Chapter 7: Piper Norvell's Love Life
Boat
Time had passed since Erik, Dimitri, and Darren set sail, but none of them knew exactly how long it had been. In all honesty, none of them really cared. Erik had called and left a message for Benji explaining what he was doing, but he wasn't sure if the message had been relayed.
Darren remained at the wheel in silence and everytime Dimitri walked to the left of him, he would turn slightly to the right. He would to the opposite when Dimitri walked to his right. Finally, Dimitri gave up. "I'm going to sleep," he announced. "Wake me when we get there."
Erik nodded, but Darren only shrugged. Dimitri walked below deck and opened the fist door he came to, only to see it to be a storage room. Dimitri walked over to the next room and walked in. Dimitri was about to flop onto the bed until a sound from the remaining room stopped him. The sound was so loud that even Darren came rushing downstairs.
"What did you do?" he immediately assumed.
"I did nothing!" Dimitri immediately yelled back. "It came from the other room." Darren slowly walked over to the door and began to push it open. As he did, another loud sound came. Now, Darren slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a handgun.
"You brought a gun?" Dimitri yelled in a whisper. Darren only put his finger to his mouth in response. Darren retuned to slowly opening the door until it was ajar enough for him to slip in. Dimitri followed.
The room was just another bedroom identical to the one Dimitri was just in. "Okay!" Darren yelled. "Whoever or whatever is in here, come out right now!" No one came out, but Dimitri heard whimpering coming from the closet. Dimitri rolled his eyes and motioned for Darren to put his gun away.
Dimitri calmly approached the closet and threw it open. There, stood Andrew Rayburn. He was wearing a homemade copy of the camouflage uniform the DLA used during the bank robbery. "Andrew," Dimitri said. "I should have known. It looks like we have our very own DLA wannabe coming with us."
"He can't come with," Darren protested.
"He has to," Erik said as he joined the conversation. "We're already on our way. We'd only waste more time if we turned around. He comes, but he stays on the boat."
"What?" Andrew protested. "I have to stay on the boat? I hardly see how that's fair to me. If I have to stay, then I think it's only fair that Dimitri stay with me."
"Fair?" Dimitri asked with a laugh. "Fair? My definition of fair is throwing you overboard, and don't think that I wouldn't either. You're just annoying enough to push me to that point."
Andrew laughed a scared chuckle before closing the closet door.
Hallway
Max was still roaming around the hallways of the University of Maryland aimlessly. The new dean was strict and wouldn't even let Max check the student records even with Eddie Harold's approval. The new dean said that since Eddie lived in Washington D.C., he had no jurisdiction in Maryland.
Max didn't want to seem incompetent, and so he didn't want to call Eddie back without any progress. He continued to ask random student if they recognized the name Norvell. His search didn't seem to bear any fruit. Max almost gave up until a student mentioned that he heard the football coach mention the name.
Max immediately left for the football field where the team was training. The coach was an elderly man, no younger than sixty, but still appeared to be in good physical health. "Coach!" Max yelled as he came running along the sidelines. "Coach! I have a simple question to ask of you. Official FBI business."
"No," the coach replied in a gruff demanding voice.
"It involves Norvell," Max explained. Now, the coach seemed interested. "I just need to know who he is."
The coach stood in thought before replying, "I could tell you, but I think it would be better if I showed you." The coach led Max back into the hallway and to a trophy case. "There," the coach pointed.
Max looked at the black-and-white picture. Pictured was a football team together with cheerleaders sitting on bleachers. Max peered down and read the date as March 25, 1979, almost twenty years prior. The coach pointed to someone in the front row with a cheerleader sitting on his lap."
"Sam Novell," the coach said proudly. "The greatest running back this school has ever known. He could've gone pro if his hamstring hadn't gone out."
Max nodded in disbelief as he continued to stare at the picture. "So," he said. "That girl on his lap. Is that Maria Avila?"
The coach nodded. "That it is. Maria was head cheerleader and Sam's girlfriend and eventual wife. I should know. I was at the wedding."
Max turned around and thanked the coach. "Thank you very much, coach. This will help nicely." The coach left and Max pulled out Benji cell phone and dialed Eddie's number.
FBI Headquarters
Eddie stepped through the doors as he finished his conversation with Max Gibson. He wasted no time in getting his subordinates on the Norvell assignment. "Dana," he ordered. "Piper has a husband. Sam Norvell. Find him. And don't forget to keep checking for any mention of a Maria Avila within the last year. That goes for all of you."
Eddie continued to walk to his office. Dana stood up and followed him. "You're not our boss per se," Dana remained. "You really don't get to shove us around that way, not that we won't do our jobs. Still, Sam Norvell doesn't appear to be a promising lead."
"It is," said another FBI agent. "A man by the name of Samuel Norvell issued a missing persons report for his wife Maria almost two years ago. I'll have his address for you within the minute."
Eddie smiled triumphantly. Dana scowled. "Fine. You were right, but that doesn't mean you'll be right again. I should go with you just to make sure you don't screw up like you did before."
"No," Eddie immediately replied. "You're an intelligence agent, which mean you do your best work right here, not with me in the field. You know that just as well as I do."
Dana was about to respond until the other FBI agent interrupted. "Agent Harold. Agent Tomlinson. I have Sam Norvell's address."
Eddie and Dana walked over to the computer screen. "8994 Lawrence Avenue." Eddie stood up and went directly for the door. Dana followed until Eddie turned around and pushed her back lightly. "I don't think so," Eddie said. "You're staying here." Eddie left leaving Dana to return to her desk.
Helicopter
Isla Sorna was now clearly in view. Dalton was admiring the view while Lance hadn't looked up from his book the entire flight. Morgan kept the helicopter steady as they entered InGen airspace. "We're almost there," Dalton assured Stephanie. "You won't have to stay in such close quarters with us."
In a matter of seconds, a three-part trailer came into view with a young blond woman standing in front of it. Morgan began to lower the helicopter. Lance hopped out before the helicopter reached the ground.
As Morgan touched down, Dalton stepped out. "Lance!" he yelled. "We have a guest." Lance groaned as he walked back and pulled the door open for Stephanie. Stephanie calmly stepped out onto Isla Sorna.
"Nice trailer," Stephanie complimented.
"Thank you," Lance accepted. "Property of Thorne Industries. I have a cousin who works there so he got me half price." Lance walked inside the middle trailer, careful to avoid eye contact with the young blond woman. Morgan did exactly the same.
"Hannah," Dalton told his subordinate. "I severely hope you wont disrupt our guest with your constant squabbling. I suggest you fix the problem or stay as far away from him as possible."
"That wouldn't be far enough!" she yelled. "He and I can't even be on the same continent together, much less the same island."
"Too bad!" Dalton yelled. The voice was incredibly demanding. Stephanie didn't think that Dalton had the power to yell so forcefully. Dalton then returned to his former calm voice. "Like it or not, you are on the same island with him and so you are just going to have to deal with it."
Dalton led Stephanie inside the front trailer and left Hannah outside alone. "What was that about?' Stephanie asked. Stephanie wasn't really the intrusive kind, but being on the island seemed to change her almost immediately.
"A former relationship with another of my associates that didn't end well," Dalton explained. "It's nothing you should concern yourself with. All I need you to do is watch the dinosaurs and you'll see that they are no different than any other animal."
Dalton was about to leave for the second compartment until Stephanie asked, "The island. You've been here before. How many times?" Dalton only smiled before turning back around and walking into the second compartment.
