The desert was tranquil. Under other circumstances, the tranquility of this morning would have been relaxing, but Juan wasn’t feeling it. Neither was Carl. After an hour or so, Carl climbed out of his vehicle again and limped over to Juan.
“So you met our little friend already, eh?”
Juan gave Carl some side eye but otherwise didn’t respond.
“The question I have is why did you not say something sooner? Like at dinner last night. It would have saved us a lot of time,” pressed Carl.
“I didn’t trust you, I guess. She knows you guys want her dead. She warned me.”
“Dead? Well, secured at least. But she’ll die soon anyway, that much can’t be helped,” said Carl.
Juan closed his eyes and pretended Carl wasn’t there. The last thing he wanted right now was to be talking to this creepy, irritating old man.
Carl was relentless though.
“I just don’t see why we must die over this. I know Dr. Zell is ruthless in her quest to save the world, but I don’t see what I did that deserves termination.”
“I don’t care, leave me alone,” said Juan.
“I guess one could say that you speaking up last night could have saved our lives - certainly yours and mine. I see why Judd will be terminated, but you and me…well, you probably saw too much, so only my life would have been spared. But that seems worth it to me,” continued Carl.
Juan refused to engage. But then he had an idea.
“Yeah, I don’t see why you should have to die. It seems you’re innocent, like, you haven’t done anything wrong,” probed Juan.
“Yes, that’s how I see it, also,” replied Carl.
“There must be some way to protect you in all of this then,” pressed Juan.
“I want to think so, but beyond killing you two and turning your bodies into Dr. Zell with the full story, I don’t know what else to do. And yet, that plan has a low probability of success. Judd is too powerful for me, so he’s the obstacle,” whined Carl.
“You must be brilliant, working in this place for Dr. Zell. I’m sure you can devise a plan B,” Juan coaxed.
Carl eyed Juan suspiciously, and Juan knew he’d gone too far.
“I thought you didn’t care,” said Carl.
“I guess I can’t help it. I don’t want to die either,” said Juan.
This comment seemed to satisfy Carl’s doubt. They were quiet for a while, each deep in thought. Juan couldn’t help but notice sweat beading on Carl’s forehead. Suddenly, Carl shifted his weight, wiped his brow, and spoke.
“I might have the perfect plan B. It might only buy us a little more time to live if we can pull it off. But a little life is a lot when you are staring death in the eye,” opened Carl.
Juan waited for Carl to continue, but after a few moments, it was clear Carl wanted to be prompted.
“Okay, you’ve got me. I’m curious about what this plan could be,” said Juan.
“Of course you are; it’s a very good plan. It’s simple, if not easy. It will require each of us to play a part, but you will play the biggest part. You know too much, you’ve seen too much, but Judd wants to preserve your life. But to do that, we have to convince Dr. Zell you are dead. And if we don’t kill you ourselves, then we have to hide you or help you escape. But there is no place to hide here. And there is no escape.”
Carl paused. Juan crossed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He was out of patience with Carl.
“Doesn’t sound like a plan to me, just a statement of the facts. But the girl escaped,” said Juan.
“That’s where you are wrong. I thought your smart brain would have seen where this was going. Judd made a bold move to get the girl out of here, but it cannot be done a second time. Not that way. However, there is one other way out of here.”
Carl paused again, obviously enjoying himself.
“I still haven’t heard a plan that can save your bacon, mine, or Judd’s,” needled Juan.
“Oh, you will, you will. You see, the only way to smuggle you out of here is to put you on a cargo ship…to the moon!” shouted Carl triumphantly.
Judd sat up and stared at them with tired eyes.