The Phoenix Zoo was only a fraction of what it had been. But it survived when many others had not. Neither private nor public.
It was much smaller now, with more than half of its grounds closed. Comprised now of the main entrance and several habitats, with just two of its original four trails still operational. And less than half of its animal residents. A testament to the efforts of the still-operational Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary in their undying struggle to keep things running, no matter what.
The earth-toned entrance with a slatted overhead roof was where Dr. Samantha Reed greeted them, dressed in the zoo’s old zebra-striped vests.
“Thank you for coming,” she said to Rachel, her face somber. “But I’m afraid I don’t have very good news.” Intertwining her fingers, she lowered her hands. “I’m sorry to say we’ve lost them.”
Rachel’s heart sank. She was losing what little optimism she still had. Not just for her animals but for the man standing behind her. His whole body was now shuddering.
After everything they had gone through. Everything they’d managed to ensure. Was it all for nothing?
She could feel the hopelessness welling inside of her. That it was now all for naught. She stood there, wavering, in silence.
Until she felt a hand on her shoulder. And John Reiff leaning in to whisper, “It’s okay, Rachel.”
No, it wasn’t! A surge of emotion suddenly rose within her. Of anger and defiance. “Where are they?”
Dr. Reed was taken aback by the force of her question, but quickly motioned them forward. “Come with me.”
She led them to one of their smaller facilities. A room not more than a few hundred square feet, where rows of metal counters and shelves lined one wall, filled with supplies, and in the middle, two three-foot-by-six-foot chrome-colored examination tables positioned side by side. Along the far wall were several metal cages. All empty except three.
Rachel continued to the cages, staring at the lifeless animals inside. First at Lester, the Duroc pig. And then Otis, the chimpanzee. And finally Bella. The small white Chihuahua-terrier she had come to love. Jumping up and down every morning when she saw Rachel. Now lying rigid and unmoving.
Tears formed in Rachel’s eyes as she opened the clasped door and reached inside, stroking Bella’s tiny head, before moving to her belly. Her body was colder than normal but gradually returning to room temperature.
Something occurred to her, and she looked around, checking the other cages, before turning to Dr. Reed. “Where’s the capuchin?”
The doctor sighed. “We don’t know.”
Rachel raised her eyebrows. “What?”
“We don’t know,” repeated Reed.
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“We’re still looking.”
“Looking?”
“Both primates were kept in different habitats. When we found the chimpanzee, the small capuchin had already escaped.”
Rachel suddenly stood up. “Escaped?”
Dr. Reed cleared her throat. “It managed to cut a hole through the netting.”
“How?”
“By sharpening a rock.”
Rachel stared at her, dumbfounded. “Sharpening a rock?”
Outside, Dr. Reed led them to the outdoor habitat, covered on all sides by a vast sage-green netting. Beneath it, one end of the habitat was sectioned off into a smaller area, where on the far side some of the netting appeared to be stitched back together with a black nylon cord.
“It was a surprise to us, too,” she said. “We’ve never seen anything like that before. But we’re sure he’s still on the premises. He was most likely looking for a quiet place to die. We’ll find him.”
Rachel thought for a moment. “On the phone, you said the capuchin wasn’t showing any signs yet.”
“He wasn’t. Not like the others. But it was just a matter of time.”
“Did you ever observe symptoms in him?”
“I’ll have to check. The rest succumbed very quickly, though. Within days, so…”
It was then that Rachel stared at Yamada. Then Waterman. And finally, Reiff.
Something in her gut told her Dallas was still alive.