Chapter 298 - Mike's Discovery and the Entomologist
Chapter 298 Mike’s Discovery and the Entomologist
Luke waited patiently and didn’t go in until Mike said he could.
Mike looked at him in surprise. “Why are you here?”
Luke said with a smile, “Can I sit down?” He pointed at a stool in the room.
Mike nodded.
Luke sat down and looked at Mike, who was slightly nervous. “I have a sister who’s in high school and a five-year-old brother too. He’s smart, just like you.”
Mike nodded and looked at him curiously.
Luke said, “Your sister Elizabeth and I are good friends. I’m here because she told me that you found something weird, and I’m very interested in it.”
Mike grew alarmed. “What is it?”
Instead of giving a straight answer, Luke simply said, “Do you know that I have an uncle who is an entomologist and a forensic scientist? His favorite snack is fried insects.”
Mike was shocked.
Looking at his face, Luke chuckled. “You know that you can like something in many different ways, and eating is one of them.”
Mike was lost for words.
Luke said, “So, can you show me your big discovery? If it’s interesting, I can have my uncle analyze it. He’s interested in unique insects.”
Mike still hesitated.
Luke said, “Hey, kid, your sister asked me to help you. You don’t want your mother to think you’re a liar, do you?”
Mike’s trust in his sister and his sense of disquiet finally outweighed his fear of this stranger. He rose and took something out from a drawer. “This is it.”
Luke narrowed his eyes and sniffed the object. “You also told your sister that you spotted a terrifying monster?”
As he asked the question, Luke examined the object in his hand.
Mike hesitated, but nodded again. “Yes. It’s too big. It’s like a moving cabin.”
Deep in thought, Luke asked, “Do you mind if I show this to my uncle?”
Mike: “Huh?”
Luke: “I’m going to take a picture of this and send it to him.”
Of course, Mike had no objections.
Elizabeth had told Luke that her brother loved insects. That was why Luke had used Old Greyson as a lure.
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After sending a picture of the object and a message to Old Greyson, Old Greyson soon called back. “What did you just send me? Is it a movie prop?” Luke: “No, I’m holding it right now. I’ve confirmed that it’s real.”
Old Greyson: “Where are you?”
Luke: “Boom Town, a small place in Arizona.”
Old Greyson: “Boom Town? Wait, I think I know someone who lives there.”
Luke: “Who is it?”
Old Greyson: “Joshua Taft. He specializes in spiders.”
Mike exclaimed, and Luke turned his head and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mike said, “I found this when I visited Joshua’s spider farm.”
After a brief silence, Old Greyson asked, “Are you with someone?”
Luke: “He’s the person who discovered this object. I got it from him just now.”
Old Greyson: “…Has something happened to Joshua?”
Luke looked at Mike.
The boy shook his head. “I don’t know. Mom hasn’t allowed me to go back to the spider farm after the recent incidents. I did try calling Joshua, but he didn’t pick up.” Luke: “Did you hear that, Greyson?” Old Greyson: “…Try to help him if you can, but don’t put yourself in danger. I don’t want Robert to scold me.”
Luke: “Got it. It’s rather tricky here. Two people are missing. Don’t come yourself, I’ll update you.” Old Greyson was silent for a moment, before he sighed and said, “Okay, be careful. Right, take a clearer picture of that object, preferably with a ruler next to it.”
Mike, however, interjected, “I have some analytical data on my computer. If you want, I can send them to you, Mr. Greyson, if you have an email address.”
Luke: “…”
Old Greyson: “…Okay, thank you. Right, what’s your name?”
Mike: “You can call me Mike.”
Old Greyson: “Thank you, Mike. I’ll send my email address to you. Goodbye.”
After ending the call, Luke gave Mike the email address which Old Greyson sent him. Then, Luke watched the little guy skillfully operate his computer and send out all the files.
Luke couldn’t help but ask, “Can I take a look at the files?”
Mike said, “As long as you don’t tell my mom.”
Luke raised three fingers and said, “I swear.”
Then, he lowered his head and examined the files on the computer.
A moment later, he said in surprise, “Did you gather all this yourself?”
Mike, however, didn’t seem proud of it. “Well, I like studying them, and I’ve been writing reports on them, but mom always says that the place is dangerous. I can’t go there often.”
Luke actually agreed with Samantha, since clearly, something had happened to Joshua.
As a mother and a police officer, Samantha was more focused on safety than her child was.
If not for his mother’s warning, this little boy might not be standing here now, whole and healthy.
A moment later, Luke frowned and asked, “How many spiders are there in Joshua’s spider farm?”
Mike thought for a moment before he shook his head. “I’m not sure. He often raises new spiders. But the last time I counted them, it was already over two hundred.”
Luke was lost for words, and wondered if this was a joke.
Looking at the model of a spider next to a human in the files, Luke was almost creeped out by the comparison of body size.
A spider the size of a basin was certainly frightening!
Arthropods, including but not limited to spiders, scorpions and centipedes, had always been Luke’s least favorite creatures.
When he thought that he might have to face some kind of massive spider, he felt distinctly ill.
But Luke didn’t have a choice.
He couldn’t call for backup, because he had nothing but the forearm of some prey hunted down by the spiders, which he had gotten from Mike.
If police officers could be mobilized based on speculation, all of them would have long died of exhaustion.
Luke thought for a moment and said, “Mike, your mother is right. Joshua’s spider farm can be really dangerous now. You’ve already seen a monster, right? So, listen to your mother and don’t go there.”
