The Phoenix Conspiracy

by Richard Sanders

  ***

  As Calvin moved through the silent, empty halls, he skirted the corners carefully.

  He scrambled up a deck, using the ladders, but had to cut his ascent short and hide because he heard voices. He moved down a main corridor but the voices continued to follow him.

  He wondered if they knew he was around, or if this was just a bad coincidence. He hushed his breathing and moved on. Knowing if he couldn’t get around them, he’d have to outthink them.

  The voices didn’t go away. Making him more and more certain they knew where he was. Yet they didn’t run, just kept pace. As Calvin turned another corner, making yet another attempt to get around, he realized they were corralling him. They didn’t know where he was exactly, but they were closing the window. And there must be other Special Forces soldiers coming from the other side or perhaps waiting in ambush.

  If he stayed, he’d be caught. But if he kept moving, he’d spring their trap. He had to invent a third option … If only he could get the incoming men to move past him. Then he could go back the way he’d come and access the ladders without a problem.

  He looked around. He was in a small corridor with crew quarters on both sides. His first thought was to hide in one of them. But they were certainly locked. Maybe someone would sympathize with him and aid him?

  He sprinted to the nearest crew quarters and rang the chime. Then he stood out of view of the small camera that would have identified him to the occupant. Hopefully the crewman was someone sympathetic to his cause and would take him in. If not …

  He tightened his grip on his stunner and waited.

  The approaching solders were almost to the last corner now; they were loud enough Calvin could understand their conversation. It was about “tightening the gap” and the need to “search some of the rooms.”

  The door opened, revealing the surprised face of Third Lieutenant Rafael Te Santos, one of the analysts from the lab.

  “Can I help you, sir?”

  Calvin practically tackled Rafael as Calvin darted inside and closed the door. Rafael looked both confused and a little angry. But Calvin didn’t have time for apologies. “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  Rafael’s eyes were difficult to read, but he nodded. “Yes. Can I help you somehow?”

  “Let me hide here for a few minutes.”

  Rafael agreed, waving for him to go into the closet but instead Calvin chose behind the bed, where he’d still be out of sight but could fight more easily—if it came to that.

  Unfortunately, from this view, he couldn’t see Rafael. And wasn’t sure whether the analyst planned to actually help Calvin—at great personal risk—or give him up as soon as the soldiers were near.

  The seconds passed. It was too quiet. A bead of sweat trickled slowly down his forehead. He didn’t wipe it away until it stung his eye. All the while he tried to resist the voice inside telling him, Stun him! He’s going to give you up!

  Calvin didn’t stun Rafael. He didn’t even move to where he could see him. Instead he waited, trusted, and hoped. He’d made a real effort to get to know his crew personally—including Rafael—and Calvin had proven himself to them again and again. Now it was Rafael’s turn to prove himself to Calvin.

  Seconds turned into a minute and then two, and still nothing happened. But he didn’t let himself relax, he continued to wait. Feeling the burn in his knees as he crouched, he shifted positions to ease the pain.

  Timing was critical, and judging when to leave was hard to decide. It had been a while since Calvin had entered Rafael’s quarters, but, if the soldiers were searching rooms—like they’d discussed—they could easily still be in this hall. But if they weren’t searching rooms, they were long gone.

  He decided he’d make Rafael be the one to step out into the corridor to see if it was clear. Just as he cleared his throat to speak, the chime rang. Calvin cut himself off and adjusted his grip on the stunner. Not too tight, not too loose, finger over the trigger. Ready to pop up with the element of surprise. Maybe, just maybe, he’d get lucky.

  He heard Rafael’s footsteps approach the door. Then the soft whoosh of it sliding open.

  A soldier spoke. “Is Lieutenant Commander Cross in this room? The major has ordered his arrest.”

  Moment of truth. Calvin held his breath and steadied himself. His whole body tensed.

  “No, he isn’t,” Rafael said smoothly.

  Calvin restrained a sigh of relief.

  “It’s very important we find him,” the soldier said. “He was spotted on this deck. We think someone may be hiding him, and anyone who is hiding him will stand before a tribunal unless they come clean now. So, have you seen him?”

  “Well, yes, come to think of it,” Rafael said.

  Calvin clenched his teeth. No! You’re going to sell me out after all?

  “I heard someone earlier. Not three minutes before you rang my chime. Sounded like running. I thought it was nothing, but it might have been him for all I know.”

  “You heard running on the other side of this door?” the soldier asked skeptically.

  “It was partially open at the time.”

  “Then did you see who it was?” the soldier demanded.

  “No. It was only partially open. I was trying to get a little bit of airflow since these vents aren’t as good as advertised.”

  “And you didn’t look when you heard the running? That didn’t stand out to you as something you should investigate?”

  “I thought it was my imagination. But, if it wasn’t, the man ran that way.”

  Calvin didn’t see which way Rafael had pointed, and, for a moment, Calvin feared Rafael had pointed at the bed, where Calvin was hiding. But there was no reason for Rafael to do that. He’d protected Calvin thus far, so he suppressed his paranoia and tried to focus completely on what he had to do next.

  “Thank you, sir,” the soldier said, and he left.

  The door slid closed, and Calvin popped up, stunner still in hand, and saw Rafael looking back at him darkly.

  “I hate lying to soldiers, you know,” he said.

  “And I hate running from them,” said Calvin. “But thank you for your help. And I promise you, I really am on the right side of all of this.”

  Rafael looked at him. “I believe you.”

  Calvin nodded. “Thanks. If everything goes the way it should, things will be back under control soon. Now, which way did you send those soldiers?”

  “That way.” Rafael pointed.

  It was the direction Calvin had hoped, leaving the path to the ladders clear.

  Okay, bridge, here I come.