That aside, the Kaiju, Daikaiju, and Operation Red Dragon were now out in the open, their images now being seen in homes all over the world. Vietnam and the Cold War were no longer anyone’s primary concerns. Just like that, mankind now knew that monsters were real, and they were far greater than anything previously imagined.
The whole time, Richard was keenly aware of the one theme uniting every report.
Fear.
The discovery of monsters, government conspiracies, or people with superhuman powers would have been enough to shock the world individually, but all three happening at once…Richard had to admit, it was terrifying to anyone on the outside of it.
If people knew what Richard knew about the Daikaiju and Operation Red Dragon, if he could explain it to them as someone for whom this was just as new and strange, but who had learned more by being in the thick of it, maybe they would not be afraid.
Well, perhaps they would be afraid no matter what, but they would also have a certain level of security knowing that not all of these strange new things were evil.
The shuttle in which he sat, similar to the one which had whisked him to the Akira in the first place, was flying high over the mountains that framed San Francisco Bay, not far from the Golden Gate Bridge. Although Nancy and Daisuke had accompanied him on the ride, they had been silent for most of the trip as they had listened to the news reports.
Now that they were over land, Nancy finally spoke to Richard. “Well, that’s all for now,” she said. “God knows it’s not the end, but we should have a bit of a lull in kaiju activity for the time being. I don’t suppose you have any other questions before we part ways, Richard?”
Richard started to shake his head in a negative answer, but then something struck him. It had been bothering him from the very beginning, from the moment he had found himself in the company of monsters and madmen, but up until this point, things had been too hectic and confusing for him to voice it. Now was his chance. “Actually, there is one last thing,” he said, which was partly a lie; he still had many questions even now, but this was the only one that mattered at the moment. “Why me?”
“Pardon?”
Richard scratched his head as he articulated his question. “What am I doing here? Why show me all of this? You guys brought me into your crazy world of demigods and conspiracies, gave me all of this information about the monsters and the nature of the world, but now that it’s over, what am I supposed to do? I mean, Operation Red Dragon is still officially classified, isn’t it?”
A strange look glinted in Nancy’s eyes. “Huh. You’re right, we are still classified, and you’re a civilian.” She shook her head slowly. “Well dang,” she said, her tone as flat as ever. “I guess that means I have to kill you.”
Nancy reached into her jacket, and Richard panicked. “Wait a minute!” he shouted as he leapt from his chair to take shelter behind it. “What if I promise not to tell anyone? I know I’m a reporter, but I can be quiet! I swear!”
Nancy removed her hand from her jacket. Richard expected to see a gun.
Instead, Nancy held a pack of gum.
Richard remained motionless as he watched Nancy open the pack, pop a stick of gum into her mouth, and begin chewing. He blinked as his heart continued racing from the scare he had just been subjected to. “Wha-” he stammered. “What the- That wasn’t funny!”
“Yes it was,” Nancy said, a mischievous smile on her face. She extended the pack to Richard. “Want some? It’s spearmint.”
Richard simply stared at Nancy with an expression that silently conveyed his desire to call her a psychopath, along with several other incredibly rude and unflattering words.
“Anyway, that is a good question,” Nancy said as she pocketed her gum. “You saw the news on the way here, of course. The world has been forever changed as of last night. Humanity now knows that gods walk the Earth, and let me tell you, Richard, they are terrified. They don’t know what’s going on. They don’t know that some of the Daikaiju mean us no harm. They don’t know about us and our role in things, and unfortunately, we can’t say anything about it. Even though everyone knows about us now, we’re still sworn to secrecy until the UN says otherwise.” She shook her head. “God only knows how long it’ll take the most stubborn bureaucrats in the whole world to make that call.”
She raised her index finger and pointed at Richard. “You, however, aren’t sworn to secrecy. We always knew something like this would happen one day, you understand. You can only keep hordes of giant city destroying monsters a secret for so long. It’s kind of funny, really; at first, nearly all of us in Operation Red Dragon thought that all the monsters were a threat, too. Obviously, we changed our minds the longer we stayed the course, but that took years of research and patience. If the everyday people are scared and want something done about the Daikaiju, the governments of Earth will listen to them, not us.”
She leaned back in her chair. “You’re our new mouthpiece, Richard Godfrey. You know the truth, and you’re a reporter, which means you’re going to spread the good word for us. Sell it to the papers, go on TV, write a book…do whatever you think is the best way to disseminate the truth. You came highly recommended, after all.” Nancy glanced ahead in the cabin to where Daisuke Armitage sat, writing his own notes on what had happened, before continuing. “Now that you’ve been in the belly of the beast, there’s no one on the planet more qualified for the job.”
All of this sunk in, and even though it made a kind of sense to Richard, a worrying thought struck him. “Won’t that get me in trouble? Wouldn’t every government in the world come gunning for me? I’m not a Red Dragon, sure, but if I’m spilling government secrets…”
“We’ve got your back,” Nancy said, her words punctuated with a wave of her hand as if she were physically swatting the thought from Richard’s mind like a fly buzzing around his head. “As you’ve seen, we’re more than willing to toss the rulebook out the window when we deem it necessary, and we’re in good with the most powerful creatures alive. Anyone who tries messing with you will regret it.”
A gentle bump signaled that the shuttle had landed, and Nancy rose immediately to guide Richard to the door. “Besides,” she continued, “it’s not as though we’re leaving you alone.”
The hatch opened, and Richard was stunned to discover that the shuttle had landed in the very heart of San Francisco, on the helipad of a skyscraper which he could not immediately identify being atop it. There was a well-dressed man standing at the bottom of the ramp as though he were expecting the ship’s arrival, which he no doubt was. He appeared to be Chinese, if Richard had to guess, and he wore a badge on his shirt which bore the emblem of Operation Red Dragon.
“Mr. Godfrey, I presume?” he said. “Michael Sun, Red Dragon liaison. I’ll be keeping an eye on you from here on out.”
As Richard nodded towards the newcomer, for he wasn’t sure how else to acknowledge him, Nancy slapped him on the back and delivered her parting words. “That’s your new assignment. Go forth and spread the new gospel, Richard Godfrey.”
Once he had descended the ramp, the shuttle took off, leaving Richard and Michael Sun alone atop the building.
As Richard watched the shuttle depart, he considered the words Nancy had used to describe his task. Gods. New gospel. The good word. The whole thing sounded almost religious to him, and in a way, perhaps it was. Richard had, quite literally, been taken into the sky, shown wonders beyond his wildest imaginings, and had learned an awesome truth, which he was now going to impart to the people, almost like a…
Like a prophet.
The full importance of his task struck him, and the greatest clarity he had ever experienced filled his mind.
Yes, that was the best word to describe his new task. He was a prophet, one chosen to enlighten the masses. That was the real path he had begun so long ago when he first heard Daisuke Armitage’s special lecture.
Richard Godfrey’s spirit filled with purpose. Yes, he would report it. All of it. H
e knew in his heart that this was what he was born to do.
“I can only imagine how many UFO sightings they’re causing right now,” said Michael Sun as he watched the shuttle depart. “You still have the recording devices they gave you?”
Richard nodded, removing the odd recording stick from his pocket as he did.
“Good,” Mike continued. “I’ve got the tech to adapt it for the rest of the world.” He paused for a moment as he mulled something over in his mind, then he decided to voice his thoughts. “For the sake of full disclosure, Mr. Godfrey, I originally saw the act of bringing you aboard for this job as nothing short of treason, but over the past few days I’ve had my eyes opened. It’s hard to get up close and personal with a Titan and not be changed.”
That caught Richard’s attention. “Were you in Tokyo?”
“Nevada,” Mike replied. “I guess that’s one of the many things we have to talk about.”
EPILOGUE I
Nancy sat beside Daisuke Armitage, who stared out the window with that same stoic expression he always wore. They were both silent as the shuttle took off, and they were back over the open sea when Daisuke finally spoke.
“Since I wasn’t present the whole time, I’m curious,” he said. “Exactly how much does Richard Godfrey know about everything we’re really doing?”
Nancy poured some tea into a cup and took a sip before answering. “He knows everything he needs to know in order to do his job. That’s what matters.”
“And when, if ever, will he learn the rest?”
Nancy shrugged. “Next time.”
Neither of them knew that “next time” would come much sooner than either of them would have guessed.
EPILOGUE II
Somewhere in the deepest trenches of the Pacific Ocean, Barracudasaurus was alive, but he was healing far too slowly for his liking. He wanted to strike again. He wanted vengeance, and he wanted it now.
His subjects had brought him to a hidden place to heal. It was a building, similar to what the ancient humans might have built, except humans had not had a hand in making it. This structure was already old when the humans first walked the Earth. Also, it was ludicrously huge.
Only the beasts who roamed the seas knew this building existed, and they knew there was power there.
It was reasoned, then, that this power might help Barracudasaurus heal.
The mighty fish-lizard was carefully deposited at a gaping entryway that was large enough for him to fit through. His tail weakly swayed back and forth, which propelled him further inside.
Then he stopped suddenly.
A pair of massive eyes stared back at him from the darkness. They were glowing, and they glared at him maliciously.
Barracudasaurus tried to turn, a difficult task with two broken arms and a fractured spinal column.
Legions of tentacles lashed out from where the eyes watched, wrapped around Barracudasaurus’ entire giant frame, and dragged him into the blackness.
Whatever dwelled in the structure was awake.
And it had plans of its own.
GLOSSARY
(The) Akira: A futuristic flying battleship designed in Japan and built in America. Serves as the mobile base for Operation Red Dragon.
Allorex: A dinosaur Daikaiju, overseer of the dinosaur Kaiju, and enemy of mankind. Identified by his nasal horn and appearance that resembles both an Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus.
Andrea: The Daikaiju matron of pterodactyls and protector of mankind. Identified by a distinct horn on her beak.
Armadagger: An armadillo-like Daikaiju and protector of mankind. Identified by his spiky carapace.
Barracudasaurus: A reptilian-piscine hybrid Daikaiju, overseer of sea monsters, and enemy of mankind. Identified by his silver scales and pronounced underbite.
Captain Hirata Catigiri: A silent young soldier of Operation Red Dragon, often serving as General Tsujimori’s right hand man.
Chakra: A young Japanese woman turned into a yokai by Unit 731 during World War II. Incapable of dying. Skilled pilot. Identified by her green hair and canine attributes (ears and tail).
CIGOR (Cybernetically Integrated Giant Ornitho Robot): Somewhat avian Daikaiju made into a cyborg. He is a protector of mankind. Identified by his mostly-mechanical body, including scissor hands and eye visor.
Colonel George F. Stingray: A military colonel stationed at Groom Lake to oversee the construction and launch of Panzer Indigo. Identified by his striking resemblance to Douglass MacArthur.
Daikaiju: Japanese for “giant strange beast”. Refers to singular megafauna exceeding 100 ft. in height.
Doctor Daisuke Armitage: A stoic paranormal investigator of Japanese-American descent. Currently a consultant with Operation Red Dragon. Rumored to be immortal. Identified by his antiquarian attire.
Exoskel: An insectoid Daikaiju, overseer of insect Kaiju, and enemy of mankind. Identified by his spork-shaped forelimbs.
General Ishiro Tsujimori: A Japanese soldier experimented on by Unit 731 during World War II. Able to conduct and generate electricity. Currently a commander of Operation Red Dragon. Identified by his neatly-pressed uniform and purple gloves.
Groom Lake: A secret base where the United States government constructed Panzer Indigo, and possibly other things. Also called Area 51 or Dreamland. Not officially acknowledged by the government as of 1964.
Kaiju: Japanese for “strange beast”. Refers to megafauna species under 100 ft. in height.
Kozerah: The most powerful Daikaiju on record and a protector of mankind. Identified by his red scales, razor horns above eyes, and spikes on his tail.
(The) Kuroga: An experimental stealth fighter used by Operation Red Dragon. Name is Japanese for “black moth”.
Michael Sun: The official liaison between Operation Red Dragon and all world governments and military units. Identified by his no-nonsense attitude.
Nancy Boardwalk: An American task marshal in Operation Red Dragon, mostly acts as X’s right hand woman. Identified by her usually calm demeanor.
Operation Red Dragon: A covert task force put together by the United Nations to neutralize Kaiju attacks. Current members include General Ishiro Tsujimori, X, Nancy Boardwalk, Captain Hirata Catigiri, Chakra, Dr. Daisuke Armitage, and Michael Sun.
Panzer Indigo: A large humanoid robot made at Groom Lake. It was designed for the sole purpose of killing Daikaiju. Identified by a cheesy grin and purple highlights on its armor.
Rabu Nii: An island in the South Pacific where dinosaur Kaiju roam. Removed from all maps by Operation Red Dragon and declared a Q zone.
Richard Godfrey: A reporter specializing in accounts of the paranormal recruited by Operation Red Dragon to report the truth about the Daikaiju. Identified by his often bewildered state.
Sam Sigma: The head of Research and Development at Groom Lake. Identified by how utterly unlikable he is.
Tokyo: Capital city of Japan which served as a battlefield for the Daikaiju.
Wanirah: A crocodilian Daikaiju, overseer of reptilian Kaiju (not dinosaurs) and enemy of mankind. Identified by the strange horns and fins on his body.
X: An American cyborg soldier with enhanced healing engineered during World War II. Identified by his black trench coat and fedora. Currently a commander in Operation Red Dragon.
CHARACTER GALLERY
The following pages are drawings of the various Daikaiju and major human players of the story you have just read. This is about as close as I can get to visually realizing the images in my imagination. Yes, I am more of a cartoonist than an illustrator, but it is a style which I think fits the story perfectly. Who knows? This might make an excellent piece of animation one day…
(NOTE: The word “acerodactyl” on Andrea’s page is a term I used to describe what kind of pterosaur she is. The name is derived from aceros, a genus of hornbill native to Southeast Asia, upon which her design is based.)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Although rarely photographed, eyewitnesses describe RYAN GEOR
GE COLLINS as a tall, hairy biped frequently seen wearing hats which went out of style when the Sixties began. A natural born entertainer and storyteller, he has devoted a large chunk of his life to theatrical performance, improvisational performance, puppeteering, and internet video production as the Omni Viewer. This book – inspired by his lifelong interest in kaiju eiga, paranormal investigation, and his Christian faith – is his first officially published work. He lives in Maine, literally minutes away from Master of Horror Stephen King, who has yet to return his calls.
Operation Red Dragon: The Daikaiju Wars: Part One Page 18