GrowingOlderHopeWiser

Inspector Frank Simon looked a bit strange when he arrived at the gallery. His usual disheveled, frumpy self was even more so. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes looked wild. Zoe had informed Gregorio that she was meeting with the Inspector, just in case he wanted to join them. Now, looking at the Inspector, she hoped Gregorio would show up. She had an uneasy feeling.

“Let’s check the mechanical room under the archives,” Inspector Frank said.

Zoe led the way into the Archives toward the door with the footprint.

“Here it is, the exit point.” She points the flashlight beam at the footprint.

 The footprint led away from the door, as if someone had stepped into the Archive room.

The door was locked, and Zoe used the keypad to open it. The steps were metal, narrow, and long, with more footprints leading up them. She let the Inspector lead the way; she was still getting negative vibes from him and did not want him behind her. The room was huge, with all sorts of pipes, valves, and gauges. Steam escaped from valves here and there, and the mechanics made other sorts of rumbling and noise. 

Inspector Frank pulled a bundle from under his jacket, and Zoe just noticed it. Perhaps he did bring something to check for prints. He led Zoe to a table in the corner of the room and placed the bundle under the dim light. 

“I want to show you something, Zoe, I think you would appreciate its beauty”

Stay Alert, Zoe thought to herself.

He untied the bundle and displayed a sharp ritual knife with the carved ivory handle and encrusted jewel. 

Zoe stepped back and said, “Where did you get that?”

“Right here in the Archives of the Gallery,” Frank said, “You see, you never even missed it”

“Inspector Frank, Gregorio is on his way; he’ll be joining us”

“No, he is not.” “Please call me John. Frank is not here”

Zoe took that as her cue and took off running away from him on pure instinct. John followed her, telling her there was no point in running now. She stumbled into a room, crashing into tables and chairs. She blocked the doorway with a large table. In the center of the room, Gregorio was tied up and gagged in a chair, but still alive. She ran to untie him. Zoe managed to get him loose, and John was already at the door trying to get in.

“What is wrong with him?” She said to Gregorio

“He is crazy, did you see his eyes?” They looked for a back exit to the room and found a hatch that led to a tunnel. The tunnel was lined with lights and curved along the dome’s bottom. They began to run faster around the dome. Looking for an exit. John had gotten hold of an ATV and was chasing them through the tunnel. He was hollering like a madman, “What fools these mortals be!” He thundered. A large gate lifted just as they got to the end of the tunnel, revealing bright lights and sirens. Brian and Stephen led a small army of Security1 Robots and stopped John Smith, taking him into custody while he still ranted like a madman. 

Chapter 6

Inspector Frank Simon woke up in the hospital with his hands and feet in restraints. Unaware of all that had transpired. There was another Martian dust storm outside the window of the room. The room was crowded and noisy. Zoey, Gregorio, and the detectives were there. The doctor came in with his report. 

“Frank Simon has a prefrontal cortex tumor in his brain that has affected his personality and has contributed to his dissociative and sociopathic behavior.” 

Frank could not believe what the doctor was saying. He got some bad headaches, that’s all. Why was he in restraints?

“What are you talking about? Let me loose!” 

“Sorry, Frank, we can’t do that,” said Brian

“You are our killer” 

“You are all Mad!” “I am not a killer!”

Frank was totally in the dark about what his other personality, John, had done. John knew who Frank was, but Frank didn’t know who John was—total disassociation. 

Zoe felt sorry for him and his confusion. Here he was about to be tried and convicted for crimes he did not commit. At least Frank Simon was innocent. But John Smith was not. 

The ideal of utopia on Mars was forever shattered, after all, we are only human.