by Jake Bible
“Why?” Dr. Glouster asked.
“Money,” Wagner said. “You think I do this job because I like working for assholes like McDowell? You think I enjoy getting shot at, beat up, or even killing people?”
“Yes,” Dr. Glouster said.
“I don’t,” Wagner responded. “Well, sometimes I do. The part where I’m killing dickheads that think they can shoot at me and live. But the other stuff? Man, I wanted to be a radio DJ when I was a kid. But poor folk like me don’t get to do that stuff. We get to enlist and fight and die for our country. Some of us, those that show they have a certain skill set, then get plucked from the grunts and end up training to do things that would make Ted Bundy shiver.”
“I do not pity you,” Dr. Glouster said. “Whatever your circumstances were before you became the man you are now, those circumstances are no excuse for killing innocent people.”
“I hate to break it to you, Doc, but there are no innocents on this ship,” Wagner said. “Never were. What did you think you were doing? Making a new kind of guard dog? No way, Jose. You were taking an innocent animal and turning it into a killing machine. You may have been able to wash your guilty hands if it was some shark or something you were adding frickin’ laser beams to. But that ain’t no shark.”
“Mechanical modifications have not been part of this project, Mr. Wagner,” Dr. Glouster said. “All of my work has been biological. I have simply enhanced the creature’s natural abilities, boosting the ones more suitable to OAS’s needs and parameters.”
“Too bad OAS won’t get to see those needs met,” Wagner said. He stepped closer to the tank, his hand resting against the ten-inch thick glass. “It’s cold. I thought it would be warm like those tanks at the Chinese restaurants.”
“This is a cold water creature,” Dr. Glouster said, still cowering on the ground. “It thrives in waters between forty and fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit.”
“Fifty-four? That’s pretty specific,” Wagner said. “It got a name?”
“Excuse me?” Dr. Glouster replied.
“Does. It. Have. A. Name?” Wagner asked slowly.
“No, it does not have a name,” Dr. Glouster said. “It is not a pet.”
“So you just call it the creature?” Wagner asked.
“Yes,” Dr. Glouster said. “I have stayed objective throughout the entire project. To name the creature would be to connect emotionally. That would cloud my judgment and possibly influence my findings.”
“Staying objective is always a good idea,” Wagner said. “We have that in common. You’re a man of science, I’m a man of action. Neither of us have time for emotions to get in the way.”
Wagner tapped on the glass.
“Do not do that!” Dr. Glouster shouted as he shot to his feet and grabbed Wagner’s arm.
He was spun about so fast that he became dizzy and nearly passed out as Wagner jammed the doctor’s arm up behind his back.
“Men of science shouldn’t grab men of action,” Wagner said. “You lied to me.”
“I did no such thing,” Dr. Glouster gasped.
“You said you were objective and didn’t let emotion get in your way,” Wagner said. “That was pretty emotional, Doc, grabbing and shouting at me.”
“I did that because it does not like it when people tap on its tank,” Dr. Glouster said. “Need I remind you what happened to Dr. Hecht?”
“She died because she tapped on the thing’s tank?” Wagner asked. “How? I saw the video of her death. She didn’t tap on anything except the clipboard she was holding.”
“She’d tapped on the tank two days earlier,” Dr. Glouster said. “It reacted negatively and she continued to do it. At the time, I thought nothing of it since the creature’s behavior was of interest to the project. How it reacts to simple negative stimuli is essential data.”
“Two days earlier? Are you saying this thing remembered what she did and was holding a grudge?” Wagner asked. He let go of Dr. Glouster and took a few steps back from the tank. “Damn. Remind me not to piss it off.”
“If I have to remind you, it is already too late,” Dr. Glouster said.
The passageway outside the lab was filled with the sound of heavy footfalls. Wagner turned from the tank and smiled at the dozen men that rushed into the room.
“Clean up the bodies,” Wagner ordered. “All of them. I want this ship spotless before we sink it. No evidence left behind.” He pressed his finger to his ear again. “Cutting crew? Are you in place? Good. I’ll tell you when the transfer is to begin. Sit tight.”
“Mr. Wagner, I must warn you that transferring the creature is not like moving a goldfish from one bowl to another,” Dr. Glouster said. “I would advise you allow me to inspect the new tank you have prepared.”
“New tank? No, Doc, I’m bringing this one,” Wagner said, pointing at, but for sure not tapping, the glass before him. “This isn’t my first extraction of an item of a unique nature. I’ve learned the hard way that if scientists have something set up a certain way then it’s best not to mess with that way.”
“You are more intelligent than I would have thought,” Dr. Glouster said.
“I should consider that an insult, but I don’t,” Wagner said. “In fact, I should be mad at myself. I usually like it for people to completely underestimate me. And here I go showing my hand.”
4.
“Daddy look!” Norma called from the middle seat of the minivan. “I did it! I did the card trick!”
“Cool, Punkin,” Ben replied as he turned onto a residential street. “You’ll have to show me when we get to your mom’s.”
The road was lined with massive fir trees, many at least seventy-five feet tall. They stood guard over the arts and crafts houses that lined the neighborhood known for its bohemian and artistic-inclined residents. Only a mile from Evergreen University, the street was a strange mix of college kids and long-term homeowners. One of the last refuges of the eclectic style Olympia, Washington was known for. A style that was quickly fading away as the ever growing sprawl of Seattle-Tacoma moved south and swallowed the quaintness of everything around Puget Sound.
Ben took another turn then slowed down and looked at the old house that he had spent so many years living in. Both girls were born there. Literally. In the front room in an inflatable pool with a midwife standing by, calling out encouragement while two “shamans” chanted and burned incense over by the wall.
Ben should have known the marriage wouldn’t last when one of the “shamans” told him that his aura was poison and he needed to work on his morning cleansing routine. Ben had responded that black coffee and a good, long poo was his morning cleansing routine. The shaman was not amused. Neither was Bobbi.
Bobbi Hunsaker. Always Bobbi Hunsaker. Never Bobbi Clow or even Hunsaker-Clow like the girls were named. Bobbi Hunsaker. Daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Hunsaker. Of Hunsaker Investments LLC. Puget Sound elite. That Hunsaker.
The woman stood on the porch of the cute bungalow dressed in a flowing skirt and a leather halter top despite the cold Pacific Northwest weather that had set in and wouldn’t leave for the next few months. Bobbi waved as Ben pulled into the driveway, but he knew the wave wasn’t for him.
“There they are!” Bobbi called out, her arms open wide as the two girls piled out of the minivan. “My beautiful girls!”
Norma hurried across the damp, emerald green lawn to her mother while Tanni held back, her head shaking back and forth.
“What?” Ben asked.
“Leather halter top?” Tanni huffed.
“So?” Ben replied.
“She’s vegetarian,” Tanni said.
“Be nice,” Ben said as he opened the back hatch and started to unload the many suitcases Norma had insisted on bringing. “You know your mother dresses to her own drummer.”
“She dresses like she’s going to a festival and wants to get laid by some guy in a lame ponytail,” Tanni said.
“Don’t forget he’s shirtless and has a patchw
ork vest on to go with the lame ponytail,” Ben laughed then stopped himself. “Nope. Not going to do this. Your mother has a big heart. Appreciate that. Mine did not.”
“Neither does hers,” Tanni says. “Grammy Liz hasn’t called me in six months. Not since she left for Tuscany with that Gary guy.”
“Then feel lucky, sweetheart,” Ben said. “Because she’s taken the time to email me at least a dozen times to tell me what a horrible man I am and that I don’t deserve custody of her grandchildren.”
“What? She’d rather me and the Norms live with a convicted felon?” Tanni said.
“It was pot, not murder,” Ben said.
“Why do you defend her?” Tanni asked as they walked towards the house. “She blames you for the break up when we all know that it was her wide open legs that split you up.”
“Jesus, Tee,” Ben said, nearly dropping a suitcase in the wet grass as he struggled to cart them all to the porch. “I don’t need to hear you say stuff like that.”
“Say stuff like what?” Bobbi asked as they reached the porch.
“Nothing,” Tanni said, giving her mother a quick hug and peck on the cheek. “Bye, Dad. Love you.”
“Uh, love you too,” Ben said as he watched his daughter disappear inside the house. “Thanks for the help.”
“You can just set those here,” Bobbi said, indicating to a spot on the porch.
“I don’t mind bringing them inside,” Ben said.
“No, I’d rather you didn’t, Ben,” Bobbi said, her hand to her chest. “Sometimes it can take a week for me to smudge your negativity from the house. I just don’t have it in me to do that this time. The house is mine. You need to learn to separate yourself.”
Ben tried to respond several times, but nothing that came to mind would have been something he wanted to pass his lips. Not if there was a chance his daughters could overhear.
“Right. Sure,” Ben said finally and set the suitcases down in the exact spot Bobbi had indicated. “Well, nice talking with you, Bobs.”
“I hear you have a weekend with Nick planned,” Bobbi said, her voice light and airy.
Ben knew that her tone was a complete sham and he waited for the other shoe to drop. When it didn’t, he sighed then asked, “How did you hear that?”
“Nick told me,” Bobbi said. “We still have dinner regularly, you know. He isn’t just your friend, Ben. I have known him almost as long as you.”
“Well aware of that, Bobs,” Ben said. “Also aware that he was the first man you screwed after our divorce. Taken me a little bit to get over that.”
“We screwed before the divorce,” Bobbi said. Light and airy and deadly. “After the separation, of course.”
“Of course,” Ben said. “Listen, as much fun as this is, I better go. Gotta pick up Maggie then head out. As much as you want to ruin the olive branch Nick is extending, it’s not going to happen. Screwed my wife or ex-wife, doesn’t matter. You’ve known Nick since high school, but I’ve known him since we were born. Literally.”
“Yes, you two were side by side in that sterile hospital,” Bobbi said. “It’s unfortunate he was able to shake off that bad beginning and find a spiritual side and you weren’t.”
“Yeah, you just keep believing that, Bobs,” Ben said. “Nice seeing you. Have fun with the girls. I’m sure I’ll hear all about it from Tanni’s texts.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Bobbi said. “This will be an electronics-free time with my daughters. I do not trust those devices. They allow microwaves into my space which disrupts the positive energy I have fought so hard to restore.”
“Awesome,” Ben said, giving her a thumbs up. “But be sure Tanni has her phone on her if she goes out, okay? The world isn’t like when you and I grew up, Bobs.”
“No, it is not,” Bobbi said in a way that implied it was somehow Ben’s fault the world had changed.
He shook his head, waved, and walked back to the minivan.
He was at least six blocks away before he started yelling and pounding the steering wheel. It was another six blocks before he calmed down enough to pick up the phone and call Maggie.
“Hey,” he said when she picked up. “Children have been delivered to the Earth Mother and I’m on my way to get you. Ready?”
“Ready,” Maggie responded over the phone.
There was a bleeping sound and Ben pulled his phone from his ear. He stared at the screen until a car horn pulled his attention back to the road.
“Hold on,” Ben said to Maggie as he pulled the minivan over to the side of the road.
He read the text again and frowned then typed in, “Will do.”
“Have you talked with Nick today?” Ben asked as he put the phone back to his ear.
“Talked to Nick?” Maggie responded.
“That’s what I just said,” Ben laughed. “He just texted me and wanted to make sure I told you to pack extra toiletries, just in case. He forgot to tell you when you talked.”
Maggie paused. It wasn’t long, but long enough for Ben to worry.
“Yeah, he called me to see what your mood was,” Maggie responded. “It was weird, but sweet, in a Nick way.”
“Yeah, very weird. Why do we need extra clothes? I didn’t pack extra clothes,” Ben said. “I’m going to call him right now.”
“No, don’t do that,” Maggie said. “Then he won’t trust me anymore. You’ve told me all about your history, Benjamin. It’s best he thinks he has me in his confidence that way we can compare notes later.”
“Good call,” Ben said. “I should have you start writing for my blog.”
“I know zilch about poker and want to keep it that way,” Maggie said. “Teaching is good enough for me. Speaking of, I want to enjoy this long weekend and not think of the grades I need to enter until we get back Tuesday night, cool?”
“Cool,” Ben said. “No thinking.”
“That’s not exactly what I said,” Maggie laughed. “Now, get off the phone and hurry your ass over here. I need to get my drink on and Nick said he’ll have a fully stocked bar waiting for me.”
“Did he now? You must have his confidence if he’s already promising drinks,” Ben said. “See you soon.”
5.
Dr. Glouster stood on the main deck of the AOS ship and stared in wonder as the crane lifted the saltwater tank directly out of the center of the ship. It had taken a construction crew two hours to cut through the decks and down to the lab. It had taken another hour to make sure when they cut through the final deck no debris fell onto the tank and damaged it.
Dr. Glouster had warned everyone, especially Wagner, that the creature would take advantage of any damage to its tank. He had learned early on when the creature was still a small adolescent that it could worry away at a small ding or crack on the thick glass until it was able to force an opening.
Two tons of sea water was not easy to clean up.
Neither were the lab assistants the creature had injured before it could be wrangled into a temporary tank while the main one was repaired. And that had been while it was an adolescent. Now, at full size and strength? A man would be torn apart in the blink of an eye.
“Be careful!” Dr. Glouster yelled as the tank was jostled by a hard turn of the crane. “It could be hurt while it hides in its cave.”
“You really went all out for that thing’s habitat, didn’t you, Doc?” Wagner asked as he came up next to Dr. Glouster. “You gave it its own hidey hole and everything.”
“It is a shy species and does not like to be disturbed,” Dr. Glouster said.
“Then why choose it?” Wagner asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Why choose it for the project? Why not a bloodthirsty shark or even some aggressive type of eel?” Wagner asked. “Seems to me you’re going against nature with this project.”
“It was chosen for many reasons,” Dr. Glouster said. “It is a highly advanced predator, to begin with. But mainly for its intelligence and dexterity. The creature does not
have bones so it can squeeze through almost any opening as long as that opening is slightly larger than its beak.”
“Yeah, that’s freaky,” Wagner said. “Never did like the no bones thing. Hey, did you see that YouTube video?”
“I do not watch YouTube,” Dr. Glouster said. “I have work to do.”
“So do I, Doc,” Wagner replied. “Plenty of work. Doesn’t mean I don’t know how to unwind.”
The two men watched the tank as it moved over the short space of open water between the two ships. The one it was being transferred to looked like a retrofitted Navy cruiser. Except the equipment on the main deck, as well as the equipment being used by the crew members, was considerably more high-tech and new looking than anything the US Navy had. Dr. Glouster didn’t recognize half the weapons being held by the men standing guard as the tank was centered over a hold hatch and slowly lowered below deck.
With a loud thunk, the massive cables on the crane went slack. There was a lot of shouting from the men and the cables were raised back to the crane as the hold hatch was closed and locked down. Wagner patted Dr. Glouster on the shoulder.
“You never officially answered me, Doc,” Wagner said, the pat turning into a grip which became hard as steel for a split second before easing off. “Are you staying or coming with?”
“I would prefer to live, so I will be coming with,” Dr. Glouster said. “Plus, without me you run the risk of the creature escaping into the wild. I know its habits and how it thinks. It trusts me, I believe. If there is a problem I am the only person you can rely on to get it under control.”
“What if it doesn’t want to be under control?” Wagner asked. “What if it decides killing us all is what it really wants?” Wagner patted the semi-automatic rifle slung at his side. “Will this stop it?”
“That depends,” Dr. Glouster said.
“On what?”
