Chapter 17 Where The Dungeons Are 2

"What is this?" The officer asked but no one answered.  He looked back at Dr. Zack watching him.

"I asked a question deputy." He said.

"Looks like camera equipment." Dr. Zack answered, seriously.

"And a lot of it.  You know we are in a basement." He said.

"A basement full of dead bodies. Did you forget that?" The officer asked.

"How could anyone?" Dr. Zack said, covering his nose.

The officer fumbled through the camera equipment looking for anything to help solve the mystery of the roomful of victims.

"Didn't you say you have a photographer working with you?" The cop asked.

"Yes."

"Is this him?" The officer lifted a photo of a well dressed young man holding a plaque that read:  Photographer Of The Year.

Doctor Zack looked at the picture, the light of the basement making it difficult to see the face.

"That's him." Dr. Zack said, shocked by the discovery. "That's Damien. The company photographer for Lucky Rival's beast hunter company."

"Look at this." The cop said.

Tons of photographs filled boxes.  The people in the photos appeared lifeless.

"What is he, a coroner?" The cop asked suggestively.

"I don't know what he does on his down time but it sure doesn't look good." Dr. Zack said, examining the discovery.

"You're right." The cop replied.

"I think—" he began.

"I think now is the time to call for back up." Dr. Zack said.

"Uh, yeah. And we'll check out everything else later."

"No thanks. I've seen enough."

"Wait." The cop commanded.

"Call the squad and wait for them." Dr. Zack urged. "Let them know what you found. I have to catch Lucky and let him know to watch out. This is not the work of a person.  It's wolfish, you know." Dr. Zack said, heading towards the elevator.

"No." The cop answered, covering his nose making an attempt to not take in the smell of decomposing flesh.

"An animal did this." Dr. Zack said as he went inside the elevator facing the officer mixed in with the gruesome scene. "No. A cryptid did this. A bad one." Dr. Zack said, pressing the one button. "Don't forget to use your radio!" He yelled into the basement as the elevator doors began to shut. "I quit!"

And the elevator doors closed quietly, shutting out the bewildered officer.