CHAPTER 353
The raptors were on edge. Their quills were standing. As they stood with straight snouts and stiff tails they did not see anything along the tree line.
Dr. Levine had Daniel's gun pointed at the foliage while keeping one close eye on Daniel and Dodgson. Kyra was hanging near her shoulder with a look of anticipation. Richard narrowed her eyes in search of movement through the trees. As she hunted she took note that the raptors' configuration had once again changed. The three velociraptors had backed up into a circle around Kyra and herself. Vulture came up along her other shoulder. They were all staring at the trees.
"There's something in there," Levine whispered.
She saw Vulture give a slight nod. Richard realized in that moment that somehow the collaboration between her and the raptors felt totally natural. She wasn't afraid, as it seemed they had an understanding, at least for the time being.
Kyra on the other hand kept shooting a nervous glance at Vulture and the others. Clearly she was out of the loop here. Clearly she had missed something.
Someone appeared out of the foliage. All the raptors perked up. The person was walking out of the vegetation backwards with their face looking off in the deeper woods. They were creeping as though not to disturb a dangerous animal. At a few paces out they turned around.
"Seth," Kyra gasped.
Dr. Levine squinted at what she saw, trying to make sense of it. Seth was covered in blood and dirt from head to toe. In one hand Richard recognized a matching pistol to the one she was now in possession of. In the other he had three limp compsognathus dangling by their necks.
"Dear boy, what have you gotten yourself into?" Richard whispered.
Seth spotted the group. He looked at them with an odd expression and then began to walk towards them. As he drew closer his gun pointed up at them, not at anyone in particular at first, but as he neared them it fell mostly on Daniel and Dodgson.
Seth and Daniel met eyes, and Seth saw what looked like an expression of approval and perhaps admiration on Daniel's face. Seth did not react to it, and his gaze swept past Dodgson as though he weren't even there. He flanked around closer to Kyra and Dr. Levine with his pistol now shifting between Daniel, Dodgson, and the raptors.
Vulture and her company did not react to the weapon. They watched Seth closely but did not appear to view him as a threat.
Kyra stepped forward and Seth turned at her with the gun pointed. She stopped and put up her hands.
"Seth, it's ok. It's me," Kyra tried to sound comforting. "Are you ok? What happened?"
Seth's eyes changed from a crazed stare to something a bit more stable. The barrel of the gun tilted up toward the sky, but then Seth started glancing at the raptors with unease.
"They're with us," Kyra said, but then she wasn't quite sure and looked at Dr. Levine.
"Yes," Richard confirmed. "They are indeed."
"Seth, are you ok?" Kyra repeated.
Seth looked at her with a chilling seriousness. "She's coming."
"Who's coming?" Kyra asked.
"The abomination," Seth answered.
"What does he mean?" Levine looked at Kyra for an answer.
"The spinosaurus. The Version B," Kyra kept her eyes on Seth. He was beginning to walk around them.
"She smells the blood. She's been on my trail. She's coming." Seth was continuing to walk around the group. His pace quickened. He dropped the three strangled compsognathus that he was holding and started backing away from the group toward the edge of the enclosure. "None of you should be here."
Dr. Levine was watching the trees. "We'd better follow him," she said.
Upon that the raptors were on the move, swiftly creating a protective formation around Seth, Kyra, and the doctor.
Levine waved Kyra along to catch up with Seth, and she backed away from Daniel and Dodgson with her gun aimed at them.
"Richard!" Dodgson exploded. His veins bulged out of his forehead. His face burned red. "Those animals are my goddamned property!"
"Are you so sure?" Levine smiled from across the gun barrel. Her eyes went to Daniel, and her face fell stern. "Don't follow us."
"There's only so many boats, doctor," Daniel said.
"Then I suggest you try swimming to shore." Upon that recommendation Levine turned about and jogged to keep up with the others.