Monsters of new Earth

The predator-prey-relationship

5.

The assassin from his black sedan had watched Emily exit her car and head for the entrance of the laboratory complex. He was satisfied that she did not suspect that someone had been trailing her as she had driven down to the lab.

“It did not do for the prey to become suspicious too soon before the kill”, he mused to himself. The time frame from when the deer realized that a predator was stalking it to when life was stuffed out of its body in nature was most times too short. But that was the beauty of the hunt. 

Not that he had expected her to notice. He had taken down bigger predators in the past. Preys who had a heightened sense for danger, sixth sense as was normally referred to, and yet none of them had smelt death till he the predator had closed in. He was an artist that took pride in the process.

He frowned at himself. Just moments ago, he had almost used the switch blade in his pocket for the kill. The lion didn’t need a weapon to subdue the deer, the lion itself was the weapon. The agent nature uses, to carry out its ghastly business. Just like Judas Iscariot in the bible he thought, someone had to do the dirty work. The lion, Judas, himself were all tools. Tools who moved by divine compulsions. He couldn't control it, same way Judas could not have avoided betraying Jesus, or a Lion controlling the urge to take down a prey. It was fate.

He watched Emily chat with the security guard. He couldn’t hear what they were saying from where he was parked. The security guard presented a fresh problem, but the assassin was not worried. The more obstacles the bigger the glory he reasoned. He checked his phone for the layout of the complex which had been sent to him by his employers. He studied it diligently for a minute, taking in every minute detail. When he was done, and looked up, Emily had already entered the complex. He got to work.

Reaching back to the back seat, he collected a transparent plastic bag that lay on the seat. From the bag, he pulled out an all-white overall, and within moments, the assassin who had previously been clad in black was transformed. He had transformed himself into an aging scientist. He studied his reflection in the mirror which hung over-head and made some adjustments. When he was done, he exited his car and walked towards the complex. The security guard eyed him as he approached.

“Identification pass”, he said as the assassin came to stand beside him. The assassin could smell the fragrance of the prey. “They all smelled alike”, he thought.

He produced an identification card from his pocket and handed it to the guard. The guard combed over it meticulously. He typed in the id number into the small monitor that protruded from the corner of the wall. The screen flickered to life and beeped.

“Here to see Dr. Harris”, he asked. The assassin nodded. The security guard eyed him again as if uncertain of something. “hold on”, he finally said after what seemed like eternity.

He reached into the intercom, and began dialing a number. “security protocol”, he said, giving off a fake smile while his eyes remained glued on the assassin. The assassin casually moved his hands and allowed it rest on his side, feeling the switch blade beneath the overall he was wearing. The intercom beeped again.

“Dr. Harris?”, the guard inquired.

The person on the other side of the line was scrambling with something, the guard repeated his question.

“Dr. Harris?”

This time the man on the other end answered. “Dr. Harris here, what’s going on Phillip”, the voice answered once he had recognized who was speaking.

“Are you expecting a visitor?”

“Pardon?”

“Someone”, the guard fumbled with the id in his hands, “I have a person here, who claims to be Dr. Reginald. Says you have an appointment with him”

Another guard began approaching the two men. This guard was carrying a semi-automatic rifle. The assassin began to mummer a silent prayer.

“Dr. who?”

“Reginald”

There was a characteristic silence on the other line as if the person was checking through a file. It took a moment but the intercom buzzed again. The assassin was now beginning to sweat slowly.

“Yes, Dr. Reginald”, the voice on the other line finally said, sounding a bit puzzled. “please send him in”. With that, the line went dead.

The assassin allowed his hands to relax. You can go right in the guard announced. The other guard had now reached where both of them had stood before. The assassin who was about crossing the sliding doors could hear the two men conversing.

“Funny how this guy put on a lab overall from home”, the other guard who held the rifle and was now looking at the door was telling the guard who had just allowed the assassin slip through.