4th Report // Caroline // Accidental Video

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ The feed begins with the distinct sound of rushing wind. Somehow, someone's communicator is falling, spinning in the air from some great height and finally it hits the ground. The video shudders, flickers and statics for a moment before focusing on the late afternoon sky near the edge of the forest. Above the trees but just under the clouds is a

Comments

[iowntheplace]

[Cave Johnson, having literally nothing better to do at the time considering his situation, notices what's going on pretty quickly.]

Caroline? What kind of toy have you made yourself in your spare time?

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ She almost seems annoyed at first but manages a small grin. ]

Nothing special, Sir.

[iowntheplace]

[Cave narrows his eyes.]

Caroline, I am literally so bored in here that I've begun raising a family of roaches. I'm trying to teach them math, with mostly fruitless results.

I don't care if your toy is special or not. I want to know what it is.

[yessirmrjohnson]

I hope there's nothing flammable around your new family, Sir. I would hate for another accident to happen.

You can see my new 'toy' as soon as you're free. Would you still like me to continue resting?

[iowntheplace]

Accident? Oh, no, Caroline that was pretty intentional. I had to make a bunch of molotov cocktails to do it. It was actually pretty difficult.

And when would I be getting free from this place? I'm gonna level with you Caroline, my plans to get out of here have been....less than successful. I thought I could get out on my own, but I'm fresh out of ideas.

That's why I'm teaching little Blake here. He can organize a breakout for me with his family...somehow. Yes.

[yessirmrjohnson]

Mr. Johnson. [ Her tone is strangely stern with him. ] In the past few weeks I have narrowly survived a massive explosion and was nearly set on fire. I understand that my work with you can be dangerous but I should mention that none of these instances involved any sort of science. You have been needlessly reckless with both our lives.

As for when you will be freed, I don't know. I have some work left to do out here before I can do anything. I'm sure Blake and his family will do their best to help you. I can't think of a better plan, Sir.

[iowntheplace]

Caroline, look, you're fine! You weren't burned or anything. And that explosion wasn't even my fault. Who just leaves a highly unstable explosive crystal out in the open?

And you're not still trying to break me out, are you? I told you, this guy's security bots might be pathetically built but they're armed. Unless you have blueprints and parts for a nuclear metal death machine lying around somewhere, I'd say it's a lost cause.

Don't worry, Blake seems to be progressing rapidly. I'm almost definitely certain I've cracked their language.

[yessirmrjohnson]

My un-burned status is only because of a lack of aim on your part. Also, the energon was not 'out in the open'. It was behind a wall. That you snuck behind for no viable reason.

By the sounds of it, Sir, looks like you may be in there for a while, weeks maybe. At least your have your roaches to keep you company.

[iowntheplace]

Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there. You aren't burned because I intentionally didn't do that. I was trying to set that odd naked man on fire. You are the reason he wasn't. Good job on being in the way.

And, AND! I wouldn't have been behind that panel if she hadn't been showing off and pulled me in. I wasn't just snooping around. Well, I suppose I was after I got back there. But still.

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ And she's silent at that, just staring at the communicator with a shocked and offended glare before looking off to the side. ]

I have things to do. Stay safe, Sir. You'll get out.

Eventually.

[iowntheplace]

[Cave stares back, observing Caroline's expression.]

You're...mad? You're mad. What? Everything turned out okay, didn't it? I mean, minus a few small details, but those don't really need to be brought up, do they?

[Cave sighs, clearly at a loss for words, and "apology" being a foreign language to him.]

[yessirmrjohnson]

Of course Sir. Like always. [ That said, she ends the feed with him. ]