© 2012 Phylicia Joannis
Chuck put his burger down, his appetite waning. According to Penny, one of the passengers had escaped. How was that possible? The tunnel entrance was completely caved in, and the only way out was through the other side, where all the other passengers had been rescued. If word got out, and they found out Chuck had never sent a rescue party…
“This guy, he’s completely insane!” Penny began talking very fast, and Chuck was doing his best to keep up. “He climbed out of the subway and stole my coffee – remember the coffee you bought me? And now, he and the Mayor and some weasel faced guy are planning on telling a whole bunch of lies, and I don’t understand why they can’t just tell the truth when it would be so much easier!”
Chuck placed two fingers on his temple, his migraine beginning to return. “Penny, please slow down. You said this guy climbed out of the subway, and then – what? Were there other people with him?”
Penny shook her head. “Just him. He was trapped alone in the car and had to find a way out on his own.”
Chuck crinkled his brow. This guy was alone? That couldn’t be right. There were at least six other passengers in the missing car.
“Are you sure?” Chuck asked. “He was the only person to get out of the subway?”
Penny nodded emphatically. “Yes, I would have noticed another crazed passenger clawing his way up.”
“Sorry, I don’t mean to insult you,” Chuck placed his hand on hers. “I just find it hard to believe that this guy could escape all by himself. I mean, if he was trapped all the way on the other side of the tunnel how could he-”
“Wait, I never told you where he was,” Penny interrupted. She watched as Chuck fidgeted in his booth. “Charles, what aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” Chuck averted his eyes. “You must have told me. I mean, you were talking so fast you probably don’t remember.”
“No I very clearly remember everything I’ve said to you,” Penny eyed him suspiciously. “What do you know that you aren’t telling me?”
Chuck swore silently. Penny was sharper than she seemed. He never should have underestimated her.
“Alright,” Chuck decided to give her the truth. Mixed with a few lies for his protection. “This morning we sent in two drones to search for the missing train. One of them found the original group of passengers that were eventually rescued. It wasn’t long before we discovered that one of the cars was missing.”
“Missing?” Penny raised her eyebrows.
Chuck shrugged. “Somehow the chains connecting the last car broke free and separated that car from the rest of the train.”
“So what did you do about it?”
Chuck hesitated. “My superiors decided not to do anything about it. It was unlikely that anyone was in the last car and we were already in deep trouble. Why add fuel to the fire?”
“Because someone was in there!” Penny exclaimed. “You mean to tell me that you knew about this and did nothing?”
“No!” Chuck defended himself. “The drone sent in near the tunnel entrance went offline. I was working with one of the technicians to get it running again when my supervisor shut us down.”
“Your supervisor?” Penny gnawed on her lip.
“Yeah,” Chuck watched her carefully. “I kept working with the technician to get it to work anyways to see if maybe there was something we could do. But she found out and went ballistic.”
“Really?”
Chuck nodded. “Yeah, and a couple hours later the technician was in the hospital with a blow to the head.”
Penny placed her hand on her mouth. “Seriously? You think your supervisor did that to him?”
Chuck shrugged innocently. “I don’t know what to think. It’s been such a strange day. Like a dream, you know?”
Penny nodded and motioned for the waitress. “We’ll get the check now, please.” She glanced at Chuck, whose burger sat half eaten. “You’re finished right, Charles?”
Chuck nodded and shrugged. “Pretty much.” They hailed the waitress for the check and Penny stood, grabbing his hand and pulling him up.
“Come on, let’s go!” Penny spoke in a hurried tone.
“What’s the rush?” Chuck laughed as he let her hoist him from his seat. “Where are we going?”
Penny turned and grinned mischievously. “To bust up a press conference.”