In a matter of minutes all the reptiles had assembled in the main open room and sat assembly style waiting. This was their moment of destiny, apparently. The snakes, the crocodiles, the frogs, the monitors, the lizards, the geckos, the turtles, and the amphibians all sat in various sizes and colors waiting tensely.
"All right." Gretta called. "We're all here."
Todd cleared his throat and stood at the front near his snake. They eyed each other and she shot him daggers. They needed to talk. She was mad.
"Okay." Todd pointed to the doors. "So, uh... this got out of control, huh?"
There was a hearty laugh as he broke the ice.
"So, as you're probably all aware, this little box I have is responsible for your creation. Let me start by saying I don't want to be and have no intention of being some kind of God, creator, or religious figure. I was basically just fucking around with the thing and here we are."
Todd caught the dreamy eyes from the little gargoyle gecko girl he had been intimate with and blushed as she waved. The cobra crossed her arms.
"What thisss meanssss for usss issss that we now have to think about deeper thingsssss." The snake piped up, utterly in command. "I don't want him to change ussss back. I don't want to go back to crawling around in a little cage in my own ssssshittt."
There was a universal murmur of agreement. Todd noted this. He nodded gently.
"Okay. So in a while that guy from earlier is going to come back and we need to figure out what we want. Do you guys want out into the world? Do you want to stay in the zoo? What's our plan?"
"Can't stay here!" A voice called sarcastically. The others agreed.
"No, you can't." Todd agreed. "So..."
The cobra lady turned back to the door and her eyes widened in alarm. "Todd. Sssstop." She said softly. "What are thosssse?"
Todd stopped mid sentence and turned to find a line of tactical cops suited up and carrying sub machine guns at the door. They were set to breach the room. Todd's only and immediate concern was for the reptiles.
"Everybody back. Please. Quickly. Do not fight them. It'll be okay."
The cobra realized that something was very wrong and felt suddenly vulnerable. "Todd." She repeated sternly. "What's..."
"Stay calm." Todd reassured her. "Get the remote and absolutely keep it among you guys however you have to. Keep everybody from getting violent. They'll hurt you."
"Done." The cobra said frantically, grabbing it from Todd's pocket and rushing back as the door swung open violently and sixteen armed men rushed into the room. As Todd had expected, they were after him, yelling for him to get down and put his hands over his head. Shit, he thought, I hadn't expected this. He complied in terror, watching as a line of armed police kept shaking guns on the lizards. Todd watched as the cobra carefully kept her kin calm and rational, instructing them very loud and obviously not to panic and stay where they were. This worked. The police didn't do anything except get Todd out of the building.
There was murmur of fear that the cobra quickly quelled. "Relaxxxx." She reassured quickly. "Relaxxxxxx. We've got the remote. I know how to usssse it."
* * *
Todd blinked against the afternoon sun and his eyes widened in realization. There were helicopters, snipers on the roof, military jeeps, an armored car. The whole thing. Somewhere in a crowd of professional law enforcement and soldiers, Todd saw a tiny green anole standing next to the zoo administrator. She was staring at him evilly, arms crossed, and draped in a towel to protect her modesty.
The tactical team lead Todd to the armored car at gunpoint, throwing him against the side and frisking him before. He said nothing as they lead him into the back of the van and slammed the doors with six armed guards staring at him in either disbelief or cold indifference." He smirked slightly, knowing the best and brightest snake in the entire world now had control of the remote. He sighed heavily and put his head down as the van raced away.