SUNGLASESS AND ROCKETS Part 2: The Machine

A REMOTE PLACE

"Drug dealers!" I repeated incredulously.

I got up at once and looked forward. The Bat's reflectors lit up the trunks of huge trees on the edge of what seemed to be an open road in the middle of exuberant vegetation.

Yes. It was an open air strip in the middle of the jungle...

"It is possible that the drug dealers are far from here," the doctor clarified and put his hand on his chin. "In any event, we cannot take the risk of staying in the ship for a long time." He pulled his beard. "Listen carefully—"

"How do you know that the dealers are not nearby?" Darwin inquired.

"It is cloudy...there might be a storm. That scares the small planes off," he folded his arms. "This is the plan and we must carry it out at once: we will search for a hill and from there, we'll be in touch with Colonel Croft. Prior to our leaving, we'll split up—"

"But, where are we?" his niece interrupted from the end of the line.

"We don't know for sure...maybe in Nicaragua...but once we make contact with Croft, he will define our exact location and will come to get us," he made a pause to get back the thread of his exposition. "We'll split up—"

"Doctor," now Darwin interrupted. "Are the Guardians still following us?"

As a matter of fact, they had shot us down.

"What if they have tracked us?" I inquired. "If they were able to reach us in the stratosphere, they could easily catch up with us on Earth."

The doctor shook his head.

"Missile Z-33, the one that reached us, was not fired from the air. It was fired from a Bat's cave. And, about the Guardians from the silo in Livingston, of course they're after us! That's why we must hurry and contact Croft!" he took another breath. "We'll split into two groups..."

At that moment the lights went off. Two green light bulbs were activated at once.

"This light is safer," the doctor explained, lighting up in a soft shade of green and with no further explanations, he started to give out orders: "Vanessa and Darwin, take out all the supplies, even the ones stored in the cabinets in the control board."

My two companions obeyed at once; however, before going toward the front section, the niece dared to ask her uncle:

"Will you try the trip to the moon again?"

"Before midnight," he answered with certainty. "But for now, I have to make sure that you all get home safely," he turned around. "Gordo, come with me."

The blonde looked at me and then saw the doctor, who was heading to the hatchway in a rush.

"Is there any other abandoned silo?" the niece asked. "Is there perhaps another space complex available?"

"I can't tell you that," the uncle replied. "And please, don't ask any more questions about it. It's dangerous."

The niece made a grimace of submission.

"Okay."

She directed herself toward the control panel. And I, finally, approached the doctor. He was eagerly turning the hatchway handle.

I stayed behind him, undecided. I wasn't really concerned about getting out of the ship, knowing that we found ourselves in no man's land. What really had me worried was his recent statement: he would again attempt the dangerous trip to the moon. He would do it in the next few hours. Even worse, what if he wanted to recruit us again? How could I tell him that I would not be a part of it any more?