Threshold shift

Chapter 14

Isla Nublar wasn't a large island, but it also wasn't small enough to always be aware of everything happening on or around it. Costa Rica had set up a patrol unit to catch the adventurous and the crazy. InGen was doing its best to add to those patrols. They cruised closer to the coastlines and were there in case someone took a dive off a ferry or a tourist boat. All over the park, cameras and security troopers kept an eye on matters, together with the employees.

The restricted area was smaller than the park as such, but it enveloped the old Jurassic Park and a very long stretch of rugged coast line that was hard to patrol. There were high cliffs, small bays, and inaccessible beaches. Most breaches had been from landside, with people thinking Jurassic World hid some new attractions or were doing some unspeakable experiments.

Well, yeah.

Indominus Rex. Enough said.

There had been one memorable incident with a group of animal rights activists breaking into the restricted area, using the gyrospheres to maneuver close to the massive fence and trying to crack the lock or climb over it. Reggie had caught them. It hadn't been pretty afterwards.

Owen and Carter had done their best with setting up cameras and sensors in the restricted area, and the pack patrolled and checked their territory whenever they were here, but it was a lot of ground to cover and things might still get through.

Something had gotten through.

Something big.

Owen couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at a very well-camouflaged cargo ship, anchored in a narrow bay not far from the old ferry terminal. It was difficult to get in, but the moment the ship had passed the toughest spot, it would disappear from sight for anyone looking at the coastline from the sea. It was a sheltered little haven.

It was also an area where they hadn't placed a camera. Risk assessment had made this a low threat entry point. Back then, Carter and Owen had made up a list and on top of it were adventure seekers and tourists who could navigate the narrow channel with a small boat. There had been multiple occasions with idiots trying to parachute or parasail into the restricted area. One had come in with a boat, anchored, and then tried to swim to the shore. The coast guard had dragged him out of the water, half drowned, protesting all the way. The most memorable occasion had been the guy with the single seat helicopter.

Neither man had expected a cargo ship to end up on this particular beach, though.

Whoever had piloted it, he was good, Owen decided. Really, really good and probably absolutely crazy to attempt this kind of landing. He had probably had a very good nautical chart. The entrance to the bay wasn't the only navigational hazard. You had a one in a thousand chance to make it here without the ship ending up scrap metal.

A make-shift camp had been set up outside. It looked like these people had been here for about a week. The tents had been up for a while. Three men with guns milled around.

"That's why Carter's guys found no trace of any poachers on Sorna," Owen said softly. "They moved the whole operation here to wait out the heat."

Patrols had been tripled and Sorna was under close guard. Any boat that wasn't a cruise ship or a ferry was immediately stopped and boarded. The cargo ship would have been stopped right away.

Blue was at his side, teeth bared, snarling softly.

Intruders. Into their territory!

They hadn't been in this area for a while and now there were intruders!

Owen reached out and placed a hand against her side, calming his beta and with her the pack. Her flanks were shivering with tension, with tightly controlled emotions. Instinct told her to hunt the trespassers, chase them away, out of what was theirs. The deeper seated primal core wanted her to rip their throats out.