CHAPTER 202
The rover cruised up the road, wind breezing in circles through its interior as the back hatch remained wide open to leave room for Tomahawk's hind side. Gary and Bill were sandwiched in the passenger seat as there was no more room in the rear. Gary's head struck the window with a thud every time they hit a bump in the road, and his cheek was leaving an increasingly larger grease smear on the glass. It was beginning to give him a headache, and he was starting to get grossed out each time his face slapped against the collection of his own dirt, sweat, and grime that was left on the window. With a huff he gave Bill a little nudge.
"What, Gary?" Bill's ribs twitched as he got an elbow in the side. "I can't move over any more. I've practically got a shift knob up my ass."
Gary's skull knocked against the window again. "Jesus."
"We'll be there in a few more minutes. "Bill motioned up the road. "Then you can have all the space you want." Bill sighed and looked at the dashboard, noticing that there was actually a cigarette lighter on the panel. He chuckled, "and by God, I can actually have a smoke." He reached forward and pushed in the electric lighter, dawning the glow of a little, red, smoking cigarette symbol at its end.
Not a moment later there was a spark, and a plume of smoke rolled up through the cracks in the dashboard. The vehicle's gages fluttered. The motor shook and sputtered, and then the rover's engine cut out all together.
Daniel let the car roll to a stop before depressing the break pedal. In the last few moments of motion there was a crunch of gravel that was fitting for Daniel's constricting grip on the steering wheel. In the following silence his knuckles cracked one after the next before he turned to Bill with a set of eyes that could kill.
Bill was frozen looking back at him. He squirmed in his skin and forced a squeak of a laugh, "finicky wiring this thing has."
On the other side of him Bill heard Gary whisper at the window, "he's gonna murder both of us. Our chances were better wandering the god damned jungle on our own."
Daniel's face tightened as he said, "you had to do that, did you?" Never breaking eye contact with Bill, he turned the key several times with not so much as a subtle click, cough, or sputter from the motor. Not even the slightest flinch from the gages was observed.
Bill was petrified. He didn't know what to say. Daniel kicked his door open and slid out so his knees were on the ground, and he thrust his head under the dash. Bill and Gary heard the sound of a metal panel being pried away, and then it flew up at their faces.
Daniel sprang up a moment later. Daggers were shooting from his eyes and flying straight at Bill, but he did not say anything. Stomping to the front of the rover he threw open the hood.
Bill looked at Gary.
Gary shook his head. "Don't talk to me." He unlatched his door and slipped out from beneath Bill. Bill tumbled halfway out of the car as Gary joined Daniel at the engine. Bill pulled himself back in and shut the door. He didn't want to be anywhere near Daniel right now. Watching through the windshield he observed as much as he could from either side of the propped hood. There was silence, then cursing, then he saw Daniel's arm wave in frustration. From the other side of the car Gary backed away. A moment later he was climbing back into the rover on top of Bill.
Gary stared at the grease spot his cheek had left on the window. "He doesn't want help."
Bill shifted under Gary's hip with an uncomfortable grunt, "go figure."
They both sat in silence for the next few minutes until they heard a familiar and spine chilling purr from the back of the rover. Bill and Gary turned in unison and looked down over the seat back.
Tomahawk was curled up behind them with her snout folded against the rear of their seat. As far as they could tell she was securely restrained, but her eye was wide open, and she glared at them. The utahraptor's lips curled and she showed her teeth through the makeshift muzzle that Daniel had strapped over her jaws. The feathers of her neck prickled and then it continued in a wave down the length of her body. Through her plumage both men observed the raptor's muscles tone up against the restraints. Tomahawk flexed and strained and started to growl. The whole time her iris was flaring at Gary and Bill.
Bill said, "she looks pissed."
Gary nodded and slipped back out of the vehicle without a word, and Bill, noticing he was now alone with the utahraptor, followed close behind.
Both men came around the hood like a sheepish pair of children approaching a parent who had recently scolded them.
Daniel had found the fuse box and was tinkering inside of it. He did not acknowledge them in the slightest.
They watched him for about a minute before Bill said, "your girlfriend is awake. I think you should've slipped a larger mickey in her drink."
Daniel continued to show no regard for them.
Gary mumbled something as though a thought had occurred to him.
"What?" Bill leaned into him.
Gary repeated, "he didn't want to accidentally kill her, so he gave her a low dose. Tomahawk is a prototype specimen. We haven't run a full panel of tests yet to see how their system tolerates different sedatives and higher doses of said drugs."
"Bingo." Daniel popped his index finger in the air without looking up from the fusebox. "Gary wins a prize." Daniel straightened himself out from under the hood and looked at Gary and Bill like he wanted to run them over.
When what felt like another minute ticked by Bill finally said, "well?"
Daniel put his finger in the air again, this time signaling everyone to be quiet. He was motionless, cocking his ear to the air. In a flash he drew one of his revolvers and aimed it toward the rear of the rover. Daniel stooped into a partial crouch and moved along the side of the vehicle. The closer he got to the open hatch at the back the slower he moved. When he reached the back corner of the car he paused. Daniel depressed the trigger of his revolver half way before jumping out in an attack poise.
Eying the back of the rover Daniel saw that nothing was out of sorts, but he could've sworn he saw a tail slip by the rear of the vehicle. Tomahawk was still laying in the back exactly the way he had strapped her in. She had not moved at all. The jungle was still as Daniel panned it.
He saw nothing of threat. His eyes squinted as he eased off the trigger. In the pit of his stomach something did not feel right. He walked to the front of the rover while jamming his pistol back at his side. His eyes were still shifting across the surrounding foliage as he stooped into the driver's seat.
Not wanting to be outside the vehicle by themselves Bill and Gary piled back on the passenger side. Both of them watched in anticipation as Daniel turned the key. There was a click, and a ticking, and the motor clunked over. Silence followed.
"Damn," Bill said.
Daniel turned the key again, and nothing happened. He shifted his eyes and looked at Bill and Gary.
Bill sank in his seat as Daniel's piercing stare fixed more so on him.
Daniel moved to get back out of the car when he saw a flash in the rearview mirror.
Tomahawk's jaws came from between the seats and grabbed Bill's head. In a swift whoosh Bill slipped through the seats and into the back of the rover. He kicked and screamed as Tomahawk crawled backwards out of the rear hatch with a fierce sneer and growling teeth. The utahraptor was standing on the road in moments with Bill still flailing in her mouth. Reaching up with one foot she kicked a killer claw at him and ripped his back open. Dropping Bill she bolted into the jungle.
Daniel and Gary were left staring at each other through the empty space where Bill had been. It did not take much examining to see that Tomahawk had some help escaping as the straps were cut and chewed apart by other raptors.
At the front of the rover the hood fell closed with a bang causing Gary to jump in his seat. In the same instant the motor hummed to life.
Daniel looked at the gages on the dash thoughtfully as they flitted into action. "Well I'll be damned."
At the back of the rover there was a moan. Gary sprang from the vehicle. "Bill!"
As he rushed to the back of the rover he was not prepared for the pile of organs that he saw uncoiled in the dirt or the bare white ribs and red muscle that lay completely exposed. Gary stopped in his tracks. Daniel had come around the other side of the car and was looking at the situation with what appeared to Gary to be indifference.
There was another moan from the ground.
Gary looked at Daniel. "He's still alive. We can't just leave him like this."
Daniel's revolver came up from his hip. He did not even look to have taken aim, though with a bang and a burst of blood Bill's brain was splattered over Gary's shoes.
Gary took a step back in shock.
Daniel holstered his gun without a word and walked to the front of the rover. Before sliding back into his seat and flinging the door shut he said, "your welcome."