Time Crunch Read online

  Smith nodded. He turned toward Bridger; snapped his fingers; pointed to the forest.

  In a faraway corner of his mind, Chase realized the men were communicating volumes with mere snaps and gestures. And Chase didn’t fault them for missing the change in the forest: the sounds of the night had probably diminished so slowly, so gradually and subtly, it would have been difficult to notice.

  A minute passed. Then two. Chase stared hard into the darkness, looking for the slightest movement, the tiniest out-of-place detail. He listened hard, his ears straining for the softest crack, snap, or crunch from the trees. He was taking long, deep breaths, trying to stay calm, though his heart was pounding, his blood throbbing in his ears and hands.

  Nothing happened.

  Chase thought he saw a wisp of shadow, like a bat or bird flitting past. And then came a soft, almost inaudible hoot from the trees: Chase and Treeck both turned toward it.

  There was a soft snap, and Treeck glanced at Smith who did something with his hands, sending some kind of signal. Treeck nodded, then leaned close to Chase.

  “Still got those firecrackers?”

  “Back by the fire.”

  “Go get ’em. When Smith gives you the signal, light off a coupla strings and throw ’em as far as you can into the trees.”

  “What’s the signal.”

  “You’ll know.”

  “ ’Kay.”

  Chase crawled back to the fire, moving as silently as a shadow, his senses all on red alert. Zach was sitting close to the smoldering coals, his arms wrapped around his knees. Chase could hear him breathing and knew he was struggling to keep from wheezing.

  “Get your firecrackers,” Chase whispered, making no more noise than a falling leaf. “Smith’ll give us a signal, and we’re supposed to light ’em and throw ’em as far as we can into the trees.”

  Chase pointed.

  “You throw yours that way”—he pointed again—“and I’ll throw mine over there.”

  Zach nodded and reached for the sack. Both boys took a handful of strings, readied their lighters, and turned so they were facing different parts of the forest.

  Chase looked at Smith: the man was peering in the opposite direction—Chase noticed he’d slipped his left arm from his sling in order to hold his rifle with both hands—

  Not taking any chances!

  —but after a moment he turned and lifted an eyebrow: You ready?

  Chase nodded.

  Smith lifted three fingers: On three …

  Chase nodded again.

  Smith kept his fingers up, removed one, then another, the last one, and then pumped his fist.

  Three, two, one, now!

  “Do it!” Chase hissed.

  His hands shaking, he flicked the lighter and held the flame to three separate strings at once. The fuses began to sizzle. His heart was pounding, his knees trembling, his breaths coming faster and faster. He waited until the last second, then took the first string and hurled it like a sizzling fastball. The next second he threw another in a slightly different direction, and then the last one.

  Bang! Bang! B-B-B-B-B-B-BaBang!

  Firecrackers began exploding all around them, Chase and Zach instantly reaching for more, lighting them, and launching them into the trees.

  B-B-Bang! B-B-B-B-B-B-BaBang!

  Something screeched in the darkness: a loud, startled shriek—Smith and Treeck instantly swiveled their guns toward it—followed by an even louder screech from the opposite side of camp. Chase didn’t stop to look, kept lighting firecrackers and flinging them as far as he could into the woods. There were now roars, shrieks, howls, and bellows from all sides, louder than the popping firecrackers, the noise so horrendous Chase thought they must be coming from dozens of animals.

  Frightened and shaking, Zach lit a string of firecrackers that slipped from his fingers and landed between Chase’s boots.

  Ba-Bang! Ba-Ba-B-B-B-B-B-B-BaBang!

  Already startled and frightened, Chase jumped, dropping the rest of his firecrackers and hopping from foot to foot like he’d stepped into a nest of rattlesnakes as the men began firing.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  There was suddenly a flash of light from the trees—bright as an exploding sun—followed by a horrendous, ear-shattering explosion.

  BANG!

  The concussion was so powerful it knocked Chase and Zach onto their butts, scaring them out of their minds. The next instant there was another flash from behind, another explosion like the end of the world.

  BANG!

  Chase thought someone’s rifle had exploded, but everyone was still firing.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  Treeck suddenly shouted over the noise and confusion: “Smith! Two o’clock!”

  Smith swung, turning just as an enormous black shape burst from the trees.

  Brraaaaaaaaaaaaat!

  Flame leaped from his rifle. Treeck was about to shoot, but abruptly turned and leaned into his gun as another animal—a fifteen-foot ceratosaur—rushed in from the darkness.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  The ceratosaur roared, the bellow so dark and terrifying Chase could feel the rage, thought he could smell the sour breath.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  The dinosaur jerked like it had reached the end of an invisible chain. It roared angrily, then wheeled around and vanished into the blackness.

  Bridger and King were shouting and firing from behind—

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  —enraged animals screeching, shrieking, bellowing in the trees, the entire forest suddenly a horrible, noisy, chaotic nightmare. Someone screamed and Smith and Treeck both turned—spotting an enormous beast racing from the trees—and fired, Treeck shooting just over the top of Zach’s head.

  Chase had turned, too, but caught something from the corner of his eye. He snapped his head back just as a horned ceratosaur burst from the trees, jaws open, racing directly at Smith. Chase screamed: “Look out!”

  Treeck spotted the dinosaur and shouted—

  “Smith! On your six!”

  —firing at the same time.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  The dinosaur snapped around to face Treeck, its heavy tail whipping through the air: it struck Smith across the chest and batted him through the brush.

  The ceratosaur bore down on Treeck, but the man stood his ground, firing a long, continuous burst.

  Brraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!

  The dinosaur bellowed furiously, but then seemed to stumble. It screeched and turned, the tail whipping directly at Treeck.

  The man ducked, and by the time he was up again the ceratosaur was gone, crashing away through the trees.

  Treeck snapped his head back and forth—didn’t see any targets—then bolted to where Smith lay flat on his back.

  “I’ve got him! I’ve got him!” Chase shouted, running up. He dropped to his knees beside the fallen man. To Treeck: “I’ve got this! You keep your eyes out!”

  Smith was still as death, his eyes closed, but Chase saw the man’s chest rise, heard a noisy rasp from his mouth.

  Okay, he’s breathing … and if he’s breathing, his heart’s beating, too.

  He checked the man quickly, but couldn’t find any obvious injuries.

  “How is he?” Treeck shouted.

  “He’s alive,” Chase shouted back. “Probably just stunned.”

  Zach ran over and dropped to his knees, wheezing and out of breath. “Wha—Wheeze!—can I do—Wheeze!—what do you need?”

  “Grab a pack or something. Put it under his legs to keep his feet up.”

  “Got it!”

  Zach skittered away in search of a pack.

  Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  King and Bridger were still firing as screeching animals flashed back and forth through the trees. Treeck too spotted something and began firing again, flame blazing from his rifle.

  Brraaaaaaat
! Brraaaaaaat! Brraaaaaaat!

  Chase shut it all out, focusing on Smith. He knew the man’s heart was beating—if he was breathing it had to be—but checked anyway, placing a couple of fingers on the side of his neck: the pulse was strong and regular.

  Just knocked out, Chase thought again. But, just to be sure, he ran another quick inspection, running his hands over the man’s head, arms, and legs, searching for anything that didn’t feel right.

  Zach was back again, placing a pack beneath Smith’s feet, allowing the blood from his legs to run toward the man’s vital organs.

  “Thanks,” Chase said. “That helps.”

  There was a last rattle of gunfire—

  Brraaaaaaat!

  —and the shooting finally stopped. After all the noise and commotion, the forest seemed eerily still and quiet.

  Chase looked up from his work. “Anyone else hurt?”

  “Don’t think so,” Zach replied, looking back and forth. Then: “Where’s Captain King?”

  Chase snapped around. Bridger was standing near the trees, but there was no sign of the tall pilot.

  Bridger snapped to attention, whipped his head all around, then bolted in the direction the pilot had last been.

  Treeck shouted, “No!” And then, not quite as sharply: “He’s gone. You’re not going to find him now.”

  “But—”

  “The second you get into the trees, you’ll be gone, too.”

  Treeck glanced down at Smith—saw for himself the man was still breathing—then turned to Chase and Zach.

  “You guys okay?”

  Chase nodded, but he wasn’t okay.

  Wasn’t even close.

  A lump the size of his fist had risen into his throat, making it difficult to breathe. His face was suddenly hot.

  The pilot had been his friend …

  More than a friend really.

  This was the second … adventure … he’d shared with the pilot, and the two of them had become close.

  Chase looked at Zach, who was fighting back tears.

  Zach knew him even better than I did, Chase thought miserably. Man …

  He put a hand on Zach’s shoulder and asked, “You okay?”

  Zach shook his head, but Chase knew what he was saying: I’m not okay, but I’ll hold it together.

  There was a cough and Smith opened his eyes. He sucked in a ragged breath, then sat up, supporting himself on one elbow. The man shook his head as if clearing it of fog, then looked at Treeck.

  “SitRep!”

  “We’re all okay,” Treeck replied. “But King’s gone.”

  Gone, Chase thought. Not “missing” …

  Smith glanced to where King had last been and cursed. His face darkened and he cursed again, but then—as if remembering who was listening—looked at the boys and said, “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Chase said. “I wanted to say it myself.” Then: “How’s your head?”

  “Feels like it’s full of mud.” Smith touched a spot above his ear, then checked his fingers for blood.

  “I kinda looked you over,” Chase said. “Couldn’t find anything broken or bleeding. But if you hit your head hard enough to black out, you could have a concussion.”

  And there’s really just one way to know …

  “Um, you remember my name?”

  “Chase Logan McCord,” Smith rattled. “Birthday’s March tenth. Favorite color’s blue, favorite pizza is pepperoni-and-pineapple, favorite baseball team—heaven help us—is the New York Freakin’ Yankees. Favorite class is math and favorite teacher is Miss Richins, even though she only gave you a B+ last semester. Your favorite book is Demon’s Treasure, your computer password is 7yankee7, and you have your eye on a young woman named Becca.”

  Chase’s jaw dropped to his knees, and it was a moment before he could recover enough to say: “Well, your brain’s obviously sharp as ever. But how in the—how do you know all that?”

  “Read your file before we picked you up. Part of the job.” Then: “Help me up.”

  “Wait,” Chase said, placing a hand against the man’s chest. “You sure you ought to be moving around? I mean, you just got clobbered by a dinosaur!”

  Smith nodded gruffly. “I’m fine. Help me up.”

  Chase and Zach each took an arm and helped the man to his feet. Smith tested his legs—making certain he could stand—then turned back to the boys.

  “Thanks for looking after me.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  Treeck and Bridger were both standing with their backs to the fire, watching the trees, but the danger seemed to have passed: the normal noises of the night were slowly returning.

  “What’cha think?” Treeck asked without taking his eyes from the trees.

  Smith checked his weapon, then made a quick scan of the trees. “Think they’re gone.”

  “Think so too.”

  He turned back to the boys. “And you two are okay?”

  Chase and Zach exchanged glances: physically, they were fine. But they’d just lost a friend.

  Smith could see the pain in Zach’s eyes, and he placed an arm around the boy’s shoulders. “I know what you’re feeling, son. Is there anything I can do?”

  Zach shook his head. “No, but … thanks.”

  Smith pulled the boy in close for a moment, then thumped him gently on the shoulder.

  “We’ve got a long day ahead,” the man continued softly. “Maybe you two oughtta get some sleep.”

  “After all that?” Chase asked. “Are you kidding? There’s no way in the world I could get any sleep now.”

  “Well, at least try to get some rest.”

  EVENTUALLY, CHASE and Zach retreated to their spot by the fire, crickets once again filling the air with their soothing thrum as if everything was fine in the world.

  Zach didn’t say anything, and Chase marveled at how well he was holding things together. He knew how miserable Zach felt. And how frightened.

  Even though they had plenty of room, Chase sat close to his friend as a way of telling Zach he was there if he needed him.

  In time, Chase began to feel drowsy; knew he was about to doze off. But in his last moment of wakefulness, he heard a barely audible sob.

  Zach was crying.

  22 Quill Lizards

  WHEN CHASE AWOKE, the sky was light, the sun not yet over the mountains. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, then glanced around. Smith, Treeck, and Bridger were all exactly where he’d last seen them a few hours earlier.

  It didn’t look like any of them had gotten any sleep.

  Zach had finally fallen asleep, but his eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Chase knew how much it hurt losing Captain King, and couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

  He stretched out a kink in his back, then crept up beside Treeck.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, kid. You okay?”

  “Yeah. You?”

  “Five by five.”

  Chase wasn’t sure what that meant, but from the man’s tone guessed it was something good.

  “You get any sleep?”

  “No one really sleeps on a mission like this,” Treeck said, not quite answering the question.

  “We still gonna hike back to the stream?”

  “Think so. Everything else aside, this place is like the dinosaur version of Grand Central Station. We need to find ground that’s a little easier to defend.”

  “How’s your ammunition supply?”

  “After last night? Not so good.”

  “Hey,” Chase said, remembering something. “During the fight, there were a couple of huge explosions. First one was so loud it knocked me on my butt. Something blow up?”

  Treeck made a noise that might have been his version of a friendly chuckle. “Flash bangs.”

  “Huh?”

  “Stun grenades. They’re like regular grenades, but without shrapnel. Just a blinding flash of light and noise like the end of the world. Cops and soldiers use ’em to scare the living, u
m … crap … outta people.”

  “Certainly worked on me.”

  “Yeah. Incapacitates the bad guys, and while they’re shaking their heads and wondering what’s happened, you blow the doors and take ’em out.”

  Chase nodded. He didn’t know what the fight would have been like without the flash bangs, or without his and Zach’s firecrackers. But in a battle that for several minutes seemed to hang in the balance, he had to believe they made a huge difference.

  Can’t believe that with all that racket those things kept coming. I mean, holy crap!

  ZACH WANDERED OVER a minute later with MREs and water bottles. As Chase polished off a packet of cold roast chicken, Smith walked over and said: “Let’s make tracks … the sooner we’re outta here, the safer we’re gonna be.”

  Chase saw there were seven packs to divide among themselves. Smith and Treeck picked up two each, but Chase quickly objected.

  “Huh-uh,” he said, reaching for the larger of Smith’s packs. “No way. Zach and I can carry two apiece.”

  Smith shook his head. “No—”

  “Hey, it’s time to stop the macho bullcrap,” Chase said, a little more sharply than he intended. “You three are all carrying rifles. Having two packs will slow you down, and if some snaggle-toothed meat masher tries chomping my head off, I want you moving at warp speed!”

  Smith and Treeck exchanged looks, their mouths twitching in what for them—Chase thought—was a good belly laugh.

  I’m gonna get ’em, Chase thought. Before this is over I’m gonna get ’em both to crack up!

  THE HIKE THROUGH the forest was slow and tense. Treeck led the way, followed by Chase and Zach (acting as guides), with Bridger and Smith bringing up the rear. After about an hour, the group stopped for a breather—Treeck’s leg kept him from hiking as hard as he liked—and Chase dropped the two packs he was carrying. He arched his back to stretch out a kink—

  Zach screamed—screamed like a little girl—screamed like he was being eaten alive.

  “Aaaaaiiiigggghh—aaaiiggghhhh!”

  Chase fell on his butt and began crab-walking backward to get out of the way as the three men dropped into crouches, their rifles up and turned toward Zach, who was still screaming hysterically—