by K D McNiven
Glancing up, he saw Jake leaning back against a rubber tree, his feet crossed. His weathered face appeared even more creased as he stared out at the bushes and tangle of vines. Excited as he had been, the severed leg brought to mind he wasn’t going after fossil remains, rather, the real thing. He had to admit, he had the jitters.
“Nothing more we can do here,” Rourke said. He walked back into the lean-to and collected the wrapped leg, motioning for Jake to follow him back to the jeep.
When they neared the beach, Rourke put in a call to Captain Burke to inform him of what they’d discovered. Also, to tell him they would be going by the police station to drop off the leg and have it identified.
Once they arrived and began recounting the incidence the commander clearly looked shocked.
“I believed it was a large caiman that put so many in the hospital,” Fernando said, his eyes glazed.
“I may need extra men,” Rourke said.
The commander looked him squarely in the eye. “And I may find it difficult to find men willing to chance it.”
“What if they continue to multiply…”
He shook his head. “You needn’t convince me of the consequences, Mr. Wolfe. I understand perfectly what we’re dealing with. However, you must understand, people here have learned to steer clear of the river. We’ve seen what happens to those who dare adventuring in. These men have families…they are fearful.”
“They can’t bury their heads in the sand like ostriches, pretending this isn’t happening. This directly affects the village…their families.”
The commander's face was dark. “You don’t understand. The villagers believe there are demons out there devouring people. This is the story circulating for about four years. It’s why no one wishes to speak about it. They believe if they do, the demons will search them out and kill them and their families. It started when a young girl was discovered on the beach, only pieces of her left and a strange-looking monster rotting on the sand.”
“Ah,” Rourke said nodding. “No wonder the villagers were close-mouthed. The team tried to get a few locals to talk about it but the ones they spoke with remained silent. However, under the circumstances, we need to stop the Purussaurus or they will continue to multiply and more and more people will die.”
“I will do what I can, but I can’t promise you anything.”
“It’s all I ask,” Rourke said, standing up and heading for the door, stopping short as his fingers curled around the nob to let him out. “One more thing. What do you know about a large warehouse built close to the river?”
“Little. They built it several years ago. I heard they were mapping the area. Another person said they had something to do with getting rubber from the trees and exporting it. I’ve not noticed anything odd except they’re never seen. One of the workers, who is very hushed mouthed about it, comes once a week into the villages for groceries. That’s about it. Any reason you’re asking?”
“Curious I suppose. And Commander, once you’ve identified whom the leg might belong to, please inform us. The oil spill upriver needs to be addressed to prevent further contamination.” With a short nod, Rourke left the station and headed back to the jeep, calling the ship as he walked.
“Burke here.”
“Captain, would you let Sean and Jacob know we are close to the beach. If they’d get the next cage ready to bring us, I’d be much obliged.”
“Got it, Rourke. Did you find what you were looking for?”
“That and more,” Rourke said. “I’ll fill you in later. Bye.”
Once back near the beach, they parked the jeep and went on foot the remainder of the way, each of them carrying some kind of weapon—from a rifle to a tranquilizer gun, to a spear gun. None of them wanted to be without some form of protection, especially after what they had just witnessed.
As they waited along the shoreline, Rourke made his way over to Meg, still drained of color. She’d not spoken a word since they’d left the shack.
“How are you doing Meg?”
Her deep-set green eyes looked haunted as she turned to look at him. “I’ll get by.” Her voice, a mere whisper.
“I’ve no doubt you will. You’ve always been resilient. That’s not what I asked though.”
“My stomach has settled. I’m not going to throw up if that’s what you mean.”
“Not exactly. I’m talking about mentally.”
She bit into her lower lip. “It’s just this is the second time I’ve had to witness someone’s leg sheared off. Unfortunately for the last fellow, it was the only thing left of him. I’m understandably shaken, Rourke.”
“Would you like to get shuttled back to the research ship? No one would blame you after what just happened.”
“Absolutely not. I’m committed to following this through. I knew the risks before I came, and yes, it’s difficult. My blood ran cold seeing the man’s leg and hunks of flesh strewn on the ground. It’s why I must finish this! These creatures are threatening every person living here, or anyone who goes upriver. Someone has to stop them or relocate them where they can no longer hurt the people who have built homes here.”
“I had to ask.”
She nodded. “And I appreciate your concern. I’ve made my decision and I intend on holding my ground no matter what happens.”
“Okay then. No more mention of it. However, if you need to talk…”
“I have a lot of friends.” She turned and left him standing alone.
He stared after her. She couldn’t have made it clearer; she didn’t need his comfort. He readily admitted, it stung. Inhaling deeply, he walked toward the beach where he spotted the zodiac being launched already and making its way toward them.
Chapter Thirteen
⁂
The team hauled the cage to the shore. Sean had brought along a small gas-engine generator to fire up the oxyacetylene torch, able to reach temperatures as high as fifty-four hundred degrees F. They would need the torch to cut through the metal cage as well as weld it. First, they needed to determine the most suitable spot to set it up. They would have to make two separate trips before connecting the two cages for more length.
The team marked out an area where they found more than one set of prints, deciding it would be a practical spot. The cage would settle next to the river, where it had grown apparent, the Purussaurus usually frequented. Nearby grew a copse of trees where they could connect the battery-operated camera.
It was exhausting, dragging the two cages over to the river and welding the two together, and it took the wind out of their sails. The heat was grueling, especially with the flames flickering from the acetylene torch. All of them were drenched in sweat, their clothes covered in dirt, and their hair plastered to their heads.
“Man, what I would give for a cold beer right now,” Jayden said, wiping his forehead.
“You and me both,” replied Rourke.
“Look what I brought along,” Sean said. He stretched out a large chunk of meat he’d obtained from the ship’s galley. “Not a whole lot, but enough to hopefully entice a couple of dinosaurs to dinner.”
“That should do.” Rourke plucked the meat from Sean’s hands and walked it over to the cage. He would set it a distance from the lever, and when the Purussaurus came for a meal, its foot would strike the device, thus the door would slam shut.
“Let’s see if we can’t install another camera at a different angle. We want to make sure we catch the beast in the snare,” Rourke said.
He found an angle opposite the other camera, grabbed the ladder and carried the equipment over to the tree. It only took a half-hour to install the second camera, and Rourke found himself glad to be done with the exhausting procedure.
“Anyone ready to head back to the ship besides me?” asked Jayden.
Meg nodded, dabbing her forehead with a handkerchief. “I know I am.”
“An ice-cold beer is what I’m looking forward to,” Rourke replied.
“That’s what I’m talki
ng about,” Jake chuckled. “I’m not used to this kind of humidity. I could probably ring my shirt out for all the sweat.”
They were only too glad to be back in the zodiac and heading toward the research ship. The prow bumped upward then came back down with a slapping sound as it hit the waves, and the cool jets of water spraying in their faces was refreshing.
First thing Meg did was run off in the direction of the lab to find Camilla. As usual, she found Camilla busy testing out various samples, and she looked delighted that Meg was bringing her a bucket more.
“We did locate the location where the oil deposits come from,” Meg told her, plopping down on one of the stools. She swept her canvas hat from her head and tossed it onto the counter.
“Great. Fill me in.”
“We drove upriver and came across an old shack. At the side were stacks of oil barrels, most of them badly corroded. The ones next to the river were tipped over, the contents spilling into the water. That’s what these samples are from.”
“Did you speak with the property owner about water pollution and that he needed to clean up the contaminated area?”
“Now there’s the problem.”
Camilla tilted her head, her facial features turning from interest to heightened curiosity. “Problem? I can tell by the look in your eye, something extraordinary happened out there.”
“We found what once was a man,” Meg said, watching Camilla’s dark eyes widen.
“What are you saying?”
Meg took a deep breath. She still felt her limbs trembling from the ordeal. She wondered if talking about it would help her rid some of the anguish she had experienced. “I saw a leg pinned beneath a heavy corrugated metal sheet. I tugged slightly to see if I could get a response from the man—all I ended up with was a severed leg.”
Camilla gasped with shock. “Just a leg?” When she gazed into Meg’s pale face, it dawned on her what had transpired. “A Purussaurus?”
“Rourke discovered its tracks just outside the shed. It had been raining a bit earlier and the print was deep. No mistaking what animal killed the man. We stopped at the station to deliver the man’s leg to the police commander. They’ll run a DNA test on it and let us know for certain he is the property owner.”
“That’s stomach-churning. Are you all right?”
“I am now. I was pretty shaken, know what I mean?”
“I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”
Meg smiled. “I admit it was a gruesome and terrifying incident, but I’m dealing with it. At least something good came from it. We found the source. That means when this Purussaurus thing draws to an end, a team can come in and start cleanup along the river banks and dispose of the corroded barrels of oil.”
“You aren’t considering going back out there are you?”
Meg dropped a hand on Camilla’s shoulder, an appreciative smile on her lips. “Don’t worry about me okay? Our team has weapons, and we’re being careful.”
Camilla looked dubious. “All I can say is I applaud your courage. And I apologize that I’m staying on the ship. I feel terrible but I’m petrified.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. Really, Camilla. It is dangerous, and there is a risk. We all understand and no one blames you. Even Captain Burke said he wanted to stay safe on the ship, so please, don’t give it another thought.”
“I only hope the team is able to snare one of those beasts and either keep them locked in cages, or exterminate them. We don’t need another age of dinosaurs roaming the earth.”
“Fear-provoking for sure. Problem is, we don’t know how many Purussaurus we’re dealing with and whether they’re limited to here, or have they gone deeper into the rainforest’s interior. Rourke would like to bring in a much larger team to determine that.”
“How would anyone determine that?” Camilla asked.
“They would have to use thermal imaging radar, either fly over specific wetlands where the Purussaurus would thrive, or set up surveillance stations with thermal imaging cameras mounted on them.”
“Much safer then traipsing around out there.”
“One step at a time,” said Meg. “First off, we need to trap one to confirm these are actually dinosaurs and not simply large caiman.”
“What will they do with the creature if you should snare one?”
“I suppose they’ll have to ship it to a research lab nearby. From there, I’m not exactly sure. The main thing is to trap them so the villagers remain safe and not have to be on constant lookout whether they’ll be the critters morning breakfast.”
“Well, good luck with it. I hope all of you stay safe yourselves. And Meg, thank you for making the effort to find out where the contamination came from. With everything you’re dealing with, I know my asking you to follow up on it was a stretch. Just so you know, I appreciate it.”
“No problem, Camilla. It’s why we came here to start with. It was important to finish the study, and to determine where the source originated from so it can be dealt with before we have to deal with an eco-disaster.”
Meg left the lab, headed to her cabin desperate to shower and change. Her clothes were soiled with sweat and mud, her hair tangled and plastered to her head. This certainly wasn’t the place for worrying about how attractive you might appear, she cogitated, and thankfully she wasn’t there to impress anyone. A good thing too as she glanced in the mirror to see a sun burnt face, cracked lips, and…were there a couple more creases around her eyes from squinting? She smiled. No matter. She loved what she did and strangely enough, looked forward to their next trek to the mainland.
She raked the brush through her hair and drew it back into a ponytail, slipped into a pale blue T-shirt, and jean capris, then put on her converse tennis shoes, which weren’t so white anymore. With a stiff-bristled brush, she tried to get the dried mud off, not that it did much good. At this point, she determined the shoes were terminal. However, there wasn’t a store nearby where she could buy new ones, so they would have to do, she concluded.
Dinner was being served when she made her way back into the dining hall. A dull buzz of voices greeted her. From what she could hear, everyone sounded to be talking about the severed leg incident, something she hoped to avoid. She’d thought enough about the horrid episode to last her a lifetime. Enough that the graphic picture of the man’s leg remained imprinted in her brain.
Eyes flickered up as she took a seat opposite Rourke. No doubt they were curious as to her mental state. She put on the best show of a smile as she could, and though she scooped a dollop of potatoes onto her plate, a biscuit, and slice of beef, the last thing she wanted to do was eat, her stomach still a bit queasy. As she glanced up, her mind screamed, please, don’t ask!
“All the monitors are working,” Rourke finally said.
“Great. Let’s hope one of those cannibals finds their way into the snare.” Meg could tell by Rourke’s expression he knew what pangs of turmoil crowded her mind and she was grateful he chose to sidestep what everyone else wanted to say. They seemed to catch on immediately, the conversation taking a wide swing around the day’s trauma.
“Camilla was ecstatic we found the oil source,” Meg added. “She couldn’t express enough appreciation that in spite of what transpired, we would take the time to sew up the eco- pollution issue.”
“Glad we could assist,” Rourke replied. “I realize this excursion focused on marine life and discovering what pollution had its hand in killing marine life…other than our Purussaurus that is.”
“Me too,” came Camilla’s voice as she strolled through the doorway. “Sustaining healthy biological communities of marine life and organisms are why we came. Not forgetting the importance of setting into practice reasonable laws to hold polluters accountable.”
“Do you think once the oil pollution is cleaned up, the HABs will dissipate?” Rourke asked.
Camilla took a seat next to Meg and began spooning up poached fish, pasta salad, and steamed broccoli onto her plate
. “Algae blooms can cause a lot of problems for the locals and can also have serious side effects. My hope is, when the spill is cleaned up, the discolored water will clear, environmental stressors will be greatly reduced, and marine life will thrive once again for the villagers.”
“Here. Here,” Jayden chimed in, raising his mug of coffee. “What’s on tomorrow’s agenda?”
“For the most part, we’ll kick back and watch the monitors,” Rourke replied. “With any luck, a Purussaurus will be enticed by the slab of meat. Reminds me, we need to go into the village and purchase more. We’ve used up the last of our meat supply and need to replenish it, and we’ll need more for the traps.”
***
“What the hell…” Cory’s voice boomed through the pilothouse, drawing the attention of several crewmen including Captain Burke.
“Problem?” the captain asked.
“All of our surveillance cameras are down.”
“How can that be?” Captain Burke strode across the room to look at the monitors. His face crumpled, perplexed when all he saw was static. “This doesn’t make sense. Check out our monitors and see if there’s some electrical malfunction.”
Cory went to work, pulling out the monitors and checking the various cords. Far as he could see, there didn’t appear to be any breaks, and all the plugs were connected. He couldn’t determine anything else that might cause three monitors to go blank.
Right then, Meg and Rourke entered the room, curiosity marking their faces. They had heard Cory’s raised voice and wondered what had happened. It only took a minute to realize all the screens were crackling with TV static noise.
“What happened?” asked Meg.
“Search me,” Cory replied. “They were fine, then they went blank. “I can’t find a single explanation for it.”
“You’ve checked the connections?” Rourke asked.