Return To Primordial Island Read online

  “Well, I’ve been here a while,” said Peter, “and I still haven’t seen enough prey to sustain the predator population. And you’re right. We haven’t seen enough of the island. In fact, this isn’t even an island.”

  Tracey and Marcy both answered in unison, “What?!”

  He nodded. “When Ghenga showed me the location of the other temple, I saw the land extend out past what we thought to be the boundaries of the island.”

  “Maybe it’s just a bigger island than we thought,” offered Tracey.

  “Either that, or it’s a continent with only part of it phasing into our dimension,” said Marcy, “making it appear to be an island to us.”

  “You didn’t sense any of that?” asked Tracey of Peter.

  He shook his head. “I guess my powers have a range.”

  “So, this island may actually be a continent,” said Marcy.

  “Which brings us back to the original question,” said Peter. “Why is Poseidon Tech here?”

  Marcy now kept pace, re-inserting herself into the conversation. “I’ve overheard conversations about locating some kind of metal ore. For what purpose, I’m not sure. A bit above my paygrade.”

  “A kind of metal,” repeated Peter, thinking out loud. “A precious metal, perhaps?”

  “I didn’t notice any mining equipment in the expedition,” said Tracey.

  “I don’t think we’re here for mining either,” agreed Marcy. “We’ve brought mostly sensory equipment.”

  “Something’s been bothering me,” said Tracey. “Why did Nielsen pick that landing site for our base camp?”

  “Because it was close to the village and by a river,” said Marcy.

  Tracey shook her head. “No boats or rafts. If we were going to use the river, we would’ve brought watercraft. Not only that, why go through all the trouble of clearing out jungle with bombs when Nielsen could’ve just picked a natural clearing?”

  “Maybe he wanted to chase away or kill any predators in that area,” said Peter.

  “Why are you here, specifically?” Tracey asked Marcy. “What’s your specific job or objective?”

  “To use the sensory equipment to map the island as we searched for Dr. Albanese and the others.”

  “You mentioned seismic measurements in the back of the truck,” said Tracey. “Do you think that was part of the search for this metal?”

  Marcy shrugged. “I don’t think so.”

  “What other use would a metal have to Poseidon Tech?” asked Tracey, thinking out loud.

  *

  Their speculation was interrupted by Collins, who called back over his shoulder, “We’ve found the Humvees.”

  Peter, Tracey, and Marcy ran forward to catch up with Collins and Nielsen.

  “Holy smokes,” gasped Marcy, taking in the scene before her.

  “You can say that again,” added Tracey.

  Peter winced. “Poor souls.”

  The Humvees were torn apart. Pieces of jagged metal and parts lay strewn about the riverbank on the other side of the river. The tops of the vehicles looked as if they had been peeled open by a massive can opener.

  “Look at all the blood,” whispered Marcy, her face turning green.

  “I wonder where the chopper is,” said Collins. He got on his radio. “Chief to base. Come in, base.”

  His radio crackled. ‘Copy that, Chief. You’ve been radio silent. What is your location?’

  “It’s radio interference,” said Collins. “Heading back to base camp. We were attacked. The weapons team was wiped out. Have you seen our Huey?”

  ‘Negative. We’ve lost radio contact with the Bravo Huey. Alpha Huey is still in the air.”

  “That’s the one guarding base camp,” said Collins to the others. “That means we’ve lost ours.”

  “How the hell does a T. rex take down a Huey?” asked Nielsen.

  “Maybe it wasn’t a T. rex,” said Peter.

  “Are there predatory birds on this island?” asked Collins. “Pterodactyls or something?”

  “I haven’t seen any,” said Peter. “Then again, I really haven’t ventured out this far before. The Umazoa like to stick to their territory, keeping a close proximity to their plateau village. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.”

  Instinctively, everyone’s eyes darted up to the sky.

  “We need to keep moving,” said Collins. “Whatever took out the Huey could return.” He got on his radio, “Base, be advised there may be airborne bogies. Over and out.”

  “Copy that, Chief. Over and out.”

  They continued along the riverbank, unaware of the top of a spiny fan breaching the river surface a hundred feet behind them and disappearing quickly under the water.

  Chapter 8

  The afternoon gave way to evening, and the sun waned in the sky. Jason and Susan walked in comfortable silence as they tracked Mary and her reptilian captors, stopping only to drink from the river. Susan’s stomach growled, and it was audible. Jason jutted his left arm out, stopping Susan from walking further.

  “What is it?” she whispered, looking around, hand rubbing her stomach.

  Jason scanned the dirt. “They’ve slowed their pace.”

  “Are they close by?”

  Jason nodded. “They probably had to stop on account of Mary growing tired.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Jason pointed at the ground. “Her stride changed, and she’s now dragging her feet.”

  Susan’s shoulders sagged. “I know I’m tired, and I’m freaking starving.”

  Jason stepped away from the river. “The tracks veer off into the jungle.” He looked up at the sky. “We’ll wait till dark. The lizard men don’t normally come out after dark, so they should be off their game.”

  “What do we do in the meantime?”

  Jason watched her rub her stomach. “We need to get some food in you, or your stomach’s grumbling will give away our position.” He pointed to some nearby trees. “Why don’t you find a long branch I can use as a spear? I’ll scout the area for some food.”

  She nodded and stepped away to search for sturdy branches.

  “Stay close,” said Jason. “Scream if you’re in trouble.” He looked around, checking for animal tracks, specifically for something edible. There weren’t any, and he preferred to stay out of the jungle, as he didn’t know exactly where the lizard men had stopped.

  He walked back to the river’s edge and saw large fish swimming around. He watched them, darting about, feeding on things between the stones at the bottom.

  Susan returned with a few straight branches. “How about these?”

  Jason looked them over. “Let me see.” He reached out with his hands.

  Susan handed them over. He hefted each, gaging its weight. After examining each, he selected one and dropped the remaining two on the ground. “This’ll do. This’ll do just fine.” He took out his knife and began whittling the tip to a sharp point. “There’re fish in the river. Big ones. Good eating.”

  Susan looked over at the river. “You’re going to spear fish?”

  He nodded, smiling. “I’ve done it before. When I was growing up in Alaska.”

  “I didn’t know you grew up in Alaska. I figured you were from somewhere else.”

  He stripped bark and then wood off the tip in smooth motions, steadying the branch under his armpit. “I lived there with my mother and brother.” His knife strokes became faster. “My little brother was killed by a pack of wolves.”

  Susan gasped. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. That must’ve been awful.”

  Jason grunted a little as he shaved off the final strips of wood. “I was left alone with my mother, who wasn’t exactly ‘Mother of the Year.’ I eventually tracked down the pack that killed my brother.”

  Susan’s eyes widened. “Did you kill them?”

  Jason re-sheathed his hunting knife and took the spear in his hand, holding the newly hewn tip up to his face for inspection. “Nah, they almost kill
ed me. A local Native American hunter took me in, saved my life. He taught me how to hunt all different kinds of prey and to live off the land.”

  “He taught you how to spear fish?”

  “That’s right. And now I’m going to teach you.”

  Susan took a step back. “No. Not me. That’s not my thing.”

  Jason arched an eyebrow. “You want to eat, don’t you?”

  Susan’s expression softened. “Well…I am hungry.”

  “I thought you said you were ‘freaking starving.’ Or did I hear wrong?”

  “No, you heard right.”

  Jason thrust the spear into her hands. “Here. I’ll make one for me.” He reached down and snatched up another branch. It was also sturdy and straight. He slipped it under his armpit and unsheathed his knife again. He began whittling down the tip.

  “So, is that why you kill animals? Revenge?”

  Jason shook his head. “No. Respect.”

  “Respect?” She clearly hadn’t expected that response.

  “Yeah. The wolves that killed my little brother were hunters. So are a lot of the other animals I hunt. Taking a life is a sacred act. In order to do it correctly, one must have respect for both hunters and prey.”

  “Yeah, but you got into trouble for shooting those lions in Africa.” When he shot her a withering look, she blushed. “Well, that’s what I read in the newspaper. You take rich folks out to kill animals.”

  “That I do,” grunted Jason as he finished the tip of his spear. “They’re going to hunt anyway. I try to teach them respect for the lives they take. Besides, what happened to my brother and I is an explanation, not an excuse. I didn’t exactly say I was Mother Theresa.”

  Susan chuckled. “Oh, you’re not so bad…and you’re a lot deeper than you let on.”

  Jason slipped his knife back into its sheath and smirked. “Susan, are you warming up to me?”

  Susan waved her hands in front of her. “I wouldn’t say that now.” They shared a laugh. “But seriously, thank you.”

  He hefted the spear, thrusting it down in front of him in a few practice strokes. “For what?”

  She laughed, as if his question was ridiculous. “For helping me, stupid.”

  Jason waved her toward the river. “Let’s spear us some fish.”

  *

  Susan watched the mighty hunter walk to the river’s edge. She felt something stir within her, a feeling she hadn’t had in quite some time. He was attractive, in a rugged sort of way. He was well-built, and she liked his square jaw covered in rough stubble.

  She shook her head, as if to clear it. She was still a married woman. Then again, she probably wasn’t going to see her husband again. The thought made her sad. Her mind engaged in mental gymnastics, toggling between justifications for entertaining her attraction to Jason. The one she liked best was her marriage wasn’t all that great anyway. In fact, Chris had left her. Did that make her a free woman?

  Jason waded into the water, the current brushing up against him, until he was knee-deep. “Come on, what are you waiting for?”

  What was she waiting for? He extended a hand, beckoning her. She hefted her spear and waded into the river, joining him. The cold water felt good on her legs. It was a relief from the relentless sun. She stood next to him, looking sheepish. “Okay, now what?”

  He took several steps away from her. “Okay, now we wait, very still and very quiet. After a while, they’ll swim near us, and when they do…” He thrust the spear into the water with a speed that startled her. “Just like that.”

  “Just like that? You say it as if it’s so easy.”

  He winked at her. “That’s because it is.”

  They stood, waiting in silence, as Jason watched the water. He was positively statuesque. Susan, on the other hand, found it difficult to remain completely still. Her eyes widened when she saw the fish start to swim close by. She looked up at Jason, who fixated on the approaching fish.

  In an explosion of action, he thrust his spear into the water, barely making a splash, and withdrew it, cursing under his breath.

  Susan chuckled.

  “Shhh,” he admonished. “You’re going to scare the fish.”

  She put a hand on her hip. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” she whispered. The mighty hunter. She was amused, which seemed to annoy him.

  “Of course I do,” he whispered. “You don’t hit every time.”

  Susan saw a fish swim in front of her. Her body went rigid. She watched as it meandered over towards her feet. She lunged at it, driving the spear straight down, striking a rock and missing the fish entirely. The fish darted away. “Dammit.”

  Jason smirked. “Not so easy, is it?” he muttered.

  “I’ll get one,” she whispered. “You’ll see. I’ll get one before you.”

  He winked at her. “You’re on.”

  They spent the next half hour stabbing at the shallows, occasionally changing position. Finally, Jason speared a couple of fish. He called her to shore, and he sat on the ground, crossing his legs. The fish flapped their tails, skewered on the makeshift spears.

  “I hope you like sushi,” he said, pulling out his knife.

  Susan shot him an incredulous look. “You’re kidding, right? You’re going to cook the fish?”

  Jason shook his head. “Negative. A fire will give off smoke, and we’ll give away our position to any lizard men or predators in the area.” He started cutting the fish open, removing the guts, leaving the flesh behind. He handed one to her, and she accepted it in open hands.

  She looked down at the raw, torn open fish. “There’s no way I’m eating this.”

  Jason pulled a piece of fish away and popped it into his mouth. “Aw, come on,” he said between chews. “It doesn’t get fresher than this. I thought you said you were hungry.”

  Susan’s stomach growled loud enough to frighten a T. rex. “Well…” She pulled away a piece with her fingers, her face contorted in disgust.

  “Watch out for bones,” he said.

  The truth was, she loved sushi. There was no difference between restaurant sushi and this, except for presentation. At least that’s what she told herself. She looked at Jason, who tore one piece off after another, popping them into his mouth and chewing.

  She popped her piece into her mouth. It was fishy and slimy, but she chewed and swallowed. It felt good hitting her empty stomach. Her mouth began to salivate. She tore off another piece, eating it, and another.

  “There you go,” said Jason, grinning as he chewed.

  They passed twilight feasting on their catch, careful to avoid the bones. When they finished, Jason wiped his mouth on the back of his forearm, and Susan washed up in the river.

  Jason stood up and stretched. “Ah, feels good to have fuel in the tank. I’m going to drain the lizard.”

  Susan pulled up the corner of her mouth. “Charming.”

  He went into the jungle to relieve himself and was back in two minutes. “Okay, let’s find Mary. She’s somewhere nearby.”

  “It’s dark,” said Susan. “Can you still track her?”

  “I know the direction they went in,” said Jason. “I think they won’t be too far in. Let’s go. Follow me, and be very quiet.”

  Susan nodded and followed him into the jungle, clutching both fishing spears. He wielded his knife, pushing vegetation aside as they walked. They crept in the dark, their only illumination the sliver of moon up in the night sky and the myriad of stars.

  Jason put his hand out, signaling for her to stop. He pointed at his eyes with the index and middle fingers of his right hand and pointed at the clearing ahead. Mary lay on the ground in a heap. She was surrounded by several lizard men.

  “Is she dead?” whispered Susan into Jason’s ear.

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he whispered back into her ear. His breath was hot and fishy, but she didn’t mind.

  “What are we going to do?” she whispered back.

  He thought
about it for a moment. Then, his eyes brightened. “They know about me, but they don’t know about you. I’ll cause a diversion, get them to follow me. You go get Mary. Follow the river. I’ll take the long way around to lose them and catch up with you.”

  “I don’t like this plan,” whispered Susan.

  “Why?” he whispered back. “Do you have any better ideas?”

  She didn’t like the plan because it placed him in danger and it separated them from each other. She felt safer with him, and she didn’t like the idea of Jason running off into the jungle pursued by several lizard men. “It’s dangerous.”

  Jason shrugged. “Honey, this whole island is dangerous. It’s our only option. I’ll draw them away, and you get Mary out of there. Easy peasy.”

  Susan looked back at the clearing. Bathed in monochromatic light, it was difficult to determine exactly how many lizard men were present. She nodded.

  Jason began to creep off to the right, but Susan grabbed him by the arm. He turned to look at her, his expression questioning. She looked into his eyes, hesitating. Surprising even herself, she planted a wet kiss on his lips, closing her eyes and lingering for a moment. When she pulled away and opened her eyes, she saw that his eyes had been closed a second longer than hers. She liked that.

  Jason winked. “Thanks, honey.” He crept in the vegetation off to the right. This time she let him go. She skulked off to the left, careful to remain as hidden as possible using the flora, making her way to where Mary lay. She prayed Mary wasn’t dead. If Jason was correct and the lizard men had stopped to rest, chances were, she was still alive.

  As she drew close, she looked across the clearing to search for Jason, but she was unable to spot him. Damn, he was good. Trusting he was going to carry out his part of the plan, she crept in behind where Mary lay. The lizard men lay all about. One lay right next to her. Another was standing guard, looking around.

  Susan crouched in the bushes behind a fallen tree, clutching her spears, waiting for something to happen, though she didn’t know what. Suddenly, she saw Jason moving across the clearing. Slipping in and out of the shadows, he made his way to where the one lizard man stood watch. The guard didn’t appear to notice him.