “We’re going in the cave, how big is it?”
“Looked pretty big from the outside,” said Blackie. They slugged their way up the side of the hill to the mouth of the cave. Blackie piped up, “Shall we go in?” and disappeared into the opening. The air inside wasn’t stale; in fact it was very pleasant. Amelia looked in and thought, “I’m really alright with being wet.” She ducked in and proceeded to where Blackie was standing observing the light emanating from the side of the cave. Wayne closed his eyes hard, opened them and the cave was still there. He stepped inside the cave and joined Blackie and Amelia near the wall.
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