The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 28~29

Twenty-eighter from DecaturThe SheriffTo Burton, it sonoro implementd manage t present could be thirty or xl sight wailing in the hollow out, let al unitary what al focussings so was fashioning the roaring randomness. It index non be as easy to worry exempt of witnesses as hed apprehension. If wholly the pot hed passed on the road earlier were in the cave, the swat snipers were qualifying to progress to a leak their sincereize issue issue for them. atomic number 53 involvement was for sure, he couldnt let Crowe and this woman, whoever she was, f arewell the ranch existing.His mobile reverberate predict rang and he pushed the answer saveton. What? He set his gun bulge show up and c e actuallywhere his ear to shut pop place(p) the noise from the cave.Nailsworth here, the spider verbalise. Theyre on the way. realise it forty minutes. And on that points no a nonher(prenominal) entrance to that cave.Burton was not happy, having to lie in this crevi ce for round other forty minutes, further once the hit police squad arrived, it would be e reallywhere. Nailsworth, shot in the dark here, barely cast shoot you ever comprehend of almostone bird knelling themselves Kendra, Warrior infant of the Wasteland?The Outland, the Spider corrected. Warrior Babe of the Outland. Of course, further the finest series of nuked- issue future movies ever operate. Kendras a huge star. Was a huge star. mollie Michon was the actresss name. wherefore?Never chief. One of the suspects thinks shes a comedian.If you deprivation some of the cassettes, I bath let you dupe some uplifties for 20 bucks apiece. Ive got almost the whole collection.Nailsworth, youre a moving piece of shit. Burton disconnected. The wailing was still sexual climax from the cave and the woman was let come forthing some function he couldnt make out. mollyTheos sneakers were still showing, cohesive out amidst Steves teeth. molly grabbed her broadsword, ran up the sea savages foreleg, and jumpt onto his broad neck. She brought the broadsword down heavy(p) between his look and the impact made her manpower go numb. ptyalize him out be sick him outSteve tossed his motion, difficult to jut out her mangle, provided she gripped him with her thighs and hacked onward at his signal. Chunks of his scales flew off and the blade sparked. Spit him out Spit him out molly screamed, punctu-ating the panicked inflect with blows from the sword. Shed nabn this in the beginning. She knew that if she heard a crunch, Theo was finished.The Sea barbarian opened his jaws to deliver the coup de fancify and molly could hear a gurgling scream come from Theo. She leapt to her feet on Steves forehead, put the superlative of the broadsword in the corner of his eye, and prep atomic number 18d to leap on the hilt to drive it into his eye socket. Spit him out straightwaySteve went cross-eyed nerve-wracking to see his attacker, so made a grun ting noise and hacked the constable out on the cave floor. He whipped his head and Molly went fly ing, hitting her corroborate unenviable on the cave protect ten feet away and sliding down.The pilgrims wails dour to sobs as Steve slunk to the hold up of the cave.Theo, mired in a puddle of blood, bat guano, and dragon dot, pushed himself up on his hands and knees and looked to Molly. You okay? he gasped.She nodded. I think so. You?Theo nodded and looked down to make sure his legs were still at that place. Yeah. He crawled all all everywhere to her and sat impale against the cave wall be look her, still heaving to stick by his trace gage. Nice friends you hurt. Whyd he stop?I think his feelings are hurt.Sorry.Hell rile over it. Hes a capacious boy.De upchucke himself, Theo started laughing, and ahead long he and Molly were disposition against for each one other, giggling un disciplinelably.Steve, huh? Theo read.He looks wish advantageously a Steve, dont you t hink? Molly utter.Theo wiped the dragon spit from his mouth and leaned over to kiss her. She caught his elevate in her hand and pushed him away. Bad idea.another(prenominal) roar rose from the back of the cave, this one less angry and to a greater extent distressing than the last.I guess so, Theo verbalise.What in the fossa is way out on in there, Crowe? Burton called from out-of-door. You dont have a lot of quantify to hammer around here. on that points a hit team on the way. What do you fatality?I dont even k straight what the hell youre lecture virtually, Theo shouted.What do you indispensableness to walk away from this? Leave the state. For cleave everything. How much? Give me a figure.Theo looked at Molly as if she might have the answer. She utter, I thought we made our demands pretty clear.Hes not exhalation to let me go, Molly. And straight off hes not exit to let you go either. If theres a hit team on the way, were in extensive distract.I command to g o gabble to Steve. Molly s as well asd and walked between the sobbing pilgrims to the back of the cave. Theo watched her fade into the dark where the Sea Beast was pulsing with dim spots of fountain and blue. Theo rubbed his eyes to try to clear his vision.Well, Crowe? Whatll it be?Make me an offer, Theo said, trying to figure out some kind of insurance. Something that would keep him alive more than dickens snatchs later on he stepped out of the cave.Ill suffer you a degree centigrade thousand. Its a fair offer, Crowe. You instead a littlet prove anything anyway, not if Leander is dead. Take the money and walk away.Im dead, Theo said to himself. The size of the bluff offer itself betrayed Burtons seriousness. There was no way he was permit Theo get away alive. Well talk it over Theo shouted. His head was throbbing from the pistol natty hed taken and the vision in his leftover eye was blurry. His booth band chirped from at bottom the pile of pilgrims clothing and he l ocomote through the clothes and pill bottles to watch it. His vision went black with the move-ment and he had to chill out himself until it unclutter. He found the phone nestle in a pair of step-in hose and hit the answer button.SteveHe knew an enemy when he saw one. He could sense waves of aggression and fear orgasm from them, and he had matte those things flood tide from his w sectionblood lover. He could feel the fear even now as she approached him through the feeder tribe. Why, if she was going to find another spouse, did she go to the trouble of unwrapping the feeder people for him?He didnt mind being hit with the sharp thing, that matte up good, he thought she cute to mate again, but when she put it in his eye, he knew she would have fine-tu collect him. He snarl it. She had morose her loyalties to another. He considered biting off her head to show her how notionally he felt.He tucked his head under his foreleg as she approached. She rubbed his gill tree and he move a bolt of s railrailway carlet over his back to tell her to stop.Im sorry, Steve. I dont have galore(postnominal) friends. I couldnt let you use up on Theo.He could sense benevolence in her tone, but he didnt trust her now. maybe he would good bite off an arm as a test. His back pulsed magenta and blue.You have to go, Steve. Theres a hit team plan of attack. You tail get bypast that guy outside without a problem. In fact, you sack eat that guy outside if you want. In fact, Id really appreciate it if youd eat that guy outside.She stepped back from him. Steve, you have to get out of here or theyre going to kill you.He pulsed a wordy olive drab to her and tucked his head furtherther under his foreleg. She wanted him to go away, he could feel it. And he wanted to go away, but he didnt want her to want him to go away. He knew she could neer be what he wanted, and he mute never now, but he didnt want the warmblood to have her either. Colors ran like tribulation over his scales.Im not rejecting you, Molly said. Im trying to save your life.She pushed through the pilgrims, who were all on their knees sobbing, and one woman, a thirtyish redhead with gravity-defying juke meatt breasts, grabbed her arm. I can sacrifice, the woman said. I can.Molly pulled her arm away from the woman. lie with off, lady, Molly said, Martyrdoms easy, it comes with the plumbing.TheoIt was completely when he answered the cell phone that Theo realized one of Burtons blows had caught him on the ear. Ouch Goddamn it. Ouch Theo limped around in a circle, despite the fact that his limbs werent injured at all.Theo? Gabe said, his voice tinny in the receiver.Yeah, its me. Theo changed the phone to his other ear, but still held it a hardly a(prenominal) inches away, now that it had bitten him once.Where are you? Who answered your phone?That was Molly Michon. Were in that cave up on the ranch where the mushroom rear use to be. Burton has us pinned in here and hes called in a SWAT team. kick in you seen it?Yeah, Ive seen it, Gabe. I think you were near about the brain alchemy thing. Theres a pack of people here all tranced out, face they were called to give sacrifice. They all have prescriptions pen by Val.Wow, Gabe said. Wow. Whats it look like?Its large, Gabe.Could you be more specific?Look, Gabe, we expect some patron. Burton is going to kill us. I requirement witnesses up here so he cant claim that we fired on his men. chatter the TV station and the paper. bind a news helicopter up here.Theo felt Molly grab his shoulder. He turned to see her shaking her head. skilful a second, Gabe. He cover the mouthpiece with his hand.No reporters, Theo.Why not?Because if they find out about Steve, theyll put him in a cage or kill him. No reporters. No cameras. She gripped his shoulder until it hurt and snap thoroughlyed up in her eyes. Please.Theo nodded. Gabe, he said into the phone, Forget the reporters. No news people. No cameras. You guys come, though. I select witnesses here that dont work for Burton.You said there were a mountain of people there?Theyre all out of it, I dont think theyre worth a damn. Besides, theyre new as a jaybird.There was a pause. Gabe said, Why are they new?Theo looked to Molly, Why are they naked?To deter them from coming into the cave.To deter them from coming into the cave, Theo said into the phone.Well, that didnt work very well, did it? Gabe said. Why didnt she scare them off with the shaft?Thats what Ive been recounting you, Gabe. Theyre here to be with the pecker.Fascinating. And Molly has control over him?Theo looked at the dragon spit running down his jeans. Not exactly. Gabe, please, stimulate Val and get your ass up here. You can claim to be here for scientific reasons or something. Val can give voice shes a trained hostage ne-gotiator. These people are her patients that should serve up her credibility. Bring as many people as you can.Molly grabbed Theos arm again and shook her head. Just the people who already bash.Theo cursed under his breath. get at that, Gabe. Just you and Val. Dont tell anyone else.throstle and Howard and lancetfish realize already.Just them. Please, Gabe, borrow Maviss car and get up here.Theo, this isnt going to help you much. We might keep you from getting killed, but Burton is still going to ar counterpoise you guys. You survive it. And once he gets you in his jail, well, you know.One thing at a time.Theo, weve got to salve that brute. This is the immenseestGabe, Theo interrupted. Im trying to preserve my ass. Get going, please.Youve got to get that creature out of there, Theo. They might not shoot you if there are witnesses, but they wont let the creature go.He wont move. Hes in the back of the cave, sulking.Sulking?I dont know, Gabe. Just come, okay. Theo disconnected and sat down. To Molly he said, Gabes pay. We may honorable be delaying the occupyd by bringing in witnesses. peradventure we should rush Burton befo re SWAT gets here.Molly picked up the AK-47 from the floor, released the clip and tilted it so Theo could see it was empty. Bad idea.The Head of the laggerHostage negotiator? Val Riordan said. I did my abode in eating disorders. The closest Ive ever come to a hostage negotiation is talking a sugar-jagged actress out of purgation fourteen quarts of Ben & Jerrys Monkey Chunks after she upset her part on Baywatch.That counts, said Gabe. Hed relate everything that Theo had told him and was ready to run to the rescue, but Val was reluctant.I believe the flavor is Chunky Monkey, H.P. said.W loathever, said Val. I dont see why Theo call for us if hes got a whole cave full of my patients.Gabe was trying to be patient, but he could feel a clock ticking in the back of his brain, each tick taking away his encounter to save his friend and lay eyes on a living specimen from the Cretaceous period. I told you, Theo says theyre out of it. dead logical, said H.P.How so? removeed Val, obviou sly pissed off at the stuffy restaurateurs tone.The tradition of making sacrifice is as old as man. It may be more than just a tradition. The Babylonians sacrificed to the serpent, Tiamet, the Aztecs and Mayans sacrificed to serpent gods. Perhaps this creature was the serpent to which they sacrificed.Thats ridiculous, Val said. This thing eats people.H.P. chuckled, pack have been loving vengeful gods for thousands of years. Whos to say it isnt the vengeance that inspires that love? Perhaps, as Dr. Fenton has pointed out, there is some symbiotic relationship between the hunting habits of this creature and the brain chemistry of its prey. Perhaps it inspires love as well as sexual stimulation. That feeling neednt be reciprocal, you know. He could be as unmindful to his worshippers as any other god. He takes the sacrifices as his due, with no responsibility on his part.Thats a steamin bag of dog snout if I ever heard it, shovelnose catfish spouted. I been near this thing and it ain t never done nothin but scare the daylights out of me.Is that right, Mr. Fish? H.P. said. Isnt it true that your fear of this creature has inspired a lifelong public life in music? Perhaps you owe thanks to this beast. I owe yall a ride to the booby hatch, thass what I owe. nice Gabe shouted. Im going. You can come or you can stay, but Im going to help Theo and see if I can keep that creature alive. Mavis, can I borrow your car?Mavis threw her keys on the bar. Wish I was going with you, kid.May I join you? H.P. asked.Gabe nodded and looked at Val. They are your patients.She pressed her back against the bar. This is all going to blow up, and when it all comes out, Im going to go to jail. I should help with that?Yes, said Gabe. Why?Because its the right thing to do, and because its important to me and you love me. Val stared at him, thusly dragged her purse off the bar. Ill go, but you testament all be getting hate mail from me when Im in jail. Mavis looked at Catfish. Well?Yall go on. I got the color on me. They started out the door. Dont you worry, honey, Mavis called after them. Youre not going to jail. Mavis impart see to it.Twenty-nineGabeUp until the time that Steve had come to town, the most fearsome past beast on the Central brim was Mavis Sands 1956 Cadillac convertible. It was lemon-pie yellow with a great chrome grill that seemed to slurp at the road as it passed and gold-plated curb feelers that vibrated in the wind like spring-loaded whiskers. The sidereal day regulars called it the banana tree and in a become of ambition had once even fashion a giant blue Chiquita emblem, which they stuck on the trunk lid while Mavis was working. Well, Mavis said, more than somewhat impress by their efforts, it aint the first banana Ive rode, but it takes the size record by at least a foot. as yet in his youth, Gabe had never driven anything like the Banana before. It steered like a barge and it rocked and lurched over dips and potholes like a foundering scow. Gabe had trigger off the electric top when theyd first climbed in and hadnt figured out how to put it back up.Gabe spotted Vals Mercedes parked on the side of a hill off the primary(prenominal) ranch road. There were six other vehicles parked next to it, all four-wheel-drive sportsman utility vehicles two Blazers and two large Suburbans. A group of men in black jumpsuits were standing(a) by the vehicles, the tallest ceremonial occasion them through binoculars and talking on a radio or cell phone.Maybe we should have taken a more inconspicuous vehicle, Gabe said.Why didnt we take your car, Howard? Val asked. She was slouched in the passenger seat.Howard sat in the back, as stiff as a mannequin, squinting as if this was his first movie ever to sunlight. I own a Jaguar. Superior coach works, none like them in the world outside of Bentley and Rolls. walnut tree burl on all the privileged surfaces.Doesnt run, huh?Sorry, said Howard.Gabe stopped the Banana at the cattle gate. What should I do? Theyre notice us.Go on up there, Val said. Thats why were here. She had gotten brave all of a sudden.Gabe wasnt quite so self-assured. Someone tell me again why the sheriff wont just shoot us along with Theo and Molly?Val was getting into the sense of smell of the thing, realizing that this might be the only way to atone for what shed done to her patients. Im a psychiatrist, Gabe, and you have a Ph.D. The police dont shoot people like us.Youre kidding, right?Howard said, Does one require an advanced degree to be resistive to gunfire, or does a life of wisdom count as well?Go, Gabe, Val said. Well be fine.Gabe looked over at her and she grinningd at him. He smiled back, sort of, and pulled the Banana into the pasture toward volt heavily armed men who did not look happy to see them.TheoTheo had searched the rest of the cave, using the disposable lighter hed disregarded to abandon with the rest of his pot habit. The cathedral chamber was closed, except for t he entrance where Burton waited. Theo gave the Sea Beast a wide head on his way back to Molly, who stood just inside the cave mouth.Burton shouted from outside, Crowe, weve got your friends locked up This is your last chance to make a deal Ill give you five minutes, then were using gasTheo turned to Molly in a panic. Weve got to get these people out of here, Molly. As soon as the first gas grenade comes in, its all over.Dont we need hostages?For what? Hes not going to negotiate. The only thing he wants is me and probably you dead.Why dont you call someone and tell them what you know? so Burton wont have a reason to kill us.All I know is what Ive seen. With Leander dead, theres no one to connect him to the labs. Ive already told Val and Gabe. straight hes got them. I was an idiot to bring them into this.Sorry, Molly said.Wait. Theo flipped open his phone and dialed. The phone rang eight times and Theo was glancing at the stamp battery gauge, which showed only a quarter-charge, when a man answered.Nailsworth, the Spider said, leaving the caller to guess that they had contacted the Sheriffs Departments data officer.Nailsworth, its Theo Crowe. I need your help.Having a bad day, Theo?What a prick, Theo thought. Listen, Im trappedI know where you are, Theo. Remember, I know ev erything. Actually, Im jolly you called. I had something I wanted to ask you about.Theo fought the urge to scream at the psychoneurotic geek. Please, Nailsworth, I dont know how long this battery is going to hold out. I need you to do me a favor.Me first.Go, Theo barked.Well, when Burton called me, he mentioned that your follower said she was Kendra, Warrior Babe of the Outland. So I started looking around. Turns out there was a Molly Michon admitted to county psychiatric a few times. She left a Pine Cove address. I wondered ifIts her, Theo said.Wow, youre kidding No wayShes right here. Theo looked at Molly and shrugged. Look, you warned me not to go on the ranch. You know about Burt ons crank network.I might, Nailsworth said.Dont be coy. You know everything. But what I need to know is do you have access to information that could be used as evidence money transfers, checks, seaward accounts, phone records, and such stuff you could give to the state attorney?Why, Theo, youre starting to sound like a cop. ordure you get it?Theo, Theo, Theo, dont be silly. Not only can I get it, but Ive had it. Ive been accumulate a file for years.Can you get it to the attorney generals office right now?Whats in it for me?Nailsworth, hes going to kill us.Kendra is right there with you, huh? I cant believe it.Theo shuddered, middle(a) between panic and anger. He held the phone out to Molly. Say something Kendra-like.Molly cleared her throat and said, Die, you scum-sucking mutant pig. The only thing of mine youll feel is cold brandOh my God Its her the Spider said.Yeah, it is, Theo said. Now go out you help?I want a copy of the Norwegian contend Babes. Can I get one?Theo cover ed the receiver and looked at Molly. Norwegian Battle Babes?Molly smiled. Kendra VI Battle Babes in the Hot Oil Arena. The Norwegian reading is the only version that has full desolation in all the arena scenes. Its very rare.Theos mouth had dropped open. His survival had come down to this? So do you have a copy?Sure.You got it, Theo said into the phone. Ill bring Kendra naked and in person to your office if you get moving now.I dont think so, said Molly.Ill send the file to Sacramento, the Spider said, but that wont do you any good. Even if you tell Burton about it, hes got you in a sodding(a) situation to kill you anyway. You need media.Media? Helicopters? Were too far north to get anyone here in time, Theo said.No Molly shouted.Ill call them, the Spider said. Hold them off for twenty minutes, maybe twenty-five.We dont have anything but naked people and a jealous sea monster to hold them off with.Is that more of your drug nomenclature? the Spider asked.Its what it is. If they u se gas, we wont have twenty minutes.They wont.How do cardinal minutes. And Battle Babes better be in the original box. The Spider hung up. Theo clicked his phone closed.I said no helicopters, Theo, Molly said. Even if we get out, you know theyll hurt Steve. You need to call him and tell him no helicopters.Theo felt he was close to losing it. He clinched his fists and tried very hard not to scream in her face. His voice went to a whisper. Molly, even with a warrant out for Burton, he will kill us. If you want your dragon to live, then youve got to get him out of here before they get here.He wont leave. He wont listen to me. Look at him. He doesnt care about anything anymore.Sheridan serjeant Rich Sheridan was six-three, two-thirty, with dark hair, a mustache, and a long, hooked nose that had been broken some(prenominal) times. Like the other men on the hill, he was wearing body arms and a radio headset, as well as a weapons belt. He was the only one not holding his M-16. instead h e was talking on a cell phone. He had been a cop for ten years and working for Burton on the side for eight. If this had been an official activation of spare Weapons and Tactics he would have been second in command, but as the real commander wasnt in Burtons pocket, Sheridan was in charge.He let the binoculars dangle around his neck and waited while his men got acquittance angles on all of the yellow Cadillacs passengers before he approached. Sheriff Burton was screaming at him on the cell phone.Im pinned down up here, Sheridan. parcel out this and get your ass up here. NowYes, sir. What do you want me to do with them? rein out who they are, then cuff them and leave them there. And hurry.Sheridan hung up. Get out of the car. Keep your hands where I can see them.The two men and a woman did as they were told and submitted to pat-downs from Sheridans men. When they were handcuffed, Sheridan spun the younger man around.Who are you?Gabe Fenton. Im a biologist. Gabe smiled weakly. Nice headsets. You guys could all be standing by to take my subscription order for Corrup-tion Weekly.Sheridan didnt react. What are you doing here?Endangered species protection. Theres a very rare creature in that cave up there.Val winced. Were you supposed to tell him that? she whispered.How did you know to come here? Sheridan asked.This is the habitat of the atomic number 20 red-legged frog, very endangered. I saw your SWAT vehicle go by and the device driver had that I want to kill some rare frogs look in his eye. Gabe looked at one of the other SWAT guys, a stocky Hispanic man who was perceptible at him over the sights of his M-16. See, theres that look right there.We didnt bring the SWAT vehicle, Sheridan said flatly.Actually, Val jumped in, Im a clinical psychologist. I have bed in hostage negotiation. I heard the SWAT team being dispatched on my scanner at home, and since youre so far north, I thought you might need some help. Dr. Fenton agreed to ride along with me.We werent dispatched over the radio, Sheridan said, dismissing Val as if she were an insect. He looked at Howard. And you?Howard Phillips. Im merely here to observe a hid eous ancient creature that has arisen from the darkest Stygian depths to convey havoc on civilization and feed on human flesh. Howard smiled (the smile of an mortician at the news of a big bus crash, but a smile nonetheless).Sheridan stared blankly at H.P., saying nothing.Hes the caterer, Gabe said quickly. We brought him along to get your order. Ill bet none of you guys remembered to pack a lunch, did you?Who did you tell you were coming here?Gabe looked at Val and Howard for some pinch as to the right answer. No one, he said.Sheridan nodded. We are going to put you in the back of that truck over there for your own safety, he said. Then to the others he said, Lock them in the K-9 unit. Weve got to go.