Chapter 10
Asking Around
"Hazel, I have a few quick questions to ask, if that's alright with you."
The girl nods once, and opens her door. I walk into the room and perch on a chair.
"When you first saw me, you almost recognized me."
She nods again, still not speaking.
"You thought I looked like Guppy"
Her eyes go wide with fear and her mind closes up.
"Where is Guppy now?"
The girl shakes her head.
"Gone" it comes out, almost inaudible.
"Gone where?"
"The bad people took her"
The bad people? Oh gods, please let her not mean...
"Which bad people are you talking about, Hazel?"
"The bad people from the hospital did. We all got away, but they caught Guppy again."
She's been re captured by Trinian's. Hazel continues.
"She was a lot like you. Same eyes. Same stripes. But she was smaller. She had a long name, but I can't say it."
"Try for me, please. It may be important to finding her."
The little girl screwed up her face and thought.
"Icky's Apron"
Could she mean?
"Icthyo Sapien?"
"Yeah. Tha's right."
A flash hits me. I'm in life support and Professor Broom sits before me, the night of his death. "... These various genetic experiments will come to stay at the bureau. Among them is another Icthyo Sapiens. I was wondering if you would consent to share your tank while the bureau works on the construction of separate quarters."
"Thank you Hazel. I'll see you later. You have fun with the furniture now, alright?"
"Yeah Mister Sapien"
"Call me Abe, please. I'm not... well I don't feel that old."
Next, I decide to speak with Christopher, to find a clearer point of view.
"Yeah. I know Guppy Gal. She got recaptured about a week ago."
"How?"
He shook his head, once.
"Stupid thing went out, said she couldn't stand to be inside one minute longer."
I caught his stray thought 'Probably shouldn't have called her all those things I did, least of all in front of Andrew.' But decided it wasn't worth it right now. Lady Connery was in trouble.
"Well, she never came back. And the Trinian's people got off our tail. It wasn't us they wanted, you see."
He leaned in, and I fought the urge to lean back, trying not to like my dislike for this man show.
"She was their special one. They used to say she was the ideal. And they called her the second. I reckon, now I've met the first."
I nod once and stand.
"So you have. Do you have any idea where this place may be?"
He shakes his head, but I get the location loud and clear from his mind.
"Thank you, that was very helpful"
And I leave him to wonder how much of that was sarcasm, and how much was the truth. I have to stop this. I'm making enemies faster and faster.
Well... Hazel and Andrew like me. That's something.
So Lady Connery, who is most likely the Marina I saw from that vision, has been recaptured by Trinian's, and is being held at the old base. And I'm going to find her.
I see an Icthyo Sapien, in a tank not much larger than she is. The water is deep blue with blood. She's shaking and her gills are struggling. And in my vision she blurs around the edges. She's fading fast. I need to save her, or she'll die.
Somehow, I won't let this one slip through my fingers.
Somehow, I'll rescue her.
Somehow.
