Hatched

Chapter Four

June 29th, 2021

0715 hours

The office was quiet, and the atmosphere sterile in a nearly surgical way. It almost smelled like a hospital, and certainly looked it, with the plain white walls and cold, uncomfortable chairs. Not a single picture frame hung on the walls, and the desk held nothing but a few pencils in a metal cup. The woman behind the desk sat rigid, reminiscent of a statue, her features sharp as if carved from hard marble. She cleared her throat and flicked her raven hair over her shoulder, icy eyes boring into the weary brown ones of the man sitting across from her. He was looking, not at her, but at his lap, and only glanced up when she cleared her throat again.

"Mr. Perez," she said, settling comfortably back in her armchair. "I understand you have some concerns about the recent events occurring on my rig."

"Yes, ma'am." The man spoke, his voice low. "I'm worried about the crew."

The woman blinked, the only motion on an otherwise indifferent face. "Excuse me? Could you elaborate on that, please?"

Tony shrugged uncomfortably. Lynne Ellis was cold, calculating, and self-serving. It was code among the workmen to never find themselves in a situation that would land them in her office. She sat unmoving, staring him down like a lioness, waiting for her prey to look away so she could pounce. For the third time she cleared her throat.

"Mr. Perez? Can you elaborate for me please?"

Tony winced at her harsh voice, visibly shrinking as if her oily tone was reducing him to a mere cockroach. His throat felt like sandpaper, but he managed to croak out a weak "Yes, ma'am."

He shifted again and spoke more clearly. "I'm worried about the safety of the crew, ma'am. I've noticed, well, the crew has noticed, that some of the workers have disappeared." He faltered. Her face was set in an emotionless attitude. He breathed in deeply and continued. "Many have turned up with horrible injuries or become sick."

"Accidents happen Mr. Perez."

"But they weren't accidents!" Tony banged his fists on the table and stood up so abruptly his chair toppled over. "I knew these men! They weren't weak, or ill. Stan was fine when I left him! I know something happened to him, you can't just ignore it. Rodgers and Logan are missing! These men had families, they'll be looking for them."

"The families have been notified."

"And what did you tell them?" Tony yelled, slapping his hand on the desk. Lynne's cold eyes trained on his rough fingers, her stare nearly arctic. He gulped and slowly pulled his hand away.

"That is confidential, Mr. Perez, and strictly between myself and the bereaved." Lynn's tone was final.

"What about that-that thing they caught?"

"Merely coincidental." Lynne waved a dismissive hand as if wafting a bad smell. "Strange as this world is, there is nothing more alien than the ocean. I'm sure even you have seen things you didn't know existed."

"Yeah but-"

"I assure you that there is nothing to worry about. I have personally overseen the investigations, and have no evidence to support the theory that these are anything less than routine mishaps." Lynne sat back in the chair and smiled sardonically at Tony. "Unless you fear there is a boogey man about, Mr. Perez. Or is it the Yeti?"

His mouth gaped. "But...but Mrs.! Aren't you the least bit worried that these aren't coincidences? What if it keeps happening?"

Lynne turned back to the papers on her desk and shuffled them some, indicating her boredom and lack of interest. "I can assure you that we have launched full inquiries into these occurrences. I can also assure you that we have found them to be merely circumstantial and of no further discussion."