S03E03: The Glitches

Summary

Bunker 8 - Season 3, Episode 3: "The Glitches" Summary

Introduction

In "The Glitches," the third episode of Season 3 of Bunker 8, listeners are plunged deeper into the enigmatic and perilous world beneath the Antarctic facility. This episode intensifies the psychological and supernatural elements surrounding Bunker 8, unveiling more about the mysterious "glitches" and the dark secrets that the facility harbors. Jack, our hardened Australian ex-soldier protagonist, continues his harrowing journey, uncovering unsettling truths that challenge his perception of reality and his mission.

Characters and Dynamics

• Jack (Dean Smythe): The central character, an ex-soldier tasked with overseeing "assets" within Bunker 8. His resilience is tested as he confronts the unknown elements of the facility.

• Frank (Brandon Berg): A figure from Jack's past, brought in to assist him. Their strained relationship adds emotional depth and tension to the narrative.

• Violet (Laura Hamilton): Although her presence is minimal in this episode, her impact on Jack's psyche is evident, hinting at deeper connections and unresolved conflicts.

• Supporting Characters: Include Marcus Hale as a motel clerk and Dean Smythe himself in minor roles, adding layers to the story's setting and Jack's interactions.

Main Plot and Discovery

The episode begins with Jack and Frank arriving at a remote drop-off point leading to Bunker 8. Their journey is fraught with tension, highlighting Frank's skepticism and Jack's unwavering determination. Early interactions reveal the isolated and abandoned nature of the bunker:

Frank (03:01): "Didn’t expect the drop-off point to be halfway to goddamn nowhere."

Brandon Berg (03:05): "Yeah, that's the idea."

As they navigate the desolate surroundings, Jack notices anomalies such as shattered security cameras and signs of forced entry, suggesting previous unauthorized access:

Dean Smythe (08:10): "This place looks like some old corporate office. Concrete walls, faded logo, windows blacked out. Doesn't belong out here."

Their exploration uncovers a series of distressing findings, including blood on the walls and a body missing from the scene, intensifying the mystery surrounding Bunker 8.

The Glitches Phenomenon

A pivotal moment occurs when Jack discovers an incident report detailing the "Glitch Phenomenon." This report reveals that individuals from various global locations mysteriously vanish and reappear within Bunker 8, only to die shortly after their arrival. The report outlines the baffling nature of these incidents:

Dean Smythe (12:05): "They’re completely in the dark as to why the hell these people are being transported from one spot to another within a couple of seconds."

This revelation deepens the central mystery, suggesting that Bunker 8 is a nexus point for inexplicable disappearances and deaths, raising questions about the facility's true purpose and the forces at play.

Rising Tension and Suspense

As Jack delves deeper, he encounters evidence pointing to internal sabotage and possible betrayal. The discovery of "Bunker Zero" and references to Director Maddox suggest a hidden agenda:

Brandon Berg (16:32): "Director Maddox? No, that. That can't be right. It's Director Maddox. Corporal Maddox? That's him."

The tension between Jack and Frank escalates as Frank warns Jack about the perils of their mission and the psychological toll it takes:

Frank (06:03): "That ain't peace. That's just giving up."

Climactic Escape Attempt

The episode reaches its climax as a security breach triggers a deadly response from the facility. Jack is forced to flee Bunker 8, navigating through hostile terrain while evading relentless pursuers. His escape is fraught with obstacles, including treacherous landscapes and mechanical failures:

Brandon Berg (16:25): "They knew someone would come looking. Okay, I need to quickly get out of this place."

Despite sustaining injuries, Jack's determination drives him to seek refuge at a nearby motel, where he attempts to regroup and plan his next move. The sense of isolation and desperation peaks as Jack grapples with the realization that he is betrayed and possibly trapped in a larger conspiracy:

Brandon Berg (25:17): "He never said a word. Why send me to Bunker 8 if he knew what it was, what it did to me?"

Conclusion and Cliffhanger

As Jack finds temporary solace in the motel, doubts about his mission and the true nature of Bunker 8 consume him. The episode concludes on a suspenseful note, with Jack questioning his allies and the forces controlling the bunker:

Brandon Berg (25:19): "But he's known and he never said a word. Why didn't he tell me?"

This unresolved tension sets the stage for future episodes, promising deeper exploration into the mysteries of Bunker 8 and Jack's quest for truth and survival.

Themes and Insights

"The Glitches" delves into themes of isolation, betrayal, and the unknown. It explores the psychological strain of confronting inexplicable phenomena and the fragility of trust in dire situations. The concept of "glitches" serves as a metaphor for the unpredictability of fate and the thin veil between reality and the supernatural.

The episode also examines the moral implications of containment and sacrifice, questioning the ethics of preserving a greater good at the expense of individual lives. Jack's internal struggle reflects the broader human conflict between duty and self-preservation.

Notable Quotes

• Frank to Jack (12:05): "They’re completely in the dark as to why the hell these people are being transported from one spot to another within a couple of seconds."

• Jack's realization (16:32): "Director Maddox? No, that. That can't be right. It's Director Maddox. Corporal Maddox? That's him."

• Jack's introspection (25:19): "But he's known and he never said a word. Why didn't he tell me?"

Conclusion

"The Glitches" is a gripping installment in the Bunker 8 series, skillfully blending horror and science fiction to unravel the deep-seated mysteries of the Antarctic facility. Through intense character interactions and shocking discoveries, the episode propels Jack further into a labyrinth of secrets and dangers, leaving listeners eager for the next chapter in his perilous journey.

Transcript

[Dean Smythe]

Hey everyone, it's the Midnight Mystery here. Just popping in to check if you've ever thought.

[Brandon Berg]

Wow. I love this show but these ads are slowly destroying my will to live.

[Dean Smythe]

Well, we have some good news. The Midnight Mystery has officially started a Patreon. By joining, you'll get early access to ad free episodes, exclusive miniseries and behind the scenes extras. Plus you'll be supporting independent creatives who pour everything they've got into making these stories. Every bit of support helps us keep the lights on, the mics recording and the weirdness flowing. The link to the Patreon is in the description below. So thank you so much for being here. We seriously couldn't do this without you. Let's get into the episode. From mindless tasks to industrial grade AI to ease of mind. Supercharge your transformation with industrial AI.

[Marcus Hale]

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[Motel Clerk]

Morning. One sausage McMuffin with egg, please.

[Laura Hamilton]

Okay, your total is.

[Motel Clerk]

Wait, let's negotiate. How's about you throw in hash browns for a dollar?

[Laura Hamilton]

Well, yes sir, that price is already a dollar.

[Motel Clerk]

Take it or leave it.

[Laura Hamilton]

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[Dean Smythe]

Bunker 8 is a horror and sci fi audio drama that explores disturbing themes and intense moments. Some content may be unsettling for certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised. The Midnight Mystery Presents Bunker 8 Season 3 Episode 3 the glitches.

[Frank]

Didn'T expect the drop off point to be halfway to goddamn nowhere.

[Brandon Berg]

Yeah, that's the idea.

[Frank]

Yeah. Well, we've passed three restricted access signs, two busted camera poles, and what looked like a frozen deer carcass. Wearing a company ID tag. Not exactly screaming contract gig. Yeah, still not gonna tell me what we're walking into?

[Brandon Berg]

You're not walking into anything.

[Frank]

Right. I'm just the guy with the truck. Some debt from 10 years back I didn't know was still active.

[Brandon Berg]

You could have said no.

[Dean Smythe]

I would have let you walk if you wanted to.

[Frank]

Yeah, well, you don't show your face for years, then call in a favor out of nowhere. Kind of hard to say no to that. I thought you were dead, man.

[Brandon Berg]

Yeah, well, I wasn't.

[Frank]

Oh, yeah, I figured that out when you walked into that bar looking like a ghost with a pulse.

[Brandon Berg]

Mm.

[Frank]

We did some ugly things back in the day. You know that. But whatever's eating you now, it ain't just soldier. You're chasing something or someone.

[Brandon Berg]

It's better if you don't know.

[Frank]

Okay, Frank, I already don't know. That doesn't mean I don't care.

[Dean Smythe]

Listen, Frank, the favor was helping with the body and giving me a ride. That's it. After this, you head back and forget about me and forget this place ever existed.

[Brandon Berg]

Okay?

[Frank]

Jesus. You were always like this. One step from the edge and acting like it's solid ground. Do you ever think maybe you don't have to do everything alone?

[Brandon Berg]

I'm not doing this to be a hero. And I'm sure as hell not trying to be saved.

[Frank]

Didn't say you were. That it?

[Brandon Berg]

Yeah.

[Dean Smythe]

Yeah, I think that's it.

[Frank]

Sheesh. Looks abandoned.

[Brandon Berg]

It's not.

[Frank]

Jack, I don't know what's in there, and I know you don't want me involved, but. But I've seen the look on a man's face when he knows he might not walk back out. Just keep your head clear. Don't let whatever this is eat you alive.

[Dean Smythe]

I've already made pace with what's coming.

[Frank]

That ain't peace. That's just giving up.

[Brandon Berg]

Yeah.

[Dean Smythe]

Thanks for everything, Frank.

[Brandon Berg]

I really do appreciate it all. I really mean it.

[Frank]

Dumb bastard.

[Marcus Hale]

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[Dean Smythe]

This place looks like some old corporate office. Concrete walls, faded logo, windows blacked out. Doesn't belong out here. And they'll fence the whole thing off. Tall, metal, barbed wire. Like they were trying to keep something in. Or out, maybe.

[Brandon Berg]

Hang on.

[Dean Smythe]

Wait a second. Someone already cut through the fence. It's not fresh, but. But it's clean. Guess I'm not the first one to come poking around.

[Brandon Berg]

Good.

[Dean Smythe]

Makes things easier at. Okay, no alarms, no responses.

[Brandon Berg]

Whatever this place used to be, it isn't that anymore. Wait.

[Dean Smythe]

There's a security camera up there, but the lens, it's. It's shattered. Barely hanging on. Nobody bothered to replace it. No one's watching this place now.

[Brandon Berg]

The hell happened here? Okay, good, Good.

[Dean Smythe]

There's a side entrance, but. Hang on.

[Brandon Berg]

The.

[Dean Smythe]

The door, it's. It's all bent out of shape. It doesn't look forced from the outside. More like. More like something slammed into it.

[Brandon Berg]

From the.

[Dean Smythe]

Smells, like dust and something sharp like. Like a chemical of some sort. The lights are still on, but they're just barely hanging on.

[Brandon Berg]

What's this?

[Dean Smythe]

Clearance forms, shift schedules. Some of the ink hasn't even faded yet. They didn't shut this place down.

[Brandon Berg]

They dropped everything in and got out. Okay, good, good.

[Dean Smythe]

There's a map here.

[Brandon Berg]

It's. It's old.

[Dean Smythe]

A little water damage, but still readable.

[Brandon Berg]

Let's see here.

[Dean Smythe]

Archives, Bio storage, Data hall.

[Brandon Berg]

Wait. There.

[Dean Smythe]

Operation center. If anything's still here. And worth a damn, it's in there. Oh, great. Blood on the wall. It's dry, but not old. Still holding its colour.

[Brandon Berg]

Wait, what's. What's this?

[Dean Smythe]

Bullet hole right next to it? Clean entry. Whoever got hit went down fast, but.

[Brandon Berg]

But where the hell is the body?

[Dean Smythe]

There it is. Operations Center. Finally. There's no keypad, no scanner.

[Brandon Berg]

Hang on.

[Dean Smythe]

Wait a second.

[Brandon Berg]

It's.

[Dean Smythe]

It's unlocked. Either they were in a rush or. Or they didn't expect anyone to come back.

[Brandon Berg]

Okay, the.

[Dean Smythe]

The power's still going. Terminal's alive, but there's no guards, no staff. Just machines waiting for someone to notice they're still on.

[Brandon Berg]

Still logged in.

[Dean Smythe]

No password, no lockdown. Either no one expected this place to be accessed again or. Or they didn't care who came next. Come on, Violet.

[Brandon Berg]

Where the hell are you?

[Dean Smythe]

Maintenance logs, staff reports, system backups. Dammit, it. It's all routine. Wait, hang on. What's this glitch Phenomenon. Internal use only. No department, no author, just the title. Glitch phenomenon incident report 1923. Subject discovered deceased inside holding cell at bunk 8. No identification, no admission record. Preliminary investigation indicates subject fell from sealing hatch, though hatch remains sealed. Security logs show no breaches, anomalies, or unauthorized entries. Subsequent identification matches. Subject to a Canadian miner report. Reported missing during routine side inspection approximately six hours prior. Clothing and physical appearance confirmed. Identical circumstances of subjects disappearance in Canada and sudden appearance at bunk 8 remain unexplained. Subsequent incidents follow consistent pattern. Subjects disappear without warning from diverse global locations, including France, Australia, Japan, West Africa. No discernible link between subjects, different years, nationalities, occupations. In every recorded case, subjects reappear abruptly within bunk 8 premises, specifically inside secured areas. Upon arrival, all subjects exhibit severe disorientation, extreme fear, and acute distress. No subject survives longer than several minutes post arrival. Cause of death remains unknown, investigations ongoing.

[Brandon Berg]

Wait.

[Dean Smythe]

These. These are the people who. Who appear in Bunker eight in the cells. Glitches. That's how they describe them. People glitching from one spot to another, appearing out of nowhere. The company doesn't even have a guess why it happens.

[Brandon Berg]

No.

[Dean Smythe]

No experiments, no tech malfunctions, nothing external. They're completely in the dark as to why the hell these people are being transported from one spot to another within a couple of seconds. Attempts to prevent or fully understand the phenomenon have proven unsuccessful. Past rescue operations to extract subjects. Glitches from containment cells have constantly resulted in catastrophic events, causing extensive damage and significant loss of life. Casualties numbering in the thousands. Current protocol is strictly limited to observation and containment. Monitor arrivals, maintain containment integrity at all costs, and allow the core occupants to execute cleanup protocols. It is theorized the core sustains itself by consuming these anomalies. Complete prevention of the phenomenon remains impossible. Control is achievable only through containment. Official stance. Sacrificing one life to preserve thousands.

[Brandon Berg]

Jesus Christ.

[Dean Smythe]

If they've got this much on bunk rate, the glitches, the core, everything, then they have to have something on Violet. They have to.

[Brandon Berg]

Come on. Come on. Just give me something. I need anything. Right now. Okay. Good. Search complete. One result. What the hell?

[Dean Smythe]

Bunker Zero. That's it. There's no files, no access, no context.

[Brandon Berg]

Just those two words. What the hell is Bunker Zero? Wait, what's this? All inquiries to be redirected to Director Maddox. Maddox? No, that. That can't be right. It's Director Maddox. Corporal Maddox? That's him. Same name, same person. He. He knew. He's always known. God damn it. David sent me here knowing I'd find this. So why lead me here? Unless this was the Plan? Shit. It's a setup. He wanted me to see this. Wanted me here. Security breach. Purge has been initiated. It's a God damn trap.

[Dean Smythe]

They left it unlocked on purpose.

[Brandon Berg]

They knew someone would come looking. Okay, I need to quickly get out of this place. How the hell do I get out of here? Okay, okay, think. Think about this. He's in here. How did they get here so quickly? The hell's going on? Reach the door. I can't take him on. There'll be way too many of them. If I try to fight, I'm dead. Okay, okay, think. Think. Okay, the windows. The windows. Shit. I'm at least 20ft up. Nothing below but trees and a steep drop into the forest. Oh, there's no fire escape. No ledge. This is it. This is the only way out. Oh, this is gonna hurt, dude. Shit. Oh, they're firing at me. Keep running. Keep running. You got this. Come on. Okay. Okay. I think I've lost them. Oh, damn. It hit the ground harder than I thought. Shoulder took most of it, but the wind snuck clean out of me. But I'm still moving. That's all that matters. Everything's. Everything's numb. Ah, damn it. My phone's busted. Screens crack straight through. No signal. Can't call Frank for help. Shit. I don't even know where I am. It's just trees and snow. Whatever the hell that place was behind me, I just need to keep walking, hoping I'm not circling back to that same goddamn building. Wait, that's. That's a car. A highway. Oh, thank God. Okay, okay, I'm on a highway. But. But which way do I need to go? Okay, think. Think. Ah, screw it. Just choose one way and stick to it. Wait, there's. There's a car up ahead. But. But what if it's them? I can't risk it. I need to hide. Those trees over there will be perfect if they followed me. If. If they're out looking, I'm screwed. Okay. Just buying this tree is perfect. Okay. Okay, good. It wasn't them. I need to keep walking. I need to find somewhere to crash. But where the hell am I gonna find. I've been walking for about an hour.

[Dean Smythe]

Now and still nothing.

[Brandon Berg]

Hang on. Wait. Over there. It's. It's a motel. It looks run down, but. But it's there. In the middle of nowhere. But. Could be a trap. But it could be a lifeline. Oh, geez. I don't care anymore. I just need a door that locks and a bed to sleep on. Oh, thank God you guys are open. Jeez, I've been walking forever out there.

[Frank]

Rooms 55. Cash. Your card.

[Brandon Berg]

Oh, okay. Yeah, I guess. I guess I got cash. One night will be fine. Jesus, this guy does not give a shit. Doesn't care who I am, what I.

[Dean Smythe]

Look like, what state I'm in. Just wants the money and for me to vanish.

[Brandon Berg]

Well, works for me.

[Frank]

Here are your keys. It's just outside and to your left.

[Brandon Berg]

Um. Yeah, okay. Yeah. Appreciate this. Okay. Room's small. Little cold.

[Dean Smythe]

Smells like damp carpet.

[Brandon Berg]

But it's. But it's quiet.

[Dean Smythe]

And I'm alone.

[Brandon Berg]

Good God.

[Dean Smythe]

My hands won't stop shaking.

[Brandon Berg]

Guess that's what happens when you haven't been shot at in a while. Okay, I've got the coordinates. I know where I'm going next. But. But I can't stop thinking about Maddox. He works for them, whoever they are. The.

[Dean Smythe]

The ones watching the bunkers.

[Brandon Berg]

But he's known. He. He's known and he never said a word. Why didn't he tell me? Why send me to bunk eight if he knew what it was, what it did to me? He's probably the same as Violet. He probably couldn't tell me. God damn it. I need to figure this out. I need to think. I need to. What the hell? How the hell can anyone know I'm here? No one should know I'm here, Jack. You need to stop.

[Dean Smythe]

Bunker 8 written and edited by Dean Smythe Story by Dean Smythe Starring Brandon Berg as Frank, Laura Hamilton as Violet, Marcus Hale as motel clerk and Dean Smyth as Jack. Bunker 8 is made completely independently. So if you're enjoying the show, it would mean a lot if you would subscribe. And subscribe left a five star review and shared it with a friend. And don't forget to follow the midnight mystery for more.

[Motel Clerk]

Morning. One sausage McMuffin with egg, please.

[Laura Hamilton]

Okay, your total is.

[Motel Clerk]

Wait. Let's negotiate. How's about you throw in hash browns for a dollar?

[Laura Hamilton]

Well, yes, sir, that price is already a dollar.

[Motel Clerk]

Take it or leave it.

[Laura Hamilton]

Take it, I guess. Buy one, add one for a dollar on sausage McMuffin with egg, hash browns and more with McValue. Most locations open 5am or earlier. Price and participation may vary. Limited time only. Valid for item of equal or lesser value. Ba da ba ba ba.

[Marcus Hale]

Businesses that are selling through the roof, like Untuck it, make selling. And for shoppers buying simple with Shopify, home of the number one checkout on the planet. And with shop pay, you can boost conversions up. Businesses that sell more, sell on Shopify. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout untuck it uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com podcast free. All lowercase go to shopify.com podcastfree to upgrade your selling today.

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[Laura Hamilton]

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