The Dead Man by 30otsixThe Dead Man Project was started at the height of the cold war, under President Lyndon B. Johnson, with one underground facility, July 2, 1969. Exactly one year and a day after the signing of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Its sole purpose was to extract revenge on any conquering force. The idea was that if by some miraculous act, the United States was destroyed by a surprise nuclear attack there would be specific individuals stationed deep underground that would have their thumbs over the button that would launch every nuclear warhead to predetermined locations. The operation was simple, every twenty-four hours a radio transmission would come from above and deliver the abort codes. If the transmission didn't arrive, four hours later the thumb went down. A dead man's switch.
By the mid-eighty's there were thirty such facilities and by the mid-nineties, when you joined the ranks, they were almost obsolete. However, the project was one the nations most guarded secrets. You have long since assumed however, that this particular secret was a secret only to the American people and that it had been leaked to all threatening nations. After all, what good is a threat like the Dead Man Project, if no one were to know about it. In 1996, when you joined the ranks of the Dead Men, it seemed like the perfect assignment. Six months deep underground, the cold war almost forgotten, you and five other men would be caretakers of this steel curtain relic. For the other six months you lived the life of luxury; Dead Men were paid very well.
Ten years of this duty had begun to wear thin however. Lisa, your wife of five years, finally left you for another man, claiming that it was your fault for abandoning her for six months out of every year. But rather than get reassigned and escape this madness, you decided to crawl away into this hole for a double tour of duty. One full year underground, one full year of danger pay, one full year without ever having to see that deceitful bitch.
One full year as a Dead Man.
How you came to lie on this cold hard floor you have no idea. The last thing you remember was that the abort transmission hadn't come. Per protocol, the countdown timer was reset to four hours and you went "full live". The first time this had happened in your ten years of duty. Your head spinning, and body shaking from the chill, you try to focus on the timer along the south wall. Slowly it comes into focus.
[-01:04-]
Your eyes loose focus as you try to hold onto consciousness.
[-01:03-]
The countdown!
What the hell is going on?
[-01:02-]
You mind races.
This can't be happening? Where the hell is everybody? WHY HAVEN'T THEY CONTACTED US?
Why is it so cold?
[-01:01-]
You try to sit up and look around you, but a sharp pain grips the top of your spine and sends you reeling to the floor and darkness. After a moment you awaken, open your eyes, and see a gun lying on the floor beside you.
With your head still spinning you slowly stand up.
> l
Though you have been involved with the Dead Man Project for several years, the Control Room is not overly familiar to you. Your primary duty was stand guard and protect others from outside sources. On the south wall is a large digital timer, clicking away the seconds until Armageddon. Dominating the north wall is the communications console and its large monitor-viewer. A utilitarian chair rests on casters in front of the console. Along the east wall is a small locker, and to the west a large steel door leading to the rest of the complex. Something large and asymmetrical appears to be in front of the door. As your eyes gain focus, you realize it is a body, possibly dead, slumped against the door. A gun rests on the floor.
> roll over body
As you turn the body over the face of Capt. Mattingly stares back at you, dead from a single shot to the head.
> x body
The Army greens worn by this man are made almost black by the blood that has seeped into them. The body itself is slumped against the exit door, held up by a pair of handcuffs attached to the door handle. The face of Capt. Mattingly stares into nothingness. With the body turned over your search reveals some bullets.
> get all
BANG BANG
As your hands touch the gun a shock runs through your hand and you drop it as if it were a living evil thing, a venomous snake coiling in your touch. Visions of violence fill you head strobing through pictures so gruesome and bloody you close your eyes but the visions only become worse. You head throbs as you kneel to the floor. Looking violently around the room the only thing that calms you the ever present timer slowly counting down to Armageddon.
[-00:58-]
> get gun
You pick up the gun.
> load gun
You put the bullets inside the gun.
> open locker
The locker is held closed by a padlock.
> shoot locker
With a loud report the bullet grazes the lock causing it to swing. Staring at it as it slows to a stop you take aim and fire again. This time it is a direct hit and the lock explodes from the impact.
> open locker
You open the locker.
> x locker
The only object that sits along the east wall is this battered orange locker. You assume it is some sort of storage facility but you have never seen it open. A small bullet hole is above the handle. The locker is open. A first aid kit and a small red Medal are inside the locker.
The dizziness overtakes you again, you put your hands against the Console for support. Your breathing is labored.
Staying upright is increasingly hard.
[-00:53-]
> get kit
You take the first aid kit from the locker.
> open kit
You open the first aid kit. Among the usual things you would find in a first aid kit you notice a large bandage roll, a pair of scissors and a syringe.
> get syringe
You take the syringe from the first aid kit.
> use syringe
After tearing the package open with your teeth, you take the small syringe and place it gently against the vein. A drop of sweat rolls down your forehead, but with the needle in your fist you are afraid to brush it off. Slowly you push the needle into the Cephalic vein, and giggle to yourself remembering the fun you had with that word in training. Pulling back gently on the plunger, crimson mist swirls into the chamber. Knowing that you've hit the vein you push the plunger, gradually releasing the drug into your bloodstream.
Your heart begins to race and your chest tightens as if crushed by metal bands. Closing your eyes against the pressure building up in your forehead, a flash of light enters your mind's eye and a euphoric rush comes over your entire body, strangely similar to an orgasm. Suddenly, you've never felt better.
Suddenly your head begins to spin and the lights fades in and out, slowly at first, but soon working its way up to a frenzied strobe. Then darkness. Suddenly a pit gapes in front of you, some how darker than dark, oil on black velvet, and you feel yourself stepping headfirst into the abyss. Words fill your head.
Hey Lefty, its going to be ok. This is probably a drill or something. No need to work yourself into a frenzy. The pressure from the hand on his cheek distorts his grin. What's so damn funny that he's grinning at all? It's just like Momma Shelly always told me, "You can't fix what ain't broke, and what you CAN'T fix...well you just can't fix", so why worry about it? No need to go off half cocked about all this, everything is going to be just fine. The grin gets even wider, there's nothing to grin at down here but me.
After a final flash of white. The darkness fades in.
You awaken on the control room floor.
> use radio
Leaning closer to the radio you say:
Blair Alpha this is Deadman Tango, come in over.
Blair Alpha this is Deadman Tango, come in over.
Blair Alpha this is Deadman Tango, do you read? We have a situation here.
There seems to be something going on here, we have been breached, I repeat, Deadman Tango has been breached.
Blair we have not received expected transmission within last 23 hours, repeat:
NO TRANSMISSION RECIEVED.
Deadman Protocol underway.
Time remaining,
You quickly look at the countdown,
T Minus 45 minutes and counting, please respond.
I repeat T Minus 45 minutes until Deadman Launch. Please respond.
. . .
You continue to wait but there is no response.
God, you wish someone would answer. Your thoughts are interrupted by harsh static.
A loud voice fills the room.
Deadman Tango, this is Blair do you read.
Deadman Tango, this is Blair do you read.
Deadman, we understand you have a situation there, please respond.
Acknowlege and prepare to receive standard abort code.
Over.
You stand in silence.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
A small rush fills you with pleasure.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
Suddenly your head begins to spin and the lights fades in and out, slowly at first, but soon working its way up to a frenzied strobe. Then darkness. Suddenly a gate stand in front of you, some how darker than dark, ink on black silk, and you feel yourself stepping feet first into the abyss. Words fill your head.
Hey, Mister Sinister! What the hell was that sound? His stance shows that he had just jumped up from the table, his head cocked like a mongrel dog. He grins at me. Man, it sounded like a gunshot or something. Man! First this no talky no walky thing and now we gots some asshole using the hallway for target practice? His grin fades as he looks down.
After a final flash of white. The darkness fades in.
You awaken on the control room floor.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
A small rush fills you with pleasure.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
Suddenly your head begins to spin and the lights fades in and out, slowly at first, but soon working its way up to a frenzied strobe. Then darkness. Suddenly a dark curtain drapes in front of you, some how darker than dark, tar on a bowling ball, and you feel yourself stepping feet first into the abyss. Words fill your head.
I met her on a Sunday and my heart stood still, da do run run run, da do run run Somebody told her that her name was Jill, da do run run run, da do run run ....The curtain opens quickly.WHAT THE HELL YOU DOIN MAN?!He didn't have time to even crack a smile.
After a final flash of white. The darkness fades in.
You awaken on the control room floor.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
A small rush fills you with pleasure.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
Suddenly your head begins to spin and the lights fades in and out, slowly at first, but soon working its way up to a frenzied strobe. Then darkness. Suddenly a steel door closes in front of you, reflecting the blackness, a puddle in the asphalt, and you feel yourself running fist first into the abyss. Words fill your head.
Come on John, now just come down, I can't let you in until you calm down. What the hell is going on out there? The voice is muffled, I can't see who's speaking. I need to see the him. Lefty, what the hell do you think you are doing, the cameras in hall just went out. Captain, something crazy is going on out here they're dead, they're ALL dead. Ramirez, Shelly, and Baker all dead sir. There's blood everywhere." Shuffling behind the door, a faint click. The latch scratches across the surface, a flash as the axe hits the door.
After a final flash of white. The darkness fades in.
You awaken on the control room floor.
> z
Time passes...
> z
Time passes...
A banging on the door startles you and you turn to stare at the cold steel. A muffled voice fills the quite room,
Captain, let me in!, another pounding at the door.
Captain, its Lefty, something crazy is going on out here. Pound
they're dead
Pound Pound
they're ALL dead.
Pound
Ramirez, Shelly, and Baker.
Pound
all dead sir
the pounding weakens
There's blood everywhere
silence.
The door stands closed and latched. The pounding at the door returns.
> stand
You stand up.
They're all dead, sir.
> open door
Slowly you unlatch the steel door and pull it open just a crack. Not seeing anyone, you open the door wider. Out of the corner of your eye something shines.
An axe has been embedded in the door. Overtaken by fear you shove the door away from you, causing the axe to come loose and fall to the floor, with a dull metallic thud.
In a panic you quickly slam the door shut and re-latch it, leaving the axe inside.
> get axe
You pick up the axe.
> chop off hand with axe
With a wild swing the axe arcs down at the wrist of Capt. Mattingly. You hear a dull thud as it strikes the bone. Pulling the axe head free you chop down again and again…
The bloody hand falls to the floor wetly.
> get hand
You pick up the bloody hand.
> put hand on green plate
You put the bloody hand onto the green plate.
> put hand on green plate
The green glass goes dark, them pulses with a soft pink light. The words "ABORT SUCSESFUL" appear on the monitor in front of you.
Hoping that you have made the right decision you face the door as if seeing it for the first time. You remember what you did to your colleagues and you are ready to face the consequences. Opening the door you walk down the hall to the exit, ready to face the world. Or what there is left of it.