FSE

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It had been a hard journey from the US to Russia. More than eight hours flight from Boston airport to Lisbon Portugal in Europe. Robert had come to me personally to say he wanted me on a special mission, just the two of us. A day after we had finished putting our two new prisoners behind bars, he came up to me, explaining something important he wanted to do for a friend of his. If I had ever thought of going on a special mission half a world away with a monumental hero of our country, you could definitely count me in.

To be able to work side by side with a legendary figure in the military, secret service, and the air force, it is like a dream come true. I had hastily agreed to be his partner on this special mission, wherever it would take us. He had not shared any information on what we would be doing or were we would be going. He had just told me to pack my bags for a trip halfway across the world; include my favorite sniper rifle and a lot of rations and ammo.

Now that I am here, on a plane to where I believe to be headed is Russia, I can guess that this mission that Robert personally chose me for is more important than he lets on. I mean, why Robert Olario, famed and military genius, chose me, a measly police officer (although his right hand man) to accompany him on a potentially life threatening or world changing mission halfway across the world. I mean, the rumors about the dinosaurs were that they had been spotted in Russia. I hope we are not going anywhere near them, because if we are, I might not have agreed to come, and ultimately forfeit my job as well.

I had approached him some time after we had made a brief stop in a hotel in France to ask why he chose me. His answer? Well, it still puzzles me, but at least I have a vague understanding of 'why' he chose me for this important mission. If I gather 'how' he asked me and 'where', I could get a general feeling of what and why he wanted to bring me along.

_ ~~~~~Two weeks earlier: May 20, 2017: 5:28 PM~~~~~ _

"Lock 'em up good, we don't want these two escaping anytime soon." Faro said from his leaning position on the blue washed wall, arms and legs crossed naturally.

"I agree with you on that completely." I respond, sipping a nice cold beer while sitting at a small round table. The cells that we used to hold these two in were beyond ordinary, built with the help of our Earths Protector long ago, especially to hold supernatural beings, kind of like Area-51.

"Hmm, are you going to give your report to Robert any time soon Ken?" Faro asks, raising an eyebrow in mischief. Knowing I was his right hand man, I had the responsibility of filling out the report on what had happened on our search. That is to say he had not already learned what the outcome was when I called him, but still.

"Uhh, yeah. Even though it was disappointing, everybody's got to know what is going on if we are to stay ahead of this villain." I reply uncertainly while turning my gaze to look at him and lowering my beer onto the plain blue table, one of many in the building.

"You aren't thinking of changing it a bit are you?" Faro asks in curiosity, raising a doubtful eyebrow. Knowing him, he would only get me in trouble. Thankfully, big R had decided to visit us on that particular moment.

A loud bang and another resounding clang heralded the arrival of Robert Olario. He walked in through the short hallway to the cell holding area to address us, accompanied by a guard with a fully automatic M-16 rifle, a precaution taken when in the vicinity of two unknown threats.

"ATTENTION!" The guard yells, saluting Robert while we hastily do the same. The screeching halt of my chair on the cement floor and Faro's exasperated look before standing at attention immediately tells Robert of our laid back nature.

"At ease," Robert answers, either not noticing or having something too important on his mind to discipline us for being lax around high threat prisoners.

"What is the occasion for this visit 'sir'?" I ask while lowering my hand, knowing Robert was somewhere else for the second half of yesterday and this morning.

"Herald," Robert says quickly, arms casually by his side.

"Yes sir!" He replies, holding at salute before walking hurriedly to stand in front of Robert and folding his hands behind his back, legs spread apart respectively.

"Check on the prisoners will you? I think 'Larry' is at it again. And Ken," Robert requests, Herald Faro quickly vanishing around a corner and to the cells containing our prisoners. I prompt another quick solute before taking the same stance that Faro held, beer a quarter empty on the table.

"Yes sir!" I reply loudly.

"...Come with me." Robert answers in a low tone before turning to head back towards the door he came through, but enters a side door to the lounge area instead.

I follow him hastily and with neat composure, wondering what this surprise visit will yield. As I enter the sparsely decorated break room and wait for Olario to speak, his back towards me with hands clasped behind his back, my mind wonders back to that boy I had seen. I do not know if what I saw was real or not, but, as I probably said before, everyone knows about the Protector of Earth.

They usually come to our aid in times of great need, sometimes helping out with mediocre things. There help is indefinable; countless Presidents have asked them to appear on public television, but they have all declined except a few. Well, I should not be talking about many Protectors, rather just three.

One, famously known as the fabled wise earth dragon of legend or the stone guardian by others, is the one who has protected us for the most of Earth's history. The second one is a master at illusions, able to arrive and blend in while remaining in plain sight. The third, who is surprisingly, a girl, is a great healer. Rumor has it she works at a hospital, which one, I wouldn't have a clue. Everything I have heard or said is common or somewhat common knowledge to everyday citizens.

I realize my time is up as Robert turns around slowly with a stern look in his eyes. He looks like he is contemplating a very hard decision before he speaks.

"Ken, I have a special, unique assignment I want you to go on with me." Robert requests kindly, moving to sit on a plain wooden uncomfortable chair to his left. Seeing the movement, I mimic it and sit down on a chair close by with the same uncomfortable wooden frame.

"And, what would that be sir?" I ask curiously, head filled with endless possibilities of what Robert could want to ask me for.

"It is a special mission, one designed to your...attitude." Robert replies, still slightly unsure of himself, elbow on a nearby table with his right hand on his lap limply.

"What mission would it be focused on, given my abilities?" I respond slowly. Robert chuckles at my answer, but continues on.

"I know you are the right man for the job. We will be traveling a lot, so prepare yourself. You better bring your best sniper rifle, a lot of ammo, rations, and some good luck. We are leaving at 07:00 hours tomorrow." Robert replies, rising up and heading for the door to get ready for the trip himself.

"What? I didn't agree to it, did I? Am I allowed not too?" I ask rising up in a huff, turning to face Robert, wanting to know if I was being forced to do this or not. Robert smiles sympathetically, turning around to look at me in my bewildered appearance.

"Take it as an, espionage mission. I heard you scored top ranks when training, did you not?" Robert asks, sure of himself.

"Y-yes I did, but, that was some time ago when I was applying for-"

"07:00," Robert says, cutting me off. "Unless you want to be involuntarily fired." Robert says rhetorically. I gulp in fear as he closes the door and I hear the other main door open up to the upstairs.

If anyone wants to, especially if our villain wants to get her minions back, she would have to go through many dedicated officers and levels of stairs and check points to reach this point. Breathing a sigh of defeat, I walk back out to the area where my beer still is. Maybe this mission will get me promoted if I join him by the designated time.

Man, seven in the morning, what a killer. This mission must really be important to him, otherwise he would have chosen someone else. "What did the old man want with you Ken?" Faro asks, also with a beer in his hand halfway empty. Looking up from my dreary thinking, I blink before answering.

"Weren't you supposed to check on Larry?"

"Yep, still tied up. Just wanted to get me away from you to tell you something secret or whatnot, am I right?" Faro inquires eagerly, walking forward as I bend down to retrieve my beer.

"None of your business Faro, but if you must know, I have a mission with him tomorrow at seven." I reply undeterred.

"What! Aw man! Lucky!" Faro whines, eyes going wide while he swings his beer around, a few drops escaping to splash onto the gray cement floors.

"I have to go. Behave yourself Faro. Don't let those two escape while I am gone, you hear?" I reply earnestly.

"Ok, ok," Faro says, rising his hands up submissively. "While you're gone those two won't move an inch. If they do, well..."

"I will think of something." I respond quickly.

"Err, yeah, you will think of...something. And that is what I am afraid of." Faro replies, giving a half hearted laugh.

"Yup, behave; maybe a nice raise will suffice if nothing is broken." I respond, turning to head up the tedious flight of stairs to begin gathering my stuff.

"Sure, that will do." Faro says before turning back to sulk off to the prisoners, making sure they have not gone anywhere, as if they can, being wrapped in straight jackets and all.

~~~~~~~~~~

June 3, 2017: 1:35 PM

I was special. Robert had had a hard childhood, from what some of his friends have told me. Some even say he is good friend with the retired earth elemental. How would I know what powers he has? He almost stopped Mount Saint Helens from erupting. If that does not scream earth powers, I don't know what does. The fact that I am here in the car at this very moment, driving through the wild landscape of Russia it is just a thrill to be in anticipation, ready to see Robert in action.

Earlier on, when we were in Warsaw half a week from the start of our trip, Robert finally came to me to explain what our objective was, and boy was I scared shitless to hear what we would be dealing with. He vaguely mentioned who his friend was, and if I heard the rumors currently, he was friends with the earth element, but I couldn't be sure, not yet. He said we would be observing movements of troops, both reptilian and Taliban.

He went on to explain we would be during reconnaissance deep in the heart of Russia, between Lensk all the way to Bilibino. Now I considered that a huge track of land to cover, but Robert said we were going to be staying for about one to three months, depending on weather conditions. I did not look forward to it at all. The rumors about the sightings of dinosaurs had me wanting to give up, to say, sorry, I tried to do this, that this is just something men are not trained to do. We are not trained to fight prehistoric 'dinosaurs' resurrected most likely by some evil villain who wants to enslave the world.

Robert reassured me as best he could, saying we would only be watching from a distance, on top of mountains, deep within white covered forests laden high with fresh snow. We would trudge through freezing rivers with our heads held high. When the mission was done, Robert told me, so I knew, he told me he would give me whatever I wanted; a promotion, a raise, new weapons, all I had to do was say the word and it would be mine. That was when I realized how much this mission meant to him. Just going on the assumption that the retired Protector 'is' Roberts 'friend', then I would give it my all, until my last parting breath. I just hope it did not come too soon.

For the next week, we drove nonstop from France to the Ukraine, and now we were headed into the cold and barren lands of Russia. We still had a ways to go to reach our first destination, and Robert seemed just as nervous as I was. We were to stop in Serov, a town between the Kama and Ob' river to refuel and resupply. Once we rested for a day, we would head to Abakan, close to Mongolia and do the same, which was another half a week to a week drive. When we finally reached Lensk, things began to turn for the worst.

June 3, 2017: 8:13 PM Russia: Lensk

** ** The Lena River moved past the bustling town of Lensk as we drove through the quiet streets at night. We have had to trade multiple vehicles on our way to our destination, finally settling for a UAZ Patriot. Robert now drives the dark roads through the town, heading to I have no idea where. When questioned, Robert would only say, "Were going to meet an informant of mine who will help us in our mission. He will tell us where to observe first."

I tell you, driving at night through a foreign town where I don't even know the language, it can give you nightmares. But, I had finally given myself to this mission; I would do everything I could to help whatever or whoever we were supposed to help to get information for. Not that it made any sense; you know what I mean anyway, mystery guy, bad, unknown territory, worse. Not to say that who we would be helping is bad, it's just that it is sometimes good to know wh-.

"You OK over there Ken?" Robert asks in concern while looking over at my thoughtful position.

"Uuuh, wha-. N-no, I mean, yes, I'm OK." I reply, somewhat startled out of my daydream as I lean my elbow against the window sill of the Patriot with my hand resting on my chin.

"You don't look like it." Robert responds as we pass another long warehouse full of who-knows-what.

"I-I'm fine, just thinking about how we are not going to get caught by..."

"Dinosaurs?" Robert finishes, raising an eyebrow while slowing down at a stoplight. I sigh and lean my head on the back of the comfortable seat, closing my eyes to clear my head.

"Yeah." I reply simply.

"You do not have to worry about a thing, once we meet my informant, he will tell us where the most recent citing was and before you know it, we will be home." Robert says, taking a left then right as we now cruise through the center of town.

"Hopefully with all our limbs intact." I mutter, turning my head to stare out the window again.

Normal residential buildings made of wood, obviously built decades ago line the street. Other commercial stores populate the other side with a multitude of cars parked in parking lots or driveways with their family's safe inside. The sky is a dark blue shadowed with black, signaling the end of a day. Faint streams of luminescent red and orange streak through the sky, dashing away from the sun in a hectic race to warm the Earth while some stray clouds dot the horizon.

With a playful laugh, Robert finally turns into a large parking lot for a hotel, probably a four star. The building is L shaped, both sides being the same length. "Don't think negatively Ken, you know what that does. I need you at your best; I am counting on you to assist me with this. Why would I have chosen you otherwise?" Robert says sincerely, laying one rough hand on my thigh once we park.

I turn back to look at his relaxed expression, remembering how me and my buddy Faro were like that just a few weeks ago, guarding two high value prisoners. It wouldn't do to go along my path into a dangerous mission, it would get me killed. Nodding once in understanding, Robert tells me to follow him into the hotel where we are supposed to meet his informant, whoever that is.

The air outside is cold and chilly, a stark contrast to the heated interior of the decent UAZ patriot we bought. Were Robert gets the money to keep trading cars is beyond me. Of course, maybe it's because of his high paying job or legendary service for the USA. Sure beats standing out in the cold all the way in deep Russian territory.

We hurry to the front door, Robert locking the car, luggage to be retrieved later, or not at all depending on how long this takes. I could use a good cup of coffee right now. Russians probably have a different style of it though, but I would go for anything to warm myself up in this frigid air. I still don't know how the warm blooded dinosaurs survive up here, it's freezing as hell.

Robert and I quickly make our way inside the lavish hotel, polished marble floors, chandeliers, granite support pillars that hold up the high raised ceiling and all the like. Perhaps my assessment was wrong when I thought it would be a four star, now it looks like a five, but not quite for some reason. Robert walks up to the counter and checks us in while I gawk at the detail and architecture of the building.

"You like, no?" A man suddenly comes up to me who speaks in heavy Russian while I am staring at the floor, polished enough so that I can see my own reflection.

"Wh...Oh, ye-yeah, it's wonderful." I reply in astonishment as I look up to find someone dressed a pure black suit with a white shirt peeking out from underneath. His skin is a mottled chocolate black; lighter than my own while his hair is dark brown, rugged and curly. His beard is a lighter brown with strands of white which show his age.

"Welcome to the Golden Horse Hotel, or the Mohe-Mohe." He says, sweeping out an arm in a warming gesture.

"Isn't there a Hotel in china called that?" I ask curiously, wondering where we truly are.

"Yes, that is true; we have a similar one here in Lensk, although I bet you noticed it is not a five star Hotel." He replies.

"Oh."

"Ken. Come over here." Robert says calmly across the short distance. I turn to see him looking at me; another similar black suited guy with a normal white complexion also gazes at me from behind the counter. I quickly say farewell and walk over to Roberts's side.

"Here you are, key number 32, second floor, have a nice day." The man says in clearer English with a clean cut beard and black hair just as crazy as the other mans. Robert shakes his hand and nods his head before we take a right to climb the stairs.

"Are you trying to blow our cover?" Robert says suddenly while we walk up the short flight of stairs.

"Wh-what did I do?" I reply, mortified I could have easily given our position away to the enemy.

"Hehehe, got ya. You need to lighten up Ken. We won't be seeing action for a least a couple more days, seeing that it depends on what my informant has to say mostly." Robert says jokingly.

"A...Nnn...Ugh." I gape open my mouth, surprised that Robert, highly respected police officer could have made such a joke.

"Come on, our room is this way." He says, opening the door to the second floor and turning to the left.

I follow him while I try to think if he did that just to scare me or to see if I am still up to the challenge, or maybe a bit of both. Whatever he thought of me vanishes the moment he turns to his right halfway down the hallway to open the door to room number 32. I did not know what to expect, but I think Robert did when his mouth dropped open like mine from a few seconds ago.

He gets out the key, puts it into the door knob and turns it. After that, shock. A few seconds go by as my mind catches up to the current events after Roberts...Joke. He rushes in frantically, turning this way and that, obviously looking for something that is plainly not there. My eyes widen when I reach the doorframe and see the condition of the supposedly clean room.

Instead it is trashed, I mean literally torn apart. Someone or something must have gotten into the Hotel without anyone seeing it or them and wrecked our room. The bed is destroyed, cotton sheets torn to bits with the rug floor scratched and clawed by something unnatural. The curtains are shredded and the T.V. is busted as well as numerous lamps around the room. Robert desperately searches around the room, lifting bed sheets, turning up pillows, ripping out drawers. The simple fact that we are on a dangerous mission keeps me from thinking that Robert had gone insane. That is, until he suddenly faces me with a look of horror, something crossing his mind that all is not what he first thought it was.

"Ken, the car." Robert mutters urgently in a hushed tone, eyes full of fear.

"What?" I reply, taking a step into the room only for Robert to bumble his speech, frantically pushing me back out and shutting the door.

"Ken...the car..." Robert says calmly and slowly, oddly aware of himself once again, not that anything could have happened to get him out of thinking something else, whatever that could mean.

"I did...not." I respond, knowing instantly that things were not right.

"Quickly, we need to get to the car now." Robert says hastily, pushing me back down the hallway and to the stairs, turning back infrequently to check if someone or something was behind us.

I speed up, afraid of tripping and scared to let whatever Robert was currently paranoid of get to us. We rush down the stairs two, three steps at a time. Robert cuts in front of me to jerk open the bottom floor door, only to usher me forward as if a serial killer was behind us. I enter the main foyer and walk forward a few steps before Roberts is back to pushing me frantically to the front door. When we get into sight of the receptionist, Robert eases his pace to a slow but deliberate walk. The man behind the counter looks up and over to see us heading for the front door.

"Everything to your liking?" The man says in his well conserved English.

"Very. My boy and I are just heading to get our luggage." Robert responds kindly, trying to not look too panicked in front of him.

"Have a nice night." The man responds before resuming his duties at his station.

Robert hurries me along a bit faster, and before I know it, we are back out into the biting embrace of the frigid winter air. We race to the car, Robert unlocking the doors and telling me to get my sniper rifle.

"Why do I need my rifle?" I ask in confusion.

"You wanted to stay with me! You trust me! Get your rifle now or I am firing you right here and now!" Robert yells in a sudden burst of furry.

His chest heaves at the outburst before he goes to pop the hood to do something to the engine. Stunned, I open the trunk and shift around our baggage before bringing out my sniper rifle case, custom built. I hastily lay it on the ground, fingers starting to go numb before Robert shouts at me to do it in the car before slamming the hood down. Looking up startled, I re-latch the case and shut the trunk before opening the back door just as Robert starts the engine.

I can hear him mumbling to himself, the words incoherent to my ears as I quickly open and assemble my H-S Precision Pro Series 2000 HTR Sniper Rifle. The car lurches forward as Robert punches the gas, propelling us onto the main road and out of town. I jerk forward, no seatbelt on as Robert powers down the main road, streaking out of town in no time.

He continues to lean on the gas while the landscape goes blazing past. Trees fly by, buildings that lie on the outskirts are only a blur as Robert turns North-East of the town, barreling off road, ever deeper into Russian territory.

Whatever had gotten into him at that moment is something I do not want to find out. The horrid look on his face as he faced me while inside the Hotel room, it just spoke volumes even if he did not speak his terror. Someone or more importantly, 'something' had destroyed our room, for what purpose, I could only vaguely try to think about it as I assemble my HTR sniper rifle as quick as I can.

If I had to guess at what wrecked our room, there could only be one possibility. Whoever was controlling the dinosaurs over here knew who we were and probably what we are trying to do. I also did not seem to spot Roberts informant anywhere. I hope he got away, or else we are all doomed.

I finally get my sniper rifle together and go to load a cartridge of ammunition, just in case something attacks us.

"Do not load Ken, not yet." Robert says, glancing up in the rearview mirror to see me reaching to load a cartridge into my sniper rifle.

Complying, I set it back down and put the case off to the side, gently laying the ebony black rifle across my lap. The ground is bumpy and uneven as we continue to speed off to who-knows-where. We pass by clumps of forest as the car hurtles over the land at terrifying speeds. I just trust Robert knows where to go.

"Sleep," Robert commands as I look out the window to view the changing landscape. Mountains in the distance across the river follow us while we travel over the land. "You will need it once we get to our destination."

"Do they know we are here?" I ask cautiously, both eager and petrified to know if dinosaurs are following us.

"Probably," Robert answers in a low tone of despair. "Just be ready when we get to the next town."

Knowing better than to enrage him again, I lean back in my seat to drift off into an uneasy sleep filled with nightmare and visions of dinosaurs hunting us down.

June 3, 2017: 10:34 PM Russia: 83 miles from Vilyuysk

** ** The road is rough, that is for sure as I sleep restlessly in the back seat of the UAZ patriot while Robert is in front driving. The sky is completely dark by now, overtaken by an eerie black as a host of clouds begin to form around the center, awaiting a special event. Brief flashes of lightning and thunder rumble between the masses of clouds, shady figures being illuminated in the dark forests of the small mountain we travel.

Numerous rocks and boulders bar our path in which Robert has to back up and choose a different path or carefully inch past the obstruction. My sniper rifle still lays idle in my lap, jostled every time we hit a bump or divot in the road. All around us, red glaring eyes peer from behind pine and birch trees. Hazy figures dart from shadow to shadow, stalking their prey. Robert drives on, unaware of the trap being set, unaware of the danger ahead.

It seems like forever before the first hit comes unexpectedly. A swift 'thump' near the rear of the car jerks me out of my rest while Robert curses under his breath, swerving the get the car under control.

"What the sh-" He exclaims before a second object impacts the left side, followed by a low menacing growl near my window that startles me out of my sleep induced state.

I blink rapidly before steadying my sniper rifle, narrowing my eyes out the passenger side window, vainly trying to spot whatever is making that noise. And whatever it is spells danger and death for us as a small Velociraptor, or what seemed like it, dashes in front of the car before leaping on top of it. Robert yanks the wheel to the left and then right, desperately trying to dislodge our unwanted guest before it slips off with a frustrated hiss.

"What the hell was that!?" I yell, lifting my body a few inches off my seat and away from the window as another 'thump' sounds in the rear of the car, driving it off course before Robert readjusts

"Take a wild guess." Robert responds dryly while flooring the gas, making the car lurch forward and away from our pursuers.

"You don't mean..."

"Ya bloody right that's what's following us." Robert interrupts, slamming on the breaks to make the car screech in the dirt before wrenching the wheel to the right and then hitting the gas.

I gulp, mortally afraid that we are going to die right here and now. Feeling foolish even before I do it, I gaze out at the darkened landscape of the hill, scanning our surroundings for any sign of dinosaurs. I jump back as another dinosaur glares back at me with its blood streaked face. The colors are far too darkened for me to guess its species, but it darts away from the car before ramming its body against my side.

"Damn it Ken, LOAD YOUR GUN!" Robert yells in frustration while turning hard to the right to rebalance the car, the tires skidding over the loose mountain terrain.

The multi-shaded dinosaur backs off as its brethren continue the attack, gradually forcing us to the side of the cliff. Panicked, I pick up my rifle and open the case beside me, dutifully loading the gun with its .308 caliber bullet magazine and pull back the lever to set the first bullet into the chamber. I quickly turn to my right again to see the red streaked dinosaur come barreling into us again. I hastily open the window before leveling the sniper rifle to aim dead center at the dinosaur.

"Where do I shoot?" I ask as the cameo color dinosaur leans on its side to knock us off course again.

"The head or the neck, I don't know, just stall it!" Robert responds vehemently, pressing the gas to push the car past seventy-five with the dinosaurs still hot on our tails.

Knowing Robert is doing is best to steady the car; I rest my finger on the trigger, calming my breath like I had done many times before. Waiting for the dinosaur to come closer, at which it roughly stands around 4'6" feet high and easily four times as long, I aim the barrel of the gun right at its left eye. Just before it impacts the car, I fire, the gun recoiling back into my shoulder with a straining pressure that leaves me slightly winded, but at least the dinosaur is off our tails, hopefully for good. I hear a series of thumps before the dinosaur comes to a stop on the ground.

"Nice shot Ken, but there are still more coming! Go to the back window and pick the ones off our tails before I lose control or they push us off this damn cliff!" Robert says in momentary congratulations.

Smiling in the brief show of gratitude, I unbuckle my seat belt before hustling to the trunk filled with our baggage. I carefully step over the important valuables, reaching for the back window to pry it open. I stare into the pitch black scenery, deathly afraid that something is going to poke its head in and reach for my throat.

As I lean back to load another round into the chamber, the same multi-shaded, red face streaked dinosaur barges in, startling me, forcing me to fall back on our luggage as it jostles the car around, clambering around for a claw hold. Finally, my adrenaline kicks in and I aim the muzzle calmly at its throat, just below the head while it shrieks in outrage. A weird, Desha vu' moment sparks in my mind as I see the torn off and bloody face of the mysterious dinosaur.

Before shock can get a hold on me, I pull the trigger and watch the beast fly off the car, hitting the ground with bone jarring force while tumbling a few feet and lying still, hopefully dead. Meanwhile, the recoil of the shot pushes me back against the relatively soft luggage before I straighten myself out.

"Now that's what I am talking about!" Robert bugles out without warning while slapping the steering wheel, startling me out of yet another victory as I accidently whip my head around to the sound of the voice, turning my body so that my right hand holds the main barrel of the gun. I unknowingly lose my grip on the rifle and send it flying out the back window and out of sight.

I look back guiltily, feeling the lost weight in my hand and no sight of my favored sniper rifle. I hear it clatter off somewhere in the distance, lost to the savage beasts that are chasing us.

"Ah crap." I mutter, idiotically leaning out the back window to try and spot my rifle before two things happen at once.

First, I mentally kick myself, remembering that the color of the gun is an ashy gray/black, meaning I would not be able to find it even if we were able to stop. Second, another cameo shaded dinosaur with a different tattoo pattern of red streaking across his face lunges at my neck out of nowhere; only for my idiotic realization on the color of my weapon did I pull back to smack my forehead that I survived its intent.

Hearing the rumbling growl and frustrated roar of the dinosaur just a few feet behind us, my eyes fly open and I back up to the back seat before it lunges again with its long neck, just barely scraping my shins as it darts off to the left of the vehicle. It does not even occur to me how these things are keeping up with the car.

"Holy shit!" I say in surprise, heart beating frantically at the close call, too close for my comfort when dealing with carnivorous dinosaurs that won't hesitate to rip you to shreds at the first beckoning.

"You all right?" Robert questions, peering up into the rearview mirror to see my trembling form.

"Uuugh, yeah, lost my gun though." I reply meekly, shrinking down behind the back seats, waiting for Robert's outburst.

It does not come, instead, a gentle request issues forth. "Then what are you waiting for, grab my shotgun and get back up here!" He demands.

Nodding my head until I feel dizzy, I immediately shove cartons of food and other baggage aside to reach for Roberts AA-12 shotgun.

"Load it with Frag-12." He says. I freeze, knowing that that ammo was only one form of ammunition that this thing could shoot out. It is essentially a mini grenade, and I feared the explosive recoil would reach us if I fired it too closely.

"Well, don't fire it when they are just sticking their heads inside, begging to be shot." Robert replies when I voice my worry.

Sighing, I flick open the heavy case that contains the AA-12 and load a thirty-two round magazine. I then rise, turning to half jump, half slide over the back seat to my original position. Robert readjusts the car yet again as another dinosaur rams the vehicle closer to the front on the right side. I do not know how many dinosaurs are following us, nor do I want to find out.

Robert continues to punch the gas, revving the car over 100, past 110, as we hurtle dangerously fast over the mountain while it starts to level out as we reach the top. The Patriot rocks back and forth from the continuous abuse from the dinosaurs striking its sides. I settle myself in the middle of the back seat, aiming to the right to spot a quick footed Velociraptor leap from ten feet away, partially hidden within the mountain forest. Before it can tear its murderous claws into the side of the vehicle, ripping away the door to gain easier access to its occupants, I fire one round. The grenade flies out the open window and straight smack into the middle of its chest, guided by the small tails on the base of the grenade, blowing it back and rattling the car as it jerks away from the explosive force of the impact.

"Better." Robert says as he tries to edge the car faster to its limit while evading the blood thirsty dinosaur's hell bent on reaching their prey.

I turn to my left this time to see another cameo dinosaur with a red streak of color dashing through its eye that looks like a mortal wound. I quickly bark out to Robert to lower the left window while I steadily aim the AA-12 shotgun loaded with Frag-12 grenades at the dinosaur, firing before it can advance any closer to damage the car. As the round travels out the window and to its intended target, the cameo dinosaur miraculously jumps, soaring high above the car to land on the other side, staring into the closed window at Robert with a menacing glare while keeping pace with the car.

I gawk in astonishment at the achievement, Robert losing control of the vehicle temporarily as he also witnesses the spectacular jump. I shake my head, moving back to the right to aim at the hind legs of the beast while it stares past the window at Robert. It leans right, readying itself to ram its weight against the two-thousand six hundred and seventy kilogram car. Not giving it a chance to dent the vehicle further, I fire another round, the grenade traveling straight and true directly below its hind legs to explode violently, giving it no way to come back at us even if it survived. It crashes to the ground, leaving behind a cloud of dust in its wake.

We drive on for what seems like a few hours, the midnight sky darkening further as numerous black pitted clouds rumble ominously above, signaling the beginnings of a thunderstorm. I continue to fire round after bloody round into the backs, heads or legs of the dinosaurs that try to ram us. I go through two thirty-two round and one twenty-two round magazines before running out of ammunition.

There just seems to be no end to them! I think while maneuvering myself back into the front seat, but not before grabbing Roberts Glock 9-millimeter pistol with extended mag and firepower. It may not be enough to deter or stall the monsters following us for long; I just hope it gives us enough time to reach the next town, wherever that might be.

We speed through the downhill of the mountain, steadily gaining speed, eventually surpassing the vehicles 150 mph speed limit. Now with no ammunitions and who knows how many dinosaurs chasing us, I have monumental trust in Robert that he will get us out of this, that is, until a 3.2 meter Megolosaurus tries to bulldozer us into the forest from the left.

Robert swerves dangerously tight, slamming on the breaks to evade the rampaging dinosaur. I hold the seat in a vice like grip; hanging on for dear life as a loud 'thud' and crack of bone can be heard impacting the back of the car as an unfortunate dinosaur smashes into the back of the car. Robert floors the gas, making the car lurch past the mammoth dinosaur as it plows straight line into the forest. My breath comes in great heaves as I try to calm down.

"You're doing great kid, just hold on." Robert says appraisingly while the car speeds forward into the thickening night.

I just nod, vaguely aware of what is happening on the right side as Robert steers into the main part of the mountain, foregoing the gradual descent of the slope. A puttering noise comes to life as I curiously look at the speedometer then the fuel gauge, teetering on empty.

"Oh, that's just great. We are surrounded by blood-thirsty dinosaurs and we are almost out of fuel. Just great. Just flipping great." I mutter in disgust, leaning my elbow on the window sill and resting my head on my hand.

"We will get out of this. I have more tricks in the bag, so to speak. Ken," Robert says, waking me out of my misery.

"Huh?" I respond despondently.

"Open the glove compartment and take out the green crystal." Robert says, revving the gas to try and make it go faster while maintaining a tight grip so the rough terrain does not throw the car.

"Ok." I hesitantly open the compartment and look inside for a green crystal. Inside, I not only spot a valiant green crystal, but also a wide variety of other crystals as well. "Aahhh, what are these?" I ask before taking the green one out and closing the glove compartment, leaving the other crystals in the dark.

"Backup." Roberts replies simply, moving to punch a few buttons on the dashboard. Before I know it, a secret CIA like compartment opens up in the middle of the dashboard. It glows a bright and eerie blue before turning to a complacent white.

"Put the crystal in the socket." Robert says, pointing to the middle of the secret panel.

"Ok?" I reply while slowly putting the faintly pulsing green crystal into its compartment.

Robert presses a few more buttons within the hidden panel before it closes again. With an ominous rumble of the engine equal to the magnitude of thunder, the car jerks forward as faint, luminescent lines of green spread out from where the hidden panel disappeared.

"Wha-? What is happening?" I ask, clutching the handle on the roof of the car near the window as another 'thud' makes the car scoot forward, speeding it up at its already dizzying pace.

"Our escape." Robert replies teasingly as the car lurches forward again, only this time with no accompanying 'thud' of a dinosaur assaulting the vehicle.

The green lines that had slowly spread out like jungle vines bathed in water now surge forward, engulfing the whole car in a dull luminescent glow of green. I push back within my seat, trying to get as far away from the unnatural light as possible. Robert only chuckles beside me, hammering the gas all the way, the car not slowing down, but speeding up as the green crystal seems to give the car some special power.

"What is happening?!" I shout again in fear. Robert laughs at my tone, seeing as I have not seen anything like this in my life.

"A gift from my 'friend'." He says mysteriously. My eyes go wide, surprisingly knowing who he might be talking about. The Earth elemental. The Protector.

"Your friends with 'him'!" I shout while relaxing my grip but not the tension I feel within my body. My adrenaline still flows within me, making every moment a blurry haze yet clear and defined as if it happened a second ago.

Robert just laughs as the car speeds up, 150, 160, 175, 180. The green light now fully immerses the UAZ Patriot in a radiant, almost toxic like green glow. The back of the car looks like a drag racer, nitro booster flaring from the exhaust, making the taillights weave and curve, extending out from their source of illumination. Mountain forests fly by in a haze of picture, everything blurring together into one time lapse photograph as we out distance the dinosaurs by sheer speed.

That, however, does not deter whoever is controlling them. No, she wanted him to use that crystal. She wished for him to use that crystal, and now, he and his 'friend' will know pain like no other they have faced.

With a trembling roar that shakes the ground and trees, a massive form erupts from the package of conifer and spruce trees. Robert and I both freeze up as the massive bulk of a Spinosaurus tears free from the forests cover. How it managed to sneak up on us without alerting us that it was there was beyond me.

It bursts outwards from the line separating forest and road. It lowers its narrow head lined with razor sharp teeth, built for cutting and tearing into flesh. With another tremendous roar, it plows sidelong into our car, raising us into the air and into the adjacent forest. The green light instantly dulls, fading until there is nothing left. The car goes dead, out of fuel, out of gas.

The Spinosaurus comes again once we screech to a stop sideways within the forest, not giving us any reprieve from the first impact, opting to bite into the carriage of the vehicle and lift it high into the air. Robert groans, from what I cannot tell at the moment while I have a splitting headache from the result of the impact, and a sprained wrist probably because of the crash.

The dinosaur murderously crushes the car in two, its teeth just pricking my back ever so slightly to make me yell out in pain. It coils its head to one side and twists its body before tossing us with massive strength over the forest and beyond the cliff. We were probably a mile or two within the forest and this THING, picks us up, only to throw us over the forest AND the mountain cliff in one heave.

The only sound that penetrates the night is from the crunching and cries of pain within the crushed car rolling down the side of the mountain. Victorious yowls and roars emanate from deep within the mountain forest, their plan a success.