Threshold shift

Chapter 26

207 miles west of Costa Rica, Isla Sorna was the biggest of the group known as The Five Deaths. It was only 87 miles in distance from Isla Nublar, which had been the main reason for the poachers to seek shelter and a hiding place in the one spot no one would have thought to look.

Getting the adult raptors back was a logistics problem, but none one that couldn't be solved. They were sedated, muzzled, tied down, then placed in a transportation box.

Owen was there for every step, his pack hidden in the jungle not far away, cold eyes watching the proceedings.

A Landing Craft Utility, LCU, would shuttle the raptors back to their home island. Two units of armed troopers would accompany the transport.

"You have connections," Owen just stated as he watched the LCU dock.

Carter shrugged, but there was a gleam in his eyes. Then he grew serious again.

"Everyone aboard has been briefed. None of my men will be in the cargo area. As requested. When we land, you and your beta will be the first offloading. She will be muzzled at all times, Grady, understood?"

"Sure. You repeated it often enough."

"Owen..." There was a clear warning there.

"I'm very clear on procedures, Dan. Absolutely. Blue will be with me at all times. She will be muzzled, on her absolutely best behavior, and she won't even look at any of the troopers. As long as they keep their guns pointed at anything but her or me we'll be just fine."

"Good. I'm not happy about this whole thing..."

"And you've been very vocal in your formal protests. Thank you."

"There are too many unknown variables. Having three sedated raptors aboard is one thing. Your beta is quite another."

"She won't be sedated, Dan," Owen stated firmly. "This is already better than the first option."

Which would have been to bring the whole pack along. Now it was just Blue. Barry and Alan, together with Zach, would take care of the rest of the pack.

Owen's expression was like cut out of granite, eyes hard, body language uncompromising. The tension between the two men was palpable.

"I must be out of my mind," Carter finally muttered.

"No more than any of us."

"This goes against every security protocol in known history. You owe me, Grady."

"I know."

And with that it was settled.

x XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX xx XX JW XX x

They had set the time for the launch at as early as possible. Isla Sorna and Isla Nublar weren't that far apart, but Owen was on board with the decision to a) launch early and b) take it slow. They didn't want to set a new speed record.

So in the early light of dawn, the sun just crawling over the horizon, Owen parked his bike next to Carter's SUV. Blue had enjoyed the early run, the jungle still dark, barely anyone but them awake. The rest of the pack had rumbled, slightly agitated that the alpha and beta would be gone without them, but Owen was sure they would be fine.

Barry had arrived half an hour before they had left, telling him the same.

Blue was a model raptor. She went aboard their transport with barely a rumble leaving her lips, though she closely scanned the men and women aboard, sniffed at the boxes that held the Sorna pack and the temperature regulated container with the eggs. She prowled along the open deck, claws clicking on the metal, full circle, then came back to Owen, who had let her do her inspection.