The days were growing shorter and the project's failure was becoming apparent. My
crew and I had been researching on a little island just south of Australia for over
three
months, and we were making little progress. I was hired as the team leader for this
excursion
by a private investor from some breakthrough zoo. The investor, a man by the name of
Henry Shrinton, asked me along with my crew to go down under to find new, unknown
animals. I found this request very unusual simply because my formal education had been
in
DNA research, not biological hunts. Nevertheless, my grant from the University had run
out
so I desperately needed funding. We had only found a new species of butterfly, and I
feared
my return to the states with nothing to show of our three month stay. Our time was up,
however, and the crew and I left Australia disappointed and empty-handed.
At the airport in New York, I was greeted by Mr. Shrinton and a few of the other zoo
investors. They quickly hurried me into a stretched limousine, and then my life changed
forever. The investors asked me quite plainly if I would be willing to create their zoo
for
them. At first I was unclear of the meaning, but quick clarification had me realizing
the
enormous biological disasters such a project would generate. They wanted me to
chemically
produce hybrid's of different animal species.
My first thought was that such a thing was impossible, but they showed me research
and experiments done by the government that proved it was possible. The investors
sensed
my unwillingness and placed a briefcase in my lap. I opened it and found stacks of
neatly
wrapped bills. It had to have been at least ten million dollars. I was informed that
the
briefcase was merely an incentive and if I was able to successfully create one of their
creatures, then the payoff would be even larger.
I reluctantly agreed, still doubting my ability to do any such project. The investors
all smiled, shook my hand, and then dropped me off at what would become my home and
office. It was a little cabin in the middle of nowhere. As I entered the cabin I was
astonished
to find at least a 4000 square foot basement that had been totally converted into the
most
advanced chemical lab I had ever laid eyes on.
I worked day and night on the project, trying combinations of "simple" structured
animals. After three weeks of work I had finally made a breakthrough. By chemically
restructuring the DNA of a frog and rat I had produced a tadpole with hair. I was very
pleased with the results, as were the investors. They informed me, however, that such a
animal wouldn't attract enough visitors. They told me that the creatures had to be
larger and
more unusual. Before they left, a white van pulled up to the cabin, and the driver
began
unloading cooler after cooler. The investors said that they had brought the DNA of
certain
animals and wanted them to be combined into one animal.
As I unpacked the coolers I found the labeled DNA very disturbing. There were five
coolers in all, labeled with each different animal. There was a Bengal Tiger, an
African
Tree Frog, an American Fruit Bat, a centipede and a biohazard cooler labeled radon.
As I sat at my computer, trying to find possible matches to string all these animals
together, I began to imagine what the creature would look like, but I wasn't able to find
a
suitable picture in my head. After two weeks I finally had found the necessary chains in
the
DNA to combine the four creatures into one. I assumed that the Radon was the substance
that would best incubate the specimen during growth because the previous experiments by
the government also used a toxic chemical to speed up the mutation process.
Once I combined the restructured DNA with the Radon, I placed the embryo with the
new DNA into a reinforced steel cage, and sealed it with a clear plastic, developed by
NASA
for use in the space shuttles. The cage was built at the request of the investors by a
former
NASA engineer. I expected an incubation period of at least a month, which was the
average
gestation period of the four animals. Quite horrifically though, the creature became
full
grown in just six hours. It was the most revolting creature I had ever seen, and it's
odor was
almost as bad as it's appearance. I was quite intrigued, however, with the manner in
which
all the animals had combined into one. The head of the animal was a triangular shape
with
the chin coming to a point. It had two eyes on the top of it's head which I attributed to
the
frog DNA. It's ears were pointed and were placed on either side of the two frog eyes.
Since
the ears were quite hairy and pointed, I imagined that they were the result of the bat
DNA.
The mouth sat just above the chin and was filled with huge carnivorous teeth, much like
a
tiger's. The nose was one of the only features that couldn't be explained. It was
positioned
correctly on the head, but it was very similar to the snout of a pig. My only theory was
that
some of the DNA strands were contaminated with other animals. Strangely there was also
a
single eye, about the size of the mouth, centered on the forehead just above the nose.
I
imagined that this was the result of the toxic material. The head sat on top of a huge
tiger
body that was supported by three pairs of legs. The multiple number of legs was the
only
evidence that the centipede DNA successfully combined with the others. The usual black
tiger stripes were replaced with deep red stripes that seemed to encase the body. Even
it's
tail took on these unusual markings. This, I believed, was a combination of the normal
tiger
markings and the markings of the African Tree Frog. On it's back was a huge pair of
deformed bat wings. This was far beyond anything I could have imagined.
After observing it for a while, I determined that it predominately took on the tiger's
characteristics. It's walk was that of a predator, and the additional legs seemed to add
to it's
agility inside the cage. It's frog eyes searched desperately for insects, but
continually failed
at convincing it's tiger tongue to catch them. I was curious as to whether the batwings
were
functional or not, but I found their deformity far too severe to be able to function as
wings of
flight.
Once the investors arrived at my lab they were as disgusted by the creature as I was.
They decided that such a creature would be far too repulsive to display, and asked that
I
terminate the creature, along with my other experiments, immediately. I understood
their
concerns, and frankly, was relieved with the prospects of once again enjoying a normal
life.
I couldn't, however, discern how I should go about killing this creature that just 8
hours ago
had been nothing more than data on my computer. I determined that filling it's cage
with
lethal gas would be the easiest way to kill the animal while avoiding actual contact.
The
investors stood by as I allowed the toxic fumes to engulf the creature in the cage. It
quickly
fell to the floor. After fifteen minutes I began to clear the cage of it's fumes. As
soon as the
gas was cleared the creature darted to top of the cage and with one big swipe with it's
arm,
tore open the cage and flew out. My assumptions about the deformed wings had been
wrong. The wings had just not had time to dry out, much like a butterflies wings when
it
first emerges from it's cocoon.
The investors and I ran to a small lab in the back of the larger laboratory. We sealed
the door shut and looked at each other with astonishment. I stared passed the investors,
into
the laboratory, in time to see the creature breakthrough the basement window and fly
towards the forest.
Mr. Shrinton was the first to break the silence. He declared that the best way to
handle the situation was to simply destroy any evidence that it ever happened. The
other
investors nodded in agreement and breathed sighs of relief. I, on the other hand, began
to
realize what I had done. The surrounding eco-system would be destroyed in a matter of
days
if the creature were to be allowed to just kill freely. It's genetic make-up allowed for
a diet
of nearly anything; rodents, bugs, cows; anything that a tiger, centipede, frog or bat
would
eat, this creature would eat as well. Still, I was sworn to secrecy about any of the
experiments and their results.
I regret to say that my cowardliness, coupled with the extra 50 million dollars given
to me by the investors, has kept the truth from the world for over ten years now.
Recently,
though, I have read reports of similar creatures being seen in the surrounding forests.
I fear
that this creature may have somehow reproduced. If this is the case, then all people
must be
warned of it's capability. Unfortunately, I only have a few months to live due to the
high
doses of radiation I exposed myself to during the experiments. Please inform the public
of
this creature. They deserve to know. I can't keep this a secret anymore.
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