Enigma at the Greensboro Zoo (Ultimate Ending Book 4)
Page 2
"Yessir."
The radio goes silent.
"Well then." You unholster your sidearm and hand it to Jerry. "Put 'em away."
He stares, dumbfounded. "You can't be serious."
"It was a direct order. We still have our pepper spray. Go ahead, I'll stay here and look around."
After he grumbles and heads back to the car, you look around the Visitor Center. There's a stack of maps on the check-out counter, but they're all shredded. Knowing what's going on in the Zoo, a beaver probably chewed them up.
"I'm sure we have a lot of ground to cover," you tell Jerry when he gets back. "And a lot of animals to wrangle. Let's get to it."
Head into the zoo grounds ON PAGE 18
16
Despite the chaos of the Monkey Manor, the office is the cleanest one you've seen yet. There's a tidy computer desk with stacks of papers in a bin.
You pick up the first sheet of paper.
ZOO ANNOUNCEMENT.
Dave, I'm serious. Stop messing around in the Power Station. I know you think it's funny to reverse the order of the power circuits, but enough is enough. Carl got zapped last week. If it happens again I'm going to assign you back to cleaning the cages for Project Fusion.
-Warden Oxford
"No code here," you say. "Any luck over there?"
Jerry sifts through the stack of papers. "Nope. Well, not for the Power Station, at least. I did find the code to the Bird Bastion."
He hands you a plastic card with indented lettering on it:
BIRD BASTION CODE: 105
You search the rest of the room. There's nothing else useful. "Well I guess we'd better go check the Bird Bastion then," you say with a sigh.
Sliding back outside, you hold the banana out in front of you. The monkeys along the porch fence stare intently, heads slowly following you. Tossing it through the hole, you make a run for the path.
Head back to the Power Station ON PAGE 47
17
"Jerry, I could really use your help on this."
He doesn't budge. "You've got it, partner. I trust you."
"Jerry..."
"Just guess something! You've got a 50-50 shot."
King Snake sounds the most dangerous, so you select that answer on the screen. The podium flashes red and makes a sound that obviously is meant to signal defeat.
"Aww, man." You sigh and walk back to Jerry. "I guessed wrong."
He's not even paying attention, still darting his head from one glass tank to the other. "Can we just get out of here now? Please?"
"Fine."
Return to the tower ON PAGE 154
18
You pass through the turnstiles and into the zoo grounds. With the power off, the path that winds through the park is dark and ominous. You pull out your flashlight and cast a cone of light before you. With the way the shadows play you're still unnerved, and the fingers of your free hand itch to grab the pepper spray from your belt. Jerry is unusually quiet, so he must feel the same.
To steady yourself, you stop to read one of the informational signs along the path:
When defending yourself from a bear attack, the species of bear will determine the best course of action. If attacked by a Black Bear, fight back by striking the bear in the head and face. Grizzly Bears are not so timid, however, so the best course of action is to fall to the ground in the fetal position and play dead.
Jerry is stopped at the next sign ahead of you, doing the same. That one is about snakes:
The Coral Snake and King Snake look similar, but don't be fooled! Coral Snakes are venomous, while King Snakes are harmless. To remember the difference, say the rhyme: If red touches black, it's safe for Jack. If red touches yellow, it kills the fellow.
Jerry swallows audibly. "We're not going to have to deal with snakes, are we?"
"I don't know."
"Because I'm not a biologist, or a snakeologist, or whatever it's called that--"
You cut him off. "Come on. Let's keep moving. The path splits up ahead."
19
The sound of splashing water greets you as you enter a wide pavilion. In the center is a stone fountain spraying water over the edge. The falling mist looks strange in the light of your flashlight. "But if the electricity is out," you say, "then what's powering the pump?"
Jerry points. "I don't think that's the pump causing that..."
Without warning, a brown antelope leaps out of the fountain. It lands on the ground and teeters on unsteady legs, the hooves slipping wetly on the pavement. When it regains its balance it stares directly at you, flicks its ears, and then bolts.
Three more antelope bound out of the fountain to follow, leaving a trail of water leading into the woods. The sound of rustling trees slowly fades.
"Well," you say, "it's better than snakes. Right?"
Jerry mumbles something incoherent.
You approach the fountain. Rising out of the center is a signpost with ten arrows pointing in different directions. "The Warden's email said we need to turn the power on."
"It also said," Jerry points out, "that we should grab tranquilizer rifles from the Warden Hut if we need protection from Project Fusion."
"We don't even know what Project Fusion is."
Jerry nods vigorously. "Exactly!"
The arrow for the Maintenance Shed points to the left. The arrow for the Warden Hut points to the right.
What's the plan, officer?
To turn on the power, FLIP TO PAGE 27
If you would rather get a better weapon, GO TO PAGE 38
20
You try to time it right, but the bird zips through the air impossibly fast. You throw yourself flat but it's too late. The bird spreads its massive wings at the last moment and pulls up, feet full of talons outstretched.
Fire rips across your back as you land on the ground in the bird droppings. You feel feathers beating furiously past your hair, like a leaf blower on the back of your head.
"Rodriguez!" Jerry yells.
He comes running as you groan, reaching behind you to touch your back. It stings. "Let's get out of here," Jerry says.
He tries to pull you to your feet, but you're too dazed. "What was that thing," you say.
"It was a hawk, I think. Come on Rodriguez, we have to go!" He looks up. "Oh. Oh no..."
You follow his gaze and see a dark shape high in the sky. It's getting bigger. You realize that's because it's diving again. I always hated birds, you think to yourself as you watch it near. And now you hate them more, because this one is responsible for...
THE END
21
You follow the path for a while and come to another building. "The Insect Enclosure," Jerry reads. He gives a shiver. "I hate bugs."
"Is there anything you do like?" you ask.
"I like to sleep," he mutters.
You shine your flashlight at the building. Everything looks fine there. Or you could continue down the path in the direction of the Warden Hut.
Check inside the Insect Enclosure ON PAGE 26
If you want to stay on the path, GO TO PAGE 11
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"We can't risk injuring any of the animals," you decide, "and we can't risk our own lives."
"Then what do we do?"
There's another door to the left, with an emergency light overhead. "Follow me!"
You burst through the door before the stampeding sound can reach you. You're in a small employee hallway now, with offices on either side and an exit sign dead ahead. You run down the hall and throw your shoulder into the door, which dumps you outside.
Now you're in a small dirt path between buildings. Another, smaller structure is straight ahead. A sign next to the door says, "Insect Enclosure."
A strange screech cuts through the air.
It sounds like a bird, but deeper. More animal. You both freeze and wait as it fades.
"That was a few hundred feet that way," Jerry says, pointing.
Still not feeling completely safe, you dart t
oward the Insect Enclosure and test the door. It opens.
"Come on, in here!"
Enter the building ON PAGE 26
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The hippo is close, practically stepping on the backs of your feet. It's time to show that famous Greensboro City Police Academy training! Hoping your timing is good, you turn to the right and throw your upper body forward, ducking your head down toward your chest.
You roll across the mud and feel the hippo rush past you, narrowly missing.
Jumping to your feet, you sprint the rest of the way toward the building. It looks like an open structure, sort of like a barn, but it has a door and that's all that matters. The hippo recovers from missing you and begins chasing again, but you've bought yourself enough time. You slide through the open door and quickly pull it shut.
Nice! See what happens next ON PAGE 71
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"Too bad we don't have the keycode," you sigh. "Up the ladder we go."
You follow Jerry around the side. The ladder is bolted into the cement and leads to the roof of the Warden Hut, maybe thirty feet above. There's no moonlight now, so the ladder is completely dark.
Jerry notices you hesitating. "Hey, you're the one who decided to get the tranquilizer darts before turning on the power."
Thinking of the promotion Captain Beckett promised, you grab the closest rung of the ladder and start climbing. You can't see anything but your hands and feet slowly move from one rung to another.
When you're halfway up the ladder you feel Jerry start following. Your boots on the metal make banging noises in the night. You wonder if this is what burglars feel like, scaling a building in the dark.
There's a weird rattling sound. Like metal scraping in a way it's not supposed to.
You stop and squint into the darkness.
The ladder is bolted into the cement in front of you. Or at least it should be--you realize the bolt has come loose. With each step Jerry takes the ladder slides farther and farther out of its securing.
"Jerry," you say. "The ladder's loose up here. Jump off and wait until I'm up."
"Dude, I'm way too high," he says. "It's at least fifteen feet down. Just keep going. You're almost to the top, right?"
The gap between the ladder and wall is quickly growing. You open your mouth to tell Jerry to hurry down.
The ladder comes loose.
25
The ladder falls backwards, throwing you into the air. Butterflies blossom in your stomach for an instant before you crash into the ground. You roll as you land, coming up safe.
"Whew. That was a close one. Jerry?"
He's on the ground groaning. You rush over and see that his ankle is bent in the wrong direction. "Sorry Rodriguez," he hisses through clenched teeth. "Should have... listened."
You call in Jerry's injury to the station. Captain Beckett reluctantly tells you to sit tight and wait for animal control. You can tell he's disappointed. Maybe you'll get the promotion another time, but for now it's not looking good.
"Guess we should have turned the lights on first," Jerry says.
"Or found the code to get into the Warden Hut the safe way," you mutter.
He smiles at you gratefully.
It could have been worse, you suppose. You've run into a lot of dangerous animals. It's probably for the best that animal control is taking over. But you still wish you could have figured out what Project Fusion was. Maybe you'll have another chance, when it isn't...
THE END
26
You're in a big, open room with glass cages covering every wall. It looks like an aquarium store, except you know these aren't fish. "It doesn't look like there's any damage in here," you say.
"Thank goodness for that!" Jerry gives an exaggerated shiver to let you know what he thinks about bugs.
You walk along one wall, reading off different types of insects. Orthoptera Caelifera, or the the common grasshopper. Next to that are some locusts and katydids, which look like they have longer antenna. Everything seems really calm and creepy under the glow of the emergency lights.
There's a piece of paper on the ground. You pick it up. It looks like a handwritten note from one employee to another:
Sarah,
Starting this week the lions in the Safari Sanctum are going to be fed only steak. No more fish! They've been moody lately and are sick of fish, and won't eat it at all. I know you guys need more fish for that secret project of yours, so I'm sure you'll be happy for the extra.
-Jessica
You're about to show it to Jerry when you hear his voice.
"Hey Rodriguez," he calls from another room. "Come check this out."
See what Jerry's found ON PAGE 28
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"There's no use getting tranquilizer rifles if we can't see what we're shooting," you decide. "Besides, walking around a dark zoo gives me the creeps. Let's work on turning the power back on first."
Jerry grumbles but doesn't argue further.
You follow the sign toward the west side of the park. On either side of the paved path are nicely manicured bushes and flowers. You haven't been to the zoo in years, but it seems like it would be a nice place to visit. In other circumstances, of course.
There's a rumble in the sky. "Hope it doesn't rain on us."
"Yeah," you agree.
"Hey," Jerry adds. "Check this out."
His flashlight is aimed off the path, to a section of the grass between the path and some trees. There's something strange in the ground. You leave the path and approach, and find a small keycard with words:
POWER STATION CODE: 132
"I meant that," he says, pointing. You follow his gaze and realize there are footprints in the mud.
Enormous animal footprints.
"They look like paws," Jerry says.
"Yeah, but have you ever seen anything with paws that big?" They're as big as a volleyball!
"I don't know." Jerry begins looking around the woods nervously.
You can tell he's a few minutes away from running back to your police cruiser. "Come on," you say. "There's the sign for the Power Station. It's just ahead."
Continue toward the power station ON PAGE 33
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You follow his voice into a dark corridor. Jerry is standing at the base of a staircase that leads around a corner to the second floor. His flashlight shows a sign on the wall, but part of it has been scratched away by massive claws:
________ EXHIBIT, FLOOR TWO.
"So much for not having any damage in here," you mutter.
"Well at least we saw this early, so we can avoid it," Jerry says. "Let's get out of here."
You shake your head. "We're supposed to contain all the animals until help arrives."
Jerry's jaw drops. "You can't be serious. Look at the claw marks!"
"I see them." They terrify you, wondering what could cause that, but you're no stranger to fear. "We have a job do to."
"Look," Jerry says, "I know you're the Corporal, but I think this is a really bad idea. We should get some tranquilizer guns first, like the Warden said. Be smart!" His face is pallid.
To see what's upstairs, TURN TO PAGE 53
To find your way outside, GO TO PAGE 35
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"Let's see what's in the freezer," you say.
It's a massive industrial one, stainless steel and as big as a pickup truck. A burst of cold air and mist hits you in the face as you open it. Plastic trays full of food greet you: rows of steak, bottles of liquid, and every sized fish you could imagine.
Closing the door, you see a note taped on the side of the freezer.
ZOO ANNOUNCEMENT.
All Penguin Palace feeding rations are to be cut by 10% until further notice. Another project at the zoo has taken priority, and we're nearly out of our supply of fish. Don't like it? Complain to the supply chief.
-Warden Oxford
"Another project," you mutter. "Sounds like that Project Fusion we read about."
"Whatever it is, it
eats fish," Jerry says. "That could be a lot of things."
There's something else on the counter. It looks like a credit card, with words indented on its face:
SNAKE SANCTUARY CODE: 119
You pocket the card. "This'll come in handy if we see the Snake Sanctuary later."
Jerry shivers.
There's nothing else around there worth looking at. "Okay, let's try the Pantry."
Open the Pantry ON PAGE 34
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You round a corner down the path, not paying attention. Without warning the paved path becomes mud. Worse, it's beginning to slope downward.
You halt yourself just in time to see a long, wet mud slide. Whew! That would have been bad if--
Not realizing you've stopped, Jerry bumps into your back.
For a brief moment you're flying forward, arms stretched out like Superman. Then you hit the mud and you're sliding, limbs flailing all around to try and slow yourself. The water and mud rubs against your chin and chest, flying into your mouth and eyes. Your fingers grab some grass on the bank but it rips loose.