Bitch: Puncture (book 2)

Arlene and Natalie were very helpful in sharing all that they knew so far. Arlene had learned a fair amount from the questions that the Sheriff wasn’t asking as well as the ones that he was. It seemed like he knew something about the disappearance, but she couldn’t say for sure if he was involved.

Natalie filled in the blanks that the Sheriff did know something was off about her disappearance, but was most likely not involved. He had been advised not to pursue in the murder investigation but Natalie didn’t know who had talked to the Sheriff because that was before she’d begun dating the deputy. The tribal police were pissed and tried to continue their investigation but had unsuccessful in getting anywhere as the FBI crime lab had accidentally destroyed their evidence because of a clerical error. They sent another sample and that got contaminated, they suspected a coverup but didn’t have the money to pursue an outside lab. So the case had become a sore spot for the two law enforcement departments over the years.

Then a couple months ago, the sheriff had been informed by some vague government agency advisors who had shown up with black SUV’s and a bunch of high tech toys. They were searching for a wolf and a dog. Apparently there was some large reward being dangled. But it appeared that the Sheriff was unaware that the two events or “suspects” were related.

The Sheriff was not well liked so someone within the Sheriff’s office had relayed Arlene’s appearance to the tribal police. When they showed up demanding to see the report of Arlene’s interview that had stirred a hornets nest in the Sheriff’s department. He was furious about the leaks and that he wasn’t given the opportunity to pass along the information on his terms which made him look bad. And the fact that it was all about a cold case that he’d been directed to drop for political reasons. And since there were a couple employees that were native American it was impossible to pinpoint the leak. Well that got under the Sheriff’s skin, everyone was now a suspect and the appearance of a new betrayal had renewed tensions with the tribal police.

Several hours later I was exhausted. I didn’t ever want to spell out anything one letter at a time ever again.

Of course Apoc had been sleeping the whole time, since Natalie’s phone call. He’d gone out to the woods twice. I envied his visceral connection to the immediate - the real - nature. My very existence was a denial of nature. My need had been great for hours but could not leave until I’d communicated. Said what I’d needed to say.

By the time that we were through it must have been past midnight. Dr. Broon was satisfied that I was actually human at some point. Although he disagreed that I was still human, he was convinced that Dr. Shen had made a number of quantum advancements in genetics.

Dr. Broon sat back oddly quiet. “In his quest to advance the science of genetics, he took your humanity and I feel like he’s lost his own as well as destroying yours. What he has done is utterly amazing and deeply repugnant at the same time. I guess humanity didn’t learn from the Nazi’s, so we are doomed to repeat those dark days. You know, this is why I became a vet, sometimes I just hate people. Their self-centered, arrogant ignorance, that leads them to the false conclusion that they can somehow create better in relative seconds what it took mother nature millions of years to evolve. The hubris and carelessness when approaching the very building blocks of creation. May the gods forgive us. We have no idea the ramifications of what he has done. For example, just from a epidemiological perspective the consequences of his creation could be disastrous for the human race. And now with her... he’s potentially created a bacteriological and viral bridge from one species to another. I am truly terrified to think about what other monsters he has in that lab just waiting to see the light of day... I mean, how many humans do you know with mange?”

Arlene had her chin planted firmly in her palm. “I bet none of that ever entered into his mind. I bet his one and only thought was - if we can, we should.”

“Fuck me. We could all have some new genetic plague now just by being near her and not even know that we’re going to be dead in a day or a week or a month.” Natalie mused.

“Pretty sure you have at least a week.” Arlene smiled.

“Best not to waste a moment”