Anderson was at Glitch's side almost immediately.
"Glitch, are you okay? Talk to me."
Glitch blinked hard. He felt bruised and shaken up, and he'd bitten his tongue, but he was okay. He nodded.
Anderson unclipped his seat belt. "Get out while I check on the doctor."
Anderson disappeared toward the back of the aircraft while Glitch struggled to his feet and picked his way through the debris to the exit. He was still fumbling with the door mechanism when Anderson reappeared, her arm under Zheng's shoulders. There was a cut on the doctor's forehead. Anderson yanked on a long red lever and the door swung open. Glitch climbed out first, then helped Zheng and Anderson.
They'd come to a halt with the crumpled nose of the Cessna rammed up against a tree. Behind them, their landing had left a trail of carnage. Bits of wing and fuselage lay strewn across the ground, and dozens of trees had been destroyed.
Still supporting Zheng, Anderson led them through the trees to a nearby clearing. Glitch had his phone out and was looking at the "no signal" indicator before they got halfway there.
"Do these trees look strange to you?" said Zheng.
"No," said Anderson, "I'm not really a tree girl."
"Me neither," said Glitch. "Not a tree guy, I mean."
Dr. Zheng shook herself free of Anderson’s support.
"You should sit down," said Anderson, but Zheng was already striding across the clearing, apparently none the worse for wear.
Glitch looked back at the twisted lump of metal that was all that remained of the aircraft. "This wasn't really what I had in mind when you invited me on a sightseeing trip."
Anderson smiled, but her attention was on the tree line. A frown creased her forehead.
Glitch followed her gaze but all he could see was a wall of foliage. "What is it?"
"There's something there."
"I don't suppose you brought a gun?"
Anderson shook her head. "Sightseeing trip, remember?"
"I thought you military types…" Glitch's voice faded off as Anderson's eyes widened.
"Run!" she shouted and charged after Dr. Zheng.
There was a rustle of leaves and the snap of branches as something burst out of the undergrowth. Glitch ran.
Zheng turned as Anderson and Glitch reached her. "Is that a—"
"I don't know," shouted Anderson, "and I don't want to find out. Come on!"
Anderson grabbed Zheng's arm and pulled her into the forest as whatever was chasing them bellowed, the sound reverberating through the trees and sending ice water rushing through Glitch's veins.
Chapter Two
Forest of Fear
Glitch crashed through the undergrowth, just behind Anderson and Zheng.
"Over there!" shouted Anderson.
Behind them, the sound of the creature's pursuit grew louder. Any second now, Glitch expected razor sharp teeth to clamp down on his neck and rip out his spine.
The trees and bushes thinned, and then the three of them were running across a small clearing. It was enclosed on three sides by forest, but ahead, less than thirty feet away, rose a wall of brown rock. At first sight, Glitch thought they were trapped. Then he saw Anderson was standing beside a narrow gap in the rock face, beckoning to him.
The crack of splintering wood came from the forest behind them. Glitch had to resist the urge to turn around and look. He reached the opening and twisted sideways, sucked in his stomach, and crammed himself through. For a second, he thought he wouldn't make it. The unyielding rock seemed to close in. Panic rose inside him as the walls threatened to squeeze the life from his body. Then he felt Zheng grab his arm and pull him the last few inches.
"Scarlett!" shouted Zheng.
Anderson forced herself through the crevice, almost falling as she reached the other side. Just behind her, the beast threw itself at the opening, but its body was too big. Huffing and snorting, it rammed its leathery, elongated head into the gap. The beast snapped and snarled at them as it tried to force itself through. Flecks of spittle splashed against the rock.
Unable to get to them, the creature pulled itself free and began pacing back and forward, watching them through the opening. It paused, leaned its head back, and let out a deep, throated cry. Glitch could hear the frustration in the sound.
"Is that what I think it is?" said Anderson.
Dr. Zheng stared at the creature for several long seconds, then broke out into a broad grin. "It's a Sarcosaurus."
"A dinosaur?" said Glitch. "I thought they were extinct."
"Well, that one looks very much alive," said Zheng.
"Hold on," said Glitch, "I thought we'd all decided dinosaurs had feathers. Weren't they just really big chickens?"
"Well, it's jus—"
"Doctor?" said Anderson. "You're going to want to see this."
Zheng managed to drag her eyes away from the dinosaur still pacing about on the other side of the wall. Glitch saw her jaw drop open and tears well up in her eyes.
They were standing at the top of a hill. The ground sloped away from them until it reached a river, maybe six hundred feet away. And along the banks of the river were dinosaurs. Dozens of them.
Diceratops stood in the shallows, dipping their heads into the water to drink. Brachiosaurs ambled steadily across the hill. One of them stopped, apparently having spotted the interlopers. It stared up the slope at them, then lifted its head and let out a baleful moan before continuing on. A handful of tiny creatures that Glitch didn't recognize darted to and fro, ducking beneath the lumbering creatures around them.
"It's just like…" said Glitch.
"Yes," said Anderson, breathless. "It is."
Without taking his eyes off the scene in front of them, Glitch fumbled in his pocket, found his phone, and began recording. The battery indicator showed it only had 30% of its life left and he knew he shouldn't waste it. They'd need the phone to call for help, but the spectacle was too incredible to ignore. No one would believe them without video evidence. Anderson would have a phone to call for help.
"It's incredible," said Zheng.
"It's impossible," said Anderson.
"Could they be animatronics?" said Glitch. "Disney can do some pretty cool stuff."
"This is a bit more sophisticated than It's a Small World," said Anderson.
"Yeah, but—"
A cry cut Glitch off. A Pteranodon swept through the air above them and glided toward the river.
"Come on," said Zheng, and she set off down the hill.
The grass lengthened as they moved closer to the river, and when Glitch caught up with the doctor, she was crouched down, trying to free something from the grass's embrace. Anderson was standing nearby, watching.
Zheng made a puzzled grunt.
"What is it?" asked Glitch.
Zheng held up a bone, maybe three feet long. It was stained brown but there were a handful of gouges in the surface that exposed stark white bone.
"That doesn't look good," said Glitch.
There was a rustle of grass and the fluttering of wings. Two drab brown birds rose up from the ground twenty feet away and flew, squawking, into the sky.
Anderson pointed to her right, toward a cluster of rocks. "We should get somewhere less exposed."
Glitch looked nervously around as they picked their way through the grass. The dinosaurs were still ignoring them, and from what he could remember from the extensive collection of dinosaur books he'd had when he was ten, none of them looked like carnivores. He wasn't sure whether that was more or less reassuring—he'd rather know exactly where the meat eaters were.
They were halfway to the rocks when a brown blur burst out of the grass. The creature slammed into Glitch, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there. Glitch raised his arms to fend off the attack as a feline head sporting two long, curved teeth lunged at his face.
Chapter Three
The Saber-Toothed Horror
Something moved in the corner of Glitch's vision. And th
en Zheng was there, ramming the bone she'd picked up between the big cat's teeth. There was a sharp crack as the creature bit down on the bone. Hot, meaty breath washed over Glitch's face. Saliva spattered his cheek. Glitch grabbed the bone and pushed, forcing the thing's head backward. He twisted his body, trying to get free, but the cat had him pinned.
The creature flicked its head from side to side, trying to shake the bone free. Then it yelped. Glitch felt its weight shift and sensed an opening. He scrambled out from underneath the cat as it twisted around.
Anderson stood behind the creature, a solid-looking branch in her hand. "Come on!" she shouted and swung the branch.
She hit the cat on the jaw with a satisfying crunch. The creature snarled at Anderson. It took a step toward her, but she rammed the branch into its face.
The cat growled. It was long, maybe four feet, and looked a lot like a lioness. If lionesses had upper canines that were six inches long. Canines that were marked with deep gouges and stained rust red.
The cat's ears twitched, and it raised its head and sniffed at the air. Seconds later, it was gone, vanishing into the grass as quickly as it had appeared.
Zheng stared after it. "That was a Smilodon."
"A smeagol-what?" said Glitch
"A Smilodon. It's a type of saber-toothed cat."
"So now we have saber-toothed cats and dinosaurs?" said Anderson.
"I'm an engineer, not a paleontologist," said Glitch, "but that doesn't make sense."
Zheng shook her head. "No, it doesn't. None of this does. Smilodons are from the Holocene era, those Diceratops are from the Cretaceous, and the Sarcosaurus that chased us belongs in the Jurassic era. They shouldn't exist together."
"They shouldn't exist at all," said Glitch.
Zheng smiled slightly, her eyes glittering with excitement. "But they do. This place is incredible. This could be the greatest scientific discovery since Darwin explored Galapagos."
"If you remember," said Glitch, "the last scientific discovery you made ended up getting us stranded on an alien planet and nearly got us killed. Several times."
Zheng turned to Anderson. "Remind me why you brought him along again?"
"Because without him we’d never have gotten off that planet."
"You're welcome," said Glitch.
Zheng rolled her eyes.
"Would you two please stop?" said Anderson.
Zheng pursed her lips but said nothing.
"Thank you," said Anderson. "Now, you're right, Doctor. This is amazing, but we need to find shelter until help arrives. Even if the mayday didn't get through, someone will notice the plane's missing eventually. They'll come look for us. Until then, we need to sit tight. The scientific curiosity can come later."
Anderson turned away without waiting for a response and began climbing up the rocks. Glitch let Zheng go next, bowing exaggeratedly as she moved past him.
The rock pile wasn’t high, maybe fifteen feet, but it provided a good view of the plain stretching far off into the distance, the glittering blue ribbon of the river cutting across it. Glitch counted five more species of dinosaurs that he didn't recognize. A shadow passed over him, and, when he looked up, he saw two Pteranodons gliding overhead.
"Everyone, lie down," snapped Anderson.
Glitch didn't need to be told twice. Zheng ignored the captain until Anderson finally grabbed her wrist and pulled her down.
"What?" said Zheng.
Anderson pointed to where three huge dinosaurs were making their way toward them. "I thought T-rex were solitary hunters?"
"There's evidence to suggest they traveled in packs," said Zheng.
"And proof," said Glitch.
The lead Tyrannosaurus stopped and ducked its massive head close to the ground. Glitch could see the creature's dark brown hide shifting as the muscles beneath moved. He'd seen Tyrannosaurs in museums and movies, but nothing had prepared him for how impressive they were in reality. They were big, yes, but they also exuded raw, primal power. Power that his prehistoric self recognized and instinctively feared.
The Tyrannosaurs started moving again, more quickly this time. Their path was bringing them right past the rocks. Glitch could hear their approach—not the thunderous steps Spielberg had created for the big screen but a surprisingly soft thudding accompanied by the swish of their tails as they cut through the grass.
Glitch heard a soft, leathery flapping sound from somewhere behind him. He rolled, flipping onto his back just as one of the Pteranodons swooped down. Its huge wings swept forward as feet tipped with sharply curved talons reached for him.
Chapter Four
Death Flight
The Pteranodon's claws wrapped around Glitch's shoulders. Pain ripped through his body as razor-sharp talons dug into his flesh and he screamed. The beast screeched as it dragged him across the rock. Glitch heard someone call his name, Anderson maybe. The Pteranodon beat its wings, and Glitch felt himself being lifted up, away from the rocks. He twisted and kicked, trying to free himself.
The rock beneath him dropped away, and Glitch's stomach twisted as he dangled in open air. He could see Anderson and Zheng standing on the rocks. Anderson threw something at the Pteranodon, but it sailed wide.
Glitch leaned his head back to look at the thing’s head. He caught sight of its long beak filled with lethal-looking teeth and regretted it immediately. His imagination was all too willing to fill his mind with graphic depictions of the creature tearing him apart.
Then the Pteranodon was screaming. One of the Tyrannosaurs had latched on to it. The T-rex clamped down, snapping bones and tearing through the Pteranodon's wings as it flapped and twisted, trying to break free. Glitch screamed in pain as he was swung helplessly left and right as the creatures fought. Bone cracked and the Pteranodon cried out again. It was still alive, still fighting, but it flopped around like a rag doll. The Tyrannosaur flicked its head. There was a sharp snap, and then Glitch was falling.
Glitch hit the ground, landing awkwardly on his shoulder. Pain shot along his arm. His momentum carried him forward onto his back and the impact knocked the wind from him. The Pteranodon crashed into the ground a few feet away. Glitch lay there, panting heavily, until a deep-throated roar that shook the ground sent fresh waves of adrenaline coursing through his system.
The Tyrannosaur that had unwittingly saved him was standing over the dead Pteranodon. It raised its head to the sky and roared again. A second T-rex, smaller than the first, lumbered into view, and the creatures descended on the tattered remains of the Pteranodon.
Glitch could see the rock pile. There was no sign of Anderson or Dr. Zheng, but the rocks were still the safest place for him to be. He got unsteadily to his knees, then up into a crouch. The larger of the two dinosaurs flipped its head back, tossing a chunk of the Pteranodon into the air and then catching it.
Fear spread through Glitch's veins. Where was the third dinosaur? He spun and found it. It was crouched as low as its bulky form would allow, and it was staring directly at him.
Glitch's throat turned dry. Safety was at least forty feet away. He tried to remember how fast a T-rex could run. Was it 45 miles per hour or 25? Maybe it was 15? However fast the thing could move, he wasn't going to outrun it. He looked down at the ground, hoping to find some sort of weapon.
When he looked up again the Tyrannosaurus rex had leaned forward and was about to charge. Glitch readied himself to run, but before he could, he heard the crackle of electricity. The Tyrannosaur twisted, letting out a roar. The crackling came again, and this time Glitch saw the dart embedded in the dinosaur's neck. The creature backed away, shaking its head.
A jeep came hurtling out from behind the rocks. It bounced across the uneven ground and circled around the dinosaurs. A man stood behind some sort of rifle mounted on a platform at the back of the vehicle. A flash of blue light burst from the end of the weapon and the Tyrannosaur roared again as another dart hit its flank.
The jeep slid to a halt beside Glitch, sending a cloud
of dust into the air. Anderson and Zheng were in the back.
"Get in!" shouted the driver.
Glitch clambered in beside Anderson. As the jeep accelerated away from the Tyrannosaurs, Glitch gave Anderson a questioning look. She shook her head slightly, her eyes wary.
Glitch watched the dinosaurs as the jeep zigzagged across the plain. The smaller ones ran at the approach of the vehicle, the bigger ones ignored it or lazily raised their heads as it passed. Still, the gunner kept the rifle trained on anything that looked like it might be threatening. When one of the smaller dinosaurs didn't get out of the way quickly enough, he shot it. The dinosaur stumbled and fell, then lay on the ground, convulsing as the dart's electrical charge coursed through its body. The gunner let out a shout and started laughing.
The jeep took them to the riverbank, eventually pulling up alongside a weathered concrete building with a circular metal door set into it. It reminded Glitch of a vault—a large, spoked wheel sat in the middle of the door and the steel gleamed in the sunlight. A rectangular glass pad was embedded in the concrete beside it.
The driver climbed out of the jeep. "Get out, now."
Glitch began to move, but Anderson put her hand on his shoulder.
"We'd like to know who you are first,” she said.
The driver reached into his jacket and removed a pistol.
He leveled it Anderson. "This is not a negotiation."
Glitch felt Anderson tense, just for a moment. Then she nodded. The man with the pistol grinned, but it was all teeth and no eyes. He removed a radio from his belt and spoke into it. "This is Crowther. We're bringing them in."
The radio crackled. "Roger that."
As Glitch, Anderson, and Zheng climbed down out of the jeep, Crowther tapped the glass pad half a dozen times. A dull, metallic clunk came from somewhere beyond the door. Crowther grabbed the spoked wheel. He spun it around until there was another clunk, followed by a soft hiss, and the door swung open. Harsh white LED lights burst to life, revealing a wide concrete tunnel.
The Jurassic Chronicles (Future Chronicles Book 15) Page 12
