Eavesdropping

It seemed like an eternity to the young girl, but they were only under the water for about an hour before Tepic decided it was safe to surface and effect their rescue. The submarine broke surface just beside the Dock, and it was with relief that Lisa stepped onto the narrow ledge.

The boy whispered for her to follow him as they had to quietly check if there was anyone around before going upstairs. He began to tell her that he had placed several bottles of brandy on the doorstep earlier when the two stiffened as they heard voices nearby; one of them sounded outraged.  “A third man injured!  What were you thinking, bringing him here?”

“I was thinking that we might learn something from studying the creature.”

Tepic turned to Lisa, whispering, “Uh oh….. that’s the mean bloke!”  Lisa nodded and listened intently, trying to make out the voices.

“What could we hope to learn? There is very little chance of us coming to an understanding, he appears to be as the notes claim, completely feral.  There is little hope of rehabilitation without communication.”

“They’s talkin’ ‘bout Mr Wolf…..”  Tepic said, he knew that she must have been straining her ears to hear them.  Lisa softly whispered back.  “Should we try to get closer?”

Tepic nodded and showed her the way up the stairs.  As he reached the first intersection, he pointed around the corner, mouthed “They are there!’ and then indicated the stairs they would take next.  

It was much easier to hear them argue now. “I doubt there is any hope for the other patients either.”

“Abandon hope ye who enter here.”  Canergak responded almost wryly.  “I do not care if you can save them, Doctor.  Only what you can learn in the process.  They are your specimens. Experiment on them, try different things.”

Lisa hissed silently at Canergak’s talk, but made to follow Tepic up the staircase, when they heard footsteps from the office.  Tepic and Lisa jumped back for the corner, hearts racing just as the two men entered the hallway.

“Hold on…are you telling me that you don’t care about the patients at all?”

“These are not patients, they are specimen.”

Lisa began to flex her fingers unconsciously as if she were shooting and relaxing claws.  Tepic simply shook his head and indicated that they had to go back down the stairs.  They very carefully crept along the metal flooring and made their way back to their hiding spot.  Tepic whispered, “We gotta wait here, cuz Carnack may come down!”

Lisa nodded, trying to keep her breathing quiet despite her anger as she listened.

“-you need not feel any remorse for any method of psychology you wish to utilize. I want your experiments to lead to unexpected results.” He repeated himself again, stressing the importance. “I want you to experiment.”

There was a long pause, and then the other man spoke again.  “I think I understand you a little more now.  Is that why you called the bells part of the experiment?”

“Precisely. It was,” He paused for a brief moment and then continued.  “Unorthodox.  However it is very unlikely a psychologist has tried it before.”   

Lisa stopped breathing as she heard heavy-set steps approaching and then descend the stairs, and the metallic click of one of their canes.  She didn’t begin to breathe again until the steps continued down the hallway and the M’an entered another room.  Tepic listened for the sound of the door closing, and then indicated to go up the stairs again.