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She heard Sarah say； 〃Ian： try and think。〃
And she heard Dr。 Malcolm say； 〃Oh； I have been； Sarah。 I've had the most wonderful thoughts。 You know； all those carcasses at the raptor site present a wonderful example of … 〃
〃Not now； Ian。〃
Kelly went through the drawers； leaving them open so she would know which ones she had already checked。 She moved down the trailer； and then her hand touched rough canvas。 She leaned forward。 Yes； this was it。
Kelly pulled out a square canvas pack that was surprisingly heavy。 She said； 〃Sarah。 Look。〃
Sarah Harding took the pack to the window； where moonlight shone in。 She unzipped the pack and stared at the contents。 The pack was divided into padded sections。 She saw three square blocks made of some substance that felt rubbery。 And there was a small silver cylinder； like a small oxygen bottle。 〃What is all this stuff？〃
〃We thought it was a good idea；〃 Malcolm said。 〃But now I'm not sure it was。 The thing is that …〃
〃What is it？〃 she said； interrupting。 She had to keep him focused。 His mind was drifting。
〃Nonlethals；〃 Malcolm said。 〃Alexander's ragtime band。 We wanted to have … 〃
〃What's this？〃 she said； holding up one of the blocks in front of his face。
〃Area…dispersal smoke cube。 What you do is … 〃
〃Just smoke？〃 she said。 〃It just makes smoke？〃
〃Yes； but … 〃
〃What's this？〃 she said； raising the silver cylinder。 It had writing on it。
〃Cholinesterase bomb。 Releases gas； Produces short…term paralysis when it goes off。 Or so they say。〃
〃How short？〃
〃A few minutes； I think； but … 〃
〃How does it work？〃 she said； turning it in her hand。 There was a cap at the end； with a locking pin。 She started to pull it off； to get a look at the mechanism。
〃Don't！〃 he said。 〃That's how you do it。 You pull the pin and throw。 Goes off in three seconds。〃
〃Okay；〃 she said。 Hastily； she packed up the medical kit； throwing the syringe inside； shutting the lid。
〃What are you doing？〃 Malcolm said； alarmed。
〃We're getting out of here；〃 she said； as she moved to the door。
Malcolm sighed。 〃It's so nice to have a man around the house；〃 he said。
The cylinder sailed high through the air； tumbling in the moonlight。 The raptors were about five yards away； clustered around the bike。 One of the animals looked up and saw the cylinder； which landed in the grass a few yards away。
Sarah stood by the door； waiting。
Nothing happened。
No explosion。
Nothing。
〃Ian！ It didn't work。〃
Curious； one raptor hopped over toward where the cylinder had landed in the grass。 It ducked down； and when it raised its head； it held the cylinder glinting in its jaws。
She sighed。 〃It didn't work。〃
〃Oh； never mind；〃 Malcolm said calmly。
The raptor shook its head； biting into the cylinder。
〃What do we do now？〃 Kelly said。
There was a loud explosion； and a cloud of dense white smoke blasted outward across the clearing。 The raptors disappeared in the cloud。
Harding closed the door quickly。 〃Now what？〃 Kelly said。
With Malcolm leaning on her shoulder； they moved across the clearing in the night。 The gas cloud had dissipated； several minutes before。 The first raptor they found in the grass was lying on its side； eyes open； absolutely motionless。 But it wasn't dead： Harding could see the steady pulse in the neck。 The animal was merely paralyzed。 She said to Malcolm； 〃How long will it last？〃
〃Have no idea；〃 Malcolm said。 〃Much wind？〃
〃There's no wind； Ian。〃
〃Then it should last a bit。〃
They moved forward。 Now the raptors lay all around them。 They stepped around the bodies； smelling the rotten odor of carnivores。 One of the animals lay across the bike。 She eased Malcolm down to the ground； where he sat； sighing。 After a moment； he began to sing： 〃I wish in the land of cotton； old times there are not forgotten； look away。。。〃
Harding tugged at the motorcycle handlebars； trying to pull the bike from beneath the raptor。 The animal was too heavy。 Kelly said； 〃Let me；〃 and reached for the handlebars。 Harding went forward。 Without hesitating； she bent over and put her arms around the raptor's neck； and pulled the head upward。 She felt a wave of revulsion。 Hot scaly skin scraped her arms and cheek。 She grunted as she leaned back； raising the animal。
〃In Dixie land。。。duh…duh…duh…duh。。。to live and die in Dixie。。。〃
She said to Kelly； 〃Got it？〃
〃Not yet；〃 Kelly said； pulling on the handlebars。
Harding's face was inches from the velociraptor's head and laws。 The head flopped back and forth as she adjusted her grip。 Close to her face； the open eye stared at her； unseeing。 Harding tugged； trying to lift the animal higher。
〃Almost。。。 〃 Kelly said。
Harding groaned； lifting。
The eye blinked。
Frightened； Harding dropped the animal。 Kelly pulled the bike away。 〃Got it！〃
〃Away； away。。。away down south。。。in Dixie。。。〃
Harding came around the raptor。 Now the big leg twitched。 The chest began to move。
〃Let's go；〃 she said。 〃Ian； behind me。 Kelly； on the handlebars。〃
〃Away。。。away。。。a…way down south。。。〃
〃Let's go；〃 Harding said； climbing on the bike。 She kept her eyes on the raptor。 The head gave a convulsive jerk。 The eye blinked again。 It was definitely waking up。 〃Let's go； let's go。 Let's go！〃
Village
Sarah drove the motorcycle down the hill toward the worker village。 Looking past Kelly； Sarah saw the Jeep parked at the store； not far from the gas pumps。 She braked to a stop； and they all climbed off in the moonlight。 Kelly opened the door to the store； and helped Malcolm inside。 Sarah rolled the motorcycle into the store； and closed the door。
〃Doc？〃 she said。
〃We're over here；〃 Thorne said。 〃With Arby。〃
By the moonlight filtering in through the windows； she could see the store looked very much like an abandoned roadside convenience stand。 There was a glass…walled refrigerator of soft drinks； the cans obscured by mold on the glass。 A wire rack nearby held candy bars and Twinkies； the wrappers speckled green； crawling with larvae。 In the adjacent magazine rack； the pages were curled； the headlines five years old。
To one side were rows of basic supplies： toothpaste； aspirin； suntan lotion； shampoo； bs and brushes。 Alongside this were racks of clothing； tee shirts and shorts； socks； tennis rackets； bathing suits。 And a few souvenirs： key chains； ashtrays； and drinking glasses。
In the center of the room was a little island with a puter cash register； a microwave； and a coffee maker。 The microwave door hung wide； some animal had made a nest inside。 The coffee maker was cracked； and laced with cobwebs。
〃What a mess；〃 Malcolm said。
〃Looks fine to me；〃 Sarah Harding said。 The windows were all barred。 The walls seemed solid enough。 The canned goods would still be edible。 She saw a sign that said 〃Restrooms；〃 so maybe there was plumbing； too。 They should be safe here； at least for a while。
She helped Malcolm to lie down on the floor。 Then she went over to where Thorne and Levine were working on Arby。 〃I brought the first…aid kit；〃 she said。 〃How is he？〃
〃Pretty bruised；〃 Thorne said。 〃Some gashes。 But nothing broken。 Head looks bad。〃
〃Everything hurts；〃 Arby said。 〃Even my mouth。〃
〃Somebody see if there's a light；〃 she said。 〃Let me look； Arby。 Okay； you're missing a couple of teeth； that's why。 But that can be fixed。 The cut on your head isn't so bad。〃 She swabbed it clean with gauze； turned to Thorne。 〃How long until the helicopter es？〃
Thorne looked at his watch。 〃Two hours。〃
〃And where does it land？〃
〃The pad is several miles from here。〃
Working on Arby； she nodded。 〃Okay。 So we have two hours to get to the pad。〃
Kelly said； 〃How can we do that？ The car's out of gas。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Sarah said。 〃We'll figure something out。 It's going to be fine。〃
〃You always say that；〃 Kelly said。
〃Because it's always true；〃 Sarah said。 〃Okay； Arby； I need you to help now。 I'm going to sit you up； and get your shirt off。。。。〃
Thorne moved off to one side with Levine。 Levine was wild…eyed； his body moving in a twitchy way。 The drive in the Jeep seemed to have finished him off。 〃What is she talking about？〃 he said。 〃We're trapped here。 Trapped！〃 There was hysteria in his voice。 〃We can't go anywhere。 We can't do anything。 I'm telling you； we're all going to d … 〃
〃Keep it down；〃 Thorne said； grabbing his arm； leaning close。 〃Don't upset the kids。〃
〃What difference does it make？〃 Levine said。 〃They're going to find out sooner or … Ow！ Take it easy。〃
Thorne was squeezing his arm hard。 He leaned close to Levine。 〃You're too old to act like an asshole；〃 he said quietly。 〃Now； pull yourself together； Richard。 Are you listening to me； Richard？〃
Levine nodded。
〃Good。 Now； Richard； I'm going to go outside； and see if the pumps work。〃
〃They can't possibly work；〃 Levine said。 〃Not after five years。 I'm telling you； it's a waste of … 〃
〃Richard；〃 Thorne said。 We have to check the pumps。〃
There was a pause。 The two men looked at each other。
〃You mean you're going outside？〃 Levine said。
〃Yes。〃
Levine frowned。 Another pause。
Crouched over Arby； Sarah said； 〃Where are the lights； guys？〃
〃Just a minute；〃 Thorne said to her。 He leaned close to Levine。 〃Okay？〃
〃Okay；〃 Levine said； taking a breath。
Thorne went to the front door； opened it； and stepped out into darkness。 Levine closed the door behind him。 Thorne heard a click as the door locked。
He immediately turned； and rapped softly。 Levine opened the door a few inches； peering out。
〃For Christ's sake；〃 Thorne whispered。 〃Don't lock it！〃
〃But I just thought … 〃
〃Don't lock the damn door！〃
〃Okay； okay。 I'm sorry。〃
〃For Christ's sake；〃 Thorne said。
He closed the door again； and turned to face the night。
Around him； the worker village was silent。 He heard only the steady drone of cicadas in the darkness。 It seemed almost too quiet； he thought。 But perhaps it was just the contrast from the snarling raptors。 Thorne stood with his back to the door for a long time； staring out at the clearing。 He saw nothing。
Finally he walked over to the jeep； opened the side door； and fumbled in the dark for the radio。 Ills hand touched it； it had slid under the passenger seat。 He pulled it out and carried it back to the store； knocked on the door。
Levine opened it； said 〃It's not lock … 〃
〃Here。〃 Thorne handed him the radio； closed the door again。
Again； he paused； watching。 Around him； the pound was silent。 The moon was full。 The air was still。
He moved forward and peered closely at the gas pumps。 The handle of the nearest one was rusted； and draped with spiderwebs。 He pulled the nozzle up； and flicked the latch。 Nothing happened。 He squeezed the nozzle handle。 No liquid came out。 He tapped the glass window on the pump that showed the number of gallons； and the glass fell out in his hand。 Inside； a spider scurried across the metal numerals。
There was no gas。
They had to find gas； or they'd never get to the helicopter。 He frowned at the pumps； thinking。 They were simple； the kind of very reliable pumps you found at a remote construction site。 And that made sense； because after all； this was an island。
He paused。
This was an island。 That meant everything came in by plane； or boat。 Most times； probably by boat。 Small boats； where supplies were offloaded by hand。 Which meant。。。
He bent over； examining the base of the pump in the moonlight。 just as he thought； there were no buried gas tanks。 He saw a thick black PVC pipe running at an angle just tinder the ground。 He could see the direction the pipe was going … around the side of the store。
Thorne followed it； moving cautiously in the moonlight。 He paused for a moment to listen； then moved on。
He came around to the side and saw just what he expected to see： fifty…gallon metal drums； ranged along the side wall。 There were three of them； connected by a series of black hoses； That made sense。 All the gasoline on the island would have had to e here in drums。
He tapped the drums softly with a knuckle。 They were hollow。 He lifted one； hoping to hea