He leaned over Denise sitting on the tailgate and began rummaging around among the supplies stacked in the back of the truck. After a few minutes’ search, he seemed to find what he was looking for.
“What do you want to show me?” Owen asked. “If it’s…”
“This!” Masterson said suddenly. He whirled from the truck, a high-powered hunting rifle with a telescopic sight clutched tightly in his fists.
Owen looked at the gun and then raised his eyes to meet Masterson’s. “What is this?” he said.
“What does it look like?”
“You tell me,” Owen said.
“I’ll be happy to. It’s as simple as it looks, my friend. I paid an awful lot of money for this expedition. I’m also taking time off from my business to be here. That’s costing me additional money. I came here to hunt and I was willing to go along with your ‘cameras only’ edict. That was before the force field collapsed. Now, I think I need bigger protection than a camera. You’ll notice I came prepared for any eventuality.”
“You’d better put that gun away,” Owen said softly. “No one’s doing any hunting on this trip-least of all with a gun!”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Masterson answered. “Gardel, get another rifle from the truck.”
Gardel didn’t answer. He shoved himself off the fender of the jeep and walked quickly to the rear end of the truck. Denise watched him as he dug beneath the supplies and slid out another rifle. Her eyes were large with fright. Chuck looked at the rifles and then tried to read Masterson’s face. It was expressionless. “Let’s look at it this way,” Masterson said, a smile beginning on his face. “I paid for a hunting expedition. If I don’t get what I paid for, I’m being cheated. A man has a right to protect his own investment. Isn’t that true?”
“No, it’s wrong. You’re here by government permission. And law forbids the use of…”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, grow up!” Masterson snapped. “We’re here to hunt-and we’re
“Forget this, Mr. Masterson,” Owen said, trying to keep his voice down. “It’ll only lead to trouble. If not now, then when we get back and I report this.”
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” Gardel said.
“Yes,” Masterson agreed. “Brock is right. We’ll cross our bridges when we come to them. Right now, our first bridge is a little matter of dinosaur hunting.”
Arthur suddenly got to his feet, shaking his head. “I don’t like this,” he said in his deep voice. “I don’t like it one bit.”
Masterson let out a sigh of exasperation. “Primitive times seem to have struck a responsive chord in your breast,” he said. “I’d like to remind you who pays your salary, Arthur.”
Arthur opened his mouth as if to speak and then changed his mind.
Masterson, content with his minor victory, said, “You’ll drive Owen and his brother in the jeep, Arthur. Denise, Pete, Brock and I will lead in the truck.”
“Nobody’s going anywhere,” Owen said firmly.
“Aren’t you being a little ridiculous?” Masterson asked. “How can you stand there and argue with a man holding a gun? This gun could put a six-inch hole in an elephant, Owen.”
“It’s lucky I’m not an elephant, then,” Owen said sourly,
“I imagine it could blow a man’s head clear off,” Masterson continued. “Id hate to have to do that.”
Owen began laughing loudly, and Chuck almost joined him until he remembered the seriousness of the situation.
“Stop behaving like a movie gangster,” Owen said. “It doesn’t fit well with your executive’s personality.”
Masterson smiled. “No, Owen, not a gangster. A hunter. And a hunter shoots to kill.” He nicked his thumb against the safety catch above the trigger. “Shall we get started now?”
Chuck stared at Masterson incredulously and then said, “Why, I think he means it, Owen.”
Owen was equally surprised “Yes. Yes, I really believe he does. I really believe so.”
“That’s absolutely right, Owen,” Masterson said. “I do not intend to sit here and wait for those slow-witted dinosaurs to come and find me. I’ve got a gun and ammunition and I’m going to do a little hunting. Now get into the jeep, both of you.”
Chuck hesitated, looking to his brother for a decision.
Owen shrugged. “Sure. We have no choice. Well go along. But only so I can keep an eye on you. You’re still my responsibility, Mr. Masterson.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your concern.”
Owen turned his back to Masterson and began walking to the jeep. Arthur was already behind the wheel, his face emotionless, his eyes staring straight ahead at the shadows moving in the distance.
“Denise,” Masterson said. “You’ll come up in the cab with Brock and me. Pete, you’ll ride in the back. Let’s get rolling.” He lifted his niece down from the tailgate and popped her into the cab. Gardel started the engine as Masterson swung aboard.
In the jeep, Arthur twisted the ignition key and muttered, “I don’t like this at all.”