Chapter 10: Hatchling

"What are we going to do?" Cassie questioned in a hushed voice.

Sean didn't answer. He continued crouching behind the boulder with his sister, one hand braced on the stone in front of him in a resemblance of a tiger about to spring toward its prey. His entire focus centered on his parents' captors. He counted their numbers, estimated their individual strengths, took an inventory of all weapons in sight, and examined the defenders on the boat in the distance.

"Sean?" Cassie hissed.

He turned his gaze silently in her direction and regarded her for a moment before putting a finger to his lips for silence. He held up two fingers so one pointed toward himself and the other directed toward Cassie. Closing his fingers together, Sean pointed them toward the sandy ground. Directing his eyes upward for a moment, he indicated the sun overhead. Sean kept his index and middle fingers together and raised them. Extending his thumb partway in a hook shape beneath his raised fingers, he made a C shape. Twisting his wrist, he reversed the positions of his fingers and thumb.

Cassie nodded her understanding of his silent instruction for the two of them to wait until nightfall. She hated waiting, even more when her parents were being held prisoner, but a direct attack had already failed. Stealth was now the more preferable method. Hunkering down behind the boulders, and under a thick covering of ferns, Cassie prepared for the long wait until evening.

***

Hours went by. The sun continued its slow and steady glide across the sky, heading for its resting place beyond the western horizon.

As time continued passing, Sean and Cassie became more and more on edge. They didn't know how long the sailors would remain anchored in the bay. If they decided to set sail before nightfall, any hope of rescuing Mike and Alison would be lost.

The anxiety of waiting had grown to a near unbearable level by sunset. Sean and Cassie were more than ready as the skies lit up in a spectacular finale of the day's end. Darkness grew as the sun retreated, and the two teenagers knew it wouldn't be much longer before they could move.

The sailors returned to their ship for the night, and the anchor remained down, indicating their intention to stay for the duration. When it was safe to come out of hiding, Cassie and Sean slowly emerged. Digging through a pile of driftwood on the beach, they selected two pieces of the proper size. They put their driftwood in the still waters of the bay and used them like surfboards, laying down flat and paddling out to the boat.

Two sailors patrolled the main deck to keep an eye on things while the remainder of the crew slept. Cassie and Sean approached unseen and silently climbed the anchor chain to board the ship. The links were cold and slippery, but Cassie and Sean managed to reach the top. They crouched in the shadows and watched the two sailors, memorizing their patrol route and looking for an opening to get past them.

When the right moment came, they snuck past the two boatmen and darted down the stairs to the next deck. The boards of the stairway creaked under their feet, despite their best efforts, but the noise blended in with the sounds of the ship itself as it rocked gently on the ocean's surface.

The store room at the bottom of the stairs was filled with the supplies gathered from the island during the course of the day, but it was also empty of any personnel who might sound an alarm. Barrels filled with fruit or water were lined up along the side walls, making the room resemble a giant egg chamber. Sean and Cassie crept between the barrels and occasional crate, using them for cover in case someone they hadn't noticed was still in the room.

They reached the other side of the space and descended a ladder to the next level. The room they entered had been turned into a makeshift prison. Iron bars blocked off the end of the room where Mike and Alison had been fettered to the wall with heavy chains.

"Dad," Sean hissed.

Mike opened his eyes and sat up quickly when he saw his son and daughter outside his cell. Placing a hand over Alison's mouth to prevent any sudden noise, Mike woke his wife. She looked toward Mike questioningly as to why he was covering her mouth, but a nod in the direction of the kids gave her an answer. Mike removed his hand, and Alison smiled at her children.

"Hang on," Sean whispered. Pulling a small metal implement from his pocket, he set to work on the lock, bypassing it in under a minute.

The door squeaked slightly when they tried to open it. Although it was hardly anything, their stealthy intentions made it seem deafening to the Jenkins family. They winced and paused momentarily to listen for any sounds or outward signs of their presence being detected. When none came, Sean slipped inside the cage and began working on the locked chains securing his parents to the wall.

"When this is over, you're going to explain to me how you got so good at lock picking," Mike told Sean softly.

Sean nodded but kept his focus centered on his work. In the back of his mind, he wondered how he'd explain his reasoning for watching online videos on how to bypass locks. It came in useful at times, but such skills were generally frowned upon by society for anyone other than a professional locksmith.

Sean succeeded in opening the second set of locks. He carefully removed the chains, but every link moved separately, clinking softly despite the great care he took. Free of their confining cell and chains, the Jenkins family embraced momentarily before retracing Sean and Cassie's steps to get out.

When they reached the main deck, they discovered the two sailors on patrol were near the stern of the ship, conversing with each other. Their backs were facing the entrance to the lower level, so the Jenkins family hurried up the stairs and headed for the anchor near the prow of the ship.

Their escape came to an immediate halt when more than three dozen men, all armed with swords, emerged from cover to block their way. Leading them, the tall and regal looking man who'd previously identified himself as the Silver Duke stepped forward.

"Impressive," the Duke praised. "Not many could have succeeded in such a rescue attempt with so few people and equipment. A very fine effort."

The Duke waved a hand to his men, and they put away their swords.

"Since everyone is now aboard, you may set sail," he instructed one of his sailors.

"Aye," the man replied.

Orders were shouted among the men as the ship was readied for departure. The anchor was raised and the sails lowered.

The Duke swept an arm toward the stern of the ship in a manner of practiced refinement.

"Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?" he asked them. "I apologize for treating you as prisoners before, but it was necessary to lure in the other two."

The Jenkins family were stunned at being so completely outwitted and not having seen the trap before it closed tightly around them. They were all curious about the Duke and why he was now treating them so well. They followed him to the Captain's cabin where he was quartered, hoping for an explanation to their many questions.

The Captain's cabin was beautifully furnished. An ornate desk sat near a large window in the tail of the ship. Carved eagles, their wings spread, adorned each corner of the desk, and elaborate scrollwork had been etched on the deep red colored wood. An equally elegant cabinet stood on the left side of the room, and the view through the multiple, diamond shaped panes of glass revealed maps, charts, and leather bound books detailing their voyage. Chairs, padded in crimson velvet, were positioned around the room where they could provide comfortable seating. Even the wood flooring had layers of polish to make it shine. Considerable effort and money had gone into the construction of this room.

"Please, make yourselves at home," the Duke invited, gesturing toward the lavish furnishings.

The Jenkins family took their individual seats, but none of them relaxed. The Duke was very smart, and his intelligence presented a threat to keeping their futuristic origins a secret. He took a seat behind the handsome desk, resting his elbows on its top and folding his hands with his fingertips together.

"Tell me, how does a group of people, dressed in a manner most strange, end up on my island without a boat?" he asked them.

Their conversation was prevented as a cracking sound came from Sean's pack. The Duke's perceptive gaze snapped instantly toward Sean. He said nothing, merely staring and allowing his unwavering gaze to unsettle Sean and provoke a response. The cracking sound came again, but the Duke kept his eyes on Sean, not the satchel.

"What's in your bag?" Mike asked his son; his voice was laced with concern.

"Cassie got to save her pet," Sean said defensively.

"What did you bring?" Alison questioned.

"Do you remember the water filled cave?" Sean inquired.

"You didn't!" Mike said in disbelief.

"It's only one," Sean reminded. "It won't be able to repopulate the species. If it becomes a problem, it will only be for the years of its lifespan."

"Don't you remember the size of that thing?" Mike demanded. "The problems one of them could cause in a single lifetime are tremendous!"

"It wasn't a smart move, Sean," Alison reprimanded.

All the while the argument was underway, the Duke silently watched and listened, missing nothing.

Sean opened his pack and removed the dinosaur egg he'd taken from the pool. It changed size in his hands, expanding in areas as the growing dinosaur inside attempted to push its way out of the shell. The encasing material cracked and splintered. Sean jumped slightly when it suddenly broke apart, and the long neck and rounded head of the reptile burst forth.

The snake faced dinosaur let out a small and shrill cry before wiggling around to free itself of the remainder of the eggshell. It had remarkable balance, getting out of the egg while staying centered on Sean's lap. It had a rounded oval body shape and four flippers it used for feet like a seal.

"Hello there, little one," Sean whispered when the aquatic lizard looked up at him.

The diminutive creature hissed slightly before curling up against him for warmth.

"Well," the Duke stated slowly. "Your presence becomes more interesting by the moment. Let's talk."

The Silver Duke watched them expectantly, but Mike was unwilling to say anything with the potential to unravel the future.

"The answers you want, we can't give," Mike replied, his tone regretful.

"Why?" the Duke asked.

"To answer the why would involve giving you information that could prove disastrous," Mike warned.

"Your responses only provide more questions," the Duke stated.

"Exactly," Mike confirmed. "We can't give you anything, no matter how small, as it would only fuel your curiosity for more. You could imprison or kill us, but we dare not answer your questions."

The Duke stared at them over the tips of his steepled fingers, considering his response before uttering a single word.

"You said it could be disastrous," he told them. "Can this information harm you or me?"

"Not you," Mike denied. "It could certainly harm others. Thousands, perhaps millions could die who don't have to."

The Duke paused, pondering the tremendous ramifications of Mike's statement.