S1W12: “Suspicions”

© 2012 Phylicia Joannis

“You mean to tell me there are more people stuck in that tunnel?”

Chuck winced as his supervisor went ballistic. He was as surprised as she was when they found out the trains had disconnected. Train cars couldn’t simply be separated unless a trained technician with special tools detached them.

Unless the chain itself was faulty.

Things like faulty chains led to safety violations, government citations, and lawsuits. With the transit system already under fire from previous train incidents, HQ would be out for blood, scrambling for someone to blame. Someone like Chuck.

“Chuck, are you listening to me?” his supervisor fumed. “That car could be anywhere in those tunnels. I already have the Mayor breathing down my neck; what do you think he’s going to say to me when I tell him there’s another car full of people missing?”

“He doesn’t have to know,” Chuck spoke quietly. He knew he was treading on thin ice as it was.

“What did you say?” his supervisor’s gaze cut through him like shards of glass.

“We don’t have to tell him,” Chuck repeated with a tremor in his voice. “The only passenger who saw the car disconnect was the little girl, right?”

Chuck’s supervisor was quiet. She didn’t stop him, so he continued.

“We can keep this quiet,” Chuck spoke emphatically. “We can talk to the workers down there and tell them everyone who was on the train got out, and there’s no evidence suggesting otherwise.  A missing car is a non-priority at this point and too dangerous to go after. We’ll tell them if they value their jobs they won’t discuss the missing car with anyone, and you won’t have to ever bring it up to the Mayor.”

His supervisor’s face was cloudy, but Chuck knew she was considering it. Chuck waited, teeth clenched, hands nervously clasped, then unclasped.

“But what if there are people inside the car?” she questioned.

Chuck shook his head and spoke, this time with more confidence. “Highly unlikely. I mean, the train was close to the end of the line, and there were barely more than a handful of passengers on the entire train. Do you really want to go through the hassle of an investigation for transit employee screening and conducting service with unsafe trains?”

His supervisor was deep in thought. Chuck decided to push further. His job security depended on it.

“We both know how dangerous those tunnels are. What if we send a crew down there and one of them gets hurt, or worse? The worker’s union will be at our throats then, not to mention a hundred other agencies, and for what? For an empty car? No, it’s in everyone’s best interest to stop this missing car business right in its tracks.”

After a long silence, Chuck’s supervisor nodded.

“Make the calls.”

***

We all breathed a sigh of relief as the Congressman closed the subway door. The rats were finally gone, and so was Dead Guy. I leaned against the door and smiled despite myself.

“Thank God that’s over,” the Nurse sighed. I nodded in agreement.

“I’m never taking the subway again,” she continued. “As soon as I get outta here, I’m getting my car out of the shop.”

My smile faded. When would we get out of here?

“I’m starving!” the Complainer complained. My stomach growled in accession and the Congressman nodded. The Old Woman reached in her bag for the candy bars she’d shown us earlier.

“I guess it’s time to break out the rations,” she smiled. The Complainer immediately snatched a bar from her hand and greedily stuffed it in his mouth, wrapper and all.

“I only had two!” the Old Woman cried. The Complainer merely shrugged as he continued to chew. I hoped he would choke on it.

He didn’t.

“Well, I’ve got some energy bars,” the Climber pulled a box from his duffel bag and we all peered at it hungrily.

“I thought you said you didn’t have any food!” Dreadlock frowned at the Climber.

“I thought you’d all be dead by now,” the Climber confessed. “I’m getting hungry myself, and I can’t hide them from all of you,” he eyed the Nurse warily.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” the Old Woman chided.

“Hey, he’s got some food too!” the Climber snitched, pointing to the Complainer. “We were both going to combine what we had, isn’t that right?”

The Complainer scowled. “Thanks a lot, pal,” he muttered.

“And you ate the candy bar, anyway?” I shook my head. “How greedy!”

“Is there anything else you two are hiding from the rest of us?” the Nurse asked suspiciously.

The Complainer pulled his bag closer and the Climber shook his head.

“I think they should empty their bags,” Dreadlock suggested.

I nodded. “It’s only fair. Who’s to say they aren’t holding out on us still?”

“So far they’ve given us every reason not to trust them,” the Nurse piped in. “They need to prove they’re with us if they’re going to stay in our group.”

Perspiration fell from the Climber’s face, and the Complainer looked at us fearfully.

Things were heating up.