Kaiju World

by R. F. Blackstone

  Tull nods his agreement and says, "With those beasts roaming about wouldn't it make sense to be in helicopters? Something safer?"

  Emmerich slows his own pace and walks next to the two men. He grunts, "Let's see how this goes." His head motions towards the reporter, "If she blasts this place then we can gain total control. Make all the changes we need."

  The three men nod and hurry to catch up with the others as Pryke is enthusiastically explaining the vehicle. "The glass is actually a mixture of glass, Perspex and the same material they use on the space shuttles."

  "Is NASA still around?" Tull asks.

  "Yes," Pryke says, quickly dismissing the quip. "This is the safest land vehicle ever created. It can withstand bullets, missiles and extreme heat."

  "And what about nuclear blasts?" Teresa asks without a hint of mockery in her voice. Her tone silences the investors and Pryke gives her a small smile of thanks. She ignores it and repeats the question. "Can it withstand a nuclear attack?"

  Gideon Pryke smiles brightly as he opens the doors. "Well, hopefully we'll never have to find out. But all of the technicians and Miss Mako Ikari have all reassured me that it can."

  The investors begin to climb up and into the bubble of protection. Only Teresa stands, hands on her hips and a look of scepticism playing on her face. "Not good enough Pryke."

  The smile dies slightly on the billionaire's face but he recovers quickly saying, "Let me put it this way, this island is on an underwater volcano which allows us to use the geothermal power. Now, if that volcano was to explode, spewing its red hot lava all over this island, my experts have guaranteed me that this vehicle will survive it. You could drive it all the way to the dock and onto a rescue ship. It's that safe."

  Without further word he leaps into the driver's seat then waves for her to follow. With a sigh Teresa Hernandez slowly climbs up and into the converted ATV. "Bully!" Pryke says happily as the vehicle roars to life. Inside the bubble all that they can hear is a soft murmuring from the engines. Pryke gives everyone a thumb up. "It's also sound-proofed. Our boys can get quite rowdy."

  "What are we seeing first?" Teresa says as she holds out her cell phone; on the screen is an audio recording program.

  "Originally, I thought you'd like to see the Category 1s, but they are for the kids. So, how about we just go for a drive." He doesn't wait for any comments as he pushes the vehicle forwards with a gleeful, "Hi-ho Silver!"

  #

  Mako Ikari stares at the slumbering monstrosity. The bright blood is seeping through the giant gauze covering the stitches across the base of the thick scaly leathery head. She sighs, amazed that the operation was a success. Anytime something goes right it's considered a success. The woman sighs again then glances at the monitoring program on her tablet. It shows all of the vitals of the Kaiju and so far it reads normal...Except for...

  The speakers crackle and Lathrop Preston's voice echoes, "Anything else boss?"

  "Why is there a murmur?" Glancing up to the control room, Mako watches the puzzled faces of her team scanning the readings. "It's there," she reaffirms.

  "Oh!" Preston's voice is startled. "We don't know...Maybe it's an adverse reaction to the anaesthesia?"

  At least he's honest, Mako thinks as she stares at the massive chest cavity that rises and falls with a slight hiccup. She frowns and prays that it's just temporary. Deep down Mako knows that even though it's the first and only Category 5 Kaiju that's been captured, Pryke will have no compunctions destroying the mighty god-like animal. He's done it before, she thinks sadly, what would stop him doing it again?

  "Mako," it's Preston again. "It looks like it's the heart. There's a slight clotting there from the knock-out juice. We're pretty sure that it'll clear out soon enough."

  "What if it doesn't?" Once again the resident Kaiju Expert looks up at the control room and watches her team talk rapidly.

  When they had first started Pryke's endeavour there was some questioning about how the assets would be conditioned to not follow their natural proclivities. Naturally there had been many ideas bandied about; shock collars, positive reinforcements, and constant drone tracking with missile capabilities. The list went on and on growing more and more ludicrous. Some said that on the island there shouldn't be any need for conditioning, that with hardly any people about and the best security features there would be no need for it. Mako had the perfect idea and she has used it for every single one and so far it had worked.

  "Then we'll have a very amazing, still monster," Preston laughs slightly.

  Mako frowns and almost shouts, "You're all done! If I need you..." She stops and places a gentle hand on the stirring beast. She shushes at it and slowly the thing goes back to its slumber. "I'm going to stay and try to bond with him," she says softly. "Why don't you all go for a long break," it isn't a request but a hidden order. Her eyes watch the control room slowly begin to empty. The team of people know better than to stay around and watch when she imprints on the creatures.

  She sits down, leans against the gigantic jaw and closes her eyes as she begins to hum. This is how it always goes. Slowly the song fills the gigantic room and it echoes eerily. Mako Ikari sings the song that her mother used to sing to her when she had the nightmares. It is haunting and sinuous, that is bitter and sweet all at once, that begins in hello and ends in goodbye. Only a few other living humans have heard it and even then they say nothing, except cry.

  As she continues to sing and hum, the massive eyes slowly open and with a wheezing breath Ishiro shifts its head, nudging Mako slightly. To a gigantic creature a nudge is nothing, but to a tiny insignificant human it sends the woman tumbling across the floor.

  There is a growl from Ishiro that sounds like an approaching hurricane as it begins to move and try to get to its feet. As the neck bends, it screeches and slams back into the floor, shaking the building, the pain from the operation finally hitting.

  Mako is up and trying to run over to the thrashing beast but the hit has rattled her. Her eyes slowly focus on the monster before her and she curses in Japanese. If it continues, she figures, there is a not so slim chance that just from its size and weight, not to mention the strength, Ishiro could destroy the Containment Facility, bringing the land above crashing down and burying everyone. Mako isn't even bothering about the radioactive view and the other powers contained within the mighty terrifying beast.

  Her voice carries over the screeching as the tail and talons scratch the floor and walls. The song sounds weaker than before, a tumble will do that, but Mako forces herself to sing loud and clearly. From what she and her team have been able to find out, the Kaijus are not accustomed to music of any kind. In their initial experiments, opera, classical, jazz and easy listening were all tried but each time at the exact moment the song would begin the beast would flip out. Going berserk, destroying valuable equipment and once killing a man. It was by accident that Mako was singing her song and a Category 3 heard it. All were amazed at how quickly the monster had calmed. "Music calms the savage beast," Pryke remarked when told and for some reason he was not surprised.

  Slowly Mako walks towards the raging behemoth. Each step she takes gives her voice more power and the Professor can tell that Ishiro is calming. His powerful claws begin to relax, muscles uncoiling as the sound and melody washes over the auditory part of the brain. Its head lowers and a deep wind sounding sigh fills the cavernous room.

  Good boy, Mako thinks as she gets close enough to feel the heat radiating from the literal larger than life creature.

  Even though the Kaiju's head is flat against the floor, much as a lying dog does, the four large eyes are wide open and they follow Mako's every movement.

  She looks down, checking her body and fights the urge to scream. Mako Ikari's skeleton is once again visible. Her clothes, skin, muscles, nerves and organs seem to be phasing. Shifting in and out of view. Part of her knew it was going to happen, but it is still quite a disturbing sight.

  How much radiation is bombarding us? Mak
o answers her own question easily as the room begins to spin and tilt, like some perverted theme park ride. Mako feels the ground rushing to meet her but the leathery hide catches her.

  As Mako passes out she hears the same unholy laughter-sound coming from the Category 5 Kaiju.

  #

  "This is crazy," Teresa says excitedly as she hurriedly scribbles in her notebook. "Amazing, but crazy." She still can't believe what has been shown; these things belong on the silver screen, in the pages of comics or in video games. The first Kaiju that wandered past them without a glance made her scream and almost pee herself. The size and strange looking creature reminded her of something from Stephen King or HP Lovecraft and when she asked everyone what they thought, it annoyed her that the six men were so blasé about it.

  Pryke nods humbly as the ATV thunders along the nearly finished road. "We aim to please," he says turning the wheel slightly to avoid a tanker ship sized foot crashing down on the trees. "Hi, Isayama." The foot and leg are covered in quills and the claws retract as the leg moves up and over them. In the imprint left are the quills, each one looks more like a spear than something from a porcupine.

  Teresa stares up at the passing monster and her mouth gapes open. "How...?"

  "Considering how the Kaijus seem to ignore anything that isn't food, a threat or another Kaiju we aren't worried about them attacking any of the guests," Pryke says, answering her unasked question.

  "That's good to know," Teresa says writing down the quote. "But that's not what I was going to ask."

  Pryke grunts as the investors chuckle in the back. His eyes dart from the rear-view mirror to the road as he says, "Oh, well what were you going to ask?"

  "Where do they come from?"

  "He already answered that," Tull says with the same importance of a child.

  Ignoring the businessman Teresa asks again, "Where do they come from?"

  There is something in her tone that makes Pryke slow the vehicle slightly. He puts it in park then turns to look at her. "Why is that so important?"

  Teresa Hernandez blinks then stares at the man. Her words are measured and thought out, "People need to know three things. Where they come from? What is their purpose here?" She looks away, staring at the greenery and serenity around them. "Do they have any rights?"

  The last question throws Gideon Pryke for a loop. "Do they have rights? What does that even mean?"

  Emmerich groans in the back and stares at the clear roof, there are scratches and other marks of damage. “Hope those are recent,” he says, then goes back to paying attention to the two people up front.

  "...have rights?" Pryke is asking the woman. "Let me say that again, is there any animal on this planet that has a right? Apart from humans that is."

  "All living animals have a right to be free, to be treated with dignity and respect. Are the Kaijus any different?" she says without missing a beat.

  A small chuckle is Pryke's answer. He turns back to the road and starts the ATV again, getting it back on the road and pushing it to the max speed as he says, "Here's the thing Teresa. Unlike other animals a Kaiju is capable of doing something the others cannot. Mainly, destroying a city and killing millions. That means they are a threat, and a threat has no rights." With all the bumps the speeding ATV feels like a rickety old roller coaster. "By bringing them here," Pryke continues, "we are guaranteeing that these wondrous creatures have the right to live, for if they were to stay put near whichever city they pop up, they surely would be killed."

  The group is silent as Teresa writes everything that Pryke just said. Her lips are pursed and there is a cute crease in her brow. They hit a bump and she drops her pen with a curse. Fumbling, she finally grabs it then continues her questioning, "So, what you're saying is that because you're protecting them, that gives you the right to do whatever you want to these animals?"

  Beacham mutters to no-one in particular, "Great, a discussion on ethics."

  "Hope it's not always like this," Tull agrees.

  Pryke licks his lips. "To answer your question with just one word...Yes."

  The stunned silence is oppressive as not one person has any idea how to respond to the amount of hubris coming from the owner of the island. Teresa taps the pen on her leg and notices a sign that reads: GLADIATORIAL FIELDS. The pen stops tapping. "Where are you taking us?"

  "Just to one of the most entertaining places on the island," Pryke says as the vehicle crests a ridge. "See, it doesn't matter whether or not people enjoy the experience of seeing these magnificent creatures roaming freely. What they really want to see is the fighting."

  Before them is a perfect replica of the Roman Coliseum, only twenty times the size. "To accommodate the Kaiju and the audience," Pryke says as they get closer. There are sections that are still being welded into place. "Sure, there are still things to be added. But just imagine, the roar of the crowd as two or more of the monsters do deadly battle for our pleasure." As he stops the vehicle, they see another sign welcoming guests to: KAIJU GAMES, CAUTION THERE MAY BE GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE.

  "We're gonna make billions," Winston says with a hungry growl.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "What the fuck is that?" Lloyd Behm screams as the giant demon from hell roars again.

  The attack came without warning. One moment the forest is peaceful and just lovely, then the massive claws came thundering down and the four horned beast screamed at the stunned members of Animal Alliance. They had no idea what they would encounter on the island, but for sure none of them had expected to see what they can only describe as something from a nightmare; four long horns protruding from the face, two from the brow and two from the jaws. When the beast roars, a wave of heat burns the leaves and singes the clothing of the people.

  "What. The. Fuck. Is. That?" Lloyd asks again, this time slightly calmer.

  Ellen smiles at the sight. "That's what we're here to--"

  Her voice is cut off as the Kaiju's tail whips over their heads; the whooshing of the air whips the hair of each person around. They all duck down as the long, whip like tri-pronged tail slams into the ground, trying to impale the tiny screaming humans. Rolling and dodging away, each one trying not to be staked while Lloyd pulls out his weapon and opens fire, squeezing the trigger as he screams in terror, the tiny chunks of lead bouncing off of the thick skin.

  "Lloyd!" Ellen shouts as the others slowly back away making a hasty retreat. "Stop wasting ammo!"

  But the new recruit can't hear her over the pounding of his blood racing through his veins and the adrenaline controlling his movements. "Die hellspawn!" he hollers at the monster, who seems to be having a blast playing with something new. Of course it is a subjective term since a cat playing with a mouse is horrific to the mouse, much in the same way a child pulling wings off flies is. The Kaiju's tail moves faster than a cobra which is surprising considering its size.

  Each time the tail misses its target a cloud of dirt and debris is kicked up and craters are left in the jungle floor. The trees shake and some topple, crashing into one another.

  "Lloyd!" Ellen screams again, her voice sounding distant to herself, tugging on the man's arm. "We've got to go! Now!"

  The monster raises its tail high into the air and there is a moment of serenity as Lloyd Behm glances at Ellen and says, "Go--"

  His voice gurgles as dark red blood froths and then drips from the corners of his mouth. The young man shudders as he stares uncomprehending at Ellen. One of his hands touches his chest causing him to whimper.

  Ellen Scott stumbles back as the dying man is lifted up off the ground. The centre prong of the tail sticking out of his stomach, blood and acidic juices drip from the tip. Lloyd groans then screams as the tail whips him about. The sheer force of each rapid movement liquefying bones. His screams snap Ellen out of her shock and the woman runs. Not daring to look back until she feels safe enough.

  She doesn't get far as one of the gigantic clawed feet slams into the ground before her. The impact sends out a shock
wave that forces the woman to the ground. She flattens herself, trying to cover as much ground as possible, just in case cracks form, then looks around frantically trying to find the rest of her team. The roar grabs her attention and she turns to see the horror befalling Lloyd.

  The limp body dangles in the wind, limbs now nothing but loose wet pieces of flesh. She can't make out if he is dead because of the distance but also Lloyd's head is hanging limply against his chest. Why the fuck didn't you run? She thinks, wishing to know what the man was thinking. But deep down she knows that his fate is sealed.

  "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckety, fuck!" Rick Shaw's voice makes her squeak. The man's under a fallen tree, safe from the catastrophe happening around them. Ellen can see that lying next to him, curled up in a ball is Christopher and Jeremy who are staring in awe.

  "Shaw!" Ellen whispers loudly, doing everything she can not to draw any attention.

  Jeremy's eyes shift and he notices her, "Gods!"

  Fuck, they're gone!

  "Look!" Shaw shouts.

  All eyes, including Christopher's go to the ghastly sight; the Kaiju is staring at the small body, almost like it is studying the tiny human. It shakes its tail which gets a tiny groan of pain. The beast growls then flicks the end of its tail with a surprising dexterity. The force pushes Lloyd's body off it and into the air. The tiny human spins and tumbles like a rag doll. The body's path is heading straight for the gaping maw of the monster.

  As Lloyd's limp body just passes the threshold of the large spiky teeth, the powerful jaws clamp shut trapping the man. Lloyd screams as blood erupts in a fountain from his torso.

  "We've got to go," Ellen hisses, her voice startling the three men. They turn to her, looking for leadership. "What's the best way?"

  Jeremy doesn't say anything as he points dumbly. Ellen can't believe it, he wants them to run under the belly of the--

  "No," Shaw mutters.

  They can see what he is talking about. Lloyd's face and arms are swelling. Puffing up from the pressure being forced into them, his blood and other bodily fluids fighting to break free and any minute now...