Enigma at the Greensboro Zoo (Ultimate Ending Book 4)
Page 9
Until you hear a strange sound coming from the trees to your right.
"What's that?"
You cock your ears, listening. "It almost sounds like... laughter."
Jerry tenses. "Uh oh. I think I know what those are."
The bushes shake.
Raise your rifles ON PAGE 98
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The eyes drift forward, suspended in the darkness. You get the distinct impression they're stalking you. Cutting off your escape.
Lightning flashes outside, giving a brief view of the room.
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The lions are slightly larger than dogs, with yellowish fur and a long tail. Another flash of lightning shows them again. They're definitely surrounding you. You're about to be out of options.
Since the door outside is now blocked, you slip through the other direction, with Jerry close on your heels. There's an interior doorway--with no door--leading into a preparation area. You recognize it as a room where zoo employees might get food ready for the animals. The ground is still cement, but there are some steel tables, and a refrigerator in the corner.
A growl sounds behind you.
Thinking fast, you throw open the door to the fridge. There are two big trays of food: the left has stacks of fish on ice, the right has raw steaks, juicy and red. The trays are big, so it'll take both of you to lift it out.
"Which food do we grab?" Jerry asks.
To take the fish, GO TO PAGE 95
To take the steaks, GO TO PAGE 68
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You rush down to the path just as a line of black, windowless vans comes roaring around the corner and into the clearing. One by one they zoom past and halt at the base of the Observation Tower. You and Jerry share a look.
The door to the first van opens. You immediately recognize the two bars on the man's uniform. Indicating the rank of Captain.
You scramble forward and salute. "Captain Beckett, sir!"
Jerry is still standing there, holding the tranquilizer rifle. Only when you clear your throat does he jump next to you and mimic the salute.
Captain Beckett eyes the two of you. He's 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.
"Sir," you begin, "a status update. We have--"
He silences you with a hand and points up to the tower. "There was just an animal there. A special animal. What happened to it?"
"Uhh." You're not sure what to say. "Well..."
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Another man hops out of the passenger side of the first van. He looks like Teddy Roosevelt come alive: tan safari uniform, round spectacles, and reddish mustache.
"It's gone! Where did it go?" He looks at you and Jerry, and the tranquilizer rifles on the ground. "Did you get it?"
The Captain clears his throat. "Rodriguez, Holman. Meet Warden Oxford. He runs the zoo."
"So we've heard," Jerry mutters.
"Unfortunately we did not get the animal," you explain. "We saw your Zoo Announcement advising to stay beyond 50 feet from Project Fusion. Since it took up a position at the top of the Tower we decided our only course of action was to attempt to shoot it from here." You hesitate for a moment. "Officer Holman was out of tranquilizer darts, so I took the shot. I missed, and the beast flew away to the west."
Jerry gawks at you. "Dude..."
You silence him with a stare.
The Warden bristles. "Project Fu... err, that animal is supposed to be classified. You're not supposed to know its name, or anything about it." He takes a long look at you and casually adds, "I don't suppose you saw it up close, did you?"
"No sir. Only from a distance."
He stared a moment longer as if deciding if you're telling the truth. "Fine. I'm extremely disappointed in your results here, officers. Beckett, I thought you sent your department's finest?"
"These are my finest officers," Beckett says gruffly.
A steady THUMP THUMP THUMP cuts the air. Moments later two military-style helicopters burst into view, shooting over you into the area above the Observation Tower. They circle around in opposite directions, shining spotlights down on the top of the Tower.
Oxford blows out his mustache. "Hrmm. Well then. I will discuss this more with you in the morning, Beckett." He turns away and pulls out a walkie talkie. "Call off the birds. It's not on the Tower anymore. The police officers scared it away..."
You groan inwardly. This was your chance and you completely blew it.
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You turn to the Captain. "Sir. I accept full responsibility for this failure."
Captain Beckett cranes his neck to stare up at the Tower. "Huh huh. You're telling me you attempted a shot from so far away, Rodriguez?"
Hesitating only a split second, you say, "Yes, sir."
He looks at Jerry. "Officer Holman, is this true?"
"I, err, uhh..." he sputters. He looks at you.
Captain Beckett laughs. "Come on now. Jerry is the best marksman in the precinct, and he's not shy about letting people know. He took the shot, didn't he?"
Sheepishly, you nod your head.
"That's a mature thing to do, Rodriguez. Taking responsibility instead of blaming your partner."
It almost sounds like he's happy, in spite of everything. "Sir?"
"Warden Oxford is a pompous oaf. He lost control of this zoo and called in a favor to have me help him. Well I'm pleased with how you two performed. You kept many of the animals from escaping, and even attempted to sedate Oxford's science project, despite all warnings and fears. I don't care if he's unhappy. Let him worry about that animal."
He puts an arm around your shoulder and leads you away. "The way an officer performs under pressure is more important than the end result. You made some good decisions tonight, Rodriguez. Now let's talk about that Lieutenant position..."
THE END
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You pull out a card from your pocket. "I've got the Snake Sanctuary Code right here."
Jerry turns a shade of white. "Uhh... do we have to go there?"
"If we want to get the Tower Token, then yes we do."
He looks like he wants to throw up, but he nods. "Okay. You, uhh, lead the way."
You follow the path and come to the Snake Sanctuary, a dark building with no windows. You punch 1-1-9 into the keypad and the door opens.
Your boots make very little noise as you stalk inside, flashlight pointed ahead of you. Rows of glass tanks line each wall, with glowing sunlamps inside. You move the flashlight around each wall, checking every single cage.
What you see makes you relax. "Hey Jerry, it's okay. It's clean in here. None of the tanks are broken."
Jerry steps inside cautiously, as if he doesn't believe you. "I still don't like snakes," he squeaks.
"That's fine. Just stay in the center of the room and watch my back while I search the office."
"I think I'd rather stay close to you, if that's okay." Jerry is standing so close you can smell his breath.
Laughing, you say, "Okay, follow me then."
Search the office ON PAGE 70
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You race back to the Power Station. Jerry grabs the piece of paper and reads it off again.
"The code is: 4, plus the number of monkeys in the Monkey Manor, divided by 4, multiplied by the number of pandas at the zoo." He looks at you. "There are two pandas in the zoo, I know that for sure."
You wrinkle your face. "And the number of monkeys in the Monkey Manor..." You think back, remembering the sign outside.
Can you figure it out?
If you know the answer, solve the riddle and TURN TO THAT PAGE
Otherwise, run back to the Monkey Manor ON PAGE 51
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This is really stupid. The cat is enormous, easily larger than you. There's no point trying to fight it unless you absolutely have to. Time to run away.
But before you have a chance to run, another sound comes from behind. You whirl and see two more lion
s, circling you from the other side. Cutting off your escape.
Surrounding you.
"So much for that," you mutter. Your hand goes to your belt to grab the pepper spray.
It's gone.
It must have fallen off my belt in the water. That's the only explanation.
The first lion takes a step forward with one of its massive paws.
Discover your fate ON PAGE 130
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You punch the code into the keypad. There's a pause, then a beep, and then the door hisses open.
Some emergency lights recessed in the ceiling bathe the square room in red. It's an armory, with racks of rifles along one wall, and a table with cattle prods and other zoo equipment. A row of lockers lines another wall with various types of suits and uniforms.
You step up to the first table and find a note from the Warden.
ZOO ANNOUNCEMENT.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, under any circumstances, approach Project Fusion within 50 feet. It moves extremely fast and without warning, so anything closer than that is too dangerous. Keep a wide range, guys. I mean it. Be safe.
-Warden Oxford
"Easier said than done," Jerry mutters.
Grab some firepower ON PAGE 144
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The shadow stops moving. It's just a silhouette, but you get the impression it's sitting down. Even from this distance, about 50 feet away, it's huge.
For a long moment you and Jerry stand there, frozen.
Slowly, inch by inch, Jerry raises his rifle. He levels it at the dark beast and takes a long breath. "Give the order," he whispers.
The animal isn't moving. It's 50 feet away. This is the best chance you're going to get. You glance at the stairs leading up to the top, and the "Tower Token Required" sign.
To order Jerry to fire, roll a die (or pick a number at random):
If you rolled a 1 or 2, TURN TO PAGE 111
If you rolled a 3, 4, 5, or 6, GO TO PAGE 165
OR, if you have the Tower Token and want to climb onto the roof, GO TO PAGE 159
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The huge beast charges, lunging at the window. Moving on instinct alone, you duck down between the window and the scaffolding.
The glass shatters and rains down on you. There's a rush of wind above you, like an industrial fan blowing across your back. A shriek cuts the sky, and for a brief heartbeat you're certain you're going to die.
Yet the noise and air moves on, the flapping of wings now farther away. You look up and see a dark silhouette moving across the sky on massive wings. It lilts as it flies, constantly rising and dropping as if it's injured. It disappears over the treetops.
"What was that?" Jerry yells.
You glance back at the window. The animal shattered the glass all around it when it exited, creating a hole ten feet across. What kind of bird is that big?
And the paws. You were certain those were paws with fur on them, but now you aren't so sure. Maybe the darkness played a trick on you.
"I don't know," you begin to tell Jerry, but then you cut off.
The hawk that swooped down on you is directly in front of you, perched just inside the window. And stuck to his talon is a white piece of paper.
The Power Station code!
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"Rodriguez?" Jerry yells. "Rodriguez, what's going on?"
Ignoring him, you lean toward the bird. It's facing you with his head cocked, as if he's curious. Please don't move, you beg. Don't attack me. Just stay there for another second. Its dark eyes watch you draw near.
Slowly you reach forward. Your finger grabs the paper.
The bird darts forward, feathers flying all around. You fall backwards onto the scaffolding platform as the hawk takes to the air, flying to freedom.
"Rodriguez? Katy? Dude, this isn't funny. Say something!"
You roll over and peer down at your partner. You thrust the paper out to him. "I got the code. And don't call me dude!"
By the time you reach the ground all the birds inside the dome are now flying out of the dome, a stream of feathers exiting the hole. "What was that thing?" Jerry asks. "Was it Project..."
"I don't know," you cut him off. "All that matters is we got the code. Let's go turn the power on!"
Head back to the Power Station ON PAGE 120
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There's a direct path from the Power Station to the Warden Hut, but it's long. You walk for ten minutes, winding a round the tall Observation Tower at the center of the zoo. "We would already have some shiny new tranquilizer rifles in our hands if we had gone to the Warden Hut first," Jerry says in the dark silence of the path.
"How do you know they're shiny and new?"
"I don't know. But we would have them." He looks at the tall trees all around. "And then I wouldn't be walking along, afraid of what might jump out at me."
"I'm not afraid," you say with just a hint of mocking. "Maybe you need some courage? Like the Cowardly Lion?"
"I'm just saying," he mutters.
You pat him on the back reassuringly. "Relax. Things are going well. We've contained several animal enclosures to the best of our abilities, have restored power to the park, and are heading to the Warden Hut now. Why do you have to be so negative?"
Somewhere distant, an animal roars.
It's a high-pitched sound, like a bird's shriek but with more muscle behind it. The tail end of the sound echoes for a few moments.
"That's why," Jerry says, meeting your gaze.
You walk in silence for a bit.
"I still wonder what it is," you say. "The footprints in the mud, and what we saw at the Bird Bastion... I swear it has paws like a cat."
"That's crazy," Jerry says. "It can fly. What kind of animal has cat paws and can fly? Oh, and is the size of a school bus?"
He's right, but you still can't shake that feeling...
A building appears ahead. "Finally," Jerry says. "The Warden Hut."
TURN TO PAGE 160
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"I trust your aim," you say. "Officer Holman, please attempt to subdue that creature from here."
His face grows serious. "Yes ma'am."
He takes aim, pointing the rifle practically vertical in the air. Project Fusion, whatever it is, shifts high above but stays in view.
Jerry takes a deep breath.
Roll a die (or pick a number at random):
If you rolled a 1 or 2, TURN TO PAGE 158
If you rolled a 3 or 4, TURN TO PAGE 149
If you rolled a 5 or 6, TURN TO PAGE 111
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"Yep, pretty simple," you agree. "Want to do the honors?"
Jerry shakes his head. "All you."
You approach the first panel. The lever has two bars, sort of like how an aircraft accelerator looks.
"Here goes." You grab it with both hands and push it toward the ceiling.
KA-CHUNK.
The mechanical sound echoes in the room for an instant, and then the entire panel lights up. The hum of machinery comes from deep within the wall. Lights blink everywhere, mostly red and yellow. Slowly they start turning green. You take that as a good sign.
"Six, seven, eight..." you count. At ten you throw the second switch. Another sound like a generator whines and more flashing indicators come to life. Easy as pie.
You count to ten again and throw the final switch.
You aren't sure what happened, but something smashes into your back. Everything is really bright for a while, and you can't seem to see anything. There's a strange burning smell too. Slowly the light fades and you see Jerry standing over you.
"Rodriguez? Rodriguez!"
He's yelling, dim at first but then louder as your hearing returns. You open your mouth to speak but only a squeak comes out.
You reach up and try to touch Jerry. That's when you see your arm. Your uniform is burned to a crisp and smoking.
"Rodriguez, you were electrocuted!"
You don't feel too bad, but Jerry insists you stay put. Now that the power is back
on he uses the phone to call Captain Beckett. He's arguing with the Captain, so you can tell he's unhappy. "You'll get that promotion another time," Jerry says when he returns. "They'll be here soon."
It's too bad, because you still want to push on, to try to do your job. But deep down you know you can't, because you've reached...
THE END
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You shake your head. "You've seen all these Zoo Announcements. Project Fusion, whatever it is, is the most important thing at the zoo. If we bring it under control we'll be heroes!"
"But the note says..."
"The note says not to come within 50 feet," you say. "We'll keep our distance. You can hit it from that far, right?"
He draws himself up indignantly. "I'm the best Marksman the Academy has seen in thirty years. Of course I can."
"Then there's no problem, is there?"
Jerry grumbles but climbs up in the seat, his upper body sticking through the sun roof. "Just drive."
You head deeper into the park toward the Observation Tower. A gazelle appears around a bend, eating some grass next to the road. You slow down enough for Jerry to aim and fire a dart. It catches the animal in the neck. The gazelle wavers and slowly falls to the grass.