Cryptotrappers!

Cryptotrappers- Grabbing Gambo

Friday 18. The big day, the start of my new job! And, admittedly, my first job. Look, I'm not lazy, just... picky, you know? I was sixteen, I still didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and I had years ahead of me to figure it out. At a push, I'd have gone for something geeky, you know, like a game developer, or an animator, or else whatever was jobs available in the local area like a cashier. But now I didn't have to worry about that, because now I'd been hired as a semi-professional monster hunter! A little interesting than the options, I'd have to admit. That night after I left the facility, I spent a fair bit of time lying in bed and wondering how exactly I'd be able to manage working at the Cryptotrappers with my current life. I could skip some days at college if I needed to, at a push. At least I didn't live with my family at the time, so getting away with working the career in secret without them knowing was easy enough. It was moreso keeping it from my friends that would be more difficult. And me working there did have to be a secret. That fact was made very explicit.

After school, I inconspicuously sauntered towards the centre of town, to a park I'd otherwise payed little attention to, where sat in the centre was a statue of some sort of large plesiosaur-like creature. Now I don't know if Eva herself had commissioned the piece, or if she'd merely utilised it as the worst cover ever for their secret hidden cryptozoology organisation, but that was the entrance to the facility. Make sure nobody is looking at you, crouch down out of view from prying eyes, push a hidden stone button that nobody else should be able to accidentally find, and by some sort of technical workings that I couldn't even begin to understand, an platform elevator begins to descend into the room I had found myself in yesterday. So with a cautious glance to ensure that I was alone in the park, I cautiously began my descent, stepping off the elevator to where my job would truly begin. Fortunately for me, I wouldn't have to wait in anticipation for too long as to what today would be about; Eva was stood waiting for me at the front of the room as soon as I had entered.
"So, what's my first assignment?" I asked, expectantly.
"Well," Eva smiled just a little too cheerfully, filling me with a level of fear I hadn't felt since, well, yesterday. "I certainly hope you can swim!"

"Eva, I can't do this!" I argued, pacing around the room and still in disbelief as to what she wanted me to do as she stood looking at me placidly.
"Why not? The weather over there is wonderful at this time of year; you'd probably even be able to get a tan whilst working the mission!"
Stopping in my tracks, I stared her down dumbfoundedly. If this was still a joke, she was doing an incredible job of maintaining a poker face.
"Do you seriously need me to explain to you why you can't just send me to Africa on a whim?" I asked, as Eva tilted her head curiously with a smile. "It's, it's like halfway around the world! Please, Eva, I have college on Monday, I have plans for the weekend! I can't just get on a private jet, or a submarine or something and head to Africa to hunt down a fish or something!"
"Actually, Gambo is more akin to a pilosaur than a fish." Eva explained, addressing the least important of my concerns. "Though it was originally mistaken for a type of dolphin. Besides, it's not as though I'd be sending you all the way to Africa by yourself. That would be ridiculous, and dangerous to boot. There'll be two bodyguards accompanying you."
Well, that relieved all of my concerns about the situation! Sighing in resignation, I returned to where I was stood before and turned back to Eva.
"Okay, just to make sure I'm understanding this entirely properly, can you please explain this to me one final time?"

"I'm sending you to the River Gambia in Africa to investigate some recent claims about sightings of Gambo in the water." Eva explained, in the exact tone she had used the last time she'd explained the mission. "A local legend of the area described as an aquatic predatory creature with colouration similar to a shark. You'll be kitted out with our standard gear, and with any luck you shouldn't run into too much difficulty."
"And how are we getting to the River Gambia?" I asked, as Eva turned away towards one of the neighbouring rooms, beckoning for me to follow. Opening the door, the room was filled with a collection of gear I couldn't even begin to ascertain the functions of yet; weapons, gizmos and rope for the most part. But admittedly, I wasn't focusing nearly as much of my attention on the gear in question as I was the pair of figures standing to attention in the centre of the room, nodding as I entered and clearly awaiting me.
"These, Michael," Eva explained with a flourish, "are your new guards. I'll leave you three alone to talk."