CHapter 3: Bound For Alaska

Grant stepped out from the passenger seat of the SUV Terrance was driving. The team has arrived at the San Francisco harbor. Already the rest of the crew of the Salvation had arrived and were loading the ship.

Like Terrance had explained the Salvation was what the navy called a dock landing ship. It was best described, with all due respect, as a poor man’s aircraft carrier. A large superstructure like those on a destroyer in the front and a landing pad that took up the back half of the ship for helicopters. Grant could see that a Sikorsky MH-53E was hovering above the ship with a cable under it that held up a large net full of equipment.

“Retired in 2008,” said Terrance, pointing up at the large helicopter. The Air Force retired their fleet in favor of the Osprey. Still a magnificent chopper though and excellent for heavy lifting just like her successor. Your uncle had the company purchase a few. Thought it a shame to let a whole fleet of them just rot in a scrapyard. We got two hueys as well to serve as our general use choppers.”

“I feel like I’m going off to war,” said Grant, staring at the ship. “This looks like a war vessel.”

“It was,” said Terrance, with a chuckle. “We modified it to be less, uh, intimidating I suppose you could say. We stripped away the rockets and big guns leaving only the 50 cal machine guns. We've kept her up to date in order to be competitive with other research vessels. I assure you she can do it all. We don’t have it now but we’ve been looking into converting a section of ther ship into an onboard hospital. That way we can perform surgeries on wounded crewmembers if need be.”

“This is a lot,” said Shreya, stepping up to the two men. “Thank you Terrance.”

The skinny technician flushed visibly. “Gee Miss it was nothing. It’s really all paid for by my boss you know. I just fix and assemble the stuff. You all enjoy your trip now. I looked forward to hearing how the gear treated you.”

After exchanging a few handshakes and goodbyes, Terrance double checked to make sure everything had been unloaded before taking off in his SUV.

An hour after arriving, Grant was shown to his private quarters which was small but cozy enough. Everything seemed to be attached to the walls or the floor, which Grant figured was a measure to prevent things from sliding around when the ship rocked. He felt guilty as he was sure the rest of the crew were likely giving bunks and all slept in the same room.

The mercenary that had shown him to his room stepped inside and pointed to a locker mounted beside his low hanging bed. “Combo is 2, 4, and 12.”

Grant checked and sure enough the lock clicked open. Inside the locker was a glock 16 in a holster. Grant inspected one of the three spare clips beside the weapon before closing the locker and carefully clicking the lock back into place. “Thank you mercenary. I think I can unpack on my own.”

The mercenary nodded and before he left said, “ We cast off in twenty minutes.”

After Grant had unpacked, taken a quick shower and changed into a warm navy blue long sleeve shirt and khaki chino pants, he made his way to the deck of the ship. They had already begun to pull away from the harbor and out to sea. Grant snapped a few photos of the harbor and surrounding landscape. He decided to take a few pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge as well despite having already seen it many times.

“Air is better up here,” said a familiar voice from behind. Grant turned and saw that it was Shreya and her companions. While she stood by him the others went off to take pictures. Shelley did not acknowledge Grant when they had arrived at the harbor and she didn’t just then. He figured it was better that way.

“I guess I’m more used to it,” said Grant. “I still feel the difference though. Were you born and raised in southern California?”

Shreya nodded. “Yeah I was. This is only my second time in the Bay Area.”

“No kidding. Is this your first time on a cruise?”

Shreya laughed. “Well I wouldn’t call this a cruise but no. In fact I’ve never been out of the country. My friends were shocked when I told them my parents never took me to India. I guess I’m a little what they call westernized. I like SoCal. I like the States. When I began studying anthropology though, I was suddenly on fire for other cultures and people. I wanted to learn more and unearth the past to study it.”

“So you’ve become a real hands on sort of gal.”

Shreya brushed her hair back and beamed at him. “Yeah I guess you could say that.”

Grant glanced behind Shreya. The jock of the group of anthropology students, Murphy, had looked in Shreya’s direction for the third time since he had come on deck. It was clear that he had taken a special interest in Shreya and her attractive behind.

“Is Murphy your boyfriend or something?”

“Oh no no no,” said Shreya, giggling. “He’s just a friend. No, I’ve never dated before.”

“Grant you son of a B!” came a roar in a cracked voice. Grant flicked his head to the side and saw Monty and Rourke coming towards him. Monty was wearing aviator sunglasses and had his arms spread out as if to communicate “What the heck?”

“Shit,” Grant muttered. “He had forgotten all about his friends. Worst of all he had forgotten to text Monty like he had promised.

“Monty I’m sorry,” said Grant as Monty walked up to him. “Rourke too. I guess I was feeling a little out of it. I forgot all about you too. Uh, this is Shreya and over there are her colleagues.”

“I’m Grant’s roommate,” said Monty, thrusting out his right hand. “I helped him find the Taiping treasure.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” said Shreya, shaking Monty’s hand. “And this must be Rourke. You look as strong as did in that article from back then.”

Rourke frowned. “My picture is online?”

“Rourke likes his privacy,” said Grant. “He may be my muscle, but he’s also rather reserved. Rourke helped me find the Grace of the Fountain too.”

“That adventure was less enjoyable,” said Rourke. “I hope this trip will be filled with fewer demonic women.”

“Right,” said Grant, trying to avoid the subject of the cursed painting. “Well we are packing heavy firepower on this trip but it's all just a precaution. This trip is funded by my uncle’s private military company.”

“Yeah that’s all cool,” said Monty, thrusting out his chubby chest. “The three of us here have done our share of combat. Remember when I cut down that creature in the Taiping cult hideout? Good times.”

Grant became aware of the fact that Monty was trying to put on a cool act in front of Shreya and had to suppress a laugh.

“Yeah that was some treasure alright,” said Monty, grunting. “Now it’s onto a ghost island.”

“The government of Alaska has been warning people away from the waters around the island,” said Rourke. “I don’t like it. An island just appearing out of nowhere.”

“It’s like bigfoot and the yeti,” said Monty. “They got their ways of hiding you know? Shaman magic, folk religions, that kind of thing. Could even be extraterrestrial. You know the pyramids might have been built by aliens.”

“The pyramids were built using geometry and hard labor,” said Shreya, scoffing. “Anyways this island could be our last connection to our forgotten past. When humans and great beasts roamed the earth together.”

“Let’s all not jump to conclusions alright?” said Grant. “The only confirmed sighting is a whale thought to be long extinct.”

“Actually there are now reports coming in of a bird with a wingspan too great to belong to any modern bird,” said Rourke. “What is your theory? How could an island have vanished from existence for millions of years only to show up again as if it was always there?”

“Cryptozoologists have all kinds of theories as to how lost civilizations and entities from folklore or ancient history could have survived. These theories range from pocket dimensions to extraterritorial environmentalists.”

Grant shook his head. “Even if this island has been hiding the ancient megafauna, the ancestors of today’s mammals, we shouldn't assume that it will be safe to coexist with them as we once did. I mean what if they carry a disease?”

“Well let’s hope that isn’t the case,” said Shreya, turning back to the bay. “I’d like to get close to these animals if possible. Perhaps even bring a specimen back with me. I’d be the first scientist to study a mammoth in person. Imagine that!”

Grant observed the harbor that was quickly becoming a distant sight. “That is if no one is ballsy enough like we are to get their first.”