Chapter 43: When things Fall Apart

The Professor from the Middle East walked down the corridor in a black coat with black trousers and black shoes. He came to a set of doors and pushed them open with both hands. The tanned face with black, mid-length hair looked around the small room filled with five people sitting by their own computers on desks typing.

The Professor took a look at the group then looked at the large screen above the five smaller ones, "What is the status of the collapsing portal?" he spoke in the Middle Eastern accent being from Egypt before the mass collapse.

One of the men turned in his chair to face the professor, "It's stable and we ready to bring gravity back to the portal."

"Perfect…" he said not taking the eyes off the screen, "Proceed and inform Black Rapt…"

"Sir, the others we detected will hear…" another man quickly said but he paused as he saw the stony gaze he was getting from the Professor, "Sorry… I will do it at once." the man turned back to the computer typing on the keys. The Professor looked at the screen once more and watched the small window image to the top of the large screen. He then pushed a button on the wall beside him.

"Black Raptor, this is Red Falcon. We're activating the Chrono Maximum to bring gravity to the portal in a few minutes. Prepare to exit it into the dinosaur era but we will lose connection to you while your there. You know your mission so don't fail." Chi-Sanner let go of the button and turned away pushing the doors open as he exited the small room. Walking back down the same corridor with the doors shutting behind him, the five men continued working hard on their keyboards getting the right sums to bring gravity to the portal using the Tri-Macrock-Labs primary cannon the Chrono Maximum.

Ali and Littlefoot looked at each other inside the chopper. Maxcien jumped through the gap between the seats to get into the pilot seat. Flicking the switches on the panel around the steering column, she starting the rotors up.

"Who was that?" Ali said looking at Maxcien

"Yeah, it sounds like one of those speaking things we had on our heads," Littlefoot said.

"I wonder…" Maxcien tried the radio to contact the Unit but only got static, "still a temporal field blocking the radio waves… this Red Falcon must be using some type of inter-temporal radio that can get to that biker."

"If it was to that evil human then why did we hear it?" Ali asked.

Maxcien took a look back at Ali, "They mustn't be able to focus the radio transmission to her alone. It echoed down the tunnel and if that person was right, we're going to realised from this time gravity field which is moving us down this tunnel"

"Does that means, we'll fall if those buzzing spinning things don't move?" Littlefoot exclaimed. Maxcien gave a calm nod as she looked forwards and got ready for the surge.

"I am not going to like this…" Littlefoot laid down with a frown preparing for the movement of the chopper once more.

In the Unit, the others had heard the same transmission. With the two guards, Trud and Stud, with Alan and Alice, stood in the front of the Unit awaiting the drop and to start up the systems so it could move down the tunnel on its own steam. Janny came in from the backside of the Unit and she looked at the crowd that built up inside the driving section. She stepped over Spike, then Cera and, walking over to Alice she handed two long boxes to her.

"Thank you Alice. These new power control boxes will give the overall power we need for a full speed drive," Alice said opening up a slot and placing both boxes in it placing each of the slots. Shutting the lid some looked out the window at Mr Threehorn.

"Get ready for a landing and can you run at your fastest until the exit?"

"Yes, I can. Don't worry about me," Mr Threehorn said with a smile, looking forwards and getting ready for his cue

"Good, systems showing all green status on all ports!" Alan announced looking at the screen, "Only problem is, that transmission we had. I believe this Black Raptor is the cause of all the problems in the base and stole those two chips."

"That's the one who killed O'Neil in front of me!" Cera blurted out and everyone looked at her.

"That means…" Stud didn't get a chance to finish what he was saying when the Unit stopped moving. Trud grabbed the wheel and turned it, before pushing down the lever in front of him allowing the vehicle to move ahead on its own power, automatically piloted.

"We're moving on our own steam. Everyone hold on!" he called. Trud and Stud pulled down the centre lever between their seats, giving the Unit a thrust of movement; Mr Threehorn running ahead of it.

Just behind, Black Raptor gave everything the bike could give in speed as it started to move fast down the blue tunnel. She pressed her body against the frame of the bike as she looked through the black visor seeing the blue shot pass her from all around. A cruel smirk came to her face as she saw the Unit just in front, moving fast. Just then, something caused her to lose control as she saw white flashes across the circular walls.

"Time for an escape!" She pulled herself back pulling the front of the bike in the air to perform a wheelie. Dropping the front end, the tyres gave a squeal, giving the bike a boost of speed as it closed in on the Unit, but then, another sound caught her ears. She took a look back to see the chopper charging down the tunnel.

"They have a big advantage… looks like I have to plan something different, but first…" she looked forwards as the bike came up to the Unit. Turning it to the side of the wall, the bike drove up on it at a 45 degree angle passing alongside the unit and quickly over took it. The children in the Unit all saw the bike come passed the window, saw it overtake them and then shoot off ahead of them, driving around Mr Threehorn and speeding down the tunnel.

"Is that…?" Cera gaped looking over at Janny and she gave a nod, "it's getting way! Can't we stop it?" Cera saw Janny shake her head pointing to the weapon system with yellow lights. "Err?"

"In other words, the sonic pulse cannon isn't operational," Alice said looking at a still image that she got of the bike. She was now using the system to run a 3D scan on the bike and its driver. Alan looked over at his sister and then back at his screen.

"We've got new problems… the portal itself is losing containment. We've got about two minutes before it starts to fall apart." Alice got off her seat to look at the same screen. Peeking over her brother's shoulder, she examined the systems that was showing damage to the temporal lining of the tunnel itself.

"Me scared," Petrie shivered as he held on to Ducky.

"Me too," Ducky held on to Petrie with both shaking with fright. No one else replied as the unit travelling slightly slower to Mr Threehorn who was galloping beside them.

Meanwhile, in the Great Valley, the dinosaurs gathered all around the blue vortex as night started to fall. The vortex gave new signs of light with white flashes, loud noises of howling and grinding sounds.

"Please… everyone… quiet it down please…" Grandpa called trying to speak out over the large group all talking to each other and chatting nervously. The vortex, just in front of them, was so loud the gathered dinosaurs could just barely hear each other over the loud noises coming from the portal.

"If Mr Threehorn were here, he would be able to get his voice heard by everyone,"

Grandma said looking at Grandpa.

"Indeed he would dear but he and the children are not here…" Grandpa said as he looked at the vortex then back at Grandma. "I hope our Littlefoot is all right."

"I hope so too," Grandma said watching the others talking to each other then back at the vortex. It had started to change colour from blue to a fiery red with a blast of wind coming from it felt by everyone as the ground rumbled.

"Oh my! This doesn't look good," a male dinosaur said.

"What should we do!?" another one cried out as the shaking stopped but a cold wind continued to blow from it.

"We have to stay calm!" Grandpa shouted as best he could as they all watched the now red vortex give a bright red flash, red lightning sparking off its rims,

"It looks like whatever this thing is, it's having problems staying where it is."

"I think you're right…" Grandma whispered feeling just as scared as many of the others were.Many were chattering nervously to each other once more, muttering phrases like 'it is the end, we all doomed!' Those who could not find their voices merely looked on, fearing the worst to come. Suddenly, a small object came out of the portal startling everyone.

Black Raptor brought the bike to a 90-degree stop, sliding along the ground, knocking up whatever dust was around the area. The dust cleared and she removed her helmet to get a good look at where she was. Black Raptor looked at the green and fresh leaves of the trees and the bushes. She looked at the ground at the green grass and heard some voices. Her eyes followed further up the way of the grass until her eyes came to a large number of dinosaurs looking at her.

"Just what I need. A crowd of scaly, cold blooded giants," she snorted. She placed her helmet back on, turning her head around to the left seeing the portal acting even funnier with a few flashes.

"Perfect," Black Raptor smiled pushing full power into the bike as its wheel spun on the ground. The group of adults watched as the bike's back wheel spun madly, kicking up dust but a few bright flashes blinding their view for a second and they looked at the same place to find the bike was gone and so was the human on it.

"It's… gone?" Ducky's mum gasped looking at the others. Petrie's mum flew up to look around from the air but having not seen much from the night that had settled in but the light from the vortex gave her some help.

"Do you see where it went?" Grandpa called up to Petrie's mum.

She looked over to the way to the Mysterious beyond to see a faint trail of dust settling down.

"It's left the Great Valley," Petrie's mum called as she came back down to land beside Ducky's mum, "For a moment there, I thought I saw a human."

"More of these humans?" Ducky's mum questioned starting off a wave of discussions with humans as the main subject.

Suddenly, something large came out the portal which Grandpa recognised as Mr Threehorn.

"My friend, you're back? Where is…" Grandpa started but he didn't get a chance to finish when Mr Threehorn bellowed out five very distinctive words,

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Everyone was startled as they watched Mr Threehorn hop to the side with seconds to spare as the large Unit came shooting out of the vortex hitting the ground with a giant thud. The Unit slid on its wheels as the brakes tried to stop the super heavy-weighted Unit as it smashed through trees, knocking them over as it came to a halt. Mr Threehorn turned his head to the Unit which was almost right up against his front nose horn.

"That crazy human almost hit me!" Mr Threehorn said as the door started to open up. The large door clicked and slowly lowered down to the ground like a metallic drawbridge. Cera was the first to emerge, looking up at the night sky and then all around her.

"The Great Valley," she sighed gratefully, "I've never seen anything better." Cera seemed very glad she was on more recognisable ground and not in the world of humans.

"Yes, we are home Cera and I see no sign of that evil human," Mr Threehorn said as the others got out of the Unit. Spike was the next to emerge with Ducky and Petrie.

"Duc-Ducky! Spike!" Ducky's mum shouted. Seeing her children, she rushed over to them, completely forgetting about the Unit beside them. She only cared that her children were home safe.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried about you two." Ducky's mum lowered herself forwards to give Ducky and Spike a gentle rub with her head, to which they replied by hugging their mother's beak.

"We missed you too mama, oh yes, yes, yes," Ducky said with tears in her eyes as she carried on hugging her mother and Spike giving a cheerful lick on her beak. Petrie flew to his mother where she caught him in her wings.

"Petrie!" she said with joy "Are you ok?"

Petrie nods with a sparkle of joy in his eyes, "Me fine mama, me miss you lots." Petrie hugged his mum with happiness. Grandpa looked around for Littlefoot but saw no sign of him. Looking down at the children he asked them,

"I am glad to see you are all safe. Have you seen Littlefoot?"

Before any of the kids could answer someone spoke up,

"He's with Maxcien and should be here shortly." Grandpa looked over to the door of the Unit to see two humans in white coats.

"Where?" Grandma asked stepping up to the large vehicle, looking down at the two humans.

"In there," Alice said pointing to the portal.

"They should be here shortly," Alan continued but before Alice could say something Mr Threehorn stepped in.

"Don't start that again!" Mr Threehorn said with a look that gave them a bit of a fright to see but kept their ground despite the glance, "What!?" Mr Threehorn looked at the pair of them.

"Are you done?" Alan asked with his arms crossed tapping his foot.

"What?" Mr Threehorn looked at him now confused.

Alice, with her hands on her hips, then spoke up,

"Do you not want us to tell these two about the little dinosaur Littlefoot?" Alice asked. Mr Threehorn looked at Littlefoot's grandparents and then back at Alice giving a small shake of the head.

"Thank you." Alice turns to Alan, "you may finish Alan."

"That I will Alice," Alan said as he looked up at the two longnecks. "As I was saying, Littlefoot and Ali are onboard what we call a chopper. It's something that humans made that flies with spinning blades. They will arrive any second." Alan said to them.

"Err… sorry?" Grandpa looked a bit confused, "I don't follow. A cho-cho-per…"

"Dear, we don't need to," Grandma looked at Grandpa with a smile, "our dear Littlefoot is coming home."

"You are right Grandma," Grandpa said as he looked at Grandma then Alice and Alan. As Alan has said, the chopper came out of the portal which collapsed within seconds of the flying machine passing through. Letting of a blast of red lightning into the night sky, the portal quickly disappeared into thin air.

The chopper flew around in the air, swaying a bit with some trouble. Everyone looked on as it started to lower to the ground in a clearing where the audience quickly gathered around. The chopper's suspension squealed and bounced a little as the helicopter's wheels touched the grassy ground where the rotor blades slowed to a stop. The gathered dinosaurs watched both puzzled and amazed at the vehicle as the two side doors opened up.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" a voice cried out to the crowd. Grandpa and Grandma looked up to see who had just jumped out the chopper and onto the ground.

"Littlefoot!" both elderly Longnecks said together hurrying to him half way.

"I missed you two so much!" Littlefoot said as both grandparents lowered their heads rubbing against his from either side, with smiles on their faces and joy in the eyes. Ali jumped out the chopper looking around to see if her mother was around. She was surprised to see something pushed her from behind, having her slide on it and raising up a bit. She looked down at what she quickly recognised as her mother's eyes. "Mother!" Ali said with a smile rubbing her head against the topside of her mother's snout.

"Ali, I am so glad you're safe and well," her mother said with a gleaming smile.

As the parents now welcomed their children back, all thoroughly glad they were all safe, Maxcien took at short walk to Alice and Alan who came up to meet her.

"What the blazes happened in there!?" Maxcien snapped at them at once, "We almost didn't make it!"

"A temporal power surge caused the portal to collapse," Alice told Maxcien who quickly turned to Alan.

"But you made it other then that and so did…" Alan paused humming nervously as he tried to think of the words to tell her.

"Who? Come on, spit it out!" Maxcien snapped grabbing Alan by the shirt.

"The…" Alan gulped a bit, "Black Raptor…" Alan gasped as he was released and fell to the ground.

"I will be in my chopper… doing maintenance…" Maxcien grumbled as she turned away.

"Maxcien?" Ali said looking down from on top of her mother's head but Maxcien didn't reply as she got into the chopper and closed the first door and then the second.

"Do you know that human Ali?" Ali's mother asked.

"Yes, she was the one that took me first and…"

"What?" Ali's mother cut Ali off, with shock in her face.

"But mother, she changed and she protected me from harm in the human world," Ali said quickly, trying to keep a good side to Maxcien.

"Oh she did? Then I'll have to thank her for keeping you safe," she said to her daughter settling her shock down, but she was not happy with the idea even though Ali had said Maxcien had changed her ways.

Through the start of the night, talks between the small group of humans and large numbers of dinosaur begin with each sharing something between each other. The children were listening in but Littlefoot and Cera were away from the discussion group. They were inside the Unit sitting by the glass window looking into the room where the human boy, Wayne, was lying still. His eyes closed and the tuneless echoing of his ECG that was monitoring his heart rate. Janny was with them as they laid on some soft thick bed sheets waiting for him to recover which they hoped was some time soon.