Leviathan(16)

For a moment Adler stared. “Yes? Can you continue, Doctor?”

“I've replaced the oxygen in the cavern with nitrogen. Leviathan will sleep as long as it's in a nitrogen atmosphere.”

Turning fully, Adler dropped his hand to his side. “But... but will the creature not suffocate? Does it not need oxygen to breathe?”

“No, Mr. Adler, Leviathan won't suffocate. Leviathan has a lung capacity of 270 liters, almost equal to that of a killer whale. And it filled itself with oxygen as soon as it sensed the presence of the nitrogen. Just like it's neurally programmed to do. Right now it's gone into something like hibernation where it'll stay until its epidermic sensors detect the presence of an oxygen atmosphere again.”

“And how long can it survive in hibernation?”

“We don't know.”

Adler tilted his head.

“GEO calculates that it can go at least eight weeks,” Frank responded wearily. “But it can probably go a lot longer. Maybe as long as eight months. There's no way to know because I've never had to put Leviathan to sleep in a nitrogen atmosphere before. But it will survive for quite a while. And, by the way, Mr. Adler, this brings me to something I wanted to tell you.”

Adler looked unconcerned. “Yes, Doctor?”

“I'm going to run the tests in a ninety percent nitrogen atmosphere,” Frank said, solid. “Even after we cement the corridors, I'm not going to give Leviathan enough oxygen to ignite the gel again. And we're not going to give it enough oxygen to get its strength up. We'll test it, but we'll keep it weak. Maybe at a quarter strength.” He paused. “I'll run the tests for you, Mr. Adler. But I'll run them my way. I'm not going to risk the lives of everybody on this island.”

“I see,” Adler replied, a touch of scorn. “And you will not move from this? You are insistent?”

“Yes.”

“What is your justification?”

Frank leaned back. “We've known for some time that Leviathan had developed phenomenal strength. That's why I never completed neural programming a full-blown Hunter-killer Mode. Leviathan was becoming too dangerous.” He hesitated. “Until today Leviathan never gave the faintest indication that it would attack the cell. But now the situation has changed. And we can't trust that Leviathan won't force its way out of the holding area. That's why I'm going to keep it in a high nitrogen atmosphere. If Leviathan is not operating at full strength, it won't be able to defeat the Containment Chamber.''

Adler was motionless. “But how accurate will the tests be?”

“Leviathan will attack food targets as we put them out,” Frank replied. “It will be moving more slowly than it's capable of moving, but GEO will do calculations of its speed based on the increased nitrogen level. So in the end, we'll have pretty accurate estimates on how it would have done in an oxygenated atmosphere.” He nodded. “That's the best you're going to get from me, Mr. Adler.”

“I see.” Adler smiled. “Yes, I see. And you will not be dissuaded?”

“No,” Frank replied, staring hard. “You have to try and understand something, Mr. Adler. Leviathan is not supposed to be in full-blown Hunter-killer Mode. Which it appears to be in. It should not be attacking the cell or trying to escape. The neural programming for an absolute Hunter-killer Mode was never completed. This is the mystery we're dealing with. And I don't like mysteries.”

“But you created the creature, Doctor,” Adler said, frowning. “You should not be surprised at any development at all. After all, the entire purpose of your neural programming was to bring the creature into a Hunter-killer Mode.”

“But I never finished the Hunter-killer Mode in its neural network!” Frank reiterated, angry. “That's what I'm trying to get you to understand! Leviathan is not supposed to be reacting this way. It's not in its neural programming!”

“Then why is it reacting this way, Doctor?”

A pause, silence.

And Frank abruptly bowed his head, rubbing his eyes. “I don't know, Mr. Adler,” he replied, calmer. “It's got to be something genetic. Leviathan has always been genetically unpredictable.”

Adler stared a moment. “All right, Doctor,” he said slowly, “I understand your argument. And you may have your way. You may keep the creature in a high nitrogen atmosphere in order to reduce its strength. I only wish you to complete the tests as well as possible under the current conditions.”

Frank leaned back again, uncertain.

“Please, don’t look so surprised,” Adler continued, smiling. “I am not an unreasonable man. I realize that this creature is extremely dangerous. I probably understand a great deal more than you realize.” He seemed to enjoy his abrupt display of knowledge, as if it displayed his power as well.