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folded together under its tail and pushed outward； throwing sand to both sides again and again。 〃What's it doing？〃 Emmett asked Carrollee。
〃I don't believe it。 It can't be。〃
〃What？ What？〃
〃Wait； Emmett。 You'll see。〃
After digging for some time； the animal stopped again。 A few minutes later it began breathing hard and swinging its long neck back and forth； seemingly oblivious to the people in the park behind it。 Its breathing became ragged； but still it didn't move。
〃e on； Emmett；〃 Carrollee said； pulling his arm。 〃Let's see what's happening。〃 She moved forward before Emmett could protest； so he followed。 He'd seen the slow gait of the beast and felt confident he could outrun it。 A puzzled look on her face； the policewoman also followed。 Carrollee led them directly behind the plesiosaur； whose head occasionally swung left and right； freezing them in their tracks。 However； it seemed oblivious of their presence。
Carrollee reached the edge of the park and looked down into the hole the dinosaur had dug； then she signaled Emmett with a frantic motion of her hand。 He approached carefully and peered into the sand to see three eggs。 Emmett turned to say something to Carrollee； but both the cop and Carrollee put their fingers to their lips。
As Emmett watched in silence； suddenly the rear of the ple…siosaur pulsed rhythmically and another egg emerged wet from the animal and fell into the hole； bouncing off the others； its shell soft and pliant。 They waited in silence until another egg emerged； and then they backed away slowly。
When they were out of hearing range Carrollee babbled ecstatically。 〃Can you believe this？ A plesiosaur laying eggs on our beach。 I hope there's a male in that clutch。 That species could be reestablished。〃
The plesiosaur stayed on the beach another hour； slowly drawing a big crowd of people behind it in the park。 When cameras started clicking； the cops decided the crowd might upset the plesiosaur； so they backed them up again。 Shortly after that the animal began burying its clutch； the back flippers covering the eggs with huge scoops of warm sand。 When the hole was pletely filled the plesiosaur turned and moved up onto the mound it had created； screaming a warning at the people。 Then it turned； moving toward the sea； stopping again twice to scream warnings。 Finally it disappeared into the sea again。 Emmett was sure it wouldn't go very far。
Carrollee immediately talked the cops into posting a guard on the eggs until she could arrange people to protect the site。 Emmett knew she would have no trouble rounding up faculty； graduate students； and environmentalists to mount a twenty…four…hour guard until those eggs hatched。
Only after the cops agreed could Emmett pull Carrollee into the park and past the gawking bystanders。 He plained when his bare feet met the hot pavement of the parking lot。
〃Where are your shoes？〃 Carrollee asked。
〃In the surf。〃
〃Scared right out of them； eh？〃
〃Not at all。〃 〃Then let's go'back for them。〃
〃That's okay。 They were a month old anyway。〃
After they swung by Emmett's apartment for shoes and dry clothes； they headed for the university again。 This time they passed a grocery store that was being looted…though not by an angry crowd； at least not yet。 Three blocks away they passed four police cars going in the other direction。 Without saying anything to each other； Emmett and Carrollee both knew things would only get worse。
Carrollee dropped Emmett at the university and then left to arrange for protection for what she was now calling 〃her babies。〃 As she drove away she promised to call Emmett。
When Emmett got back to Dr。 Wang's office he immediately called up the PresNet； scanning the network looking for some…thing about plesiosaurs； but there was nothing。 Knowing about the plesiosaur was too important a piece of knowledge to keep to himself； and he typed in a report about it。 After he finished it he felt a pang of guilt and added Carrollee's name。 Then he reread the report several times； trying to get the nerve to send it。 Finally； he typed in Dr。 Wang's access code and punched the send button。 A few minutes later Emmett's terminal was flooded with requests for additional information。 Emmett's ego swelled with each request。 He was a player now。 If only he knew what the game was。
33。 HUNTED
A great horned beast came terrorizing the villages。 It walked on two legs like a man； and had a great tail Our spears could not penetrate its skin。 One hundred warriors died before we drank its blood and ate its heart。
…Legend of the Toltecs
North of Bend； Oregon
POSTQUILT： MONDAY； 12：05 P。M。 PST
Dr。 Piltcher carried the egg inside his shirt all the way back to the RV； where he wrapped it in a blanket and placed it in the sun in the front window。 Sarah； the microceratops； was still in the back of the RV and whining irritatingly。 Petra tossed her an apple； and she immediately attacked it； crunching and slurping； then Petra split another apple between Moose and Sarah。
Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher decided to rotate the egg every half hour during the day； keeping it in the sun。 At night they would have to use the oven； or even sleep with the egg。 Dr。 Piltcher kept unwrapping the egg； looking at it and feeling the shell。
〃It's nearly hard；〃 he said。 〃That probably means it's ready to hatch。〃
〃I agree； Chester；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃Of course it will hatch sooner if you stop unwrapping it。〃
From then on； Dr。 Piltcher checked on the egg every few minutes but he didn't unwrap it。 Instead he perched himself on a bunk in the back and sat studying Sarah； who wandered around her enclosure sniffing； and snorting。 Occasional small amounts of mucous sprayed from her nose。 Excited by this； Dr。 Piltcher wondered aloud whether she might have a cold。 Colter's only response was to put down more paper。
Then Dr。 Coombs called Dr。 Piltcher outside； where he found Dr。 Coombs and Petra kneeling in the tropical meadow looking at the grass。
〃What is it； George？ I believe the microceratops has a cold 。 。 。 wouldn't that be interesting？ Not surprising； for sure； but an interesting subject to study。〃
〃Very interesting；〃 Dr。 Coombs agreed。 〃But something more serious is happening。 Look at the grass here； notice how it is drooping。 The meadow is drying out； it won't last long without rain。 And when the snow es in a couple of months； everything will die； animals and all。〃
〃Yes； we'expected this。 But so soon？ We've only begun to explore。〃
Petra cut him off by putting her hand on his arm and then slowly standing and pointing across the meadow。 The others looked in that direction to see the biggest animal they had encountered yet。 Its huge head was shaped something like a rhinoceros and was tipped with a long horn and surrounded by a large collar。 Two smaller horns protruded from its collar above its head。 It was five feet at the shoulder； and taller at the back； its head hanging low to the ground。
〃What do you think； Chester？〃 Dr。 Coombs asked。 〃Is it a triceratops？〃
〃No； the horns are wrong。 But it's similar。〃
〃Maybe we better get inside；〃 Petra whispered quietly。 〃Please； let's go。〃
〃I don't think we should all go at once；〃 Dr。 Coombs said。 〃Petra； you go first。〃
Petra slowly backed up several steps； before turning to walk toward the RV。 When she was nearly to the door； Dr。 Piltcher turned to follow。 As he turned； the dinosaur raised its head； moving it back and forth slowly； then dropped and lifted it quickly again…and came up roaring。 As the group watched； the head dropped again and the dinosaur broke into a run； right toward the group。
Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher bolted towatd the RV。 Petra dashed the last few yards to the door and then shouted for the others to hurry。 Colter came up behind her and watched silently。 Petra was sure her friends would win the race…the humans had too much of a head start。 Petra felt relief as she and Colter made room for Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher。 When they were safely inside she stepped down； grabbed the door； and pulled it closed behind them。 When she locked it； Colter laughed。
〃It's not going to make any difference； Petra。 Look at the size of that mother。〃
As they loo