Stranger Times

Job Offer (Smackdown Entry 1.1)

(Prompts 1, 4 & 5)
(The characters are from the Smackdown Entry Prompt)

"They don't know how to honour him, except as a soldier."

Frank heard someone speak from just outside his hospital bed. Curious, he shuffled back until he was sitting, and watched the doorway.

The soldiers guarding his door parted, admitting a trio that immediately made Frank nervous.

The woman leading the trio had eyes as cold as any of the murderers and high-ranking gang leaders Frank had interrogated over the years, and carried herself with the gentle grace of a cat surrounded by mice. The pair following her were dressed in the nondescript combat fatigues of private military operators, and the harsh scowls of killers kept on a short leash.

"Doesn't look like he's being honoured, and I don't see a medal on him." The man on the leader's left said, with a sneer.

"Which is why thinking is my job, Dave." The woman in front replied, stepping up beside Frank's bed.

She looked at him, and offered her hand. "Angela Masters. I have a job offer for you."

"I'm in no position to take a new job." Frank responded, shaking her offered hand.

"Nonsense. The police can't keep you on payroll after what you did." Angela replied, smiling like she had just caught one of those mice. "You don't walk into an underground trafficking ring and execute three dozen people if you want to keep working by the book."

"I'm talking about the fact that I'm under arrest." Frank said.

"No one will care in about an hour. We all have bigger problems." Angela said
cryptically, as she checked her watch.

The PA system clicked on, but Dave switched it off.

Frank sat up straighter, his eyes wide and his pulse rattling like a drum solo. "You have my attention."

"Right now, authorities are announcing the detection of a large meteorite heading for us. I have it on near divine authority that it will hit Khazikstan, and kick up enough dust that our average surface temperature will be slightly cooler than Mars." Angela explained.

Dave turned the PA system back on. The voice announcing was sharp and frayed. "I repeat: this is not a drill. This is the Apocalypse. Please exit the hospital in an orderly fashion."

"We have an escape plan for some of us, but we need your help. We plan to use the wormholes to take as many people as we can back in time." Angela explained.

"Back in time?" Frank asked, barely keeping up with the implications of everything he'd heard. "I thought we could only travel across distances with them."

"We can do time travel. But it takes a freakish amount of energy, and we can't keep it open for very long. The best we can do is send a few hundred-thousand people through." Angela said. "We're not saving everyone."

"So you need me to help secure the sites? Kill anyone who isn't chosen? Because that's sick and disgusting, and I ain't willing to be a part of it." Frank said.

Angela turned to the others, and said "Step outside and close the door. I don't want to be overheard."

The two mercenaries nodded and stepped away. Angela leaned towards Frank, and said "We have other portals that lead to nowhere, to keep the population complacent. Your official job is to make sure terrorists don't try to hit those portals, but I chose you for a different reason."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "A different reason?"

"We're killing most of humanity by doing this. I know. But we're all dead if we do nothing, and we don't have time to try for off-world colonies. I don't need you to help murder billions. I have that covered. Your job is going to be to make sure us murderers get our just deserts." Angela said, and surprisingly, she gripped Frank's hand in both of hers.

"What?" Frank asked.

"See Dave and Rebecca out there?" Angela gestured to the door with her thumb. "They know what we're doing. They don't mind. A bit of Xanax and the promise of a ticket to the last portal out, and they'd murder an orphanage with a smile on either of their stupid faces. I want you to make sure they don't go through the portal. That I don't step through. None of us."

"That includes me?" Frank asked.

"Yep." Master's said.

"Good." Frank said, and he paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"How did you chose the people you're saving?" Frank asked.

"Dumb luck. Completely random worldwide lottery." Angela admitted.

Frank smiled, surprised to find himself relieved by hearing Masters' answer. "Okay. I'll help you. But you knew I would."

"I don't want to explain causality to you, Frank. Put that detective mind of yours to work, and you'll figure out why I know." Angela said, finally letting go of Frank's hand. "Rebecca has clothes and weapons for you. Get dressed. We have only just enough time."

"Right." Frank said, sliding out of bed. Rebecca stepped back inside and handed Frank a small duffel bag. Frank took it from her, ignoring her sneer, and stepped into the bathroom to change.

Expecting fatigues like the mercenaries, Frank was surprised to discover he was given casual clothes, and a police-issue handgun. He dressed quickly, and stepped back out.

Dave was waiting for him, looked him up and down once, and shook his head. "Don't know why we need you. Just don't get squeamish and decide you need to put one in my back, pig. You'll regret trying."

Frank left his face flat and impassive, and gave Dave his best dead-eyed stare. "You don't know me, son, so let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed."

Dave opened his mouth to respond, but Frank cut him off. "Do us both a favour and shut-up. We have work to do."