Dragonet

Chapter Two

Across town, nearly at the same time Detective Barlow was visiting ‘The Professor.’ “You are absolutely certain?” a tall pale man asked. His visitor nodded, yanking an envelope from his jacket.

“Read an weep” he answered in a gruff voice. “Kids deep cover. Found it in Williams desk lessa’n hour ago. All there. Look, I gotta go. Thompson’s getting nosey. Can’t be missing too long.”

His host took the opened envelope, noting absently the words ‘To be opened upon my death’ written in a delicate, fine hand. “Go then, I’ve a party tomorrow. Certain important people. Eleven o’clock please. Be there, we will deal with her together.”

“You need someone tah dump the body right?”

“I believe five thousand should cover your expenses.”

“Aus or US?”

“American my police friend, as always.” The man known as ‘Professor’ watched his paid for police officer hurry away. Pity he thought, that Thompson wasn’t the kind to join his partner Barlow. Still... It had been cheaper. Shutting his door he read as he walked, mentally making notes. It did explain her fitness, alert mind and intelligence he decided later, quietly feeding the pages into a shredder. “Police officer” he whispered, opening a notebook on his desk. “So sad, little Blanca was doing so well on treatment. Now I must expend her. Move on.”

There would be others he could experiment upon. Still she had been so promising, the changes were already unmistakable. Things only he knew to look for, little things like the color of her eyes, hair... Her skin changing slightly. Even the small humps on her back where... He sighed, clearing his thoughts. A few more months and he’d have been certain beyond reproach. Would have been able to return to his people with living proof. Now... Now he’d just pump her full of the drug. Its accelerated reaction would eat her reserves leaving her a dead husk.

Ah well, she was after all nothing but a half breed, certainly not pure stock. Of course he’d have to cover his tracks again. Barlow had to go as well and it really was too bad about the couples tomorrow. This business was sometimes rough. Certainly in his position they would understand, he’d known it would have eventually come to this and had long ago prepared to leave. Still he’d hoped to take his current pet with him, now that was changed. Quietly he began to pack his important papers, carefully destroying what he wouldn’t need. There would be plenty of time to try again, in his brand new hidden desert lab. He’d simply have to pick up a few laboratory animals on his way.

Der Fuhrer would understand a slight delay. Only a slight one.