Chapter Three, Inquisition, (1978 Words)

After the party ended, Becker helped his parents clean up. He found a moment alone with Lionel.

"Nice party," said Lionel, picking up soiled plates from the tables. He smiled. "Eventually."

Becker held a trash bag as they both threw trash into it. "Yeah, you seemed chummy with Ms. Ulster."

"You know her? She said she might be working with you."

"I've seen her, and spoken to her briefly," said Becker.

"Don't you think she's nice?"

Becker didn't reply right away. "What did you two talk about?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing really. Just making conversation."

Becker picked up empty food platters and stacked them, as Lionel picked discarded napkins from the floor. Becker thought about the next question. He bristled slightly as he asked it. "Did she ask anything specific about my work, Lionel?"

Lionel looked at him. "No, she was mingling, Hilary, not committing espionage."

"Are you sure about that?"

Lionel grimaced. "Yes, I'm sure!" he snapped, angrily grabbing the trash bag and fleeing to the kitchen.

Becker shook his head. This was going to be rough.

The next morning Becker walked in, kissed Jess good morning, then frowned at her mood.

"What?" he asked.

"Lester's in a mood, and its contagious," she said.

"I'm sorry," said Becker, "how many chocolate bars would it take to cheer you up?"

She thought, then held up four fingers.

"Ouch! That bad?" he asked, producing four bars and handing them to her.

She smiled. "Yes, that bad, but these help. Have any for Lester?"

"I didn't know he was the chocolate type."

She grinned. "He isn't, and that's his problem."

He chuckled. "You better brief me."

"Those committee people have been hounding him. They want everything: all our files, reports on all employees, creatures, even witnesses."

"What are they after anyway?" he asked.

Jess shook her head. "It's put Lester in a very bad mood." She pointed to his office which was crammed with suits: four men and two women, including Joanna Ulster. "They're trying to get him to allow interviews."

"With who?"

"Everyone: all our employees, military contacts, our suppliers, even the mundane ones. I heard Lester tell one of them that if he was so keen to talk to a clerk selling paper and staplers, be his guest."

Becker chuckled.

"Then the lady wearing the camel Anne Klein suit actually asked to speak to incursion survivors and the families of those who died," said Jess, scandalized.

Becker sighed, and said sadly, "I'm not surprised. Pencil pushers and coin counters don't have a lot of compassion. They see numbers, not people."

Jess hugged and kissed him. "I would say that's cold, but I know better now."

Becker smiled sadly. "Yeah, but you've always had a heart, Jess."

"So have you."

He smirked. "You promised to keep that private," he said.

She laughed.

"Which one is the Camel Klein suit?"

Jess giggled, saying, "I said an Anne Klein suit in the color camel, which is a light tan with a slight peach highlight."

Becker smiled. "I love it when you talk fashion," he said with a low growl that made Jess giggle more.

Jess giggled. "The lady in that suit, actually, is the one who was at your parents' party."

"Joanna Ulster," he said.

She nodded.

"I need to have a word with her."

Jess held his hand. "Did the talk with Lionel not go well?"

"About as well as you suspected."

Jess frowned. "I hope her interest in him is genuine."

"I doubt it. It's too coincidental."

"What could she hope to learn from him? He knows absolutely nothing."

"About anything," he said, smirking like a true brother.

"He's very smart, your little brother," said Jess

"Hey now, don't get too interested in him."

Jess giggled. "I like you jealous, a bit, anyway."

He smiled. "Just remember which Becker you're dating."

"Remind me," she said, playfully.

He pulled her to him, got her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

"I do like your employee fraternization policy," said one of the suits, a middle age man in a gray one. His name was Ed.

Lester frowned. "Captain, Miss Parker, do find something more professional to do, will you?"

Jess giggled. "Of course, Mr. Lester. Right away." She smiled at Becker and returned to the ADD.

"Becker, these gentlemen and ladies wish to have full, unlimited access to well, everything."

Becker caught the extreme annoyance on Lester's face. "I'm not sure that is wise, from a security advantage."

"Young man," said an older, pudgy, balding man, "are you calling us security risks?"

"No offense intended, sir, but yes," said Becker.

Lester smiled.

The pudgy man snorted and looked appalled.

"You are all from the government, yes? You have countless contacts in the media, entire teams of assistants, lobbyists, and special-interest groups hanging on your every word. Each of you live the life of a security risk."

Lester smiled more.

A lovely young dark-haired lady, wearing a camel Anna Klein suit, stepped forward. "Just doing your job, Captain?"

Becker nodded.

"So are we," said Joanna. "We've been tasked by both houses of Parliament to conduct ourselves through your ARC, and learn everything we can, and report back. It's not up to us, Captain."

"And it isn't up to you," said the pudgy man, "either of you," he added, looking at Lester.

Lester sighed. "You will let those who hold your leashes know that I am very put out."

"Of course," said Joanna.

The pudgy man glared at Lester, "With extreme pleasure," he said.

"Very well, Captain Becker, take them around. You'll have to abide by his rules, for your own safety."

The pudgy man snorted. "Mr. Lester, if you think your monkey here is going to deter us and keep us from learning your secrets, you are mistaken."

"Some of those secrets will bite your head off," said Becker.

All the suits stared. The pudgy man seemed to be judging his statement. Joanna said, "Of course, Captain, however, we will insist on seeing everything. We are prepared for anything," she said boldly.

Becker smiled with skepticism. "No offense, Ms. Ulster, but no one is ever prepared for the ARC."

"I don't think we are asking too much for you to follow our safety guidelines," said Lester. "If the Captain says something is too dangerous, you'd be wise to listen."

"Would we now?" asked the pudgy man, full of disdain.

"Miss Parker," said Becker. "Would you pull up some of the more...gruesome menagerie scenes?"

Jess turned in her chair. "Um...I don't...Yes, Captain."

"Trying to scare us?" asked the pudgy man.

"No," said Becker, "trying to educate you."

"And intimidate us?" asked Joanna, glaring haughtily at him.

"Hold on a second, Parker," said Lester. "I caution you, these images are graphic."

"We aren't primary school children," said the pudgy man.

The other lady, an older, gray-haired lady in a plain black pantsuit said, "I don't particularly want to watch someone getting hurt or worse, but if it is a part of your facility's history, than we must observe."

Lester nodded.

Jess brought up the images, and looked away. She didn't need to see them again, she'd witnessed them in real time.

Screams, human and creature filled Ops, as the footage ran. Two raptors battled each other with a poor menagerie worked caught, literally, in the middle, torn in two by both creatures.

Joanna cried out and looked away, trying to avoid vomiting.

The pudgy man looked on, incredulous.

The next scene was of a smaller relative of t-Rex rampaging in the loading docks, shredding two soldiers before Becker and the rest contained it.

Finally, there was the footage of Lester nearly dying at the hands of a future predator before the mammoth saved him.

The pudgy man looked at Lester with a tad more respect.

When the footage ended, Jess turned back to the ADD. There was stunned silence.

"That was horrific," said Joanna, her face pale and wet with tears.

"However, if it keeps us from those fates, it will be worth this awful taste in my mouth," said the older lady.

"We will follow your advice, Captain," said the pudgy man with humility. "After you."

Becker nodded. "This way, please."

The committee nodded and followed them out. Becker turned around briefly. "Sorry, Jess," he said softly.

Jess had been watching them. "I'll be alright. They aren't my favorite memories," she said.

Becker nodded and smiled.

The older lady, just behind Becker heard. "I whole heartedly agree, Miss Parker."

Jess smiled, and said, "Thank you, Ma'am."

"Call me Gertrude," she said and the two women exchanged nods. Then Becker stepped into the lift with them.

"Well, this should be interesting," said Lester once they'd left. "I don't see it biting us in the rear end at all."

Jess shook her head. She felt the same way.

The tour had been remarkably low-key and not as bad as Becker expected. The committee members asked lots of questions, most Becker ignored or replied with "that's classified." No amount of the pugdgy man's insistence that they didn't need clearance would change Becker's answers.

The committee snooped through all the labs, searched all the computers, and questioned everyone. To their displeasure, most of the ARC staff remained tight-lipped.

Then they reached the menagerie, and their curiosity was replaced with apprehension. Becker had to admit that they were smarter that he'd first assumed. They were scared, and only idiots would not be.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Becker, "Abby Maitland, creature keeper."

Abby smiled at Becker and greeted the committee friendly enough, but with caution and skepticism.

"Let's see these creatures," said Pudgy Man.

"Of course," said Abby. She turned and called, "Rex!"

The small green lizard flew in, landing on her shoulder like a hawk.

"Him, I can stand," said the older lady.

"He is a sweetheart," said Abby. "Would you like to hold him, Ma'am?"

"Gertrude, dear. Yes, I would."

Abby nodded to Rex and he flew over to Gertrude's arm, landing on it as Gertrude smiled. Several of the men laughed, but Pudgy Man and Joanna kept stern watch.

"What else are you harboring with our tax dollars?" asked Pudgy Man.

On cue, Sid and Nancy waddled in.

"Ah, the other pets," said Joanna. "Miss Maitland, can you offer any explanation for why you took it on yourself to care for and house pre-historic animals in the unsuspecting general populace?"

Becker frowned. He knew he didn't like this woman.

"They are hardly dangerous, and at the time we had no other facility," said Abby. She matched Joanna's gaze and returned it, not flinching at all.

"You do realize that constitutes theft of government property?" Joanna asked.

Becker snorted. "She rescued them, cared for them, and kept them safe. I wouldn't call Abby a thief."

Abby smiled.

Joanna didn't. "How can we trust that you don't have other creatures hidden somewhere?"

"You can't," said Abby. "But it is ARC policy now that all creatures live exclusively inside the menagerie unless we return them home."

"We have only your word for that," said Pudgy Man.

Becker glared. "If she's also managed to falsify all creature reports, bribe all soldiers and loading bay workers, and alter all CCTV footage, then yes, we have only her word."

Abby chuckled.

"How are the dangerous predatory animals kept?" asked Gertrude.

"Extremely secure with as little human contact as possible. They're simply too dangerous," said Abby.

Ed asked, "How many have you returned?"

"Not nearly as many as I'd like," said Abby.

"Really? I'd have thought an animal behaviorist such as yourself would rather keep them here, near you," said Joanna.

Abby said firmly, "All creatures belong in their natural habitat, even dinosaurs."

Gertrude and Ed seemed satisfied, Joanna and Pudgy Man did not.

"If you'll excuse me, I have rounds," said Abby.

They left, Becker rolling his eyes at Abby.

End of Chapter Three