Howl of the Heavens Ch.13

“Excuse me?” asked Mayor O’Brian, addressing Samantha York who sat across from him in his office.

     “Its true” said Samantha, “I have personally seen this animal sleeping in her den, and in my expert opinion she looked to be pregnant, which could mean there are more out there perhaps a younger one taking food for the mother to be, or even a father around.”

    “I am not doubting you Dr. York, but its description in the report you gave my office you said and I quote, it appears to be forty feet in length including the tail.”

    Sheriff Peter Jones looked un-easy as he stood in the corner listening to Samantha describe in detail her finding of the den and her description of its size, what disturbed Peter the most was her describing her sample takings of feces she found at the base of a cliff, and even fur samples from attack locations.

    Peter thought uneasily, “Grandpa needs to know about this and the order will not be happy if scientists come in.”

    Samantha’s next words confirmed Peter’s fears. Samantha told the Mayor, “Skepticism is reasonable after all I wouldn’t believe it had I not seen it, however it seems to me that given its size and the fact it has yet to be recorded as a species tells me that it most likely is low in numbers, or in other words very likely to be an endangered species, which means it will be protected so I am sorry about your livestock but the attacks have declined recently and until a few months ago the only report of this kind of animal was a legend so after I am able to confirm its existence a team will come in to assess the danger to local livestock and people and to of course study these animals.”

    Mayor O’Brian leaned back in his chair; he knew better than to argue when it came to the environment especially with elections coming up in a few months. Memories of that red wood logging situation coming to mind;

      Mayor O’Brian crossed his arms over his girth and said, “Okay we won’t send anyone out to deal with this animal but I hope your right because endangered or not ranchers have the right to defend their livestock. Is there anything else you would like before heading back to San Diego?”

     “Yes, If there are any more sightings I would appreciate if you faxed my offices with the details thank you.”

    Mayor O’Brian quickly asked, “You wouldn’t happen to remember how to reach that den would you? So we can send someone to confirm your reports.”

     “Sorry, I don’t know how, but I wasn’t able to find it again; when I can get a team here I will make sure to bring an animal tracker. I just wanted to stop by and tell you what I have learned so far, I am currently heading back to San Diego now.”

     They shook hands as Samantha left the office. Mayor O’Brian turned to Sheriff Peter saying, “Damned tree huggers they would have wolves and deer run rampant in the streets.”

     Peter agreed and left after Samantha just in time to see her drive away. “There she goes.” Said Peter with a scowl.

     “This is not good.” He thought, “I have to go tell grandpa about this now.” He got in his police truck and headed down the road.

   “And what do I owe this visit Peter, my boy?” asked Father Henry.

     “We have a problem.” said Peter, “a scientist has taken an interest in the Dire on this mountain. She has samples of their fur and crap and she has gone to a lab with them, she will bring more scientists, the order can’t be kept a secret if the very monsters we hunt are thought of as animals to the public at large.”

     “Who is this scientist?”

     “Her name is Dr. Samantha York.” replied Peter.

    “Hmm; no not a member of the order that I know, so a scientist then huh? She won’t find anything the Dire are fallen angels not animals she will find nothing.”

     “Fallen Angels!?” said Peter angrily, “Nothing in the order says they are fallen angels, they are big monsters nothing else, evil animals that’s what they are, angels don’t eat, shit, or shed and people have lost livestock, eaten! Dr. Samantha York has gotten fur samples and even found a feces pit just like the one Brother Tim found in Wales when he was looking into the mutant foxes incident and encountered that female Dire Morta. She will prove they exist! Modern scientific techniques are far more advanced then when you were in the field. We have to tell the order so they can send someone in to discredit her or steal the samples. I mean you must have already known about this, or someone in the order had to have known. She came in awhile back saying someone stole her camera which she used to take pictures of Versa. Who she claims is pregnant of all things.”

    Father Henry with a wave of his hand as if to calm Peter replied, “I am telling you the order has better things to take care of then this, although if this Dire does have children I should make sure to tell them so we can at least have them on record.”

     “What could the order possibly have to take care of that is so important as to ignore a situation that could expose the existence of one of the most dangerous monsters that we know of. A monster that if the scientists start searching for will impede the order’s efforts to do the same, and maybe even risk exposure while doing so?”

      Father Henry clearly annoyed at this point replied, “Anyway I doubt these Dire would even let themselves be found out, I trust the samples will give them nothing. As for the Order right now the higher ups are concerned with something in the Middle East. Some creature has been spreading evil and chaos out there so any thing here will have to be dealt with by those of us here already.”

     “What evil could out weigh possible exposure, two Dire who seem to date back a lot older than most the others ever found and the possibility of children, which I feel I should remind you we don’t know how big there litters are. So tell me what is so damned important that the order wont even spare anyone to help out here?!”

     Father Henry simply said, “I asked them the same thing myself, trust me I am on your side about this. But they said its best that if you don’t know about it already then you shouldn’t get involved, it’s safer that way. But like I keep telling you my boy; don’t worry they won’t find anything from those samples.”

      Peter got up and left after that saying, “Grandpa despite what you may think those creatures are flesh and blood and they will find something.”