CHAPTER 161
Dianna and Bryce watched as the two velociraptors slashed their feet out to disembowel their children. They both stopped breathing as the dreadful act ensued, but it did not come to fruition. Something unforeseen changed the course of events.
The garage door on the shed had an overhang above it that extended outward by ten feet. Even in the morning sunlight the space below had a solid shadow cast over it. To Dr. Conner's astonishment a large portion of the garage door peeled away from the building and lunged from the dark. At first he was compelled to believe that the building was somehow collapsing. It took him another moment to realize that this was not the case.
Roughly ten feet tall and thirty feet in length the now free standing mass leaned down and bit the velociraptor that was pinning Seth. Clenching the raptor around the back, the mass lifted it into the air. Dr. Conners realized that this thing had a mouth. It had a neck, body, legs, and a tail. This thing was a dinosaur.
Upon this realization Dr. Conners knew exactly why no one had noticed the thirty-foot carnivore until just now. Carnotaurus was a master chameleon. Its ability to blend with its surroundings was scarcely matched by any creature. Not only could this dinosaur mimic colors, it could replicate complex textures and patterns such as tree bark, a brick wall, or the criss cross of a chain link fence, and it could do it in seconds. Especially when hiding among the shadows carnotaurus was easy to miss.
Rattling the bones of the velociraptor in its mouth this carnotaurus had a distinct divide down the center of its body as one side bore a dark wood grain pattern while the other still displayed its default color of deep forest green. Dr. Conners recognized this carnotaurus to be the one that Dr. Johnson had named Two Face, after the Batman villain. It appeared that it was only able to alter one side of its body. Dr. Wu had deduced that the carnivore's ability to shift colors seemed to be impaired by a genetic defect.
From the ground Seth heard the commotion above him and dared to roll over and look. From his vantage he saw the huge belly of the carnotaurus heaving overhead. Its feet stomped in the dirt to either side of Seth, and in the air the velociraptor's limbs were flailing as it shrieked and struggled to break free. From the ground Seth caught glimpses of the carnotaurus' snarling face. If hell had a dinosaur, this was it. Mounted over its eyes a thick pair of horns jutted to either side. Running along the back and sides of its neck were large scaly studs that continued over its torso and down its tail. The only thing it needed was smoke and fire to look like a full blown demon.
As Seth curled into the fetal position he saw from between his arms something large fly through the air and slam into the ribcage of the carnotaurus. Recognizing a distinct plumage Seth realized that it was Falcon.
Throwing the velociraptor aside Two Face roared and stumbled sideways into the shed's overhang. In the process Seth was almost slashed by Two Face's hind talons. With a crash the horned predator collapsed the awning and fell on top of it. Pinned on its back it kicked at Falcon as she fought to swipe her killer claws.
Seth sprang to his feet. He figured this was his one and only chance to make a break for the shed. As soon as he was up he heard a raptor caw and was mowed back to the dirt. He had been knocked over by the velociraptor that had been cast aside by Two Face, but it was not coming for Seth. It ran straight through him and leapt onto Two Face's head.
Once again Seth jumped to his feet. Looking around he saw Kyra and his mom still guarded by velociraptors and Dr. Conners yet under the restraint of Tomahawk and Vulture. The two utahraptors had an anxious look in their eye. They seemed not to know whether to keep on guard or abandon their post and join the brawl.
"Get to the shed!" Dianna screamed at her son.
"Seth, run!" Bryce shouted.
Seth turned and ran.