Crossing Boundaries

Inside

Sang landed on the floor of the dark room with Luke's help. There was no light save for what was coming from outside the window and from the tiny crack through the closed door. Luke placed a finger to his lips and tugged at Sang's hand. He signed into her hand that now they should communicate via sign language. Sang nodded and crept closer to the door. There was no way to know what would be on the other side. Luke took a device out of his pocket. It had a pair of earphones at one end and a flat object at the other. Luke placed the flat part onto the door and placed one earpiece into his ear and handed the other to Sang. There was no immediate sound of any human beings on the other side. There were some thumping sounds, like footsteps but it came from further away. Luke listened some more and deemed it safe to go outside. He put the listening device back into his pocket and slowly opened the door a crack. Luke stuck his head out; all they could see was a long hallway with closed doors on either side.

Luke signed to Sang, "okay, let's go out."

Sang signed back, "which way do we go?"

"Let's go towards the front of the house. That is our best bet. Stay in the shadows."

Sang nodded and took a deep breath. It was now or never. Luke tiptoed out and turned to the left. Sang followed behind him, listening for any sounds. There were some thumps coming from upstairs. There was a door at the end of the long hallway. Luke pulled out his listening device again and listened for anything from the other side. There were some voices but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

Sang signed, "it doesn't sound like it's coming from the other side. It sounds like it's coming from further ahead."

Luke nodded and as noiselessly as possible opened the door. The lights were on in the room. It was a kitchen but there was nobody in it currently. There was a large square table in the middle with some chairs around and what looked to be a meal laid out. There were three doors leading from the kitchen. One straight ahead and two on either side of the large kitchen.

Luke and Sang cautiously went inside. Luke went to the door on the other side and placed the listening device again on the door. There were definitely voices on the other side, distinct voices.

"Should have come later, anybody could have seen you," a voice mumbled from inside the room.

"In this neighborhood? I don't think anyone will care," came another voice, sounding nonchalant.

"You know we can't jeopardies this now, this is too crucial to mess up."

"And we're not going to mess up."

There was a pause in the conversation. There came some metal clinging noises from inside and shuffling feet on the floor. What sounded like a metal door clanged open and someone said in an irritated voice, "this is what you have for us today?"

"Why? You don't like it? It's not like it matters what we get."

"I thought I said no big ones after what we had to go through last time."

"Look, Boss, this is the best they had. Plus, this one was there for a very long time, and it didn't look as if anyone will ever adopt him."

"This test is only suited for smaller varieties."

"I didn't think it would matter, Boss."

"Absolute numbskulls you lot are," the Boss shouted out. His voice was rising up by the minute. Sang and Luke looked at each other in trepidation. How will this end they both wondered.

"Stay here! Guard the thing. It might wake up at any time. I am going to call the fucking shelter."

Footsteps neared the door to the kitchen. Luke looked up in panic and dragged Sang to the nearest door which turned out to be a pantry.

The outer door opened just as Luke shoved the pantry door closed after them. They could hear angry muttering coming from the kitchen and a crash as a chair was kicked over.

After a minute, the Boss said, "Hello, Fischer here...Yes, I got the mutt but you messed up." He was on the phone.

"No, you listen to me. This was not part of the plan...what do you mean this is all you have, you run a freaking animal shelter...screw you, I can't use the dumb mutt...tomorrow? You fucking think I can wait till tomorrow?...The Doctor has the sample ready today, he can't fucking wait till tomorrow...Well, I'm sorry too. You are in big trouble when I get a hold of you, Linden."

The phone was suddenly slammed down in a fit of rage. Angry cursing came through from the kitchen and what sounded like a plate smashing on the floor. "ANDREW!! We do this thing tonight. Bring the mutt into the operating room. I don't fucking care anymore if he is the wrong size. It can kill the dog for all I care."

The Boss, Fischer, went into the hallway with Andrew trailing after him, apologizing along the way. The door slammed shut and Sang and Luke were in total silence.

Sang looked at Luke in shock, she signed to Luke, "they are going to kill my dog!"

Luke signed back, "We have to call for back-up. In the meantime, we have to try and sneak the dog out."

"But how can we do that, they are taking him into the back."

Just then, another set of voices drifted back into the kitchen. "How long will it take Doc?" That was Fischer's voice.

"I have to examine the dog first. If what you say about the size is true, it might very well not work." This was the new voice, probably the doctor.

"There is no other choice, we have to use him."

"Hmm...is he still sleeping off the tranquilizer?"

"Yes, last we checked. We put him into the cage for now."

"Bring him into the back. I can examine him there. See if he can take the drug."

The men came back carrying what sounded like a heavy box. It must have been the cage. After a while, all became quiet again. Luke fiddled around with his phone, firing off texts to the others.

Luke signed to Sang, "okay, I've texted the guys, the soonest they can be here is in an hour. Until then we have to lay low and make sure they don't give...whatever they are planning to give to the dog."

"What do you think it is that they are doing Luke? What are they giving my dog."

Luke sighed and turned to Sang with a sad face. "I'm not sure, Sang, but I think they are conducting illegal animal testing here."

Sang gasped silently, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. That such a thing was happening was appalling to hear.

"What should we do?" Sang signed to Luke with a look of fear on her face.

"Let's go back out the window. It's best if we wait outside for the others. It's too dangerous to be stuck inside with who knows how many people around."

Sang pushed a finger up to her lips, she didn't want to go without her dog but she knew that they were only a hair's breadth from being discovered. She reluctantly nodded.

Luke creaked open the door a tiny bit but there was nobody on the other side. They crept to the door to the hallway and Luke listened for any activity on the other side. After signaling the all clear, Luke pushed the door open and they quickly scuttled back to the room that they had come in from. The room was still dark and empty. Luke and Sang squeezed themselves back through the window.