Silverback

Delayed Discovery

Sarah discovered the Missing Link. More accurately, she was dating him. And she had been for the past three months. Funny thing was that initially she was more fascinated by him than attracted to him. There was an animal quality about Michael that she had written off to excess testosterone and the fact that she’d not been with a man for several months. But in this moment, as he stood in front of the window, his naked figure silhouetted against the flashing light of the summer storm, she realized it. And It made her feel like a perverted version of Jane Goodall. She needed to get her clothes on and leave. Now.

Michael must have heard the breath catch in her throat because he turned and locked her eyes with his stare. There was no confusion or embarrassment in his gaze, just raw, driven sexuality. He inhaled slow and deep taking in her scent. Her body flushing in reaction as she jolted up from the couch and began scrounging for her clothes. This is not happening, her mind clamored.

“I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”

His mouth turned down hard, “What’s wrong?”

“I have an early meeting to prepare for. I need to get to my computer.”

“You’re lying. Why?” He paused waiting for her answer. “Are you scared of me?” he asked as he unashamedly rubbed his hand up the inside of his alabaster thigh and over his crotch drawing her eyes to his perfectly sculpted, erect phallus.

“Uh” she swallowed and lifted her eyes back up to his face. “Actually, the storm has inspired a research idea. I need to put more thought behind it before I can present it. The board has been pushing for ideas lately so, it’s time sensitive.” She answered somewhat truthfully.

“Really? What is it about?” he asked, bringing his hand up, gently stroking the short, rust-colored beard on his wide jaw.

“Oh, just genetics stuff. Most people find it boring.”

“Well if I’ve inspired it, I must read it.”

She laughed nervously. “No.” Her eyes dropped down and to the left. “No, you’re not a subject.” She lied.

“So, it’s not about the superior stamina of red-haired men then, I guess.” He c****d his head back and snorted at his own joke, nose flaring slightly as he regained control of her gaze.

Sarah let out a nervous laugh without responding and continued to quickly dress herself as her mind began tallying the physical characteristics that drove her suspicion that he was several genetic sequences closer to a Silverback than the average modern-age male.

Without picking up his clothes, he moved from the window and toward the coffee table where the remote rested. Gracefully, he plucked it up with his long fingers, pointed it to the TV, and clicked. Foghat’s Slow Ride was replaced with a noisy, heavy metal station. She felt a change in his demeanor immediately.

On his way to the couch, he stopped a few inches in front of her as she struggled to buckle her belt.

“Let me help with that.” He commanded taking the ends of the belt from her hands using them to pull her body hard against his. “You can’t leave until I’m finished.”

“There. I got it for you.” He said as he tugged her shirt down over the buckled belt.

“Th-thanks.” she said opening her eyes and allowing her body to relax.

“Do you have plans tomorrow after work?”

Sarah stifled the urge to answer hastily. She would need his DNA for testing but didn’t want to use the standard lab method which relied on genetic material extracted from dead cells. She wanted live cells. Sperm would be ideal. The main problem was how to collect It without his knowledge. Then, if she managed that, she would have to get it to the lab in time to preserve it. Part of the sample could be kept alive easily for almost a week. The rest could be frozen. She would just have to keep seeing him until she figured it out.

“Nope. I don’t have plans yet unless I’m asked to stay late at work. You?”

“Not yet. I get off of my shift at six. I will call you.” Michael put his arms around her, giving her a squeeze so tight that she couldn’t inhale. He finally released her when she started to struggle.

“What’s wrong?” he asked with a huge smile on his lips. “Couldn’t you breathe? I guess I don’t know my own strength sometimes.”

Sarah wanted to protest acknowledging his subtle, but relevant attempt at intimidation, but she didn’t want to anger him and lose the chance at testing her theory. After taking a few gasping breaths, she gently caressed his hands. “No, I’m fine. I’ve got to go though. I will talk to you tomorrow.”

"Yes, you will.” He answered matter-of-factly. “I will walk you out. You never know who is lurking around at this time of night.”

Sarah inhaled deeply over and again as she walked down the stairs from his kitchen to the back door of his small turn-of-the-century house. The dwelling fitted him well. It was three floors, but they weren’t at all conventional. There were small hidden pockets of rooms throughout. No one could ever be sure of the actual square footage unless you measured from the outside. The roof had unusual pitches and dimensions clad in concrete shingles covered in patches of moss giving it the appearance of a living patina.

She could feel the heat of his body as he trailed her down the steps and through to the back gate. “Well, I had a lovely time. Uh, thanks for inviting me.”

“I’d like to say the same, but you've left me with a bit of an issue to attend to. Goodnight.” With that remark, he turned and walked back towards his home with obvious intent.

Sarah felt relieved as he turned his back on her, so she moved more casually sliding into her car. Settling in the seat, she cranked the engine and put the car in reverse. She recklessly hit the gas without even checking the rearview mirror.

A strange sensation of being watched caused her to pause and look around as she turned the wheels of her car into the three-point turn around. It was Michael’s neighbor, Kyle. She often noticed him skulking around when she was there. Tonight he stood statue still with his small dog at the end of a leash. His head didn’t turn her way, nor was it turned away. She knew he was watching.

“Looks like I am going to have to corner Kyle and have a little talk.” She said to herself as she wheeled down Michael’s drive.

“Maybe there is something even more abnormal going on here. Damn, Michael. You will require behavioral research on top of everything else.” She curled the left side of her lip in a half-smile. “Or maybe I can talk Dev into doing it…That is, if he will still talk to me.”

Her face got warm as she thought about the last time she was with Devlin. It was the same night that she'd met Michael. ”He has probably forgiven me by now.” She increased her speed abruptly as she pulled out of Michael's drive and onto the street. “If not, I’ve got a lot of apologizing to do.”

INVICTA was the name of the lab where Sarah worked. They made most of their money through providing the “outside testing” that customers demanded from manufacturing facilities. The smaller and less sophisticated labs at manufacturing plants weren’t equipped to handle the in-depth microorganism testing that was routine for INVICTA. The lab also contracted with the Centers to Disease Control among other government agencies. The CDC-dedicated floor of the lab was where Sarah spent most of her time.

One particular stressor with her job was lab animals unwittingly giving their lives for a cure for one human condition or another. Some of the research was aimed at curing global-scale disease. That work was collectively responsible for saving millions of people in countries around the world. However, some of the other research being conducted was for frivolous causes and vanity. It was taken on simply to ensure that money kept flowing into the lab.

Unfortunately, in the business of pharmaceutical development, more often than not, drug trials showed the good couldn't justify the harm to patients. When this was the case, the CEO of INVICTA, Jerry Delacorte, was immediately notified. After being made aware, it was his call whether to continue or abandon and move on with different formulations. Jerry generally allowed the trials to continue to the end riding out the max amount of funding. Many animal lives were wasted simply for the sake of his greed. Sarah, and the other analysts with consciences, hated him for it.

For that reason, intercommunication among analysts was limited by policy. Jerry staffed the company with its own set of psychotherapists. Under the guise of maintaining staff mental health, Jerry used the therapists to identify any "bleeding hearts". All employees working in the animal lab were required to visit the shrinks twice a month.

Sarah was assigned to Dr. Devlin Manspeak. To say that their sessions were ever professional, was a stretch. He had brilliant, blue eyes and prematurely silvered hair. She was immediately attracted to him, not only for his looks, but for his eccentric aura. Within a week of their first required meeting, they started discussing things that were completely unrelated to her job. She just thought that was his way of distracting her from what she knew was going on in the lab. Within a couple months, the nature of their conversations turned to subjects that she knew were taboo. They started seeing each other outside of work shortly after.

However, the fraternization ended violently and abruptly soon after it began.

She and Dev planned to meet at a small bar downtown to play pool. That night Sarah arrived early and was relaxing with a Mimosa when a large, unique-looking red-headed man sat down next to her. He offered to buy her another drink. Thinking it wouldn't do any harm, she accepted his offer.

Devlin was late per usual, so two drinks led to three. When he finally walked through the door of the bar, Michael looked a little too cozy with Dev's date and he was ticked. Unfortunately, he reacted before sizing Michael up.

Devlin approached them from behind and slapped his hand down hard on Michael’s shoulder to get his attention. Michael casually swiveled on his barstool. Without standing up, he landed a left on Devlin’s jaw. Devlin's legs crumbled beneath him and he landed sprawled and out cold. Blood trickled out of his mouth and started to pool on the floor.

Sarah's hands flew to her face as she gasped and lurched towards Devlin's limp form, but Michael was quicker. He wrapped his arm around her torso preventing her from dismounting the barstool.

As if it were a normal occurrence, the bartender calmly enlisted a couple regulars to get rid of the body. Sarah twisted out of Michael's grip and scrambled off of the stool in pursuit of the two bandanaed men in black leather who half carried, half dragged Devlin's unconscious body out the side door. She reached the doorway as they propped Dev against a dumpster holding his head up so the bartender could pour a bottle of Jack down Dev's throat. Most of it sloshed across the front of Dev's yellow, blood speckled Izod button-down.

Sarah pushed at the bartender trying to make him stop but was pulled back inside by one of the bikers. "Don't worry about it, Doll. He shouldn't have been so damn stupid." He smiled at her with a surprising full set of white teeth. Firmly, he guided her by the elbow back to her vacant barstool. Michael hadn't moved.

The bartender re-entered through the backdoor, approached and patted Michael roughly on the back. He raised his military-style flip phone and hit one of his contacts.

"Hey, this is Derek Jones. I need to report a drunk in the alley...Yeah...no rush, we have him propped up, so he won't drown on his own vomit."

Sarah and Michael couldn't hear the other side of the conversation but deciphered what was asked from the side that they could hear.

"No, I don't know who it is. It was his first time in here. Some freaking preppy son-of-a-b***h. I'm doubting he will be back, hahaha." The laugh caused Derek to wheeze and cough. "...yeah, we left his wallet and phone on him.... He met Michael. hahaha...the usual..." he shook his head in acknowledgement of something and continued. "Send Victor. I want to show him a picture of my new grandbaby."

The smoke-aged bartender nodded as he listened to the dispatcher for a few moments, then in an uncharacteristically sweet voice, he ended the call with, "You take care too."

Derek flipped his phone shut and shoved it deep into the front pocket of his Levi's. He rounded the bar and started typing into the computer. He glanced down the bar and counted the empty glasses gathered in front of Michael and Sarah. Then Derek turned and estimated the Budweiser bottles on the bikers' table and hit a button causing a long tape to roll out of the printer.

He ripped it off and handed Michael a bill for the Jack and the rest of the alcohol tally. Michael read the total as he pulled a black snakeskin wallet from his hip. He quickly plucked out a few bills and palmed them into the bartender's hand hiding the value of the transaction from Sarah.

Derek nodded and winked. "See you tomorrow, Stud."

Michael rose from his stool and directed Sarah towards the door. Once they were out in front, Sarah turned to round the building towards the alley but was body-blocked by Michael. He turned her 180 degrees and gathered her to him with an arm around her shoulder. Michael pressed her against his side and walked her quickly in the opposite direction as the sound of police car sirens closed in.

"I'll take you home."

"No, thank you, uh. I will call an Uber." Sarah responded feeling numb from the effects of the liquor and the surreal exchanges that she'd just witnessed.

"No." Michael insisted as he directed her towards a tall, red truck. He swung open the door and she allowed him to help her into the passenger side. They rode in silence to her apartment save her giving him directions on where to turn.

"Here it is." She stated when they reached the gate.

"I'll take you to the door."

"Th-that's not necessary, Bye." She said reaching for the lock and handle.

"No." He said gently, but firmly grabbing her wrist. "It wouldn't be very gentleman-like to let you walk down the sidewalk at night alone. Don't worry. I won't insist on coming in this time"

Knowing he wasn't going to relent; she gave him her apartment number. Their evening together closed at the door of her apartment with him typing his phone number into her phone and an unconventionally deep kiss. She found his technique odd, but interesting. When she opened the door her dog immediately greeted her. She bolted the door, picked her leash from the counter, clipped it on her collar, and headed through the apartment for the back door.

After a walk just long enough for her pet to do her business, Sarah returned to the marginal security of her apartment. She locked the back door and checked the windows. Then, as was her habit, she retrieved her pistol before picking up her phone and calling Dev.

She was greeted with his voicemail message. "This is Dr. Manspeak. If you are experiencing an emergency, please hang up and dial 911. I will be contacted by the hospital staff. Or leave a message after the beep. Stay safe."

"Dev, I am SO, SO sorry. Please call as soon as you are able and let me know where you are." She pleaded doubting that she'd make the list of the people he would call.

The next day at work, she learned that the police escorted Devlin to the hospital instead of the jail. X-rays taken revealed a nasty fracture that required surgery and would need six weeks recuperation time. Though Sarah wasn’t directly responsible, she still felt wholly guilty.

Devlin's analysts were all reassigned. Sarah ended up with Dr. Angie Lumis. Angie had been informed of the events that led to the Dr. Manspeak's medical leave. By whom, Sarah didn't know but Angie insisted on seeing Sarah right away.

Angie tried convincing her that Devlin was responsible for his actions and that she wasn't to be too hard on herself about Dr. Manspeak's injuries. She also suggested that Sarah call Michael to let him know Devlin was going to be okay. Sarah was unsure of how that was supposed to help, but she agreed to do it anyway.

Those events were only few months ago. Now, here she was, driving out of Michael's neighborhood considering approaching Devlin for a favor. Would he agree to do a professional evaluation on the man that caused him embarrassment and physical pain? Even worse, without that man's consent. If he would even call her back, she would be direct about her observations of Michael and hope Dev's professional curiosity was enough to drive him to help her.

When she got home, Thalia, Sarah’s hundred-pound black Labrador Retriever met her at the door of her apartment wagging her tail wildly. Thalia was a rescue from the lab. She had been used to test pain killers, so the years she spent at INVICTA were very bad ones. Thalia was released though when the drug passed through to human trials.

It appeared to be a potential success story. The drug company would make trillions.

Sarah didn’t notice any addiction or side effects of the trials in her beloved companion, but when she talked to one of the lab techs over the phone or merely mentioned the name of someone who was part of the team running the trial, Thalia would bristle up. Though not a natural “biter”, Sarah thought Thalia would have it in her to pay back some of the trial team. That gave her a good excuse not to host any company functions at her place.

It was a triple win. Sarah could leave work at work, Thalia had a safe, comfortable home with the love and admiration she deserved. In addition, the drug would end up easing the pain of uncountable patients with chronic pain, particularly those who had their days numbered by acute illnesses.

The landline phone that sat on the desk near the door was a vintage Casio model. It was of the era where answering machines recorded messages on mini-cassette tapes. The red light was blinking. Sarah knew it was either her friend, Drew, another analyst from INVICTA, or a telemarketer. Drew used that line because the number wasn’t on the company’s phone list. If anyone from work saw it on his phone, they wouldn’t know that he was talking to Sarah.

She rewound the tape and pushed the “play” button. “This is your credit card company with an amazing offer.”

Sarah, cut off the message with the “fast forward’ button. “…car warranty…”

Fast forward, “We would appreciate your support…” Fast forward.

“Heeeyyyy! What’s up?” It was Drew. “Dr. Chang was a real dumbass today. You’ve got to hear this. Call me.”

It wasn’t too late so Sarah went to the back door to let Thalia out into her newly fenced yard and walked into the kitchen to heat up a cup of Sleepytime Tea. The large dog was wanting back in even before the two-minute cycle of the microwave was done heating the mug of water. Sarah grabbed a dental treat from the Paw decorated jar on the counter and let Thalia in. The dog took the treat from her hand without missing a stride. Sarah then took her cup from the microwave and dropped in a tea bag.

With her treat locked in her jaws, Thalia circled the blue shag rug in front of the fireplace three times before laying down and chewing on it. Sarah settled down in the office chair by the desk which was the only seat the corded phone could reach and dialed Drew’s number. He answered on the first ring.

“Wow, did you have your phone in your hand, or what?”

“Of course.”

“Well, spill the story. What did Chang do this time?”

“Hahahahaha, I wish you would have been there to see it. Hahahaha.” Drew laughed.

“What?”

“hahahaha.” Drew kept laughing until he started coughing uncontrollably.

“Drew!”

“Okay, okay.” Drew cleared his throat. “You know that socialization drug they are testing in 8201, right?”

“Yes, I am aware of it.”

“Well, the rats were deprived of food for four days, I think there were at least thirty of them in that trial.” Drew continued. “Chang was high as a kite and told the handler to set up a feeding area with only one large apple core in the middle of it.”

“Oh boy.”

“I think the handler’s name is David, the big dude with the green flat top and gauges in his ears.”

“Yep, that’s David.”

“Anyway, he thought that it was a ridiculous way to test the effectiveness of the drug and could tell that Chang was on something, so he told Chang what he thought of it. Long, story short, Chang started to set it up himself, so David opened all the cages, and the rats took off everywhere. Hahahaha, they still hadn’t located about seven of them when I left.”

“So, he really thought that Cialiser would give thirty hungry rats the social skills to share an obviously deficient amount of food. What the hell? I think he just wanted to see them fight. He is bent. I’m glad David let them out, but he will be looking for a job.”

“Yea, I didn’t think of that. I guess it will only be funny when David finds another job. He should try one of those 'No Kill' pest agencies that contract with the city.”

“He’d have plenty of experience with rats of both kinds.”

The reference to the city managers wasn't lost on Drew. "Well stated. What time are you coming in tomorrow?”

“I was planning on making it an early day so about five, I think.”

“I’ll still be asleep then so don’t stop and get me.”

“I do need to talk to you about something though. I’ll stop by your lab and take you to lunch.” Sarah was tired so she didn't elaborate.

“Sounds good. Have a good night.”

“You too.”