Behemoth 2

by Michael Cole

  Colonel Richard Salkil had four such moments in his life. The first occurred when he was thirteen, watching television one night with his father. A normal evening turned into tragedy when his father clutched his chest and died right in front of him of a heart attack. The second was in 2004, when he returned home from an operation in Iraq, and learned that his nineteen-year-old son had been arrested for multiple breaking-and-entering charges, leading to prison time. The third time, twenty-nine months ago, Salkil arrived home only to discover divorce papers on the kitchen table, and his then-wife’s belongings all gone.

  Then there was the forth unexpected moment. Only months away from retiring after nearly thirty years of service, Colonel Salkil just hoped to milk his remaining time in the U.S. Army. He was stationed stateside, working in an office on a base. The phone conference was almost like a managers’ phone meeting for a retail chain. Meetings such as this were usually in person, but on this occasion, it was done to have several high-ranking military officials on a secure line. Just listening to a political general, who had never seen combat nor led any real battalions, flap his gums at him and whoever else was listening about national security. But it was simple, and he was glad it wasn’t in-person, because it allowed him to silently mock the General as he spoke. If that was all he had to deal with for the next four months, after many years of combat on so many different levels, he was happy to take it.

  During this phone conference, the office door opened. Salkil looked to the communications officer who entered, angrily gazing at him for both the improper entry and the inconvenient time. The officer, however, wasted no time getting to the point. He placed several papers on the desk, and the Colonel sorted through them while somewhat listening to the General. What he saw were leaked photographs that had reached the internet within the last fourteen hours. Suddenly, he didn’t hear a word the General was saying; it was no longer important. Not bothering to announce his departure from the conference, he slammed the phone down.

  “Where is it?” he asked the officer.

  “A small island, about forty miles from the coast of Georgia,” the officer said. “Pariso Marino. There’s an aquarium there. Owner’s name is William Felt.” Salkil sorted through the papers, looking at each photograph. There was no mistaking the creature, and it was too exact of a match to be a coincidental hoax. After all, nobody knew of the hybrid; at least, not until forty-eight hours ago. The last three papers were local reports of missing seamen, and other vessels surrounding the area, the latest having come in since last night.

  “Have we confirmed that these are results of IP-15?”

  “Negative, sir, but it’s likely,” the officer said. Beneath his formal composure, he was troubled. Being one of the few made aware of the project’s existence, he understood the gravity of the situation. “Do you have any suggestions on how to handle the situation?”

  “I’m working that out now, Sergeant,” Salkil said. He grabbed a phone, linking him directly to Senator Deborah Avery from South Carolina, the one who helped sign the authorization for the Warren Project, and had put him in charge of destroying all evidence after the disaster took place. The call was picked up immediately.

  “I was wondering when you were going to call,” the Senator said. Her voice was stern and unpleasant, and there was no doubt she was directing her attitude specifically at the Colonel. And so it began, another moment when Colonel Salkil, a proven veteran and commander who had seen it all, was about to be lectured by a Harvard Graduate, who never held a firearm, much less served in an infantry, about how to properly run a military unit. To his understanding, she never even held a private sector job in her life. Put through school by a millionaire family who made their fortune in the energy industry, she seemingly went straight to organizing a campaign for the SC senate. Though he was not a native of that state, Salkil found it odd that she seemed to breeze her way through the primaries until ultimately winning the general election. Something about it seemed odd, and after factoring in her family’s history, one couldn’t help but make assumptions that something occurred behind the scenes. Nevertheless, she was a senator, her first job of any sort. That spoiled attitude, which Salkil and others like him loathed, only grew worse. The Colonel exhaled quietly.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I was just notified of the leaked images. I know the location of the island where it is located.”

  “This is an embarrassment,” Avery cut him off. “You had everything you asked for; equipment worth millions of dollars; and multiple lives were lost during your attempt. And look; a simple aquarium doctor was able to subdue it. I guess I should’ve hired her to capture the thing three years ago.” As soon as she started ranting, the Colonel held the phone away from his ear, just close enough to hear the faint echo of her rambling voice. Over his many years, he had been reprimanded from superiors at every level. It was part of the job, so he accepted it. But now, he was catering to who he viewed as a whiny, spoiled brat. He especially refused to listen to any scolding regarding the lives lost, as she and the other senators, who were almost equally ignorant, did not allow him to provide sufficient information about the target, in an attempt to keep it as secret as possible. As the ranting came to a close, he returned the phone to his ear.

  “Ma’am, I’m getting straight to work on creating a clean-up operation,” he said. “It’s very important that we move fast on this. The time is…” he checked his watch, “11:15. I want authorization to take a unit for an extermination.”

  “Extermination? The thing is already contained. And so far, there doesn’t seem to be anything linking it to the Warren Project.”

  “Wait, hang on a sec,” Salkil said, allowing a sternness to come over his voice. “Are you implying that we should just leave it over there? In a civilian aquarium?”

  “Didn’t you hear me, Colonel?” Avery’s voice grew more intense. “Three years ago, we were able to cap a lid on this thing. Nobody believes the disaster at Mako’s Center actually took place, nor do they suspect we were creating biological weapons that went amok. Better yet, the whole thing has been practically forgotten. Now, so far, nobody is making the connection. All the reports indicate that they believe it’s a new species. If we start moving troops and agents into that area, we’re risking exposure in the matter again.” Salkil couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He never had respect for Senator Avery, and he always held the personal opinion that she didn’t have two brain cells to rub together. After hearing her demanded course of action, he wondered if it was literally the case. All she cared about were the interests of the Federal Government and the special interests they catered to. In other words: herself.

  “Senator, it is not a safe situation. If that thing gets loose, we’re risking many more people getting killed. That hybrid is more than capable of breaking out of an enclosure.”

  “If that happens, it will be chalked up as a simple containment incident. After all, they captured a new species without knowing anything about it. I already have teams working on statements if people start getting suspicious. But for now, the less we do the better.”

  For Salkil, that answer was unacceptable. Being near the end of his tenure, he couldn’t voice that thought. His blood sizzled to the point where his face turned red. Three years ago, he pursued the hybrid. Many Navy lives were lost. To top it off, he found himself with no choice but to rain hellfire missile on a civilian yacht in order to ‘kill’ the creature. It was perhaps the worst moment of his career, and as he had recently discovered, it was for nothing. Now, all that the Senator wanted to do was sit and wait, hoping nobody would link the hybrid’s discovery with the tragic incidents years prior. Incidents, which if ever came to light, would be attached to the Colonel’s name. ‘Hoping’ wasn’t good enough for Salkil.

  “Roger that,” he said. “You know where to reach me,” he remarked. The Senator hung up without making her farewell. Salkil was grateful, as it spared him from having to listen to another sentence from the moron. He looked a
t the phone before putting it in his pocket. He took a seat and looked down at one of the lower cabinets of his desk. He dug a key from his shirt pocket and started to lean down toward the cabinet. About halfway to it, Salkil then looked up, noticing the Sergeant still in the room. “Thank you, Sergeant, you are dismissed.” The Sergeant took the hint and left, shutting the door behind him. The Colonel unlocked the small door, pulling out a phone. It was an old phone, basically an old fashioned 90’s flip phone. However, it contained only a couple of specific numbers. He selected the one he desired and sent the call.

  “Thank you for calling REUBEN’S. Which location would you like to book your trip?”

  “Would you recommend Niagara Falls, or Devil’s Tower?” Salkil responded. There was a slight pause before the line went on hold. After a few more seconds passed, another voice answered the line.

  “Colonel Salkil?”

  “Lieutenant Hendricks,” Salkil greeted the former Navy Lieutenant, who he had personally visited on many hospital visits since their last operation. “It’s been a while.”

  “Yes, sir, it has,” Hendricks said. “What do I owe the pleasure?”

  “Well, I figured you’d be interested in something,” Salkil said. “I got some photos here of an old friend I believe you’re a bit familiar with.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “Let’s just say, this guy took you for a bite.” Salkil hoped the remark wasn’t too inappropriate. He could imagine the former Lieutenant placing his remaining hand over the healed stub where his left arm used to be. He knew, however, that Hendricks was bitter about it. After all, it ended his career in the U.S. Navy, and made opening ketchup bottles a real pain.

  “It’s still alive?”

  “Yes. How many men do you have?”

  “I’ll get everybody,” Hendricks said. “Any advice on equipment?”

  “That’ll be the tricky part, but it’s essential,” Salkil said. “We’re going to need choppers if you have them. It’s kind of a ways, so we’re going to need a sea worthy vessel that’ll carry them. You know of the Pyramid?”

  “Yes?”

  “You think you can commandeer it?”

  “Damn right I can.”

  “Good. I’ll handle the legalities of it. Now listen, here’s what we’ll need….”

  CHAPTER

  24

  Another phone call to Nelson resulted in no answer as Forster drove to the station, heightening a concern. Once she arrived, she had spoken to an officer at the front desk, who informed her that he was on police business. When Forster asked what the call was, the officer refused to tell her. Matters such as this were need-to-know only. This only made Forster more intent on speaking to the Chief, and she opted to wait.

  The wait proved long. Whatever Nelson was handling, it was no small matter. Another thing that caught her attention was the massive influx of calls that she overheard coming in. Forster was by no means aware of exactly how busy the island police were on an average day, but judging by the demeanor of the officers that passed in and out, as well as the desk officers and dispatchers, something was going on that monopolized their time. A police officer came in and entered the electronically locked door, which latched shut behind him. Forster watched through the glass window as he spoke to one of the desk officers, who looked puzzled at whatever he was telling her. After he was done speaking to her, another call rang in. The call-taker took it, and quickly turned to the officer and called his attention. He gave a nod and quickly started moving out the door, passing by Forster. A transmission blared over his radio.

  “We have another one by Cove Pedro.”

  “Ten-four, I’m on my way over. Dispatch, please update the EPA.”

  “Ten-four, Chief.”

  Forster tried to appear as if she didn’t overhear, not that it would matter. The officers were occupied. Forster waited a few more minutes and finally stood up from the chair. She stepped to the window.

  “I see you’re busy,” she said. “I’ll speak to him another time.” The officer replied only with a small nod, enough to inform Forster that her lie was believed. Forster returned to her vehicle, and quickly assessed her phone. She knew Cove Pedro was on the south side of the island but wasn’t familiar with the exact location.

  Well, if I see flashing lights, I’ll know I’m in the right spot. She started the car and quickly steered out of the lot.

  ********

  Red and blue flickered in the distance ahead as Forster drove along a dirt road. This section of the island almost looked like an old country town in the Midwest, except the area was crowded with tropical trees instead of oak. Dust kicked up behind her car, and dirt crushed under her tires. She was extra grateful for her phone, as she would have been otherwise lost in these series of back roads.

  The police vehicle was parked where another road dead ended with the street she was on. There was nobody inside it, but no barriers closing off the road. Forster slowly turned and followed a narrow path until the trees started clearing up. Sunlight illuminated the cove, which was a narrow inlet of ocean water. At its widest point, where it opened out into the ocean, it was barely a hundred feet. The end of it came to a near perfectly shaped point, like that of a dagger increased exponentially in size. The road ended at this point. A dirty beach lined the thin shore on both sides of the point, not a particularly popular place for people to swim, especially with a much more luxurious beach a few miles east. At the dead end, Forster looked ahead. Another police vehicle had parked along the beach, having dipped into the water level to get there. The flashers were switched off, and three cops stood beside it. Chief Nelson, unmistakable in her eyes, stood in the middle. He seemed to speak into his radio, while he and the other two officers stared out into the ocean.

  Forster drew a breath as she followed their gazes. Looking into the body of water, she saw three patrol boats forming a perimeter. Several black bodies, almost as big as the boats, floated between them. She switched off the ignition and started walking along the shore. With a closer look, she recognized the floating bodies. As her view changed, she recognized there were more which were blocked by the boats.

  “Oh my…” she cupped her mouth. An entire pod of dead killer whales floated before her eyes. Though many meters out, they were unmistakable to her. The sight was horrific, possibly the worst thing she had ever seen. It looked as if a massacre had taken place. The mammals bobbed in the current, which led them closer to shore. She scanned the water, trying to get a count of the bodies, when her gaze swept back over the cops. They were looking at her, and she could see from their expressions that they were wondering why she was there. Chief Nelson started making his way over to her. Forster raised her hand to wave, but the gruesome sight caused her to shiver.

  “Hi, Chief…”

  “What are you doing here, Julie?” Nelson asked. Judging by both his look and tone, he was exhausted and not in the mood for nonsense. His uniform shirt was worn and dirty. The pants below the knees looked damp, as if they had been drying in the sun after stepping into the water. In addition to that, she suspected he was still displeased with her for going out after the shark.

  “Chief…I’m sorry, I didn’t know about this…” she stuttered. “I needed to talk to you about something. You didn’t answer your phone.”

  “That should’ve told you something right there,” he said. “If you have an emergency, you have to call 9-1-1, and they’ll…”

  “It’s not that kind of emergency,” she said. “It’s about that shark…” Nelson stared at her, waiting for the clarification. “I’m worried it might not be the only one.” Nelson’s demeanor suddenly changed. It was a bizarre display of emotion. On the one hand, he looked increasingly worried, but there was a side of him that seemed relieved. Forster immediately knew why. “You think so too, don’t you?”

  “You obviously know of the sinkings,” he said. “I don’t believe in coincidences like that. And this…” he looked over his shoulder at the floating gra
veyard. “Nothing out there can do this.”

  “I don’t think so either. Are there bite marks on them?”

  Nelson nodded, “All of them. Each of them has been gutted. Chunks just ripped straight out of the bellies. Flippers and tails ripped off. It’s horrible. By the way…” he pulled out a clear plastic bag from his coat pocket. Inside of it was a long, yellow tag, meaning a researcher had been keeping track of the pod, or at least one of its members. “We already got in touch with whoever was tracking this pod. They’ll be sending someone out to investigate the matter.”

  “Anyone else missing?” Forster asked. Usually, Nelson’s first reaction would be to inform someone asking these questions that policing is his job. However, this was a unique situation, and Nelson realized her insight was valuable.

  “Three fishermen, which you obviously heard in the news. We dredged the water but found nothing but debris. This morning, some guy was playing with his dog, playing fetch in the water. The dog went after the ball, never came out.” He took a breath, feeling overwhelmed. “So, that’s why you’re here? To tell me you think there’s another one of those things out there?” Forster answered with a quiet nod.

  “There’s something else,” Forster said. She paused, concerned that she was going to sound foolish. However, with Nelson clearly not in the most patient of moods, she got straight to the point. “I have a suspicion where these things came from.” Nelson perked his head.

  “Really?”

  “I think they’re, uh…they might be…” she stuttered, fearing she’d sound crazy. “Oh, fuck it! Did you hear of the thing that took place in the Mako’s Ridges Island chain a few years back?” Nelson looked at her, wondering if she was being serious, then chuckled.