Scott sat at the desk in the study. They rarely used this room anymore, not since their dad had gone, but there was something insistent about his brother that seemed to merit it. He gestured for Gordon to talk.
'So, well, er…where do I start? Hmm, I think that you should read the article. No…wait! Maybe I should start with Professor Brown? Or maybe I should begin by telling you about the octopuses? Or WASP? Or SPECTRUM?'
Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache already. If he didn't stop Gordon now, he would go around and around, and they would get nowhere. Holding out his hand, he stopped Gordon mid-flow with a 'give me the paper' demand. Gordon stopped talking and held out the paper. He sat down whilst Scott read, but was up and pacing before his brother had finished. He needed to make Scott aware of the importance of this before all he saw was the humour and conspiracy theory in it.
Scott read the article twice to make sure he understood what was really going on. He looked up at his now agitated and pacing brother. Yep, Gordon was definitely serious about this one. Placing the paper on the desk, he cleared his throat to get his brother's attention. Gordon immediately stopped pacing.
'So, let me get this straight. A few decades ago some 33 scientists published an article stating that octopuses are alien beings that crash-landed on Earth around 600 million years ago, and now they are resurrecting that theory?'
'That's right.'
'And you want time off to study them – why?'
'Well, after reading the article I contacted my old marine biology professor, and she said that WASP are taking the article very seriously because there has been extra activity in the regions around Australia and New Zealand since a meteorite strike around six months ago and they're worried that there might be underlying issues in the seas there, and that is not that far from us. I called Johnny and he confirmed the meteor. Even SPECTRUM are concerned, I've been talking to Lieutenant Green.'
'Gordon, you need to breathe while talking.'
Scott paused to see his brother actually take a breath before he continued.
'Okay. Standard rules apply – you know the drill. Take Four but stay in touch at all times. You'll only be called upon if we need you and Four for a rescue. How long do you want to take?'
'I think at least four weeks, Scott. I want to be able to do a thorough examination of the area above New Zealand. There's been a sudden increase in Macroctopus Maorum and Enteroctopus Zealandicus along the north coast. And since they are rather large species, there is a need to check out the smaller octopus species and ensure that they are ok as they are often prey. Also, I need to keep a watch on the other marine life.'
'Ok, I get it, Gordon. Take six weeks, report in daily and have fun.'
Gordon could have hugged his brother he was that excited. He gave Scott a sloppy salute which caused the desired eye roll and sprinted off to pack his stuff. Scott chuckled to himself. His brother may be the consummate prankster, but his brash and happy-go-lucky exterior hid an analytical mind that had shot him up the ranks at WASP and earnt him a marine biology degree in only a year. It was Gordon and Virgil who looked after the wildlife on and around Tracy Island, and if this did indeed turn out to be a threat then Gordon was the best person for the job.
Scott smiled.
Science!Gordon was a go.
