I Led an Expedition to an Uncharted Island, We Found Something Terrifying

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James Rodriguez 0:01
Hello and welcome. Glad you are here. Let's get started. The elevator climbed 38 floors without a sound. Not even a hung. I counted the seconds in my head. 42 to reach the penthouse. The doors open to reveal a single receptionist at a glass desk. The Los Angeles skyline spread out behind her through floor to ceiling windows. Mr. Wilson is expecting you, Mr. Rodriguez. She didn't look up from her screen. Last door on the right. I walked down a hallway lined with abstract art pieces that probably cost more than my annual income. My boots were the only sound against the polished concrete floor. The contrast between my weathered field jacket in this sterile environment wasn't lost on me. The door stood open.
James Rodriguez 0:47
Ensor Wilson sat behind a desk made from a single slab of wood. Inger stapled, watching me enter. A man used to being the most important person in any room. I'd seen his type before. The kind who bought their way into danger, then paid others to get them out. James Rodriguez. He didn't stand punctual. I appreciate that. I took the chair across from him, noting its calculated discomfort slightly lower than his angle to catch the morning glare. Power positioning. I shifted it two inches to the left before sitting. Your message mentioned an expedition. I kept my voice neutral and substantial compensation. Wilson nodded once, then tapped something on the glass surface of his desk. A three-dimensional topographic map appeared between us, projected from recessed lenses, an island roughly eight miles across at its widest point.
James Rodriguez 1:36
Dense jungle covered most of the interior, with a volcanic peak rising from the centre. A coastline alternated between sheer cliffs and curved beaches. This is Yossur Island. Wilson's hand passed through the projection, rotating it. Located approximately 300 miles northeast of Fiji. Technically unclaimed territory. I studied the projection volcanic dormant for at least four centuries, according to geological surveys. He expanded the image. What interests me is that it remains completely uninhabited and largely unexplored. There's usually a reason for that. Something changed in Wilson's expression at tightening around the eyes. The local army tribe from neighbouring islands refuses to go near it. Superstition.
James Rodriguez 2:20
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.
James Rodriguez 3:03
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. I appreciate directness, Rodriguez. Let's say I have investors interested in potential development opportunities. pending verification that the island doesn't contain any protected species or archaeological sites that would prevent private acquisition.
James Rodriguez 3:51
That made more sense. Resort development. Luxury retreats for the ultra-wealthy. The research team provided plausible deniability if environmental groups started asking questions. Tell me about the team composition.

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