least we placed tracking beacons on our security team. Once we find them and assuming of course they are alive. We need to rethink our approach.”
“Agreed, that universe was sealed off. This means unless someone was already in there, security has already been compromised.” Traygen added.
“Tokem, have you found our security guards?”
“Yes, and neither of them is moving. One is north of here and the other is on the southern border. We asked them to patrol in a grid pattern starting at opposite ends. So, if they were following protocol - wait, one of the beacons is moving.”
“Good let’s start with that one. Maybe he can tell us what is going on. We’ll stay together until we figure this out.”
We decided to use two hovercraft - Traygen and I on one - Corbin and Tokem on another. We honed in on the man’s signal from above. I didn’t think it safe to approach the area from below the treetops. When we got in position just above the signal, Tokem went down to check it out. He was small enough not to draw attention to himself and he moved easily through the thick dense growth. I was starting to worry when he flew back into view. He motioned for us to follow, and we did. I radioed over our headsets to ask what he’d found.
“The man is dead. I found his body in a clearing near the water.”
“Can you tell what killed him?”
“Ummmm, I am not sure. Follow me and I’ll guide us down.”
I leaned close to Traygen and whispered in his ear. “What did you make of that?”
“Something has him spooked. We will see soon enough.”
We moved slowly and cautiously through the trees until we hovered above a meadow; then I saw the body. We followed Corbin. He landed in a clearing near the corpse and Traygen put us down beside him. I followed the guys over to the body. We squatted next to it and Traygen tried finding the man’s carotid artery. He shook his head, indicating there wasn’t a pulse. Corbin and Traygen rolled him over. There were no injuries or marks to explain what happened to him.
“What do you think killed him?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but if I had to guess I’d say it wasn’t natural causes.”
“I agree with Traygen, and before we try to figure this out, I suggest we check the immediate area for clues. We don’t want to trample any evidence.”
“If it isn’t CSI Corbin. I believe you are taking very well to life in L.A.”
“Knock it off, Tokem, he is right. But don’t stray too far. Whatever caused this may still be in the area.”
I analyzed the area, scanning, sensing, and trying to scrutinize the immediate vicinity. There’d definitely been a scuffle. The dirt near the man was scraped up, and some of the ground cover was trampled, but I didn’t see any blood or footprints. After a few minutes, everyone wandered back to the fallen man. Corbin and Traygen checked the body to see if they’d missed anything. Corbin finally broke the silence.
“This man doesn’t have an ounce of blood in him and there are fang marks on his neck.”
“You mean a vampire killed him,” Tokem asked.
“No. I don’t smell vampire anywhere on him, no pheromones on his skin. If a vampire killed him, it would’ve left some of its essence on the body.”
“So someone wants us to believe a vampire killed this man. Well, if he wasn’t drained by a vampire, then what killed him?”
“Lauren, he died from blood loss, just not from a vampire. I would detect any pheromones left by a vampire, besides, blood loss may not have killed him after all. It looks like his neck is broken.”
“I am with Corbin on this. Look at the tree; it has big cat claw marks on it. It is likely he was killed by a big cat which in this forest would be a jaguar.”
I went over and looked at the tree Traygen mentioned. I walked the tree’s circumference and found saucer sized paw prints in the dirt near the tree. These cats are territorial, so it is possible a big cat killed the man. Why the ruse? Why make