The Jungle

Chapter 21: Piranha or Pacu?

“They what?” Hamlet asked slowly, hardly daring to believe what he had heard.

“They escaped our assault on Area 51, sir,” Caesar said gently. He knew that Hamlet was violent when provoked, and he had no intention of being pierced by a bullet or having his face smashed in today.

“I THOUGHT YOU SAID OUR ASSAULT WAS FOOLPROOF!” Hamlet roared. “I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME THIS WOULD ALL BE TAKEN CARE OF!” He slammed his fists on his desk and stood up, towering over Caesar.

All at once, the councilman realized what Hamlet was going to do. No one disappointed Hamlet Newport and lived to tell the tale. As the big man lumbered toward him, Caesar dropped to his knees on the floor of Hamlet’s office in submission. “I know I failed you, sir, but they had a hovercraft no one was aware of!”

Hamlet paused. “A hovercraft?”

“That’s right.” Caesar said with a shaky voice. “No one in Metropola knew it was there.”

“Get up off the floor, you filthy pig,” Hamlet grunted. “I hate people who cower. And in any case, how do you think the hovercraft got there in the first place?”

“No one knows, Hamlet. I assume it was left there when the base was abandoned.”

“No,” Hamlet said stiffly. “Hovercrafts are a relatively new invention based on the idea of the helicopter. They hadn’t been invented yet when that base was abandoned. It was already there, which means there’s someone who was using that base after it was abandoned but before they came to inhabit it. Either that or someone besides Lex is helping them.”

“Lex? Lex the councilman?” Caesar could hardly believe his ears.

“It makes sense,” Hamlet hissed. “He lives in the district of Las Vegas only a few miles from Area 51, and he used to work with Juliet. From what I hear, they even have history from before she met her husband.”

“That’s absurd,” Caesar laughed. “Lex is firmly under my thumb. He won’t dare stick a toe out of line or he knows I’ll kill him.”

Hamlet laughed and walked to the corner of his room which held a large fish tank containing several orange and silver fish. “Now Caesar,” he laughed. “Come here. Let me teach you something. What sort of fish do you think these are?”

“I’ve seen those in streams on the island. They’re pacu, correct?”

“Close,” Hamlet laughed. “Pacu are vegetarians and therefore easy to control, yes?” He reached into a refrigerated compartment beneath the tank and pulled out a small, silver tray covered by a lid.

“Sure. They’re harmless. In fact, I think they’re even a staple in the diet of the Kupata. I’m not afraid of them.”

“Well,” Hamlet laughed, uncovering the tray and pulling out a long strip of meat, still dripping blood. “Imagine these pacu are Lex and other councilmen like him. This piece of meat is you.” Then, Hamlet dropped the piece of meat into the tank. Instantly, the fish were upon it, ripping and tearing at it with teeth as sharp as razors. In seconds, the entire chunk was gone.