BX-132

by Rick Coona

Chapter 2

A young mephit couple were walking through the park, paw in paw, enjoying the fine spring day. The southern continent was a lush, temperate and verdant land. The Southland Farms were famous around the globe for their produce as well as their wines. Wilderness preserves like this were scattered throughout the country, adjacent to large cities and industrial zones.

Falstaff Park lay adjacent to the port city of Longbow. The mix of grassland, woods and a tidal marsh made this a wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of hectic city life.

Rafe Johnson, an up and coming ad exec in the most successful advertising agency in the western provinces, was in love. He had been seeing Sally Collins, a beloved author of children's books, for over a year. They had met when her publisher had sent her over to work on the layout for the release of her most recent book, entitled, "Greg The Bunny." It was another smash hit, eclipsing the popular wizard-school books by five to one.

They had grown quite close, and today was the day he would pop the question.

"Oh, Rafe, isn't it a beautiful day! Being out with you, gives me the inspiration of my next book. This one will be about a pair of skunks who go on a picnic in a park much like this one and discover a treasure!" Sally said, as they stood on a low hillock overlooking the ocean. A gentle breeze keeping the day from getting too hot.

"Yes dear, in fact it is the perfect day," he said, reaching into his pocket and removing a small black box, and going down on one knee.

"Sally Collins, will you be my mate?" he asked, opening the box to reveal a ring with a brilliantly cut green gemstone that matched the color of her eyes.

"Oh-My-God, Rafe...You're down there, and we are here, and you've got a... and you just asked me to..." the skunk femme said, her eyes the size of boiled eggs from the sheer delighted surprise.

Rafe just smiled up at her, nodding. "Yes, I did, beloved," Rafe replied softly.

"I never thought you'd... That we'd... and yes, love, I will," she beamed, holding out her paw as Rafe slid the ring on her finger.

He retrieved a matching one from his pocket and slipped it onto his own finger. Sally took a moment to admire its scintillating brilliance before tackling the kneeling skunk, bowling him over and hugging him tight as they joyously tumbled down the hillock to lay in the soft grass.

"Rafe my love, I have dreamed of this day for months now, and here you spring it on me when I least expect it... When do you want to tie the knot?" Sally asked, thinking how the name Sally Johnson sounded, she loved it.

"Well, how about today? The courthouse is open til six tonight... and I did take the liberty of booking us a spot at 5:30, just in case you'd... you know.." Rafe smiled.

"I love you. And I could finally move in with you," Sally Collins said, and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. Sitting up, a stray breeze ruffling her long white hair, getting an odd look on her face. Did you just smell that? Something was on the breeze just now." she asked and sneezed.

"Now that you mention it, I did, it was...whatever it was it tickled my nose, I wonder if they were spraying for skeeters?" Rafe said getting to his feet and helping Sally up. They had an appointment to keep...

# #

In the Northern Latitudes Medical Center, a fur just flat lined. The doctor turned off the monitoring equipment, silencing the steady tone of death and covering the polar bear with a sheet. The chocolate Lab turned to the ferret in the crisp white nurse's uniform, holding a chart.

" Nurse, mark the time of death at 18:30 hours," the doctor sighed. It was never easy losing a patient, and this one had been an odd case. He was brought in with a high fever, and despite all methods to lower his temperature, he went into convulsions, then started losing his fur in clumps.

"Cause of death, doctor?" the nurse asked, derailing his train of thought, as she filled out the death certificate.

"What? Oh, put down unknown cause, radiation poisoning suspected. Have the morgue detail put him on ice until an autopsy can be performed. Perhaps that will give us some answers, and notify next of kin, please."

#

Shari paused before the entryway adjacent to Room 6. She did her best to prepare the raccoon standing at her side.

"Now Ron, this is where we get into the isolation suits that go along with level 5 containment protocols. These will allow us to freely move around the room without risk of contamination from whatever is in there. We will be able to communicate through the wireless headsets built into the suits... You will soon see why your department will have to drop everything to find a way to resolve this," she said, with a look of great sadness reflected in her eyes. Ron nodded mutely as they entered the isolation room

# #

"I now pronounce you mated for life, til death do you part, and may the powers-that-be smile down on this union," the grey fox in judges robes said, smiling down at the joyful couple. It always made him happy to perform this aspect of his office.

"Thank you, your honor," Sally Johnson said, around a muzzle splitting smile. "This is the happiest day of my life!" she declared, hugging Rafe tight.

"It's one of the perks of the job, Mrs. Johnson," the fox beamed, before rapping his gavel. "This court stands adjourned!" he said as he escorted the newlyweds out of his courtroom.

#

In Lake Havasted, the midlands deepest lake, bubbles broke its placid surface releasing a green fog that quickly dissipated into the early morning mist. A bright yellow canister briefly floated to the surface, decades of corrosion finally breaching the metallic walls. Hissing and sizzling, it released its contents. Should there have been any around to witness this, they would have been able to see it's marking still barely legible in faded red lettering: B-X 132 before it once more sank to its watery tomb, a trail of fine bubbles marking its passing.

# #

At the Mercy's Call military reservation, work had begun on the long awaited Whispering Pines community development project. Abandoned after the North-South War, it had been a center for compassionate aid to both sides of the conflict, flying out the seriously wounded as well as making food drops to the war ravaged towns. It had since sat derelict for years. The midlands provided a much needed buffer zone between the warring nations. Bulldozers now completed the job that wind and rain had started, eating away at the long abandoned structures. Though not on any 'official' maps of the former reservation, the tunnels that led to the underground facilities had been dynamited closed after the war. New life was coming to this haunted land.

End of Chapter 2