Shadows of Mars (Broken Stars Book 1) I.O. Adler (read people like a book TXT) 📖

Tried waving her hands about in the air and through it. The red cone continued to hang like a suspended candle dancing in midair. There were no other controls. So what had her mother done to steal a spaceship? Fighting back a growing sense of frustration, she stepped away to consider the light and the space around it. She was missing something.

Jenna was counting on her.

Agent Barrett was texting on his device. He tried to make a phone call. From the sound of it he wasn’t getting through.

Carmen tried for a few more minutes to recreate the mom-creature’s hand movements. Then she went to the robot. Examined it. Inspected every inch for an on switch.

“We’re in trouble,” Agent Barrett said. “Whatever you did shut the door. Now stand still and stop doing anything. You’ll only make it worse. There can’t be much air in here and my suit’s almost out.”

“I’m breathing fine.”

He went back to the wrist device and his typing was frantic. He then slapped at the tiny keyboard and let out a groan.

Carmen touched the dormant bot. “When we had our robot bodies we could open doors.”

“This door opened by itself or you did it before you staggered out of the sphere. If you tried harder to remember, it might be helpful.”

“I don’t remember doing anything. I think it was the robot. If it’s like the ones we were inside on the spaceship, someone has to control it.”

“Okay. So who?”

“My mom was there. But then I also talked to someone else. She called herself She Who Waits. We spoke briefly. She said my mother stole a spaceship and she wanted it back.”

He sagged visibly. “I hope you’re wrong about that. How did you even communicate?”

“She spoke English.”

“That’s unlikely.”

“It’s what happened. She spoke weird like she was placing words together one at a time. She didn’t sound mad, just insistent.”

“I don’t think you’re qualified to translate alien emotions.”

“I’m not. But I was there and you weren’t. And whoever she is wants us to talk to her. That red light is on and it wasn’t before. Maybe there’s something inside the sphere that isn’t working.”

He paused as if thinking. “Or there’s a delay. Talking to Mars isn’t fast. You know that. It all depends on where Mars is. It could take twenty minutes for a radio signal to be received one-way. So wherever this She Who Waits is, they may be hearing what you said earlier right now or maybe not getting it for another several minutes. So don’t say anything else.”

“Carmen?”

It was Jenna. But when Carmen turned to face her sister, Jenna remained where she had been.

“Carmen, I’m here.”

The voice came from the red light.

“I can hear you. If you can hear me, wait. I’m going to try something so I can get to you.”

Carmen leaned close to the light. “Jenna? Are you there?”

Her sister didn’t reply. She called for her again before going to her sister’s side and taking her hand. Squeezed it. “I’m here. I won’t leave your side. Tell me you’re okay and try to wake up.”

When Jenna remained silent, Carmen kneeled by her side.

Agent Barrett appeared next to her, fiddling with his suit. Finally he unzipped the helmet and took a deep breath before letting it dangle behind his head.

“Didn’t you hear me?” he gasped. He wiped sweat from his forehead. “I told you to stay away from the light and don’t touch anything. Can you feel it?”

“Feel what?”

“We’re moving.”

Chapter Thirteen

She felt the pressure around her feet when she stood. But the interior of the sphere remained as still and silent as before.

Agent Barrett fussed with one of his gloves as he tried to remove it. “I told you to stay out of here. Not to do anything. Not to say anything. Or touch anything.”

“Are you sure we’re moving?”

He tugged his ear and worked his jaw. “I’m sure.” From the dangling helmet he removed a headset and put it on. He tapped at his wrist device. “Still no signal.” He went to the red light. “You say this is what lets you talk to them?”

“That’s how it worked when I was on board the other ship. But we just heard Jenna.”

“Maybe it’s a party line. Okay, I’m going to talk.” He licked his lips. “This is Agent Raymond Barrett. Is Jenna Vincent there? Is there anyone else listening? I represent the United States government. We want to speak with you and declare our peaceful intentions. We wish to open a dialogue and establish relations. Please acknowledge this message.”

“You write that script yourself?”

“You want to pretend we’re not in trouble? Go ahead. But we’re sealed inside this thing and have no idea where it’s taking us. There’s limited air. And I don’t see a water tap, fridge, or toilet. So can your attitude. You said the entity you contacted identified themselves as She Who Waits?”

“Yes. She said she owned the ship.”

He cleared his throat. “Is She Who Waits listening? We didn’t steal your ship. If this sphere belongs to you, we surrender it. Please respond to our message. We’re trapped on board. If we can land and disembark, we wish to see returned to you what was stolen.”

Carmen listened with a growing sense of frustration. “How about mentioning something about my sister and my mom?”

“One thing at a time. If these people are powerful enough to damage our world, then we’re going to be polite about our requests. Now stop talking. Let’s wait and see if they respond.”

It had been her sister speaking to her. Somehow Jenna was making the sphere move, Carmen was certain. She felt a growing pressure in her gut as if she were on a high-rise elevator going up.

Her hands felt swollen. “It’s so quiet.”

Agent Barrett