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the roll bar； rocking the vehicle back and forth。
〃I don't understand；〃 Levine said。 〃They're hadrosaurs。 Herbivores。 This aggressiveness is quite uncharacteristic。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 Thorne said。 As they watched； the maiasaurs tipped the jeep over。 The vehicle crashed over on its side。 One of the adults reared up； and stood on the side panels。 Its huge feet crushed the vehicle inward。
But when the Jeep fell over； two white Styrofoam cases tumbled out onto the ground。 The maiasaurs seemed to be focused on these cases。 They nipped at the Styrofoam； tossing chunks of white around the ground。 They moved hurriedly； in a kind of frenzy。
〃Something to eat？〃 Levine said。 〃Some kind of dinosaur catnip？ What？〃
Then the top of one case tore away； and they saw a cracked egg inside。 Protruding from the egg was a wrinkled bit of flesh。 The maiasaurs slowed。 Their movements were now cautious； gentle。 They honked and grunted。 The big bodies of the animals blocked their view。
There was a squeaking sound。
〃You're kidding；〃 Levine said。
On the ground； a tiny animal moved about。 Its body was pale brown； almost white。 It tried to stand； but flopped down at once。 It was barely a foot long； with wrinkled folds of flesh around its neck。 In a moment； a second animal tumbled out beside it。
Harding sighed。
Slowly； one of the maiasaurs ducked its huge head down； and gently scooped the baby up in its broad bill。 It kept its mouth open as it raised its head。 The baby sat calmly on the adult's tongue； looking around with its tiny head as it rose high into the air。
The second baby was picked up。 The adults milled around for a moment； as if unsure whether there was more to do； and then； honking loudly； they all moved off。
Leaving behind a crumpled； shattered vehicle。
Thorne said； 〃I guess gas is no longer a problem。〃
〃I guess not；〃 Sarah said。
Thorne stared at the wreckage of the Jeep； shaking his head。 〃It's worse than a head…on collision；〃 he said。 〃It looks like it's been put in a pactor。 Just wasn't built for those sorts of stresses。〃
Levine snorted。 〃Engineers in Detroit didn't expect a five…ton animal to stand on it。〃
〃You know；〃 Thorne said； 〃I would have liked to see how our own car stood up under that。〃
〃You mean； because we beefed it up？〃
〃Yes；〃 Thorne said。 〃We really built it to take fantastic stresses。 Huge stresses。 Ran it through puter programs； added those honeyb panels； the whole … 〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Harding said； turning away from the window。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃The other car；〃 Thorne said。
〃What other car？〃
〃The car we brought；〃 he said。 〃The Explorer。〃
〃Of course！〃 she said； suddenly excited。 〃There's another car！ I pletely forgot！ The Explorer！〃
〃Well； it's history now；〃 Thorne said。 〃It shorted out last night； when I was ing back to the trailer。 I ran it through a puddle and it shorted out。〃
〃So？ Maybe it still … 〃
〃No；〃 Thorne said； shaking his head。 〃A short like that'd blow the VR。 It's an electric car。 It's dead。〃
〃I'm surprised you don't have circuit breakers for that。〃
〃Well； we never used to put them in； although on this latest version。。。He trailed off。 He shook his head。 〃I can't believe it。〃
〃The car has circuit breakers？〃
〃Yes； Eddie put them in； last minute。〃
〃So the car might still run？〃
〃Yes； it probably would； if you reset the breakers。〃
〃Where is it？〃 she said。 She was heading for the motorcycle。
〃I left it on that side road that runs from the ridge road down to the hide。 But Sarah … 〃
〃It's our only chance；〃 she said。 She pulled on her radio headset； adjusted the microphone to her cheek； and rolled the motorcycle to the door。 〃Call me；〃 she said。 〃I'm going to go find us a car。〃
They watched through the windows。 In the early…morning light； she climbed onto the motorcycle； and roared off up the hill。
Levine watched her go。 〃What do you figure her odds are？〃
Thorne just shook his head。
The radio crackled。 〃Doc。〃
Thorne picked it up。 〃Yes； Sarah。〃
〃I'm ing up the hill now。 I see。。。there's six of them。〃
〃Raptors？〃
〃Yeah。 They're； uh。。。Listen。 I'm going to try another path。 I see a … 〃
The radio crackled。
〃Sarah？〃 She was breaking up。
〃 … sort of a game trail that … here … think I better … 〃
〃Sarah；〃 Thorne said。 〃You're breaking up。〃
〃 … do now。 So just … ish me luck。。〃
Over the radio； they heard the hum of the bike。 Then they heard another sound； which might have been an animal snarl； and might have been more static。 Thorne bent forward； holding the radio close to his ear。 Then； abruptly； the radio clicked and was silent。 He said； 〃Sarah？〃
There was no answer。
〃Maybe she turned it off；〃 Levine said。
Thorne shook his head。 〃Sarah？〃
Nothing。
〃Sarah？ Are you there？〃
They waited。
Nothing。
〃Hell；〃 Thorne said。
Time passed slowly； Levine stood by the window； staring out。 Kelly was snoring in a corner。 Arby lay next to Malcolm； fast asleep。 And Malcolm was humming tunelessly。
Thorne sat on the floor in the center of the room； leaning back against the checkout Counter。 Every so often； he'd pick up the radio and try to call Sarah； but there was never any answer。 He tried all six channels。 There was no answer on any of them。
Eventually he stopped trying。
The radio crackled。 〃 … ate these damned things。 Never work right。〃 A grunt。 〃Can't figure out what … things … damn。〃
Across the room； Levine sat forward。
Thorne grabbed the radio。 〃Sarah？ Sarah？〃
〃Finally；〃 she said； her voice crackling。 〃Where the hell have you been； Doc？〃
〃Are you all right？〃
〃Of course I'm all right。〃
〃There's something wrong with your radio。 You're breaking up。〃
〃Yeah？ What should I do？〃
〃Try screwing down the cover on your battery pack。 It's probably loose。〃
〃No。 I mean； what should I do about the car？〃
Thorne said； 〃What？〃
〃I'm at the car； Doc； I'm there。 What should I do？〃
Levine glanced at his watch。 〃Twenty minutes until the helicopter arrives； 〃 he said。 〃You know； she just might make it。〃
Dodgson
Dodgson awoke； aching and stiff； on the floor of the concrete utility shed。 He got to his feet； and looked out the window。 He saw streaks of red in a pale…blue sky。 He opened the door to the utility shed； and went outside。
He was very thirsty； and his body was sore。 He started walking beneath the canopy of trees。 The 'tingle around him was silent in the early morning。 He needed water。 More than anything； he needed water。 Somewhere off to his left； he heard the soft gurgle of a stream。 He headed toward it； moving more quickly。
Through the trees； he could see the sky growing lighter。 He knew that Malcolm and his party were still here。 They must have some plan to get off the island。 If they could get off； he could too。
He came over a low rise； and looked down at a gully and a flowing stream。 It looked clear。 He hurried down toward it； wondering if it was polluted。 He decided he didn't care。 Just before he reached the stream； he tripped over a vine and fell； swearing。
He got to his feet