Dog Days of Summer.v1 (Bill, Leslie, Mike, Bryn, Jan)

August 9th, 1986: The last days of summer are here. School starts back up in two weeks and there is little respite from the long, hot days. Kids all over Boulder City swarm the arcade, the movie theater, and the beach in a desperate attempt to stay cool. After a wild time at summer camp, the kids look forward to a calm, relaxing break before the drudgery of school begins. Strange rumors of aggressive animal attacks are going around town, but it's probably nothing. 

Jimmy, 14yo Hick (Bill) “Ouch! Hot, hot!” Jimmy asked Mr. Billy Parson for gloves so he could search the junkyard. “Metal is too hot to handle, and I want to find handlebars and other parts to trick out Tommy’s bike. He’s the newest kid in the school.” With Billy helping for a worthy cause, they had the parts in no time. “It’s going to be one rad bike. Everyone will be jealous.” As Jimmy stacked the parts in the basket of his dirt bike, a shadow crossed him.  Billy also looked up, “It’s that dang Goshawk. Been circling for weeks attacking other birds and even my dog. I even heard it attacked two of your friends out at the beach area. I’ve tried to catch it but it’s too dang smart.” Jimmy rode to Tommy’s house to deliver the parts and upgrade the bike. Along the way he puzzled, “I’m always seeing the smaller birds attack the bigger ones. I wonder if it is nesting near the junkyard. But why attack someone way out at the beach?”

Lisa, 13yo Bookworm (Leslie) Lisa entered the video store and began scouring the newest labels. She cut to the chase and asked the owner, “Hey Ann. Got anything new?” As Ann came over to point them out, she suggested instead the movie ‘Aliens’.  “I wish, but it’s rated ‘R’. I’d need an adult.” Ann offered her services, “Get your friends to come along.” Lisa excited, already planning to dress Goth for the movie. As she left the store, she saw kids gathered across the street, poking at 5 dead birds. Lisa shooed them away, “Don’t you know they carry diseases.” Once the kids scattered, Lisa picked one up and put it in a box to take to her favorite science teacher.

Johnny, 13yo Rocker (Mike) Johnny enjoyed the peace and quiet on the reservation with his grandparents. Meditations, songs, stories, traditions. But now, back home in the city… the noise, hustle, distractions. But traditions too, such as his skill playing the arcades. Galactica his favorite. Except Darrel had posted the high score during Johnny’s absence. “Did you hear? Darrel’s in the hospital. Attacked by wild animals out near Hover Dam! Tore him up; he might not recover to be able to play ball this year. Crazy man, just crazy.”

Jack, 14yo Weirdo (Bryn) Jack flipped thru the pages of his AD&D book adding final touches to his new Rogue character. He too going thru a Goth phase with black-painted fingernails and the left-side of his head shaved. He rushed to the ‘Talking Leaves’ bookstore where they gamed and settled at the table excited to show Lisa (current GM) his latest bad-ass character. But his interest distracted when the radio blared news, “A body has been found near Boulder Beach. Apparently attacked by wild animals. The beach is closed till further notice as there are additional reports of others with injuries being treated at the hospital.”

Tommy, 11yo Weirdo (Jan) Tommy hung wet towels in his attic to create moisture for his bug collection, living and dead. Butterflies and beetles pinned to the walls while small cages held lizards, and moles. With a wet T-shirt wrapped around his head to fend off the sweltering heat, Tommy went searching for more. 3-4 birds swooped down trying to grab food from his hand. He set a trap and caught one. Looking the pigeon over, he noticed a small scar on its head. “Strange. Who’d operate on a bird? I wonder if my ornithologist friend, Mr. Boyd might want to see it?” He placed it in a paper bag (holes this time) for safe transport.

Next Morning: As planned, they gathered at the bookstore. “So, did you have any problems sneaking back into your house after watching ‘Aliens’ last night? That Sigourney is one kick-ass… sorry Tommy. I meant kick-butt. Anyway, ready to go check in on Darrel and Jenny?” Jack asked Lisa, “Jenny? Oh yeah, your summer-camp rowing partner. She was attacked too?” Tommy wondered, “I thought you said Darrel was one of the school bullies?” Johnny corrected, “Was. Till we saved his butt from the dinosaur last year. He owes us now. Some crazy woman created a time-portal gateway that let dinosaurs step into our world.” Jimmy saw Tommy’s skepticism, “You’ll have to ask Rod to show you the picture of him riding ‘Stella’, the Stegosaurus. And I can show you my velociraptor claw.”

At the hospital, the nurse lectured them about “only 20-minute visitation if not family.” At the elevator, Jack mused, “They run this hospital like a prison, keeping people on a clock. Maybe we should help them bust out.” All gasped when they entered Jenny’s room. She looked like a mummy with bandages on her arm and face. “Does it hurt? What happened?” Jenny explained, “We were tubing on Lake Mead when this swarm of birds dove on me and my sister. I was able to shift her under me for protection." Lisa consoled, "Thank goodness you were able to hold onto the tube. God forbid if you let go!” Jack prodded, “Were you carrying food? Any shiny jewelry? Did they have red eyes?” Jenny continued, “They were seagulls. Basic, everyday seagulls. And no, we didn’t have food or sparklies to attract them. Dad drove the boat faster to get us away.”

Darrel looked in worse condition, but he maintained his gruff persona, “What cha looking at?! Come to mock me? Call me bird-brained?” They pushed into the room ignoring his rebuff of their good intentions. Well, except for Jack who poked at his arm, “This hurt?” 

Darrel cringed, “Family up touring the dam when a swarm of birds attacked. I protected mom and sis while dad fought them off. Seagulls? No, they were blackbirds. No, not crows. Those diving water birds. Yeah, Cormorants.” They fumbled for words to say goodbye, “Well, wear a helmet next time or we WILL call you bird-brain.”

Leaving the hospital, they divided up. Lisa and Jack to check in on the science teacher, while the others rode bikes to Tommy’s bird friend. “Dr. Boyd. Isn’t he the crazed hermit who tried to jump off a cliff with fake wings? Isn’t that from Greek mythology… Icarus who flew too close to the sun?” Johnny and Jimmy snickered till Tommy gave them the stink-eye, “He’s my friend, so be nice. He’s an expert on birds.”

1pm: Lisa and Jack walked the empty school halls enroute to the science class. Where they found Ms Thompson examining the bird Lisa had dropped off. “Come in, come in. Just in time. This is a bluejay. You can see by these large holes in its wings and body that it was attacked by a larger bird. You say there were 5 dead birds on the curb? Strange. Usually, predatory birds attack and carry off their prey to feed their young. They don’t just kill and leave.” Lisa questioned, “Maybe the bluejay tasted bad, say with pesticides. Or the killer bird is in mating season. We can radio our friends who are visiting with an ornithologist.” Jack asked, “Do you happen to have a motion scanner? You know, something that would warn of birds approaching. You know, like they had in that movie ‘Aliens’. No? I guess we could stop at Radio-Shack and see if they have any.”

Meanwhile, Tommy led Jimmy and Johnny to his grandmother’s house, “I need to grab the bird I captured first.” His grandmother excited to see Tommy already making friends. Jimmy asked, “Mind if I borrow a bowl? And do you have any pringle tubes?” Jimmy proceeded to punch out the tube ends and slide the tubes up his arm while donning the bowl. “My version of armor.” They climbed the stairs to the attic and paused when they heard fluttering and something talking. “Get out. Gotta get out. Food. Escape. Nest.” They cautiously opened the door… and realized it the caged bird talking. Johnny excited, “Cool. I want an animal language translator. Hey little guy, want a peanut?” The bird replied, “Food. Food. Escape. Nest. Shiny.” Jimmy edged closer as he pulled out his dog-whistle, “Just a theory… see if it reacts. Maybe I can use my whistle as defense to drive it away.” Although the whistle silent, the bird did react. Tommy interceded, “Enough. Don’t hurt Frank. Let’s take him to Mr. Boyd.”

Mr. Boyd’s house was in a residential area near the Foxtrot Gate, at the end of a lone street. The 2-story house surrounded by a tall chain fence (locked) that protected the overgrown garden. Brown landscape… not so much dead grass but the excrement of the hundreds of birds. The stench overwhelming. Bird houses and feeders everywhere; even perches on the roof. They spotted movement on the 2^nd floor. A man in a bathrobe swatting, running, screaming. “The birds are attacking him!”

Jimmy leaned his bike against the fence and climbed, then jumped into the bird-poo yard, and ran to the front door, “I’m coming Mr. Boyd!” Tommy, who was a friend of Boyd, knew the lock combination. He let the others in. Alfred Boyd met they at the front door, covered in pecks and scratches. “The birds! It’s the end.” Alfred turned to face the lone little parakeet that fluttered about, “I’m watching you, Susan. Don’t even… the birds. They are getting together, plotting, just waiting for me to fall asleep.” Everyone noticed the other birds tranquil. Even Susan wasn’t menacing… just following her owner who usually played with her. So, the stories of the hermit man crazed were true.

Johnny stuck out his finger to let Susan land. As he found seed to feed her, Tommy opened his box to show Alfred the captured pigeon. “Look at the small incision on its head. Someone put a microchip in it and the bird can talk. Say something Frank… peanut?” “Food, nest.” Alfred forgot about Susan and focused on Frank, “So, Dixon IS continuing his work. He tried to enlist my help at the Loop, but I refused. When I heard he left the Loop, I forgot all about his project. Yesterday I was doing field work at the beach when a swarm of Cormorants attacked. Dixon must be training them to get revenge against me!” Alfred lurched back from Frank, “This must be one of his spies! To report back on my movements. There is a whole flock of pigeons nesting on Boulder Island. Dixon is creating an army… an air force!! Pigeon spies, cormorant dive bombers, finch snipers. Different roles for different species.”

Jack was the first to ask, “How do we stop them? Stop him? Would a magnet have effect?” Jimmy scrounged in the kitchen and returned with a roll of tinfoil to first craft helmets for he and Alfred (to appease the crazed man). He then wrapped Frank’s cage with the foil, “Maybe he’s getting radio-signal commands.” Sure enough, once covered, Frank no longer responded to questions. After removing the foil, Jimmy pulled out his walkie-talkie, “Maybe if we can find the frequency, we can block the signal.” As he slowly twisted the dial, “Found it! FM103.6. Frank doesn’t respond. Now we can use our radios as defense.”

They turned to find Alfred covering more of his body in tinfoil, “Joseph Dixon was a neurologist working at the Loop. He called me months ago about a project to train birds. When I came into his office and saw what he was actually doing, I refused to help. He quit talking. I think I have his home address… just a minute.” With all the clutter and chaos in the house, the search could last hours. But Alfred returned in less than a minute. Before leaving, Johnny asked, “Mind if I keep Susan? I promise to take care of her.” Alfred was relieved to see the attack bird gone.

4pm: They dodged the rush-hour traffic of people returning home from work. Dixon’s house was in a residential area near the Loop Cooling Towers. No antenna in his yard and no car in the driveway. As the other kids studied the house for movement, Jimmy approached a neighbor’s house. He was barely on the porch when the door opened and a woman stepped forth, “What are you kids up to?! Mr. Dixon’s been gone for weeks. Yet I saw another little girl at his door and sneaking around. Don’t you be egging our neighborhood.” Jimmy tried to make an excuse to Mrs. Gladys Kravitz, “No mam. I was just looking for Mr. Dixon cause he is suppose to help me with my summer school project. He must have forgot about it. Thanks for your time.”

Jimmy radioed the others, “Danger. We got a busy-body snoop neighbor. Dixon hasn’t been home for weeks. I’ll distract her so you can sneak in.” As Jimmy stood on the sidewalk slowing donning his bowl helmet and pringle armbands, Tommy snuck around back and found an unlocked sliding patio door. He radioed the others. Barely inside the house when they heard barking then saw a small dog hobbling down the stairs. Jack was bending down to offer food and quiet the dog, when they heard shuffling from the kitchen. And saw a girl in the doorway threatening with a knife. Scared. “What are you doing in my uncle’s house?!” Jack talked her into putting the knife down. Stacey explained, “I ran away from home in Las Vegas. See what my stepdad did to Ham (her dachshund)? I knew my uncle would understand and take me in. What do you want here? His bird project? What’s so threatening about his study to get birds to respond to light signals and peck for food? You can look around, just don’t take anything.”

Throughout the Livingroom, they found multiple pictures of famous scientists:  Einstein, Verner Von Braun, Tesla, Edison. But current pictures too with himself included… in the background of a woman center-stage… as if he photo-bombing. Johnny was the first to react, “Holy crap! That’s Diane Peterson. The dinosaur woman who created the time-portal gateway!” Lisa understood, “The man obviously idolizes her. Look at all her pictures throughout the house. Maybe Dixon is trying to seek revenge for her capture and interment?”

But that theory fell to pieces when they found Dixon’s journal upstairs. “His October 1985 entry supports Lisa’s comments about his infatuation with Diane. And his January 1986 entry mentions his bird work. Starting with parakeets, mapping their neural pathways and ventricular dorsal ridge to allow communication. But his May entry… Diane contacted him! I thought she was in lockup?! What is she doing free? She’s asking for Dixon’s help on her new project. He must have peed his pants with excitement SHE called HIM. He’s joined her at someplace called IEX-4Z32.”

Lisa recognized the number as an ID number. She turned on Dixon’s computer and began to search. “Found it! It’s the identity for a specific magnetrine cargo ship. Records show it was used to transport ore in northern Russia before it was sold as scrap. Bingo! You won’t believe this! OUR Sentinel Island just happens to be a ship graveyard where IEX-4Z32 is probably rusting away.”

Jack put his hand on Stacey’s shoulder, “I don’t know how to sugarcoat this… your uncle is connected to all the bird attacks around town. Someone has been killed, others hospitalized. He must be stopped. Are you willing to help us?” At first Stacey stammered, “But he was just training birds… getting them to peck at flashing lights.” Pause before, “Yes, I want to be there when you confront him. Hear his side of the story.”

Now it was Jimmy’s turn to freak out, “Holy crap guys! Diane’s time-portal equipment was removed from the barn. What if she got ahold of it and moved it to the cargo ship? Remember that Pterodactyl that sat on the hut she hid in inside the gateway? Maybe she’s plotting her own sick revenge. Open the portal and chip the Pterodactyl to do her bidding. Send it to attack the Loop and all who thwarted her plans. US!”

Sentinel Island: how to get there? By ferry? They don’t service the islands. By private boat? “Lisa, do you think you can get Jenny’s dad to take us there?” Jimmy chimed in, “What about the Loop’s underwater transport tunnels? I remember seeing a map with service lines to the islands.” The plan settled, “OK, we go home and gather supplies. We’ll leave around dusk and meetup at the Boulder Beach Campground where there are entrances to the tunnels.”

6:30pm: Johnny and Tommy rode together since they lived close to each other. As they stopped at the intersection to go separate ways, Tommy spotted 5 gulls circling overhead. He immediately scanned for trees and a possible escape route. Johnny called out, “Use your walkie-talkie. FM103.6.” Sure enough, 3 of the birds scattered. But the other 2 swooped down and got in a few pecks till Johnny cranked the volume louder. “Phew, that was a close one. You OK?”

Jimmy checked in with Alvin, “Did you get the bird microchip from Miss Thompson? What have you and your dad found? It elevates their intelligence? And you pinpointed the radio signal coming from the Lake Meade area? Thanks, we owe you. Hope you get over the measles soon, we could use you.” From their walkie-talkie chatter, Lisa stopped by Radio-Shack and picked up signal boosters.

8pm: They gathered at the campground and found an access hatch to the transport tunnels. Big enough to lower their bikes. Even wide enough for Jack to climb down in his armor suit. “Got the idea from my AD&D books. Trashcan lid as my shield. I figure I’m Armor-Class 6 which means the birds need a THAC0 of 8 or better to hit me.” Tommy chuckled, “I don’t think the birds will play by the rules.” Johnny interrupted their off-track comments, “Don’t want to use the Loop railcars… might light up on a board back at the Loop facility.” 2-mile ride thru the tunnel to Sentinel Island… not that big a deal. It was 5 miles just to get to the hatch. Leaving their bikes inside the tunnel, they climbed out the island hatch and immediately heard the birds first. Then saw them silhouetted against the moonlit sky.

Sunset and dark. Except for the one ship lit-up. “Bingo! Gotta be IEX-4Z32. And look, there’s an antenna next to it.” As they snuck closer to the ship, Jack’s trashcan lid came in handing hiding Jimmy’s failed movement. They stood at the base of the towering ship grounded on the shore. They puzzled, “Why is that metal beam set across that entry hatch? As if preventing someone or something from getting out.” Jimmy’s mind was already racing to thoughts of a charging T-Rex. They leaned in to listen at the hatch-door… someone talking and birds squawking. “Single human voice. Could be Dixon. Stacey, come listen.” Yes, it was her uncle.

All good plans: Jimmy disappeared and soon returned with a fire-axe, “I’ll cut the antenna wire so Diane and Dixon can’t control the birds. You guys climb and enter from above. If you get in trouble, call. Give a ‘Caa-Caw’ and I’ll start clanging on the side of the tower legs to draw their attention. Good luck.”

Fortune there was a service ladder attached to the side of the ship. Johnny climbed, wary of Lisa’s warning, “Don’t drop let metal hit the side of the ship and sound alarm.” Once on deck, Johnny saw a HUGE open cargo hatch. He peered inside and saw a mechanical contraption with octopus-like arms swinging in a choreographed sequence. A few gentling gasping a bird, while another picked up a tiny microchip, while another wielding a scalpel cut a small incision, the chip inserted, and another arm glued the cut closed before the bird was released.

And that’s when Johnny realized the others beside him. Lisa scolded, “We waited for you to throw down a rope to help us climb.” But she quickly silenced as she too gazed at the machine. No one around the machine. “We heard Dixon below. Where’s Diane? Careful.” They quietly climbed down another ladder into the cargo hold and stared in wonder at the machine. It’s arms moving to avoid them if they got in the way. “Now what?” They pondered their next move, when suddenly, the machine powered down. Lisa stood to its side holding up the power cord she had unplugged.

And that’s when they heard stomping coming up an internal stairwell. “Hide!” Lisa floundered for a good hiding place, till Jack and Tommy pulled her into their hidie-hole. Dixon rounded the corner, found the plug, and began screaming, “Who did this?! Show yourself!” And that’s when Stacey stepped forward, “Uncle, what have you done?” One by one, the other kids stepped into the light. Jack tried to reason with him, “There are kids hurt, a man dead, because of your birds.” But Dixon wasn’t concerned, “So? Sacrifices for the advancement of science.” Lisa implored, “That kid in the hospital could have been your granddaughter! Or Diane. Where is she? To talk with parakeets is one thing, but this… THIS is extreme.”

Dixon crumpled, a broken man, “She left me. Months ago when our efforts failed. She called me pathetic. A fool, an idiot.” But then Dixon found new focus, “But look what I’ve achieved in her absence. Yes, show her! She’ll see my brilliance and come back to my side.” With that, he pulled out a handheld device and began pushing buttons.

Lights flashed; shadows danced across the walls of the hold as great flocks of birds swarmed to the cargo-hatch opening above. Jack was quickly enveloped by a swarm of birds.

CLIMAX

Lisa called out, “Use the shield, Jack. The shield is strong.”

Tommy keyed the microphone, “Caa-Caw! Peep-Peep! Jimmy, we need help!”

Lisa turned on her walkie-talkie with the added signal-booster and cranked up the volume. A distraction while she tried to figure out how to shut down Dixon’s control device.

Johnny pulled out his Infinite Aux robot and used it to boost the radio signal as he too tried to distract the birds.

Jack tried desperately to reason with Dixon, “You’ve gone too far. Go home. Look after your family. Stacey needs you. Her stepfather is mean.”

At the tower, Jimmy used the axe to cut the cable shielding so he could then cut specific wires. The broadcast control signals stopped. Jimmy them spliced his walkie-talkie to the cut wires to transmit his own FM103.6 signal.

The birds stopped attacking and quickly rose out of the cargo hold, never to be seen again. Well, at least not attacking on command. Predators still did their hunting, finches their singing, pigeons their statue pooping, and seagulls swooping overhead waiting for thrown breadcrumbs.

Dixon collapsed, defeated. Stacey rushed to his side and put her arms around him. She ignored his body-stench from not bathing for months. She didn’t care, she had her loving uncle back.

CLOSING SCENES

Lisa returned to the hospital to check in on Jenny. “I can’t wait for you to get out of this prison. We have movies to cram in before school starts. Top Gun, Farris Bueler’s Day Off.” Jenny added, “Pretty in Pink.” Lisa added, “I’ll let you borrow my AD&D books to create a new character. I want to cram in as much gaming as we can. Jack has drafted a rogue. Maybe you can create a wizard with a fly spell. And you can go ‘pigeon’ on the foe.” Jenny corrected, “it was a seagull.”

Jack found a suitable home for the parakeet, Susan. Stacey and Joseph Dixon. Maybe Susan could be a stand-in for Diane.

Jimmy scrounged thru his footlocker and retrieved his raptor-claw necklace. His reminder to not trust authority. To think they let Diane escape or just freed her. He then rode to Alvin’s house to check up on his programming of their robot MOTO. “So, any new features? PLEASE don’t tell me he can fly. Cause I got a flying story for you.” Alvin countered, “I’ll listen to your lame story if you promise to join me at the movie theater. I hear they are showing Short Circuit. From the posters, he looks exactly like our MOTO.”

Tommy lugged his box of parts up into his attic. For the next 2 weeks, he sequestered himself as he tinkered to recreate the chip circuitry implant. Using a monocular eyepiece, he first began on an insect but cutting thru its carapace proved difficult. He moved on to a blind mole. Successful implant, now he just needed to tweak the control box for inputs. Surely he’d have this mole running circles around the attic. 

He began thinking grander plans, "I wonder what it would be like to have a talking dog?"

Johnny stood in the hospital room doorway. Darrel finally looked up, “Sorry I was a jerk earlier. Nobody else stopped in to see me. Not even my groupies Randy or Joey. Thanks for checking in on me. If anyone tries to give you grief… just send them my way. I’ll deal with them.” But Johnny nixed that offer, “Hey man, I just wanted to see if you are all right. I don’t need protection. And you don’t need to bully anyone. Just be yourself. Heck, you can even join us at the bookstore to play some AD&D.” Darrel laughed, “OK, I appreciate your concern. I’ll try to tone down my toughness. But I AIN’T playing any dumb boardgame. But I will join your gang at the movies. The theater makes great pizza and I hear there is a new movie out, Short Circuit. I hear it stars Jimmy’s and Alvin’s robot.”