Thursday, February 16, 2006

You Took An Oath Day!

You drive an airport shuttle because you love to drive people to and from the airport. You can't get enough of that sparkle in the eyes of someone who is about to spend a week in Flagstaff on business. Or that flush to the cheeks of a wife who's craning her neck to look out the back window to make sure her husband isn't following her. And you just love to feel that relaxed vibe coming off of someone whose vacation is all over and has a whole week or work ahead. Comings and goings. You wish you could be there for every single one.

The only downside is the oath you took to put the lives of your passengers before your own. You've already taken two bullets for passengers over the course of your nineteen months behind the wheel, and you're going to have to take another one today. The kid with the rings on his fingers and the eyeliner on his eyes apparently stole a lot of cash from wherever he crashed last night. He just barely escaped while everyone was just waking up. They're following now. They're in the white Montero.

You'll spot them when you pull up to the next traffic light. They'll pile out of their truck with guns in their hands. You'll have a car in front and behind so there won't be anywhere to go. One of the gunmen will find the eyeliner kid through the window and he'll aim his gun. You're going to have to dive through the air to the back of the shuttle and block the bullet. If you get out of your seat as soon as you see the first gunmen leave the Montero, you should get a big enough lead to catch the bullet in your belly. Do your best.

As usual, none of your passengers will visit you while you're recuperating. They contracted the shuttle company to take them to the airport, and when you get shot they'll immediately call the shuttle company to send them a replacement vehicle or else any charges they incur on changed itineraries will be billed to the shuttle company. Everyone in your shuttle will be getting on a plane tonight, regardless of where on your body the bullet lands. The stickers posted on the doors to the shuttle make it clear that your throwing down your life so that your passengers can live another day is included in the base travel fee. They expect nothing less from their driver. They are going to the airport and are in a hurry. It's your job to get them there, by any means necessary.

Happy You Took An Oath Day!