CHAPTER 104
Evening descended upon Isla Sorna with a sense of impending threat. As they had throughout the morning and afternoon the velociraptors were laying low. It was not a trend that anyone expected to keep up, especially as the final glow of sunlight dwindled beyond the jagged volcanic ridges. In the growing darkness Ms. Murdock had everyone on high alert. During the day people had slept in shifts, but now the operations compound was buzzing with diligent sentries on caffeine highs.
Around nine o'clock Carrie Bolton was manning her surveillance station when she observed a spike in activity beyond the perimeter fence. She put on her headset and made a call out to every radio, "hey, everyone. There's a lot of movement showing up on the motion trackers all around the compound. Keep an eye out."
A few minutes later Ms. Murdock and Dr. Conners appeared in the control room. Carrie was toggling through different camera angles along the perimeter fence, working to get some visuals on what was happening. They came up beside her and watched the large screen on the wall as the images flicked from one to the next. Carrie was moving swiftly until she came to an image that was full of static.
"That's odd," she paused. She scrolled through a few more camera angles before coming to two consecutive screens full of static. "What the heck. This isn't right. Something's not right." Carrie was shaking her head.
She switched to another camera with a clear image of the jungle, and Ms. Murdock said, "wait! Hold it right there."
They all watched the screen. Between the foliage there was swift movement. It was there, and it was gone. Another twenty seconds went by before a dark shape swiped across the camera and struck it. The picture distorted and then sputtered into static like the others.
"They're blinding us," Joan said.
"Carrie, how high was that camera?" Dr. Conners asked.
"About thirty-five feet." She continued to toggle through camera angles, and more and more of them were showing up as static.
She came to another image and Dr. Conners said, "stop."
This camera had a clear view of another camera. Just beyond it they could all see a velociraptor scaling the branches of a tall tree. When the raptor was at a good height it leapt from the tree and tackled the camera. Its descent from the post was cumbersome, however it reached the ground without injury.
"Son of a bitch." Dr. Conners was fixed on the screen.
"I didn't think they were supposed to be climbers," Carrie said.
"We found that one out the hard way." Dr. Conners was still very focused on the screen. "I think they picked it up from us yesterday, and damned quick too. I'm not really surprised though. Primitive birds would've learned to fly by scaling trees and gliding from limb to limb. It seems we have to be extra careful what we do around these bastards. Now that they're out in the open they've got a shit load of resources, including our intellect."
Moments later the image went to static. Before long every camera was out of commission.
"Shit," Joan muttered.
From the door Guss and Phill came in looking as though they were attempting to keep a low profile.
Carrie didn't even look away from her screen. "Where the hell have you two been?"
They looked at each other sheepishly. "The vending machines."
"That was over half an hour ago. I swear to God, if you were playing video games I'm gonna strangle you both with the controller chords."
They both slipped behind their desks without making eye contact with Carrie. "Nope. Just the vending machines."
Dr. Johnson had come into the room behind them unnoticed. "I guess my son kicked somebody else's asses at Top Gear."
Guss and Phill looked from Dianna to Carrie like two dear in headlights. Carrie turned around and threw a stress ball in their direction. It struck Phill across the side of the head.
Phill ducked after the fact and rubbed his scalp. "Hey! That's not how those are supposed to work."
"Give it back and I'll show you another way it's not supposed to work." Carrie went back to her computer. "Shit's hitting the fan and you two are dicking around."
Dianna came up to join Dr. Conners and Ms. Murdock. "What's been happening?"
Dr. Conners pointed to the static on the screen. "They're taking out our surveillance."
"You've gotta be shitting me."
Carrie sighed. "The motion trackers are unresponsive too."
"We're totally blind in here," Ms. Murdock said. She turned to Dr. Conners. Her voice lowered so the conversation didn't exceed her, Carrie, and the two doctors. "What's to keep them from scaling the trees and jumping the fence?"
Dr. Conners glanced at Dianna. They both looked like they had already thought about the answer, and by their expression Joan already knew what it was going to be.
Dr. Conners said, "Nothing."
"That's what I thought." Ms. Murdock shifted to Carrie. "Have Guss and Phill go back through all the video footage along the perimeter since last night. Ms. Bolton, you keep a sharp eye on every camera within the perimeter. Don't divert your attention anywhere else. This is critical."
Carrie nodded.
Ms. Murdock turned to leave. "I'll do what I can to tighten security. Perhaps we can redistribute our attention to areas where the foliage is taller and closer to the fence."
Dr. Conners stopped her by the arm and whispered, "is there any word on a transport yet?"
"You'll know when I know, Doctor." Joan slipped past his hand and walked away.