Spirit Intercom

by Sean Adami

  “I could care less what you’re doing. Tell me what that is!”

  While this heated conversation resumed, Jimmy put his mouth up to Andrew's ear. He whispered, “If you don’t listen to what my dad says—” He pointed down to his other hand that held a knife. “Then this knife is going to marry your pharynx.”

  Andrew backed his head away. “I won’t.” He missed part of the Wallace-to-Rick conversation.

  Rick said, “I ain’t gotta say shit! All I gotta do is my job, and my job is what’s saving your ass in the first place!”

  Wallace said, “I’m your commander, don’t forget! You can’t disavow me.”

  “Yes I can! You’re not even my commander. My real commander is the person’s wrist I am holding. You’re no one without me, so shut your ass up already!”

  Wallace remained silent. This car ride had felt uncomfortable. Also, the seats were uncomfortable. Andrew received a message from Mindcord. Jimmy was looking at him. The message was from Rufus. He scrolled down to his name. Before clicking it, he saw he had Harriet’s contact information. He must’ve accidently gotten it when he bumped heads with her while having sex. Rufus wrote, “Harriet and I are growing more discomforted. We hear major outcries and gunshots outside the fences, and we think there is a major problem out there. We are—”

  Jimmy asked, “Andrew, why are your eyes moving so weirdly?”

  Wallace, turning at them, asked, “Were his eyes moving from left to right?” Jimmy nodded. “That probably means he was reading a message on Mindcord.”

  Andrew continued reading the message. “We are still in the bunker waiting for your directions. We just worry if you’ll safely make it to us. It’s crazy out there so stay hidden!”

  Jimmy asked, “Whatcha reading, Andrew? Anything suspicious?”

  Andrew closed out of Mindcord. He grew on edge. “No.”

  “Andrew, we don’t wanna give you a hard time,” Wallace said. “Tell us what you read.”

  Rick interfered and said, “He doesn’t need to.”

  Wallace said, “What makes you say that? He has to obey me. Andrew, tell—”

  “He ain’t gotta say shit,” Rick preceded. “It’s not like he can cover up anything from us. We’ll just have a closer eye on him.”

  Wallace said, “What is up with you today? How come all of the sudden you get to order people around? I’m the leader, and what I say always—”

  “No! Today, I’m the leader. I’ve prepared more for this day than anything else I have ever done. I fucking shot and tore Kurt’s hand off for this day. So shut up from now on. Because if you don’t, I’m gonna crash this car into the side of the wall, and you ain’t getting any access!” Wallace remained silent again. Even Jimmy looked scared.

  Rick saved Andrew on this one, unintentionally. Andrew reopened Mindcord. Jimmy looked extremely annoyed with Andrew. Clicking on Rufus’s name, he wanted to write a message back. The realization that Andrew came up with before he fell asleep at 12:12 a.m. required him to obtain the screen of Robert’s eye from Rufus. Andrew began to concoct the message. He wrote, “Rufus, please have Harriet give me the screen of my father’s eye. It’s important and necessary for this day. I will let you know when.” Jimmy seemed even more bothered now. The continuous eye movements made him think that something was up.

  Jimmy yelled, “Dad, I can’t take this anymore! This bastard is doing something behind our backs! I wanna knife his pharynx so badly!” He held the knife up to Andrew’s neck.

  Wallace said, “No, Jimmy! Stop!”

  The knife was shaking in Jimmy’s hand. “I hate this dude. He’s gonna screw things up for us!”

  Rick said, “Jimmy, relax. If you knife Andrew, I’m crashing this car right away.”

  Jimmy restrained backwards and put the knife away. His eyebrows bent greatly while he exhaled tumultuously. Face red, he crossed his arms and stared out the window.

  Andrew kept to himself. The light at the end of the tunnel sharpened. The five cars slowed down. Andrew began to hear rampant gunshots. Some shrieks and yells could be heard. Wallace opened the glove compartment. He took a pistol out from it. Pulling out another one, he handed the pistol to Jimmy. Jimmy accepted it without eye contact. Wallace displayed a third gun to Rick. Rick said, “I already have one.” He cradled the gun that was on his hip.

  Wallace displayed the third gun to Andrew. Wallace said, “Wait, you already have that laser pointer. That’s lethal enough.” He put this gun away back into the glove compartment. All the cars had finally stopped. They saw the door. Getting out of their foreign vehicles, the men waited for their instructions. Andrew, Jimmy, Rick, and Wallace got out of the Versa. Wallace said, “We need to stay low and quiet. If they find us, we’re dead. I’m assuming those gunshots are aimed at all the protestors and outcasts that want access. We’re getting access because we enter with style.” The crowd dilated their cheer as Wallace hushed them. Rick went up to the door and put the number 62951413 in. Andrew could’ve done this, too. Wallace said, “Nobody says a word past this door. Follow Rick and me quietly.” The hallway led to the elevator. Rick led the group. Andrew followed them, and he saw Jimmy right behind his tail. Some of the men crouched.

  The elevator was not big enough for 30 people. Wallace whispered that they would make two trips. Rick said, “We can’t have the men go on the elevator yet. I’m gonna set off the lockdown while you guys wait here. Don’t move.” Rick went on the elevator by himself. Holding Kurt’s hand in his left hand, Rick used his own wrist to trigger the elevator’s convoluted trip. Everyone had to wait patiently. Jimmy’s vision was deadlocked onto Andrew.

  The floor rumbled and shook. The screams grew louder as this happened. The first minor earthquake of the geothermal energy crisis had hit. Andrew was getting more worried by the minute. Jimmy pulled his knife out again. Jimmy said, “Don’t message anyone else.” His father hushed him. The rumbling occurred again for a second time, leading to even more shrieks and scares from outside the gates. Andrew knew an innocent person was dying every moment he sat mindlessly doing nothing to help him. He felt sad and frightened from all this chaos. As these horrific sounds continued, all the lights in the hallway turned off. Only two red lights lit the entire hallway. An ear-splitting siren went off. The lights flashed around in circles.

  The elevator opened up with Rick inside. Rick whispered, “Get in.” Andrew went on the first trip. 15 of the men squeezed into the elevator with Andrew. Before the door closed, Jimmy stopped it and made his way inside the tightly-packed elevator. Rick pulled out his own wrist, and the elevator made its convoluted trip to the other complex. Jimmy still had his penetrating vision on Andrew intact. The elevator was bumpier than normal. The elevator door opened and the blue reception desk appeared. Sharon, the receptionist, was not there. Rick said, “Wait here while I get the rest.”

  Andrew’s legs developed pins and needles. The needle he worried more for was the blade of Jimmy’s. Another earthquake hit; this time the shake was joltier. This floor was dark and only a minimal amount of red light shined the hallway trails. Andrew wanted to see what was outside the labs. The amount of noise that it vibrated couldn't be ignored. The 15 men and Jimmy remained silently still. Andrew heard faint footsteps from behind, multiple footsteps as a matter a fact. The men took out their guns and pointed them towards this sound. The footsteps drew nearer. There were five yellow-suited guards. Due to the darkness, these guards didn’t spot Andrew and the radicals. However, a man from the radicals released one gunshot. One guard fell to the floor. The remaining guards approached the position of Andrew and rapidly shot fire with submachine guns. Multiple radical men fell short and died. Andrew laid on the floor to avoid the bullets. Jimmy, who was crouched behind a wall, yelled, “Idiot, use your laser gun!” Andrew pulled it out from his pocket and turned the laser on. He moved the laser in random directions all over the guards. The guards yelled vehemently as the excruciating pain of melted skin and boiled blood developed over their bodies. A
ll the guards died. Andrew’s subconscious was horrified with what Andrew did. He felt psychotic and ill-minded. Turning around, he saw about four dead men on the floor covered in blood. Jimmy yelled, “Fuck! Now our cover is blown!”

  The elevator door opened. The 15 other men along with Wallace and Rick stared at this scene. Wallace yelled, “What the fuck happened!”

  Jimmy said, “Andrew killed them!”

  Andrew yelled, “No I didn’t! He’s lying! These five guards came by and one of the men began to take fire at them.”

  A man from the group said, “Yeah, Andrew didn’t start it. It was actually me who took the first shot at the guards.” Rick shot this man. The death toll of radicals reached five.

  “Holy shit!” Wallace expressed. “Why would you kill him?”

  “We specifically said not to encounter anyone. He betrayed us,” Rick said.

  Jimmy said, “Why is Andrew even with us? He holds no value. Let’s just kill his ass already.”

  “We need him to guide us to the VIP Room. After that we can decide his fate,” Wallace said.

  Rick said, “Enough words. Everybody shut up! Andrew, lead us to the VIP Room. I’m, instead, going to get another job done. Go without me.” He still carried Kurt’s wrist. “I don’t need this anymore.” He threw the wrist to the floor.

  Andrew asked, “What job?” The elevator door had already closed in front of Rick.

  Wallace said, “You heard his orders! Lead us the way before we get shot at again.” Andrew’s needed Robert’s eye. Opening up Mindcord, he was about to type a message out to Rick. He wanted Harriet to give it to him, but the radicals were too close to him. He dismissed the message. Looking at Kurt's wrist, he came up with the greatest realization. Because Spirit Radical had no knowledge of where the VIP Room was, this meant that Andrew could take them wherever he desired.

  Andrew said, “Follow me.” These two words had been ordered at him so many times. Now he had ownership of this phrase, and he was in control. He picked up Kurt’s hand from the floor. “Maybe we’ll need this.” Additionally, Andrew legitimately forgot where the “VIP Access” room was. He began to walk down a random hallway. His greatest realization would work if he conquered precision and timing correctly.

  Jimmy said, “Give me your laser gun. I don’t trust you with it.” Andrew looked at Wallace and handed it to Jimmy.

  Andrew obtained a message from Rufus. It read, “Your father is with us at the bunker, pointing a gun at me and Harriet. He says that he is going to imprison us. Please come help us! The bunker is located in the disk door underneath. Type in the code 64782598 to enter. If anything, he’s gonna send more men to kill you!” (Hey, reader! The perspective of the story shifts to Harriet.)

  Harriet, standing still next to Rufus in the bunker, had a gun aimed at her head. The bunker was a dark blue room with metallic walls surrounding it with canned food, supplies, and water. Robert said, “I know Andrew is here. Tell me where he is.” Another earthquake hit them, causing Harriet to almost lose her balance.

  Rufus asked, “How’d you know we were here?”

  Robert said, “As chief security, I study all camera footage. Luckily, I found the correct camera, which was located just outside the bunker.” He pointed their gun closer at them. “Once again, tell me where he is! I have no time for games!”

  “We don’t know,” Harriet said. “For real, we have no knowledge.”

  Robert slapped her face with his gun. He said, “I will resort to violence and torture if you don’t tell me. This moment for Spirit Intercom is the most important day! I cannot have our guests face any issues!”

  Gentile and creeping footsteps descended closer to them. These steps were slow and calm. Harriet saw a man, who she had never seen before, behind Robert. This man (who was Rick) wore tarnished red armor. This man pulled out a gun and asked, “Who are you? What are you doing here!”

  Robert turned around and saw this old acquaintance and betrayer. Robert pointed the gun at this man and gained space from Harriet and Rufus. Robert said, “Wow, I can’t believe you revealed your face here, again. Scram.”

  Rick said, “I need to kill those two. So you need to back off.”

  “I need these two for the location of my son. You’re not laying a finger on them.”

  Rick said, “Looks like we’re in an ordeal then.”

  “ You betraying son of a bitch. You broke the trust of Spirit Intercom just for low-life scum. They’re nothing but dirt and so are you.”

  Rick said, “But today, we become the shoe.” Rick shot Robert in the belly. Robert shot him back and hit Rick in the head. Rick fell dead while Robert suffered on the floor with dismantled organs. They both had dropped their guns. (Hey, reader! The perspective of the story shifts back to Andrew.)

  Andrew really wanted to help Rufus and Harriet out. But he had to deal with the radicals behind his back. Holding Kurt’s wrist, he walked down a random hallway, pretending as if he knew the spot for the “VIP Access” room. He wanted to walk to the outer wall of the building to see through the glass wall. As he turned through multiple hallways, he found glass at the end of a hallway. He approached the glass. Jimmy said, “Does this guy know where he is even going?” As Andrew walked through these hallways, he saw sensor terminals at each hallway turn, meaning that the hallways could be closed.

  “Yes,” Andrew falsely affirmed. “The room is near this glass door.” He peeked through the glass wall. A new-looking world came into shape. Herds of outlaws and poor people crowded the entrance of Spirit Intercom. About ten thousand people wanted access from the outside. Hundreds of security guards stood on the roof of all three complexes, holding futuristic guns. Chef Bots, who became killer bots, were the infantry on the floor. These robots shot many people from the outside. The floor outside was corroded by earthquakes. It began to look like a Nirvana 74 tectonic biome. These outsiders kept dying one by one as robots and their own species from Spirit Intercom massacred them. A man with a megaphone from the outside chanted, “Give us access! We will not be forgotten!” General Wayne, who proudly stood on the roof of the main complex, talked into a megaphone. He said, “Access is coming your way. We have supplied enough portable Spirit Emissaries for everyone. Follow my instructions: the first thing you must do is strap the device on the crown of your head, and that’s it!” He saw the crowd was still rampaging. “Please, everyone. Stop fighting. We have your access.” 20 cannons on the roof shot these portable devices into the air. The emissaries landed on the floor and on the heads of the outsiders. They listened to what the general said and put the devices around their heads. Andrew was so interested in the outside that he stopped walking. So did the radicals. They didn’t say anything back. All the people scrambled for a Spirit Emissary berserkly. They began punching and fighting for this property. General Wayne said, “Everyone! We have enough for all of you. Please stop fighting.” The cannons fired off again, and more emissaries popped out. Andrew saw in front of the hallway was a terminal. Andrew saw behind was a terminal. His greatest realization could work. The Spirit Radicals were so absorbed in the outside drama that Andrew took action of this timing. The entire crowd of outsiders owned a portable Spirit Emissary. They began to cheer happily. Andrew ran to the behind terminal by demagnetizing around the radicals. General Wayne said, “Who’s ready for the Spirit World! Initiating emissaries in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1!” Every outsider fell unconscious on the ground. Andrew put Kurt’s wrist up to the sensor, and a glass door, moving vertically down, began to close the hallway behind the radicals. The dopamine from the fake emissaries transfigured to the outsiders’ heads. Andrew ran to the terminal that was in front of him. As a joke, Wayne said, “Sike.” Scanning Kurt’s hand on this sensor, Andrew ignited the frontal door to close. The behind door was completely closed. Black SUVs from the outside horizon drove down the road. Hundreds of these cars lined up as the rippling tectonic plates gushed out small trails of lava on the ground. Wayne said, “Welcome, guests! Please enter throug
h the main security complex. After you get there, we will guide you the rest of the way to the Spirit World.” The frontal door began to close. Jimmy, who was blown away from the drama, looked away from the glass wall and saw what Andrew was doing behind their back (literally).

  Jimmy yelled, “Shit! What the hell is Andrew doing!” The radicals looked in front and saw the front of the hallway began to close. The vertically-shifting door was halfway done. The radicals sprinted to the front in a chance to not be trapped. They were too late. Right as they reached the door, it was closed completely. All they saw was Andrew through the glass door. Andrew playfully waved. The men were so furious that they shot the wall. Thankfully, the glass was bullet-proof.

  Wallace shouted, “You sneaky little rat! We’re gonna kill you!” Wallace pulled out a walkie-talkie. He said, “Rick, use the explosive remote on Andrew, now!” He looked at Andrew. “Have fun getting your brains blown out from that tiny little camera stuck in your head! The package you were ordered to give to Rick from the start was a remote for your own death. You were carrying your own weight the entire time!” He laughed maniacally. However, he received no response from Rick. “Rick? Rick? You there?” No response again. Andrew was waiting for his death but nothing was happening. Andrew saw Jimmy’s face. It was steaming. Mouth open, Jimmy tried knifing Andrew through the glass. No luck. Jimmy pulled out the laser gun and beamed it. Glass being reflective as well, the door reflected the 1000 megawatt beam into Jimmy’s eye. He died. Andrew was about to leave. Wallace shouted, “Fuck! My son! Andrew, consequences are rolling in.” Using his walkie talkie again, he said, “Kill his children!” He put the walkie-talkie away. “I’ve sent two bounty hunters to your house. Your children are dead like mine.” Andrew feared greatly now. Kevin was at the apartment with them still. He needed to help them. Unfortunately, help was needed at the bunker. He ran down the hallways until he reached the elevator.

  He spam-clicked floor 1. The elevator reached this floor. Using Kurt’s hand, he did the wrist mechanic to ignite the weird route to the disk door hallway. Underground, Andrew exited out of the machine. He made it to the disk door. Opening Mindcord, he put the code in that Rufus sent him. The blue bunker appeared.