Actions

Work Header

Chupacabra

Summary:

Death stalks the Smithsonian National Zoo, but the Team discovers more than they bargained for when they investigate.

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Notes:

I don't own any characters from the NCIS universe, darnit. I'm just borrowing them for a while. I make no money from this.

Chapter Text

Midnight at the Smithsonian National Zoo…

The muscular figure adjusted his mask and surveyed the scene below him. Spotting the security guard making his rounds, he became one with the top of the wall. The old guard walked past, stopping only for a moment when a stone rolled. The heavy-duty flashlight’s beam raked the top of the wall, but found nothing. The man frowned, but moved on down the sidewalk. When he was gone, two shadowy figures dropped off the wall and ran in the direction he had just vacated.

The scent of aerosol paint wafted across the park, and several of the animals grunted their displeasure, sensitive noses pointed at the sky. Elephants shifted their feet and snorted with disgust, while in another enclosure a coyote howled in protest.

The guard had learned long ago to listen to the animals’ movements. Jogging back down the sidewalk, he stopped at the coyotes’ station. His flashlight swept the ground inside, but found no intruder.

"What’s all the fuss about, Henric," he called softly. "Something wrong, or are you just singing tonight?"

The coyote winced at the sudden burst of light and shook himself. Hackles raised, he started pacing. The flashlight moved on, finally finding the fresh paint tags, and the guard cursed softly. Taking his radio from his belt, he pressed the ‘call’ switch.

"Base? Morgan. We have intruders in the park. Some local kids are decorating the place again."

"Copy that, Morgan. What’s your position?"

"Coyote pen."

"Backup is on the way. Sit tight."

"I copy." Morgan clipped his radio back onto his belt, and started searching his immediate area for the graffiti artists. His light found a spent can beside a bench, and he shook his head in disgust. He bent over to retrieve it, and so never saw the other can swinging at his head.

He woke up a few minutes later with his hands tied to a post behind him. Blood trickled down the back of his head. He looked around; his radio was across the sidewalk, and his flashlight lay beside him, extinguished.

Something moved. Morgan looked up into the bushes on the other side of the sidewalk.

A jaguar jumped over them, black as the night and fluid as water. It walked up to the pinned guard slowly, sniffing curiously.

The old man felt his heart start to race, and he started praying instinctively. He closed his eyes as the great cat walked up to him, muscles flexing, and nervous sweat started to trickle down his head, mixing with the blood that seeped from his head wound. The cat’s nose touched his chest, and his eyes flew open.

The bright moon gave some light to the park, enough for him to make out the patterns in the great cat’s black coat, as well as its moist black nose. Morgan struggled to breathe normally, but he was painfully aware of the loud pounding of his heart, and suspected the great black cat could hear it too. Its head thumped him in the chest three times, and a strange rumbling came from deep within, so strong Morgan could feel the vibration through the earth.

Something rustled in the bushes again, and Morgan leaned back, suddenly weak from terror. Another one?

The bushes parted to reveal a large black wolf. Head down, it stared at the combination of man and great cat, and growled, doubtfully, deep in its throat. It extended its nose to sniff at the pair, tail extended, ears lowered, and hackle raised, walking stiffly across the sidewalk.

The jaguar started to growl. It stepped across Morgan’s body, and lean muscle flexed.

Morgan started his last Hail Mary, and the animals started to circle each other.

Screams sounded across the park.

TBC