The Giant Smugglers by Matt Solomon

Author:Matt Solomon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781250066534
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

19

Clear liquid filled the hypodermic as Barton drew back the plunger. His hand trembled from exhaustion or exhilaration—he couldn’t tell the difference. Tandem mass spectrometry confirmed what earlier simulations had predicted: The rat’s physiology was too accelerated to accept the giant growth hormone. The rodent’s internal organs didn’t have a prayer of keeping pace.

But now, after several hours of analyzing the dead giant-rat, Barton knew he and Dr. Fitzgibbons were closer to identifying the allelic variant necessary to epigenetically modify, clone, and express the DNA structure to stabilize the GGH. At least, that was what Barton would write in his report to Gourmand. In layman’s terms, he was pretty sure he could grow a rat without blowing it up. There were, of course, mountains of tests ahead to confirm his hypothesis.

The door to the lab clicked open, and Fitzgibbons scrambled into the laboratory.

Barton set the hypodermic down, eager to deliver his news. But before he could speak, his mentor shouted about something else entirely.

“We’ve made contact!” Fitzgibbons’s eyes were wild as the door lock sounded. He pulled up the latest satellite images on the bank of monitors. “The giant is on the move. We have to find him before the Stick arrives!”

Barton couldn’t quite believe his ears. “We should have gone down to the warehouse with the tracking gun while we had the chance!”

Fitzgibbons ignored the complaint and panned through satellite imagery of the Starlite 14. “It’s running around on the edge of town. The thing picked Jamie off the ground and hung him out to dry on a movie marquee.”

“But … but why would it…?” Barton sputtered, trying to process the strange story.

“It doesn’t matter right now. Jamie’s detailing the whole encounter for us. How long will it take to access every bird at our disposal?”

“It’s the middle of the night on the coast. I’m not sure there’s anyone there at this hour.”

“We’ll have to do it without their consent.” He pounded the keyboard. “We need to know the giant’s location when the Stick arrives. If we’re close, he’ll get it.” Barton hurried to his workstation and joined the effort. Soon they had retrained every satellite at their disposal and a few more that weren’t. It would be a few minutes before they came online and scoured the entire area.

The timing was awkward, but the junior scientist still wanted to share his own news. He retrieved the syringe, holding it up so that its contents glowed with promise in the amber light. “Sean, I have a new version.”

“You can’t be ready to test again this soon…”

“Oh, but I am,” said Barton with a wide smile. He handed Fitzgibbons the hypodermic. “Gourmand will double our funding.”

Fitzgibbons held the sample up to the light. “This is going to make us giants among men.”

The words were barely out of Fitzgibbons’s mouth when something rammed him hard in the back, sending the syringe flying into the air. He fell to his hands and knees.

Barton raced Jamie Fitzgibbons for the syringe, sliding across the smooth tile floor, but the pudgy scientist didn’t stand a chance.

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