James Rodriguez

They claim the island is cursed, that it speaks to visitors in the voices of their dead.

I'd heard similar stories throughout the Pacific.

Indigenous knowledge often contained kernels of truth wrapped in mythology.

Underwater currents, poisonous plants, geological instabilities reformed to spiritual dangers.

What exactly are you proposing, Mr. Wilson?

Five dollars million.

He stated the figure flatly for two weeks on the island.

You lead a research team, establish a base camp and ensure everyone returns safely.

Your Air Force background and survival expertise make you uniquely qualified.

I kept my expression neutral despite the figure five million would solve every financial problem I'd faced since leaving the service three years ago.

It would secure Clara's college fund.

The amount was deliberately excessive.

Either the job was extraordinarily dangerous or Wilson needed something he wasn't disclosing.

What's your interest in an uninhabited island?

Wilson leaned back.

Scientific discovery.

Untouched ecosystems potentially contain botanical compounds with pharmaceutical applications.

There's also the anthropological value of investigating why the island remains uninhabited despite being perfectly habitable.

I'd heard enough sales pitches to recognize deflection and your actual reason?

A slight smile appeared.