Rod, Rex and Rhodaby Bob Brill |
Table of Contents |
After Rod gets partially blended with his dog, Rex, as the result of a transporter malfunction, he learns that transporters can be misused to commit murder, produce hybrid beings and create human clones. When the beautiful Rhoda Vane entices Rod to help her expose the giant Rumex Pharmaceutical Corporation, Rod, Rex and Rhoda get mixed up in a transporter-load of trouble. In the process they become bonded in more ways than one.
Good Dog
When we get to Cindy’s apartment, Cindy answers the door with Rex in her arms. Rex gets excited and so do I. He barks, wags his stump of a tail, squirms to escape from Cindy. I hold out my arms and he makes the leap, almost knocking me down. I drop to my knees, and we roll on the floor together.
“He claims to be in love with me,” Rhoda says, “but he never makes such a fuss over me.”
I look up at her. “You don’t understand,” I say. “Yes, I’m mad about my dog, but it’s more than that. Now we’re all together again. Full functionality for all three of us.”
Rhoda makes a sour face. “It’s been nice knowing you, Rod, but we are very different people and lead very different lives.”
“You still don’t get it, Rhoda. We’re stuck with each other.”
“I’ve got something to tell you,” Cindy says. “About Rex. Something unusual happened.”
I let Rex go and get to my feet. We take seats like civilized people and turn our attention to Cindy. Rex jumps in my lap.
“Rex showed up here a couple of days ago, scratching at the door to get in. I put out food and water for him, he barely greeted Yippy and Yappy, but went straight to the bathroom, jumped in the tub and pooped.
“I talked to him very sensibly. I said, ‘Couldn’t you have done that outside before you got here? Now I have to clean it up.’
“He started pawing through his poop. ‘What are you doing, doggie? You know better than that.’ I tried to make him stop and he barked at me. Finally, his digging revealed a tiny metallic object. That’s when he stopped and looked up at me. Here it is, all cleaned up.”
She reaches into the drawer of an end table and brings out a data capsule.
“Rex,” I cry. “You clever boy.”
Rhoda shouts, “That’s our data capsule.”
“How did you do it, Rex? You’ve got some big treats coming.” I turn to Rhoda. “When Pumphrey led us away at gunpoint, Hollister stood in the doorway of his office. Behind him I saw Rex jump into Hollister’s chair and put his paws on the desk, but then Pumphrey was urging us along the corridor, so I didn’t see what Rex did next. Amazing, Rex. You got some of my best brain cells, my friend, or maybe you were always this smart.”
Rhoda picks up the phone. “I’m going to call my agent. We’ve got a story now.”
Copyright © 2010 by Bob Brill
