Chapter Three

Marguerite, Veronica and Micheal finally reach the cave after walking for what could possibly have been hours, hiding from over sized predators has lost them a lot of time. They search the rocky area for the hole they had climbed out of.

VERONICA: It was right here!

MARGUERITE: Maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere.

Micheal walks over to them his face solemn.

MICHEAL: The hole's round here.

MARGUERITE: Great!

Veronica shakes her head.

VERONICA: No somethings wrong.

MICHEAL: It's caved in.

MARGUERITE: What?

VERONICA: That can't be!

MICHEAL: I'm sorry, see for yourself.

They walk over to the area he points to and their exit out of this world has caved in.

VERONICA: There must be another way out.

MARGUERITE: It's ironic really, in our time we're tring to find a way off the plateau, in this time we're trying to find a way back on.

MICHEAL: You're welcome to search the area...Later. But now we should eat.

VERONICA: I'm not hungry, besides the longer we stay here the more chance we have of the giant finding us.

MICHEAL: As you wish, I must go back.

MARGUERITE: Starving yourself isn't going to help matters, at this moment in time Micheal understands this Plateau better than we do and we need his help to get off here whether you like it or not.

She turns to walk after Micheal whose started back the way he came. Marguerite stops and faces Veronica.

MARGUERITE: Are you coming...I'm not leaving you here to be giants dinner.

VERONICA: Worried about my well being?

MARGUERITE: Of course not, I just wouldn't be able to explain you're disappearance to Malone now, would I?

They both catch up to Micheal and continue walking to their 'home' for the night.

* * * * * *

Roxton kneels and examines some prints in the mud.

ROXTON: They went this way.

He points to the area in front of him.

CHALLANGER: Roxton.

He stands up and faces Challanger.

CHALLANGER: T-Rex tracks, headed in the same direction.

MALONE: We have to find them.

They set off at a run in the diraction that Marguerite and Veronica had taken some time before.

* * * * * *

Over the Amazon

Summerlee looks through the telescope that Karla's 'friend' had supplied them with, in front he sees the familiar river that he and the others had taken a year or so before.

Karla looks out at the scenery all around, captivated by it's bueaty.

With them is JAKE their guide he's tall, dark and well built he seems friendly enough but looks can be descieving, Summerlee knows little about him which makes him uneasy but Karla seems to know him.

KARLA: How long til we land?

JAKE: An hour. But we're making good time so hopefully less. I think when we do land it will be better if we make camp for the night.

KARLA: Why? We have plenty of light left. We could be halfway to the treehouse if we continue to walk until tonight.

While this conversation is going on Summerlee kneels beside some small crates, he opens one intending on getting some fruit instead he sees a hidden pistol, a photo of the Laytons and a a photo of the explorers.

He puts the lid back on the crate and stands up.

KARLA: We can rest for an hour then carry on to the treehouse on foot.

JAKE: If that's what you want...

KARLA: It is, (she turns to Summerlee) are you all right Professor?

He forces a smile.

SUMMERLEE: I'm fine, just anxious to get back.

KARLA: What's it like On the Plateau I mean.

SUMMERLEE: A wonderful, unusual, fascinating place and terribly dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

KARLA: You and Professor Challanger must have made many scientific discoveries.

SUMMERLEE: Yes we did and there's still many places we haven't explored many more discoveries to make.

KARLA: When you take solid evidence of this place back to London you'll be famous...

SUMMERLEE: Indeed.

KARLA: Would you go back? Now that you're here again.

SUMMERLEE: I don't think I would.

KARLA: I can see why you'd want to stay, we're not even at the plateau yet and It already feels like home.

Jake listens to the conversation planning his next step.

* * * * * *

Veronica leans back against the cold stone wall watching as Micheal finally falls asleep, Marguerite looks down at the currently uncharted tunnel, fro some reason Micheal had 'politely' asked them to stay away from the tunnel and the area beyond.

This immediately piqued Marguerite's curiosity and she'd made a mental note to see whats down there before she leaves.

She watches as Veronica closes her eyes, she gets up and stands over Micheal making sure he's asleep. She tiptoes down the tunnel the dark making it hard to see in front of her, she can see a faint light in front and she walks towards it. At the end of the tunnel is a large wooden door with a small barred window, she looks inside when a face presses itself against the window she steps back against the tunnel wall.

"Whose there?"

She steps forwards more cautiouslt this time and peers inside, she tries to open the door but its locked.

"Help us" "Please don't let him take us"

MARGUERITE: Who are you?

"I'm Peter"

MARGUERITE: Who put you in here?

PETER: Micheal...He'll trade us as food tomorrow.

MARGUERITE: He'll trade you for food?

PETER: No...We are the food.

Someone taps Marguerite on the shoulder before she can reply to Peter's comment. Marguerite slowly turns her hand tightening on a nearby torch and then she swings it towards Micheal.

* * * * * *

Roxton throws the stray bullets back on the floor and steps back to look at the cave in.

MALONE: They went in there!

CHALLANGER: Hopefully they came out bafore it caved in.

ROXTON: It doesn't look that way Challanger.

He walks forward.

ROXTON: (Shouts) Marguerite...Veronica!

MALONE: The T-Rex followed them here.

Roxton starts moving the rocks.

CHALLANGER: They might have got out.

ROXTON: If they had they'd be at the treehouse...We have to make sure.

Malone and Challanger start moving the rocks hoping they aren't in the cave and if they are hoping their still alive.

* * * * * *

Veronica quickly steps back away from the flaming torch.

VERONICA: Hey!

Marguerite looks at her relieved.

MARGUERITE: You should warn people before you sneak up on them!

She puts the torch back in it's place on the wall.

VERONICA: You know we're not supposed to be down here.

MARGUERITE: When have rules stopped us before?

"Please let us out"

VERONICA: Whose in there?

Before she can answer they hear Micheal shouting them from the cave. They run towards it as Micheal enters, he sees Marguerite.

MICHEAL: What were you doing down there?

Marguerite saunters past him turning his attention away from the tunnel and giving Veronica time to sneak past unseen.

MARGUERITE: I thought I heard a noise, voices, I was mistaken.

MICHEAL: (Worried) so you didn't see anything down there?

MARGUERITE: Of course not.

MICHEAL: Just don't go down there again, okay?

MARGUERITE: Why would I want to go down there...When all the fun is up here?

She smiles at him and walks to the exit where Veronica is waiting for her.

MARGUERITE: We have to get out of here.

VERONICA: Who was down there?

MARGUERITE: Dinner.

* * * * * *

Jake lights a fire then makes his way to a nearby tree to keep watch. Summerlee watches him then when he's sure Jake's far enough away he tells Karla what he saw.

KARLA: It's Impossible! He probably brought the pistol as spare...

SUMMERLEE: And why would he have a picture of you're aunt and uncle and of...

KARLA: I admit that doesn't make sense, I just can't imagine why he'd want to hurt us.

She walks over to the crate and silently opens it, she looks at the picture of the Laytons. She drops it back in the crate and shuts it, her face goes pale.

SUMMERLEE: What is it my dear?

KARLA: It's the picture my brother had on him when he died, it was the only thing that was missing when they...When the police found him.

SUMMERLEE: I'm so sorry.

She takes the pistiol out of the crate amd sneaks over to Jake.

KARLA: I don't like being double crossed.

He slowly turns around, Summerlee walks over to them.

KARLA: Put down the rifle...Now!

He drops it on the floor.

SUMMERLEE: Put the pistol away, Karla?

KARLA: He killed my brother.

JAKE: That wasn't me I was just hired to kill you and the other explorers...

KARLA: And that makes everything all right?

He shrugs, She puts the pistol close to his head.

KARLA: Who?

JAKE: Simon.

KARLA: No...He planned all this?

JAKE: He did...

KARLA: (Shouts) I trusted him, I trusted you...

He opens his mouth to speak again when she hits him over the head with the gun, he falls to the floor unconscious.

SUMMERLEE: We'll have to tie him up and keep him with us.

KARLA: No...We can leave him to the raptors.

* * * * * *

Micheal walks across the jungle floor not bothering to stick to the cover of the trees, unbeknownst to him Marguerite and Veronica are following behind him.

He heads towards the collapsed hole where they see a giant sitting, waiting impatiently.

MICHEAL: Not too late am I?

GIANT: I'm hungry.

MICHEAL: It'll be harder for me to bring the next people.

GIANT: I don't care how hard it'll be Make it happen...Or I'll eat you!

The giant moves towards him and Micheal steps back.

MICHEAL: No need to be hasty, I'll bring them.

GIANT: No need, I spy dinner!

He stands up and walks towards Marguerite and Veronica. They turn and run with the giant right behind them.

GIANT: I like fast food.

To be continued...