Z. Rex by Steve Cole

his eyes on the Z. rex. “Besides, you really want to be left alone with our friendly monster? Looks like it’s got plans for you, kid. And you saw what it did to Jonno. . . .”
    Adam shuddered as the reptile made a sound uncomfortably like laughter.
    The noise sent Sedona backing away toward Bateman. “It killed Neil too, and Laura and Goldblum and—”
    “Guess I got lucky,” Bateman interrupted. “When it whacked me, I hit more bushes than trees.” He waved his weapon. “I told you, my friends were patrolling the park with me, kid. This time we’re prepared. That thing’s not attacking, ’cause he knows what these guns can do to him. We can get you away, protect you.”
    “That thing” was looking at Adam now as if daring him to believe it.
    “He means what he says, Adam,” Sedona spoke up, sounding more confident now. “Mr. Bateman is head of security, the best. The Z. rex could find his way back to Fort Ponil because he was spawned here. But I developed an antipheromone spray that deadens our scent so the creature can’t sniff us out.”
    “That’s how we could sneak up on it,” Bateman added quietly, his weapon pointing at the dinosaur’s head, his fat finger poised on the trigger. “And how the only trace of yer dad it could find was at his old apartment. We can hide you, Adam. We can take you to your dad—he’s waiting for you back home in Edinburgh. And he’s just dying to see you—”
    That settled it. Bateman didn’t inspire much trust, but right now . . .
    I just want to see you again, Dad .
    Slowly, carefully, Adam took a step toward Bateman.
    The Z. rex bellowed with fury and swiped his tail into Adam’s chest. Adam felt like he’d been smacked with a telephone pole. He flew through the air and landed on a workstation, knocking the PC and keyboard from the desk. As he gasped for breath, the air thumped from his lungs, he saw the dinosaur shimmer and all but disappear.
    “How . . . ?” Adam breathed.
    “Don’t think so, dino-freak!” Bateman yelled, as he leveled his gun at the Z. rex and yanked on the trigger. A bolt of blazing blue energy tore from the barrel, soon joined by two more as the other men opened fire. Electroshock weapons, like crazy, sci-fi shock-guns. Adam guessed—set to the highest possible voltage. The giant reptile became visible again, engulfed in a swell of crackling indigo, bellowing in pain and rage.
    “Get him!” Sedona shrieked. “Get him, get him, get him!”
    Adam watched the dinosaur’s gruesome dance, revolted. This was his chance to run over to Bateman and the others, to try to split. But the creature was twisting and jerking this way and that in the flow of power.
    Still blasting away, Bateman dropped to one knee, and his two buddies did the same—giving the men with the rocket launchers a clear aim at the struggling animal. . . .
    But the Z. rex somehow caught an overturned swivel chair with the tip of his tail and propelled it across the floor toward Bateman. It slammed straight into the burly man, knocking the gun from his grip and sending him crashing into some lockers with a shout of pain. Sedona ran over to help him.
    Now the reptile had only two blasts of current to contend with. Roaring his defiance, fighting against the powerful charge, he picked up the vat he’d already dented and brought it down on the two men. The sickening ring of steel on bone resonated around the room. Weapons and bodies crunched into the floor. The guns cut off dead.
    The monster was free, and mad as all hell.
    Even as the gunmen went down—and as Sedona tried desperately to revive Bateman—the guards in the doorway aimed their rocket launchers and prepared to open fire. Adam’s blood ran cold as the Z. rex lunged forward, kicked one man aside with a huge, green foot and jabbed left-right at the other with his clawed fists, cracking ribs and body armor.
    Stomp kick and jab cross. There was no mistaking the distinctive actions.
    “My moves,” Adam