"Should we go check it out?" His son looked to the computer screen. "A yell like that has to be someone."
Burt thought about it. "Yes. Let's go see."
The two ran upstairs and headed towards the vehicles.
Rose clicked her radio once again. All she heard was static. She then heard scrapping of needles against the lab. Rose jolted up, grabbed her gun and a net. Stepping down from the lab, she searched for the thing that caused the noise. There was some pitter patter of paws coming around. She crouched down to see what was under the trailer. It was one of the escaped creatures. Rose put her gun in her back and unfurled the net. She hurled the net onto the animal. The animal scuttled around in small area. She twisted the animal up into the net and hauled it back in before El Blanco heard them.
As she placed the animal into a confine, Rose pricked herself upon one of the needles. It screeched a yell like a peacock's once it saw the others.
Rose looked at her finger, blood was dripping down. "Damn, not again," she started to slur her words. Rose turned out of the glass encasement. She stumbled towards the bedroom. Rose fell upon the floor before even reaching the bed. She saw different colors and her temperature started to rise. This time she made sure she would stay in the lab and not go wondering about through the desert.
Burt and Wes drove out to different coordinates. All what they could find was desert and animal tracks. They drove around for a few more minutes before they drove back in to town. Wes looked at his GPS to see that the doctor was still in her area. He sighed a relief. If she died on his watch, he would not only lose his job, but he could get kicked out of the military, and live the rest of his life in jail. This was some serious business. New technology could be developed from the scientist's findings.
Rose woke up to the rumble of her trailer as El Blanco passed underneath. She blinked away the grogginess and looked around trying to focus. Rose stretched and lifted herself up. She let out a groan as she stumbled to stand. "What time is it?" She thought out loud. The clock was too bright for her. Thank goodness she had tinted windows and thick blinds. It stayed cool and dark in the desert. It was morning still. A sigh a relief escaped from her lips as she checked on the creatures. She fed and watered them to the best of her ability before taking off to the shower. Rose wanted to stay under the cold water but, she had limited resources.
El Blanco felt the vibrations coming from certain areas. Some were too small to worry about and others were enough for snack. It was a repeated rhythm of vibrations. A source that was digging or tunneling. He moved faster to the source before it could get away and opened its beak up to swallow small critters and one medium sized animal. He sunk back into the ground and headed off to feel more of the vibrations.
One vibration in particular had him coming back to the same place. It was over by the vibrations he could not reach due to some sort of barrier blocking him to rise and snag his prey. It was a few miles away from that place. Except this vibration was strong enough to go through the same barrier that was familiar to him. A barrier, he could feel through but could not enter due to its strength. The area would vibrate in certain tones and rhythms. Almost calling to him, communicating like the rest of his kind. It was not of his kind though, but something close to it. He tried clicking back in rhythms and tones but whatever it was never communicated back.
After Rose finished her routine, she checked the computer for any readings from the lab. There were a few. She had placed seismographs around the perimeter to track any movement in or out of the facility. There were some movements. She scrolled through the data and looked at the one that was just made. She tracked El Blanco's movement to see if it was him, except it wasn't. He was there but, the cement foundation had him blocked. It was also reinforced with steel and who else knows what. Rose pin pointed where it was coming from and how deep it was. She turned to the layout of the facility. It was coming from the secret labs on the bottom floor deep into the earth.
Rose flipped through the directory of all the scientists who had been doing research around Perfection. She emailed the one person who may be able to help her figure out what kind of hybrid of animal or machine could be making those vibrations. Rose then decided to email headquarters for supplies, such as sonar equipment, and that she needed it quickly as they could get it to her.
Wes's phone buzzed two times before he answered. His voice was a bit groggy. The other line was not too happy. "Yes, sir. No, sir. Right away, sir. I understand, sir!" He shut his phone off and rubbed his eyes.
Burt looked over to him while reading his mail. "New mission?"
"Yeah," he sat up and stretched. "The scientist needs supplies immediately. Her work cannot be compromised due to lack of equipment or lack of protection. She has stumbled onto something important and can be hazardous if she does not find out what it is at this moment."
Burt looked to him with intrigue. "What did she find?"
"I don't know," Wes put on his gear. "Except that a package will be delivered in Bixby in a few hours and I must go retrieve it. Set in the drop location and head back into town to await more orders."
"Ohh," Burt looked back to his mail. "I wonder what was found."
He started to leave. "I'll bring back breakfast." Wes winked and headed out. He was headed through town when Larry come running out stopping him. "Morning Larry. What can I help you with?"
"Are you going into Bixby?" Larry asked as he headed up to the window.
"Yes, I am," Wes replied putting his truck in park. "Need a lift?"
"Yes, also if you could drive my trailer here," Larry scratched his head.
"Hop on in," Wes smiled. "Why not? It would be nice to have some company."
The two drove out while, a small red truck drove in. A lady in her forties parked in front of Chang's Market. She had reddish brown hair pulled back in a ponytail with a hat. She wore glasses, white button up collared shirt with a khaki pocketed vest. She had hiking boots and khaki pants with many pockets. She got out of the truck and headed into the market fast paced.
Nancy came out of a room with shock. "Oh, Dr. Donna Debevic, what are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for the scientist," Donna replied. "She contacted me to work with her. There is also a soldier who is supposed to be guarding her. He knows where she located at."
"Her?" Nancy walked up to her. "The scientist is a she? I don't know where she is. And Wes just left with Larry to Bixby. If you wait, they will come back."
Donna sat down on the bar stool. "That must have been them in the fancy truck passing by. I guess I will wait. I can also see if I can get into contact with her again."
There was a commotion outside. The two looked towards outside. Burt rolled into town just as a few tourists popped in as well. He looked over to the tourists and grunted. A few of them were already out of their cars and headed inside taking pictures of the building, themselves, and anything else. Burt checked his seismo before he decided to venture in behind them. Tyler drove up next to Burt and the tourists.
"Morning Burt," Tyler shut off his engine.
"Good morning," Burt looked at the coordinates to where the girl said her camp was at. "I see you already have your morning full."
"Yeah, whole day full of safaris," Tyler smiled as he got out of the truck. "Maybe you can join one of our tours it would be nice, and give the customers a better insight on Graboids."
"Nope, I have a full schedule," Burt looked to him. "I am going to go check on that girl that I dropped off. If she is still around or alive. I am going to get some provisions then head out. Radio me, once my son gets back in. I still don't trust him."
"Can do Burt," Tyler was looking around. "Hey, I know that truck. That's Dr. Donna Debevic." He looked back to Burt. "Hey you should meet someone; I think you and her might get along real well."
Burt inclined and eyebrow to him. Tyler gave him a pointed look. "Oh, all right." Burt got out of his truck and headed into the market with Tyler. The two headed straight towards Donna who was still sitting on the bar stool.
"Long time no see, Dr. Debevic," Tyler smiled to Donna.
"Yes, it has, please call me Donna," she stood up.
"Donna, I would like you to meet Mr. Burt Gummer," Tyler introduced them. "Burt, this is Dr. Donna Debevic. The one I told you about."
"I have heard about you," Burt shook her hand as he sized her up.
"So have I and it seems they weren't lying," she shook his hand and did the same.
There was an awkward silence.
"It was nice meeting you, but I have to be on my way," Burt nodded his head towards her. "Jody, I need some things from you." Burt headed towards the coolers.
"He is exactly the same," Donna watched him leave.
"What brings you back to these parts?" Tyler asked.
"The scientist stationed here asked for my help," she replied.
"Ohh, Doctor Casey Mathews," Tyler responded.
"No, not her," Donna watched the tourists being accompanied by Jody to the outside to Tyler's jeep.
Tyler looked at her skeptical and before he could answer, Jody called for him. Tyler nodded to her as he turned around and left to give some tours.
Donna had her laptop with her and decided to email the scientist.
Rose was carefully studying the creatures. She put on her lab coat and some rubber armor to protect her as she took swabs of samples off of the creatures. She tagged, gendered, and performed a routine animal health check on them. Everything was logged and accounted for in two separate areas. One was on computer, the other was written in a log book. A chirp from her computer signaled that she had received an email. Rose swirled over to her computer. It was from Donna. Rose emailed back with coordinates and a time to meet her. She then continued with her work.
Donna read the email, closed down her computer and headed out. She was to arrive in a discrete location in a few hours after Wes returned into town. She decided to meet this Casey Mathews.
"Burt, Tyler here, over," Tyler spoke through the radio once he got a chance.
"Burt here, over," Burt was up at the location he dropped off the girl at. He took out his binoculars and started to search for any life.
"I found out what Donna was doing here, over," Tyler was waiting for his next group of tourists to come in. "She is meeting the scientist, over."
Burt was struck by that. "Did she say why, over?"
"Didn't get the chance to ask, but Donna focuses on sounds animals make, could be here for that, over," Tyler looked around to see if anyone was listening to his conversation.
Burt thought it over. "Has she left yet, over?"
Tyler looked around and did not see Donna's truck. "Her truck's not here, over."
"I am going to look around the valley to see if she parked herself somewhere, over and out," Burt turned on his vehicle and headed out.
Wes and Larry came back into town with a camp trailer. Wes parked it by Tyler's place. There were ten-inch steel plates placed down for the camper to be placed upon. Wes unhooked the trailer and parked in front of the market. Donna had made her way back into town after discussing findings and research with Casey.
Larry was too preoccupied with his camper that he did not notice anyone else. Wes looked at his phone waiting for an email to drop off the items. Donna went up to him. She knew exactly who he was and what he had. Rose informed her quite a bit.
"You sure do look like your father," Donna smiled. "I believe you have the packages waiting for a certain scientist. She sent me here to retrieve them and to meet her."
Wes did not like this. "I only take orders from the military ma'am."
"She did say, something like this would happen, but I must assure you," Donna smiled. "I am to retrieve whatever you have and give it to her."
"I can't allow that to happen," Wes stood his ground. "I also can't allow you to meet with her."
"She specifically emailed me to meet her," Donna didn't back down. "Besides, it will be easier for you if you give me what she needs and I can give it to her. Do you even know who she is?"
"No," Wes was not going to let her through. "No one is allowed to see who she is or get to know her. She is strictly here for science." He pulled out his phone and started to email the scientist. "Let's see how badly she needs you."
Rose heard the chirp again as she working through lab work.
"Grrr," she rolled herself over there with her chair. "What now?" She read the email with her arms in the air, making sure her gloves did not touch. "Really, now of all times. I have work to get through and not grovel over absurd situations." She used her elbow to click on calling the phone. She was too lazy to use new gloves and was not it the mood for emailing back.
Wes was surprised at his phone ringing. The scientist was actually calling him. He quickly answered. "Ma'am?"
"I do not have time to grovel because you won't allow her to my facility," Rose spoke as she was working again. "There is no safety issue here. I need her opinion on some of my findings. She is an acclaimed scientist in her field and I need her! Do you understand?"
Wes sighed. The other thing he didn't like about this mission, if she gave him an order, he had to follow through. He knew exactly where she was going with this. "Yes, ma'am."
Rose smiled. "Good to hear. Now transfer the equipment to her and let her be on her way. That is an order."
"Yes, ma'am," he sighed again. Donna knew by his look that she had won.
"One more thing," Rose rolled back over to the computer.
What now? Wes was already tired of this conversation.
"Please refer to me as miss, not ma'am, I am not that old," Rose sighed.
"Anything else, miss?" Wes asked.
"That's all for now," Rose clicked off the phone. She rolled herself over to the workstation and kept on going.
"Told you," Donna watched him put away the phone. "She was a way about her. She can get what she wants. If you actually met, you would understand, but it seems you haven't."
"Wait, you've met her?" Wes narrowed his eyes.