PREDATOR ISLAND (Sea Lab Book 2)

CHAPTER 42

Dr. Hugh Graham fled from his own creation.

After falling from his perch and swimming for his life, he crawled onto the bank and staggered to his feet. Fortunately when the cat startled him, he managed to hold onto both pistols, his fingers clutching them like eagle talons as he plunged into the water.

As the animal paddled after him, he stormed into the jungle, desperate to get away. But there weren't many options. The cat was monstrous and lethal, incredibly fast and unbelievably strong. It could climb trees and scale the highest peaks. And it wasn't afraid of water either, that fact proven after it dove into the pool.

Dr. Graham ran as fast as he could, as fast as a man pushing sixty years old could. He didn't look back. He barely breathed. His plans to reclaim the treasure seemed a distant memory as he tore through the thick curtain of jungle and careened into the heavy darkness.

He wasn't in terrible shape, but he wasn't exactly a top physical specimen, even for his age. It didn't take long for him to remember any of this, especially that he didn't stand a chance to escape from the ferocious predator. But he kept running.

Short of breath and panting for air, Graham raced up the tree covered hillside, legs pumping, thighs burning, intent on reaching higher ground. But as his boots pounded up the final stretch of the steep slope, he realized something that electrified his thudding heart. When he got to the top of the hill, a twelve foot cliff barricaded his advance. It was too high to jump up and reach the top edge. Impossible for him to grab the imposing ridge, or climb the smooth rock wall. So he veered left where the ground leveled out, channeling him back toward the waterfall and the pool. But the problem with that was another rise blocked him from reaching the part that accessed the falls. He was trapped with nowhere to go but back toward the cat or down to the rainforest floor below. Neither one of those scenarios would end well.

Earlier, his creation—the island predator—had leaped and crept its way along the crest until it found a spot to spring from, but Graham was not that athletic or nimble. He had one path of escape...to jump off the edge of the mountain and let the jungle canopy break his fall.

With the giant cat dodging trees and bounding over rocks and ferns, and closing the gap between them, Graham hustled to the precipice and peered down at the tree tops below.

He started toward the edge, but stopped himself. As the cat stormed toward him, it grumbled and hissed, working itself up in a fevered rage, ready to devour its next meal.

Graham dreaded the fall, but worse, he didn't want to be eaten.

The black cat, much bigger than the largest tiger on Earth, vaulted itself onto the flat crest, only feet away. It's body appeared spring-loaded as it prowled toward Graham, ready to pounce. The creature's jaws were enormous, able to open wide and bite down on the doctor's entire head. It's canines dripped with saliva while its yellow eyes narrowed into intense slits at the sight of its prey.

Graham inched backwards, nearing the drop-off.

The tiger-like black cat took a step toward him and hesitated. It tilted its head as if evaluating its prey.

Then it roared.

Graham flinched and involuntarily backpedaled...and then fell off the cliff.

As he plummeted, the yellow eyes glared down at him under the moonlight. The wind whipped around him as he fell, and his breath sucked from his lungs. His fall velocity increased, and then he slammed into a barrage of limbs, tossed and turned, slapped by leaves and punched by branches. At the last possible moment, his body twisted, and his back impacted the jungle floor with a mighty smack, ending with the kind of darkness that came swiftly and unexpectedly.