S1W14: “Struck Down”

© 2012 Phylicia Joannis

Chuck wiped the perspiration from his brow as he made his way from the men’s room. He’d been sweating profusely for the last hour, writing his statement over and over. The words kept jumbling together on the paper, though, and he was becoming more and more agitated.

“Chuck!” one of the technicians walked up to him, all smiles.

Chuck rolled his eyes. “What do you want? Have you finished your statement yet?”

The technician shook his head emphatically, face bursting with excitement. “I got great news, Chuck!”

Chuck rubbed his temples. “The only news I want to hear is that this is all some wackadoo nightmare.”

Unable to contain himself, the technician blurted the reason for his excitement. “Drone One is back online! The camera is working!”

Chuck’s fingers froze. “What?” he said weakly. “I told you to terminate the project.”

Ignoring Chuck’s statement, the technician beckoned him to the work room. “You’re not going to believe it! It looks like something fell on the Drone and knocked out the signal, but I was able to reroute the circuitry and activate the backup system.”

The technician showed Chuck the monitor, which was displaying the feed from the Drone’s camera.

“Is this real time, or is this the recorded feed?” Chuck asked.

“This is real time, Chuck!” the technician smiled proudly. “And look! I was able to locate the missing car. You can’t see it very well, it looks like there was a cave in, but it’s there, you see?”

Chuck’s hands trembled as the technician showed him the outline of a subway car.

“It doesn’t matter,” Chuck rasped. “This project is dead in the water; no one’s going after that second car.”

The technician frowned. “But if I can get the drone closer, we can see if there’s anyone inside, and- ”

“You’re already facing insubordination!” Chuck snapped. “I told you to kill this project. Everyone who was on that train got out. We’re not wasting time and money on a broken down car!”

The technician was about to speak, but something caught the corner of his eye. He and Chuck turned to the monitor.

“What was that?” the technician spoke more to himself.

“Probably just rats,” Chuck gulped as he watched a shadow flicker.

“I don’t think that’s a rat,” the technician moved the controls and Drone One glided forward.

Chuck didn’t think so either.

The technician spoke into the monitor. “Is anyone out there?”

There was no answer and Chuck turned off the monitor. “You see, just rats. Now pack this equipment, or you’re fired!”

The technician opened his mouth in protest, but stopped when an audible voice came through the room.

“Hello? Is anybody there?”

Chuck swore. He’d forgotten the audio feed was separate from the camera feed. The technician flipped the monitor back on, and his worst fears were realized. The face of an old man was staring into the Drone’s camera.  Chuck had been wrong, and if their cover-up was discovered, he’d be imprisoned.

The technician laughed. “I was right! I was right! Chuck, do you see-”

The technician’s words were cut off by the blunt force of the dispatch rotary phone across his skull. Chuck’s chest swelled in fear as he watched blood pool down the technician’s head and onto the floor. He dropped the phone and ran his fingers through his hair.

“What have I done?” he gasped. Mind reeling, Chuck locked the work room door and sat in the technician’s chair, face in hands.

“What’s going on?” a voice bellowed from the audio and Chuck stood in shock. He watched the old man as he stared at the Drone.

Chuck grabbed the microphone.

“Who am I speaking to, and are you alone?” Chuck asked.

The Congressman replied. “There are 7 of us alive, one not so lucky. We’ve been trapped down here for hours, and I was scouting the tunnel with another fellow to see if there’s an entrance.”

Chuck turned the microphone off and swore. If they got out, he was dead.

Chuck took a long breath before turning the microphone back on. “Don’t do that, the tunnels are very dangerous. Help is on the way, but stay inside, okay?”

The Congressman nodded, and Chuck turned the audio feed and monitor off. He removed the tape recording the feed and replaced it with a blank one. Using the technician’s laptop, he sent an email to his supervisor asking her to come to the work room, Drone One had been reactivated. She sent a reply, stating she was on her way. Chuck took one last look at the technician before leaving.