An account by an anonymous former contract worker, as provided by Rick Tobin
Art by Leigh Legler
Leaked Inter-Agency Memorandum: Correspondence of Manager Edward Simpson to Director P. Wallace Tyler of January 8, 2019
To:
Dr. P. Wallace Tyler, Director
Advanced Invertebrate Studies Program
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Plum Island Laboratories
Southold, New York 11957
From:
Colonel Edward Simpson
Manager, Special Projects Branch
Advanced Invertebrate Studies Program
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Plum Island Laboratories
Southold, New York 11957
RE: Request for Action on Project Calyptra
Dr. Tyler:
This memorandum’s purpose is to summarize details of our telecon of 1-7-19 so your directions and my understanding are in alignment. Recent accidental release of the modified Calyptra fletcheri vampire moths during the holiday break requires immediate mitigation action, but without undue alarm or release of information to the public about threats from a mutated species designed to seek out humans for feeding. The Island must not in any way be held responsible for losses on or at the Cross Sound Ferry, Oyster Ponds Elementary School, or Mason Wool clothing factory.
There is absolutely no possibility that these eight-foot-tall specimens could mate with any known native moths.
To read the rest of this story, check out the Mad Scientist Journal: Winter 2019 collection.
The anonymous source for this leaked memo is a former contract worker at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who was called to respond in support for local and state officials during this emergency at Plum Island. He has since left FEMA and is now working as a private contractor to reinstate the Civil Defense Program for readiness of American cities for nuclear attack from Canada.
Rick Tobin is a retired government emergency and counter-terrorism consultant now puttering as a freelance writer, painter, and photographer in San Antonio, Texas. Scores of his flash science fiction stories are at www.365tomorrows.com. His thriller novels are on Amazon: The Curse of the 8th Buddha and Gordion’s Knot. His art is available on Pinterest, under “Rick Tobin Art for Sale.” Rick also writes safety and security guides and blogs for schools at Safe to Learn in Seattle at www.safetolearn.com. He also works part time supporting special needs patients and protecting feral cats.
Leigh’s professional title is “illustrator,” but that’s just a nice word for “monster-maker,” in this case. More information about them can be found at http://leighlegler.carbonmade.com/.
“Project Calyptra” is © 2019 Rick Tobin
Art accompanying story is © 2019 Leigh Legler
