"How are the captives holding up?" Mag walked into the storage room, walking past the myriad of identical chambers to make his way towards the ones at the very end. The room was almost devoid light. The only source of illumination came from the two Dormancy Chambers at the very end of the room. A lone individual stood in front of them, a long shadow cast across the metal as they stood underneath the bright rays emanating from the window of the chamber doors.

"You hearing me?" Mag called out. He stopped in the middle of the room, crossing his arms in front of his body as he fervently tapped his foot. The person at the other side turned around slowly. With the light still piercing forward, the figure staggered away from the two active chambers and inched towards Mag. The finer features became more apparent; the person was short, roughly half of Mag's height and the way they hunched only exacerbated the difference. In one hand was a metal cane that clacked against the metal flooring with each step.

Once into brighter lighting, Mag received a clear view of the person. She was an older woman with long and wavy gray hair that reached down past her shoulders. Her posture was hunched as her trembling and crooked legs stepped closer towards Mag. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of thick rimmed glasses that she adjusted on her wrinkled face with the push of an equally wrinkled finger.

"I heard you. Loud and clear," the woman said softly with a shaky voice. She took her hand off her glasses and tucked it inside the pocket of her crisp lab coat.

"How are the captives, then?" Mag said unenthused. "You know it's Sheila's big day tomorrow. I don't want anything going wrong."

"Of course that's all that concerns you," the old scientist said in a huff. Holding onto her cane, she slowly turned around to face the pair of dormancy chambers at the other side of the corridor. "Those are living beings! You can't just hunt them like they're any animal. They have feelings. Empathy... fear... sorrow. They're closer to you and I than some fish or deer!"

Mag rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed grunt. "How many times do we have to go over this? Your little talks of morality and ethics really get on my nerves. You know that?"

"And I'll keep bringing them every time you want to do one of your sick games!" she snapped back.

Mag stomped forward and grabbed the woman on the shoulder, forcing her to turn around. He took hold of her other arm with his free hand and pulled her in closer.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Listen here, Zuwya!" Mag's mouth curled downwards as he cut his eyes directly at the elderly woman's thick frames. "Your asinine drivel is already getting on my nerves! Don't forget why you're here and what your job is."

The old scientist didn't fight back. She remained still, staring back at the enraged eyes of Mag as her weary legs trembled.

"Good. Now. Are the captives for tomorrow's event?"

There was a short silence. Zuwya fought tears from escaping as Mag pulled her closer.

"Yes," she said quietly. "They're ready."

"That's all that I wanted to hear. Now, was that so hard?" Mag released his grip, making the woman stagger to the side, grasping for the wall to maintain her balance. "I'll be back first thing in the morning. If any irregularities or problems show up before then, make sure to notify me. We want a fair hunt for tomorrow."

"I... understand."

"And I assume there won't be any issues like the last time?"

Zuwya remained leaning against the wall, her head looking down as her fists clenched. "No, Mag. I'll be sure of it."

"I hope not. There's nothing more embarrassing than inviting my friends for a bit of sport only to have the target die of 'natural causes' not even half an hour in!" Mag turned his back to the woman, making his way to the room's exit. He paused at the doorway and turned around, looking at Zuwya from over his shoulder. She remained propped against the wall, slowly sobbing. "Of course, if this event ends up a dud like the last, then I'm afraid that I won't be able to uphold my part of the contract any longer. Is that what you want?"

"Of course not, Mag," the scientist said, sniffling heavily as she brought herself off the wall.

"Excellent. Now, I'll leave you here to continue with your job. Just remember what's on the line." Mag left the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Once he was gone, Zuwya headed towards the chambers at the very end of the room. She slid a step ladder to one of the chambers. With slow and steady steps, she stood up on the small platform and slid the window open. On the tips of her toes, she gazed into the chamber. Gurk was still asleep, his snout pointing straight up as he breathed in heavily yet slowly.

The scientist pressed her hand against the clear window, sending a cold chill across her skin. She adjusted her glasses again, letting a single tear slip out from under her cheek. "I never thought I'd see you again," Zuwya said with a whisper. The crocodile's face twitched but his remained shut as he continued his snoring. After a short sigh, the scientist slid the small door to the window shut again and stepped down.

She walked down to the end of the room, opening the door but leaving it open as she took one more glance back at the two chambers. There was silence save for the whirring and hums of the machinery. "Don't worry. This is going to be the last time this ever happens. I'll make sure of it," Zuwya said underneath her breath. Her hand pressed against the wall, pressing a small button that turned off the lights to the room. The area became pitch black except for the small bit of light that escaped from the small slits of the dormancy chambers' windows.