jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第51章

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　〃I'm　selecting　specimens　for　identification。　That's　what　marine　botanists　do。〃
　〃You're　a　botanist？〃　the　policewoman　said；　clearly　surprised。　〃Why　would　they　send　a　botanist　to…〃
　The　policewoman　broke　off　her　sentence　when　a　head　popped　through　the　surface　behind　Carrollee。　Slowly；　the　head　rose　higher　out　of　the　water…it　was　large；　shaped　like　a　turtle's　head；　but　elongated　and　covered　with　gray　lizard　skin。　The　mouth　opened　silently；　revealing　uneven　rows　of　triangular　teeth；　and　the　head　continued　to　rise；　revealing　a　snakelike　neck　that　thickened　as　more　of　it　appeared　above　the　waves。　As　it　rose　above　Carrollee；　it　seemed　smaller；　dwarfed　by　the　length　of　the　neck。　When　its　ascent　stopped；　the　head　was　fifteen　feet　above　the　surface。
　Both　Emmett　and　the　two　police　officers　were　speechless。　When　Carrollee　spoke　to　Emmett；　breaking　his　trance；　he　looked　down　to　see　her　staring　at　them　with　a　ical　look。　Her　back　was　still　to　the　monster。
　〃What　are　you　people　doing？　If　you　could　see　the　way　you　look…〃
　Then　three　things　happened　at　once。　The　policewoman　raised　her　shotgun　to　her　shoulder　and　shouted　to　Carrollee　to　get　out　of　the　way；　and　Emmett　bolted　into　the　water；　racing　to　reach　Carrollee　in　time。　At　the　movement；　Carrollee　turned　to　look　behind　and　said；　〃Magnificent。〃
　Then　the　monster　screamed　a　sound　like　tearing　metal。　The　cops　couldn't　fire　until　Carrollee　and　Emmett　were　safely　out　of　the　way；　but　Emmett　feared　they　might　panic。　He　was　nearly　to　Carrollee　when　the　monster　turned　its　head　to　the　side；　staring　down　into　the　sea；　and　Emmett　realized　it　was　farther　out　to　sea　than　he'd　first　thought…he　wasn't　used　to　animals　of　that　size。　He　grabbed　Carrollee　and　pulled　her　toward　shore。
　〃Stop　yanking　me。　Don't　you　know　what　that　is？〃
　〃I　know　it's　not　Flipper！　Now　let's　get　out　of　the　water。〃
　〃It's　a　plesiosaur。　Can　you　believe　it？　A　plesiosaur。　Everyone　thinks　they're　extinct　。　。　。　extinct　for　millions　of　years。　Let　go　of　me！〃　Carrollee　yelled；　jerking　her　arm　away　from　Emmett；　Then　to　Emmett's　horror；　she　turned　and　dove　into　the　water　toward　the　animal；　disappearing　beneath　the　waves。　Suddenly　the　head　stabbed　down　into　the　sea　and　the　cops；　startled；　shouted　a　warning。　Emmett　screamed；　〃Carrollee！〃　Near　panic；　he　kicked　off　his　shoes　in　preparation　for　swimming　after　Carrollee　and　had　pulled　down　his　pants　when　she　resurfaced。
　〃It's　too　far　away。　I　can't　see　its　body；　but　I'll　bet　its　got　four　flippers　and　a　ten…foot　tail。〃
　Emmett　zipped　up　and　dragged　Carrollee　out　of　the　surf；　looking　fearfully　over　his　shoulder　at　the　monster。　The　plesiosaur's　neck　looked　like　a　huge　piece　of　curved　pipe。　Then　the　neck　straightened　and　the　head　appeared　again；　a　fish　in　its　mouth；　and　it　used　a　snapping　motion　of　its　head　and　jaws　to　work　the　fish　lengthwise　and　swallowed　the　fish　whole。　Then　it　turned　to　look　back　at　the　people　on　the　beach。　By　now　Carrollee　and　Emmett　were　clear　and　the　police　raised　their　shotguns　again　to　fire。
　〃Don't　shoot　it。　Don't　shoot　it；〃　Carrollee　shouted。　〃It's　not　dangerous。　It　only　eats　fish。〃
　〃It's　big　enough　to　swallow　a　dolphin　whole；〃　Emmett　responded；　〃or　a　person。〃
　〃It's　not　that　big。　Well；　even　if　it　is；　it　eats　fish；　not　people。〃
　The　police　were　confused。　They　had　a　strong　desire　to　shoot　the　plesiosaur　but　believed　Carrollee　was　an　authority　on　the　creatures；　and　a　representative　of　the　university。　The　police　were　indoctrinated　into　taking　orders　and　shooting　only　as　a　last　resort；　so　Carrollee's　protest　stopped　them　from　firing。　But　they　didn't　take　their　eyes　off　the　beast。　Emmett；　meanwhile；　was　trying　to　hurry　Carrollee　away　from　the　water。　The　police　walked　backward　behind　them；　their　guns　trained　on　the　animal's　head。
　〃There　must　be　a　colony　of　them　living　deep　in　the　ocean；〃　Carrollee　hypothesized。　〃There　was　probably　an　underwater　volcanic　eruption　or　avalanche　that　drove　this　one　to　the　surface。　That　would　account　for　all　this　unusual　laminaria。　It　was　probably　sent　up　with　the　plesiosaur。〃　Then　Carrollee　paused　and　looked　back。　The　plesiosaur　was　still　staring　at　the　beach　and　screeched　its　metal…tearing　sound　again；　rattling　Emmett　and　the　police。　Carrollee　didn't　even　pause　in　her　speculation。　〃Except；〃　she　continued　when　the　screeching　died；　〃this　is　a　reptile。　It　couldn't　live　deep　in　the　sea　without　ing　up　for　air。　And　if　they　keep　ing　up　why　haven't　we　seen　one　before？〃
　Even　safe　on　the　beach；　Emmett　was　still　nervous。　The　plesiosaur　seemed　fixated　on　the　beach　and　very　disturbed　by　the　people　there。　Emmett　picked　up　Carrollee's　jumpsuit　and　handed　it　to　her；　but　she　was　too　lost　in　thought　to　put　it　on。　Instead　she　held　it　and　free…associated　for　everyone　to　hear。
　〃How　about　this？　An　egg　is　frozen　in　the　antarctic　ice。　It　breaks　free　in　an　iceberg　and　heads　north。　The　iceberg　melts；　freeing　and　warming　the　egg。　The　egg　hatches　and　a　baby　plesiosaur　is　released。〃　Then　she　frowned　again。　〃That　is　too　farfetched　even　for　me　to　believe。〃　Carrollee　fell　silent　and　stared　at　the　plesiosaur。　Emmett　watched　it　too；　stunned　by　its　size。　Then　Carrollee　turned　and　looked　Emmett　in　the　eyes。　〃What　do　you　know　about　this？　What　aren't　you　telling　me？〃
　〃Let's　get　back。〃
　〃This　has　something　to　do　with　all　the　disasters；　doesn't　it？〃　。　〃Here're　your　shoes；　Carrollee。　I　really　don't　know　what's　going　on；　that's　what　I　was　trying　to　find　out　in　Dr。　Wang's　office。〃
　Carrollee　still　looked　suspicious；　but　she　let　the　matter　drop。
　〃Help　me　get　my　specimens　then。〃
　　　　Obligingly；　Emmett　was　picking　up　her　seaweed　when　he　heard　a　cop　shout　a　warning。
　〃Look　out；　it's　ing！〃
　Emmett's　head　snapped　up。　It　was　ing…the　plesiosaur　was　moving　through　the　water　toward　the　beach。　As　it　approached　it　screeched　again。　The　cops　raised　their　guns　again　but　Carrollee　ran　out　onto　the　beach　in　front　of　them。
　〃It's　harmless。　I'm　telling　you；　it　doesn't　eat　people！〃　she　screamed　urgently。
　The　expression　on　the　cops'　faces　told　Emmett　they　were　losing　confidence　in　Carrollee。
　When　Emmett　turned　back　to　the　plesiosaur；　its　movement　had　changed。　Instead　of　gliding　toward　shore；　it　was　now　swimming　jerkily；　its　head　rocking　back　and　forth。
　〃Carrollee；〃　Emmett　said。　〃I　think　it's　beaching…〃
　〃No　it　isn't！〃　Carrollee　shouted；　loud　enough　for　the　cops　to　hear。　〃It　lives　in　the　sea。　It　can't　get　around　on　land。　It　has　only　flippers。〃
　The　cops　heard　Carrollee；　but　they　kept　their　guns　on　the　beast。　Slowly　its　body　began　to　emerge　from　the　water；　the　fifteen…foot　neck　attached　to　a　huge　lump　of　a　body　with　gray　skin；　like　the　head；　but　speckled　dark　green　along　the　spine。　It　became　clear　the　plesiosaur　was　dragging　itself　along　the　sea　bottom　and　ing　ashore。
　〃Dr。　Chen…Slater；〃　the　policewoman　said　without　lowering　her　shotgun。　〃I'm　no　expert；　but　that　dinosaur　is　headed　this　way；　and　it's　not　swimming。〃
　〃It's　not　a　dinosaur；〃　Carrollee　argued。　〃It's　a　reptile。　It　shouldn't　be　ing　ashore。　Really。　It's　probably　curious　about　us。　Maybe　we　should　back　up。〃
　The　plesiosaur　screamed；　seemingly　at　the　people　on　the　beach　and　in　the　park。
　〃It　sounds　angry　to　me；　not　curious；〃　the　policewoman　answered。　〃I　think　backing　up　is　a　good　idea。　But　if　it　charges　I'm　going　to　kill　it　no　matter　what　you　say。〃
　〃It　can't　charge　。　。　。〃　Carrollee　began；　but　gave　up。　She　had　already　lost　most　of　her　credibility。　Besides；　she　really　didn't　know　if　it　could　charge。
　The　plesiosaur　dragged　its　body　out　of　the　water　using　four　huge　paddle…shaped　fins；　dragging　a　long　tail。　The　flippers　worked　in　unison；　the　front　and　back　ones　rotating　forward；　to　dig　into　the　sand；　dragging　the　animal's　body　toward　the　shore。　The　police　pushed　the　tourists；　Carrollee；　and　Emmett　back　into　the　park　away　from　the　beach；　but　still　the　animal　kept　ing；　dragging　itself　across　the　sand。　When　it　reached　the　embankment　edging　the　park　it　stopped；　swinging　its　head　back　and　forth；　screaming　at　the　people；　pushing　them　back　farther。　But　suddenly　it　turned　its　back　to　the　bystanders　and　stopped。　Everyone　waited　for　it　to　return　to　the　sea；　but　it　didn't　move。　Instead　the　rear　flippers　folded　together　under　its　tail　and　pushed　outward；　throwing　sand　to　both　sides　again　and　again。　〃W