As Rose predicted, the photoshoot brought in an influx of tourists who wanted the same tour Cota Orlav had. Tyler wasn't going to turn away business. His tours were sold out daily. Some came early to venture through the town. Larry was at the stove. Nancy and Rosalita helped Jodi with the market. Rosalita would take orders and Nancy would clean up. This got Burt riled up. He would take the whole day to scout around, making sure these people stayed with Tyler and didn't get any dumb ideas.
On one of those busy days, a Dodge Viper GTS parked in front of Chang's. The driver was a young man in his mid-thirties who looked more like a kid when he was eyeing the place as if he was in a candy store. He shut the door gently and locked it with his key fob. This was amazing to him, to be at Perfection Valley, where the first graboid was discovered. He had a ticket to go on tour and he was just in time.
This young man sat next to another young man who seemed to have an easy-going aura. The two enjoyed the tour. Tyler didn't notice that one of the young men on his tours was the original owner and creator of the Graboid Tours, Desert Jack Sawyer, now just Jack Sawyer, Las Vegas rising entrepreneur that had some business located near the strip and just off the strip in the desert. He came to see how Tyler was doing with the business, especially reading it in a fashion editorial.
The young man sitting next to him was a legend of his own, Grady Hoover, co-Founder and CEO of Monster World. He was here to see Perfection Valley. He never really got a chance, since he and Earl Basset took that money and invested in a theme park that has been lining their pockets, living with ease. He didn't let Earl know he was here, he only let Earl know he was on vacation.
Tyler ended tour with a big smile. He was even getting tips from some of the people. It was becoming a good year with these tours being booked day after day.
Jack was going to wait for Tyler to be done with his tours to talk with him. Jack headed into Chang's to pass the time. He saw that it was bustling there too. He ventured up and down the aisles, gazed at the souvenirs. Perfection has come a long way when he first arrived, he was happy and proud to see how far it has come.
He grabbed a spot at the counter and ordered up some food while he waited. Rosalita took his order. There were new faces he didn't recognize. The waitress and the cook were two of them.
While he was there, Grady was still eyeing every piece of souvenir. It gave him ideas of what he could do for his theme park. Afterwards, Grady grabbed a table to see the menu and drink options. He was enjoying every niche this place had. He was happy to have come to the original place. Grady did wish that Earl came along. He wanted to hear the stories about this town, like if this table area was a favorite spot among Val and Earl. Things like that.
It wasn't until sunset, Tyler and Burt came walking through the door. Tyler spoke with Jodi about how the day went while Burt headed onto the restaurant part.
"Burt!" Jack waved him over. Grady missed his chance as he was ordering another drink and a few desserts.
"Didn't think I would see you again," Burt headed over to him.
"Oh, come on Burt," Jack hugged him while Burt stood still letting out a breath and rolling his eyes. "It's been a few. I see the town has picked up some publicity here and there but not something like this!" He glanced around. "How did you get to be in Cota Orlav's newest line?" His voice went lower and he looked around. He needed to know this best kept secret.
"I should have known," Burt walked past him trying not to roll his eyes. "Could I get the usual?" Larry nodded to him.
"I mean, what would a high-end fashion designer being doing in a place like this?" Jack continued as he sat back down on his chair.
"How should I know?" Burt sighed. "She was just another tourist, that's all. I came onto her taking pictures and she dragged me into it, posed me like some action figure and took my picture."
"That was a lucky break," Jack nodded. "Lucky break indeed, maybe it was fate. Like she knew that you were like the one." Burt gave him a look. "Also, wish I would have thought about doing the whole first attack tour, that was genius."
"That was one an idea formed by Jodi, Tyler, and Rosalita," Burt answered his questions. "Approved by the rest of the town."
"Good idea," Jack nodded. "Maybe I should have stuck around, but then I wouldn't be at where I am today. You know after I sold the tours, I went back to Vegas and invested in some businesses, got them back up and running. Desert Jack always finds a way."
Burt still thought he was annoying. It was thanks to Tyler coming in, that Jack turned his attention towards him. Burt grabbed his plate and drink to sit down at a table. This gave Grady his chance. Burt started to dig in when Grady placed his plate of desserts and drink down.
"What now?" Burt just wanted to eat in peace.
"Nothing, just wanted to have a meal with an old friend, mind if I join?" Grady asked.
"Well, it seems like you made yourself welcome," Burt looked up with a reluctant look. He did a double take when he watched a familiar face sit down.
"Been a while Burt, still looking good," Grady winked.
"Grady! What are you doing here?" Burt was actually happy to see him.
"I saw your picture in a very famous magazine and thought it was time to visit this place," Grady placed a fork into one of the desserts.
"Does Earl know you're here?" Burt took a bite.
Grady shook his head. "No. He does not and I hope to keep it that way."
That confused Burt. "Did something happen?"
"Nope," Grady put his drink down. "He's just content with his wife and his money. He doesn't want to come back here at all. It's the past for him, only wants to think about the present and the future."
"Does he and Val stay in contact?" Burt paused as he was about to take another bite.
Grady moved his head back and forth. "Sometimes, mostly sending a letter on some holidays. That's about it really. They both have their own lives to live. Earl has given me complete creative control over the theme park."
"Ah," Burt took another bite.
"You never went," Grady accused him. "We have free tickets for you, a place to stay, and so on."
"Not my type of party," Burt shook his.
"Well, the offer still stands," Grady kept the offer on the table.
Burt and Tyler were Larry's last customers. He finally got to come out with his own plate of food. He sat down near Burt and Grady. He didn't want to impose on them since it looked like they were getting along well. Burt doesn't get along with most people so he wanted to leave it alone. Tyler and Jack were chatting back and forth, Larry didn't want to go impose there either. He just sat by himself.
Rosalita checked in with Nancy and Jodi, the three decided that it was time to call it day. Nancy and Rosalita would come by again tomorrow to see if they need help again. Jodi was happy that sales were through the roof. It would help through the slower months.
Tyler noticed Burt was talking with someone. He wanted to see who it was but Jack was talking his ear off. He couldn't get away from him. Jodi was his savior. She came into view, surprised to see Jack sitting at the table.
"Jack! What are you doing here?" She was shocked to see him.
He gave her a once over, then again. "Jodi! Hey!" He jumped up to give her a hug. Tyler side stepped them and headed over to Burt. He grabbed a chair to sit down next them.
It was an evening to catch up with one another. Burt introduced Tyler to Grady. Jodi and Jack talked business.
Jack stayed with Tyler and Grady stayed with Burt. Everyone was back at Chang's eating breakfast. Burt was out on his patrols. Jodi was counting up the earnings. Larry cooked everyone's meals and was speaking with Grady at one of the tables. Tyler and Jack were at the counter.
"I can't believe you're an entrepreneur now," Tyler was in disbelief shaking his head as he leaned on the counter with his elbow, mug in hand. "Do you still have your carwash business?"
"I do!" Jack smiled. "I'm still known as 'Carwash Jack' when I come through Bixby. Sometimes in life not everything is your place to be, sometimes they're just stepping stones to a greater area. It's knowing if they are stepping stones or not."
Tyler groaned inwardly. Jack still had his philosophical sayings which to him were annoying as ever. "After I bought this from you, you then took that money and bought some business on the strip?"
"I did," Jack smiled. "I took a small store, flipped it, grew in business, and then I sold it for twice its value. I bought another business, did the same thing, flipped, and doubled the price. There I decided to buy businesses that could earn triple the amount from tourists. Started to do that with some homes and rentals. Always finding the way. I do wish I could have put more thought into this business but maybe it was better in your hands than mine."
"Well, it's been a struggle but it's going," Tyler agreed. "What are you going to do after leaving Perfection?"
"I have some business with Melvin," Jack took a bite of bacon.
Tyler did a double take. "Melvin? Didn't he cause problems for you and Burt?"
"He did," Jack nodded. "That he did, but that was then and this is now. Him and I are in the same position."
"Money grabbing?" Tyler took a sip.
"Both trying to be entrepreneurs," Jack explained. "Burt never said how Cota Orlav got to know about this town."
"We don't know either," Tyler shrugged. "She and another gal bought up all the tickets that day, wanted the El Blanco Day tour of what happened for the first attack here and I guess they stayed a couple nights, took photos of the area and then the townspeople. Never to be seen again but she was nice."
"Who was the other lady with her?" Jack was curious.
Tyler paused. He could remember her face, but didn't remember a name. "Just some assistant I think." Jack nodded. It must have been. He wished he was there; he could be the one to discover who the famous Gorgon Sisters were. It gnawed at him. One of the many famous mysteries and it could have been solved in this mysterious town.
Grady and Larry were speaking about comics and movies. They got along well since both of them liked the same things and had similar ideas. Grady extended the invite to Larry of coming to Monster World. Larry was elated. He let Grady know that he will plan a trip to there soon.
Grady and Jack left a few hours after breakfast. They said their goodbyes to the town and headed back. Grady headed home while Jack turned off into Bixby to head to Melvin's office. He parked next to a black SUV with tinted windows. He was about to step out of his vehicle when a man and a woman, possible thirties to forties, in name brand suits stepped out of the door with two buff guys in plain black suits with ear pieces in. Something is going on. He watched them get into the SUV and drive off. He made sure they left before getting out of his vehicle.
Jack headed into the building. He was met with the secretary. "I'm Jack Sawyer, had an appointment with Melvin."
"I'll notify him, please take a seat," the secretary waved their hand and beckoned them to sit while they headed to an office in the back.
Jack spotted a woman back there with Melvin through the opening of the door. The secretary came back to him.
"He'll see you now," the secretary came back to him.
"Thank you," Jack followed the secretary to the back office.
The woman stood up from chair. "Thanks Patricia," Melvin stood up as well. She said her goodbyes while heading out. She gave a smile to Jack as she walked past him.
"Mr. Jack Sawyer," the secretary informed.
"Thanks, I'll take it from here," Melvin shook his Jack's hand. The secretary left to head back to their desk.
"Thanks for taking your time out of your day to meet with me," Jack didn't know Melvin was this busy.
"Oh, no, thanks for meeting with me," Melvin beckoned him to sit. The two sat down. "I am glad there are no harsh feelings between the two of us."
"None at all," Jack waved it off. "That's in the past, lets live in the present and head towards the future."
"Agreed," Melvin nodded. "Both of us are rising entrepreneurs, both have similar goals." Jack nodded. "I had a couple business ventures that may interest you. I have the real estate business, you're into real estate, I have my golf course, you have several businesses in Vegas, see where I am headed?"
"I am following," Jack raised his eyebrows in anticipation.
Back in Perfection, Burt was happy that it had become peaceful once again. Well, for the time being. He did miss visiting with Grady but not much of Jack. He was relieved that Rose and Wes did not venture down to Perfection during the influx of tourists. It would cause him to worry. He checked in with Casey and Roger making sure no tourists ventured their way.
Wes and Rose were back in the lab, continuing to collect swabs from the surfaces. Wes paused. He could hear something. "Shhh." Rose froze. She listened in as well. There was a faint clicking noise. Rose's eyes lit up. How could she have forgotten? This was the noise she sent to Dr. Donna Debevic. Rose and Wes are listening to it in real time in the lab. This was groundbreaking. The clicking noise was at first faint but she could feel a slight vibration from her feet. The clicking became louder. Rose moved from her position. Wes regripped his gun. He glanced at Rose then back at the door.
Both of their ears twitched as the clicking became louder. She moved slowly towards the door, keeping her focus on the sound. There was a faint echo of the clicks. She pushed open the door. Wes followed her. He was not liking what she was doing. Rose walked closer to the end of the hall. He shook his head at her. She was heading towards the sound. He put down his goggles to make sure he wasn't missing anything.
Rose was to the end of the corridor. She listened to the sounds. It was familiar and it wasn't. Her curiosity was pushing her to head down the stairs to the second level. The vibration from the clicking was felt more by stepping onto the cement stairs. Wes moved in closer. She was really walking that line. He wanted to grab her by the harness and pull her back to safety, but doing that could awaken whatever creatures down there.
The clicking got louder but less frequent. Rose tilted her head. Was this the peak of the sound? The clicks became fainter and faster now before it became completely silent. Rose didn't move. Wes followed suit. It was just silence.
El Blanco heard the clicks. It ventured to the lab. Stopping by the same area as always, clicking its own jaw trying to communicate back. The clicks had to be loud enough to vibrate through the thick cement all. Rose could feel it through her feet as she put the other on the cement. The clicking noise on this side began again. She was listening to the actual communication between El Blanco and a Mixmaster creature right now, in the lab. This was a moment in history for her.
Ten minutes the later the clicks all stopped. Rose was in awe still. Wes had moved in closer to her. "Okay, I think you need to venture back in the safety zone." He whispered to her. He kept his eyes on the bottom of the stairs. It was one of those fire sanctioned type of staircase. The stairs went down so far, plateau then more stairs. The fire door was laying on its side on the wall.
"W-we need to finish up the swabs," Rose breathed. "W-we need to finish up the first level. I want to go down there." She was in perpetual wonder.
"Okay Spock, but Captain Kirk here says you need to step back and come back to safety," Wes grabbed an arm. "We can go down there another day. Not right now. Let's head back to the swabs. Remember we have to get them done?" He tugged on her. Rose wouldn't move. He kept his eyes on the bottom of the stairs.
"That clicking did-did it remind you of something?" Rose stood still. "Like it was familiar but not familiar."
"I wouldn't know, let's take this time to think about it back at home base," Wes tugged again. "Come on, this is not a safe zone."
"It's something," Rose pondered out loud. She was on the brink of figuring it out.
"It's something alright, let's go," he tugged her hard enough that she stepped away from the stairs. He kept the pace and she followed him while he brought her back to the lab. His foot stepped on something. A bug was squished. The two froze.
This squishing and crunching noise snapped Rose back to reality. "S.S. do you like working with me?"
Wes swallowed. "Yes?"
"Then don't move," Rose headed back to the lab she was working in. She gathered her swabs, placed it back in the bag. She grabbed the bag and headed back to Wes who was frozen. She switched on her head lamp to a green light. Rose had brought out tongs and a specimen bag. "Please lift your foot." Wes did so. Rose grabbed the specimen with metal forceps. She placed it in the bag. She scraped as much as she could off the boot and got whatever was stuck on the ground.
"We should go now," Wes grabbed the bag. He held it open for her to place it in. Rose placed the bag inside with the forceps. She zipped up the bag. "What was it?"
"That is what we call an 'impromptu dissection that was performed under less-than-optimal lighting conditions,'" Rose clipped the bag onto her. The two headed back to the lobby. Wes stared at her. He should not have asked.
The two fixed themselves before tugging their way back up to the surface. Rose was in silence trying to think back to the clicking noise. Wes closed up the entrance and locked it. He would glance at Rose now and then. She was still in her own little world. He smirked. She was different.
The two headed back to the mobile lab. Wes had to make sure she was on the same pace. It wouldn't be good for her to be killed by El Blanco all because she was distracted.
In the mobile lab, Rose started process the samples while Wes cooked dinner. He placed his shoe in her lab so she could get as much samples as she could. She was still emersed. The clicking noise sounded to him like clicking noise. He didn't know what it would be familiar with. It was just clicking.
Rose finished the samples. She wrote up her report for the day and placed headphones on. Listening to various sounds. Wes got his boot back. He would watch her close her eyes and tilt her head. Trying to listen if it was similar. She would shake her head, open her eyes, and click onto the next sound. She would go through several of them like that.
Wes put the plates down at the table. He was about to get her attention when she placed down the headset. He sat down, picked up his fork, and was about to eat when Rose picked up her phone. He watched her pace back and forth.
"Hello Donna," Rose smiled. "Yes, things are going just fine. I just sent over the newest sound file captured just recently. We were in the lab when it happened." She listened to Donna. Wes tried to listen to both of them as Rose was standing in front of the table. He looked over to her. "Yes. It was amazing! I listened to the sound files of certain animals that I think it could be-yes I do have an idea." This was news to Wes. He perked up more. "Think crustacean, sea life. I was thinking maybe a beak or chirps but hearing it in real time in the lab, and the vibration against my feet. It reminded me of shells, sonar, lobster-crab-clam like. This is Mixmaster and this is Proudfoot Corporation. Jurassic Artemia was a shrimp that was reverted back into its prehistoric form. Mixmaster tapped into its genetic code, allowed it to morph. It could have changed back to its most recent trace but no, all the way up to the Jurassic period. Which makes me think of that story.
"Yes. I know but sometimes it could be coincidental, correlation, possible causation, anyways Proudfoot Corporation is private sector, using similar tactics as all private sectors. Dr. Poffenberger eluded that they were playing 'God.' This makes me wonder that all I am doing is venturing into the Lost World. If Mixmaster could tap into traces of genetic code of ancestral DNA, who knows what exactly if its genetic hybrids or if I'm walking back through Precambrian supereon to Phanerozoic and then on. Who knows what is exactly down there? I need us to think along those lines." There was a long pause. "Yes. Thinking back to the last Mixmaster projects, what have they been mostly? Sea life creatures, bugs, and some mammals." Slight pause. "Yes! Exactly, referencing that movie is on the same route but it's not alien meteor, its Mixmaster, but similar very similar. That's what we have to be in line with. I know movie references are odd but sometimes life imitates life. Yes, let me know more when you have something. Goodbye."
Rose sat down, she started to dig in when Wes was staring at her with interest. "You found something?"
"Yes," she laughed. "Possible thesis of Mixmaster starting out its own Big Bang."
"Big Bang?" Wes stabbed a food morsel with his fork.
"Mixmaster is a genetic splicer, left alone, it creates its own ecosystem," Rose explained.
"We knew that already," Wes nodded. "Have to be slow or we ruin the ecosystem."
"Yes, exactly, but I am meaning it's creating its own ecosystem," Rose added. "It's its own primordial soup so to speak. Hybrids, understandable, that's what it's supposed to do, but primordial soup, creations. This is breakthrough. I need to go over the lists of scientists, their research, Proudfoot Corporation's history along with sponsors. This could further give me insight on what they were exactly trying to achieve without having to go down there just yet."
Wes tried to understand. "That is gratifying. Give us time to be more prepared."
"I will need to view Dr. Mathew's findings as well," Rose spoke after eating a bite. "If this is correct, we are going to be dealing with creatures that walked the Earth before humans ever did. That may be why El Blanco can communicate with it and vice versa."
"But El Blanco was just born not too long ago," Wes pointed out.
"Yes, but instinct," Rose argued. "Instinct can dictate proceedings. Like animals born in a zoo, they may know humans but their instincts still visible, still trying to keep them to their being. Cattle ranchers make sure cows have great mothering instincts, even try to breed that notion. Humans drawn to water as we are seventy-five percent water, and our life depends on water. Just instinct."
"Will Mixmaster know to create animals in that primordial time?" Wes took another bite.
"Mixmaster only acts as a catalyst," Rose wiped her mouth with a napkin. "The shrimp was local but it's ancestral DNA was activated, morphing it into its prehistoric form. Ants, think of ants. If the ants were to be in Mixmaster's primordial soup, it could come out as a hybrid with whatever was in the soup with it, or it can become a vespoid wasp from the Cretaceous period, or any of the evolution branches it took to get to where the ant is today."
Wes was not liking what he was hearing. "Oh, it's sounding like that movie with the dinosaurs."
"Yes, which they named it wrong, but yes that's the current thesis," Rose smiled.
"Named it wrong, what name should have it been?" Wes was curious.
"Mesozoic Park," Rose explained. "This includes Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods."
"That's right cause not all dinosaurs lived together during the same timeline," Wes remembered.
"Exactly!" Rose beamed.
The two continued to eat their meal while discussing over movies and the science in them. Later that night, Rose went through file after file reading into the lists she named off earlier. It was a nice thing about working for the government, the filing system was nice. She jotted down on her notes trying to see any correlation of the scientists hired, their research, and Proudfoot Corporation's hidden agenda. This was almost like the movies they referenced.
"Life imitates life," Rose muttered. "Proudfoot Corporation is a leading global sciences company. Founding on the discovery of science and science-based findings, Proudfoot Corporation thrives on the undiscovered and the bettering of livelihood. This was the original mission which is now a generic mission statement like all other private sector labs. I can see now why the government zoned in on them. Proudfoot Laboratory was seized by the government for breaking the following laws-Proudfoot Corporation subsidiaries to be on probation are Proudfoot Pharmaceuticals, Proudfoot Technologies- so all of them are under probation and audited. Looks like they are free from that but are still on the radar due to the illegal and unethical findings. New Proudfoot Corporation subsidiary to watch is PF Research and Laboratories as it is under the same company with Proudfoot's children as shareholders and are on the board. What have these two been up to since then?"