When his vision cleared, he was startled to find that the lizard men around him had stopped what they were doing and were staring at him, silent and statuesque, the way reptiles could voluntarily slow down bodily functions to attain an eerie stillness.
Peter looked around, wondering if he was in any danger. As if in answer to his silent query, a detail of what was apparently some kind of town guard approached him, spears in-hand but held point facing upwards. The throng of onlookers parted to let them through.
Peter realized he must’ve transmitted his desire to meet with the chief, and this was to be his escort. As if reading his realization, they turned and walked away from him in formation, and he knew he was to follow. As he marched behind them, onlookers continued to gawk in their cold, expressionless way with large, black eyes reflecting the crystalline illumination, and Peter’s mind raced to decide how he was going to address the reptilian chief.
Chapter 2
Tracey stepped into the cafeteria at the off-shore oil rig for the second time in her life. She was exhausted from the long flight, and she had never been able to sleep well on planes. The room was already filled with various Poseidon Tech employees.
She walked over to a metallic table holding coffee decanters and grabbed a paper cup. She poured herself a cup of coffee, adding two artificial sweetener packets and a dash of powdered milk. She bypassed the finger sandwiches and found a seat at a table next to a woman approximately her age. She was dressed in a beige blouse and khaki pants, and her straight brown hair hung over part of her face as she pored over her notes on her laptop.
When she felt Tracey sit on the bench next to her, she looked up and smiled. “Hi.”
Tracey returned the smile. “Hi.” She looked around the room. At the front, a man stood, reviewing something on his laptop, the same laptop the woman seated next to her used, no doubt Poseidon Tech standard issue. Tracey figured he was the team leader. Fresh meat for the grinder. “So, what are we waiting for?”
The woman looked up. “We’re waiting for a private consultant, some paleontologist who has experience on the island.”
Tracey smiled. “Oh, wow. I can only imagine what she must’ve seen on that island.”
“I know,” replied the woman. “Isn’t it wild?”
“That’s a good word for it.” She extended her hand, “Tracey.”
The woman shook it. “Marcy, data engineer.”
“Data…engineer.”
Marcy smirked. “Yeah, nothing as exotic as a paleontologist, but someone has to collect and crunch the data.”
Tracey leaned in, looking from side to side. “From what I hear, the data on this island will crunch you.”
Marcy shook her head. “The last time was a trial run. This time, there’s going to be more security.”
Tracey frowned. ‘Trial run?’ She figured Marcy didn’t know that the last expedition was not the first. It may have not even been the second or third, for that matter. Poseidon Tech apparently kept many of their employees in the dark. “Let’s hope so. Many people died last time.”
Marcy looked startled by that last revelation. Before she could respond, the man up front looked up from his laptop and saw Tracey. He cleared his throat. “Okay, let’s begin. We don’t have much time before the island phases out, so time is of the essence.”
The din quieted down, except for the occasional cough and throat clearing, and all eyes were on the man up front.
“For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Trevor Nielsen. I’m the team leader of this operation, and what I’m about to tell you will likely save your life. So, you’d better pay close attention.”
People in the room traded glances, and murmured to each other. Nielsen let the weight of his words hang out there for effect before continuing. “Risk analysis from the last expedition has been compiled to provide a comprehensive threat assessment…although all of you have read the debriefing, some of what you’re about to hear may still shock you. But, for the safety of this expedition, we must take these threats seriously.”
He paused, looking around the room. Tracey thought he looked like a principal scolding a classroom of children. “The island is unstable. Not only does it phase in and out of this dimension, it emits energy that can interfere with scanning. It’s played havoc with our satellites and radar. However, it is inconsistent. The EMI waxes and wanes, and it is during the troughs that we have obtained what little surveillance data we have remotely. However, the most reliable way to gather data is on the island itself.
“We do not expect the containment field to hold up.” The murmurs started again, louder than before. “That’s right, folks. We totally expect to be cut-off once on the island. Not permanently, of course. This isn’t a one-way ticket. Our technicians, guided by data transmitted from our vessels circling the island, will do their best to raise a stable containment field when possible. However, our focus will be on the island.
“Once we land on the island, there are a variety of threats coming from indigenous flora and fauna. Firstly, I have provided you with a detailed list of dangerous plant life, as related by a botanist from the last expedition. There are plants that sting, plants that paralyze, and toxic plants that can kill with the slightest contact with the skin. Our expedition will have two scouts who will identify any of these known threats so they may be circumvented or negotiated safely.
“Secondly, as I’m sure you’ve read and may not believe, there are animals on this island that pose a significant threat, namely
