Martian Plague

by Brandon Ellis

  More sand blasted inside the storage bay. He sighed. This day was just getting better and better.

  He pressed on the driving pedal, moving away from the smashed-up rover and toward the rover that was resting on its roof.

  When he got near enough, he pressed the brake and lowered the forks, which dropped down onto the floor. He maneuvered the forklift smack dab where he wanted it and rolled the forklift forward. The shriek of metal against metal reverberated as the forks slid underneath the top of the vehicle’s roof.

  He nodded to himself and stopped the forklift, figuring he was exactly where he needed to be. He lifted the forks and tilted them back.

  Sand cascaded across his visor, and he instinctively shielded it with his forearm. The dust died down a moment later.

  “Hurry,” yelled Jozi.

  More sand blew through the ramp’s opening.

  “I am hurrying.”

  The rover tipped over, and Relic shook when the vehicle landed on its wheels. The rover teetered back and forth on its advanced shocks.

  “Does the Mars rover work?” Jozi said, fully opening the ramp.

  “Maybe.” He turned off the forklift and raced over to a crate, pulling out several solar batteries. “Open up the vehicle’s back door. Quickly.”

  Sand slid against the wheels and clouded the air. The storm was closing in.

  Jozi rushed over and opened the back door. Ozzy dumped in two solar batteries with enough charge for forty-eight hours to a week, depending on how long he drove this rover. The good news: the batteries charged from the sun’s rays. The bad news: the batteries took hours to charge fully and could only charge when the vehicle was not running.

  If they were out of battery life for that long, the internal oxygen tanks in the rover would turn off, leaving them with little breathable airtime. He patted the batteries, thinking he had more than enough, and slammed the door.

  “Tagus Valles, here we come. We’ll get a ship there.” He jumped into the driver’s seat. “Get in.”

  Jozi hopped up into the rover and shut the door, laying the briefcase on her lap, and gently dropped her backpack at her feet. “We can’t get any of that sand on this vehicle. You know that, right?”

  “It’s designed strictly for sand use, something they should implement in our flying crafts.” He patted the console. “This bad boy can take a lot.”

  “Can it take a dust storm?”

  Ozzy shook his head. “Probably not for too long. We still have the windshield to worry about. It would probably hold, but the sand would scrape the glass bad enough that we wouldn’t be able to see.” He turned the oxygen switch on, then hesitated. He turned it back off. “Hold on.” He jumped out of the vehicle.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Forgot something. We’ll be fine. Do your makeup or something.” A whirlwind of sand blew into Relic, slapping against his legs. He ran to a room that might as well be labeled, don’t even think about it. He went to open the door. “Shit.” It required his hand print. He wasn’t taking off his glove, just in case.

  He turned his attention to the tools lining the walls. Barely any remained hanging, but the tools weren’t what he was looking for. There was his PR-19 photon rifle in its case, resting on the floor next to a workbench.

  He moved swiftly, rushing past the rover, and grasped the case, opening it. He pulled out the PR-19 and dashed to the door that no one dare enter…but him.

  He aimed his weapon at the upper right portion and pulled the trigger, holding it down against the back trigger guard. The rifle recoiled against his shoulder over and over. He slowly moved the photon blasts down the side of the door, poking holes through it.

  He released the trigger and kicked open the door, which fell to the side, tumbling against a wall.

  The stealth device was on the floor, glowing indigo, still pulsing its energy signature around Relic, rendering it invisible to any radar system or anything else that could track and find his ship.

  Good. The rock was still working.

  He targeted the cables and wires that were attached to Indigo, then pointed his rifle where the wires and cables went into the floor. He took a shot, severing them in half.

  Sand whipped into the room, pecking like a million birds at his back. The storm was picking up speed. Again, the wind didn’t matter on Mars as much as the sand did.

  He strapped his rifle around his shoulder, grabbed the stealth device, and rushed to the rover and stepped up into it. He slammed the door, setting the rock-looking device between him and Jozi.

  “You went back for a rock?”

  He switched the oxygen tanks on and flicked the anti-radiation shields to active. He flipped the ignition lever and reversed the rover down the ramp, silently saying goodbye to his old friend, Relic.

  He glanced up and over his ship and his eyes about popped out of his head. The sandstorm was almost on their heads. He’d have to outrun it and fast.

  He turned the wheel and pressed the pedal to the floor. The rover’s wheels spun on the sand and then caught hold, taking the vehicle into a U-turn. He slammed down on the pedal harder, hoping to outrun the red cloud.

  “Really? A rock? That’s what you went back for?”

  “Damn, you ask a lot of questions.” He unclipped his helmet and threw it in the back seat, taking his communication cap off and throwing it over his head. “Listen, pumpkin. If you want to sneak past the Dunrakee terrorist stronghold at Dawes, then this is the only way you can do it.” He palmed the indigo rock. “It’s my secret weapon. It practically makes me a ghost. Got it?”

  “Got it, but you call me sweetheart or pumpkin one more time, then my sweetheart knee will be jumping into your groin. Got it?”

  He kept his mouth shut. He couldn’t hit a girl, and even if his already screwed up ethics told him he could, she’d still kick his ass, along with every other man he knew.

  She was one MMP agent he didn’t want to scrap with.

  Ozzy pulled out Lily’s photo and placed it on the center console. He turned the wheel. He had to outrun the storm, or simply get out of its way in order to stay alive to find this cure that probably was nothing more than dead plants.

  The vehicle bounced up and down, the rover’s shocks skillfully helping the vehicle climb over a large rock and setting the vehicle harshly on the ground.

  “Go, go!” yelled Jozi, looking over Ozzy’s shoulder at the coming dust. “It’s about to hit us.”

  Ozzy kept his eyes on the terrain, moving the rover left and right, doing his best to avoid as many rocks as he could.

  The rover shuddered and tipped to the side. Ozzy pressed the stabilizers, balancing the vehicle. It landed on all six tires and continued to shred the red dust through its treads.

  Ozzy clenched his teeth and took a quick look at the speedometer. It showed 86 miles per hour and rising.

  He patted the wheel. “Come on, Rover. Come on, buddy.”

  A flash of lightning lit up the sky, then another and another.

  “Well, wonderful,” groaned Ozzy. “Just what I need.”

  The storm wasn’t only a dust storm. It was producing dust charges, or in other terms, dust lightning. One hit and the entire car would be fried.

  He veered the rover at more of an angle and away from the storm. Maybe he could get on the outside edge of it where lightning rarely struck.

  As he was attempting this maneuver, a blast of lightning flamed up in front of his vehicle and blackened a rock, pushing it against the rover.

  A loud bang resonated, and the vehicle bucked to the side, nearly hitting a boulder. Ozzy turned the wheel, keeping the six-wheeler upright, and continued on.

  The vehicle beeped and began slowing down.

  “Go faster,” roared Jozi.

  Ozzy tapped on the pedal several times, but it wasn’t responsive. He looked to his left, watching the oncoming storm like it was a tsunami he couldn’t outrun.

  The rover puttered.

  He pressed the pedal
to the floor.

  The engine turned off.

  11

  Unknown, Mars

  “Move it, Rover.” Ozzy punched the steering column. “Come on, you piece of tin crap.”

  “Oh my God,” Jozi gripped the seat.

  Sand slammed against the driver’s door, and the sky reddened.

  Ozzy pressed the ignition. It didn’t start. “Come on, you son of a bitch.” He pressed it again. No luck. What the hell was happening?

  He checked the solar energy gauge. It was damn near full.

  He punched the middle console. Lily’s picture fell like a bird’s feather spiraling down to the ground. He let out a breath and grabbed it, sending her another kiss. “You’re my charm. You’ve always been there for me. Just one more time.”

  More sand blasted against the vehicle.

  He closed his eyes, whispering under his breath. “Sorry for calling you names, Rover. Start for me, beautiful. Start for me.”

  He pressed the ignition.

  Nothing.

  More sand pitched the Mars rover back and forth.

  “Get us out of here, Ozzy,” screamed Jozi, her eyes glued to the surrounding storm.

  “Come on, Rover. I do apologize. You’re a gorgeous creature, more majestic than Mars’s sunsets.”

  He pressed the ignition again, and Rover hummed on. Ozzy threw a fist in the air and punched the metal to the floor.

  The dust pelted his windshield, making slits and throwing small chips off like shredded paper, slightly cracking the glass.

  He glanced at the speedometer again. He was already up to 41 miles per hour. The sand was easing up, the cloud was opening, and the rays of the sun were streaming on the red, rocky terrain in front of him.

  The rover bounced, and Jozi leaned forward, a gleam in her eye as if she couldn’t believe what was happening. “Almost there, Ozzy.”

  They burst through the cloud into the butterscotch-colored day. Ozzy looked in the rearview mirror, not believing his dumb luck. The storm had turned away from them, which was how he managed to drive out of it. He was now putting quite the distance between them and the blowing sand.

  Ozzy wiped the sweat off his brow and gave Jozi a funny look. “You gonna take off your headgear now?”

  “I don’t know. You gonna drive us to safety now?”

  He pointed ahead. A hazy dome covering a city was in the distance. “Tagus Valles, sweetheart.” He gave her a wink, placing Lily’s photo on the middle console, and then winced, quickly remembering that Jozi didn’t like these nicknames.

  “One pass, alright? Next time, cover your crotch.” She touched the center console, bringing up the communications display.

  Ozzy narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting the High Judge on the phone.”

  “Good.”

  “Why good?”

  Ozzy grinned. “You’ll see.”

  The rover shook, hitting a rocky bulge in the red soil.

  Robert’s face popped onto the screen. He looked melancholy, his eyes distant and empty. “More deaths,” he said. “More cities are reporting it.” He rubbed the back of his neck, no doubt wondering when his time for the Martian Plague was next.

  But Ozzy could tell there was something else nagging at Robert. It was in his eyes. Ozzy couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but his intuition was telling him there was more to Robert’s stress.

  Jozi’s hands came together in a prayer position, and she dipped her head. “I’m sorry, High Judge. How many?”

  “It’s already decimating our city. I think people had it before we first detected it here. More people are getting it at record contagion rates.” Robert paused. “And, uh…” his voice cracked.

  “What’s the matter, High Judge?” inquired Jozi.

  “Nothing,” he responded, looking away.

  “Are you safe?” she inquired.

  “As safe as I can be.” He cleared his throat. “Zephyria Planum have lost three-quarters of their city already. And Reuyl is reporting their first cases. Are you guys almost to Dawes?”

  “About that,” said Ozzy. “We hit a little bump in the road.”

  Robert narrowed his eyes and sat up straighter. “What…bump?”

  Ozzy put on his best depressed expression. “We had a little accident with my ship during the dust storm—”

  “That he purposely flew into,” interrupted Jozi.

  Ozzy waved his hand in the air. “Don’t listen to her. I didn’t purposely fly into anything. It flew into me and my S-4 Jumper. We are currently in a Mars rover, and I’m driving our asses to Tagus Valles right now. It’s up ahead.”

  “So…get to the point, Mr. Mack.” Robert picked at a button on the top of his shirt, clearly frustrated.

  “My S-4 Jumper is dead, and we need a new craft. Possibly in that same style in order to get to Dawes.” He stretched his neck, adding for emphasis, “It’s our only prospect.” It was his only hope of getting more money.

  “How much are you asking?” responded Robert, his eyes deadpanned on Ozzy’s.

  “Four million, maybe five million auric credits.”

  Robert jerked back in his chair. “Are you crazy? An S-4 Jumper doesn’t cost that much?”

  “It’s for my lost ship and for a new one.”

  Robert crossed his arms, shaking his head. “Absolutely not. You use the credits I’ve already given you.”

  “I can stop this rover right now and be on my way to do better and less dangerous things.” He took his hands off the wheel and intertwined his fingers on the back of his neck, lounging. He lifted his foot off the gas, slowing the vehicle.

  Robert took a long, deep breath. “I didn’t want to do this, but I’m going to have to in order to get your mind on the game instead of on the money.” He paused, taking his sweet-ass time. Finally, he stared intently into the screen and spoke. “Your Lily has the Martian Plague.”

  Ozzy’s heart nearly stopped. His lips straightened, and he brought his hands back to the steering wheel, gripping it tightly. “You’re lying.”

  “I’ll make sure she calls you soon. Until then, you’re using your credits for the rest of your trip. Out.”

  Robert’s face blipped off the screen, and the holographic display folded up and sucked back into the top of the dash.

  Ozzy’s face turned pale, and his hands became clammy. “He’s lying,” Ozzy breathlessly whispered.

  Jozi looked at Ozzy, her eyes solemn. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, she’s not infected with that disease. She can’t be. She’s in the safest place on all of Mars. Robert is lying.”

  “I’m not sure about that. Robert may be a jerk, but he has good intentions.”

  “He doesn’t. You don’t know him. He’s bluffing. He wants to steer me where he wants me to go. It’s not going to work.” Ozzy stared at the red landscape and the hills in the background. Tagus Valles was up ahead.

  He stopped the vehicle.

  “Where is she if she’s so safe, Ozzy?” Jozi gently asked.

  “In one of the underground cities. It won’t get hit by a plague.”

  The com line dinged, displaying on the caller ID Venessa Mack. City: Tunnel Downs.

  He flinched. It was his ex-wife, which meant that Robert gave her the rover’s com channel. And it meant that Robert could very much be telling Ozzy the truth.

  It would be the first time he’d seen and talked to his daughter in three years. And at the worst time—a time when she may have the Martian Plague.

  12

  Nearing Tagus Valles, Mars

  Ozzy’s voice cracked, “Answer.” The worst-case scenario was bearing its ugly head down on him.

  The call display blipped on. A woman, teary-eyed with bags under her eyes, looked back at him. She held a handkerchief in her lap.

  He hadn’t seen or talked to his ex-wife, Venessa, in three years either. His chin trembled. “No…don’t say it.”

  Venessa nodded her head, her bottom lip
quivering. “She contracted it two days ago. They give her eight days at most.” Her eyes narrowed. “Where have you been, Ozzy? I’ve tried to find you for years. Even though we were divorced before you disappeared, it didn’t mean for you to disappear from your daughter’s life too.”

  “I can’t tell you where I’ve been or why.” He grabbed the steering wheel and yanked it. “I’m coming to Tunnel Downs.” He floored the rover.

  “I’m not in Tunnel Downs, Ozzy. I’m in Gale Crater City at Robert Baldwin’s quarters. They have a small hospital here. They are taking good care of her.”

  Jozi rested her hands in her lap, screwing up her nose. “What do you mean you’re at Gale Crater City?”

  “Yes, how did you get there?” This wasn’t adding up. Tunnel Downs was far from Gale Crater City.

  “We won a trip courtesy of the High Judge. I don’t know how we won. We didn’t even enter, but it was a family package for Lily and me. We arrived, and after she met the High Judge, she came down with the disease right away. They have her quarantined.”

  “Let me see her,” demanded Ozzy, pressing on the brake. He knew full well what Robert had done. He had either purposely infected her or invited his daughter to an infected playground, or both. Robert was using a leverage card that was going to kill the love of his life.

  Venessa let out a little cry, doing her best to hold it in, something Ozzy was a master at. “Okay…hold on.” She put on a mask and walked out of the room and down a hall, holding her phone in her hand.

  “We don’t give trips or prizes away, Ozzy,” Jozi whispered.

  He gave Jozi a harsh stare. “This is what Robert does.”

  “Daddy?”

  The sound of Lily’s voice relaxed him immediately, and he brought his eyes back to the holodisplay. “Lily-bug?”

  There she was, all seven years of her. She was the epitome of innocence, the perfect little angel that Ozzy never deserved. Yet, her eyes were sunken in, shadowed, and her face was white and pasty. She had the Martian Plague, but with it, she still held a smile.