It gave Aiden a headache. Conversations hummed all around him too, and the scent of fried food and sweets wafted from the many shops. Any other day, the rich aromas would’ve had him lining up as soon as they hit his nostrils, but today food was the last thing on his mind. Just the thought of it was appalling, making his stomach churn in protest. He had too much going on in his head, too many unanswered questions driving him mad, to even imagine putting something in his mouth.
What if Darren had sent him into a trap, after all?
To some god-forsaken part of old Atlan where it would be far too easy for even an amateur to off him. Maybe this Bea, whoever she might be, was waiting to chop his head off.
Aiden realized that he’d taken a leap of faith by his own choice. He could’ve killed Darren just as he had planned, yet he’d chosen not to. Because, as much as he hated to admit it, while Darren Howewasa murderer, his story was too compelling to ignore. It held up against Claudia’s case more than any other explanation the authorities had provided so far.
Did it mean Darren had told him the truth? Aiden had no way to know. It could be a cruel joke, but he was desperate. He was at his limit, both mentally and physically, and Darren’s explanation was the only thing so far that made some kind of sense.
So, yes, maybe he was wasting his time, but the beam would still be there upon his return. It didn’t matter if he killed Darren Howe tonight or in two days.
The announcement for passengers to Mars to head to Gate 24 had Aiden temporarily put the mystery that Darren Howe was aside. He dragged himself through security, stopping by the restroom to freshen up. Once he’d splashed his face with cold water, he made the mistake of looking at the mirror. Dark circles, messy hair, frown lines on his forehead even if he wasn’t currently scowling…
He was a wreck.
He hadn’t managed even an hour of good sleep in the past two days and the painkillers did little to lessen the pressure in his head.All the more reason to go to Mars and finally get answers. Or, alternatively, end up dead in a ditch.At least the other meds were working, keeping some of the anxiety at bay, even if thoughts of Claudia still crossed hismind… as did feelings that he was somehow betraying her by going through with this ridiculous goose chase.
Aiden made it to the waiting area just as his phone rang. It was Rick. A surge of guilt crossed through him the moment he picked up.
“Hey…” Rick trailed off, squinting at Aiden through the holographic screen. “Whereareyou?”
Aiden looked around and sighed. “About to board a shuttle to Mars,” he said, his heart rate picking up pace.
“You are coming to Mars? Why am I learning about this now?” Rick asked, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “How long are you staying here for? I can get some time off work…”
Aiden debated what to say. He didn’t want to lie anymore, not to Rick. But he also couldn’t confess everything over the phone. This was a conversation they needed to have in person, and he didn’t think he had the luxury of hanging out with his friend if he wanted to make it back to Horizons on time.
“I have some things to take care of and I… don’t think I’ll be able to meet up.” An announcer’s voice blared in the background, calling all passengers to head to the shuttle.
“What do you mean you won’t be able to meet up…? Aiden. What’s going on?”
Aiden looked around as people started lining up. He really was tired of making up excuses every time he spoke to Rick. “I… talked to Darren Howe. I need to confirm if what he said is true.”
Rick stared at him, wide-eyed. He pressed his mouth in a line, his expression morphing from confused to disappointed to concerned. “You spoke to Claudia’s murderer?” He took a pause, his breathing slow and deep. “Aiden…how?What did you do?”
A member of staff waved Aiden over, tapping the holographic watch she was wearing.
“That’s not important now. I’ll tell you everything the first chance I get, I promise. But I need to go now.”
“Aiden! You can’t just drop this on me and hang up!”
Aiden handed his ID for scanning at the checkpoint and gave Rick an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. For lying, for everything. I just… couldn’t deal with you trying to stop me. But everything is in place now and… soon I’ll have some answers.” Heading into the tunnel leading to the space shuttle, he held up the phone and looked his friend in the eyes. “I will tell you everything. Just… give me a couple more days. Please.”
Rick bit on his lip and frowned. He looked hurt and disappointed and like he wanted to argue, but he didn’t. He just sighed and gave Aiden a tiny nod. “I can’t believe—” he cut himself off, sighing again and rubbing his forehead. “Call me as soon as you can. And please, whatever you are doing, just be careful.”
Even though Rick seemed hurt, some of the guilt lifted off Aiden’s shoulders. “I will be,” he said and bid Rick goodbye, promising to tell him the rest the next time they talked.
Much to Aiden’s surprise, at some point during the fifteen-hour flight, he’d fallen asleep. There was still a prickling throb along his temples, but it was now bearable. His legs felt less heavy too, though how much was due to the difference in gravity between Mars and Europa, he couldn’t tell.
Atlan, Mars’s capital, housed the red planet’s oldest but most modern spaceport. Thousands of passenger and cargo shuttles passed through it every day and it was at least six times as big as that of Europa. It also sported a remarkable twofold design, pulling from both minimalistic new age shapes for its interior, and richer, more intricate old century styles for the exterior.
Because of its relative proximity, Atlan International Spaceport was connected to the city by an underground highway and an over-ground magtrain line. Aiden opted for the latter, curious to see how far the terraforming had progressed since he’d not had the chance to do it last time. As soon as the train left the spaceport, he got his answer: more than he’d expected.
The filtrating glass dome that had encircled only the city two years ago, now spanned a wider diameter, ensuring space was abundant for the ever-expanding Atlan. Heavy machinery and terraforming outposts dominated the barren red plains below the magtrain’s elevated tracks, some digging, others flattening. Three or four more years and the city’s boundaries would creep even closer to the spaceport, and then likely beyond it.
With nothing to do but stare out the window, Aiden decided to give PI Deverson a call. He’d not had a chance to update him, and now was as good a time as any.
“Mr. Kesley, I was just about to call,” the PI said, his rugged face taking up the phone’s screen.
