Z. Raptor by Steve Cole

Author:Steve Cole
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-02-09T08:00:00+00:00

14

SLEEP LESS NIGHT

Not again, Adam thought, coldness and exhaustion filling his bones. Can’t go through it again.

“So much for your spray,” David sneered at Chen.

“We’ve been making enough noise to wake the dead,” Stone whispered tersely, “let alone a pack of lizards born to hunt.”

Chen aimed his shotgun.

The rustling of vegetation stopped, and labored breathing sounded in its place. “Do not shoot,” came a soft, mournful voice from the darkness.

“Loner?” Lisa breathed.

Harm turned to Adam, incredulous. “He’s alive.”

“If he’s alive,” said Chen, “what about the others?”

“I am alone.”

Adam got up as Loner stalked closer, but his smile of relief soon faded. The raptor was barely recognizable. His hide was burned black. Along one side, his stubby shield of shoulder quills was a mass of shattered stumps. One arm hung uselessly by his side, caked in mud. His breathing came in hard, stubborn wheezes, and his eyes smoldered dull yellow.

“Thank God you’re all right,” Lisa said, struggling to get up. “After all you’ve done for us . . .” It looked for a moment like she was going to hug him, but instead she hovered awkwardly. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

Loner bobbed his head. “Others bore the worst of the blast. I will heal. In time, so will they. We are very hard to kill.” He looked balefully at Chen. “Very hard.”

“If the Z. raptors are anything like the Z. rex, their cells repair really quickly,” Adam said. “I think that’s how they’re made—regenerating the original fossils, or something.”

“Loner,” David said, “we—we’re so sorry this happened.”

Adam nodded and turned to Chen. “Aren’t we?”

Chen didn’t look at Loner, but he nodded. “Sure. I didn’t come here to kill off the good guys.”

Loner did not comment on the halfhearted apology. “We must leave this place,” he said. “Vels are coming. The explosion—”

“Of course,” said David. “This part of the jungle will be swarming with raptors.”

“They can’t smell us now,” Adam said.

“They won’t need to,” Harm responded. “They’ll most likely trip over us.”

“Where do we go?” asked Lisa.

“We just keep moving,” said Chen. “Find some higher ground with cover, so we can see the raptors coming without them seeing us back.”

“I know a place,” said Loner, straightening his shoulders with some difficulty. “Sheltered. Overlooking the Vel camp.”

“That’s not just the Vel camp,” David said, looking at Chen. “The Geneflow headquarters were built beneath it.”

“Yeah?” Chen nodded. “I’d like to check that out.”

“Then let’s get there,” Stone said. “If the Vels are out searching the jungle, there’ll be fewer minding their store.”

“They’ve got guards, a barricade and all kinds of stuff,” Adam informed him. “I saw through these.” He pulled out Chen’s binoculars. “The Brutes must’ve found them washed up on the beach, and Loner found them near their camp at the north cliffs.”

“They were spying on the Vels too, huh?” Chen took the binoculars with a smile and looked around at the others. “Well, I think maybe we should take a closer look. Who’s coming?”

Harm answered with a shrug, David and Lisa with weary nods.

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