CHAPTER 232

After several more assaults from the oviraptor Gary kicked it in the stomach and forced himself to stand. His body wobbled as the oviraptor whimpered near by. Gary spit at it and then started hobbling in the opposite direction. After a minute of walking he heard footsteps behind him and the rustling of foliage. Gary turned around and saw the oviraptor trailing twenty feet behind him.

"You've got to be kidding me."

The oviraptor froze like a deer in the head lamps. It clucked and then ducked vertically into the underbrush.

"Idiot." Gary shook his head and kept going.

Several minutes later he heard the sound of footsteps behind him again. Gary turned around, and the oviraptor was only five feet away, this time with no shrubs to hide within.

The oviraptor tucked its head and spread the feathers of its arms in front of its face like a child playing peek-a-boo.

Gary slapped a palm to his forehead. "I can't believe this shit."

The oviraptor cracked two of its feathers apart and peered between them.

Gary couldn't help but laugh. It was like he was dealing with a toddler. He flapped a hand at the oviraptor and scanned the jungle slowly. "You're lucky I can't make a fire, or I'd be roasting your ass. I'm starving. It'd be the most expensive chicken dinner I ever ate, and I wouldn't have to pay for it either." Gary continued to scout the jungle. "What's this?" He squinted through the foliage.

There was a structure. He was looking at the back side of it, and there was a rear door on the closest corner that he could see. Someone was standing in the frame of it, propping the door with one hand. In the other arm they held a shotgun. It was a woman. She looked filthy, almost unidentifiable as a female, though there was something about her build that allowed Gary to recognize her at once.

"Oh my God. It's Ms. Murdock."

Gary sensed a presence at his right side. He turned and saw the oviraptor standing next to him. He looked back at the structure. It was certainly the hanger, he thought. Someone else appeared beside Ms. Murdock. They were filthy as well, but Gary could tell that it was Dr. Conners. They were conversing. Gary wanted to shout at them and get their attention, but he didn't think it was safe to do so. He had to get closer.

Suddenly there were two large googly eyes staring Gary in the face. "Get out of the way." He shoved the oviraptor's head down.

The dinosaur clucked and bobbed back into his view.

"Damn it. Cut that shit out." Gary pushed the oviraptor aside again.

A loud twig snapped behind them, and they both swiveled their heads around. Gary stared at the jungle but didn't see anything. The oviraptor was quietly trilling beside him. Gary turned back to the hanger. Ms. Murdock and Dr. Conners were gone. The door was shut.

Like a stray buoy the oviraptor bobbed back in front of Gary's face.

"God." Gary pushed it away. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?" He examined the hanger and the surrounding area one more time. He did not see any signs of velociraptors. Not that he expected to, even if they were standing in the bushes straight ahead of him. "I guess it's now or never."

The oviraptor's head suddenly spun in a circle, and there was a loud pop. Gary jumped and turned. There were two strong hands cradling the oviraptor's skull. Its tongue was hanging out of its beak. Its eyes were drooped. With a delicate finesse the hands released the dinosaur. Its dead limp body dropped to the ground. Its broken neck folded over awkwardly.

Gary followed the hands up the arms to the man's face and saw Daniel. "Jesus, did you have to kill it?"

Daniel shrugged, "That one seemed exceptionally annoying."

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Battling a skeksi. Getting chased by a crocodile monster."

"So, you're allowed to make Dark Crystal references, but I can't make Last Starfighter references?"

"When you can learn how to fist fight a velociraptor you'll have my full respect and blessing to do anything you like."

"You and Hector would've gotten along great."

Daniel peered through the trees and saw the back side of the hanger. "So, what are we looking at here?"

Daniel's surprise appearance had almost made Gary forget what he had seen just a moment ago. When he followed Daniel's eyes to the hanger his memory was jogged.

"There's people in that building," Gary almost blurted.

"You're sure of it?"

Gary nodded.

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Other survivors? Guess they didn't make it to the plane either."

The thought hadn't occurred to Gary yet. He hadn't had the time to stop and think that the plane might have already left. His spirits sank. "You really think the plane is gone?"

"If it were me I would've taken off by now. Why else would anybody be lingering at the hanger. They're stuck here."

Gary's spirits sank even lower. That had been the plan all along. Anyone who did not make the plane would be left behind.

"Cheer up." Daniel slapped Gary's bare bruised back eliciting a grunt of pain from his gut. At least we still have each other."

"Great," Gary groaned. "That's great."

"Come on, Gary. Let's go say hi. Misery loves company after all." Daniel pushed Gary forward, and they made their way toward the hanger. "Did you see who was there?"

Gary mulled it in his head for a bit. He was distracted. The thought of being stranded was crowding his consciousness. "Dr. Conners… Ms. Murdock." He eventually murmured.

Daniel was silent.

A moment later Gary stopped mid stride. His legs locked. His body froze. An intense sensation pierced his back and twisted through to the front of his chest. Gary tried to talk, but he couldn't. In a panic he attempted to scream, but he couldn't do that either. He couldn't get a breath at all.

Gary began to collapse but Daniel caught him around the torso and cradled him from behind. Gary saw Daniel's face appear next to his. It was so close. They were cheek to cheek.

Daniel's lips grazed his ear. He whispered, "I have a confession to make, Gary. I think it's time I came clean." There was a pause. "I don't work for Mr. Hammond." More silence followed as though Daniel was searching for words. "I know you don't trust me, and I can't have you making everyone else suspicious."

There was a wince in Gary's eyes. A furious anger filled him, but he could do nothing.

Daniel lowered him to the ground and buried his face in the mud. "Goodbye, Gary." He pulled the knife from his back and wiped the blade on Gary's pants.

Out of the bushes next to them a compsognathus emerged, jumping upon a branch. The little dinosaur bobbed up and down on the springy twig just the way a bird would had it landed there. It balanced and adjusted its feet, its tail shifting behind it in accordance with its tiny ticks. The comp tilted its head at Daniel, shifting its gaze between him and Gary's expiring body.

Daniel reached out and tickled its chin. "Bon appétit."

The compsognathus flinched at his index finger but remained upon the branch with a hunger in its eyes. One by one other comps appeared.

With a cold expression Daniel straightened himself up and walked toward the hanger. Behind him the chattering of compsognathus grew. Daniel tucked his knife in his belt and proceeded through the jungle without looking back. Pursing his lips he quietly whistled the theme song from The Last Starfighter as he went.