The vat was designed to be collapsable. It shrunk down the size of a backpack. Victoria hooked into its system just by being close to it. The ultracops took Extinction away to the prison in the tower. I was excited as hell as Casper and I brought the vat up to our lab. Victoria walked behind us, since the machine was useless without her.
We placed it on the ground in front of my whiteboards. I clicked the uncollapse button and the base of the vat expanded outward until it was large enough that a human could stand on it. Then the glass enclosure slowly rose up and the rest of the machine formed.
“Is there a way to make it so they only listen to me, like they listened to him?” I asked Victoria. She had to think about it for a second.
“Yes, but only to verbal commands. Why?” She replied. I grabbed a piece of paper off one of my tables. I handed it to her. Then I grabbed a few of the dead raptors we still had lying around. I loaded them into the vat and shut the door.
“Make this and make sure they listen to me.” I demanded. She looked annoyed that I was bossing her around, but started the machine up anyway. I turned to Casper.
“Can you finish our project before tonight?” I asked her.
“Definitely. All that’s left is the improved bonding system and it’s done. Give me about three hours to test it and I’ll bring it down to your apartment.” She answered gleefully.
“Thanks. Okay, I gotta go” I said as I left.
I didn’t wait for a response, I just slammed the door behind me. I made my way back to my apartment. John and Odie were throwing a frisbee back and forth. Gar was spreading butter on toast in the kitchen area. He shoved it in his mouth and began putting the knife and butter away when he saw me. Everyone was dressed the same. Black shorts, black t-shirts, socks.
“Fu freddu fu fractice?” Gar said with a mouth full of toast.
“Sure.” I replied. I moved my head seconds before the butterknife went flying past my temple. It stuck in the wall and shivered as it was embedded. “You didn’t say start!” I scolded him.
“Holy shit, I can’t believe that stuck!” He exclaimed. In his astonishment he had dropped the toast out of his mouth and now it stuck on the floor. He ran to the other end of the room to take a picture of the butterknife stuck in the wall. “Oh yeah. Start, I guess.” Gar mumbled.
I started stalking towards the distracted Gar. He was still observing his handiwork. Once I was within reaching distance, he flung the knife out of the wall and threw it at me in a single motion. His aim was terrible, and it didn’t even come close, even with me a foot away.
It soared directly over my head and clanged somewhere in the kitchen. I closed the distance and tried a right hook. I figured if he was between me and the wall, there was nowhere for him to dodge. He ducked under the punch and moved behind me. I turned around but not before he grabbed my right arm and used it to toss me forward and over the back of the couch. I rolled hard and landed on the floor on my face.
I tried to get to my feet and John threw the frisbee at my head, hard. I ducked just in time. I heard the smack behind me as Gar caught it one handed and sent it right back at John. Somehow, he missed with a frisbee. Gar let out a sigh.
John gently took off his glasses and placed them on a nearby table. The temples folded neatly. I was finally able to get to my feet when Odie decided to charge right at me. I took the opportunity to punch him in the face as hard as I could. My hand was still hurt from punching the triceratops earlier, so the punch left me gripping my hand in pain.
Odie didn’t seem phased in the slightest. He stood up and smiled as he towered over me. Then John collided with him with a tackle. The force of it carried them so far that they slammed into the wall and shook every picture in the apartment.
You’re gonna wake the neighb-
Gar grabbed my ankles and ripped my legs out from underneath me. John socked Odie in the face hard enough to make him go limp. Then he turned around to see Gar dragging me across the floor by my socks. He charged towards us, and tried to kick Gar in the chin. It didn’t work as Gar grabbed his heel with both hands and pushed his foot up, sending John flat on the ground.
But at least it got Gar’s hands off me. I stood up and jumped back to create distance between me and him. Once he got within reaching distance, I got my hands up. He didn’t, he just stood with his arms limp to his sides. His back slouched, his hair covering his eyes.
I tried a right hook. He ducked under it. But I was expecting that because of last time, and I sent out a left hook. He stepped back to avoid it, so I tried a jab with my right arm. He limboed beneath it. But then he grabbed my wrist with both hands. I panicked when I saw him smirk.
I was suddenly on my back and he had me in an armbar. We had gone from him having my wrists to him having me on the ground.
Gar is next level.
“Are we done?” He asked politely.
“You suck.” I replied.
“Yeah, I know.” He said as he released me.
“Next round I’m coming for you, John.” Odie said, his back still against the wall. “And your little monkey too.” He added in a witch voice.
“Good job.” John said as he fist bumped me. “Most people don’t usually make it that long when they’re up against Norman.” John helped me to my feet.
Odie smoked a cigarette in the kitchen. When I regained my bearings a knock at the door almost sent me back down. Another knock.
“Alistair?” Gar asked, looking at John. John shook his head. Another knock.
“Who cares who it is?” Odie said as he pulled the door open. And came face to face with my dad.
…
“I was unaware this place had a coffee shop.” My father said as he sipped from a cup of coffee.
“This place has everything.” I replied.
Why couldn’t you just leave me to die here.
“Your new friends seem interesting. How’d you come across them?” He asked.
He was the same father I’d always known. Emotionally distant, that detached look in his eyes. His black hair was brushed down and neat, his white polo shirt wrinkled on the sleeves. His eyes were piercing as he stared at me. They had dark circles underneath them.
“We both know that’s not why you tracked me down, so cut the bullshit, okay dad?” I told him off.
His eyes widened and his forehead furrowed, but he didn’t say a word. A man of few words. Always a reserved, emotionally distant man. Always going on walks when he’s stressed. Never seen him cry in my life. He’s never so much as given me a hug.
And it never pissed me off before. Hell, I reveled in it. I wanted to be alone. I never wanted people to pity me or cry for me or miss me when I was gone. All I ever wanted was to go out quietly without a mess. And he never seemed to care at all that I was dying. Never tried to comfort me once.
But this pissed me off. Showing up to my new home. Bringing himself back into my life. Trying to pretend like he loved me.
“I mean don’t pretend like you’re here because you love me. I mean, come on dad. You’ve barely spoken to me since I was born. Never gave me a hug or said ‘good job champ.’ So don’t pretend that’s what this is about. Don’t pretend like you decided you wanted to connect with your son seven months before he’s supposed to die. So why are you really here, dad?” I said a little too loud. People in the coffee shop were staring. Father didn’t say a word, he just sipped from his coffee.
“Did you want to apologize? Maybe go fishing? Pretend like you give a shit? You should’ve started doing that fifteen years ago, dad. Maybe then I’d care what you have to say.” I continued getting more pissed. “Or are you just going to tell me how upset I made everybody? Guilt trip me and make me feel bad, then go home and forget I ever existed. Like you do everyone else.” My voice cracked a little. “Like you did Jason.”
He looked like I’d just smacked him across the face. His whole body went pale and for the first time in the fifteen years I’d been alive I saw my father have tears in his eyes. Tiny little reflective beads. Barely anything at all for the mention of his dead son. Pathetic tears for a pathetic man. “Go back to your pregnant wife and leave me alone.” I finished.
“I came here to speak with you. Because I was worried about you.” He finally began to speak, after a moment of silence. I began standing up. I felt like running back to the apartment and never opening my door again. I felt like putting on the suit and hitting him. “I don’t want to guilt trip you, either. But I will say that your mother is very worried about you and Danny.” He continued. The mention of Danny caught my attention. I sat back down. “You’ve been gone for two weeks, your friend Margaret is worried sick. She’s out here in the city at night searching for you. Emily refuses to leave her house.” He wiped the tears from his eyes.
“What happened to Da-” I started.
“No, Jacob. It’s my turn to speak.” He interrupted me with a sternness I’d never seen him have before. “You’re right. I’ve been distant, avoidant even. I’ve spent many years of your life asking God why he chose to take away one of my children, and give the other cancer. I was afraid of losing you, and in my fear I may have distanced myself from you so as to not hurt you.” His words were soft and careful.
“I never meant to hurt you. I see now that my selfishness seems to have pained you a great deal.” He said. He looked me dead in the eyes. “But son, we can’t let our pain control us. We can’t hide from it or let it devour us. You can’t just run away and never face it again until you die. You have to face your suffering, accept it. And become a better man because of it. Don’t be like me. Be a better man than I ever was.” He finished. He stood up and began to leave. I didn’t move at all.
“I hope you come home soon.” He said as he opened the door to leave the coffee shop.
“Goodbye, son.”
