April 24, 2013
Tropical Marine Institute, Singapore
Local Time 11:15am
Singapore not only is a major port rich in history, but it’s a cityscape that is forever advancing to be a pinnacle of learning. The colleges and universities of Singapore show that the city traded in more than exports and imports, but a variety of backgrounds that are eagerly sought after by the rest of the world. From science and technologies to entertainment and entrepreneurship to everything in between, opportunities here seem to be one step above the rest if they were something learned in the hallowed halls of Singapore’s educational centers, especially those who learned at the National University of Singapore. This prestigious university, founded in 1905 as a medical school, grew over the decades to educate and become leaders in business, arts, sciences and anything else once could put their mind to. The university did not just teach, but they continued to teach themselves with a variety of research and programs which are healthily funded to provide the top tier research to advance their schools of thought to their fullest. As an added bonus, with the location of Singapore in the heart of the unique tropical marine ecosystems of Indonesia, it is without surprise that Singapore would be home to the Tropical Marine Institute. This science center that was located on the NUS campus also was successful enough to have always active research sites on the hallowed Southern Islands of Singapore. The institute was famous for being an international hub for bio-acoustic research, marine biology and ecology labs, marine mammals research and, most importantly to Rick, the home to the EMID. The Ecological Monitoring, Informatics and Dynamics Group was a research division that specialized in researching sustainability in the world’s marine ecologies and was famous for being able to notice even the slightest saline changes in the oceans before anyone else. Information like this was invaluable to most, but at present to Rick, this information was borderline life and death.
“You sure you don’t want me to wait,” Jenn asked, “I really don’t mind. I have a book I could read.”
“It’s okay,” Rick replied with charm in his voice as he moved out of her car. Closing the door, he leaned into the open window of the vehicle, “I’ll see you back at the apartment.”
“You have the address?”
Rick pulled out of his pocket a piece of paper and waved it to Jenn, “Yes. I still have the address. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“Then let me stay Rick. I really don’t-”
“Jenn,” Rick cut her off, “I’ll get a cab when I am done and I’ll see you back at your place. There is a chance this could go a little longer than I think and you could end up waiting for me till dinner. I would hate that. I’ll see you at the apartment and then we’ll go out to dinner. My treat.”
Jenn looked at her friend quietly and then nodded while putting the car into drive, “Okay then Rick. Best of luck with what you are doing.”
“Thanks hon,” Rick said in a smile, “I’ll see you soon!”
Rick waved her off as Jenn drove out of the parking lot of the Tropical Marine Institute before turning to face the establishment. He had been to this facility before, luckily though it was when he was unpublished and the residual celebrity status of Wild Winstons was starting to fade behind him, so Rick had a good feeling that no one would know who exactly he was avoiding the dog whistles of the questioning eyes Vale and Mackenzie had on him. He also knew that with the recents events at the Java Trench, if he did get noticed here; Vale would be on him so fast for the attempt of what he would believe would be them thinking he was breaching the classified knowledge he held. The knowledge he himself truly didn’t believe. Rick pulled out his phone to quickly double check if who was supposed to be there was still there. If they weren’t he would be seeing Jenn a lot sooner without any of the answers he needed.
“Good,” Rick said to himself as he confirmed on the TMSI’s website, “He still has a lecture this afternoon. Better find him before he starts though because if he gets talking about his squids, then there goes the time I need from him.”
With a quick pace, Rick entered the front doors to the Insuite and was instantly cooled from the powerful and pristine AC that faded the heat of Singapore behind him. A variety of specimens were already on display as well as a fantastic aquarium featuring a variety of local marine species. From tropical fish, camouflaged crustaceans and a spectacular cultivation of colorful corals , it was a grand display to showcase the biodiversity that was just a stone throw away from Singapore’s shoreline. Local researchers and those from abroad all moved around him in the corridors as language barriers were rare in such a place when they all spoke the same languages of science. While Rick had left the main line of research academia after publishing his book, the community around him made him nostalgic for his lab days. A quick conversation with the building’s front desk and Rick was able to navigate the halls and labs to one of the offices that was designated for visiting researchers. With a knock Rick, heard a shuffle behind the door.
“One moment!” a voice said and the door soon opened to a face Rick hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Hey, you busy,” Rick mused.
The man who stood in front of Rick was a bit older than him, almost the same age as his father. In fact he and his dad had been college chums back in the day. He was a tall and relatively fit man due to his years as being not just a marine biologist with a squid focus, but a college rowing team member and instructor. He was cleaned up, having probably been prepping on his lecture for the afternoon. Wearing an unbuttoned button up with a shirt that says “All that and some squids” on it with a cartoon squid wrapping its arms around the phrase and khaki pants, the balding man seemed to look at Rick like he himself was a ghost.
“Rick?”
“Hey there Archie.”
In moments, Rick was suddenly in a familiar embrace from Archie before being released as the two walked back into the biologist’s temporary office.
“Come here! Oh my God, Rick! It’s so good to see you,” Archie Best exclaimed.
“Same here,” Rick smiled as they both took their respective seats with Archie behind the desk and Rick on the other. The previous nostalgia for being in academia, which Rick had started to feel, was receding because now he currently felt like a student in professor hours, something he honestly never wanted to feel again.
“Can I get you anything,” Archie asked and gestured to a small fridge near his desk, “Juice, pop, something a little stronger.”
Before Rick could decline the offer, Archie looked over Rick one more time, “Wow has it been that long? I almost didn’t recognize you!”
“I’ll take the compliment,” Rick responded with a smile. It has been a while but moments like that, especially after this morning, were refreshing. And from someone from Rick’s past, it was nice to hear as well as even better that they had to almost second guess.
Rick had known of Archibald “Archie” Geoffery Best for as long as he could remember. The story went that Hank Winston, Rick’s father, met Archie in their undergrad while in theBahamas for a marine paleontological dive exploring the fossils and environments in the area’s blue holes. Their conversations on the Lusca, a legendary creature from Bohemian folklore, allowed for their friendship to blossom, leading to many collaborations on Wild Winstons and beyond. Whenever they did stories on octopi, squids or anything with tentacles, Rick would always be happy when their “Uncle Squids” would make it to the show. Rick did wonder though, if Archie and their father were that close, then why wasn’t Archie also on the expedition at the trench? Wouldn’t he have jumped at the chance? Rick wasn’t even sure if his father and step-mom even consulted with Archie about the lure? That wonder started to feel more of an uneasy suspicion. How much did Archie actually know about what his parents were doing down below?
“Rick?” Archie asked again, “What can I do for you?”
Snapping back, Rick pushed the thoughts down so they could focus on the present.
“I need a favor.”
“A favor?” Jeff said with curiosity in his drawl, “What kind of favor?”
Eyeing the computer, Rick started to speak his gambit.
“How much access do you have to this place’s databases?”
“You sure you want to be doing research with everything that is going on?”
“It’s more of a weather check if I’m going to be honest.”
“Weather channel not cutting it for you?”
Rick laughed, “No it’s not. I just want to double check something.”
Archie took a moment before nodding and gave a shrug, “I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to help you. What other data sets are you looking for?”
“Let’s just start with the weather and I’ll go from there.”
“Okay,” Archie said and took a seat in front of the monitor and with a few clicks and taps, Archie pulled back to show Rick the screen he needed, “There you go my friend. A weather pattern map of the center’s weather data for the local area. Looks like nothing but clear skies save for some storms on the west.”
Archie stood up to let Rick take the seat in front of the monitor, which he then began to gaze over the charts of the South China Sea.
“And I can add filters and other data sets to this map?” Rick asked.
“Of course,” Archie said and leaned over, pointing to a sidebar on the map readings, “The regional data sets can be toggled here.”
“Rad,” Rick said and began to add more data sets from other researchers for the area. Soon the monitor map of the area started to layer data of weather patterns, currents, water temperature, marine life migration patterns and environmental habitat markers of the Singapore Strait for the past forty eight hours. It was a chaotic criss-cross of data and Rick could see in the corner of his eye Archie’s confusion and concerns for what Rick was looking for. To an untrained eye, it was just wild but nothing abnormal.
“Planning a fishing trip?” Archie questioned.
“What?” Rick responded, still not taking his eyes off the data sets, “What do you mean.”
“These kinds of parameters are used by two types of people. Environmental scientists and fishermen. Last I checked you are not really either.”
“It’s,” Rick muttered, “to do with a research prospect I’m thinking about exploring in the future.”
“Ah I see,” Archie replied.
Rick kept looking over the data, Archie moved away for a moment to a side table and pulled out two glasses.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” Archie asked.
“Water,” Rick replied, “And is this live data or uploaded data?”
“A little bit of both,” Archie replied while pouring two cups of water, “ It’s funny you showed up when you did Rick. I was going to reach out to you sometime later today.”
“Oh why is that?”
“I mean,” Archie said as he moved back to Rick and placed the glass of water next to him, “Rick. You know you can talk to me.”
“Yep.”
“Rick.”
“Archie?”
“Rick,” Archie sighed, “Your father was an amazing person and your step mom was-”
“Don’t,” Rick interrupted.
“Rick. Come on. I know it must be-”
“No Archie,” Rick interrupted again and looked at the senior scientist, “Don’t do this.”
“Do what?”
“I don’t need to be processing it right now.”
“But Rick,” Archie responded, “I saw the stream. The whole world did. What happened is a true tragedy and–”
“And nothing. They knew the risks. At that depth anything could happen.”
“But that?” Archie said, “If what we saw was right then–”
“Then it’s more important that I look at these data sets. We need to confirm what was there,” Rick said fiercely and then took a breath, “You know my parents. It would be their dying wish.”
Archie looked over Rick one more time and shook his head. Rick hated this. He knew he needed to talk about it, but it was such a whirlwind of thoughts. Since the sinking there has been absolutely no time to process that his parents were dead and most likely killed by something that has no scientific explanation, let alone a rational one. But Rick realized that maybe he was overstaying his time with Archie because the last thing he would need is Big Brother USA showing up, seeing that this visit was more than a personal call.
“Rick,” Archie said, “Then answer me this. What exactly are you trying to do research on? This doesn’t feel like your kind of work. ”
Rick took a moment and then said sheepishly, “Oceanographical abnormalities? I’ll admit I’m a little out of my element.”
“You’re telling me. And the goal of this kind of research.”
“Honestly,” Rick looked over the data sets again and noticed that it seemed like the currents coming into the strait from the west were noticing some slight fluctuations that seemed to have an almost side to side pattern. It then clicked to Rick that it was a secondary current.
“I have no idea Archie,” Rick continued, “I just know that I have to see this through.”
There was a silence between them and it finally broke when Archie let loose another sigh.
“Okay Rick,” he said, “Just know you can always reach out to me.”
“I know Uncle Archie. Thank you.”
“Besides,” Archie said slyly, “I was going to reach out to you for your scientific input as well.”
“Oh,” Rick said with interest,”About what?”
“Last night a fishing trawler brought in an unusual catch and its something that I think you’d be able to help me out with. Now that I know you are in Singapore, maybe we can look at the find in the lab we’ve placed it here and then have a meal?”
“Oh,” Rick said with interest and then cut himself off. As tempting as lab work and the distraction of it from his own strife right now, the idea of looking over a marine specimen with Archie could lead to be somewhat triggering for him. Rick did not need a break down right now because of things that would normally make him happy, instead reminding him grimly that his parents were dead.
“Rick,” Archie’s words brought them back to the present, “What do you say?”
“If I didn’t have another engagement in an hour, “Rick lied, “I would take you up on that offer.”
“Oh another engagement?” Archie laughed, “You and your father were always the same. You could show up in a place and it always seemed you had to see everyone who lived in that place in one night. No worries then. How long are you in Singapore?”
“Another couple of days before I have to go back to the States and do a proper debriefing with the US Navy about the sinking and then I guess work on getting the…”
Rick lost the words, realizing that not only did bureaucratic meetings awaited him back in the States but the planning of Hank and Colleen Winston’s funeral.
“It’s going to be okay,” Archie said, “I get it. A lot is going on. Well if you have time to see me before you go, it would be swell.”
Rick nodded and returned his gaze back at the monitor, “Would it be okay for me to send this data to my email? I think I got what I needed but I want to make sure I can check it later.”
“I don’t see why not,” Archie said, “And if they ask I can say that you are helping look over some info to help with the specimen we have here.”
“What is it by the way,” Rick said and then looked somewhat embarrassed for asking after denying questions about it this whole time, “I mean, just so I know what to expect.”
“Don’t know,” Archie said, “the fishermen say they found some kind of cephalopod they didn’t recognize.”
Rick laughed, “Good thing Singapore has the Squid Guy in town then.”
Archie nodded, “You know me, I am always looking for answers with that kind of animal.”
Rick smiled and with a few keystrokes, sent the map data to his personal email and started to collect himself to leave.
“Thanks Archie,” he said, “I’m sorry it was a bit more business than personal but-”
“You’re your fathers son” Archie chimed, “You always have somewhere to be. I get it.”
“And hey,” Rick said, “Send over whatever you find interesting with that specimen. When I get some time I’d be more than happy to put some input on it if I think I can.”
“You got it Rick,” Archie smiled, “And hopefully we can get a drink before that.”
Rick nodded with a smile and then left the room.
Archie stood there for a moment before taking another sip of his drink, looking over at the computer that still was showing the data sets that Rick was so keen to see. He shook his head, viewing the data and something that held more questions and answers.
And none of it good.
Much like his father, Archie knew when a Winston didn’t want to talk about what was really going on, they did a terrible job of hiding it through their work. Checking his watch, he realized he still had time to check out the specimen in the lab before he had to go to his guest lecture. He left the office with a casual stroll as he walked through the Singapore Marine Institute halls to the hum of what he loved about marine labs. The soft drone of the faint movements of other marine scientists doing their work. The buzz of the aquarium filters making sure that the tanks kept their live specimens healthy. The soft klink of beakers as other factors beyond live specimens. Everything from soil samples to ocean patterns were studied here. The unknown depths of the ocean became more and more understood in these halls. But the moment he got to the large bay doors that had a makeshift security station in front of it that reminded him that despite all the progress he and his fellow scientists made aware of the ocean, the seas still held dark and unfathomable secrets. Flashing his badge to the security attendant, he was allowed to enter the sterile room.
It was one of the larger labs on the campus and had been made into a cavern of plastic sheeting overnight, giving the impression of a clean room. This was all necessary to house the specimen that had been tangled up in the trawlers nets a few nights before. Lab tables were pushed aside to make room for the makeshift clean room that now housed the large dead thing. Despite the almost pristine appearance of the lab, the familiar but pungent smell of dead sea animals was overpowering. Archie shook his head to try and dispel the heavy scent that was akin to rotting eggs and fish. But despite the putrid aroma of the animal, what Archie was looking at made him somewhat regret not flat out telling Rick what they had in this lab.
“Hank,” Archie said to the ether, half hoping that his dead friend and colleague would somehow appear from the great beyond to give him answers, “What the hell did you and Colleen stir up that deep beneath the sea?”
Before Archie, sprawled on a metal table behind the translucent clean room walls, laid a creature that bore a large spiral shell covered in spines and strange orb-like structures, was at least over a diameter of three feet or more. The dead yellow eyes reflected the white lab lights while the dead thing’s tentacles that were over six feet in length, drooped around the body like a wilted flower. The two back tentacles were even longer and had feathery structures blooming from the tip. What was even more spectacular was that the shorter tentacles bore hand sized hooks. While this prehistoric looking creature was unlike anything Archie had seen, it was unsettling to him that his gut was telling him that it was as plain as day; an ammonite. If that was the truth, if this creature was truly some kind of unbelievable ammonite, it would only lead to questions that had answers that were beyond all his years of being a scientist. Once more, whatever answers he could find, seemed to be tied to the death of a dear friend and the son that he left behind.
TO BE CONTINUED ON PAGE 3.
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