Box

by Richard J Lowe

‘So, what happened? Last I saw of you was on the news; climbing into a hole in that thing in sector seven just before it disappeared..’

  Kevin looked at Simone and Connie. His sister nodded. Connie shrugged.

  ‘This may sound crazy, but we, uh, travelled. To another world,’ said Kevin.

  ‘You’re right. It sounds crazy,’ said Bannon.

  ‘We were on Earth.’

  ‘Earth?’ Bannon looked incredulous.

  ‘Yeah, we picked up Connie here.’ Kevin indicated the South African.

  Connie waved. ‘Hi.’

  ‘Damn. You’re serious.’

  ‘We ended up on what I think was a totally alien world,’ said Kevin.

  ‘No shit?’

  ‘We came back to get the help of Webb and his scientists.’

  ‘From the way they’ve been talking about you on the news, you’re more likely to end up in the can,’ said Bannon.

  ‘Thanks for warning us. I think they’ll change their minds when they hear what we have to say.’ Kevin held out his hand and Bannon took it in a firm handshake.

  ‘You be careful, Maddock.’

  ‘Come on Kev, let’s go and see Webb,’ said Simone.

  ‘Right. Later, Bannon, and thanks again.’

  ‘Good luck, man.’

  CHAPTER 24

  The container was roomier on their way back from the can as they were sharing it with a few barrels of waste instead of a week’s worth of supplies. The downside was the faint odour of sewage lingering around the sealed barrels. Daniel wondered why they hadn’t thought to ask Lula to program the AI to ignore the absence of the barrels so they could leave them behind. They needed the extra space as they had two extra passengers for the return journey: Jacob and the large, muscled prisoner who they had agreed to take with them. His name was Eric. At least that was the name he had given them. Daniel didn’t know why he had been sent to the can; Eric had evaded the question when they asked, and Daniel did not think pushing for an answer was a wise idea. The man seemed to emanate a smouldering glow of suppressed violence even when he was just hunkering down in the corner of the empty container.

  Jacob had hardly said two words since Eric had taken them to him. The usually well spoken, intelligent man had been reduced to a sullen, brooding silence by his experiences. Daniel couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to him over the past few days to affect him like this.

  Dimitri was watching his cuff display. ‘We’re nearly there.’

  ‘Good,’ said Daniel.

  They endured another five minutes of bone rattling progress until the hauler juddered to a halt at its destination. Once inside the loading bay they emerged from the container. Lula was waiting for them with her laptop clutched tightly against her chest. One by one they lowered themselves from the container and onto the floor of the loading bay.

  ‘They’re back,’ said Lula.

  ‘Who’s back?’ asked Dimitri.

  ‘Kevin and Simone.’

  Daniel felt relief wash over him. ‘Thank God.’

  ‘Get inside before someone sees you,’ said Lula.

  ‘Not you,’ Dimitri said pointedly to Eric.

  The big man half-raised his hands. He couldn’t raise them any higher as the therms he had liberated from a locker in the can were a tight fit. ‘Seriously? I’ve been in the can for five years. I could use a bad woman.’ He was looking at Lula hungrily.

  Dimitri glowered at the man dangerously. ‘Take a pool rover and get the hell out of here.’

  Eric turned his attention to Dimitri. He seemed about to say something, but stopped and smiled. ‘Fine. I know when I’m not wanted.’ Eric turned and walked away, heading towards the side of the dome where the rovers were parked.

  Daniel watched him go with a slight sense of unease. They had just helped someone escape from the can. He had no idea why he was there. He could be a killer. He could be a serial killer.

  ‘Danny, you coming?’ Dimitri broke his train of thought.

  ‘Sure.’ Daniel turned and followed the others into the airlock.

  * * *

  ‘Simone?’ asked Jacob.

  A shot of Dimitri’s moonshine and the news that Simone was back seemed to be bringing Jacob back from the brink of wherever he’d been mentally.

  ‘The AI reported that they showed up on camera at the excavation site,’ said Lula.

  ‘Can I see?’ asked Jacob.

  Lula shook her head. ‘Sorry, no. The notification packets are piggy-backing out on the video feed to the science labs, and that just shows an empty hole.’

  ‘We should go and meet them,’ said Daniel.

  ‘Agreed. I will go,’ said Dimitri.

  ‘I’m coming too,’ said Jacob.

  ‘No, you are not,’ said Dimitri.

  ‘Yes, I am.’ Jacob’s voice was firm. Simone coming back seemed to have given him renewed strength.

  ‘Jacob.’ Lula held up a brand new cuff. It still had the protective film over its screen. ‘You and I will stay here and work on your new identity.’

  ‘I want to see my wife.’ Jacob sounded like a petulant teenager.

  ‘You will.’ Dimitri put a consoling hand on Jacob’s shoulder. ‘But you cannot come with me. You are a wanted man.’

  Jacob’s shoulders slumped.

  ‘Go. I’ll look after him,’ said Lula.

  ‘We’ll bring her here, Jacob. Don’t worry,’ said Daniel.

  The look Jacob gave him was heart wrenching. Daniel could see his son-in-law’s eyes glistening with freshly forming tears.

  ‘Jacob, I…’ Daniel trailed off, not sure what to say.

  Jacob sniffed, his attempt at a smile barely noticeable. ‘Just go. I understand why I have to stay.’

  ‘Good,’ said Dimitri. ‘Come on, Daniel. Let’s go and pick up your kids.’

  CHAPTER 25

  Reims punched the button sending the lift rattling into motion down the mine shaft. Conway was fiddling with his taser.

  ‘Have you not got the shop to look at that yet?’ asked Reims.

  ‘Not yet. The trigger mechanism is only a little sticky.’

  ‘Idiot.’

  ‘Hey, I’ve been busy,’ protested Conway.

  ‘Don’t come running to me if some tweaker cracks your skull while you’re dicking around with a sticky trigger.’

  Conway looked up from fiddling with his taser. ‘If I had my skull cracked, as you put it, I doubt I’ll be running anywhere.’

  The elevator arrived at the bottom of the shaft with a bump. Conway dropped the taser and it went skittering across the floor of the cage. Sometimes Reims wondered what she’d done to deserve being partnered with Conway. Sure, he was good with the paperwork, but he was almost a liability in the field.

  Reims opened the cage. ‘Just stay alert. Remember, there’s two of them.’

  ‘Sure, sure.’ Conway retrieved his taser and holstered it.

  Reims led the way towards the water extraction facility which was the first stop en route to the excavation site. The sound of rock on metal echoed down the corridor as they neared the facility. During a lull in the noise, she heard voices from around the corner. She held up her hand indicating Conway should stop and then inched forwards until she could see into the chamber containing the water extraction machinery.

  ‘Bingo,’ she whispered.

  She could see the colonies two most wanted in conversation with one of the water miners they had interviewed two days ago. Bannon, she thought it was. There was also a fourth person she did not recognise standing with Simone Aarons.

  She ducked back behind the corner and beckoned Conway over. ‘Do you recognise the one at the back?’

  Conway swapped places with her and peered around the corner. ‘No. Should I?’

  ‘Run a facial recognition search on her,’ said Reims.

  Conway nodded and aimed the camera on his cuff at the unknown woman. He whispered a few words to initiate the search and swapped position with Reims who resum
ed her observation of the suspects.

  ‘So, what’s our play?’ whispered Conway.

  ‘I don’t like having an unknown player here.’

  ‘Should we back off and wait for an ID?’ asked Conway.

  Reims agonised over the decision. They might not get another chance if they pull another vanishing act. Although the video feed from sector seven showed no evidence of the object’s return. She hesitated for a few more seconds before coming to a decision. ‘We take them now.’

  Conway nodded and drew his taser, making one last check on the trigger mechanism.

  Reims talked into her cuff in a low voice. ‘Proceeding with arrest of Kevin Maddock and Simone Aarons.’

  Then, she drew her own taser and cautiously entered the water extraction facility; there were plenty of places for an assailant to hide. She could hear the shuffle of Conway’s feet behind her.

  Reims took a deep breath, aimed her taser in the direction of the fugitives and said, ‘Halt. Colony Police. Put your hands on your head.’

  She inwardly smirked at the look of panic and fear on their faces.

  ‘Hands on heads, now.’

  The first to comply was Bannon. That figured, he knew they weren’t after him. Then the two fugitives followed suit. The unknown woman was the last to comply.

  ‘That’s better. Kevin Maddock. I am arresting you for unlawful appropriation of colony property. Simone Aarons. I am arresting you for unlawful appropriation of colony property and unlicensed gene-edited pregnancy.’

  ‘What?’ said Kevin.

  That was amusing. The brother didn’t seem to know about his sister’s pregnancy. It wouldn’t save him from an extra charge of accessory after the fact. Simone looked downwards, avoiding her brothers gaze.

  Conway moved past Reims with two sets of restraints in his hand. Once he had secured the suspect’s arms behind their backs, Reims lowered her taser and turned her attention to Bannon and the unknown. ‘You two will accompany us and come in for questioning.’

  ‘Sure thing. I don’t want any trouble,’ said Bannon.

  The dark-skinned woman remained silent. Reims did not particularly like the look of the glower she was sending her way over the top of her mask.

  ‘You will comply in accordance with colony mandate thirty-two.’

  She had hoped that invoking mandate thirty-two would keep the woman calm and compliant; however, it hadn’t even made her look away. Reims decided to keep her taser free of its holster just in case. ‘Let’s go, Conway.’

  Conway moved the prisoners back towards the elevator out of the mine. Reims stayed back and made sure she kept Bannon and the mystery woman in view as they followed.

  CHAPTER 26

  Dimitri slewed the rover to a halt right next to the water mine entrance, popped the door open, and jumped out almost before it had stopped moving.

  ‘Hurry, Danny. We have to get to them before someone shops them to those ColPol fascists.’

  Daniel climbed out of the rover, joining Dimitri as they waited for the elevator. Dimitri was peering over the edge of the shaft as the clank and rattle of the approaching elevator cage became audible.

  ‘Shit,’ said Dimitri.

  ‘What is it?’ asked Daniel.

  ‘I see them.’

  ‘That’s good isn’t it?’

  ‘Not if Reims is with them it isn’t,’ said Dimitri.

  ‘Oh no. What do we do now?’

  ‘A bloody good question, Danny.’ Dimitri paced back and forth throwing the occasional glance down the shaft as he talked. ‘We don’t have long.’

  Daniel took a look down the elevator shaft himself. He could see the elevator cage was quite full. He counted six people; two of them were in ColPol uniform. Daniel found it difficult to identify his son and daughter from this aerial view and found himself wondering how Dimitri had recognised Reims.

  ‘How do you know it’s Reims?’

  ‘Who else could it be? We have to decide if we want to add assaulting a fascist to our rap sheet.’

  ‘I didn’t know I had a rap sheet,’ said Daniel.

  Dimitri chuckled behind his mask. ‘I bet they’ve got a big fat file on you, Danny.’

  Daniel knew this must be true. ‘A virtual one at least.’

  ‘We’re almost out of time. I’ll leave the decision to you, Danny. Do we try to free Simone and Kevin or run?’

  Daniel considered running. But then what? Once ColPol got his children in a cell, the next stop would be the can, and they’d be sure to step up security after they rescued Jacob. ‘We’ve broken prisoners out of the can. Why stop there?’

  Dimitri nodded. ‘I’ll take Reims, you get the other one.’

  Daniel felt lightheaded. It was surreal that they were planning to attack two ColPol officers; they had jumped over the line into lawlessness with style.

  The two of them hid behind one of the surface water tanks that lay between the mine shaft and the ColPol rover. Then they waited as the elevator ascended the shaft. Finally, it came to a halt and one of the ColPol officers opened the gate.

  The pair of would be ambushers drew back so they were not visible to the approaching officers, and Daniel tensed as the procession neared their hiding place.

  ‘Stop here,’ said a female voice. Daniel recognised it as Reims.

  Dimitri cursed under his breath.

  ‘Check that other rover out.’ That was Reims again.

  Daniel listened as footsteps moved away from their hiding place and towards where they’d left the rover.

  Dimitri turned his head and looked Daniel in the eye. ‘We go now.’

  ‘Right.’ Daniel was not surprised to find his voice came out shaky and nervous sounding.

  Reims’s attention was on Conway who was peering through the windshield of their rover when Dimitri barrelled into her, knocking her to the ground.

  Daniel sprinted towards Conway, passing Dimitri and Reims as they struggled for control of the taser.

  ‘Dad,’ said Simone.

  ‘Holy shit,’ said Kevin.

  Part of Daniel was filled with relief at hearing his children’s voices again. The rest of him was concentrating on getting to Conway before he cleared his taser from its holster.

  He wasn’t fast enough. Conway leveled the bright yellow taser at him and depressed the trigger. Daniel was both surprised and relieved when nothing happened and he crashed into Conway, knocking him backwards and into the side of the rover. There was a sickening crack as the ColPol officer’s head connected with the doorpost. Daniel leant against the rover and watched as the man slipped to the ground. He felt another surge of adrenaline as he realised he didn’t know if the man was alive or dead.

  The distinctive crackle of a discharging taser sounded behind him, and he turned to see Reims climbing to her feet. Dimitri was lying on the ground, groaning.

  Reims was breathing hard. ‘Daniel Maddock, you are under arrest for assaulting a Colony Police Officer.’

  Daniel looked at the taser in her hand. Beyond Reims, Kevin and Simone had their hands restrained behind their backs, and there were two other people Daniel did not recognise. One was wearing a worn set of therms bearing the mining department patch. The other was wearing brand new therms along with what looked like a factory fresh tank-belt and mask.

  ‘Put your hands behind your head,’ instructed Reims.

  Daniel complied. An empty sense of failure rose inside and he felt his throat thicken with emotion. ‘I—’

  ‘Save it, Maddock. You’re going to the can for that.’ Reims nodded at Conway. His scalp was bloody where he had hit his head.

  Daniel looked at his feet as his eyes started to fill with moisture. He felt so hopeless. Powerless. He had wanted to keep his family safe. He had wanted revenge. On Webb. On the council. And all he’d done is fail.

  He heard a grunt and looked up and saw Reims collapse at the feet of the woman in the brand new therms.

  He saw her wink at a shocked looking Simone and Kevin
. ‘I’ve changed my mind. Maybe Mars isn’t going to be such a great place after all.’

  Kevin seemed to recover his wits first. ‘Get the key to our restraints.’

  The mysterious woman rifled through Reims’s pockets and came back up with a small electronic key. ‘This?’

  ‘Yes.’ Kevin turned around and presented his hands for release.

  Both he and his sister were soon free.

  Simone ran to Daniel and hugged him. ‘Oh, Dad.’

  Kevin helped Dimitri to his feet.

  ‘I hate being hit by those things,’ said Dimitri.

  ‘Christ, Kevin,’ said the water miner.

  ‘Bannon. Sorry to get you involved in all this,’ said Kevin.

  The well-dressed stranger had her hands on her hips. ‘Would someone like to tell me what the hell is going on?’

  ‘It’s a bit confusing, Connie,’ said Kevin. ‘Apparently we’re now wanted for stealing the Box.’

  ‘And being pregnant,’ said Connie, looking significantly at Simone.

  Simone released Daniel from the hug. ‘We can talk about that later. We need to make sure these two are alright.’ She knelt by Conway and checked for a pulse. ‘Thank God. He’s still breathing.’

  Connie was looking down at the prone figure of Reims at her feet. ‘She might not be alright, but she’ll live. Probably has a concussion.’

  ‘What do we do now?’ asked Daniel. He was just starting to consider the ramifications of what they had just done.

  ‘I’m beginning to think coming back to Mars wasn’t the best idea,’ said Kevin.

  ‘Back to Mars?’ asked Daniel.

  ‘We can explain later,’ said Simone. ‘I think you need to fill us in on what you two are doing here assaulting ColPol.’

  Daniel rubbed his forehead. ‘We saw you come back and came to get you before you got picked up.’

  Dimitri gestured at the two officers on the floor. ‘These fascists got here before us.’

  ‘Where’s Jacob?’ asked Simone.

  ‘He is with Lula, back at the agri-domes,’ said Daniel.

  ‘Thank God.’

  Daniel could almost feel Simone’s relief. He wanted to ask her about the baby, but not with all these people here.