Flight 265 [IC] - Issue 1 - Awakenings

[ChronicLunacy]

Daniel Horton

Daniel rested his elbows on his knees, trying hard to just sit still despite all the thoughts and worries about home and family speeding around inside of his skull. He listened while the others spoke, wondering if it would ever be possible to get back to the life he'd led before now that he was technically deceased. All of the jobs he'd been looking at in LA had probably long since been filled. The markett was two years ahead of anything he'd known or expected. Hey, at least he didn't have to pay taxes...

"I just want to see my family." he muttered to no one in particular. "This is just too weird."

[The_New_Guy]

The NSA agent smiled a bit. "I hope you appreciate, Mr. Ford..." he said, his voice a bit lighter than it was a moment ago "...that neither Dr. Westford or I walked into the room with two years of research data. I do not know how much can be released to you without compromising the privacy of the other survivors, but I will work with my superiors to get you access to some of your personal details."

He paused, and turned to Nathan. "The suite is equipped with the basic amenities - telephone and television. You will not be purposefully isolated from the real world, although we encourage you to keep your status and existence quiet for the time being. Allow us to notify your next of kin, bring them to Maryland, give yourselves a chance to adjust to having missed two years."

He paused, and turned to Daniel, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. "I agree. This is beyond bizarre Mr. Horton. But it is also reality. Your family - we will contact them, bring them to Bethesda. Actually - I wanted to have a word with you about them, before you went off to your suite. Alone - if the others don't mind."

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

Nathan nodded in agreement at the agent's words. He had followed US politics closely since high school, when he realized his ambitions. Now he had to catch up with two and a half years of change. Heck, they would have changed presidents by now! Nathan definitely saw the need to ease himself back into the world.

"That seems to be everything for now, though I'm sure I'll have more questions once this has had a chance to sink in. I think I'm ready to head for the suite."

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Since you expected us to wake up today, have our families already been notified? Eric stared at the hole in the wall. Amie... he whispered.

[ChronicLunacy]

Daniel Horton

He paused, and turned to Daniel, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. "I agree. This is beyond bizarre Mr. Horton. But it is also reality. Your family - we will contact them, bring them to Bethesda. Actually - I wanted to have a word with you about them, before you went off to your suite. Alone - if the others don't mind."

And there it was. "A word in private" about his family could only be bad. Had something happened? Had Jessie...found someone else? Were they dead, injured, in a coma, overseas, had a cold, sprained their ankles, etc...it all ran through his mind and his trepidation showed clear on his face. Still, he'd rather know than remain ignorant. It was like a band-aid, do it quick and it'll hurt less. ...Yeah...right.

"Uh..." Daniel muttered, looking around at the others for a moment, "Yeah, sure." What else was he supposed to say?

[The_New_Guy]

"Mr. McMahon..." replied Andrews, shaking his head "...we honestly had no idea if you'd be waking up - it was just a guess really - and in what condition you'd be waking up in. The choice to contact your family rests with me upon completion of this interview - obviously you're whole and of sound mind, so I don't have any concerns that would stop the process. Even then it will take time. I'd expect it'll be a day or two before you can call your wife safely. Contact by phone this morning to set up a meeting, a brief one on one at one of our offices where we can explain that you've been found alive. Then group briefing with the rest of the next of kin from the area - tonight if we're lucky, but probably tomorrow afternoon - where we give them the jist of what we know, without reference to biological changes we've noted. That's a privacy issue and will remain in your hands. Then, after that we'll give them your phone number at the suite and begin arranging contact."

"Now, if the rest of you can wait until I'm done with Mr. Horton..." he said, gesturing towards the door that he entered thought "...don't wander too far, as this place can be a bit of a maze if you're not familiar with it. Once I'm done I'll get you on your way to your suites where you can - well, you can begin living again."

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

Nathan quietly stood up and exited the room, thoughts whirling at the overall implications of what had happened to him. He leaned heavily against the wall in the hallway, deep in thought.

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Much as he wanted to, Eric couldn't argue with the agent's reasoning. With a sigh, he stood and left the room, returning to the lounge.

[ilovefire]

Jackson Ford

Jackson nodded at Agent Andrews after he replied to his request for data. Of course, he should've known. But at least he'd be able to get it later... he followed Eric out of the room.

[The_New_Guy]

It wasn't very long before the agent, the doctor and Daniel had reemerged from their 'closed door' conversation, each wearing a sombre face. "It's just a short car ride from here - no more than five minutes..." said Arthur, filling the void of silence as he led the small crowd through the winding facility. "...we have a van ready for you, but you might be a while waiting for it - we didn't have enough vans to move 300 people at one time I'm afraid. You can walk if you want to. The sun is up, the joggers are out and this is a rather quiet area of town. You're free to go where you want, do what you want - within the bounds of the law, of course. Agents will be keeping an eye on you - the transition back to the world will be hard, and we do not want an incident to occur due to that stress. Other than that, the only thing I can do is ask that, if you think of anything, if you remember anything from the flight, please contact me."

[drawingfreak]

Robert Harrison

"What about our stuff from the plane? Luggage and carry ons and the like?"

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

"Actually, I was wondering about the same thing. I packed light, but there was still some pretty important stuff in my bags."

[The_New_Guy]

"All your luggage will be waiting for you at the suite..." replied Arthur "...including all your cellphones, Blackberry's, IPod's and what have you."

"The electronics might not work..." added Natasha "...as we mentioned, there is evidence that you were exposed to a powerful magnetic field, and the few devices we tested when you were brought in were non-functional."

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

"Thank you. In any case, I think I'll just wait for the van. I don't think my limbs are fully recovered yet."

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Eric nodded. I'll wait for the van. After 2 years of not moving, I don't know how my legs will hold up.

[drawingfreak]

Robert Harrison

"None.....none functional?" His eyes wided.
"My...my Nintendo DS was in my carry on bag and not on me at the time. Did...is it working? What about my iPod next to it? Everything was affected?"

[ChronicLunacy]

Daniel Horton

Daniel had his hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes cast down towards the ground when he came back in. He seemed lost in thought, but when Robert began asking about all of his electronic devices he piped up. "Don't worry about those, kid. Just think, they've probably got a whole new generation of gaming stuff out after two years. You're in Disneyland." he said as he passed. "I think I'll walk if you just give me the general direction and an address. I need to get outside, stretch my legs...and well...think about...everything." he said, his eyes returning to the ground with that unfocused look. His shoulders looked tightened under the material of his shirt, and he looked pretty stressed out, even amongst present company.

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Eric gave Daniel a look of pity. Hey, man, is everything OK? Then he laughed humorlessly. Well, OK, other than the fact we've been asleep for two years and you can punch holes in walls?

[ChronicLunacy]

Daniel Horton

He couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, a short bark of laughter before he covered his face with one hand. Drawing his palm down over his forehead, closing his eyes and then pulling it off over his mouth, he looked as if he'd wiped the laughter away and flicked it at the ground. Still, he gave Eric a small smile in response. "My ex-wife is getting married in two days." he said, looking back at the wall he'd managed to punch a hole through. "I want her back."

Daniel started to chuckle again. "Heh...God must be one vindictive son of a b*tch. I swear, He hates me." he chuckled again, running a hand through his hair. "I just need to walk it off. I'll see you guys at the apartment building."

[The_New_Guy]

"We'll walk too..." added Lawrence, who had been mostly silent and contemplative during the interview. Ann shot him a glance that could probably kill.

"You can walk, but I don't know where you're getting this we business." she replied, her voice holding more than a touch of sarcasm. "I'm stiff and sore from all this sleeping on metal beds. The last thing I want to do is walk."

Lawrence waved her off. "I've been asleep for two years. I'm not waiting for a van. I'll live with the pain. And Agent Andrews said it was close.."

Both of the couple stared at each other for a moment, and for second it looked as though a shouting match might break out in the lobby. But then it faded, the anger dissipated, and the pair shrugged almost in unison. "I'll see you there then?"

"Unless Mr. Horton decides to punch a hole in me..." he said with a chuckle "...at least we don't have to worry about muggers."

Arthur frowned at the jokes, but did not comment. "It's just out this door, turn right, and go until you hit the 'Robson Arms', a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSA. You're in suite 12, so take the elevator to the 12th floor - you'll need your key-card for that - and pick out your rooms. You might even beat the van there."

[OOC]
Damn parties and their urgent need to split up! ChronicLunacy and I will continue on foot via PM, while the rest of us wait around the lobby for the van to show up.

[drawingfreak]

Robert Harrison
Robert sat in his seat, waiting for the van and pondering on the possible technological advances he could gain.

{{OOC: Quick question...can we see the two year difference on us physically or do we seem to have not aged? Just wondering}}

[The_New_Guy]

[OOC]You haven't had a chance to look closely at a mirror, but, from the reflections off glass and other odd surfaces, you don't seem to have aged all that much. It's hard to tell though[/OOC]

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

Nathan leaned back in his seat, idly thinking about what could have changed in two years. A though occurred, and he looked over at the agent.

"Apropos of nothing Agent Andrews, who won the upcoming..err...last election anyway?"

[The_New_Guy]

"President Giuliani and Vice President Rice won the presidential race, though it was one of the closest in recent history..." replied Andrews as he glanced out the window "...the Democrats now possess a majority in the House and Senate, although it is a slight one - I believe 51 seats in the senate, and 219 seats in the house." He paused, and smiled half-heartedly. "Politics has never really been my thing - I prefer to make things happen then speak about them, but the democrats must have had their heads on backwards. They would've run, but they ran Hillary and Obama. That was too tough a sell in some parts of the country. Even I knew that."

[Green Bean]

"Huh. I guess my old boss went on to bigger and better things. Glad to hear she's broken a couple of political boundaries."

[ilovefire]

Jackson Ford

Jackson sat, and waited. As he waited, he thought. "Hmm... I wonder if there's been any new commonly accepted programming languages... probably have been by now."

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Eric turned to Nathan. You worked for the State Department? I knew a few people over there. Probably no one you knew - the place is huge - but interesting.

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

"Yeah, I work there. Well, worked there, I guess. Always a dream of mine to be a diplomat. How about you? Did you work for Uncle Sam?"

[Kesnit]

Eric McMahon

Very nice. I started out in the Navy, then went to the EPA. I'm a chemical engineer, specializing in environmental work.

[Green Bean]

Nathan James

"Oh, the EPA? What sort of environmental chemistry did you work on?"