Cryptotrappers!

Cryptotrappers- Battle of the Bunyip

Monday 21. With no work, there was very little to report about the weekend. As much as I wish I could say that I used my time constructively, it was mostly spent watching old reruns on the TV. I'd considered learning some form of self defence, that definitely seemed like it would be helpful on the job, but I really didn't want to push it with my still-healing leg. The most I did was spend some time working on my drop-and-roll; something told me that would be a useful skill in future. But, hindsight is an unfortunate power and by the time I has started to think of everything else I could have done, I had to get to work. After college ended on the Monday, I started to make the trip towards the statue when Lucy stopped me.

What was there I could say about Lucy Lebrash. Well, a lot, but I'll keep to the facts. Lucy was a girl who I went to college with, actually who I'd been in classes with for about six years now. She had flowing, long brown hair, always with some dyed streak in it; at this time it was a red streak down the front; and these forest coloured eyes... Okay I'll admit it, Lucy has been my consistent long-time crush across the years, but I'd still consider us good enough friends! That was, when I had the gut to talk to her.
"Michael!" Lucy called out, running over as she noticed me. "How are you doing?"
I smiled and discreetly tried to fix my hair.
"Oh, yeah I'm doing fine, how about you?"
Lucy looked at me quizzically.
"Yeah, I'm okay but, you looked like you were limping today? Are you sure you're good?"
Looking down at my leg, I gave my most convincing 'mild annoyance' face that I could.
"Oh, yeah, I missed a step on the staircase yesterday and sprained it. Just heading to get something for it right now."
"You want me to come with?" Lucy eagerly asked, and all of a sudden every excuse I could come up with as to why she shouldn't fell away.
"I wish you could..." I began, still not sure how I was planning to end that sentence, "But if you did, I'd want to spend the entire day hanging with you, and I'm supposed to be getting some coursework done later."
"That's fair." Lucy replied, fortunately not too let down. "And good on you for prioritising your coursework! You're so aspirational!"
"Aspirational, yep, that's me..." I laughed, with just a pang of guilt about the lies.
"Well... See you tomorrow, anyhow." Lucy shouted, as she began to walk off.
"Yeah, see you." I quietly responded, sighing. Crisis averted. After what felt like an eternity, I reached the statue and pushed the entrance button. The elevator started up and I descended once more into the base.

As I had already come to expect, Eva stood waiting for my arrival in the main room of the Lab. At some point overnight, she had managed to move Gambo from the relatively small tank it was in yesterday to a more befitting shark tank behind where she stood, where it had room to swim at speed.
"Livens up the room, don't you think?" she asked, to which I could really only nod. It certainly did liven up the room, if that's how you wanted to put it.
"So, what's the mission?" I asked, pensive.
"Just a quick trip around the world to Australia to catch a Bunyip."
"Bunyip?"
Eva nodded cheerfully.
"Also known as the Kianpraty, the Bunyip a strange mammal that's said by some to be a relatively slow, calm billabong lurker, and by others to be a terrible creature that drowns children. But from the little cryptozoology has learned about it, it's much closer to the former than the latter. Big, but slow and clumsy, you probably won't have too much trouble chasing one down, especially on land."
"Seems easy. Too easy." I noted, my brow furrowed.
"Don't sound so suspicious, Michael!" Eva reassured me. "It should be easy with Randy and Sid by your side. They've been briefed and since it's still your first week here, they've already packed and will be waiting for you at the teleport."
Had I heard that sentence a week earlier I would have laughed at it. But now, well it was just part of the job. Mission number two, three under technicality, and with no extra setup needed, I headed directly to the teleport to begin.

The landing this time wasn't the best; not as though the last mission's arrival was the most ideal. I found myself soaking in the middle of a swamp, my head pounding but at least without blacking out. Sid and Randy were already swimming to shore, so I decided that I was best that I did the same. The area around us was very pretty looking, enough even to lift my soggy spirits, even if my soggy outfit would remain no less wet. We appeared to be in a forested area of sorts, surrounded by trees large enough to climb, if that became necessary. But as tempting as standing around admiring the scenery would be, we had a job to complete. So, with clear resolve, we hurriedly reached the shore and began walking roughly north.