***
Their stay at the Ranch in East Central Louisiana was anything but relaxing. Training consisted of morning runs in full gear, followed by classes in a wide variety of topics from plant identification, to sampling methods, proper storage of specimens and packaging for collection. Various meters and gauges were provided, and the boys were shown how to use the tools and transmit results to their satellite uplinked computers. Redundancies were the rule, even though some equipment was quite costly.
The boys turned out to be adequate in the classroom and quite well adapted to life in the outdoors. They exceeded the expectations of their new employers and their training moved along at a steady pace. At the end of the first thirty days at the Ranch where they received mostly classroom and instrument training, they moved full time into the wild.
Here they had no problems with wilderness survival, but could they operate the instruments and make recordings within desired tolerances? Survival meant more than just camping, it meant foraging for food and water and their employer taught these life-saving and life-sustaining techniques to supplement the stores they would take with them. Basic emergency medical issues were reviewed and after sixty days at the Ranch, the boys were ready for their final exam – thirty days dropped in the wilderness somewhere, with full gear and instrumentation. This was a test site with known parameters and outcomes from the available flora and fauna. Water and soil samples from specific locations would be measured against past results. If the boys stayed within these test parameters, they would pass and be eligible for their first assignment. If not, they would get bus tickets back to wherever they wanted to go.
Thirty days surviving in the wilderness with full gear was a test they expected to pass with ease.
And, they did.
They were ‘coptered out of the bush in some immense wilderness in Montana after having successfully completed most of their research in the short span of two weeks. The boys worked well as a team, were diligent in reporting results and rarely had to re-test anything. Food and water were no problem, as they both fished and hunted in and along streams and lakes as they moved along the paths set out for them on their topo maps. At the end of thirty days, they didn’t want to leave.
They were informed by radio when they were to be extracted. Then a week off in any city they wanted to visit, then their first assignment. Their pay was increased to five thousand per month, a 401k and completion bonuses. The boys watched as their bank accounts filled up, with little opportunity to waste what they had earned so far. They wrote checks to their respective families thanking them for the loans to date and telling them they would soon be out of touch due to their first assignment somewhere in the world.
Alan wrote, “Not to worry, Mom. I’m out in God’s country with Jimmy, a .45 and a high power, scoped rifle. I’ll write as soon as we’ve finished this assignment. We’re heading to a place they call the Preserve in Colorado. Talk to you in a couple of months.”
Chapter 20
Alan and Jimmy were airlifted into a remote section of Colorado, not far from a national wilderness area near the Elk Mountains of central Colorado. The Preserve, or so they were told, was a unique private forest reserve of about one hundred thousand acres adjacent to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area. The Preserve, they were told, was rumored to be going up for sale and IBD was interested in keeping it out of the hands of private developers.
IBD said they needed a comprehensive physical assessment of the Preserve to make sure they weren’t buying a hitherto unknown toxic waste site, for which they would have liability under both current state and federal law. Alan and Jimmy were tasked with doing GPS surveys of boundaries, taking multiple soil samples and securing air and water samples. The survey would take months and they would be required to provide data and return samples at regular intervals. They would also be resupplied at specific locations on specific dates, offsite near the boundary of the Preserve’s property line.
That would have been plenty of incentive for Alan and Jimmy and a key aspect of their fantasy motivation, had any of it been true. Unfortunately for them, it was not.
On a glorious day in late August, Alan and Jimmy arrived by helicopter at a location less than a mile away from the western boundary of the Preserve. They arrived in late afternoon, camped out where they landed and began assessing the boundary of the Preserve using GPS. They decided to scout out the boundary line and look for an easy entry path via an old road or deer trail. The forest was very dense, and they didn’t want to fight the undergrowth along with packs they were carrying weighing over sixty pounds each.
They would cart in their barebones camping equipment, water purification and backup food supply but were expected to provide for themselves throughout the assignment by hunting, fishing and gathering, just like their forefathers. Most of the weight in their packs was taken up by instrumentation and scientific supplies but the boys also packed heat. Each carried a .45 semi-automatic handgun and one scoped rifle along with enough ammo for a ninety-day stay. They were not expecting to use their weapons, unless it was against a wild raging black bear or some other unknown predator.
The day after they arrived, they rose early and began to explore the perimeter looking for an easy entry point. They noted that the perimeter was both fenced and posted for ‘no trespassing’, with occasional signs warning against unauthorized entry, the potential for civil and criminal penalties and that the ‘no entry’ warning was strictly enforced by private security.
IBD was aware of these conditions and of the consensus among local guides: it was not a good idea to enter the Preserve and it should be avoided at all costs. Numerous incidents had been reported over many years of people violating the boundary of the Preserve and barely escaping with their lives intact, or worse. Dead bodies had occasionally been dumped just outside the Preserve. Most had been horribly disfigured and mutilated from predation.
Also withheld from the boys was the highly relevant fact that two prior teams of highly capable research scientists and guides, with deep experience in wilderness survival around the world, had disappeared without a trace. Since what IBD was doing was almost certainly illegal; it wasn’t in their best interest to report the disappearances to the authorities. So, they didn’t bother. Needless paperwork.
Around midday the boys came to an old access road that seemed to follow the route to an old timber or mining camp, long abandoned. The gravel road was gated, and posted with an additional signage warning of danger, both physical and legal, for those foolish enough to cross the boundary and intrude on the privacy of the Preserve. They quickly hopped the gate, and began their trek to the interior, taking GPS readings to determine their precise location. They would map out their data collection strategy once they camped that night and find a good central location from which to begin their work.
The availability of fresh water was their first and primary concern, followed by an assessment of the abundance of fish, game and other food sources. Following old topo maps and other satellite data in the public domain, they quickly located an acceptable spot to make camp, from which they would begin their little project.
Being paid for this gig was everything they had dreamed of and those dreams were coming true bigtime. They would cruise through this ninety-day assignment with ease, collect their pay and bonuses, then kick back for a bit and spend some cash while they waited for their next assignment.
The boys made camp in a small meadow beside a large stream filled with rainbow trout and pure, ice cold mountain water. The forest kissed the edge of the meadow, as if planted, and seemed to stretch for miles unbroken in any direction. The dark green lawn of firs was dense and foreboding and the darkness was intense as the sun set later in the evening. After nightfall, the only light came from the heavens and their own small campfire. The sounds of wind and animals off in the distance broke the silence of the night and the panorama of stars was clear and breathtaking.
The boys had concluded t
heir day and, around midnight, decided to get some sleep and prepare for their first big day collecting samples in nearby locations. They would test and calibrate their instruments and take appropriate readings for satellite transmission at the end of every day in the field.
As the boys began preparations for retirement to their small, all weather tents for the night, a voice suddenly spoke to them from the darkness. They saw nothing, but both had clearly heard the male voice as it approached the tiny campsite. Brush rustled as the forest now became eerily quiet, as if the animals chattering in the background had been shushed quiet by some unknown force or creature.
“Who’s there?” Alan asked, as both boys reached for their handguns.
“No need for guns, boys. Let’s all just talk this out and everyone goes home safe and sound.”
“Who are you?” Jimmy asked, as if he had the authority to question anyone on land he was not authorized to be on in the first place.
“I think it’s me who should be asking you who you are and why you are trespassing on the grounds of the Preserve? I don’t recall any giving any permits to strangers to camp on our land? What’s your business here?”
“And who, exactly, are we talking to? Why don’t you step into the light, so we can have a look see?”
“I think I’m fine right where I am,” the voice said. “Besides it’s you boys packing the firearms. Should I be afraid of you?”
“No, not at all,” Alan said. “We’re just on vacation in the area and are just passing through on our way to the Maroon Bells Wilderness area.” Both boys holstered their weapons and turned on their battery powered camp light to maximum, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stranger. The light sprayed out thirty feet or so, but even so, nobody was visible in the artificial light.
“Well, OK then. My name is Ezra and I’m the caretaker here at the Preserve. I’m going to have to ask you boys to turn around and go back the way you came at first light. You’re trespassing on private property without permission, so for your own safety and security, please gather your things at daylight and leave. We understand that you may have gotten lost or turned around but now you know you are trespassing.”
“I think you may not have all the facts, Ezra. We have permission from the owners to camp and explore here on the Preserve for the next ninety days, so I’m sure this is just a mistake which we can clear up in the morning. No need to be upset.”
“Seems like for campers you brought a lot of electronic gear with you. Lots of instrumentation and gadgets. Looks more like you are surveying and sampling our land, not camping. Any explanation for all this stuff?”
“Well, you got us there Ezra,” Alan said. “We are interested in this wilderness area and we conduct tests on behalf of environmental organizations. But it’s purely scientific in nature and we never disturb the areas we study. We’re happy to share the results of our work with you.”
“We don’t want or need your assessments, nor did we ask you to conduct any studies. This land has been private and pristine for over a hundred years, so please do as I ask and leave. You are not wanted here.”
Alan continued, “I’m sorry to hear that, Ezra. But before we leave, please contact the owner and you can confirm we have permission to be here.”
“I am the owner’s representative and I have already spoken to the owner who tells me you are trespassing. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the end of the discussion. Be gone in the morning or risk the consequences.”
“That sounds like a threat,” said Jimmy.
“No, it’s a warning,” Ezra continued. If you are still in the Preserve by nightfall tomorrow, I cannot guarantee your safety.”
The slight rustle of disturbed vegetation was all the noise they heard as the man slowly moved away. The background chatter of the forest gradually returned, and the sounds of nature were fully restored within minutes.
Jimmy and Alan discussed their options and issues before turning in for the night. They would break camp, and head deeper into the Preserve opting to outrun Ezra rather than comply with his request. This potentiality had been fully discussed with IBD personnel before departing from headquarters and IBD had given the lads plenty of discretion in determining whether to terminate their mission at any time either due to danger, discovery or injury. However, they would lose their bonuses if they left now and neither of the boys thought Ezra posed much of a threat to them.
There being no cops in the wilderness, they elected to press on.
Chapter 21
The next morning, they arose early once again and checked their topo maps for the best route into the deep forest, where they felt they could easily escape detection and the watchful eye of Ezra the Groundskeeper. They would head back the way they came, then double back at an angle through the underbrush they had originally sought to avoid. They would camp without fires and go through a protocol they had been taught in training to avoid detection and capture.
They were confident they would shake Ezra and be on their way. After all, one man couldn’t track them both and they decided on an alternate plan of splitting up and meeting at a designated location later that night.
They also decided against informing IBD of the encounter with Ezra, as they wanted their new employer to have confidence in their ability to effectively deal with tough issues that could arise from time to time. No need to let the boss know they had been spotted right away. If they could be detected that easily then maybe the boss would figure out that they were, after all, just amateur punks from New Jersey.
They broke camp and headed back the way they came. As they entered the forest and continued on the old road, overgrown and dense with vegetation, they spotted a deer trail at about the midpoint of path back and split up. Each had GPS capability with them, so they decided on circuitous routes in opposite directions to a meeting point some ten miles away from the previous night’s camp. They expected to take their time, go slowly through the dense undergrowth and meet up in a small box canyon that could only be approached from one direction. They would camp at the only entrance to the canyon just off a trail or path they expected to find there. They did not wish to repeat the embarrassment of having Ezra sneak up on them again.
Alan looked at Jimmy, and knew he was nervous about splitting up. Jimmy thought it was unwise to travel alone through unfamiliar territory and did not think it prudent to separate when there was clearly more safety in numbers.
“I don’t like this Alan,” Jimmy said anxiously. “We should stick together just in case.”
“Just in case what?” asked Alan. “We’re out here with one guy who can’t follow us both at the same time. Let’s shake him and get on with the job. Don’t let one guy we haven’t even seen wig you out. Man up! Let’s go.”
Jimmy grumbled some, then split off in the opposite direction from Alan. Within minutes, they lost sight and sound of each other and proceeded slowly through the tangle of tall pines and vegetation that slowed their progress.
***
Since they had decided to go their separate ways, one to the west and north and the other to the east and north, they would meet at a predetermined set of coordinates, upload their newly acquired data, and continue their journey as originally instructed. Their chance meeting with Ezra was a minor inconvenience and their training had taught them how to evade detection like professionals. They were to meet at precise coordinates with the aid of a sophisticated GPS uplink as they made their way north taking samples, performing tests and otherwise doing as they had been taught in Louisiana.
They had no problem with that. Hell, with the training provided by Blackhurst, the job didn’t even seem all that complicated. They were delighted with this opportunity.
They were paid well and provided with the finest and most up-to-date equipment for field use that the mining and petroleum industries had to offer. However, their new employer had failed to mention the fact that two other teams had been recruited, trained and previously sent into
the field. Both had failed in their assignments.
That would still not have been a big problem for Alan and Jimmy had that been the only factoids their employer had failed to disclose. The other part they also left out was that both previous teams had not only failed to return from their assignments but were also dead. The hideously mutilated bodies of six men, some with deep military experience and training, had been found just outside the enormous wilderness area known known to Alan and Jimmy as the Preserve.
The bodies of these men had been ripped apart in the most savage and brutal way by who or what exactly, was unknown. If this was the work of men, they were sadists plain and simple. If they had been attacked by animals, how could trained hunters with exceptional talent and years of experience not been able to defend themselves?
It made no sense.
The smart money for who was responsible was on the secretive organization that owned the Preserve. BioGen Recreational Properties, Ltd., of Princeton, New Jersey was the nominal owner of the Preserve, but this firm was owned, in turn, by other corporate interests in both the US and abroad. The identity of these owners was buried in a series of interlocking corporations, foundations and trusts, most off-shore in countries where disclosure of ownership was not mandated.
Preliminary geology reports of strata formations and data from the nearby and adjacent National Wilderness area made it almost certain that the Preserve was located on top of one of the richest deposits of metals, minerals and fossil fuels ever discovered in the continental United States.
Though the Preserve had an interesting name and a somewhat opaque history, Blackhurst had nonetheless been able to confirm that ownership still rested in private hands. If the richness and extent of these expected deposits could be directly confirmed, a whole host of political, financial and legal manoeuvres and pressure could be brought to bear on ownership to wrest title from the current owners and make a lot of corporate executives and their firms very wealthy. Federal or state eminent domain was always a political possibility when enough cash was involved.
Discovery Page 44
