Steel Virus (2017)

1

A quarter mile underneath the northwestern forest reserve of Rio Bravo, several workers rode a long elevator down to the main research facility area.

They brought with them several supplies from closer to the surface, where everything was recycled. They had been talking amongst themselves in Kriol on the long trip down.

"How much are they paying you again?" one asked.

"Enough to let my family do anything they want. My son wants to go to university."

The other two nodded as they listened.

All four had no clue what was going on past the gates. They only moved the crates and boxes back and forth.

Once they finished and grabbed the return load, they waved the receiving staff off.

Today, the staff consisted of just a slightly short but sturdy middle-aged man.

John grumbled to himself as he began to lift the boxes to scan, "Why did Carl have to get himself et..."

He sighed, shook his head and tried to forget about his friend.

The scanner beeped a pleasant tone for each box that passed along on the belt. A faint green tint of light lit the floor around John each time as well.

"This is going to take all day!" he complained to no one.

For a moment, he wished his voice could be heard, but the camera watching him would only see him flailing about. Besides, no one would be watching anymore. And he knew it because he'd been on security duty before. There were walls of screens to watch, all of which were left muted.

After two dozen boxes were placed up on the belt, John sat down and took a breath. He looked at the pallet where the only the heaviest were left.

He was not looking forward to lifting those.

"Goddammit."

John got back up and grabbed a long box sitting in front of the large and heavy ones he was avoiding. He placed it on the belt and went back for another just like it. But this time, there was a bad beep. And a red tinted flash of light.

"SERIOUSLY?"

***

"I'm telling you: I. Didn't. Do. It." John gesticulated each word for extra emphasis.

"Well, where did the flower come from?" the security guard, Paul, raised his eyebrow as he questioned John.

"Look at the video! I know you can pull it up."

"I looked. I saw you sit down near the box. Then, you walked in front of it and stopped for another moment before lifting the box."

"I was SIGHING!" John rubbed his face down in frustration. "Good god, Paul. Give me a break!"

"There wasn't a flower during the 2nd floor scan. That means we have to reject that box and possibly send all the boxes on that pallet back up. I had to call for Catherine because of that foreign object you or the workers put in there!"

"I know, Paul. I wish she didn't have to come down here. She's going to be mad."