Apes Chapter 2

2.

The laboratory was situated on the first level of the three levels of the Y shaped design structure behind the tall high walls. The structure was located inside the vast compound over five acres of land. There was the outer fence perimeter that ringed the compound with regular patrols.

The place was named the Research Centre V and its main works were on the studies of the apes. In the laboratory were the test machines for various testing and there were two occupants there in the huge chamber. They were busy at their consoles set far apart surrounded by scores of machines. There was one unique feature of the chamber which were the three metallic platform there with the leather straps. One of the three platforms was occupied. A servant of the chimpanzee breed was on the extreme left unit strapped down to it with the leather straps.

“I am telling you there is nothing wrong with the diagnostics.” The voice belonged to one named Doctor Ernie W. Lanceston. He was also slim in looks and it was his height that gave him that appearance of a towering vulture with the sunken cheeks and eyes, and the hook nose. He had on his white coat over the casual dressing of blue and white shirts with dark pants. He however had not changed his footwear which the carpet slippers from his bedroom. He was seated on the right-side console studying the readout that was on the screen while his hands rummaged through his thinning hair.

“Are you listening to me, Astrid?” The doctor reached for the goggles he had on which were modified to hold his reading glasses. The doctor’s question was not replied and was not expected to.

After all, the servant was a chimpanzee who had then strolled over with the plate of cookies well balanced on the right paws while it strolled on the other remaining paws. The plate of cookies was laid on the tabletop next to the console screen.

“Thank you, Astrid.” Doctor Lanceston smiled at the chimpanzee who returned him a screeching grin. “Now, where was I?”

“You were saying there is nothing wrong with the diagnostics? And you were referring to Astrid.” That voice belonged to another researcher named Doctor Julius Caesar Mathews who was built the same as Doctor Lanceston but younger.

“So, you came, saw and took my reading? Don’t you have the decency to get your own?” Doctor Lanceston snapped at his colleague. “I hate you.”

“Well, it would help if you let me have a go at it? More to it, I am not keen anyway. My current works are more demanding than that.” Doctor Mathew was on the other console. He had then stepped away and almost bumped into the retreating chimpanzee. He lashed out with his right leg at the creature which had then run off whimpering.

“Pesky bastards.” The doctor voiced out his animosity towards the creature. “I hate this job. We are creating them to be …”

“Intelligent, Julius. I doubt so. Docile and servitude perhaps.” Doctor Lanceston added for him. He had been researching for over three decades on the apes and how their mind could be made to understand Man’s command. He had mastered the genetic mapping of the apes to trigger off their correct synapses perform certain tasks on voice command.

“How is your patient, Doctor Lanceston?” The laid form on the metal platform in front of the console was strapped down with part of its skull pried open. There were a series of metallic thin probes inserted into the brain membrane and was reading the signals emitted from there. Now and then, the creature will be snapped out its limbs in response to the probe’s signals.

“All tests are normal. I can’t find anything that is not already on our server.” Doctor Lanceston replied. “How do I reply to the evil Director who was expecting new findings?”

“That will be me, Doctor Lanceston.” The man appeared in the doorway of the laboratory standing there in the three-piece suit with the white coat. The Director was a huge figure with wider girth around the waist. His facial expression was like the bloated fish but his eyes were sharp than the flying breed to the details he read daily. He was accompanied by the chimpanzee who carried his bag.

“Director Mudding, I was expressing ….” Doctor Lanceston was cut off by the Director.

“Give me something to appease the Council of Directors or stand to lose the grant of yours.” Director Mudding was getting agitated. “That is the fourth case of these servants doing their aggressive acts, and ten minutes ago I was told that the fifth case was reported.”

“It can’t be.” Doctor Lanceston defended his research that was his lifelong. “My servants are programmed to be docile and obedient. They don’t attack us. Anyway, the last case was a gorilla.”

“Gorilla, or chimps. They are servants. They are turning to their raw self. These …. creatures did it. So, tell me why?” Director Mudding then stepped out with the chimpanzee keeping pace.

Across the city, Officer Lanceston crouched to look at the victim. The victim was male in the forties in a bathrobe but facial recognition was impossible with the face flesh torn and the eyes sockets exposed. There were trauma wounds on the chest and thighs. He looked from that position up and saw the victim could have been tossed out through the upper levels to the ground. He had seen such wounds that were inflicted by others who were handling the untrained apes especially the gorillas. The lacerations depths were too deep and wide for a chimpanzee attack. If the killer was not the chimpanzee that was shot by the Elite Sniper. They have another killer on the loose.

“Lance, tell me what we got that could baffle me?” Officer Mol stood over the other while looking around. They were alone there despite the calls for the Enforcers, no one else wants to around the crime scene.

“Nothing unusual. I think the guy got his brains squashed by a servant but it’s not the servant that was shot. It was a gorilla. Run a check for a listing of the gorilla in the building?” Lance then looked around and did not see the one person he was looking for.  Due to the shortage of manpower, there were only two other officers there handling the inquisitive crowds. He saw the scores of servants there.

“Where is our sniper?” Lanceston asked while he reached for the waist belt with the sidearm. He was not keen to face the crowd without some weapons. He could see the servants who were chimpanzees were not in the state of shock but the anxiety was shown on their facial expression.

“She left soon after the shot. They don’t do their cleaning process.” Mol told him. “Anyway, you left your gears behind in the cruiser.”

Lance did remove the vambrace back into the case but he carried his baton. It may be of use in the case of a riot.

“Molly, look out for the …” Officer Judd did not see it coming then.

The dark form dropped on her from above.

Molly fell face down but she was not to last long. The dark form was twice her size and with its huge arms, it pounded hard on the spine cracking the bones there. She never stood a chance with a three hundred pounds ape seated on her body.

“No…,” Lance screamed out and then he grabbed the baton from his back to level it at the ape. He pressed the lever to release the knob at the ape. The knob on impact released its talons onto the ape’s chest. Due to the softer flesh there the talons dug in deep and when Lance retracted the knob, it left behind a fatal wound.

The gorilla screamed out in pain with its bloodied arms spread out. Lance charged at the ape then swinging his baton like a bat. He hit the ape on the face and then on the side of it before he thrust it in the face with anger. He depressed the switch to release the talon. It tore into the ape’s left eye and bored into the soft brain tissue.

The ape was hurt and dying from the head wound but its strength was still thrice of Man. It swung out the upper arms at Lance and dropped the other to the far wall with the baton in its left eye. The ape then stood on its hind legs and roared to the unseen sky.

Something unusual happened then.

The echoes of the gorillas rarely heard were then roared in reply from the multiple levels of the nearby structures. The roaring then spread out wider until it hit the boundary of the city.

Then the great ape collapsed face down.

Lance was then seated leaning onto the wall for support could then only stare in disbelief at the dying ape when more roars were echoed by the other servants. He had never heard or seen such an event in his life. It was unbelievable for the servants to have responded as if they were of one unit.

“I need to see the Doctor. Only he will know.” Lance muttered to himself.