CHAPTER 33
Just south of Joan, Robinson and Chathem were making a mad dash for the utility shed. They could see the building clearly through the trees now. It wasn't far at all. The only thing that presently stood in their way was the very real possibility that a velociraptor could ambush them at any moment.
"Hey, do you hear that?" Robinson stopped in his tracks.
Chathem was running so intently he almost didn't notice Robinson wasn't with him any more. As he stumbled to a stop he turned to see what was the matter. "What are you talking about, Robbie?"
"Listen." Robinson put up a hand.
Indeed there was a low, rapid, thudding sound on the air.
"That's a chopper!" Chathem's face lit up.
"Damn right its a chopper." Robinson looked to the sky through the tall redwoods.
A flickering disk of blurring rotors glided in above the treetops, carrying a dark olive green helicopter with it. Robinson and Chathem ran for the small clearing that surrounded the utility shed. They exited the redwoods with their arms waving at the sky. Above them the helicopter banked in closer and circled over the shed before descending.
Using a small access ladder on the side of the building, Robinson and Chathem climbed to the roof where the chopper was hovering two feet above. As they approached the aircraft its side door slid open and Page Thompson held her hand out.
"You look like you could use a lift." She grabbed Robinson's hand and pulled him aboard.
"Thompson, you have no idea." He turned around to help hoist Chathem into the helicopter.
"I'll second that." Chathem hollered over the pounding rotors. He held onto the door frame, catching his breath.
Page's eyes became vacant. "No. I have a pretty good idea."
Robinson realized that Jackson and Baily weren't on board the chopper. "Damn it, Page. I'm sorry."
Page shook her head and looked out into the redwoods. "Ms. Murdock?"
"We were separated." Robinson answered.
From the forest an ear thundering tyrannosaur bellow emerged.
Robinson followed the sound with his eyes. "If Joan is alive, Rebirtha won't be far behind her." He leaned forward to the pilot. "Take us up!"
The helicopter rose away from the utility shed and angled itself toward the sound of Rebirtha's roars. The chopper was about seven feet away from the building when the silver neck attacked. The velociraptor lunged from the roof and pulled Chathem out of the helicopter door. Before Robinson's eyes he saw Chathem fall away. He dove for his arm, but all he caught was his wristwatch.
From the deck of the chopper Robinson watched wide eyed as Chathem struck the concrete roof of the utility shed. Chathem's eyes remained open and distant. They stared back at Robinson with a slack jaw. Beside Chathem the silver neck landed lightly on his feet. After shooting a quick glance at the chopper the raptor snatched Chathem's boot and drug him off the roof. The only thing remaining was a streak of blood that trailed from the back of Chathem's skull.
Page lifted her eye from the scope of a rifle. The silver neck was out of sight before she could aim. Robinson pulled his arm back into the chopper. He stared at the watch in his hand. The event had happened so fast it scarcely seemed real. He looked to the pilot after a long moment of contemplation.
"Pull up."
As the pilot ascended the helicopter higher above the trees, Robinson turned to Page and held up the wristwatch. "He wanted to stay with the car."