Running Toward Home

by M B Panichi

  * * *

  Shaine had breakfast with Morgan and Friday the next morning. She perused her work mail via her comp pad as she sipped her coffee and finished her toast.

  Morgan asked, “Anything on the guy Friday recognized?”

  “Just reading the report now.” Shaine scanned through the rest of the document and finally shook her head. “Nothing. Everything about him checks out. Hired from Earth. He’s an electrician. We brought him on for work in the new dome. His name is Andy Lenz. Fingerprints and palm-scan all checked out. He has a verified transcript from one of the North Am trade schools. Last job was on Moon Base, doing electrical systems upgrades at the spaceport. Lukas ran standard backgrounds, which come up clean. No criminal record. Lukas did some deep searches and digging around and got nothing.”

  Morgan asked, “What about Ellerand?”

  “I sent him the pic and what I had to see if he could come up with anything else. I haven’t heard back yet. I’ll check in with him when I get to my office.”

  “I’m sure it was him, Shaine,” Friday said. Her expression was serious and earnest. She set her fork down.

  Shaine sighed. “I believe, you, Fri, I really do, but unless I can actually prove that he isn’t who he claims to be, there’s nothing I can do but have my people keep an eye on him.”

  Friday nodded but didn’t look convinced.

  “We’ll keep our eyes open, too,” Morgan said, touching Friday’s arm. “Come on, we need to get down to the warehouse.

  Shaine said, “If there’s anything on this guy, we’ll find it.”

  Morgan smiled. “I know. See you later, Shaine.”

  * * *

  Morgan and Friday caught a closed skimmer ride into the new dome’s docking bay along with Joe Hailey and three others. They were partially suited, carrying their gloves and helmets. Some sections of the new dome were still having intermittent issues with life support as new sections came online, and there were occasional power outages for system updates.

  Morgan was only slightly annoyed with the need for suits. She took the vagaries of maintenance work in stride, but she could see Friday was struggling with the weight of her suit and the restriction of movement. As they trudged out of the docking bay, helmets in hand, Morgan said, “Depending on what’s going on in our work area, we may be able to take the suits off.”

  Friday muttered, “I sure hope so.”

  Joe Hailey laughed and said, “The maintenance bay is sealed and powered separately, so we can take the suits off.”

  “What are we working on today, Joe?” Friday asked.

  “We got all the rest of the bunks and self-standing closet units for the barracks. You guys are helping my crew put them together.”

  Friday’s disappointment was palpable. “Grunt work,” she groaned.

  Morgan gently swatted her arm. “Get over it, kid. Life is full of grunt work.”

  When they got to the maintenance bay, there were already three others working on unboxing all the parts. Morgan grinned, recognizing Nate, Lauren and Annie. She and Friday unsuited and pitched in. Morgan was happy to be busy. She took charge of Friday, giving instruction and direction when needed and trying her best not to hover. For the most part, Friday did well.

  As they finished building the bunk frames, they lined them up near the bay door. Other crews came to pick them up and transport them on indoor skimmers to the barracks building. Morgan wasn’t paying a lot of attention to who was coming and going, but at one point, Friday stopped working.

  Frozen in place, still holding a power screwdriver, Friday stared wide-eyed toward the door. Morgan followed her gaze. The man Friday had pointed out, Andy Lenz, stood with one hand on a bunk. He was staring back at Friday, and for an instant, Morgan would have sworn she saw something—some not quite definable emotion—flit across his face before he turned quickly away, pushing a hand-skimmer out of the maintenance bay.

  Friday’s face was pale, her eyes wide. “We need to leave now,” she said.

  Morgan stepped over to stand beside her. “He’s gone now, Fri. And you’re here with us. Let’s just keep focused on what we’re doing okay?” Oh, that’s lame, she thought.

  Friday said, “He recognized me, Morgan.”

  “It’s possible. Let’s talk to Shaine again after shift.”

  “I’m serious. I have a really bad feeling about him.”

  Morgan could feel the panic, hear it in Friday’s voice. How could she defuse this and reassure Friday, without making her think she didn’t believe her? She touched Friday’s arm. “I know you’re serious, and I know you’re freaked out. But we can’t do anything about it right now. We need to talk to Shaine and figure out what’s going on, okay? For right now, you’re safe, and we’re with friends.”

  Friday relaxed slowly. After a few moments, she nodded. “Okay.” She lifted the screwdriver. “Guess we should get back to it, then.”

  Morgan grinned. “Let’s do that.”

  When they’d done about half of the bunks, Morgan glanced at her wrist chron. Almost done with their shift. Joe Hailey came back toward them. “Hey, Morgan, can you and Friday deliver a skimmer back to the temporary warehouse? You can call it a day, then.”

  Morgan shrugged. “Sure, we can do that. Hey, Fri, let’s suit up. Where’s the skimmer, Joe?”

  “Over in the hangar bay.”

  Morgan sighed. Well, that’d be a bit of a walk. The hangar bay was on the other side of the dome from where they were. No wonder she and Friday were volunteered. “Thanks, Joe,” she muttered.

  He grinned. “I owe ya a beer,” he said, and headed back to the maintenance office.

  Morgan and Friday trudged across the open grounds of the dome. There were no paved streets yet, the ground just plain Martian gravel, but several buildings had been finished, including the maintenance bay, the flight hanger, and the workers’ apartments and communal barracks. Several other buildings were in process, but it was difficult to determine what they were. To Morgan, it felt like a miniature Moon Base. There wouldn’t be room for a park or much open space, but at least they could see the sky and the landscape beyond the dome’s clear glassteel panels.

  They got to the hangar bay attached to the outer wall of the dome. The control room at the rear of the hangar was empty. Once the site was up and running, there would be at least a couple operators monitoring and handling the opening and closing of the bay doors and life support. Morgan glanced around and shrugged. She walked to the row of glassteel windows overlooking the outer bay. One skimmer rested near the personal vehicle exit.

  “Guess that’s the one we’re delivering,” she said. “Let’s get this done and get some dinner.” She helped Friday seal her helmet and gloves and watched as she ran through her diagnostic checks, then got suited up herself. She checked her own diagnostics, making sure all her life support was running correctly, then motioned toward the airlock into the outer bay. She keyed on her com. “Can you hear me?”

  “Yeah, I hear ya.”

  Morgan cleared her throat.

  Friday sighed audibly. “Roger that,” she amended.

  Morgan grinned and started toward the airlock. She could see Friday’s suited form just to her left and a step behind her. She keyed the airlock entrance, punching in her personal ID to log her exit. She waited until Friday preceded her into the small airlock and sealed the hatch. The door locked behind them and the inner door released almost immediately. The outer bay was still pressurized since the bay doors were shut. As she led the way toward the skimmer, Morgan said, “We’ll make sure the skimmer runs before we pop the outer door. No sense in venting the area if it doesn’t.”

  Friday giggled, “Roger that.”

  “Smart-ass.”

  They reached the open bed skimmer. Morgan gestured. “Go ahead and crank it up, Fri.”

  “Cool.”

  Friday pulled herself up into the driver’s seat. Morgan smiled as she watched Friday’s gloved hands touch the different controls and fi
nally press the ignition. She was proud that Friday went through the order she’d taught her, turning on the electrics, checking the power feed, making sure she was in neutral and then finally hitting the ignition. It wasn’t a big deal, really, but it made her feel good that Friday cared enough to listen and follow directions.

  “Good job, Fri. Leave it running and I’ll open the small bay door.”

  Friday asked, “Can I drive?”

  “Sure. Why don’t you pull up to the door?”

  She watched as Friday eased the skimmer to idle in front of the door. Morgan walked over to the controls at the side of the garage-sized door and punched in her ID again. Only certain people had authorization to open the outer doors, primarily shift leads and security or ops personnel. Morgan was glad she was among them. As she was about to hit the open button, the lights flickered. Morgan turned.

  A figure in a standard-issue vac suit stood in the hangar bay, the airlock door still open behind him. The suit’s faceplate was clear and Morgan recognized Andy Lenz immediately because he turned to face her.

  Morgan punched the button to open the small bay door. It rolled up, venting the atmosphere in the hanger. As Morgan climbed into the passenger seat, she said, “Pull out and stop so I can close the bay door.”

  Friday eased the skimmer through the door and parked just beyond it. Morgan swung down to the sand and walked back to the doorframe. She keyed outer control panel.

  As the door began to shut, she looked to the back of the bay. Andy Lenz still stood at the airlock, watching. Morgan felt a chill run through her. Frowning, she pulled herself back up onto the skimmer, standing just behind Friday’s shoulder. “Let’s go, Fri.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Morgan leaned against the bathroom door as Shaine brushed her teeth. Their quarters were quiet and dark. Friday was half-asleep in her cot, blankets pulled up to her chin. Morgan could hear the music blaring in the teen’s ear pods. It made her smile to herself, thinking about how many times her dad had told her she was going to go deaf with that “damned crap you call music” blaring in her ears.

  In this case, it was good to know that Friday wasn’t listening to their conversation. Morgan said quietly, “I don’t know, Shaine. It was really creepy. He was just standing there, watching us. There’s something going on with that guy.”

  Shaine spit out toothpaste. “I’ll talk to Kyle again. But the guy checks out.” She rinsed out her mouth, frowning. “I don’t like it, either. I don’t like that the data is so damned clean. No dirt, no nothing. He hardly has a presence on the net at all. No avatar, no social sites, couldn’t even find a mail account for him. Unfortunately, you can’t prosecute someone for being a hermit. Hell, I don’t even have a reason to pull him in for questioning.”

  Morgan nodded. “I know. I just want to make sure that someone’s watching this guy.”

  Shaine smiled as she turned out the bathroom light. Morgan led the way toward their bed. “I’ve already got him listed as a close watch. I’ll keep our people on him.”

  Morgan slid beneath the covers.

  Shaine crawled in and stretched out on her back and Morgan curled up against her. “No more business, okay?” Shaine murmured.

  “No more business.” Morgan leaned up for a kiss. “Love you, Shaine.”

  “Love you, Morgan.”

  * * *

  Morgan left the maintenance bay and hurried down to ops and Shaine’s office. She wasn’t upset at the sudden call down to security, but she had to wonder what was so important that Tarm Maruchek wanted to talk to both of them. She figured it had to be something to do with Friday.

  She gave Gohste a wave as she strode into ops and along the wall to Shaine’s office. She knocked on the door, then palmed the opener on the frame and entered the room.

  Shaine turned from her desk. The monitor was on, and Tarm was already on the line. “Hey, Morg,” Shaine greeted.

  Morgan smiled. “Hi, Shaine. Hello, Dad. What’s going on?” She pulled over a chair and sat down next to Shaine.

  Tarm said, “We were discussing public relations.”

  “Public relations?” Morgan frowned.

  “All of the blowback from this situation with Friday has put you back in the limelight, Morgan,” Tarm said. “Everyone is asking questions, and aside from ‘no comment,’ we aren’t giving them the answers they want.”

  Morgan folded her arms over her chest, not liking the direction the conversation was headed. “I have nothing to say to the press,” she said flatly.

  Maruchek continued, “We’ve got the media on our side with the investigations and the leaks that have come out regarding the behavior of the Temple Elders. But we need to put a face on what’s happening.”

  “What do you mean, ‘put a face on it?’” Morgan asked warily.

  “If the public is going to get behind a cause and support it, it makes it easier if there is a face they can associate with that cause, and a real person behind it. In this case, that person is you, Morgan.”

  Morgan’s eyes formed slits and she shook her head. “Uh, no. I don’t think so.”

  Maruchek said, “I know you’re not comfortable with this, but it’s important. I set up an interview with Kathryn Leer. You need to do this, Morgan. It will let people see you for who you are. They’ll see that you’re not the bad guy, that you’re just an everyday person. You’re not a kidnapper, or someone who’s playing up to me just for the money. In the long run, this will keep the press off your back far more effectively than you avoiding the whole situation.”

  “Meanwhile, I’m plastered on the vid screen, and everyone is staring at me and making up what they want to believe anyway. No way. Let them think what they want. The people who know me know the truth.”

  “Which is precisely the point,” Maruchek countered. “The public wants to know you, Morgan. They’ve heard rumor and innuendo and false accusations. Let them hear your side of it and see you as you are and not as they imagine you to be.”

  Morgan scowled. She looked to Shaine. “How about some help here?”

  Shaine managed an apologetic shrug. “I think he’s right, Morg.”

  “It’s just one interview,” Maruchek said. “I know Kathryn Leer well. She won’t back you into any corners or ask trick questions. You can vet all the questions ahead of time.”

  Morgan sighed heavily and slouched in the chair. She felt like a whiny kid, but couldn’t shake the reaction. “I don’t want to be a celebrity. I don’t want everyone knowing all my business. It’s my life, damn it.”

  “And right now everyone is poking into your life, trying to figure out who you are. They want to know you. In my experience, I’ve found that giving the public something, even a single interview, will take the pressure off and they’ll leave you alone. They’ll have their answers.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’ve been doing this for decades, Morgan.”

  “And Kathryn Leer is coming to us? To Mars?”

  “Yes. She could do it via a vid-link, but we agreed it would be better to do the interview in person.”

  “Okay. But just this once.”

  Maruchek smiled. “I will arrange things, and let you know when to expect Kathryn. She’ll probably have a small crew with her.”

  Shaine nodded. “We’ll be ready.”

  Morgan just frowned.

  * * *

  Five days later, Morgan reached across the security communications board and pinged Shaine’s com. Shaine acknowledged her page. Morgan said, “Hey. The shuttle’s on its way down. I’m going to let Garren know and see if Fri wants to go down and meet Kathryn Leer. Are you meeting us?”

  “I’ll meet you there, yeah. I’m at the labs. Make sure the docking crew puts an umbilical out to the supply ship, okay?”

  “Roger that. See you down there.” Morgan made a quick call to Garren and another to Friday, who was in the middle of something on her computer, and opted out of the meet and greet. Despite her discontent with the
interview situation, she realized she was looking forward to actually meeting the famous Kathryn Leer. The Universal News Syndicate reporter had risen up the ranks from a local anchorperson to handling in-depth investigative reporting and later, interviews of high-ranking political figures and celebrities. She was known for her sharp wit and pointed questions, as well as her ability to tell incredibly haunting stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

  By the time Morgan got to the warehouse, the supply shuttle had landed. Joe Hailey’s docking crew was finishing connecting the umbilical between the ship and the airlock. Garren came in just after Morgan arrived. Shaine jogged up to join them a couple minutes later.

  Kathryn Leer led the group emerging from the airlock and into the warehouse. She stopped and looked around with interest, smiling widely when she saw Morgan, Shaine and Garren. She walked quickly toward them and they met her halfway.

  Garren stepped forward, holding out a hand in greeting. “Welcome to Mars, Ms. Leer.”

  “Thank you. I’m pleased to be here.” Kathryn gripped his hand firmly.

  “I’m Garren Maruchek, the site administrator. This is Shaine Wendt, our head of security. And this is Morgan Rahn.”

  Morgan was surprised that the famous interviewer was barely taller than herself. And yet Leer seemed large than life, despite being rumpled from the three-day flight from Earth. She wore her sandy brown hair in a short, sophisticated style, a bit tousled, but attractive. She had gentle blue eyes and a genuine smile. She wore a casual shipboard jumpsuit, in tones of blue, and low boots.

  Leer turned her attention to Morgan. “Ms. Rahn, I’m glad to meet you. Your father speaks very highly of you.”

  Morgan felt her face flush. “Um, good to meet you too,” she responded. She wasn’t sure what else to say.