Chapter 4 – News
857 Words
Chapter 4 – News
The next two months passed uneventfully. Iris continued to improve, though slowly, and it would be a while before she was back to normal. Annora continued to sulk, though she had started playing video games to add some excitement to her life, and they seemed to help. Dale continued to keep the city's finances afloat with razor-thin margins, though it had required floating another bond in the face of rising interest rates. He met with Hoyser and Myrtle constantly, and the three of them managed to hold everything together, but just barely.
His uncle's trip to Mercury received a good deal of news coverage. Some of it was actually sympathetic. Zack sent him a few messages at first, but then indicated he needed to go quiet for a while. No details were given, and Dale didn't pry. No one had a keener intuition than Zack. If he felt the need to stop sending messages, then it was undoubtedly the correct choice. Besides... Dale had his own duties to worry about.
“The new defense system works,” Hoyser said one day in Dale's office. “We tested it this morning. Robot-operated machine guns. They'll fire on any unauthorized people in the landing well. Enemy soldiers can still sneak aboard by hiding in a container, but they won't get far after debarking. The well's about as secure as it can be.”
Dale leaned back in his chair. “Good. Do you think we'll ever need it?”
“Beats me, kid. You know how Earthers are. But if they try to invade, they'll have a rough go of it.”
“Maybe we should let that little tidbit leak out. Might have some deterrent effect, you know?”
“Sounds good. I'll tell Myrtle.”
Myrtle entered the office just then. “Tell?”
“We're going to leak a few facts about the defense system,” Hoyser said. “Think you can handle that?”
“Yes.” She looked at Dale. “Deterrent. Good. Good start. Need offense, too.”
Dale ran his hands through his hair. “We can't afford offensive weapons. We're counting pennies here.”
“Must. Deterrent is good. Works best with symmetry. Project power. Need warships.”
Dale rolled his eyes. “Warships...”
“Any ideas?” Hoyser asked her. “We can't just build a navy here. Or on Phosphorus, either. Even if we could retrofit the station into a naval yard, we'd still need the labor and the raw materials, and the sanctions will make that very difficult.”
“Even if the logistics worked out,” Dale said, “we don't have the money.”
“Distraction,” Myrtle said. “Allies. Contracts.”
Dale looked at Hoyser, hoping the man could translate.
Hoyser stared at Myrtle. His brow furrowed for a moment, and then one side of his mouth crept up. “You've got a plan, don't you?”
Myrtle nodded. “Always.”
Hoyser laughed. “I should have known.”
“Well?” Dale glanced from one to the other. “What's the plan?”
Myrtle shook her head. “Can't tell. Secret. You'll see. Something else first. Important. About your uncle.”
“What about him?”
“Missing.”
Dale blinked a few times, trying to process the word in his mind. “Missing,” he finally said in a flat voice. He felt the blood drain from his face. “On Mercury. Zack is missing somewhere on Mercury. Is that what you're saying?”
Myrtle nodded.
Dale exhaled and closed his eyes.
“I'm sorry, kid,” Hoyser said. He looked at Myrtle. “How did this happen? And when?”
“Report this morning. From an ally. Just found out. Might not be news. Might be missing for days. Not sure. Leland keeping up appearances. Status quo. But word gets out.”
She and Hoyser continued to talk, but Dale didn't hear. He was lost in his own mind. All he could think about was Zack and what he must be going through. If he was missing, then he was likely in Nat's hands. He looked at Myrtle. “Spread some rumors. Make it known that Nat has kidnapped my uncle. That might help get the public on our side. If they start calling for boycotts of Leland Agribusiness, then Nat will take notice. If the kidnapping charge turns out to be not true, then Nat will try to produce Zack to prove it's not true. He'll parade him around in a way to make it seem like they're just old friends hanging out. But I seriously doubt that will happen, because Zack's disappearance can't be a coincidence. I'd bet anything Nat has him locked up somewhere in those caverns. Which means we need someone to get him out of there.”
“'Someone'?” Hoyser asked. “Who? The Hermians have their own problems. They're not going to stick their necks out for Zack.”
“Then the Martians, maybe. I don't know.”
“Mars is divided. Each city has its own concerns, and I doubt anyone on that planet would ever willingly go to Mercury anyway.” Hoyser c****d his head. “You could go.”
“Me?” Dale laughed. “I'm not some sort of Delta Force commando. I don't have the skill set to rescue anybody.”
“You're the Hero of Hesperus. That might open some doors. It might help you find him in situations where another person would fail.”
Dale gestured to the monitor. “I've got work to do. I can't just pick up and leave. I'm sure there's somebody better qualified than me to—”
“There's not.” Hoyser's sharp gaze zeroed in on him. “Look, kid. You're a folk hero now. That gives you an edge no one else would have. Besides... he's your uncle. Are you really just going to leave him there to rot? Are you really going to not do everything you can to save him?”
Dale winced. It was a solid point, however uncomfortable. If he didn't go, then who would? And would that person have the support of the Hermians? He ran his hands over his face and then looked at Myrtle. “I guess that answers one question, at least. I'm going to Crater to rescue Zack.”
- Writer
