rd of elephants。 I watched huge duckbill females exhibiting maternal behavior； feeding and protecting their hatchlings。 Of course； we didn't have any time to witness live births among the brontos： we were sorta busy keeping away from hungry meat…eaters。〃
〃The predators were warm…blooded； and therefore had to eat a lot。 They were fast…moving； very aggressive； and always ready for a meal。 I watched a pack of swift Deinonychuses； running on bird…hipped hind legs； drag down a much bigger Tenontosaurus。 The Deinoychuses tore the helpless giant to pieces and devoured it。〃
〃Annie hid her eyes against my back； and while I was fascinated even though I was sickened； I made up my mind to try to spare her any similar sight； if possible。〃
〃We had already had a few close encounters； though。 Scott may go down in history as the only human being to ever kill a T。 Rex； he did it with a rocket barrage of Scorpions from his Cyc's forward racks。 We were safe for the time being； but how long could we last once we ran out of power and ordnance？〃
〃I'm probably the last member of the legendary King Kong Klub； having passed the rigorous written and oral exams and proven my love for that movie。 But in spite of my avowed devotion to stop…motion critters； I wished in those next hours that the Cycs were teleportation machines。 I suspect we all did。 You would have； too。〃
〃I had forgotten that smell of blood。 If you have ever had a serious laceration or been around major trauma； you know what I'm talking about。 Fresh blood； spilled； lost。 That smell was so thick down there that I swear it would have snuffed a candle。〃
〃Still； that wasn't what I was trying to sort out while I sat watching the fire that night； to the sound of Pachycephalosauruses batting heads like bighorn sheep and oinking and spitting at each other。 I was considering the awesome size of the artificial world around me。〃
〃The Human race； even at its prewar height； didn't have the power or the knowledge to create this Lost World。 It was pretty obvious who was behind it。〃
〃But the Invid certainly had little motivation to build an Earth museum。 Then I stopped thinking of the Invid I had been catching glimpses of in terms of soldiers and started trying to think。 of them as some other kind of force…say； park rangers？ Guarding a sanctuary； perhaps？〃
〃‘Clear enough！' I was mumbling； and Scott sat up； rubbing his eyes； to look at me。 ‘This place is one big lab！' I cried。 ‘Now I'm beginning to understand！ It's incredible！'〃
〃‘Well； I'm not beginning to understand；' he was grousing。 ‘Back up and try again。'〃
〃He was right。 I forced myself to slow down。 ‘I'm sure this is an Invid test facility。 They're playing around with the history of life on Earth…evolution； from the start right down to today！'〃
〃Were there other arenas where Tertiary organisms fought and strove； or basic Earth life…forms had been mutated with coldly clinical intent； against some possible future？ There wasn't any time to think about that now； I was about to trip over my own tongue as it was。 I tried again。 ‘They're doing evolution experiments…cloning； genetic engineering！ Darwinism in the passing lane！'〃
〃‘Are you drunk？'〃
〃‘I wish！ Listen； Scott： the Invid intend to make Earth their home； because that's where the Flower of Life grows best； right？ Well； before they choose the final physical form…or forms…they'll take on； they're testing； studying！'〃
〃Scott was standing up with a lot of well…now…hold…on…a…second…there talk and flat…handed calming gestures。〃
〃‘And now we're part of the experiment；' I yelled over him； sorry that Annie was going to have to wake up to bad news； because I was shouting it。 ‘They're using us as guinea pigs somehow； that's why the Invid keep hidden instead of showing themselves and attacking…'〃
〃Scott was trying to shush me； but I backed away； I couldn't let him think I had had a hysterical episode； or he would never believe me。 ‘Scott； we've got to get out of here。 Or at least get word to the others！ This is more important than your damned Reflex Point！ Once the Invid find a form that they figure will let them dominate the Earth； there'll be no more need for…uh！'〃
〃At least； I think that was the sound I made。 We had both stopped in midsyllable； mouths open； because the voice we heard then seemed to e from everywhere。 It was female； and there was something slightly familiar about it。 It was mostly alien and cold； yet with an arrogant undertone to it。〃
〃I also got the feeling； somehow； that its words were being transmitted to and echoed by some multitude that spoke with a single voice； subordinate to the main one。 And I know this is strange； but…it sounded like a stage voice to me； like somebody doing Lady Macbeth through a lot of voice…processing equipment。〃
〃It said； ‘Humans； your time on this planet is almost spent！'〃
〃We were both looking around for the source of the voice。 And then I felt cold night air on my neck； because the hair there was standing up； because Annie came to a sitting position； arms folded across her chest。
〃She was still facing away from us； the firelight playing over the hair that looked so straggly after a day of roughing it in that sweaty theme park。〃
〃Scott began； ‘Um； Annie； are you feeling all…'〃
〃That voice came again。 ‘The age of Humans is ing to an end！' What sat on the ground turned toward us； but the features we saw weren't Annie's anymore。 It was something old and malign； using her face and form。〃
〃‘Now；' it gloated； ‘a new era begins on Earth！'〃
〃‘What's she babbling about？' I said； but I didn't mean Annie。〃
〃'Rand； she…sounds possessed；' Scott swallowed。 And I had been hoping he would have some idea what we should do。〃
〃The thing using Annie's body rose to its feet； standing across the camp fire from us。 ‘Humans； you do not know the extent of our power！'〃
〃With that； the fire expanded； the flames leapt high above our heads。 Scott and I backed off a step or two； shielding our faces。〃
〃We saw Annie across the flames from us as she let them die down a bit； her hair floating as if windblown； her hands making passes as if she were a sorceress。〃
〃‘Humans are merely a dead end in the great scheme of evolution！' Annie gestured； and all of a sudden； so help me； we were seeing a moving form silhouetted in the blaze； a female form that didn't look quite Human。 It threw its arms high in triumph； while that chilling voice went on exultantly。〃
〃‘The Earth is entering an era of domination by a different form of life； which has traveled a different evolutionary path。' The thing laughed evilly。 ‘Be warned。。。'〃
〃But then the voice trailed away； until it was Annie's； moaning； and the expression on the face was one we recognized。 Annie slumped； and we rushed to her。〃
CHAPTER FIVE
Those which we call monsters are not so with God
Montaigne； Essays； Vol。 II； XXX
The team's search patterns turned up nothing。 Exhausted； they stopped for a few hours' rest before they would continue with a night…sweep。
Lunk couldn't seem to stop himself from repeating the same thing over and over： 〃What coulda happened to em？〃
〃I don't know where else to look；〃 Lancer admitted tiredly。 〃Our best hope is that they just…show up。〃 He ran his fingers through his long purple hair。
Lunk sat down next to him； leaning against the same boulder in the firelight。 He gnawed noisily on a drumstick that they had scavenged from Wolff's supply depot。 〃I suppose that's all we can do。〃
He looked to where Rook was curled up； a lithe form in a blanket。 There was only a single stray curl of strawberry…blond hair showing； brilliant in the firelight。 〃Isn't she even worried about them？ How can she sleep at a time like this？〃
Without turning over； she said； 〃I can't sleep； if you sit there blabbing and gorging yourself all night。 How can you eat at a time like this？〃
Lunk wore a hurt look。 Lancer told him in a whisper； 〃The real reason she's awake is because she's worried； too； Lunk。〃
Rook lay watching the moon； listening to Lunk plain about how spooky it all was。 After riding as a loner for so long； she was feeling again that special torment that she had promised herself she would always avoid…fear that harm had e to a loved one； an all…consuming concern for people who had bee； though she had never meant to let it happen； family。
Annie came around again in a second or two； but when Rand and Scott told her what had happened； she claimed that they were both imagining things。 As far as she was concerned； she had been having some crazy dream in which she married an Invid who looked like her old boyfriend。
That was Annie； mind never too far from the marriage that would； she was sure； let her live happily ever after。 What the two men were telling her was upsetting her； and she gave them a wounded look； asking if they couldn't just drop the whole issue。 Scott and Rand backed off。
But they would have had to stop talking about it anyway； just about then； a battle of the bipeds started up。 In the dim nightlight glow from the haze overhead； they could just make out some big meat…eaters tangling with each other； probably over a kill or some carrion。 Rand thought it was between two Ceratosauruses and a larger Allosaurus； but couldn't see for sure and wasn't interested enough to stick around and find out。
Dangerous as it was traveling at night； the men snapped on their armor； started the Cyclones； and the moved out。 They found the dry water course they had been traveling on； but they had no sooner increased their speed than the air was full of pterosaurs of all sizes and shapes； swooping and diving； beaks napping。 Scott couldn't figure out if they had been stirred up by the blood and noise of the fight； or if the Invid were somehow sending them at the Humans。
Luckily the flying things were getting in each other's way； so that evasive maneuvers saved the Cyclone riders for the moment。 And lucky was the word； Rand saw one that had a fifty…foot wingspan。 Scott's voice came over Rand's helmet phones； 〃You and Mint find cover！ I'll fight them off and catch up！〃
Rand couldn't argue； the armor gave the men a lot of protection； but Annie was pletely vulnerable。 Rand rogered and increased his speed； peeling away and heading for