Enigma at the Greensboro Zoo (Ultimate Ending Book 4)

by David Kristoph

  Splash. You're fully submerged in water, like being dunked in a dark swimming pool. You bob to the surface and gasp for air. You hear a distant screaming voice draw closer, and then Jerry's body splashes into the water next to you. A cone of light slides down the hill after him before joining you both in the water.

  You grab the flashlight, glad that it's waterproof. "You okay?" you ask as Jerry treads water.

  "Why'd you stop!"

  You wave a hand at the hill. "Maybe because there's a giant mudslide on the path? Why did you knock me down?"

  "It's not my fault," he mumbles.

  You cock your ears. The rain is still pattering in the trees above, but you don't hear anything else. "Hopefully nothing heard us," you say.

  Jerry groans. "Let's just get out of here."

  31

  The water only comes up to your waist, allowing you to wade through it somewhat easily. Jerry leads the way with the flashlight, grumbling about how his best uniform is now ruined. You consider reminding him that it's his fault but decide to bite your tongue.

  Jerry yelps. "Ahh!"

  "What's wrong?"

  The light from the flashlight waves all around the air like a spotlight as he frantically swipes at his arms. "Get them off!"

  "Get what off?"

  He's too panicked to answer, so you slosh forward to meet him. Dodging flailing arms, you grab the flashlight and shine it on him. "They're huge!" he cries, thrusting out his wrist.

  It takes you a moment to recognize what they are. "Oh geez, Jerry," you say. "They're just leeches."

  "You act like that's a relief!" He's practically terrified.

  Reaching forward, you pluck a fat leech off his wrist. It comes away easily, but leaves a red splotch behind. "They're harmless," you explain.

  "How do you know that!"

  "Because I know," you reply, removing two more. They'd gotten up his sleeve. Even after getting them all off Jerry seems mortified. "Calm down. You're fine now."

  "Hey," he says. "Do you feel that?"

  "What?"

  He pauses. "I think... I think the water is moving."

  "It's just the waves from when I came running," you say. "I thought you were being attacked by something real."

  Jerry shakes his head. "No. There's something else. It's definitely moving, can't you tell?"

  You're about to make a joke about Jerry peeing his pants when you realize he's right. The water is moving. But what could cause that? You lick your lips and turn towards it.

  Find out what's in the water ON PAGE 48

  32

  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 right, 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.

  Using your hands to push yourself back up, you try to run--except you realize your foot is now stuck in some deep mud! Your foot must have fallen is some weird mud-filled hole, because it's covered almost to the knee. It's stuck!

  The hippo slows a short distance away and turns around.

  "Come on," you mutter, trying to pry your leg free. Down at the bottom you feel your shoe come off, but that doesn't help much. "Come on!"

  The hippo sees you and begins another charge.

  It's a way you never expected a police officer to go: run over by a hippopotamus while stuck in the mud. If you manage to survive you'll probably be the butt of jokes for the rest of your career. But in either case, as two tons of grey pachyderm comes bearing down on you, this will sadly be...

  THE END

  33

  A chain-link fence with coils of barbed wire on the top appears ahead of you. Beyond that is a cement building partially sunk into the ground. A tall metal-framed tower rises above it, with power lines connecting to the top. If this isn't the Power Station, you don't know what is.

  There's a signpost next to the gate, with three paths leading away: the Food Forest along the first path, the Monkey Manor down the middle one, and the Bird Bastion toward the lowest path.

  Despite the imposing looking fence, the gate to the Power Station opens easily with a latch. "I thought it'd be tougher than that," Jerry says.

  "Me too." You approach the building. Up close you can see that a tree branch has fallen across one of the power lines, ripping it loose. That's probably the cause of all the problems.

  "How are we supposed to fix that?" Jerry asks.

  "We shouldn't need to. The Warden's email said to restore backup power."

  There's a set of cement steps sunken into the ground, leading to the front door. You hop down to the door and try the handle.

  It doesn't budge. An electronic screen next to the door flashes: "Keycode required." There's a number pad underneath.

  "So much for that," Jerry mutters.

  Consider your options ON PAGE 47

  34

  It's a walk-in pantry, with shelves on either side extending away from you. There's bags of pasta, sacks of rice and beans, and pre-packaged foods like potato chips and candy bars. All the sorts of stuff they'd sell at the food court.

  A quick glance around proves there's nothing interesting inside. "So much for that," you say.

  Jerry grabs two bananas off the shelf as you leave. "Hey," you say. "We're here to help, not steal."

  "It's just two bananas," Jerry protests. "Besides, I'm starving. All this running around has lowered my blood sugar. I would pay for it if I had cash!"

  You pull out a one dollar bill from your pocket and stuff it on the counter where the bananas were. "You owe me," you say.

  "Yeah, yeah."

  YOU NOW HAVE TWO BANANAS!

  Head back to the Power Station ON PAGE 47

  35

  "You're right," you admit. "Let's be safe. Come on, I think the other exit is this way."

  You follow the hallway past a series of caterpillars and worms and other harmless things. You pass a map on the wall, which indicates that the second floor is devoted entirely to arachnids. Whew, good thing you didn't go up there!

  Your flashlight passes over a small podium along one wall. A bright green sign says: "Trivia booth! Win a token to the Observation Tower!" To your surprise, the computer screen is glowing.

  "Huh. I guess they put this on the emergency power circuit by mistake."

  Glancing at the screen, it appears to be a series of trivia questions. The one on the screen currently says:

  What common North American insect goes by the name Orthoptera Caelifera?

  "The grasshopper!" you say.

  Jerry wrinkles his face. "How'd you know that?"

  "I'm smarter than you." After a moment you add, "And I just saw it on a display in the other room."

  You select the grasshopper from the list of possible answers. A celebratory fanfare of horns blares out of a speaker in the podium and a small gold coin rolls out.

  You pick it up and examine it beneath your flashlight. "Observation Tower," you read, the letters printed around the outside of the coin.

  "That's the tower at the center of the zoo," Jerry says.

  "Maybe some other time," you say. "When we're here to have fun. Come on, I think I see the employee office over there."

  YOU NOW HAVE THE TOWER TOKEN!

  Enter the office by FLIPPING TO PAGE 77

  36

  You didn't get this far in the police force by splitting up with your partner. Sending a final, furtive look toward the building ahead, you turn to follow Jerry.

  The hippo follows.

  "Jerry!" you call, not caring what else hears you in the open field. It would be pointless for him to slow down--there's no way for him to help against the hippo--but at the very least calling his name lets him know you're following. "Jerry!"

  You look over your shoulder. The hippo is rumbling along, shaking the ground with each heavy step. And it'
s still gaining on you.

  When you turn back around Jerry's nowhere to be seen. Did he run into the forest to the left? He couldn't have done it that fast.

  And you're almost out of time.

  There's a tree coming up, standing alone in the middle of the field. It's your only chance. There's a low branch you can grab... if you time it just right.

  FLIP A COIN!

  If heads, RUN TO PAGE 94

  If tails, JUMP OVER TO PAGE 39

  37

  The bird is moving impossibly fast. Just before it reaches you, right as it extends its talons, you throw yourself onto the disgusting floor.

  The air behind you rushes over you quickly, and for a moment you feel victorious. But then the paper with the Power Station code is ripped from your hands.

  "Hey!"

  You stare up and see a brown hawk flying away from you. In its talons is the sheet of paper. It flaps up toward the ceiling and perches on the rafters.

  The other birds take this as a sign that the threat is over. They return to the rafters as well and calmly begin cleaning their feathers.

  You and Jerry take the opportunity to finish running to the exit. You slip outside and close the door behind you.

  "He took the code!" you tell Jerry.

  "Yeah, I saw. Do you remember the riddle?" You shake your head. "Yeah, me neither."

  "So what do we do?"

  "I guess we head back to the path. We can go get the tranquilizer rifles at the Warden Hut..."

  You look up at the Bird Bastion. There's a window in the glass high above, near the top. And right now it's open.

  Jerry frowns. "You're not thinking about..."

  The window is right next to the scaffolding the cleaners used. You could reach it by climbing the ladders.

  "Rodriguez, please tell me you're not thinking of climbing up there."

  To try getting the code, CLIMB TO PAGE 44

  To heed Jerry's advice and make for the Warden Hut, GO TO PAGE 21

  38

  You don't like the sound of Project Fusion, and like being unprepared even less. "Tranq rifles it is," you say, turning to the right.

  Jerry nods as if there were no other option.

  The openness of the fountain pavilion disappears and the path becomes narrow and winding, with tall trees crowding all around. It feels like you're in the middle of the forest, except for the paved path. They've designed the zoo park well.

  "The Warden Hut is on the other side of the park," Jerry says. "We've got a long way to go."

  You reply, "Captain Beckett wants us to contain as many of the animals as we can. This will give us a chance to see some of the park."

  The path split again. One way ends at a large building, and the other way..."

  "Uh oh," Jerry says.

  You shine your light in that direction. A massive oak tree has fallen across the path, blocking your way. At its base, where it snapped, large claw marks are raked into the bark.

  "We can climb around," you suggest.

  "No way," Jerry says. "What do you think knocked that down? Whatever it was, it was big."

  You glance at the building. You don't see a sign anywhere to indicate what it is. "Okay then. Let's take a shortcut."

  Enter the building ON PAGE 43

  39

  The tree is drawing near. You've got a twenty foot lead on the hippo, so if you time it right you should be able to scamper up a branch and into safety.

  Ten steps. Five. Zero.

  You leap with all your strength, your fingers slapping against the branch. Your fingers stick! A boot scrapes against the trunk and you pull yourself up. Although you think you're safe, you quickly reach for the next branch to put more distance between yourself and the pachyderm.

  THWACK.

  The entire tree is shaken just before you grab the next branch. Without a grip your feet slip on the wet branch and suddenly you're falling. Your back slams into the wood, you roll, and then plummet the rest of the way to the ground.

  Even though the mud is wet, the force of landing knocks the wind from your lungs.

  Groaning, you roll over and try to move. You can hear the hippo a short distance away. Is it coming back? You're not sure, and it hurts too much to look.

  Just trying to take a tiny breath sends a sharp pain running across your chest. You've never had it happen, but based on the basic training you had you diagnose it as a broken rib. Maybe two. Jerry's gunna laugh, you think. Falling out of a stupid tree.

  But Jerry's the least of your worries. As you finally muster the strength to look up you see something large and gray stumbling across the ground. The hippo, coming back around for another charge. Ahh, well. You suppose this isn't too bad of a way to go, but in any case it's still...

  THE END

  40

  You've taken enough risks, and that growling noise has you spooked. "Yeah, I'm okay," you call back down to Jerry as you begin your descent.

  He waits until you reach the ground. "What happened?"

  "I came to my senses."

  "You mean you listened to your partner, the honorable Officer Holman!"

  You look around. "That sign over there says the Warden Hut is close," you say. "Let's go get those tranquilizer rifles. We should have done that from the start."

  "Now you're speaking my language."

  Despite what the sign says, the Warden Hut isn't very close. In fact, as the two of you make your way across the zoo you begin to wonder if you're lost. But then you see another sign for the Warden Hut that takes you down a new path.

  You're almost there when a rumble drifts through the trees. You freeze, listening. "Sounds like... a swarm of flies," Jerry says.

  "Those are some big flies," you say skeptically. "That's more like a stampede of gazelles!"

  You both remove your pepper spray at the same time. The sound is coming to the south, down a winding path. Whatever it is, it's coming your way. You share a look with Jerry and prepare to defend yourselves.

  A light appears in the distance. You begin to relax as you realize what the sound was.

  Three black, windowless vans round a corner and pull up next to you on the path. Men with "Animal Control" printed on their uniforms hop to the ground and begin fanning out. One man dressed differently climbs out of the front jeep. The headlights from the vehicle blind you until he comes close.

  "Captain!" Jerry immediately salutes.

  41

  Captain Beckett is a bull of a man, sixty years old with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His uniform is tight and orderly, his face chiseled with discipline.

  You follow Jerry's example and salute, feeling dazed. "Captain, we didn't expect you for a while longer. We were still gaining control of the park."

  "Were you, Corporal?" he asks. "Because from the looks of things you haven't gained control of anything at all. Status report, pronto."

  You lick your lips nervously. "Sir. We have secured the Food Forest, Monkey Manor, and Bird Bastion. We did our best to restore power to the zoo, but the codes to the Power Station have been manipulated. By some employee named Dave."

  "I knew it was Dave's fault," says a new voice. A young man wearing a Greensboro City Zoo uniform. "He's been playing jokes for weeks. I swear, if I find him I'm going to jerk a knot in his tail..."

  Jerry clears his throat. "Are you Warden Oxford?"

  The man laughs. "Heavens no! Do I sound like I have an English accent?" He doesn't. "Oxford is over at the Warden Hut arming himself to the teeth. They're going to need everything they've got to bring down..." he trails off.

  "To bring down Project Fusion?" Jerry blurts.

  The zoo employee tenses. "What do you know about that?"

  "Nothing," you quickly say. "We've just seen Zoo Announcements about it."

  The employee stares at you for a long moment before nodding. "Be glad for that. If you had come across her... no matter. Captain. Thank you for your assistance. These fine officers have done a wonderful job." He walks a
way.

  You beam, until the Captain says, "Don't look so smug. He might be happy that you've secured three areas, but I had hoped for more. I expected better of you, Rodriguez."

  "Does this mean I won't be promoted..."

  "We will see." And with that he turns and walks away too.

  You glance at Jerry and shrug. It could have been worse. You may not get that promotion, but you did your best. And you're walking out of the Greensboro City Zoo alive. You still wonder what Project Fusion is, but that's something you'll have to figure out another time...

  THE END

  42

  "There's no way we can reach the employee office through that," you decide.

  Jerry smirks. "Afraid of getting your uniform messy?"

  Right on cue, a wet piece of monkey dung bounces off Jerry's chest. The horrified look on his face is priceless. The monkeys shriek and scream with delight.

  "Too late, eh partner?"

  "Let's just go," he grumbles.

  Head back to the Power Station AT PAGE 47

  43

  Red emergency lights guide you into the entrance of the building. A blast of cold air hits you in the face. It's freezing in here!