As crazy as the man might have been, he certainly had a point. Coop thought a bit, and since it was only one bull, it was worth the risk to see how a Seven rifle would fare against a Triceratops. If not, they still had the .50 caliber on the roof. It was powerful enough to take down a herd of elephants. Coop believed it could handle one Triceratops.
“Don, go in the Mule, and zero in the fifty cal. Wait for my orders before firing,” Coop said.
Don did as ordered, and Coop stood alongside of Bats. “Okay, let’s see what we can do.”
“You’re on,” Bats said. A rare smile curled on his lips. He raised his rifle. “That’s a big bastard.” The rifle fired, the blast suppressed by the Seven’s custom barrel. A .308 caliber bullet found its target on its chest just under the beast’s head. The special tip exploded on impact.
Coop saw the flash of the explosion and a fist sized crater on the Triceratops’ chest.
The mighty creature cried in pain or surprise. The cry sounded like the baritone of a metallic horn. The others in the herd took quick notice, freezing in position, and raising heads cautiously in the air.
“Guys, if the herd comes to the rescue get ready to run,” Coop said.
Bats fired again, knocking another chunk of meat out next to the first. “I don’t think I’m getting much penetration.”
“It’s not slowing him down either,” Suge said.
“Going with the rocket,” Bats said. The side rocket launched and struck its target, knocking the beast to the ground. The rocket’s blast on impact sent the Triceratops herd scurrying in the other direction.
“Survival of the fittest or the smartest,” Coop said.
The downed Triceratops brayed like an injured cow. The animal still lived and was suffering.
“Shit,” Coop said.
“You want me to try the grenades? See what kind of damage they’ll do?” Bats asked.
“No. I think they have tiny brains, and with all that armor on its head, you might have to blow it clean off to kill it. We need to stop the heart.” Coop turned to Don. “The animal’s on its side, you got the shot?”
“Yeah. No problem,” Don said.
“Do it.”
The machine gun rattled several armor piercing rounds into the Triceratops’ chest. Its left leg raised and shook, and then the animal became deathly still. From all indications it was dead.
“Good shooting,” Coop said, and then scanned the area to see if the gunfire had attracted any other dinosaurs ready to defend its territory. The Triceratops herd had disappeared into the forest.
Bats walked at a quick pace to check out the prize.
Suge turned to Coop, who nodded. The two men followed, with Don close on their heels.
The dinosaur looked as big as a short school bus. Surprisingly, its skin looked like a hybrid of reptile and mammal skin. Sort of like a cross between elephant and iguana. It had its own distinct musk, but wasn’t much different from what you would smell at a stockyard. It was at this point Coop surmised that some of the large clumps on the ground were dinosaur droppings.
“It’s got red blood . . . and look at the meat,” Bats said, poking the chest wound with his survival knife. “It’s red meat.”
“Yeah. Alex told me new theories supported that dinosaurs were warm blooded, red meat animals. In fact, I didn’t realize this, but mammals evolved from reptiles,” Coop said.
“Wow. I didn’t know that either,” Suge said. “Makes you think.”
“Yeah, think what?” Coop asked.
“You know. Man’s a mammal. We went from monkeys to apes to human somehow. Well, some dinosaurs already walked on two legs. That was millions of years ago. Why didn’t they evolve into something like man?”
“You mean like lizard people that fly UFOs?” Don asked.
“I know what you getting at, Don. So, yeah. Something like that,” Suge said.
“Interesting question. Don’t know. Who knows what turns the wheels of evolution? There’s a theory that an asteroid struck the Earth millions of years ago and killed off the dinosaurs. Maybe they would have become man-like had that not happened.”
“Coop. Take my picture,” Bats said. He stood next to the Triceratops’ head and posed like a big game hunter.
“Wait, I want in,” Don said.
“Me too,” Suge said.
The three men moved in position while Alex unclipped his phone and brought it before him to frame the photo. “Okay, wait . . . let me zoom in . . . Suge, move a little closer to Bats. That’s it. Hold still, and I’ll take a few.” Coop clicked off five shots. “There. Got it.”
“Boy, those animal rights nut-jobs are going to be some upset when they see a picture of this,” Suge said.
“Yeah, and that’s why our job is for them never to see it. Remember, we’re all under contract,” Coop said.
“What’re we gonna do now? That head mounted on the wall would make me the most popular man in Alabama, but it’s too big to bring back with us,” Don said.
“That would make one hell of a trophy.” Coop laughed. “Say, you got me thinking. People pay big money to hunt, right?”
“Yep,” Don said.
“So, what would someone pay to kill a dinosaur? I mean, not here, of course. But if we can put these things on a ranch somewhere—breed them. Make it all on the up and up. I bet some people would pay a million dollars to kill one of these and have the head for a trophy.”
“Hell, maybe more. You get one of those rich pro athletes to kill one and all his other buddies are going to have to kill one too. Dinosaur trophies will become the new bling,” Suge said.
“And Ace Corp will take all their money. I’m definitely putting this in my report,” Coop said.
“All I know is that I ain’t had a good steak in a while. I’m going to carve off some back-strap, and find the tenderloin and cut it out. We’re going to eat like kings tonight,” Don said.
“I’ll drink to that. Beats the hell out of a MRE,” Coop said. His imagination drifted to a remote area in Montana, with rolling green hills, and snowcapped mountains on the horizon. He’s the proprietor of the lodge, entertaining the world’s elite after a successful dinosaur hunt. Smoking cigars by the roaring fireplace while telling soldier of fortune stories and being one of the first to discover prehistoric creatures still roamed the Earth. His mouth widened into a smile so large he thought his lips were going to split.
Chapter 16
Chief terminated the call to Coop, picked up his cap, and rubbed the hand still holding the phone across his brow. It’s not like he hadn’t anticipated some sort of accident on this trip. He even considered death a probable possibility. But he thought that more so of Coop and the three others who headed off on their own, away from the protection of the Warthog.
His main job was to keep the college crew safe from harm. And even if that meant they had to spend the entire trip holed up inside the Warthog, so be it. Of course, Chief didn’t wish for such a scenario. Part of him was as excited as they were to witness the precious gift time had saved for them.
So far, the dangers had been few, and he was ready to explore farther into the forest. A waterfall was less than two miles away, and for tomorrow he had planned a northeasterly trip to put them near it. If all went well, the following day he’d lead them to the waterfall.
Now all those plans had to be scratched. At least, he’d put things on hold for one day. Chief figured they’d bury Susan this afternoon, take tomorrow off as a day of mourning, and test the spirit of the crew the day after. If Alex didn’t want to come, that was fine. The college kids were manageable. They had proven to be a lot more useful than what he had originally imagined.
Chief had grown rather fond of Ben. More from a distance than any direct contact. Now that the young man was injured, his left ankle sprained so badly Chief was surprised he could even walk, he’d be in charge of base camp if and when another expedition went out.
Chief planned on teaching Ben how to use the
big gun on the Warthog’s roof later today. The young man already knew how to drive the ATTC. He should be more than capable to handle the modified .50 caliber machine gun.
Ron, Meat, and Caveman waited for him in front of the Warthog.
Chief had walked the short distance from where he made the phone call, and said, “We’ve got our orders. I’ve already taken pictures of the deceased. Ron, I’ll be taking a video statement of the account later on.”
“Roll Tide,” Ron said.
“We’re going to bury the body—as soon as we can. I’m going to break the news to the professor as soon as I leave. That means we need a hole dug as deep as practical. Just south of the rear cabin, there’s a rocky area. See if you can find some soft ground near it. Dig the hole there, because we’ll cover the grave with rocks to keep scavengers away,” Chief said.
“What about the rest of the mission? Is Coop going to allow us to go out, or are we confined in house until his team gets back?” Meat asked.
“I have no plans to change the agenda because a woman died from a nut allergy. I’m not sure how the professor will spend his time, and I really don’t care how he does. The thought of staying cooped up around here with my finger up my ass is enough to make me want to cut my wrist. For once, I feel like I’m on an adventure, not just doing a job. That may sound unprofessional, selfish, juvenile—I don’t give a fuck. I have a feeling this trip is going to change my life forever. I think it will change all our lives.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Meat said. “In a few years, when our contract ends and we can talk about the trip, we’ll be as big as rock stars.”
“You know what? I’m the first human being ever to eat a dinosaur egg! That ranks right up there with the first man that walked on the moon. They’s gonna put me in the Guinness Book of World Records,” Caveman said.
“Or in jail,” Meat said.
“Okay, guys. Let’s get moving. Coop said we should wrap the body in a tarp and use latrine chemicals to help mask the odor. We won’t do that to the body until we get the professor out of the way. We’ll have a short memorial and move on. We’ll lay low tomorrow, but come the next day, it’s business as usual,” Chief said, and headed for the front cabin.
The other three turned to start their assignment.
*
Chief entered the front cabin and saw Ben sitting, his left leg propped across the bench, and his crutches within reach. Chief was glad someone had the wherewithal to pack a set of crutches for this trip.
Logan and Matt sat on the same bench as Ben. Logan looked as antsy as an expectant father, but Matt had his arms crossed over his chest and cast a wary gaze with his head cocked to one side.
Alex lied on his sleeping bag, awake, but despondent.
Natasha sat on the floor by Alex’s side. She gently held a damp rag on his forehead.
Chief paused a moment and ran his fingers over his mouth and down his chin. He spoke calmly, “Alex. Are you good to talk?”
The professor slowly turned his gaze toward Chief. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“I know this is a tough time, but there are some important matters we have to take care of,” Chief said.
“Okay.”
“Alex, we aren’t going to be able to bring Susan’s body back with us,” Chief said.
“But we have an ice machine in the rear cabin. Can’t we keep her iced down until we get back?” Ben asked.
“That won’t work, Ben. The ice we make is in small cubes. You know how quickly it melts. You’d need block commercial ice to preserve a body,” Chief said, slightly pissed from the distraction. “Alex, we need to bury Susan. And we need to do it this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” Alex said.
“Yes. I’m sure you’re aware how fast a body decomposes. Uh, you know how a body misshapes—giving off gasses as cells die. I . . . I just think it would be better for you if your last memory of seeing Susan is one where she would look as lovely as you remember her,” Chief said, hoping his bedside demeanor didn’t sound too contrived.
Alex turned his gaze to the ceiling but didn’t say a word.
“It’s hot outside, and the heat only makes things worse. My men are preparing the gravesite now. We can have a memorial—say a few words in her honor.” Chief had made the pitch. He hoped things didn’t have to get ugly.
“Alex, it’s what’s best for you,” Natasha said.
“It is . . . it is,” Alex said, then turned his head toward Chief, and gave a slight nod.
“It’s going to be okay, Alex. We’ll all help you through this,” Chief said, and then stepped out the front cabin.
*
Matt sat under the shade of a tall tree while he watched Caveman feed a Compsognathus some type of meat from one of Susan’s MREs. Feeding a dinosaur food bombarded with preservatives and chemicals was wrong on so many levels. Right now, he didn’t give a fuck.
About this time the day before, Susan Klasse had been laid to rest. For some reason he had expected the event to carry a greater sadness. Maybe it would have if more people had become emotional. Susan had died without warning, and before rigor mortis had fully set in, she was in the ground and covered. Even when Alex said a few departing words her death seemed surreal—almost as if they were all in a play and had to finish their part so they could move on. But no one got emotional. No one shed one single tear, not even Alex, and Matt knew why.
“Hey, buddy. What are you doing out here by your lonesome?” Logan said, arriving to his side.
“Oh, hey. I didn’t see you coming. I’m . . . I’m just out here . . . thinking. You know.”
“Yeah, I know,” Logan said, and then sat next to Matt. He crossed his legs and patted a hand gently on his knee. “I can’t believe Susan’s gone.”
“It’s weird. We saw her less than an hour before she died—she sat right across from me. Then, we find out she’s dead.” Those thoughts were true, and he was willing to share them with Logan. Telling his friend that he’d found the empty peanut pack was another story. On one hand he wanted to, but once that cat got out of the bag, it could never go back in again. Right now wasn’t the proper time to create such a shit-storm. Alex was his friend. Was his friend a murderer? All evidence seemed to point that way. But why? Especially, why here, and why now? Maybe the answer had been in front of him the whole time, and he was too stupid to see.
“And now, it’s like Susan never even existed,” Logan said. “The headstone Ron made with the laser was pretty cool.”
“It was,” Matt said. He picked up a leaf off the ground and pretended to examine it. “Alex seems to be taking the death in stride. I . . . Natasha’s been with him in the front cabin all day. I’ve gone in and checked on him a few times. Each time I go in, the room seems to ice up. I feel out of place—like I’m in the way.”
Logan cleared his throat and looked off into the distance.
“I’m picking up some strange vibes. Natasha’s acting really familiar around Alex. She slept by his side last night, you know.”
Logan kept his gaze away from Matt. “Yeah, I know.”
Matt watched Logan squirm a bit and felt there was something his friend knew that he didn’t. “Logan.”
“What?” He looked down to the ground.
“Is something going on between Natasha and Alex?”
Logan blew some air from between his lips. He turned his head up, and said, “Yeah . . . Yeah there is.”
“You . . . knew?”
“Yeah, well . . . didn’t know for sure for a while. But I know now they’ve been seeing each other for a good amount of time,” Logan said.
He had not known Logan to be anything but truthful to him, or anyone else, for that matter. Logan spoke as if he were a bit unsure of himself.
“Look, I knew you had feelings for her. In fact, you two seemed to be getting closer. I was thinking Natasha might just end it with Alex and the whole thing would take care of itself. I didn’t want your feelings to get hurt. We’re fr
iends. You know I care about you.”
That was true, for sure. Logan had proven time and time again to be his most reliable friend. In fact, Matt’s busy life had pushed many of his old friends out of the picture. Next to Alex, he was closer to Logan than anyone else.
“Yeah, man. I understand, and I’m thankful to have a friend like you.” Matt reached over and patted Logan’s thigh a couple of times.
A boyish grin was Logan’s only reply.
“We’re going out again tomorrow. Chief says we’ll be checking the area near the waterfall,” Matt said.
“Yeah. I’m hoping everything goes okay. I so want to see the waterfall,” Logan said. “You, uh, you think Alex is going to come with us?”
“Yes, oh yes,” Matt said and slowly nodded. “He’ll be right there next to Natasha. I just hope he doesn’t have his nose so far up her ass that he’ll miss seeing anything.”
Chapter 17
They next day after breakfast, everyone but Ben headed out to explore the adjoining area. Matt saw the disappointment on Ben’s face before they left, but the young athlete did his best to hide his feelings with his encouraging words. Logan even offered to stay behind with him, but Ben would have none of that. He just forced a smile and ensured everyone that he was good.
Chief had taught him how to use the remote to fire the Warthog’s machine gun. The gun could be operated from on top or remotely. The deadly weapon had been loaded with armor piercing ammo.
The journey had the expedition following the creek and heading north from where Susan died. So far, about the only wildlife they’d seen were the small to medium sized pterosaurs, residing in the upper regions of the trees. Matt remembered Alex saying they hadn’t seen near the variety of wildlife when they made their trip to get water the day before yesterday. Humans invading the area may have scared the indigenous life away. Imagine that. Prehistoric animals had enough instinct to realize the deadly threat man presented.
Trees randomly grew near the bank. The breeze rustled leaves and the water babbled trickling over rocks in the creek. There was enough brush for wildlife to hide, and Matt stayed on the constant lookout for it.
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