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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As word spread that they had a new addition in their menagerie, everyone wanted to meet Sema and let her know that they were friends. Keith was especially smitten with her, able to communicate clearly in sign language. He even taught her a few new signs. The gorilla seemed to know immediately that he was like her, and she was instantly in love.
Every day he would help with the build of her new enclosure but spend the first thirty minutes having breakfast with her. She would frequently sign ‘babies,’ asking for her puppies to come to her. Keith would assure her that they were coming. He was surprised when she signed that she was happy and liked her new home. It only told him that they’d done the right thing by taking her in.
She was as gentle as they thought she would be. With children, she was immediately smitten, touching them, signing ‘friend’ to them. Sema was going to be hard to say goodbye to when the time came.
“Where were you?” asked Pork, staring at Otto as he waited by the SUV.
“I was visiting with Sema,” he grinned. “She’s amazing. I can’t help but fall in love with her. She’s got those puppies completely protected, loving on them like she’s their mama.”
“I’ll never understand how it all works, but it’s pretty amazing to see it. That poor thing belongs on a mountain somewhere with her family, not in a rural community or a zoo,” said Pork.
“I agree,” nodded Baptiste, “but the truth is, she can’t go back to where her parents were born. She’s only known captivity, according to Lucy and Sniff. At least she’s had a good life up until now, from what it sounds like. I’m sure Lucy and Sniff will do what’s right when the time comes.”
“Our first stop is at Calcutta Research Facility, and no, it’s not in India. It’s on the opposite side of the lake. According to their website, they specialize in pharmaceutical drugs related to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases resulting in mild cognitive impairment.” Otto continued to read the descriptor, making sure he hadn’t left out anything important.
“I know nothing about this shit,” said Pork. “My folks both lived well into their eighties, healthy as you can be. They died because of a drunk driver, not because of old age. I’ve never met anyone with one of these diseases.”
“Well, fortunately, we don’t have to be the experts,” said Baptiste. “According to my sweet sister, Suzette, mice, rats, fruit flies, and sometimes dogs and cats are used in the research. Although she mentioned that recently an unknown breed of frog was found in the rainforest of Guyana. They think it could hold the cure, but there are very few left, and they’re not easy to get.”
“I suppose if we see cages for larger animals, it will give us something to look at, but if they’re just working with mice, rats, and fruit flies, not sure how I feel about that,” said Otto. “I mean, I just don’t have the same desire to save a mouse as I do dog or cat. That’s probably wrong of me.”
“Not wrong, brother. It’s how you feel, and that’s alright. If you ask Mama, she’d say they’re all God’s creatures and should be saved,” smirked Baptiste. “I’m not sure I’d feel the same about flies, rats, and mice either.”
“This still doesn’t explain why we have all these sick puppies,” said Pork.
“Well, it might be that they’re using the healthy puppies and discarding the sick. Or maybe they’re making them sick. The other option might be that once they feel a female has bred enough, they get rid of her, and we have our men from the backwoods using them to make some extra cash. I don’t know,” said Baptiste, shaking his head. “All I know is that we won’t know the whole story until we find them.”
“That’s it up ahead,” said Pork. “Jesus, it looks like Fort Knox. Look at those fences and the guard towers. What the hell are they making in there?”
“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out,” said Otto.
“How in the hell are we getting in there? They’re not just going to let us go in and start snooping around.”
“Riley called ahead for us. She and Suzette know most of the facilities in the area, and this is one they’ve toured before. They know we’re coming,” said Baptiste. He pulled up to the guard shack and rolled his window down.
“Morning, sir. May I see your ID? All of you, please.” They handed him their IDs and he checked a computer, nodding. “Thank you, sir. Please park anywhere in the second row. You’ll enter building D, the yellow door. Someone will meet you there.”
“Thank you,” nodded Baptiste.
Walking into the building, they were met by a security guard who passed a wand over their bodies, asking them to hold out their arms. They did as asked, knowing that their weapons were well disguised and hidden by their stealth netting.
“Right this way, sirs. Dr. Cecil will see you in just a moment.”
They followed him to another room with comfortable seating inside. Taking a chair, they sat, waiting. As the door closed, the distinct click of the lock told them that they were not going anywhere any time soon. Just as Otto was about to get up, someone opened the door.
“Good morning, I’m Dr. Cecil,” said a young woman wearing a white lab coat. She appeared to be between twenty-eight and thirty-five, short dark brown hair cut over her ears. She wore no jewelry, no makeup, and didn’t seem to possess a personality.
“If you’ll follow me.”
“Excuse me, Dr. Cecil. Do you even know why we’re here?” asked Baptiste.
“Yes. Suzette and Riley explained why you were interested in our facility. We have nothing to hide. However, you are not allowed to go inside the laboratory facility. You’ll have to view from the other side of the glass.”
“Right,” nodded Pork. “Okay.”
As they walked down the halls, she pointed to closed doors describing what they did behind the doors but never allowing them to look. Finally, as their patience waned, she stopped in front of a wall of glass. Inside there were rats, mice, frogs, cats, and dogs in cages. The cages appeared to be clean, sizeable for the animal, and there was water and food.
