“You are mad,” Johan stammered.
“We are the United States of America. We are revolutionaries, leading the new world. This is not some fly-by-night operation. You stumbled onto a long running project, Mr. Krauss,” Sikke spoke, stressing the words, as if they were of the upmost importance.
“What about the third island? What have you been building there?”
“Oh, that we left empty. It is a safe zone. When we need to start running human trials, that island will be the location we use to deliver and collect the test subjects. It is untouched by the years. Anything that survives there has been there since before we arrived.” Sikke dismissed the third island, as if it were just an annoyance with its presence.
“What on earth made you do this? I don’t understand. It makes no sense to me. What do you expect to achieve?” Johan’s head started to spin as he tried to wrap his mind around the revelations he was hearing.
“Me? Oh no, this is not my doing. This goes above my head and through so many different levels that it makes me look like nothing more than a foot soldier.”
Johan stood his ground, but was thrown by the sudden admission. His heart thundered in his chest, the steady pulse ringing in his ears like the beating of wings. “Then why all the games? Back in Hong Kong, the whole design and security detail. None of it makes any sense.”
“Have you never heard of a scapegoat? Once our islands had been discovered, which we realized would only be a matter of time, as even our abilities and concealment can only go so far, we realized that we would need a cover story. It was not planned, so please, I don’t want you to feel as if I used you specifically. It just turned out this way. You have to admit, it is all rather convenient.” That smile spread across his lips again. “Now if you forgive me, I need to step out for a moment.”
The director turned and left without saying another word, leaving Johan stood in his place, leaning onto the snooker table with both hands. It was a lot for his aged mind to process in one hit.
His heart grew louder and louder, and by the time Johan realized what really made the sound, it was too late. The helicopter came into view, travelling over the coast. Lights flared on their side, and a few moments later, thousands of rounds of smoking leading punctured the buildings ocean-facing façade.
The rounds tore through the walls, shattered the windows in a spray of broken glass and mortar dust.
Johan threw himself to the floor, wincing as the rainfall of glass shards cut into his flesh. Blood flowed from the multiple lacerations as the helicopter continued to pepper the building with round after round.
Johan needed to move. He knew it. Crawling on his belly, pulling his body over the glass, he dragged himself away. Pain exploded in his mind like a rising fountain as he took a round to the leg. His lower body caught fire, or so it felt. His fingers were flayed by the glass, to the point where the lacerations were so deep and so many, his fingertips splayed outwards like peeled bananas.
The onslaught came to an end, as Johan knew it would. He lay on the floor panting, covered in blood. His house was destroyed. The dark wood snooker table lay in a broken heap on the floor. The ceiling and walls sparked, spitting small bursts of electricity as the complex wiring behind them tried to function.
He heard footsteps and the sound of crunching glass. They seemed to echo all around Johan, making it impossible for him to locate Director Werkhoven. He knew it was him. It had to be.
“I am sorry it had to end this way, Johan. Don’t worry, Black Arrow Security did a wonderful job on the island, and I mean it. To have survived so long out there, those two men must be something special. I will make sure they are treated well,” Sikke said, standing with the toe of his shoes pushed against Johan’s broken and bleeding face.
Johan was stuck, his aging body betraying him in the final moments. He only felt one thing, and that was the cold steel of Director Werkhoven’s revolver resting against the back of his head. It was a strangely comforting feeling.
“Fuck you,” Johan said. He heard the crack of the pistol, but his head exploded long before the echo of the gunshot finally died away.
Chapter 27
“Keep her close to the shoreline. I want us at full alert. Silence from all quarters,” Captain Defour whispered his orders and heard them echo through the submarine, riding on the voices of the crew members distributing them for him.
The Anderson had broken away from the Langley, following Captain Kincaid’s orders. He had been elected the commanding officer of their small and rather unique strike group, and Defour had no plans to disobey him.
After the conversation between the two men, it became clear to Defour that the briefing they had received had been truthful, no matter how unbelievable it sounded.
He understood his role and that whatever they saw or discovered around the islands would be paid for in some way or another. An occupational hazard, he had come to learn.
The submarine slipped beneath the surface. This close to the islands, the need for such tactics were simple to avoid being easily seen by any eyes on the islands.
“Arm the forward torpedoes. Hold fire until I give my mark,” he whispered, and once again heard his command travel through the craft. Defour had every right to be nervous, and as he wiped the sweat from his brow, he looked around the crew. They all shared the same pensive expression.
Dinosaurs. Nobody had believed it until they had seen the few grainy photographs that came with the briefing.
“Captain, I have something on the sonar,” Luke Owens whispered, looking up at the captain as he spoke. “I think you are going to want to see it.”
Defour crossed the bridge to the sonar console and leaned down to read the screen.
“What the hell is that? It’s huge.” Standing up straight, he felt a surge of adrenaline rush through his body. The rest of the crew were watching the pair nervously.
“I don’t know, Captain, but it is big, twice the size of us, and organic,” Owens answered, struggling to keep his voice to a whisper.
“Hold our course. Keep an eye on that thing. If it turns towards us, then we will blow it out of the water.” Defour clapped his sonar technician on the shoulder. “Bring up the forward video display. I want to see whatever it is out there.”
A few moments later, as Defour moved to the captain chair, the main screen flickered to life and a shot of the ocean greeted them. The water was surprisingly clear. They could make out the shape of the creature in the distance, it’s hulking frame unlike anything any of the crew had ever seen before.
“What the hell is that?” his young XO, Patrick Burke, said, his eyes transfixed on the screen.
The image continued to come into focus, like a wafting Polaroid, as the creature closed the distance on them. It seemed oblivious to their presence, set to pass around them on a trajectory that would bring it arcing around the islands, as if travelling in a loop.
“I have no idea, but it is magnificent,” Defour said. Raised on the sea, by a single mother and renowned marine biologist, Captain Richard Defour held an affinity for the creatures of the ocean, which ran deeper than the mere appreciation of a fellow sub-aquatic life form.
The creature had a large oval-shaped body, with enormous flippers that extended from its front shoulders like exaggerated oars; fat and wide. They moved with a distinguished grace, powering the beast through the water with what looked to be minimal effort. While in the rear, short and squat leg-like appendages extended down into flipper-like feet.
“Captain, the creature is passing too close. Any closer and we won’t be able to open fire.”
“Stand down, we won’t be firing anything today,” Captain Defour said as the creature turned its long neck to stare at the submarine. The head was only small, compared to the size of the body at least.
“Sir?” his XO asked, daring to question the captain.
“I said stand down,” Defour replied, raising his voice a little too loud.
“Aye, sir,” Patrick rep
lied, lowering his gaze.
“Hold our course, follow the islands. Take the inlet and loop around to meet up with the Langley again.”
“Aye, sir,” Burke repeated.
“XO, you have command,” Defour said as he left the bridge.
As he made his way back to his quarters, Defour scratched at his head. He was stunned by what he had seen. The entire experience left him questioning his life for the first time. Joining the Navy had been his way of seeing the world, of removing a certain degree of financial burden from his mother. He was not a military man by birth rite or circumstance. His enlistment had not been a last resort or a boyhood dream. It was simply the right decision, at the right time. But now, how things can change in an instant.
As he moved through the sub, acknowledging those that saluted him as he passed, he felt closed in, confined. The walls were pressing down on him. The cylindrical tube that had been his home for many years no longer felt like a welcome place. There was more to the world, and he was missing out on it.
Chapter 28
The chopper landed on the deck of the Anderson and the captain was waiting for them.
“Gentlemen, welcome back. I trust everything was secure on the island,” Kincaid addressed the four men.
“Yes, sir. The building is secure,” Plummer answered, stressing the world building. He studied the captain’s face.
“Very good,” Kincaid answered. “Dump your gear and meet me in my ready room in fifteen minutes for a de-briefing,” Kincaid said, turning away from the men, leaving them with their obviously burning questions.
“He knew what we were walking into,” Sergeant Woods said as the group made their way from the helicopter, which was already being manoeuvred back inside the boat’s hangar.
“Watch your words, Sergeant,” Plummer growled under his breath.
“Sorry,” Woods added.
The four men were in a fresh set of clothing and lined up outside the captain’s ready room five minutes ahead of schedule. Woods bounced around with a nervous excitement. They all knew what they saw on the island, and understood that it was something above their paygrade.
The door to the room opened, and Captain Kincaid appeared. “Gentlemen, come in, come in.”
The four men walked into the room and found themselves seated behind a large table; the four of them on one side, with the captain on the other. It was cramped, and it was purposefully set so.
“Gentlemen, congratulations to you all,” Kincaid said, sitting back in his chair.
“Excuse me, sir, but we did nothing. The island was secure,” Plummer spoke.
“Congratulations are in order, for you four are now part of a select group that has a certain level of knowledge that is both powerful and dangerous. As a result, as of today, your lives are going to change. Once we return from this trip, you will be relocated from your current regiments. I cannot give you any more information at this time, but I assure you, you will find the financial gains of your new positions to be very agreeable.” Captain Kincaid looked at the men before him. He looked them in the eyes, and held their gaze long enough for them to understand his words were genuine, but also, that there was something else to come still.
“What do you need us to do first, sir?” Plummer asked, leaning forward, speaking for the group.
“I am glad you asked. I have just gotten off the phone with … well, let’s just say they were very important people. I need to you return to the island, the third island, and retrieve some scientists that have managed to hide away in the security building.” Kincaid pulled a file from beneath the table and slid it across to the men. “This is not a simple mission. There are bigger things at stake here. It is imperative that you understand this.”
“Sir, you cannot be serious,” Sergeant How spoke up.
“Are you questioning the orders of your commanding officer, Sergeant?” Kincaid asked, his voice stern.
“No sir, I was just seeking clarification,” How answered snidely. He stared at the file, and took his turn to flip through the photographs as they were slid his way.
“Very good, I want this to be underway in ten minutes. We don’t know much about the island, but intel from back home says it is clean. It is just a walk in, walk out, kind of job.” Kincaid brought up the same satellite image of the island on his beamer that was in the paper file the men held. “Plummer, I want you to take one guy and head into this bay here. It will be a quick walk through the trees to the building. They will be underground in the shelter. You may need to get creative when extracting them. Bring the scientists back here, and we can all ride back to the carrier group and head on home.”
“Sir, why us?” Sergeant Woods asked. He sat studying his captain’s face, certain that there was more to it all that they were being told.
“Well, Sergeant, I like to think of it as you being in the right place at the right time,” Kincaid said with a smile. “You are dismissed, gentlemen. Good luck out there.”
Captain Kincaid remained seated, his attention moved from the men sat across from him, to the paperwork before him. On most ships, the XO took control of the administrative tasks, but Kincaid liked to keep his hands on the paper-trail grindstone when time permitted. It also served as a great tactic to get the message across to his men that their presence was no longer required.
The four men stood and left the room, none of them speaking until they were two floors down in the mess area. “Sergeant Woods, you are coming with me. Langston, stay here on the boat. The two of us can handle this. Besides, if it goes to shit, I want you in the back of the chopper laying down covering fire for us,” Plummer said, giving the orders, and the men nodded their agreement.
Ten minutes later, with the final hurried bite of lunch still being chewed, Plummer and Woods were in the zodiac heading towards the shoreline.
Chapter 29
Clarke ended the call with Johan and sat staring at the receiver. Something was not right. He looked up and saw the others had gathered around him. Their faces were grave with concern.
“Good news,” he said, trying to make it sound believable. “The marines are coming to rescue us.”
“That’s good, right? They can take care of the dinosaurs and stuff. I mean, they are marines,” Caroline babbled, looking from Nattie to Rob, wondering why they were not cheering.
“What are you not telling us?” Rob asked, studying Clarke’s pensive face.
“I don’t know, but something doesn’t feel right,” the Australian answered.
“Something is not normally anything good,” Nattie followed up.
“That was my boss, at Black Arrow. He just happened to have to have the director of the NSA in his house at the time I called. I know you don’t know my boss, but he is not the kind of guy the NSA just pay a friendly visit on.” Clarke didn’t look at the scientists as he spoke, but rather stared at a space on the floor between them all.
It was not a particularly attractive piece of flooring, but it held his gaze while his mind spun through the different fragment of ideas and notions that bubbled within it.
“What do you think it means?” Rob asked.
“Like the doc suggested, nothing good.” Clarke stood up and moved across the room, weaving through the computer terminals. He swung his rifle over his shoulders and opened fire on the wall.
The rattling thunder of the automatic fire echoed around the acoustically sound bunker like fireworks at New Year, deafening the gathered crowd.
Caroline screamed, and the others flinched, expecting bullets to go ricocheting around the room like a Saturday morning cartoon, but instead, the wall splintered and shattered. The camouflaged glass disappeared, revealing a secret armoury.
“How did you know that was there?” Caroline asked.
“Lucky guess,” Clarke answered, stepping through the hole he had created.
The armoury was nothing special, but it held enough weapons for the four of them should the need arise. Gathering as much as he could, Clarke be
gan handing rifles and magazines through to Rob without saying a word.
“What is going on?” Caroline asked, but her question was greeted by silence.
“Tell us,” Nattie shouted, getting both Clarke’s attention and a smile.
“We are going to go to war,” he said before turning his attention to the handguns.
“I don’t understand. You said the marines were coming to rescue us,” Caroline said, her soft voice making her sound timid as the echo of Clarke’s proclamation continued to reverberate down the hallways.
“The marines are coming, but I don’t think it will be to save us. At least not me and Dennis. There must be something in here, in this bunker, that makes us a threat. We need to find out what it is before we make our stand.” Clarke hopped back through the window and walked away from the group again. A man on a mission, he acted out of self-preservation.
Sliding behind one of the main consoles, Clarke began hammering at the keyboard, his large fingers punching the keyboard one letter at a time.
The group watched for a few minutes before the signs of Clarke’s growing frustration became too painful to watch.
“Move over, let me have a go,” Caroline said, shooing the big contractor away from the monitors.
Unlike Clarke, Caroline’s fingers danced over the keyboard with a near silent grace, and before long, she had five different screens scrolling through different data sets.
“Fuck me,” she said, drawing a surprised look from her colleagues and a laugh from Clarke.
“What have you found?” Clarke asked, leaning closer to the screens, as if the closer proximity would make sense of the scientific gibberish that was scrolling through them.
“I really don’t think we should be reading this,” she said, placing her hands on the desk.
“If they are coming to kill us, I would rather know what I’m dying to protect,” Clarke said, his voice noticeably softer.
Island Rampage: A Dinosaur Thriller Page 17
