Feral

by Vesper Brooks

  He sat up straighter at the question and his eyes narrowed. “Yes…”

  “He knew all along it was Sensee. She could hear your audio files and came to investigate the sound. See if there were more geds being kept hidden.”

  “Son of a bitch. A damn ged ate my chips!” Wulphgang threw up his arms with a scowl before he grew thoughtful. “But, what about a couple of nights ago? I never messed with the audio files. I’d spent the whole time out of the guest house.”

  His question threw me, and I tilted my head as I mulled it over. He had a point. Evans knew why Sensee came the other times, but he never mentioned that night in his logs. It didn’t make sense.

  I released the sheet to run my hands up and down my arms, staving off the chill that seeped into my bones. I knew the cold came from stress and not the air itself. Outside seemed to remain…

  “My blood! Me!” I nearly shouted the words as realization dawned.

  “What?”

  I pointed at my arm where slick scars remained visible from the bite wound. When Daxel bit me, Sensee came up and pressed her nose to my arm, scenting the blood. She tracked me. I’m not sure why. Curiosity, probably. But it happened the same day he bit me.”

  “Maybe I’m anthropomorphizing them, but what if she tracked you because her curiosity lay in what made you different. Now, granted, most of us wouldn’t condone hitting them or neglecting them, but most of us on the island don’t get direct interaction either. You very well could be the first human they’ve met who acted protectively instead of violently, and that’s throwing them for a loop.” He pointed at me with a raised brow. “You’re a puzzle, and Sensee came to see how much info she could get about you.”

  “You could be right. But, why are they staying so elusive now? Surely, as big as they are and as good as Jaxx is at tracking, they should’ve been spotted. Hell, why am I not out there helping track them down?” I stood and glanced around. “I need to get out there.”

  O’Malley placed a hand on my arm, drawing my attention back to him. “I’m sure Jaxx will welcome your help tomorrow if she hasn’t found them yet. But she’ll probably be back soon and sunset isn’t too far off. You’ll have to quit before you even get started. Now, tell me what else you found out.”

  I flopped back down on the bed as disappointment flooded me. Of course, I knew he made a good point, but I hated feeling like the only contribution I could make lay in relaying stolen information.

  “They didn’t just enhance dogs. They completely engineered these things from the ground up using stem cells and the ideal for them to appear as close to canines as possible. The fact their skin is mottled black and red is an anomaly that is driving Carborton crazy. Oh, and before you were thinking about notifying Carborton of the mess here, he’s the one who’s pulling the strings. Not Evans. Evans is just being a good little director for Carborton’s plans.”

  “I figured as much, which is why I haven’t tried to call him in on this,” O’Malley muttered.

  “Anyway, I couldn’t understand all the genomes spliced into the geds, but I know that at the baseline, they used human stem cells, not canine.” I let that sink in for a moment. The aghast look on Wulphgang’s face made it clear he shared the same horror I felt when I read the file. “Yeah. We’re up against mutated humans warped to look like man’s best friend, essentially.”

  A thumping noise invaded the room, and I stood. “What is that racket?”

  “The helicopter,” he answered as he stood with me. “They’re probably bringing in another team of trackers or something.”

  We walked outside, curious to see the newcomers. The helipad, just on the other side of the massive pen, remained partially blocked from view. I motioned at O’Malley to follow me and, using the shadow and bulk of the exterior enclosure, we drew closer to obtain a better view.

  Evans hurried out from the main building, carrying a suitcase. Instead of greeting off loaders, however, he began to climb in. I turned to the scientist beside me, who squinted at the sight.

  “What is he doing?” Wulphgang asked.

  “He’s abandoning ship,” I said as my stomach lurched.

  “What?” My companion looked at me, and I sympathized with the shock etched into his features. “The geds are loose. People will lose their damn minds if he runs like this. What is he thinking?”

  I began to turn away to trudge back to our guest house. “Whatever he was supposed to set in motion, it’s done. He’s leaving to evade fallout. And we’re just the experimental expendable assets.”

  The whirring of the helicopter increased as it began to lift off. For all the noise it created though, it couldn’t compete with the bone-chilling sound that filled the air. Sensee, somewhere above us, cried out the same war cry she emitted right before Xander died.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The heavy thud of galloping above sent both myself and Wulphgang huddling against the wall to hide. As the helicopter leveled with the top of the building, Radia exploded into view, launching herself at the hovering object. I couldn’t see the faces of those inside, but I could easily guess their expression likely mirrored the astonishment on mine.

  A screech of metal being punctured joined the helicopter’s thumping as it swayed from the force of the new, unexpected weight. Radia clung there like a gecko on the side of an aquarium before her muzzle pressed against the door and, with a swift jerk of her head, she ripped it right out of its frame. The mangled door landed, bounced, and tumbled to a halt near us.

  Heart in my throat, I watched as her heavy form clambered into the cabin. The sharp pop of gunfire mixed in with the whining whir of the helicopter seconds before it shuddered and danced in ways an aircraft never should.

  “Move!” O’Malley pushed me in the direction of the building furthest away from the impending crash.

  My feet began to run even before I’d realized it, though I kept issuing swift glances over my shoulder. Every muscle in my body tensed when the helicopter connected with the domed roof of the enclosure, and the sickening sound of groaning metal gave way beneath hulking weight.

  When we reached the door, I turned to survey the damage. Oddly enough, the chopper didn’t explode into a fiery inferno of bomb-like proportions. Instead, it tangled in a warped heap with the crisscross of bars that once covered the top of the outdoor ged pen.

  A form moved, and I watched as Daxel rounded the pen, stopping where we’d stood only moments before. He lowered his head, sniffed the ground, then lifted it and turned to look at us. My heart thudded so hard it vibrated my chest with a level of fear I never experienced before in my life. The ged regarded us with an almost lazy pose before turning his attention to the helicopter as Radia wriggled herself free from the wreckage.

  Wulphgang wrenched the door open, grabbed me, and jerked me inside. I wanted to point out that Radia could apparently rip doors off their hinges, but realized he wanted the semblance of safety. People pushed past us, peppering us with questions as they vied to look out the small window in the door.

  “What was that sound?”

  “Why’s the power out?”

  “Oh my God, is that the helicopter?”

  “The geds are all loose. What happened?”

  The shouts grew too much, and I broke away from the dozen or so people yelling questions as they crowded against each other to look outside. I sat down on the nearest flat space, trying to calm my heart and stave off the fear that had sent my adrenaline into complete overdrive.

  O’Malley sat down beside me, and the paleness of his skin appeared almost sickly in the dim light. I grew distantly aware we sat in a cafeteria, and I let my gaze rove over everything in sight as I tried to formulate a plan.

  “Any chance they kidnapped him for ransom until we meet their demands for better work conditions?” Wulphgang asked.

  A short bark of laughter escaped me before I could contain it. Several people near the door shot me dirty looks and I let my gaze drop to avoid them. I couldn’t deal with hum
ans right now. The animals I always claimed to understand made the world scary enough as it was.

  “Pretty sure they killed him,” I responded, keeping my voice low. “We need to find a way to contact Carborton. Right this minute. Who around here other than Evans would have a direct line to him? Or can we just pick up any phone and make the call?”

  “What do you expect Carborton to do? From what I understand, he’s the one who engineered this whole experiment,” Wulphgang said.

  I turned to meet his gaze. “He didn’t plan for Phillip to die. Maybe that will show him things have spiraled way out of control.”

  My companion frowned before glancing around. “I expected the generators to be on by now. Wonder why the power is still out.”

  “I’m sure maintenance is already on it. If they can, considering…” I gestured toward the door. “O’Malley, focus. Do you know who we can grab to call Carborton?”

  “Lily Preston,” he said. “She’s the lawyer. She’s still on the island.”

  “Brilliant!” I jumped up and took a step before frowning. “Where the fuck do we find her?”

  He stood without a word and strode across the room. I followed, trusting in the purposeful gait he’d set out with. Obviously, he knew for a fact where she might be. We entered a stairwell and trudged up two flights without speaking. When he opened the door and gestured for me to walk through, I paused and shot a look back down the stairwell.

  “Do you think we should have tried to explain what happened to all the people down there? What if they try to go outside?”

  “Cossondra, they could see Daxel. They can tell something dangerous is playing out, even without us spelling it out for them. Trust them to have common sense. And if they don’t…” He shrugged. “Right now, action is more important, and your plan to contact Carborton seems like the smartest idea. Though, I don’t know what you expect him to do.”

  “I dunno. Give us a code that deactivates them? Access to a dog whistle that turns them into obedient, compliant puppers? Fuck if I know. Because fuck if I know all that he’s done to them.”

  I walked past him into the hallway, uneasy with the darkness that filled it. No windows lined the walls, which meant no natural light. The stairwell, while also dark, didn’t seem as foreboding as the empty stretch of hallway on either side of us.

  “This way,” O’Malley said as he started off toward the right.

  Toward the direction where we last saw the geds. I shuddered at the thought. At the memory of watching Radia launch herself onto the helicopter before viciously bringing it down. She’d never hesitated. Never broke stride before catapulting through the air in a reckless motion that normal dogs would instinctively avoid.

  Of course, after seeing some of their DNA profile on the site last night, I couldn’t fathom why I still compared their behavior to dogs. Even the attempt to engineer them to look like your average hound failed miserably. The mottled black and vivid red skin, their sheer size, and the exaggerated features placed them worlds away from an acceptable visual comparison.

  Wulphgang knocked on a door, and within a few moments it swung open. Candlelight flickered, illuminating Lily wearing a silken robe and little else. Her gaze roved up and down the man before I shuffled and it landed on me.

  “Oh! What… What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice portraying her startlement.

  “Lily, Evans is dead. The geds attacked the helicopter as he was attempting to leave. We need to talk to Carborton.” O’Malley stepped past her and entered the room like he owned the place, leaving the two of us staring at each other.

  “Is that what the hell caused the vibration a minute ago? Oh my God.” She stared at us with wide eyes.

  “Hi,” I managed as she clutched her robe closer around her. “Um, sorry. It’s an emergency. Do you want us to wait while you change?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at O’Malley before shaking her head. “No. I’ll use the bathroom. Come on in.” She stepped back and allowed me into her room before closing the door firmly behind us.

  While she approached the dresser in the corner, she spoke. “I can’t reach Carborton while the power is out. The phone lines use the radio tower which connects us to a satellite. No power, no tower, no calls.”

  “Fuck.” I paced the room before making my way to her window and peeking out the curtain. The grounds remained empty, and her room faced away from the crash site. I sighed as I let the curtain fall back into place. “So we’re sitting ducks unless maintenance gets the power back on. Or until the ship comes in…” I glanced at my watch, but the simple face didn’t sport a date feature.

  “Three days,” Wulphgang supplied for me. “The ship comes in three days. And I’m not so sure our odds are that great.” He paused as he watched Lily walk into the bathroom and shut the door.

  I glanced from him to the closed door a few times. “Oh.”

  “Oh, what?” he asked, instantly returning his attention to me.

  “Oh, as in I just figured out who you’ve been boinking.”

  He raised a brow at me. “Is this really the time for that?”

  I shrugged at his response. “It’s either preoccupy my mind or have a nervous breakdown over genetically enhanced killer dogs that are loose. Your choice.”

  “Yes, I’m fucking Lily.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Lily emerged from the bathroom in record time. She walked over to a phone, lifted it, and shook her head. “No. Nothing.”

  “Surely there’s a backup system in place,” I argued. “I can’t imagine a corporation this big never thought ‘Gee, what if the power goes out for good?’ That seems too simple to overlook.”

  She grimaced at my rant before sighing. “I suppose this does constitute as an emergency. Come along.”

  Without another word, she headed for her bedroom door. We followed, trusting in the way she carried herself. I mused at the fact that now, in a time of crisis, I did trust her. When we first met, and I knew her as Miss Preston the lawyer, I felt nothing but loathing toward her. Somehow, strange as it was, knowing O’Malley and she had a relationship helped me see her more as a person and less as a job.

  The hallway remained dark, but we navigated it with more ease this time. It was as if the unknown factor had been stripped away during our first trip, so it no longer held foreboding shadows or whispers of claws scraping on the tile. I strained for the sound of howls or screams downstairs, but nothing filtered up through the stairwell once we reached it and opened the door.

  We descended, remaining silent, until we reached the landing for the bottom floor. Instead of opening the door to join the people that still milled about in the cafeteria, she turned to a door I’d missed earlier marked Maintenance. Lily dug into her pocket before producing a key, and I experienced a moment of relief that at least this door didn’t rely on a keypad.

  Just inside, another flight of stairs led downward into a thick pool of darkness. Once more, the back of my neck prickled, and I wondered how I’d ever work in the field again. Never before had I felt such fear at the sight of shadows.

  A beam of light cut through, illuminating pipes and a duct. I glanced over to Lily, who held a flashlight while she pointed at another one hanging from a hook near the door. “This section doesn’t have lights. It helps deter the curious,” she explained.

  “Diabolically clever,” O’Malley murmured as he turned his own light on.

  We walked down, down into the darkness, tiny beams of light providing our only solace. I positioned myself between Lily and Wulphgang, using their lights to guide my feet safely over each step. When we reached the bottom, it leveled out into a hall with a sharp elbow bend that led to our left. Lily concentrated her beam on the door set directly in front of us.

  “Here we are.” She used a key, though I couldn’t tell if it was the same as before, to open the door as well. As soon as we entered and closed the door behind us, a generator whirred into action and lights flickered on. I blinked, attemptin
g to regain my bearings in the flood of illumination surrounding us as I tried to analyze the purpose of this room.

  “A bunker?” O’Malley asked.

  Lily shrugged as she clicked off her flashlight and set it down on a crate. “Basically. For tornadoes, high level hurricanes, invasion of sea pirates… Point is, it’s meant for literal emergencies only. I’d say killer geds constitutes as one. Now, let’s make that phone call.”

  She walked over to a phone similar in style to the ones I remembered from my childhood. The heavy cradle and curly cord brought memories of endless chats with friends from school as I wound the cord round my fingers over and over again.

  Lily lifted the receiver and dialed out. After a few moments, I could hear the sound of another person’s voice. “This is Miss Preston. I need to speak to Roger, right now. It’s an emergency.”

  She tapped her foot impatiently; I assumed they’d placed her on hold. Her gaze darted to us, and she pushed a button on the receiver. Elevator music flooded the room and I raised an eyebrow. Despite my previous assessment, the phone couldn’t have come from my childhood. Speaker phone didn’t exist in those models.

  I snorted inwardly at myself and the fact I used analyzing a phone to stave off the fear that threatened to overcome me if I let my mind wander. When Carborton’s voice boomed through the line, I jumped and felt my face heat with embarrassment.

  “Lily, what’s going on? Evans is supposed to be my emergency contact point,” he said, his voice gruff.

  “Phil is dead, sir. The geds took down the helicopter he was attempting to leave on… Funnily enough, I never received my orders to evacuate. Now, before we worry about all that, let’s worry about how to make your pet project heel.” The sharp tone in her voice left no room for argument.

  Silence filled the line for one heartbeat. Two. “I can’t,” he admitted, and the defeat in his voice made it apparent he didn’t make the statement lightly. “Evans has been enacting the emergency protocols for two days now. Ever since the geds escaped and killed every maintenance worker we’ve sent into that pen, I’ve been trying to shut them down. They’re successful. Too successful. We should have done things different. I should have—”