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Ed Regis just turned and ran in the opposite direction from the tyrannosaur； disappearing into the woods。 The door to the Land Cruiser hung open； the paneling was getting wet。
〃He left！〃 Lex said。 〃Where did he go？ He left us alone！〃
〃Shut the door；〃 Tim said； but she had started to scream； 〃He left us！ He left us！〃
〃Tim； what's going on？〃 It was Dr。 Grant； on the radio。 〃Tim？〃
Tim leaned forward and tried to shut the door。 From the back seat； he couldn't reach the handle。 He looked back at the tyrannosaur as lightning flashed again； momentarily silhouetting the huge black shape against the white…flaring sky。
〃Tim； what's happening？〃
〃He left us； he left us！〃
Tim blinked to recover his vision。 When he looked again； the tyrannosaur was standing there； exactly as before； motionless and huge。 Rain dripped from its jaws。 The forelimb gripped the fence。 。 。 。
And then Tim realized： the tyrannosaur was holding on to the fence！ The fence wasn't electrified any more！
〃Lex； close the door！〃
The radio crackled。 〃Tim！〃
〃I'm here； Dr。 Grant。〃
〃What's going on？〃
〃Regis ran away；〃 Tim said。
〃He what？〃
〃He ran away。 I think he saw that the fence isn't electrified；〃 Tim said。
〃The fence isn't electrified？〃 Malcolm said； over the radio。 〃Did he say the fence isn't electrified？〃
〃Lex；〃 Tim said； 〃close the door。 〃 But Lex was screaming； 〃He left us； he left us！〃 in a steady； monotonous wail； and there was nothing for Tim to do but climb out of the back door； into the slashing rain； and shut the door for her。 Thunder rumbled； and the lightning flashed again。 Tim looked up and saw the tyrannosaur crashing down the cyclone fence with a giant hind limb。
〃Timmy！〃
He jumped back in and slammed the door； the sound lost in the tbunderclap。
The radio： 〃Tim！ Are you there？〃
He grabbed the radio。 〃I'm here。〃 He turned to Lex。 〃Lock the doors。 Get in the middle of the car。 And shut up。〃
Outside； the tyrannosaur rolled its head and took an awkward step forward。 The claws of its feet had caught in the grid of the flattened fence。 Lex saw the animal finally； and became silent； still。 She watched with wide eyes。
Radio crackle。 〃Tim。〃
〃Yes； Dr。 Grant。〃
〃Stay in the car。 Stay down。 Be quiet。 Don't move； and don't make noise。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃You should be all right。 I don't think it can open the car。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Just stay quiet； so you don't arouse its attention any more than necessary。
〃Okay。〃 Tim clicked the radio off。 〃You hear that； Lex？〃 His sister nodded； silently。 She never took her eyes off the dinosaur。 The tyrannosaur roared。 In the glare of lightning； they saw it pull free of the fence and take a bounding step forward。
Now it was standing between the two cars。 Tim couldn't see Dr。 Grant's car any more； because the huge body blocked his view。 The rain ran in rivulets down the pebbled skin of the muscular hind legs。 He couldn't see the animal's head； which was high above the roofline。
The tyrannosaur moved around the side of their car。 It went to the very spot where Tim had gotten out of the car。 Where Ed Regis had gotten out of the car。 The animal paused there。 The big head ducked down； toward the mud。
Tim looked back at Dr。 Grant and Dr。 Malcolm in the rear car。 Their faces were tense as they stared forward through the windshield。
The huge head raised back up； jaws open； and then stopped by the side windows。 In the glare of lightning； they saw the beady； expressionless reptile eye moving in the socket。
It was looking in the car。
His sister's breath came in ragged； frightened gasps。 He reached out and squeezed her arm； hoping she would stay quiet。 The dinosaur continued to stare for a long time through the side window。 Perhaps the dinosaur couldn't really see them； he thought。 Finally the head lifted up； out of view again。
〃Timmy 。 。 。〃 Lex whispered。
〃It's okay；〃 Tim whispered。 〃I don't think it saw us。〃
He was looking back toward Dr。 Grant when a jolting impact rocked the Land Cruiser and shattered the windshield in a spiderweb as the tyrannosaur's head crashed against the hood of the Land Cruiser。 Tim was knocked flat on the seat。 The night…vision goggles slid off his forehead。
He got back up quickly； blinking in the darkness； his mouth warm with blood。
〃Lex？〃
He couldn't see his sister anywhere。
The tyrannosaur stood near the front of the Land Cruiser； its chest moving as it breathed； the forelimbs making clawing movements in the air。
〃Lex！〃 Tim whispered。 Then he heard her groan。 She was lying somewhere on the floor under the front seat。
Then the huge head came down； entirely blocking the shattered windshield。 The tyrannosaur banged again on the front hood of the Land Cruiser。 Tim grabbed the seat as the car rocked on its wheels。 The tyrannosaur banged down twice more； denting the metal。
Then it moved around the side of the car。 The big raised tail blocked his view out of all the side windows。 At the back； the animal snorted； a deep rumbling growl that blended with the thunder。 It sank its jaws into the spare tire mounted on the back of the Land Cruiser and； in a single head shake； tore it away。 The rear of the car lifted into the air for a moment； then it thumped down with a muddy splash。
〃Tim！〃 Dr。 Grant said。 〃Tim； are you there？〃
Tim grabbed the radio。 〃We're okay；〃 he said。 There was a shrill metallic scrape as claws raked the roof of the car。 Tim's heart was pounding in his chest。 He couldn't see anything out of the windows on the right side except pebbled leathery flesh。 The tyrannosaur was leaning against the car； which rocked back and forth with each breath； the springs and metal creaking loudly。
Lex groaned again。 Tim put down the radio； and started to crawl over into the front seat。 The tyrannosaur roared and the metal roof dented downward。 Tim felt a sharp pain in his head and tumbled to the floor； onto the transmission bump。 He found himself lying alongside Lex； and he was shocked to see that the whole side of her head was covered in blood。 She looked unconscious。
There was another jolting impact； and pieces of glass fell all around him。 Tim felt rain。 He looked up and saw that the front windshield had broken out。 There was just a jagged rim of glass and； beyond； the big head of the dinosaur。
Looking down at him。
Tim felt a sudden chill and then the head rushed forward toward him； the jaws open。 There was the squeal of metal against teeth； and he felt the hot stinking breath of the animal and a thick tongue stuck into the car through the windshield opening。 The tongue slapped wetly around inside the car…he felt the hot lather of dinosaur saliva…and the tyrannosaur roared…a deafening sound inside the car…
The head pulled away abruptly。
Tim scrambled up； avoiding the dent in the roof。 There was still room to sit on the front seat by the passenger door。 The tyrannosaur stood in the rain near the front fender。 It seemed confused by what had happened to it。 Blood dripped freely from its jaws。
The tyrannosaur looked at Tim； cocking its head to stare with one big eye。 The head mov