Robin Cook: Chromosome 6

“You sit down!” Melanie said sternly. “At the moment, it’s a private party.”

Jack sat.

Kevin got out his flashlight and joined Melanie on the dock. “We’ll work very quickly,” he promised.

The first line of business was the bridge. Without it, the plan would fail no matter what the response was from the animals. Kevin put in the key. As he turned it on and pressed the green button, he held his breath. Almost immediately he heard the whine of a battery-driven electric motor from the mainland side. Then in slow motion the telescoping bridge extended across the dark river to make contact with the cement stanchion on the island.

Kevin climbed up on it to make sure it was solidly seated. He tried to shake it but it was rigidly in place. Satisfied, he got down, and he and Melanie hiked in the direction of the forest. They couldn’t see the cages because of the darkness of the shadows, but they knew where they were.

“Do you have any plan or are we just going to let them all out en masse?” Melanie asked as they walked across the field. Kevin had the flashlight on so they could see where they were stepping.

“The only idea that came to my mind was to find my double, bonobo number one,” Kevin said. “Unlike me, he’s a leader. If I can make him understand, maybe he’ll take the others.” Kevin shrugged. “Can you think of a better idea?”

“Not at the moment,” Melanie said.

The cages were all lined up in a long row. The smell was rank since some of the animals had been in their tiny prisons for more than twenty-four hours. As Kevin and Melanie walked along, Kevin shined the light in each enclosure. The animals awoke immediately. Some backed against the rear wall, trying to shield themselves from the glare. Others stood their ground obstinately, their eyes flashing red.

“How are you going to recognize him?” Melanie asked.

“I wish I could count on seeing my watch,” Kevin said. “But the chances of that are slim. I suppose it’s up to recognizing that awful scar he has.”

“It’s rather ironic that he and Siegfried have almost the same scar,” Melanie said.

“Don’t even mention that man’s name,” Kevin said. “My gosh, look!” The light illuminated bonobo number one’s frightfully scarred face. He stared back defiantly.

“It’s him,” Melanie cried.

“Bada,” Kevin said. He patted his chest as the bonobo females had done when he, Melanie, and Candace had first been brought to the cave.

Bonobo number one tilted his head and the skin between his eye furrowed.

“Bada,” Kevin repeated.

Slowly, the bonobo raised his hand and patted his chest. Then he said “bada” as clearly as Kevin had.

Kevin looked at Melanie. They were both shocked. Although they had tentatively conversed with Arthur, it had been in such a different context, they’d never been entirely sure they were actually communicating. This was different.

“Atah,” Kevin said. It was a word they’d heard frequently starting from the moment bonobo number one had yelled it when they’d first encountered him. They thought it meant “come.”

Bonobo number one didn’t respond.

Kevin repeated the word then looked at Melanie. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“Neither do I,” Melanie said. “Let’s go for it and open the door. Maybe he’ll respond then. I mean it is hard for him to ‘come’ when he’s locked up.”

“Good point,” Jack said. He stepped around Melanie to reach back along the right side of the cage. With trepidation, Kevin released the latch and opened the door.

Kevin and Melanie stepped back. Kevin directed the flashlight toward the ground rather than shine it in the animal’s face. Bonobo number one emerged slowly and stood up to his full height. He looked to his left and then to his right before redirecting his attention at the two humans.

“Atah,” Kevin said again while backing up. Melanie stayed in step.

Bonobo number one started forward, stretching as he walked like an athlete warming up.

Kevin turned his body around so he could walk easier. He repeated “atah” several more times. The animal’s facial expression didn’t change as he followed.

Kevin led to the bridge and climbed up on it. He again repeated “atah.”

Bonobo number one hesitantly climbed onto the concrete stanchion. Kevin backed up until he was standing in the middle of the span. The bonobo came out onto the bridge warily. He glanced frequently from side to side.

Kevin then tried something they’d not tested on Arthur. Kevin strung bonobo words together. He used “sta,” from the episode when bonobo number one tried to give the dead monkey to Candace. He used “zit,” which bonobo number one had used to get them to go to the cave. And finally he used “arak,” which they were quite sure meant “away.”

“Sta zit arak,” Kevin said. He opened his fingers and swept his hand away from his chest, the gesture that Candace had described in the operating room. Kevin hoped his amalgamated sentence said: “You go away.”

After repeating the phrase once again, Kevin pointed to the northeast in the direction of the limitless rain forest.

Bonobo number one rose up on the balls of his feet and looked over Kevin’s shoulder at the dark wall of mainland jungle. He then looked back in the direction of the cages. Spreading his arms he vocalized a series of sounds Kevin and Melanie had not heard, or at least not associated with any specific activity.

“What’s he doing?” Kevin asked. At that point the animal was facing away from him.

“I could be wrong,” Melanie said, “but I think he’s making reference to his people.”

“My god!” Kevin said. “I think he might have understood my meaning. Let’s let more of the animals out.”

Kevin walked forward. The bonobo sensed his movement and turned to face him. Kevin hesitated. The bridge was about ten feet wide, and Kevin was concerned about coming too close. He remembered all too well how easy it had been for the bonobo to pick him up and throw him like a rag doll.

Kevin stared into the animal’s face to try to see any emotion, but he couldn’t. All he got was a repeat of the uncanny sensation that he was looking into an evolutionary mirror.

“What’s the matter?” Melanie asked.

“He’s scary,” Kevin admitted. “I don’t know whether to pass him or not.”

“Please, not another Mexican standoff,” Melanie said. “We don’t have much time.”

“Okay,” Kevin said. He took a breath and inched around the animal while teetering on the edge. The bonobo watched him but didn’t move.

“This is so nerve wracking!” Kevin complained when he climbed down from the bridge.

“Do we want him to stay here?” Melanie asked.

Kevin scratched his head. “I don’t know. He might be a lure to get the others over here, but then again, maybe he should come back with us.”

“Why don’t we just start walking?” Melanie said. “We’ll let him decide.”

Melanie and Kevin set out for the animal cages. They were pleased when bonobo number one immediately climbed from the bridge and followed.

They walked quickly, conscious that Candace and the other people were waiting. When they got to the cages they didn’t hesitate. Kevin opened the door on the first cage while Melanie did the second.

The animals emerged quickly and immediately exchanged words with bonobo number one. Kevin and Melanie went to the next two cages.

Within only a few minutes, there was a dozen animals milling about, vocalizing and stretching.

“It’s working,” Kevin said. “I’m sure of it. If they were just going to run off in the forest here on the island, they would have already done so. I think they all know they have to leave.”