O l i v e r B e n j a m i n
forth into the labyrinth offices of the VTV building. Target: global
redemption.
For such a lofty target, they would approach it from a
surprisingly low angle.
Harvey, Victoria and Shiva entered the offices through the front
door, and took the elevator up to the fortieth floor. They had no
problem getting through security and were even escorted directly to
the laboratory where Harvey once worked. Things were going
smoothly so far. Harvey, of course, was heavily disguised. He wore a
false mustache and beard, colored contact lenses, some thick glasses,
and agreed to have the crown of his head shaved to simulate severe
male pattern baldness. Victoria thought the disguise seemed
strangely to suit him. Were it not for the dopey-looking ASPCA
uniforms that they all happened to be wearing, he could pass for Sean
Connery on a bad day. And the way he cradled the monkey as if it
were his own baby—well, maybe the man did have a heart in there
somewhere after all.
A lab technician came out of the laboratory to greet them. It was
not one that Harvey had ever seen before. He glowered a little warily
at the three of them and then, upon seeing the monkey, contorted his
face into an simulacrum of glee.
“Oh! What a cute monkey!” he gurgled.
“These folks say that this monkey belongs to the laboratory,” the
security escort declared.
“Really? How do they know that?” he replied, confused.
“He’s got an identification tag with his name and this address on
it,” Victoria replied, “Spinoza Simian. 603 Santa Monica Boulevard,
40th floor, Suite 1211. That’s this place.”
“Spinoza? What an awful name!” shrieked the technician,
drawing close to the monkey. “Sounds like a skin disease. What do
you think little monkey? Wouldn’t you like to be called Bonzo or
Cheetah or Booboo or something?”
Spinoza urinated on the front of the technician’s white lab coat.
“Aaak!” the man shrieked.
“Bad monkey! Behave yourself!” reprimanded Shiva. “Sorry
‘bout that, sir. He’s gets a bit ornery sometimes. I’m additionally
sorry to report that we have a far more important warning for you.
This poor chimpanzee has been wandering the city streets
unprotected and hungry, foraging for food in sewers and dumpsters,
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