CHAPTER 239
They worked into the night, setting up a camp around the carcass and continuing by the light of fire and gas lanterns. Dr. Levine wanted everything documented in great detail. She had sent the helicopter pilot away to retrieve a man named Marty Guitierrez who was a field biologist that had been living in Costa Rica for the past eight years. She needed him to come in with the proper equipment to preserve and transport the specimen.
By the next morning Kelly, Arby, and Diego were congregated around the camp fire. Diego was fast asleep with his head resting on a rolled up sleeping bag. Kelly and Arby had dozed off at some point, but were up and chatting in the waning darkness. Dr. Levine had not left the carcass for even a moment. She was still pacing around the specimen and jotting notes.
"She's enthralled," Kelly said.
Arby nodded. A small smile crossed his lips.
"What?" Kelly was wondering why.
"I was just thinking about all those times she had us runnin' through soy fields in the heat, rain, and the middle of the dog gone night, all because some crazy farmer said they saw something strange eating at their crops."
"Not so crazy."
"Maybe."
What was left of the fire sputtered and collapsed in on itself.
Arby looked up at the sky. "Sun is coming up soon."
Kelly nodded. Hugging her knees she yawned and then stretched back.
Arby said, "this could change everything, Kel."
"I know." She looked out over the dark ocean.
"Almost makes all that schooling seem pointless."
"Look at it this way, Arb. You and I are on the frontier of a new field of research."
Arby stood up and cocked his ear to the sky. His expression had changed to one of moderate focus.
Kelly turned her face to him. "What is it?"
"I hear a chopper."