Falling for the Veterinary Pathologist

Chapter 8

It was daylight by the time we had gotten to the airport. I woke when I felt the car stop and the sounds of airplanes could be heard.

Abraham and Anissa exited the car and start to walk towards the hangar. I remain seated in the back seat and wait for them to come back. Or at least Anissa. I watch them enter the plane.

I stay in the car because of my stupid leg. The wound stopped hurting a while ago and it was starting to heal just fine. I could probably walk just fine by tomorrow.

I always healed really quickly. I never told anyone about it and I never complained about it. It's what made me such a great fighter. I could be injured and in two days time I would be healed.

I fiddle with my fingers and think to myself. I think about why Anissa said about Jackson being a trouble magnet and not Ray. But something tells me I'm not wrong about being a death magnet.

Everywhere I've gone I see death on some form. Whether it be a person I've meet. An animal I've seen. Or even a tiny bug I've passed by.

Death just seems to follow me everywhere I go.

Abraham and Anissa start to set up the plane and so I do the only reasonable thing. I lay down across the seats and go back to sleep.

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I don't know how long I sleep for. But when I'm woken up Anissa tells me I need to get the plane started and ready for take off.

Anissa helps me walk to the plane where I sit in the pilots seat and Abraham sits in the co-pilot seat and we wait.

Soon enough I hear police sirens coming towards the airport and I can't help but to think it's my brother.

A minute later is see all of them running towards the plane. And hear Jackson yell, "go! Go! Go!"

Abraham and I start the plane up and prepare for departure. They all run into the plane. And we start heading forwards.

We were doing great until I hear Anissa shout, "I got this" then I hear the metal sounds of a gun.

Does she have to be such a saint? And why didn't they bring the animals? Wasn't that the whole point of us fucking helping them? Was to save the animals. And now we haven't even done that. This whole mission was pointless.

Chloe yells, "no!" And then I hear the sound of two bodies hitting each and Jackson yelling, "chloe no!"

Are you a fucking idiot Chloe! I'm sure Anissa had a shot and we would have all of our team!

I peak back to see Chloe and Anissa laying on the runway, police cars nearing them, and us going further and further away. There was no going back and so Abraham and I take off and head towards Africa. With both teams missing a person.

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"I'm a little envious of Chloe right now. Nice air conditions cell." Mitch complained.

We were walking down a dirt road in Zambia towards somewhere Ray had friends. I loved the warmth and heat of Africa. I had tied but my shirt to make it a crop top to lose some layers. I didn't have many with a tshirt and shorts but it was fucking hot.

"My man here in Zambia's the real deal. He'll have intel on the leopard sightings, and he'll outfit the lot of us. This is rough bush. We need a lot more than a tranq gun." Ray explains.

Ya like maybe a machine gun or a pistol. Even having a knife would be better than a fucking tranq gun. I can't believe these bloody dunderheads only brought a tranq.

Jackson thanks Ray sounding out of breath.

"Look I'm with you now, and I aim to help, all right? Because? Come on, say it for me, sport." Ray continues to blabber. Ray may be with them now but I'm sure as hell not. I just follow Ray that's it.

Oh shut up already! You talk too much Ray. I'm hungry, I'm tired, and my legs hurt. I just want a hammock to lay in with water.

"Shut up." Mitch whines.

But Ray doesn't give up and continues, " no, one more time. Honestly, I can't get enough of it."

Mitch gives in and says, "the sooner we find the leopards, the sooner we save the world."

I roll my eyes. Could he not be such a pain in the ass.  Honestly we're all grumpy Ray!

"Whew, beautiful." Ray says. I roll my eyes again ya beautiful. Like we humans aren't killing the world anyways.

We walk to a small building. Ray yells, "hello?"

But no one answers so he does it again. And still no answer. A tv could be heard but I didn't see anyone around.

We walk to, what looks like a front desk. And Abraham calls Jackson over.

"What is it?" Jamie asks.

As her and I walk to the desk he says, "you might not want to."

At the same time Jamie says, "oh, my god!"

There are dead men lying on the ground covered in blood. An awful sight to the some people. To me it was an everyday thing so I just look at them content. They didn't have the worries of the world anymore and were at peace. The gore and death doesn't faze me anymore.

Jackson and Ray examine the bodies. And check for pulses. I could tell they had obviously died from predatory animals. Probably leopards.

Ray squats by a man and says, "this is my guy. Man with the plan. Looks like he put up a good fight though."

Jamie asks, "who would do this?"

Mitch answers with, " not who—what." He looks over the bodies and examines them. He says, " those are claw marks."

Jackson and I say, "leopards." At the same time and they all look at me with bewildered eyes. I don't think they know I have a a degree in animal behavior. That's awkward!

I walk over to the bodies and take note to the kill. They didn't go for the neck or other primary organs. They weren't looking to kill for food.

They all watch me as I squat down to one of the men and take in the claw marks.

"This is a slaughter. They weren't feeding." I say as I stand.

"It's just..." Ray starts.

"Strange." Mitch finishes for him. "Yeah strange is good. Strange tells us we're on the right track." Mitch explains.

Jamie grabs our attention with, " you guys" she brings us over to the tv where the news anchors discuss the animal pandemic. They talk about killing off all the animals and how it's a virus spreading through the animals.

God that's stupid! Of course is a bloody virus! Animals don't just behave like this for now reason. All of their behavior has a meaning! Are people actually stupid enough to think this just happens on its own!?

Jackson reached and turns the tv off. Abraham says, " at least they're starting to pay attention."

Mitch adds, " which means it's getting worse."

Jackson says, " all the more reason for us to get moving."

In the little shack we collect things like water, guns, keys for the car, and any other supplies we might need.

I already found anew knife. I put it in my waist band. I was looking for water when Mitch approached me. We haven't talked since he told me I wouldn't be flying the plane. Yet here we were because I flew the plane.

He asks, " how did you know it was leopards and that it wasn't a kill for food?"

I smile as I grab a water bottle and put in my bag. I reply simply with, " I have a doctorate in animal behavior." Then I leave him dumbfounded.

I walk back to Ray and watch him. He is getting the guns when I see him pick up empty carts. "They used all our ammo in the fight. Now all we got is this tranq gun." Ray tells Jackson.

"All right, let's do what we came here to do." Jackson says. I grab my bag and head to the car.