So, I've had this story on pause for a couple of months, yet here I am again. Still determined to finish it, I've chosen to add another character you're all familiar with. If you hadn't noticed it yet, please read on to find out.
Chapter 3
When Alan woke alive he felt a little nauseous. He looked around and tried to identify his surroundings. He had a pounding headache, which led him to the conclusion that he had probably been knocked out with chloroform. The room was tilting up and down and he had trouble standing up because of it. It was an ordinary room, a bed, a chair and table all in the same style. The ground had a cyan colour and appeared to be a short of canvas. In one of the white walls was a small round window. He motioned himself to look through it, but when he was able to do so, a splash of water blurred the glass on the outside. Then it struck him. He was not the one tilting, the room was, he was on a ship!
He shook his head and began to feel sick. He kept thinking 'not again, please' as he slowly moved towards the chair. He sat down and tried to recollect what had happened. The van, the ski masks, the professor. He shot from his chair, but immediately regretted having doing so. The headache sliced through his cranium and forced him back into his seat. Where had the professor been taken? Next to him was a small round table, upon which stood a bottle of spring water. He picked it up and took a sip.
"Aaaah." he let out.
The cool liquid felt divine in his dry mouth and his dizziness decreased a little bit. He had to find out what happened to the professor, and to himself for that matter. As he got up his brains protested, but he hád to. He had to try and stop this madness, if it was not yet too late. He shambled across the room and reached out for the doorknob. For a moment he was afraid that it might be locked, however he heard a click and the door slit open. He looked left and right. Nobody to be seen.
'They're seemingly not afraid that I'll be going somewhere.' he concluded.
He exited his room and continued shambling through the corridor where a few stairs led to a door that was half-way open. He came across another room identical to his own. Maybe he found the professor there. He opened the door, but found it to be empty. Then he faintly heard voices coming from the end of the hallway.
"… ridiculous… what … well?"
Every step closer he could distinguish more words.
"You can't expect me to lean back comfortably while you set sail for that hellhole?"
Alan was excited, yet disappointed at the same time as recognized the voice. He pushed open the metal hatch and carefully treaded outside. When his eyes got used to the light he took record of some of the exterior details of the ship.
The cabins, from which he just arrived, were located at the back. This complex rose a lot higher than any of the other compartments, but this was only logical. The bridge was situated on top where the captain could to see everything. This wouldn't be possible if his field of vision was denied. Even though Alan didn't have a good look from his current position on who was standing in the bridge hut, he knew that he himself would be plainly visible from up there. In front of him was the vast main deck. His capability of taking a stroll was restricted by a small fence that was meant to avoid people from straying across it. This would interfere with the sailors that were walking back and forth there, not to mention that it would be dangerous. In the middle was a huge hatch that would only lead to the belly of the ship where the cargo was stored. It was halfway open and if one took a tumble, one might sustain more than a few bruises. On the front of the ship there was another, wider yet lower complex. As far as Alan's knowledge about a cargo ship went, he assumed it was the location of the engine and more machinery required for the ship to function.
He walked up to the angry man and received a smile from the latter as he was recognized. The man´s black suit was an appeasing sight to Alan's light-sensitive painful head.
"Well, I'm not sure it's appropriate, but god, I'm glad to see you here as well Alan."
"I didn't really have a choice Ian."
Ian's short black hair was even more ruffled than usual by the sturdy wind. The thick black frame of his glasses reflected the sunlight straight into Alan's eyes, making him squint.
"I was discussing our destination with this friendly sailor, although it appears that it is meant to be a surprise." Malcolm said sarcastically.
The other man, who was clearly not even a sailor, did not respond. He merely drew an annoyed face. It was clear that in these few minutes of discussion the man already took a disliking of the chaotician. Once Alan addressed him, he took his chance to back away and escape.
"I think I know where we're going and upon seeing us both here, I believe you do too."
Malcolm rubbed his chin and came to the same awful conclusion.
"Damn it" he cursed out loud, "will they never learn?"
"Unfortunately for us, it seems they don't. Coming to think of it, were you abducted as well?"
"I didn't sign up for a trip back to the Jurassic if that's what you're implying." Ian said, raising an eyebrow.
"Surely, but weren't you drugged?"
"Oh yes, pounding headache, nauseous feeling, issues with your vestibular apparatus. Nasty stuff they used to knock us out."
"Then how come you don't act like it?" Alan answered as Ian didn't appear to suffer from any of the mentioned symptoms.
"Well, I-eh, hehehe, I'm an experienced man with hang-overs so I-eh… I'm actually quite in my element right now."
Behind them a second man in a suit appeared who cleared his throat to get their attention. Alan knew the man as Harold, Jacobson's private security, and proving to him that his suspicion about the identity of the culprit was indeed correct. The bodyguard escorted them back inside and up another stairs to a different room. The outside looked the same as their own, however the inside was much more luxuriously decorated. Malcolm whistled in astonishment.
"I think we've found first class." he said.
In the back of the room stood a large chair, faced to a heater. The person in it put down his newspaper and arose to greet his guests. As he already knew the palaeontologist, he made an attempt to shake hands with the mathematician while introducing himself. The other impolitely declined this by not even bothering to look at, nor respond to the gesture. Without any sign of change in attitude, Pavel lowered his hand again.
"I trust that, in your profound wisdom, you have thought of a sensible explanation for bringing us on your ehm, holiday?" Ian demanded with his usual sarcasm.
"Be seated and I shall clear some things up."
The businessman clicked his fingers and Harold placed two chairs opposite to his boss. Pavel held out his hand to the chairs and waited for his guests to sit down first before following their example.
"Please."
His guests reluctantly accepted the invitation, when Alan realized that someone was yet unaccounted for.
"What did you do to the professor?"
"Ah, you see, he wasn't meant to be taken as well. An unfortunate turn of events so to say."
"What did you do to him?"
Alan jumped up from his chair, invoking the nearby guards' protective instincts. Pavel smirked, hoping for this to happen, subsequently shaking his head lightly and the guards returned to their original pose.
"At ease, doctor Grant, he's downstairs in a room similar to yours."
Alan plumped down and Pavel started his explanation.
"So, you're wondering why I brought you here."
"Not at all, that's why we just asked you." Malcom replied deadpanned.
"Despite all the safety precautions I have taken for my expedition, none of my employees was willing to go unless I brought someone with experience regarding these… creatures."
"Expedition? Oh thank god, I thought it was a suicide trip to an island filled with rampaging dinosaurs that are bound to kill everyone in a tsunami of carnage. And those safety precautions, pheew, that is one heavy load of my back."
Pavel fought to retain his friendly attitude, but the excessive amount of cynicism expressed by his captive caused him to bite down hard to prevent his smile from fading. This did not go unnoticed by the doctor who placed his hand before his mouth to hide his smirk.
"Yes, well I have to say I was somewhat surprised when I heard you were not so compelling to join us." Pavel stated.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho." Ian laughed, "I assure you, sooner rather than later, you will find out why we preferred our couch at home over this trip of yours."
"We'll just see about that. Anyway, that is not the only reason that I brought you doctor Grant."
"Oh great, there is more?" Alan said.
He realized that he had quickly assimilated his friend´s sarcastic attitude.
"Yes indeed. Do you remember this."
Jacobson placed a suitcase on his lap and retrieved the gallimimus skull from it. Alan nodded, yet did not see what it had to do with him.
"You see, doctor Grant, this little thing here is worth a lot more than just your admiration. For your admiration and that of others like you is what makes it worth a great deal of money." He spoke, softly rubbing across the fossil.
Ian laughed scornfully.
"Ha! I knew it. As unpredictable as all large systems like us humans are there is one motive that bounds us all to predictability: Money. "
This last interruption was clearly the last straw. Pavel tossed the skull coarsely back in the suitcase and rose from his chair. He pointed menacingly at the man dressed in black.
"I strongly suggest that you change your attitude, mister Malcolm."
Malcolm stood up as well and both tried to kill the other by glaring angrily.
"You think that threatening my will persuade me?"
"It better does, or your part in this expedition is going to end sooner than you expected."
"You're gonna throw me of the boat? Please do, I'd rather swim all the way back to Costa Rica than to set another foot on one of those islands."
"That can be arranged."
The two quarrellers stood face to face in silence for a brief moment when the door swung open.
"Mister Jacobson. We're nearing our destination."
"Finally."
He followed the man in the doorway to the bridge of the vessel, followed by his security and the two intellectuals. Once there, the captain greeted him and pointed ahead. When Grant and Malcolm entered as well, they were looked at with suspicion. It was clear that they were not meant to be here as well, however no-one made any effort to throw them out. It was thus that they were able to stay and monitor the events. At the horizon a couple of islands were visible. Still a long to go, yet it was certain that they were reaching their destination.
"Excellent, how soon can we start our deployment on land?"
"Ehm, at our current speed, I'd say -.."
"Captain! I'm getting a reading on the sonar." A nearby sailor called out.
"What where?"
"Right in front of us, sir, and it big!"
End of chapter