Feral

by Vesper Brooks

  “CGC called my office and explained they needed a consultant for their animal pens. One escaped and they are afraid it will again. When I came, I knew I needed your help. These are not dogs like they claim.” She grimaced when she signed the last line, and my heart dropped. If these creatures created that kind of reaction in Jasmyne Jaxx, who loved animals even I found distasteful to work with, it said something.

  Her interpreter stood silently nearby, watching the exchange. He seemed at a loss as to how to interact without being her mouth, and I experienced a moment of pity for him. It couldn’t be easy working for her to begin with. She took risks and approached every job with a hard-as-nails attitude. Things I admired her for also could make her a difficult employer and co-worker.

  “You’ve seen them?” I asked, my excitement obvious in the speedy, almost stilted way I signed as I spoke. I flinched inside, knowing I needed to calm my motions down.

  Jaxx didn’t correct me. Nor did she sign. She merely nodded, and a look appeared in her eyes I’d never seen before. Haunted? Sad? An emotion I had no label for? Whatever she felt, she shook it off before turning to Dr. O’Malley. “Hello, I am Jaxx. Are you the sound scientist?”

  The interpreter jumped at the chance and rattled off the translation with renewed vigor. When he finished, Wulphgang glanced at me, his brow furrowed.

  “I don’t know how to sign. I missed that course in college, apparently.”

  Jasmyne’s shoulders shook in silent laughter at his words, and I suppressed a snort of my own.

  “She’s mute, not deaf. She can hear just fine,” I clarified.

  “Ah.” He turned to her and did her the courtesy of addressing her directly. “Yes, I’m the acoustic scientist. Doctor Wulphgang O’Malley. Pleasure to meet you. Evans said you were transferring to this guest house today.”

  “Yes. We will be housemates. Nice to meet you.”

  After translating, the interpreter turned to Jaxx and signed in a flurry. His agitation came through in waves as he demanded to know why she’d changed bunks and how she expected to talk to anyone without him. As he ranted, her eyes narrowed and her jaw set into a hard line. Whoever this man was, he wouldn’t be seeing a contract from her again after this project.

  I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, buck-o, why don’t you take a little walk before you cross a line. Jasmyne is smart, capable, and worked plenty of jobs without needing an interpreter. If she wants something, she can make her point pretty clear or…and this is just a thought…writing shit down for other people to read is a thing. We both know she knows how to write, which is how she signs your paycheck, right?”

  He glared up at me, and I found myself amused by his build. I’d faced off with predators that made him look like a toothpick. If he chose to tangle with myself and Jaxx…

  “Yeah, you’re right.” He turned to her. “Page me if you need me.”

  She gave a curt nod and we watched him walk out the door. When she turned to me, her eyes glittered. “I hate when they do that. It is why I don’t hire interpreters often.”

  “It’s okay, Jaz. I’m here and I bite.”

  Again, her shoulders shook in silent laughter. This time, when she met my gaze again, her eyes portrayed a very different expression. Warmth, lust, and a touch of playfulness.

  “Wanna help me check out our new rooms?” I asked, waggling my eyebrows.

  We clasped hands and disappeared down the hall to the rooms, leaving O’Malley behind in the living space. He didn’t ask what we intended to do, but I held no doubts in my mind he knew exactly what we were up to. If he didn’t, he might in about fifteen minutes, pending on the soundproofing in the rooms.

  Chapter Six

  The steady drum of rain against the ceiling and windows lulled me like a lullaby. My mind ping-ponged with thoughts, yet the storm outside made my body fall victim to a lethargy that stole away my motivation to do anything. Storms were the time for sleeping, when the world grew quiet and no needs were pressing.

  My door burst open as Jasmyne rushed in holding out her walkie talkie. I shot up, surprised by her sudden, dramatic entrance. When she pressed it to my hands and gestured at her ear, all questions preparing to bubble from my lips died down as I concentrated on listening.

  “Emergency crew en route to relocate the geds. Are geds tranq’d and ready?”

  “Affirmative. Crates are at ready for relocation.”

  My gaze rose up to Jasmyne and she signed, “Come with me to oversee. Lee says he is sick and I need a translator.”

  “Would you also happen to be inviting me because I’m pissed I haven’t seen them yet?” I asked with a wry smile.

  Her face broke out into an answering, mischievous grin before she shrugged. I didn’t need more. I began pulling on my boots and topped off the jeans and a shirt with a rain slicker I kept handy. It didn’t do much against the cold, but it would sure keep me dry. By the time I was ready to go, Jaxx stood at the front door, shifting from foot to foot as she waited.

  O’Malley popped a casual wave at us from his seat at the table, and I waved back before heading out the door. The rain assaulted me immediately, plastering my jeans to my shins where the slicker didn’t protect me. The hood blew back, exposing my head and face to the steady drops that felt as if they aimed for my eyes and nose. Jasmyne strode through, her short hair protected under a tight billed cap that sported her security company logo. A thick, leather jacket hugged her body, and her boots reached nearly to her knees.

  I followed her to the building with the dome-shaped wired top I had spent several hours staring at and wondering about when I first arrived upon the island. Jaxx veered to walk through an open section large enough to accommodate a sizable truck. When we entered, a few men hurried toward us as if to warn us off, but as soon as they neared closely enough to see Jasmyne’s features, they simply issued a quick salute.

  Water reached to my shins in some places, and I realized the interior of the area was quickly becoming a swimming pool. A man in coveralls used hand-held glowsticks to direct a crane as it lowered a chain toward a hulking metal crate. Two others sat on the back of a flatbed. I peered at them, hoping to catch a glimpse of the geds, but the thick veil of rain made it impossible to see more than a few feet.

  “Jaxx, is the route to the indoor pens secure?” the man in coveralls called as we neared him.

  She glanced to me as she answered. I immediately spoke in tandem with her gestures, though I had to yell to be heard over the weather. “Yes! My guards cleared personnel and swept for security issues! Pens are ready!”

  “Thanks.” He gave us a nod before returning his attention to the crane.

  A strange, piercing groan swept through the air as a gust of wind assaulted us. I stumbled at the sheer force as I mentally attempted to clock the speed. Definitely stronger than the traditional tropical storm speeds. Eighty miles an hour? Possibly ninety.

  A force shoved into me, knocking me into the muddy waters with a painful thud. I blinked, laying there for a moment, shocked by the sudden motion. A thud vibrated the earth and screams of agony cut through my senses.

  “What the fuck?”

  Jasmyne helped haul me back to my feet before sprinting toward the metal container the crane had been lifting moments ago. The man in coveralls lay screaming, and as I rushed closer, I could see one of his legs had disappeared under the crate that fell on him.

  “Get it off!” he shrieked. “Help me!”

  Jasmyne turned to me, her hands flying so fast I could barely keep up. “Someone get the chain back on the crane. Now! Get this off him. Alert medical to send a team. Keep his head above water,” I yelled, hoping the others would listen.

  People sprang into action around us, going different directions with purpose now. Jasmyne pointed at the crate. “Check on him.”

  At first, I thought she meant the man in the coveralls, but she pointed to the opposite end of the crate where metal bars reflected the floodlights. I hurried over, sloshing thr
ough steadily rising water. At first, the interior of the cage appeared as a vast nothingness of deep shadows—until the creature within moved with weak, pathetic motions and I could start making out a form.

  Huge. This thing easily measured up to a St. Bernard or bigger. Yet, I received the impression of hard muscle and short fur instead of the lanky locks the lovable Bernards sported. My gaze followed the path down from the jut of his shoulders to the head that disappeared into the water.

  His muzzle is covered! He’s too sedated to lift his head to breathe.

  Without thinking, I shoved my arms through the bars, feeling around in the cold water until I touched solid flesh. The awkwardness of our situation made it hard to leverage his head up without dropping to my knees, so I adjusted until muddy water seeped into places I longed to shower off with the hottest shower known to man.

  “Easy, boy. It’s going to be okay. Easy,” I crooned as I held his head above water. Or at least, I assumed it was a he since that’s what Jaxx said. “There’s a good boy. Easy.”

  Groggy eyes blinked at me and his muscles tensed as he fought against the tranquilizer in his system. The fact they needed to tranq them to move them sent the wheels in my head spinning. If these creatures could obey commands and often interacted with a handler, why did they need to be knocked out to go for a joy ride to an indoor holding pen? Nothing made sense, and the longer I spent on this island of secrets, the more confused I became.

  Something clanked against the roof of the crate, jarring me from my thoughts. Around me, people hastily reattached the chain to the component atop the cage. Pained whimpers continued to cut through the air, reassuring me that someone kept Coverall Guy’s head above water too. When the crane engaged and the box began lifting again, I rose with it until the ged’s head safely cleared the water. His eyes met mine as I lowered his head to the damp, dirty bottom of his floor, and a shudder raced through my body.

  A human-like intelligence filled those yellow eyes, and I knew, when we met again, this creature would remember me. I hoped, considering his sizable form, he’d remember me with fondness.

  I jumped as a hand clamped on my shoulder, pulling my attention away from the crate being hefted to safety atop the flatbed. Jasmyne stood there, and the frown on her face made my stomach churn.

  “Go change, then meet me in the indoor holding pen. I need your help.”

  I glanced over where a medical team carefully hoisted the injured man on a stretcher. Blood stained the tan of his coveralls, and his face screwed up with pain, but he no longer cried out.

  “You pushed me out of the way, didn’t you?” I asked her.

  She nodded, eyes searching my face, as if she awaited accusations that she should have saved the man and not me.

  “Thank you, Jasmyne. Give me ten minutes, tops, and I’ll be there to help.”

  “Thank you.” She turned and threw herself back into the chaotic scene around us.

  I made my way back to the guest quarters, intent on taking a quick shower and changing at a speed even Superman would be impressed with. Yet, I couldn’t get the ged out of my thoughts. Or more, I couldn’t get the intelligence in his eyes out of my thoughts. Whatever these creatures were, they weren’t dogs. Of that, I could be sure.

  Oh, they probably started out with some basic dog cells. Maybe the initial egg came from a dog, but these things weren’t just genetically enhanced. I’d bet my degree they were actually a whole new engineered species. If Jaxx and I were called in, that meant they’d lost control of them.

  Problem was, I didn’t know if we’d be able to give them the leash back.

  Chapter Seven

  When I walked into the building where they kept the geds indoors, no one tried to bar my way or stop me. Either Jaxx briefed them that I’d be coming, or they assumed anyone willing enough to venture out in this weather must have a reason to be here. Either way, I managed to enter the facility marked Authorized Personnel Only without so much as flashing my ID badge.

  The doors opened up into a standard control room once you made it through the initial sterile hallway. Some kind of glass lined the far wall, allowing clear view of the three cells beyond, each large enough to park a semi in. Crews gathered around the cage in each cell, preparing to release the geds.

  “Are they awake yet?” Mr. Evans asked, speaking into a headset.

  “Somewhat, sir. They probably have enough in them to stumble out into the pen, though Daxel is regaining consciousness faster.”

  I couldn’t tell which one of the members out in the pens responded. All of them wore coveralls similar to the man injured in the outdoor pen. Men and women both mingled around the crates, awaiting instructions.

  “Pull him first, then team R and then team S. Copy?” Phillip turned to look at me as I stood next to Jaxx, who watched the procedure with crossed arms and brow furrowed. “Any extra instructions, Security Specialist?”

  She glanced at him, then to me, before signing, “What issues have you encountered in the past during this procedure?”

  After I translated, he shrugged. “The geds don’t like crating much. We’ve been struggling with their cooperation lately.”

  “How often do you crate them?” I asked, bypassing Jaxx.

  He glanced at me again, and a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if he just now realized who I was. “Regularly. Lab draws, movements to and from the enclosures. To be tranquilized for health inspections by the staff. Frequently enough that I’m disappointed at their balking.”

  “Is there any positive association or reward given when they comply?” I pressed.

  He issued a shake of his head. “They’re not children, Doctor Poole. I don’t hand them a sweet with a pat on the head when they perform an expected task. They are designed to obey. You don’t pat a car on the hood because it started with the first turn of the key.”

  “A car doesn’t think or feel,” Jaxx interjected. “Animals do. Rewards for suffering through unpleasant procedures make cooperation more likely.”

  “We are a research facility tasked with creating these creatures and seeing if they are capable of performing the duties assigned, not a conservationist zoo or doggy daycare. I’m sure you understand.” With that, he returned his attention to the crews working below us.

  “How is it not flooding in here?” I asked, surprised at the drop into the cells below ground level. Clearly, they’d dug into the earth to create this building.

  “The doors at the end of the pens are sealed shut. Trucks enter through an elevator in the back that rises straight up and down on the other side. We have a crane arm back there to lift heavier items like the crates off and on the flatbed trucks. This helps ensure that even if a ged manages to slip out the back door, it can’t just waltz out into the complex outside. It’s a design Jaxx submitted to us when we first approached her years ago,” Evans supplied.

  I turned to Jaxx with a raised eyebrow. “You’ve been working for these assholes for years?” I signed without speaking, glad to have a way of communicating that no one else could understand.

  She met my anger without flinching, face stern as she responded. “They said dogs. They never said dog experiments. I thought they were housing guard dogs for a military operation. That’s why I suggested such a large scale. Convoy trucks. I needed the money too.”

  I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to. Taking the argument further would only result in the pot calling the kettle black. Though I fumed at the idea of her having a hand in all of this all along, I couldn’t throw too many stones while I stood beside her under contract with the same people.

  When I returned my attention to the crews, they were wheeling out the last crate. A large, black form lay in the center of each room, and my heart rose into my chest. I wanted to see them closer. Better. To touch them and examine them. To understand what exactly I’d been brought here to work with.

  “Can I see them?” I asked, knowing my voice conveyed a breathless anticipation that clutched at my c
hest.

  Phillip turned toward me. “I’ll have their handler take you down.” His fingers pressed against his headset. “Xander, main viewing room, please.”

  We waited in silence, gazes riveted on the slumbering forms below. The lighting remained minimal, casting long shadows in corners and hiding details. I longed to shrug off the escort Phillip requested, despite knowing I needed the handler so I could fish valuable details out of him. When the door opened and a blond man, close in age to myself and Jasmyne, entered the room, I nearly sagged in relief.

  “What’s up, boss?” he asked as he openly stared at myself and Jaxx.

  “I’d like you to take Doctor Poole down to see the geds. Since they are sedated, this is as good a time as any for her to satiate her curiosity.”

  Xander nodded before beckoning me toward a door at the far right of the room. “All right, come on then. Let’s get this show rolling.”

  An immediate dislike welled up within me at the man’s attitude, and I recognized his voice from the audio files O’Malley shared with me. The man, for lack of a better description, seemed to be constantly filled with piss and vinegar from the way he spoke to his co-workers and the geds, and I couldn’t help the sour reaction to his presence. Despite this, I put on my best professional smile and followed him out the door and down the metal staircase that led into a brick-lined hallway. We walked the length of it before coming into the bay Evans mentioned, where the flatbed sat on the elevator, silent and waiting for the next trip. The overhead doors remained sealed, shutting out the storm that raged above.

  “We’ll check on Daxel first since he’s always the fastest to wake up. Check on him sooner rather than later. Play it safe, yeah?” Xander swiped his ID into the middle, normal-sized door offset beside the larger metal doors that were opened when I first arrived. We stepped into the room, and the first thing I noticed was the complete lack of…anything. Only the sleeping form resting on the floor filled the room. No toys. No bedding. No food or water dishes. Just four cold, blank walls. The light shined down from the fixtures above the plexiglass ceilings on the pens. When I stared up, I could make out the control room that rose above us and a shiver ran through me. The whole situation held an Alcatraz feel to it that I disliked immensely.