Kingdom of Monsters by John Schneider (latest novels to read .TXT) 📕

“By the way,” she said, “you stopped your friend from shooting him.  Thank you for that.”

“Listen,” Cameron said, “I actually wanted to say I'm sorry for us showing up like this.”

“You should be,” Shanna agreed.  “They're going to arrest you.”  She checked her watch.  “Probably within the next hour or two.”

“That's not what I meant.”  Cameron looked down at the camera in his hand.  “I've followed Kate on some wild jaunts.  And when you're looking at it from behind a camera, sometimes you forget about the lives.”  He shrugged.  “Truth to tell, I didn't expect to find one here.”

Shanna stared back for a moment, her bright eyes blinking.

Then suddenly she burst into tears.

“Don't worry,” she said, turning away.  “You didn't.”

Cameron paused, uncertainly.  Shanna held up an apologetic hand.

“I'm sorry,” she said, “it's just that... my father's fading.”

She looked up at him through her tears, a perfect stranger, but at least another face to tell.

“I've been on this island my whole life,” Shanna said.  “When my father's gone, I'll be alone.”

She shook her head helplessly, kicking at the empty trailer trough on its rails.

“I'm an experiment,” she said bitterly.  “Just like any of these animals.  And they will never let me leave this island.”

Cameron reached out a tentative hand, laying it comfortingly on her shoulder.

And that was the first time he felt... it... from her.

Their first physical contact.  For an instant, Cameron started to jerk away, as if with a static shock, but Shanna reached up to take his hand.

Her fingers clasped softly around his own, and she turned, looking back at him, as if seeing him for the first time.

She smiled as if she knew him now, and rather liked what she saw.

Shanna held the contact a moment longer.

“You're a good man,” she said.

The crackle in that touch was like a light turning on inside him.

Wow, he thought, I think I'm in love. 

Just like that.  Like it was a by-product of being around her.

Entranced, Cameron started to lean close.

But then suddenly there was a deep and guttural growl – deep and loud – above and behind him.

Cameron felt himself grabbed completely around his chest and snatched bodily off his feet.

He found himself staring into Congo's snarling face.

“Congo!” Shanna shouted, slapping at the big ape's feet.  “You put him down this instant!”

Congo pulled Cameron nose-to-nose, his hand starting to squeeze.

His teeth looked pretty big from this angle too.

“Now!” Shanna shouted again, stepping back and signing 'down'.

The big gorilla's eyes narrowed, but he sat Cameron back on his feet, leaving him to wobble unsteadily.

“Congo!” Shanna admonished.  “Why don't you take a time-out!”  She pointed sternly in the direction of the valley.

With a sulking scowl, Congo turned, shuffling his way back to the main gate.

Cameron was patting down his freshly-compressed torso, making sure everything was still working.

“What,” he stammered, “was that about?”

“I told you, he's jealous,” Shanna said.

Then, seeing his wide-eyed expression, she burst into helpless laughter.

“I'm sorry,” she said, “but the look on your face...”

Cameron guessed it had been a good look – it probably shaved ten years off his life, too.

Who was this woman?  A jungle girl, raised on an island – a military-research outpost?

What does that sort of socializing process do to you?

At a glance, it gave you a farm-girl.  One with a Starship Enterprise lab in the barn.  And really BIG livestock.

But who were the people she had known?

Military-types, for sure.  Probably hard-core military.  Possibly, collaborating scientists.  Her doddering father.  Hinkle mentioned a mother as a young girl.

Cameron still felt a tingle on the spot where she'd touched his hand.  And just standing in her presence, he felt... whatever it was... her shine.

It was rather like sitting in a comfortable chair, with a sunbeam and a breeze.  It just felt good to be around her.

But it was like a splash of cold water when a loud, piercing scream suddenly echoed over the intercom through the compound.

Chapter 21

Betty was already a little on edge when she heard the door creak.

It had only been a few minutes, but she was already wishing she hadn't let herself be left here alone.  The science-fiction surroundings were less fascinating and more creepy when you were by yourself.

She jumped, letting out a small shriek when the door pushed open and Maverick popped his head inside.

“Hey, girl?  You seen Cameron?  Kate wants some on-camera.”

Betty let out a slow breath, shaking her head.  Maverick cocked an eye.

“Didn't mean to scare ya, darlin',” he said, pausing at the door with his typical caveman suave.  Betty eyed him back sourly.

She paused, waiting for the inevitable one-line come-on.  Maverick had propositioned her in some form, subtle or overt, almost every single time they'd met – it was almost a running gag, like Bond and Moneypenny.  Betty, with varying degrees of patience, always shot him down.

Self-respect would never let her succumb to the secret knowledge that she had totally been into him ever since she was a sorority girl and Cameron had brought him to that kegger – all the way, back in the day.

Of course, there were always what-if scenarios – like on a desert island.  After all, it was the Lost World where an ape-man has his greatest appeal.  And when in a cave, do as the cave-dwellers do.

But today, Maverick simply let her be, ducking back out in the hall.

Betty turned back to her screen, amused that she was actually a little disappointed.

Then there was another creak, as Maverick poked his head back in briefly.

“By the way,” he said, “you look hot today.”

Betty gave him her best Moneypenny.  Maverick grinned, sliding back out, shutting the door behind him.

Thus mildly distracted, Betty started tapping through the files Hinkle had attached, pulling up one of the images he had highlighted – 'effects on normals' – a graphic JPEG of what looked to have once been a mouse, turned inside-out.

Any lingering schoolgirl, soda-pop thoughts quickly evaporated as the ghastly images stung her eyes.  Betty had done gross anatomy, but this nearly caused a gag-reflex.  Her own application of DNA