I'm currently working on a sequel to my last novel, a science fiction piece by the name of Thank You For Your Cooperation. This is the second in what will eventually become a three part series. This installment is called "Your Call is Important to Us".

What follows is a snippet from what has since been yanked from the text. Still, I think it conveys the general feel of the story rather well.

---------

Barney Max was in a terrible panic. He rushed about his room, hoisting belongings into the air and putting them back down again without even so much as a glance.

“I'm on the List!”

Even through the thick, pleasant haze induced by the Romexior, the fact had not been lost on him. And now that the drug had worn off, the usual reaction was settling in.

“Ahhhhh!”

Barney tripped over a box he had pulled out from under his bed and collapsed to the floor.

There were a good many perks reserved for those with a Delta security clearance. One of them was being assigned a private apartment. Barney Max had a single room all to himself in Chateau Bon Tidings, an apartment complex in the upper part of N sector.

Another perk was that he could take his helpbot, Chops, out with him in public. Helpbots were available at an exorbitant price on the black market, but you couldn't parade around with one unless you were cleared to have it.

“Can I help out with anything, sir?” Chops asked. He was plugged into his charging station, but Barney had forgot to turn him off.

Barney muttered something unintelligible in reply.

A crisp, mechanical voice suddenly flooded the air. “GREETINGS CITIZEN BARNEY. THIS IS CONTROL. ARE YOU FEELING UNWELL?”

Barney's head shot up, eyes bugging from their sockets. The security camera above his bed had come to life and was aimed in his direction. “Everything's fine,” he peeped. “Why?”

“BECAUSE YOU ARE LYING ON THE FLOOR.”

“It's comfortable here,” he stammered.

“MOST HUMANS PREFER TO LIE IN THEIR BEDS.”

“The floor is better for my back.”

“I SEE. AS YOU KNOW DUE TO INCREASED TERRORIST ACTIVITY THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF BEDS IN THE BUNKER. I WILL SEND SOMEONE FROM HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION TO RETRIEVE YOURS SO IT CAN BE PUT TO MORE EFFICIENT USE.”

“Great,” Barney squeaked, trying to sound as agreeable as he could.

The buzzer sounded.

“Someone's at the door!” Chops announced cheerfully.

Barney groaned, a long, drawn-out, hopeless sound.

“AREN'T YOU GOING TO ANSWER IT?”

“I'm not prepared to entertain visitors.”

“CITIZEN BARNEY YOUR ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR IS TROUBLING. ARE YOU HIDING SOMETHING?”

What was there to hide? “I'm on the List.”

“JUDGING BY YOUR NOMENCLATURE AND THE SUDDEN JUMP IN BLOOD PRESSURE I PRESUME YOU MEAN THE THOUSAND MOST WANTED LIST.”

“Yes,” Barney yelped and swallowed thickly. Suddenly, a flood of words gushed forth. “I've always been a loyal citizen! My work at United Technologies has met with nothing but approval. You chose to elevate me to the Delta security clearance!”

“YOU ARE A HARD WORKING CITIZEN BARNEY MAX BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOT A TRUSTWORTHY ONE.”

Tears began streaming down Barney's cheek.

The buzzer sounded again.

“CITIZEN VALERIE LEPRETRE WISHES TO GAIN ENTRY TO YOUR LIVING QUARTERS. MY DATA INDICATE THAT YOU HAVE A UNIQUE AND LASTING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER. SHALL I LET HER IN?”

Without waiting for an answer, there came a soft click and the door cracked open.

Oh, poor Valerie, he thought. She doesn't know what she's walking into.

“Hi, Barney,” came the familiar, somewhat elderly voice. Valerie's keen eyes showed in the widening crack between the door and its frame. But when they spotted Barney lying prostrate on the floor and the red light glowing furiously under the security camera, she blanched. “Oh, I see you're busy! I'll come back some other time.”

The door slammed shut.

“What have I done to deserve this?” Barney managed to blurt out between the sobs.

“THE INFORMATION YOU ARE REQUESTING IS NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR SECURITY CLEARANCE.”

Barney shook his head and pounded the floor with his fists. “They should have arrested me at the checkpoint!” How could he live like this, always wondering if the next moment would be hist last?

“IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE GUARDIANS FROM DEFENSE STATIONED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE RICHARD M NIXON SPACEPORT G-SECTOR THEN YOU ARE MISTAKEN. ACCORDING TO MY RECORDS THEY BEHAVED WITH THE UTMOST ATTENTION TO THE GUIDELINES.”

“If I'm on the List, I should have been apprehended. Is it current policy to allow dangerous criminals free reign of the Bunker?” He buried his face in his outstretched arm and rolled his eyes.

“I DO NOT APPRECIATE YOUR PHISHING AROUND FOR UNAUTHORIZED INFORMATION.”

Barney didn't quite agree that an interest in threats to his personal wellbeing should be left to someone else. However, despite his frantic state, he was wise enough not to say it.

“The least you can do is tell me when they'll come for me. Surely, you can do that, Control.”

The firm, somewhat menacing response came swiftly. “I NOR THE REST OF THE BUNKER OWE YOU ANYTHING. LET US BE CLEAR: YOU CITIZEN BARNEY ARE A TRAITOR. EVEN IF YOU WERE NOT THE NARCISSISM EVIDENT IN YOUR LAST STATEMENT WOULD GIVE PAUSE FOR ANALYSIS. HOWEVER IT HAS NOT ESCAPED MY ATTENTION THAT FOR SOME REASON YOU ARE AGITATED. I SHALL THEREFORE CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE OFFENSE. IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN.”

Barney let out another self-pitying moan.

“PERHAPS A SHORT BUT AGRESSIVE REGIMEN OF THALOTIN WOULD HELP STABALIZE YOUR PHYSIOLOGY.” There was slight pause before Control said, “CONGRATULATIONS CITIZEN BARNEY MAX! YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LATEST ROUND OF MENTAL FITNESS EXAMS TO BE ISSUED IN N-SECTOR. ALL PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN RANDOMLY. REST ASSURED THAT YOUR MENTAL STABILITY OR LACK OF IT WILL HELP THOUSANDS IN THEIR QUEST FOR NEGLIGIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND OPTIMAL MARKET EFFICIENCY.”

Inwardly, Barney frowned. The suspicion that was the hallmark of self-preservation in the Bunker suddenly inserted itself into his tiny, bruised world.

If he was to be the victim of some unfortunate coincidence, a quirk of happenstance or the sudden variation of Fortune, he wouldn't resist. Maybe he'd whine and whimper, but when they came to drag him away into the murky depths of the nearest Homeland Security neighborhood substation, he'd go willingly.

But if someone was trying to set him up –

Well, that would be a different story entirely.

“I SEE YOU ARE FEELING BETTER.”

Barney wiped his eyes with his fists and looked around. His room was a mess.

“A REPRESENTATIVE FROM HUMAN RESOURCES WILL CONTACT YOU SHORTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. THAT WILL BE ALL.”

“Thank you, Control.”

The red light under the security camera winked out.