The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 41: Principal, Principles

Part 2/3

Loki, respecting Mr. Mo’s wishes, snapped his fingers at Monarch.

“Go to the pens,” Loki ordered. Monarch wordlessly took off into the sky and began to fly over to a few pens made of wood.

With that, Loki began to run after Mr. Mo.

“Hold on now, slow down for me will ‘ya?”

Mr. Mo turned around and flashed Loki a grin, he walked back and gave him a professional noogie.

“Ahh you little bugger, I’m never gonna leave you behind. That’s a promise. Or maybe you’re just too slow.”

The two walked together to the compound, and as they opened the double doors, they were greeted with the smell of burnt wood and chalky nothingness. It was surprisingly clean inside the facility, and blue banners were hung along the side of the wall. Tables were lined up along the walls, with mortars and pestles and anvils and smithies for creating weaponry and dinosaur saddles. A man wearing a white lab coat and wearing safety goggles was snoozing on a chair, his snores carrying out throughout the entire building like a Tyrannosaurus. He was resting his head on the table. A jar of water laid untouched on the table.

“Oh gosh, Dr. Aston’s fallen asleep,” Mr. Mo whispered.

“Should we wake him up?” Loki asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No. No, let’s let him get his rest,” Mr. Mo replied.

The two walked into Mr. Mo’s office, and Mr. Mo took a seat at his desk, Loki taking a seat on the chair opposite of him. Loki’s eyes darted around the office. There was a map of the snowy tundra on the wall behind Mr. Mo, a few wooden crates that were stacked up in the corner of the room, and a small notepad on Mr. Mo’s desk that had a leather bind. A small, old pen lay dormant on the desk.

“So why don’t you go first,” Mr. Mo said, blinking his right eye, “Anything ya’ found on the scouting mission?”

Loki seemed hesitant to tell him. Hesitant to tell him what he did to that group of travelers. The ones investigating the green Obelisk. He felt his hands get clammy, and decided against it.

“I-I did find something,” Loki admitted, “North of the Redwood Forests. A duo were taming a Tyrannosaurus. They seemed like they knew what they were doing. Probably Knowers.”

A frown grew on Mr. Mo’s face. He cursed under his breath.

“Damn you father,” Mr. Mo muttered, “Can’t keep your bloody book away from the public.”

“What does that mean?” Loki wondered.

Mr. Mo sat there, clenching both of his fists, and furrowing his eyebrows. Loki began to scoot away in his chair, until finally half a minute later Mr. Mo’s face relaxed.

“Well. That’s not good, if they’re taming a Tyrannosaurus,” Mr. Mo declared, all anger on his face washed away, “We’re going to have to… take care of them.”

“What?!” Loki cried, “But we-”

Mr. Mo raised an eyebrow at him, and Loki slunk back in his seat. His hand reaching for his pouch and running his fingers along it for comfort.

“Loki, you know they’re dangerous. Too dangerous. It’s best we don’t take risks,” Mr. Mo replied, “People become violent and savage when they are left to their own devices. They could tear through our settlement with a Tyrannosaurus- Loki, it’s just for the best. Now I don’t expect you to finish the job yourself. I’ll ask someone else to do it, okay?”

“Yeah but, they did nothing wrong!” Loki argued, slamming his fist on the table, “And you know those knock offs won’t bother with it! It’s either you or me and-”

Suddenly, Loki’s eyes widened, as he realized what he said. Did nothing wrong? Didn’t he blow up a group of seven just then with a grenade even though they did nothing wrong? What the hell was he thinking saying all of that when he couldn’t even follow his OWN morals?!

Loki blinked a few times, rubbing his sparkling green eyes, and then brushing his hair back with his hand.

“I’m sorry,” Loki apologized.

“No, no, it’s okay Loki, really!” Mr. Mo reassured him, “It’s hard on you as it is being transported here. Let alone kill another human being. Let’s just move onto what I’ve found, alright?”

Loki nodded regretfully.

“Okay.”

“Okay!” Mr. Mo grinned. He adjusted his chair and then pointed at the map behind him. He picked up his pen and circled two places on the map. One was really close, they’d only have to travel east a few hundred meters. The other was a little farther up north on the coast of the tundra.