Just Another Job

by Casey Peterson

  Like many of the car rides, no one spoke for a long time. The pilot helped and reinforced the silence when he spoke over the intercom, “Short flight to Gaziantep Airport, right on the border of Turkey. 'Nother twenty minutes or so.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The jet out of Turkey only took them to New York. From there they were separated. Jane gave a short goodbye to Frank and Chris and a long hug to Johnykin. They were told Jean and Hal's bodies would be sent over to their families. Klaus would go with them back to San Francisco and receive a burial fit for a soldier. There was no family to take him home.

  As they headed on to another small jet, Johnykin spoke the first real words since they left Syria, “What are you going to do?”

  Chris didn't wait to see if it was directed at him or Frank. “I'm quitting. I'm going in to Erik's office or wherever the hell he may be and tell him I'm done. You guys should too.”

  Frank shook his head. He wasn't ready to talk to Chris yet even if it was to argue.

  “It's not that easy,” said Johnykin.

  “Why not?” asked Chris.

  Johnykin bit her lip hard and took her time to settle into her seat before responding. “It's a secret and there was a contract. I don't really know what happens if I break it.”

  Chris sat opposite from her and Frank took the seat to the side of Johnykin so as to hear but also ignore if he chose.

  “That doesn't matter. Contracts are always broken. This is going to come out eventually. There's no way they can keep things a secret after three dead Supers,” said Chris.

  Frank couldn't ignore this line of thought. “You're so ridiculous. You think you know, but that's bullshit. They can cover up whatever they want. You should be afraid about breaking your contract Johnykin. Erik's not going to let us just leave. I've seen it before.”

  Chris focused in on Frank's last comment. “You’ve seen it before? What in the movies with real superheroes?”

  “Erik's not the type to let things go,” said Johnykin. She turned to look out the window.

  “This isn't over,” said Chris. “You can't just say that about Erik and turn away. I know this is different. I'm acting different. Come on let's get past this.” Chris looked at the back of both their heads. He wasn't going to move them with his words. He never was one to do that.

  Chris leaned back in his seat and moved his hands over his short, dark brown hair. In his head, he ran through the different scenarios Erik would pose to him after quitting. Then he imagined life after working at the labs. What the hell was he going to do? They saved money, but what did he want to do? Sadie’s face appeared in his mind, ‘You like to write,’ she said. What was…

  The laptop in their bags. Chris pulled it out from underneath his seat, but as he unzipped it realized the battery had to be dead. Sure enough it was. It wouldn't have been a good idea anyways. How would he get the document off the computer for himself to keep? His mind ran through the usual ways learned back at X-Tech. Too much bother. Pushing the computer back in the bag, he rummaged some more, only half thinking about what he wanted. Soon in his hands were a notepad and pen. Chris thought again about the past. That old notepad would be helpful about now. All the early stages of the lie were already written down.

  “Oh well,” Chris said to himself aloud. Johnykin and Frank both turned around believing it was directed at them. Chris used an old goofy smile and tapped the pen against his forehead. Frank and Johnykin turned away.

  Chris told himself, silently this time, to start at the beginning. He might be able to find the old notes, but it didn't help to imagine that small success. For the five and a half hour flight that's all Chris did. Some parts were more detailed than others, but he didn't stop. All the great things that they tell you that comes from writing down your experiences were practically true. Chris saw the bigger picture and came to the comfortable feeling of seeing how he fit in it. It was all so much more concrete especially when seeing the end goal that Erik or the government, whoever was really in charge, had in mind.

  But how did they fake it so well? It was obvious the videos were doctored with special effects techniques. That was an easy enough assumption.

  “Johnykin,” said Chris. She didn't respond. He got up and put his hand on her shoulder. The touch shocked her awake.

  “Shit! You scared me,” said Johnykin. “What is it? Are we back?”

  “Just about, but – hey – how did you guys pull off the helicopter crash at the hospital and the others that were live.”

  “What? It was just special effects.”

  “I know on the videos, but what about in real life. How did you do it?”

  “It was special effects. The scientists at the lab. They all worked in movies as set designers or effects people. What do they call them?”

  “Practical effects?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Something like that. It was all set up beforehand like a movie.”

  Chris laughed. “That's pretty smart of Erik.”

  “Sure,” said Johnykin, and sat there trying not to fall back asleep.

  “I overheard Carla talking about makeup effects,” said Frank under his breath.

  “Of course,” said Johnykin.

  Frank ditched the passive voice. “Plus they all had about a Wikipedia’s page worth of knowledge on their specializations. Carmen would always get nervous around me and start talking about her garden and how to space out plants for the most visually aesthetic appearance.”

  “Set decorator,” said Johnykin.

  “Jesus, I was blind,” said Chris.

  “No shit,” said Frank and Johnykin together.

  The jet landed in San Francisco and Chris checked his phone for the updated time. It was just after nine in the morning. He felt exhausted and then frustratingly alert. He hadn’t called Sadie or texted her what was going on. His thoughts were only on writing. It was too late now. She was going to fucking kill him, he thought. Then Johnykin walked past and Frank just behind her. Frank stopped and looked down before he stared into Chris’s face with unfocused emotion.

  Finally getting somewhere, Frank put it into words, “I know why you did it. I don’t want an apology but were not even. I owe you so much more than this.”

  Chris was puzzled. Then Frank made it all clear. He pulled back his fist and launched it into Chris’s face. The hit knocked Chris back into his seat and started a dribble of blood down his chin. Chris felt his nose and it didn’t seem broken. Frank must’ve held back, Chris thought.

  Frank walked away and shouted back to Chris, “You better go through with it. I wanna see your ass quit.”

  The familiar, ugly SUV waited for them with their old driver. He smiled and opened the doors for all of them. Johnykin moved in first to the front passenger; Frank and Chris the back. Johnykin pulled her seat belt across her body and looked back at them with a ‘nothing ever changes’ face. But then her face sunk. All the skin from her forehead to her chin dragged downward because of what was just behind Chris and Frank’s heads.

  They took the cue to see a long, thick, black bag that was placed askew to fit the entire height of Klaus’s dead body. Together they turned back around and hung their heads, but Chris could still see Johnykin looking past them. She finally shut her eyes and tears pushed out before she turned away from it all to the window.

  What was wrong with Erik to do this, thought Chris? Was he thoughtless or an intentional monster? The too cheerful driver popped open the trunk and, at the very least, carefully placed their bags so as not to touch Klaus. Then the driver raced around to his seat and put them on course for the lab.

  During the again familiar, silent ride Chris went over the different speeches he might give to Erik. Too many included ‘Fuck you, Erik!’ at the beginning, middle, and end. The real part of Chris didn’t want it to be that way. Erik would enjoy it too much.

  Chris also wanted it to be a blueprint for Frank and Johnykin to follow. Or anyone else that had been involved from Neal to Alex and so on. T
his was such a horrible hypocrisy; Chris thought they would all want a way out. Wouldn’t they?

  “Are you going to quit too?” asked Chris.

  Frank looked up from his phone and then away without answering.

  “Johnykin, are you?” asked Chris.

  She didn’t budge from the window.

  “You’re quitting?” asked the driver. He looked at Chris through the rearview mirror.

  “Shut up!” said Chris.

  The driver threw his hand up to say he tried and went on smiling at the road ahead.

  “Really?” said Chris. “You know Erik put Klaus’s body back there on purpose to fuck with us. This is so far beyond anything right. I can’t believe you would want to continue being around such a… fake institute.”

  Still no responses. It all hit Chris again. What he was doing meant nothing. He had to stop talking about it and wishing for them to support and join along with him. This was his course of action and he had to take it by himself.

  And so here was his opportunity. Erik stood outside of the glass door entrance to the lab with his hands held behind his back and a slight dip of his chin. The SUV pulled up to the curb. Chris stepped out first and almost ate the pavement because he was still watching the predetermined stance Erik took.

  Chris still led the way with Johnykin and Frank just behind. Erik brought his eyes up to meet Chris's and with a quick strike Erik wrapped his arms around Chris in a tight hug. Before Chris could say anything, Erik did the same to Johnykin and Frank.

  “I'm so sorry,” said Erik. His eyes filled with a tear each, but he pushed on. “Nothing could have prepared us for such a horrible outcome and I can't imagine what it was like to witness, but you’re back home. And we can move on together.”

  This was Erik's finish. The tears had gone and he ushered them inside with a swift jaunt. Unconsciously, they followed his quick footsteps through the main lab and directly into his office.

  “Well, as hard as everything was it didn't go to waste. But let's start the debriefing,” said Erik. He pulled his phone out on the desk and set it to record their conversations. “Johnykin, I need you to start.” He waved his hand for her to take the seat across from him.

  The present came into focus again for Chris as he watched Johnykin follow Erik's directions and position herself to begin detailing their mission.

  “No,” said Chris. He reached past Johnykin and shut off the phone. “Not now. This can all wait. You need to take care of Klaus first.”

  “No shit, Chris,” said Erik. “We do have other people working here that can take care of a dead body. I don't personally have to pick him up and put him in the incinerator.”

  “What!?” said Johnykin. “How do you know that's what he wanted?”

  “You bastard,” said Frank.

  “It was all written out in his contract. He understood the risks and communicated his decisions in the proper form so that we could continue on without wasting the time of others,” said Erik. He smiled with a vicious finality, then turned the phone on again and looked towards Johnykin.

  “I quit. Right now. I’m not going to be a part of the debrief or anything else,” said Chris.

  “Uh-huh,” said Erik, and continued to look at Johnykin to begin.

  Chris turned to walk out of the room.

  “I wouldn’t do that yet,” said Erik.

  Chris stopped but didn’t turn around. “Why?”

  Erik stood up with a loud scrape of the chair’s feet on the tile floor. The noise brought Chris back around. Erik skirted quickly around the desk but slowed his pace as he stepped towards Chris. There was at least six inches difference in height between the two, though Erik’s personality made up for every one; especially when he switched into his deepest voice.

  “I like you Chris. At least, I did like you. That’s why you got to be a sidekick and go on these merry missions with your dream girl and guy. You were practically a Super like Johnykin – and Klaus, can’t forget him.”

  “They’re not Supers. I know this is bullshit.”

  “Of course you do. You’re smart too. So many great qualities that were put to great use for our country. You were a blessing to the people in our ever present fight for freedom. But shit happens. We have to be resilient. I know it was hard to see and do what you did over there…”

  Erik’s speech with its deep charismatic filling kept going and began to bore its way into Chris’s thoughts at first. Yeah, I have given something and can give more to people. Wait. What freedom? How am I a blessing? We put people in danger constantly for a show.

  “Shut up, Erik. I don’t care what you think about what we did —“

  Erik placed his hand on Chris’s shoulder to interrupt. “It’s not just what I think, it’s what it is. However you see this, isn’t important. If you continue on this whole ‘I quit’ nonsense, you will be violating the stipulations clearly outlined in the contract you signed.”

  “Sue me. I’ll bring the truth to court and this is all worthless.”

  “We’re the fucking government!” Erik swiftly raked his fingers through his black hair as if to activate a change in temperament. It didn’t work. “We can do whatever we want. I could walk into your house and break off every one of Sadie’s fingers before shooting her in the head. Or crush every bone in Gerry and Louise’s faces until their features ran like pudding. Then I’ll use the psych reports as evidence to put you in court as the murderer. Everyone will see you as I make you appear to be, no one will know what you really were! You have no power to push around here, but I do. So sit your ass down and be thankful I don’t have your body dumped in the bay right now.”

  Chris saw Erik for what he was and stood silent amidst the blatant antagonism. There was some truth to his words. Chris put his family at risk by moving ahead, but how much was unsure. Chris looked over at Frank whose head hung slightly less than Johnykin's. Frank's family was just as much at risk. Johnykin didn't have one or she lied, but she was scared of Erik too.

  The support wasn’t there and probably never would be to go through with it. Chris needed Sadie; to talk to her, just to be next to her. He had to play along with Erik for now. Erik could see the complacency written across Chris’s face. Erik still held control and the power, so he gestured to Chris to sit down and let Johnykin begin the debriefing.

  Frank followed Johnykin’s report and then Chris added his own bland retelling. Erik, considerably pleased with himself, sent them off when it was all over. The three of them split away from each other as soon as they left Erik’s office. Chris charged ahead to the lounge. He immediately went to the computer to look up the files of notes, supposedly so important to their work early on with understanding the Supers.

  Everything was restricted. Erik must have changed his security clearance. All he could access was solitaire. Chris remembered the papers he wrote on in the plane and looked around for his bag to pull them from. Shit! He left it in the back with Klaus’s body. The driver would have given them to Erik or maybe Walt. He was in charge of packing their stuff. He might still have it before Erik came snooping around.

  Chris jumped from the computer desk and ran out into the hall. He bumped into Johnykin around a corner. She startled out of a trance-like walk.

  “Hey Chris, I wanted to talk to you —“

  “Not right now. Later.” He continued at a jogging pace until he finally reached the Fun Room.

  Through the glass, Chris saw Walt stooped over their bags. Perfect, thought Chris. He threw the door open and zoomed over to Walt.

  “Hey Walt,” said Chris, pushing his voice to be chirpy.

  Walt turned to him with surprise. “Oh, hey Chris. Whatcha doin’ here? Don’t you have a meeting with Erik or something?”

  “We finished that up a while ago. Say I forgot something in my bag that I really need —“

  “Hey, Erik,” said Walt over Chris’s shoulder.

  Fuck, thought Chris. He turned his head slightly to see Erik stalking his way o
ver. “Here let me help you find it,” said Chris, and bent down to rummage through the bags.

  Erik made it over, bent next to Chris, and put his hand on Chris’s shoulder. “Find what?” asked Erik.

  Chris didn’t flinch. He kept moving his hands throughout until he felt the papers. “Some love letters to the wife,” said Chris, and stood up hugging the papers to his chest.

  “Really?” said Erik. He reached for the papers to confirm Chris’s story. “I could sure use some examples to help me get in better with the ol’ ball and chain. Let me take a look.”

  Chris stepped away. “Too personal. Wouldn’t help you much.” Then he speed walked to the door before shouting, “Thanks, Walt!”

  Chris saw Erik’s pissed face staring down at Walt before he tore through the bags, looking for anything useful.

  Inside the main lab, Chris moved quickly. He didn’t see anyone and remembered what Frank and Johnykin said about the “scientists.” He thought about interrogating them, forcing the truth out. It could be added to his story as more proof. Proof for what? What was he going to do with this story? Was it just for his own peace of mind?

  “Chris!” said Carla, and immediately wrapped him into a hug. “I’m so sorry about Klaus and everything you must have gone through. It’s terrible.”

  She was still hugging him when Chris noticed her head dug into his shoulder as she cried. The tears seeped through his shirt when she finally pulled away.

  “I couldn’t imagine doing what you did. I can’t stand violence or death.”

  “Thank you,” said Chris. He held her shoulders as she tried to compose herself. Looking at her cry like a child, Chris didn’t want to continue with what he was about to say. “Why… why are you here then?”

  “What?” She smiled so innocently.

  “This place is filled with violence. And if you don’t or can’t stand it, why are you here? I don’t want to attack you.” Chris softened his voice. “I know this is fake. I know you and Art and everyone else here aren’t scientists. There are no Supers. It’s okay; please tell me, why are you here?”