Intercepts

by T.J. Payne

I also feel nothing. I might be lying down. But I cannot feel the hardness of the floor against my back. I might be wearing clothes. But I cannot feel their fibers brushing against my skin. My mind tells my leg to kick. But I am unsure if my leg receives the message.

Sometimes I worry that maybe I am not breathing. That I am suffocating.

I then realize that there are hooks prying my eyelids open.

“Joe Gerhard.”

but because duct tape and twine were cheaper and easier than dealing with the crippling bureaucracy.

it wasn’t uncommon to be issued a vague citation/warning that one could only assume was because of something uttered in private.

Sure, he laughed it off during his staff orientation. He even mimicked their moaning wails during lunch a few times.

yikesaroni

Carson was now adrift in that sea, feeling, hearing, and seeing nothing.

I gotta protect my team. These people are my brothers and sisters.

“You are not authorized to use lethal force. You are to restrain the Antenna, but under no circumstances are you to terminate or injure her. Do you understand?”

“It’s a sad day for our little family. I know you’re all aware of the rules, but I’m gonna remind you anyway. You are not to contact the deceased’s family without Company approval. No money, no cards, no phone calls. Wait ‘til HR holds a staff-wide briefing on appropriate conversation topics. If you feel you must do something…”

Company hired actors to pretend to be the deceased’s coworkers and supervisors.

The lack of windows and the hum of fans constantly recycling the air made it hard for any staffer to forget that they were several floors underground.

“EJECT! EJECT!” the pilot simply heard a pre-recorded little voice say, “Daddy… please eject.”

Elevator locked until further notice.”

I just know this shit is foreshadowing Joe getting his ass trapped in level 2

Bishop couldn’t have emptied his torso any better if she had used a shovel.

gross, nice!

Bishop’s cell full of the specially-formulated, debilitating nerve gas.

For a high-tech installation that’s sole purpose was to record each and every intercept the Antennas received,

But, then again, he just spent his afternoon surrounded by guys-with-guns and blood-and-guts; maybe that was why he never wanted to spend his free-time with more of the same.

she had now permanently escaped the nagging tongue of her mother.

Riley always suspected it, but now she knew — her dad was someone important.

the crazy girl who called the false alarm.

“What have they done to me?”

Worst thing that can come of a false alarm is when they make people stop raising the real ones.”

Mr. Aguirre flashed a little grin that seemed to say, That’s right, no secret is safe.

He knew Mr. Aguirre wasn’t making pleasant conversation. “Sixteen

She’s been vetted and cleared as a non-security risk.”

Might be time for a psychological evaluation too. Things like depression can be hereditary. Wouldn’t want to put anything at risk.”

the Company didn’t have to allow them to live together.

As long as Riley stayed awake, the woman didn’t appear.

Thats literally not true bestie

Joe learned, from years of experience, that the more comfortable and catered to a big-wig was, the less he interfered in operations.

The ratings for Antennas 201 are just better.” “Bishop has had seventy-one tunings,” Chuck reported. “And the next highest?” Aguirre asked. “That would be Ferro at… twenty-three,” Chuck said.

There was one time, early on, when he came home and Riley began crying because she didn’t recognize this strange man in her house.

“Just that it’s a bad fucking idea to tune Bishop again so soon after what happened. But I’m just a fucking doctor. What do I know?”

they’ll red-flag her.”

As tough as her dad acted, a slight shove from his baby girl and the man folded like paper.

They couldn’t be real. Monsters like that are never real.

she tried to shut her eyelids. But the hooks held them open. Her neck and shoulders shimmied, having no real goal or purpose, but just squirming from the discomfort.

Every Antenna tore vocal cords during their first tunings.

“Heart rate accelerated beyond acceptable levels. She’s not going to make it much higher.”

“She’s in incredible pain,” Hannah said, turning around in her seat. “Ah, but what’s a little more? “Joe?” Hannah said, turning to him. Joe took a deep breath. “Continue,” he said.

“Has one ever made it to fifty percent?” Mr. Aguirre asked with an air of detached curiosity. “My god, can you imagine the possibilities if we could get them to a hundred?”

Joe watched, stunned, as the straps that bound Bishop’s head loosened and stretched, giving way to an extra half-inch of slack.

But that was all Bishop needed. Instead of using the relieved tension as an opportunity to pull away from the contraption that propped open her eyelids, Bishop leaned into the eye hooks. “She’s scraping out her corneas!” Chuck shouted.