Behemoth 2

by Michael Cole

  “I know, I know,” he said, and sighed. She suddenly stepped in front of him, forcing him to step in its tracks.

  “I don’t think you understand,” she said. “We need to destroy this thing, right now. This thing has endangered human life. You can get authorization.”

  “It’s not going to happen,” Nelson said. “My good ol’ buddy, the Mayor, won’t stand for it. I’m pretty sure he had a chat of sorts with Mr. Felt.” Forster scraped her shoe against the pavement.

  “My God, you should’ve seen it,” she said. “I’m telling you, it’s not a shark. It wasn’t acting out of hunger. Hell, we’ve been feeding it. It tried crawling out, deliberately to attack the crowd.” She looked back to the water. The calm water caused a question to re-emerge in her mind. “Who sedated the thing?”

  “Actually, I was about to talk to you about that,” Nelson said. He led her to the barriers, where that same couple was waiting. It was a man and woman, staring off into the water, deep in conversation with one another. The man heard their approach and turned around. Forster instantly recognized each feature on his face, from the unshaven five-day beard, to the black hair, that was gradually turning into salt-and-pepper.

  “Oh, my…” Forster was overwhelmed with surprise. Rick Napier extended his hand, which she accepted.

  “Good to meet you, Doctor Forster,” he said. “This is my wife, Lisa.” Forster and Lisa shook hands as well.

  “That took guts, what you did there,” Lisa said. Forster smiled.

  “Thanks,” she said, and looked back to Rick. “So, it was you who…”

  “One of your aides brought the supplies,” Rick answered. “The Chief got you to safety, while his officers and I got the fish into the pen. Luckily, the bastard took it.” They started walking back to the barricades. A solemn vibe filled the air. “I had to see it for myself, to know it was real,” he said, looking at the water. They could barely see out to the far end, where the creature had settled at the bottom. Its red hide was barely visible from where they stood. “It’s real.”

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Forster said.

  “I have,” Rick said. Everyone knew he was referring to the Mako’s Center attack. He looked at the numerous people passing by. “Let’s go somewhere a little more private, away from prying ears. We have a lot to talk about.”

  ********

  “Are you serious?” Forster said, nearly spilling coffee all over her own kitchen floor as she turned to look at Rick. Standing by the counter, Chief Nelson put his mug down, feeling disbelief at the revelation he just heard.

  “Are you sure about that?” he asked. During the past hour, Rick and Lisa explained in great detail the events that occurred three years ago, leading up to his suspicions regarding the oil rig bombing. Rick sat on the sofa next to Lisa. His mouth felt dry from telling their very long story.

  “I can’t say for sure,” he said. “I do know that if the government wanted to get rid of this thing, they would want the nation’s focus on something else.” Nelson was interested in everything up until this point. Now, he looked at Rick as though he were a conspiracy theorist.

  “Listen, Doc, I know there’s a lot of shady stuff that goes on, with Black Ops, and hush-hush-type of things.” Nelson said. “But blowing up an oil platform? It just sounds far-fetched. Would they really go to such lengths?”

  “They did last time,” Rick said.

  “I believe you, but here’s the problem,” Nelson said. “Where are the operatives? I mean, the explosion occurred early this morning. As you said, the eyes of the world are on it. Why haven’t we seen anyone?” Rick Napier sat silent for a moment, taking in the Chief’s point. It was a good point. Last time, military and government officials arrived almost right away after the news finally got out that the hybrid existed. So far, it had been nearly a whole day, and so far, there was nothing. With the creature currently in captivity, there was no truly quiet way of obtaining it without gaining some sort of attention. He looked to his wife.

  “Lisa, you have a better understanding of this stuff than me,” he said. “What do you think?”

  “The Chief has a point,” she said. “We’d be seeing people by now…especially you, Chief.” Nelson perked up, intrigued by her point. “On our island, Chief Bondy was probably the first to be spoken to. Considering you helped bring this thing in, I’m shocked they haven’t issued you a warning days ago.” She looked back to her husband. “Rick, maybe we were wrong about the diversion.” Rick thought about it. If they were wrong, the bombing was just a separate incident. It suddenly started to make sense. After all, there has been no media or speculation connecting the shark’s existence to the Warren Project. With it in captivity, seen now by thousands, it would make sense that the government’s best course of action would be to allow the public to assume the creature was just a miracle of nature, or a new species. The incident was sweeping itself under the rug.

  “Unfortunately, it presents a problem unto itself,” he said. “If they’re not coming to destroy this thing, and with the Coast Guard occupied with the threat of potential terrorist attacks, then that means nobody’s coming to destroy these things. You guys are obviously convinced there’s at least one more, right?”

  “Boats sinking, people disappearing, orcas turning up dead with huge bite marks…you tell me,” Nelson said. “Listen, docs, here’s the deal here. If you’re right, then nobody’s coming. That leaves me. I’m going to go out and kill this thing.” Forster set the coffee pot down and walked around the counter table.

  “You’re what?”

  “Listen,” he said. “Unfortunately, I can’t shut these beaches down. In fact, even more people are coming to see Felt’s pet. Also, the fishermen are starting to venture out. Even today, my office has gotten calls over fishermen who haven’t returned yet. This island is turning into a smorgasbord.”

  “Joe, you saw what the one did to your boat,” Forster protested.

  “Exactly, and that’s exactly what’ll happen if people keep going out into the water,” Nelson argued back.

  “Yeah, but how are you going to kill it?” Forster said. “Guns don’t work. You shot it point blank, and it didn’t even flinch!”

  “And besides,” Rick chimed in. “There’s a question of numbers. I’m not convinced you’d be dealing with one shark.” All eyes turned toward him.

  “Excuse me? How many of these things did they lose?” Nelson said.

  “Best case scenario, two,” Napier said. “OR…just the one.”

  “I don’t quite understand,” Forster said.

  “Two is the best-case scenario?” Nelson added. There was a nervous anticipation to his voice. Rick himself even looked uneasy, as if he didn’t want to admit his suspicion.

  “Last time, in pursuing the hybrid that attacked our island, we discovered a little bonus item,” he said. “That maniac, Dr. Wallack, engineered these creatures to reproduce asexually. No mating, no nothing. Just, spawn new hybrids; a nice little way to make extra soldiers and save costs.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Nelson said. Losing his appetite, he put his coffee back down.

  “Are you sure?” Forster asked.

  “When we found it, we discovered it was preparing a nest,” Rick said. “If anything, it was pure luck it was destroyed before it could spawn.” Silence struck the room, as Forster and Nelson realized the horrible possibilities of what could eventually happen if more creatures were out there.

  “And the spawns,” Forster softly spoke, “you think they are…”

  “Capable of reproducing?” Rick said. “Oh, yes.” Forster sank into the living room chair. A very real fear clouded her mind. The thought of an army of sharks, each of which would kill anything that would cross them, roaming the ocean. Each one armored with an impenetrable hide. The worst cases of invasive species would not hold a candle to what they would do. Not to mention the threat to humans, whether on the coast or traveling across the water.

&nb
sp; “But wait, wouldn’t the government be concerned about this?” Nelson asked.

  “I’m not sure they know,” Rick said. “Especially since nobody’s seen anything until now. And the only confirmed sighting is the one in captivity.” He looked out the window, getting a view of the ocean. Just like back home in Razortooth Cove, it was deceptively peaceful. “Now look,” he said as he turned back to face everyone. “There have been no reports of sightings of these things outside of this island. There is a good chance that if the thing gave birth, this is the only litter so far. If we find them and destroy them, it can all end.”

  “Does that mean you’re volunteering to help?” Nelson asked. Rick and Lisa shared a glance, as if checking with each other. They knew the risks; they’d faced them together before. They both looked back to the Chief.

  “You bet,” Rick said. To his own surprise, he did not feel reluctant at all. On the contrary, there was an odd sense of relief, along with a slight optimism. Perhaps it was the fact he was facing down his demon. Nelson was visibly gratified.

  “I’m in too,” Forster added. Nelson looked over at her. His appreciation turned to apprehension.

  “Julie, that won’t be necessary,” he said.

  “Yes, it is! And don’t argue,” she said, silencing any further protest. Rick and Lisa shared another quick glance, each thinking the same thing.

  Something’s going on there. A small smirk slipped through Rick’s mental guard. It showed for only a moment, but it was enough for Forster and Nelson to see.

  “What’s so funny?” Forster asked.

  “Nothing,” Rick said, realizing to stray away from that topic. “Listen, there’s another important aspect to this. If we manage to locate these things and kill them, it’s extremely important for us to figure out which one is the original. If the mother is among the group, that’ll be a good indicator that this was the only litter.”

  “Carbon date the teeth?” Forster asked.

  Rick nodded. “That’s right.” Nelson began scratching his head. He felt himself starting to grow increasingly overwhelmed by the thought of multiple creatures.

  “That’s fine, but do we even have a plan to kill them? I doubt they’ll let me stick a shotgun in their mouths, and we don’t have anything to blow them up with.”

  “I think I have an idea on that,” Rick said. “But our first priority is getting a boat capable of taking a pounding from these things.”

  “What about that boat from the aquarium?” Lisa asked Forster.

  “The Neptune?” Forster asked. “It’s out for repair.”

  “No, it’s not,” Nelson said. “Didn’t you see it get returned today?”

  “No…I’ve been so overworked, and nobody said anything.” She grew flustered, as she hadn’t told anyone she had been fired. In addition, the idea of going back to the aquarium didn’t sit well, especially since Felt would not react very positively to her presence. “I mean, I suppose it would fare better than anything else on the island…”

  “It took a few good hits last time,” Nelson added. “The main damage was from when the anchor was ripped free. Other than that, it was a few dents, but no breaches.”

  “Then that wins the vote,” Rick said. He noticed Forster looking uneasy. “You okay there, kid?”

  “There’s another problem,” she said, just above a whisper. “I, uh,” she paused again. “I don’t…work there anymore.” Knowing Nelson’s constant concern for her, she braced for a bombardment of questions. What? What happened? What did he make you do? Why did you quit?

  Instead, there was quiet. Nelson didn’t even look surprised. Rick and Lisa didn’t seem concerned regarding the lack of access to the Neptune; rather, he seemed to exhibit a confident appearance.

  “I can take care of that,” Rick said.

  “How?” Forster asked. Rick chuckled, as did Nelson.

  “Oh, come on,” Rick said. “You should know, Felt’s the kind of guy who loves to make an extra buck. I’ve got some spare change to throw at him.” Forster felt her eyebrows rise with intrigue.

  “Wait…you’re gonna buy the Neptune?” Rick’s smile grew bigger.

  “You’re damn right.”

  CHAPTER

  30

  The evening sun had cast a blinding stream of light onto the resort when they all arrived. Forster drove with the Napiers in her car, while Nelson arrived separately in his own vehicle. Forster had predicted that Felt would be working late, supervising the reconstruction to the exhibit while trying to get someone to manage care for the animals in the aquarium. Her prediction proved correct. Cement crews were already on site, trying to patch in the damage to the ledge while restoring a new, sturdier barrier. Felt’s black suit appeared grey from the dusty residue from the cement truck.

  Rick could see the uneasiness in the worker’s faces as they worked along the ledge. Clearly, word had spread on what happened, though Felt had probably made up some story. His voice echoed through the air as he spoke with high energy. Forster could see the white splint and bandage on his right index finger. Rick noticed as she slowed her approach.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked.

  “Let’s just say, it’s best you do the talking,” she said. After all, they were there to negotiate a purchase for the Neptune, and Rick was the money. Rick remembered her stating that she was no longer employed, and felt no need to ask anything further. Forster stayed back near the corner of the building, as Rick and Lisa crossed the pedestrian walkway to Felt. Nelson decided to stay behind with her, realizing he had nothing to contribute to the exchange. They watched the Napiers both step over the physical barriers. Felt saw them approach. Even from a distance, Forster could see that bright, fake business smile that Felt wore on his smug face. He and Napier started to engage in conversation, though Forster and Nelson couldn’t quite overhear.

  As they waited, Forster thought of the incident between herself and her former boss. She felt a slight wave of guilt for busting his finger; but only slight. After all, both he and the biologist were rushing at her. Nonetheless, she worried of what would possibly come from this. It was bad enough her career was at a lower point than ever. The one job that would take her, she had lost. Not that she liked working at Felt’s Paradise; she hated it. However, it didn’t dull the reality that now she was jobless, and finding a new career seemed impossible. She didn’t know how to do anything else, and also, she had no other real interests. A possible battery charge would strain her future even more, on top of her previous criminal history. After a few minutes, she caught herself dwelling on this, not even paying attention to the exchange between Rick Napier and William Felt.

  Nelson stood next to her, silent, and with his arms crossed. She figured the incident would come to his attention eventually. He might as well hear it from her. She exhaled nervously, which in itself gained Nelson’s attention. He glanced over.

  “You all right?” he asked, still standing with his arms crossed.

  “Yeah,” she lied, then realized she was stalling. “No, actually. I haven’t told you why I’m not working here anymore. I’m assuming you haven’t spoken to Felt.” Nelson shrugged his shoulders.

  “Eh, you should’ve broken more of his fingers,” he said. Forster stood quietly, flabbergasted to the unexpected acknowledgement.

  “Wait…you already knew?” she asked.

  “Yeah, the prick tried to bring up charges. Luckily, there were a couple of honest people around that saw what really happened,” he said. Forster exhaled again, only this time with relief. The reprieve she felt was so overwhelming, she felt as if she would float away. She even cracked a smile. Seeing that, in turn, made Nelson smile. “Even if nobody else spoke up, I wouldn’t have done anything,” he said. “After everything that bastard has done, with everyone’s safety he has risked…basically I just told him to go to hell.” They watched from afar as Rick, Lisa, and Felt walked over to the Neptune. They weren’t sure what Rick was offering, but if seemed evident that Felt was
intrigued.

  “I guess, after we’re done with this, I’ll have to figure out what to do,” she said.

  “You and me both,” Nelson said. Surprise returned to Forster’s face, which he noticed. “I’m not staying here,” he said. “This jerk will just keep exploiting more of the island, and knowing him, he’ll surely get some other business partner to help him milk along. The Mayor’s just going along with the whole thing. I’ve got nothing against rich people; in fact, many of them are good and beneficial. But these guys have destroyed the integrity of this place, and I’m tired of it. Besides…I’m certain I’ll be let go anyway.”

  “What do you mean?” Forster asked.

  “After we eliminate the other sharks, I’m gonna kill this one myself,” he said. “That alone will get me fired. Hell, more than that; I’ll probably find myself hunting for a new career.” He stood quietly for the next several moments, waiting for the outcome of the exchange, not noticing the warm gaze from Forster. As she looked at him, she thought about how she didn’t feel alone. Despite the worst misery she felt during the past several months, Nelson was always there. Somehow, she never acknowledged it until now. Perhaps it was because they were united against a common threat, of which the rest of the world was oblivious.

  “Maybe we can open a bait and tackle shop,” she joked. Nelson grinned.

  “Or collaborate on a book. How to Catch a Sea Beast,” he said.

  “I’d be down with that,” she said. They shared another small laugh, before seeing Felt and Rick shaking hands. The deal had concluded successfully.

  ********

  Rick kept the Neptune close to the shallows as he brought it to the East Harbor. Most of the fishermen who lived on the island’s interior usually kept their vessels near the southeast and southwest docks. Luckily for Rick, this allowed him to park the thirty-eight-foot vessel with little concern for maneuvering around several fishing boats. By now, the sun had dipped further into the horizon, setting the stage for night. Lisa stood out on the deck, providing an extra set of eyes as he carefully pulled alongside the dock. She tied up the line and secured the boat.