CHAPTER 3: WALKING IN THE LIGHT...

Mark was walking down one of the familiar corridors in boot camp in complete silence, unobstructed even by the noises of the air vents or the old water pumps. He could see the soldiers of his platoon – they all looked confident, determined, and inspired, his greatest achievement and pride. He walked further and saw others – they were talking to each other, discussing the upcoming holidays, or the simple matters of human life. Then, something changed.

Darkness fell over the whole scene like a dark shroud. Mark hurried back and pressed several switches, trying to turn on the lights, yet the shadow grew stronger. He saw the young marines – they looked very sad and pale, as if something had suddenly drained their energy, their life. Mark was about to issue an order, but his lips froze in place. An eerie glow enveloped the building, and the whole structure was shaken violently by a terrible explosion that threw the lieutenant on the floor. Still dizzy from the blast, he could see everything blurred – the whole building was on fire, and screams came from all directions, blood-chilling screams of pain and despair. They yelled for help, they yelled for him to come and rescue them. Mark desperately pressed his hands against his ears, trying to stop the terrible screams, but that was all in vain. A vague human figure jumped out of a room – he was burning and charred bones were already visible in the places where the flesh had fallen off. The figure fell down on the floor – a ghastly burning lump that smelt like burnt flesh. Human flesh.

Disgusted and shocked beyond all reason, Mark ran towards the exit, his mind drowning in the horrible screams. Just then, he heard a different yell – a woman was calling his name. She called for him to rescue her before the burning ceiling would collapse... A chill came over Harrison – he recognized the voice.

He turned around and kicked down a door, revealing a room that was burning like Hell itself. The scream sounded one more time... and complete blackness covered everything. The screams and the roars of the fire disappeared, and silence settled once again.

This time, however, it was different – Mark could feel a terrible presence somewhere very close. He could not see it, but he felt as it came closer and scrutinized him with its empty gaze. Then, its hollow otherworldly voice sounded in his head:

I have climbed mountains of fire. I have walked plains of ashes. I have swum through seas of blood. At last, I have found YOU...

The screams appeared once again, but this time they were many more – thousands of horrified voices shouted as one in Mark's head, seducing him to follow them into the embrace of insanity. Mark Harrison fell to the floor and was just about to throw up when...

...He woke up. He was lying on the floor of his room in Mars City, his body covered in sweat and his hands shaking.

"It was a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream..."

Mark stood up and looked at his surroundings as if he had suddenly been dropped right into the middle of an enemy encampment. This was his room. There was his luggage. He was on Mars, working as a security officer... It all made sense, he was safe, and no one would threaten him. His hands were still shaking – he had had nightmares before, and they did feature the burning building. This time it was very different – the screams, the shadows, the oppressive presence that he felt in the dark. It was much scarier than ever before. Something had changed.

For years after the accident at boot camp, Mark Harrison prayed that he would not lose his sanity. His days were blighted, and his nights were torture. Yet, he survived. He was fine until now, and he was determined not to let his own mind play tricks on him – not now, on Mars, when he had a chance to finally set things right...

He brushed his teeth, he washed his hands and his face – these typical daily actions calmed him down and got him focused once again. He did not drink coffee, but a Robo Cola would help him feel better for the meeting with the chief of security. He took that nap to rest, but the nightmare he had left him more tired than before...

The living quarters sector seemed deserted in this time of the day. According to the "New Employee Orientation" materials, the time at UAC Mars Base was adjusted to match the current time at the Union Aerospace main headquarters on Earth. Having infiltrated people's space, the UAC seemed bent on invading time too... Another short smile appeared on Mark's face. There was no one at the vending machine, but the TV was on. The screen was blank because the time for the news had not yet come. Mark was told that the news was mostly focused on corporate and political matters, with the UAC always being the center of attention. The other two main heroes in the news were the UAC's protégé companies – Mixom and Moxim. "Similar in names, similar in incompetence," Mark thought.

On his way to the security control center, he passed by two men who were headed towards the landing dock, where he had originally arrived. One of them was, apparently, a high-ranking civilian, while the other was a marine in full combat outfit, carrying a familiar-looking briefcase. As he passed right by them, Mark heard a little from their conversation:

"I am really tired of this. I keep repeating one and the same thing, and he keeps defying me. If he weren't such an important asset for the company, I would have had him thrown out years ago! I really hope I won't have to come here ever again. Is everything prepared for our departure?"

"Yes, counselor," the marine replied, and the two men passed through a door that closed behind them and blocked the rest of the conversation...

After fifteen minutes, Mark was waiting in front of the security chief's office. He was punctual, as always – a personal trait the military valued much. A mild beeping sound indicated that the visitor was allowed to enter. The chief of security was sitting behind a desk covered with a chaos of folders and boxes. He pointed towards a chair, and Mark sat down.

"Mark Harrison, I am pleased to welcome you into the UAC Mars Security Force. I guess you have already seen the intro video, and the folder we gave you will you all details about what you should or should not do. Above all else, Harrison, prevent accidents, ensure the safety of this base, and apply force only when necessary. Your past experience with the military should be enough for you to be an effective guard. Watch your colleagues and learn from them – within a month you will be a master of the job. Well... any questions?"

"Yes, sir," Mark replied, "About the special assignment with..."

"Yes, Dr. McNeil's offer, right? Special assignments are a special option provided by the UAC Security Force standard employment contract. A sector manager, a security chief, a corporate coordinator, or a science team leader can request to hire you for a special assignment – that means that they require special services in conditions of increased risk, volatile environment, or high significance. On such assignments, you will be paid much more than usual, but your work shifts will be longer, more active participation on your part will be required, and the job will likely be more risky."

"I understand, sir," Mark said, "Bigger job, bigger payment. I am sure I can take any additional risks with these special assignments."

"Very well, Harrison. Go meet Dr. McNeil then. By the time you reach the kitchen she should be there already. Don't be late. Your PDA will show you the shortest route – these little machines are wonderful, aren't they? That is all, officer. Have a nice day."

Mark murmured a "thank you" and left the office. He was not worried about any potential risks of the special assignment – he hoped that some thrill in the job would revitalize him. He was fully dedicated to his job before, and he was sure he could be dedicated once again.

He found the kitchen easily – there were several clerks going that way and they showed him the way. The room he entered had several vending machines, a TV set, a refrigerator, and several shelves with food. Mark saw two tables with people sitting around them. At that moment, he thought that he forgot to ask how Dr. McNeil looked like, however, the problem was solved quickly when he noticed that there was only one woman in the room. Tall, red-haired, short haircut, and thin arms – she did not look quite feminine, but had a charisma that told Harrison that he could trust her.

He sat in front of her; two surprised blue eyes met his.

"Dr. Elizabeth McNeil? I am Mark Harrison – the new security officer. The one you were interested in..."

"Ah, yeah," she replied, "I was expecting you. Welcome to Mars, I hope you like it in here... Now, let us get down business... Um well, I have been looking for someone to help me improve security around Site 1, but the Mars Base administration always said they could not help me. Your CV impressed me, and the corporates said I could hire you. That is why you are here – to help me solve my problem."

She made a short pause and took a sip from her coffee. Her eyes looked as if she was thinking about something unpleasant.

"You are new here so you probably don't know this yet... They are threatening to shut down Site 1, and they point out all kinds of weird arguments, ranging from its "uselessness" (what stupidity!), to numerous security problems. I admit, there have been some problems – the number of security officers we have there is pretty low, and we don't have any marines at the Site. At the same time, employees are often tempted to leave Site 1 or do something stupid, like steal specimens or neglect safety regulations and cause accidents. None of the guys on my team seems to make any effort to help me, and even respected colleagues have called for the Site's closure... Even Betruger said Site 1 was obsolete. I did not expect that from him!"

McNeil made another pause, and Mark thought he had to say something.

"I see, Dr. McNeil. If you think that I can help preserve your work and your workplace, I will join you."

"Thank you, Harrison," an unconfident smile appeared on her face, "Of course, your financial compensation will be significant. With your help, I could reduce the number of accidents we have there, as well as the thefts and the other weird stuff people do there. Are you in?"

"Yes," Mark replied shortly.

"Excellent. Mark Harrison, consider yourself officially hired for the Site 1 security team. I will go process the documents and make all necessary arrangements. When the process is complete, you will receive an e-mail with all instructions about your moving to Site 1. Thank you, and have a good day..."

They shook hands. She stood up, got another cup of coffee, and left the room, leaving Mark alone with his thoughts. On the other table, three marines were arguing about something, while a technician was standing by the fridge, doing something with his PDA. One of the marines turned towards him:

"Hey, Berneche, be careful not to lose you PDA again. Last time I found it left on a bench near the Infirmary."

"Oh, really," the technician murmured ironically, "Thanks, Mike, I will try to be careful."

"Good, only that so far we have only seen nothing but trying," the marine replied and the others started laughing.

Mark allowed another very slight smile before he stood up and left. He had done a good job for the day, and he longed to go back to his room and sleep, this time without any nightmares or disturbances. The PDA brought him back to his room, where the bed was waiting for him. He brushed his teeth again (just in case), ordered some of his personal belongings, and checked a few pages from his "operating duties" documentation. This reading effectively made him sleepy. The hour was 20:00 already, so he could have some rest.

He was lying in the dark, waiting for sleep to come. Just as his eyes were closing, a loud beep disturbed the silence of his room. Fairly irritated, Mark stood up and grabbed the source of the noise – his PDA, which was left on the floor next to the bed. There was a new e-mail.

Still drowsy, Mark looked at the mail screen – the letter was sent by someone Mark had not yet met, a scientist most probably. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and his first thought was to go to sleep and read the message tomorrow. However, his curiosity was stronger. He opened the letter and started reading it.

Mark stood up slowly. He looked at the PDA as if it was going to bite him, then read the whole message again. He sat down on his bed and read the message a third time. A great confusion had overcome his mind, and the words from the letter had obsessed his mind. There, on the small screen, the text of the e-mail glowed faintly:

Mark Harrison,

You don't know me, but I know very well who you are. I know very well why you have come here, and what dark secrets you conceal in your past. I do not blame you, Mr. Harrison – I understand you very well. And I intend to offer you my help, in exchange for something you can do for me.

I know that you came here because you need something, and I have the means to provide it to you. Anything you need will be yours. If you are interested, meet me tomorrow at 19:00. I will be waiting for you in the Hydrocon laboratory in the Alpha Labs complex.

Come alone. Make sure no one notices you. Be punctual.

- Malcolm Betruger