“No, but he’s the reason we’re even alive to discuss this.” The transport had two other people on it, and one of them gawked at us. He was middle-aged, with a graying beard.
“You’re that guy!” he exclaimed.
“I’m not.” I tried to ignore him.
“No. You’re that SeaTech racer! Hawk! You’re the best, man. What are you doing on Titan?” He nudged the woman beside him in the arm, and she rolled her eyes, clearly not interested in her husband’s obsession with racing.
“I’m Varn Wallish.”
“Who?” the man asked, and I broke out in laughter.
“Not funny, Hawk,” he muttered.
“You are Hawk. I told you he was Hawk,” he whispered to his wife. “I can’t believe this. Wait until I tell the guys at the mine.”
We landed on the surface, striding into security with the obsessed fan.
He told the guards about me, and how exciting it was for Titan to host such a hero. I just smiled at them as they let me in, and we all walked toward the ground transport.
“I’ve never been here before.” Varn peered at the racing fan behind us. “This place is a dump.”
He wasn’t wrong. I sat in silence for the half-hour trip, not wanting to discuss anything of note in front of the Orion mine workers. The transport stopped, and the guy waved at us. “We’re continuing to the mines. Hope you guys have a great day!”
The wife began to shout at her husband as the doors closed, and Varn and I stood outside the cube city in the connecting tube.
“Who are you meeting?” a robot asked at the entrance.
“Jinx.”
“There is no one by the name Jinx present on Titan,” the robot assured me. It was the same one as before, with the worn torso and shiny arms and legs.
“I visited two months ago, and you let me in,” I assured it.
“Who are you meeting?” it asked again.
“Jinx…”
“There is…”
Varn stepped up to it and grabbed the PersaTab from its hands.
“I will call security—”
“Go ahead, you bucket of bolts. I have half a mind to request you reprogrammed to the mine’s bathroom maintenance crew. Would you like that?” Varn asked.
“No.” It reached for the tablet.
“Then let us in to see Arlo Lewis’ friend, Jinx,” Varn ordered.
“He’s in room 659,” I added.
“659? You may enter.” The robot moved aside, granting us access into the city.
When the doors closed behind us, Varn laughed. “Stupid robots. Works every time. People think their programming is so tight, but they have a self-preservation mode, I swear they do. If he was a human, he’d have been sweating bullets picturing himself cleaning toilets for eternity. Have you ever seen one of those places? It’s worse than a zoo.”
“I’ll take your word for it. Come on. If Jinx is off-grid, he might not be using his meds,” I said.
“Wait, and this is the guy you want on my team? How about you utilize him, and I get Jade Serrano? I’d let her reprogram me any…” Varn stopped when he saw my expression.
“Don’t talk about my crew like that. Ever again.” I was inches from his face, and he lifted his hands.
“Jeez, take a chill pill, compadre,” he said. “We’re on the same team.”
As we headed to the fifth minideck, I wondered what I’d done in my life to deserve this fate.
The place was even quieter than the last time I’d visited, and I found Jinx’s door.
“This is where he lives?” Varn’s nose squished up. “It smells like feet.” He peered at the garbage stacked in the hall.
“Give him a chance. We’ll get him sorted out,” I assured Varn, and knocked. No one answered. I rapped my knuckles again. “Jinx! Let me in. It’s Arlo!” The door opened on my third attempt, jarring loose from the latch. I poked it wide with a finger, and had a bad feeling the moment I stepped inside.
Jinx had always been eccentric and obsessed with conspiracies, but he’d gone even deeper. Images from the Velibar attack were everywhere, printed and taped to the walls, floors, and ceiling. His desk was covered with more; erratic notes scrawled across the pages with a dark blue marker.
“Jinx!” I called, but no one responded.
The next door was ajar, and I pushed it, finding his shelves full of junk. Jinx was on the floor, a blanket covering him. For a moment, I thought he was dead, and I stepped closer, triggering an alarm. The lights flashed, and Jinx sprang to his feet, holding a metal wrench in his grip.
“Stay back!” His eyes were wild, his thick beard disheveled. His clothes were so rumpled, it looked like he’d worn them for a month straight.
“Jinx,” I whispered, concerned about the man in front of me.
“This is the guy?” Varn asked. “I’m out.”
I grabbed his arm. “Give him a chance.”
“Arlo, what the hell are you doing here?” Jinx rubbed his eyes.
“You’re obsessed, Jinx. This isn’t healthy behavior.” I indicated the mess surrounding him.
“I know. You caught me in a bit of a cycle. I’ve been working on some new theories, and you know how I get.” Jinx dropped the wrench and surveyed the room. “Maybe I should tidy a few things.”
“I have a better idea. You’re coming with us,” I told him.
He backed up, arms held defensively. “Like… off Titan?”
“When’s the last time you were off planet?” I asked.
“It’s been years. I don’t think I can…”
“You have to be kidding. Are you trying to sabotage me, Hawk?” Varn shook free from my grip, and left Jinx and me alone.
“Jinx, I need your help. Varn and I are leaving soon. We’re going to Refuge,” I told him.
“Where’s Refuge?” I had his attention.
“You’ve always believed aliens existed. Now’s your chance to meet some.” I tilted my head, waiting for his reaction.
His smile was
