Nails only had a few troops left. She and they were trapped in a corner firing, trying to keep the dinosaurs away, but it looked as if they wouldn’t hold out much longer. Nails ran out of bullets. As she reloaded, a raptor trapped her, ready to rip her flesh, but it was shot in the head by Standwall, whose troops came to the rescue, firing on the attacking dinosaurs.
Standwall grinned. “Hello, Captain.”
Nails blushed, glad to see him, ran into his arms and kissed him.
Standwall pushed her away gently. “We don’t have time for that captain.
Let’s kill some dinosaurs.”
A few of Standwall’s troops were killed in the scuffle, but the others overpowered the dinosaurs, killing them all.
Standwall informed Halfway, “Sir, all dinosaurs have been terminated.
I repeat, all dinosaurs have been terminated.”
Halfway shouted with joy. “Outstanding! What’s the casualty count?”
“In both groups, a hundred and five dead and twenty injured, total.
I, Nails and the troops are heading to the north exit.”
“Good job, Standwall. I’ll greet them when they come out.” Then Joyously Halfway said to Mark, “Standwall’s troops reached Nails’ in time and helped hers terminate all of the dinosaurs.”
“I thought you ordered him to retreat from the tunnel?” Mark asked.
“I did, but Standwall is as stubborn as me, he refused and continued on. That’s what I like about him-his stubbornness.”
The troops withdrew from the tunnel and it exploded. They were cheered by the crowd outside and people around the world, watching.
Halfway shook each one’s hand and congratulated them.
He said to Nails, “You’re a brave woman. While you were in the tunnel, I ordered promotional orders prepared. Congratulations, Rear Admiral
Nails,” handing her the orders.
Excited, she hugged him. “Oh, thank you, General!”
A few days later Halfway was declared by the President, a national hero for winning the war. A ticker-tape parade was given for the military in New York City.
Halfway and his staff rode in a convertible limousine and waved proudly to the crowd. Their car was followed by cars with high military officials and politicians and a parade of troops. Suddenly, three federal agents ran toward Halfway’s car and stopped it. Two pulled him out and handcuffed him. Shocked, Halfway shouted, “You can’t do this, I’m a hero!”
His staff, the marchers, patrons and viewers were surprised as he was cuffed.
“You’re charge with the murder of Senator Stewart,” an agent said.
Another read him his rights.
“You don’t have any evidence or witnesses?” Halfway yelled.
“Yes, we do. A private named Dickerson stated that he saw you shoot the senator’s jeep,” an agent answered.
“That stupid private is lying!” Halfway shouted.”
They took Halfway to the Federal Detention Center and placed him in a cell. Bail was denied.
The next day, Dickerson was placed in protective custody in a hotel room with two federal agents outside his door, guarding him. A man
wearing an army suit approached them. One of the agents said, “Hello, Major General, Sta-”
The man quickly pulled a gun with a silencer from his jacket, shooting them. They slumped to the floor, dead.
The man opened Dickerson’s door. Surprised, Dickerson’s eyes widened in fear as the man raised the gun, shooting him in the head, killing him. With a lighter the man lighted a cigar, puffed it, then left the room.
Two days later, a guard opened Halfway’s cell. “You’re free to go, General,” he said. “All charges are dropped. The prosecutor lost his witness.
A Major General, named Standwall is waiting in the lobby. He said that he’s your friend.”
Halfway grinned, went to the lobby and shook Standwall’s hand and embrace him.
Chapter 15
In the city of Los Angeles there wasn’t a building standing. Rubble and dead dinosaurs, pterosaurs, people, various animals lay on sidewalks, lots and streets.
Many bodies were scattered throughout and under the rubble. Some bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Rats and flies were eating some of the dead. Pollution from the bombs and a foul smell filled the air, and stray dogs and cats were running over the rubble.
In the suburbs, smoke still burned from trees and houses that were demolished. Dinosaurs’ bodies and parts lay in yards and large fields, on sidewalks and railroad tracks. Several dead humans and dinosaurs
lay under the rubble from the demolished houses.
In some parts of the city, engineers with construction equipment were cleaning up some of the rubble and discovering more dead humans and
dinosaurs.
Mayor Cornball and Congressman Trown, from a helicopter, were furious as they viewed the crumpled city that used to be buildings, stadiums and expressways. Angry, Cornball said to Trown, “Look at my city.
It looks like a shattered rock!”
“This is Halfway’s doing,” Trown said. “He doesn’t have a conscience.
He’s a warmonger and should be charged for war crimes. There could
have been another way to terminate without bombing. Did you know the
President has honored him as a national hero?”
“I know. I read the paper, Congressman.”
“That’s not all. He was arrested for the murder of Senator Stewart.
You should have seen his face.” Trown laughed. “When the agents
put the handcuffs on him, he looked like he’d lost his last dollar. Somehow the prosecutor’s witness was murdered. Halfway was set free. I truly believe that Halfway had someone to assassinate the witness.”
The helicopter pilot said through his chewing gum, “If you ask me I think the general did a pretty damn good job, killing these dinosaurs.”
Angered, Cornball shouted, “Who the hell asked for your opinion?
Shut up and drive the helicopter, creep!”
As the pilot took the helicopter down, a surprised Trown said, “What are you doing?”
Frustrated, Cornball said, “Who the hell told you to land?”
The pilot landed. “I want you two jackasses to get the hell out!”
“I’m the mayor of Los Angeles! You can’t do that!” Cornball yelled.
“I’m a California congressman!” yelled Trown.
The pilot pulled a gun and laughed. “Now get out my chopper, Mayor and Congressman of Rubble.”
They quickly got out. The helicopter took off. “Mayor, why did you insult the pilot?” Trown asked. “We’re miles from nowhere, we don’t
know where we are. The street signs were destroyed in the bombing.
It’s going to be impossible for us to walk over the rubble and it will be dark soon.”
“Stop complaining, you jerk! I’m the mayor, I know my city. The highway is five miles north from here. Lets go.”
“How do you know the highway isn’t demolished?” Trown asked.
“Well, let’s hope it’s not.”
A while later, Cornball and Trown were still a couple of miles from the highway. Trown was out of breath and sweating. He said, “Stop!
I need rest. I can’t see why you’re not tired after we’ve climbed
over all those ruins.”
“I’m in shape. I work out everyday.”
They sat on a pile of bricks. Trown took off his shoes and rubbed his foot. “Oh, my aching feet!”
“Please put your shoes on. Your feet stink worse than a dead dinosaur.”
Trown chuckled. “Mayor, you’re the reason we’re in this mess. You know, I could go for a nice cold beer. What about you?”
“I don’t drink.”
“What? You’re a health nut?”
“No.”
“Hey, Mayor, look. That huge pile of bricks over there, wasn’t that your city hall?”
Cornball
frowned. “Don’t remind me.”
Thirty feet in back of them, a wounded rex raised its head from a pile of bricks and roared. They spun around, stared and terrified,
they ran, Trown leaving his shoes behind. The rex dropped its head
and died.
Cornball and Trown ran for a few blocks and stopped. Trown was breathing heavenly, saying, “It have been almost a week since the bombing.
All dinosaurs should be dead. How is that one still alive?”
“Maybe it woke from a coma,” said Cornball.
“Let’s go back and get my shoes.”
“I’m not going back there! It’s your shoes, you get them!”
Walking toward them were six scavengers. Trown grinned. “Finally help has arrived.”
“They’re not going to help us, fool, they look homeless,” Cornball said.
“Homeless? Everybody who lived in your damn city is homeless! Do you see any houses around, Mayor?”
“F you!” Cornball said bitterly.
The scavengers approached, the leader walking up to them.
Trown smiled. “Hi, I’m Congressman Trown and this is Mayor Cornball.”
The scavengers laughed. “We don’t give a damn who you are,” their leader said.
“Well, can you tell us where we can get transportation?” Trown asked.
“No,” The leader said. “Those suits you have on, are they silk? They look expensive. Take them off.”
Furious, Cornball said, “I’m not taking off a damn thing!” The scavengers pulled knives. Their leader said, “Then we’ll take them off your dead bodies.”
Frightened, Trown stood close to Cornball and said, “We better do what they say, Mayor.”
“I’m not doing it!” Cornball yelled.”
The scavengers surrounded them and the leader came at them with a knife. Cornball quickly sidestepped, kicking him in the head with a karate kick, then grabbed his arm, twisting the knife from his hand, stabbing him, killing him.
Holding the knife, Cornball yelled, “The rest of you come get what your leader got! Come on!”
Scared, the scavengers ran. Amazed, Trown said, “I didn’t know you could fight, Mayor.”
“I use to be a cop. Why did you stand idle?”
“I don’t know how to fight. Besides, they had knives.”
Cornball took off the dead man’s shoes and threw them to Trown. “Here, see if these can fit.”
Trown tried them on. “They’re tight, but it’s better than nothing.”
Cornball and Trown walked for another mile. As they walked by a dead lion, and others animals. “This place probably was a zoo,” Trown
said.
“Yes, it was,” said Cornball. “We didn’t have time to evacuate the animals.”
“Look over there. It’s a dead raptor. None was kept at this zoo.”
“You’re right. It probably came here for food.”
Trown went over and looked closely at the raptor. “Mayor, come here and look at these claw marks.”
The mayor looked. “It looks like it fought a lion or a tiger before it died.”
“Mayor, you think a lion killed it or the bombs?”
“Who cares. The thing is dead. Let’s go. We only have a mile to go.”
A short while later, they arrived at the highway. They saw crushed army equipment and human bones.
“This is where the National Guardsmen were killed trying to defend a roadblock,” Cornball said. “They’d be alive today if that hardheaded general had listened to me. I told him to pull his troops away.”
“What happened to that general?” asked Trown.
“He was killed here.”
“Mayor, I don’t think any cars are coming this way,” Trown said.
“Well, we’ll keep walking on the highway. We might run into the army engineers.”
It was nightfall, and Cornball and Trown were still walking. “This is hopeless, Mayor, we’ve been walking for hours,” Trown said. “We may never be found. I don’t want to die out here!”
“Stop crying! Something will come soon.”
An hour later, they heard a helicopter overhead. Relieved, they jumped for joy and waved at it. The pilot saw them and landed.”
“I can’t believe it, we’re going to be rescued,” Trown said excitedly.
Getting out of the helicopter was Halfway. Surprised, Trown said,
“Oh no, out of all the persons in the world, we have to be rescued by Halfway.”
Furious, Cornball evilly looked at Halfway and said to Trown, “So this is the great General Halfway. I should punch his lights out.”
“Well don’t do it now, Mayor. We need a ride out of here.”
Grinning, Halfway approached. “Hello, Congressman Trown and Mayor Cornball. What are you doing out here?” He extended his hand, and Trown shook it, but Cornball didn’t.
“The mayor’s pilot left us,” said Trown. “Why are you out here, General?”
“I’m surveying. Come. I’ll fly you back to my base. You two will have dinner with me at my mess hall, then I’ll have a pilot to fly you home.”
Shortly, Halfway was in his mess hall eating dinner with Cornball and Trown.
“Is the food good?” Halfway asked.
“It’s okay,” said Trown.
Halfway chewed. “You certainly look evil, Mayor.”
“How am I supposed to look? You demolished my city!” Cornball said angrily.
“Mayor, I’m sorry,” Halfway said calmly. “We tried to terminate the dinosaurs with small-arms weapons, but it didn’t work. My troops went into buildings trying to destroy these animals, but they’re were ambushed.
If I hadn’t bombed your city, it would have been another Vietnam and dinosaurs would have won.”
“But thousands of civilians died,” said Cornball. “Couldn’t you use poison gas?”
“No. It would have spread to other cities and there would have been many casualties. Believe me, Mayor, I feel for the civilians who were killed.
Also, I lost thousands of troops defending your city.”
“I feel for your soldiers too, but my city is totally demolished.”
“Your city will be rebuilt, Mayor, by my company. You’ll have a new city hall, new hospitals, schools, houses, office buildings, highways and other things. You’ll be a mayor of a new city.”
“I’m going to gather a committee to look into this bombing,” Trown said. “It doesn’t seem right, after L.A. was demolished by you, that you form a company to rebuild it.”
“Well, somebody has to rebuild it and that someone will be me,” Halfway said. “I don’t give a damn if you’re going to form a committee.” Then he said to Cornball. “I’m going give you some stock in my company, Mayor.”
Cornball grinned. “You’re not a bad fellow after all.”
“Mayor, don’t tell me you’re going to change your mind about him just for some stock,” Trown said.
“This man is going to build me a new city and put money in my pocket.
Why should I be mad at him?”
Frustrated, Trown knocked his plate off the table and pointed at Halfway.
And said, “You can fool the mayor with your line of bullshit, but you’ll pay for what you done! I swear it!” He got up from the table and left angrily.
Halfway smirked. “He’s a genuine jerk.”
Cornball laughed. “He certainly is,” taking a sip from a glass of juice, “Tell me, General, are you thinking about getting into politics when you retire?”
“You know, Mayor, I don’t know.”
“I can certainly use a man like you for police chief. If you can get rid of criminals like you did the dinosaurs, I’d have a crime-free city.”
“Mayor, when I hang up my uniform, my war days will be over.”
“I see you believe in that old saying: Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”
“Well, this old soldier’s not fading away anytime soon. I’d like to invite
you and your wife for dinner.”
“I don’t think you want to invite my wife because she runs her mouth faster than a rabbit run.”
Halfway laughed and said, “Mayor, we certainly have something in common. You know, you remind me of someone. I just can’t figure. . .I know, me.”
They laughed.
Chapter 16
Three years later, Halfway retired. His company had made billions from the rebuilding of Los Angeles and it was still rebuilding. He ran for Vice President, with President Brason, but they lost due to the controversy that Congressman Trown raised about the L.A. bombing.
Halfway and Brason were billionaires. Standwall made General of the Army and married Nails who retired from the Navy.
Mark and his family were living in Japan. He was the director of Japan’s new dinosaur zoo, and Larry was his game warden. Hutton ran for senator of Colorado and won with the help of millions of dollars in campaign funds derived from Halfway.
Johnson and Clover retired to Miami. Chun retired to Hong Kong, where he became a karate instructor. Halfway still lived in Denver, but in a bigger and more expensive mansion. He divorced his wife and was dating a twenty two-year-old, model.
Halfway was in his study talking to Brason. He called him “Mr.
President” out of respect. “Mr. President, I never thought I’d be this rich.”
“Me either, but we can lose it all. Congressman Trown is asking Congress for an investigation of the L.A. bombing. He wants you, me, and your former staff to be brought up on charges for war crimes.”
“How outrageous! You only can charge the loser of a war with war crimes.”
“I don’t know about that. Stewart’s son is the U.S. Attorney. He still thinks you killed his father.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. President, this will perish.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Six months later Brason, Bob, Jack, Halfway and his former staff were indicted for murders and conspiracies in the Los Angeles bombing. Federal Marshalls arrested them and brought Mark, Larry and Chun back to
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