jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第102章

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ow　dinosaur…infested　forest。
　Bill　took　them　up　again　and　deeper　into　the　quilt。　Two　clearings　later　Terry　spotted　something　orange…fluorescent　orange　and　certainly　not　natural。　Bill　couldn't　land　so　he　hovered　at　treetop　level；　giving　Terry　a　better　look。　There　were　four　three…wheeled　ATVs　in　the　trees。　Two　of　them　lay　on　their　sides。　Each　one　carried　an　orange　flag　on　a　seven　foot　whip　pole…　that　was　the　orange　Terry　had　spotted。　They　circled　slowly　but　saw　no　signs　of　any　people。　Even　when　they　widened　their　search　circle　they　never　found　the　owners　of　the　bikes。
　Terry　directed　Bill　into　the　valley；　using　the　few　landmarks　he　could　recognize；　but　mostly　relying　on　his　best　judgment。　Terry　was　directing　Bill　toward　his　house；　or　at　least　where　his　house　had　been。　That　would　be　the　logical　place　for　Ellen　to　look　for　John。　Terry　let　Bill　fly　past　the　location　before　he　directed　him　to　circle。　There　was　nothing　there　but　forest。　Bill's　circles　grew　wider　and　wider；　and　still　they　saw　nothing　but　trees；　no　houses；　roads　or　buildings。　Surely；　Terry　told　himself；　Ellen　and　Angie　would　have　realized　the　futility　of　their　search　by　the　time　they　got　this　far。
　Bill's　air　force　eyes　were　used　to　seeing　things　from　overhead；　and　again　he　spotted　something　new。　Motorcycles　were　parked　around　a　black　spot　in　a　clearing。　He　circled　the　clearing　but　again　saw　no　people；　only　movement　in　the　grass；　small　animals　scurrying　for　hiding　places。　Bill　landed　near　the　bikes　and　left　the　rotors　turning；　then　climbed　out；　offering　an　M…16　to　Terry。　Terry　refused。　He　didn't　know　how　to　shoot　it　and　felt　he'd　be　a　danger　to　Bill　if　he　tried。
　The　motorcycles　were　parked　around　a　fire；　still　smoldering；　littered　with　empty　liquor　bottles。　In　the　grass　on　one　side　was　the　head　of　a　dinosaur；　about　twice　the　size　of　a　human　head。　Its　eyes　were　gone　and　insects　crawled　over　it；　Terry　was　mesmerized。　Even　though　it　was　as　much　a　product　of　evolution　as　Terry；　it　seemed　unearthly。
　Bill　climbed　on　one　of　the　bikes；　turned　the　key；　then　tried　kick　starting　it。　The　loud　whirring　startled　Terry　and　also　something　in　the　grass。　Walking　slowly　toward　the　movement；　Terry　saw　the　grass　had　been　trampled　or　run　down　in　the　makeshift　path。　More　grass　rustled　to　his　right；　and　he　froze。　Then　he　stepped　into　the　grass　toward　the　movement。　He　took　two　steps　down　a　slight　hill　before　he　saw　it。　It　was　a　body；　a　human　body；　in　worse　shape　than　the　dinosaur　head。　Large　and　small　animals　had　been　feeding　on　it；　and　it　was　nothing　more　than　blackened　meat。　Terry　turned　away；　struggling　to　control　his　nausea。
　Bill　was　looking　at　the　engine　on　the　motorcycle　when　he　returned。
　〃There's　a　body　down　there；〃　Terry　said　slowly。
　Bill　stood　up　and　merely　looked　in　the　direction　Terry　pointed。
　〃Well　that　might　fit。　These　bikes　have　been　sabotaged。　Someone　got　mad　and　cut　up　their　wiring；　and　maybe　killed　a　guy。〃
　Before　Terry　could　respond　something　big　ran　behind　him。　Bill　shouldered　his　rifle　and　stared　into　the　grass。
　Suddenly　a　head　popped　up。　It　was　larger　than　a　human　head；　with　an　elongated　snout　and　two　rows　of　needle　teeth。　Hissing　at　them；　it　ducked　its　head　and　continued　walking。　Bill　fired　blindly　after　it。
　〃What　are　you　doing；　Bill？　That's　an　extinct　species…was　an　extinct　species。〃
　Another　movement　to　Terry's　left　brought　Bill's　gun　around　again。　Another　head　popped　up　and　then　disappeared；　similar　to　the　first。　At　the　sound　of　more　movement　in　the　grass；　Terry　realized　they　were　surrounded。
　〃They're　hunting　us　in　a　pack；〃　Bill　said。　〃Stay　close　to　me　and　when　I　say　run；　you　run。〃
　Following　Bill's　gesture；　they　stepped　toward　the　helicopter。　Terry　wished　he'd　not　turned　down　Bill's　other　rifle。　A　pounding　behind　them　caught　their　attention；　and　Bill　and　Terry　turned　to　see　a　dinosaur　about　the　size　of　a　Shetland　pony　charge　through　the　grass。　Its　body　was　gray…green；　with　a　short　thin　neck　and　a　tail　held　up　almost　to　head　height。　It　was　running　on　two　back　legs　and　had　short　clawed　arms　folded　against　its　chest。　Its　mouth　was　open；　revealing　its　double　row　of　teeth；　but　it　made　no　sound。　Bill　fired　three　shots　into　the　chest　in　quick　succession　and　the　dinosaur　collapsed　into　the　grass；　tumbling　toward　Terry　and　Bill；　yelping　and　screaming；　drowning　out　the　thump　of　the　helicopter。　Bill　fired　three　more　shots　at　movement　to　their　left　and　was　rewarded　with　another　yelp。
　〃Run！〃
　Terry　bolted　toward　the　helicopter；　gritting　his　teeth　and　pushing　his　legs　to　move　him　faster　than　he　had　in　years。　Bill　pulled　ahead　of　him；　but　Terry　had　nothing　more　to　give。　Terry's　eyes　darted　back　and　forth　as　he　ran；　watching　for　any　signs　of　attack。　As　he　pounded　and　puffed　through　the　grass；　he　realized　the　sounds　of　the　helicopter's　engines　would　drown　out　the　noise　of　dinosaurs　in　pursuit。　They　could　be　surprised　at　any　moment。　Bill　scrambled　in　as　Terry　ran　to　the　far　side；　swung　the　door　open；　and　climbed　onto　the　seat。　Just　as　he　was　closing　the　door　he　heard　Bill　yell　a　warning。　Instinctively　Terry　leaned　into　the　cockpit　and　pulled　his　exposed　leg　high。　Teeth　buried　themselves　into　the　seat　beneath　Terry；　and　the　dinosaur　struggled　to　pull　the　seat　out　from　under　him。　Then　Bill's　M…16　slapped　down　on　Terry's　other　leg。　Terry　froze；　but　Bill　hesitated。　Suddenly　the　dinosaur　lunged　for　a　better　mouthful。　Quickly　Terry　shoved　himself　up　off　the　seat；　his　back　arched。　The　jaws；　snapped　closed　just　below　his　crotch。
　〃Kill　it；　Bill！　Kill　it！〃　he　screamed；　and　Bill　fired　a　shot　into　the　dinosaur's　head。　Blood　spattered　Terry's　face　and　crotch。　The　dinosaur　stopped　moving　and　slumped；　but　its　jaws　were　still　set　in　the　seat。
　〃Get　it　out　of　here。　We've　got　to　take　off　before　another　one　gets　us！〃
　Terry　leaned　on　Bill　and　kicked　the　head。　With　each　kick　he　heard　the　seat　tear；　but　the　dinosaur's　blood　made　the　head　slippery　and　Terry's　blows　began　to　slide　off。　A　dozen　kicks　later；　the　head　flopped　out　the　door　with　a　piece　of　seat　still　in　its　mouth。
　Bill　increased　rotor　speed　and　pulled　up　immediately。　As　they　lifted　off；　Terry　could　see　two　more　dinosaurs　running　off　through　the　grass。　When　they　were　safely　away；　Bill　turned　to　Terry　with　a　grin　and　shouted　over　the　rotors。
　〃Now　what　was　that　about　those　things　being　extinct　species？〃
　Terry；　shaking；　tried　to　maneuver　his　body　onto　what　was　left　of　the　seat。　As　he　put　his　headphones　on；　he　heard　Bill　chuckling。
　〃That　was　the　quickest　conversion　I've　ever　seen。　'Save　the　endangered　species'　to　'kill　it　quick；'　in　less　than　a　minute。　Say；　Terry；　you　know；　what　kind　of　dinosaur　that　was；　don't　you？　Ballosaurus。　It　eats　only　one　thing　and　it　nearly　had　yours。〃
　Bill　kept　laughing；　but　Terry　wasn't　amused　and　quietly　fumed；　watching　below。　But　for　a　long　time　all　he　could　see　were　razor　sharp　teeth　snapping　an　inch　from　his　crotch。
　〃What's　this？　I　don't　believe　it。〃
　Terry　looked　but　saw　only　foliage。
　〃No；　up　here。　Over　there。〃
　Terry　looked　to　see　skyscrapers　shimmering　in　the　distance…　translucent　skyscrapers。　Portland　was　there　now；　but　it　hadn't　been　just　minutes　ago。　But　was　it　really　there？　Did　Terry　and　Bill　need　to　see　Portland　so　badly　that　their　minds　were　creating　it？　Terry　looked　for　landmarks；　picking　out　the　Bank　of　California；　and　the　KOIN　tower。　Terry　tried　scanning　vertically　to　the　base　of　the　skyscrapers；　but　they　blurred　into　indistinguishable　light　and　shadow　at　their　base；　making　it　impossible　to　distinguish　cars　and　people。
　〃Think　Ellen　and　Angie　made　it　into　the　city？　Maybe　my　son　is　there　now。　Let's　fly　into　it；　Bill。　See　if　we　can　find　them。〃
　Bill　hesitated；　holding　the　helicopter　in　a　hover。　Terry　had　never　seen　him　indecisive　before。
　〃What's　the　problem？　Let's　go　find　our　people。〃
　〃Something's　not　right　。　。　。　mmmm　。。。　It　doesn't　look　real　。　。　。　doesn't　look　stable。〃
　〃If　it's　not　real　it　will　disappear　as　we　approach　it。〃　Terry　said　it　with　more　confidence　than　he　felt。　Why　was　the　city　flickering　like　a　mirage？
　The　helicopter　tilted　nose　down　and　started　forward。　Bill　stiffened　noticeably；　shaking　Terry's　confidence　as　they　moved　forward。　Terry　found　it　difficult　to　stay　focused　on　the　city。　His　eyes　seemed　to　fix　on　the　hil