883 Words

Chapter Three, Conclusion

How could she help, Jess wondered. Then she had an idea. Connor and she had been working on creature recognition software. It would zero in on a creature's features and identify the creature by analyzing its different features and comparing it with the ARC's creature files.

She ran footage of monstrosity through their prototype program. The results appeared on her screen. Legs: strength and power of a dire wolf, front paws of a smilodon, brain…

"Yes!" she cried. She ran her fingers over her keyboard. "Help is on the way, guys," she said.

All of a sudden, the creature froze.

"What? No! My creature, rage on!"

Becker approached the thing carefully. "I think it's done raging."

"Only for a short while," said Jess. "Take it down, Becker."

Becker smiled, and shot the creature. It lay still on the floor.

"No!" screamed its master.

"Nice job, Jess," said Becker. "How'd you do it?"

"I used the future predator frequency."

The team reacted with stunned looks.

"You used a future predator's brain?" asked Connor in disbelief. "Are you mental?"

"Clearly," said Becker, barely containing his fury.

The scientist wailed and cried in defeat, next to his fallen creation. "What have you done? All my work…wasted."

"Matt, can I zap him?"

"Sorry, Becker, no. You can arrest him though."

"Amazing," said Abby, kneeling close to but not next to the creature. "It's not unconscious."

"You're joking," said Connor. "Becker hit it straight on, directly with a major blast."

"I know, but look. It's awake. I think it's aware still," said Abby. She looked steadily at it, making small, slow movements.

The monster groaned and moaned. When Abby moved slightly toward it, it wailed sadly.

"No! Not this again!" cried the doctor. "You are a savage!" He moved toward it, but Becker grabbed him.

"I think you should stay back," he said. He nodded to his men, and they placed him in handcuffs, guarding him with their guns.

"Easy," said Abby softly. "I'm sorry, but some humans aren't so nice."

The doctor scoffed.

The creature cried sadly.

"What do we do with this thing?" asked Becker.

Matt shook his head. "We can't send it back, not like this. It isn't any real creature. It shouldn't exist."

"You could bring it back here."

"No, Jess," said Abby. "Matt's right. Look, the creature knows it too."

It looked sadly at her, pleadingly even. It wailed low and hauntingly. It looked into the faces of the team, howling pitifully.

"What have you done? You've ruined my creation," said the doctor, spitting hatefully.

"You did that with your experiments," said Matt.

Abby was now beside the creature, petting it. It continued to cry in pain. Then it did something strange. It began to nuzzle its head along Abby's EMD. It softly knocked against it, pushing it toward her.

"I think…it wants us to shoot it."

"We have, repeatedly," said Becker.

"No. I think it wants…to die."

"Really, Abs?"

Becker scoffed. "Why would it want that?"

"It knows it is an abomination," said Emily.

"No!" cried the scientist struggling between the guards. "Leave it be!"

Connor had approached, crouching by Abby. The creature head butted his gun, slowly, gently urging it toward Connor.

"Wow. I think you might be right," said Connor

"It wants to be unmade," said Emily.

In reply, the monster gave a low mournful wail.

"Wow," said Jess. "I think you're right."

The team was quiet.

"What do we do?" asked Becker.

Abby's eyes watered. "We can't allow it to live."

The others looked at her with shock.

"I know. It goes against my principles," said Abby, "But this thing should never have existed. It's not natural, plus…I don't think it can live, at least not with any kind of purpose."

"It's purpose is to kill, maim, and destroy."

"I think you missed the mark somewhere, Doc," said Connor.

The creature now nuzzled Abby's hand. She began to tear up. She looked at Becker. He nodded, and took a small conventional gun from his boot.

"No!" screamed the mad scientist.

The team ignored him. Becker moved up to the creature and as Abby gently rubbed its paw, Becker put one bullet into its head.

The room was quiet, except for the scientist crying and yelling obscenities.

The team mourned the monstrosity whose only crime was existing.

"You won't stop me! I'll make more! Do you hear me? I'll create an entire army!" cried the scientist.

"You're the real monster," said Becker. "If it was my decision, you'd go the same way as your freak creation."

The scientist glared at him.

"Get him out of here," said Matt harshly.

Becker's men led the human monster away. Then the team went outside and buried the poor creature.

They all stood around, looking solemnly at the grave.

"Becker's right," said Connor. "The doctor was the real monster, not this…travesty of nature."

Abby nodded.

"Guys," said Jess softly. "Come on home."

Becker smiled. "That sounds like a good idea," he said.

Connor held Abby's hand and they left. "So much for Frankenstein's monster being cool," he said.

"It is cool," said Abby, "but in fiction. In real life, it's a nightmare."

"Amen," said Becker. "Connor, I'll never call you a mad scientist again."

Connor smiled. "I appreciate that."

The End