Chapter 7: An Island Revisited
Edward Sega, the drug hoodlum from Jamaica, had flown to the coast of Costa Rica and boated to the island within a week after learning about the big score that was going down in San Jose. He was a very dangerous criminal and wouldn't hesitate for a moment to put a bullet in anyone's head who came between him and his newly acquired drug-smuggling chain. Rafael Traven had recruited him personally for his drug-smuggling abilities, and good-old Edward didn't disappoint.
A new shipment of fresh drugs had arrived and Rafael, the soon to be prince of crime, was most pleased.
The drug prince and his hand-full of men had set-up a crude base camp and meth lab in a secluded spot on the outer rim of the island by the lakeside. Traven, who was forty-five, had made absolutely sure that his operations on the island were kept quite. Drug runs were made at night in converted, stolen patrol boats. The money that was used for guns was used sparely among the men. The base camp and labs needed the protection. Traven was already pissed because five of his armed men had gone into the jungle after following an old game trail and had not returned. Their jeep was found by another group, but not the bodies.
Edward and Rafael knew of the dangers of this island. After watching the tyrannosaur footage of the San Diego incident many times, Rafael had made sure that his plans on the island succeeded. Patrol boats and planes constantly policed and monitored any suspicious activity in and around the restricted airspace of the island.
Rafael had spent those last few weeks making runs back and fourth in trips from the mainland to the island. Of course, he sent his men to do the jobs required for his operations. He never did the work himself. It was time-consuming and he had to make sure the labs were in perfect working order for future buyers who wanted fresh drugs.
In only a few months, Rafael had made a small but sizable fortune for himself. The deals were made on the mainland at night, of course, but he had to be smart about it. The customers and clients of his drugs wanted to make sure he wasn't selling bland materials to them. They wanted the good stuff. And Rafael had given them what they wanted.
But Edward Sega had a plan of his own for Rafael's clients. A double-cross that he planed to execute within the following week he was on the island with his 'partner'. In the meantime, he would wait and let Rafael make his sizable fortune. Than when the time was right, he would swoop in and take all the money. Why he was doing this was simple; money. Edward hated living on the cheap-ass wealth in Jamaica. And the hoodlum had had a run of bad luck in his hometown. Lately, some of his own 'homies' were turning snitch-bitch on him, and any operations he had underground were being busted by the Jamaican authorities left and right. It was getting so he couldn't trust anyone in his gang anymore. And when he had caught one of his boys talking to an officer in an ally, he had that man shot, and his operations moved to someplace else.
But now that he was on Sorna and working with Rafael, his goals were nearly there. It hadn't been easy gaining Rafael's trust at first because the drug prince didn't know Edward that well. After a few trials by the younger drug dealer, Rafael was ready to listen.
And now here he was. On the one place that few would dare to come; the five deaths.
(*)
Josiah's POV-
As I moved through the jungle toward the raptor nest, I kept thinking about what I'd find when I got there. Would Fern and Tholestes be surprised to see me again? Would Kara? And would Terias be okay? After his injured leg was treated by me a months ago, I had my doubts that the young raptor would be walking right.
The clearing was right up ahead but I didn't see any raptors yet. Not even the sentries on their rocky posts were seen. And this made me a little nervous about what I would find when I got to the nest.
I arrived at a clearing surrounded by thick trees with vines growing around them. This was the nest. There were several of them each spaced out for room to move around. Right now there were no eggs or chicks. In fact there was no one there.
"This is weird," I muttered to myself as I looked around the clearing. Where was the pack? "Where are you guys?"
It came to no surprise to me when I heard the sound of scrambling feet coming from behind me. I turned quickly in time to see a dark shape come right at me. I raised my rifle to fire, but was too late. The dark thing slammed me in my side, a vicious snarl coming from it. I landed on my back, the wind knocked out of me. I looked up and saw a raptor standing over me, it's neck quills raised and rattling. The dinosaur hissed and prepared to pounce. I backed away quickly, feeling muddy water on the palms of my hands.
I didn't recognize this raptor from before. After all a few months had passed. The dinosaur was the same color as Tholestes and Terias
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" I yelled, raising my hands to defend myself. Than I remembered the translation device. I quickly took it out of my vest pocket and put it on, keeping my other hand out to ward off the advancing raptor. The dinosaur wasn't giving me much of an option. It kept on coming, it's scaly lips parted in a snarl. I turned on the translation device, felt the familiar ear-ringing ping, and heard the snarls of the raptor turn into human words.
"What are you doing here at this nest, human?!"
I been used to hearing Tholestes speak before, so this was nothing new to me. I decided to say something. Something that Tholestes had taught me to say to another raptor in case I was in trouble.
I stood up slowly, raised my other hand, opened my mouth, and said, "Wai sa thrawng nuhy Saurilied, Fawltreheol."
The raptor stopped what it was doing, it's neck quills lowering down. There was a look of pure perplexity on its face as it tilted its head.
"What did you say, human? Speak!" It snapped, clicking its jaws. "Repeat what you said right now!"
I gulped and said again, "Wai sa thrawng nuhy Saurilied, Fawltreheol."
The raptor stood back, its head still tilted in that curious manner.
"You spoke the ancient saurien code for peace, human," The raptor said, taking another step back. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"My name is Josiah," I said, wiping my hands on my knees. "and I'm looking for a raptor named Alpha Tholestes. That's why I'm here at this nest."
"Well, hu... I mean Josiah," The raptor said, taking a step forward. "I do apologizes for attacking you. I have heard of you from my pack. Beta Fern had told me stories but I never thought they were true."
"You know Fern?" I said, picking up my rifle and placing it in my holster.
The raptor nodded. "She is the Beta of my pack now, along with her brother, Terias. She sent me to our old nest site to see if any eggs were left behind."
"Where is the pack?" I asked. "Isn't this their territory?"
The raptor shook it's head. "Not anymore. Not since Alpha Kara had died several moons ago."
That one threw me for a moment. "She's dead?" I said, sounding astounded. "How can that be?"
The raptor, who's name I didn't know yet, wrinkled his snout. Than he turned and started to walk away. "I think it's best that you come with me," He said. "Alpha Tholestes will explain everything to you. If he's at the nest, that is."
I followed him, keeping just a few meters away so I wasn't crowding him when we walked together. I didn't know this raptor from before, so I didn't know how he would act around a human he didn't know that got to near.
As we walked, following a trail uphill, I noticed that the familiar jungle around me was just as lush as before. Every so often I'd catch a glimpse of a Compy scurrying away into the underbrush. It was a damn-good thing I was with a raptor. Those Compys were nasty customers when it came to this island.
The raptor walked quickly. I had to work a little just to keep up. After five minutes we came to a ravine, the trees thinner here and less vegetation. This concerned me a bit because the way we had taken here took me off the path back to the town. But I was certain I would find it again.
We walked through the ravine for a few minutes until we came upon a gate. It was an old INGEN access gate, thirteen feet high and rusted. The wires on the electric fence on either side of it were dismantled and broken, hanging from the struts like vines. There weren't any sentries around the gate so we went right through.
"I forgot to ask, but who our you?" I said, wanting to know who my guide was.
"My name is Durgen," He said gruffly, not looking at me. "I'm a scout of the pack at the moment but will be a beta soon."
"It sort of sounds like you don't like being a scout very much." I said.
Durgen slowed his pace a bit. "There is not much to scout for these days in our new territory. With the black stripes gone and food plentiful, we are content here."
I followed, but with a new, troubling thought. Why would Tholestes and his pack move from part of the lowlands to here near the highlands? And near the summit, too? As I remembered from the journal the summit was where a crude satiate dish link was constructed.
We arrived at a clearing were a small river ran along a series of rocks. A few raptors were milling around, checking their makeshift nests or cleaning each other. When we approached, Durgen leading me, all the raptors became alert. A few hissed softly while others merely growled.
But when we got nearer, they all stopped. A couple even tilted their heads in confusion.
"So, where is Tholestes?" I said, looking around for my friend.
"That's Alpha Tholestes, human," Durgen chided gently. "And you'll do well to remember that. You may have known him before when he was a mere beta of the pack, but now that he's an Alpha you'll do well to address him as one."
Geez. Was this raptor uptight or what?
"Josiah!"
Turning suddenly, I saw a young female raptor heading right toward me. Only I knew who this raptor was the moment I saw the familiar markings on her flank.
"Fern?" I said, putting my rifle back into my holster.
Yep, it was Fern alright. And she was heading right towards me!
I really didn't know what hurt more after Fern had tackled me. My ass or my back. When she had hit me, it felt like the wind had been knocked out of my gut. It then occurred to me that Fern was no longer a small raptor. As soon as I got some of my wind back, I looked up and saw my raptor friend staring down at me with a happy-like smile on her reptilian face. I smiled back at her.
"It's great that your back, Josiah," Fern said, leaning down to nuzzle me on my cheek.
"Could you let me up, Fern?" I said with a grunt. "You've gotten heavy!"
"Oh," Fern chirped, a little embarrassed. "Sorry about that."
She got off and I got to my feet. As I dusted myself off, I got a good look at Fern. She had certainly grown quite a bit over the last few months, that's for sure. She was taller and leaner, her muscle-tone evident on her chest and arms. Her snout was more narrow and I could tell her teeth were a nice set, too. Her killing claws were a nice size as well. Sharp and deadly, like a true raptor.
"It's great to see you again, Fern," I said warmly. "Just look at you. You've grown into a fine young raptor. Your grandfather would be proud."
Fern leaned forward and nuzzled my cheek, purring. I laughed, enjoying the touch of her scaly snout on my face.
"It's great to see you again," She said. "But what are you doing back here on the island?"
I shrugged a bit. "Oh, I'm here to film and document you dinosaurs again, of course. But enough about me, Fern, where are Tholestes and Terias?"
Fern looked at me, than she turned away, her face unreadable.
"Fern?" I said gently. "What is it?"
She then looked at me and nodded toward the nests. "I think it's best that we sit down for this."
I followed her over to a nest that close to the river, careful to avoid the other nests within stepping distances.
Fern settled herself down upon her haunches and I in turn sat down opposite of her. If only the ground around here wasn't so moist it would have been nice to sit on.
"So, Fern, what's been happening with the pack?" I said, adjusting the translation device in my ear. "Why did you guys move? And what happened to Kara? And where is Tholestes?"
"Easy there," Fern said with a sharp squawk. "That's too many questions coming at me all at once."
"Sorry about that."
"Well, Josiah," Fern sniffed. "To answerer your first question, our pack has been doing fine, I guess. We've been hunting well and prey has never been so plentiful. Though I still think that is not the reason why we moved."
"Then why did you move?" I asked.
"Well," Fern said, scratching at a spot on her chin with a claw. "After you left the island, Kara and my brother took on the roll of pack alphas. For a few weeks we stayed in our territory. My big brother was a little out of practice being an alpha, but I believed he could do it. There were no problems with the black stripes and I was glad for that. I don't think I could stand another battle like the one we had before. And I think that's why we moved. It was Kara's idea, of course. I think that after Phaganax died, she couldn't stand living in the old nest anymore. All the remaining eggs and chicks were brought here and the sentries started marking territory boundaries. It's not bad here. We are not in the open and there is fresh water to drink."
"But why here?" I said. "I mean...isn't this near the summit where another raptor tribe lives?"
"Oh, they don't mind." Fern said causally. "In fact, they let us have this territory."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why would they do that?"
"Well, being a leaner and tougher breed, the tribe feeds manly on birds and lizards, and an occasional rat and Compy once and a while," Said Fern as she cleaned a claw. "And since we got rid of the black stripes and their leader, they've allowed us to have this territory."
I looked around the new nesting site again. The hills and the dirt road that led up to the summit was on one side, right across from the river and through a smaller gate. Looking upward, I could barley make out the image of some sort of turbine-like windmill. Squinting was a problem for me because it was far away.
"Sort of like a reward, huh?" I said.
Fern nodded.
"So, where is your brother?" I asked.
Fern suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. I saw her twiddle her front claws a little as well. Like she wanted to tell me something but couldn't.
"It's..." She murmured. "Well..."
She looked at me with a pleading look on her face.
"If I tell you, Josiah, do you promise not to tell the pack? Or Terias?"
I nodded. "Of course,"
She leaned forward so her words would not be heard by any of the other females nearby in their nests.
She whispered, "I think my big brother is sneaking off by himself to see... well... a female raptor."
I chuckled at that. "Well, Fern, he is your brother," I said. "What's so wrong with that?"
"You don't understand, Josiah," She hissed, making me flinch a bit. "I think he's seeing... a black stripe."
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