Chapter 24: Interlude

  “If they went downhill,” Little Bear said, voice flat, “they ended up near one of these.”

  Hector blew out a breath through his nose. “Yeah. Question is which one.”

  Naomi didn’t look up from the weather monitor. “Storms settling in. probably be twenty-four hours before it clears.” She tapped the screen once with her pen. “You asked for InGen’s list. I’m working it.”

  Hector leaned on the edge of the table. “What’s the plan when we land?”

  JJ didn’t answer him right away. Taking a moment to think before he answered. “We’ll start here.” He pointed to the map. “We’ll hit these three storage depos first then. If anyone survived, then that’s where they’ll be.”

  Naomi nodded. “Just promise me that you won’t recklessly endanger yourself.”

  JJ winked at her. “I never do.”

  The door to the command center opened and Kimo stepped in, jacket still damp from the pad. He glanced at the map, then at JJ. “He’s alive?”

  “Stable, for now.” JJ said.

  Kimo nodded once. “Good.”

  He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t have to.

  A corpsman appeared in the doorway, hair tucked under a cap, eyes brisk. “Muldoon?”

  JJ’s head snapped up. “Talk to me.”

  “Doc placed a chest tube,” the corpsman said. “He had blood building up on the left side. It’s draining. He’s breathing easier. He’s going to make it to land if we cab keep him calm.”

  Hector let out a low whistle. “Kid’s tougher than he looks.”

  JJ smiled. “Good. Can he talk? We might need to talk to him.”

  “He can,” the corpsman said. “Doc recommends you keep it short if you do.”

  JJ nodded and started for the door.

  The med bay was bright, clean white walls, stainless steel, the steady rhythm of machines. Samuel lay propped slightly on the bed now, oxygen cannula under his nose, tubing snaking from his side into a collection chamber half-filled with dark fluid.

  He looked smaller here. He was all elbows and long limbs, it made him seem suddenly like what he was: a teenage boy.

  Loni sat beside the bed with her trauma kit open, methodically refilling the kit.

  Samuel’s eyes flicked to JJ the second he walked in.

  JJ kept his voice low. “You did good.”

  Samuel’s throat worked. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “You survived.” JJ said. “That counts.”

  Samuel stared at the ceiling for a second, jaw tight, then turned his head back. “Are…are Maria and Emilia…”

  “Safe.” JJ said. “You can see them later.”

  Samuel’s eyes shut. A sound came out of him that wasn’t quite a sob. Loni’s hand settled on his forearm, firm.

  JJ leaned in just enough that Samuel could hear him. “Jake. You said downhill, on the left side of the lookout. What did you see? Not what you think you saw.”

  Samuel swallowed. “He was… ahead of me. Cassy was yelling. Jake turned and…” he paused, blinking hard, fighting the memory. “He slipped and grabbed at something, like a vine or a root. Then…then he got yanked sideways.”

  JJ’s eyes narrowed. “Yanked by what?”

  Samuel shook his head quickly and winced. “I didn’t see. I just…I heard clicking and hissing, next I saw Jake was gone.”

  JJ nodded and patted his arms. “We’ll find them Sam. I need you to rest and get well in the meantime.”

  JJ stepped back into the corridor and nearly walked straight into Naomi again.

  Her eyes were bright. “Storms Breaking,” she said. “You’ve got a few hours before you can lift off.”

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  JJ didn’t hesitate. He pivoted on his heel and started moving.

  Hector fell into step instantly. “Let’s get this done.”

  Little Bear appeared at the junction like he’d been there the whole time, shotgun already slung, expression unreadable except for the readiness in his posture.

  Naomi kept pace. “InGen’s list came through,” she said, shoving a thick folder into JJ’s chest without slowing. “You won’t have time to go over all of them.”

  JJ flipped it open as he walked. “Don’t need to read over all of it just the dangerous ones.”

  Inside were categories and codes, facility numbers, containment notes. JJ’s eyes flicked over one entry, then another. His jaw tightened again.

  JJ’s fingertip tapped the glossy photo in the InGen folder, right on the blurred, crouched silhouette with the two sickle-toed feet.

  “Balaur bondocs,” he said. “That’s our clicking problem.”

  Hector leaned in. “They look like somebody’s nightmare chicken.”

  “At least we have a name for them.” Little Bear said.

  JJ flipped one sheet back and pointed to the other picture, longer body, leaner build, a narrow head. “Herrerasaurus. That’s the big one the bird dropped.”

  Naomi kept walking beside them. “Ugly lizard.” Ahe raised an eyebrow at him. “You done with show-and-tell?”

  JJ shut the folder and tucked it under his arm. “For now.” He handed the folder off to Hector.

  The Challengers mess smelled like onions and coffee. The room was busy, crew eating fast, talking low, glancing at the weather through the portholes, while the girls at the far corner sat quietly.

  Maria Sullivan was hunched over a mug. She’d forgotten what the drink was and it had long since cooled. Emilia Heart sat beside her, spine straight, hands folded tight in her lap. Both looked scrubbed and cleaned. But the island had left its mark on them.

  When JJ approached, Maria’s head snapped up.

  He stopped a few feet away.

  “You’re JJ,” Maria said.

  “That’s what they call me,” he replied.

  Emilia’s gaze flicked over him. “We heard you found Samuel?” Her voice caught. She swallowed and tried again. “Did he make it?”

  “He’s in the med bay,” JJ said. “Alive and well for the moment.”

  Maria made a sound of relief. “Did you find anyone else?” she asked.

  “Not yet,” JJ said. “There’s a storm over the island as soon as it passes, we’re going back.”

  Maria stared at the mug. “Okay.”

  “You should eat.” Loni’s voice said from behind JJ. She carried a tray in both hands. She slid it onto their table: two bowls of soup, bread, and some fruit.

  Maria looked at the food with disinterest.

  Loni leaned in. “Eat. There’s no point passing out from hunger.”

  Emilia nodded and reached out, taking some fruit. “It has been a while since we ate.”

  Maria picked up her spoon with trembling fingers. She couldn’t stop them from shaking. She was safe. She knew she was safe. But some irrational part of her expected to wake up back on the island to find their rescue was just a cruel dream.

  JJ pulled a chair from the next table and sat with them. “I need you two to walk me through what happened.” he said.

  Maria’s eyes flicked to Emilia, then back. “We landed at the north dock. Walked to the Visitor Center. We explored inside for a bit saw what was left.”

  “The boys et up a portable grill and started barbecuing. We popped open some beer and played some music.” Emilia added.

  “I felt uneasy the whole time.” Maria said shivering. “I wanted to go back to the yacht. Then the guys found Dino droppings, and I told them we should leave. They didn’t listen. Jake called me a buzz kill and told the others they should hike up to the ridge. He said if there were Dinosaurs, they’d see them from up there.”

  “We stayed behind. We both felt something was out there watching us. When they didn’t come back after hours, we knew something happened.”

  JJ nodded. “I take it you tried to leave?”

  They nodded. “The dingy we took from the yacht was wrecked.” Maria said. “Actually, where is the yacht?”

  JJ looked at Naomi who shook her head. “We didn’t see a yacht. If the yacht had a crew best guess they left when you didn’t come back.”

  Both girls looked uncomfortable. JJ steered the subject back. “So you reached the maintenance yard through the sublevels?”

  Emilia nodded. “We took the Maintenance corridor to Tunnel C. We followed the evac markings.”

  JJ’s fingers drummed once on the table “I hope you two know how lucky you are to be alive.”

  Maria swallowed hard, nodding sedately. “Yes sir. We know.” She said softly.

  “No point in lecturing you.” JJ scratched the scruff on his chin. “Just rest and we’ll see about finding your friends.”

  Hector’s radio crackled at his hip, sudden and sharp. He grabbed it, listened, and the color drained from his face. He looked at JJ. “Boss. The bridge says we have an unidentified contact on radar. Coming in fast.”

  “Loni watch the girls.” JJ stood and marched with LB and Hector back to the bridge Naomi in following close behind.