Threshold shift

Chapter 34

The sun had just crawled across the horizon, the light still faint, the sky just turning in colors. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, but there was no threat of rain. It would be another warm day, no storm in sight.

Carter checked his gear again, readjusting the straps. His bike had a full tank of gas. He had packed his sleeping bag, a tent, food, clothes, the works.

"Ready?"

He looked over to where Owen was walking out of the paddock, looking bright-eyed and more than ready to go. The man was really happy to leave civilization, as he called it, roughing it in the restricted area.

"I'm ready."

Owen whistled sharply and the pack trotted out of the enclosure. Echo had her saddle bags, Delta and Charlie the cameras, and Blue was in the lead. She joined her alpha, looking tall and regal, power incarnate.

"You look like you're about to go into battle," Owen remarked, looking him up and down.

"I left my assault rifle at home."

"Ah. Well, then that's different." He glanced at the pack. "Alright, ladies! Front and center!"

Delta pushed Echo aside, who hissed, then Charlie barked at them both, sounding aggravated. Blue rumbled softly, but there was no aggression at all in their behavior. Muscular, not a single gram of surplus fat, the four velociraptors looked healthy, ready to run, and very, very eager.

"Blue, you're in the lead. Everyone: behave! We have a guest."

Delta whuffled, tilting her head almost coyly at Carter. Owen chuckled.

"Flirt," he told her.

Carter raised an eyebrow and Delta snapped her teeth at her alpha, clearly displeased, but she didn't appear aggressive. She looked at Dan and rumbled, tail twitching.

"That's flirting?" the security chief asked dryly.

"Yep. She likes you. No idea why."

Delta grumbled and Charlie whuffled, getting herself a narrow-eyed growl from her sister.

"Watch it, Grady."

"Let's go. We're wasting daylight."

Owen started his engine. The raptors moved eagerly, ready to spring into action. He raised a fist, then gave the 'go signal.

The four shot off with barks of excitement.

Carter followed the pack alpha on his bike, heading for the back road that would lead into the restricted area.

Three days of vacation.

Aside from a catastrophe the size of an i-rex breakout, Lieutenant Hamada would handle everything and anything thrown at him. Carter had his radio with him, but he didn't expect anything at all. The park was quiet enough.

x XX JW XX x

He leaned back on his elbows, eyes on the purplish sky that was turning into all shades of blue as the sun sank lower. The first stars were already visible, thanks to not a single cloud obscuring their sight.

Dan felt the tension inside him unravel, his muscles relax, his brain kick down a few gears. There was no schedule to keep, no demands to be met. He was simply sitting in the middle of nowhere, enjoying himself.

Owen had led him to a secluded spot where he had finished the first shelter in the restricted area, a fully functional underground bunker with a water purification system and a cistern. Solar panels were used for heating the water. A tiny generator helped in case the panels were not enough, especially when it came to running the power.