[b]15 November 2021 
Day 2, shortly before noon:[/b]

"[i]Can I have everyone's attention, please?[/i]" [color=red]Harry Timms[/color] called out after he, [color=red]Shari Sampson[/color], [color=red]Cliff Sampson[/color], [color=red]Harvey Kingston[/color], [color=red]Diego Garcia[/color], [color=red]Willy Washington[/color], and the others who'd been discussing the Saber-tooth cat's killing of [color=red]Harold[/color] returned to the assembly area. Some people moved closer while others remained where they were, but all turned their attention to the Flight Attendant who had become their interim leader. He'd already realized that the word was out about the big cat's killing. "I know there is a lot of confusion about what exactly's happening here ... where we are--"

"[i]When we are![/i]" someone called out, causing a small uproar of questions and comments. A woman called out, "They're saying we traveled back in time, to the dinosaur age ... fuckin' Jurassic Park."

Harry tried to wave everyone silent so he could continue. He stood atop a crate that had been unloaded from the plane so that the others could see and hear him better.  "Please, [i]please![/i]  Listen, we don't have all the answers to what's happening yet, but I promise, we'll get them soon.  The issue right now is that one of us, Harold, a man who many of you know and respect for all he's done helping you all after the crash ... he's missing--"

"[i]He's dead![/i]" another person called. "[i]They said he's dead, killed by a Saber tooth tiger![/i]"

Again, there was uproar, and Harry fought to get enough silence to continue.  "We don't know what happened to Harold, but I assure you, it [i]wasn't[/i] a Saber tooth tiger.  But, we [i]need[/i] to find out, so, I'm asking for volunteers to accompany me to where Harold was last seen, a search party, to find him -- hopefully alive and well -- and bring him back to the camp."

There were mixed responses, but Harry got his volunteers in a flash: [color=red]Shari Sampson[/color], her son [color=red]Cliff[/color], [color=red]Harvey Kingston[/color], [color=red]Diego Garcia[/color], and three others.  Harry couldn't help but notice that one person in particular not only [i]didn't[/i] volunteer but didn't even leave his position near the fuselage to join the group: [color=red]Javier Flores[/color], whose guns Harry was carrying in a backpack dangling from his shoulder.

"If something happens to me," Harry softly told his Flight Attendant team member, [color=red]Connie Flanagan[/color], after he pulled her aside, "you need to take and maintain control. These people need someone to keep them together."

Harry and the other 7 headed off toward where Cliff said he'd seen Harold attacked and dragged away.  Halfway to the woods, he stopped them all and began pulling out the guns, asking, "Who knows how to use one of these and feels comfortable with them?"

There were, of course, questions about the origins of the weapons. Harry told the lie that Javier had suggested, "They were in a checked bag."

[color=red]Cliff Sampson[/color], [color=red]Harvey Kingston[/color], and [color=red]Diego Garcia[/color] raised their hands regarding comfort and knowledge with the pistols. Shari was surprised at her son's response, asking, "Since when do you know how to use a gun?"

The Sampson's were "outdoorsy" types and did a lot of fishing, and her two eldest children both knew how to use a bow. But Shari had never known Cliff to use a firearm before.  He answered, "Vince O'Malley, he and his father have guns. They took me shooting with them a bunch of times. I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't know if you'd like it."

Harry let the family drama play out, then -- as he had with Harvey and Diego -- handed one of the Berettas to the youngest of the [i]octet[/i]. With obvious skill, Cliff kicked out the clip, checked to ensure it was full, slammed it back inside the weapon, and pulled the slide back to inject a round into the firing chamber. He looked to Harry, to his mother, and to the others: "Good to go. Let's go get this kitty."

"This is no joking matter, Cliff," Harry chastised, trying to discipline the teen before his mother did, which he knew would be embarrassing.  He looked about the four armed men as he explained, "I don't expect us to run into any trouble, but in case we do, I want you to remember two important facts. First, we have a limited supply of ammunition, so don't be unloading a clip at the first furry animal you see. Second, and yes, this contradicts with the first point, if you see a fucking Saber-toothed cat running at you with it big teeth open ready to bite your head off, shoot the fucker as many times as it takes to take it down!"

They all looked to each other for reassurance that they were ready for this, then towards and then into the woods they went.  Whether it was 2021 or 10,000 B.C., the forest looked like just a forest. Yes, there were some unfamiliar plants here and their, but they were overshadowed by the conifers, shrubs, and wild flowers that were oh so familiar.  There was movement in the trees above and on the ground at their feet, but for the most part, the creatures scurried away without being seen.

"Oh, God," Shari said, stopping suddenly as she looked off to the left of the scouting group. She turned back to face the group, leaning forward as if to puke and yet retaining her composure.  Harry stepped away to look where Shari had been, seeing the dark red of blood spilled all about the ground and nearby shrubs. There was no other sign of Harold, except for his shoe laying on the stained grass.