CHAPTER 298
Dr. Levine faced the trees. She stood ankle deep in grass and pierced her eyes as deep as they would go into the foliage. She listened with a stern face, filtering out the voices of the people around her and any noises they were making.
Kelly stood with her. She did not disturb Dr. Levine. She knew better than to do so. Kelly recognized the expression she was making. When they were in Costa Rica, searching through farmers' crops when there had been a "sighting," Dr. Levine had worn this face. She was searching for a creature, a dinosaur.
Dr. Levine's finger tips reached out and grazed Kelly's arm. Kelly looked at her, and Dr. Levine tapped her ear indicating to listen closely.
Kelly did so, and she began to hear a squeaking and chattering coming from the trees. She remembered hearing something exactly like it in Costa Rica. One of the farmers had pointed it out to them. He had told them that it was no sound any local bird or other animal would make even as much as it sounded like a bird. In Costa Rica they had heard it only briefly, but now it was quite constant, and there was no question. It was the same animal.
Kelly smiled.
As they both watched they noticed that some of the low laying foliage began to stir. The noises were getting louder.
"Hey, what are we looking at?" George Baselton's voice cut in loud.
Both Dr. Levine and Kelly turned on him with stinging eyes.
"Shh!"
George was tucking his head into his collar like a turtle again and backing away. "Sorry sorry."
Dr. Levine happened to take note of the Slim Jim he was eating, and something in her mind clicked. She looked back at the trees, and the low foliage was rustling intensely.
Dr. Levine turned back to George and also noted that Diego was wandering a small way back with his own hand full of Slim Jims.
"Gentlemen?" Dr. Levine said. "Perhaps you'd better put the food away."
Now there were fast footsteps rushing from the tree line. Everyone looked and saw movement. Dark shapes were scurrying out of the ferns of the jungle and through the grass. No one could make them out, but the straight lines of motion disturbing the tall grass were obvious, and they were shooting directly at Baselton and Diego.
Baselton was frozen and wide eyed. Diego chucked the Slim Jims ahead of him. The creatures were still coming, and they moved even faster.
Dr. Levine shouted, "gentlemen, look out!"