Rival of Atlantis

VII

9:00 AM, March 22, 2018

Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica

A THUNDEROUS SERIES OF SPLASHES filled the morning as sprinkles of water hung in the air. Eyes surveyed the waterfall that is not more than a hundred meters of drop to a basin that is surrounded by black rock formation and lush green vegetation below. The rush of water produced a sound like the rumbles of continuous thunder. From the falls, the eyes moved around then towards a cluster of black rocks to the left where a branch of a tree lays submerged. The owner of the eyes panned her head to the back where the trail for the hikers was.

No hikers this early. The tourists are yet to endure some three-hour walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a protected sanctuary of wildlife in Costa Rica. The eyes moved back to the waterfall and the owner is fighting hard from the beckoning of the waters. She knows she will not fight it long enough and she will be diving in those waters in no time but he still has to savor the moment.

The body of water, that is emptying hundreds of gallons of water to a basin about a regular pool in size, is a welcome sight after a whole night of hunting their target. Gillian, the owner of the eyes, stood frozen then locked her eyes on the pool, just below the plummeting waters, and admired it once again. There is something in nature that caresses parts of her soul and she may stand here forever if she has a choice.

Gillian Aviste Brown was with the Special Advanced Research, a scientific wing under the United Nations Educational Scientific And Cultural Organization. She holds a position as Special Research Director, wherein she and her best friend, Summer D. Santos, are the only regular part of the team. They are often given manpower from different fields of science depending on the project. Since being employed in UNESCO at the inception of SAR in September 21, 2005, she has been teamed up with different experts in various fields across the globe. Along with Summer, she had made remarkable finds; the Pandora’s Box is only one of them. In thirteen years of being employed as SAR Special Research Director, she accidentally came across different groups that meant the world harm. She has saved many lives in her years of service more than she can count. All feats of going against the bad guys came only by accident.

Gillian is a misplaced sight right here in the forest. She possesses a beauty that was never thought to wander in the dangerous terrains. She got a light built, weighing only 56 kilograms in a frame standing five feet and eight inches. She gazes through calm brown eyes that complements her wavy hair the color of chestnut and is cut before her shoulder blades. Having a white complexion, she looks exactly as everyone who stood in the glamorous stages of beauty pageants and those leading ladies who filmed motion picture cuts. She has these looks like a mix of Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta Jones in one body. But in all of her characteristics, Gillian is a depiction of an iron maiden, a warrior armed with deceiving beauty.

Born in April 17, 1977 when the sun is traversing at the territory of the Aries sign, she was the last of the two children of an American father, Randolf Brown, and a Filipina mother, Liza Aviste. Her mother was a registered nurse and found employment as a caregiver for Brown family of Florida wherein she took care of the sick father and eventually fell in love with their only son, a doctor. Her mother gave birth to her in Quirino, a sub-province of Nueva Vizcaya Philippines way back then, and was raised there along with her brother. He went to a local elementary school from 1983 to 1989 and attended some two years in a common tertiary school before their family migrated back to the US in 1989. The family settled to Miami, Florida. There, she attended another three years of schooling at Miami Spring High School while his father and mother maintained a clinic.

Graduating from tertiary in Miami in 1991, she went back to the Philippines to pursue her studies in Biological Science at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. She attended some two years in the institution before flying to the United Kingdom where she pursued Biology in the University of Cambridge. After graduating in 1997, she trained as a commissioned officer for the US Air Force where she served as a pilot for an air ambulance.

During her days in service as a pilot, she flew helicopters that were utilized as air ambulances for combat operations, disasters and rescue operation while taking up her master’s degree in Biological Oceanography for a scholarship grant by Scripps Institute of Oceanography which she finished in 1997. Under the US Air Force, she trained as a pararescuer, a special breed of rescuers that goes in hard situation via air vessels and chutes. Under another scholarship grant, she finished her doctorate in biology at Harvard University and finished it in 2004. In between her doctoral studies, she was sent to Afghanistan in 2001 when US launched their anti-terrorism campaign against the Taliban Forces following the 9/11 incident. There she saw action and ferried the wounded in her choppers for six months before being called home. She was again sent to Iraq when the Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off in March 2003 wherein she served as a pilot for at least three months. When she was called back home, she filed a study leave to finish her doctoral and later withdrew from service as an air force captain.

In 2004, some United Nations think tanks thought of bringing up a scientific research division under their UNESCO wing. SAR was finally incepted in September 21, 2005 and Gillian was recommended by her former commanding officer who has strong ties to NATO and UN. Because of her doctoral degree in biology, she was hired as Special Research Director. She was forced to resign in 2005 from teaching for over a year in Miami Springs High School in science subjects. In thirteen years, she never regretted catching the opportunity at SAR for it became a window to travel the world plus a bonus of employing her Filipina best friend under her team.

This time, the adventures of Costa Rican forest is a bonus to her. She was sent here along with a team of experts in biology, zoology and pathology who were loaned to her under the team of the Special Research Team. Their task is to find out what caused the extinction of the Golden Toad which was last seen on May 15, 1989. Since coming to Costa Rica two weeks ago, their study gained no pace and they found themselves wandering in the depths of the forest of but to no avail.

Gillian gave the way they have come to the falls a look. A thin pall of white smoke is rising up from the tree line. Their scientific team may have been preparing their breakfast after hunting overnight for traces of the golden toad.

"Gil," Someone called out in a soft melodic voice.

Her eyes were instantly back in the waters to her best friend and workmate, Summer, who is half submerged in the water. She has already thrown her clothes on the ground and went in the water with only her undergarments. She studied the curves of her friend while waiting for whatever she is going to say.

Summer is the Special Research Assistant Director under the Special Advance Research. Like Gillian, she possesses a colorful educational and career background. She is also a beauty but has a dangerous sting hidden beneath her perfectly-trimmed gym body.

She was the last of the five siblings and was born in the same year as Gillian under the Capricorn sign in January 7. Her father is world war two veteran and her mother used to be a teacher. She went to same local elementary school with Gillian, where she met her and eventually turned best of friends. She went with same tertiary school as Gillian too but was left there to pursue her studies when her friend flew abroad. Upon graduating from high school in 1993, she enrolled in Mechanical Engineering, a course that was meant only for boys during those years. She finished her engineering degree in 1998 at Mapua Institute of Technology, Manila and right after passing the board, she took a masters degree in same institution and finished it in 2000. She trained as a commissioned officer for the Philippine Army right after and was later assigned to the 51st Engineering Brigade under the 525th Combat Engineering Brigade as a second-class lieutenant. As a combat engineer, she specialized in explosive demolition and different rescue operations. She is also a marksman with rifles and can assemble high frequency radio in the dark. When Gillian called to offer her a job under SAR in 2005, she did not hesitate to withdraw from service with the rank of Major, delighted by the opportunity to travel across the globe and be reunited with her best friend.

"Hey, Gil," Summer called up again. "Aren't you going to join me? The water is so cool it can relax your soul."

Gillian studied her for a moment as if seeing her for the first time. Like Gillian, she possesses a prowess cloaked under beauty. She got long and straight black hair that is usually tied on a ponytail. Her face is nearly round and is armed with thin black brows and perfect nose. She gazes through charcoal black irises in a pair of almond eyes guarded by straight and long lashes. She stands five feet and five inches and weighs only 50 kilograms. Her legs and arms have visible cuts made by long hours spent in the gym and also have a sick-pack abdomen. She is also gifted with a pair of healthy breasts and outstanding butt. She is a true Filipina beauty in all ways but can break a man's neck with bare hands as she can their hearts with her mighty words.

"Be right there," Gillian fired back while slithering out of her garments.

In a matter of seconds, Gillian was in a two-piece turquoise bathing suit. Summer admired her perfectly trimmed body as she walked like a catwalk model. The air of hot summer lingered in the air with the sight of two perfect beauties wandering in the treasures of nature.

Gillian dove with a soft splash towards Summer and disappeared under aquamarine waters. Summer was floating and spun in a three hundred and sixty degree to locate her but it seems the water has consumed her friend. Gillian was a good swimmer and she knows she will reappear somewhere in the water. She waited for more than a minute before Gillian resurfaced right where the water is emptying down the basin. She floated there and let the force of water drop on her heavily before calling Summer.

Summer waited no further encouragement and padded in the water in a freestyle before doing butterfly strokes. As a former combat engineer of the Philippine Army's 525th Combat Engineering Battalion, she was well trained for water, urban and jungle rescue. Swimming and scuba diving comes as easy as breathing for her. She also has led multiple rescue operations that included swimming without the right gear.

"So, what now, boss?" Summer asked Gillian as she floated near her, having to shout at the top of her voice so as to be heard above the roar of the water. "Two weeks and the study is dried."

"We'll talk over it with the team over breakfast," Gillian casually said.

Gillian's eyes moved towards were their clothes were dump when her eyes caught movements. Someone is coming towards the falls. She eyed the woman in brown jacket, fatigue green pants and high-cut safety shoes before the recognition dawned on her. It is Dr. Isabelle Smith, a British Zoologist which she tasked in communications aside from her regular duties as one of the scientists. The tall, thinly built British with long straight brown hair is waving something up in the air and is shouting something to them.

"Dr. Smith suddenly turned to alien," Summer said with a sweet smile, taking note of the inaudible words of the zoologist that was heard like gibberish under the thunderous blows of the falls. "Where could I learn that language?"

"Silly," Gillian said with a laugh as she splashed a handful of water in Summer's face that in turn fired a shot of water to her.

"Race you to the rim," Summer uttered before Gillian. Even before Gillian can rub the water off her eyes, Summer was already stroking in freestyle across the water. Summer has already covered a distance when the words registered in Gillian's mind.

Then race it is, she thought and disappeared under the water surface.

Summer stroke in the water thinking she had the head start. Gillian is a good swimmer as she is but her friend is a pararescuer trained with finesse controls of helicopters while she specialized in rescues that seldom involved water. She stroke the water as if she was born right there and she glided on it as if a mermaid.

She was already near the rim when the water surface at her front exploded in sprays that went up. Gillian has just resurfaced like a whale and is stroking the waters in a freestyle. She reached the land faster than Summer. If Summer can glide in the water like a mermaid, Gillian can swim like a fish.

"Doctor," the Zoologist approached Gillian with something in one of her hands. "Director Laurent just called and said that he needed a call back ASAP."

Gillian noted that it is the satellite phone that Doctor Smith has in her hand as she munched on the words of the soft bedroom voice of the zoologist. The doctor is a head taller and some twenty years older than her. Yet even with the old age, she still wears the beauty she had during her youthful days and at the same time command the respect in her field of specialty.

"Boss wanting us to stop playing Tarzan?" Summer came next to Gillian who was still in her undergarments, the water dripping down her thighs. "I'm still yet to cling on the vines and she is already recalling us?"

"She did not say, didn't she?" Gillian asked Doctor Smith who answered with a nod. She turned to Summer. "Maybe you still have time to cling and swing on your vines."

"If she calls, there is something in her mind. I'll bet Antarctica she has something coming up."

"And where would you be keeping the continent if you win?" Gillian asked looking up in the sky with a faraway look in her eyes.

"In a bottle," Summer said with a captivating grin that displayed her pearl teeth.

Summer studied her friend for a moment. The faraway look in Gillian's eyes must have meant something. She knows that deep inside her mind, the pistons of her brain are being put to work.

Summer weighed the situation. They have been hunting the traces if the Golden Toad for the fourteen days but their research came up dry. Gillian is weighing up the situation for the scientific research, she well knows her friend. She has the power to call off the research, and she is coming up with a decision on it now. The issue of the extinction of the toad is not as big as the world. Many species are disappearing as the time rolls.

"Breakfast ready?" Gil asked the doctor.

"Almost," the zoologist answered instinctively.

"Join them, Summer," she said authoritatively. "I'll be with you in a while. Let's see what Laurent is cooking."

Smith gave Gillian the satellite phone then the two ladies left her where she is standing, the zoologist leading the trek through the cluster of trees surrounding the falls. She gave the phone at hand a stare as if practicing to melt it by mere eyesight, contemplating what to say to the director when she ask about the results and predicting what she has in her mind. She imagined the formal face of the SAR Director in her neatly pressed suit and nearly cursed the phone for its impossible use of connecting people to the outside world even in remote places as far away as some Costa Rican forests. Before she knew it, her fingers are dialing a familiar number.

"Patricia Laurent," a familiar female voice said on the line. "Where is Gillian, doctor?"

"It's Gillian, boss," she found her own voice reverberating as if in shivers.

"How's the research going?" The voice from the other end is casual.

"So far, no remarkable findings yet, boss. But-"

"Recall the team." The boss cut off.

For a second, Gillian cannot believe what she just heard. The director wants to scrape off the project after the team's two weeks of effort? She cannot abandon the research, not at least before some lead comes up that can make them jump into papers. "Pardon, ma'am."

"Recall the team," the boss repeated with authority. "That's temporarily until you rejoin them."

The word recall means order of shutting down the research. Gillian knows best that the temporary status may mean resumption that can commence within ten years. The Special Research Team called Extinction 2018 has put so much effort in hunting traces of golden toad, which is only one of the subjects. They are yet to conduct more researches about other species that disappeared on the surface of the planet.

"You are calling off the research?" Gillian pronounced almost objectively.

"Until you rejoin them."

"And when is that?"

"I'll be honest, Gillian," the director said coolly. "There is no point lying to you. The mission has red lights until you get back to lead them. I'll be needing you back here for a task that requires traveling some points around the globe and a little side trip to a mining facility there in Costa Rica."

"Me and Summer?"

"Yes and no. Summer will accompany you for the rescue operation that requires both of your expertise. But traveling around the globe, is all on you. Details about the rescue will be relayed to you in the chopper that is about to pick you in an hour. Itinerary of your world tour will be given when you get back here in HQ."

"If that's the case," Gillian said void of any emotions. "I'll be leaving Summer here to lead them. No one is going to step on the brakes at the beginning of our research." At that, he punched a button and cut the call. Even the director cannot do anything when Gillian decides things about the team's tasks. She can in fact call off the research, but when Gillian comes up with a decision, it is as firm as a bar of steel.

She rejoined the team who is starting to eat their breakfast and explained everything to them before passing the command to Summer. She designated a temporary team leader while she and Summer are up to the rescue mission. An hour later, a chopper that homed into their GPS locator hovered dangerously low the trees and a ladder was thrown down a wide clearing.