Mars Rising (Saving Mars Series 6)

by Cidney Swanson

  “We’re heading into the city?” asked Pavel.

  Zussman nodded curtly.

  Another announcement rang out through the train: This train is delayed. London Hover apologize for the inconvenience. This train will resume service in approximately three minutes.

  The hovertrain doors opened again, taking the edge off the stifling heat.

  Pavel ran a hand along his chin, searching nervously for any remaining beard.

  “It could be a coincidence, sir,” murmured Zussman.

  “I don’t believe in coincidences,” said Pavel.

  ~ ~ ~

  Deputy Director of Operations Schloss took advantage of a lull between incoming comms to connect to Gamma 12 in Lyons once more.

  “I want an update on the jumper,” said Schloss.

  “Ma’am, she disappeared sixty seconds ago. She took a corner we were unable to navigate. When we turned back, there was no sign of her.”

  “She didn’t disappear,” snapped Schloss. “She’s hiding. I want the entire area cordoned in a four block radius.”

  “But, Ma’am—”

  “Do it! I can authorize a cordon for up to half an hour. The good citizens of Lyons can manage that. Which means you are wasting precious time. Bring in Lyons local police force and patrol the area. Find the jumper. And report back to me. Schloss out.”

  She turned to one of her subordinates. “Updates from Gamma 12 have priority over everything else.” The visual of that flaming red hair, sent only minutes ago to HQ, it was a powerful one. And Schloss had a powerful feeling about the jumper.

  “Shizer,” she muttered. She’d left her London support on hold. Connecting the comm, she said, “This is DDO Schloss. What have you got for me in London?”

  “Ma’am, the fugitives seem to have made an escape into the underground hover tube system. We’ve halted all trains in a three kilometer radius, following possible escape routes.”

  The DDO leaned forward, elbows on her desk. She cradled her head in her hands. “Who are these people?”

  “Madam Deputy Director?”

  “Nothing. Comm me when you have the fugitives.” She cut the call and stared at the holographic images of the three men. Assuming they were men. That was a lot of facial hair. She turned from the images.

  “Get these faces cleaned up. See if any of them could be female. I need something here. Anything.” She shook her head. She ought to have updated the Chancellor nine minutes ago.

  “Ma’am,” said an assistant from behind. “Shall I comm the Chancellor?”

  “No!” Schloss closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and spoke with more control. “We wait for good news before disturbing the Chancellor.”

  “But, ma’am, she requested updates every quarter hour—”

  “I’m well aware of what she requested,” growled the DDO. “Dismissed, Captain.”

  36

  GIFT FREELY GIVEN

  Jessamyn turned slowly, noting the mess of glass she’d created.

  “What are you doing here?” demanded a very elderly person.

  No, thought Jess. Not old. He’s a twobody.

  “What is going on?” said a much younger woman. The fire in her eyes matched her exuberantly red hair.

  Matched Jessamyn’s, too. “I am so sorry for bursting in like this,” she said.

  “Holy shizer,” whispered the woman. “You’re a dead ringer for her.” The woman moved in a slow circle, observing Jess from all angles, and shaking her head all the while.

  “You’re Jessamyn Jaarda,” said the woman. “Or my name’s not Françoise. My son would have recognized you if he would wear his glasses.” The woman glared at her son. “His eyes are worthless without his glasses.”

  “Mom,” whined the twobody. But he put his glasses to their proper use as well.

  “Listen, I’ve probably got a tail—someone following me to arrest me,” said Jessamyn. “So if you don’t mind showing me the best way out of here? Please?”

  “The building’s been placed in lockdown,” said the twobody, pointing to a red light above their closed front door. “No one’s getting in or out at the moment.” Then he shot a hand out. “LeClerc. Louis LeClerc. It’s an honor to meet you. I’m a huge fan.”

  A screaming siren sounded. It was getting closer.

  Jess swore. “Listen, I’m in real trouble. The Chancellor wants me dead.” She turned to the twobody. “Please, is there anything you can suggest?”

  “You’ll never get away from here if they’ve cordoned the building,” said the woman. “Hide in the armoire,” she said, directing Jessamyn to a tall piece of furniture with doors. “You’re small. Like me.” The woman smiled. “Let’s see if the resemblance is enough to fool whoever’s after you.”

  “What?” asked Jessamyn.

  “They can’t hold me if I’m not you,” said Françoise. “And I could use a bit of an adventure. Louis, do you understand what to do?”

  Nodding, Louis LeClerc grinned at his mother. “Let’s do it.”

  “For the love of Mars,” said Françoise, winking at Jess.

  A tingle ran up Jessamyn’s spine. Then the armoire door closed and she was alone in the dark.

  ~ ~ ~

  Pavel didn’t like standing on a stopped train. Didn’t like it at all. He tapped Ethan’s shoulder and jumped off the train, Zussman following behind.

  Across the way, another train arrived, spilling its human cargo into the passageway. Pavel, Zussman, and Ethan disappeared into the crowd.

  “Sir,” whispered Zussman as they rode another escalator, “it is imperative we not use our scan chips upon exiting.”

  “I’ve got an idea,” said Pavel. Quickly, he explained his plan.

  “My wafer informs me persons in hoverchairs are not required to scan at all,” replied Ethan. “I shall utilize the alter-abled gate.”

  “Excellent,” murmured Pavel.

  He looked about as they exited the escalator together. Just ahead, he saw his opportunity and dashed toward a woman maneuvering a baby carriage through the double-wide exit designated for such passengers. She swiped her wrist and the gates opened, but she was having trouble with one of the wheels catching against something.

  “Ma’am,” cried Pavel, waving a woolen scarf that had, moments earlier, been draped around his neck. “Your scarf; you dropped it.”

  The woman turned and stared at Pavel. While she shook her head and said it wasn’t her scarf, Zussman slipped easily ahead of her pram through the open gates.

  Pavel called out to him, maneuvering past the woman and her carriage. “Sir, is this your scarf?”

  Zussman took the scarf without a word and the pair continued to the street, meeting Ethan.

  “If I might, sir?” asked Zussman, indicating a desire to lead the group.

  “Sure thing,” replied Pavel.

  A wind whipped up from the warm belly of the underground, half pushing them forward to where the stairs expelled them into the street. Aboveground, the nightlife of a bustling city scene greeted the three.

  “Well,” said Pavel, “we’re on the run from the RSF, we have no ship, no money, and we can’t use our scan chips.”

  “Indeed, sir,” said Mr. Zussman, forging ahead. “But, on the positive side, London is lovely this time of year.”

  Zussman kept his head down and glided along with the throng, Pavel and Ethan following. The butler rounded a corner, taking a quieter street, and then, inexplicably, turned up a set of stairs and entered an old looking building.

  Frowning, Pavel followed.

  It might have been a church, thought Pavel, although the seating arrangement was unusual, circular instead of in rows. It was very quiet. The nave had tall clear windows on all sides and a sweeping dome perforated by additional windows. The whole building seemed to capture and focus luminosity from the brightly lit night outside.

  “A church, Zuss? I don’t think they’re in the business of selling transports.” Pavel’s hands settled on his hips, and he r
efused to take a seat.

  “Churches,” Zussman said softly, “have the benefit of being one of the few remaining places where it is illegal to monitor conversations. Or even to capture images.”

  Pavel’s frown smoothed and he took a seat. “Good thinking. Let’s find out if Brian and Jumble have anything for us.”

  “Indeed, sir,” said Mr. Zussman.

  The three men shook their heads, activating their earpieces. Now that Pavel was no longer running for his life, his stomach twisted with fear for Jess.

  Over Pavel’s communicator, Brian’s voice thundered. “What took ye so bloody long? We’ve been trying to hail ye for fifteen minutes at least.”

  “We have been … preoccupied,” replied Ethan.

  “It’s the lass,” said Brian. The thunder in his voice was gone. He sounded scared. “Jamie locked onto her ship’s beacon over Lyons, France, just as an RSF ship took control of the nav panel. Jamie managed to restore control—”

  “Did she get away?” Pavel asked, cutting Brian off.

  Brian’s breath sounded, heavy in Pavel’s ear. “The vehicle remained on a course for the ground. Even after Jamie restored the controls.”

  “Then, there’s no way Jess was on that ship,” said Pavel. “No way did she fail to notice she got controls back.”

  “She might have been incapacitated such that she could not fly the ship,” said Ethan.

  Pavel’s breath caught in his throat. He shook his head. No. No. No.

  “Aye,” said Brian. “That’s what we’re afraid of.”

  Pavel’s hands clenched into tight fists.

  “We’re still on a course for Madeira,” said Brian. “Do ye want us to turn back and search Lyons? We could make it in under two hours.”

  “No,” said Pavel. “We’re closer.”

  “We have no vessel,” said Ethan.

  “So we steal one,” retorted Pavel.

  “I believe I can offer assistance in that area,” said Mr. Zussman.

  “We’re trying to hack into RSF feeds in Lyons,” said Brian. “Well, Jamie is trying. We’ll let ye know the moment we have anything.”

  “Thanks, man,” said Pavel, his voice flat. Brian knew as well as anyone that hacking into the RSF feed was impossible.

  The comm ended and Mr. Zussman rose, heading for the door.

  “There are several vendors of elite transports less than a kilometer from here,” said Zussman. “I propose visiting one of them to arrange for a test drive.”

  “Are they open this late?” asked Pavel.

  “Oh, yes, sir,” replied Zussman. “London never sleeps. Mister Jaarda, would I be correct in presuming you have the ability to disable a test drive perimeter limit?”

  Ethan bowed over his wafer, researching, fingers flying. “The task does not appear to be beyond my abilities,” he said a moment later.

  “I propose going in alone,” said Mr. Zussman. “I do not anticipate difficulties, but, should they arise, I would feel better knowing the two of you could carry on without me. If all goes well, I will pick you up shortly after I obtain the vehicle.”

  Ethan gave Zussman instructions on how to locate the pair of them via their earpieces using the vehicle’s comm panel.

  Satisfied, Pavel nodded. “Okay. You get us a fast ship. And then we go to Lyons. Fast.”

  ~ ~ ~

  From inside her hiding place, Jessamyn heard the sirens growing louder and louder. They swept past the apartment and then turned back.

  They spotted the open window, thought Jess. Her heart began to pound and she tried to make herself smaller in the corner of the dark armoire.

  “Citizens!” A harsh voice, artificially projected.

  A heavy thud. The front door: had secures just kicked their way in? An officer began to ask questions. After he threatened Louis, Jessamyn heard Françoise entering the room, shouting.

  “Leave the twobody alone. He’s not the one you’re looking for.”

  There was a rapid shuffling, and Jess suspected Françoise was being tackled by several officers at once. For an uncomfortable moment, Jess wondered what Harpreet would do in her place. Harpreet didn’t believe in letting the innocent suffer.

  “Citizen … Françoise LeClerc,” said an officer. He read out her name as though he didn’t believe it was her name. “You are under arrest for attempting to resist the stoppage and search of your vehicle. You will be detained until we are satisfied as to your motives and intentions.”

  Jess didn’t like the sound of that. She was about to push out of the armoire.

  “Gentlemen,” replied Françoise, “I’m more than happy to go with you and answer a few questions. Oh, and ladies, too. Sorry, dear. That uniform does nothing for you, you know.”

  Jess stifled a small laugh. Françoise could more than handle herself. What would Harpreet do in this situation? Harpreet would tell Jess to stay put. Because Harpreet would recognize the value of the gift freely given by this brave woman and her son.

  The remaining officers asked Louis a few more questions, which he answered carefully, making certain his mother’s release would not be complicated by anything he fabricated. He was smart, thought Jess. Not as smart as her brother, maybe, but plenty clever.

  Ten minutes after the officers left, Louis walked to the armoire, opening the door with a soft, “It’s okay. They’re gone. The lockdown light just went off, so I think we’re in the clear.”

  “Okay,” said Jess, uncurling from her hiding place. Her arm felt funny and she wondered if she’d done something to it on the hoverboard.

  Louis grinned and rocked slightly on his feet. “This has been the best day of my life.”

  Jess, examining the mess of torn curtain and dirty boot prints left by the police visit, shook her head slightly. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said. She reached for a couple of credit strips. “This is all I have.”

  Louis pushed her hand away, and Jess thought she saw a blush forming on his lined face. “Don’t be silly. We wouldn’t dream of taking your money.”

  “Your mom, will she be … okay?”

  Louis shrugged. “They can’t hold her for more than a day without charging her. And they have no basis for making a charge. It won’t take them long to figure that out.”

  Jess frowned. She probably didn’t have long to make good on her escape.

  “You’ll be in Budapest by then. The next time you’re on the news feeds, put in a good word for Lyons.” Louis grinned and then shook his head. “You really have no idea what you’re walking into, do you?”

  “I’m aware of the danger of my situation,” said Jess.

  “I’m not talking about the danger. I’m talking about the fame. Now, you’re famous. Once you set foot in the House of Parliament? You’ll be … iconic.”

  Jess grunted uncomfortably.

  “Just get there safely,” said Louis. “That’s all I ask, on behalf of my mother and myself. Get there and tell the world about Mars.”

  The backs of Jessamyn’s eyes begin to burn and she nodded.

  “Oh, wait a moment.” Louis stepped into an adjoining room and came back carrying a hat and jacket. “You’ll blend in better if you dress like a local. How are you thinking of getting to the capital?”

  She didn’t want to risk stealing a vehicle with the police in Lyons on high alert.

  “Is there a hoverbike rental nearby?” She fingered her last two credit strips nervously.

  “No,” said Louis. “But there’s Pierre’s.”

  “Pierre’s?”

  “He has used hoverbikes. I’ll call ahead and tell him you’re coming.” He grinned. “You’ll like that jacket on a hoverbike.”

  As Jess donned Louis’s jacket and hat, he showed her the location of Pierre’s used bike shop.

  “Just a moment,” said Louis. He reached over and tucked her hair inside the cap. “That’s better. We don’t want anyone else recognizing you until you get to Budapest.”

  Jess nodded, thanked Lou
is once more, and stepped outside the apartment.

  Once the door closed behind her, she sighed heavily. She had a long ride ahead of her, assuming “Pierre” would sell her a bike this late at night. She found an elevator, boarded it, and descended, her stomach doing little flops she knew weren’t caused by the descent.

  37

  IF YOU MUST CHOOSE

  Finally, thought Schloss, a bit of good news.

  “Stand by to comm the Chancellor,” she said to an assistant. Returning to her call with the Chief of Police in Lyons, she asked about the jumper’s identity.

  “She comes up with an exemplary record. A fourbody called Françoise LeClerc. Single mother of one son, lives with him, according to her scan chip.”

  “That just shows you how far a suspect will go to hide their tracks,” said Schloss, half to herself.

  “Instructions, Madam Deputy Director?” asked the chief.

  “Send the detainee to us in Budapest for further questioning. Schloss out.”

  The DDO smiled broadly. “I’ll make that comm to Chancellor Brezhnaya, now, please.” She could afford to say please and thank you now that things were finally turning around.

  ~ ~ ~

  Pavel and Ethan waited on a quiet side street while Mr. Zussman departed to “test drive” a transport.

  “I have been considering what Brian reported,” said Ethan, breaking the silence between the two. “And I have been examining traffic reports in the area of Budapest.”

  Pavel looked up from the ground where he’d been watching a spider crawling along the pavement.

  “There are alerts showing up advising travelers of delays into Budapest and surrounding areas,” said Ethan.

  Pavel shrugged. “There’s always traffic issues around the capital.”

  “The delay advisories are not for heavy traffic. Rather, motorists and pilots are advised they may be subject to something called a ‘stop and search.’ When I endeavored to discover more about this, I noted traffic control has a special tracking system in place flagging every transport that logs a flight plan into Budapest.”