CHAPTER 40
Dallas and Shelly raced along the dirt road. They were coming up along another electrified fence that bordered the village. Behind them there was one pursuing velociraptor that they could see, but they had sighted at least two others at fleeting intervals. There was a small cut-through in the jungle ahead that led back to the open valley and the lava tube. They both kept there eyes peeled as they would be in trouble if they missed it.
Three triceratops rumbled across the jungle at their right. As the foliage shook and trees jostled, two of them blundered onto the road. Their beaks and horns swung at Dallas and he twisted the handlebars. As he swerved to avoid them he almost side swiped Shelly. Dallas straightened himself out and kept going. Moments later he glanced over his shoulder and sighted the lone raptor dodging between the two raging triceratops.
As the electric fence came rushing up, Dallas spotted another figure moving on the roadway ahead of them. His heart jumped as he immediately thought the man-sized shape was a raptor. As they got closer he realized it wasn't the case. The figure was a person, a man. The individual waved one arm wildly as he jumped in the middle of the road. His other arm looked like it was injured and slung across his chest. In his good hand he appeared to be holding a pistol.
As Dallas got closer he began to realize that he recognized the man. He squeezed the brakes and scraped to a halt right in front of him.
"Earl Jr. what the hell are you doing out here?" The man shouted.
Shelly tore to a stop beside them.
Dallas was in shock. "Dad!" The approaching velociraptor shrieked. He snapped his head around and saw it coming. "Dad, get on!"
His father spotted the same thing. "Shit." He hopped on the back of Dallas' ATV, securing himself awkwardly as his right arm was in a sling. "Go, Jr! Go!"
Dallas hit the gas, and they sped off. Shelly kept up right beside them.
Dallas' Dad shouted over the four-wheeler. "There's a gate into the village coming up on your left. It's not far. Don't miss it." He twisted his left arm back and aimed his pistol. He knew how to shoot a gun well, but the fact of the matter was he was right handed, and right now that was hardly an option.
Taking extra care, he squeezed off three rounds. One missed, while the other two struck the raptor in the neck. One of those clearly hit an artery as blood began to spout as from a faucet. The raptor fumbled, then veered to the side and hit the ground. Earl Senior's eyes scanned the surroundings. It wasn't long before he sighted other shadows zipping through the trees.
Dallas pulled on the breaks. "There's the gate! Shelly, stop!"
As they rumbled up to the gate, Dallas' Dad leapt off and swiped his key card through the reader. When it buzzed open he propped the door with his right shoulder and held his pistol out toward the jungle with his left hand. While Shelly and Dallas rolled through the gate, the other two velociraptors stepped out from amongst the trees on the opposite side of the road. With caution and resentment, they regarded the gun. There was visible hesitation in them to move forward. As soon as Shelly and Dallas were through, Earl Senior backed in and closed the gate. With a buzz it locked again. Five seconds later there was an electric hum as the gate re-electrified.
Dallas' Dad stuck the gun in the back of his belt and turned. He hugged his son and nodded at Shelly. "Are you two ok?"
They both nodded.
"Jr. what the hell is going on?"
"I don't know, Dad. They just came out of nowhere. We found a wrecked jeep. We were just scoping it out when they started chasing us."
Shelly looked at Dallas' father inquisitively. "Mr. Brown, that was your jeep wasn't it?"
Earl Senior nodded. "What were you two doing out here to begin with?"
Dallas lowered his eyes.
"I know that look, Jr."
Dallas kicked at the dirt.
"Well?"
"We snuck out of the village on our four-wheelers this morning." Dallas dropped his eyes even further. "We've been doing it for months."
Next to Dallas, Shelly was shrinking back.
Dallas' Father bit his lip. He looked like he wanted to be mad. He let out a hard breath and pointed his finger. "You and I are gonna have a man to man later, son." He looked out through the fence. The raptors were still there.
"Dad? Kyra and that new kid, Seth... We got separated." Dallas swallowed.
His Father continued to eye up the velociraptors. The two hunters examined him equally. He could see the intelligence in them. In an eerie way it was like looking into the eyes of a person. Then he recalled how his co-worker, Maddox had been slaughtered without a second thought. "God be with them."
"Dad?" Dallas was taken back. Was his father really going to do nothing about it.
"There's no chance in hell I'm bringing the two of you back out there." Earl Senior wiped his arm across his sweat soaked face. His hair was a drenched, matted tangle on top of his scalp that leaked down his head. It trickled through the stubble on his cheeks and continued down his neck, where it eventually soaked into the unbuttoned collar of his polo shirt. "I'm not leaving you alone either. The village ain't but ten minutes through these woods. We get there. We call for help."