Author's Note:
Two days in a row with new chapters? Heck yeah! Let's dive right in! Remember to go to my profile page and answer that poll to guess who you think will still be alive by the end of this story.
No one spoke when they got back to the Wawanakwa just as the first cracks of dawn were beginning to shine in the sky. Everyone was processing what had just happened.
Gwen herself was still trying to calm herself down. This was the second time she had seen the shark. The second time she had barely escaped it. She only hoped that her luck would stay the same should it try a third time.
"So…crazy night, huh?" Izzy asked.
"Crazy night? That's all you have to say about that?" Trent snapped at her. "We just got chased by a murderous shark that can chase us on land and in the water!"
"Welcome to the real world, dude," Duncan told him. "Stuff happens, and not all of its good."
"I'm pretty sure people don't get chased by mutant sharks on a daily basis," Gwen spoke up.
Duncan shrugged. "Whatever. At least we ditched it back at the facility."
And that was another thing on Gwen's mind. The Drama Corporation facility was far from the shipping warehouse that they had thought. It was an entire lab filled with gun toting soldiers. Clearly, the corporation had something to hide. But what?
Duncan pulled the boat to a stop next to the Wawanakwa and got out. "Come on, let's get this thing back on board and get back to our rooms before—"
"You get caught?" Everyone turned their attention to the shadows, where a hulking figure was waiting. But when he stepped into the light, it wasn't any of the Wawanakwa's crew. It was, in fact, Chef Hatchet.
"Oh look, it's our extra passenger," Duncan said sarcastically. "Whatever will we do?"
Chef stared him down menacingly. "Watch your mouth, boy! I could easily turn the lot of you in to the captain right now for breaking the rules."
Duncan didn't look the least bit intimidated. "Oh no, caught for breaking the rules, how horrible."
Chef's nostrils flared. "I oughta kick you where the sun don't shine, private. But first, explain what the hell you all were doing out there."
"Ooo, ooo, I got this one!" Izzy exclaimed before deepening her voice to make it sound dramatic. "Only a mere few hours ago, four brave adventurers journeyed to what they thought was a shipping warehouse for thrills. But what they found was all the more frightening. Men with guns. A secret lab. And a killer shark with the running speed of a tiger."
Gwen face palmed. "Nice going, Izzy."
Chef raised an eyebrow. "You saw the monster?"
"Saw it? It damn nearly killed us," Trent told him.
Chef stared at all of them for a moment. Then he turned around. "Follow me," he ordered. "If anybody asks, I've been putting you lot through a boot camp workout."
"Uh…what/" Gwen asked.
"I said follow me!"
Startled, the four teens followed the huge man back up to the top deck of the ship and then down to the lounge once again. He stopped outside his room and opened the door, motioning for them to enter. When they did, he closed the door behind them and locked it.
Gwen looked around the room. Chef clearly didn't care much for comfort. He had apparently brought no extra sheets or blankets. In fact, from the way his two duffel bags were lying sprawled out and open on the floor, she had a sneaking suspicion that the only thing he had brought were guns.
Duncan whistled and reached down to pick a rifle up. "That's a lot of firepower."
Chef yanked the rifle out of his grip. "That's mine, punk! Now, tell me about this shark. Don't leave any detail out."
The four kids exchanged looks. "Well…I think for starters, I should say that it was all Duncan's idea," Trent spoke up.
"I don't give a damn about that. What happened at the facility?!"
"First off, it's not a shipping facility," Gwen said. "It's some sort of lab. We saw a bunch of empty cages and tanks there. And there were soldiers there. I think they worked for the Drama Corporation—they had their symbol on their shoulders."
"What were these soldiers doing?" Chef questioned.
"Cleaning up the lab," Trent told him. "Taking data, folders, paper—anything they could. That's when the shark attacked."
"The shark attacked them?"
Trent nodded. "It tore through all of them in minutes. Bullets, knives—they didn't slow him down at all."
Chef scowled, rubbing his chin in thought. "That complicates things."
"What do you mean?" Trent asked.
"Son, did you really think I came on this damn ship to get a suntan?"
"Well—"
"I came here because that monster's going to be following us wherever we go!" Chef barked. "And when it attacks, I'm going to catch it and kill it."
"But what about the hundred grand you wanted to do the job for?" Gwen asked.
Chef waved her off. "I don't just do this for the money, girl. That thing's a real threat if it can take on a squad of soldiers like you said it could. If it stopped playing games and attacked directly, it could kill a lot of people before being taken down. Hell, it'd probably kill everyone on the island; there's not a single damn soldier living there besides me."
"Then maybe we should tell someone," Trent suggested. "The captain, the mayor—"
"Won't do any good, private." Chef took out a big cigar and a lighter. He lit the cigar and put it in his mouth. "From what you told me, the Drama Corporation's got their dirty mitts all over this. Everyone's got their skeletons, and it seems like this corporation's got a closet full of them."
He looked at the four of them. "You can't trust any of the crew on this ship—or the mayor," he told them. "I'm sure he's wrapped up in this somehow. So don't be going around blabbing about what you did tonight, and pray that all those soldiers either died or didn't see you there. You don't want to become a target."
"A target?" Trent repeated. "A target for what?"
Chef took a long drawl from his cigar. "Whatever those damn fools have to hide involving this shark business."
"Well, there is that folder that Duncan found back at the lab," Izzy offered.
"A folder?" Chef eyed Duncan. "You stole a folder from them?"
Duncan shrugged. "I did. But I lost it in the escape."
Trent groaned. "Dude, why? We could've used that to find out more about what's going on.'
"Sorry, man. But if you want to go back to that lab, be my guest. I'm sure that shark would love to have breakfast right about now."
"Enough," Chef interrupted, taking his cigar and putting it in an ashtray. "You need to watch your step out there. Whatever's going on isn't going to end well for anyone unless you watch your back."
Gwen looked around at the others. One by one, they all nodded their heads.
"Good. If you think of anything else, or see anything suspicious, run and tell me." Chef pointed to the door. "Now, get out."
Duncan headed into his room, where he found Geoff already up. "Where've you been, brah?" he asked. "I woke up and you were totally gonzo."
"Just making out with one of the ladies," Duncan told him with a sly smile.
"Dude, really? Which one?"
Duncan grinned. "A dude never kisses and tells."
"Oh, okay dude." Geoff hopped out of bed. "I'm getting some breakfast. Want anything?"
"Nah, I'm good. You go."
Geoff shrugged. "Later, dude." He then left the room, leaving Duncan in there alone.
Duncan looked at the door, making sure that Geoff was gone. Then he reached under his shirt and pulled out the folder he had taken from the lab.
As if he was going to tell anyone that he still had the folder. After all, what good was blackmail if more and more people knew about it?
Duncan flopped down on his bed, opened the folder, and began to read.
Kind of a filler chapter more or less, but we do see more of Chef. Also, what's Duncan going to do with the information found in that folder? And when is Fang going to make his triumphant (and bloody) return? To find out, make sure you hit that favorite/follow button to stay informed on future updates, and don't forget to drop a reply to let me know how I'm doing with this story. Until next time, this is Guest 1138, reminding you to eat an apple...unless one is offered to you by an evil queen disguised as an old lady who wants you dead. Ciao!