Hooks

Chapter 11: An Unexpected Surprise

Inventions, gadgets, and tools filled the room. There was tables, and bottles, and beakers all around me. I saw test tubes, tongs, goggles, you name it.

"Mark, welcome to my laboratory," said the mayor.

"So...this isn't your basement.  You lied..." I stammered as I tried to take in everything at once.

"Only for your own good Mark. Sometimes it's best when fish don't know about things. But what I've discovered is that sometimes certain fish don't know how to keep their noses out of other fish's business," he said pointing at me.

"But you said you had a leaky pipe..." I said swimming around the laboratory trying to understand everything.

"Of course I did Mark.  I thought it was the only way to keep you away from finding out about any of this. But, when you lost your job, oh Mark. That's when things went downhill. You started having too much free time. Which by the way, is why your fin is currently bandaged up and wounded. Why can't you just be like other fish Mark? Other fish are happy in Coral City and don't need to have a reason for every little thing. But you? Oh no, no. You're different. You're logical like me. You are smart like me. That is why I have brought you here Mark," said the mayor.

"Are you saying you need my help sir?" I asked as I tried to wrap my head around all of this.

"Precisely. I need more than just your help though. I need your intelligence. I need your ideas. Mark, do you remember how you were talking about that shiny, metallic object that was swimming through the water?" he asked me.

"Yes, why?" I replied curiously.

"That was one of my newest inventions. Come over here. I'll show you," he said motioning to the other side of the room.

He brought me to a table with a covered object on top of it. The object seemed a little bigger than me and had a white sheet draped over it.

"Mark, I introduce to you...The Hookmaster 3000!" he said lifting the sheet off and throwing it behind him.

It appeared to be a fish. However, it wasn't. It was made out of metal and bolts. It had a few different parts making it to where the tail and fins moved similar to an actual fish.

"So you invented a robot fish...?" I asked swimming around the mayor.

"Exactly Mark," he answered.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Good question. I was thinking we could use a robotic fish to catch all the hooks before they reach the fish of Coral City," he answered me.

"Wait..." I started.

"Wasn't that one of the citizen's ideas?" I asked the mayor pinpointing him.

"Why yes Mark it was. However, I have added to his idea. Therefore, it is technically not stealing is it?" he laughed sneeringly.

"Mayor, you stole that fish's idea!" I said getting frustrated.

"Now, now Mark. Calm down...There is no need to get angry and upset. I've brought you here because I need your help. Coral City is in great danger. I have realized that I cannot do this all on my own. I need an assistant," he told me as he put his fin on my shoulder.

"I don't know..." I started.

"Mark, the Hookmaster 3000 seems great in theory, yes. However, it has backfired. That is why I need your help. That is why you have seen it several times darting around the waters of Coral City," he explained.

"So what will happen if continues to backfire?" I asked worrying.

"Citizens of Coral City could be very hurt. You see, I designed the fish so that when it grabs on to the hook it blows it up and destroys it-" he began.

"But instead of blowing up when it is supposed to, it could go off randomly at any given point in time and kill citizens of Coral City. Right?" I finished.

"Bingo," said the mayor.

"Mayor, you have been lying to me as well as the rest of the city, you are secretly a mad scientist, and you created a robotic fish that is capable of executing every fish in Coral City," I explained.

"Yes, and frankly I could care less what happens to the city. I don't want to save it for the city's sake. I just want to stay alive myself. That's the best part. The city loves me. They adore me. Mark, after we get rid of these Hookmaster 3000's, I will rule the sea!!!" he said fiercely.

"You can't do this. You aren't the mayor I thought you were," I said disappointed in him.

"Well life doesn't always turn out the way you thought it would does it now? Coral City is only the start. If I continue inventing, putting up signs, and "helping" the fish, I will be the most powerful catfish in the entire ocean. Coral City will become Coral Country and Coral Country will become Coral Sea. The mayor's sea. All mine, Mark.

 I refuse to help you. You're a monster," I told him sternly as I started to swim away.

"Very well then. I had a feeling that you might say that. That is why your town mayor always plans ahead!" he said powerfully.

His voice echoed through the laboratory.

"What did you do this time?" I said getting angrier and angrier at him.

"Why don't we let you see for yourself Mark?" he said laughed wickedly.

I suddenly heard a large noise behind me so I turned around as I searched for where it was coming from. It was the sound of moving gears and they were extremely loud. I watched as the tank holding the night creatures slowly began to raise up from the ground. There was something underneath the tank that I hadn't known about. But what was it? As I watched the tank continue to rise and listened to the gears screech, I waited anxiously for what was about to come. Finally, it came to a halt. Underneath the tank was a large iron box.

"How will a box convince me to help you mayor?" I asked.

"Oh Mark, this is just the beginning. Here comes the best part," said the mayor laughing again.

Suddenly, the iron box split began to split in half down the center from the top to the bottom. I watched as the box slowly burst apart. The more it opened, the more it began to reveal. I began seeing fish. First, I saw one. Then, I saw two. They kept coming. Then as the luminescent light began to shine onto the iron box, it was revealed that it was not just a box. It was a cage. That's when I saw the worst part.

"MY FAMILY!!!"