7:20 AM NOVEMBER 15TH
'Enough is enough'
Jessica turned her head and glared at Ryan as he drove the UTV down a barely discernable trail through the scrub brush behind and offset to the right of the path Professor Vaughan and Jonathan were taking on the ATV.
"What the fuck are you doing here Ryan?"
Ryan glanced over at her for a moment before returning his odd eyes to the road and speaking in a matter of fact tone.
"I'm working, but I do know what you're asking I'm not an idiot, no I didn't know you would be here. But I have to pay the bills like everyone else."
'I did volunteer for this trip because of the etching from that page...'
Thinking back Jessica's shoulders dropped and she sighed.
"I guess that makes sense. What do you figure killed the Javalinas?"
Ryan shook his head and replied.
"I have no idea as of yet. That's why I'm going back to the scene."
Jessica nodded.
"There's black bear and mountain lions in the area maybe one of those."
Ryan took a drink of water from a bottle he held between his legs before speaking.
"I don't think so, they wouldn't leave so much behind or kill so many."
They were now approaching a fence line and a small metal covered building. Ryan pointed ahead.
"That's the goat pen, the site is close by."
Pointing in another direction to the north of the building he continued.
"There's a shallow arroyo to the north, that's where we are headed."
As they approached the fence Jessica saw Jonathan get off the back of the ATV and open a gate. After both off road vehicles passed through he closed the gate and hurried to where the ATV had stopped and got back on behind the Professor. Slowly they continued on the last few hundred yards.
"Professor Vaughan really doesn't like you does he?"
Ryan chuckled and smiled.
"No, I don't think he does. I hunt the things he studies after all."
Jessica paused before replying.
"Ryan?"
"Yes?"
"You dont owe me anything, and I owe you alot for saving me, and I'm grateful for that... but can you do me a favor?"
Ryan shook his head and spoke.
"You dont owe me anything Jessica i just brought you in out of the rain, and that depends on the favor."
Jessica's heart felt like it caught for a moment when he said her name.
"Whatever it is that did this.... please don't kill it. There must be some other option, relocation or something."
Arriving at the edge of the arroyo Ryan put the UTV in park and sighed.
"If I can avoid it, I will. But that's not always possible, if it's a predator that needs to be put down... if it's a threat to people and not just livestock, I won't hesitate."
Jessica opened her door and stepped out.
"I guess that's fair, thank you."
Ryan opened his door and got out after shutting off the engine, Jessica saw him eye the big Magnum rifle before shutting the door.
-
9:56 AM NOVEMBER 15TH
Jessica and the others had been casting around for tracks and other signs in the arroyo for an hour without any luck, it had been days and the Javalinas bodies had been cleared away by parks and wildlife days before. Jessica had taken some photos of tracks still left behind, mostly dog like coyote tracks, and Professor Vaughan had found and collected some fecal samples left behind by the scavengers that had feasted on the dead animals. On the western horizon a mass of storm clouds were gathering, a rare sight in the region, that had everyone scrambling to collect as much data as possible before its washed away. Ryan was taking a break up at the UTV on the edge of the arroyo listening to the radio while his dog drank from a collapsible water dish by the tire.
Jessica was growing uncomfortable, having drank a cup of coffee before leaving Mr. Lopez' house and half the water in her water bottle she had to use the bathroom. Climbing to the opposite side of the gully from the parked side by side she started towards a clump of mesquite brush while removing a squashed half roll of toilet paper from her slung back pack. Moving behind the thorny trees she pulled one leg out of her jeans and moved them out of the way while squating just in time as sweet relief flowed through her and a stream of warm liquid flowed out of her. After a moment she pulled some toilet paper from the roll and wiped before fixing her pants, looking down to fasten her pants she noticed a depression in the dirt.
'What the hell?'
Bending down she looked closer and saw it was a massive animal track with deep claw marks in the direction of the arroyo. Taking the ruler out of her bag she placed it at one end of the track careful to avoid the puddle she had made in the middle and saw that it was longer than the foot long ruler. Holding one end in place she walked the ruler out and around and saw it ended at the 4 inch mark making the print 16 inches long. After taking the width measurements she saw it was 8 inches wide.
'Jesus Christ whatever left this had to be massive.'
Replacing the ruler in her bag, Jessica straightend and jogged back to the arroyo to see that everyone was now gathered around the UTV listening to the radio, sliding down the side of the gully on her rear and climbing up the other side she arrived at the group just in time to hear the weather report.
"A once in 100 year storm is sweeping through the Rio Grande area near the Big Bend state park, residents are advised to seek shelter."
Jessica looked at the approaching clouds and saw flashes of cloud to cloud lightning light up the clouds and she could see jagged strikes hitting the desert floor in the distance.
Professor Vaughan looked up as she approached and spoke.
"Good everyone we need to head back to the house quickly, unfortunately there won't be much sign left after the rain so we will likely be heading home. I'm sorry to drag you out here but you will still get the extra credit and...."
Jessica interrupted him.
"I think I found something across the arroyo."
At the news everyone perked up and professor Vaughan glanced once more at the approaching storm, sheets of rain clearly visible rushing towards them.
"Okay, That storm will catch us if we don't leave now. Jonathan and I will leave now on the four wheeler, Jessica you get some pictures and come back with Mr. Lovec but hurry. There's a Radio in the side by side if you need to reach us."
Finished talking Jonathan and professor Vaughan got on the ATV and started back towards the house while Ryan pulled a tarp and bungee cords from the bed of the UTV, draping the blue tarp over the items in the bed he bungeed it down but left the tailgate open with a bungee strung across the opening so the dog could take cover if necessary.
Recovering her camera bag from the gully they climbed up the opposite side and walked to the mesquites as Jessica felt the first drops of rain on her neck. Coming around the brush she indicated where she found the massive track, drawing close she realized Ryan would see a puddle of her piss and blushed as he bent down to inspect the sign. Standing behind him Jessica jumped a little when the hunter suddenly stood up and walked quickly a few feet to their right and crouched down by another track she had not seen before. Jessica heard him suck in his breath after a moment, confused she decided to fill the silence.
"I don't recognize it but whatever left it must be massive. I dont know of anything in Texas that big."
Ryan stood back up and without turning towards her looked across the open terrain where distant mountains were now just barely visible shadows in the encroaching rain.
"That's because it's not from Texas. I need to get you back to the house, right now."
"I still need to get pictures of the tracks."
Jessica protested as she unzipped the bag.
"NOW."
Turning on her, Jessica could see a steely look in Ryans strange eyes. Glaring at him for a moment she continued to take the camera out of her bag and proceeded to snap a few pictures of the tracks.
Ryan just shook his head and started back towards the UTV as the rain and wind started to pick up.
Having finished getting pictures of the massive tracks Jessica placed the camera back into the bag just as a bolt of lightning struck a hundred yards west with an ear splitting boom. Running she crossed the arroyo to the off road vehicle, Ryan was already seated behind the steering wheel of the idling UTV his big dog sitting in the middle of the bench seat in front of the rifle rack panting. Holding a push button radio handset who's cord ran to a ham radio incorporated in the dash, he was listening intently to a garbled broken transmission.
"Emergency... River... flooding..... park..... HELP... injuries..... kayak...."
Looking over her as she got in Ryans angry expression from before was gone replaced now by one of concern.
"There's some people stuck in the park, I think there's at least 1 person injured, with the quality of the transmission I think they're in a canyon a few miles Southwest of here and I know the parks and wildlife people won't be able to get to them in the storm. I'm taking you back to the house and going back out to try and find them if I can."
Jessica shook her head.
"No it could be bad I'm going with you."
Ryan sighed and put the side by side into gear and after changing the frequency on the radio spoke into the hand set.
"Professor Vaughan this Is Ryan Lovec, I picked up an emergency call from the park, Ms. Galatas and I are going to see if we can help. Get in touch with the TPWD guys and have them send help."
After giving the location he suspected the transmission was coming from he didn't wait for a response before switching back to the frequency he heard the distress call on and tore away heading west, into the storm, and towards the winding twisting canyons and mountains of the big bend state park.
-
11:00 AM NOVEMBER 15TH
After passing through the western gate and tearing across muddy desert for 30 minutes Jessica and Ryan were finally on a straight hard packed dirt trail driving at almost 40mph slipping and sliding through the thick, fresh mud in the powerful side by side. Jessica could see a canyon mouth looming out of the storm ahead of them, slowing down significantly Ryan steered expertly onto a trail to their right and as it entered the canyon the trail began to slope upward slightly until Jessica could see they were 20 feet above the canyon floor where the waters of the Rio Bravo were already rushing from the deluge of rain.
The deeper into the canyon they drove the higher and steeper the path became, never taking his eyes off the path for more than a second at a time Ryan scanned the river below. Suddenly a few miles up the trail he slowed to a stop and angled the front towards the edge above the rushing river below, putting the UTV in park and donning a yellow rain slicker Ryan stepped out before reaching back in and unstrapping the hunting rifle, he partially pulled the bolt back to ensure a .30 caliber Magnum round was loaded and reseated the bolt. Looking up from the rifle he spoke.
"Stay here with the dog, there's a spot of color down by the water I'm going to check out."
"No I'm going."
Jessica responded with no shortage of indignation, glaring at him.
"The fuck you are, I've got a handheld radio if I find anyone hurt down there I may need your help from up here getting them out."
Ryan replied sharply.
Jessica crossed her arms and gave Ryan a look like a petulant child but remained seated in the vehicle, knowing full well she wasn't getting the full story.
Slinging the bolt action rifle over his shoulder Ryan dropped the tailgate and withdrew a coil of rope and 2 handheld radios, quickly he fashioned a Swiss seat from the rope and attached a D-ring. Poking his head back into the UTV he pulled a remote with 2 buttons off the dash and handed it with one of the radios to Jessica explaining.
"This controls the winch on the front, top button spools out more line, the bottom one reels it in, I'll give you directions on the handset."
Jessica nodded before Ryan made his way to front of the utv and spoke into the radio.
"Let it out until I say so, keep it steady."
Jessica pressed the top button until Ryan had enough to clip the ring at the end of the winches wire into the D-ring attached to the rope harness around his waste and could step to the edge. Again he spoke into the radio.
"Give me line slow and steady."
Slowly Jessica spooled out the wire as Ryan walked backward, disappearing below the edge.