Chapter Sixteen: The Root of the Problem

“We can’t be sure if they know anything,” William said. “All of this is speculation until we’ve completed the trace.”

“When will that happen?” Sun asked.

“By tomorrow,” he responded.

“Very well,” she said. “Then we wait.”

“But what happens if they do know?” Maria asked.

“How could they?” Fernando added.

The room went quiet. Not a whisper could be heard across the chamber council. Everyone waited for a response from Sun when Maria suddenly spoke up.

“It’s true Lucas could have been turned,” she admitted. She had already considered that his inexperience could make him an easy target for the Machinists. But, everyone knew what Fernando meant.

The most obvious way the Machinists would know about the Nekuia was if someone told them, someone like James.

“We may think we know,” Sun began. “But it would unwise to make any assumptions. It could be the obvious choices, or it could be someone we’ve never considered.”

She was careful not to mention the name.

“They could also have some kind of technology that allows them to eavesdrop on our conversations,” William suggested. “Even if they told us it was someone specific, we can’t trust that.”

He was also careful not to mention any names. “If Trent is anything like his father, he’s deceitful and captivating,” he added.

“If he’s anything like his father, Lucas is already dead,” Fernando interjected.

Sun did not say a word, but immediately stood up and walked away. She left the council chamber without another word spoken.

No one ran after her either. She quickly crossed the main entrance hall outside the council chamber and headed into the library.

Walking quickly past the Alexander family trees in the vestibule, the shelves and shelves of ancient paper books, the displays of by-gone printers, and into the depths of the library where the office of the Librarian was located. She approached the large wooden door and placed her hand on the glass panel beside it. A small communicator window appeared just above the panel.

Kate looked at her mother, and the large door opened. The screen with Kate’s face in it disappeared, and Sun headed down the long hallway. Before she reached its end, another large wooden door opened.

Kate sat at her desk, surrounded by small screens and large, paper books. One of those screens still showed the inside of the council chamber.

“I take it the meeting is over,” she said.

“It is,” Sun responded. With that Kate switched off her communicator and the screen went black.

“Fernando is just as crass as usual,” Kate added.

“He’s socially inept, but good with numbers,” Sun responded. “I want to ask you a favor.”

Kate stopped working, and looked up at her mother. “You never ask for favors,” she said.

“No, I don’t. But this is different.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m asking because I know this is a task you don’t want, but you are the best and most reliable person for it,” Sun told her.

“For what?” Kate asked.

“I believe James is on Mars, and I want you to find him.”