Part 27 (1/2)

Ramsey hesitated. 'They were up late the night before -exploring.'

'They were exploring in the dark?' Tom Brenner asked.

'Because of their low supply of water,' Ramsey said, 'they've been trying to make the best use of their time.'

'You just said their water supply wasn't critical,' Tom Brenner said. 'Why were they exploring in the dark?'

'They've had a change in program,' Ramsey said.

'There have been reports that they've caught an alien virus and gone insane,' ABC said.

”Those reports are absolutely false,' Ramsey said.

'How could there be a threat to our national security, unless there were survivors aboard the Karamazov?' Tom Brenner said.

'There were no survivors,' Ramsey said. He took a breath. He knew he'd come off badly. 'I'm sorry, that's all the questions I can take at this time. When we re-establish contact, we'll let you know. Now if you'll excuse me.. .'He backed away from his microphone. Tom Brenner nudged Terry.

'Ask about Lauren,' Tom said.

'He just said he doesn't know anything,' Terry said.

'Do you believe him?'

'Of course not.'

'Ask,' Tom insisted. 'You're her fiance. He knows that. Quick!'

'Hey, Dean!' they called. He and Tom were in the second row, in the center. Ramsey heard him, the whole room did, and another hush swept across the crowd as Ramsey paused at the exit and turned.

'Yes, Mr Hayes?' he said without the benefit of his mike.

Terry tried to smile, and didn't quite make it. 'I was just wondering, you know, if Lauren is all right. I mean, I heard what you said, but she's my fiancee and I'd really like to know. We could keep it off the record.'

Ramsey did not simply look as if he had been losing sleep with the rest of them. He looked as if he could have had a terminal disease - a tumor that swelled every time he told a lie. But Terry could see it hurt Ramsey even more to tell the truth. What the man did was tell him nothing at all.

'When we re-establish contact, Terry,' Ramsey said, 'we'll let you know.'

Ramsey left. The reporters began to disperse. Tom Brenner ushered Terry out of the press room and down a long hall that led seemingly nowhere. Tom talked a mile a minute.

'Have you ever seen such an inept snow job? Here the whole world's watching the greatest exploration in human history and NASA drops the curtain just when things get exciting. And that bulls.h.i.+t about national security. First the crew is dying of thirst, and now it's ”not critical.” Never mind that they're sleeping in the middle of the day, because they've been out all night exploring. If you ask me, they've found a couple of Russians and they don't know what to do with them.' He paused. 'Hey, Terry, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to listen to my mouth at a time like this. I'm sure Lauren's all right. NASA's probably still in contact with the Hawk. They probably just concocted the whole story.'

'Why would they do that?' Terry asked.

'Why did they go to Mars in the first place? h.e.l.l if I know. They probably just don't want to upset how good things are going with the Russians. When you get right down to it, that's all that matters to these people. Ramsey was lying through his teeth.'

Terry nodded. 'I hope you're right.' He veered toward a door that would take him into the front lobby, where Kathy Johnson was waiting.

'Hey, where are you going?' Tom asked. 'We've got to get a story into the office by ten. The boss dislikes our coverage as it is. You especially have to be careful, Terry. He still hates the fact that Lauren got engaged to you after she wouldn't even go out with him.'

'I need to tell a friend what Ramsey said,' Terry said. 'Tell the boss to go f.u.c.k himself if he complains about me.'

'Yeah, I told him that for you yesterday. But you know he's a Christian. He didn't understood how he was supposed to do it.' Tom regarded him closely. 'You look like h.e.l.l. f.u.c.k the story. It'll just depress the community if we write it. Why should they have to read s.h.i.+t like that? Go home and get some rest, Terry.'

'Yeah, I might do that.'

Tom squeezed his arm. 'Lauren will come home. I know it.'

Terry smiled faintly. 'Thanks.'

They parted company and Terry went out and searched the lobby for Kathy. He couldn't find her. Ramsey had been an hour late with his statement. He figured she might have gone to the cafeteria for coffee, and headed that way himself.

But waiting for an elevator to take him up to the cafeteria, he thought of Jennifer, and a strong desire to talk to her swept over him. He missed her almost as much as Lauren; she was almost as hard to get hold of. He hurried to a phone booth and dialed the cabin. The blank screen dissolved and was filled with a blazing fire, a snow-lined window, a cozy living room, and the face of a beautiful young girl half hidden behind a wave of blond hair. Jennifer sat with her profile to the screen, her expression sad. She didn't even look over to see who it was. He supposed she didn't have to.

'h.e.l.lo, Terry,' she said.

'Jenny. How are you? We haven't talked for a while.'

'I'm fine. I sit by the fire.'

He felt an urge to take her in his arms and s.h.i.+eld her from what was happening on Mars. Still, he felt she should know what was going on with her sister.

'It must be cold there,' he said. 'That's a big fire you've got going.'

'It's cold,' she said.

'Jenny,' he began reluctantly. 'I've got some bad news for you. It has to do with Lauren.' Jennifer didn't react. He continued, 'NASA has lost contact with the Hawk. Now this happened before. Remember when they landed the second time? It may not be that serious. Personally, I don't think it is. It's probably just a minor power failure. Their generators have acted up before.'

Jennifer didn't move or speak, or look his way. Terry could have understood a mult.i.tude of reactions, but not this. He wasn't even sure she had heard him.

'She should be all right,' he went on. 'They only lost contact six hours ago. Not that I really know what Lauren's been doing the last two days. They started censoring her reports when she went to inspect the Russian s.h.i.+p.'

'The Russians,' Jennifer whispered. She raised her right hand and fingered the ring Professor Ranoth had given her. It shone bright in the light of the fire.

'Are you OK, Princess?' Terry asked desperately.

Jennifer lowered her head. 'I told her not to go,' she said, closing her eyes. 'What does it matter what I say?'

The conversation wasn't doing a thing for Terry's morale. 'Are you still working on your story?' he asked.

'No.'

'Are you taking a break?'

'The story is finished. I came to the end.'

'Great,' Terry said. 'I'm anxious to read it.'