TWENTY NINE

 

As Alan started down the stairs from the roof, his mind remained fixated on the dead raptor lying in the yard.  It had been his initial intention to simply leave it where it was for the compies to clean up, but then it occurred to him that a rare opportunity for scientific discovery had been dropped at his feet, for this was the first dead raptor he had encountered on the island.  The opportunity to study it was too significant to bypass.  However, it would be dangerous.  During the examination of the body, he would have to leave the protection of the dormitory again for an extended period, during which his attention would be directed on the carcass.  For safety purposes, he briefly considered and quickly disregarded the idea of dragging it back to the dormitory to study it.  Should a predator arrive, he would have the advantage of getting quickly back inside the building, but it would be foolish to literally lead predators to their doorstep.  It was best left where it was.  And that meant studying it in the open where he was vulnerable to predators.  He had successfully studied the carcasses of other species before Ellie’s arrival, relying on his alert senses to warn him of approaching danger, but with her as a lookout and the pistol with which to protect himself, he felt far more confident than he had during those earlier examinations.

 

Ellie and Tory were in the hallway outside the bathroom door as he reached the second story corridor, and he saw that the child was clinging fearfully to the woman for comfort.  In the anticipation of additional discovery, he had temporarily forgotten all about the child being there.  It was apparent that she had been badly frightened by the noise from the pots and the report of the gun, and again by the agitation she had likely seen in the adults as they had rushed past on their way to the rooftop observation deck.  She had no way of understanding the significance the raptors’ reaction to the shooting death of their pack mate held for the two scientists.

 

Alan was typically impatient with children.  There had been times that there were youngsters on the dig site, occasionally doing things that might compromise the integrity of the find and frequently getting underfoot and asking annoying questions, but something about this small castaway tugged at his heart.  “Is she okay?” he asked.

 

“She’s just scared,” Ellie replied, rubbing her hand up and down the child’s back in a soothing motion.

 

He bent over at the waist and rested his hands on his knees, bringing his face closer to hers.  “It’s okay, Tory,” he assured her, hoping that his calm voice would help sooth her.  “Everything is under control and we’re safe.”  He gently pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger and offered a smile.  “Ellie and I just got a little excited about some of the animals, but they’ve gone now.  There’s nothing to be worried about.”

 

The child finally released her grip on Ellie, and he noticed for the first time that her doll had been clutched between them.  She still held it firmly in her arms, as if it offered comfort and reassurance; perhaps a link to her mother, who had probably given the doll to her.  “They can’t get inside, can they?” the child asked again, her voice timid.

 

“No, they can’t get inside.”

 

Reassured, she put her arms around him and hugged him.  Lifting his eyes to Ellie’s face, he noticed the mischievous twinkle that turned up the corners of her mouth as she observed his interaction with the child.  Again, Alan had to wonder what it was about him that made him so attractive to children.  He had never done anything to encourage their attention.  Perhaps it was his affiliation with dinosaurs that drew them to him or perhaps it was just something in his persona, but whatever it was, they followed him around like the Pied Piper.  And at that moment, his presence seemed to sooth the little girl.

 

When Tory released him, he stood up again and shifted his attention to Ellie.  “Honey, you’re not going to like this, but ---“

 

Ellie felt her heart give an involuntary jump, instinctively knowing what he was about to say.  The scientist in him was a powerful force, one that frequently dominated his mind with a single objective, and she knew that would be the case this time.  “Don’t tell me,” she interrupted.  “You want to study the body of the raptor.”

 

“It’s a rare opportunity,” he confirmed.  Inwardly, he could not help but feel impressed that she knew him as well as he knew himself.  “I’ve seen and studied a lot of dead herbivores, mostly ones that had already been fed upon by the carnivores which seriously compromised the condition of the find, but this is the first time I’ve seen a dead raptor here, and it’s in excellent condition.  It’s unlikely that I will ever be able to do an up-close investigation of a live one, so I can’t let the chance to study this one get away from me.”

 

Ellie turned away with frustration and worry, brushing a stray lock of hair back from her forehead with an impatient swipe of her hand.  “Damn it, Alan, you could have been killed only a few minutes ago, and already you’re wanting to go out there and put yourself in danger again?”  Her choice of words was harsh, but her tone was not, and he heard the fear resonating in her voice.

 

Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him.  Her eyes were misty with worry.  “Ellie, I came here to study the dinosaurs that are on this island, and I may never get another opportunity to study a freshly killed velociraptor.  To have one practically dropped in my lap is a totally unexpected turn of events.”  He caressed her cheek, reassuringly.  “I can’t let this chance slip by.  You know that.”

 

As her eyes looked into his, she knew that she would never be able to talk him out of going.  The find was too significant, and his mind was in full scientist-mode.  “There are still two of them out there.  They might come back.”

 

“I promise I will be extra careful, and I’ll have you to watch my back, like you did before.  I have the pistol for protection, and if I see either of them, believe me, I won’t hesitate to drop them.”

 

“Can’t you at least wait until this afternoon?  Just to make sure they’re gone?”

 

“By then the compies will have found the carcass.  I can’t wait, honey.  It has to be now.”

 

She sighed heavily with a nod of her head.  “All right.  You’re going to give me gray hair, do you realize that?”

 

He handed her the binoculars again.  “I’ll give you a few minutes to get her dressed while I go downstairs for my camera and a notebook.”

 

While Ellie led the girl back to the bedroom, Alan walked down the stairs to the first floor.  The three plastic bags with their gruesome contents greeted his eyes as he reached the foyer and shaking his head slowly at the unnecessary loss of life, he turned to proceed down the corridor to the office.  Then he stopped.  If it was just him and Ellie in the building, he would have simply left them there by the door until he was ready to move them, but with a traumatized child in the house, he knew that would not be a good idea.  Sooner or later, she would become curious about what mysteries were concealed inside them.

 

He grimaced at the thought.  He never wanted to again see the gnawed, bloodied bones of the raptors’ victims, but he knew it would be much worse for the child.  Moving to the door, he picked up the bags and carried them down the corridor to the office.  After looking around for a suitable spot to store them, they were placed on the floor behind one of the unused desks where they were out of sight, yet easily accessed.  His video camera and 35 mm cameras were still in the desk where he had left them after he had shown Ellie the research center, so he picked them up by the straps.  The pistol was still in his right front pocket.  There was no need to take the backpack this time, since he was not planning to stay long, but he inserted a couple of test tubes into his left front pocket.  Last, he picked up a pen and a small pocket notebook, which he slipped into his hip pocket.

 

When he returned to the foyer, he found Ellie there waiting for him.  “I told Tory to play in the exercise room for a while, and that I was going to help you with something important before we start breakfast.  She’s really well behaved, so I think she’ll stay there until I come for her.  I hate to frighten her again, so I explained that she might hear some noises and not to be afraid of them, but I went ahead and closed the windows to muffle any sound we might make.”

 

“Good idea.  Hopefully, there won’t be any need for her to hear anything at all.  If you do see anything, use the same signal we did before.”

 

“Alan, I wish there was some way I could talk you out of this,” she said.  “I know you’ve never had the chance to study a raptor up close like this, but it isn’t worth your life.”

 

He was visibly touched by her concern, but his determination remained unswayed.  “Ellie, we have to be cautious, but we can’t live in fear while we’re here.  I’ve been going in and out of the research facility and out in the jungle ever since I first arrived, and I’ve done it in relative safety by moving quietly and staying alert.  With you watching from the roof, I’m safer than I have ever been.”

 

She could not deny that was true.  “I know.  And I know that you came here to work and I came here to help you.  It’s just that . . . “  Her voice trailed, and she did not complete the sentence.  She lowered her eyes, focusing on the umbrella in the coat rack by the door.

 

“It’s just that going out again on the heels of the last near miss is frightening and perhaps a bit foolhardy,” he finished it for her.

 

She looked up, sensing that he truly understood her feelings, and found him smiling at her.

 

Gently, he brushed a lock of her long blonde hair back from her face.  “I understand your concerns and your fears, Ellie.  I do, and I appreciate them.  But I will probably never get a chance like this again.  I have to take it.”

 

She nodded in reluctant agreement.  “I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier.  Promise me that you will be careful.  Look for shadows in the tree line, and listen for twigs snapping or –“  She stopped when she saw his smile broaden.  “I guess you already know all that.”

 

“It never hurts to be reminded.”  He took her into his arms for an extended kiss, and for several moments, time seemed to stand still.  There was no sound to disturb them, and no sensations except the devotion of one to the other; the feel of their lips moving together, of their bodies pressed closely together. 

 

When they parted, Alan rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, reluctant to release her.  Both felt the strength of the emotions that were passing between them and both longed to explore them further, but it would have to wait.  He gave her another quick peck on the lips, then pulled away.

 

“Be careful!” she pleaded.

 

“I’ll be careful,” he promised.  “You did a good job of warning me before, and I trust you to do it again.  I’ll give you enough time to get up on the platform before I start out.”

 

Holding the binoculars in her hand to keep them from swinging on the straps, she started up the stairs.  He watched until she had disappeared from view, then he unlocked the door and waited, listening carefully to her footsteps as she reached the top and made her way to the steps leading up onto the roof.  He gave her another minute to get up the ladder onto the platform, and then he pushed open the iron bars and pulled the solid door closed behind him.  The bars were securely locked again, and he paused to scan the immediate area before venturing out across the clearing toward the grove of trees that separated the dormitory from the research center.

 

There was no sign of the raptors as he pushed his way through the foliage that reached across the path.  It was a beautiful day, and the fronds and small branches nodded gently in the mild breeze that cooled the sweat on his brow.  Butterflies floated gracefully among the native flowers, seeking the life-giving nectar.  It would have been a great day for a picnic.  Tory would have liked that, but unfortunately it was too dangerous to take her out of the protection of the building.

 

When he reached the other side of the grove of trees, he stopped to observe the research yard from the shelter of the grove of trees.  From where he stood, he could clearly see the body of the dead raptor lying where it had fallen.  Lifting his eyes from the motionless form on the grass, he scanned the surrounding tree line.  There was no sign of compies yet, and more importantly there was no sign of the other two juvenile raptors.

 

Encouragingly, the normal sounds of the jungle had returned.  He could hear the distant vocalizations of jungle frogs near a water source somewhere inside the canopy, cicadas were singing in the treetops, and directly above him, a group of parrots were raucously quarreling over nesting rights.  A light breeze disturbed the gently nodding fronds, carrying with it the refreshing scent of rain.  A quick glance at the sky overhead revealed that it was still blue, but there was no mistaking the fragrance of nature’s most revitalizing perfume.  They would see rain by afternoon.

 

Deeming it safe, he stepped from the tree line and approached the fallen raptor with caution.  His pistol was carried in his right hand, arm outstretched, its muzzle aimed directly at the inert figure on the ground.  The safety was off and his finger was on the trigger, ready to respond instantly in the unlikely event that the creature was still alive.

 

The mild breeze gently rustled the grass on which the raptor was lying, but except for a slight rustling of the crest atop its head, designating it a male, the creature itself remained completely motionless.  Cautiously, Alan prodded it with the toe of his work shoes, but generated no response.  It was dead.  Relaxing only slightly, he lowered the pistol to his side as he moved slowly around it, conducting a visual examination.

 

It lay on its left side, its front limbs curled at his breast where the bullet had ripped into its torso.  One of the rear legs had gouged a deep furrow in the turf with its claws during its death throes, and the skid marks were still visible in the grass where it had slid after it had fallen.  Its flanks did not contain the battle scars that would have designated it the leader of the group; this was one of the two subordinates.  Its yellow eyes were open, but the black, slit-shaped pupils were starting to cloud over.  The mouth was open, revealing long sharp teeth, and blood had pooled beneath it from the fatal wound.

 

Squatting down beside it, he placed both the pistol and his cameras on the ground beside him within easy reach, and after one quick glance toward the dormitory, assuring himself that Ellie was still on the sun deck keeping a watchful eye out for him, he began a “hands-on” investigation of the carcass, exploring the rough texture of the animal’s skin, the strength of those formidable claws, and the sharpness of the teeth.  Next, he removed a tape measure from his pocket and stretched it from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, and recorded the result in a small pocket notebook.  All other anatomical characteristics were also measured and recorded, including the size of the head and the length and diameter of the tail.  He examined the spongy pads on the bottoms of the hind feet, and pried its mouth open wider to view the throat, documenting the entire process in the notebook and on the video camera.  All the while, he remained alert to his surroundings and glanced occasionally at the surrounding terrain and at Ellie, reassured by her continued vigilance.  All remained well.

 

Next, he withdrew his pocket knife and the test tubes.  Carefully, he carved off a small section of the animal’s skin and muscle tissue and dropped it into one of the tubes.  A sample of blood was collected in the other tube for microscopic evaluation later.  After recapping the tubes, he slipped them back into his pocket, then sat back on his heels and his eyes came to rest on the raptor’s head.

 

The one thing he would have liked to examine was the cranium, to compare it to the fossilized skulls of the animals he had unearthed during his excavations to see if the size of the brain cavity in the extinct raptors was equivalent to the genetically engineered specimens.  His study of the fossils had revealed what he believed to be a high degree of intelligence, which he was witnessing in InGen’s laboratory-bred animals, but how close were they in relation to their prehistoric ancestors?

 

Something landed on his back with startling abruptness, and with a gasp of fright he leaped to his feet, twisting his body as he shook the creature off.  Chirping in protest, a compy flopped on its back on the grass and immediately righted itself again.

 

Alan experienced a momentary twinge of annoyance that Ellie had not warned him of the compy’s approach.  Glancing quickly at the rooftop, he saw that she was scanning the tree line near the research center, searching the grounds for a threat that was higher off the ground.  In its swiftness, camouflaged forest green coloring, and diminutive size, the island’s tiniest dinosaur had escaped her notice.

 

In response to the threat, Alan took a step backward, wishing he had thought to bring the shock prod with him, for it was a very effective deterrent for the smaller creatures.

 

The little creature’s glittering eyes looked up at him for several seconds, then apparently dismissed him in favor of the easier meal.  It skittered toward the body of the raptor and took a tentative bite of flesh from the haunch, tugging and jerking its body as it broke through the tough hide.  A dozen more of the diminutive creatures scurried past his ankles, and he snatched up his cameras as he stepped clear of them, allowing them plenty of room.  Within seconds, the body was covered by dozens of compies, ripping and tearing chunks of meat from the carcass.

 

Alan backed up several more yards, watching through the viewfinder of his video camera, recording the feeding frenzy.  In a very short time, the scavengers would reduce the carcass to bones, and the skull would either survive it or be destroyed.  It was out of his hands, now.

 

Glancing toward the rooftop again, he saw that Ellie had finally noticed the compies and was watching through her binoculars, silently willing him to complete his study and return to the safety of the dormitory, but he kept the tape rolling for several more minutes, watching the tiny creatures with fascination as they devoured the raptor.  Nature’s cleaning crew, doing their part to maintain the ecosystem.

 

When he decided that he had enough footage, he lowered the camera and glanced at the research facility, thinking about the tapestry inside that Ellie wanted.  While he was so near, it would be easy to claim the tapestry for her.  

 

He did not look back at her when he started walking toward the research center, but he could easily imagine her dismayed and bewildered expression at his unannounced side-trip.  Still attentively observing his surroundings, he passed the damaged vehicles and proceeded toward the research facility.  But as he neared the building, he could not resist the urge to glance over his shoulder toward the dormitory and saw Ellie standing atop the platform, attentively scanning the area around him.  She did not wave this time, her attention riveted on his surroundings.

 

He trotted quickly up the steps and moved through the door and entered the reception area again, unable to keep his mind from returning to the events of yesterday’s pre-dawn rescue of Tory from the smugglers, and encountering the raptors.  It had been a creepy place before, but the facility had taken on an eerier quality than ever in the aftermath of the deaths of the three men.  His footsteps crunched the debris that littered the floor and echoed hollowly in the silent corridors.  Moving quickly, he trotted down the stairs into the laboratory and started across the huge work area.  Except for his footsteps, there wasn’t a sound anywhere.  It seemed almost as if the building was listening, waiting for something else to happen within its walls.

 

Pausing at the top of the stairs which led down into the hatchery, he allowed his mind to imagine what the facility must have looked like during its heyday.  The floors and windows would have been kept spotless, the incubators would have been filled with eggs, and researchers wearing lab smocks would have been milling about with clipboards and test tubes, conducting the business of providing Jurassic Park with its live exhibits.  Misguided fools, he thought with a shake of his head.  Leaving the railing, he walked down the stairs and started across the floor toward the kennels.

 

An abrupt scratching sound sent him pivoting on the ball of his foot, bringing the pistol into firing position, and for several seconds his eyes darted from one point to another, seeking out the source of the alarming noise.  A tree branch brushed against a grimy windowpane, driven by a brief gust of wind, a prelude to the storm he knew was approaching.  He exhaled the sudden intake of air he had drawn, and willed himself to relax.

 

As his pulse and respiration returned to normal, he resumed his walk through the battered eggshells, dried leaves and twigs, and other debris that littered the floor, as he made his way across the hatchery and entered the corridor that would take him through the kennels.  When he passed through the iron gate that protected the kennel area, he pulled it closed behind him and pushed the bolt into the locked position, wincing at the unpleasant squeal made by the rusty mechanism as it slid into place.  An animal with the intelligence of a raptor would probably be able to figure out how to open the bolt, but having it locked increased his sense of confidence, knowing that if anything tried to open it, he should hear it in time to prepare himself.

 

With the gate securely locked, he turned and made his way down the adjoining maze of dusky corridors toward the tapestry.  It still hung in its original position, concealing the closed door behind it, and he stopped to look at it, admiring its intricate design and flawless depiction of the ancient creatures.

 

The tapestry billowed slightly, stirred by a breeze, and a quick glance behind it revealed that the door had come open.  That was not surprising, considering the fact that the doorknob he had knocked off was still lying on the floor, preventing the door from latching.  His eyes lingered briefly on the hidden corridor beyond, reminding him of the bank of vaults and the human body that was inside one of them.  With the more pressing matters of the past few days, it had slipped his mind.  Eventually, he would need to inform John Hammond of the man’s tragic end.

 

Letting the tapestry fall back into place, he stood back with his hands on his hips, observing its upper edge to determine how it was hung.  The ornamental ends of a tapestry rod could be seen on each side, but it was just out of reach above the top of the high door.  His fingertips just fell short of the rod.  Grasping the fabric in his hand, he pulled it forcefully away from the wall, hoping it would simply disengage itself.  Dust billowed out of the fabric, and he took a couple of steps back to get away from it as the fabric fell back into place, still firmly attached to the wall.

 

Deciding that he would have to use a chair from MacFarland’s office to stand on, he started to go through the doorway, but then he saw the sledge hammer that he had used to break into the secret rooms still propped against the wall where he had left it.  He picked up the tool by its long handle, and maneuvered the heavy head up the wall beneath the tapestry until he reached the rod.  Then, he gave it a firm push, lifting the rod out of its holder.  The end of it immediately slipped off the head of the sledgehammer and whacked him over the head as the tapestry draped over his body like a shroud.  He lost his grip on the sledgehammer, and it thumped to the floor leaving an impressive dent in the tile.

 

Throwing off the dusty tapestry, he sneezed as he rubbed the top of his head where it had struck him.  “I’m glad Ellie wasn’t here to see that!” he said to himself.

 

Looking up at the end of the rod which remained firmly in its holder, caught by the ornamental ends of it, he took hold of the free end and lifted up on it, finally freeing the entire tapestry from its confines.

 

It was heavier than it looked, and when he had the entire weight in his arms, he stumbled back against the wall behind him as the other end of rod clattered to the floor.  The tapestry was lying on the dirty floor now, but since it would have to be cleaned by a professional anyway, he doubted that a little more dirt would hurt anything.  The problem that faced him at the moment was how to get it back to the dormitory.  Should he roll it up and take the whole thing, or should he remove it from the rod?

 

The rod was not particularly unique and had clearly not been made specifically for this tapestry, so he decided it would be an easy thing for Ellie to replace.  He slipped the rod out of the fabric tunnel and tossed it aside.  Then he spread the tapestry out on the floor and began folding it up to make it easier to carry.

 

Just as he was picking it up and tucking it under his left arm, he heard a noise and cocked his head to listen.  The sound penetrated an open window somewhere, muffled and indistinct by distance, but it was identifiable as a clanging sound.  It was Ellie, banging her pots together.  One of the predators must have approached the area, and she was alerting him to use caution when he stepped from the building

 

He withdrew the pistol from his pocket with his right hand and moved back toward the kennel area.

 

The banging sounds were getting more distinct and more frantic.  Obviously, Ellie was uncertain he would hear inside the building, and was keeping up the noise hoping that it would somehow reach him.  Then it occurred to him that her frenzied banging of the pots was probably because she had seen the animals enter the building.

 

As he entered the kennel area, he pulled up short, startled.  One of the young renegade raptors was standing at the barred door, fumbling with the bolt.  It only took a quick glance to see the scars on its flanks that identified it as the leader.  When it saw him, it hissed angrily and continued to work on the bolt.

 

Fascinated, he watched for several moments, observing the way it used its front limbs to test the mechanism, pushing and tugging at it.  It had never seen a slide bolt used, yet it understood that it was the key to opening the gate, and was systematically testing it, working with it, trying to figure out how to open it.  Its long claws were a hindrance, and the sharp tips scratched on the iron surface as it worked to resolve the obstacle.

 

Snapping himself out of his surveillance, he took careful aim at the animal’s head and pulled the trigger.  The sound of the shot was excruciatingly loud inside the building, but he barely had time to react to it when he saw the flash of sparks as the bullet grazed one of the bars directly in front of the raptor’s face, and ricocheted.  He instinctively ducked to avoid being struck by the wild bullet, but the raptor recoiled with a yelp of pain.  In an instant, it was gone, retreating back through the corridor toward the hatchery.

 

With his ears still ringing from the gunshot, Alan rushed toward the barred door and threw back the bolt, then darted through it and ran down the hallway after the wounded animal, determined to finish it off.

 

When he burst through the door into the hatchery, he prudently pulled up and looked around for signs of the raptor, aiming the pistol first to the left and then to the right, ready to fire at anything that moved.  Every nerve in his body was alert as his eyes swept the large room, looking and listening for any indication that the raptor was still inside the building.  For several moments, he heard nothing except the ringing in his ears.

 

The sound of something falling pinpointed the creature’s location as it fled through the snack room.  With his pistol at the ready, Alan charged across the cavernous hatchery and pounded up the stairs in pursuit.  But he was not reckless.  Remembering that a wounded or cornered animal was the most dangerous, he paused at the entrance to the snack room, and with a firm grip on the pistol, he moved slowly into the room, his eyes darting to each soda machine and candy machine in turn, assuring himself that nothing was concealed behind them.  The water jug lay on the floor, having been toppled from its base, and a blood smear on the clear plastic indicated that the raptor had blundered into it as it had fled.  It was then that Alan noticed the silence.  Ellie must have heard the shot, and realized that he was aware of the raptor’s presence.

 

Proceeding into the reception area, he looked cautiously behind the work station and peered down the corridor leading to the executive offices, looking and listening for signs of an intended ambush.  His hearing was beginning to return to normal, but the only sound he heard was the blood pounding in his ears.  Turning back toward the shattered reception-area windows, his sharp eye detected a movement outside, and he moved to the doorway to investigate.

 

Both of the remaining renegades were standing near the abandoned vehicles, looking toward him in confusion.  Blood was streaming down the face of one of them, and Alan knew that it had been grazed by the ricochet.  It was not a fatal wound, but it was enough to give the animal a healthy dose of respect for him and the weapon he carried.  Moving quickly through the doorway, he aimed the pistol, still intent on destroying the two raptors, but as soon as they saw his aggressive movements, they fled toward the woods, taking a path that put the wrecked cars and trucks between them.  Alan fired once, and heard the metallic clang as the bullet struck the shell of one of the cars.

 

The report of the gun goaded the two raptors into a burst of speed as they fled up the knoll and disappeared into the foliage.  The compies, startled from their meal, also scurried away.

 

Alan experienced a profound sense of triumph as he watched the animals fleeing from him, and he hefted the pistol in his hand, grateful for the discovery of something that placed the odds more in his favor.  Keeping a wary eye on the tree line, he went down the steps and walked toward the dormitory.  When he saw Ellie standing on top of the platform, still watching out for his safety, he lifted his arm in a triumphant wave, and smiled when she responded in kind.

 

As he passed near the raptor’s carcass, he paused to observe it.  He had been inside the building less than thirty minutes, and already most of the flesh had been stripped away, revealing rib bones, leg bones, and the spine.  The skull, he noticed, was still intact, but there was evidence of gnawing teeth on the mandible and enough skin and flesh remained to assure continued feeding.

 

The compies had not gone far.  Startled out of the open by the report of the gun, they had grouped together just in front of the tree line and appeared to be mustering the courage to approach the carcass again.  Finally, lured by the smell of blood, a couple of the creatures moved forward, stopping a few feet away to observe the man who continued to watch them with interest.  Apparently thinking that he was competition for the smorgasbord that was laid out on the grass, one of them hopped on top of the rib cage and chirped at him.  The rest of the flock crowded close behind, and Alan decided it was probably prudent to back away.  In spite of their small size, compies could be quite aggressive, especially at mealtime, so he gave them a wide berth and kept a wary eye on them until he reached the trees.

 

From her lookout position on top of the wooden awning, Ellie waited until Alan was safely crossing the yard toward the front door before she hurried down the ladder and tugged open the hatch that she had closed behind her to help muffle the sounds of the pots banging together.  When she reached the second floor and started down the corridor, she heard Alan open the barred door, and knowing that he was safe, she turned toward the recreation room to check on Tory.

 

The child was playing with the rowing machine, but the handles were almost too big for her to maneuver, and Ellie paused in the doorway to watch her with a fond smile.  It had been nice having the child around, and it had reawakened those feelings of maternal instincts that she had attempted to suppress after losing Charlie and Halley.  But the island was no place for a child.  She hoped the helicopter would soon arrive to carry her to safety.

 

Tory must surely have heard the noises that had been made with the pots and possibly the gunshot when Alan had scared off the raptors, but this time she seemed undisturbed by them, apparently reassured that nothing could harm her inside the building.  Unaware that she was being watched, she continued to push and pull on the rowing oars.

 

“Are you rowing your way to the mainland?” Ellie asked.

 

Tory looked over her shoulder with a childish grin.  “All the way home to Mommy.”  Abandoning her play, she got off the machine, and joined the woman in the doorway, her mood suddenly subdued as she thought of her mother.  “Will I get to go home soon?”

 

Ellie’s heart went out to the homesick child.  “Yes, honey. Very soon.  We’re just waiting for the call to tell us that the helicopters are available to come and get you.”

 

Tory sighed, too young to fully understand the more pressing matters that had detained the helicopters.  “Why aren’t they coming?”

 

“Alan explained that yesterday, hon.  Some people got lost in the mountains, and they’re using the helicopters to find them.  As soon as they find them and get them back to safety, then they’ll come for you.  I promise, it won’t be much longer.”

 

“I miss her.”

 

Ellie hugged her.  “I know you do, sweetie.  And I know she misses you, too.  Now, why don’t we go downstairs and get breakfast started?”

 

Taking the child by the hand, she led the way down the stairs.

 

Upon entering the building, Alan locked the barred door behind him and placed the tapestry in the common room.  He glanced up the stairs as he walked past, correctly assuming that Ellie must be checking on Tory, then went directly to the office to write down the morning’s events, while they were still fresh in his mind.  Every time he encountered the dinosaurs was a new experience, and he preferred to place his thoughts on paper as soon as they had happened without allowing time for other things to diminish the impression they had made upon him.  He was still there when Ellie and Tory passed the door on the way to the kitchen, and they paused to observe him for several moments.  He remained unaware of their presence, his pen moving rapidly on the paper from left to right as he placed his thoughts in writing, reliving the events he had experienced.  When he reached the last line, he paused to turn the page, and began writing on the next sheet.

 

Without speaking, Ellie gently prodded the child forward with her hand, and they proceeded into the kitchen.

 

As they entered the kitchen, she looked up at Ellie and asked, “What’s ‘e doing?”

 

“He’s writing in his journal,” Ellie answered with the patience of a mother.

 

“What’s ‘e writing about?”

 

“He’s writing a book about our experiences on this island.  He writes down everything that happens so he won’t forget anything.”

 

“Why don’t ‘e jus’ take pictures?”

 

Ellie smiled.  “He’s taking lots of pictures and video, too, but writing things down helps to fill in the gaps and describe everything that’s going on in those pictures.  Now, what would you like for breakfast this morning?  We have bacon and eggs, we have pancakes, and we have cereal.”

 

“Pancakes?” Tory asked, eagerly.

 

“Pancakes it is.”

 

Ellie first turned on the griddle so that it could be heating up, then she took the pancake mix out of the pantry and measured the proper amount into a mixing bowl while Tory stood on the floor and watched.  But Ellie could not stop thinking about the child’s urgent desire to go home to her mother, and imagining the anguish that the mother must have been experiencing, worrying about her daughter.  After a moment, she passed the bowl of ingredients to her.

 

“Would you like to mix this while I go talk to Alan for a minute?”

 

With small clumsy hands, Tory took the wire whisk and began stirring the ingredients together.

 

Leaving her alone, Ellie went down the corridor to the office.  Alan was so intent on his work that he did not hear her enter, and he flinched when she placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

 

“Sorry,” she said.  “I didn’t mean to startle you.  I’m just concerned about Tory and her mother.  That woman must be going through hell worrying about her daughter, and Tory is starting to get depressed.  Alan, we have to get her off this island, and those rescue choppers could be delayed for days.  Is there any way we could get a helicopter out here?  I have money; I can pay for a private service.”

 

Alan put his pen down on the desk top and leaned back in the chair as she sat down on the edge of the desk.  Her expression was anxious with worry, and he agreed that if for no other reason than the child’s safety, they needed to get her off the island as soon as possible.  “I’m sure there must be private services in San Jose, but the problem is getting someone who is willing to land on this island,” he replied.  “You have no idea how much trouble we had finding a pilot to bring my supply drops each month.  And it may be difficult for them to find the dormitory.  This is a big island, and as far as I know, the only people who have maps of the island are us and John Hammond.”

 

“Maybe John could fax a map to the helicopter service,” Ellie suggested.

 

“Or maybe he could send one of his own choppers.  InGen has remote offices in both North and South America.  They might have one in Central America as well.”  Alan opened the desk drawer and withdrew the telephone and his list of numbers.  “First, I’ll call and find out the status on the rescue helicopters.  If they’re still searching for those hikers, I’ll give Hammond a call and see if he can help us.  I wanted to check the status on those tranquilizer darts anyway.”

 

She placed her hand on his shoulder again and squeezed it affectionately.  “Thanks, honey.”  She slid off the desk and started toward the door.

 

“Ellie,” he said, stopping her.

 

With a quizzical expression on her face, she turned back to face him.

 

“I’ve been thinking that this would be a good opportunity to conduct an expedition into the mountains. The helicopter could drop me off and I could walk back.”

 

The idea of going to the mountains had been interesting, even intriguing, when they had discussed it before with no real means of getting there, but now that it had suddenly become a possibility, Ellie felt a sensation of anxiety creep into her stomach.  She also did not fail to notice that he had spoken in the singular tense, and she realized he was giving her an “out” if she wanted it.  If she chose not to make the hike, she could return to civilization with the helicopter and he would go alone.

 

He was watching her intently, gauging her reaction, so she was careful to keep her expression neutral as she considered the idea.  If she went, it would mean spending an undetermined amount of nights outside where there was no protection.  Fleetingly, she thought of the nighttime hike back to the dormitory following the encounter with the Spinosaurus, and the fear that accompanied them every step of the way.  That had been before they had found the pistol in the research center.  If she chose not to go, Alan would have to make the hike alone, with no one to help keep watch for predators.

 

Electing not to acknowledge his use of the singular tense, she asked, “How would we carry so much food and supplies?”

 

He continued to observe her a moment longer, taking particular notice of her face.  There was apprehension in her eyes and a tautness around her mouth.  She was not overjoyed at the prospect, but he knew she did not want him to make the trek alone.  Her inclusion of herself in her response settled the question of whether or not she intended to accompany him, and he would not challenge it.  “I’ve thought about that, too.  We could wrap up some food and water and have the helicopter drop them off at various points on our return path.  They would be there waiting for us, and we wouldn’t have so much to carry.”

 

“Won’t the animals be interested in the smell of food?”

 

“We’ll have to wrap them up in plastic bags, and we will also take items that are in unopened containers, like cans of beans and soup.”

 

She nodded, solemnly.  “How long do you think it will take?”

 

“That depends on what we find along the way.  We may stay several nights in one area if we find something interesting, or we may hike all day in areas where there are no animals.”

 

“All right.  Tory and I are making pancakes, so when you get off the phone, come on into the kitchen.”

 

He watched her leave, impressed with her fortitude.  Most people, men included, would have opted to return to the comforts of civilization, but she clearly intended to accompany him on wherever his research took him.  Turning to the desk again, he began dialing the appropriate number.

 

With her heart beating a little faster than usual at Alan’s unexpected decision, Ellie returned to the kitchen where Tory was still struggling with the pancake batter.  The child’s hands were so small that it was difficult for her to control the whisk.  The center of it was starting to take on a consistency that bore a slight resemblance to the expected product, but around the edges it was still all powder.

 

“Are you getting tired?” she asked.  “Do you want me to take over?”

 

Tory nodded, and pushed the bowl toward her.

 

“You’ve been doing such a good job!” she praised as she took the whisk and scraped the powdered mix off the sides of the bowl and folded it into the rest of the batter.  While she worked, she cocked a curious ear toward the kitchen door, trying in vain to hear the words that Alan was speaking on the telephone down the hall.  She could hear his voice, but was unable to make out the words.  Several times, she thought she heard an annoyed clip to his voice, and wondered what had angered him.

 

“You’re not doing it,” Tory’s voice broke into her concentration.

 

Ellie blinked and turned back to find the child looking up at her with inquisitive eyes, wondering why she had stopped mixing the batter.  “I’m sorry.  My mind was wandering.”

 

When the batter was ready, Tory followed her to the skillet and watched while she sprinkled a few drops of water onto the skillet.  The droplets sizzled and danced across the surface, indicating that it was ready, so she poured circles of batter on the griddle, and within minutes the entire building was filled with its tantalizing aroma.  When the first batch was done, she scooped them onto a platter, and poured in another batch.  It did not take long for Alan to show up at the door.

 

“That smells good!” he said.

 

“They’re almost done.  Can you get three plates from the cupboard?  Tory, there’s a bottle of syrup on the bottom shelf in the pantry.”

 

Alan fetched the plates and Tory searched for the syrup, while Ellie flipped the last of the pancakes onto the serving platter.  A glass of milk was poured for Tory and coffee for the adults.  Everything was carried into the dining room, and they sat down at one of the circular tables to eat.

 

“They haven’t found those hikers yet,” he announced as he buttered his stack of pancakes, and then poured syrup over them.  “And to make matters worse, one of their helicopters is having mechanical trouble.  It’s going to be days before they can send one to us.  I called John Hammond, and he already has one of his corporate choppers in San Jose standing by to carry the tagging team out here.  They’ll come to the island in the morning along with a representative from the American Embassy who will help get her transferred to an airplane back to Los Angeles.”

 

“That’s wonderful news!”  Turning to Tory, Ellie leaned her elbow on the table top and bent forward to bring herself nearer to the child’s face.  “Did you hear that, honey?  They’re sending out a helicopter tomorrow morning to pick you up.  It’ll take you to a big city in Costa Rica called San Jose.  Then, you’ll be placed on an airplane, which will fly you back home to your mommy.”

 

The girl’s face brightened instantly.  “I’m going home?”

 

“Yes, honey, you’re going home.”

 

Tory flung her arms around Ellie’s neck and hugged her, then went to Alan with her arms spread wide, expecting a hug from him too.  He lifted her onto his lap, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck as he embraced her.  “Thank you for helping me,” she said.

 

“You’re welcome,” he replied as he set her back down.  “Now, you finish your breakfast.  I don’t want to be in trouble with your mommy because you didn’t eat properly while in mine and Ellie’s care.”

 

With a happy grin, she climbed back into her chair and resumed her meal.

 

Alan continued, “Hammond also said that the tranquilizer darts arrived in San Jose yesterday.  He hired one sharp shooter to bring the animals down, some laborers to help with the tagging, and one of the vets he used during the research era to check the animals’ health and to administer the antidote when we’re done.  They’ve been there since last night, waiting for the word from me to fly out here.”

 

“Excellent timing,” Ellie remarked.  “He must have put a rush on everything, since it’s only been a little more than a week since we requested everything.”

 

“Yeah, I couldn’t have planned it better if I’d tried.  When they reach the island, the chopper will drop the team off at the beach near the cliffs so they can set things up for our darting process.  It will then come here to pick up all three of us and fly us to the beach, where you and I will be let off.  Then it will fly back to the mainland with her.  We’ll spend however long it takes to dart a sufficient number of animals, then after the tagging process is completed, the team will radio for the helicopter to return to pick them up.  When they do that, they will fly us to the mountains and drop us off there.  We’ll hike back to the compound.  They’ve agreed to make a few supply drops at intervals on our return path, so we’ll need to decide where and mark it on the map so we can find them.” 

 

She nodded her approval.  “I couldn’t hear the conversation, but I could hear your voice, and I thought a couple of times that you sounded irritated about something.  Were they giving you argument about something?”

 

He nodded, his mood darkening a bit.  “Those people at the American Embassy wanted us to fly back to Costa Rica with Tory and their representative to give a statement about everything that happened here.  They already know everything there is to tell, and I reminded them of that, along with the fact that we already have a commitment to tag those animals, which in my estimation takes priority over everything else.  They were none too happy with my ‘lack of cooperation’ as they put it, but I finally made them see that it would be a waste of time when I had already told them everything over the phone.”

 

Ellie smiled.  “I won’t even ask how you did that.”

 

“There is nothing else to add,” he repeated.  “Why in the hell would they think I needed to be there in person?  Senseless technicalities.”

 

“They probably want a signed, written statement.  Why don’t we write down our statements tonight and give them to the representative tomorrow?  He or she can take it back, and they’ll have it on file.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

“So, it’s definite, then.  We’re going to the mountains?” she asked, again experiencing conflicting sensations of excitement and concern.  She and Alan had taken hiking trips before in Montana, but this one would be a totally different setting, a primeval jungle instead of the “big sky” prairie.

 

“I’ve wanted to go there for ages, but couldn’t come up with a plan to get there and back.  This has all worked out beautifully.”  His eyes fell upon her again, noticing the apprehension in her eyes again.  “How do you feel about going to the mountains?” he asked.  “It’s going to be pure wilderness.”

 

“I think it will be very interesting,” she answered.  “You know how I am with beautiful scenery, so I hope you have plenty of film.”

 

“Do you have any concerns about this?” he asked.

 

“The main thing that concerns me is nighttime.  With only two of us, we can’t very well stand guard in shifts without both of us being worn out from lack of sleep.  How are we going to handle that?”

 

“This afternoon, we’ll get out the map of the island and chart our route for the safest areas.  You know, caves, bluffs, anything that can offer us some protection.  We’ll also select the locations for the supply drops.  I’m going to ask the pilot to set down so we can tie them in the trees, just to make sure they don’t get broke open by animals, rather than just dropping them from the air.”

 

They fell silent for several moments, each one thinking about the tagging of the Pteranodons, the hike in the mountains, and Ellie remembered with a jolt how she had missed seeing the compies.  “I let you down out there this morning.  I totally missed the compies.”

 

He shrugged, unconcerned.  “They’re so perfectly camouflaged that they would be easy to miss.  They came out of the trees behind me so fast that I didn’t notice them either until one of them landed on my back.”

 

“Why did you go to the research center after examining the raptor’s body?” she asked.

 

“Oh, yeah.  I decided that since I was so close to the research center, I should go ahead and get your tapestry.  I was afraid if we waited any longer we’d forget about it.”

 

“I wondered what you were up to,” she said.  “I appreciate you getting it for me, but I was pretty worried that you were gone so long.  And then when I saw those raptors follow you into the research center . . . it really scared me.”

 

“I know, and I’m sorry for that,” he said.  “I was just so close that it seemed foolish not to go ahead and get it.  It’s in good condition, but it’s really dusty.  I left it in the front room.”  He speared the last bite of pancakes.  “We can hang it outside by the garden, and Tory can help us beat the dust out of it.”

 

Upon hearing her name, the child looked up, her mouth full of pancakes.  Her puzzled expression indicated that she had no idea what they were talking about.

 

He smiled and rumpled the hair on top of her head with his hand, then he reached for two more pancakes and buttered them and poured syrup over them.  “I think we may get some rain later today, so we’ll do that right after breakfast.”

 

“Okay.  Alan, I’d like to call Mom and Dad tonight, just to let them know we’re still all right.”

 

“I think that would be a good idea.  I’m debating whether or not to take the phone with us on the hike.  If we get into some kind of trouble or suffer a debilitating injury, it would enable us to call for help.  On the other hand, it’s one more thing to carry.”

 

“I think it would be a good idea,” she told him.  “A solid link to the outside world can never be a bad thing, especially when we will be so far away from help.”

 

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.  After you call your folks, I’ll put it on the charger and let it charge overnight.”

 

“We need to go through the refrigerator and put some things in the freezer so they’ll keep until we get back.  And we have to use up the rest of the bacon and the eggs.  They probably won’t still be edible when we get back.  I’ll fix them for breakfast in the morning.  I was going to make hamburgers tonight, but I think I’ll freeze the hamburger meat, and we’ll have hotdogs instead.  Then I’ll go through the pantry and pull out the things we can take with us.”  Finished with her breakfast, she pushed back her plate and folded her arms on the edge of the table.  “Will the rain interfere with the darting process?”

 

“It might,” he admitted.  “I’m hoping it will move on out of the area today, and we’ll have good weather tomorrow.  If not, we’ll just have to keep the equipment dry and wait it out.”

 

Tory pushed back her plate and picked up the Apatosaurus again, bouncing it gently along the edge of the table, pretending that it was walking.

 

Alan’s eyes shifted to the child, watching in amusement as she played.  “I wish we had toys that realistic looking when I was a kid.  My dinosaurs were cheap looking ones made of wax.  They had this machine that you put money into – I think they cost a quarter – and you chose which specimen you wanted, and the machine poured the wax into the mold and a few moments later, a dinosaur was made.  I remember it was still warm when it came out.  The toys these days are very life-like.”

 

“The Apatosaurus was one of the ones you gave Charlie,” Ellie said, wistfully.  “He loved those dinosaurs.  I still have the rest of them at home.  I found this one beside the bed when I went back to the house to pick up some warm weather clothes, so I decided to bring it with me.  I’m not sure why, but I feel closer to Charlie and Hallie by having it with me.”  She smiled fondly at Tory, growing more accustomed to seeing the other child playing with her son’s toy.  “I’m glad I did.  It gives her something to play with.”

 

Finished with his second helping of pancakes, Alan pushed back his plate, feeling enormously satisfied.  “That was delicious, Ellie.”

 

She smiled, pleased.  “Thank you.”

 

They stood up and gathered the dishes, and carried them into the kitchen to be washed.  Tory helped by carefully carrying her own plate, and deposited it in the sink with the others.  Then she stood and watched while Ellie heated water on the stove.

 

After the dishes were done, they went into the common room and Alan showed Ellie the tapestry while Tory looked on.

 

“I can’t get over how lifelike everything is,” Ellie marveled, extremely pleased with it.  She showed Tory the Apatosaurus that had been intricately stitched.  “Look at this.  See how lifelike it is?”

 

“It looks like this one,” Tory said, indicating the toy dinosaur.

 

“Yes, it does!” Ellie agreed, enthusiastically.

 

Alan glanced out the window.  The sun was still shining, but the smell of rain seemed to be stronger.  “Why don’t we get this outside and get some of that dust out of it?”

 

“I’ll find some brooms,” Ellie agreed.

 

She went into the laundry room and located a couple of brooms, while Alan carried the tapestry outside and draped it over a wire that had once served as a clothes line, noticing as he did that the clouds were beginning to advance.  Then, Ellie showed Tory how to beat it with the broom to loosen the dust that had settled into the fabric, and the child tackled the chore with youthful enthusiasm, beating the tapestry as hard as she could.

 

When no more dust lifted from the fabric, Alan took it down and carried it back inside, and he and Ellie worked together to fold it and put it away.

 

A short time later, the air became more humid and soon the sound of raindrops drumming on the roof filled the large building.  Thunder rumbled in the clouds, and flashes of lightning brightened the landscape.  Alan opened all the doors and windows to allow the freshness into the dormitory.

 

Then, while Ellie and Tory spent the afternoon baking cookies, he returned to the office and unfolded the topographical map of the island, and spread it out on the desk.  Leaning over it, he carefully examined it, studying the topography for the best landing site, return route, and drop-off points for the supplies.

 

Isla Sorna was a large island, and the distance and area topography between the mountains and the compound were carefully depicted.  There were huge swathes of dense jungle, and scattered open valleys and meadows with plenty of small streams and ponds of varying sizes.  Hills and bluffs were depicted, but caves, if there were any, were not.

 

After careful consideration, he finally decided on a suitable landing spot for the helicopter to let them off in a valley nestled between two mountain ranges.  He knew from the aerial flyby he had made with Miguel on his first day and also from his arrival with the Kirbys the year before that the mountains were not the high rugged peaks of the American Rockies, but were lower, more gently sloped, and heavily foliated.  He and Ellie should have no trouble navigating the area on foot.

 

Outside the open window, he could hear the gentle whisper of rain falling through the leaves and tapping against the building.  Occasionally, there was a low rumble of thunder, and the refreshing scent of rain mingled with the aroma of chocolate chip cookies.

 

Using a pencil and the flat edge of a ruler, he marked off the path they would take, a route which would, if his calculations were correct and barring any unforeseen delays, place them near protected areas with high bluffs and cliffs to offer shelter and provide them with as much safety as possible during the night, when they would be the most vulnerable.  Once they left the mountains, there was at least one bunker in which they could safely spend the night.  More difficult was determining where to place the supply drops.  They could carry a couple of day’s worth of food and water in their packs, but water especially was heavy, so he selected several small clearings along the return path he had chosen.  These locations were designated on the map with a red felt-tipped marker.

 

With the path carefully marked, he double-checked his calculations for accuracy, and felt satisfied that everything was accurate.  Folding up the map again, he tucked it into one of the pockets on his backpack, and then made his way into the kitchen for his share of chocolate chip cookies.

 

Tomorrow would be a busy day.

 

 

 

 

 

---

THIRTY

 

From the open doorway of the dormitory, Alan and Ellie watched silently as the InGen corporate helicopter gently settled onto the grassy knoll near the dormitory building.  Their supplies were on the floor beside them; backpacks were stuffed full of changes of clothing, the cameras, the satellite phone, and personal hygiene necessities.  An extra satchel with a long strap carried cans and packages of food, bottles of water, and a lightweight cooking pan.  A couple of heavy duty bags contained the extra supplies, the ones that would be dropped off from the helicopter at the points Alan had marked on the map.  The three plastic trash bags with their gruesome contents were lying beside them.

 

Tory stood nervously between them.  The last time she had been on an aircraft, it had crashed; a nightmare event that she would never forget.  Now, she must ride this noisy helicopter back to the mainland, as Alan and Ellie had called it, and neither of them would be with her for the journey.  They were only going as far as the beach, and the rest of the way would be with a stranger.  Trembling, she slipped her hand in Ellie’s, and felt the woman squeeze it comfortingly.

 

“Are you scared?” Ellie asked.

 

Tory nodded.  “A little.”  Her voice was small and weak.

 

“It’s going to be okay, honey.  There’s nothing at all to be afraid of, I promise.  Do you have all your things?”

 

Tory showed her the plastic bag containing the coloring book and crayons and the toy dinosaur.  The doll was tucked into the crook of her arm.  Ellie’s eyes lingered a moment on Charlie’s Apatosaurus.  She had intended to leave it safely in the cubical, and was surprised that the child had decided to bring it with her, but she made no comment.  It wouldn’t hurt to let her play with it a few minutes longer while they were on the helicopter.

 

The skids touched down in the grass, and Alan opened the barred door and set all the gear outside.  When they were all outside, he pulled the solid door closed and locked it, then securely locked the barred door as well.

 

They could have used some help carrying all the items to the helicopter, but the pilot gave no indication that he might exit the craft to make the offer of assistance.  Instead, he remained in the cockpit, keeping a wary eye on the surrounding trees, and Alan suspected that had he seen any sign of movement in the trees, he would have lifted off again immediately.

 

“Looks like he’s going to stay put,” he said.  “Guess we’ll have to carry all this stuff ourselves.”

 

Ellie nodded, and picked up her backpack, the satchel, and one of the extra bags of supplies.  With her hands full, she could not take Tory’s hand again, but the child was crowded close against her hip.  “Come on, honey.”

 

Alan picked up the rest of the gear and the three black trash bags, and followed Ellie to the helicopter.  He had assumed that the remains of the three smugglers would be stowed in the luggage compartment behind the cabin, but apparently the pilot had no intention of setting foot on the island.  Alan could see his anxious face through the windshield, watching while they walked across the yard toward the helicopter, struggling with all the gear. 

 

The rear door opened, and a well dressed middle aged woman gestured for them to approach, but both scientists noticed that she did not get out either.  She merely leaned out the door as she beckoned for them to hurry, considering herself safer inside the thin fuselage of the craft.

 

When they reached the helicopter, Alan placed the bags and the gear on the ground beside the door and lifted the girl inside the craft.  Tory immediately sat down in the center of the seat directly across from the woman so that Alan and Ellie would be on either side of her.

 

“Hi, my name is Donna Blair, from the United States Embassy in Costa Rica,” the woman shouted over the sound of the rotor blades as the paleontologist leaned inside with the child, but her eyes were darting nervously about, as if expecting to see a dinosaur emerge from the trees at any moment. 

 

“Alan Grant,” the paleontologist replied.  He stood back for Ellie to enter.

 

“I’m Ellie Sattler,” Ellie said as she stepped inside the chopper and moved past Tory’s and Donna’s legs to sit down on the other side of the child.  Her backpack and the satchel were placed on the floor between her and the woman.  Tory snuggled close against her with her head resting against Ellie’s upper arm.

 

Alan put his backpack and the bags of supplies on the unoccupied portion of the seat on which Donna sat, but the three plastic bags containing the human remains were placed on the floor of the helicopter.  Then he stepped inside and pulled the door closed, securely latching it, and then sank into the empty seat beside Tory.  Donna Blair sat alone on the seat across from them with their bags and satchels piled around her.

 

The pilot did not wait for them to buckle themselves in, but instantly lifted off the ground, eager to be away from there.  The floating sensation as the skids left the ground was a bit distressing to Tory, and she made a small, frightened sound in her throat, prompting Ellie to placed a comforting arm around her to cuddle her closer.

 

“It’s okay, honey,” she assured her.  “We’re on our way, now, and soon you’ll be home with your mommy.”

 

Alan silently observed the buildings of the compound as they lifted higher and higher into the air, taking notice of their appearance from the elevated position.  Through the large helicopter window, he could see the dormitory and the neighboring embryonic facility and the grove of trees which separated them.  The damaged, rusted vehicles were scattered about the research center parking area like a junk yard.  And standing in the shadow of the large building were two bi-pedal figures, watching the helicopter.

 

Alan shifted abruptly in his seat for a better view, but by then they had moved over the trees, obscuring his view.  He had only glimpsed them, making him wonder if he had really seen them, but the implications were disturbing, for it suggested that the juveniles were lingering in the area.  He and Ellie would have to be on their guard when they returned on foot.

 

“My goodness!” Donna Blair exclaimed, breaking into his thoughts.  She had noticed the wrecked cars just before they disappeared from view.  “What on earth happened there?”

 

Alan appeared distracted, so Ellie said, “We’re not sure.  It happened long before we arrived, but these cars were abandoned a long time ago, so they likely fell victim to the weather and the animals.”

 

“No one was in them, then, when it happened?”

 

“No.”

 

“Oh, that’s a relief.  I was imagining hoards of angry animals attacking the cars and the people in them.  Why did they need vehicles on this island?  There are no roads and certainly no place to go.”

 

“There were dirt roads,” Ellie explained.  “We’ve seen the tire ruts in the grass, and there were places to go.  They had a landing strip not too far away, and they would have used the vehicles to transport supplies.  There were also other facilities on the island, so they would have used the cars and trucks to move from one to the others.”

 

“Oh, I see.”  Now that they were safely off the ground and on their way, Donna seemed to relax somewhat.  “I’m sorry for being so nervous, but I kept expecting to see one of those Tyran – Tyrano – Whatever they’re called, running toward us!”

 

Ellie smiled her amusement, “Tyrannosaurus Rex.”

 

“That’s it.  I saw the news reports when it got loose in San Diego.  Absolutely terrifying!  Can you imagine anyone being stupid enough to bring a dangerous animal like that into a populated area?  Whatever were they thinking?”

 

“Greed,” Alan said, as if that one word explained all evil in the world as he saw it.  “We haven’t seen a Rex in this area in a while,” he said.  “It’s the raptors you have to watch out for.”

 

Donna looked at him like she had no idea what he was talking about.  For a moment, she appeared to be considering the idea of asking what a raptor was, then changed her mind, deciding that she did not really care to know the answer.  Turning her attention to the child, she said, “This must be Victoria Chavez.”

 

Tory glanced nervously at Ellie, seeking her reassurance.  Ellie squeezed her affectionately.  “Yes, this is Tory.  I’m afraid she’s a little traumatized after everything that’s happened the past couple of days.  She’s going to need a lot of TLC.”

 

“I’m sure she’ll get it,” Donna assured her.  “I’ll help her mother find a good therapist to help her cope with everything that’s happened.  I’m sure she’ll be just fine.”  Turning to Tory, she said, cheerfully, “Victoria, my name is Ms. Blair.  I’m going to take you home to your mother.”

 

Again, Tory looked up at Ellie as if for verification.  The eagerness in her eyes expressed the fact that she was very anxious to get home to her mother, but there was a wariness about her, reluctant to trust this woman.

 

“It’s okay, honey,” Ellie promised.  To Donna, she said, “I’m afraid she’s a little apprehensive.  Those smugglers were not very accommodating to her needs.  Alan and I saw them treating her rather roughly.”

 

The woman’s demeanor became somewhat cool.  “Yes, so I was told.  My superior informed me that he expected the two of you to come to Costa Rica to give statements to the authorities regarding the things you witnessed, but that you both . . . had other things to do.”

 

Alan’s eyes narrowed slightly, a signal that he was offended by the implication that they could not be bothered, and there was a clip to his voice as he said, “Ms. Blair, the ‘other things’ we’re doing is placing tracking devices on the pteranodons you probably saw flying around as you were approaching the island.  The work we’re doing will protect civilization, should they ever decide to fly off the island.  As for the crime, there is nothing else for me to tell that I did not tell them over the phone.  Going all the way to Costa Rica just to repeat everything in person would have served no purpose.  They have all the information I am able to provide.”

 

Reminded of the statements and the smugglers personal effects, Ellie picked up a small plastic grocery sack and passed it to her.  “Alan picked up their papers and identification, and he and I made out written statements last night which you can present to your superiors.  Perhaps that will pacify them until we get back to San Jose.”

 

Donna looked at it for a moment, determining that there was no blood or other objectionable material inside the nearly transparent white sack before accepting it.  “Well, I suppose it will have to, won’t it?” she asked, placing it on the seat beside her.

 

Although she was more patient than Alan, Ellie was starting to feel the same annoyance with the woman’s judgmental tone.  “Ms. Blair, I hope you understand that what we are doing is of utmost importance.  Those pteranodons are capable of flying great distances, and what we’re going to do could save a lot of lives.  I think that takes precedence over coming to Costa Rica to repeat the things they already know, don’t you?”

 

“Three men have died, Miss Sattler.  There is a certain protocol that must be followed, and my superiors simply want to make sure there is nothing else to add.  However, your written statements will certainly help in that regard, and I’m sure they will appreciate that you took the time to write them.”

 

Several moments of uneasy silence settled over the helicopter as Alan’s eyes stared icily at Donna Blair.  The woman was starting to feel somewhat uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze, and she broke eye contact to brush absently at an imaginary piece of lint on her slacks, wishing he would look away.

 

Tory was looking nervously at the adults in the cabin, sensing the uneasiness that had settled over them.  She could tell that they didn’t like each other, and she was reminded of the constant arguing between the three men who had kidnapped her.

 

Noticing that the little girl was growing upset, Ellie changed the subject.  “Are you the one who’s going to fly back to the states with her?”

 

“Yes.  I’ve booked a first class flight for this afternoon on --”  Her eyes fell upon the rather lumpy black trash bags, noticing the name tag on one of them, and she seemed to lose her train of thought.  “Tate,” she said, curiously, reciting the name on the label.  Then her eyes widened with sudden shock.  “Oh, dear!  Is that –?”

 

“The remains of the people who kidnapped her,” Alan confirmed her worse thoughts.  “They had an up-close encounter with a pack of angry raptors.  I was only able to identify one of them, so I placed his name on the bag with a label.”

 

With an involuntary gasp, she shrank away from the bags, sliding across the seat to the far side.  Pulling her eyes away from the bags, she focused them on the paleontologist, wondering how he could be so casual about people being killed.  He looked steadily back at her, seemingly unaffected by the fact that there were three skeletons inside the helicopter with them that had been living, breathing human beings only a few days before.

 

Turning to Ellie, who seemed a bit more civilized than the very candid man, she said in a nervous, hurried voice, “We had hoped to get out here to pick up the child much sooner, but it was taking so long to find those missing hikers, and then one of the helicopters broke down and nearly crashed, and . . .”  Her eyes darted back to the bags, irresistibly drawn to them.  “Oh, dear.  I don’t know if I can fly the whole way back to Costa Rica with those things in the helicopter with me!”

 

“They’re just bones, Miss Blair,” Alan said, matter-of-factly.  “They can’t harm you.”

 

Ellie concealed a smile behind her hand at Alan’s somewhat sarcastic reply.

 

“Well, I know that!” she retorted somewhat forcefully as the image of bloodied bones with the flesh ripped from them flashed into her mind.  Bile burned in her throat, and she swallowed several times.  Her voice was quieter when she added, “It’s just knowing what they are that makes it so objectionable.  I knew they had been killed and eaten.  I just didn’t expect there to be remains.”

 

“Once we land on the beach, perhaps we can have them transferred to the baggage compartment,” Alan suggested.

 

The woman seemed to relax a bit with the encouraging news that she would not have to stare at those lumpy bags the whole trip.  “Yes.  Good idea.  I will insist on it.”

 

Silence settled over them again.

 

The chopper skimmed over the tree tops, offering a splendid view of the island, and Alan turned his attention to the landscape, pressing his nose against the Plexiglas as he looked for signs of animals or any unusual defoliation that might indicate overpopulation.  He was pleased to see that the island’s ecosystem seemed stable.  The trees were lush with foliage, the meadows carpeted with healthy green grass.

 

Donna Blair turned to Ellie, the scientist who seemed the friendlier of the two, noticing that she, too, seemed interested in the forests below.  “So,” she said, breaking the silence.  “They told me you two have been living on this island.”

 

Realizing that Alan would not respond to the small talk, Ellie made eye contact with the embassy agent again.  “We’re scientists, studying the animals and the habitat,” she explained.  “And yes, we’ve been staying here for some time.  It’s difficult to conduct a thorough study without spending a great deal of time with them.”

 

“Aren’t you afraid?” the woman asked.

 

“Afraid of what?” Ellie asked.

 

“The creatures down there!” Donna exclaimed with surprise and a certain degree of indignation that she had even asked the question.  “My goodness, how could you not be afraid?  I wouldn’t want to set foot on this island, much less traipse around in the woods looking at dangerous animals!  There have been reports of people being killed here over the years.”

 

Ellie glanced at Alan to see if he would jump into the conversation, but he seemed to be deliberately avoiding it, leaving her to deal with the woman’s questions.  Never comfortable with small talk, his attention was directed completely on the scenery below.  “We have a healthy respect for the animals and what they can do, so we’re cautious and very careful whenever we’re among them.”

 

“I see,” Donna replied with forced politeness.  “Well, I don’t think you could pay me enough to spend even ten minutes on this island.”

 

The statement seemed slanderous, and caught Alan’s attention and his annoyance again.  “We’re not being paid for this, Miss Blair,” he told her.  “We’re conducting research.”

 

Donna looked embarrassed.  “I’m sorry if I offended.  I meant nothing by that.  I just . . . “  She did not finish the sentence, for Alan had already turned back to the window, dismissing her completely.

 

Turning her head, Ellie looked outside the window at the scenery below.  She had seen portions of the island from the air when she had first arrived, but the helicopter, with its large windows and lower altitude, offered a much broader view than the smaller windows of Miguel’s airplane.

 

Silence settled over the people in the helicopter again.  Donna Blair’s eyes continued to dart nervously toward the three trash bags which sat conspicuously on the floor near the hatch, but Alan and Ellie looked out the windows at the ground below, searching, she realized, for the animals that inhabited the island.

 

Finally, Alan turned to the child and said, “Tory, there’s a diplodocus over near the trees.  It looks kind of like that Apatosaurus you’re holding, only it has a longer neck and tail.”  He lifted her onto his lap and pointed through the Plexiglas at the long necked dinosaur that was browsing on the young saplings in a clearing.  “See it?”

 

She nodded, holding the toy dinosaur up to compare them.

 

Intrigued, Donna slid across the seat so that she could look at the animal, the likes of which she knew she would likely never see again, and she felt her heart leap with the same kind of excitement that strikes everyone when they see an extinct creature for the first time.  It moved slowly along the edge of the tree line, its snakelike neck enabling it to nibble on the leaves and tender twigs at the tops of the trees.

 

“I’ve seen the skeletons at the Smithsonian in D.C., but I never thought I’d ever see a living dinosaur.  To have the technology to recreate them is truly miraculous.  Is it dangerous?”

 

“All animals are dangerous if they’re cornered or feel threatened,” Alan replied.  “However, these are peaceful plant eaters.  They won’t bother anyone who isn’t bothering them.”

 

“Have you ever seen one up close?”

 

Ellie grinned.  “He got up close and personal with a Brachiosaur once.  It ate the hat right off his head!”

 

As the helicopter soared past the dinosaur, Donna shifted in her seat for a better view, and her foot brushed against one of the plastic bags.  With a high pitched “Oh!” she jumped as if she had been shot and quickly retreated back across the seat to the other side, all thoughts of the diplodocus driven from her mind by the reminder of what was concealed inside those bags.  Feeling eyes upon her, she looked up and found that both Alan and Ellie were watching her.

 

Donna’s face flushed with embarrassment, but this time she made no comment about the contents of the bags, and tried to shift her attention away from it by looking out the window, but they were over a forested area again and there was nothing to see except mile after mile of dense foliage and wilderness.

 

Finally, after another stretch of uneasy silence among the three adults in the cabin, the trees began to thin and they could see the expanse of ocean stretching out to the horizon.  The ground became sandier with clumps of brush and grass struggling to survive in the less fertile soil.   A short time later the rough, rocky promontory came into view.  Alan leaned hard against the window to gain the best view possible, and carefully studied the nesting ground of the pteranodons from the air.  They were too far out to see any of the nests, but he knew they were there, tucked into craggy crevices in the cliffs.  Several of the winged beasts could be seen flying just above the cliffs and out over the water in search of food.

 

“Are those the creatures you’re going to put the tracking devices on?” Donna asked, observing the size of the creatures and suddenly realizing that the task of placing the devices on the creatures was a potentially dangerous one.

 

“Those are the ones,” Ellie confirmed.

 

The plans that were keeping them from giving verbal statements in person at the American Embassy suddenly did not seem so frivolous.  “I noticed them when we arrived, but we’re so far off the mainland that I never thought about them flying to civilization.  If they’re capable of flying such great distances, why haven’t they done so yet?”

 

“They seem to have found a suitable nesting area here on the cliffs, and from what I understand the scientists genetically altered their desire to migrate,” Alan explained.  “However, the concern is that the genetic alterations might not be passed down to the following generations or the instinct to migrate might be strong enough to override it, so in the interest of mankind, we decided it was best to place a tracking device on them to monitor their movements.  That way, we will know if and when they leave the island.  Obviously, someone will have to periodically return to tag the subsequent generations.”

 

“What would happen if they did leave the island?” Donna asked, curiously.

 

“Any animal that leaves the island will be destroyed before it reaches the mainland,” Alan stated.

 

Suddenly, the helicopter cleared the tree line, and a broad sandy area dotted with small clumps of grass stretched out from the trees toward the shore.  The pilot hovered for several moments, lining up the craft with his chosen landing spot, then slowly maneuvered it down toward the ground.  Dry sand sprayed from beneath the rotor blades as the helicopter settled onto the flat area up the shore from the sloping beach.

 

Alan reached for the door handle, but at the same instant it opened from the outside, and an average sized man with windblown dark hair looked in at them.  His eyes fell first on Alan, then Donna, and then he slipped his sunglasses down a bit as they came to rest on Ellie.

 

“Name’s Mitch Beckett,” the man shouted to be heard above the noise from the blades.  “I’m going to be your sharpshooter for this operation.”

 

“Alan Grant,” the paleontologist shouted back as he stepped from the helicopter onto the sand.  The two men shook hands, then Alan leaned back inside for the gear they had brought with them, and the three black sacks.  “Ms. Blair wants these three bags stowed in the luggage compartment.”

 

Mitch’s eyes settled on the lumpy bags with revulsion.  “Those are the, ah . . .”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Grimly, Mitch went to the side panel on the helicopter and opened it.  Alan followed carrying the bags, and Mitch took one of them to help stow them, and as he lifted it inside it, he was able to feel the hardness of the bones inside.  After Alan had placed the other two bags inside, he closed the hatch.

 

“I’ve been a hunter all my life and I’ve seen some pretty gruesome things in the bush, but I must say that takes the cake,” the sharpshooter admitted.  “Obviously, there is nothing left but bones.  They were devoured?”

 

“Yes.  I picked up everything I could find.  It’ll be up to the DNA experts to figure who is who, since I could only positively identify one of them.”

 

“Whew!  I don’t envy what you must have gone through to pick them up.”  There was respect in Mitch’s eyes as he observed the paleontologist.  “Guess you never thought something like that would be part of the job description, eh?”

 

“You got that right,” Alan agreed.

 

Inside the helicopter, Donna Blair exhaled a sigh of relief to have the objectionable items removed from view.  Now, they just had to get safely off the ground again, and with the sharpshooter just outside the door, she was feeling a great deal safer than she did at the compound when they had picked up their passengers.

 

As Ellie collected her backpack and the supplies, Mitch leaned inside.  “Let me get those for you.”

 

“Thank you,” she said, gratefully.

 

“Glad to help.”  He grasped the bags and withdrew them from the cabin.

 

She turned to Tory, who was still seated, her large eyes filling with tears that she would likely never see her new friends again.  “I guess this is good bye,” the woman said.

 

Tory nodded and put her arms around Ellie’s neck for a heartfelt embrace.  When she drew back, she held out the toy Apatosaurus.  “Thank you for letting me play with your little boy’s dinosaur,” she said.

 

Ellie’s heart lurched as she looked at Charlie’s toy dinosaur held in Tory’s small hand, torn between taking it away from her and letting her keep it.  Her son had loved his dinosaurs.  Many hours had been spent in the sand pile with this very toy, and in her mind she could see him there, covered from head to foot with sand, the dinosaurs scattered all around him in his make-believe world.  She knew that the keepsakes were not the important thing; it was the love that would always exist in her heart for both her children.  But the toys were all she had left of the children, and the thought of parting with even one of them was painful for her.

 

Tory waited, wondering why she did not take the dinosaur.

 

She reached for it, then stopped.  “Tell you what.  I have a long trip back through the jungle and he might get broken or lost, so why don’t you keep him safe for me?”  As soon as she had spoken the words, she wanted desperately to take them back, to give in to the possessiveness that lingered over Charlie’s toys.

 

“Thank you,” the child said.  “I’ll take really good care of him.”

 

“I know you will.”  Tears were crowding behind Ellie’s eyes, and she avoided looking at the dinosaur.  “You take care, okay?  And give your mommy a big hug when you get home.  Mommies like to hear that too, you know.”  Her voice was choking, and she blinked hard to force back those tears.

 

“I will.”

 

Ellie stepped from the vehicle, her hand pressed against her mouth in an effort to stop her lips from trembling.  Alan leaned inside.  “Do I get a hug, too?”

 

Tory flung her arms around Alan, and he kissed her cheek.  “I’ll miss you,” she said.

 

“We’ll miss you too.  You be a good girl, and mind Miss Blair.”

 

“I will.”

 

“Bye, Sweetie.”  He backed out of the helicopter, and Mitch closed the door and gave the thumbs-up sign to the pilot.

 

The helicopter slowly lifted off the ground, and they could see Tory’s face in the window, waving to them as it turned toward the open ocean.

 

Experiencing a profound sense of loss, Ellie brushed a tear from her cheek and tried to control the hitch in her chest that threatened to turn into sobs.  Alan placed a comforting arm around her, squeezing her with great affection.  “That was a nice thing to do, letting her keep Charlie’s dinosaur,” he said.  “I know that must have been hard.”

 

The lump in her throat seemed to expand, and her voice did not sound like hers when she replied, “I have the others at home.  And I hope maybe it will help her remember us.”

 

“I don’t think she’ll ever forget what happened here,” he said, grimly.

 

They watched until the helicopter was merely a dot in the brilliant blue sky, then Alan turned to Mitch, who had been watching patiently a short distance away, realizing that he would have been intruding on an emotional moment if he had spoken.  “Are you all set up?”

 

“Almost,” Mitch replied, approaching them.  “We placed our camp a short way up from the beach in a clearing beside the bluff over there.”  He indicated the direction with a sweep of his arm.  “It’s a slight depression in the rocks, and sort of wraps around in a bit of a horseshoe shape, and since we’ll be here overnight, we decided it would protect us against a rear attack should anything decide to try to sneak up on us.”

 

“Hammond explained to you what we’re doing here?”

 

“Yes.  He said that you are in charge of this operation, and instructed us to assist you in any way possible.”

 

They picked up the gear, and began walking toward the camp.  Ellie cast one last, longing glance over her shoulder at the empty sky, then drew a deep, cleansing breath and trudged through the sand behind Alan.  Tory would be all right once she was back with her mother, but it had been wonderful being around a child again! 

 

As he walked, Alan surveyed the terrain.  It was a lovely spot with a gently sloping pristine coastline extending upward toward the flat sandy area near the tree line.  The ocean was relatively calm, with waves smoothly rolling up onto the beach before sliding back again.  The rocky cliffs were not as high as they had first appeared, but were extremely rugged.  They began as a few large boulders, volcanic in nature, that were strewn about the beach and which had been pushed up from the earth sometime in its prehistoric past.  From there, the volcanic rocks began an upward progression, first forming jagged bluffs until it culminated into the craggy cliffs, a castle built from magma accessible only to the pteranodons which roosted in its black towers.  Below it, the coast had eroded over the centuries, separating several small island-like formations from the cliffs, and they could hear the waves breaking against them.

 

Tilting his head back, Alan shaded his eyes with his hand as he viewed the pinnacle, determining that it was much too rugged to safely negotiate.  Farther out, the pteranodons glided gracefully on the air currents above the surf in search of fish.

 

Mitch saw the direction of his gaze, and said, “They came in pretty close while we were setting up.  Obviously, they were curious about us, but they haven’t bothered us yet.”  He smiled at Ellie.  “When I was told we’d be meeting with a couple of paleontologists, I wasn’t aware that one of them would be a woman.”

 

Ellie sighed, not really in the mood for the subtle flirtatiousness in Mitch’s comment.  “I’m a paleobotonist.”

 

“I stand corrected,” he said, good naturedly.  “And what does a paleobotonist do?”

 

“I help determine the vegetation that existed during the age of dinosaurs.”

 

“Plant matter decomposes.  How can you determine what plants existed back then?”

 

“Fossils.  Many species left their imprints in mud which hardened to stone.”

 

“Oh, yeah!  I’ve seen those in museums.”

 

They made their way through a cluster of large boulders at the foot of the bluff, and soon emerged into the clearing that Mitch had told them about.  The base of the bluff formed an irregular protective backing to the camp, not quite a half circle since the extension was longer on the far side that it was on the beach side, but it was a prime camping spot in terms of protection.  The trees crowded close around the camp, with one side opening up to the beach.

 

Five men were inside the clearing, four of them working on a pair of inflatable boats, while the fifth was seated on the ground with a large metal case opened up in front of him.  He was examining each of the tranquilizer canisters, and there was something immediately familiar about him to both Alan and Ellie, but it was Ellie whose face suddenly lit up with recognition.

 

“Doctor Harding?”

 

Gerry Harding looked up, and a smile spread across his face as he stood up, dusting the sand from the back of his trousers.  “Ellie Sattler and Doctor Grant.  How have you been?”

 

It had been years since they had seen Harding on Isla Nublar where he had been treating a sick triceratops just before the storm had struck, and the two scientists immediately moved toward him.

 

“I didn’t expect to see you here!” Ellie said.

 

“Neither did I,” Harding replied as he took Ellie’s hand, “but Hammond called last week to tell me what you two were up to, and he asked if I would be willing to come along to dispense the proper dosage in the tranquilizer canisters.  I never expected to set foot on these islands again, but I must admit, I was curious to see for myself how the animals were doing.”

 

“They’re thriving,” Alan said, offering his hand to the dinosaur veterinarian, who grasped it in a friendly handshake.

 

“So you two have been living on this island, studying and cataloguing the animals?”

 

“Alan’s been here for more than nine months, but I just arrived seven weeks ago,” Ellie told him.  “We’ve been studying their behavior patterns in the wild.”  Her eyes fell on the tranquilizer case.  “So how does this work?”

 

He knelt down in front of the case, and removed one of the small darts for demonstration.  The others knelt down around him.  “Each one of these is filled with a type of tranquilizer that was developed here on Isla Sorna before operations closed down.  The geneticists developed and fine-tuned this drug for use exclusively on the dinosaurs.  Hammond had to track down a couple of the scientists and obtain the formula to have a fresh batch fast-tracked for this operation.  I don’t know how he pulled it off, but I guess money talks.”

 

Alan picked up one of the darts to examine it, turning it slowly in his hand.  It was very much like regular wild animal darts, cylindrical in shape with a sharp point, which was tipped with a protective cap to avoid an accidental jabbing.  “Are you sure about the dosage?”

 

“Yes.  We have used this before on the pteranodons, so I’m quite confident about the proper dosage.”

 

Alan lifted his eyes to the veterinarian’s face.  “So, you worked with them before, when they were still inside the cage?”

 

“Yes.  Surly beasts.  I heartily approve of your idea to tag them with tracking devices.”

 

“Tell me about them,” Alan urged.  “What are we going up against, logistically?”

 

“Well, for starters, Hammond hired one of the best sharpshooters in the business.  Mitch is a former SWAT officer, highly trained and skilled.  He was with me in Kenya when we were working with lions.  He’s an outstanding marksman, and will have no trouble darting the animals for us.  But these creatures won’t behave the way the big cats do in Africa.  Cats are wary.  They will alternately approach and stop to check you out.  They are infinitely patient.  These beasts are going to be swooping and diving if they sense a threat, and they may just attack in force.  We’ll have to be prepared for anything.”

 

“You mean kill them,” Ellie said.

 

“If necessary, yes.  Hammond is adamantly opposed to causing them physical harm, but we must protect ourselves.”

 

“Does your sharpshooter have live ammunition?” Alan asked.

 

Mitch had been listening a short distance away, and he took his cue to move forward and squatted down beside them.  “At Gerry’s suggestion, I smuggled in an automatic rifle, but we’re to use it as a last resort only.”

 

Alan exchanged glances with Ellie.  “How did you manage to get it through customs?”

 

“I didn’t,” Mitch grinned.  “Hammond told us the problems you went through just trying to get a handgun into Costa Rica, so we simply floated it and everything else down from California by boat.”

 

“The same way Malcolm’s expedition did,” Ellie said.

 

Mitch nodded.  “The only way to avoid customs was to stay well off shore.  It also enabled us to carry the rest of our gear.  Loading all those inflatable boats, coolers, sleeping bags and the rest of the equipment on an airplane and keeping track of them once we reached Costa Rica would have been a nightmare, so we left everything anchored offshore while we waited for word from Hammond.”

 

“They didn’t find your presence there suspicious?” Alan asked.

 

“Not really.  Hammond had notified them that we were coming and what we were doing, and I guess they were so pleased with what we were doing that they didn’t bother us.  The coast guard did board the vessel, but they only looked at some of the equipment and left.  I let them check out my darting rifle, but I kept the automatic hidden.”

 

“What would you have done if they had found it?” Ellie asked.

 

“I knew they wouldn’t,” he replied with a confident smile.

 

The haunting cry of a pteranodon pierced the calm air, and they looked up as two of the winged creatures soared overhead.  One was carrying a small animal in its long jaws, apparently intending to take it to the nest to feed its young.  The other was aggressively attempting to steal it, while the first was defending its prey with equal aggression.  The humans shaded their eyes against the brilliance of the sunny sky, and observed the aerial duel.  The would-be thief swept close, attempting to snatch the dead animal with its long jaws, succeeding in grabbing what appeared to be a long tail, but the other abruptly folded its wings and dove beneath it, still carrying the bulk of its catch.  Undaunted, the thief gave chase.

 

“What is that they’ve got?” Harding asked, unable to see the prey clearly.

 

“Looks like a compy or maybe an infant raptor,” Alan replied.  “Hard to tell from this distance.”

 

Finally, the two huge combatants disappeared behind the rocky cliffs, and they would never know who ended up with the prey.

 

Mitch’s body gave an involuntary shudder.  “I’ve faced assassins, bank robbers, gangs, drug dealers, and marauding lions, but I’ve never come up against something as scary as this.  So tell us, how dangerous are these animals to humans?”

 

“When they were caged, they would occasionally fly at the barriers in an attempt to attack the workers, but in spite of their size, their bones are hollow, like those of a bird, so I cannot believe they could actually pick up an adult human,” Harding replied.  “Still, their claws and teeth are lethal, so they have to be considered extremely dangerous.”

 

“Teeth?” Ellie asked, surprised.  “The fossils I’ve seen do not have teeth.”

 

“These do,” Alan told her.  “Didn’t I mention that?”  When Ellie shook her head, he continued, “I noticed the teeth last summer; another reminder that these creatures are not genetically pure.  What kind of explanation do the scientists have for that?” he asked, turning his attention to Harding.

 

The veterinarian shrugged.  “I’m not sure they had an explanation other than it was a byproduct of the unique circumstances of being created in a laboratory with a certain amount of genetic tampering.  The scientists were surprised, but not particularly concerned.”

 

Ellie shuddered.  “That is disturbing.”

 

“It is food for thought, isn’t it?  One thing is for certain; we’re going to have to be very careful in how we handle these animals.”

 

“When we encountered them inside the cage,” Alan said, reflectively, “they were extremely aggressive.  You are right, Doctor Harding, that they can’t pick up an adult human.  They tried to pick up my young assistant, Billy Brennan, but were unable to get more than a few yards off the ground.  They worked him over good, though.  Damn near killed him.  It was a miracle he managed to get away from them.”

 

Mitch spread his hands, welcoming input.  “How’s the best way to do this?  Obviously they’re not going to come to us willingly.”

 

“We have no choice but to shoot them out of the sky,” Harding said.  “I hate to do it, and it’s going to be traumatic for them, but there is no other way.  That’s why I asked Hammond to provide those inflatables.  Water will provide a safer landing place for them than the ground, where they might be impaled or damage their wing membranes on tree limbs, or suffer broken bones on the rocks, so when we shoot one, we’ll have to go out and pull it back to shore.”

 

“There will be a risk of drowning,” Alan pointed out.

 

“Yes, that’s true,” Hammond agreed.  “The workers will have to get out there quickly and get its head out of the water.  The inflatable boats are equipped with outboard engines, top of the line, as John always says, so they should be able to reach them in good time.”

 

At the mention of the inflatable boats, everyone turned their attention to the men who were finishing up with the boats.

 

“Hammond gave me some leeway in hiring the help I felt we needed to accomplish a thorough job,” Harding said.  “These men are all experienced with inflatables.  They will pull the animals to shore and will help with anything that requires muscle power.”  He pushed the case which contained the tracking devices toward Alan for his inspection.

 

The paleontologist immediately popped open the lid to look at them, and picked one up for closer inspection.  “They look like the radio collars used on bears and other wildlife.”

 

“Yes.  This was the one area that was not entirely to my liking.  I had hoped that technology had improved to the point where we could merely attach wing tags to them, but unfortunately there is no battery-pack that small which has a long enough life span to make them practical.  They used the smallest batteries available which provide the most power and durability, but they still have enough size that the animals will know they’re there.  Eventually, they will have to be replaced when the battery packs lose power.  Hammond’s people are working on developing something that will last longer, and I believe there will eventually be a power source small enough to use a wing tag, but for now, this is what we have to go with.”   Harding was keeping an eye on the laborers, and announced, “Looks like they’re finished with the boats, so I would suggest we get to it.”  He picked up the case holding the darts and glanced at the sharpshooter.  “Get your weapons ready.”

 

Mitch immediately rushed to pick up both his darting rifle and the automatic weapon, while Harding, Alan, and Ellie approached the four laborers.  Two were Hispanic, presumably Costa Rican locals, one was a sturdy black man, the other a solidly built white man.  The boats were gray rubber with wood floors and an outboard engine mounted on the stern, and Alan eyed them skeptically, feeling immediately concerned for the safety of the workers.

 

“Are those boats strong enough to support an animal that size?”

 

“They’re a lot stronger than they look,” said the black man with a mellow accent that could only be of Caribbean origin.  He offered his hand.  “Name’s Tyrell.  I’ve been using these boats for years.  They’re durable and dependable.”

 

“I’m worried about one of those claws puncturing the hull,” Alan said.

 

Harding stepped in.  “Once the tranquilizer takes effect, it completely paralyzes the animal’s central nervous system.  They will be totally unable to thrash about, so the boats should be safe.”

 

“I’m more worried about the people in them,” Alan clarified.  “At the very least, I would suggest tying the jaws shut as a precaution.”

 

“Agreed.”  Harding indicated the lengths of rope that the laborers had placed inside the two inflatables.  “I’ve already recommended that very thing.”  To the laborers, he explained, “Once the animal has been brought down, the first thing to do is pull the head into the boat and secure the jaws. Keep the head above water at all times, and get them to shore as quickly as possible.”

 

Nodding their understanding, the four laborers picked up the boats by the lifting handles and carried them toward the water’s edge.  Mitch carried his rifles against his shoulders, muzzle up, and Alan, Ellie, and Harding fell in step behind.  The darting process was about to begin.