； dying and charred； never understanding what had killed it。〃
〃I was yelling at Annie； who was white faced and contrite and promising not to go running off ever again； when I spotted familiar shapes： ‘Hey； Scott！ I told you I saw Invid！'〃
〃But they had drawn back out of sight before Scott turned from Annie or she could spin around。 And right away Scott and I were arguing again。 How could he have seen them up above and yet not believe I had done the same down below？ Either you trust your teammates or you don't。〃
〃Of course； Mint put in her two…cents worth； as the ancients say。 She was scared enough as it was and wished I wouldn't see Invids behind every tree。〃
〃For maybe the fourth time that day I bit back what I had been about to say。 I knew Scott's military training revolved around reports and evaluations and source…dependability ratings and all that garbage； but either I was a teammate or I wasn't。 I dropped the subject； though。〃
〃‘I can't help it if you're scared； kid；' I told Annie； turning away from Scott to kind of defuse things。 ‘I'm scared； too。 But they were there； they're still there； and they're waiting for us。'〃
〃I just couldn't get a handle on any of it。 Prehistoric biota； and Invid who didn't attack。 It just didn't make sense。〃
〃But I could see that at least I had given Scott something to ponder。〃
〃The fire we built on the beach of a tepid lake made Annie feel a lot safer。 But I was still looking in every direction； waiting for Godzilla and the gang to show up expecting hot hors d'oeuvres。 Scott coughed at the smoke but agreed with Annie that the fire was cheery。〃
〃I stripped off my armor and put together a survival…type circle trident； to try to catch some supper。 Up on the surface we could have just thrown some explosives in the water and waited for the catch of the day to e floating to us belly…up。 But around here those tactics might just make something mad。〃
〃So I crouched nervously on a rock on the beach； waiting； checking the deeper water every half second or so； I guess。 Still； I'm a country kid； a Forager； and I had done that kind of thing a hundred times before。 Pretty soon I had a hit。〃
〃What I pulled up was all needle snout and kinked tail； some sort of freshwater； pygmy Ichthyosaurus whose grandmother had too many X…rays； I guess。 I threw it down on the sand。 Scott and Annie came over to find out what was wrong。〃
〃Everything just got to me； because I started waving my arms around and babbling。 The whole time scale had me going nuts。〃
〃‘This fish should've been dead； I dunno； sixty…five million years ago。 Those pterosaurs and all the rest of these critters； same thing！'〃
〃Annie was looking at me with eyes as round as full moons。 ‘S…so how can they still be alive？'〃
〃Scott was shaking his head slowly。 ‘This is…it's beyond me。'〃
〃I told them； ‘Well I'm just wondering what else might be floating around out there。' Somewhere far off； we heard something very heavy break the water in a dive。 It reminded me of the sound whales made in those prewar nature shows。 Only； we knew it wasn't a whale； because it honked like a horny tractor…trailer。〃
〃‘At least Annie can sleep；' Scott said tiredly awhile later； as we sat in the firelight。 We planned to take turns standing guard all night； and it was time for him to turn in。〃
〃We had managed to talk Annie out of taking a watch with some excuse about needing her to help with the scouting the next day。 Actually we didn't want her up alone and didn't really trust her with a gun。 Even Scott saw the sense in letting her sleep。 She snored softly； cap bill pulled down； hands clasped across her middle as she lay on her back。 I shrugged。 ‘Kids： nothing bothers 'em。'〃
〃We were finishing up the last of my impossible fish； and Scott grinned； ‘Your appetite hasn't been bothered much； either。' I kept on chewing； looking into the fire； trying to think。 ‘Hey； Rand！ Anybody home？'〃
〃‘I hear ya perfectly well； Scott。 I'm just trying to piece a few things together； all right？'〃
〃He took an unspoken offense and went to curl up by the other side of the fire。 He probably thought that I was still upset that he didn't believe me about the Invid。〃
〃I thought back to what had happened since we fell into that pit or whatever it was。 The fire made it easier to visualize the energy screen we had fallen through。〃
〃Scott had grown up out there in space somewhere； and lacked a lot of knowledge about Earth。 And Annie…she was simply Annie。 But one of the main things that originally drew me into the Forager life was that it was a way to find books。 Books； films…the history of Earth； the Human race； the history that led to my being what I am； if that doesn't sound uppity。〃
〃No； Scott knew next to nothing about Earth's prehistory； but I had read a small library's worth。 What kid doesn't bee interested in dinosaurs？ And I had seen enough to know that what we had been thrown into was a huge potpourri： Paleozoic plants； Mesozoic reptiles。 Everything was thrown in and mixed around； as if somebody was waiting to see what floated to the top。〃
〃While there were a few swamp areas like the one in which we had found ourselves at the outset； most of the hundreds or thousands of square miles of the Lizard Lounge appeared to be flood plain； with seasonal bodies of water。 We had no idea how the builders managed that。 But it was no wonder the place was so enormous； the land creatures' lives revolved around the herbivores' need for a slow； constant feeding migration； and the carnivores' constant need to follow and hunt。〃
〃We had seen dinos no bigger than chipmunks； and the real heavyweights as well； most or all of the biological niches were filled； including the ones for small； furtive mammals。〃
We had seen things that verified the work of Ostrom； Horner； Bakker； and the rest of the last great paleontologists。 Stegosaurus actually did have a single row of bony plates on its back。 Do they know； I hope？〃
〃What we had stumbled into were warm…blooded dinosaurs…endotherms！ The Brontosauruses protected their young while on the move； like a herd 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 rou