PREDATOR ISLAND (Sea Lab Book 2)

CHAPTER 15

CHATHAM BAY

The sun rose over the northern shore of Cocos Island, bathing the lush tropical mountainside with a brilliant orange glow. As light filled the clear skies and spilled over Chatham Bay, it revealed a landscape thick with shades of deep green and gentle waves the color of a thousand sparkling emeralds. Jake knew that the higher the sun rose, the water would grow more clear, lightening to a beautiful turquoise blue-green closer to the beach. That was their destination. The north beach.

Dylan had his hand on the tiller guiding the Zodiac inflatable raft over the rippling surf, Savannah by his side, her brown eyes yielding a look of sheer wonder as they drew closer to shore. In the middle row, Tony and Rachel sat hip to hip, leaning forward against the up and down motion of the small boat, elbows resting on their knees. In the front, Sarah sat next to Jake as he peered back and took a final look at the yacht anchored a hundreds yards behind them. As the realization dawned on Jake that they were going to trespass on foreign soil, he couldn't help but gnaw mildly on his lower lip. Somehow, they'd been talked into this expedition under the veil of scientific investigation. He couldn't help but think that his team's own lust for adventure made them easy prey.

He turned his eyes to the wild and uninhibited island that was otherwise known in Spanish as Isla del Coco.

Jake's gaze drew in an ample covering of coconut palms, pond-apple trees, and purple coral trees, undercut by a tightly woven assortment of ferns, draped by hanging sheets of moss on the cliff sides. A waterfall gushed from between a high spot in the trees and poured into a hidden pond in the undergrowth before finding its way to a runoff on the beach.

The view calmed the churning in his gut which was trying to warn him not to do what they were about to do. Somehow, the beauty of the place and the mysterious lure of the unknown made Jake feel even more comfortable with the whole situation, and more eager to step foot on the majestic island. He kept telling himself, with the park rangers gone, they had the place to themselves. The odds authorities would waste their time coming out to check for trespassers had to be slim. The main thing they had to worry about was the island itself. And that shouldn't be too much to deal with.

The Zodiac inflatable rode the final wave in and grated over the course sand until the bow came to rest against a boulder planted firmly on the beach. Everyone hopped out of the raft, grabbed their backpacks which were filled with supplies for the hike into the island's interior, and took a good long look up at the natural artistry of the high cliffs rising above their heads.

The plan had changed slightly. To begin with, Tony and Rachel would join the rest of the group to investigate the first park ranger station. If it turned out to be deserted as expected, with no sign of trouble, they'd return to the coast and follow the initial plan for the two of them to explore the island's perimeter. Again, even if there was little chance of encountering the authorities, they had to at least be prepared. With that in mind, they thought to create an elaborate ruse to fool them.

Jake and Tony dragged the inflatable raft further up the beach, out of reach of the surf. In their backpacks, everyone had rations of beef jerky, power bars, packs of assorted nuts, and canteens filled with water from the yacht's galley. They also carried hand-held radios, knives for various needs, and flashlights. Dylan explained that the torches might come in handy for cave exploration, if the need arose. The group also had two compasses and a pair of machetes to split among the landing party. They had come more than prepared, which made him wonder if Dylan had more than a day trip in mind. Maybe he intended to spend the night? He hadn't mentioned it. And Jake didn't want to broach the subject. He was afraid it might cause cause a division among them, unnecessary trouble if it turned out there were no such plans to begin with.