BLUE STATIC
The Blackout. Video footage has been recovered from the initial weeks following the random appearance of the radio silence zone. Given the ongoing inquiry into the marine Alex Darwin, the only person to have come out of The Blackout alive, the tapes reveal a harrowing mystery playing out within a hidden shroud of electromagnetic static.
Yeah, this story is going to be quite interesting. Thank zencolour for helping out quite a bit with this chapter!
Note, I am not all that familiar with military stuff, so hang with me if I get some information wrong, perhaps point it out in a review or something if you like.
This story will be rated M for mature, due to cursing, violence, and potentially gruesome scenes. Viewer discretion is advised.
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LOADING
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Psychiatric Evaluation (recovered)
05/06/2021
*Notes taken prior to 21/05/2021 are indicated
**Marine Corps notes lifted from yearly evaluations dated 09/2020
[ United States Marine Corps ]
Marine / Charles "Charlie" Russel
Age: 18
A bit of a troublemaker, he went into the marines to prove something to himself. Shows an inferiority complex, perhaps due to nickname? Is close friends to Alex darwin. Is known to get close to "cracking" under pressure.
Marine / Alex Darwin
Age: 19
A nice enough fellow, nothing special about him. He is prone to anxiety and panicking, but manages well enough. Has aversion to alcohol, less likely to get intoxicated. Is close friends with Charles Russel.
[ University of Bodminn Representatives ]
Scientist / Eva Lyell (USA)
Age: 40
A quiet and very clueless lady. Very knowledgeable in her subject field, but clueless about the basics of everyday living and dealing with people. Doesn't make conversation, but readily answers questions anybody poses. Quickly grows angry and defensive if threatened. Likes to show off about what she knows, and has a superiority complex. Is a terrible liar.
Scientist / Danny Kafka (USA/Bermuda)
Age: 27
A skittish man, he is a prodigy in intellect but can't tie a shoelace. Thinks he knows what he's doing and has a huge amount of confidence even as he fails. Tries to make light of his muck-up without taking responsibility for his mistakes. Very friendly but oftens turns conversations around to talk about himself. Is overly trusting and fails to understand sarcasm.
Scientist / Alice Sinclair (UK)
Age: 36
Has quite the temper, hair trigger to be honest. Extremely dry sense of humour and wit which is often used to poke fun at anything. Good at everything and knows it. Get on well with others but prefers her own company unless you gain her trust. Hard worker and willing to throw herself into anything. Doesn't back down.
TRANSITIONING TO NEXT FILE
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Accessing Archive...
[REDACTED]
LOG ##BC0071
: \ \ CHEST CAMERA FOOTAGE
[/annotated]
(/subtitled)
NOTE: This video log has been modified to allow closed captions for easier viewing and context. Anything you see will not leave this room, your eyes, or your lips. Failure to keep secrecy will lead to dishonorable discharge from the marine corps. Viewing discretion is advised. You will not be able to change your decision once the session has started.
- Start of File -
[Static. The screen flickers. For a moment there is nothing, before the monitor displays poorly preserved digital archive footage from a shoulder-camera. The lens is slightly fish-eyed and distorts the outside curve of the video.]
[The image shows a barrack hallway. Lime-white walls are covered with scuff marks around the skirting boards. Movement and juddering of the camera suggests that it is attached to their assigned place on the wearer's right shoulder. The additional audio file crackles slightly but all speech is discernible, though muffled.]
"Hey...Hey! You finally managed to get this thing working?"
(The wearer of the camera speaks with a broad accent. The camera turns to show a male in marine service 'C' uniform. The marine is a man who went by the name of Charles, or 'Charlie' by his friends. He gives a goofy smile and thumbs-up.)
"Yeah. Uh, the green light is on right? Yours up?"
"Sure...wait, this is my one right? Don't want to piss-off the-"
(Charlie talks to the man on which the present camera is attached.)
"Does yours have ALEX scribbled across it? Didn't think so. Good, now let's see what a mess we've got ourselves into today..."
(Camera movement suggests continued walking. The image shows the owner walking towards a wooden door guarded by two men. Only their chins are within view. One nods, pulling the door open and stepping to one side.)
"Gee...hopefully we won't be chewed out for too long." (Charles mumbles.)
"Yeah."
(The wearer walks into a briefing room. Four other people are visible. The door closes loudly behind them and Charles comes into view briefly. It is clear that the Private is worried as his eyes dart around the corners of the room . The door locks behind them with an audible click.)
"Uh, this usually doesn't happen when we get chewed out, does it?"
(The chest camera gives a scan off the office before settling opposite the desk of a high-ranking official. His name badge residing over a short row of medals provides his name. Staff Sergeant Micombs was by no means a small man. He seemed to relax in a small office chair with the air of a lynx ready to strike. A crew cut did little to add to his personality.)
"Hey. Why don't you boys come here and take a seat."
"Sir!"
(The camera jostles as Charles and Alex presumably salute. They sit down.)
"So...uh Mr...or should I say Sir Ethan Micombs…" (A male scientist speaks.) "Why exactly do we need two soldiers with us for our job?"
[Following records from the provided psychiatric assessment, Kafka is a young 27 year-old former PhD student from Bodminn University. Although skittish, he seems keen to show-off his intellect]
(The scientist, who formerly went by the name and title of Dr. Danny Kafka before the Operation, clasps his hands behind his back. He's wearing casual wear in the form of jeans and a grey jacket. Although, that used to be a typical thing for the HF-Radio specialist. Staff Sergeant Micombs clears his throat before speaking.)
"You'r givin' full permission to speak boys...and that includes you too Charlie."
(Staff Sergeant Micombs gives a smirk upon saying Charles name. 'Charlie' was occasionally used as an insult given its association as a femine name within the marines. The man didn't appear to mind. He most likely had a thick skin for such things.)
"Thank you sir. I...I thought that we were going to be punished for our...ah-"
"Tomfoolery. You betcha. Boys this is your punishment. The idiots from Tule airbase have been in contact again...damn flyboys. Turns out things are getting a bit screwy with the radio blackout zone. The DARPA lot are still patrolling the quarantine zone but they've recently extended it another hundred square miles...including Tule itself. Whatever this...thing is about, we need to know. You've been signed up as volunteers to keep these academics out of trouble. Simple aerial reconnaissance."
(Aside from , two female scientists just visible within shot looks notably confused.)
[Following records from the provided psychiatric assessment, Eva Lyell is noted as a 40-year-old American researcher, working with an exchange 36-year-old postdoc Alice Sinclair.]
"Wait what do you mean they quarantined Tule?" ( Sinclair responds loudly, the shoulder camera twitching at her vocalised outrage. This is met by the quieter Lyell, who attempts to correct Staff Sergeant Micombs.)
"It's an exclusion zone … not a quarantine zone!"
(The wearers camera fails to see the faces of the two scientists, but it is clear they are dressed for the hot weather. The body language of , an american academic, appears irritated.)
"Perhaps you aren't aware of the recent reports that have come out from Tule?" (Staff Sergeant Micombs leans on his elbows. His eyes take a moment to settle on each of them in turn.) "After the...event, the designated quarantine zone is about one-thousand square miles. They're extending it again to accommodate new contamination. The media's branded it America's Chernobyl."
"But there's no radiation?" ( Kafka returns, snapping out the blunt retort.) "We don't have a clue what's going on. We're radio scientists, not...uh-"
"Look. We're all being kept in the dark about this. You're the ones that are hopefully going to solve the mystery...with these two boys to fend off the shadows, as it were."
(The wearer, Alex, turns to face Charles. The younger marine's face is visibly paler than when he entered the room.)
[If they had heard the complete story during their briefing, his face would have been even paler still. It would later pan-out that Staff Sergeant Micombs knew a lot more than he was letting on. The communications blackout-zone surrounded an unknown anomaly that appeared weeks earlier. The zone covered a rural area, shrouding it with an invisible barrier that prevented any form of radio or otherwise electro-magnetic communications. All expeditions sent to discover the source of the anomaly had so far all disappeared. A red exclusion zone marks the area beyond which no human has returned. This party would be attempting to breach this unmarked boundary.]
"We messed up big time, haven't we?" (Charles whispers to his comrade.)
"I think we have man."
(Staff Sergeant Micombs coughed, drawing Alex's attention.)
"Anywhoo, let's get down to business. Long story short, were gonna have you fly over via heli with some equipment and these guys on board. Everything else is routine. You know the drill."
"Why not just take a truck in? It'll be easier to work out a sampling grid." (One of the researchers suggests.)
"Because so far, all personnel that have entered on foot have failed to return safely."
(The silence following Staff Sergeant Micombs' words drag on for an awkward long few seconds. The shoulder-camera shuffles as if the wearer shivers from the thought. The tone of the conversation changes to something far from comfortable.)
"Wait...what?" (The agape voice matches 's.) "Shouldn't there be a rescue operation going on instead? What do you mean people aren't returning? We were not informed of this!" (Dr. Kafka holds his head in his hands, a scowl crossing his face.)
"Yeah, that was not part of the briefing at all." (Dr. Alice sinclar's voice is picked up by the camera, her unamused tone easily identifiable.)
"Now now, I didn't say that...well, it's not my call. This blackout zone created all kinds of issues. Just be thankful we can spare a Heli, alright? We're concerned with what's creating the radio blackout and jamming communication signals. As soon as we can liaison with people inside the zone, we can start coordinating how to return them safely."
(Staff Sergeant Micombs' smooth talking quickly rectified the situation. He grabbed a quick sigh and shared a worried expression when he realised nobody was looking.)
"Tch, fine…The sooner we do this the faster we can return back to useful research." ( 's confidence was easily mistaken for posturing.)
"Oh come on, you're all worrying too much." (Eva Lyell voiced quietly. The academic often failed to understand and thus match the mood of the conversation.)
"Now let's get back on track. All you need to do is find out what's causing this radio blackout and report it back. Easy in, easy out. But for the sake of it, lets go over what y'all are doing. I've had a brief prepared earlier, so let's get to it already."
[The next few minutes were fast forwarded, this information is already known by all those present and unnecessary. See pages 3-15 of the provided document.]
(Sergeant Micombs motions to the doors.)
"That's all that ya need ta know for now, so get yourselves down to the helipad. Make sure you have all the kit you need."
(The scientists get up and leave the room, with Charles and the wearer following suit. Alex waits patiently, takes a step, before being stopped by the Staff Sergeant's hoarse voice.)
"Except for you two, I need a word with tha' both of ya. Retake your seats."
(The wearer and Charles abruptly stop, with the latter wearing a confused look which suddenly disappears off camera. The Wearer turns back to the Staff Sergeant. They mutter under their breath something barely audible.)
"Uh ... is this where Sarge chews us out now, Alex?"
"Ugh, I hope not man."
(Both head over to where they were and once more take their seats.)
'Alright then. Let's get things straight. This is for your ears only." (The Sergeant pauses and takes a moment to eye both men in turn.) "Nobody knows what is going on within the blackout zone...and it's expanding. We've got reports of strange animal activity within the zone, but nothing better than rumours. It's a simple fly-over so I'm not expecting anything to go wrong...but this is the first time we're attempting anything at low-altitude. We're not sure if the signal will mess with heli or if….something is inside that will bring it down."
(The sergeant takes a quick breath of air, the mask of an instructor giving way to a look of worry disappearing for a second.)
"As far as we're aware this zone-of-no-return accounts for dangers on the ground...but nobody can even say that for certain. So we're going to get you two and everybody in full hazmat gear, and with enough supplies for you to survive if anything does happen."
[The wording of survive meant far more than the Staff Sergeant may have realised at that moment in time.]
"Your priorities are largely passive. But I want you stepping in immediately if anything goes wrong. I've got Jonny piloting so you'll answer to him for the mission. Right, any questions?"
"No, sir." (The two soldiers shake their heads.)
"Ok, now time for you two to get suited up. Get outta here...and stay safe. You're the first lot I'm sending directly, so I'd rather you didn't disappear. Would leave a bad blot on all our records, eh?" (The sergeant idly cracks his neck.)
"Understood, sir."
[The next few minutes of the video is sped up. The information is deemed unimportant, largely as it consists of the wearer gearing up for the mission. The clip is then paused, the timp-stamp checked, and then play resumed.]
(The location of the wearer is unclear, but they appear to be in some kind of equipment room. Distortion in the lens hides a gun rack to one side.)
"Huh, I wasn't expecting to need an actual MOPP. Uh...right Charles?" (Alex is seen conversing with Charles. His camera is hooked over top of the shoulder of the suit, such that Charles face is clearly visible.)
"Yeah, I mean it's just a blackout zone, the place doesn't even have a nuclear reactor! But sarge did tell us we would need it. Not really sure what they're expecting..." (Charles trails off.)
"Ha. Expect the unexpected! It's just a precaution. Can't be too careful, right? I think we would have had a sterner brief if things were any more serious. Don't want to miss out on the treacle tart at the mess tonight." (Charles gives a small smile, while the camera's elevation changes slightly due to Alex shrugging.)
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Give me a hand with this zip. Damn thing is jammed.."
[The camera shuts off for about ten minutes, presumably due to the two undressing. The camera shutters on, with Charles staring into the lense. He appears to be wearing MOPP protective gear, although without the gas mask on.]
"Yep, it's on. Test mine?" (Charles taps his camera. Alex must do the same as the whole image shakes for a moment.)
"Reading. Let's check those nerds have the right gear on the Heli...and don't fall out."
(The wearer's camera leans closer to the floor, some rattling of the gear is heard.)
"Ugh, I am dreading this. Since when did we start acting as babysitters?" (Alex is heard sighing in response. )
"I know man. But these guys know their shit. Better them than us, cause I don't know half of that radio stuff works. Just turn it off and back on again."
(Charles gives a flabbergasted look to the wearer.)
"Alex. Seriously? We did three months on communications relaying, have you forgotten that already?" (Alex snickers, the camera picking up Charles' sour expression.) "Just wish we didn't have Jonny as a pilot. He knows I get funny with heights. The damn idiot will start doing barrel rolls just to make me chug." (Alex snickers once more.)
"Yet you're completely fine with seasickness?"
(The camera jostles at a sudden impact, presumably Charles hitting Alex in the arm.)
"Dick. Don't get me started."
[The footage speeds up once again, walking and idle chatter being all that can be made up of the clip as the two walk through the pauses after about ten more minutes before resuming. Alice, Eva, and Danny come into view of the camera in front of double doors with a sign displaying "wait" at the top in red LEDs. All are in type D hazmat suits with a type B stored in their backpacks.]
( appears to struggle with the weight of the pack, while the other two academics, Alice and Eva seem to carry them well. The academics don't appear to be wearing the same full gear, with less protection. The helicopter pilot is dressed in flight gear, Jonny waving them on as the blade maintains a steady throttle. The roar hides the shouting back and forth of the various people until the camera tunes into the radio headsets they wear.)
( appears jittery as he speaks to Charles. The two marines grab a bench seat by the door, eyeing the academics wearily before tuning into their own individual military channel.)
"Uh, hey. You think they could have made us wear something more comfortable for the flight? How long is this going to take?" (Alex asks the question in a bored tone. Danny is tapping their foot while looking around, clearly uncertain about the whole operation. Charles smirks before turning to his friend.)
"Johnny said it's going to be one-point-five hours to the edge of the zone, then two hours collecting data from the outskirts if we can. Something about starting high then coming in low after?" (Charles moves his hands up and down during the explanation, expressing the emotion not carried on their personal radios.)
"Yeah that's what I've been told to do. Stay sensible." (Jonny's mic replied dully in agreement, finally tugging on his own headset. He nods towards the academics in the helicopter. Danny, Alice, and Eva are all huddled on a bench next to a stack of equipment. Most of it seemed to be remote sensors hooked up to a boom which would be left to hang from the door of the helicopter once it was at the correct altitude.)
(A few minutes later and Jonny lifts the helicopter up off the pad, circling the base to test the handling, before heading west. There was a distinct nervousness about the three academics as they watched the ground disappearing below them out of an open door.)
"U-uh, isn't that supposed to be closed?" ( Kafka sounded nervous, pointing towards the door.)
"Yeah, gotta wait for confirmation to close it though." (The wearer turns toward the pilot and fiddles with the mic, presumably changing frequency to the pilot's.)
"HEY JONNY, TIME TO SHUT THE DOOR?" (The Pilot's hand comes into view from the cockpit seat, first forming into a thumbs up, then a middle finger.)
"Sorry for yelling man, had to try it once."
(The hand forms into a V or peace sign and returns to the seat. The wearer heads towards the open door, and slides it closed. They fiddle with the frequency to get back to the standard for the rest of the group.)
"You worry too much, besides, we will only be in the blackout zone like four hours tops, what's the worst that can happen?" (Eva had been idly chatting with Danny.)
[Footage is sped up during this portion, as it is considered erroneous. It mainly consists of idle chatter. ]
[The designated route for the helicopter to travel eastwards directly towards the blackout zone at high altitude. Following a small diversion for air traffic, the black box data suggests they arrived four minutes late to the edge of the radio silence zone. Here the remote sensing package was loosed and the first fly-over at high altitude was completed. This data has been provided in the documentation]
[The second fly-over occurred at a low altitude of [REDACTED], initially skirting the new blackout zone. Black box data suggests that only fifteen minutes into the second fly-over, and over [REDACTED] miles into the radio silence zone, something went wrong with the primary engine.]
[The tape then transitions to fifteen minutes before the engine malfunctioned on Alex's camera. Starting before or after this timeframe, crucial information would be lost or irrelevant chatter would be heard. The footage is rewound, skipping scene by scene before stuttering to a stop.]
[Footage resumes.]
(The helicopter is completing a low sweep with the radio boom out of the door. Detectors are running basic information into the laptop on 's lap. Strapped into her seat, her eyes scan through the read-outs.)
(Alex, the wearer of the camera, hangs by the open door of the helicopter. Although seated, he leans out to visually survey the forested area of the blackout zone below.)
"Ok, things are looking good for now." (Alex's voice is gruff.) "Wow, look out the window man." (The wearer's camera focuses on the scene outside the window, an abandoned town. Streets are empty except for cars. The only thing alive seems to be sparse wildlife. Deer and rabbits barely discernible from their altitude.)
"Hey man … what is that? I'm not seeing things, right?" (Charles points at the window at some large brightly colored thing patrolling the streets. The camera is incapable of making out what the object is from the distance.)
"Hey, Jonny could you tilt us down a little? I want to check out what that thing is, it's probably some hippie van or something … Maybe? This place is a ghost town." (Alex fiddles with his radio to ask the pilot.)
"Sure thing." (The pilot replies in monotone.)
(The helicopter lurches to a hover, the wearer then opens up the sliding door and binoculars cross the camera's cone of vision. Wind whips across the opening.)
"Hey! That is going to mess up the data!" (Alice's voice is picked up over the radio.) "I'm measuring a north-drift from our sample line!"
(The marines appear to ignore the scientist.)
"... Dude … seriously what that hell is that!? Jonny, get us closer to the town. There's people down there! Might be able to help … or get some accounts of what happened." (The camera once again lurched forward in response to Jonny's piloting.)
[This action would take the helicopter off the recommended course.]
[All previous excursions have ended with the same result, heading off course, followed by the loss of the entire team. At least in that respect, this mission was different.]
[The landscape passed by as the helicopter headed towards the town. Fields and trees soon became concrete buildings and roads. On the tops of buildings were signs ranging from "HELP US" or "DON'T TRUST THE NOISE" to even "TP PLZ" stenciled in red paint. footage swaps from Alex's camera to the helicopter's underside reconnaissance camera. Only this helicopter received this attachment, and this was the first and only attempt to record the events that would take place from the black box footage was added spliced with this video to form a cohesive narrative and easier viewing. Among the roads, multiple empty vehicles, ranging from automobiles to diesel engines. Footage then returns to Alex's camera.]
"What the hell …!" (Charle's voice is muffled by the helicopter's rotors adding static through his radio.)
"Uhh … why are we flying over a deserted town? I-I mean I get why, but I don't get why it's so … uh, quite abandoned looking." ( 's voice is muffled and shuffling is picked up by the microphone. He looks up from a portable tablet hooked to an elongate black box left lying on the floor.) "Wait. I'm getting something unusual. I'm getting something weird in the three giga-hertz you seeing this?"
"Just from how things look from up here, the people who lived here attempted barricading and riding out the radio blackout." (Jonny speaks over the radio, taking the helicopter in a flat swoop over the small settlement.) "But that doesn't explain why it's so empty. Why are chasing … is that some kind of bus? Why is it moving like that?" (Alice points to the now colored object, now approaching rapidly. It was the size of a car, seemingly gliding across the ground. The object flashes red and blue in confusing patterns, speeding along. It seemed to be moving in bursts of speed, and not a straight acceleration) "No, that's not a bus at all … whoa, wha … what is that?"
"Huh, shouldn't everyone in that town have been evacuated? I mean, there's supposed to be nobody this deep in the zone. You think they couldn't leave? Or maybe it was just a bunch of crazy preppers who got stuck? Why would there even be signs up like that?" (Eva seemed interested in the subject, though, the town in question was one of the deeper ones within the blackout zone. This was one of the towns that was closer to the origin of the blackout zone.)
"Everyone was supposed to be evacuated, but apparently these guys didn't get the message. Either that, or people were stupid enough to risk staying behind. Seriously, why would they ... wait- " (Alice was suddenly interrupted.)
"That's not a bus. Holy … holy fucking shit ...That is definitely not a fucking bus!" (The wearer's voice, Alex, becomes progressively exasperated, expletives being used in fear of what he was seeing. The body camera only sees the object approaching closer, due to the helicopter's speed. but it is still a blur.)
"What are you going on about?" (The wearer's camera catches Alice snatching the binoculars from Alex's grasp. The scientist affixes them to her face and points them in the direction the marine was looking.) "Now where were you-" (The scientist fell silent, most likely seeing whatever the marine had spotted in the first place. Her posture is tight, shoulders tensing the moment she falls silent.)
"Uh … , what did you see?"
(Danny moved closer and pokes the back of Alice's shoulder. Eva is looking cautiously at the two other scientists. The wearer turns toward Charles. The marine is holding their stomach and covering their mouth, eyes watering - clearly displaying a history of airsickness.)
"Jonny, we need to get out of -" ( Charles attempts to speak, but is interrupted. The helicopter had approached the presumed object. Within moments of coming within [REDACTED] feet of the object, a deafening noise, what could only be described as a roar, is picked up by all cameras.)
"Ugh! What the hell was that?!" (The wearer cries out in pain, the rest of the people in the aircraft have their ears covered.)
"Jonny, get us the hell out of here!" (Alex calls out to the pilot, who obliges. The aircraft swings around.)
[Footage swaps to the helicopter's underside camera, and reveals what created the noise. Several freeze frames give a clearer picture. A quadruped, nearly draconic lizard with a long, tapering tail. It is primarily blue with a gray lower jaw and thickly scaled underside. There are red markings on its throat, the underside of its tail, and stripes on the inner surface of its legs. Additionally, there are raised red ridges above its eyes. Three flat fins protrude from either side of its head, possibly acting in the same manner that a Canard would on an aircraft. It has two pairs of pointed teeth, one in the upper jaw and one in the lower. Each of its short legs has three claws. It has two large red wings. It's legs stomp along the ground after the helicopter, before taking flight.]
(The creature shoots forward, passing by the windows faster than the helicopter can manage and overtakes it. It bellows out another roar, red flames spewing out of its maw.)
"Everyone, put on your parachutes now!" (Jonny calls out to everyone on board. Alex shuffles to grab onto the parachute below his seat. Charles is seen tense, gritting his teeth. The scientists follow through with putting on their chutes as the helicopter begins to straif to the right and gain altitude.)
[Footage swaps to the underside camera of the helicopter flies higher and higher into the sky as the creature hovers in midair. The Draconic being's maw is forced open as violet electricity crackles from it. A lance-like beam of it is fired at the helicopter's tail rotor. The tail rotor is blown to pieces from the beam. The creature flys off in the direction of a nearby forest. The aircraft begins to fall into a spiral. Footage then resumes to Alex's camera.]
"OUT NOW, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT STABLE!" (Jonny cries out as he struggles to keep the aircraft stable. Charles herds the scientists out of the copter first, flinging open the door and having Doctors Kafka, Eva and then Alice jump first. Charles turns his head to look at the wearer, Alex.)
"What are you waiting for?!" (Charles bolts out of the door, Alex following suit. Both men enter a freefall, the open parachutes of the scientists visible further below. Charles can be seen pulling his cord for his chute, Alex following his lead. However, as the man's parachute unfurls, the helicopter careens into it, getting tangled with the tail of the aircraft.)
"ALEX!" (Charles calls out as the wearer spirals along with the aircraft. Alex yells but is cut off.)
[Footage interrupted]
…
…
…
…
…
[Footage resuming]
[Static flickers on, lenses soon obscured by a raging fire. It is now burning wreckage of the helicopter is seen, heavy damage to it and the surrounding forest around it. the top rotary blades have been torn off by the impact, and all the glass windows have shattered. The tail of the aircraft is missing. All the data collecting equipment is a molten slag of electronic gunk. In the cockpit section, a burning corpse can be seen. The wearer's right arm slowly rises before patting their own chest, presumably checking for injuries. The wearer then keeps their hand on their stomach and relaxes, slumping.]
"Fuck, how am I still alive? … Bones aren't broken either ... Charles should be nearby … I hope ..."
[ Footage ends.]