PREDATOR ISLAND (Sea Lab Book 2)

CHAPTER 3

SEA LAB WEST - PACIFIC PORT
HONOLULU, HAWAII

Jake Soloman rose early in the morning. He'd showered, dressed, and ate breakfast long before the Atlantis research vessel entered the bay and docked. With a thermos style mug of coffee in his hand, he watched from the side rail of the ship as workers looped wrist-sized ropes around a series of pilings at the pier. Steam billowed from the cup through an opening in the lid as he took a sip, his view of Sea Lab's port facility spread before him. On the concrete landing, a forklift backed away—reverse warning sensors beeping—removing waste from an open hatch in the ship. The sights and sounds were common at every port facility around the world and made Jake feel at home.

Nearby, a maintenance truck rolled to a stop, preparing to touch up the ship's blue hull. The color had been eaten away by salt corrosion and wave action. The smell of oil-based paint drifted up to where he stood as his gaze followed a sidewalk leading the way to the rear entrance of the port's main building. Laid out in an inverted V on the property, morning sunlight reflected off the higher windows of the three story structure.

Jake squinted and ran his fingers through a tuft of java brown hair. He took another sip from the mug, glad to see land and a few seagulls squawking over his head.

With the Atlantis secured to the dock, four workers rolled a gangway into position. Then a crewman onboard the ship fastened the metal walkway to the port side and opened a gated section of the railing for disembarkation.

Jake managed a thin smile as Sarah Lawson approached with her hair tied back in a ponytail, and the strap of a tiny leather purse clutched in her fingers. Her fair skin and sapphire blue eyes were another welcomed sight. After recent events, he was glad to be alive and thankful to have Sarah back in his life, even if it wasn't a customary relationship.

Next, Tony Cruze and his sandy locks strolled out with Rachel Wilde at his side. After them, a slew of other scientists appeared from a doorway, talking animatedly, eager for a brief stint of shore leave after a two week voyage across the South Pacific Ocean.

"Enjoy your day," the crewman said with a palm open to the gangway. "We push off at six this evening for San Diego."

Sarah replied, "We'll be back in plenty of time. Don't worry."

"I'm with her," Jake said.

Sarah's eyes widened and her mouth parted at the comment.

"I mean, I—uh—I'm gonna be with her when the doctor comes calling. That's what I meant. Nothing unusual about that, right?"

"No worries, Jake," the crewman said with a wink.

As they walked away, Jake wagged his head. What could he possibly know? Nothing. There's no way. Probably just a lighthearted comment, he told himself. That's all.

Halfway to the pier, Jake wanted to hook his arm around Sarah as they ambled down the slanted walkway, but he resisted the urge. He wanted to touch her, feel the curve of her hip. Draw her close and smell a whiff of her coconut-vanilla shampoo. He wanted their hands entwined...to be near her. But he couldn't show affection toward her in public...not with everyone behind them. What would it look like if a field supervisor had something going on behind the scenes with a member of his team? Not good, and not professional by any standard. Tony knew about their relationship, but he acted like he wasn't aware. Jake suspected Rachel knew as well, but chose to look the other way to avoid controversy.

It wasn't that long ago when Sarah thought he'd slept with Rachel, but fortunately, he'd been able to convince her of the truth...that he'd passed out drunk that night. When he woke the next morning, he realized his goof and tried to rush Rachel out of his beach house, just as Sarah showed up. That blunder gave him six months as a bachelor and a ton of proving himself and earning her trust back. He wouldn't make that foolish mistake twice.

Sarah nudged a loose strand of burnt orange hair away from her face, the color reminding Jake of autumn leaves. "We could skip the doctor thing," she said, "and take a stroll on the boardwalk. We could find a dive shop to browse and maybe catch lunch somewhere on the beach?"

"We can do all that, after your physical. Besides, it's an in-house visit, you can't avoid it if the doc is coming to you."

"But I feel fine, Jake. I really don't think it's necessary."

Their feet left the gangway and hit concrete. Jake felt movement under him, his equilibrium adjusting to land after weeks at sea. "After what Zanderthal did you. No." Jake stopped short of the sidewalk and turned to Sarah. "The director ordered a full examination and I'm in one hundred percent agreement."

"My dad can be overprotective, you know that. So what if I can beat Tony in arm wrestling?"

"She can beat you?" Rachel said.

Tony huffed. "Beginner's luck. Got my elbow at the wrong angle. Doubt it'd happen again."

"I'd like to see it, though."

"Nah, let her bask in the victory. I'd hate to steal her thunder."

"Would you two go somewhere, please?" Jake replied. "We're talking."

His scowl and grumbling voice must have convinced them because Tony and Rachel departed after a few uncomfortable glances. With their moods dampened, they headed for the port facility's main entrance without a reply.

"I need you to do this." Jake started to lift her chin toward him, to get her to look him in the eye, but he caught himself. Instead, he stepped back and offered several nods and hi's to the passing scientists. Once they all moved on, he glanced around and then touched her elbow. "You need to do this. That madman," he winced, gritting his teeth, "he injected you with that serum."

"But I feel better than I ever have in my life. I've never felt so alive. So energetic. So...I don't know how to describe it, but I don't think there's anything wrong with me, except for the obvious."

"I get it, okay. We both know what Ocean Blue did. What Roland Zanderthal's experiments on barracudas did. The rapid healing rates and benefits of increased strength of the serum are through the roof. But we don't know the side effects. And, I don't want you to end up looking like a..."

"Looking like a what?" Sarah cast a hard glance his way. "Choose your words wisely."

Jake raised a brow. "Like those men in the sleep tanks, all beefed up like they were on steroids." He checked around them. The dock workers were paying them no attention. They rolled the blue paint on the ship's hull and appeared to be making good progress. Up at the port facility, everyone had already entered the building. That left Jake and Sarah alone to their conversation.

"Do I look like I'm turning into one of those soldiers?"

"No...but what about the side effects that can't be seen?"

Jake squeezed her shoulders and stooped his head down to let her know how serious this was. He wanted to soften his next words. He blinked, trying to hide the fact that his eyes glistened with a thin layer of moisture. He forced the swelling sensation fighting its way up in his throat, back into the pit of his stomach.

He swallowed. "Sarah, you're making this more difficult than it should be. It's just a physical examination. The doctor will shine a light down your throat. Draw some blood. Check your reflexes. You know how all that goes. You won't even know the results until the lab work is finished. We probably won't know anything until we get to San Diego." Jake bent his neck a notch lower. "Look at me. Come on. Shake this dread, whatever it is, shake it off, and let's go do this...together."

Sparked by the last word out of Jake's mouth, Sarah leaned forward and pressed her lips into his for a moment that sent his heart racing. She broke the kiss with a sigh. Then she turned away and left him standing there, his legs unable to move.

"You made your point." She peered back over her shoulder as she walked. "Come on before I change my mind, the doc will be here at nine. We might as well get this over with."

Jake caught himself, savoring the berry gloss from Sarah's lips, wishing the kiss had lasted a little longer. He exhaled the anxious jitters. She could turn him on a dime in a millisecond. In a heartbeat. Make him feel like a teenager in the midst of raging hormones.

"Hello? Earth to Jake? If you don't move, we're gonna be late."

He shook his head. "I'm coming."