Stevie clasps her hand over her mouth.
Nicole with wide eyes, whispers, "St-stevie, what was--"
*BANG!*
Nicole's bedroom door flies off the hinges and crashes into her floor-length mirror. The girls scream hysterically. Three professionally dressed men stand in the doorway.
"I SWEAR WE'RE NOT CRIMINALS WE JUST SMOKE A LITTLE POT FOR FUNSIES! AND ONLY AFTER BEING GOOD STUDIOUS KIDS!!!" sobs Stevie, as marijuana and paraphernalia are blatantly present everywhere.
"Everyone needs to calm down. This is more than getting busted for pot. I'm Special Agent Rod Serling. You both need to come with me immediately," says the man in front.
Stevie immediately snaps out of her fear-stricken state. "What are you doing bashing our doors d---wait...Rod Serling?!"
Nicole darts her wide eyes to her roommate and manages to utter a squeak. "Wh-who's that?"
Stevie turns around looking bewildered. "You don't know who--oh! Never mind now!" She turns back to the men. "And why do we have to go with you?"
Stevie and Nicole arrive at the holding room of a police station. To their surprise they meet Bradley, Jake, and Myles. Bradley is pacing the floor, Jake sits in a chair with his head in his hands, and Myles is standing with his arms crossed.
Myles sees the girls first. "Guys, Nicole and Stevie are here," he announces.
Jake jerks up and immediately walks over to them in distress. "Would either of you like to fill me in on WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
The girls are caught speechless in the moment.
Bradley stops pacing. "Jake, please, what did I just tell you..."
Stevie comes forward in attempt to console him. "Jake listen, you have to calm d--"
"NO! Why am I the only one freaking out right now?!" demands Jake. He looks around at his friends with a crazed look. "...does this have anything to do with Whi--?"
"SHHHH!" hisses the rest of the group.
*bzz bzz*
Everyone's phones light up at the same time.
Group Message: Unknown
The Bunch exchange uneasy looks with each other. The hum of the old fluorescent lights seem deafening in the suspended silence. They open the message in unison.
Unknown: Eyes are on all of you. Say one word, you'll never speak again.
No one looks up until a distant jail cell clangs shut, causing everyone to jump. Anger spreads over Jake's face. He opens his mouth to protest again but Stevie and Bradley hurry over to him and sit him back down.
Stevie takes hold of his shoulder. "Shut up. Look at me. Listen carefully. We all need you to calm down. Everything we do or say is obviously under surveillance. I need you to trust me that you not knowing anything is in your best interest. As of right now, no one knows what will happen next. But I can assure that you will be fine."
The main door of the station unlocks with a mechanical clank and creaks open. Special Agent Serling appears. "Bradley Dial, please follow me to begin the interrogation."
Bradley wipes his clammy hands on his sweats before vanishing into the long hallway. The heavy metal door slams shut behind him.
The Bunch silence their phones to avoid any further nerve-racking messages. Then they, too, waited in silence. Before long, Nicole absentmindedly checks her phone for the time.
Whitney: iMessage (5)
Whitney: Missed Phone Call (3)
Whitney: New Voicemail
Myles looks over at Nicole's unsettled face which is fixated on her phone screen. "Did the unknown number message you again?" he asks.
"No. Whitney tried reaching me multiple times by call and text. Anyone else?"
Everyone checks their phones and shakes their heads. They huddle around her to read as she opens her messages.
Whitney: where r u?
Whitney: ur location says ur at the police station
Whitney: hello???
Whitney: answer it's urgent
Whitney: my customers will do anything to protect what's theirs. this is a test warning for all of u
Whitney: exposing me only puts u in danger
The main door opens again. The Special Agent comes forward, but no Bradley. "Jacob Michaels. Follow me," announces Serling.
Agent Serling takes Myles for his turn only a half hour after Jake. After that, time moves as slow as a wax cart left in a car on a chilly January night. The girls wait for their turn, trying their best to mask their increasing anxiety. Stevie is in deep thought, pacing as Bradley did while Nicole sits in a chair nearby, rapidly bouncing her knee.
Nicole stands and approaches her best friend. "Stevie, how can we be certain we won't be caught in a lie with the feds? And how can we be certain the truth will put us in danger? I'll crack under pressure."
Stevie breaks from her train of thought to comfort her friend. "Hey, we can't know yet what we'll be asked. I think the safest way to go about this is answer the questions vaguely enough that it's neither the whole truth or a whole lie. We haven't done anything wrong."
The dreaded sound of the door unlocking signals. "Nicole Green. Come with me, please," booms Serling. Stevie watches her best friend disappear into the hallway as her other friends did.
After the door closes, she raises her phone near her mouth. "Siri, send Nicole a message in an hour saying: 'Let me know when you make it home'."
Stevie hadn't forgotten about her other guy friends. Neither Bradley, Jake, or Myles contacted her. Worry boils up inside her and checks each of their locations. Each Broccoli Boy's location shows a gut-wrenching icon.
Location Not Available