It had spotted the creatures making their way along the shoreline a while back and had been tracking them ever since. It kept pace with them, but they had always been too far from shore for it to mount a successful attack. It could lever itself out of the water when it needed to on its paddle-like limbs, but only for short periods of time. Its real hunting ground was the water — unless something on land came close enough for it to catch.
It glided closer when it saw one of them walk out onto the rocks it sometimes used to dry its skin to remove some of the parasites that grew on its hide. It drifted closer, and closer, just a few feet from the shoreline now, and began to bunch powerful muscles.
Its huge tail was ready to propel itself from the water. It continued to watch, waiting. Like most carnivorous dinosaurs, rapid movement both excited and triggered it.
Bellakov watched Steve walk carefully out onto the flat shelf of stone. While he did, the mercenary scanned the jungle at the water’s edge, trying to pick out any movement or things lurking there.
He snorted; how the hell did he expect to see anything anyway, as the shadows were now absolute, and the jungle was turning to just outlines. A few bubbles popped to the surface on the lake, and Bellakov turned to them and continued to stare for a moment.
He eased around to Dan. “Hey, cover your buddy.”
Bellakov looked over the water to the caves; they weren’t that far now, a quarter mile, max. It’d be full dark by the time they got there, and he damn well hoped nobody was home, other than Koenig, Cartwright, and the others.
Barlow mopped his face with a damp handkerchief, and then tied it around his neck. Bellakov looked over his shoulder to the jungle again. He’d been in all manner of green hellholes, but this place, this even made the Congo look like a fun park — every goddamn nook and cranny had something waiting to pounce, bite, sting, peck, or generally rip ‘em to shreds.
More bubbles came to the surface, pulling Bellakov’s attention to the water again as this time they were a little closer. The mercenary eased to his feet, staring hard.
Fifty feet away, Steve stopped and turned and then waved them on.
“What are we waiting for?” Dan asked.
“Nothin’,” Bellakov shot back at him. “Just give it a few more seconds, will ya?”
Barlow leaned closer to him. “What is it? Why are we waiting?”
Bellakov held up a hand, but also moved to stop Barlow rubbing up against him; the man reeked of a sour perspiration, undoubtedly fear oozing from every pore. Barlow was now a walking scent trail and would be attracting things from all over the freaking plateau. He had a mind to push him in the water.
If they made it to the cave, he’d make sure the guy washed himself off; otherwise, next morning when they tried to bug out, they’d be dragging every predator for miles with them.
“I’m thinking we’re looking good.” After another few seconds without any sign of attack, he decided to move them out. “We go fast. Me first, then Mr. Barlow, then you’re up last, Dan.” He turned to give Barlow a hard stare. “Keep up, or you’re on your own.”
Barlow huffed, but just clamped his lips tight and nodded once.
“Let’s go.” Bellakov gripped his gun and started out. As soon as they broke from the jungle, he felt exposed, and his neck prickled. At his heel was Barlow, and a few paces back, Dan, who stopped and turned to stare back the way they’d just come from. Across the other side of the ramp of flat stones, Steve waited just inside a stand of fern fronds.
Bellakov tried to see everywhere at once — the water, the jungle ahead, the walls of green beside them, and he also looked over his shoulder. Every one of his senses screamed a warning, but there was nothing for it now but to continue on. Behind him, Edward Barlow wheezed so loudly it sounded like he had swallowed some sort of tiny musical instrument.
“Shut it,” he hissed back at the man.
The wheezing immediately stopped but was replaced by a squeak from one of his nostrils.
Dan started to jog to catch up to the group. Ahead, Steve grinned and stood cradling his gun as he waited for them. Bellakov felt relieved to be coming to the end of the flat slabs of stone, and he allowed his pressed lips to hitch into a small smile.
Then came the eruption of water.
Bellakov threw an arm up as beside him something that looked like a surfacing submarine launched itself from the lake. He and Barlow fell back as a V-shaped head split open to reveal a 3-foot mouth filled with needle-like, backward-curving teeth.
The head turned sideways, and Dan never stood a chance. The jaws clamped shut, catching his torso and one arm. The poor sap never even had time to cry out as the huge creature wallowed on the stones for just a second or two, before flipping sideways and then back into the dark water.
Then it, and Dan, was just gone, leaving only waves to lap up on the stones.
“Dan?” Steve’s eyes were wide, and he braced his legs and lifted his shotgun.
The lake calmed. Silence returned.
“Go.” Bellakov grabbed Barlow by the collar and hustled him towards the cover of the jungle. In another few seconds, they were inside the green barrier beside Steve, and Bellakov turned back.
Steve still stood, gun up, and pointed at the water. His eyes were wet and his mouth hung open. But even though the lake was smooth, a few bubbles popped at the surface, and the darkness made it impossible to make out if the liquid on the stones was stained with blood.
“He’s gone.” Bellakov turned away. “Move it.”
“But…” Steve held his position, gun still pointed at the water.
“But what?” Bellakov scowled. “He’s gone. That’s it.”
“Every…” Steve turned about. “…every goddamn thing, every goddamn place…” He shook his head.
“Move.” Bellakov shoved him backwards, and then reached out to grab a trance-like Barlow. “No noise.” The smell of death was about now, and he knew what that would bring.
“Nearly there, nearly safe.” The mercenary didn’t believe it for a second.
CHAPTER 30
Ben and Koenig crouched at the cave entrance, with Jenny and Emma keeping watch on the jungle behind them.
Koenig kept his rifle at the ready as Ben flicked on his flashlight and scanned the floor of the cave. Even though it was close to the water, it looked dry inside.
“Death,” Koenig said softly.
“Yep,” Ben agreed. “Something’s dead in there for sure. It either went in there to die, or it was dragged in as something’s recent meal.”
Koenig craned his neck. “A million places to hide.” He looked back over his shoulder. “I’ll tell you right now, if there was something in there, it’d attack us. Most creatures that use caves as their lair don’t take too kindly to strangers comin’ a visitin’… and they defend them to the death.”
“Okay, we’re going in anyway.” Ben half turned to the women. “Ready?”
Emma and Jenny nodded, guns also ready but pointed down for now. Ben eased to his feet. “Count of 3, 2, 1, go.”
He went in and to the side. Koenig went to the other side, his own flashlight beam coming on and scanning fast. Both men had their rifles up. Emma and Jenny went in behind Ben, and after a few more seconds, the four stood inside breathing heavily.
“Phew,” Emma said. “That’s rank.”
“Rotting meat… over there.” Jenny pointed the beam of her own flashlight.
“I see it now.” Ben walked closer. Partially hidden by a small rocky outcrop was the skull of a medium-sized creature. The hide was more a shell of bony plates that sat over a ragged-looking skeleton, and the bones still looked fairly fresh, but the carcass was empty.