jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第94部分

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arrollee。
　Taking　a　break；　he　decided　to　stretch；　and　needle　her　a　little；　but　when　he　looked　at　her　the　back　rub　feelings　came　back。　She　was　bent　over　on　the　floor；　her　bottom　up　and　head　down；　staring　through　the　magnifying　glass。　Suppressing　an　urge　to　fold　himself　over　her；　as　she　had　him；　he　stared　for　a　full　minute；　savoring　her　body　and　his　feeling。　Then　he　realized　she　hadn't　moved　her　magnifying　glass　in　all　that　time。
　〃You've　found　something？〃
　〃I　don't　knew。　This　is　peculiar　though。　It　might　just　be　a　shadow。〃
　Emmett　grabbed　his　magnifying　glass　and　got　down　next　to　Carrollee。
　〃Right　here；〃　she　said；　pointing。　〃Right　there　in　that　crater。　I　think　it's　called　Flamsteed　Crater。〃
　Since　there　wasn't　room　for　both　of　their　heads；　Carrollee　leaned　back　so　Emmett　could　get　a　good　look。　He　looked　first　at　the　Lunar　Atlas　and　then　at　Bridgette's　photo。　This　was　no　shadow；　and　what　he　saw　hit　him　like　a　slap　in　the　face。
　〃This　is　it。　This　is　what　Dr。　Paulson　is　looking　for。　We've　got　to　get　this　to　him；　but　how？　We　need　a　high…definition　fax　machine。〃
　〃My　brother　Richard's　in　the　military；　remember。〃
　'〃Great！　This　could　be　important…What　am　I　saying？　This　is　incredible。　I'll　type　a　message　while　you　call　him。〃
　When　everything　was　arranged　they　turned　to　leave　and　Carrollee　rubbed　Emmett's　back　with　her　hand。　Emmett　warmed　at　her　touch　and　slipped　his　arm　around　Carrollee's　shoulders；　pulling　her　close　and　crossing　the　border　from　friendly　to　personal。
　〃When　we　get　back；〃　he　suggested；　〃maybe　I　can　give　you　a　back　rub。〃
　Carrollee　smiled　and　then　said；　〃Tres　bien。〃
　
　58。　　THE　GUYS
　
　I　will　hand　you　over　to　brutal　men；　men　skilled　in　destruction。
　…Ezekiel　21：31
　
　Forest；　former　site　of　Portland；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　6：44　A。M。　PST
　
　　Ripman　did　e　back　in　the　morning；　but　with　a　take…it…or…leave…it　offer。
　〃I'll　take　you　to　the　edge　of　dinosaur　country；　then　you're　on　your　own。〃
　〃What　about　John　and　Cubby？　They're　your　friends；　Ripman；　your　good　friends；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃Friends　will　get　you　killed　in　here。　Hey；　I　hope　they　make　it；　but　it's　not　my　problem。　You　want　me　to　get　you　out　of　here　or　not？〃
　Ellen　had　no　choice。　There　was　little　chance　she　could　find　John　on　her　own。　With　Carl　and　the　guys　on　the　loose　and　dinosaurs　to　worry　about；　she　needed　help。　Besides；　Angie　deserved　to　get　out　of　this　alive。　They　had　known　each　other　for　only　a　few　days；　yet　they　were　friends　for　life。
　Ripman　agreed　to　get　them　out　on　the　Carlton　side　and　led　off　through　the　trees。　His　pace　was　brisk；　and　keeping　up　was　difficult　but　manageable。　A　fall　chill　greeted　them　when　they　climbed　out　from　beneath　the　roots　of　the　fallen　giant。　It　had　been　snug　in　the　hole；　but　goose　bumps　brought　Ellen　thoughts　of　her　coat　left　behind　in　the　clearing。　Still；　Carl　and　the　guys　could　have　it；　she　told　herself；　but　they　were　never　going　to　have　her。
　Ripman　kept　up　the　fast　pace　of　the　previous　day；　and　Ellen's　chill　quickly　turned　into　a　light　sweat。　The　trail　he　blazed　led　them　up　and　down　hills；　which　he　never　tried　to　go　around。　Fortunately；　the　dense　canopy　of　the　giant　trees　prevented　significant　underbrush　and　walking　was　relatively　easy。　The　occasional　fallen　trees　were　problematic；　since　they　seemed　to　explode　into　new　growth；　but　the　detours　were　few；　Ellen　was　disoriented；　but　it　appeared　that　their　path　was　the　closest　thing　to　a　straight　line。　Tired；　she　began　watching　her　feet；　letting　herself　be　absorbed　by　the　right…left　rhythm；　which　replaced　her　thoughts；and　her　fears　for　herself　and　for　her　son。　Suddenly　she　ran　into　Ripman；　knocking　him　into　a　stumble。
　〃Listen。〃
　Ellen　and　Angie　looked　at　each　other　and　shook　their　heads。　Ripman　turned　his　head　toward　the　southern　sky。　Ellen　and　Angie　followed　his　gaze。　A　few　seconds　later　they　heard　a　distant　roar；　the　sound　of　a　jet。　It　grew　louder；　and　they　looked　through　the　towering　canopy　to　glimpse　the　plane；　but　it　was　futile。　The　sound　reached　a　peak　and　then　faded。
　〃This　is　just　too　weird；　Ellen。〃
　〃What　is；　Angie？〃
　〃Standing　here　in　this　。　。　。　this　impossible　forest；　with　dinosaurs　running　around；　following　some　teenage　Jungle　Jim；　and　having　jets　fly　overhead。〃
　Ellen　was　going　to　respond　but　then　noticed　Ripman's　head　was　still　cocked。　She　listened　too　and　picked　up　a　low　rumble；　a　sound　that　was　not　the　jet。　He　motioned　them　to　stand　still　and　be　quiet　and　then　padded　softly　up　the　hill。　As　he　approached　the　crest　he　slowed；　bending　into　a　crawl。　He　lay　still　for　a　minute　and　then　signaled　Angie　and　Ellen　forward。　They　mimicked　his　movements；　crawling　the　last　few　feet　to　his　side；　hearing　a　crunching　and　thumping　as　they　approached　the　crest。　Ellen　peered　fearfully　through　the　ferns　at　the　crest　and　over　the　top　but　saw　only　trees。　She　was　about　to　ask　Ripman　what　he　was　looking　at　when　Angie's　finger　shot　out；　pointing　to　movement　in　the　distance…　The　trees　were　dense；　but　here　and　there　through　the　gaps　they　could　see　dinosaurs。　As　she　watched；　she　realized　there　were　more　than　just　a　few。　There　was　a　herd。
　These　dinosaurs　were　not　like　the　trophy　Carl　and　the　guys　had　killed。　These　were　bigger；　and　deep　green。　They　were　angling　up　the　side　of　the　hill　but　away　from　them。　Ellen　could　see　the　animals　were　traveling　on　all　fours；　measuring　ten　to　fifteen　feet　at　the　shoulders。　Three　horns　protruded　from　each　forehead　and　an　armored　collar　was　around　each　neck。　Their　long　tails　were　tipped　with　three　spikes。　Ellen　leaned　into　Rip…man　and　whispered　in　his　ear。
　〃Shouldn't　we…get　out　of　here？〃
　〃Relax；　they're　just　big　cows。　They　don't　eat　people。　Probably　never　seen　a　person　before。　There's　a　meadow　over　that　way。　That's　where　they　used　to　be。　For　some　reason　they　seem　to　be　on　the　move。　Let　'em　pass。〃
　They　lay　in　the　grass　as　the　dinosaurs　came　closer；　their　noise　now　a　cacophony。　Despite　Ripman's　reassurance　Ellen's　apprehension　remained　until　the　last　one　disappeared　into　the　trees。　Ellen　started　to　rise；　but　Ripman　held　her　arm　pulling　her　back　down。
　〃We've　got　a　problem。　If　we　move　straight　ahead　we　cut　across　the　path　of　those　dinosaurs。〃
　Ellen　and　Angie　looked　at　each　other；　neither　seeing　the　problem。
　〃Those　dinosaurs　are　on　the　move　for　some　reason。　They　were　happily　stuffing　themselves　with　grass　and　ferns　yesterday。〃
　〃You　know　what　they　say　about　greener　pastures；〃　Angie　offered。
　〃Maybe。　Maybe　they're　moving　because　they　don't　want　to　be　somebody's　lunch。〃
　Ellen　blanched　at　the　thought　of　whatever　might　eat　one　of　those　dinosaurs　for　lunch。
　〃Well　then；　let's　head　back　the　other　way　and　find　another　way　around。〃　Angie　looked　to　Ellen　for　support。
　〃If　we　go　that　way　we　head　back　toward　Carl　and　the　guys；〃　Ellen　reasoned。　〃If　we　go　in　the　direction　the　dinosaurs　came　from　we　could　be　heading　right　toward　whatever　was　hunting　them。　But　if　we　cut　across　。　。　。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Angie　said；　her　mind　weighing　the　risks。　〃If　we　cut　across　we　better　move　fast；　since　we　don't　know　if　something　is　following　the　herd；　and　how　far　back　it　might　be。〃
　Ripman　seemed　impressed　and　sat　quietly；　letting　them　analyze　the　options。　Angie　decided　first。
　〃I'd　rather　be　eaten　by　a　dinosaur　than　raped　by　a　bunch　of　assholes。　I　say　our　best　bet　is　to　cut　straight　across　as　fast　as　we　can　and　get　the　hell　out　of　this　place。　Remember　Coop！〃　Angie；　spoke　the　name　sadly。　Ellen　realized　Angie　was　depressed　over　more　than　a　senseless　death。　She　had　cared　for　Coop。　Seeing　how　Angie　used　her　sexuality　to　manipulate　men；　it　had　never　occurred　to　Ellen　that　Angie　might　have　feelings　for　those　men。　Because　Ellen　had　loved　only　one　man；　she　assumed　Angie　was　the　same。
　〃Let's　go　for　it；〃　Ellen　said　to　Ripman。
　Ripman　was　nodding　his　head　in　appreciation　for　their　clear　thinking。　〃El…ah…mental；〃　he　cheered。
　He　led　off　through　the　trees　at　his　usual　pace；　but　this　time　with　occasional　pauses　to　listen。　Ellen　and　Angie　listened　too；　but　depended　more　on　their　eyesight。　The　trees　were　far　enough　apart　to　see　quite　a　distance。　But　Ripman　was　right；　you'd　hear　a　dinosaur　before　you'd　see　one　in　this　forest。
　They　were　nearly　across　the　track　of　the　herd　when　Ripman　slowed　to　a　walk；　then　stopped；　dr