Chapter 2
They're two minutes close to their destination: Chiro Sanctuary. A nonprofit nongovernmental organization partnered with the Backyard Bat Survey from the National History Museum of Los Angeles, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Bat Conservation International. Its development began when Diana was fifteen-years-old. She volunteers there every time she gets the chance, even dragging Percy along.
After Diana graduated from high school, the people from Chiro Sanctuary gave her a part-time job to work with them. This excited her even further. After she's done with college, she plans to get a full-time job there. To her, it wasn't even boring and lonely at the conservation since there's lots of excitement there and lots of people she knows. Because of Diana, due to her taking Percy there against his will, he knows the people there as well and they know him.
They finally arrived as his sister parked her car as they then got out.
"Don't you have the day off from here?" Percy asked while deep down hoping that she'll change her mind and take him back home.
"Yes, but I was called by Josh to come over." Diana replied as they then walked toward the conservation. "Apparently Lalita has an important announcement to make. She wanted everyone from work to hear about it."
Joshua Kennett, everyone calls him Josh, is Diana's fellow co-worker. They both first meet in middle school and quickly became friends a few weeks later. And during high school, they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Josh has always treated both Diana and Percy nicely. He even acts like an older brother to him. Even though Percy didn't ask him to... plus it can get slightly annoying at times when he unintentionally pushes it.
And Lalita Suresh is the current director of Chiro Sanctuary. She's also one of the three conservation's co-founders alongside Emidio Heliodoro, everyone just calls him Dio, and Seth Ramirez. Dio was the original director of the conservation but he disappeared two months before the kidnappings started. Everyone later assumes that he got kidnapped like the rest of the other victims. Seth on the other hand just up and left a week after Dio's disappearance saying that he found a better job that actually makes money while making actual use of his scientific talents.
Lalita always acts like a nerdy aunt that adds in unnecessary trivia and small facts when in a conservation. Seth is always looks grumpy, unhappy, and somewhat rude when ever Percy meets him. Diana says he's always like that. And she adds that the only time he was actually happy, even though is a rudely arrogant form of happy, is when he left.
And as for Dio, he always treats everyone like family and acts like a father figure towards everyone. When Percy first meet him, the muscular giant of a man surprised him by giving a big bear hug without warning. He even tries to help Diana her little brother get over his fears of bats... but he doesn't push it.
Dio's past is a complete mystery. When asked about it he replies that he grew up as an orphan in Central-America and doesn't say much afterwards. And the strangest thing about him is that he doesn't seem to age... like at all! He's always appears to be in his early fifties and is always in tip-top healthy condition.
Before founding Chiro Sanctuary, he helped create a safe, family-friendly, and residential foster-home building seven miles away from the Venice neighborhood called "Home of Future Samaritans". The foster-home pays for the children's school while providing essential need for them like food, entertainment, and such. The people that work there act so family-like that they celebrate the foster kids' birthdays and other holidays with them. And the moment they turn eighteen after graduating from high school, they provide them with the money to live own their own and for college.
Josh was one of those kids. He was born an orphan when his parents died after their apartment building caught on fire in Brooklynn. Josh didn't have any relatives to take him in so he was raised in unfriendly orphanage. That's until he ran away at the age of seven and began living on the streets as a tough, clever, and wisecracking paperboy. While growing up, he became a fan of both the broadway show and movie, Newsies. They inspire him so much, that he kept on saving his earnings so he can one day move out to California to live out a better life.
When Dio first met Josh when the boy was the age of twelve, the fatherly adult took him to the "Home of Future Samaritans" back at Los Angeles and hence forth Josh is forever grateful to him. As he grew up in the foster-home, he made lots of friends (both from schools and at "Home of Future Samaritans"). He even got a lot of roles in the school plays of Newsies as well.
Josh always sees him like father and Dio always sees him like a son. He always sees him so much like a son in fact that he constantly visits him and takes him to trips. Dio inspired Josh so much that he decided to become a scientist like him. The reason why Dio didn't adopt him is because Josh insisted not to since he wanted to continue living independently... plus he currently likes how he's living at the foster-home. Dio respected his decision. Even after Josh graduated from high school, Dio helped alongside with the foster home to provide him with the money to support both his college and his home until he managed it on his own.
The moment Dio disappeared, Josh couldn't stop worry about him. Luckily he has Diana to support him. He later soon got back to his upbeat and positive self again... even though he can't help but think about Dio from time to time.
When both Diana and Percy arrive at the glass automatic doors of Chiro Sanctuary, she spoke to him asking "Promise me you won't misbehave this time."
"Misbehave?" Percy said with a short laugh. "What makes you think I'll—"
He instantly shut up when his sister gave him a serious "I MEAN IT!" frown. Sometimes when he goes to the conservation with his sister, he sometimes pulls pranks on her fellow co-workers. Especially on Seth. He gets the best reactions out of him. Percy always wonders if that's the reason why he left. But he never pulls any pranks on Josh or else Diana will unleash a furious wrath upon him.
"Alright, I promise! Jeez!"
"Good."
The moment they entered inside, Percy saw on one of walls of the short entry halls is a picture of Chiro Sanctuary's founders back in 2016. In the center is Dio while holding his fellow founders in a brotherly headlock. He has brownish-gold eyes with his brownish-orange hair, along with sunny-red tips, tied in a mid-length ponytail smiling with a big grin. Lalita, in her late thirties back then (and the youngest of the founders), is Indian with dark brown eyes and black hair while smiling both sweetly and nervously. Seth, in his mid-forties, is Hispanic with dark-brown eyes with dark-brown hair and short ducktail beard while wearing small rounded glasses and pouting like a child. The three are all garbed in their white lab-coats in front of their bat conservatory.
As the Conlan siblings traversed from the waiting room and into the main halls, Percy noticed that the Halloween decorations are already up, especially with kid-friendly bats.
Percy softly groaned in disgust at the bat decorations.
Then from the corner of the halls, someone in a really convincing and impressive pallid bat fursuit jumped in front of them yelling "HIYA DIANA!"
Diana let startled gasp while Percy screamed in absolute terror. Then he kicked fursuiter in the crotch in which he toppled over onto his knees wincing in pain.
"I didn't realize that you were bringing your brother over."
Diana eyes widened recognizing the voice of the fursuiter. "Steve! Is that you?!"
Steve then slowly got back up, with his legs slightly shaking and one his hands on his crotch, as he removed the head of the fursuit revealing his face.
This is Steve Holmes, he is a Chinese-American in his mid-twenties with black hair and light-brown eyes.
"Why the heck did you startled us like that?" Diana asked almost laughing, "And what's with the costume?"
"I was expecting to scare just you. Sorry about that."
"You kind of deserved it."
"Sort of." Steve agreeing with her. "Also I made this fursuit to wear for the preschoolers visiting this Friday and for the Halloween party."
"For what? To scare to crap out of them." Percy asked while slightly made at Steve for scaring him.
"Of course not. Its for entertaining the kids. Plus I'm hoping my costume will become the mascot for this conservation."
"That's a great idea!" Diana said. "What has Professor Suresh think about about it?"
"She's considering it."
"That's excellent news!"
"Yup. I'm excited!."
After Steve regained his posture, he then continued talking. "Let's head to the meeting. That's where everyone else is heading right now."
"Do you need to got to the medical facility?" Diana asked.
"Nay, I can walk it off." Steve replied. "By the way Perc', great kick."
"Uh, thanks?"
Steve then began to lead both Diana and Percy to where the meeting room where Lalita is.
Every co-worker of Chiro Sanctuary is present as they sat on either a rolling or folding chair as Lalita began her announcement.
"I'm glad that everyone is here today to hear this great news. Especially with our guest, Perseus Conlan. The young brother of our dear Diana Conlan; two children of the famous late Damian and Nicole Conlan. It's is great to see you again."
"Meh."
Diana elbowed Percy's for his rudeness.
Lalita didn't notice as she continued "Three days ago, the scientists of Harvard University have finished a pheromonal agent that will allow bats of opposite gender to be attracted to one another."
"That's lit!" Josh exclaimed with his Brooklyn accent. He sort of sounds like Joey Wheeler from Yu-Gi-Oh.
This is Josh Kennet. Diana's handsome boyfriend. He's a twenty-one year old Caucasian with brown hair, with dark-brown tips, and light blue-hazel eyes. He's also wearing a authentic black newsboy cap, light-blue buttoned and collared shirt, white lab-coat (which every co-worker in the conservation is wearing), grey pants, and brown leather slip-on shoes.
Having known Josh for so long, Percy learned the different meanings, terms, and slangs that people in New York and Brooklyn used. What he meant by "lit" is that he's amazed.
"Why's that important?" Asked a male co-worker. "Don't they just "do it" naturally?"
"It is because if we have the last two species of bats of opposite gender and they refuse to reproduce, it would mean the end of their kind." Josh explained. "But with the pheromone, it can jumpstart their hormones in which getting them into the mood. And thus repopulate their species."
Eww! Percy thought with a grossed out expression.
"Exactly Joshua. Except the pheromone works too well..."
"What do you mean by that Professor?" Diana asked.
"Well one of the scientists accidently used the pheromone on two bats of different genders... and of different species."
Everyone reacted with eye-widen expressions of surprise... except for Percy.
"And thus getting the female pregnant as a result."
All the co-workers wowed and some said "Amazing" and "Extraordinary" upon hearing this.
"What are the species?" Asked a female co-worker.
"A female silver-haired bat and a male vampyrum spectrum or false vampire bat."
All the co-workers let out a loud flabbergasted gasp.
"I don't get?" Percy asked.
"It would be impossible for them to have any form of sexual interaction since the vampyrum spectrum are known to eat other species of bats." Diana explained.
"WHAT?!" Percy exclaimed in horror. "YOU MEAN THEY'RE CANNIBALS!?" THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANT KNOW ABOUT THESE RATS WITH WINGS!
"That's correct." Lalita said. "Which is why the scientists separated the two. Also we're expecting a small package containing samples of the pheromone later today."
That got everyone, except Percy, talking.
The director then stood up and then said "That's all news I have for you all. Proceed back to your workstations."
Everyone then stood up and started to go back to work. Percy then stood up and was about to walk out, but Diana grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket as she dragged him to Lalita.
"Professor," Diana began to ask, "is it all right I go help with the others with the sick bats?"
"Don't you have a day off today?"
"Yes. Also another reason why came back is that Percy has a school assignment writing about animal of his choice. Plus overheard about that they need an extra hand with handling the bats."
Lalita studied both of them for a bit as she then sighed and said "Alright, you two can stay. But I expect to you to have a full day off tomorrow Diana. Is that clear."
"Yes ma'am."
"Oh come on!" Percy complained. "I wanna go home!"
"Percy, this a great opportunity to learn about the bats here." Diana said. "That way you can write your paper about one of them. While learning about them, you'll find out that they're all not bad as you think."
"Yeah, right."
Percy then realized as he asked "Wait a minute, where am I going to be with when you're with the sick bats?"
"I'll look after him while you're off helping." Josh offered.
"Thanks Josh." Diana said to her boyfriend.
"No problem."
Josh then leaned over and kissed Diana on the cheek. She giggled sweetly in response.
"Ugh." Percy softly, and quietly, groaned.
"Don't forget about your lab-coat and your badge before helping out." Lalita reminded.
"I'll get them." Diana answered as she then ran off. "See you later Percy."
When his exited out of the room Josh then as he began leading him with a brotherly smile "I'll take you to my office. That way we'll both have some peace and quiet work."
"Sure."
As they both exited out the room Josh then asked "So, what bat do you want to write about."
None.
It's 5:27 P.M. in Josh's half messy and half organized office. In Josh's office, he has two desks, two office chairs, one office computer, a bookcase, office drawers, and a small lab filled with counters, tables, chairs, flasks, two computers, microscopes, lab centrifuges, and other stuff scientists use.
Josh's suggested Percy to write about the silver-haired bats since they are among the most common species in North America. And thus Percy began to write about them, reluctantly, for almost three hours until he finished. There was much information about that cannot be written in two pages. So he had no choice but to write three extra pages for his report.
"Finally." Percy whispered in a tired and frustrated tone.
Percy then got up from the spare chair as he picked up and organized his papers from Josh's spare desk.
"Hey bud, you finished with you assignment?" Josh asked from sitting on his desk chair next to his desk. His lab-coat was hanging on the chair he was sitting on.
"Yes." Percy replied bluntly.
"I'm basically done with work myself. Also I think Diana is almost done herself." Josh said. "How about I proofread your paper? That way I'll be sure that it's good enough for you to get an A+."
Percy slightly groaned as he reluctantly handed his homework to him. Josh expected his report while saying "Uh-huh" repeatedly. After he was done, he handed it back to Percy and said "Not bad. I'm impressed that you manage to write down all of this in five pages. Usually it would take ten or more."
"It was a pain." Percy stated. "It was originally supposed to be two."
"Yeah I know. You still bodied this report." Josh smiled proudly.
"Bodied" is a Brooklyn term for "slayed" or "nailed it".
Percy then grabbed his backpack and headed towards the doorway out of the office until Josh stopped him and said. "Hey there. Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Home." Percy replied. "I know where she is."
"Alright, but I need to ask you something."
Percy looked annoyed as he eager to go back home... and far away from the bat conservatory as possible.
"I promise this will be quick."
Percy sighed. "Alright. What do you want ask?"
Josh laid his hands on on Percy's shoulders and said "Percy... would you like to be my brother-in-law?"
"Brother-in-law?—!?" Percy's eyes went wide. "Wait a minute, are you—"
"That's right! I'm going to ask Diana to marry me!" Josh said with excitement. "I already got your uncle's blessing. So I wanted to ask if you're okay with this as well."
Percy was speechless... and inwardly horrified at the same time. He had no problem with it since he always wanted a brother. Except that if he marries Diana, she'll move out and he'll be living alone all by himself. Well not entirely alone since he has Mark and their two-year dog, Rosko (a German Shepherd and wolf mix), but his uncle works most of the day. And Spike sometimes works with Mark as a police dog.
It was happening so fast... and Percy didn't like it.
He mind mind them getting married if both Diana and Josh got married after he went to college. But the problem is that she will definitely say yes.
"Well?" Josh said bother eagerly and excitedly.
"Uhhh..."
"Yo Josh."
A co-worker in his early thirties arrived inside the office carrying a plastic rack containing what appears to be tubed-shaped breath sprays.
"Is that the pheromone agents?" Josh asked.
"Yup. Professor Suresh asked if you can hold onto them until tomorrow."
"Of course. I can leave them in my lab and lock my office door before I leave."
"Great. I'll place them there." The co-worker placed the samples on the bench close the doorway as he then left.
"Where were we? Oh yes! Do I have your approval about marrying Diana? I plan on proposing to her in the bat exhibit."
Percy was about to lay out a big flat out NO until his eyebrows raised as he then asked "Bat exhibit? You mean that room with the artificial forest?"
"Yup. But don't worry, you won't have to be in there. The speakers will be on for everyone to her from the outside."
Then a plan slowly began to take form in Percy's mind as he smirked deviously inwardly.
"Of course you can marry Diana... future bro."
Josh let out short gasp of joy as he then said "You and Mark won't regret it! I promise to be the most devoted, loving, caring, loyal, and protective husband that Diana will ever have. Now let me just get the ring from the closet."
Josh then quickly ran into the closet as he frantically began to search for the engagement ring. "I know I put it here somewhere."
While he was searching, he quickly grabbed one of the bat pheromone sprays and quietly applied onto Josh's lab-coat without getting any on himself. Strangely the spray doesn't have an odor or after-scent to it. Percy then quickly placed the agent back on the rack as he turned back facing Josh as the excited young man retrieved a small black ring box as he approached him.
"I saved a lot money to get her this." Josh said proudly. He opened a box revealing a golden engagement ring. On top of it is a big silver stud resembling a moon with small specks of moonstones acting as craters. And the whole stud is surrounded by a ring of diamonds. "Do you think she'll like it?"
"Like it? Diana's going to love it!?" Percy said with a clever disguised faked enthusiasm.
Josh let out a big smile as he then said "Awesome! I'll meet you at the exhibit."
He then almost headed out of his office until Percy shouted "Dude! Don't forget your lab-coat!
"Oh, right."
Josh quickly grabbed and put on his lab-coat as he thanked Percy before heading out.
The teenager smirked deviously as he then whispered "No. Thank you."
Author's Notes
Joshua "Josh" Kennett's appearance is inspired by Jack Kelly in the 2017 film "Disney's Newsies: The Broadway Musical!" and Joey Wheeler from the movie "Yu-Gi-Oh: The Dark Side of Dimensions" (with the top part of his hair shorter for realism).
"Home of Future Samaritans" is a fictional foster-home of my own design.
Steve Holmes' appearance is a Chinese version of Tyler Ridgemount from the Tv show "Stoked".
Lalita Suresh's appearance is inspired by Mina Kandaswamy's from the anime "Darker than Black".
Emidio "Dio" Heliodoro's appearance is a Hispanic & Central-American version of Phoebus from the Disney film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".
Seth Ramirez's appearance looks like a fusion of the actor Steve Buscemi, the animated character Penny's Father (Actor) from the Disney film "Bolt", and Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine from the 2011 animated film "Adventures of Tintin" but overall Hispanic and Portuguese in ethnicity.