Cipher [A Gravity Falls Tale] #Wattys2016

Nine

Many late nights followed the nearly simultaneous arrivals of the parts and the bunker. Ford and McGuckett used industrial strength coffee to face these challenges, but the work became increasingly difficult. After almost blowing out the entire Gravity Falls power grid, the researchers located most of their work in the secret bunker. There, they could operate even more secretly than from Ford's facility. They would only use the basement for testing the actual portal.

Weeks into their grueling efforts, Ford and his assistant were hard at work during another one of these long nights. Fiddleford was already on his fourth cup of coffee, but he was still looking pretty rough. McGuckett detested the stuff, only using it when necessary. Ford, on the other hand, had become quite acquainted with the beverage during college. He drank ten cups in the average day.

Finally, Fiddleford excused himself to go lie down in the bunks for a while. Ford let him. Short naps were excusable, though Ford permitted little than that while important work still needed to be done.

A little while later, Fiddleford came back into the room, coughing violently. "I don't feel too good," he groaned, his hoarse voice sounding quite awful. "Do you have any remedies? Maybe something in your journal?"

"We've got cough drops in the cabinet."

"I dunno," argued Fiddleford before breaking into another fit of violent coughing. Ford patted his back, trying to help him. "This might be some sort of 'magic' cold or something. I feel horrible. Surely there's something in the journal that could help."

"All right," agreed Ford. He could think of some cures in the journal he had recorded. He hurried to the bunk room to grab it, not wanting to waste a moment of work. He had brought the journal along to record the security systems of the bunker for future reference. Pulling it out from under the mattress, he suddenly heard a muffled cry. He wheeled to the supply cabinet and pulled open the doors, revealing a captive that was none other than-- Fiddleford?

Ford's eyes drifted, fearing the worst. His suspicions were soon confirmed. He eyed the broken cage sitting in the corner of the room, knowing it could only mean one thing: Shifty.

The specimen Ford had discovered in the dig site had turned out to be some sort of larvae th at could change appearance at will. It had grown at an alarming rate, but Ford had become quite attached to it, naming his pet "Shifty." McGuckett had been hesitant to keep the creature so close. Sure, it was fascinating, he reasoned, but it was an experiment and needed to be contained as such. Ford hadn't listened, and now, of course, he was paying the price.

Quickly untying his partner, Ford apologized again and again. Fiddleford, too shaken to do anything, collapsed on the bed. Seeing a red-bound plumbing manual laying on the floor, Ford quickly used some supplies to paint a golden six fingered hand on the cover. He raced down the halls and quickly chucked the book into one of the cryogenic tubes. He made sure to avoid all security cameras; the imposter was by now no doubt suspicious of Ford's whereabouts.

Ford burst back into the control room, seeing that what he knew now to be Shifty was still there.

"I looked everywhere," he lied. "I think I must have left it in the lab, maybe by the cryo tubes? I was sketching them earlier. You want me to go look?"

"No, no!" Fiddleford hastily answered. "I can go find it!" He rushed off. Ford stayed in the room, following him on the security feeds. Fake Fiddleford spotted the ruse and dashed into the tube. Instantly, Ford activated the freezing process. Shifty screeched and took on forms Ford had never seen before. He acted like some kind of monster!

Ford hurried out of the room, grabbed Fiddleford and their things, and exited, sealing the security grid behind them. After continually apologizing to Fiddleford profusely, they agreed not to return to the bunker until the portal was finished. Their one chance had been a disaster, and Fiddleford was suffering from a new wave of trauma.