Mega 3: When Giants Collide (Mega Series) (19 page)

Ballantine looked Thorne directly in the eyes.

“How do I extricate myself from this problem?” Ballantine asked.

“By being disappointed,” Thorne grinned. “Time to ‘fess up, Ballantine. I’m no longer affording you the luxury of your secrets.”

“I didn’t know you were affording me anyt-” Ballantine started, but stopped as Thorne let the glass nick him slightly. “Okay, okay, Commander, you win. You will get your information, but not just yet.”

“Why not just yet?” Thorne asked.

“Because we’re here,” Lake said. “We’ve reached the coordinates.”

“Holy shit,” Gunnar said as he looked out the bridge windows.

“Is that an island?” Kinsey asked. “Where are the binoculars?”

“Here,” Darren said as he fetched them from beside Lake.

“Hey!” Lake protested. “I’m going to need those!”

“You’ll get them back,” Darren said.

Thorne turned and looked over his shoulder, but didn’t move the broken glass from Ballantine’s throat a single millimeter.

“An island? You have been leading us to an island all this time?” Thorne asked as he slowly, very slowly eased his grip on Ballantine, and then stepped back exactly three paces. “I expect you to tell me exactly why you couldn’t just say we were going to an island.”

“Because that’s not just an island,” Ballantine said.

“Looks like an island to me,” Lake said.

“Then what is it?” Darren asked.

“Paradise,” Ballantine smiled. “I suggest everyone get ready to disembark. The clock is ticking and our foe will be here shortly. We’ll want to be ready for it because now the endgame begins.”

“I fucking hate you,” Thorne said as he stared at the island that was getting closer and closer by the second.

***

“Can we trust them not to try to sink us?” Shane asked Lucy as he sat up in the crow’s nest, watched the former crew of the Monkey Balls hurry about the deck of the B3, and get it ready for docking.

“Well, that’s why we have these,” Lucy said as she patted her rifle, “and that’s why they have those.”

She nodded down at Kinsey, Darby, Darren and Thorne, who all stood on the deck with their weapons trained on the captive men.

“Why would they try to sink us?” Lucy asked. “Where else are they going to go? Do you see any other ships docked there?”

Shane looked out at the fast approaching small bay that had one dock, and quite a nice looking white sand beach that bordered a tropical jungle tree line with a small mountain beyond. Other than the dock, there wasn’t a single sign of civilization of any type.

“Yeah, I guess the B3 is the only game in town,” Shane said. “Still, I’d rather we use our own crew.”

“They’re busy below decks,” Lucy shrugged. “Without Popeye running their asses, it’s a little chaotic.”

“Whatever,” Shane replied, “as long as I can get off this ship and onto dry land, I’m cool. That fucking shark is still coming and I’d rather not be on the water when it gets here.”

“Who says it can’t get you on land? It is a freak of nature,” Lucy smiled. “Maybe it has legs tucked up its ass.”

“Don’t even fucking think that,” Shane snapped. “I do not need that image in my head.” He groaned. “Dammit! Now I’ve got that image in my head!”

“My job here is done,” Lucy laughed.

***

“I never thought I’d see this place again,” Tank Top said quietly to Bokeem. The two men were the exceptions to the Monkey Balls crew helping dock the B3. Both men had been bound and tied together and sat back to back only a few feet from Thorne. “Especially since I could never find this place.”

“Good thing Ballantine led us right to it,” Bokeem said. “Saved us the hassle of capturing and torturing him. He just drove us right up to the front door.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Thorne growled.

“Yes, Commander, right away, Commander,” Tank Top joked.

“Fuck you, merc,” Thorne snapped.

“Why you gotta be so hurtful, Commander?” Tank Top asked. “It’s hard being a mercenary. Just no love in the world for men like us anymore.”

“I’m not like you,” Thorne said.

“No, no, I wasn’t saying that,” Tank Top replied. “I meant like Bokeem and myself.”

He physically rocked his head back to indicate Bokeem and the two men ended up knocking skulls.

“Ow!” they both said.

“Fucking be careful, Tank,” Bokeem grumbled.

“Sorry,” Tank Top said. “I think I bit my tongue.”

“Too fucking bad,” Thorne said and turned his attention back to the dock that was only a few meters from the bow.

Tank Top ran his tongue across his back right molar and felt the fresh crack in the tooth. He would have smiled, but he didn’t want to draw attention to the fact he’d used the head bonk as a distraction for intentionally cracking open his molar and activating a hidden homing device.

“All hands to the port side!” Lake called over the loudspeaker. “I’ve cut the engines and we are coasting in from here!”

The Monkey Balls’ crew hurried to the port side and got ready to jump onto the dock as soon as they could so they could secure the ship immediately. It was obvious to all that they didn’t want to be on the water with a giant shark chasing after them any more than anyone else did.

Chapter 7- Hostile Takeover

“Fucking watch the leg!” Max yelled as he was carried on a stretcher down the gangplank of the B3 and onto the dock. “Dude! Pain! Pain hurts! Pain in leg! Hurts! Pain bad!”

“Is fire bad?” Shane laughed as he held the end of the stretcher closest to Max’s head.

“Fire bad too!” Max said. “Fire bring pain! Pain hurt! Pain bad! Fire bad! Max no like fire pain bad hurt!”

“Fire spark doobie,” Shane said.

“Oooooh, fire spark doobie,” Max said. “Fire good!”

“You two are cracking me up,” Lucy said from the other end of the stretcher. “Which is not a good thing, since I lose strength when I laugh and if I lose strength, then I’ll end up dumping your ass into that bay, Max.”

“Dumping ass bad!” Max yelled. “Bay wet! Wet good? Mmmm, wet good! Where’s Darby? Max like wet good!”

“Shut up,” Darby scolded as she walked behind the line of captured crewmembers, her rifle trained on their backs. “I need to concentrate right now.”

“Concentrate bad!” Max replied. “Concentrate work! Work hurt! Work bad!”

Lucy started laughing and almost dropped her end of the stretcher.

“See?” she giggled. “You are so going in that water.”

“Yeah, I don’t want that,” Max said seriously. “That fucking shark is still in there.”

“Shark bad,” Shane said. “Shark hurt.”

The three snipers laughed as Kinsey walked by.

“You guys are fucked up,” she said as she hurried past them, Darby, the line of captives, and up to where Ballantine stood with Thorne, while Tank Top and Bokeem stood off to the side, still lashed together.

“This is a nice beach,” Thorne said from the edge of the dock as it met the glittering white sand, “but we’ll need more than an open beach that leads into a jungle. I’m thinking shelter, food, a source of fresh water, you know, the basics.”

“If all you want are the basics then be prepared to be the disappointed again, Commander,” Ballantine grinned, “because there is nothing basic about any of this.”

He grinned and looked towards the jungle. Thorne turned and looked as well, waited, waited some more, then sighed and shook his head.

“I’m going to shoot you now, Ballantine,” Thorne said.

“What?” Ballantine asked, looking genuinely hurt. “Can a man not gaze upon beauty without the impatient about him threatening acts of violence?”

“No,” Thorne said.

“Okay, very well,” Ballantine shrugged as he pulled a phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and waited. “It’s ringing.”

“I thought we got rid of all the phones in case they were being traced?” Kinsey asked.

“Oh, this is my personal phone,” Ballantine said. “I would never get rid of this. Impossible to trace.”

“No phone is impossible to trace,” Thorne responded.

“Mine is,” Ballantine said. “Oh, hello... Yes, we have arrived… That would be excellent… Thank you… I look forward to seeing you as well… Right… In just a second… You have to hang up first, Doctor… Yes… Okay. Goodbye.”

He laughed and tucked the phone back into his pocket.

“Scientists,” he said, “not always the best when it comes to social skills.”

“Hey, I resent that,” Gunnar said as he and Darren walked up behind everyone.

“Where’re the rest?” Kinsey asked as she looked down the dock. “The elves?”

“They are remaining on the B3,” Ballantine said and put his finger to his lips. “Shhhh, it’s a secret plan of mine. Don’t tell anyone.”

“I am going to shoot you,” Thorne said. “I really am if you don’t knock this shit off.”

“You really are going to have to learn to relax, Commander,” Ballantine said. “Especially with all the added risk of health issues for a man your age.”

“Were you listening in on us?” Darren asked.

“Yes,” Ballantine said and help up a finger, “now be quiet and don’t spoil this for me, it’s my favorite part.”

Before Darren could protest, part of the jungle began to shiver and it became quickly apparent to all of them that they weren’t looking at just a jungle, but a projected image of one bookended by the real jungle.

“Son of a bitch,” Tank Top whispered to Bokeem. “No wonder we were never allowed onto the beach.”

“It’s beautiful,” Ballantine said as a massive metal wall was revealed that stretched at least forty feet into the air. “Now, let’s get everyone inside before some stupid Google satellite takes a picture. I may have the pull to task every other damn satellite in the sky from this area, but even I can’t make Google do what I want.”

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Gunnar said.

“Okay, I am,” Ballantine laughed, “Google isn’t outside my reach. Not by a long shot.”

“What are we looking at?” Thorne asked.

“That little old thing?” Ballantine replied as he pointed at the wall. “Just the front door to one of the most advanced biological research facilities on the planet. Possibly in the galaxy, but I’d be a little presumptuous with that claim.”

“Fucking be straight with me!” Thorne yelled.

“How about I just be honest?” Ballantine said as he turned to the Commander. “What is inside that building is science that you cannot wrap your mind around. You have done a fair job putting bullets in that science, but you haven’t come close to touching it with your mind. I’m about to correct that.”

Before them, at the base of the wall, were several massive bay doors with one small, normal door in the center between them all. The door opened and a man in a lab coat came hurrying out. He had a head of wild hair that billowed about him like salt and pepper colored electricity. His face was etched and lined with deep crags and furrows, showing him to be much older than any of the people he rushed to meet. He wore Bermuda shorts and a bright yellow t-shirt under the lab coat with only flip-flops on his feet. His feet kicked up sand as he went, then he stopped just as he got to the first plank of the dock.

“Mr. Ballantine!” the man asked. “It is an honor to see you again!”

The man hurried forward and offered his hand. Ballantine shook it enthusiastically.

“You are probably the very first person to say that,” Ballantine said.

“Oh, I doubt that, I doubt that, yes I do!” the man said as he continued to shake Ballantine’s hand.

“Folks, this is Dr. Boris Kelnichov,” Ballantine said as he pulled his hand back. The man kept shaking his up and down for a second even after Ballantine’s was no longer in its grasp.  Then he blanched and tucked his hand into one of the pockets of his lab coat. Ballantine grinned and turned to everyone else. “Let me introduce everyone to you, Doctor.”

“No need, no need,” Boris replied. “Commander Vincent Thorne, his daughter Kinsey, her ex-husband Darren Chambers, their gay childhood friend, Dr. Gunnar Peterson, and…” He looked over at Tank Top and Bokeem, “they look familiar, but I don’t know them.”

“That’s a good thing, Doctor,” Ballantine said. “There is no need to know them and I’d be worried if you did.”

“Why are they tied up?” Boris asked.

“Aren’t we all tied up in some way, Boris?” Ballantine smiled.

The doctor pursed his lips at Ballantine’s words then broke out laughing.

“Yes, yes, yes, I suppose we all are!” Boris said as he clapped his hands together. “This is going to be great! Wonderful! Finally, I can show you my triumphs and not just my failures!”

“Failures? Triumphs? What the fuck is he talking about and where the fuck are we, Ballantine?” Thorne asked.

Boris took a few steps back and held his hands to his chest. His eyes had been twinkling with delight, but that delight was quickly replaced by fear.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ballantine,” he exclaimed. “Have I said too much? I didn’t think a simple statement like that would violate my non-disclosure agreement. If it has, then it was purely unintentional, I can assure you. Have I assured you? I do hope I have. I most certainly do hope I have.”

“Stop,” Ballantine said, “first, it’s just Ballantine, we’ve been over that. Second, you haven’t violated anything. If you had I would have been the first to know and the first to tell you so. Have I told you so?”

“No, Ballantine, you have not,” Boris nodded.

“Good!” Ballantine replied and clapped. “Now, how about we get the tour? It’s been a while since I’ve seen the facility, so most of this will be new to me, as well as to everyone else.”

“What about them?” Thorne asked as he nodded towards Tank Top and Bokeem.

“Oh, please bring them along,” Ballantine said. “I think they will be pleased with the tour as well. The rest of their crew can remain behind with the snipers, but these two will certainly need to join us.”

***

They entered through the small door and walked for several minutes along a concrete hallway before they came to another door.

“Now, I have to warn you,” Boris said, “the first time can be disorienting because of the open nature of the facility. Personally, I wouldn’t have designed it this way, but it wasn’t my money that built it and it wasn’t my choice to make. No offense, Ballantine.”

“None taken,” Ballantine smiled as he gestured towards the keypad by the door. “If you will do the honors.”

Boris typed in a series of eighteen numbers and the door clicked unlocked. A bright light filtered from the door as Boris grinned broadly and grabbed the knob, pulling the door all the way open.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Boris said, “I give you The Menagerie.”

“The Menagerie?” Ballantine laughed. “You named it.”

“I thought it needed a name,” Boris replied. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Ballantine said and gestured for everyone to go through. “Don’t be shy.”

One by one they entered into an enormous atrium that stretched over two hundred feet into the air. Despite the height, there were only three levels to the space, but it quickly became apparent to everyone why that was.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Gunnar said as he spun about and stared at what the levels held.

Made up of what looked like thick glass, each level was comprised of several cells. The cells were of various sizes, but instead of holding people, they held animals, many of which the stunned guests could not identify. Except for Gunnar.

“Is that a megatherium?” Gunnar asked, as he pointed at a cell on the ground level where a huge animal was busy standing up to reach the large leaves of some type of palm tree within its enclosure. “That can’t be!”

He ran past that cell and pointed at the next, then the next and the next.

“Gigantopithecus! Deinotherium! Aepycamelus!” Gunnar exclaimed.

“Well, good to see someone did their assigned homework,” Ballantine said.

“I thought, I thought, I thought,” Gunnar stuttered.

“Did you?” Darren laughed.

“I thought you wanted me to study these creatures because we might have to fight them,” Gunnar said to Ballantine.

“Fight them?” Boris asked, shocked. “Not these gentle giants. You’d more than likely scare them off. No, the ones you have to watch out for are this way.”

“There’re more?” Gunnar asked, his eyes wide like a child on Christmas morning. “Incredible.”

“See how he thinks of the discovery first and forgets the part where the crazy haired guy with the Russian name, but no Russian accent, mentioned that we’re about to see the ones that we have to watch out for?” Darren asked Kinsey. “Wasn’t hard to get him to help hunt fo
r
Livyatan Melvill
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.”

“Hunt for it?” Boris asked. “Why would you hunt for it? We have one in the lagoon at the other end of the facility.”

It was Darren’s turn to stutter. “You, you, you, you what?”

Boris frowned and looked at everyone closely, and then at Ballantine. “You haven’t told them anything about this place, have you?”

“I like surprises,” Ballantine said.

“No shit,” Thorne said.

“You said there are more this way, Boris?” Ballantine asked as he pointed at another door at the far end of the Menagerie. “This isn’t all of them?”

“With the budget you gave me?” Boris laughed. “This is Atrium One of the Menagerie. As you can see, there are only mammals in here, and specifically non-predators, although some could be called scavengers, so they may have an inclination to hunt if the hunger is strong enough.”

“What is housed in Atrium Two?” Ballantine asked.

“Predators,” Boris beamed, “Mammalian predators. Atrium Three houses the reptilian predators. Atrium Four is avian predators, reptilian or not, and Atrium Five is the non-predatory avian species. Atrium Six was just completed and I haven’t had a chance to fill it yet.”

“How big is your staff?” Gunnar asked. “This is like the ultimate zoo! You must have hundreds of caretakers.”

“Staff?” Boris frowned. “Do you mean human staff?”

“Of course they mean human, Doctor,” Ballantine said, “but feel free to tell them about the robots.”