按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
nty。
〃What the hell is going on?〃 Arnold said。
Cautiously; Tim moved a few yards out along the muddy path; into the sunshine。 He peered around the waterfall; and saw the tyrannosaur lying on its side; floating in the pool of water below。
〃I hope he's dead;〃 Lex said。
Tim could see he wasn't: the dinosaur's chest was still moving; and one forearm twitched in spasms。 But something was wrong with him。 Then Tim saw the white canister sticking in the back of the head; by the indentation of the ear。
〃He's been shot with a dart;〃 Tim said。
〃Good;〃 Lex said。 〃He practically ate us。〃
Tim watched the labored breathing。 He felt unexpectedly distressed to see the huge animal humbled like this。 He didn't want it to die。 〃It's not his fault;〃 he said。
〃Oh sure;〃 Lex said。 〃He practically ate us and it's not his fault。〃
〃He's a carnivore。 He was just doing what he does。〃
〃You wouldn't say that;〃 Lex said; 〃if you were in his stomach right now。
Then the sound of the waterfall changed。 From a deafening roar; it became softer; quieter。 The thundering sheet of water thinned; became a trickle 。 。 。
And stopped。
〃Timmy。 The waterfall stopped;〃 Lex said。
It was now just dripping like a tap that wasn't pletely turned off。 The pool at the base of the waterfall was still。 They stood near the top; in the cave…like indentation filled with machinery; looking down。
〃Waterfalls aren't supposed to stop;〃 Lex said。
Tim shook his head。 〃It must be the power。 。 。 。 Somebody turned off the power。〃 Behind them; all the pumps and filters were shutting down one after another; the lights blinking off; and the machinery being quiet。
And then there was the thunk of a solenoid releasing; and the door marked MAINT 04 swung slowly open。
Grant stepped out; blinking in the light; and said; 〃Good work; kids。 You got the door open。〃
〃We didn't do anything;〃 Lex said。
〃The power went out;〃 Tim said。
〃Never mind that;〃 Grant said。 〃e and see what I've found。〃
Arnold stared in shock。
One after another; the monitors went black; and then the room lights went out; plunging the control room into darkness and confusion。 Everyone started yelling at once。 Muldoon opened the blinds and let light in; and Wu brought over the printout。
〃Look at this;〃 Wu said。
Time Event System Status 'Code'
05:12:44 Safety I Off Operative 'AV12'
05:12:45 Safety 2 Off Operative 'AV12'
05:12:46 Safety 3 Off Operative 'AV12'
05:12:51 Shutdown mand Shutdown '…AV0'
05:13:48 Startup mand Shutdown '…AV0'
05:13:55 Safety 1 On Shutdown '…AV0'
05:13:57 Safety 2 On Shutdown '…AV0'
05:13:59 Safety 3 On Shutdown '…AV0'
05:14:08 Startup mand Startup … Aux Power '…AV1'
05:14:18 Monitor…Main Operative … Aux Power '…AV04'
05:14:19 Security…Main Operative … Aux Power '…AV05'
05:14:22 mand…Main Operative … Aux Power '…AV06'
05:14:24 Laboratory…Main Operative … Aux Power '…AV08'
05:14:29 Tele…VBB Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
05:14:32 Schematic…Main Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
05:14:37 View Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
05:14:44 Control Status Chk Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
05:14:57 Warning: Fence Status 'NB' Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
09:11:37 Warning: Aux Fuel (20%) Operative … Aux Power '…AVZZ'
09:33:19 Warning: Aux Fuel (10%) Operative … Aux Power '…AVZ1'
09:53:19 Warning: Aux Fuel (1%) Operative … Aux Power '…AVZ2'
09:53:39 Warning: Aux Fuel (0%) Shutdown '…AV0'
Wu said; 〃You shut down at five…thbirteen this morning; and when you started back up; you started with auxiliary power。〃
〃Jesus;〃 Arnold said。 Apparently; main power had not been on since shutdown。 When he powered back up; only the auxiliary power came on。 Arnold was thinking that was strange; when he suddenly realized that that was normal。 That was what was supposed to happen。 It made perfect sense: the auxiliary generator fired up first; and it was used to turn on the main generator; because it took a heavy charge to start the main power generator。 That was the way the system was designed。
But Arnold had never before had occasion to turn the main power off。 And when the lights and screens came back on in the control room; it never occurred to him that main power hadn't also been restored。
But it hadn't; and all during the time since then; while they were looking for the rex; and doing one thing and another; the park had been running on auxilary power。 And that wasn't a good idea。 In fact; the implications were just beginning to hit him…
〃What does this line mean?〃 Muldoon said; pointing to the list。
05:14:57 Warning: Fence Status 'NB' Operative … Aux Power '…AV09'
〃It means a system status warning was sent to the monitors in the control room;〃 Arnold said。 〃Concerning the fences。〃
〃Did you see that warning?〃
Arnold shook his head; 〃No。 I must have been talking to you in the field。 Anyway; no; I didn't see it。〃
〃What does it mean; 'Warning: Fence Status'?〃
〃Well; I didn't know it at the time; but we were running on backup power;〃 Arnold said。 〃And backup doesn't generate enough amperage to power the electrified fences; so they were automatically kept off。〃
Muldoon scowled。 〃The electrified fences were off?〃
〃Yes。〃
〃All of them? Since five this morning? For the last five hours?〃
〃Yes。 〃
〃Including the velociraptor fences?〃
Arnold sighed。 〃Yes。〃
〃Jesus Christ;〃 Muldoon said。 〃Five hours。 Those animals could be out。〃
And then; from somewhere in the distance; they heard a scream。 Muldoon began to talk very fast。 He went around the room; handing out the portable radios。
〃Mr。 Arnold is going to the maintenance shed to turn on main power。 Dr。 Wu; stay in the control room。 You're the only other one who can work the puters。 Mr。 Hammond; go back to the lodge。 Don't argue with me。 Go now。 Lock the gates; and stay behind them until you hear from me。 I'll help Arnold deal with the raptors。 〃 He turned to Gennaro。 〃Like to live dangerously again?〃
〃Not really;〃 Gennaro said。 He was very pale。
〃Fine。 Then go with the others to the lodge。〃 Muldoon turned away。 〃That's it; everybody。 Now move。 〃
Hammond whined; 〃But what are you going to do to my animals?〃
〃That's not really the question; Mr。 Hammond;〃 Muldoon said。 〃The question is; what are they going to do to us?〃
He went through the door; and hurried down the hall toward his office。 Gennaro fell into step alongside him。 〃Change your mind?〃 Muldoon growled。
〃You'll need help;〃 Gennaro said。
〃I might。〃 Muldoon went into the room marked ANIMAL SUPERVISOR; picked up the gray shoulder launcher; and unlocked a panel in the wall behind his desk。 There were six cylinders and six canisters。
〃The thing about these damn dinos;〃 Muldoon said; 〃is that they have distributed nervous systems。 They don't die fast; even with a direct hit to the brain。 And they're built solidly; thick ribs make a shot to the heart dicey; and they're difficult to cripple in the legs or hindquarters。 Slow bleed