jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第52章

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folded　together　under　its　tail　and　pushed　outward；　throwing　sand　to　both　sides　again　and　again。　〃What's　it　doing？〃　Emmett　asked　Carrollee。
　〃I　don't　believe　it。　It　can't　be。〃
　〃What？　What？〃
　〃Wait；　Emmett。　You'll　see。〃
　After　digging　for　some　time；　the　animal　stopped　again。　A　few　minutes　later　it　began　breathing　hard　and　swinging　its　long　neck　back　and　forth；　seemingly　oblivious　to　the　people　in　the　park　behind　it。　Its　breathing　became　ragged；　but　still　it　didn't　move。
　〃e　on；　Emmett；〃　Carrollee　said；　pulling　his　arm。　〃Let's　see　what's　happening。〃　She　moved　forward　before　Emmett　could　protest；　so　he　followed。　He'd　seen　the　slow　gait　of　the　beast　and　felt　confident　he　could　outrun　it。　A　puzzled　look　on　her　face；　the　policewoman　also　followed。　Carrollee　led　them　directly　behind　the　plesiosaur；　whose　head　occasionally　swung　left　and　right；　freezing　them　in　their　tracks。　However；　it　seemed　oblivious　of　their　presence。
　Carrollee　reached　the　edge　of　the　park　and　looked　down　into　the　hole　the　dinosaur　had　dug；　then　she　signaled　Emmett　with　a　frantic　motion　of　her　hand。　He　approached　carefully　and　peered　into　the　sand　to　see　three　eggs。　Emmett　turned　to　say　something　to　Carrollee；　but　both　the　cop　and　Carrollee　put　their　fingers　to　their　lips。
　As　Emmett　watched　in　silence；　suddenly　the　rear　of　the　ple…siosaur　pulsed　rhythmically　and　another　egg　emerged　wet　from　the　animal　and　fell　into　the　hole；　bouncing　off　the　others；　its　shell　soft　and　pliant。　They　waited　in　silence　until　another　egg　emerged；　and　then　they　backed　away　slowly。
　When　they　were　out　of　hearing　range　Carrollee　babbled　ecstatically。　〃Can　you　believe　this？　A　plesiosaur　laying　eggs　on　our　beach。　I　hope　there's　a　male　in　that　clutch。　That　species　could　be　reestablished。〃
　
　The　plesiosaur　stayed　on　the　beach　another　hour；　slowly　drawing　a　big　crowd　of　people　behind　it　in　the　park。　When　cameras　started　clicking；　the　cops　decided　the　crowd　might　upset　the　plesiosaur；　so　they　backed　them　up　again。　Shortly　after　that　the　animal　began　burying　its　clutch；　the　back　flippers　covering　the　eggs　with　huge　scoops　of　warm　sand。　When　the　hole　was　pletely　filled　the　plesiosaur　turned　and　moved　up　onto　the　mound　it　had　created；　screaming　a　warning　at　the　people。　Then　it　turned；　moving　toward　the　sea；　stopping　again　twice　to　scream　warnings。　Finally　it　disappeared　into　the　sea　again。　Emmett　was　sure　it　wouldn't　go　very　far。
　Carrollee　immediately　talked　the　cops　into　posting　a　guard　on　the　eggs　until　she　could　arrange　people　to　protect　the　site。　Emmett　knew　she　would　have　no　trouble　rounding　up　faculty；　graduate　students；　and　environmentalists　to　mount　a　twenty…four…hour　guard　until　those　eggs　hatched。
　Only　after　the　cops　agreed　could　Emmett　pull　Carrollee　into　the　park　and　past　the　gawking　bystanders。　He　plained　when　his　bare　feet　met　the　hot　pavement　of　the　parking　lot。
　〃Where　are　your　shoes？〃　Carrollee　asked。
　〃In　the　surf。〃
　〃Scared　right　out　of　them；　eh？〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃　　　　〃Then　let's　go'back　for　them。〃
　〃That's　okay。　They　were　a　month　old　anyway。〃
　After　they　swung　by　Emmett's　apartment　for　shoes　and　dry　clothes；　they　headed　for　the　university　again。　This　time　they　　passed　a　grocery　store　that　was　being　looted…though　not　by　an　angry　crowd；　at　least　not　yet。　Three　blocks　away　they　passed　four　police　cars　going　in　the　other　direction。　Without　saying　anything　to　each　other；　Emmett　and　Carrollee　both　knew　things　would　only　get　worse。
　Carrollee　dropped　Emmett　at　the　university　and　then　left　to　arrange　for　protection　for　what　she　was　now　calling　〃her　babies。〃　As　she　drove　away　she　promised　to　call　Emmett。
　When　Emmett　got　back　to　Dr。　Wang's　office　he　immediately　called　up　the　PresNet；　scanning　the　network　looking　for　some…thing　about　plesiosaurs；　but　there　was　nothing。　Knowing　about　the　plesiosaur　was　too　important　a　piece　of　knowledge　to　keep　to　himself；　and　he　typed　in　a　report　about　it。　After　he　finished　it　he　felt　a　pang　of　guilt　and　added　Carrollee's　name。　Then　he　reread　the　report　several　times；　trying　to　get　the　nerve　to　send　it。　Finally；　he　typed　in　Dr。　Wang's　access　code　and　punched　the　send　button。　A　few　minutes　later　Emmett's　terminal　was　flooded　with　requests　for　additional　information。　Emmett's　ego　swelled　with　each　request。　He　was　a　player　now。　If　only　he　knew　what　the　game　was。
　
　33。　　HUNTED
　
　A　great　horned　beast　came　terrorizing　the　villages。　It　walked　on　two　legs　like　a　man；　and　had　a　great　tail　Our　spears　could　not　penetrate　its　skin。　One　hundred　warriors　died　before　we　drank　its　blood　and　ate　its　heart。
　…Legend　of　the　Toltecs
　
　North　of　Bend；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　12：05　P。M。　PST
　
　　Dr。　Piltcher　carried　the　egg　inside　his　shirt　all　the　way　back　to　the　RV；　where　he　wrapped　it　in　a　blanket　and　placed　it　in　the　sun　in　the　front　window。　Sarah；　the　microceratops；　was　still　in　the　back　of　the　RV　and　whining　irritatingly。　Petra　tossed　her　an　apple；　and　she　immediately　attacked　it；　crunching　and　slurping；　then　Petra　split　another　apple　between　Moose　and　Sarah。
　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　decided　to　rotate　the　egg　every　half　hour　during　the　day；　keeping　it　in　the　sun。　At　night　they　would　have　to　use　the　oven；　or　even　sleep　with　the　egg。　Dr。　Piltcher　kept　unwrapping　the　egg；　looking　at　it　and　feeling　the　shell。
　〃It's　nearly　hard；〃　he　said。　〃That　probably　means　it's　ready　to　hatch。〃
　〃I　agree；　Chester；〃　Dr。　Coombs　said。　〃Of　course　it　will　hatch　sooner　if　you　stop　unwrapping　it。〃
　From　then　on；　Dr。　Piltcher　checked　on　the　egg　every　few　minutes　but　he　didn't　unwrap　it。　Instead　he　perched　himself　on　a　bunk　in　the　back　and　sat　studying　Sarah；　who　wandered　around　her　enclosure　sniffing；　and　snorting。　Occasional　small　amounts　of　mucous　sprayed　from　her　nose。　Excited　by　this；　Dr。　Piltcher　wondered　aloud　whether　she　might　have　a　cold。　Colter's　only　response　was　to　put　down　more　paper。
　Then　Dr。　Coombs　called　Dr。　Piltcher　outside；　where　he　found　Dr。　Coombs　and　Petra　kneeling　in　the　tropical　meadow　looking　at　the　grass。
　〃What　is　it；　George？　I　believe　the　microceratops　has　a　cold　。　　。　。　wouldn't　that　be　interesting？　Not　surprising；　for　sure；　but　an　interesting　subject　to　study。〃
　〃Very　interesting；〃　Dr。　Coombs　agreed。　〃But　something　more　serious　is　happening。　Look　at　the　grass　here；　notice　how　it　is　drooping。　The　meadow　is　drying　out；　it　won't　last　long　without　rain。　And　when　the　snow　es　in　a　couple　of　months；　everything　will　die；　animals　and　all。〃
　〃Yes；　we'expected　this。　But　so　soon？　We've　only　begun　to　explore。〃
　Petra　cut　him　off　by　putting　her　hand　on　his　arm　and　then　slowly　standing　and　pointing　across　the　meadow。　The　others　looked　in　that　direction　to　see　the　biggest　animal　they　had　encountered　yet。　Its　huge　head　was　shaped　something　like　a　rhinoceros　and　was　tipped　with　a　long　horn　and　surrounded　by　a　large　collar。　Two　smaller　horns　protruded　from　its　collar　above　its　head。　It　was　five　feet　at　the　shoulder；　and　taller　at　the　back；　its　head　hanging　low　to　the　ground。
　〃What　do　you　think；　Chester？〃　Dr。　Coombs　asked。　〃Is　it　a　triceratops？〃
　〃No；　the　horns　are　wrong。　But　it's　similar。〃
　〃Maybe　we　better　get　inside；〃　Petra　whispered　quietly。　〃Please；　let's　go。〃
　〃I　don't　think　we　should　all　go　at　once；〃　Dr。　Coombs　said。　〃Petra；　you　go　first。〃
　Petra　slowly　backed　up　several　steps；　before　turning　to　walk　toward　the　RV。　When　she　was　nearly　to　the　door；　Dr。　Piltcher　turned　to　follow。　As　he　turned；　the　dinosaur　raised　its　head；　moving　it　back　and　forth　slowly；　then　dropped　and　lifted　it　quickly　again…and　came　up　roaring。　As　the　group　watched；　the　head　dropped　again　and　the　dinosaur　broke　into　a　run；　right　toward　the　group。
　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　bolted　towatd　the　RV。　Petra　dashed　the　last　few　yards　to　the　door　and　then　shouted　for　the　others　to　hurry。　Colter　came　up　behind　her　and　watched　silently。　Petra　was　sure　her　friends　would　win　the　race…the　humans　had　too　much　of　a　head　start。　Petra　felt　relief　as　she　and　Colter　made　room　for　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher。　When　they　were　safely　inside　she　stepped　down；　grabbed　the　door；　and　pulled　it　closed　behind　them。　When　she　locked　it；　Colter　laughed。
　〃It's　not　going　to　make　any　difference；　Petra。　Look　at　the　size　of　that　mother。〃
　As　they　loo