Part THIRTEEN – continued from last week’s episode – 

This was it. His relationship with Sally. The chance to publicly clear his name. The reel possibility of a prison term. And the truth of Lefty Van Clutterbuck’s atrocious demise. Everything hinged on the balance of getting ONE bite.

Rusty Flathers had graduated summa cum laude from the acclaimed Fisheries University in East Jesus, Indiana. He studied under renowned Professor Cosmoid Scale who (secretly) later became prolific in the research and development of the Mangrove Killifish.

Said fish was amphibious… Known to leave water for extended periods (days-weeks-months-years). This species was tested in closed-door experiments funded and labeled CLASSIFIED by the Government of Canada and the (RCN) Royal Canadian Navy.

In his early tenured years during summer break Professor Scale would travel to Lake Ontario and act as liaison between fisheries biologists and political figureheads. The days were long and mentally draining, but there was good work being done. 

Barring the Timbo Horton coffee (he preferred dark walleye roast), and his Canadian assistants’ never-ending ability to rip darts, all was well in his world. This was cutting edge discovery, experimenting with mutations.

Rusty attempted to steady himself over the 4’ X 2’ chainsaw opening below the floor of the fish house.  It was cold enough in the shack to see your breath, as beads of sweat dripped into his reflection on the water. 

Sally stood by with a Glock G43X at the ready and pulse in check. She was a “gamer” slowly shifting weight back and forth anticipating action. The proverbial moment of truth had arrived for this avenging couple.

Without warning, the cork danced to the right side of the water filled rectangle and vanished below the surface!

–To be continued–