“This is a megabyte,” he told Zaidee. “A real megabyte.”
11
Zaidee was asleep by the time Dr. Sam got home. Loch had decided not to tell her about finding Jesse Sanderson’s head in the lake. He knew she’d been through enough to give her nightmares for a very long time as it was. Nor would he tell his father about Jesse. There was no need, just yet, for others to know what had happened to the town drunk who swaggered around Lake Alban with a shotgun. The beasts were already hated enough.
By midnight a half-moon had risen over the mountains, and the dangers of the lake faded before its vast beauty. Loch waited up for his father, staring out the window at the sweep of stars that lay suspended in the dark velvet of the northern sky. Only the fragile cries from distant loons broke the silence of the night.
“What the hell was going on today?” Dr. Sam wanted to know when he came in, his face drawn. He grabbed a bottle of beer and swung into the dining nook next to Loch. “Why didn’t you tell me what you’d found?”
“You were too busy.”
“Don’t throw that back in my face.”
“We found what I drew-a young plesiosaur,” Loch said. “That’s what we tried to tell you yesterday.”
“A juvenile?”
“Yes.”
Dr. Sam took a sip of his beer. He let the fact sink in, imagining for a moment what he would have done if he had known. “Well, you heard Cavenger. It doesn’t make any difference now.”
Loch got right to what was on his mind. “He’s going to kill them, isn’t he?”
“He’s hoping to take one alive.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“I-”
“Dad, special equipment would have to be built to take any of the big creatures alive,” Loch said. “Cavenger wouldn’t spend the time-or the money-to do it right. All he’s got on The Revelation are guns and harpoons. And any young ones are going to die in the nets. You know that!”
“I don’t know that-”
Loch hit his fist on the table. “Dad, you do!”
“Don’t wake Zaidee,” Dr. Sam said.
“I need to talk to you,” Loch said, getting up and going outside. Dr. Sam took his beer and went out after him. He caught up to him walking down to the lake.
“The creature I found was frightened and scraped and terrified,” Loch went on. “Zaidee and I went into the water with him, and he began to trust us. He’s not some kind of stupid fake out of one of Cavenger’s lousy magazines. He’s real. He’s alive. Dad, he’s very smart.”
“Loch, it’s a prehistoric beast-”
“I’m telling you they’re all more than just a pack of monsters. The little one makes sounds, like a kind of music. He cries and feels pain. All these creatures, they’re just trying to stay alive and be left alone. Life doesn’t mean anything to Cavenger, but it’s got to mean something to you, Dad. It’s got to!”
“You and Zaidee mean something to me-”
“Then don’t just stand by and let him slaughter them and stuff them for some stupid museum. This lake has a great treasure! It’s more than gold, don’t you know that? Don’t you?”
“Son,” Dr. Sam said, “I don’t know why you’re trying to defend these beasts. I know I’ve moved you and Zaidee around a lot … you haven’t had the chance to have many friends-”
Loch raised his voice. “Don’t, Dad! You’re not hearing what I’m telling you. Please don’t say anything dumb now-”
“What kind of a thing is that to say?” Dr. Sam asked, confused.
Loch turned and started to walk away but then spun to face his father. “Zaidee and I are supposed to look up to you, but we don’t. We don’t because it’s almost like you don’t exist anymore, like you’ve given yourself away piece by piece.” Loch trembled as he pointed out at the lake. “We saved one of them. I’m telling you they have feelings and intelligence. At least take the time to know what we know. You think you won’t be able to learn anything from them. You’re wrong-”
“Look, you’re a kid …”
“Dad, some fantastic and mind-blowing creatures are trapped out there and you’re just standing by, helping to destroy them.”
“I only work for Cavenger,” Dr. Sam said.
“But you’re the grown-ups!” Loch found himself shouting now. “You’re supposed to do what’s right!”
Dr. Sam looked out at the lake. “Loch, I’m sorry,” he said finally, and started back up the slope to the trailer.
Loch ran after him and stopped him. “You have the codes for the grid. You could open it. The creatures could go back where they came from.”
“I can’t do that,” Dr. Sam said.
“You can.”
“No.”
“What you’re saying is you won’t.”
“You’re out of line, son.”
Loch curled his fingers into a fist. Dr. Sam saw it as well as the look in his son’s eyes. Dr. Sam turned away and opened the trailer door. He went inside, leaving Loch alone in the night.
Dr. Sam had to leave for the base before dawn. Loch and Zaidee were still sleeping in their rooms, so he scrawled them a note:
Good morning!
Please take care of yourselves and stay out
of trouble until I get back. I’ll make it all
up to you. I promise. Camping. A dozen
new computer games. Swim with dolphins
A real vacation. You name it.
Love, Dad
The guard was waiting at the encampment gate when Dr. Sam arrived.
“Today’s the day,” the guard said. Dr. Sam saw the excitement in the guard’s eyes.
“Right,” Dr. Sam said, then drove on through. He parked near the dock, got out, and headed for The Revelation. The thrill of the hunt charged the air as fleet crews and personnel scurried everywhere. The water taxis skimmed between the dock and skiffs like water beetles. A few of the lighter, oldest boats had been replaced in the search formation by the converted PT and a pair of twenty-six-foot metal-hull patrol boats hauled overland from Lake Champlain. The highest security surrounded an army truck delivering a long gray crate to the yacht. Dr. Sam followed the crate up the gangplank.
Cavenger was waiting for the crate in the control room. “Here’s what we’ve been waiting for,” he said as the crew set the crate down against the far wall.
The mood in the control room was confident as Emilio and Randolph unpacked several pieces of heavy-duty artillery. In addition to upgraded electronics systems, the yacht now carried a half dozen automatic guns, a grenade launcher, and several explosive-tip spear guns.
Dr. Sam checked the ammunition supply. “You’ve got enough explosives aboard to blow up half the lake.”
“We’ll use what we have to,” Cavenger said.
Emilio checked the sights on the grenade launcher. “I was certified on this launcher in the army.”
“When?” Dr. Sam asked. “Twenty years ago?”
Randolph slid a clip into an automatic rifle. “It’s like riding a bike,” he said. “Just like riding a bike.”
Loch had heard his father get up that morning and stumble around the trailer to fix his coffee and toast. Loch wanted to get up, go out to the dining nook, and apologize to his dad for his outburst the night before. Instead, he lay on his bed staring at the remains of the cryptids and the sunlight streaming in through the bullet holes in the wall.
When he heard the Volvo drive off, he got up, poured himself a glass of orange juice, and read the note his father had left. The sunshine drew him outside. Barefoot and in his pjs, he walked down to the lake and picked up a handful of pebbles. He sat on the edge of the dock and stared out at the still, glassy surface of the water. One by one he tossed the stones in, watching them splash and send out ever-widening circles. Somewhere out there were Wee Beastie and the giant creatures.