Office of Scientific Operations Release #3

1

Jonathon Wyatt wiped the sweat from his brow, pushing his light brown hair aside. It was July in Florida and even with the windows down the breeze wasn’t cooling him down.

You know they make cars with air conditioning. Wyatt said.

I didn’t pick this car. Thomas Wayne, Wyatt’s partner at the OSO, said as he drove. It’s a company vehicle.

Seems like we could afford something a little newer. Wyatt said.

The budget of the OSO is a tightly controlled apparatus. Wayne said casually. His dark hair was parted down the middle and just long enough to drop a little on to his forehead.

It’s about as hot here as Indonesia was. Wyatt commented.

Nice vacation, huh? Wayne asked with a smile.

Vacation, my ass. Wyatt shook his head. Is that how most vacations at the OSO go?

I don’t know. I’ve never taken a vacation. Wayne said.

Never? You’ve been at the OSO for, what, like four years? Wyatt asked.

About that. Wayne said. What would I do on a vacation?

I don’t know. Relax, I guess. Wyatt said.

I’m relaxed now. Wayne said.

Wyatt sighed. OK, well maybe you could meet someone.

Ah, like you did in Indonesia? That girl… Wayne said.

Wanda. Yeah. Only maybe not while trying to avoid being eaten by large prehistoric carnivorous birds. Wyatt said.

Hmm, yeah, I could live without being killed. Wayne smiled at his own joke.

Those people last year in the Amazon swore this creature was dead. How is it now someone has captured the thing and is bringing it up here? Wyatt asked.

I don’t know. They assured us the creature had been shot multiple times. Wayne said.

Wyatt reached back and pulled the file off the back seat for about the tenth time since they had left Washington the day before. He flipped open the cover and started skimming the pages again.

So we’re supposed to meet up with this Joe Hayes guy. He’s the one that captured the creature. Wyatt said.

That’s the plan. Wayne replied.

And we are just...verifying the security set up. Wyatt said.

I would think this wouldn’t take more than a day or two. We just need to make sure they have taken all necessary precautions to ensure this creature doesn’t escape. Wayne said.

The Director said we were to evaluate how dangerous this creature is as well. Wyatt pointed out.

There’s that too. Wayne agreed.

It’s right up here. Wyatt said pointing towards the entrance to Ocean Harbor, a research facility that also doubled as a tourist attraction.

I see it. Wayne said glancing at his watch. We’re running about fifteen minutes behind schedule.

Wyatt glanced over at Wayne. You know you’re a little obsessed with numbers?

I guess. Wayne said.

No, that’s just it, you rarely guess. Wyatt said with a smile.

They pulled in to the parking lot, got out and walked up to the entrance. They showed their credentials and were directed to a large tank across the park. By the time they reached what was called the receiving tank there were people all around and a crane was lifting something out of the back of a truck. There was someone on a PA system describing what was happening for the people gathered there. As they drew closer Wayne and Wyatt could see webbed and clawed hands and feet sticking out of the stretcher the crane was lifting.

That’s pretty big. Wyatt said. What do you think, maybe seven feet?

Wayne nodded. Seven and a half, I would say.

They circled around to a set of stairs that led up to the top of the tank where they could view the creature being lowered into the water. People lined the edge of watching the progress of what people were referring to as the Gillman. After a checking with a staff member they were directed to Jackson Foster, the owner of the facility.

Oh, you’re the government guys I was told about. Foster said shaking their hands.

Yes sir. Wayne said.

You’re here to make sure everything is safe, as I understand it. Foster said turning back to watch the creature as it was lowered into the tank.

Yes sir. Wayne replied. Just verifying the level of risk.

Well, I think you’ll find we’ve taken every precaution and have everything in hand. Foster said. In a cheery, but dismissive kind of way.

Once the creature was lowered into the water it was pulled free of the stretcher by a man, presumably Joe Hayes. The creature floated face down in the water while Hayes slowly guided it around the tank. There were photographers and film cameras perched around the tank interspersed with the people providing a considerable amount of news coverage.

Wayne and Wyatt watched Hayes walk the inert body of the Gillman around the tank. Nothing much seemed to be happening.

Are they sure this thing is going to wake up? Wyatt asked.

Wayne shrugged. I asked that Gibson guy, the public relations director here, but he said they didn’t really know.

Well, I can safely tell you what the risk level is of a dead creature. Wyatt said.

Wayne nodded. That’s true.

It took about two hours of floating the Gillman around before Hayes called up to watch out because it was starting to wake up. When he did finally fully wake up he stood up and began flailing about. It was obvious the creature was confused and reacting violently.

Hayes scrambled up and out of the tank. He started calling ropes and other equipment in order to restrain the creature. In the tank the creature began thrashing about and then diving underwater. It seemed to be searching for a means of escape from the tank.

Suddenly the creature surfaced and leaped up, grabbing the side of the tank and pulling itself up. It was nearly out of the tank by the time Hayes had grabbed a boat hook and circled around to try to stop it. As Hayes wrestled with the creature Wayne and Wyatt drew their guns out. Each member of the OSO was sent out into the field with .45.

Wayne and Wyatt exchanged looks. They weren’t sure what they should do about this situation. Protecting people from creatures such as this was a large part of what they did, but this creature was the property of Ocean Harbor and an object of scientific research. Killing it would have to be a last resort, but they would do it if the lives of people were at stake. The trick was determining when that moment had arrived.

They started to move closer, unsure of when or if they could take a shot at the Gillman if they needed to. Before they could move much closer the Gillman pulled Hayes over the railing and back into the tank. This changed the situation for them. At this point, only Hayes, the man in charge of securing the creature was the only one in immediate danger. They stopped and stood watching the scene unfold as Hayes wrestled with the Gillman in the water. Two other Ocean Harbor workers jumped in and as soon as Hayes was free from the Gillman's grasp they helped Hayes over to the ladder.

They reached the ladder, but the creature attacked them as Hayes climbed out. Both of the Ocean Harbor workers were pulled back into the middle of the tank by the Gillman. Hayes called for some of the other safety guys to throw a net over the creature.

The Gillman thrashed about in anger entangling himself even more into the heavy fishing net. Within minutes they had the creature tied up in ropes and netting. Wayne and Wyatt slid their guns quietly away. It was a relief to not have to make the difficult call about killing the Gillman.

That creature seems pretty violent. Wayne observed.

It's just confused. Wyatt said. He could draw on his background as a zoologist to try to get some kind of understanding about what exactly this creature was. It certainly didn't seem to fit into any evolutionary line that Wyatt could remember reading about.

After some quick preparation several divers, including Hayes, went back into the Receiving Tank and slowly moved the Gillman from there, through a short underwater tunnel and into a much larger tank. The second tank already held numerous other fish.

Once in the bigger tank, while still trapped inside the netting, the creature was shackled with a heavy chain to the bottom of the tank. There was sufficient length of chain to allow the creature swim around most of the tank, but not enough to permit it to climb out.

The divers emerged from the water and climbed up out of the tank. At that point it was deemed safe to pull the net off the Gillman. Wayne and Wyatt watched the creature repeatedly swimming to the end of the chain and being jerked backwards. It spent quite awhile attempting to free itself from the manacle around its ankle or trying to pull the chain out of its mooring on the bottom of the tank.

So, any first impressions? Wayne asked Wyatt.

Wyatt was leaning on the cement railing that ran around the top of the tank. He stared down into the water. Fascinated by the Gillman.

I don’t know. Wyatt said shaking his head. It just doesn’t fit into any logical place in the current classification of the animal kingdom.

It would be nice if we had some sense of its capabilities. Wayne said watching the Gillman battling the chain that held him.

Hayes is over there pulling his air tank off. obviously he has had several close encounters with the creature. If anyone knows about this thing, he should. Wyatt said.

Agreed. Wayne said and the two of them made their way around the perimeter of the tank to Hayes.

Mr. Hayes? Wayne said as they stood in front of Hayes while he checked the valves on his air tank for damage.

Yeah. Hayes answered hardly looking up.

I am District Investigator Wayne and this is DI Wyatt. Wayne said.

Hayes looked up at them. The government guys. Heard you were going to be here. You’re here to make sure we don’t let this guy, Hayes waved back over his shoulder towards the tank, get loose, right?

Something like that. Wyatt said. And a few other things as well.

Oh, like what? Hayes asked, standing up.

We have to evaluate exactly how dangerous this creature might be. Wayne said.

Hayes chuckled. Well, I can tell you first hand he can be pretty damned dangerous. He’s aggressive, very strong, he has sharp claws and his armored skin makes it hard for anything, including bullets, to hurt him very easily. We had to use dynamite down in the Amazon to catch him there, but it nearly killed him, I think, so I don’t think we’ll try that again. Can’t afford to kill off our paycheck. Hayes smiled at them.

Right. Wyatt said, not smiling. He didn’t like the attitude that animals were just something to be exploited for money.

So what is the plan if this Gillman gets free of the chain and out of the tank? Wayne asked. His background was in math and physics and he tended be only interested in the end result.

Hayes gave a shrug. Catch him and toss him back in the tank.

Wayne glanced over at Wyatt. They exchanged a look that they both recognized that Hayes had no real plan to protect any bystanders or the general public from this creature.

Well, if you will excuse us, we have other matters to attend to. Wayne said coolly.

Sure. Hayes said with a smile. See you around, G-Men.

Wayne and Wyatt walked away.

That guy's cavalier attitude is going to get someone killed. Wyatt said.

Wayne nodded. "I would agree. I think it would be prudent for us to put a call in to the Director and find out exactly what latitude we have in making