War for Mars by Brad Wolf

Author:Brad Wolf [Wolf, Brad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-08T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten – It Was All A Lie

The soldiers were rounded up and well-fed from their supply of canned food that was still untouched in the back of the cafeteria supply room – Githrooks don’t like human food – and they were all too buzzed to sleep.

Colonel Martin and Freddy Sturgess sat in the high-room above the cafeteria, and Martin lit a cigar he found in a drawer before passing it to Freddy. “What now, sir?”

“Well, we know that General Welcher is most likely dead,” he said. “Unless they were keeping him housed somewhere else around here. But I’ve just received word this morning – word I wanted to keep quiet from the others until I told you – word from earth, Freddy.”

“What word is that, Colonel?”

“Welcher’s son is alive. He tried to call us again. He’s been sending distress signals daily, from what he told me once I managed to connect with him. Today was going to be the last time he tried, he told me. He had given up all hope. And for good reason. He knew we must have been either enslaved or killed. He just didn’t want to lose hope until he knew for sure.”

“And what does all this mean, sir?”

“It means we’re going back to Earth, Freddy.”

“Why?”

“Welcher isn’t the only man down there. From what you and the other kids know, he’s one of the few. But that’s just what you were told. And I’m telling you now that you were told propaganda. Unfortunately from myself as well.”

“Sir?”

“Freddy… When we left Earth, we left most of the population there. God forgive us.”

“I thought they were shipped in separate ships to other areas on Mars?”

“Yes, well… That was Welcher’s story. A creative one he came up with.”

“What about the Southern rim? There are tons upon tons of men and women there.”

“You’ve seen them?” The Colonel raised his eyebrows, smiling sadly at Freddy.

Freddy hesitated. “No.” There was a long pause. He fiddled his thumbs together and felt the sweat creeping down his back. “And my family?”

The Colonel looked down at his cigar and tapped it into an ashtray. His eyes slowly moved back up to meet Freddy’s. He swallowed hard. “Where did they live on Earth, Freddy? Before all this, I mean.”

“California. Los Angeles, sir.”

The Colonel looked back down at his cigar with uncertainty in his eyes. “Well if they’re even alive, then I supposed they’re somewhere down there.”

“You son of a bitch,” Freddy said through barred teeth, standing up and kicking his chair behind him. “You lying, manipulating, drunk son of a bitch.”

The Colonel’s eyes widened and he stood up on his two weak legs. “I’m your superior,” he said in a soft, wavering voice.

Freddy jumped over the table and clutched onto his throat, squeezing it and choking him, listening as Colonel Martin’s gasping filled his ears like a pleasant melody. It felt good to be in charge. It felt good to squeeze the throat of this lying man, this man who lied about his family, this man who gave him hope all this time.

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