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ry in the dark； literally； but the rest of the country was getting news； unbelievable news； and was near panic。 Food hoarding had begun； and frenzied shoppers had caused riots in Los Angeles； Chicago； and Seattle。 A third of the state governors had declared martial law and were begging for federal help。 Massive flooding； tidal waves； and landslides had devastated the country。 Hospitals near the disasters were jammed； and rescue workers and relief agencies found themselves overwhelmed by requests and stymied by missing bridges and roads。
Yet while chaos reigned in and near affected areas； major portions of the country stayed at home； watched reports on the television； went to work； and sent their kids to school。 The disasters were tremendous but highly specific in nature。 Los Angeles； for example； was largely intact； but just south of the city there had been a massive flood。 After the water found its way out to sea； rescue workers found precious little to search。 San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente were gone。 Not demolished； but pletely gone； leaving no wrecked homes； cars； or bodies。
Terry arid Bill tried to contact Ellen and Angie by phone； to tell them they were off to look for John； but long…distance phone calling was impossible。 AT&T had been hurt by losses in Atlanta and New York。 MCI and Sprint； devastated by satellite ground station losses； had good service only between the Midwest and Southeast。 Coast…to…coast calls could not be made。 And concerned parents and children overwhelmed the remaining phone capacity。
During the stopover in Nevada； Terry worked the civilian phone circuits while Bill tried the military。 He returned with bad news。
〃Angie and Ellen checked out。 They left a message saying they were going to find your son。〃
〃What？ But he may not be there to find。〃 Terry had never admitted that； and saying it now the words gave it a grim finality。 〃He may be somewhere else；〃 he added； convincing neither Bill nor himself。
〃Ellen and Angie don't know what's happened。 They could be in dinosaur country already。 But that's not all。 Something's going on。 A friend of mine says they've ordered the Portland area target mapped…bit mapped for a terrain guidance system。〃
〃They use those to guide bombers； right？〃
〃Mmmm…yes； bombers and cruise missiles。 The system allows them to fly at treetop level。 That kind of guidance system is very reliable； and very accurate。〃
〃You don't think they're going to bomb those dinosaurs； do you？〃
〃I can't believe you would need a bomb to keep them at bay。 Remember what caused this in the first place？〃
Terry tried to recall Dr。 Paulson's explanation of the puter models and their relation to patterns of explosions。 Large nuclear detonations had caused this； detonations in the megaton； not kiloton range。 Then Terry made the connection。
〃You don't think they're going to…〃 Terry stammered。
〃Hair of the dog…〃
That realization sent a shiver through Terry。 He was going to be flying into the land of dinosaurs； not knowing whether his wife made it to Portland； or what had happened to his son； and wondering whether a Stealth bomber would suddenly unleash nuclear hell on them。 He wanted to say it couldn't get any worse than this； but every time he thought that； he was wrong。
The helicopter was there as promised。 Although Bill kept saying he'd 〃get the hang of it again soon；〃 he proved himself a reasonably petent pilot。 They circled to identify the quilted segment； and then entered from the southeast。 The skyscrapers in city center were gone； and most of the urban sprawl that covered the valley and hills had vanished。 The shape of the land； however； was the same。 Terry picked out the Columbia River glistening in the distance； and the Tualitan River； where it should be。 The Willamette River was gone； but something reflected silvery light through the trees on the east side of the valley。 If that was the Willamette it had been drastically rechanneled。 The new forest itself was not uniform。 Sections of it looked like they were being clear…cut； with the trees dropped on top of one another in a confusing jumble。 Other sections seemed collapsed in； the trees holding one another up； as if they had been badly crowded。 Other sections appeared to be normal forest。 Then Bill spotted something。
〃There！ In that clearing！〃 he shouted。
He banked the helicopter to the right； bringing it full circle and dropping altitude at the same time。
The clearing looked more like a river bottom to Terry； a long earthy gouge that disappeared in the distance。 The strip was speckled with large sheets of water that reflected the sun and clouds。 Bill pointed again and brought the helicopter around so Terry could see a herd of animals。 Terry first thought of buffalo； but dismissed the thought。 These were much bigger； four…legged animals with long necks and tails。
They were dinosaurs。 They seemed to be slowly walking along the bank of what had been a river。 Bill and Terry watched the herd in silence； considering the implications。 Then Bill made a wide circle and began searching again。 West of the dinosaur herd they spotted a clearing。 In it were three horses with riders； one horse carrying two。 As Bill banked the helicopter； and circled； the riders stopped and watched it land。 Bill kept the blades rotating while Terry jumped out。
Even from the air Bill and Terry could tell Ellen and Angie weren't there； but the riders might have information。 They looked to be a family。 The man was riding double with a boy of about twelve； and the other two looked to be his wife and teenage daughter。 They all looked fortable on horseback and wore denim and flannel。 But they seemed watchful。 Everyone but the boy had a rifle。 Terry approached carefully。
〃Hi there。 Can you help me？ We're looking for some people； two women。〃
〃I'd get back up in the air if I were you。 There's killer lizards in here； big ones。〃
〃I know； that's why I need to find these people。 One's my wife。〃
〃She better not be in here。 We just lost a horse to one… nearly got my boy。〃 The man nodded to the boy riding behind him。
〃It killed Copper；〃 the boy sniffed。 He had been crying。
〃Came out of nowhere；〃 the man continued。 〃It was about half the size of my boy's horse but had jaws you wouldn't believe。 Sank its teeth into the horse's neck and brought old Copper to the ground。 If my boy hadn't jumped free he'd be dead。〃
〃Have you seen anyone else in here？〃
〃Saw some people this morning； but they were heading out； two men and a woman。 You should do the same。 Now we gotta go。〃 The man nudged his horse with his heels and headed off。
〃Hey； how far does this go； anyway？〃
The woman turned before she followed the others。
〃Don't know for sure。 I heard Vancouver's still there； but the bridges are down。 Someone said it goes all the way to Wilsonville。〃
John thanked her as she rode to catch up with the others。 Wilsonville； he said to himself。 They had already seen how far south the affected area was； and the woman had mentioned Vancouver。 That meant not only was his house gone； but 90 percent of the metropolitan area was now dinosaur…infested forest。
Bill took them up again and deeper into the quilt。 Two clearings later Terry spotted something orange…fluorescent orange and certainly not natural。 Bill couldn't land so he hovered at treetop level； giving Terry a better look。 There were four three…wheeled ATVs in the trees。 Two of them lay on their sides。 Each one carried an orange flag on a seven foot whip pole… that was the orange Terry had spotted。 They circled slowly but saw no signs of any people。 Even when they widened their search circle they never found the owners of the bikes。
Terry directed Bill into the valley； using the few landmarks he could recognize； but mostly relying on his best judgment。 Terry was directing Bill toward his house； or at least where his house had been。 That would be the logical place for Ellen to look for John。 Terry let Bill fly past the location before he directed him to circle。 There was nothing there but forest。 Bill's circles grew wider and wider； and still they saw nothing but trees； no houses； roads or buildings。 Surely； Terry told himself； Ellen and Angie would have realized the futility of their search by the time they got this far。
Bill's air force eyes were used to seeing things from overhead； and again he spotted something new。 Motorcycles were parked around a black spot in a clearing。 He circled the clearing but again saw no people； only movement in the grass； small animals scurrying for hiding places。 Bill landed near the bikes and left the rotors turning； then climbed out； offering an M…16 to Terry。 Terry refused。 He didn't know how to shoot it and felt he'd be a danger to Bill if he tried。
The motorcycles were parked around a fire； still smoldering； littered with empty liquor bottles。 In the grass on one side was the head of a dinosaur； about twice the size of a human head。 Its eyes were gone and insects crawled over it； Terry was mesmerized。 Even though it was as much a product of evolution as Terry； it seemed unearthly。
Bill climbed on one of the bikes； turned the key； then tried kick starting it。 The loud whirring startled Terry and also something in the grass。 Walk