They hadn't been on the island long before Owen had further confirmation that he was right. Not only was this a really bad idea, but someone wasn't giving them the whole story. The chopper had dropped them off on Control's helipad. Claire had done her best to try to pull up the systems but even the backup power systems were oddly inoperative. They at least had binoculars for a visual assessment of Main Street and the surrounding buildings but Claire's report was going to be greatly limited without access to the computer systems. O'Neill had recommended that they head out on foot while there was still daylight to get to the raptor enclosure to get Owen's required research files. Owen would have felt much better about this plan if they had the tracing location of especially Rexy.
They started their trek through the jungle. O'Neill, led, followed by Owen, Claire on his heel and the two additional soldiers bringing up the rear. Fortunately they made it to the enclosure without incident. Owen was able to get into his office. He grabbed what papers he thought were most critical and since they were again unable to get any computer systems online, they pulled the hard drive out of his computer. O'Neill had the two other soldiers carry the hard drive and the papers separately. Owen wasn't happy at all with handing over his work and not carrying it himself but O'Neill insisted that it was InGen direct order and was not up for discussion. Owen was about to tell him that InGen could take their direct order and shove it up their … when Claire put a hand on his arm and gave him a subtle No head shake. He knew her well enough at this point to figure that she was trying to convey that this was one point not currently worth arguing.
By some miracle they made almost all the way back to control without incident when they reached a stretch of the trail with a clear view of Main Street and the dock. Claire spoke up, "Why is there a ship at the dock?"
O'Neill raised his binoculars and then handed them to Owen. "That's not a park boat is it?" he asked and then waited for Owen to confirm.
Owen looked through the lenses. "Nope," he confirmed. "Looks like a ferry of some type, but it not commercially labeled. There are men down there too, military. Friends of yours?" He handed the binoculars back to O'Neill.
The Sergeant looked again. "Nope." He turned towards the other two soldiers. "You both circle back around and meet us at control. I'm going to take the two of them and call this in. We need to clear out of here." O'Neill directed Owen to lead. "Let me watch your six. Let's go."
They moved along the trail quickly but quietly as the other two soldiers departed to circle back the other direction.
They reached a deep section of trail that headed up hill and was overgrown. O'Neill had paused behind them at the bottom of the incline. There came the noise of engines through the trees below them. "Take her up the slope," O'Neill quietly directed Owen. "I'll be right up. I want to see what we're dealing with." O'Neill stepped off the trail and disappeared into the underbrush.
See next story: Owen and Claire – Forced Into Love for the continuation. Thank you! Reviews greatly appreciated.