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〃I'm selecting specimens for identification。 That's what marine botanists do。〃
〃You're a botanist？〃 the policewoman said； clearly surprised。 〃Why would they send a botanist to…〃
The policewoman broke off her sentence when a head popped through the surface behind Carrollee。 Slowly； the head rose higher out of the water…it was large； shaped like a turtle's head； but elongated and covered with gray lizard skin。 The mouth opened silently； revealing uneven rows of triangular teeth； and the head continued to rise； revealing a snakelike neck that thickened as more of it appeared above the waves。 As it rose above Carrollee； it seemed smaller； dwarfed by the length of the neck。 When its ascent stopped； the head was fifteen feet above the surface。
Both Emmett and the two police officers were speechless。 When Carrollee spoke to Emmett； breaking his trance； he looked down to see her staring at them with a ical look。 Her back was still to the monster。
〃What are you people doing？ If you could see the way you look…〃
Then three things happened at once。 The policewoman raised her shotgun to her shoulder and shouted to Carrollee to get out of the way； and Emmett bolted into the water； racing to reach Carrollee in time。 At the movement； Carrollee turned to look behind and said； 〃Magnificent。〃
Then the monster screamed a sound like tearing metal。 The cops couldn't fire until Carrollee and Emmett were safely out of the way； but Emmett feared they might panic。 He was nearly to Carrollee when the monster turned its head to the side； staring down into the sea； and Emmett realized it was farther out to sea than he'd first thought…he wasn't used to animals of that size。 He grabbed Carrollee and pulled her toward shore。
〃Stop yanking me。 Don't you know what that is？〃
〃I know it's not Flipper！ Now let's get out of the water。〃
〃It's a plesiosaur。 Can you believe it？ A plesiosaur。 Everyone thinks they're extinct 。 。 。 extinct for millions of years。 Let go of me！〃 Carrollee yelled； jerking her arm away from Emmett； Then to Emmett's horror； she turned and dove into the water toward the animal； disappearing beneath the waves。 Suddenly the head stabbed down into the sea and the cops； startled； shouted a warning。 Emmett screamed； 〃Carrollee！〃 Near panic； he kicked off his shoes in preparation for swimming after Carrollee and had pulled down his pants when she resurfaced。
〃It's too far away。 I can't see its body； but I'll bet its got four flippers and a ten…foot tail。〃
Emmett zipped up and dragged Carrollee out of the surf； looking fearfully over his shoulder at the monster。 The plesiosaur's neck looked like a huge piece of curved pipe。 Then the neck straightened and the head appeared again； a fish in its mouth； and it used a snapping motion of its head and jaws to work the fish lengthwise and swallowed the fish whole。 Then it turned to look back at the people on the beach。 By now Carrollee and Emmett were clear and the police raised their shotguns again to fire。
〃Don't shoot it。 Don't shoot it；〃 Carrollee shouted。 〃It's not dangerous。 It only eats fish。〃
〃It's big enough to swallow a dolphin whole；〃 Emmett responded； 〃or a person。〃
〃It's not that big。 Well； even if it is； it eats fish； not people。〃
The police were confused。 They had a strong desire to shoot the plesiosaur but believed Carrollee was an authority on the creatures； and a representative of the university。 The police were indoctrinated into taking orders and shooting only as a last resort； so Carrollee's protest stopped them from firing。 But they didn't take their eyes off the beast。 Emmett； meanwhile； was trying to hurry Carrollee away from the water。 The police walked backward behind them； their guns trained on the animal's head。
〃There must be a colony of them living deep in the ocean；〃 Carrollee hypothesized。 〃There was probably an underwater volcanic eruption or avalanche that drove this one to the surface。 That would account for all this unusual laminaria。 It was probably sent up with the plesiosaur。〃 Then Carrollee paused and looked back。 The plesiosaur was still staring at the beach and screeched its metal…tearing sound again； rattling Emmett and the police。 Carrollee didn't even pause in her speculation。 〃Except；〃 she continued when the screeching died； 〃this is a reptile。 It couldn't live deep in the sea without ing up for air。 And if they keep ing up why haven't we seen one before？〃
Even safe on the beach； Emmett was still nervous。 The plesiosaur seemed fixated on the beach and very disturbed by the people there。 Emmett picked up Carrollee's jumpsuit and handed it to her； but she was too lost in thought to put it on。 Instead she held it and free…associated for everyone to hear。
〃How about this？ An egg is frozen in the antarctic ice。 It breaks free in an iceberg and heads north。 The iceberg melts； freeing and warming the egg。 The egg hatches and a baby plesiosaur is released。〃 Then she frowned again。 〃That is too farfetched even for me to believe。〃 Carrollee fell silent and stared at the plesiosaur。 Emmett watched it too； stunned by its size。 Then Carrollee turned and looked Emmett in the eyes。 〃What do you know about this？ What aren't you telling me？〃
〃Let's get back。〃
〃This has something to do with all the disasters； doesn't it？〃 。 〃Here're your shoes； Carrollee。 I really don't know what's going on； that's what I was trying to find out in Dr。 Wang's office。〃
Carrollee still looked suspicious； but she let the matter drop。
〃Help me get my specimens then。〃
Obligingly； Emmett was picking up her seaweed when he heard a cop shout a warning。
〃Look out； it's ing！〃
Emmett's head snapped up。 It was ing…the plesiosaur was moving through the water toward the beach。 As it approached it screeched again。 The cops raised their guns again but Carrollee ran out onto the beach in front of them。
〃It's harmless。 I'm telling you； it doesn't eat people！〃 she screamed urgently。
The expression on the cops' faces told Emmett they were losing confidence in Carrollee。
When Emmett turned back to the plesiosaur； its movement had changed。 Instead of gliding toward shore； it was now swimming jerkily； its head rocking back and forth。
〃Carrollee；〃 Emmett said。 〃I think it's beaching…〃
〃No it isn't！〃 Carrollee shouted； loud enough for the cops to hear。 〃It lives in the sea。 It can't get around on land。 It has only flippers。〃
The cops heard Carrollee； but they kept their guns on the beast。 Slowly its body began to emerge from the water； the fifteen…foot neck attached to a huge lump of a body with gray skin； like the head； but speckled dark green along the spine。 It became clear the plesiosaur was dragging itself along the sea bottom and ing ashore。
〃Dr。 Chen…Slater；〃 the policewoman said without lowering her shotgun。 〃I'm no expert； but that dinosaur is headed this way； and it's not swimming。〃
〃It's not a dinosaur；〃 Carrollee argued。 〃It's a reptile。 It shouldn't be ing ashore。 Really。 It's probably curious about us。 Maybe we should back up。〃
The plesiosaur screamed； seemingly at the people on the beach and in the park。
〃It sounds angry to me； not curious；〃 the policewoman answered。 〃I think backing up is a good idea。 But if it charges I'm going to kill it no matter what you say。〃
〃It can't charge 。 。 。〃 Carrollee began； but gave up。 She had already lost most of her credibility。 Besides； she really didn't know if it could charge。
The plesiosaur dragged its body out of the water using four huge paddle…shaped fins； dragging a long tail。 The flippers worked in unison； the front and back ones rotating forward； to dig into the sand； dragging the animal's body toward the shore。 The police pushed the tourists； Carrollee； and Emmett back into the park away from the beach； but still the animal kept ing； dragging itself across the sand。 When it reached the embankment edging the park it stopped； swinging its head back and forth； screaming at the people； pushing them back farther。 But suddenly it turned its back to the bystanders and stopped。 Everyone waited for it to return to the sea； but it didn't move。 Instead the rear flippers folded together under its tail and pushed outward； throwing sand to both sides again and again。 〃W