Tom's Parallel World Pt. 04

Triton swam forward, reached out and strongly shook Tom's outstretched hand. "Tom, very pleased to meet you, Pisces has explained, and we are indebted to you for saving her."

"Hey, I am just relieved I was there to see the buoy. Not being a fisherdog, I could easily have missed it or ignored it and cost Pisces her life."

"We are all thankful, and for that reason, we have something for you."

Triton then held his other hand out. Hanging from his hand was a thin gold chain and a pendant that looked like it had a short, straw like shell. It impressed Captain Brown. Tom wasn't so impressed, jewellery not being his first choice as any reward. But he took it and hung it around his neck.

Triton noticed this and explained. "I know it doesn't look much, Tom. Blow three times through the shell under the sea and any merperson within hearing distance will come to your aid. You won't hear anything, but to us, it will be like you blowing a foghorn."

"Thanks, I appreciate that and hope I never have to use it. But here is the 64 million dollar question; did you find what it was worth killing Pisces for?"

Now it was the turn of Pisces to swim forwards and handed Tom a plastic yellow box, about the size of a small sandwich box. About 4 inches wide by 6 inches long and 4 inches deep, looking like a waterproof box for camera equipment. It had snap-over toggle fixings and no lock.

On the box was a sign, looking like something between a hazard symbol and a nuclear warning sign. Embossed on it were the letters IGC.

"We've not opened it," Pisces said. "It stood out like a sore thumb even in the seaweed bed where we found it. Thankfully, there were a lot of us searching. But it doesn't look big enough to be important?"

"What's that sign mean, Captain?" Tom asked, showing the box to Captain Brown, but didn't pass it to him. For the moment, he wanted to keep hold of it, as something was not adding up.

"It is a warning, meaning genetic materials are inside. It will need to be analysed."

"No shit, Sherlock," Tom mumbled to himself, realising his guess was right.

Tom and Captain Brown thanked Triton and Pisces. Promising to keep them appraised of what any analysis discovers. The four made their farewells. Triton and Pisces swimming back out to sea.

Tom and Captain Brown made their way across the slippery rocks to the beach. Once on the dry pebbles of the beach, the old grey cat that Kitty was talking to the previous evening walked up.

"Tom, hello, I am Balthazar, the local commissionaire. I'll take that and the proper authorities can have a closer look." The Grey cat said, reaching for the yellow box.

Tom, still not 100% sure, held it out of his reach. Tom stepped back to the water's edge, guessing that the cat wouldn't want to get wet.

"Tom, give the box to Balthazar," Captain Brown scolded.

Tom pondered the evidence, but the hairs were standing up on the back of his neck. Something wasn't adding up. Whilst there were lots of cats, dogs, the human mother and daughter on the beach watching the merpeople.

They all seemed to keep their distance around the three of them stood at the edge of the water. Sarah and her kittens were still on the grassy knoll, now joined by Kitty.

"Lucy... Lucy, can you join us?" Tom shouted, waving to attract her attention. He needed a second opinion.

Lucy casually walked down to the water's edge, but like Balthazar stayed up on the dryer pebbles.

"Lucy, this box, I assume this box is specific only to the IGC?" Tom asked her, showing her the box and the logo on the lid, but kept a grasp on the box.

"Yes, it is like the ones we used in the labs when I was an intern there."

"So I am right, IGC stands for the Institute for Genetic Control and these boxes aren't openly sold?"

"No. They are internal for important genetic samples only. They aren't allowed to leave the institute, in fact; I never saw them outside the labs."

Balthazar cut in on the conversation, flexing his authoritarian muscles. "More the reason for the proper authorities to examine the contents. Give me the box and I will return it to the institute."

"No, that is the worst thing you can do, can't you see? Have you not watched any films like James Bond, Jason Bourne, or Mission impossible?" Tom pleaded, now deciding to stand his ground and dig his heels in, especially as things were more obvious now.

All three of the others in the group looked puzzled at Tom. Obviously, all three were oblivious to those references.

"There is a mole at the institute. Somehow, this badger Brock has gotten to someone at the institute. Whether by money, force, or blackmail, and got them to provide this material. Tor Rock must be some kind of drop off point. Whatever is in that box is important enough to kill a mermaid.

A princess, no less. It isn't unreasonable to assume that they have at least one-mole accomplice or more within the institute. If you return this box to the institute, there is a high risk that it will find its way back to the mole or moles. Then they will pass it on to Brock the badger."

Lucy, whilst initially shocked, was now showing realisation on her face. Both Captain Brown and Balthazar looked incredulously at such a notion.

"No, that is ridiculous. It wouldn't be possible. There are rules and procedures to protect genetic materials." Balthazar stated, his patience wearing thin.

"But this Badger Brock is not playing by the rules, proven by this box making its way out of the IGC and that he is willing to kill for it. He is not playing by your rules and it is your rules that tie you down and give him that freedom."

Tom realised he needed to demonstrate his point of view. An old Christmas game came to mind. His grandmother used to tease him with this trick every year on Christmas Day. He bent down and collected a small pebble. Propping the box between his thighs, he held out his two upturned palms of his hands, one with the penny-sized pebble in.

"Right, see the pebble?" He then closed his hands into two fists. Hiding his hands behind his back, he pretended to juggle the pebble between his hands. He then presented his two closed fists to the group.

"Where is the pebble now?"

"Oh, this is a ridiculous parlour game it's in your right. We have a 50/50 chance of being right," Balthazar exclaimed, pointing to Tom's right fist.

Tom opened his right fist to show it was empty.

"So it is in your left," Captain Brown stated.

Tom opened his left, to show it was also empty, saying, "I win."

"You cheated!" Balthazar spat the words out in disgust.

"No, I didn't play by your inferred rules," Stated Tom. He reached into his back pocket to retrieve the pebble and show he still had it.

"And that is what Brock the Badger is doing. If that box returns to the institute, we will learn nothing. This would have been a delay and Brock will receive it regardless, by hook or by crook."

Now even Balthazar and Captain Brown nodded in realisation.

"The fact that this box has been found and what it contains cannot go further than this group. Only the four of us can know. Let Brock search around Tor rock trying to find his precious cargo. Let's keep him in the dark. Lucy, would you be able to examine the contents of this box? Is this something within your capabilities?" Tom asked.

"Oh yes. I was doing this type of work at the institute during my internship. I can log into the networks to check data. With the right equipment from the institute, I could soon make initial observations."

"No, nothing can link us to the institute. Any moles could see that kind of activity. They will alert Brock and we would have him on our doorstep. Everything has to be in secret.

You can only use readily available over-the-counter equipment and use readily available data. We must isolate everything from the institute and any moles. Balthazar, this cannot go any further. With Brock willing to kill a mermaid princess if anything were to link that box to this village, who knows what could happen?"

Now both Balthazar and Captain Brown were nodding in agreement, Lucy was now not so sure.

Tom asked Lucy, "So would that be possible, with over-the-counter equipment?"

"Possible, difficult, and it will take a little longer. But possible," Lucy said, now realising she had a project to get her teeth into over the summer holidays.

Balthazar spoke up, now on board with the project. "I can make funds available, but I will need to report something to show for the funding."

"Makeup anything you need to. Funding to review discovered pollution or something. Hopefully, we will only need cover for a short while until we know what is inside this box, but no names. Outside of this group of us, no one can know my or Lucy's identity. Then if things then go south, we have some protection of anonymity. Call me James... James Bond and Lucy can be Miss Moneypenny."

Tom was on a roll now, excited at being involved in some spy cloak and dagger work, just like James Bond.

"James Bond, the children's books?" Lucy exclaimed.

Tom thought Tom Cruise would be too close to his own name... "Ok, how about Dwayne Dibley?" Tom nearly laughed out loud at that notion, being the alter ego of the ship's cat in the series Red Dwarf.

The three looked bemused again with such a strange name selection. "Dwayne Dibley it is," Balthazar pleased at finally being allowed to make a decision.

"Lucy, there is an empty cottage two doors down from your mum's. I can open that up for you to use," Said Captain Brown, now also buying into the project.

"That would be better, to isolate the experiment, but no entering from the front. Lucy, there is a path along the rear of the cottages you can use. So no one sees anyone coming or going from the ghost laboratory," Tom said, enjoying his role in this.

"Okay, so if Lucy, er, Miss Moneypenny can give me a list of what she needs in the next day or so, we can get started. Tom... Er, Dwayne, you are bordering on paranoia, but I see your argument," Balthazar agreed. He nodded at them all and took his leave up the beach.

"Well, Lucy, what do you think? Can you and Tom pull this off?" Captain Brown asked.

"Well, if I can get equipment, it will certainly be an interesting project for the summer. I will start a plan and make a list to give you."

Captain Brown nodded at Lucy, then at Tom. "You were back on thin ice for a short while back then, Tom, but you've made your point. Things may not be as simple as we thought."

He turned and walked over to the gathered fisherdogs, barking orders. He now directed the recovery of Thomas's boat. The boat at the end of its trip was now approaching the beach, with the retired captain Bob, the human father and son on board.

"So, Lucy, what do you think? Can we?"

"It depends on what is actually in that box. Luckily it looks to be a waterproof unit, so it should remain uncontaminated. But I don't want to open it until I have the right equipment."

Tom handed Lucy the yellow box, then they both walked up the beach to join Sarah, Kitty, and the two other kittens. The six of them chatted, but mainly they all wanted to hear Tom's story of rescuing the mermaid.

That evening, the pub was the busiest Tom had ever seen in any pub. You could barely move in the small pub, with people spilling out onto the front garden with the slightly warmer evening.

Thomas came in early with his many girlfriends and his dad, the retired captain Bob. Captain Bob brought Tom a beer, saying it had been a lot of fun to get back out on the boat to entertain rather than work.

The human father had paid handsomely for the few hours' work, and Bob admitted it was worth it, just for enjoying a few hours back with his son on his old boat. He even asked to be considered if any more guests at Kitty's B&B asked, so long as it was not every day.

Sarah and her kittens sat at a table in the lounge, trying to encourage Tom to sit and join them for a meal, rather than work. Soon Sarah had to join him in clearing tables and serving, as they were so busy.

The human family were over the moon with their day, and seeing merpeople for the first time, and thanked Tom for arranging everything. Even the mother cracked a smile, listening to her overexcited son retell his adventure for the umpteenth time that evening. The daughter, no longer wearing lipstick, kept smiling knowingly at him, glancing down to his crotch whenever their eyes met.

As more and more fisherdogs arrived for the evening, buying Tom more and more beer as they congratulated him for his heroism. Kitty excused him from working, although Tom kept clearing empty glasses and serving in between talking to the fisherdogs. Tom struggled to keep up with the lengthening line of glasses of beer that had been brought for him.

"Hi Tom, I'm Peter," a timid-looking dog introduced himself to Tom, shaking his hand.

"Hi Peter, I saw you here last night. Thanks but please I can't drink anymore beer, I am trying to pace myself as it is."

"No, haha, er, I wanted to ask, just how do you do it?"

"Sorry?"

"I watched you last night and now tonight, you are so calm when talking to females. Whether human, cat or dog, how do you do it?" Peter asked, whilst glancing at Lucy in the lounge.

"Oh, you fancy Lucy?"

"NO, no. I was on the same course as her at college and whilst she was top of the class, I struggled. Even though often lab partners, I struggled to ask her for help, even with simple problems."

"Phew, well, that is simple. Try not to put her on a pedestal. Lucy's friendly. She won't bite your head off. Why not just go up to her and ask something like, what were her plans for the holidays? If you keep it neutral and try not to overthink it."

"Oh, thanks. What about females you like?" Peter whispered in embarrassment. He glanced at the kitchen hatch to the kitchen where only Brenda and Becky were working. It's obvious he's not be thinking of Brenda.

"Ah well, that's a whole new ball game. It's tough. The key here is not to think of her as Captain Brown's daughter. You must be already friends, which is half the battle...

Say something positive to show you have noticed something about her. It is a bit corny, but start with small things. I don't know her well but she seems to like fashion. Say something nice...

Along the lines of, you like the smell of her perfume, or how nice her dress or new haircut looks. Something that isn't too out of the ordinary, but shows you noticed her or her feelings."

Tom hated these types of conversations; it is easy to give advice but harder to follow yourself.

"Thanks, Tom, I'll try later." Peter tried to put a brave face on, but didn't look confident.

"No time like the present. The bonus tonight is that it is busy, so no one will notice if you crash and burn," Tom said, belatedly realising he'd just undone his pep talk.

Tom moved back to see if Brenda or Becky needed a hand, but they shooed him out of the kitchen, saying they were too busy to have him under their feet. Tom was pleased to see that not only was the hatch clear, but Becky was furiously washing up.

Tom saw Lucy on her own in the lounge, with Sarah working and the other two kittens chatting with some dogs in the bar.

"Lucy, I have a brief question to ask before we meet up tomorrow?"

"Tom, I have a lot of questions too, mum told us. Your secret is safe with us. I am looking forward to setting up in the other cottage. All I would need is a blood sample from you and I could discover all kinds of things."

"Our priority is the box, remember? Which is why I want to talk now? Do you need any help? Peter said he was on your course at college. Would he be suitable to help?" Tom glanced up, but he couldn't see Peter.

"Peter would be a great help. He is a better engineer than a scientist. We worked well together as lab partners at college because of that. I am not good with setting up test equipment, but Peter could build us what we need, out of what we can buy. We can talk further in the morning."

"That is good to know. We can enrol him into the team, but don't tell Captain Brown unless we have to. That'll help protect the team."

"You are bordering on paranoia. But this Brock sounds nasty if he is willing to kill Pisces."

Tom drained his beer and left, as her two kitten sisters returned with dog friends to talk with Lucy. The fisherdogs acknowledged Tom as they passed. Tom went to select his next beer from his queue of waiting beers.

"Hi, well done today." Thomas appeared out of the crowd at Tom's shoulder. "We were lucky you noticed that Buoy, a few of us are embarrassed that we missed it. Especially with you being a landlubber, so to speak."

"You're not to blame. I am sure you were all busy. Has Captain Brown explained the full story?"

"Yes, and I know what you are, but don't worry. I think you are one of us now. Welcome to the village."

Thomas patted him on the shoulder. Tom felt proud to be accepted by the potential future top dog of the village.

"Thomas, I don't think the Captain and Balthazar fully appreciate the brevity of the situation. Between you and me, that is. This badger Brock is dangerous. His willingness to kill a mermaid proves it. You and the fisherdogs must keep an eye out for any strangers asking questions."

"To be honest, I and the other lads were already thinking the same. No disrespect to the Captain, but we're with you, Tom...

Dad was so pleased to be back on the boat today. The human father even gave him a tip! The stories he told were all such fairy tales. Anytime anyone else asks, just let me know. Dad will jump at the chance."

"Tom, can I ask you a favour?"

"Of course, what can I do for you?"

"Can you put in a kind word to Becky for me? We almost grew up together, but in the last few years she has changed."

"But you are the most eligible bachelor in the village? You have girls hanging off you, listening to your every word you speak."

"I know."

Then he lowered his voice to a whisper in the loud bar.

"But she was my first love, growing up together with Captain Brown treating me like a son. Then she realised she was not getting the attention and changed. She has barely spoken in months, always jealous and trying to stir things up with the other girls in the village...

Today she spoke to me for the first time in ages and nothing spiteful either. She asked how dad was and how the boat trip went with the humans. You seemed to have a positive effect on her."

"Okay, but I don't know what I can do, we've barely spoken ourselves. If I get the opportunity, I will try," Tom lied.

Thomas would not have been aware of his tryst with Becky in the kitchen or Captain Brown's task for Tom to take Becky's already lost virginity.

"Thanks." The conversation brought to a close as Thomas was pulled back into a group of giggling admirers.

Through the crowd, Becky walked across the room with an older lady that Tom thought he should know.

"Tom, this is my mum, Margaret Brown." Tom now realised she was the woman on the cliff waving to them that morning.

"Pleased to meet you." Tom held out his hand to shake.

Margaret lightly held his hand and shook it.

"Well, this is a first for me, but a pleasure, as it seems we have a lot to thank you for, not just Pisces, but also Becky and I. If Edgar had seen that buoy, he would have tried to swim down to save her. I don't think he would have made it back. He may not appreciate it, but I do, so thank you, Tom."

Seeing Becky had returned to the kitchen, she continued in a sneaky whisper, "Edgar said that you've agreed to bed, Becky? Don't be shy Tom, we bitches like a bit of rough. You should have seen Edgar and me when we were courting, there's a tree in the woods we used to meet at. My mother was worse as you could hear her howling at the moon some nights. Be brave, make my daughter a good bitch."