SEARCH: Those Still Standing & Those About To Fall [Finale Part Two]
Season 1, Episode 16 | Sci-Fi, Thriller & Mystery | Serialised Fiction
PREVIOUSLY ON SEARCH: Matt McNair and Jo “The Ghost” Evans expose The Wells Foundation in a live broadcast telling the truth of the organisation and leaking files revealing their secret. McCullach tracks them down to a cave but finds only one to be there…
APPENDIX 71: Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Eleanor Wells [The Wells Foundation] & James McCullach [The Wells Foundation]
WELLS: James? It’s stopped. Have you got them?
MCCULLACH: Just one.
WELLS: Who?
MATT: Matt McNair. Nice to finally meet you Ellie. Sorry, we’re you expecting someone else?
WELLS: McNair.
MATT: That’s right. Another one. You’re really not having the best of luck with us, are you?
WELLS: Where’s Evans?
MCCULLACH: She’s not here. It was a pre-recording.
MATT: Aye, technology eh? When it works in your favour it really works.
WELLS: Where is she?
MATT: You sound confused, and absolutely raging. Let’s give her a wee call and see. Mind if I add her into this little chat?
MCCULLACH: Ellie?
WELLS: Let him.
MATT: Thank you.
AUDIO: Phone beeping, another person being added to the call.
MATT: Jo, you’re on the call. Are you OK?
JO: I’m OK.
MATT: Did it work?
JO: It did.
MATT: You’ve got my sister OK?
Jo: Aye. She’s safe. She’s here.
SARAH: Matt, I can’t...are you OK?
MATT: Sarah, it’s so good to hear your voice. Are you OK?
SARAH: I’m fine.
MATT: Jo, is everyone off the island?
JO: The Scarba Site is clear. Project Affectations has been evacuated.
WELLS: James?
MCCULLACH: I’m checking now. (Sigh) Shit, he’s right. There’s been a breakout, the island is clear. Agent Sim is down.
MATT: We figured that you were so focused on finding us, that if we put a little bit of bait out there, all your attention would be on us, allowing Jo to do her thing and ghost in and out of the island, evacuating it. And it worked, a little bit of misdirect. And you fell hook, line and sinker. And you know what? After this, we are going to do the same for each project. And the next. We’ll go to each site, hopping from island to island to island, clearing up every mess you’ve made. And you can keep chasing us, or setting up new sites, and we’ll keep going. We won’t stop. So, Ellie, it’s game over. You lose, finally.
Silence.
WELLS: Oh honey, even the losers win something nowadays. And I’m about to pick up my runners-up prize now.
AUDIO: Footsteps.
WELLS: Say hello.
The voice that speaks, sounds in pain, laboured.
JOHN MCNAIR: Hi kids. It’s me. It’s Dad.
MATT: Dad, are you OK?
SARAH: Oh my god. D-Dad? Is that really you?
JOHN MCNAIR: It’s really me.
John winces.
WELLS: Careful now, you’re a bit out of breath there. That’ll be the broken ribs.
MATT: What have you done to him?
WELLS: Woah, well excuse me, Mr Ungrateful. First of all, we’ve extended his life through the project, giving him the gift of time and practically everlasting life for God’s sake. And secondly, we saved him from a nasty little car crash. And you’re giving me this grief? Ungrateful. I know you didn’t have anyone bringing you up with manners, but they really do cost nothing.
JOHN MCNAIR: Leave them alone.
WELLS: Leave them...I wasn’t exactly the one who went out my way to get them involved in this whole thing, was I?
JOHN MCNAIR: You’ve got me back. Let Jo and Sarah and Matt go.
WELLS: Honestly, I genuinely was in a reasonable mood this morning, wasn’t I, James?
MCCULLACH: You were.
WELLS: But then, Matt and Jo pulled this little stunt. Not only did they evacuate one of our project sites, but they put the foundation and I at risk. They embarrassed me. Painting me out to be the villain. They only have a fraction of my story.
MATT: What is it then? We’re all ears.
WELLS: Oh no, we’re beyond that now, Matty. Way beyond that. All I’ve ever done is search for something, no different than any of you. Who can blame me for making use of the things we found along the way?
JOHN MCNAIR: What you’re doing here is wrong. Particularly the families who think their husbands, sons, daughters, wives, sisters, brothers are missing.
WELLS: You’ve been with us long enough now, and you still don’t understand what we’re trying to do.
JOHN MCNAIR: And you still don’t understand that all I want to do is to go home to my kids. All that any of us that you’ve taken and used have ever wanted is to go home.
WELLS: What makes you think what I’ve been doing is any different?
JOHN MCNAIR: Because if you were, then you’d have let us all go there a long time ago.
WELLS: Maybe.
MATT: So what now, Ellie? What’s your next move?
WELLS: Collecting my second placed prize, which I’m almost disappointed I need to do. John, you’re a writer. Are you a fan of irony?
JOHN MCNAIR: What?
WELLS: I’ve never been a fan of irony much myself, although it’s on my mind now.
JOHN MCNAIR: On account of what?
WELLS: On account of all that time we gave you to play with, and now there’s no time for you left to play.
BANG. The unmistakable sound of a gunshot. Unmistakable.
MATT: DAD!
SARAH: NO!
It’s silent. Silence. All we can hear is breathing and the pitter patter of rain and the splash of water at the entrance to the cave.
JO: Matt, I’m sorry.
Sarah is crying.
SARAH: M-Matt? M-Matt?
WELLS: James?
MCCULLACH: Yes.
WELLS: Take Matt with you. He’ll do as a replacement for something. Maybe it’s time for a new project. Christ knows he owes us that.
MCCULLACH: OK.
SARAH: No, no, no. Please don’t. Please. You’ve taken too much already. We’ve learned our lesson. Just leave me my brother. Please.
WELLS: You’ve taken your fair share too. Sarah, Jo. This isn’t goodbye. We’ll see each other again, in this world or the next.
AUDIO: BEEP BEEP as Wells leave the call.
MCCULLACH: Matt, don’t do anything stupid. Just come with me. Now.
MATT: (to himself) We were so close, Dad. So close to having you back.
SARAH: Matt, don’t let him take you. Fight him.
MCCULLACH: Don’t do anything of the sort.
MATT: Sarah, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
SARAH: Jo, please. You have to do something.
JO: Don’t worry. I’ll go get him. I can get him.
MCCULLACH: No you won’t.
MATT: He’s right Jo. Don’t even try it. You said so yourself, if the jump’s too far for you to ghost, you might not make it back through the other side.
JO: I can do it.
SARAH: Please, try. Please.
MCCULLACH: Matt’s right, Jo. You could be ghosting for ever, flickering in and out. Or you could just completely disappear. Don’t try it. It’s over.
MATT: If I come with you, will my sister be OK?
SARAH: Don’t you dare, Matt.
MCCULLACH: If you don’t make it difficult for me, maybe.
MATT: OK.
SARAH: Matt, no.
MATT: I’ve lost Dad, I won’t lose you too.
SARAH: And if you do this, I lose both.
JO: I can do it, I can make the jump.
MATT: No. Jo, don’t.
MCCULLACH: Don’t attempt it.
SARAH: Please, Matt. Please.
JO: I can do it. I’m doing it.
MATT: Jo, you can’t--
MCCULLACH: --Stop, Jo, don’t--
MATT: --I’m sorry Sarah--
SARAH: --just come home, Matt. Come home--
JO: --I’ll bring him home. I’m going to make it--
MATT: --no, Jo, don’t, I’ll try--
MCCULLACH: --don’t, no...Matt, what are you doing, stop put that down, stop--
MATT: --JO, DON’T, I’LL GET OUT MYSELF--
MCCULLACH: --NO, you won’t--
MATT: --WATCH ME--
MCCULLACH: --NO YOU--
SARAH: --she’s gone, Matt, she’s gone. Did she make it to you? Did she make it? Matt? Hello? Is anybody there? Hello?
Silence.
SARAH: My god. What have we done? Matt can you hea--
[TRANSCRIPT ENDS]
Appendix 72: Transcripts of Voicemail Messages Left By Sarah McNair for Matt McNair
Message #1
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.message after the beep.
SARAH: Matt? Matt? What happened? Where are you? Did Jo get you?
Message #2
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: Matt, I’m getting scared now. I’ve got to...I have to believe Jo made it. Phone me back now.
Message #3
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: Matt. I just want my brother back home, safe and sound. Please phone me back Matt. Please.
Message #4
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: Matt, please phone me back. Please, please be OK.
Message #5
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Message #6
SARAH: Don’t you dare disappear on me. We had a deal. Rabbit hole. I’m calling rabbit hole. What were you thinking, saying that you would go with them? What where you thinking? (Pause) Please, Matty.
Message #7
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: (There’s silence for the longest time) Where are you, Matt? I know you’re out there. I don’t even know why I keep trying this number. You’re never going to answer it. But it, I don’t know, it helps.
Message #8
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: (crying or sobbing) You promised Matt. You said you wouldn’t end up like Dad. You said the same thing wouldn’t happen to you.
Message #9
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: Matt, I....(sigh) I won’t give up. I’ll find you. I have to believe I’ll find you.
Message #10
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: (sigh)
Appendix 73: Transcript of Sarah McNair’s Speech at The Saorsa Trust Launch Night
Message #11
MATT: Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Matt McNair. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
SARAH: This is what I’ve heard, every day for the past six months. Some days I leave a message, some days I don’t. About a year ago, I stood on this same stage, accepting an award, while Matt listened on in my pocket, before pitching the story that led to Slanaighear, that led to The Wells Foundation, that led to the death of Andy and his friends, the death of my father and the disappearance of my brother. Today, I stand here alone, hoping that somewhere out there, Matt is listening to me stand on this stage again. Except I’m not accepting an award this time. (Pause, drinks water) Instead, in the wake of bringing Och Aye The News to an end, I’m launching a new non-profit organisation, The Saorsa Trust. The Saorsa Trust will be dedicated to helping, supporting, finding and freeing those victims and survivors of the work of The Wells Foundation, and their families. Something my brother unwittingly started when he was simply chasing a story about what he then thought was someone pretending to be a superhero. I feel like the last few years all I’ve done is start companies or projects in memory and in honour of lost family members, but it’s all I really have to feel close to them. I know that what Matt and Jo did helped people, and I guess this is my way of continuing that, and...(sigh) maybe trying to find a way to find those they helped. It would be nice to prove that their sacrifices and loss really did something and really did help people.
[AUDIO: CHAIR SCRAPING]
SARAH: Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not taking questions I just...are You OK?
WELLS SURVIVOR 1: Yes. Thanks to your brother. And Jo. They helped me.
SARAH: Oh...I--
[AUDIO: CHAIR SCRAPING]
WELLS SURVIVOR 2: And me.
[AUDIO: CHAIR SCRAPING]
WELLS SURVIVOR 3: They helped me too.
[AUDIO: CHAIR SCRAPING]
WELLS SURVIVOR 4: Me as well.
[AUDIO: CHAIR SCRAPING. VOICES BEGIN TO OVERLAP]
WELLS SURVIVOR 5: And me.
WELLS SURVIVOR 6: And me.
WELLS SURVIVOR 7: They saved me too.
SARAH: I’m...I...thank you, all of you. You’ve no idea how much this means. Oh Matt, I wish you could see this. And Jo. And Dad. I wish you could see what you all did. You went looking for a hero, and became one yourself. Now, who knows? Maybe it’s our turn to get together and save you.
[TRANSCRIPT ENDS]
From: amasters@twf.org
To: legal@twf.org; directors@twf.org; hwells@twf.org; hr@twf.org
BCC: ewells@twf.org; jmcullach@twf.org
Subject: The McNair Incident Report: Conclusion [FINAL DRAFT]
Classification: Official-Internal-Classified
FAO Legal, Board of Directors & CEO,
I trust you have now read the entire draft of our internal investigations report into The McNair Incident and it’s adjoining appendices which provide a complete transcript of events.
With our investigation into the incident, and collation of the evidence complete, we have reached a conclusion and final recommendation of next steps for the company. The commentary of myself and my team is available in full in the final draft of the investigations report (attached here) but I find it pertinent to highlight our findings and recommendation here.
Our conclusion is that there is sufficient evidence to confirm the organisation’s liability into the events of the McNair Incursion and a pattern which establishes institutional failure. To put it bluntly, our unbiased final assessment of the evidence presented here does indeed confirm our liability and culpability for the material damage, casualties and fatalities related to Project 220904: The Affectations.
Our recommendation regarding this report is simple.
Bury it. This report should never see the light of day. If it were to be submitted into evidence as part of the impending public hearings and legal proceedings we face, the organisation would not only be dissolved with immediate effect but the entirety of the senior management team and board would face criminal charges.
We advise out of court settlements were possible and were these are not possible, find some way to ensure this information is not made public.
I am happy to discuss our findings and recommendation further once you have completed your read of the report. Once you have read in full, please ensure to burn, shred or delete all correspondence regarding this investigation, including this e-mail.
Again, bury it. It should never see the light of day.
Kind regards,
Alanna Masters
Internal Investigations Manager.
Internal Investigations, Data Protection & Incursions Task Force
[END OF SEASON ONE]