Inhale The Fire • Reg Slivko

•Chapter One•

•Bishop's POV•

The Athena
Docked in Bangkok, Thailand
Pier 14
18:00 tonight

I squinted to read the smudged ink on my piece of paper trying to decide if it said '14' or '15.'
You know what, I'll pass 14 on the way to 15 and if I see a couple of soldiers there, I'll hop on and hope I'm on the right boat.

As I kept walking, being bumped into way too many times, I saw a giant ship that had helicopters being loaded onto it and had the name 'Athena' on the side.
Well shit I guess this is my ride.

I walked up to the guy in a blue coat and a clip board and gave him my name. Kinda seemed like he was taking names.
"Bishop Truett."
"Bishop Truett is a woman?" He asked.
"Why does this keep happening?"
"A, yes I'm a woman and B, a strong one. So keep your weird little comments that I don't understand to yourself." I shook my head and continued on towards the ship only to be stopped by a soldier.
A captain.

"And you are?" He asked as if I had no idea what I was doing.
"I'm Bishop Truett. I'm the zoologist for the expedition your men are about to embark on. Aren't you excited?" I asked sarcastically and made my way up the stairs and onto the ship.

•

"Hello and welcome. I'm Landsat field supervisor Victor Nieves."
The ship has just left dock and we, (the blue lab coat guys, soldiers, and others) were in a room going over the so called 'plan' or whatever.

"This is my colleague Steve Woodward, our data wrangler." Nieves shows us satellite images of the island and explains where the hell we were going.
"Our expedition takes us to a place every nautical trade route known to man has avoided for centuries. As our satellite shows, the island is surrounded my a perpetual storm system allowing it to remain hidden from the outside world."

He shows us the island that looks strangely like a skull and then I see the clouds that surround it. It's looks amazingly strategic from a satellites view but I know it looks terrifying in person.

"But with Colonel Packard's helicopter transport, we will be the first to break through to the other side. We are also pleased to be joined for the first time by-" oh god here we go.
"By the resource exploration team. Led by Mister Randa and accompanied by biologist Ms San, geologist Mister Brooks and zoologist and archaeologist Ms Truett." Most everyone looked our direction and while the others offered a smile I kept my arms crossed and let my gaze fall over the crowd, my brown eyes catching another pair of brown eyes for a split second before Nieves called my name.

"Our focus will be on the islands surface. There is, what lies beneath. Mister Brooks and Ms Truett."

Brooks led the way to the front of the room and I followed behind him.
"It's simple really." Brooks started.
"We are using explosives to shake the earth and create vibrations. Helping us to map the sub surface of the island.
We will fly over the south shore and
then strategically drop seismic chargers
that will help us understand the density of the earth." Brooks pointed to the map that showed where we wanted the bombs dropped.

"Your dropping bombs?" An accent rang out. I looked to the man in a navy blue V-neck and nodded.
"Yes, they are."

"Scientific instruments." Brooks 'assured.'
"You hear that boys? We're scientists now." Said the soldier who's eyes I caught earlier and just now.