Digital Cicada

The Pilot Chapter Six: George woke up first the next morning. He left the motel and bought flapjacks for the crew. He sat in silence as he waited for them to wake up. He sat in the back corner, twiddled his thumbs, and contemplated.  Clancy and Hans woke up to the smell of waffle house. They, momentarily, were lulled out of the sense of capture they felt otherwise. Wordlessly, with nods to George, they feasted. They ate on the bed, without utensils. George spoke first, letting loose the flood of thoughts he’d dammed up since abdicating from the pilots, “Is this worth it? What have you two led me on?” Clancy was on the receiving end of a stern finger, “You! You said you were reporters. I thought we’d touch down, do an informal interview, and I could sleep easy for the first time in years. That grotesque man shot himself and now we’re all egg-whites and coffee grounds. You have the photos, and I can testify, why in hell are we sitting here getting stalked?” Hans tuned in, “Don’t you ...

The Pilot Chapter Five: It was the next morning, and the apartment was a mess. Hans and Clancy wished it was another day yet, they could have slept 25 hours straight. George, used to unforgiving hours, was alert enough to be concerned: “What now?” All he received were the zombified looks of two fish way out of their depth.  One downtown coffee shop later, some pep returned to their step, George repeated his seminal question. Hans and Clancy glanced at each other, preparing to speak in tandem.  Hans: “We destroy the camera and return to our lives.” Clancy: “We take this evidence all the way to the top.” Clancy and Hans looked at each other. This time they succeeded in dyadic symmetry, each yelling to the other “How could you want that?” They received a few forlorn glances from briefcase and cigarette-riddled caffeine junkies, and were forced to step outside. The day was bright, and in the park across the street a podium and cameras were set up. Someone important must be giving ...

The Pilot Chapter Four: Pistol Pete’s snarl ripped the two apart, “Well well well, look who finally came back to work. Didn’t even notice you were gone for the first few months, for all the work you do for me. But now that you’re back, there's about five articles I’ll need you to complete for me by tomorrow morning. Hans, you feeling alright? You’ve got worse eyebags than me after staying up all night correcting your mistakes.” He swankily stepped inside with a hearty cackle.  Clancy and George were pulled into the office shrubbery by Hans. After the two vented their immense Pistol Pete related frustrations, he explained his spy-on-boss plot. George and Hans were introduced with a few quick speed-dating-type questions, and George’s rogue hand in the enormous, world-changing wormhole cover-up was touched upon. They would have discussed this wondrous, magical revelation further, but the light had gone on in Pistol Pete’s office. They watched through the window like foxes at night. Pi...