Project Alpha

by D. J. MacHale

  The view was spectacular. They could see for miles over lush green hills that spread all the way to the distant ocean.

  “There are more dinosaurs down there,” Piper said.

  Several gray hulks moved slowly through the vegetation far in the distance. Some had long, serpent-like necks while others were squat and fat like rhinos. A flock of red birds with ten-foot wingspans flew by so closely that the three could feel the breeze made by their beating wings.

  “I wonder if this is what Earth was like,” Piper said.

  “It’s perfect,” Gabriel said. “Except no McDonald’s.”

  They sat silently, admiring the spectacular view that no one from planet Earth had ever witnessed before and might never again.

  “We better get back and check the trap,” Dash finally said.

  They retraced their trip back through the rain forest. When they broke out into the sunlight on the far side, Gabriel throttled up and brought them straight to the trap.

  “Nothing,” Dash said as he gazed through the wire mesh at the untouched pile of fruit and vegetables.

  “I guess they’re not as dumb as they look,” Gabriel said.

  Piper looked up at the sky to see the sun inching closer to the distant mountaintops.

  “We don’t have a lot of time,” she said.

  Dash looked out across the valley.

  “They’re out there,” he said. “I see the grass moving.”

  “So how do we get them in here?” Gabriel asked.

  “I have an idea,” Piper declared.

  Five minutes later, Dash and Gabriel sat in the hovercraft fifty yards to the right of the mouth of the chute. Piper sat on her air chair fifty yards in the other direction. Dash waved to her. Piper waved back.

  Dash pushed a button that triggered a high-pitched warning siren. Piper did the same on her air chair. Both vehicles moved slowly toward one another.

  The stretch of grass between them boiled with the frantic movement of hundreds of varmints. The sound was driving them crazy…and driving them away.

  “Get along, little doggies!” Gabriel called out. “Eeeehaaa!”

  “It’s working!” Piper yelled.

  Gabriel and Piper carefully maneuvered their vehicles closer, pushing the varmints together and forcing them toward the mouth of the chute. Gabriel made quick movements back and forth, trying to appear as large as possible to keep them from running past. Piper did the same. Many varmints skittered away but just as many bashed their way into the silver chute as they fled from the torturous sound.

  The hovercraft and the air chair drew close to one another. The grass inside the chute boiled with frantic varmints. There was nowhere for them to go but through the hatch and into the cage. Soon, the metal sides of the trap began to rattle.

  “We got ’em!” Piper declared.

  Dash jumped over the side of the hovercraft and ran for the trap. Varmints dashed around his feet but he ignored them. He made it to the point of the chute, slammed that hatch shut, and threw his arms up in triumph.

  Gabriel and Piper turned off their sirens. The loud horns gave way to the sounds of thirty angry varmints thrashing around inside the cage.

  “And the trap is set,” Piper declared.

  Gabriel pointed to the distant range of mountains. “Not a minute too soon.”

  The sun dipped below the ridge, casting the valley into shadow.

  The Raptogons would soon be on the prowl.

  The crew returned to the Cloud Cat to eat some food and prepare for the main event. The tooth clamp was secured inside the hovercraft next to the long coil of climbing rope. The two high-powered flashlights were placed on the deck, ready to be grabbed when needed. Most importantly, Dash prepared the energy cannon. It was a long silver device with a double bore and a metal half ring in back that fit around his shoulder. “You sure you know how to handle that thing, pardner?” Gabriel asked.

  “No problem,” Dash assured him. “It’s got a kick, but I guess you need a serious kick to knock down something that big.”

  “Do me a favor?” Gabriel asked.

  “What’s that?

  “Don’t miss.”

  Darkness arrived quickly. The only light in the valley came from the glow of the billions of stars in the night sky. The three boarded the hovercraft and floated into the valley, where Gabriel landed the vehicle fifty yards from the mouth of the trap. Once in position, they powered down, settled in, and waited. And waited.

  And waited some more.

  Every so often, Gabriel would hit the warning horn on the hovercraft. The shrill sound woke the trapped varmints, who would chatter and squeal for ten minutes before settling down again. The idea was to let any nearby Raptogon know that dinner was served.

  “You think one of those stars is home?” Piper asked, looking skyward.

  “Probably,” Dash said.

  “It’s that one,” Gabriel said. “Or maybe that one. No, wait, I’ll bet it’s that one. Or maybe any one of the billions out there.”

  “Kinda makes you feel small, doesn’t it,” Piper said wistfully.

  “Not small,” Dash said. “More like…proud. One of those stars out there is ours and we’re trying to save it. Not a lot of people can say that.”

  “Four to be exact,” Gabriel said. “Five if you count that Chris dude.”

  “He counts,” Piper said. “If not for him, we wouldn’t be here.”

  “Not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing,” Gabriel said with a scoff.

  “It’s a good thing,” Dash said with certainty. “You know you want to be here. We all do.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t expect to be out in the dark hunting dinosaurs,” Gabriel said.

  “Be honest,” Dash said. “If you knew before, about the dinosaurs and all the stops we had to make and the danger, would you still have volunteered?”

  Gabriel was about to give a quick answer, but stopped to give it some serious thought.

  Piper said, “Maybe I’m weird, but I think that makes it even better. That mossy mother monster today was incredible.”

  Gabriel finally said, “Okay, fine. Yeah, I’d still be here. But ask me again in the morning. I might have a different opinion.”

  “Wake up, guys,” Carly’s voice said through the Mobile Tech Bands. She sounded agitated.

  “We’re here,” Dash replied. “What’s up?”

  “I’m picking up a large heat signature,” she answered. “It’s deeper in the valley and on the move.”

  All three kids were suddenly wide awake.

  “Any others?” Dash asked.

  “No. That’s the only one within twenty miles. I can’t guarantee it’s a Raptogon but whatever it is, it’s big. I mean really big. And it’s headed your way.”

  “And here we go,” Gabriel said.

  Dash grabbed the energy cannon, fixed it over his shoulder, and rested his elbows on the outer rail of the hovercraft.

  “Grab the lights,” Dash instructed. “When I tell you, turn them on and hit the Raptogon in the eyes. That’ll confuse him and give me a target.”

  “Are we close enough to the trap?” Piper asked.

  “I don’t know,” Dash replied. “Better safe than stupid. I don’t want to get squished.”

  “You don’t want to miss either,” Gabriel said gravely.

  They waited, quietly, tuned for any telltale sign that trouble was on the way.

  There was nothing.

  “Maybe it’s a storm cloud,” Piper suggested. “It could be floating this way and—”

  The hovercraft shook.

  It was slight, but it shook.

  “Did you feel that?” Gabriel asked.

  “No,” Piper replied. “What was it?”

  Seconds later, the hovercraft shook again.

  “I felt that,” Dash declared nervously.

  The craft trembled. It was short and quick, but it was real.

  Dash said, “It’s either mini earthquakes—”


  “Or footsteps,” Gabriel declared. It was tough to hide the tension in his voice.

  Dash settled in behind the energy cannon and looked down the twin barrels.

  “Can’t see a thing,” he said. “Get ready with the lights.”

  The ground shuddered several more times.

  “Whatever it is,” Piper said, “it’s coming closer.”

  The varmints started squealing.

  “I hear it,” Gabriel announced, squinting in concentration. “It’s moving through the grass.”

  They heard a loud crack, followed by a sharp thump.

  “And the trees,” Dash said. “It’s crushing anything in its path.”

  The quakes came quicker and sounded more violent.

  “It must hear the varmints,” Piper said. “It wants to eat.”

  “Come and get it, Rapper,” Gabriel cajoled. “We got dinner for you, and a very big surprise.”

  Several more tremors followed.

  “My heart is thumping,” Piper said with a thin, nervous voice.

  “I think I see it,” Dash declared. “Or I can see where it’s blocking out the stars. Man, it’s big.”

  “Tense up, buddy,” Gabriel said. “Don’t miss. You promised.”

  Two more thundering quakes shook the craft, followed by nothing. Everything went still. The only sound came from the squealing varmints.

  The three held their breaths, waiting, until a new sound emerged.

  “What is that?” Piper whispered. “It sounds like…wind.”

  They listened closely, trying to recognize what it might be.

  “Oh man,” Gabriel finally said, barely above a whisper. “We’re hearing it breathe.”

  The quiet night was suddenly shattered by the sound of wrenching metal and the squeals of frantic varmints.

  “It got the trap!” Piper declared. “It’s right there!”

  “Light it up!” Dash yelled.

  Piper and Gabriel switched on the high-powered lights and shot them toward the violent sounds. When the beams hit the target…

  Piper screamed.

  Gabriel did too.

  “Oh man!” Dash exclaimed, stunned.

  The Raptogon was right in front of them. It was three times the size of the hologram at Base Ten, standing a hundred and fifty feet high. Its clawed foot was as large as the hovercraft. The beast towered over the silver chute with the metal cage dangling from its giant front claws.

  Dash couldn’t breathe. The sight of the massive creature brought back frightening memories…times three. Sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped into his eyes.

  “Hit its face!” he commanded, breathless.

  Piper and Gabriel had to hold the big flashlights with two hands to keep them steady as they directed the beams at the monster’s eyes. The beast let out a blood-chilling scream as if it had been hit by lasers. It immediately let go of the trap and held its clawed hands up to shield its eyes. The cage plummeted to the ground, broke apart, and freed the varmints.

  “Shoot it!” Gabriel screamed.

  Dash was frozen. The sight of the behemoth went beyond any nightmare he could imagine. He desperately wiped sweat from his eyes and tried to line up a shot.

  “C’mon, Dash,” Piper said with incredible calm. “You can do it.”

  Dash’s hands trembled. He feared he wouldn’t be able to hold the cannon steady enough to get off a good shot.

  The beast howled and focused its attention on the source of its agony. The hovercraft. It leaned down low, loomed dangerously close to the crew, and let out a horrifying scream that rumbled their bellies.

  Dash could feel its hot breath on his face. It petrified him so completely that he couldn’t move.

  “You gotta shoot, Dash,” Piper said coolly.

  The beast stood up again and opened its long snout to reveal multiple rows of sharp teeth. It howled as if gathering strength from the pain, focused on the hovercraft…

  …and charged.

  When its foot hit the ground, the impact thundered the world so violently that the vehicle bounced.

  “Dash!” Gabriel screamed. “Drop this sucker!”

  Seeing the beast headed their way rocked Dash back into the moment and cleared his head. He looked down the long barrel of the silver cannon, zeroing in on the monstrous head.

  He would get only one shot.

  “Do it!” Piper screamed.

  “Good night,” he said, and pulled the trigger.

  The powerful device chugged in Dash’s grip, pushing him back into the hovercraft.

  The bolt of energy sprang from the barrel, flashed through the night sky and found its mark. The monster stopped in its tracks. Its whole body twisted, as if trying to move away from this strange, invisible attack that came out of the dark. Too late. The Raptogon was still on its feet, but it was unconscious. It teetered and fell.

  “Timber!” Gabriel yelled.

  The monster hit the ground with such a thunderous jolt that the hovercraft bounced and nearly flipped over. The head of the beast came to rest not twenty yards from them.

  “Gee,” Gabriel said to Dash. “You think you could have cut that a little closer?”

  “Sorry,” Dash said. “I didn’t expect it to be so…so…”

  “Scary?” Piper asked.

  “That’s a good word,” Dash replied, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

  The three stared at the downed monster, their light beams playing across its head.

  “We’re lucky it didn’t land on us,” Piper said.

  Dash dropped the cannon and went for the metal clamp and the rope.

  “Let’s do this before it wakes up,” he said.

  He leapt over the side, followed right behind by Gabriel, who continued to train the flashlight beam on the monster. The blinding light that cowed the beast had now become a work light.

  Dash ran to its head, but stopped a few feet away to stare in awe at the frightening, majestic animal.

  It lay on its side, its head rising up several feet higher than Dash and Gabriel. The skin of the monster was a mass of slimy gray-green scales. Its breathing was steady but labored. It was a reminder that the beast wasn’t dead, only unconscious.

  “It’s amazing,” Dash said in wonder.

  “Yeah, and if it wakes up, we’re breakfast,” Gabriel said. “Can we do this please?”

  Dash knelt down next to the mouth and reached out to grasp a handful of lip skin.

  “This is disgusting,” he said.

  As he lifted the heavy lip away from the gum, there was a wet, smacking sound. Sticky saliva was everywhere, creating a suction that made it difficult to keep the lip separated.

  “Give me a hand,” Dash said.

  “Do I have to?” Gabriel asked as he grabbed the lip and lifted it high, revealing a long row of large, lethal teeth.

  “Take your pick,” Gabriel said. “Just do it fast.”

  Dash went to work with the clamp. He found one upper tooth that had enough space on either side to insert the clamp. He loosened the metal frame, wrapped it around the sharp tooth, then tightened the device down. With a couple of sharp tugs, he was satisfied that it wouldn’t come loose.

  “This is nuts,” Gabriel said. “Dino dental work on the far side of the universe. That’ll be the name of the book I write.”

  Dash quickly reached for the climbing rope, threaded it through the eye in the clamp, and tied it off. Again, a couple of quick tugs told him it was secure.

  “Ready for me?” Piper asked as she backed her air chair toward them.

  Dash played out twenty yards of line and tied off the other end to a hook on the back of the air chair. He looped the remaining coil around the same hook.

  “That’s it,” he declared. “Back up about halfway, then throttle up to get some power. By the time the rope goes taut, there should be enough force to yank the tooth.”

  “You think it will hurt him?” Piper asked.

  “Who cares?” Gabriel exclaimed.


  “He’s only got a couple of hundred others,” Dash said. “He won’t miss one.”

  Dash guided the air chair backward, letting the rope go slack.

  “That’s good,” he said. “Ready?”

  Piper nodded.

  Dash backed away to stand with Gabriel, who kept the beam of light on the monster’s mouth.

  “All right,” Dash called out. “Anytime.”

  Piper took a deep breath. She grasped the side of her air chair with one hand for balance and put her other hand on the joystick.

  “Here we go,” she declared. “Three…two…one…”

  She hit the throttle and the air chair leapt forward.

  The rope went taut.

  The air chair groaned.

  The tooth didn’t budge.

  The beast’s eyes snapped open.

  Piper gunned the throttle but she was stuck, attached to a tooth that wasn’t going anywhere and to a beast who didn’t like it one bit.

  “It’s awake!” Gabriel shouted. “Cut the rope!”

  Dash ran for the air chair, fumbling to get the work knife out of his belt.

  Too late.

  The beast’s head snapped up and yanked the air chair along with it. The sudden force flipped Piper out, sending her tumbling to the grass below.

  “Piper!” Dash yelled.

  “What’s going on?” Carly called through Gabriel’s Mobile Tech Band. “What’s happening?”

  Nobody answered. They were frozen in fear, staring up at the monster as it rose to its feet. The rope with the useless air chair dangled below its mouth.

  It was hurt. It was angry.

  It wanted revenge.

  “What’s happening?” Carly cried.

  She sat at her monitor in the library, frantic. On-screen was a jumble of confusing images sent back from Dash’s chest cam. An arm, a blur of grass, a flash of light from the high-intensity beams, Piper’s frightened face, the hovercraft, and then a giant reptilian foot smashing down.

  Chris watched over her shoulder, along with STEAM. Rocket sat at their feet, whimpering nervously.

  “The air chair did not have the power to extract the tooth,” Chris said with surprising calm. “That was my miscalculation. I should have recommended using the hovercraft.”

  “They’re on the run!” Carly shouted on the edge of panic. “We have to do something.”