Up From The Deep by Vaughn Jackson (highly recommended books txt) 📕

said. “It’s likely that they will try to capture the creature in this sedentary period.”

“Wouldn’t that make its boyfriend mad though?” Brannigan asked. “They don’t seem to have much interest in him, actually.”

“I don’t know,” Skylar said. “Their plans seem pretty focused on Inkanyamba.”

“I think we are all missing the very important question here,” Raymond said.

Skylar scowled at the statement.

“How do we kill it?” Devonte said flatly. He searched the room for any inkling of an answer. No one met his gaze.

Chapter 11

Kurtis had never seen Randolph Martin as worked up as he was at the present moment. He was actually glad none of the wrath was directed at him, not that it ever could be. Ming, however, was taking quite the reaming. He fiddled with the thumb drive he’d managed to rescue from the prototype before it had burst into flames.

“You cost us our station in San Francisco, an unacceptable number of men including Mr. Cole, who, while alive, is deep in a coma, I’m sure thanks to some failing on your part, culminating with your inability to recover either the tooth or the prototype device.” The man’s cool condescension had boiled over into an all-consuming rage as he paced furiously behind his desk.

Jia Ming, Kurtis noticed, was trying her damnedest not to respond in kind, but he saw a glint of murder in her eyes.

Mr. Martin’s temper cooled as his tirade subsided. “Luckily for you, Mr. Fernandez was able to salvage enough of the junk you brought us to recreate it. A minor success amidst so much failure, but a success nonetheless.”

“Orders, sir,” Jia Ming deadpanned.

For a minute, Kurtis thought Randolph might actually come from behind his desk and strangle her in a fit of apoplectic violence. He didn’t, however, and instead simply said, “Get out of my sight.”

The woman flashed an icy look at Kurtis before storming out of the room.

“That went well,” Kurtis quipped as the door slammed behind him.

“She needs to learn that failure has consequences,” Randolph said, slicking back his frazzled hair.

“I will admit that a good portion of her failure was my fault.” Kurtis gave a short apologetic bow.

“Don’t act noble,” Randolph sneered, “it doesn’t suit you.”

Kurtis let a smile play at the corner of his mouth. “True.”

“I know you didn’t come just to offer a fake apology. What do you want?”

“Fake? So suspicious. But yes, there is more.” Kurtis paused. “I want the girl.”

Randolph quirked an eyebrow. “You want…her?” He pointed at the door Jia Ming had used.

Kurtis shook his head. “The one the military took from us. I want Skylar O’Hara.”

“We have the device designs and most of her research notes. What good is she to us now?”

“Not to us,” Kurtis said. “For me.”

A crooked grin cracked across Randolph’s face. “You dog.”

“No need for praise,” Kurtis said, “Just a yes.”

“If she is of no further use to us, then you may do with her as you please…not that you needed my permission anyway.”

“I prefer not to upset coworkers. It helps keep a more productive work environment.” Kurtis turned to leave.

“There is one more thing,” Randolph said.

“Yes?” Kurtis looked back at the older man.

“What about the other creature?”

“It’s a potential threat to our creature,” Kurtis said. “Kill it.”

“Of course.”

“Anything else?”

“No, sir.”

Kurtis nodded silently and exited the posh office, stepping out onto the top floor of The Harrison building. He looked out onto the bay and saw the creature coiled up atop its island perch. The soundproof windows kept its cry from reaching his ears, but he watched as it went through the motion of rearing back its head and stretching open its mouth, razor-sharp teeth glinting in the evening sun. After each attempt it would lower its head to the ground and wait for some reply.

Kurtis pressed a hand to the glass. “Glorious,” he said.

#

Kurtis entered the medical room and looked at the comatose form of their best mercenary. He flagged down a nurse. “What’s his prognosis?”

“Well,” the woman said, “comas are unpredictable, so it’s hard to tell. One of our scientists has a theory about using something to stimulate his brain activity, but it’s not proven and—”

“Do it,” Kurtis said.

The woman looked at him, mouth agape.

“Now,” Kurtis said with a smile so fake it hurt his face.

The nurse scurried off, presumably to find the scientist in charge of whatever far-fetched idea she’d been going on about.

“Ivan Cole, if this works, you’re going to have a special mission assigned to you. I pray for your sake that you don’t fail this one.”

The nurse came back with a man in a lab coat stained grey with dust and metal shavings.

“Doctor Felding,” the nurse said, “this is the man who asked for you.”

“Greetings.”

“I hear you have a way to wake him up,” Kurtis said.

“Potentially.”

Kurtis frowned, waiting for more. “Care to elaborate?”

“I thought you’d never ask!” The man sprang into action, rushing up beside Cole, and placing his fingers on the comatose man’s head like some kind of reverse crown. “Nanobots.” He waited as if that word explained everything about his plan.

“Full sentences,” Kurtis said through gritted teeth.

Dr. Felding sighed. “If we fill his brain full of nanobots that are constantly activating his brain in a fashion similar to the way it used to operate, it is possible to get him up and running again and,” he said with a sneaky grin, “we will be able to directly affect his decision-making process via the robots.”

Kurtis nodded his head. “And the risks?”

“Plenty.” He paused. “We could microwave his brain by accident; the metal particles of the nanobots could be detected by his antibodies which would then begin to destroy his brain; we could overload his sensory experiences, leading to a systematic collapse of his, well, nervous system. I’m sure the nurse here told you—”

“That it’s unproven, and now I’m gathering it’s dangerous and unethical?” Kurtis said with disinterest.

“Yes.”

“Do it anyway.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Do it. Make him your first human test subject. If he lives, great. If not, well, he’s no less use to us than he