Dino Island 8: The Dirty Truth by J. R. Hogan

Author:J. R. Hogan [Hogan, J. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Locksmith Books
Published: 2022-09-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

TOC

“It looks just like the one at the other end of the island,” I breathed, staring up at the sky.

High above the leaves, a small room sat atop a tower that had been designed to look like the trees surrounding it. Chills ran down my spine as I realized just how close we were to the end.

“Well, Rich, aren’t you going to be the guinea pig?” Ling asked.

I looked down at her in surprise. “You heard him say that? How long were you following us?”

She shrugged. “Long enough to keep you safe so far. So how about it, Rich? We don’t like surprises.”

He stared at her with a look of intimidation that he tried, and failed, to present as disgust. “I’ve got no problem doing my part,” he grunted.

By that time, we had emerged at the edge of a clearing. All the trees had been removed from the space around the tower, giving the top a clear view of any potential friends or intruders. Ling and I stopped walking, still hand-in-hand, leaving Rich to travel the last fifty yards by himself.

He paused.

And then he moved forward. I watched, my muscles knotted in anxiety, as he moved forward. It seemed impossible to figure out my own thoughts; of course I wanted him to succeed, but I hadn’t forgotten how he’d left Sarah and me alone before the last tower. And while our collective success or failure applied to everyone equally, I kept running through the moment just before Ling arrived.

All was quiet as he crossed the halfway mark to the tower. I took that as a good sign, but I also realized that it could be a trick to lure enemies just far enough from the trees to ensure that there was no cover as the bullets rained down from above.

I didn’t realize that I’d been holding my breath until air flooded into my lungs as Rich reached the base of the tower unscathed. “I guess we’re safe,” I said to Ling.

“If we were safe, we wouldn’t be nursing your shoulder back to health,” she responded, looking up at me in concern. “There are more dinosaurs on the mainland than there were on the island, so they probably used up every bullet long ago. We’re not safe, Professor. We just have borrowed time, because big game hunting requires a lot of prep work before the kill.”

My stomach froze as Ling spoke. Normally icy and aloof, she rarely spoke with such raw openness.

And still waters run deep. I knew that every word was true.

“Come on over, Mark!” Rich called from the base of the tower. “This is it! Let’s see what we’re getting into!”

• • •

Climbing the ladder was easier this time, but not by much. The main difference was that I’d gotten used to the constant pain in my shoulder. I still didn’t like snatching each rung with only one hand and feeling like I was about to fall with each step.

But I didn’t have a choice. Being this close

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