ts 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。 〃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。