"Well, I'll be damned," be said, suddenly breaking into a warm smile. "What do you know!" He extended his hand. "I'm Lew Dodgson, from the Biosyn Corporation, back in Cupertino. This is my associate, Howard King."
"Hi," the other man said, nodding. Howard King was younger and taller than Dodgson, and he was handsome in a clean-cut California way. Sarah recognized his type: a classic beta male animal, subservient to the core. And there was something odd about his behavior toward her: he moved a little away, and seemed as uncomfortable around her as Dodgson now seemed friendly.
"And up there," Dodgson continued, pointing onto the deck, "is our third, George Baselton."
Harding saw a heavyset man on the deck, bent over the boxes as they came on board. His shirtsleeves were soaked in sweat. She said, "Are you all friends of Richard?"
"We're on our way over to see him right now," Dodgson said, "to help him out." He hesitated, frowning at her. "But, uh, he didn't tell us about you…"
She was suddenly aware then of how she must appear to him: a short woman in her thirties, wearing a rumpled shirt, khaki shorts, and heavy boots. Her clothes dirty, her hair unkempt after all the flights.
She said, "I know Richard through Ian Malcolm. Ian and I are old friends."
I see…" He continued to stare at her, as if he was unsure of her in some way.
She felt compelled to explain. "I've been in Africa. I decided to come here at the last minute," she said. "Doc THorne called me."
"Oh, of course. Doc." The man nodded, and seemed to relax, as if everything now made sense to him.
She said, "Is Richard all right?"
"Well, I certainly hope so. Because we're taking all this equipment to him."
"You're going to Sorna now?"
"We are, if this weather holds," Dodgson said, glancing at the sky. "We should be ready to go in five or ten minutes. You know, you're welcome to join us, if you need a ride," he said cheerfully. "We could use the company. Where's your stuff?"
"I've only got this," she said, lifting her small backpack.
"Traveling light, eh? Well, good, Ms. Harding. Welcome to the party."
He seemed entirely open and friendly now. It was such a marked change from his earlier behavior. But she noticed that the handsome man, King, remained distinctly uneasy. King turned his back to her, and acted very busy, shouting at the workmen to be careful with the last of the wooden crates, which were marked "Biosyn Corporation" in stenciled lettering. She had the impression he was avoiding looking at her. And she still hadn't gotten a good look at the third man, on deck. It made her hesitate.
"You're sure it's all right…"
"Of course it's all right! We'd be delighted!" Dodgson said. "Besides, how else are you going to get there? There's no planes, the helicopter is gone.
"I know, I checked…"
"Well, then, you know. If you want to get to the island, you'd better go with us."
She looked at the jeep on the boat, and said, "I think Doc must already be there, with his equipment."
At the mention of that, the second man, King, snapped his head around in alarm. But Dodgson just nodded calmly and said, "Yes, I think so. He left last night, I believe."
"That's what he said to me."
"Right." Dodgson nodded. "So he's already there. At least, I hope he is."
From on deck, there were shouts in Spanish, and a captain in greasy overalls came and looked over the side. "Senor Dodgson, we are ready."
"Good," Dodgson said. "Excellent. Climb aboard, Ms. Harding. Let's get going!"
King
Spewing black smoke, the fishing boat chugged out of the harbor, heading toward open sea. Howard King felt the rumble of the ship's engines beneath his feet, heard the creak of the wood. He listened to the shouts of the crewmen in Spanish. King looked back at the little town of Puerto Cortes, a jumble of little houses clustered around the water's edge. He hoped this damn boat was seaworthy - because they were out in the middle of nowhere.
And Dodgson was cutting corners. Taking chances again.
It was the situation King feared most.
Howard King had known Lewis Dodgson for almost ten years, ever since he had joined Biosyn as a young Berkeley Ph.D., a promising researcher with the energy to conquer the world. King had done his doctoral thesis on blood-coagulation factors. He had joined Biosyn at a time of intense interest in those factors, which seemed to hold the key to dissolving clots in patients with heart attacks. There was a race among biotech companies to develop a new drug that would save lives, and make a fortune as well.