Jurassic Dead by David Sakmyster, Rick Chesler Read Free Book Online Page A

going on?”
    The crewman seated at the small desk across from the cell turned a laptop around so that its screen faced Marcus. DeKirk's wizened visage filled the display as he began to speak.
    “I'll tell you what's going on.” The entrepreneur spoke forcefully, commanding the attention of all in the room. “Dr. Ramirez, as you probably already heard, but refused to accept from my associate, Mr. Dyson, I am terminating your position as of right now. You will be dropped off at a port in Chile, with your return airfare to the U.S. paid for. Is that clear?”
    Xander grinned smugly and crossed his arms.
    “No! That is not acceptable. I was brought on to conduct research, not to be cast aside like some greenhorn post-doc as soon as an exciting discovery is made so that this...this corporate misfit can take over!” He glared at Xander with contempt.
    DeKirk's voice boomed through the laptop again. “Speaking of misfits, take a look at your son, Marcus.” Marcus glanced at Alex, who shrunk beneath his gaze in the grimy cell.
    “His fate is entirely up in the air right now. We could keep him in the brig for weeks—months, even—until we reach a U.S. port in which to turn him over to authorities there for acts of vandalism, international espionage, manslaughter...” He paused, enjoying the look of fear on Alex's face and the distaste on his father's. “Or we could even hand him over to the Russians and see if they have an opinion as to what should happen to him.”
    “Mr. DeKirk! I respectfully…” Marcus began, but DeKirk rolled over him, holding up a hand on the Skype window.
    “ Or... we have a third option.” At this, Marcus quieted, waiting for DeKirk to continue.
    “As I was saying, we could simply drop you and your son off in Chile together, where you both will be free to return home. This would be in return for your absolute silence regarding our operations here and upholding the nondisclosure documents you already signed at the time of your hiring, as well as your acceptance of the fact that you are now merely a passenger aboard my ship, in no way acting in a working capacity.”
    Marcus looked from Alex then back at DeKirk on the Skype window. “My find…all the announcements and press. The release of the discovery…”
    DeKirk shook his head, a slight smirk on his face.
    Marcus fumed inside. “You never intended to share this find with the world, did you? You needed me to help you find it, but…not to legitimize it after?”
    DeKirk shook his head, eyes never wavering from Marcus’.
    “So…what then? What are you going to do with it?”
    “That, Dr. Ramirez, you will find out, along with the rest of the world.”
    He lowered his eyes. “Son of a bitch.”
    “I’m sorry,” DeKirk said. “I didn’t hear that clearly with this connection.”
    Xander, off to the side, leaning against a bulkhead with his arms crossed, gave his own smirk.
    DeKirk leaned in closer, turning his head so that his ear was to the microphone. “Did you say you agreed?”
    Marcus sighed. He glanced again at Alex, restrained and looking miserable and lost. Goddamn. They had him, and they knew it.
    “Deal.”
    It took all of Marcus’s willpower not to punch the self-satisfied grin off Xander's stupid face, while the crewman behind the jailer’s desk stood up with the key for Alex’s release.

 
    10.
     
    Aboard Oil Tanker Hammond-1, Erebus Point, Antarctica
    The utility closet in the ship's cargo hold wasn't the most comfortable place from which Veronica Winters had ever conducted a stakeout, which was for sure. Cramped, smelling of oil and rat urine, and full of rusty spare parts, what it lacked in comfort, it made up for with a stealth factor that allowed her to observe the happenings in this part of the hold. Her smartphone, connected via shipboard satellite service, would tell her if the ship's “doctor” was being paged. Until that happened, she would learn what she could about that creep, Xander. It should be