CHAPTER 34

Ms. Murdock was trapped. She'd hidden herself in the hollowed out base of a redwood trunk where there was just enough room to curl into the fetal position. From where she sat she had an excellent view of Rebirtha's snarling teeth and flaring snout. The carnivore's hot breath blew in her face and growled at her with ferocious snapping jaws. There wasn't much Joan could do but wait.

Rebirtha backed away and stomped her feet in frustration. The tyrant bellowed all the air out of her lungs, and after a hefty breath she charged in again. The tyrannosaur gnawed at the sides of the opening and pulled shreds of bark away.

Joan exhaled in an effort to squeeze her feet in just a little further. Rebirtha's serrated choppers were slashing only inches from her ankles. The rex's growls were deafening in her ears. It was all Joan could hear when the beast was clashing its jaws at the opening. By the time Rebirtha backed off again her ears were ringing. She was barely able to identify the thumping sound of helicopter rotors as a chopper hovered in above the trees. The pounding disturbance put the tyrannosaur in a state of being perplexed. Rebirtha roared at the sky and blundered with an awkward sideways saunter. The dinosaur had taken her attention completely off Joan.

In the meantime Ms. Murdock was just catching on to what was happening. Beyond Rebirtha she spotted a length of rope uncoiling down through the treetops. Joan watched as the slack hit the dirt, and the suspended chord wavered from the helicopter above. She didn't think much about it. She just ran.

In a rapid burst her feet carried her out of her hiding spot and into the open. One moment she was weaving around Rebirtha's ankles, and the next she was grabbing for the rope. Joan felt a rush above her as the tyrannosaur circled to chase. She knew it was only a matter of seconds before the beast's jaws were upon her again. Looking up at the helicopter she spotted Robinson's face hanging out of the side door. Giving a quick thumbs up Joan tightened her grip. A moment later the chopper lifted off and hoisted her among the tree limbs. As she steadily ascended Rebirtha took a snap at her legs and caught the slack rope dangling just below Ms. Murdock's feet.

There was a sharp jerk as Joan was yanked to the side. Her ribs struck a thick tree branch, and she almost lost hold of the rope. As the rex tugged with narrow eyes and a tightened face she was repeatedly battered against the limb. It took all the strength Joan had not to let go.

After a time Rebirtha calmed down and simply held the rope in her teeth. With cautious movements Joan squeezed the rope between her thighs and let go with her right hand to grab a knife from her pocket. Unfolding the blade she sawed through the rope with haste, cutting as far below her hands as she could. The line had only been partially cleaved when Rebirtha gave it another tug. Joan tumbled against the tree limb another time, and her knife plummeted to the ground.

"Damn it!" Her fingers clasped after it with a folly snatch.

Joan could do nothing else about it. As she ascended the rope hand over hand, Rebirtha shook her head with more vigor. Ms. Murdock crashed through twigs and scraped along branches and bark, all at the vicious whim of the tyrannosaur's jaw flinging. Above her the helicopter whined as it was pulled off balance.

Joan forced herself to climb faster as she was battered upon one branch after the next. Rough sticks clawed at her skin while redwood needles lashed toward her eyes. Joan was near the tree tops when the rope snapped apart where she'd been cutting it. With a twang the lower slack dropped into Rebirtha's face. As the chopper leveled off Joan became steady and continued to climb. Below her the tyrant was roaring a fit.

As Joan reached the helicopter, Robinson pulled her aboard. While he secured the door she slumped down into the nearest seat and cocked her head back with a heavy breath. Robinson dropped down next to her. He sounded weary.

When Joan looked around the chopper she was surprised to see no one else other than Page and the pilot. A tightness grew in her throat as she realized that half the team had been killed. Joan shut her eyes and listened to the rotors. There was nothing she could say or do about it.

"Damn."