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Oregano and the Secrets of Sycamore Isle! Part Twelve
By: peanutbutterlung (Whale)
At the Scene in the Security Room with Slurry and Dr. Russel
Dr. Russel's decline of Slurry's request about alerting Nightbright of this situation with Bo and allowing the Marines to interject here was full on bullheadedness and borderline stupidity as far as she was concerned.
The scientist's entire attitude in general had just about reached the point of no return as far as she was concerned. Why did this man insist on allowing his guard out front to be beaten senseless? Nightbright could step in and dissolve this issue in an instant, but without contact he was nothing more than a sleeping baby down at the docks below. Slurry knew that even the loud alarm earlier didn't faze her superior from his nap.
This very scientist before her with the puffy purple hair had been distancing himself and Skrullton Labs in general from her all day long, and Slurry couldn't just pretend it was a coincidence anymore. Pieces were failing into place in her mind now. The air of confidence Dr. Russel had in Blake, and his cool demeanor must be part of some charade. He was hiding something - No one under these circumstances would be so complacent to simply sit idly by. Skrullton's last line of defense was getting the tar knocked out of him outside, yet Dr. Russel shot down able-bodied support that could secure safety in a matter of seconds.
Blake's well-being must not be important to Dr. Russel – It was just like when the intern collapsed in that sudden spell of sickness earlier. The man before her didn't seem bothered at all by either situation in the least.
Blood was boiling in Slurry's cheeks. She wasn't about to let this man stall her any longer. Bo Stockston was directly involved with Oregano and she wasn't going to have her duties as a marine squandered by this vile, uncaring man any longer. Odds were stacked in her favor but there was always that chance she was wrong and what she was about to do next could blow up in her face… But lives were on the line and knowing that Oregano could be doing any number of sinister acts elsewhere on the island at this very moment pushed her to act.
"Dr. Russel! Give me the damn den den mushi and connect me to the docks below. Your negligence has gone on long enough and I'm not buying this act you're pulling anymore. If you don't comply now you will be interfering with official Marine business! With Bo Stockston present on Sycamore Isle, we have to assume 'Triple Six' Oregano is here as well! The marines at Oion and Nightbright down below must be informed about this immediately in order to properly act to ensure the safety of the citizens here on Sycamore Isle!"
Dr. Russel was shocked by this outburst. The room was silent besides the soft murmur of static resonating out of the monitor behind him which was depicting Bo Stockston still laying into Blake with relentless ferocity. So much for Blake's wonder drug one would assume. The guard outside was acting a bit oddly as he was being pummeled however with unnaturally jerky movements, but no one present was paying attention to the monitor anyway so this was unnoticed.
Upon demanding such action and especially after uttering the words about Oregano, Slurry was filled with immediate regret about not acting on these very notions earlier. The rookie marine in her was shining embarrassingly bright. She would have to grow from this and learn to act on such matters immediately in the future, innocent lives were at risk after all. The flurry of madness that the boxer breaking in had made here at the lab had Slurry up until now a bit out of sorts. That along with the collapsing intern situation had her playing second fiddle to those of Skrullton Labs despite this truly being more of a Marine matter despite it happening on Skrullton property. This situation was directly related to the extremist pirate who burned down a city mind you.
Looking at Dr. Russel now, one could see that his usual calm expression had started to turn a dark shade of sour. His lips and outer mouth skin began to curl in an unsightly manner underneath the cover of his fluffy purple stache.
"Lieutenant Slurry, you didn't just…" Dr. Russel finally uttered in a most sinister tone after his face finished contorting into a terrifying sight of deep creases, angry wrinkles and sheer hatred. He was stopped short in finishing his reply however, due to a thundering crash of broken glass panes riddling against the floor in the Main Corridor of Skrullton Labs just outside the security room he and Slurry were currently residing in.
If anyone present were to look at the monitor displaying the fight outside they would see that only one contender was present on the feed. Neither Slurry nor Dr. Russel had time to check the screen or even think about it however, for tensions were scorching like record highs in the summer time and this sudden crash that jolted their already tense nerves didn't help matters as they both were jarred, half-expecting the sudden noise to be attributed to each other in some form of retaliation respectively.
Once the two realized the shocking noise didn't come from the other, they momentarily put aside the unsettled dilemma that was freshly brought to the surface just seconds ago to check on the situation that was apparently just outside the room they were sitting in - Both all the while not allowing the other to escape their gaze as they departed into the main corridor.
Before them now consisted of a completely shattered glass window which overlooked the front of the property where Bo and Blake had just been brawling it out. Debris was now scatted all about the room and was especially apparent next to a gaping hole in a wall a ways back behind the window where a huge amount of dust was still dancing in the air around a large lump of a body tightly tucked inside.
It wasn't long after seeing this sight that whoever had been sent crashing into Skrullton Labs started speaking and once they did it was obvious who they were.
"Goddamn it! The square can pack a decent punch when he's doping huh? Shit though, haven't been hit like that in a damn minute."
It was Bo much to Slurry's disbelief. How did he end up flying into the building? She could only watch in momentary awe as the mighty boxer rose up from the wreckage as he muttered these curses. Despite his harsh words a slight grin was spread across the champ's face – And although he had been sent flying through a building, he didn't seem too phased about this aspect of his current situation either. His attention was fixated on the fight before him and was just about to jump out the window to begin round two until he caught a glimpse of the audience gathered around him after various murmurs broke his initial focus.
Nervously whispering Skrullton interns were entirely fixated upon the West Blue Boxing Champion that was now no more than an arm's length away from most of them due to where he landed inside the corridor. Dr. Russel and Slurry were absorbed by his sudden presence as well as they peered at him from behind the various groupings of interns and workers who were caught in a state of limbo due to an overwhelming fear of moving and possibly feeling the wrath of the beast before them.
"Bo Stockston! Remain where you are and get down now!" Slurry finally shouted once she regained her composure.
As she shouted this demand she instinctively reached down for her short sword at her hip. Unfortunately for her though she grasped nothing but air in doing so. She didn't realize until this very moment that she lost her blade during her duel with Oregano on his ship earlier that day after tripping on that sushi roll and having it slide out of her hands.
She blushed after goofing in such a way, but countered this misstep with a clean drawing of her dart gun that was slung around her back and aimed it directly at the boxer.
"Oh shit! You're the marine girl that was tagging along with that saggy-eyed bastard earlier! Tsch… can't believe my luck, Nightbright really is up in this joint." Bo replied without even batting an eye towards the gun pointed directly at him or the marine's demand.
The presence Bo carried with him due to his reputation, fearsome appearance and dominating attitude was his greatest asset when it came to the social side of his life. His authoritative way of handling situations in whatever way he felt was almost always immediately picked up on by all normal folks within his presence, putting them immediately in check if they were even the least bit uncertain of themselves.
This was certainly the case for Dr. Russel who despite having a profound intelligence and deplorable moral code was really a relatively normal man. He could only look at the boxer before him in astonishment. He never expected the boxer to actually make it inside while he was still present. He had decided to book it once word of the evidence had been eliminated so he was actually banking on Blake halting the boxer a little while longer since he had the special syringe on him and all. By this point he could only stare wide-eyed at the intimidating man before him that so casually disregarded Slurry's order and most other things around him.
"Hey Skrullton bitch, don't think I don't have a bone to pick with ya'll too. What is your connection with that sleaze-ball Difetto? That son of a bitch was straight up using some of your chemicals to sabotage me so fill me in here." Bo by now had caught a glimpse at Dr. Russel who was staring at him with a rather stupid look on his face as far as Bo was concerned.
Dr. Russel sunk a bit upon hearing this comment and froze momentarily. He however could hear in the air a loud noise resonating from the front of the property and was filled with a bit of relief as he logically pieced the various things before him together. Even though Bo was inside Skrullton Labs, he had been blasted inside from the outside, so Blake must still be kicking out there. Dr. Russel wished the guard could have passed on this self-sabotage upon Skrullton however, especially when he saw how unaffected it had been on Bo. So with this he agitatedly replied. "Sheesh, I'd pay closer attention to the man who just sent you flying into this building rather than spreading such rumors Mr. Stockston."
"Ha, you must be tripping. You're boy out there doesn't know his head from his ass right now. And all those licks to the head I dealt him ain't helping you know what I mean? The guy is mad loony. He shot up and can take and deal a punch now, that's for damn sure, but he isn't all the way here you feel me? The guy is on a different frequency or some shit ever since that needle. I'm gonna take care of him though don't you worry, but I don't think the homie could find me if he wanted to right now so I'm gonna get what I want from you since you're here… Besides I've got bigger fish to fry up in here…Oh and by the way you don't know me purple fluff, so you try and talk like you do and give me some 'advice' again and you're gonna be found toast feel me? Bo Stockton's you're damn boss now, so don't go and give me any sass again aight? Now back to the goddamned question I asked you before… Tell me the fuckin' connection between your wackass and that piece of shit Difetto son."
Slurry and Dr. Russel were stunned by Bo's words and attitude for wildly different reasons, however they both resulted from the same thing– The marine known as Difetto.
"Sheesh…I've never…" Dr. Russel stumbled about his word - He had drawn a blank.
Slurry watched this exchange with a keen fascination. Could Bo Stockston really have information that could blow the lid off whatever odd vibes she was picking up from this place earlier? She had heard bits regarding Difetto before but everything about him was a mixed bag.
"Shit son… Don't get quiet on me now. I've got dirt on both you and your boy Difetto. Straight scared the piss out of one of his cronies so I know the bitch is crooked. What are you getting from making deals with devious marines huh? He help cover ya asses? Shit I mean Oregano got the whole lowdown on his boys plotting to sabotage me too back on Oion. This very company here came up in the convo… Imagine that? Some special drug made to take down my nervous system or some shit, made by Skrullton Labs..."
"Ridiculous! Everything you've said is pure imagination! We've made no arrangements with him. And besides we aren't capable of monitoring what hands our products fall into!" Dr. Russel gasped. Bo was spilling the beans and Slurry was soaking it all in like a sponge.
"Damn, you aren't making this any easier on yourself…. Listen I know you're to blame and I'm gonna get mine - There ain't no damn need to try and convince me otherwise idiot. But just to continue the fun… The name Yarboro, that name ring a bell for anyone here? Miss Marine? Doc? Oregano caught the voice on the den den mushi back on Oion mention something about Yarboro holding up his end of the deal or some shit too."
By now Bo was smiling a sadistic smile as he let loose words he knew were shaking Dr. Russel before him to the bone. He was like a cat playing with its prey before finally eating it after it had succumbed to exhaustion.
After a dramatic pause Slurry chimed in. "Yarboro is the President and CEO of Skrullton Labs. He's a business magnate in the Grandline with countless firms, industries and businesses beneath him all over the world. Skrullton Labs is one of his more recent endeavors." The young marine informed Bo before her. Fascinated at what she was hearing. Her desire to subdue the boxer was diminishing as curious information filled her ears. She felt she would benefit more from listening than acting at the moment.
"Well, well aren't you helpful when you want to be? Shit that's perfect. Damn talk about a foul stench going all the way through this damn company. If this little lady here went snooping around this place I wonder what shit she would find? What do you think science guy?"
"That's what I'm here to do Mr. Stockston." Slurry replied seeing as this new dialog was now between the two of them since Dr. Russel looked like his stomach was being turned inside out and remained motionless.
"Oh damn and here I am interrupting. Heh don't let me hold you up any longer then. Go find something that will bring the marines crashing down on this shit-hole of a place. Let them finally get their minds off me and that damned kidnapping theory they pulled out their asses – Have them worry about something else….I'mma let you get to it then. I'm just gonna go beat the piss out of that piece of shit boss of yours while you do that. Gonna have to teach that fool a lesson. Peace."
"Wait…What!?" Slurry exclaimed with a face radiating as vibrant a shade of red as it could.
** A/N: Hey readers, like always hope you enjoyed this chapter of Oregano! Please review! More chapters coming soon! **
