FRACTURE

DECEMBER 20, 2019

Earlier today, an anonymous hacking group revealed that Crocker Corp has been conducting research into brainwashing and mind control. Multiple US Congress members have spoken out and condemned the company after this revelation for its unethical practices. The hashtag #OurMindsAreOurs has been trending on Twitter in response to the reporting. Until now, Crocker Corp has been silent about the alleged evidence.

The Crocker Corp Board has claimed responsibility of some of the documents, but their official statement, just released, implies that many of the documents were doctored and/or taken out of context. The statement also indicates that the CEO, Jane Crocker, who took on the position merely six months ago, was largely responsible for the initiative that developed into the alleged mind control research, as she was the one who brought the lead researcher, whose identity is unknown, into the company.

As a result, Jane Crocker has stepped down from her position. It is unclear if she will remain with the company, and if she will face criminal charges.

Dave and Hal drop you off well outside of Dirk’s neighborhood. You give them a small wave as they head off and then start hiking to the perch you chose with your backpack full of gear. First thing’s first, as you slip through out-of-the-way passages you slide on more and more concealing clothing until somebody would be hard pressed to even note your skin tone.

Even as you walk you rifle through the pack, mostly just keeping your hands busy. You approach the billboard, one of those big ones, on a hill overlooking the area and advertising “Proud Home of Crockercorp HQ!” and that they’re currently hiring.

Well, that sure isn’t going to change tonight.

Right before you meet up with Hal and Rox to get this daunting and brain-fucking (if you were in higher spirits, the irony of that statement would probably draw a chuckle out of you) task over with, you have a momentary flash of fear that you forgot one of Piper’s favorite toys on the very extensive list of care instructions that you left for John while you’re gone for the day. It’s a very similar sensation to the gripping fear of leaving the oven on that most people are struck with at least once in their lives. You’ve been focusing on that and anything else so your thoughts don’t spiral back to the dark and miserable depths of how you feel like a failure as a sibling for not realizing sooner, not doing something sooner. How it could be too late to change anything. How it’s probably been too late for a while now.

If you keep thinking like that you’ll drive yourself crazy. You splash some water on your face, letting out a shaky little sigh before gathering your things. It’s go time.

Your name is Dirk Strider. For the past several months, your life has felt like a story pulled out of the Slice of Life AU tag on AO3.

But the second you step into your house, you immediately realize that you aren’t alone. Someone broke in, and by the looks of it, they didn’t care whether or not you knew.

Effortlessly, you steer Dirk onto the couch, letting him fall face-first into the cushions. He doesn’t move. You run a quick scan over him, and it picks up on the spoon-shaped pin on his lapel. It’s a tracker. Fucked up, you think, reaching over to take it off. You toss it into one of the plants in the room.

Then, you give a thumbs up to Dave.

HAL: They had a tracker on him. DAVE: yikes HAL: Yeah, but he’s out like a lamp. Is that even an idiom, or am I just making phrases up, now? DAVE: i think so HAL: It sounds kind of wrong. We usually think of lamps as things that are defined by being on. HAL: Wait. HAL: It’s “out like a light.” DAVE: oh maybe DAVE: so DAVE: what now we have our hands on him so should we move out

You pick Dirk back up, propping him onto your back so you can carry him more easily.

HAL: Can you get the car in the driveway, so we don’t walk outside with an unconscious body like it’s your average night on a Thursday? DAVE: yeah sure HAL: Cool, I’ll tell Rox we’re ready to get moving.

Dave walks toward the garage, and you follow closely behind him, but remain indoors as he opens the garage door and jogs to the car parked on the street. You open up Pesterchum.

HAL: Hey, Rox. How’s everything up there? TG: good wby HAL: Dirk’s taking a nap. HAL: We’re ready to get moving. HAL: Mind playing a few tricks on any cameras pointed in Dirk’s direction? TG: did that already TG: see u2 soon tho HAL: Three, Rox. HAL: Don’t forget our sleepy boy.

Dave drives the car up to the driveway. Through the front window-shield, you watch him lean behind the passenger’s seat to open the door to the back row of the car. You quickly run out and shove Dirk inside, before hopping into the passenger’s seat. 

Remotely, you close the garage as Dave backs the car out of the driveway.

HAL: Coming to pick you up, Rox. HAL: Give me your coords. TG: [coords.txt]

You tell Dave to make a left in a voice mimicking Siri.