The Cumberbottom Incident: Rhett and Link

Chapter Nine: Everything Unexpected

Rhett's POV-

I walk next to Link, joining the thick silence apart from the sounds of shoes on the rough tile floor. I observe my surroundings and start to notice something: I think this is a hotel. An old one at that.  It explains the rows of doors, the stairs the elevators, and the random storage areas.

Small discolored rectangles are on the center of every door where it appears number plaques were removed; if this was in fact a hotel at one point. But why here? It is obvious that this place hasn't been used in years. Dust lines every corner, and the strong smell of must and old carpet hangs in the air like a stale blanket. 

We are lead to the end of the long hallway. I hear Link sigh, but I choose to ignore it. Talking could cost us extra time in a "holding cell" or another knock-out dart to the arm. The gun barrel uncomfortably jabs me between my shoulder blades and I wince with discomfort.

Marcus, who is leading the way as usual, pauses and turns around. He shakes a finger in our direction, "Now, remember, you must answer the questions we ask, and fulfill the requests we have for you. The faster this goes, the easier it will be for you." The man who is shoving a me around jabs me harder as we enter another room behind the lead of Cumberbottom. 

The room is surprisingly clean, and the air is clearer despite the chemical smell of cheap air freshener. We sit in folding chairs around an oval white table and I can see that Link's hands shake with nerves. We exchange glances quickly before Marcus begins. The door behind us slams loudly as the odd gang-men guard it with glaring eyes. 

"Sooo....as you might have noticed by now, you have been captured." I roll my eyes. He continues, "We, in my team, are trying to be better than our competitors-" He walks over to the far wall that is covered in a large black drape. He pulls it dramatically off the wall, revealing a large square of paper with a logo drawn on precisely. It hits me with familiarity, but before I can analyze it, he cuts me off. "YouTube!" Link and I respond in unison- "Youtube?!" 

"Ahh, so I see that you are both familiar with this...which is precisely why I brought you here!" He giggles shrilly like a little girl and tears off the paper, revealing a new one underneath. "You see, we are building a new platform for videos that we like to call...Cumber-Vid!" He takes a marker out of his pocket and illustrates his statement with the squeaky marker marking the large page. 

Link looks at me. I can tell he wants to interject, and I nod. He turns to Marcus and shrugs, "I don't get it, you brought us over here to witness the dramatic reveal of your new company? We have jobs, and things to do man." Cumberbottom looks unconvinced. "As I was saying... we brought you hear, because we need you. We want to overthrow YouTube, and replace it with something better...and frankly, less boring." I sigh.

This guy is stubborn. I try to come up with an excuse to derail this insane idea: "You can't just overthrow a company that is more successful and more relevant than you!" Link laughs in amusement, "Ha! 'Cumber-Vid'? What makes you think this will work?" Marcus raises is eyebrows and his uncharacteristic smile fades to a crude line. He walks slowly towards us and I shutter. This guy is capable of more than I thought...

He reaches the table we are sitting at and taps his fingers on the face of it and reiterates slowly, "We are going to overthrow the media sight that was the founding of an outlet that was only a thought 12 years ago...and we are going to do it whether you like it or not. My team and I have connections, and lots of them. We need you, the YouTube stars of today to help us.

And if you don't volunteer , we will make sure you want to. " I shutter. His once comedic eyes, are now showing his inner psychopath. This man is crazy. We need to get out of here. A moment of dead silence follows.

I break it after a while, hoping that Link will catch on to my plan. If we are able to get a hold of some technology we would be able to in theory, get in contact with someone back home, or at least find out where the hell we are. I start: 

"Okay. Well, to begin...where is our crew? You have them here don't you?"

"Ohh, yes. We brought them here after we shot you both with the sleeping darts. They are upstairs." His unnatural wit regains him again, a smile forming on his lips.

"Well, we will only help you out if you show us where they are and let them go--"

"Ohhh no. We won't let them go until you agree to help us launch 'Cumber-Vid'. Soon."

Link nudges me. I look at him and I can see in his eyes that he knows something I don't. Should I agree to this?  His blue eyes are glassy from nerves, but I can tell he's determined. I clear my throat, "We will help you--" before I can finish he claps loudly- "Good! I'll show you to our technology facility! Right this way boys..." His henchmen are ready to jab us in the back again with metal barrels when Cumberbottom waves them away, "No need for that, they are our friends now. Step aside!"

A wave of disappointment shadows their expressions. Anyone could tell that they were upset they couldn't shove us around dark hallways for another half-hour. I decide to smirk at the big one and raise my eyebrow at him tauntingly. After all, there's nothing that he can do to me seeing as we are all "friends". 

Link's POV-

I'm glad Rhett agreed to help this guy. We've tried fighting the enemy, outsmarting the enemy, and running away. All three haven't worked so far. I decide the best possible option is to befriend the enemy. I look up at Rhett who is walking next to me down the corridor to the ancient elevator that awaits us. His eyes are hard-set on the way ahead of him.

I am about to ask why, when I realize why he is so motionless. I follow suit when I see what he is trying hard to ignore as not to draw attention to it: Around the corner a face flashes at me for a fraction of a second. Stevie. She escaped. I clench my fists tightly to conceal my rush of adrenaline that shakes through me. If she can get out, we can be saved. 

The elevator door makes a dull *ding* noise as the old metal doors creak open with strained effort. As I walk through the metal doors I silently pray that Stevie doesn't get caught; and that Mike and Alex are still in one piece...