Rabbit Hole on Mars - Day 12 (Nov 12) 592 words

Chapter 12

Brian entered the Rover Control Room the next morning to find everyone already at work.

“I fired up Opportunity already and it appears Frankie is returning from another long night of working on his labyrinth,” Scott said.

Donna added, “Take a look at this picture here, the labyrinth grew by about a quarter mile. It's just been roughly outlined for now. Total size is probably going to be about a half mile in diameter. The rocks are piled in a way as to ensure Opportunity stays the course and can't skip a row.”

A Bluetooth notification, connection requested. Scott hit the accept button.

Once again, the voice spoke in it's modified tone, hiding it's real one, “I was connected to your office. You've cut me off.”

“That's right,” Brian said staring into the eyes of the rabbit head cake pan, “You hacked into our computers. You are just as much a threat here on Earth as you are on Mars.”

“If I wanted your job, Brian, I'd have it. Maybe someday I will.”

Brian shook his head, “This isn't a good way of applying for the job.”

The voice faintly replied, “Who left the refrigerator door open?”

Brian pulled his chin in, “Who left the what?”

The voice repeated itself louder, “Who left the goddamn refrigerator door open?! No one! The door's busted! What? Take off the stupid VR goggles and look me in the eye!”

Suddenly, Frankie's head tipped downward.

Everyone in the control room looked at each other. Confused and stunned. No one said a word, they just listened to the scrambled voice appear to talk to itself.

“Every other kid is outside doing something. Here you are hiding in your room! Do you even wonder what it's like out in the world?! No, you just sit here on the computer! What's on the screen? Nothing. Nothing?! You're addicted to that damn rabbit on Mars too?! It's a fucking terrorist! I don't want to see that shit on your computer again, you hear me?! Yes. Good, now get your ass outside.”

The sound of a door slamming was heard.

Frankie lifted his head slightly and looked at Opportunity.

Donna grabbed Scott's shoulder and whispered, “He's a kid.”

The rabbit shook his head, turned and headed back to the labyrinth.

Before the Bluetooth cut out, Brian yelled as if Frankie was actually too far to hear him, “So who are you?!”

Frankie stopped, his head turned to the side as if contemplating to reply. He only shook his head and moved on.

Scott heard the Bluetooth message notification bell. He checked the message box.

The main screen on the wall showed a pop up window, “Bluetooth connection canceled.”

Kantpis spoke quickly, “Listen up everybody. Looks like our rabbit operator is some super genius teenager. We don't have any specific information on his location, but I want to know how many refrigerators have bad gaskets with doors that open on their own. What did he send over Scott?”

“Another song.”

Brian nodded his head, “Ball is heading back into our court now. Hit play.”

The song was Marylin Manson's 'The Nobodies.' Everyone in the room sat and listened intently to the lyrics and didn't now if they should feel concerned for their own safety or sorry for the kid. It was a little bit of both.

The chorus played:

We are the nobodies

Wanna be somebodies

When we're dead

They'll know just who we are