NORTHCO-18: The Goddess of the Sptring

In Greek mythology, the Naiads or Naiades (Ναϊάδες from the Greek νάειν, "to flow," and νἃμα, "running water") were a type of nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams, and brooks^[1].

And welcome to the corporate sponsored republican sponsored golf tournament of the century featuring 14 of the world's top 23 golfers in a field of 18. (What in god's name does that mean, anyway?)


Now as you know the proceeds from this tournament shall go to the Tiger Foundation.


Tiger will not be participating in the actual tournament. As you might already know, Tiger was in an automobile accident last week.


Oh so Tiger will not be 'participating'. Hahahahah thought Frank. Imagine; he is not appearing at his own goddamn tournament for his own goddamn foundation. Car accident my ass!


Frank liked to watch golf, mostly when he was when he was not otherwise involved and it seemed like he was not involved in much lately. Even if he decided to work all Saturday at his PC, he could still keep the telly on and listen to it as background.

And he liked to watch each golfer demonstrate his own idiosyncratic stroll around the golf course.

Tiger of course always looks like he is at war; on the battlefield. You would think that there were rumors of land mines planted on each fairway; yet our hero just could not be bothered with the issue of imminent death or injury and forges ahead and casting aside any threat to his person..


Michelson, the great white hope of course, kind of does an impression of the incredible Hulk. Boom, boom, boom...the earth shakes as he moves down a fairway. Frank remembered one tournament where V.J. Singh was complaining aloud of the damage the Great White Hope could accomplish just by hulking on the sensitive greens with over sized cleats..


And speaking of Singh; V.J. has this dance with his long legs. V.J. takes this lazy swing, almost a dance in itself. Such grace. Even when he slices one from the fairway, he kind of swings his iron with aplomb; more displeased with his stroke than cursing his fate.


Harrington by the way, with ancestors who knew not how to spell Patrick, kind of lunges down from the tee like Michelson but more like he is about ready to jump right into an Irish Jig.


What makes me wish to vomit however, is when the winner of the tourney thanks Jesus for the win. Perry and Cink are the latest examples of this blasphemy, this idiocy. I mean why in the fuck should Jesus, Our Lord & Savior, give one shite who wins a tournament put on by the rich, of the rich and for the rich? Oh yeah, because one percent of proceeds go to some rich medical foundation. You call that tithing?


And thinking of golf; there is nothing more exemplary of the hubris of mankind than a golf course. I am man and I am now in control of all nature. No hedge shall be carrying an extra leaf. No reed from the pond shall extend to far above the waters. No tree limb shall extend unto the fairway that is not represented in that year's sanctified plans. And no fauna shall be aloud on the grounds that are not sanctioned by the Club.


It was like these rich slave owners took a piece right from the bible:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen. 1-26)

Go out sometime with a real hunter. The kind of guy who climbs up in the tree house put together with some two by fours and painted plywood. He or she sits in the cold for ten hours. It is cold, there is brush and briers and twigs and branches. The modern day hunter who plays by the rules transports himself into 'nature'. We can get into the fairness of it all. I mean with these high tech rifles and scopes and even (in some places) the red light emanating from the scope onto the poor animal.


But the tree he or she waits in has not been molded or genetically designed. The natural grasses have not been mowed and seeded and watered and.........well you get the idea.


No a golf course is a perfect example of man taking full dominion over nature and the only manner in which nature can get back at this human hubris is by attacking with lightning and rain and flooding and all the good things nature does to the panoramic vista of the earth. Ha


Everything about a golf course is so goddamnable artificial.


On my last day here, in this godforsaken place, I would like to load up all the glowing armadillos and transport them to the most expensive Nicklaus planned golf course in the country, the week of some grand tourney, and let them go onto the pretend garden of eden. Then disburse the lot at dusk, Wednesday, and hope the new denizens greet the dawn at the first tee just as the Golf Channel is getting ready to film.


Oh and speaking of hunting, there is the vision of the mighty Stag, the ruling god of the forest. Come and get me he seems to say at times. And it is in our genes to take after HIM. To slay and to gut and to cook and to eat HIM. FOR THIS IS MY BODY, take ye and eat if you dare.


What the hell is genetic about three hundred dollar sticks and balls and the search for the holy cup?


Just then, in the midst of these profound musings, Frank heard the door bell.

Gentlemen. And I thought my Saturday PM would be a time of aloneness and contemplation.


Hello Frank. Let me introduce Mortimer from Pierre.


Hello Mortimer. Won't you both enter.

Frank showed them to the porch.

Are we consuming brewed hops or tea this afternoon, gentlemen?


Tea would do us both just fine.

Frank disappeared into the kitchen.

These are nice residences Langdon. I mean the homes are nice and the streets safe and all.


Well Morte, on the surface things seem to be quite suburban here. But this surface is similar to the way things looked on the economic front in '06. Underneath there is a boiling magma of evil, I am afraid.


Frank appeared with a tray full of goodies.


What the hell is this, I thought Julia had passed on Frank?


Oh, you had called last night and I like the kitchen. A place to put together puzzles you know.


Frank, we were just notified that Sphincter is missing. I think he is dead. Don't ask me why I think that, but I am sure from my sources that you will not see him againAnd from what our intelligence lets on, you are now number two at NORTHCO. Mortimer piped up.

I received a strange call the morning from the front office and I am to report bright and early to the fourth floor that does not exist, Mortimer.


You know these little white cookie thingies are quite good, noted Langdon. Are you telling us that there is some floor you have NEVER BEEN TO in your own building?


That is correct Langdon. Oh and these are scones, from Brittany; kind of a delicacy. Anyway, I told you last week that I happened upon that strange area or arena a few months ago. I do not even know the goddamn name of the man I am going to see gentlemen. I do not wish to become too personal here, but this is strange, even in the corporate world. Just remember, we are dealing with one NORTHCO installation here. I was present at one board meeting last year in New York; some presentation with this huge flat screen which took up the entire wall of the small auditorium. A man by the name of Farnsworthy presided.


Frank continued: I actually saw three different men there who looked just like Sphincter. And they had badges that said 'Sphincter'. I approached one of them. 'Harold Sphincter' the badge said. I greeted him and when I pointed out that we had our own Mr. Sphincter in South Dakota he looked at me funny and just walked away. And I was shot down every single time I approached anyone present with a question concerning NORTHCO's product. So I just gave up. You boys understand, every year they give me a raise. I just cannot take it any longer.

Langdon inquired: Have you communicated recently with this Algernon Flower Frank?


Yes I have. He has been gathering samples of substances in our basement warehouse under my guidance and direction. He is actually driving them to your BAC in Sioux Falls today, remarked Frank. Algie has really been hurt by all this, as you well know Langdon and ....I hope he is not a serious suspect in the death of his friend Thomas. Algie is a man possessed right now. He has real determination and is demonstrating that now.


I will call BAC on Monday. I had not heard this and it strengthens my faith in you Frank, Morte said.

Morte I think that there are real issues here concerning the environment at that the reports of these glowing trees and bushes along with the strange colored fauna demonstrate a real threat to our State. I was going to say community but if you are experiencing these problems all the way west of Pierre, we might be in the midst of an emergency. I have already notified the Feds at several different agencies. And with the new change in the Administration, I think we have an EPA that is serious about our environment once again.


Langdon, here is how I see it and I have done some research about all this. Now everyone speaks of the Land of 10,000 Lakes to the east of us. Wisconsin refers to them as ponds, of course. Haha But in point of fact Minnesota has about twenty thousand official lakes.


We have hundreds upon hundreds of lakes and reservoirs in our state together with the Missouri River system. Here is just an excerpt from a study examining one aspect of pollution in our lakes and rivers:

Chipps said the study helped answer why South Dakota first began to see high mercury levels in fish from some lakes in the years after about 2000 -- first in Bitter Lake, then in other lakes that include Highway 81 lakes, Lake Isabel, Lake Hurley, North Island Lake, Pudwell Dam, Roosevelt Lake, and Twin Lakes.

"By the time we got started with the research in 2004, we had about six lakes that had mercury advisories on them," Chipps said. "The question was, why do these particular lakes have high mercury concentration? Prior to that in South Dakota we really hadn't had any mercury advisories to speak of."

Though the health benefits of eating fish are well documented, human exposure to methylmercury from contaminated fish can pose a variety of health risks, with the severity depending on the amount of mercury consumed. The fetus and young children are considered much more sensitive than adults. Frequent exposure during childhood can damage the central nervous system and affect neurological function (with possible effects on learning, muscle development, motor function, and attention). In adults, high levels of mercury can harm the kidneys and brain and have also been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Morte continued, that is just mercury as one pollutant and there are tens of thousands of pages written concerning the rising levels of this poison, its origins and its effect upon our citizens as well as our flora and fauna.

Now most people are aware of problems related mostly to sewage such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worms and other organisms. Depending on the levels found in our lakes and rivers, fishing is an industry that suffers immediately. But we begin to have real issues concerning our drinking water.

Nitrates and phosphates affect the growth of algae and other plants that affect the oxygen content of the water that can actually kill our children besides our fish.

Oil, plastics, and pesticides are just a few foreign elements coming from our own farms and manufacturers represent another class of pollutants.

Frank chimed in: this is all so complicated to those who do not deal with these issues on a daily basis. Shite, this is what government is supposed to study and is supposed to regulate. I mean in my little examination I noted that besides our river systems, natural and artificial reservoirs, lakes, ponds and marshes we are supposed to be worried about groundwater and water tables. It just goes on and on. And so we are discussing a water system. And it is like once something enters this system whether from our farmlands, our mining operations, our sewage systems...well the elements in all these entry points end up in the entire water distribution system. If something is added to the soil in North Dakota, it can easily end up in our drinking water. This information and study is all under some heading of hydrogeology or hydrology.


That is why I have attempted to alert as many agencies as possible Frank, responded Langdon. And I think some private environmental groups should be put on alert. I would like to see some independent tests done on the soil and groundwater. This is big. I mean if in fact NORTHCO or some other manufactures or some mining operations or some new damn fertilizer...or a combination of any of these activities have culminated in the kind of results I have been seeing here, the murders are least of my concern even though that is supposedly my primary purpose here.


Frank I have actually heard rumors that nobody at NORTHCO has children. There are reports of missing personnel. And I think that it is more than just coincidence that everything seems to center around NORTHCO. Otherwise why are all these problems occurring here? I sat with you within the last week and witnessed a squirrel with two heads and more than four legs, right outside that window.

Morte sat up and surveyed the lawn and pond outside the porch they were sitting in.

The three continued their discussion and Frank handed over some of the materials he had gathered from work; although he was still missing the files that he was sure were in the hands of Sean.

Have you guys seen Sean's dog? I mean they do not call him Sparky for nothing!!!

NORTHCO-17: The Attack of the Armadillos

November 30, 2009, 11:30AM

Samuel L. Jackson

Pulp Fiction

Mortimer Young awoke pissed off. He was used to greeting Rosy Fingered Eos in that manner; had been for years.

Angela was used to it. Frisky at night, pissed in the morning. That was her mate for life; actually made her giggle after all these years. Suddenly she realized she had to get up and start putting Thanksgiving together. Worked on the 'full platter' all week, after all. Angela began smiling.

Meanwhile Mortimer was washing the ire from his six foot five frame. Oh yeah, he thought, Auntie Millie and Uncle Kevin and the rest of the crew. Ha!!! Actually, I kind of like Thanksgiving. Always fun to watch Detroit lose.

Nice ride actually, he thought, two hundred miles of straight driving to Sioux Falls and north from there. Seventy five miles an hour and it makes it a nice ride. Not much to see on the Plains in late November, really. I mean except for the firs, there is no green, there is no foliage, there is no snow, there is no sunlight, there is no....November.

The dinner yesterday had been tremendous. For once everybody was happy. These are the days as Ten Thousand Maniacs say.

There was one thing that nagged at him however. He could swear that the cooked turkey kind of glowed a faint orange as Angela brought it to the grand dining room table.

Mort arrived about three p.m.

Is Langdon here?

Sure is Morte, responded Sally. Langdon, wake the hell up. Your appointment is here.

How the hell are ya Morte?

Good Langdon. Get some turkey and some lovin' on your feast day?

The two entered Langdon's corner office and parked at the desk. Langdon reached into the drawer and pulled out some Wild Turkey along with two steel cups.

You heard about the guttings Langdon?

Yeah. You hear about the headless corpse?

For sure. I just had to come out here and see what you got. Mort pulled out a couple files from his brief case.

Langdon, here are the photos at the scene, close up even though we already emailed them to ya.

Yeah, I saw em. Hey how is Angela? My own true love you know. You stole her from me.

What can I say, I was always prettier than your sorry ass.

Hahahaha

We gotta blight Morte. A real blight. I mean we are seeing our animals glow in the dark for chrissakes. All the way from Pierre to Sioux Falls. And murders. Morte, we have this headless corpse and four other dead over the last five years or so THAT WE KNOW ABOUT. We have armadillos, fucking armadillos coming from the south in droves. Do you know I actually saw a two headed squirrel with six goddamn legs haunting one of the witnesses' abode and ...well here we are in the Great Midwest. Things like this are not supposed to happen here. AND I KNOW AND YOU KNOW THIS NORTHCO HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT ALL. ALL OF IT.

You may have something there Langdon. That is why I am here. Well besides the fact that I hate leftovers. The three hunters actually worked for the EPA. No kidding. I grew up with two of the three. They were investigating some strange chemical in the ground water. I do not even know what the fuck it was but they were upset about it.

Well Morte, we have the DOD to contend with, the EPA to contend with, the FBI and Homeland Security is on this and corporate America.

Did you speak with Jim at the AG's office yet?

Yeah. Jim is a good man and he is mad as hell. He told me on the phone that he won't even drink the water. Won't even drink the fucking water in his own home town!!! I mean it is like we are in Florida or some goddamn thing.

I got an insider here Morte. On paper he is supposed to be number three or some such at the South Dakota installation and do you know, even HE DOES NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NORTHCO DOES? What the hell has happened to this country Morte? I mean isn't a company supposed to make things like cars and boars and wagons and guns and then market the damn things and then sell them through distributors. And then our people are hired on and we have America. Right? Sorry to rant Morte. Langdon finished his drink and against his better nature poured another Wild Turkey motioning to his friend.

Okay, but just a drop. I gotta tell you, we all live on the road in South Dakota but there is a dryness to a couple hundred plus miles. Hahahahaha

Morte, if they gutted the hunters this has to be a message of some sort. I mean it was state EPA and not the Feds, so we are once again supposed to cower to the corps and I aint gonna do that. There is an audit coming up and that will be enough for us to get a warrant and all.

The strange part of the gutting though is that there was no blood. No blood whatsoever at the scene, in the bodies, on the bodies, on the ground; I mean nowhere. It was like the blood had been taken from the bodies before the gutting even took place and we know nothing took place at the actual scene. My friends were killed somewhere else, a post mortem completed, and the bodies deposited there.

Morte, can you stick around till sometime tomorrow? You can stay at my place. We can see my insider tomorrow AM. What do you say?

Oh that's fine by me Langdon. I really do not feel like four hours of driving tonight. Besides this WT is acting fastly. Ha!!!

Algernon awoke on Thanksgiving Day, alone. Feast days meant little to him. They had for years meant little to him.

Mom had died of cancer ten years before. Dad had not spoken to him in 15. He had a little brother in Iraq. That was it. No real family to speak of at all. If Davey were back, they would be together, for sure.



He had become sick of hiding who he was. All through his childhood and into college, he had to pretend that he was one of them. Pretend to be someone else. Laugh with the guys when someone told a pussy joke. Hell, he even took Eileen to the prom. It was only later that he realized everyone pretends to be someone else. So what is the diff?

Besides he had been alone for so long. He was beginning to think he was going to lose any ability he once had to interact with people. He had found Thomas, the love of his life. And that was taken from him. And he knew who to blame for that. NORTHCO.

He would now spend all the time he could muster to destroy that company.

Algie lined up the vials, all seventy of them in the fridge. A cooler really with the temp set just right. Algie always kept the cooler in his home office area.

He carefully packed what he would need. He brought up the portable cooler from the cellar and he would drive to Sioux Falls in the morning. He had made an appointment with the State BAC. He had also prepared the memos at home summarizing his work over the last year along with test results he gathered from his work at NORTHCO.

Meanwhile, back in the forests surrounding the projects, Sean and Bernice from accounting were having a Thanksgiving Picnic. Just the two of them along with Sparky.

She was dressed in 17th century garb with all those women's clothes and Sean was dressed as the 17th century pilgrim with the high hat and all. The two had sort of been playing pilgrim games back at Sean's house but that is a scene not directly relevant to these proceedings.

Isn't it strange to picnic up here in the end of November? Sean inquired.

Well, 48 degrees along with a wonderful sun and no wind. This is paradise my love. Bernice noted.

Two huge baskets of the best foods available. They had dressed warmly and each had a small rug to protect them from the coldish ground. Besides they were only two blocks from Sean's house should any untoward wind arise.

Sparky was romping and running and running and romping. A few birds too stupid to believe in the great plague of winter fluttered in the trees. Sean could swear he even saw a butterfly.

As the two lovers toasted their tremendous luck in weather, A cabal of ten armadillos began coming toward them. Well, surrounding them anyway. As they were toasting with their red wine, Sparky returned barking up a storm.

Bernice was at first confused. But when ten more of the armored beasts showed up and ten more after that, her heart began beating too fast and her breath began to leave her.

Sean, on the other hand became angry. He did not become angry often. He usually settled for whatever he could get peacefully. What was the difference? You fight and claw your way through life, or you settle back and take what comes more easily. But lately events had caused him much consternation. His black outs were beginning to get to him.

Seeing the fear in Bernice he stood resolutely, his hat blown off by a mighty breath of wind and recalling Jules' misquote of Ezekiel, he raised his hands to the sky, and addressing the throng of threatening invaders made this pronouncement:

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

Even Sparky was astounded at such goings on and immediately fell silent, looking in awe at his master. The beasts immediately disbursed.

Bernice and Sean gathered up their things and walked home.

NORTHCO-16: Shine Little Glow Worm, Glimmer, Glimmer

November 19, 2009, 7:36PM

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Frank awoke as part of his sofa. He looked around and after a couple minutes figured out why he, not so deep down, wished he could just remain part of a sofa.

This vacation thing has got to end before it kills me, he thought as he slugged to the kitchen to fix coffee on his way to the toilet. And I also need new hobbies. A naked woman once in a while could really do me no harm he mused as he held his masculinity once more in his hand.

He grabbed his coffee and wandered toward his PC with a smoke hanging out of his mouth. Where is the packet? he thought. Oh jeeez it could be anywhere. Frank just got on line reviewing his continual NORTHCO memo when there was a knock at the front door.

As he opened the door a rather tall man with a fashionable hat and overcoat stood with his hand out.

Hello Frank.

The guy looked familiar so he simply shook his hand, and kept staring at him.

Remember me Frank?

Dr. Cliché?

You are not who you told me you were, to say the least.

Now why would you say that Frank? I thought we got along rather well.

You do not work at that hospital Doctor, if in fact you are a doctor at all.

Look Frank, do we have to stand in the doorway like this or are you going to offer your shrink a cup of Joe?

Frank thought about it.

What the hell. He said as he led the mysterious figure to his sofa and went into the kitchen for the coffee. When Frank returned, Cliché was at his PC.

Get the fuck away from there. I have almost had it with you Cliché. Now get out of my house.

Now wait a minute Frank, let us...look I do not work for the hospital, but I am a doctor. I assure you and Kevin called me at my clinic in Sioux Falls. I am here at his behest.

Then what in the hell were you doing at my PC?

I was just wandering around, honest. I know little about your work but Kevin consulted with me about your file. You are subject to seizures, loss of memory, and you are getting shorter for no discernable reason. And I have information concerning the tests performed on your clothes.

Well we will see about this Frank said while he put the coffee on the table in front of the couch and grabbed his phone.

Frank got Kevin on the phone and his physician confirmed everything Cliché had told him.

WHY DOES LIFE HAVE TO BE SO GODDAMN CONFUSING?

Cliché blessed himself and lowered his head as he sat down on the couch.

Algie had his lab coat on and was proceeding to the warehouse. Algie had his PhD from Columbia in bioluminescence as a particular and peculiar branch of biology. He had become particularly interested in the process of bioluminenscence in sea life. Algie had written a paper on the phenomena four years earlier for the National Biological Association:


Bioluminescent animals can be found at least half a dozen animal phyla. This includes bioluminescent cnidarians (jellyfish, coral, and sea-pens), ctenophores ("comb jellies"), arthropods (fireflies, glow worms, certain fungus gnats, millipedes, and centipedes), certain annelids, one species of snail, marine molluscs including certain clams, nudibranchs, octopuses, and squids, various fish, some brittle stars, a group of small crustaceans, all krill, 65 species of mushrooms, protists called dinoflagellates, and a large family of bioluminescent bacteria. The last three aren't actually bioluminescent animals, but they are bioluminescent organisms.

Bioluminescence occurs in certain animals where chemical energy (in the form of ATP) is converted into light energy, usually peaking around one portion of the spectrum, making it one color. Green is by far the most common color used by terrestrial bioluminescent animals, while blue is the favored color among bioluminescent animals in the sea. Every color on the spectrum has a bioluminescent animal or protein associated with it, but most colors are quite rare. The difference in favored color on the land and sea exists because different colors stand out in each environment, and the visual systems of animals in each environment are tuned to the local colors.

There are five accepted theories on why bioluminescent animals exist. These are that bioluminescence can perform the functions of camouflage, attraction (of prey, predators of would-be predators, and mates), repulsion by way of confusion, communication between bioluminescent bacteria (quorum sensing), and rarely, the illumination of prey (used by the Black Dragonfish). It can be hard to explain why certain organisms are bioluminescent, while with others, the reasons may be obvious.

For instance, in some species, like fireflies, bioluminescence is so integrated with the organism that it is an integral part of its lifestyle -- firefly larvae use it to repel predators, while adults use it to attract prey and signal to mates. Turn on a light bulb in an insect-infested area and you'll see the benefit of luminescence to attracting prey. Fireflies are extremely efficient at converting chemical energy into light -- they do it with an efficiency of 90%. In contrast, a typical incandescent light bulb is only 10% efficient. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-bioluminescent-animals.htm

What was so interesting about this is that the phenomena is sooooo great, it can be seen from space. That's right, the light created by these organisms is so great it has been picked up by satellite photos. http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/organism/milkysea.html



Deep in the ocean, where sunlight can no longer penetrate, lies an incredible world of darkness. And against all odds, this just happens to be the location of one of nature's most impressive artificial light shows. The creatures here have evolved their own ways of dealing with the darkness. Through a process known as bioluminescence, they have developed the ability to use chemicals within their bodies to produce light. If you have ever seen a firefly then you have witnessed the same process in action. Bioluminescence is mainly a marine phenomenon. It is not found in freshwater. On land, it is seen only in a few species of fungi and insects. It is the oceans where this unique ability achieves its highest form. Hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates flash their colors in a light show that can sometimes rival the streets of Las Vegas http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/biolumiscence.html

Bioluminescence should not be confused with Fluorescence. Bioluminenscence is the emission of visible light either voluntarily or involuntarily by a plant or animal.

Fluorescence is the involuntary emission of light when an organism is being subjected to ultraviolet light.

This is not some trick with ultraviolet light evoking mere fluorescence. These creatures create light through chemical processes. Certainly most of the light is produced from one celled creatures and the simplest of animals, the angel fish. But there are animals akin to something you would behold in some science fiction film:



The paper went to say:



Another process that should not be confused with Bioluminescence is something called tapetum lucidum. This process is commonly known as glowing eyes. When light enters the eye, it's supposed to hit a photoreceptor that transmits the information to the brain, Powell explains. But sometimes the light doesn't hit the photoreceptor, so the tapetum lucidum acts as a mirror to bounce it back for a second chance.

A large number of animals have the tapetum lucidum, including deer, dogs, cats, cattle, horses and ferrets. Humans don't, and neither do some other primates. Squirrels, kangaroos and pigs don't have the tapeta, either.

Although bioluminescence may be considered rare as measured by the total number of species, it is extremely diverse in its occurrence. There are many different types of organisms that produce bioluminescence, from microscopic cells to fish and even a few sharks. But there are no luminescent animals in higher vertebrates above the fish. Overall, luminescent organisms represent most of the major phyla. http://siobiolum.ucsd.edu/Biolum_q&a.html

So even though the tiniest once celled organism might be luminescent, pretty large animals like sharks could also have luminescence. But what if man intervened in all of this?

All cells have the ability to produce ultra-low levels of light due to oxidation of organic molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, etc. Through a very long process of natural selection, the organisms we call bioluminescent have developed the ability to enhance light production through physiological, molecular, anatomical, and behavioral adaptations. All this because the bioluminescence imparts an important ecological advantage to the organism. It is the ecological context that provides the driving force for natural selection.

In order for an organism to use bioluminescence that has been artificially induced, several criteria need to be met. First, there should be an ecological role for the light emission. Second, there needs to be control of light emission. We know from the study of luminescent organisms that with the exception of bacteria, all organisms have precise control of light emission. To produce light for the wrong reason or at the wrong time is a deadly mistake.

There are futuristic visions of glowing Christmas trees, plants that light up along highways, or even crops that glow when they are thirsty, but this type of light emission doesn't have an ecological context. http://siobiolum.ucsd.edu/Biolum_q&a.html

It was this paper that caused NORTHCO to seek out Algernon and recruit him as a biochemist.

The property of this strange process was certainly chemical, but it was determined by one's DNA.

There were two different 'methods' of making an animal glow that was not originally predestined to glow at all. One method was to inject bacteria into the subject in such a manner as to infect the animal with permanent qualities of bioluminescence--hopefully without causing the animal any other type of harm.

The second way to change the organism was through gene splicing.

The biochemist simply changes the organism into another type of animal forever.And this new animal would reproduce other of its kind that glowed for all generations to come.

NORTHCO was involved in both types of experiments. And those experiments were going awry, to say the least.


(A new chapter appears here every Monday and Thursday, if you really can stomach this stuff, and previous chapters may be viewed at: http://forestroot125.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html )

NORTHCO-14: Motivational Speaking

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Langdon left Frank after a couple hours. It is harder when you do not have intimidation at your disposal.

Fuck subpoenas. What the hell is his probable cause anyway? He came to some conclusions on his way back to his office.

First, he would notify the FBI formally and informally. I mean animals who glow in the dark; maneating animals for chrissakes. And there is only one possible source of all this poison and NORTHCO is the only defense contractor in the area.

Second, he might just as well notify the Forest Service; state and federal. They must have reports on these strange goings on. He might as well pad their files. Besides, he might get some cooperation from them. If there is one place in government you can find real green nuts, it is in the forest services. Talk about tree huggers and they do not like wild droppings glowing in the dark.

Third, he will notify the state and federal EPA. They will wish to cya on this mess. They must look like they are doing something about all this. And with the killings in Pierre are putting this mess in the papers. Besides, there is a whole new ‘team’ running the federal EPA anyway and the old don’t ask-don’t tell rules are out the window.

Fourth, the state Department of Agriculture must get in on this. The blaming will begin soon. NORTHCO will start blaming insecticides and such for any disruption of the environment. But Agriculture will not like everything shoved onto its real constituency…the farmers. Besides, Langdon might get further cooperation from the ag guys and gals. If there is something fucked up about the environment, some evidence is bound to show up in the fields. And the state can deal with the feds on this one.

Fifth, it is a matter of procedure, but he must begin a discussion with the Attorney General’s office. See if the AG can help with some coordination of agencies in all of this. Besides, he seems to remember that Ralph had a little run in with NORTHCO on that murder last year. The wife had been the prime suspect but she ‘disappeared’ and he had the damnedest time getting any information from NORTHCO on anything. This corporate confidentiality coupled with the shield of national security made NORTHCO a more than formidable foe.

Sixth, Langdon thought that it would not hurt to call his old friend Clancy, Majority Whip in the State Senate. The entire frickin legislature is filled with hunters. I mean they cannot be happy about this.

Paper work is not a waste of time. Not at all. There are protocols and paper can open doors. It can also cover asses like Langdon’s. And of course, he was dictating all this on his hand held and of course it was at the same time being transmitted to Sally at the office.

He shoved in a disc and looked around. Something was wrong. I mean the sun was just setting. He looked at the clock…five o’clock. What the hell is this? It could not have been much past noon or one o’clock at the latest when he left Frank’s.

This is not the right road. This is the old road.

Meanwhile his radio was playing one of his favorites. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ib9I7vW0Ko&feature=PlayList&p=19A9583D35083FB8&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=49
What in the hell is he doing here? When things got like this, I mean when he was really rattled and alone,
there was really only one thing to do.

He pulled over the car to the shoulder and parked. He opened up his coat and thought of his aunt Silvia…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5HEHwYWDzE

Sometime later…

Whoooooooooooooooooooo. Now that’s how I spell relief.

Langdon cleaned up and buckled back up but as he looked out the window of the driver’s side, he saw two glowing balls. He lowered the window and saw two armadillos going at it.

WHAT IN THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA?

Meanwhile back at the office, Sean was cleaning up. This double work load was getting to him. Son of a bitch he thought. Just then Sphincter jaunted in on him.

Where the hell are my f-46’s &49’s. How do you expect me to run this place without knowing the personnel situation and the income for the week?

Normally, I……aw forget it. Here are the fucking forms, Sean said while he handed them to his boss. You know it’s not easy doing two jobs. We are only down four today…not bad for the flu season. Income is up but you already know that because we received the anticipated bonuses from DOD and Xe. So LIGHTEN THE FUCK UP.

Adrenaline does funny things to certain mammals. Sean was a wuss. But he knew he was a wuss. He certainly never wished to be a hero. It was too difficult attempting to separate the good guys from the bad, the wheat from the chaff. He just wanted a simple life. Get up in the morning in a decent abode. Grab some coffee while reading a little news. Then clean up and get to the office. At the office, receive your list of tasks for the day and then get the fuck out of there.

That’s it in a nutshell. Hope the corp does well so that you may keep your job. But do not take any of it seriously. Others were put on this planet to make a difference. Corporations were there to sell ‘stuff’. What that stuff would be, where the financing would come from….it really had nothing to do with him. Sean was always put in some slot where he would moniter certain aspects of the goings on and duly report variances and such to his superior. That is why it was so easy to work with Frank. He knew Frank really never gave a damn either. He was just happy to have someone like Sean around. Someone who performed the tasks demanded, refrained from bitching about anything, and reported certain matters off the record.

It is all a function of what Sean called the corporate proto-conscious. This crap about how somehow if I assume I make an ass out of you and as out of me. We are all asses, us humans and to pretend to be other than…well it’s the real stupidity.

You do not think about anything in particular when you take a shower, unless you are considering certain mammalian urges at the time. Of course you assume the water is the correct temp after testing it through the curtain or door. You assume where the soap is even when you drop it. You assume where the shampoo and the liquid soap are. You assume that when you step out of the shower the floor of the bathroom will not only be in tact as you exit but that it will be at a certain level. You of course assume where the fricking towel is….you are simply proto-conscious the entire time while your mind takes you to other times and places.

As a matter of fact, the way to start a bad day is to experience things that rattle your assumptions and throw you out of protoconsciousness. For instance, you get into the shower and reach for the soap and it is not there, it is not where it is supposed to be.

Or as you don your work shirt for the day, possibly following a conscious choice of the proper shirt, your third button breaks off. Oh good, now I must put my attention to mundane things. Shite….Now the soap placement as well as the shirt button have thrown you off your game. As a matter of fact, in your agitated state you begin to ascribe consciousness to the shirt and to the soap and to the toilet that will not stop running and…

Well you assume that if the computer print out says you have so much money that week available for personnel and supplies, then there is so much money so available. You must, as part of your assigned duties check and recheck the figures through other software and other contacts—or else have someone else whom you trust perform those duties. And that is the reason you were picked for the position you find yourself in with regard to the corporation. The corporation cannot, EVER, afford to have conscious people working on its payroll.

But you never question whether or not the particular duties ascribed to a particular governmental contract are good for the corporation, good for the governmental people involved, good for the public or good for the environment. That is against protocol, that is against corporate interests and, most importantly, that is in violation of specific terms of your employment contract. Hell that is anti-AMERICAN.

Sean thought about the motivational seminar held on the first floor auditorium on Tuesday. He could still see the broad with the fake smile looking like she belonged on a set with John Popeil. At least Popeil did not look like Andrea Mitchell. Here was this 55 year old woman attempting to look like she was 35 spouting all this crap about teamwork. The united purpose.

Like in Monty Python’s Holy Grail, the peons are piling the manure. And Eric Idle is complaining as he performs his important ‘job’; but as he spouts his discontent in Marxist Dialectic. As long as the son of a bitchin peon is piling the manure in the proper manner, let him spout. That is what I say.

Sean actually studied in High School and in his undergraduate curriculum. So he knew when she was quoting St. Clement of Alexandra or Ralph Waldo Emerson. Even Thorton Wilder was quoted:

See the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.

Or even a Kraut by the name of Von Herder:

Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind remain dormant, there is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.

This is so much bullshit. Thorton Wilder would have nothing to do with the modern day corporation any more than than Socrates would have anything to do with a Socratic Methodological Law School. I mean who decided that this crap works? The corporation does not wish to ignite anything. Hell if these employees woke up one day, I mean really woke up they would show up with automatic weapons and go completely postal.

Corporations have more rights than individuals. At least those corps run by the smartest part of the grand oligarchs. They hide their secrets better than cheney hid his treachery. Paper trails are prepared so that when something goes wrong—which means someone was caught—there is someone down the line to be properly blamed.

And too much motivation fucks up the works. In order to be motivated one should know what the product is and why the product is important to the public, or customer or governmental unit or other corporation.

And most employees in most corporations do not stick around all that long anyway. Five years is normal and ten years extraordinary. Yet the motivational seminars ask for true allegiance to the PLAN, to the AIMS, to the ORGANIZATION.

WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP.

Therefore it is the hidden message in these seminars; actually several hidden messages.

Your production had better increase over the next thirty or sixty day period or you are out.

Your smile had better be more pronounced over the same period.

Your acknowledgement of fiefdom toward the company and your superiors had better be more pronounced.

Your subtle acknowledgement of fear, fear for your future, fear for future references, fear for loss of your paycheck better be present at all relevant times.

So the hidden message in all these seminars is FEAR.

WELL SOMETIMES I JUST GET SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THAT FEAR.

Sean thought all these things as he gazed upon the body of Sphincter lying in a pool of blood on the floor of his office. Ha. What a look this guy has. Even in death that damn sneer is more than just evident. As Sean caught his breath he looked down at the letter opener in his hand.

It had been a gift from his school mates in graduate school. Actually Fanny had given it to him. This simple office tool that few in management ever used, was shaped like a grand Saracen’s sword. It was curved and beautifully inscribed. Sean always kept it sharp and shiny. I mean it just slid right into this asshole’s gut, like those Ron Popeil commercials on cable. The ones with the knives that run right through a tomato or a loin so smoothly, like knife through butter at room temperature.

He gutted the corpse from the groin up to the rib cage and scooped all the innerts into the bag on the tiled floor.

Sean wiped the blood off the blade. Of course he licked it first. Just for the thrill of it. This was the third time in as many years. He suddenly looked down at himself and noticed the blood all over his clothes. Yuck.

But it had to be done. Zoey told him it had to be done. Oh and he was thirsty. Time for a brewsky at Castle.

Quickly he undressed, carefully folding his blood splattered clothes, before placing them in the garbage bag. He went into his office bathroom and showered. While in his robe he went into his closet and dressed for the second time that day. This time the shirt he had chosen worked.

Sean took the back stairs toting the garbage bag up to the fourth floor. He deposited the bag inside a door that said: CLEAN UP IN AISLE V. He took the stairs down to the first floor and exited the building, heading for the Castle.

Boy I could really use some of that fine house ale right now Sean mused.

Bernice had been waiting at the Castle for about half an hour, nursing her ale when a tall Black man came by and sat down at her table.

Hi, I am Zoey.

I’m sorry, Bernice blushed, but I am waiting for someone.

Oh Sean will be with us shortly Bernice.

How do you know me, my name?

Zoey slowly went into the inside pocket of his suit coat and pull out a badge. He opened it for Bernice to see.

It read simply: Security-NORTHCO Zoe Miller Head of Security

But I have been working for NORTHCO for five years and never met you.

I am around, as they say. 79 cameras just on the three floors alone Bernice. I just thought it was time that we met. There are only a few who I interface with during a typical week. Sean is one of them.

Oh. Bernice was a little confused over all this. And because of her recent meetings with Frank and Sean she was more than mildly suspicious of exactly why the head of security was introducing himself at this particular moment.

Is there any specific information you need from me, I mean in your official capacities? Bernice began working on her mug of ale with a little more intensity.

Oh, I just knew that Sean would be a little late; he is taking care of some last minute clean up for me.
And he told me that you might be meeting him later here. But, as long as we are here and all, how are things over in accounting?

Well Zoe, as you know we have completed a full report for shareholders on the fiscal year that just ended in September and now we must do a comparison to our calendar year projections. All these materials go to the independent auditor sometime in the next two weeks, you know.

A busy time Bernice I am sure. But I had heard that there was some problem with receivables. That is, there appeared to be a discrepancy between the monies sent from the government and the actual deposits.

I am surprised that security would deal with something like this Mr. Miller. I already had a meeting with Mr. Sphincter and his adjutant…I forget his name…yesterday morning. We thought that there was a problem at the bank. You realize we use a local bank—that is really owned by NORTHCO—and we have had scuffles with the principals there over a few issues including charges.

Well Bernice, that is what I heard. But this is for your ears only. Understand.

Bernice just looked at him.

I wish to tell you something that is for your ears only Bernice. Understand?

Oh, I am sorry, of course. Yes I am all ears.

Sphincter had a secret account at a bank in Michigan. We discovered some $350,000.00 there and we discovered a clerk at the bank who had a ‘special’ relationship with this Sphincter. It turns out that he has been funneling funds to that account for over two years.

Oh that does not make my department look real good, does it?

No Bernice, we checked you out. You are pure as the first snow cover and we even found fourteen separate memos by you, directed to Sphincter, about your concerns. You did your duty, that is for sure.

Just then Sean appeared carrying his own mug.

Hey Sean, everything taken care of? Inquired Zoe.

Oh for sure Zoey. For sure.

Did you leave proper instructions as we discussed?

CLEAN UP ON AISLE V.

GREAT.

NORTHCOXII-Secret Agent Man

Frank awoke. Where...oh god the hospital again. Fear almost paralyzed him but he could move his fingers and toes. It was just a dream; a dream of previous torture.
He looked around, recognized his situation, and began to rise.

But I cannot rise, he thought. He was chained to the bed.

Reminds me of an overnight I had in Bangkok. Hahahahah.

Just then the door opened to his private room. In walked a man in his late thirties with a white coat and badge along with a stethoscope around his neck. He was carrying a medical file along with a pad.
Frank, I see you are awake.

Uh, yeah. For sure. Say, can you do something about these restraints?

Frank I am Dr. Cliché.

Nice to meet you Doc, but can you do something about these restraints.

Open your eyes Frank. Cliché moved to the right side of the bed and sat down on the chair provided.

Frank opened his eyes. There were no restraints. What the hell.......

Would you like something to drink Frank?

It was like his mouth and throat were sealed shut. Fear gripped Frank again. Cliché brought him a glass of water from the loo. Take this slowly, slowly...that's it.

Slowly Frank sipped the liquid and his mouth and throat opened up. He sat up and noticed an intravenous tube in his left arm. Other than that, he was free. And he felt that relief; like he had had a long sleep.

Dr. Criche, I ...how long have I been here?

Your chart says two days Frank. And I am Cliché, like the French snap shot. Got it?

Cliché, right, got it. With that he pulled the tube out of his arm. The doctor applied some antiseptic to the wound and covered it with a bandage.

Thanks.

Do you know why you are here Frank?

I think I had a seizure. But I was in this dream; one of those real dreams. And instead of forgetting the experience as I do with most of my dreams, the plot...so to speak...is permanently etched onto my brain.

Well, I am your assigned therapist Frank. I am a psychiatrist. Only the best for management in NORTHCO you realize. Anyway, tell me about this dream.

A couple weeks ago, I was driving on the old road out of town. The one they closed off. I am not sure how I got there really. My car shut down or I stopped to look at something. I am not really sure.

I awoke on the steps of my friend's home. Everything is a blur as far as that period of what turned out to be three days.

And your current dream?

Well there I am, on the side of the road and outside of my car. Now I must preface this with an insight I have had from some prior dream experiences. I feel this paralysis. It is a slow process. Like my arms and legs become real heavy and my sight begins to go. And the situation becomes worse and worse and everything appears to get slower and slower. And the fear just grips me. I mean I am a grown man, a man with a responsible position with an important company and yet I am gripped with fear.

You ever wake up and find that you have wet the bed?

No. Never happened. Well wait a minute. My wife told me I did once. But I have no recollection.

Oh, you are married? Yes, well no. Not any more. The papers were signed a couple months ago, but I have been living alone for a long time; a year and a half actually.

Frank continued to relate the 'plot' of this dream while Dr. Cliché dutifully took notes.

Time, Doctor, it is time that I am missing. That is what really scares me. Although I am not in a hurry to catch a nap if you catch my meaning.

Following the session, Frank got up and went to the loo and then found his clothes in the closet provided.

I do not think you should leave right now Frank. It is not a good idea. You are in here for observation and such. They wish to take tests; certainly an EEG, an EKG and an MRI. We must scan your brain Frank.

Well I will set up something with the front desk later on Doc. I promise.

And with that Frank left the hospital for the parking ramp, got into his car and drove home.

He drove up to the house opened the garage door, parked and exited. He almost tripped over that goddamn bike again. EXCEPT HE DID NOT HAVE A BIKE. Now calm down, he thought. Look you are an epileptic. You have known this for at least five years now. You forget things....
Frank got into his kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He opened his secret drawer and pulled out a pack of cigs along with a lighter.

Sitting on his sofa, taking a deep drag from his favorite tube, he thought about his life. They are not going to let me keep working here. I have to make some arrangements.

And what exactly did he tell the shrink? Hell, Dr. Cliché seemed like a nice guy and all, but the NORTHCO Med Center was not the safest place for him to let his guard down. And speaking of guards, he should not have let his guard down to a potential guard employed by the corp.

He grabbed his phone from the coffee table and called the hospital. He still had the card in his top pocket.

NORTHCO Med Center. What can I do for you Frank?

How the hell does she know who I am? This is freaky.

How do you know my name?

Your ID Frank; it shows up right here on my receiver.

Do you know me?

Of course Frank. I met you at the Castle that one night. My name is Melanie.

Small town, everybody knows everybody I guess. Searching his mental files....Oh hi Melanie. I am sorry, getting old I suppose.

Oh Frank they made quite a fuss here a few minutes ago. You were not supposed to leave you know. But Dr. Creighton has a note here telling me to get some tests scheduled.

Frank thought for a sec.

Well Melanie, how about an appointment with Dr. Cliché?

Who?

Dr. Cliché, the shrink Melanie. Spent the morning with me.

Melanie paused. There is no Dr. Cliché at this center Frank. Never heard of a Dr. Cliché.

Frank looked down to the inside of his elbow. There was the bandage.

Click. Frank hung up the phone. His hand dropped the phone almost involuntarily. He felt his pate getting damp again. Like he had just drank an entire bottle of hot sauce. Geez what time is it anyway? Frank clicked on cable and drank down the beer. Seemed like one long gulp.

Suddenly cable came on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9O5DU6i3g4

Sean woke up alone. Bernice had evidently left early. What a night. That woman could make him feel so goooooooooood. And he could smell her presence. Strange; but so nice.

He went to the kitchen a made some espresso. He grabbed a paper while the machine steamed. The Pierre Gazette, all fifteen pages of it. Thank god he also had the New York Times delivered at the same time.

GIANT STAG SHOT. NO SURVIVORS

What in the hell does that mean? No survivors? Must be those newbie interns from the college taking over the paper again. He grabbed his coffee and dropped down on his sofa, paper in hand. He leaned over the coffee table and turned on cable.

AP: Yesterday a giant stag was shot dead about twenty miles outside of Pierre. The hunting season does not begin for another week in this rural country. So the Highway Patrol was flummoxed when the team discovered the grand prey just off one of the main highways.

Three hunters, with full regalia were found less than 25 yards from the prize carcass. Their bodies had been drained of all blood after being gutted. The full autopsy report from the country coroner will not be published until next week according to Officer Barnes.

There is no way of telling how the locals lost their lives. No evidence of illegal conduct except the hunting itself. Assuming they were responsible of course for the death of the Stag. After the bodies were removed to the office of the country coroner, I had the grand stag transported to my barn for safe keeping. I have a refrigeration unit there.

The 35 point buck was the greatest single treasure ever found in the wild in these parts, said the Officer.

The officer added that the nearby deer droppings glowed blue.

Holy shite, Sean thought. Since half his coffee was now on the paper he rushed to the kitchen carefully fixing another brew as he deposited the paper in the sink.

Nothing of course regarding Thomas or Algernon or Frank. You know what we need here...here in the godforsaken projects? A NORTHCO Web Alert. Yeah An Alert!!!

Yeah, how long would that stay up?

Sparky wandered in and Sean took him for a quick walk. Good dog actually. Never acts up. Nothing ever destroyed in the home after he returned late from the office.

Sean shaved and showered and whatever and went to the office, early again. Frank would not be around the rest of this week. That was for sure. And as he arrived at the center in the shuttle, he saw the maintenance crew at work, again, on the driveway that led to the warehouse in the lower level.

Meanwhile, Bernice had made it home. I mean it was only ten blocks and the walk did her good. She was humming. No need for Extenz or any nonsense like that, she mused. Sean was a keeper.

She went through the garage door via the code. Her car was at the office parking facility of course. As she went through the door to her kitchen she noticed the wagon. She does not have a wagon. What the hell is that doing here?

Bernice got the green tea and put the bags and the cute little pot she received from her sister Suzanne into the microwave. She showered and the tea was waiting for her as she poured a cup of relief and made it to her sofa for the local news.

Bernice loved the local news. In the morning this guy with a rug that would scare Sean's doggy, read the script provided as best he could. 45 and sunny. That aint bad for November, she thought.
Nothing that exceptional by way of news; Judge Andrews was caught driving drunk again. Her brother had actually gone to school with the old sot. According to what her parents had told her, three decades ago there would have been no arrest, no booking. And now Andrews would be through as a judicial officer forever.


As she finished her tea and prepared to dress for work, she noted a strange line moving across the bottom of her television screen:

FBI INVESTIGATING NORTHCO.

NORTHCO-XI: What's It All About Algie?

http://freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/black-white-room.jpg

The room was white; white as a new blanket of South Dakota snow; before the car tracks, before the animal tracks and before the other inevitable pollution by nature or man. Virgin is the appropriate word here.
And it was padded; the cell that is. But some shadows remain

Sitting alone, without so much as a pencil or a shoe lace, Algie contemplated his fate. What was he doing here?

I have accomplished all that was ever asked of me.
I mean I turned in my homework on time.

I studied while others were out having fun.

I finished my undergrad work before my eighteenth birthday.

I had a Dr. before my name by my 21st.

I never stole money. I never killed my brother. I never bribed or extorted anyone. I never intended anyone any harm. I never lied about anything 'material'.

I always paid my taxes.

I was kind to others, especially mumsy.

No music available, no stereo, no IPOD. Yet the words from the latest bard keep reverberating in my brain.

Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child's balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying.

Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn
Suicide remarks are torn
From the fools gold mouthpiece
The hollow horn plays wasted words
Proved to warn
That he not busy being born
Is busy dying.

Why in God's name was I meant to go through all this? There is no one here and I am stripped of all human dignity. And I am alone. But why? I never eschewed the norm really. I mean I went to work for the man. I took the corporate clothes. I responded affirmatively.

WHAT DID YOU WISH ME TO DO? WHAT DO YOU WISH ME TO DO?

My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?

I certainly never wished to trod upon new ground. I took the road more traveled; not the other way around. And yet here I find myself. I never wished to risk.

I was always doing THE BEST I COULD. And it was not good enough in the end.

People, some people, just hated me the entire trip; the entire journey through this veil of tears.

What did I ever do to THEM?

There was all this blood. All this carnage. The most violent thing I ever did was to draw equations on a white board and get paid for it. It was not my job to apply the equations in any particular manner.

There was a knock while Algie was musing and the door opened. In stepped Dr. Andrews.

How are we doing Dr. Flowers?

Algie, I am just Algie.

All right Algie. Why don't you just call me Ben? Algie how are you feeling today?

I am inside a white box, all alone, and I need a cigarette.

Ben reached into his white coat and pulled out a pack of Marlboroughs, handed the patient a cig and gave him a light from his flame. Ben broke the rules when it suited him and when he felt it might help him get through to a patient.

Now you do something for me Algie.

Algie took a long toke off of the cigarette and blew out the smoke in rings; it was the first feeling of relief he had felt since...since he got here, he guessed. What is that? Algie responded with a question. These were the first words he had uttered since he got here.

Put your pj's on and don your robe again Algie.

Algie looked down. My God, I have been sitting here buck naked. The patient had not really noticed his 'condition'. He duly complied, taking several more deep drags off his smoke and depositing the ashes in a plastic cup partially filled with water. He finished the cig and extinguished the butt in the cup.

Algie, I like to start at the beginning of things. You are a highly educated scientist and I realize this, so I do not wish you to think I am talking down to you. Do you believe that?

Yes, he responded. Compliance is the best policy when you are powerless, Algie thought.

Why are you here Algie?

Algie's heartbeat quickened. His breathing became shallower. Perspiration appeared on his pate and his forehead.

Now slow down. Take a deep breath Algie. That's right. Hold it in a second. Now let it out.

The sight came back into his left eye and Algie began feeling more at ease. He continued this deep breathing exercise another five minutes. He looked carefully at his therapist and said: My friend was brutally murdered and I survived. I am being punished for surviving.

This is the first time you have responded to anybody since that night Algie. It has been over a week since you arrived here. I would like to take a risk Algie. No matter what course of treatment I suggest, there is risk. Are you ready to take a risk Algie?

Algie thought for a second; a week? Damn. He had no idea he had been there that long.

Yes I am Doctor. Yes I am.

Good. Then come with me.

The door that had magically opened upon the arrival of Ben had remained open and the two simply waltzed out into the hall. And they walked on down the hall....

What's it all about, Algie?
Can you tell us just how Thomas died?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Algie?
Because we think that perhaps you have lied
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Algie,
Then I guess it's wise to be cruel.
And if you do not tell us what went wrong, Algie
We have no choice but to call you a fool


And you'll be stuck in here in the psych ward, Algie
we know there's something going on
Something ain't quite right in transvestite land...

We believe in love, Algie
but not men wearing stockings at all, Algie
Until you tell us what happened there that night, Algie
You won't walk out of here some day
You won't find love in here, Algie
Algie
What's it all about?
Algie?
Algie...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lDSf0A9RTk&feature=PlayList&p=E82F8EA9BF55CB85&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=42 (lyrics furnished by LISB)


Sean and Bernice from accounting finally 'retired' to Bernice's place. They had learned at lot that evening at the Castle. Hanson had divulged some secrets about NORTHCO and the fourth floor.

Following the narrative concerning UFO's and such, Sean had inquired about maintenance. It must be difficult to keep that building so clean. Well Hanson could not shut up after that. Even though the janitor never had been allowed access to the basement of the office building, he had been to the fourth floor on occasion.

And what a mess Hanson had found there. Shredded paper all over the place...the floor, the desks. Costumes for Christsakes. What the hell was that all about. And cages with animals stacked on the wall, the west wall he thought. There were no windows as such and the lighting was strange.

He could never bring help when he was ordered up there. And every time he had completed his 'tour', Sphincter would show up and order him to take this blue pill.

At least he surmised this because the last time he cleaned up the top floor he was given the pill and tucked it under his tongue, spitting it out later. He was certain that it gave him headaches and he was not going through that again. So even though that last tour was the only one he recalled, there was enough familiarity there to cue him; to indicate that that had not been the first time in the mysterious attic.

There was something else about the ten or so caged animals. Even though they all appeared to be examples of local breeds like raccoons and rabbits, THEY ALL GLOWED ORANGE.

Where the piece to this puzzle fit was the question. But the late night ale had made the couple too whimsical for such inquiry.

NORTHCO-X: Invasion of the UFO's

NORTHCO-X: Invasion of the UFO's
October 30, 2009, 5:10PM


Sean got to the Castle Bar with the full intent of making the shuttle a designated driver. The word was that Frank was awake, like nothing had happened. But they were keeping him in the hospital for observation.
He looked for his favorite table and there was Bernice from accounting with a pitcher and two mugs. She had not even taken a sip out of general courtesy along with the personal protocol never to drink alone.

Oh Bernice, you made it.

Hi Sean. We are all set. How is Frank?

Sean quickly grabbed a mug, which Bernice had filled, and drank it down like it was a canteen full of water and he was in the desert.



Well, I happened to get through to the attending nurse--Frank had listed me as next of kin, can you imagine?--and she said Frank was awake but would remain in the hospital for observation and there will be some testing performed as I predicted.
When you found him, was he bleeding or anything?

No Bernice, he was just lying there on this side. I checked for breathing and called the EMT's. That is about it.

What is going on Sean. Everything seems so weird lately.
ll I am working on a recap Bernice. I mean a summary of all of what has happened. Which reminds me, I found an envelope marked 'Top Secret'. We should review that later when we get home.

Home? My goodness. Bernice smiled and Sean blushed. She loved it when Sean blushed.

Okay let us summarize what we have so far. Frank, who is the number three or four person in management-my direct supervisor-has no idea what his own company actually does. Me, I am manager of the third floor of a three story building and I have no idea exactly what NORTHCO produces. Except there are not three floors and a rather large warehouse basement; there is actually a fourth floor where short people are present.

You, Bernice, have worked in the accounting division for six years; reviewed thousands upon thousands of ledgers; and you do not know what NORTHCO does either.

And I have a dog who glows. And my dog and I have seen other animals residing in the outskirts of the forest who also glow. And the colors seem to vary from blue to orange. And if this is not enough, I swear I saw a pack of armadillos, armadillos for Chrissakes, running to the forest.

And you know what else Bernice. It appears that Thomas is dead; had his head ripped from his body. And the head is still missing and Algie, who appears to have been Thomas' consort, is now under observation in a mental hospital in Pierre.

Have I missed anything here Bernice?


Well, I had heard that Algie was not going to be back at the office for awhile But that was about it. I feel so bad for Thomas though. Where did all this occur?

In Algie's home. It was a tryst of some kind. There were police all over the place. Whenever Algie is released, he will not be going home for awhile because they are doing all they can to keep it a secured crime scene. Animals might even have been involved, but everyone is keeping rather tight lipped about all this.

His head was ripped right off his body? The picture just got to Bernice. My God she thought. Maybe I gotta get as far away from the Dakotas as possible.

Yes. But nobody is talking.

Just then Hanson came by. Hanson was the head of Janitorial Operations at NORTHCO. It seemed like Hanson had always been there. Hanson was truly one of the dumbest human beings Sean had ever met. It seemed like every time Sean spoke with him, Sean ended up in stitches.

The last time he spoke with Hanson at the office he told him that the third floor lady's room needed to be cleaned pronto. Hanson looked at him and asked what the lady's room had to do with the Lone Ranger's companion.

Hanson, mug in hand, addressed the couple: Mind if I join you for a bit?

Well Hanson, good to see you but....

No, just the right time Hanson, Bernice interjected. She called over the maiden and ordered another pitcher as Hanson sat down at the table.

I need to talk to somebody about this. Can I trust you two? You have always been kind to me and I just need to talk to somebody.

Of course Hanson, we are all ears said Bernice.

Hanson looked quizzically at their ears, shook his head and began:

I saw some lights in the night sky last night. Strange lights. Have either of you seen any strange lights?

Sean looked at Bernice. What kind of lights Hanson. I mean were they overhead cause you know we have a lot of night military flights and all around here.

No, these lights were horizontal.

You mean the lights were just over the horizon?

Yeah, like that. Kind of a glow coming from the northern forest.

Then Sean made one of the biggest mistakes he had made in days. Have you ever seen these lights before?
Oh there is stuff goin on in South Dakota all the time. Me and Ralphy, Ralphy was my high school buddy and after we graduated high school we went to work for a horse farm, just outside of Pierre. And the things we saw.

I mean one night, we was surveyin the sky. It was just beautiful that night and the stars were triple clear, believe you me. I mean there was no moon and the sky was just lit up so beautiful and all. It was about midnite and while we was watchin, there appeared, out of nowhere, a bunch of lights in like an octagon shape, you know like a ten sided object.

And it started spinnin and spinnin, kind a like a quarter on slate, you know what I mean? So I says, Ralphy do you see that?
And so Ralphy says, wow. And if you knew Ralphy...well he aint none for conversing and all. When Ralphy says: WOW, I mean that means something.

So all of a sudden, the object with the lights stopped spinning and took off. No sound whatsoever and you know how quiet it can be in the night here. Well let me tell you something, no sound at all emanated from that there object.

So we were on the road anyway, the damn car ran out of gas. We found out later there had been some sort of gas leak. I mean Timmy, my brother, found part of an antler in it...well anyhooo we decided to use Ralphy's new cell phone. And after figuring out how to use it, we called 911.

So Sheriff Johnston shows up about an hour or so later. We were not sure of the time because it was getting chilly in the night air even though it was June and all and so we got into the car and fell asleep.

So I hear a knock at the window and it's the Sheriff. So I get out of the car and start telling him about what was in the sky.

Do you know of any other witnesses Hanson to this great event?

Oh no Sheriff, see we had closed up Popper's and all so everyone was gone.

Oh, closed up Popper's again Hanson, did ya? The Sheriff remarked.

Well I ended up taking a trip in his patrol car and lost my license and everything. I told my lawyer all about it and he just shook his head the same way as Sheriff Johnston.

Let me tell you, the next time that ever happened I would remember to have Ralphy sleep in the driver's side.

Well let me tell you two, this was proof to me of the giant conspiracy. I mean that sheriff just filed charges to shut me up. And the lawyer was in on it, I could tell by the way he shook his head and all after I TOLD HIM THE TRUTH.

So this is really the first time I ever related this story to another human being. And if you repeat it or try to quote me I will deny it because they will just come after me again.

But another time, when I was in Pierre, about one in the morning I should think, Ralphy and I had just closed up Poppers...it was Emily's birthday and all so Sam kept the bar opened till real closing time...and we were outside and there were two speeding rocket type objects traveling right over our heads. I mean we had not even gotten into our car yet (Ralphy kind of forgot where he parked that night) when we saw these visions. And since there was no moon and the sky was clear and Sam had shut off the lights and all,

And so Ralphy, he looks up and points this time and says: WOW WOW.

I mean it was something to behold. And as I watched the arc the two rockets were making, the one rocket on the west side just vanished. Into thin air. I had never seen anything like that ever before in my life and never once since then.

And you can bet we did not call 911 that time. No sirree bob.

Just then, Hanson let one rip. I mean really, really rip. Bernice and Sean looked down as Hanson turned bright red.

I apologize for that. I really do. I have intestinal issues that my doctor is helping me with.

I will be right back Hanson. I got something in my throat, said Sean as he rushed toward the back of the Castle.

Sean began laughing uncontrollably. He had never ever heard a UFO story related like this in his entire life and it was the single funniest thing he ever heard. He thought about all those great stand up comics and thought that Hanson had really missed his calling. And every time he thought he had himself together, Sean started snorting again. So Sean went into the loo and washed his face and thought about the most tragic things he could think of before he came back to the table.

A trio, all of a sudden appeared on stage and began singing:



Autumn in New York can't compare

To the Fall of South Dakota

Rather be in good old Pierre

Than stuck in murky Saratoga



Nothin like the pure open air

To naturally cure your ills

And when all else seems to fail

There's always the good ole Black Hills



Nothin like the pretty prairie

Nothin like good ole prairie dogs

Nothin like beautiful aeries

Compared to New York smog



Suppose there are sights things in New York

That you cannot find in Dakota

But we do have Kevin Costner

While they just have Abe Vigoda

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/dikkday48yahoocom/2009/10/northco-x-invasion-of-the-ufos.php

NORTHCO-IX: Onslaught of the Armadillos

File:Nine-banded Armadillo.jpg


Sean got to work that morning early. More than an hour early; which was strange for the man who never wished to give more than one minute extra to the slave owners, as he mentally referred to them. It was late October which meant it was still dark. He immediately went to his computer to check something out.

Armadillos are small placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. The Dasypodidae are the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one".

There are approximately 10 extant genera and around 20 extant species of armadillo, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. Their average length is about 75 centimeters (30 in), including tail; the Giant Armadillo grows up to 1.5 m (5 ft) and weighs 59 kg (130 lbs), while the Pink Fairy Armadillos are diminutive species with an overall length of 12-15 cm (4-5 in). All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of environments.

In the United States, the sole resident armadillo is the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), which is most common in the central southernmost states, particularly Texas. Their range is as far east as South Carolina and Florida and as far north as Nebraska; they have been consistently expanding their range over the last century due to a lack of natural predators and have been found as far north as Illinois and Indiana.


Jesus. Nebraska and Illinois. Then its true. I did see a herd of armadillos this morning on the way to work. They were just on the edge of the forest across from my house. This might be the first sighting of these strange creatures in this state. Ha. What the hell are they moving up here for? I mean is it global warming? I mean it has not been that brutally hot up here and according to Wiki they like heat and even like to swim a little.

There was one other thing that really got to Sean. All the pictures show grey as a primary color of the little buggers. There are not supposed to be any orange armadillos. And are they really supposed to be six feet or more long? And he could have sworn one of them stood up on its hind legs. After this, Sean would go nowhere without his nifty new camera. The one Bernice from accounting bought him.
t was 11:30 when Sean showed up for the meeting with Frank.

Hi Jenny. The old man ready for the brains of this outfit?


He has not come in yet Sean.

Did he call in?

No. And I have left three messages for him.

Tell you what. I finished all my paperwork early. I am going to take an early lunch and drop by his place.

Sean packed up, got into his car and made the fifteen minute journey to Frank's abode.

It was one of those kind of rainy days in the fall. The fear was that the temp would go down to something under 30 and then there was hell to pay. That road condition is one you do not wish to face sober, let alone party cloudy as they say. Sean grabbed a dooby from the luxury ashtray and played some WHO.

Who are you? Who are you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_FZVD5lsAw

As soon as he got in Frank's driveway, Sean knew something was amiss. He could not put his finger on it, but something was not quite right. He got out and walked up to the garage door. First the door of the garage was not completely closed. There was kind of a three inch gap between the bottom of the door and the floor. He peeked through the window and saw Frank's car. But the tarp--the cover Frank always used for his old Ferrari--as in shreds on the floor.

He knew that Frank had got the car back after the highway patrol found it on the old road a couple days before. He knew because Frank told him the day he it was returned.

He went to the front door and knocked and rang the bell. No response.

He tried the knob, the door opened right up.

Frank! Frank!!

Sean called several times as he went further and further into the house. There was Frank, on the floor by his desk and his magic PC. He got down and felt his neck. Blood was pumping and he was breathing. He grabbed his cell and called 9-11. Sean pushed the secret button to close up the computer. As he did so he noticed an envelope labeled 'top secret'. He took it back to his car. Then he went back inside to wait for the EMT's.

Meanwhile, back on the old road....

Frank could barely see a thing and he could only move inches at a time, attempting to drag himself...to where. Ahhhhhhh forget it. Come and get me.

The sound was not exactly thumping. It was more like skipping on the cement/asphalt freeway. Louder and louder...THEY WERE GETTING CLOSER.

He felt breathing, heavy breathing on his neck. His fear increased to the point where he was having trouble breathing again.

TEEN AGE MUTANT NINJAS?

His sight was sooooooooooo bad. These creatures just mulled around him. All of a sudden he felt himself being dragged into the woods, he would guess. But why? I mean if THEY are just wild animals of some kind why should they care where they have their dinner?

He found himself in the forest, almost totally blind and he was filthy and totally wiped out. As exhausted as he ever felt. He was almost totally paralyzed. All that he kept thinking was helpless.

Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gKwjxF7ilI

Suddenly, he felt as if he were being dragged into a hole.

Frank suddenly awoke in a hospital bed at the NORTHCO Medical Center.

Back at Eastern Headquarters, Langdon was getting more confused as each day passed. He had a board filled with notes and pictures and other odds and ends. The attempt was to get the full picture as it were. And all he had so far was a Picasso; just a twisted jumbo of nothing. Yet there were messages in all this muck.

Langdon started a list.

Algernon Flowers, a gay part-time transvestite invites his lover Thomas Corkland over for din din.

They both work at NORTHCO.

Thomas definitely enters Algernon's abode and the party begins.

Animals arrive in a wagon of some kind through the front door. At least one of these animals was a raccoon. The domestic feline had nothing to do with the entire affair and probably was in hiding at some point during the proceedings.

Besides nibbling by raccoons, there were other indications of a much larger animal as far as damage to the corpse. And Sam figured the nibblings by the raccoons took place following the death of Thomas. It was most probably an alligator that took the head off, according to forensics. At least that was the best guess. The DNA testing would be accomplished in Pierre and would take a month. I mean they have to narrow down the species responsible for this heinous crime.

My aim has to be to discover who the human perps are in this mess.

Algernon is nuts but he probably was not able to carry out anything close to this. That file is not closed, but...come on.

But there is one place that he needs to investigate and that is NORTHCO. NORTHCO has to have something to do with this...

Langdon began to review the files discovered at Thomas Corkland's home. After meeting Mrs. Corkland, he had no inclination to go back there. Thomas' mom was nuts. He needed some more information but Sherry can go back and glean more from that psycho.

But some of Corkland's notes read like they were written in some sort of code. I mean, what the hell is this conspiracy crap claiming NORTHCO and Obama were somehow conspiring to bring down America?

And yet, here was a guy who had been with NORTHCO for six years and cannot figure out what NORTHCO actually does. And even Langdon himself never got a straight answer as to what this corporate dictator manufactured or produced. So the detective now had made this mystery his prime concern. He would certainly have enough information to gather regarding Corkland's pension, life insurance, pay, etc to present probable cause to delve further into this.

I must set up an appointment to speak with that Spincter guy. I hope he is less anal than his moniker but somehow I know that hope is not going to be fulfilled.

SALLY, GET YOUR FANNY IN HERE.

If I did not absolutely love the guy, I would file a civil rights complaint tomorrow, sighed Sally.

Sean was beside himself. By the time he got back to work he had about an hour and a half left of his work day. And he had to spend it with Spincter.

What the hell was he doing on the floor anyway? Did you find drugs or paraphernalia. AND WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING IN FRANK'S HOUSE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Mr. Spincter, please. I am in as much a quandary over all this as you are. More actually, I know the guy. He is my friend. He has been to my place, I have been to his place. Our wives use to socialize together, before they both left us to the single life.

I mean, I have to watch my demeanor here Mr. Spincter. I was at Frank's home because just last week he missed three days of work due to illness and he was not at our scheduled meeting a half hour before noon today. I was concerned when I was told that calls had been made to his house and those calles received no response. It was my duty, as floor manager to find out what, if anything, went wrong.

Okay, okay Sean. I stepped over a line here. I should not blame all my troubles on you or Frank. But I have to know...did you find any evidence of drug use.

Just when we share a reefer from time to time on Frank's porch, Sean thought.

No, of course not. The only drugs available around here are caffeine and alcohol available at our local Castle.

You better not be lying....okay, okay. That is not fair. He is at the medical center now, right?

Yes. I will visit him tomorrow on my way to work. And you have all the authorizations, hell its NORTHCO's center. My cousin was an epileptic and I have an inkling that that is what we are dealing with now. I am sure there will be an MRI along with an EEG. Hell probably an EKG also. Blood tests, etc. etc. etc. Mr. Spincter, you will be getting the answers to all your questions in the next couple of days.

All right. That is more than fair. Thank you Sean. You are dismissed.

Thank you Sir, Sean said as he turned to leave. God I hate that guy. YOU ARE DISMISSED. And you are a hairy asshole, he thought.

Friday already. Oh, he was going to meet with Bernice from accounting at the Castle.

You know, I really do miss that ale when I have been away too long, Sean thought.

NORTHCOVIII: Strange Fauna

Racoon



Yesterday morning when I went out to feed the rabbits I noticed some blood on the straw in several places and also up the ramp to the feeder hutch. The blood seemed diluted, not bright red and thick and sticky but kind of like blood in urine, only too colorful for that. It was also on the three senior does, in a stream, almost as if they'd been peed on. I picked them each up and gave them a good look but didn't see anything amiss. I also checked out the senior buck, and he looked fine. The kits are hard to catch without a treat to distract them, so I just observed them all for a while. Everyone seemed fine.

It snowed all day yesterday. This morning there was lots of color on the snow in the rabbit colony. It's orange, though, not red. Clearly not blood. We can't figure out what it is. We didn't notice it when we fed the rabbits yesterday evening, because the snow was still falling and covering everything up. It isn't seeping up from the earth, because we dug down a bit and the snow gets white underneath. It isn't dripping from trees because it's in places incongruent with that theory. http://gardenplotter.com/rospo/blog/2007/01/mystery-in-rabbit-colony.html


The police showed up at Algernon's home about 11:00 that night. Algie was beside herself, or himself or himself was beside herself...anyway....

The call had been made one half hour before. Officers were already at the scene when Detective Langdon arrived with his partner at Algernon's abode.

He was hysterical during his 911 conversation with Emergency Services.

He had led the two cops into the living room and pointed out the corpse, or what was left of it.

A body lay naked on the grayish white carpet. The head and left arm were gone. Just gone. There was blood all over the place. On the carpet, on two walls. There certainly had been a struggle.

Algie was in his robe. There was blood on the robe from top to bottom. Although Algie had washed his face and even shaved just before the officers' arrival, he had left his long earrings on, the ones with the zircon diamonds.

Langdon looked at his partner. Sherry, and they decided that the State Bureau should also be notified.

Mr. Flower, we need to talk down town. And we need that robe. And we have to get you out of here so that the crime scene is left as pure as possible. Mr. Flower?

Algie was just sitting there on the sofa, head in hands, bent over; weeping uncontrollably. Langdon thought: This is not going to be easy. Just then a cat, a huge white fluffy cat came in from the kitchen.

Langdon stooped over to pick up the feline. Have you got a little portable kennel for fluffy here? Algie. Algie you got to look at me. NOW

Algie sat up. Loretta. Ooooooooooh Loretta. Let me have my Loretta.

I cannot do that Algie. NOW WHERE IS THE CAGE?

Behind the buckets in the pantry.

Just then back-up showed up with an ambulance. Following a call to homicide, Langdon released Algie in his robe to the EMT's escorted by back up. I aint gonna get much out of him right now. He knew that Algernon would be checked over at the hospital for any injuries and the robe and slippers would be handed over to forensics.

Langdon found the cage/kennel and deposited the cat in it. He handed it to Officer Lee who would put it in the squad car and take it to Animal Rescue.

Langdon had already worked on six murders in this little nook of South Dakota in the last five years. Every one of them was strange. As if any murder is not strange. It was just that no spouses were responsible for the deaths. No drug dealers. In fact no relatives were found to be suspects in these murders.

And here was 75% of a corpse....wait, what the hell is that ? Langdon said to no one in particular. In the corner covered partly by the front drape was a ...a critter of some sort. And it had a strange glow to it.

Sherry, flip that light switch a sec, will ya?

Sherry turned the main living room lights off, and sure enough the critter glowed orange.

Both Langdon and Sherry of course had their gloves on along with booties to cover their shoes. Forensic finally showed up taking pictures of the body and the room from all angles.

Finally Langdon felt safe enough to examine the critter. Except it was not dead. The raccoon turned suddenly and bit Langdon right on the arm and began running in a panic all over the room, all over the floor and the walls further tracking blood all over the place.

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST....Langdon was beside himself. Where in the fuck did a raccoon come from? If those officers who first hit this scene did not shut the goddamn door...

The critter got caught in the drapes and Langdon tore the curtains down and used it as a net to capture the animal. At least we got pix before the damn chaos. Animal Rescue was called immediately. Now even they would have to get involved personally. Langdon had one of the officers watch over the 'package' until they got there. And the detective of course now had a stake in Animal Rescue since tests would let him know if he was in danger of some virus or even rabies.

Meanwhile Langdon, now wrapped in a bandage given him by one of his cops, took a closer look at the corpse. The head had not been taken off by a saw or other implement. That was for sure. Samson the chain smoking coroner was approaching the body at the same time.

No tools here, said Samson. He turned the body over and examined the shoulder and the neck from a different angle. This appears to have been bit off, pointing to the shoulder with the missing arm. Lang look here, teeth marks. And look at the neck. Shredded. I mean, no human being did this!!!

Was there anybody else here. I mean somebody phoned this in to 911.

Yeah, a boyfriend who lives here. But he was in shock. I mean I could get nothing out of him but wailing. He was taken to the hospital for observation with an escort and psych will have a look at him. I will get there tomorrow morning. Sam, is there any clue as to the size of these teeth? You know, the teeth of the perp or perps?

Well I need to get the body back to the morgue so I can get a better look...hell I want a CT on this one for sure. But they are smaller teeth, a lot of gnawing.

About the size of some raccoons dentures you think?

As he arose from the body, Langdon saw something on the carpet. Tire marks from the front door. Feint marks like from a wagon or something.

HOW THE HELL DID I EVER END UP IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE ANYWAY?

Meanwhile back on the old road....

Frank somehow awoke on the side of the road next to his car. What the hell am I doing here? It was the middle of the night. This was on the old road where he had pulled over the car.

Well this has got to be good. This is a dream. It has to be a dream.

He managed to get up and he carefully examined himself as best he could in front of his headlights. Nothing. Just the dirt from the road where he had been lying. Yeah, same suit. Doors all shut on the car. Keys in his pocket.

Self satisfaction went by the way side real fast. The wood was not more than fifty feet from the edge of the road where he stood. Eyes were peering at him through the trees; so many he could not count them. They moved as he moved. Slowly he moved around to the driver's side and pulled out his keys.

He dropped them. Where the hell are they. His heart began to pound and he felt the perspiration right on his head and neck. He wiped his brow with his handkerchief.

Now let's just calm down a minute, Frank thought. Or did he say it aloud? Frank was not sure of one goddamnable thing. All of a sudden, as he looked down for the keys again, his sight was lost. Just like that. He got down on his knees and felt around for the keys. Nada. Nothing. Breathing became very hard for this man and suddenly he was paralyzed.

He heard rustling from the wood, THEY WERE COMING FOR HIM......

Langdon went right from the scene of the murder to his office. Pierre had helped set it up to cover all of eastern South Dakota. He had scoffed of course, just seeing the entire complex of state and county offices as a give away to NORTHCO. But what the hell did he know, anyway? Besides, now he had more tech at his disposal, more underlings, hell...more power than he ever would have had if he had stayed in the big city. Fourteen thousand people is not a big city of course, but everything is relative.

Turns out that Animal Protection might end up being more important that CSI, thought Langdon; at least in the early hours following this murder. And he knew damn well that the early hours usually were the most important in solving any case. Although CSI certainly found semen on the couch as well as the walls (?), DNA testing would not be accomplished for a couple of weeks, if he were lucky.

But the critter had his stomach pumped and that bad boy had certainly munched on the corpse. The cat was clean as he suspected. No rabies was discovered but Langdon was not out of the woods on that threat either since raccoons can carry a number of bacterial or viral diseases. But the only evil symptom he felt at that point was a headache and a thirst from some bad whiskey.

The shrink at the hospital refused his attempt to interview Algernon. According to Dr. Koch, the suspect just kept throwing up in a pail singing I Could Have Danced All Night. The single strangest behavior Koch had seen in his fifteen years as a psychiatrist.

If you think that is strange, I have a raccoon you should meet, thought Langdon.