The lab felt smaller somehow, its familiar equipment and sterile surfaces suddenly foreign. Alina stood in the center of her workspace, methodically disconnecting data cables and transferring files to portable storage units. Three years of research, of late nights and early mornings, of breakthroughs and setbacks—all reduced to a stack of drives that fit in her palm.
This is the right choice, she reminded herself. The only choice.
The mantra had become a familiar refrain over the past two days, repeated with each decision, each goodbye, each step closer to the moment when she would leave Border Town behind forever. It didn’t make the leaving any easier.
“Dr. Falkner?”
She turned to find Dr. Rodriguez hovering in the doorway, his weathered face creased with concern. He’d been one of her first colleagues when she’d arrived on Mars, patient and kind in ways that had made the transition bearable. The thought of never seeing him again brought an unexpected tightness to her throat.
“Dr. Rodriguez.” She managed a smile that felt almost genuine. “I was going to come find you before I left.”
“Is it true, then? You’re really leaving us?”
“I’ve accepted a position at another facility. It’s…” She paused, searching for the right words. “It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Rodriguez’s eyes flickered to the empty desk in the corner—Martin’s desk, conspicuously vacant for the past three days. Something passed across his face, too quick to read, before his expression smoothed into careful neutrality.
“We’ll miss you here. Your work on the atmospheric samples was groundbreaking.”
“Thank you. That means more than you know.”
He stepped into the lab, lowering his voice. “If this is about… about the situation with Dr. Reece…”
Alina felt her shoulders stiffen. She knew what he was implying—what everyone was implying. Martin’s harassment had been an open secret in the department, whispered about in break rooms and discussed in carefully worded complaints that never quite made it through the proper channels. It made a convenient explanation for her sudden departure, one she had no intention of correcting.
“It’s not just about that,” she said carefully. “But I won’t pretend it didn’t factor into my decision.”
Rodriguez nodded, relief evident in his posture. “I understand. I only wish I’d done more to address the situation before it reached this point.”
“There wasn’t much anyone could do.” The words were true enough, even if they weren’t referring to the same thing. “Some problems don’t have easy solutions.”
“No, they don’t.” He extended his hand, and she shook it firmly. “Good luck, Dr. Falkner. Wherever you’re going, they’re lucky to have you.”
“Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez. Take care of yourself.”
He left, and she returned to her packing with renewed determination. The sooner she finished here, the sooner she could leave. The sooner she could be with Rhyx.
The thought of him sent warmth spreading through her chest, chasing away some of the melancholy that had settled there. Two days. It had only been two days since she’d seen him, since she’d felt his arms around her and tasted his kiss, but it felt like an eternity. Every moment apart was a small agony, a constant awareness of his absence that she carried like a physical weight.
Soon, she promised herself. Soon we’ll be together, and we’ll never have to be apart again.
She was securing the last of her personal items when the door slid open again. This time, the figure that filled the frame was considerably less welcome.
Bruce Bentley stood in the doorway, his corporate-standard suit immaculate despite the dust that seemed to coat everything on Mars. His smile was polished, practiced, revealing nothing of the calculations happening behind his eyes.
“Dr. Falkner. I heard you were leaving us.”
“News travels fast.” She kept her voice neutral, her hands steady as she continued her work. “Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Bentley?”
“I was hoping we could talk.” He stepped into the lab uninvited, letting the door slide shut behind him. “I’ve just received some rather disturbing news.”
“Oh?”
“Dr. Reece is missing.”
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implication. Alina forced herself to maintain eye contact, to keep her expression blank despite the sudden hammering of her heart.
“Missing?”
