Blood Trail

by David Rhodes

  “That’s going to be hard to do,” Steve pointed out. “Why would I trust one of you to shoot something trying to get me when you might be busy protecting yourself? We’ll all want guns all of the time.”

  “Well, you won’t get them,” Major Donald told him.

  Ron went on, “If we can find a cave we might be able to survive for a while without too many problems. But like Sinewave said, at some point, no matter how we try to keep from using the weapons, they will be gone. The food and water we carry will be gone. Then we’ll have to leave safety behind and walk into the forest with only wooden spears or big rocks.

  “But we don’t belong here. Even though there isn’t something waiting to eat us every ten feet, we can’t compete safely for food supplies. Even the herbivores in this time are huge and will be tough to kill. We can’t fight them, they have evolved to survive in this time against all the predators that we already know we can’t defeat.”

  “So, there’s no hope?” Junk asked.

  Ron smiled and said, “If we can get some place safe, that we can defend then maybe weeks, months, who knows? Maybe something will happen.”

  “What will happen?” Steve asked. “Nothing. Our only chance was Otto deciding to continue what I started. Sending back workers to start drilling for oil. Maybe someone would talk and then suddenly there would be more time travelers and even now there would be a chance someone would be coming to rescue us.” He turned to Danny and said, “But you ruined all that with your shoot first and ask questions later mentality. You’ve doomed us.”

  Danny looked at Blonk and said, “Go ahead. I’m too tired.”

  Blonk knocked Steve down again and Steve shouted, “Will you people stop hitting me? I can’t help it if we are going to die.”

  “But you could have. You didn’t have to do all of this,” Charles told him. “We didn’t have to be stranded here, living a death sentence. You did this.” He paused then continued, “But there might be a way out.”

  Lauren turned her head quickly toward him and asked, “Just like last time?”

  “Yes, and no,” he replied.

  Ron moved in beside him and took his arm, “But Steve said all of your other time machines were destroyed.”

  “I’m sure they were,” Steve said.

  Charles stepped toward Steve who backed away and put his hands up. “I’m not going to hit you,” Charles told him. “But you aren’t quite as smart as you like to think.” He paused and asked, “You only destroyed the time machines in the shed and the house, right?”

  “Yes, all of your time machines.”

  Charles smiled and turned to everyone else and said, “Look, I made a mistake and the fact that Lauren, Ron, Lisa, Danny and myself are here is my fault. I thought we had a handle on things. But I always expect the worst. I always have to have a backup plan or two.”

  “There is another time machine?” Major Donald asked.

  “There is,” Lauren answered. “But it’s not at the house, is it?”

  “No, it’s about five miles northeast of here in a group of condos I bought.” He turned to Steve and continued, “You see, I realized there were limitations to both of my older machines. Too stationary. I gutted the condos and put another time machine in a much wider and taller area to maneuver in. Not as large as your warehouse, but big enough.”

  “Just five miles?” Cat said. “We can be there in two or three hours.”

  “No, we can’t,” Ben said.

  “I agree,” Lauren added. “This jungle is too dense.”

  “We have the trail,” Rover told her.

  “We do,” Lauren agreed. “And we can use it to start east for as long as we can. But walking on a trail would be inviting trouble.”

  “Lauren is right,” Ron told everyone. “We ran into a lot of carnivores on our jumps. I couldn’t figure out why until I realized later we were always near water or a trail that was being watched by predators. We don’t want to fight our way to the time machine. Some of us would not make it. Probably none of us. We all need to make it back.”

  “All of us?” Steve asked.

  “All of us,” Ron said turning toward him. “Though I don’t know what will happen when we return.” Steve started to say something then he just folded his arms across his chest. Ron turned away from Steve and continued, “But if I understand right, we have at least three more days of protection total with our guns and the bots and drones. That should be enough time to make it.”

  “Should be,” Lauren agreed. “But there is a lot of unknown in the way.”

  “So, what direction do we go?” Major Donald asked Charles.

  “Northeast.”

  “How do you know?”

  Charles held up his watch and said, “This computer has the coordinates of the time machine embedded in it down to a yard. When I activate a special program the time machine will travel back to where I’m at. The easiest way to start would be the way the duckbills went but I guess it isn’t the safest.”

  “It might be right now,” Ron said. “I think if there are any predators watching the trail they are following the Kritosaurus, those duckbills to gage their weaknesses. At least until they decide either to attack or not. We probably have some time to move along the trail. We should get started and try to move as fast as we can for as long as we can. We need to cut into the five miles today.”

  “Dad’s right,” Lauren agreed.

  “Okay,” Major Donald said, “Let’s grab the gear and let’s go. All of us. There’s seventeen of us and I want all of us to make it back. So, don’t leave anything behind because we might need it. Sinewave and Junk keep the drones and bots moving, especially the drones. If the bots fall behind they’ll have to catch up. Let’s go.”

  Blonk bent down and picked up the extra bot as everyone started picking up items and slinging them over their backs. Even Aria, who seemed completely lost but understood she had to help, picked up some line and netting and tried to fit it around the DOPE she was now wearing. Lauren tried to explain the guns and the DOPE to her, but it was a hurried explanation.

  Steve had quickly grabbed the DOPE he was going to wear and had three more when Stoney tore two of them out of his hands. “You get one extra,” she told him. He glared at her but didn’t say anything.

  Major Donald put Cat and Blonk on point and the rest of the Team fanned out and covered their areas on the flanks and rear. Then they moved out.

  As they drew near the dead T-rex site, Major Donald asked, “Do we stay on the trail?”

  “Anything?” Ron asked Sinewave and Junk.

  “Nothing,” they both told him.

  “Then yes, let’s keep pushing it. We can rest later. But Sinewave - ”

  “Believe me, you’ll know if something starts our way,” Sinewave cut in.

  No one talked as they continued rapidly along the trail for another fifteen minutes when Sinewave said, “Nothing’s coming toward us but we’re catching up to a group of animals. Small ones, but definitely staying together.”

  “Let me look,” Lauren said. After a few seconds she said, “Okay, they look like scavengers or possible predators. They are all gathered around something and I don’t want to find out what. I think we should start northeast now.”

  Major Donald didn’t say a word, she just turned and guided the group into the jungle. It wasn’t too dense to begin with, but they could see dark thickets of vegetation ahead of them. Blonk suddenly paused and held up his fist and everyone stopped. Sinewave stared at his screen then shrugged his shoulders and looked confused, but no one moved. After a minute, Blonk waved his hand and they started forward again.

  Twenty minutes later they stopped in front of a wall of interwoven plants and Major Donald said, “Sinewave, take one of the drones up and see if there is a place where it is thinner.”

  “We have the machetes,” Steve said.

  “I know, but swinging machetes make more noise than all of these insects around us and even trying to be as quiet as
we can the seventeen of us are going to make a lot of noise.” Major Donald turned to Blonk and asked, “Why did you stop us?”

  “I thought I’d let the biggest snake I’ve ever seen get out of our way first.”

  “It didn’t have a red head, did it?” Ron asked anxiously.

  “No, it was brown like the rest of it, but the head was bigger than a football.”

  “Major,” Sinewave said, “if we cut to the right it looks like this thins out.”

  “Junk, take the bots that way and we’ll follow. Sinewave, take the bot up in front of us and see if you can guide us through.”

  “Will do, wait…no I won’t.”

  “What? Why not.”

  Sinewave didn’t have to answer as suddenly a shadow passed over them and a large winged creature came into view. Its body was light gray on the bottom and they could see it was greenish-brown on the top of its wings as they flapped. They could also see it had the drone in its beak until it snapped in half and the animal let it drop to the ground.

  Major Donald looked at Ron who said, “It was a Pterosaur, probably Navajodactylus. They are going to be territorial, so you’ll have to keep the drones low, but that might not be enough to keep them from being attacked.”

  “Understood,” Major Donald replied. “Okay, let’s see if we can find a less dense area and keep moving. Remember, be as quiet as you can.”

  They kept moving with only short breaks for another two hours, but they still had a hard time getting through the thick jungle. Finally, Lauren said, “This is actually a good place to stop for the night.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  DAY TWO

  “Why is that?” Ben asked.

  “First, we have a small, fairly level clearing here that we can all fit into. Next, we have thick brush all around us and the tree trunks don’t have a lot of space between them. This isn’t a place something big would have an easy time getting into.”

  “Just set up a Camp DOPE,” Steve commanded.

  “No,” Major Donald told him. Then she continued, “As a matter of fact, I might not sleep under my DOPE either. I want to save it for a true emergency. Also, Sinewave, can we set up the bots, so they maintain a perimeter for us?”

  “Maybe one at a time to last the night but their batteries are getting low. We need the sun for their solar panels but in here it’s too shadowy.”

  “Okay, that means we post a lookout in each corner of this clearing. We’ll use the night vision. There are eight of the Team left so we’ll do two hours on and off until daylight.”

  “No,” Danny said. “All of us are tired. Let me get some sleep and move me into the rotation.”

  “Me too,” Charles said, followed by Lauren, Ron and Lisa.

  “But you can put me in sooner,” Lauren said. Again, Charles, Ron and Lisa agreed.

  Danny nodded, “Better to have everyone get at least six hours of sleep.”

  “Count me in too,” Ben said.

  “Me too,” Tony said quietly.

  “Okay,” Major Donald said. “Cat, Blonk, Rover and I will take the first watch. Stoney, Lost Ben and Tony will take the second. Charles, Lauren, Ron and Lisa will follow them and since Sinewave and Junk have been staring at their monitors all day they can finish up with Danny and…” she paused for a moment and looked at Steve who just turned away.

  “I will do it,” Aria spoke up. “I don’t know exactly what to do though.”

  “I’ll watch with you,” Major Donald said. Then she ordered Sinewave to shut down the bots and drone, then she paused and told everyone, “Look, we made it through the first day. We have the equipment and expertise and now because of Charles a plan that will get us out of here. We stay close, work together and watch out for each other and we’ll all get through this. It won’t be easy, but I think we can do it. Teamwork.”

  “Teamwork,” everyone replied.

  “Okay. So, let’s eat something then decide how you are going to sleep. If you want to use your DOPE go ahead, it’s okay.”

  “By the way,” Charles said, “we covered a mile and a half today.”

  As everyone smiled and opened their ration packs, Lauren walked over to Danny and asked, “How are you holding up?”

  “There were times I did not think I would make it,” Danny admitted. “But the thought that each step was bringing us closer to getting home kept me going. Still, I’m glad we finally stopped.”

  “I am too,” Ron said as he joined them. “I hope this food gets me going again.”

  Ben was sitting a few feet away and told him, “It will. There’s about 2,500 calories in your meal and the water has extra vitamins, minerals, well…everything. You’ll feel like a new man tomorrow. Both of you.”

  Danny smiled and said, “That will be different.”

  “Danny, why don’t you take that long sleeve shirt off? It has to be cooking you,” Charles said.

  “Can’t. The medicine I’m taking to get rid of this cold or flu or whatever makes me susceptible to sunburn. Besides, the sleeves get soaked with sweat that helps keep me cool when a breeze kicks up.”

  “When we get back we’re taking you to a different doctor,” Lauren told him.

  “Let’s do that,” Danny agreed.

  “Doing okay?” Charles asked Lauren.

  “Yeah, hanging in there. Especially since you and your suspicious streak came through again.”

  “Amen to that,” Danny said. “What will we do if your machine isn’t there for us? Are we going to have to know when to show up like last time?”

  “No, it will take just a few minutes to get to us,” Charles said.

  “Ron, I want you to take it easy tomorrow,” Lisa said. “I know you’re in the field a lot but still, it has to have been a while since you’ve walked like we did today.”

  “It’s true,” Ron told her. “But like Danny, knowing a way home waits for us is keeping me going.” He hugged Lisa and said, “We’ll be okay. We’ll make it. Just like last time.”

  Tony leaned over to Aria and said, “Mom, you need to eat, or at least drink something.”

  “I can’t,” she said. “I still don’t understand why we’re here and I know I’m going to die. I can feel it.”

  “No, you don’t,” Tony insisted. “You’re just scared. We all are. But remember how much you look up to Lauren? She’s here and she’s helping to lead us. All of them are smart and know what they’re doing. Even the soldiers. They’ve done this before. It’s going to be okay. You should sleep in a DOPE and you’re not going to die, Mom. I won’t let you. I can’t. I’m the reason you’re here so I can’t let anything happen to you.”

  Aria looked at him as she started picking at her food and said, “Tony, you are not the reason I’m here.” She nodded her head toward Steve and continued, “He is. And Tony, when death comes, you won’t be able to stop it.”

  The Team ate without speaking until Stoney said, “Major, you’re doing great. I know you’re going to get us through this.”

  “We believe in you,” Rover added as everyone else agreed.

  “I…thanks, everyone,” Major Donald replied. “I’ll keep doing the best I can, but I meant what I said earlier. It’s going to take all of us. We all have a part, especially Ron and his group.”

  Stoney looked at Steve and said, “Not everyone.”

  Steve ate quickly as he tried to think of how he was going to straighten things out. He had decided it was actually a good thing that Otto wasn’t going to be coming back. One less obstacle. First, he would have to lure Ben back. It would be hard but not impossible. It would probably just take a lot of money. The same with the Team. That’s all they were interested in anyway. Now Ron and everyone of that group was a different story. They could only be quieted by action. And lies. He would do everything he had said he was going to do. Let them see it and let them think he was beaten.

  What could they do then? Tell the authorities he had let one of his workers be eaten by a dinosaur? That they had traveled
in time? The very things they did not want to do. No. They could hate him all they wanted to as long as they left him alone, so he could finish what he had started. Now it might be a few years down the road, but that didn’t matter. Time was on his side.

  Ben watched his brother from across the clearing and thought, “You’re not going to get away with anything when we get back.”

  The group quieted down as everyone started eating and as they finished, Lauren told everyone, “Let’s keep the talk to a minimum now and if you have to talk, only whisper. Try not to move around too much. I can guarantee that something is looking at us right now. It’s probably small though and even if it is a carnivore there are too many of us for it to be interested in. But, we don’t want to attract a pack of animals or anything large.”

  “Thanks for the bedtime story,” Blonk said and then it got quiet except for the sounds of everyone trying to make a bed by spreading out their DOPE to sleep on.

  “I’m just going to say this one last time,” Steve said. “All of us should sleep in a DOPE.” When no one responded he told them, “I have the DOPE you gave me and one of the extra ones so I’m sleeping in one.” He looked about defiantly then dropped down under his DOPE.

  Despite their fears, everyone was so tired that they fell asleep quickly. It was a fitful sleep though and everyone woke up at some point not knowing where they were. But in the faint moonlight that streamed down through the overhead canopy of leaves they could make out the silhouette of figures wearing night vision goggles standing still and watching. Then they would drift back to sleep until it was their turn to watch. Though the night passed slowly, it passed without incident.

  As the sun began to slip through the leaves everyone began moving around. Sinewave pushed the bots to a well-lit area to charge their solar cells and everyone gathered in the center of the clearing and began eating. After a few minutes, Lost said, “Blonk is still sleeping. Should we wake him?”