CHAPTER 327

The access tunnel was dark, a hollow concrete tube just wide enough to drive a large box truck through. Vulture, Daniel, Dodgson, and Roadkill stood at the end of it with two other velociraptors. When they had heard the echoing blare of a bear horn moments ago it left them all looking upward. The end of the tunnel opened up into the pteranodon enclosure. Through a thin canopy of jungle trees they could see the pterosaurs flying up the cliff sides.

"They're here," Daniel said. "The other survivors. And they have an advantage. They'll be using dune buggies to traverse the dome."

Vulture and Daniel turned to each other. There seemed to be something communicated between them that was relayed simply by eye expressions, something of concern.

Dodgson watched it happen. He narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Daniel did not answer right away. He looked back at the mouth of the tunnel. The fencing that had once closed it off was torn to pieces and flattened on the ground. He walked out of the tunnel and over the twisted remnants of it. There he crouched in the middle of the dirt road that led away from the tunnel and into the dome's interior. A moment later Vulture was there next to him with her nostrils sniffing at the road. The man and the beast lifted their eyes and looked at each other, exchanging more silent communication.

"Ok, that's going to get fucking annoying really quick," Dodgson said as he came up to them with the other three raptors surrounding his heels.

Roadkill was eying the dirt road now as well. He trilled, and the two remaining velociraptors became more alert and on guard.

One of the pair was the deviant that looked like a cross between a raven and a porcupine. The other was the pale ratty looking raptor with the photosensitivity.

"Hello?" Dodgson waved his hand at Daniel and Vulture's face. "Am I talking to the goddamned air here?"

Daniel stood slowly and released a quiet internal breath. Dodgson was testing his patience, but even more so he was testing Vulture's. As Daniel finished straightening up he caught the utahraptor giving him a look that said, "why do you keep this asshole around?"

Daniel looked at Dodgson and said, "it's obvious that some larger carnivores have made their way in here." He pointed to a partial three toed track in the dirt. "Baryonyx. This portion of the river is well stocked with fish for the pteranodons. That's most likely what drew them in." Daniel's eyes scanned the dirt closer. "But they're not the only large carnivores that eat fish."

The sound of several small gas engines firing up suddenly filled the air. All four raptors snapped their heads in the direction of the noise.

"Shit." Daniel listened for a moment and then said. "Dodgson, the pontoon boats are just on the other side of this enclosure. Get there, and get them ready."

"Wait wait. Now hold on just a second." Dodgson put up a hand.

"Get there. Start the boats," Daniel reiterated. "As fast as possible." He turned to the trio of velociraptors. "Roadkill, you take Ghost and Needles. Make sure he gets there. Don't leave his side."

"God damnit, Daniel. You're not leaving me alone with these things." Dodgson said.

"You'll be fine," Daniel smirked. He looked at Roadkill and said, "play nice."

Roadkill sneered.

Daniel said, "we're going to make sure they don't get to the boats before we do."

He turned to Vulture. The utahraptor stepped back a couple of paces from him and then crouched in a manner that Daniel had never observed before. He was confused at first, but then Vulture made a small head motion toward her back.

Daniel got chills, "Seriously?"

Vulture gave him a look that said she wasn't going to offer twice.

Daniel approached the utahraptor and placed his splayed fingers into her coarse plumage. He could scarcely believe what he was about to do. Then, without another thought, he threw a leg over her back and leaned low to her hide.

Daniel scarcely had a moment to secure his grip before Vulture pushed away from the ground in a full sprint. He felt like he was holding onto a rocket as the utahraptor accelerated up the dirt road. Wind thundered against his face and rolled through his eardrums as flying insects pelted his skin. Daniel tightened his lips and narrowed his eyelids. The ground was fleeting and the jungle around him whipped past. A log in the road rushed up, and Vulture vaulted over it. Daniel felt himself momentarily lift away from the utahraptor's back and the thump against her ribs and spine as she reconnected with the road. His brain shuddered, and he tightened his hold. With every turn and maneuver the beast made Daniel became a little more comfortable, and what he was doing felt more and more natural. Soon he was leaning with the turns and shifting one way or another in unison with Vulture. In short time he was one with the beast.

Vulture broke away from the road and carried Daniel up a shallow incline. The jungle lashed at his body, and he hugged close to the beast. Almost as quickly as the utahraptor had started, she stopped, and Daniel's face was shoved against the back of her neck. Vulture gave a little bark of annoyance but settled. With a trill she motioned to where the lush green fronds parted ahead of them.

Daniel swung off her back and planted his boots firmly in the soil. Taking his paces with care he moved forward until he could see past the jungle growth. From there he had an excellent view of where the river fed into the dome and also the garage where the other survivors were preparing to embark from.

As Daniel peered closer he sensed Vulture come up beside him. He heard her low purr, and he could feel her hot breathing against his cheek. A few moments of this transpired, and then Daniel whispered, "I love that we're bonding, but you're gonna have to learn about Tic Tacs."