Incoming Transmition
…
Hello? Okay… Uh— I'm not really sure how to start this.
Consider this a debriefing, I guess.
My name is Stretch, but you probably know me as Overseer A of the Major Explorer Group, or M.E.G.
Normally, my identity would be kept as a secret, in order to keep myself and others safe.
That was… until recently.
Overseers B and C have… oh boy— left the M.E.G., due to… something I had done.
They've started to uh… spread some misinformation, about us, me specifically.
I want you all to know that it is not true.
I'm hoping this reaches who I want it to, which would be… everyone, I guess.
And to C and B… I'm sorry, please, just let me explain myself.
…
I need to… to do something.
(Smashing sounds are heard in the background, as well as Overseer A screaming.)
End Transmision
"It's over, Stretch. We're going."
"…Fuck."
I look around the room. It's trashed.
"Stretch? You alright in there?"
I hear someone calling for me outside the door, and stand. I feel almost drunk, the room spinning and my head pounding. I stumble my way to the door and open it slightly, as to not reveal the mess behind it. A nervous man stands before me, my current assistant Francis, who we all called "France".
I sniff, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
Around us, the air is hot, as it was everywhere in Level 2. Wet concrete walls line every corridor, and dark steel pipes hang from the ceiling. I open the door more and step into the hallway. Spread throughout, the closest people I still have. A rag-tag group of the highest-ranking explorers within the M.E.G.
"Alright… Listen up, everyone." I yell, they all turn and start shifting closer, well, as close as you can get in tight hallways. "We'll be heading back to Base Alpha by morning, we'll rotate sleeping schedules so some can rest in the room and others can keep watch outside." I leaned toward France and added quietly, "I need some help, meet me inside." and I slinked back into the room.
About a minute later, France walked in, looking in bewilderment at what I'd done to the place.
"I know, punching in the computer screen was a nice touch, right?" I say, mocking myself. "…help me clean up the place, will you?" From my spot on the floor, sitting against the wall, I looked up at him a little desperately. France was the closest person I had now, and he hadn't let me down yet.
He looked down at me, I could see a little surprise in his face at the weakness that I showed. "Of course. C'mon, get up." He lowered a hand to me to pull me up and I took it. From there we started piling the — Recently made — garbage into the corner, and putting all the flipped-over furniture back in its place.
Days Later…
"They're back!"
Before the other two left, everyone would cheer when a task force returned. Now though, all I could hear were a few murmurs of either congratulation or suspicion.
"Yeah, we missed you too." I whispered to myself sarcastically. I began walking away from the group, keeping my head down but my shoulders high. Before C and B left, I would try to talk to as many people as I could. There was this big intrigue about why I was at the position I was in. To be honest, its nothing special. We simply hide our names for safety reasons. Ever since it was revealed that I'm some normal dude, nobody had approached me. Though, that could be spurred on by what C and B said before they left.
"Look what you did to us!"
My heart panged with anguish. I simply wish that time could be reverted, to before any of this happened, but I knew that couldn't be. By the time I realized I had zoned out, I had already made it to my office.. My office was also nothing special. Simply a room with a lockable door and a light that only worked when it wanted to. Walking in, I locked it behind me and quickly sank to the floor.
"What do I do…" I thought aloud. Then something struck me. I stood, walking to the desk on the far side of the room, which was covered in blueprints and maps. Feeling them unnecessary, I flung my hands across the desk, sending them flailing and flying to the floor. I opened my desk drawer, or well, tried to. It often got stuck at the most inoportune of times, so I had to yank on the drawer before it opened fully.
Out of it, I retrieved a notebook and a pen, I began writing. Dear C, no.
Dear Andrew and Katherine. I'm sorry.