Chapter Text
Thorn wiped the sweat from her brow. It slicked her hand, which made the handle of her cattle prod slippery. July was a miserable time to get a new shipment. She was grateful for the sun finally setting but the high beam lighting on the deck of the ship was hurting her eyes. She surveyed the iron containment box, the beast had been silent for the past three hours. She could almost count it as suspicious if she didn't find it to be a relief. It apparently had been a bit of a hassle to transport from Lithuania and the number of armed men they had during the handoff at the dock made her feel uneasy. It wasn't a normal assignment she would take, but the money was good and she had the credentials to lead the security effort.
"What do you think Mr. Chilton wants with this ugly fuck anyway?" Juan, a middle aged, balding exotic animal handler with a crippling smoking habit, ashed his cigarette in the slits of the crate, chuckling. Thorn scrunched her nose at that.
"Eh, Mr. Verger apparently fancies it, it'll probably fit right along side his other freaks." Robert elbowed him with a smile. He made Thorn uncomfortable in every way, he was a part of the other security team hired. He crouched down to the main slot where they had fed the beast just hours before. He looked up at Thorn. The Australian man winked at her, making her stomach twist with disgust.
"Hey Sheila, want to see something cool?" He purred.
"I'd rather you leave it alone." She said sternly. She looked at the small opening, remembering the ebony, slim claws that had snatched the live pig from it. The sharp, high squeals of the pig left her queasy.
"Nah. Juan and I did it earlier. Its perfectly safe." He took out his cattle prod, sticking it in and she heard the sharp crack of electricity. She winced a bit, expecting the beast to respond but was surprised when she heard..nothing.
"See? Beastie doesn't even fuckin' respond." He kicked the door with his boot, chuckling. "It already knows to submit!" He jabbed it in again, only this time, the cattle prod was sucked in. Robert cussed, smacking the door with his thick, meaty hand. "Oi! You fuck!"
"Mr. Chilton is going to dock that from your pay amigo" Pablo laughed, "good luck. Maybe Verger will probably feed you to it next."
"Ah. Im just going to get it back, I tasted it twice, its probably curled in the corner. Give me the keys." Robert demanded.
"I'm not going to let you open the door." Thorn said, she couldn't help but feel a heavy pit in her stomach at the thought.
"Just give me the keys woman. Dont make me come and get 'em." He said, eyes narrowing.
Thorn stared at him for a moment, before jerking to reach for her own cattle prod. She froze as she felt two prongs against her neck. Pablo had come around the other side of the container, and she hadn't noticed. She cursed to herself. Robert smirked as he walked up, taking a nice long moment to frisk her for the container keys.
"So much for head of security eh?" He chuckled. "Relax woman. Its an animal, it 'ought to know its place on the food chain." He walked over, taking the heavy key to the locks. There were three, place evenly along the door. The heavy locks slid aside, he heaved open the door. Thorn watched him disappear inside. There was a moment of silence. She could hear his heavy boots stomping to the back of the container, before an ear piercing, eye melting screech assaulted the air. What happened next was a blur. Juan ran over to the container.
"Robert-" He called, only to choke on his own tounge as slim claws dug into his beer belly. Thorn watched a spindly bipedal beast step out into the light. It had..hooves..and a large rack of antlers. Its skin was as dark as the void, but it almost seemed to glitter in the light. It was skeletal, edges sharp as it gut Juan, sucking up a piece of intestine through its maw like spaghetti. Thorn almost thought it to be beautiful. She fumbled with the radio on her hip.
"Creature out of containment! I repeat- we have a COC here on the deck! We-" she froze when she saw a shadow form over her, she looked up, paralyzed.
The creature had deep red eyes.
--
"It gave our men on the boat a run for their money, thats for sure!" Mason laughed.
"It slaughtered fifteen before succumbing, and only because we had elephant tranquilizers on hand!" Fredrick snapped. "We need to be careful Mason! There is already so much to cover and its not even here yet." He took a sip of his whiskey.
They sat in a hunting lounge. Mason hummed, tapping his crystal glass. He looked up at the taxidermy around him. A small, languid smile coming over him. The severed, stuffed heads always did seem to calm him.
"Our handlers couldn't handle it, thats true, perhaps we need someone who can really connect with the animal." Mason said cheerfully. He stood up. "After all, we need it to submit to us before we can get it up on our wall." He looked up at the heads with starry eyes.
"W-well you promised me we would breed it first before hunting it, Mason." Fredrick said. "My Zoo needs the funds." He said.
Mason turned to him, "how about this, Fred, can I call you Fred? You supply me with an animal handler worthy of this animal.." he stalked closer, putting his hand by Fredrick's head, leaning close to him. "Or I shoot it on sight." He glowered, hand gripping his glass. He stood up, smiling at him. "Can you do that for me?"
Fredrick floundered, standing up, nodding. "Yes Mr. Verger, I think I know just the guy."
--
"You're ambushing me." Will said as soon as he heard her heels on the pavement.
"I'm hoping you'll be susceptible to the ambush" Alana's sweet voice twittered.
Will sighed through his nose, setting down the tiger cub, keeping one hand under her chest. He turned to Alana. "How did you get permission to be here?" He asked.
"Well, being part of the Verger family never hurt." She smiled sheepishly. Clearly not used to flaunting her newfound wealth.
There was a time when the news of Alana and Margot's union made jealousy burn in Will's gut. Now, he just felt a small simmer of loneliness. He also made a mental note to smack Brian upside the head for accepting a bribe.
"Look, Will, I know you are busy..with your rescue.." she said. "But I was hoping you could help me with one of Mason's new ventures, as a..consult of sorts."
"No." Will said as he put the Tiger back in her crate. She was going to be sent to a preserve tomorrow. Will had rescued her from an exotic pet trade.
"Please Will?" She pursed her lips. "Mason is in a bit of a tizzy..and Im worried for the creature. Fredrick wants to breed it for his Zoo and-"
"You want me to work on a project with both Mason and Chilton?" Will looked up. "You have to be mad to think I would join." He washed his hands in his utility sink. Pushing past her to grab his coat and start walking out from the med center.
"I think part of it will intrigue you Will, this creature is new! The species has never been recorded, its..abnormal." Alana said, catching up to him.
Will slowed, something..entirely new? "What does Mason want with it?" He asked, keeping his eyes low. He already had a suspicion.
"Mason wants to..display it" Alana said, voice thick with discomfort. "However..he made a deal with Chilton that he could breed it to save the species if he found a handler worthy of it." Alana said.
Will decided not to dwell on the question of how Chilton could breed something without having another. He focused on the underlying implications of Alana's scentence.
"Worthy of handling it? This creature is dangerous isn't it..it has already hurt people and thats why you have come to me." He scoffed and ran a hand through his curls, wincing as his fingers caught knots.
"Thats not important Will, whats important is saving an animal from Mason, if only for a little while." Alana said. She looked at him with doe eyes. "Please?"
Will huffed, chewing on his lower lip. He could leave his practice to Bev for a few days, she knew everything inside and out. The question is..did he want to work for Mason? He has heard the rumors in the rescue community. Mason was a man who only enjoyed trophies of his animals. The kind of man Will despised, but Mason was too big of a target for Will to take down on his own. Maybe..he could ruin Mason from the inside..and save this creature in the process.
Will turned to Alana. "I'll do it." He said.
"Great!" She immediately relaxed. "You and Mason will have a meeting on Monday, Ill set it up." She beamed. "Can't wait to start working with you again Will." She said as she walked off.
"Yeah..can't wait." He winced at the throbbing that started in his head, popping a few asprins to ease a pain he suspected will only grow.