Cryptotrappers!

Cryptotrappers- A Serpent Guarded Door

Monday 13th. The day I've awaited, the day I've dreaded. A lot of people believe that thirteen is a number that is intrinsically unlucky, and that they should fear it. Personally I'd never really held that belief, but today something felt like it was on the verge of going wrong. Maybe that was my nerves about talking to Eva regarding what Lucy and I had spoken about, maybe not. All the same, I was nervous. No, not nervous. I was worried.

The day began typically; awakening at home, freshening up, getting Seth ready for the day, commuting to work, and standing ready for Eva's speech. Today had a different air about it already, as we all knew Eva wasn't sending us on any old mission, and that fact only became more clear as she spoke.
"Great work everyone, last time. Our new pair of Chupacabras are settling in well, no serious injuries fortunately, and I'm making sure to keep them enriched. But today's mission is something incredibly important, and personal to me. We're going after a Leviathan."
Eva paused to take in the response, and the general response seemed to be a mix of excitement and concern. Taking note of the response, Eva continued her speech.

"It's taken a lot of work to get the tank prepared; if any of you've been snooping around you may have seen the construction in progress. But it's finally ready, and it's time for us to snag ourselves a Leviathan. Ideally we'd be using Displacers, but I only seem to be able to find four of them..."
I looked at Sid; he looked back, neither of us spoke and both of us looked back to Eva as if the look between us has never happened.
"So, instead I've quickly made adjustments to our serpent harness, which will allow it to transport any aquatic cryptids inside directly to a tank here. I've already sent it over to our destination, we've got a boat ready to sail out, and then Exo will be going in again as bait, since it worked so well last time!"
The smile I gave Eva said nothing of my real feelings about the matter. Selma was one thing; a Leviathan was an entirely different one. Concern didn't begin to scratch the surface of my feelings towards this particular mission.
"So, pack what you think you'll need, hell, pack what you don't think you need, I'd much rather overpack than under-pack. And when you're ready, we'll head out!"

"So," Randy asked, as we packed all the gear we could fit into four backpacks. "What do you think a Leviathan's like?"
"Bad." I responded, surprising everyone and drawing all eyes to me. "Like if a crocodile and a moray eel had a child, and then said child swallowed a nuclear plant."
"When did you get so familiar with Leviathans?" Lucy teased, throwing a few nets into her pack.
"When I accidentally killed Eva's foster mother; she had one cooped up in a tank that was way too small for it. Anyway, it got out, managed to fling people the size of Sid like they were sticks, I didn't stick around to see what happened to it."
Nobody spoke for a good minute after I finished. Everybody packed in silence, stunned.
"Like, how close to my size exactly." Sid finally asked, his voice the closest to shaking that I'd ever heard it.
"As big as you, bare minimum. Maybe bigger. Probably. Three at once." I truthfully replied. "Like, it's pretty clear where Eva got her hiring practices from."
That was the remark that ended discussion for the rest of the packing session, until we met back up with Eva at the teleport, who seemed to have more packed with her than the rest of us combined.
"Right then!" Eva chipperly began, slinging two evidently heavy backpacks over her shoulders. "Let's head off!"

The place that we arrived at was filled with trees, and the sound of insects buzzed in the area around us.
"Right, come along then!" Eva continued, pushing branches out of her way. "The lake's just up here."
"Lake?" I asked, puzzled.
"Yep, an inland saltwater lake. That's where the Leviathan's taken up residence."
The five of us trudged slowly through the brush, Eva taking the lead and the rest of us lagging behind a little. The closer we got, the louder the sound of insects became, until eventually unfiltered light hit us as we pushed into a clearing. All of us stepped out onto the embankment, looking across the lake, though not at the glistening water or the picturesque scenery. Instead we were all focused on the building on the other side, corporate and in some level of disuse.
"Eva." I warily asked. "Where are we right now?"
"In the middle of Japan, at an unmarked location." Eva answered. All the confirmation I needed.
"Then that means..." I continued, my face slowly falling in horror.
"It most certainly does." Eva confirmed again, before addressing the rest of the team. "Here we are, folks. May I officially welcome you all to The Gallows."