CHAPTER 318

The cage rolled to a stop, and Howard King stuffed a pair of thick gloves under Arby's armpit.

"Here. Anyone handling the cage is going to want a pair of these. They're Kevlar."

Diego swung the cage door open and grinned as he did it. "Hey Arby… ¿Más?"

"No más," Arby grunted.

"Let's go, son." Howard loomed beside Arby, stiff and robotic as he always was.

Arby muttered into his shoulder so low that no one could hear, "call me son again. I'll turn this nippy little turkey loose on your ankles."

"Let's go, kid!" Dodgson clapped his palms.

Arby grit his jaw and tugged on the pole. He caught a glimpse of Diego's eye, and he could tell he already wanted to ask the question again.

Arby mouthed at him, "shut up."

Diego chuckled and waved him toward the open cage.

Arby gave the pole another tug, but the baby tyrannosaur wasn't budging.

"Come on, Stella." Arby jerked the pole.

Stella looked up at him and barked. Her hind talons dug at the concrete, and she dropped her haunches.

Arby gave another tug, but Stella was hunkering down.

"Easy, Mr. Benton," Dr. Levine motioned. "We don't want to injure her."

"What's the hold up?" Dodgson spoke through a puff of smoke.

King stepped up. "Get her moving, son. It's not that hard.

"Oh really?" Arby almost let go of the pole. "Because it kind of does seem like it is that hard. And I'm not your son, Mr. Roboto."

Howard somehow managed to stiffen his whole face and body further, and he lurched towards Arby. "We better not have a problem here."

Dr. Levine cut between them. "Hey! What on Earth?"

Arby spoke over her at King. "Maybe you should do this since you're the big expert."

Dr. Levine was cross. "Mr. Benton, please."

King reached for the pole. "Gladly."

In the background Dodgson was flapping his arms. "People, just get it together, and get a move on, ok? God damn it, we haven't got all day!"

Kelly was shaking her head. "Jesus, Arb. This isn't the time for one of your spaz outs."

Arby shoved the pole at Howard, but neither of them had noticed that in the midst of the bickering Stella had become occupied with a curious bunch of compsognathus that were spying on the group from the other side of the cage. The little rex watched them, and her belly grew hungry. Her hunter instincts kicked in, and she sprang for the comps.

Stella lunged with such force that the pole slipped from between Arby and Howard. With a bang it hit the ground and scraped along the concrete as the little t-rex ran away.

"You idiot!" Howard shouted at Arby, and he ran after Stella.