by Logan Jacobs
“Ah, you’re up,” Rory said when she spotted me. “Pull up a chair, and I’ll have your breakfast right out.”
“Um, I’ll skip the beans,” I said as I looked at Becka’s plate.
“You yanks,” she sighed. “But that just leaves more for me.”
“I will never understand how you can eat those first thing in the morning,” I said as I sat down across from Becka.
“They’re good,” the blonde Brit responded as she scooped up a forkful.
I watched her eat several more large servings of the beans, and then I shook my head. Rory reappeared with a plate for me that consisted of two fried eggs, tomato slices, extra bacon, and toast slathered with butter.
“That looks perfect,” I said.
“You’re missing out without the beans,” Rory commented as she walked toward the family we’d rescued the night before.
“Where’s Hae-won?” I asked. “I didn’t see her upstairs.”
“She already ate,” Becka said. “Had some tea and toast, and then after talking to Rory, she said she had something to do.”
“She left the pub?” I asked in disbelief. “Alone?”
“She was just going across the street,” Becka replied. “And she was adamant that she didn’t want company.”
“After what we saw last night, you just let her go?” I pressed.
“I made sure she made it inside,” Becka said. “And I told her to call when she was coming back so I could keep an eye on the square. Besides, she has her rifle.”
It seemed so pointlessly dangerous, but I wasn’t sure if I could explain that to Becka without getting angry. I tried to marshal my arguments, but Becka finally set her fork down and placed a hand over mine.
“You take good care of us,” she said. “And yeah, I know sometimes we’ve done stupid things that landed us into a risky situaion. But trust me, this isn’t one of those times. She’s fine, she’s safe, and she’ll be back soon.”
I took a deep breath and reminded myself that Becka and Hae-won were entitled to venture off on their own if they so desired, and if that sometimes conflicted with my urge to keep them safe, I would just have to accept that. Becka was probably right, though, that Hae-won was perfectly fine doing whatever it was she was doing.
“Where’d she go?” I finally asked. “It’s not like the stores are open.”
“Looked like a hookah joint,” Becka mumbled around a mouthful of toast. “Not sure what she was looking for.”
I finally started to eat my breakfast as I tried to guess what Hae-won hoped to find at the hookah joint. By the time we’d polished off our breakfasts, a few more townspeople had started to appear. Most darted quickly from one door to another, though the distant call of a Pterodactyl cleared the streets for a full forty-five minutes. When the winged lizard didn’t appear, a few more brave souls appeared, including Mick. I watched the mechanic approach the pub as he dodged from doorway to doorway and kept one eye on the sky and one of the streets.
“Bloody horrible way to live,” Roger said as he strolled over to our table and peered out the window. “I just hope we’re able to return to a normal life soon.”
“As do we all,” Becka agreed. “What are you and your family going to do?”
“Anne’s sister lives nearby,” Roger replied with a nod toward his wife and kids. “We’ll collect a few things and then head over. But I just wanted to thank you again before you leave.”
“Well, we should be back this way soon,” I said. “We’re just going to Coates.”
“Coates?” the man said in surprise. “Why?”
“We need to find someone,” I said.
“The staff at the power plant was stuck in Coates,” Becka added.
“Well, you definitely want to find them,” Roger mused. “Though no one’s had contact with anyone in Coates for some time. A few of our lads went over to find family, but we haven’t heard from them since. We just assumed that the whole area has become a giant pit of dinosaurs.”
“The army sent some soldiers there,” I said.
“That they did,” Roger agreed. “They passed through here. Didn’t stop long, just confirmed that no one had seen or heard anything about Coates in some time. We never did see them again, either.”
I shared a glance with Becka. It would be terrible but not surprising if such a small town had been wiped out by the arrival of several large carnivores, but for some trained soldiers to disappear as well before they could send word of any kind was another level altogether.
“We’ll find out what’s happened,” Becka replied. “And we’ll let you know when we return.”
“Right,” Roger said in that forced cheery supportive way that the English do so well. “That you will.”
Roger shook our hands, then returned to his own table to collect his family. The little group retreated from the room, but not before I heard Roger mention Coates and saw Ann shake her head sadly.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” Becka said. “I mean, if the soldiers can’t return from this mission, how are we supposed to pull it off?”
“We’ve survived worse,” I replied, though I wasn’t sure about that.
“I hope you’re right,” Becka said.
Mick had finally arrived at the pub by then, and he pounded on the door when he discovered it was still locked. Rory quickly appeared and unlocked the door, then closed it behind him without locking it.
“She’s ready to go,” Mick announced when he spotted me and Becka.
“We’re just about ready to go,” I replied. “Are you sure there’s something we can’t trade you for your services?”
“Nah,” the mechanic replied. “The pints were good. Though if you’re heading to Coates, and if you make it, well…”
“You know someone there?” Becka guessed.
“A friend,” Mick replied as he blushed. “A girl named Susan. She’s got rooms above the post office.”
“We’ll check on her,” I offered. “And let her know you’re okay.”
“And if she wants to come back with us?” Becka asked with a wink.
“Well, I’ve got plenty of room,” Mick said.
I spotted Hae-won crossing the street then in her jeans and pink t-shirt from the day before, and an oversized cotton jacket that she must have picked up at the hookah joint. It looked a good deal more comfortable than the ones Walston had supplied us, and I wondered if there was a chance that we might score a couple more.
I was happy to see that the beautiful Korean had her armor on, which glinted beneath the jacket even in the gray light that filtered through the clouds, and she carried her rifle with the ease of a warrior. Her long-black hair bounced behind her, and all I could think as I watched her was how sexy and fierce she looked.
I was head over heels for both these beautiful warrior women. Becka was like the warm sun, and Hae-won was the mysterious moon. I needed them both in my life, and I remembered my thoughts last night when I realized that these dinosaurs had brought the three of us together.
And it was the best thing to ever happen to me.
“Bugger,” Becka sighed. “She was supposed to call before she crossed the street so I could step outside and check for dinos.”
“Why don’t you go grab our armor and weapons?” I suggested. “Once Hae-won is here, we can head over to Mick’s and get this trip underway.”
Becka nodded and excused herself from the table. Mick grinned at her, then watched Hae-won for a moment. The Korean girl scanned the square one more time before she opened the door to the pub and stepped inside. She blinked in the darkness, then spotted me and Mick at the table.
“You were out and about early,” I noted.
“Yes, I had something to do,” she said in a bored voice. “But I see Mick is here. Does that mean the bus is ready?”
“It is,” Mick agreed. “Your friend just went upstairs to gather yer things.”
“Figured we should get an early start,” I added.
Becka returned, with the ammo bag and my rifle as well as both swords and the Glocks, all of which she had somehow fitted into her waistband. She distributed the weapons array, and I found myself with a Glock, the hunting rifle, and the ammo bag. Mick gave a low whistle as he took in the sight of us fully armed and armored and shook his head.
“Well, I don’t imagine there’s much that will be able to stand up to you three,” he declared.
“Ah, thanks, Mick,” Becka replied.
“Here,” Rory called as she stepped from behind the bar with a pair of plastic bags stacked with to-go boxes. “I’ve packed you some lunch for the road in case you don’t find anything else.”
“Thanks, Rory,” I replied as I grabbed a bag with each hand.
“Lead the way, Mick,” Becka instructed.
The mechanic nodded and led the way to the door. He opened it, and Becka slipped out first. The blonde did a quick scan of the area, then nodded for the rest of us to follow. We walked quickly across the square and down the road toward Mick’s shop. The square was starting to stink from the three dinos, but I noticed several men approaching the scene with axes and saws. They nodded to us, then continued on their way as if they were doing nothing more exciting than heading into the office.
“So, I had to borrow a few bits from other cars,” Mick said as he rolled the garage door open. “But it should hold you.”
The van was where we had left it, and though the dings and dents were still there, I noticed that Mick had found a side-view mirror to replace one we had lost. It wasn’t as large, but at least we’d be able to see some of the road behind us.
“Here, these are the ones wot killed the dinosaurs?” an unfamiliar voice asked.
“Hey, Reg,” Mick replied. “Yes, this is them.”
“I hear you’re going to Coates,” Reg said as he stepped into view.
Reg was in his sixties, with a sparse crop of ginger hair and a bent back that spoke to years of hard work. His clothes were dusty, his boots mud splattered, and the faint scent of hay and manure clung to him, all sure signs that he was a farmer.
“You should be careful,” Reg said. “I think the military is doing something there. Maybe turned it into a test range for killing dinosaurs or such.”
“Reg,” Mick sighed.
“What makes you say that?” I asked.
“I tried to go there,” Reg replied. “Just two weeks ago.”
Reg shook his head but said nothing.
“And what happened?” Hae-won asked.
“There was a big barricade up,” Reg replied. “Right across the road. One of those the military uses with the concrete blocks and the sandbags.”
“I didn’t know anyone had been to Coates,” I replied. “It was my understanding that no one who’s gone to Coates has come back.”
“Aye,” Reg said as he looked around the area before moving closer to us. “But I didn’t go all the way up to the barricade, see? And I wasn’t in my truck. I was on foot, going through the fields. I stayed out of sight, so they wouldn’t take me and use me as some sort of bait for whatever it is they’re doing.”
“But did you see any soldiers?” Hae-won asked.
“Weren’t going to get that close, now was I?” Reg asked in an offended tone.
“Get along, Reg,” Mick said. “Rory will have your pint ready by now.”
“Just stay away from Coates, is all I’m sayin’,” Reg sniffed.
The old farmer tottered away and Mick watched him go with a shake of his head.
“Sorry about that,” Mick said. “Sometimes Reg doesn’t remember things too well. He says he walked to Coates two weeks ago but it was probably two years ago.”
“Do you remember there ever being a time when there was a barricade up?” I asked.
“Not like the one he’s describing,” Mick said with a shrug. “But he might be exaggerating that.”
“Still,” I muttered as I watched Reg stop at the square and look around.
The old farmer seemed lost for a moment, and then he spotted the pub. He started toward it with a more assured stride, and a moment later, Rory opened the door and encouraged him to move faster.
“Shouldn’t someone be keeping an eye on him?” Becka asked.
“We’ve tried,” Mick replied. “But he forgets what’s going on, and he punched out David when he tried to stop him. Yelled at old Mrs. Garrett when she tried to keep him inside.”
Reg made it to the pub, and Rory nearly pulled him inside. Mick shook his head again, and then turned toward us. He held up the key and gave us a grin.
“Well, good luck,” the eyebrowless mechanic said. “And if you find Susan, just let her know I’m okay.”
“Will do,” I promised as I accepted the key.
The three of us climbed aboard the minibus once again, and I quickly claimed the driver’s seat before either of the girls could. I turned the key in the ignition, and the engine came to life much more quickly than it had before. In fact, it sounded like a whole new engine, and I wondered what all Mick had done. I backed out of the garage with the mechanic’s help, and I pointed our refurbished ride toward the road to Coates.
We passed the last few buildings that made up Whittlesey proper and found ourselves in an area of cookie cutter homes amid old fields. We were only about two miles from Coates, and we had yet to see a single living dinosaur. But Reg’s warning kept ringing in my ears, and despite what Mick felt about Reg’s story, Reg had seemed lucid when we had talked to him. I spotted a layby, pulled in, and put the minibus into park.
“What’s up?’ Becka asked.
“I was just thinking about Reg’s story,” I said.
“About the barricade?” Hae-won asked. “It didn’t sound so terrible. We built the same thing around the campus.”
“We did,” I agreed. “But doesn’t it strike you as odd that no one’s heard from anyone once they enter the town?”
“Mick seemed sure that Reg was confused,” Becka pointed out.
“He seemed lucid enough this morning,” I replied. “He knew there were dinosaurs around.”
“But if he really knew there were dinosaurs around, then why would he walk all the way to Coates?” Becka asked.
“He did walk through the town this morning,” Hae-won said. “Even though he knew about the dinosaurs. Maybe he’s not afraid of them.”
“Or maybe he figures he knows enough places to hide if one comes along,” I added. “I’m just not so sure that Reg was as out of it as Mick seemed to believe.”
“Okay, so what if he wasn’t?” Becka asked. “Like Hae-won pointed out, they wouldn’t be the first to build a wall around their town.”
“It’s the fact that everyone who goes there, including the soldiers, seems to disappear into a black hole,” I said.
“So you think there’s something to his crazy theory about baiting traps for dinosaurs?” Becka snickered.
“No,” I replied, “but it could be that some of the less friendly locals are running the town now.”
“Ah,” Hae-won said with a nod. “You think they are harming strangers who come to the town.”
“Maybe,” I replied. “And who’s going to call them on it? Anyone with authority is otherwise occupied fighting dinosaurs.”
“But why would they do that?” Becka asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “And until we get there, we won’t know, either. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to show up with all our guns blazing and demand to know what’s going on. Those soldiers didn’t come back, either, so that type of routine won’t work.”
“They might have caught the soldiers off-guard,” Hae-won mused. “That would have made it easier.”
“And we’ll be ready,” Becka added.
“Maybe,” I said. “Can you check Google Earth? See if there’s someplace close to the town where we can hide the minibus. It needs to be out of sight of
the road and whatever this barricade is, but close enough that we can get to it in a pinch.”
“You really just want to walk up to the town?” Becka asked as Hae-won started to type on her phone.
“It might throw them off,” I said. “We should leave the rifles on the bus, but hidden somewhere so if someone does find it, they won’t see the guns. We’ll keep the handguns and the swords, but since only the swords will be visible, we’ll convince them those are our only weapons. Hopefully, no one will think to check us for guns.”
“Then what are you going to carry?” Becka teased.
“Shit,” I muttered as I looked around. “Is there a wrench or something in the back?”
Becka went to the back of the bus, and a moment later, I heard her open a metal lid.
“There’s a tire iron,” the blonde called out.
“I’ll carry that,” I replied.
“Okay, I have a good spot,” Hae-won announced. “Just ahead, there will be a road on our right. There are homes, but then there is empty land. We can drive across that, and just before we reach the town, there is a stone barn. We can leave the minibus in there.”
“If the dinos haven’t already destroyed the barn,” Becka said. “Or if they don’t destroy it while we’re in the town.”
“Everything’s a risk these days,” I replied as I put the bus back into drive. “But it will have to do.”
I found the road Hae-won had mentioned, and we drove past six brick homes that were little more than boxes. There were no decorations of any kind and no way to distinguish one home from the next. In fact, the homes looked empty, as if no one had ever moved in. That theory seemed to be confirmed when the paved road abruptly ended, not in a cul-de-sac, but in the middle of a field. The farmer must have sold the property some time ago, because the ground was bumpy but not impassable, and the land was filled with grass and wildflowers.
“There is the barn,” Hae-won said as she pointed toward an old stone structure.