CHAPTER 357
Vulture, Roadkill, Needles, and Ghost all crowded around the gate as Dr. Levine and Kyra pushed up the large latch that held it in place. Behind them the spinosaurus could be heard thundering closer. With the latch free they swung the gate open and waved the four hunters through. The raptors wasted no time, and as their tails swiftly slipped past, Kyra and the doctor ran in behind them. They were about to shut the gate when Kyra spotted Seth still standing out in the pterosaur enclosure. He was just there, with his back turned to them, watching the spinosaurus approach like he was stuck in some kind of a trance.
Kyra did not have time for questions. She reached out and snatched the back of Seth's collar. With one big yank she pulled him past the gate, and Dr. Levine slammed it shut.
Only then did Kyra let out an exasperated, "what the hell were you doing!"
Seth did not answer. He just stared at her.
Kyra did not have the patience. "Ok, I don't have the space for whatever mental collapse this is that you're currently going through." She let out a loud sigh and turned away from him.
Vulture and the three velociraptors were already at the second gate and peering through to the other side. When Dr. Levine moved to join them they all turned on her with ferocious growls.
"Richard!" Vulture sneered.
Dr. Levine put up her hands and froze. She was taken back by this sudden turn of aggression.
Vulture hissed, "we go on boats now!"
"Yes," Richard assured them. "We're going on the boats now."
"You promise. I trust. No tricks," Vulture growled.
Richard nodded. "No tricks. No lies. I promise. We're going on the boats now."
Vulture and the velociraptors relaxed and parted to allow Richard access to the gate. As she approached it she could still feel all their eyes on her, watching every move she made. Richard understood in that moment that if she shook their trust at any time during this alliance, whether intentional or not, she, Kyra, and Seth would be torn to bits without a second thought.
Dr. Levine stopped at the gate and peered through, spotting the skull marker straightaway. Her eyebrow raised, and she let out a small, "hm."
Kyra came up beside her. "It's a warning. The raptors use them to scare us, or keep us away, I think."
"Fascinating…" Richard quickly shook off the wonder of it and turned to Vulture. "Not your handiwork, I presume."
Vulture shook her head.
"Falcon," Seth said from behind them.
A dark shadow fell over them, and the caging around them shuddered like an earthquake. They all cowered and snapped their heads toward the inside of the pterosaur enclosure.
The spinosaurus had her jagged teeth locked onto the metal bars of the first gate. She breathed heavily, letting the warm foul oder of her gullet waft over them. The spinosaurus shook the gate again and then let go. Her head leaned to the side, and her speckled eye peered at them.
Seth unfolded from his cower and walked toward the beast. He leveled his eyes with hers, his nose just inches from the gate. The spinosaurus shifted, and he matched its movement. She leaned in, and he leaned in closer. The spinosaurus slammed her teeth against the gate and roared her hot breath over Seth. Seth did not flinch. The spinosaurus stared for a moment and then backed away. With a grumble the huge carnivore simply began to pace at the gate, watching those inside the lock with a longing eye.
Seth turned away from the spinosaurus and found that the others were staring at him, even the raptors. He walked past them all with a blank look and did not make eye contact.
Placing his hands on the latch for the second gate he said, "to the boats," and pushed the lock open.