Thorne (chapter)

After leaving school, Kelly and Arby go to see Jack Thorne. Thorne, a retired applied engineering professor, was hired by Levine to outfit his expedition to Costa Rica by creating and furnishing specialized vehicles and equipment. As Kelly and Arby make their way across the workshop floor they see a Ford Explorer being modified with solar panels and an electric power source as well as two huge trailers connected via an accordion connector. They find Thorne chiding one of the workman for not grounding himself before properly installing a modified ursine repellant system that would run electricity over the outside of the trailer, shocking any animal making contact with the trailer.

Thorne takes the kids back to his office; he asks the kids if they know where Levine is so the can go over the equipment before everything is finalized. They respond that they don't, and that they were hoping Thorne knew where he was. An irratated Thorne uses a custom-made satellite phone to call Levine (as Levine took one with him to Costa Rica); they're relieved when Levine picks up, but are quickly concerned when its apparent that he doesn't know how the phone works and cannot hear them. His words are garbled, but they pick up that he is on an island and that the situation is serious; someone is dead and something vicious has him surrounded and he can smell them especially at night. The connection dies, and Throne states that they have to find Levine immediately.