Even through the ramble of construction equipment, the ruckus and, the general busyness of assorted workmen and contractors; he was able to discern the delightful sunny pitch of her voice. Surprisingly her voice was still much as he remembered it, full sparkle and naivety of uncorrupted bliss. He halfway had expected her to have forcibly lowered her voice a few octaves or so, much in the manner that many upwardly mobile women do, when they find themselves competing in the professional, business and, science worlds. He thought her either
un-indoctrinated to this point or totally self assured in her abilities to not have done so. He was however please that she had not. The musical qualities of her voice always struck him in a fanciful way and induce in him pleasant thoughts.
The welcoming tour, he assumed must have been drawing to a close, he reasoned since his lab station was in the vicinity of the main entrance. Doctor Samuel Poser, Professor of Physical Anthropology at the Kinderstein Institute of Primate Studies, checked his teeth, adjusted his, fresh of the cleaners’, brilliant white, lab coat and made his way into the hallway.
“Doctor Poser” Spoke the silver haired distinguished gentlemen conducting the tour. “Just in time, I believe you and this dynamic young lady graduated from the same East coast warehouse.” Professor Hollis flashed an all too smug soap opera spattering of manicured teeth. Had Hollis not been a world renowned scientist, Poser reflected; he probably would have ended up a world renowned televangelist. It was at times like these that he wished his superior had opted for the latter vocation.
“It was more like an ant farm back in my day.” Retorted Doctor Poser, happy with his quick witted return. “However, some of the worker ants nevertheless stood out amongst the colony. Doctor Poser reached out and grasped the new associates extended hand. “I believe it is Ms. Jennifer, Jennifer…” He took the opportunity to hold her hand longer than necessary while performing the charade of assessing memory.
“Jennifer Lin.” The petite, smartly dressed woman piped in, not at all unnerved by Poser’s pretense of having to juggle his memory for her last name. He knew her name very well and in the years since learning it, it had rolled off his tongue many a night while lost in narcosis of sleep and dream. He was already conducting his Post-Graduate work when she had arrived at, as the students liked to call it, into the MIST, The Maryland Institute of Science and Technology. He had the opportunity of conducting a few classes, her first semester, while serving in his role as a teaching assistant.
“Oh! I remember you.” She continued. You taught a few Clinical Statistics classes during my freshman year.”
What Doctor Lin, visiting professor of Social Biology honestly failed to remember, was the night that Sam Poser took it upon himself to escort a slightly inebriated Jenny Lin back to her dorm room. Like many young women, fresh out of high school and sudden out on their own, Jenny had succumbed to frat house peer pressure. He suspected the incident was probably her first and only. Unfortunately for him, the opportunity to escort her home was his first and only. A less than honorable escort probably could have had an easy time in forcing himself upon such an intoxicated girl. And although Sam held her close and firmly anchored her staggering body against his as they made their way across the campus field; the only liberty that he availed himself to was the deep and copious inhalation of her fragrant, long and silky jet black hair; as it lay nestled under his chin. He kindly patronized all her dizzily muttered resolutions and nonsensical edicts, much the way a father consoles a wonder lust daughter. Despite all his academic accomplishments and accolades, memories of that night remained one of the best moments of his life. To Dr.Lin, it was a moment of time forever lost in the dusty, seldom visited passageways of the subconscious.
All of this had occurred at least six or seven years ago. Now before him stood that same Jennifer Lin, now accomplished, some of her incoherent edicts now fulfilled. Rather than aged, she had bloomed; she had become even more beautiful and endearing in Sam’s eyes. Academics always took a front seat in Doctor Poser's life and he had given it the full attention due. Now looking at her made him wish he had settled for a less demanding major and, a more active social life.
His reevaluation of his life was interrupted. Several other scientists made their way down the hall and general introductions were made all around. Professor Hollis broke ranks from the huddle to approach one of the workmen, oblivious a foreman. Although he did not whisper, his conversation was directed solely for the attention of the workman. The Institute was in the process of taking full advantage of a new round of grants and awards afforded it. Other funds had been freed up and had been appropriated for Professor Hollis to allocate at will.
It had been documented that quakes, shakes, tremors and other natural maladies were taking place with increasing frequency here in the early decades of the 21st. Century. The Institute itself was stealthily and precariously perched in the picturesque hillsides of seismic prone San Diego. Although the building was less than fifteen years old, taking advantage of any and all the recent and newest innovations in retrofitting and the likes was an investment best acted upon. Professor Hollis had siphoned off large tracks of the allocated funds to improvise some specific changes of his own design.
Situated in the center of the facility, much like an enormous atrium was a Bio-Square and Wildlife Habitat. The lifeblood of the institute focused around this area. Had it not stood where stood a sizeable auditorium could have filled in the space. Much of the commotion and going ons with the workmen and craftsmen centered more on this area than any other of the building.
The foreman who spoke a little louder than Hollis and with a certain frustration informed and assured the Professor once again on the quality of his product and service. The viewing panel was constructed with Octive/8 Sensing-Nanobytes technology. The panels would be able to shift gradient from crystal clear to pitch black at command. The Chamelion-Protron embedded sensors even allowed the controller to give the viewing panel the high definition appearance of anything from a city nightscape to a lush rain forest or, any other image the user desired to upload.
"And the other thing?” Queried a nervous and slightly apprehensive, Professor Hollis.
"Yes it can stop a seventy four caliber amour piercing shell at point blank range with hardly a scratch.” Declared the cocky foreman.
Dr.Lin could not stop wondering what bullet proof viewing panels had to do with retrofitting and earthquake proofing. She unintentionally overheard bit and pieces of the conversation. The others took no note of the adjacent conversation. Professor Hollis orchestrated the final dismissal and assured Dr.Lin that by the time of her start date that the construction should have been completed and that the residents of the Habitat should be back on board and well settled in. Dr. Lin beamed as she took one last look at the home of her soon to be new clients, and then parted company. The Return
As not to cause the animals’ undue stress during the reconstruction period, the animals had been moved to the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Life Preserve. Upon their return they found numerous things much to their disliking, most notable was the absence of the man-made playground delights, toys, fun tools and the much adored and prized tire swings. But being the beast they were they soon settled in to the new surroundings without much debate.
Once things had returned to some degree of normal a staff meeting was called for all supervisory and lead personnel. Professor Hollis briefed the department heads of the various sciences and disciplines. He informed them on a new round of progressive experimentation and direction which he planned to take the Institute. His manner of speech and mannerisms seemed almost prophetic in nature, Moses-like in quality, as he addressed the spell bind crowd.
“Esteemed colleagues you have been appointed here at the Kinderstein Institute because you are the best and most prolific scientist in your field. Yet the field that you have appointed yourselves to is in bad need of an overhaul”. Professor Hollis now expression turned deadly serious.
“We, here at this institute as well as others involved in Primate Studies and Sciences have been studying, writing papers as well as pontificating so eloquently, the same damn things over and over again. For instance we go to great lengths to boisterously publish our reports. We pontificate upon glorious myths of evolution as if they were truly proven as scientific fact. Yet in our multitudes of experiments and studies ‘ monkeys and apes do as monkeys and apes have always done’ since man has had the ability himself to master writing and communicate his observations.
We construct these false environment for study and when the beast finally adapt to one of our little experiments, we proudly proclaim that this in someway validates the Evolutionary Theology that we proselytize upon the rest of the world.
Wherever Hollis was going with this, he most certainly had the attention of the room. Poser even caught sight of an excited Jennifer suggestively squirming in her seat as if sexually aroused. Hollis waved his pointer rod at the assembly as if it was the ‘Staff of Aaron’. Hollis had all the outward appearances of a phony but he was perhaps one of the most brilliant minds on the planet .Poser’s internal acknowledgment of such did little for his threatened self esteem. But, he had to give the man his due.
Hollis went on to explain to the assembled group the certain modification which had taken place inside the Bio-square/Habitat. Gone were the man-made applications. In their place were natural items from the environment that with minor manipulation could be fitted, used as, or supplant the former man-made objects. For instance, situated roughly in the same area of the favored tire swings were sturdy crafted hanging vines the ends of which were fashioned into hooks. Nearby these sights were scattered reef-like woven wheels of branches and natural twine. If an insight ape were to make the connection, that the reefs could be affixed to the hooked vines; such an ape would find itself once again delighting in the ecstasy of first class swing.
Sam knew that Hollis was on to something. In his own field he had often wondered what the point was. Every other year or so, someone would discover a new fossil that they would cite conclusively established the link between man and ape, only to have it supporting evidence refuted in following years. For all its uproar, even monumental discoveries such as
‘Lucy’ had now been so discredited that it had been mysteriously erased clean from memory and all anthropological texts and journals. He applauded the Professor’s presentation but not nearly with the enthusiasm Jenny or the others had shown the professor. Interestingly it was Sam, many weeks later, who was the first to discover that Bonzo, his favorite of the primates, was gently rocking himself to and fro, high amidst the treetops, over the turbine generated brook.
Sam took his time about making the announcement. By the time the summoned group had assembled at the viewing panel on level A-4; Bonzo’s peace had been interrupted. Chornos, the dominant Alpha Male had pirated control of the newly designed swing for the pleasure of his own clan.
The center was ablaze in merriment and excitement. Champaign was uncorked.Scientist from one study group compared notes with scientist from another. Jenny must have truly learned a valuable lesson that night on campus because this time, much to Sam’s dismay, she did not take part in the celebratory Champaign consumption. He did find an opportunity to briefly engage her in conversation through. She retrieved for his pleasure certain notes on evolution from the Social Biologist perspective. He managed to move his hand, ever so gently to come into contact with hers as she displayed her notes. She very politely and not at all abrupt but, she even more ever so gently disengaged that contact. Dr.Poser's concentration returned to academics with a vengeance.
It was in the weeks following the breakthrough ushered in by Bonzo that several of the other primates had also made connections. They had fashioned some crude tools and toys from the items crafted from natural products. Bonzo spent most of his time sulking in the fact that he was never able to capture his swing throne back from the dominate clan. Rather than fashion a new swing Bonzo would from time to time try to re-stake his claim only to be frighten off by the usurping Chornos.
It was in the weeks proceeding the breakthrough ushered in by Bonzo that several of the other primates had also made connections and were able to fashion tools and toys from the items crafted from natural products. Bonzo never was able to capture his swing throne back from the dominate clan. Rather than fashion a new swing Bonzo would from time to time try to re-stake his claim only to be frighten off by the usurping Chornos.
The development that most pleased Professor Hollis was Experiment KI/1005. In this experiment an abundance of sharpen branches had been left near a shallow pond. Even before the renovations to the habitat it was well documented that the primates had shown more than a curiosity towards the plump Oscars and other pond fish inhabiting the pond. On a few occasions a primate had actually managed to catch a fish or two. The prize was then quickly and happily consumed.
Now the primates had figured out that by throwing the sharpen branches into the water that sooner or later one just might spear a fish. Within days of that development, more critical aiming had begun. It was shortly after this development that Professor Hollis once again summoned his inner circle and all essential department heads. He announced that the, so far, successful experiment was to be propelled into even a new level.
Most the center's ancillary staff was reassigned to the Institute’s other buildings and locations in and around San Diego and Southern California. Even the security functions and patrols for the interior of the building were given over to surveillance cameras. Professor Hollis noted that for secrecy and safety all but essential personnel would still have access to the building. "Why Safety" wondered Dr.Lin.
Dr.Lin puzzlement over safety was soon addressed. It had been several weeks. The Bio-square and Habitat was functioning just fine with the base skeleton crew left aboard. A new crew of craftsmen arrived to make further adjustment and modifications to what purpose the staff had not been informed. After their work had been completed, Hollis convened another meeting.
.
“What two factors, in the history of mankind, have championed the quest for ingenuity, inventions and innovation like no other stimulus”, Hollis quizzed the assembled group as if they were once again students back in their college classes. Naturally, as an assembly of accomplished scientist, each attendee had his own views on this question. It was only Dr.Lin that verbally provided one of the answers that Hollis was searching the group for. “Yes that right, Dr.Lin, The use of tools. Hollis had taken a special joy in the fact that Dr.Lin provided at least on of the answers he was looking for. He had come to think of her as his personal protégée; amongst his other thoughts about her
No one provided the other answer he was searching for and this equally pleased the Professor as well as he once again lapsed into dramatic rendering. Hollis, clicker in hand, dimmed the lights and made his way over to a projection board.
“Violence begets Weapons” The bold font scrolled across the board, supplemented by montage of weapons from primitive clubs to laser and ultrasound guided missiles. “Weapons beget War” Scenes of carnage from the various ages of man greeted the group. Enactments of ancient wars to real time sequences of the more than 42 major conflicts currently taking place in the world “War begets Progress”
Images or jet travel, battlefront advances in medicine. Radar/sonar applications advance from their wartime operations to their use in modern integration in the hospital sciences and communication fields. A lengthy and impressive list of inventions that owe their existence due the causation of war concludes the presentation.
“And Progress begets Evolution.” Professor Hollis had turned off the projection board, and in the dark room, verbally added the final summation without the benefits of graphics. The lights slowly emerged. Professor Hollis supplemented his last statement by removing from his lab coat pocket something that made Dr.Lin issue a light but audible gasp. The world renowned scientist produced, to the discomfort of the assembled group, a nickel plated firearm, which appeared to resemble a 44 caliber magnum handgun yet at an approximate 30% reduction in scale.
The first few weeks, Professor Hollis himself lead the experiment. He had chosen a small group of a select few to assist. Once a safe environment had been secured inside the habitat, the professor’s in-service to the apes began. He would aim the pistol at various targets. The target bore on their surface a representation of a favorite fruit of delicacy that the apes were only treated to on special occasions. If the bullet were to properly strike the target, above a container would release the true item. The gun had several safety features. Upon leaving the enclosure Hollis would remove the live rounds and in its place load digital tracer rounds. The tracer rounds would have the same effect upon the target without the lethal fire power. Also an embedded microchip allowed the gun to be turned off from a remote station. The professor and his entourage would then leave the semi-functional weapon for the curiosity of the primates. At first the primate assembly would simply gorge themselves on the released treats but as the weeks progressed and the day in and day out demonstration by the professor and his personal entourage continued; a connection was ascertained by the apes. They first tried hurling the gun at the target when this failed; closer inspection of the article by the entire dominate clan was initiated.
One of the younger adolescent apes managed to accidentally squeeze off a round. The frighten horde took cover in the dense bush, spooked by the sound. Although the digital tracer rounds did not have anywhere close to the impact that a live round would have had nevertheless the clumsy discharge of the weapon did draw blood from one of the other clan members. After sympathy and mild attendance was administered to the stricken member, Chornos took full possession of the gun; the time for public inspection had drawn to a close.
The professor was ok with Chornos taking full possession of the weapon. When the daily display of target practice would occur, Chornos’ weapon would be inactivated via the implanted microchip and the professor would produce a twin pistol to conduct the lesson.
Much to the professor’s dismay Chornos still took no real interest in firing of the weapon though he clung to it and examined it almost hourly. Chornos being so occupied by his new possession allowed the elements of his clan to roam free and from under his watchful gaze. Tam Tutu one of the younger members, and as humans we assume more desirable members of the Chornos harem had found the unsupervised time liberating and chose to spend many a delightful hour in the throes of the babbling brook swing. Bonzo from a distance eyed this as perfect time to retake his claim however, rather than oust Tam Tutu, the two eventually wound up making beautiful swing together.
Doctor Lin was the first one to discover the tragedy. She had arrived earlier than the rest of the remaining small group. She had not planned to engage in observation but, passing through one of the corridors housing the display panels something amiss caught the periphery of her vision. The lush jungle images projected by the viewing panel did not allow for optimal viewing, even so she stopped. What was it? Something looked disturbingly out of sync. She adjusted the viewing panel to clear window vision.
It was still early morning light in the Habitat so she had to strain to make it out. In a dense patch of bush was the motionless protruding belly of one of the apes. What appeared to be blood had spilled over and matted its thick coat. She rushed to the closest lab that she had access to and like a submarine captain, commandeered the rotating video cams. Once she had found the right cam to bring her into range she proceeded to zoom in for closer inspection. The hump was indeed the protruding belly of one of the primates. The beast belly was indeed matted with thick congeal blood. Although not a medical doctor or a veterinarian, Jennifer Lin had no doubt that she was witnessing the aftermath of a gun shot wound. However, she did not in the least suspect that the several still shots she took of the scene could have been submitted into evidence as photos of the crime scene; had apes been subjected to humanoids courts of law. How could a tracer round have done such damage puzzled Dr.Lin.
Thinking fast Dr.Lin secured all the video-files from the various cam stations and downloaded them directly to a private account that Professor Hollis had set up for her personal use only. Even though Professor Hollis had a great amount of leave way in conducting activities at the Institute, everyone has to report to someone. If her boss or colleagues had made an error she wanted them fully prepared to address any inquiry that might arise from such.
She then phoned Hollis and briefed him on the situation. He instructed her to deny access to all personnel until his arrival. Much to the dismay of Professor Hollis, after viewing video tape surrounding the time of the gunshot captured on audio-scope, Hollis was unable to view what he was sure a murder. It was what he was able to see preceding the shooting that confirmed his suspicions. Since the monkey-made and natural swing was the sight of the experiment’s most celebrated breakthrough thus far, a camera had been fixed upon that sight.
The camera captured the melodrama of a brawl that had occurred in the vicinity of the crime scene. The gun toting Chornos along with his favorite off-spring Prince Valiant had made their way towards the swing for late evening gymnastics. Chornos was startled than enraged to find that movement in the thick bush was being generated by Tam Tutu and Bonzo. Chornos rained down blows upon both of them to breakup the coupling. He signaled out Bonzo for an especially vicious beating and biting. Bonzo finally managed to wrestle his way from under the girth of Chornos but his flight was not without incident. A still enraged Chornos hurled the gun at Bonzo. It caught him alongside an already bleeding scalp. A quick reacting (or possibly even thinking?) Bonzo quickly scooped up the gun. He then made a few threatening gestures towards Chornos and promptly disappeared into the density of the foliage. This alone would have been significant circumstantial evident to at least link Bonzo as a prime suspect in the murder of Chornos had they been denizens of the Homo Sapiens world. But there was something else, a single thing that excited Hollis the most. He needed the opinion of a Physical Anthropologist.
When Poser was finally allowed admittance to the center, he was quickly set upon by an ecstatic Hollis. Hollis had masked his enthusiasm in the presence of the mournful Dr.Lin but in the presence of Hollis he could no longer contain himself. He shared with Poser the video recording of the scuffle at the swing. He then went to slow motion and zoom to capture the imagine of the fleeing Bonzo. He got Poser to agree that first in the fleeing there was something about the gait that seemed un-monkey like almost human. Poser deflected this to a surge of adrenalin, probably at a level never before experienced by the beast. The wild waving of the gun and threaten gestures Bonzo had displayed once at a safe distance, Poser concluded was nothing more than primate chest thumping now with an accompanying prop. Poser offered no explanation when triumphantly Hollis freeze- framed and zoomed in on the eyes of Bonzo just before fleeing. The vengeful look was not that of an ape. It was cruel and it was calculating.
It was this look alone that moved a jubilant Hollis to cast his guilty verdict upon Bonzo. Dr.Poser kept mum and non reactive, at least on the outside. He asked
if he could have a copy of the tape for further viewing. Once sworn to secrecy Hollis granted Poser his wish.
Once in the solitude of his office Dr.Poser watched the video over and over again, countless times. He took detailed notes. He paused the tape many times in order to referrer to his collected volumes of information on primate physiology and psychology. The work day was drawing to a close. In his excitement, Poser had not even left his office to take lunch. The observations by the professor had been on target even the ones that Poser tried to dismiss or explain away. Something had triggered in Bonzo a wave of evolutionary adaptations never before witnessed in a single lifetime, if at all.
It was now falling into the evening hours. Poser wanted to have access to more of the tapes. He wanted to chronologically trace the actions and development
of Bonzo since the invention of the swing. Most of the staff had already left. Upon approaching Professor Hollis’ semi opened door he heard the soft giggles and gasps of Jennifer Lin. She was seated in the professor’s chair. Hollis leaned very closely over her, one hand lightly grazing her shoulder, as he shared with her notes of an unspecified nature. Poser lost train of his thoughts and left the institute more agitated than excited.
Professor Hollis was the last one to leave the institute that night. He made no effort to retrieve the pistol from its formidable new possessor as the others thought he would. And the clandestine depositing of a second pistol in the vicinity of Chornos’ former clan was also by no means an accident. The next day Professor Hollis ordered that viewing panels remain on rain forest display. Such a display greatly reduced the optimal viewing ability. Any intensive viewing or video scans and searches of the Habitat could be obtained with Hollis’ permission.
Posers although already a member of the inner circle was now unofficially promoted to second in command as it were. He was given access to all but a few codes and secured areas. Hollis had seen through his smoke screen. He knew that Poser was hooked in regards to his theory of the rapid evolution of Bonzo as sparked by violence. He confided to him that the rounds were live by design. What he did not inform him of was that of the second weapon. The interior of the habitat was off limits to all except the Professor for the time being however, he did share the new entry codes and showed Poser how to deactivate the handgun(s) in the event of an emergency. A master switch could shut down all weapons even the ones that Poser did not know about such as the one now in the midst of the Chornos clan and a third snuggled in the waistband of the Professor, under his pristine lab coat.
It was Poser himself who made the discovery of a second tragedy.
If the Habitat at the Kinderstein Institute had a daily newspaper the headlines could have read
. “MURDERS ROCK THE BUSH, The recent spat of violence continues”
But the amount of monkeys, time and typewriters had so far thus not been allocated to the Institute.
In the days following the Chornos murder, Poser had become quite fond of Bonzo. Not only was his fondness and fascination with Bonzo based on the seemingly rapid rate of evolutionary patterns that the beast had adopted. There was a certain attachment, identification with the underdog that underlined some of the doctor’s sentiments and affection for the beast. He viewed Bonzo as the bullied one who eventually rose not only to re-claim his rightful invention but also to assert himself and his brain power as the dominant factor in the role of evolution. In this case of Survival of the Fittest brains had clearly prevailed over brawns. And wasn’t that the way evolution, at least in Homo Sapiens,
was supposed to present?
Poser did have carte blanche to video scan and to increase visibility to optimal viewing. Poser could not hold back a tear as he viewed Bonzo’s body, in plain sight, not hidden like Chornos’ corpse was. A gaping hole of goop now stood in the place where Bonzo jaw once had chewed the organically grown snacks of the Bio-square. The pistol lay close by. Had Bonzo grown too curious about the pistol?
Poser wrote down as many observations as he could before informing Hollis. His
access to the complete video monitor history had been denied although he had believed that this was one of the codes that the Professor had given him. He was about to make his report when he heard a second shot.
Damn! He forgot to shut off the master switch to the weapon(s). Another primate must have swiped up the gun from Bonzo’s objection-less presence. He hurriedly fumbled for keys to gain entry to a small room that housed a single computer terminal. Now that the danger of more carnage was over he rushed back to the viewing panel to see what ape had swiped the weapon. He was stupefied to see that the gun which he believed to have done the remodeling to Bonzo’s jaw, was laying right where it was in his last viewing. But how, But what? He ran the length corridors of the Habitat looking at this viewing panel and commandeering that video cam. Finally he came across Prince Valiant, contently sitting mid court of what was formerly known as the Chornos Clan. He was munching on kiwi fruit, one of the treats accessible only through the grace of humans or by correct aiming. By the pistol lying by his side, Poser had no choice to conclude that it was by the latter by which Prince Valiant had obtained the fruit. Prince Valiant dark fur belly also contained the remnants of splattered blood, body tissue and teeth. There was no doubt about it, Prince Valiant, Chornos’ favorite off-spring had killed, no assassinated Bonzo, at point blank range. Based on his shooting skills at hitting the target, he had shot Bonzo at a distance not necessary.
Dr.Poser ran back to where Bonzo body had fallen. Finding the nearest entry portal into the Bio-square/Habitat, he entered. With out much ceremony or hesitation he went straight for the discarded pistol. What he did next showed no sign of evolution in the Humanoid’s camp.
He re-entered the computer room and re-activated the enabling chip within the weapons. Poser had planned to kill Prince Valiant and would have done so if the distinct rhythmic sound of the short taps of Dr.Lin’s stylish yet professional heels had not distracted him. Her presence caused him to re-think? He tucked the pistol into his waistband and frantically went to inform her of the second murder.
No mention of a second weapon was brought to light by Dr.Poser, Professor Hollis or any other of the esteemed scientist as a day long agenda of meetings, briefing, mini-meetings and consultations progressed. Begrudgingly, Poser had a new assignment study to analyze. Complimenting his pistol play skills, Prince Valiant appeared also to be enacting some physical manifestation and mannerisms unknown in the residents of the Habitat, except in the case of
The now deceased Bonzo.
Professor Hollis could have easily tracked down the whereabouts of the second weapon via a computer search function. Poser was not informed of that capability. Imagine Hollis’ surprise if he would have done so, only to find, it location confirmed; tucked in the waistband of Dr.Poser. A condition that Hollis knew well.
However presently Professor Hollis interests outweigh such a maneuver. Dr. Lin still had not outgrown a provocative girlish excitement that bordered on arousal when stimulated by academics, discovery or anything else. Professor Hollis had no intention of allowing such energy to merely dissipate into thin air. He made his best attempts at corralling and harnessing such energy for his own delights and pleasures. As he showed her more and more relevant and classified information on the experiment, the more and more Dr.Lin squirmed, gasped in ecstasy and graced her lips with her tongue. As the work day ended, Professor Hollis gathered as many personal binders both relevant and not, and escorted Dr.Lin out. They both left in the same car. Their departure, especially since loaded down with such a magnitude of paperwork, had not particular effect one way or another on any of the other colleagues; except for Dr.Poser, the world’s foremost expert in Primate Anthropology. Perhaps it was his training or perhaps it was his jealousy but, Dr. Poser could interpret primate body language better than most.
Professor Hollis, being a married man, would have to return to retrieve his own vehicle. Dr.Poser hypothesized. He then decided to stay late and burn the midnight oil.
Poser ignored the directive concerning the viewing panels. Now that all had left he adjusted the panels to clear glass and 100% optimal viewing. He wanted a full examination of the beast, the killer’s actions. He also wanted the beast to know that his condemning eye was taking precise inventory of its actions and it’s every move.
And although assumingly, Dr.Poser had returned to his senses; we still can not say that murder was still not on the back of his mind. But for the time being, Prince Valiant as a scientific study subject proved to be more valuable alive than as a corpse.
Professor Hollis and Dr.Lin returned much sooner than Poser had expected. Perhaps this was no midnight surrey after all. His relief was however short lived. Although the both of them still held volumes of notebooks and papers under their arms. The long lashed doe eyed Dr.Lin was no longer in her sleek professional skirt. She now wore bulky sweats, and oversized MIST college hoodie and, her usually salon quality hair was pulled back in a loose bun in the manner reminiscent of Saturday house cleaning detail. Professor Hollis no longer hovered over her. The was no need. She now walked very close to him attempting to mimic his every step in order to stay in unison. The panels were still at clear 100% visibility and the professor was conveying his anger over this insubordination to Dr.Lin. Poser spooked them both by soft stepping down the hall to where they were engaged in assessing the situation. Poser held back no pretense and attempted to put forth his best sarcastic tone.
“Oh Professor Hollis, I thought I heard your voice and, at this hour, I assumed that of your wife.
“Dr. Poser I know you are excited about the new findings but I suggest you go home and get some rest.
“Well by the looks of things it seems that you in Dr. Lin have gotten in some sack time, Poser said with a boldness that frightened even him.
“I don't know what you are trying to insinuate Dr. Poser but I must say I don't care for your tone”. Hollis was quite visibly angry. He puffed up and closed ranks on the distance between him and Poser.
“Lawrence”. Intervened Dr.Lin, addressing him by his first name. Professor Hollis was a man of authority and he when need be, he commanded that that authority be respected. He whispered some of that authority into her ear and she turned to leave. It was in her leaving that she spotted the gun tucked in Poser's waistband
“Dr.Poser she stressed, is everything alright? Maybe the three of should go out for coffee sit down and talk”. Unaware of the gun, Hollis rebuffed this idea as another imposition on his authority.
“Sam is my employee, not my confident and certainly not my priest or psychologist. And I truly hope not a nosey neighbor attempting to mind my business. His business is the performance of the tasks I assign to him. Is that clear Dr.Poser?
Incensed at the derogrotory way he was being addressed, Doctor did what many humanoids, equipped as his was equipped would do. To gain the upper hand on the issue of respectability, he allowed his lab coat to fly open and with all the bravado of a street corner thug, exposed his weapon. Jennifer clung to the professor. Such an action greatly annoyed Poser and he moved his threat level to the next color. He withdrew the gun from the waistband and promptly aimed it at the professor.
“Weapons beget Violence “he continued to repeat, verbatim, the entire diatribe that the professor had offered at that eventful meeting. Concluding with a certain madness in his voice he summarized.
“I wonder what sort of life form I might evolve into?”
“Dr.Lin was horrified not by one but by two gun shots, as the professor rapidly withdrew his own weapon as a response to the bullet left in his lower abdomen. Both men fell to the immaculate polished floor of the Kinderstein Institute for Primate Studies.
END
Phillip Ghee 7/5/08
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