The Caverns of Mare Cetus (12 page)

   "Jesus," said Hunter. "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you let us know when that happened?"

   Ramon shrugged. "Maybe because it's not my job?"

   "That is one lame excuse," said Richelle. "What are you trying to do? Sabotage this t-t-trip?"

   Ramon's obstinacy changed to puzzlement. "Why would I want to do that? That's the last thing I'd ever do."

   Hunter was ready to explode. "You just crossed the line you never should have crossed." He pointed a finger at Ramon. "Consider this the last mission I'll ever have you on." He went over to Trent. "What are you reading?"

   "One, Three, and Four are coming in strong," answered Trent, his eyes glued to the screen as he continued to enter signaling commands through the Vimap. "But number Two doesn't respond."

   "No! Wait," said Ramon. "I didn't expect this to happen. This is all wrong."

   Renata turned toward him. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"

   "Hunter," said Ramon. "We need to talk."

   "About what? How you're undermining my command? Renata— right?"

   Renata seemed miffed. "What did he say about me?"

   "You need to know how much you pissed me off," said Ramon. "I've never had a problem with you being candid with me. In fact, I like hearing you talk about Ari's gorgeous face, cute ass, and stuff like that…"

   Arielle anxiously turned to Hunter, confusion in her eyes. "When did that happen?"

   "But there comes a point where you have to know when to stop," continued Ramon. "When you told her about your fantasy of wanting to watch her dance for you while she's wearing nothing but earrings and heels, you said something a guy's good friend should never say to his girl, even if it was true."

   Isis' and Richelle's jaws dropped.

   "What?" cried Arielle. "That isn't even funny, Ramon."

   "Have you lost your mind?" exclaimed Hunter. "I said no such thing."

   Edison seemed surprised. "What do mean you didn't? Then why did she tell you she always fantasized about doing that for you?"

   "Jesus, Edison!" cried Arielle, turning red with embarrassment as Ramon let out with a gasp of horror. "I never said anything like that! Where do you get off spewing a lie like that? Did Ramon put you up to this?"

   "How did I miss all this?" asked Isis. "What's been going on down here? Some kind of love triangle?"

   Renata stepped up to Edison. "I never heard anything like that. Are you sure you heard them say that?"

   Edison nodded.

   "Come on," said Renata. "Level with me. No jokes. This didn't happen, did it?"

   "It damn well didn't," added Arielle.

   "Yes, it did," said Edison. "And if Hunter had been following the procedures instead of flirting with you, we wouldn't be missing a robotic right now."

   Arielle turned toward Hunter. "You weren't following STEPS? After you assured me you'd follow them?"

   "Fuck you, Arielle," said Hunter.

   "Hey! Hey!" exclaimed Ramon, stepping toward Hunter.

   "Hunter!" exclaimed Arielle. "That was the wrong thing to say." She put her hands on Ramon's shoulders. "Come on, honey. I'm telling you. Nothing's going on. I swear."

   "Ramon," said Renata, appearing beset with confusion. "When did all this happen?"

   "A couple hours ago," answered Ramon. "When Hunter came up front for awhile to talk with you and Ari."

   "He never came up front to talk to me!" exclaimed Arielle.

   "He did," said Ramon.

   "He did not."

   "Come on," said Ramon. "Don't play games with me."

   "Damn you. Listen to me. He
did not
come up front to talk with me." Arielle turned toward the others. "Do any of you remember Hunter coming up to talk with me?"

   Both Isis and Richelle shook their heads.

   "Nope," said Garrett. "Don't remember Mr. L. passing me at all." A smile slid into his lips. "Looks like Mr. R. is pulling our legs again." He tapped Devon on the shoulder. "You remember Hunter coming up front with us anytime after lunch?"

   Devon thought about it a moment. Then she shook her head. "No. I remember seeing him in back several times." She bit her lower lip. "I'm sure he never came up front with us. Why do you ask?" Without waiting for his answer, she turned back to Trent. "Have you learned anything yet?"

   "We definitely have a total communications failure with Kalo Two," said Trent. He looked up glumly. "A Bad Act. No response at all. The other Kalos can't pinpoint its location. I can't even be sure if it's functioning or not."

   Hunter turned to Ramon. He took his hardhat off and threw it on the ground. "I can't believe you did this, then claimed I made a pass at Arielle to cover your ass."

   "I'm telling you, I heard you say that to Ari—plain as day."

   Edison scratched his head. "Hey, Ramon. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I remember the commander coming up front. Since no one else does, maybe we're confusing this with another mission."

   "No way!" exclaimed Arielle. "Nothing like that happened on any mission—ever! If I can barely stand him, what makes you think I'd be trading fantasies with him?"

   "Gee, thanks," said Hunter.

   "Edison!" exclaimed Ramon. "How can you change your mind like that? Are you screwing with me?" He began glancing at the others, as if searching for who had set him up.

   "So, Ramon," said Isis. "When's it going to happen?"

   "When's what going to happen?"

   "When are you planning on popping your cork? I'd really like to know because I want ample warning to get my ass out of here before you do."

   Richelle began laughing.

   "Cut it out," said Ramon. "None of this is funny."

   "Yes, it is," said Richelle, looking up at him.

   "No, it's not."

   "But I believe you," said Richelle in a hush.

   "You do? You heard Hunter?"

   "Sure I did. I just c-c-can't remember if it happened before or after they kissed."

   "They did what?"

   "Didn't you see them? They were just about rolling on the floor."

   His voice rose, his eyes widened. "What?"

   She gave him a shit-assed grin. "Guess again. The only things rolling on the floor d-d-down here are the marbles falling out of your head." She broke into hysterical laughter.

   Isis slapped Richelle on the back. "Nice one, Ritchie." She broke into laughter too.

   Arielle stormed up to Isis and Richelle. "Can it already, will you? That's my boyfriend you're talking about."

   "You know," said Richelle, "for one bright rockhead, you have lousy taste in men. Your b-b-boyfriend is a flippin' fruit."

   "I'm warning you!" cried Arielle.

   Isis tried to stifle her laughs. "Has anyone ever told you he's a complete, utter joke? When you finally dump him, I know I can put you in touch with a convicted murderer who would love to have a twit like you fawning all over him."

   Arielle suddenly lunged forward full force, driving her hands into Isis' chest.

   Isis cried out, latching onto Richelle as she fell back, taking Richelle with her.

   Hunter turned toward the women just as the three slammed into him. He tried to stop their fall, but their weight pushed him backwards toward the wall. At once he felt a terrible pain on the back of his head. He swooned, then slumped to the floor, the women landing on top of him in a pile. "Oh, shit!" he heard Arielle cry as blackness came over him.

* * * * *

"Well, what do think?" asked Renata.

Hunter raised his head. "Think what?"

"The steak," she said. "Do you like it?"

   
Hunter looked down at his plate. In the middle of it was a thick, juicy
steak covered with mushrooms, broccoli florets, light blue, pea-sized
tennerins, and a thin cream-colored sauce. He took a bite as he surveyed
the table. The flickering flames of two white candles providing light, it
was topped with a silver tablecloth adorned with two place settings of
exquisite china. Renata was sitting across from him. She had on an
alluring black lace blouse, her profusion of jet-black hair appearing like
strands of fine volcanic glass in the candlelight. "It's delicious," he said.

   
"I thought you'd like it," she said, smiling affectionately. "I made it
especially for you, honey."

   
"Honey?" he asked, his eyebrows rising inquiringly.

   
"Don't you think I deserve something for all my work?"

   
"Deserve?"

   
"Here." She pointed to her deep red lips, puckering them.

   
Hunter took his eyes off Renata and looked around, his bizarre
surroundings sinking into his consciousness. Their table was sitting on an
open plain encircled by craggy, snow-capped gray mountains. Leaves of
tall majestic trees nearby were rustling in the lightly blowing breeze.
Then he noticed something by one of the trees—no, someone. It was a
woman dressed entirely in black, standing rigidly in front of the trunk.
Most noticeable was her white face and her bright green eyes. She seemed
to be staring insatiably at him.

   
"What's Snow doing here?" he asked.

   
"Oh, her" said Renata. "That's just my shadow. Ignore her. This is
where you should be looking. Come here." She motioned him forward
with her finger.

   
"And what is all this? Where's the cave?"

   
"We've left?" she asked, then chuckled. "No. I don't think so. Mare is
here."

   
"It is?"

   
"Of course it is. Don't you know that? Diametrically, physically,
geometrically, intrinsically—it exists."

   
"Oh, yeah, I knew that."

   
"A good lie," she said, smiling. "But forget that now. I need you. Let
me show you how much I've been yearning for this moment. Come to me."

   
Hunter walked over to her. He crouched beside her, and she put her arm
around his shoulders. As she gently caressed his face with her hand, shivers
of exhilaration soared through him.

   
"I've been waiting so long for this," she said. "So very long." She kissed
him gently on the lips. Then, as if an alarm had been set off inside her, she
took his head firmly in her hands and pulled him closer, parting his lips
in a hungry, pulsating kiss.

   
He responded, exploring her mouth with his tongue, an intense
excitement radiating though his body. He pulled her close, gently running
his fingers through her hair, across her ear, down her neck.

   
Their embrace tightened, and she pressed even harder, devouring him
with her lips.

   
He inhaled, Renata's strong perfume flooding his senses like a tsunami
approaching the shore. He moved his hand along her thigh, and she
moaned. He had an unbearable desire to pick her up and throw her on the
table, to tear off her clothes and make insane, furious love to her. He
glanced toward the trees. Devon's eyes were all he could see now, blazing
with a radiant green light. Odd. Very odd.

   
He turned back to Renata and began to unbutton her blouse…

* * * * *

   
Snap out of it, Hunter
, he thought he heard Renata saying. "Come on. Wake up."

   He took a breath and coughed, the acrid smell of ammonia violating his senses like a tsunami approaching the shore. His head throbbing with a dull pain, he opened his eyes. It took a few seconds for his vision to clear. Renata was on her knees, leaning over him. She had one hand on his chest, her other held a tube of ammonia salts. He groaned in both pain and disappointment.

   "You hit your head," she said. She slid her hand off his chest and put it in his hand, squeezing gently.

   "Y-y-you didn't kiss me?" he asked. "Did you?"

   Renata's look of concern changed to astonishment. "Uh, uh…no!" She shook her head. "Of course not."

   "But it seemed so real," he mumbled. He abruptly sat up, leaned forward, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

   Renata gaped. She straightened up and gazed into his eyes, then nervously glanced a couple times to her left. Devon was the closest to them, her back toward them, her hands clasped behind her. At once Renata leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, her eyes cast to her left. She pulled away and stared at him in silence, as if a million thoughts were running through her head.

   "That was nice," he said.

   "Renata!" called Trent. "Why didn't you tell us Hunter was awake? We need to fill him in on our situation."

   Renata sat down cross-legged.

   Trent and Devon came over and sat beside Hunter. "Good to have you back, pal," said Trent. "You've been out for a bit."

   "A bit?" asked Hunter. He rubbed his left eye with the back of his hand.

   "About twenty minutes," said Renata. She put her hands on her knees.

   Devon crossed her legs like Renata and put her hands on her knees as well.

   "Why didn't you wake me immediately?" asked Hunter.

   "Renata and Devon were with you the entire time," said Trent. "I felt it was best if I straightened out this mess for you. Ramon still denies he's pulling something on us, even though he's apologized a dozen times for not letting us know the Kalo malfunctioned. Frankly, no one buys anything he says, including Arielle, but I can't figure out why he'd do something like that. The guy really seems confused. I know he's an ass sometimes, but he's never been a saboteur."