ourse the power's off。 They're biting through the bars of the skylight。〃
Grant said； 〃Biting through the bars？〃 He frowned； trying to imagine it； 〃How fast？〃
〃Yes；〃 Muldoon said； 〃they have a bite pressure of fifteen thousand pounds a square inch。 They're like hyenas； they can bite through steel and…〃 The transmission was lost for a moment。
〃How fast？〃 Grant said again。
Muldoon said； 〃I'd guess we've got another ten； fifteen minutes before they break through pletely and e through the skylight into the building。 And once they're in 。 。 。 Ah； just a minute； Dr。 Grant。〃
The radio clicked off。
In the skylight above Malcolm's bed； the raptors had chewed through the first of the steel bars。 One raptor gripped the end of the bar and tugged； pulling it back。 It put its powerful hind limb on the skylight and the glass shattered； glittering down on Malcolm's bed below。 Ellie reached over and removed the largest fragments from the sheets。
〃God； they're ugly；〃 Malcolm said； looking up。
Now that the glass was broken； they could hear the snorts and snarls of the raptors； the squeal of their teeth on the metal as they chewed the bars。 There were silver thinned sections where they had chewed。 Foamy saliva spattered onto the sheets； and the bedside table。
〃At least they can't get in yet；〃 Ellie said。 〃Not until they chew through another bar。〃
Wu said； 〃If Grant could somehow get to the maintenance shed 。 。 。〃
〃Bloody hell；〃 Muldoon said。 He limped around the room on his sprained ankle。 〃He can't get there fast enough。 He can't get the power on fast enough。 Not to stop this。〃
Malcolm coughed。 〃Yes。〃 His voice was soft； almost a wheeze。
〃What'd he say？〃 Muldoon said。
〃Yes；〃 Malcolm repeated。 〃Can 。 。 。〃
〃Can what？〃
〃Distraction 。 。 。〃 He winced。
〃What kind of a distraction？〃
〃Go to the fence。 。 。 。〃
〃Yes？ And do what？〃
Malcolm grinned weakly。 〃Stick 。 。 。 your hands through。〃
〃Oh Christ；〃 Muldoon said； turning away。
〃Wait a minute；〃 Wu said。 〃He's right。 There are only two raptors here。 Which means there are at least four more out there。 We could go out and provide a distraction。〃
〃And then what？〃
〃And then Grant would be free to go to the maintenance building and turn on the generator。〃
〃And then go back to the control room and start up the system？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃No time；〃 Muldoon said。 〃No time。〃
〃But if we can lure the raptors down here；〃 Wu said； 〃maybe even get them away from that skylight。 It might work。 Worth a try。〃
〃Bait；〃 Muldoon said。
〃Exactly。〃
〃Who's going to be the bait？ I'm no good。 My ankle's shot。〃
〃I'll do it；〃 Wu said。
〃No；〃 Muldoon said。 〃You're the only one who knows what to do about the puter。 You need to talk Grant through the start…up。〃
〃Then I'll do it；〃 Harding said。
〃No；〃 Ellie said。 〃Malcolm needs you。 I'll do it。〃
〃Hell； I don't think so；〃 Muldoon said。 〃You'd have raptors all around you； raptors on the roof。 。 。 。 〃
But she was already bending over； lacing her running shoes。 〃Just don't tell Grant；〃 she said。 〃It'll make him nervous。〃
The lobby was quiet； chilly fog drifting past them。 The radio had been silent for several minutes。 Tim said； 〃Why aren't they talking to us？〃
〃I'm hungry；〃 Lex said。
〃They're trying to plan；〃 Grant said。
The radio crackled。 〃Grant； are you…nry Wu speaking。 Are you there？〃
〃I'm here；〃 Grant said。
〃Listen；〃 Wu said。 〃Can you see to the rear of the visitor building from where you are？〃
Grant looked through the rear glass doors； to the palm trees and the fog。
〃Yes；〃 Grant said。
Wu said； 〃There's a path straight through the palm trees to the maintenance building。 That's where the power equipment and generators are。 I believe you saw the maintenance building yesterday？〃
〃Yes；〃 Grant said。 Though he was momentarily puzzled。 Was it yesterday that he had looked into the building？ It seemed like years ago。
〃Now； listen；〃 Wu said。 〃We think we can get all the raptors down here by the lodge； but we aren't sure。 So be careful。 Give us five minutes。〃
〃Okay；〃 Grant said。
〃You can leave the kids in the cafeteria； and they should be all right。 Take the radio with you when you go。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Turn it off before you leave； so it doesn't make any noise outside。 And call me when you get to the maintenance building。〃
〃Okay。〃
Grant turned the radio off。 Lex crawled back。 〃Are we going to the cafeteria？〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 Grant said。 They got up； and started walking through the blowing mist in the lobby。
〃I want a hamburger；〃 Lex said。
〃I don't think there's any electricity to cook with。〃
〃Then ice cream。〃
〃Tim； you'll have to stay with her and help her。〃
〃I will。〃
〃I've got to leave for a while；〃 Grant said。
〃I know。〃
They moved to the cafeteria entrance。 On opening the door； Grant saw square dining…room tables and chairs； swinging stainless…steel doors beyond。 Nearby； a cash register and a rack with gum and candy。
〃Okay； kids。 I want you to stay here no matter what。 Got it？〃
〃Leave us the radio；〃 Lex said。
〃I can't。 I need it。 Just stay here。 I'll only be gone about five minutes。 Okay？〃
〃Okay。〃
Grant closed the door。 The cafeteria became pletely dark。 Lex clutched his hand； 〃Turn on the lights；〃 she said。
〃I can't；〃 Tim said。 〃There's no electricity。〃 But he pulled down his night…vistion goggles。
〃That's fine for you。 What about me？〃
〃Just hold my hand。 We'll get some food。〃 He led her forward。 In phosphorescent green he saw the tables and chairs。 To the right； the glowing green cash register； and the rack with gum and candy。 He grabbed a handful of candy bars。
〃I told you；〃 Lex said。 〃I want ice cream； not candy。〃
〃Take these anyway。〃
〃Ice cream； Tim。〃
〃Okay； okay。〃
Tim stuffed the candy bars in his pocket； and led Lex deeper into the dining room。 She tugged on his band。 〃I can't see spit；〃 she said。
〃Just walk with me。 Hold my hand。〃
〃Then slow down。〃
Beyond the tables and chairs was a pair of swinging doors with little round windows in them。 They probably led to the kitchen。 He pushed one door open and it held wide。
Ellie Sattler stepped outside the front door to the lodge； and felt the chilly mist on her face and legs。 Her heart was thumping； even though she knew she was pletely safe behind the fence。 Directly ahead； she saw the heavy bars in the fog。
But she couldn't see much beyond the fence。 Another twenty yards before the landscape turned milky white。 And she didn't see any raptors at all。 In fact； the gardens and trees were almost eerily silent。 〃Hey！〃 she shouted into the fog； tentatively。
Muldoon leaned against the door frame。 〃I doubt that'll do it；〃 he said。 〃You've got to make a noise。 〃 He hobbled out carrying a steel rod from the construction inside。 He banged the rod against the bars like a dinner gong。 〃e and get it！ Dinner is served！〃
〃Very amusing；〃 Ellie said。 She glanced nervously toward the roof。 She saw no raptors。
〃They don't understand English。〃 Muldoon grinned。 〃But I imagine they get the general idea。 。 。 。〃
She was still nervous； and found his humor annoying。 She looked toward the visitor building； cloaked in the fog。 Muldoon resumed banging on the bars。 At the limit of her vision； almost lost in the fog； she saw a ghostly pale animal。 A raptor。
〃First customer；〃 Muldoon said。
The raptor disappeared； a white shadow and then came back； but it did not approach any closer； and it seemed strangely incurious about the noise ing from the lodge。 She was starting to worry。 Unless she could attract the raptors to the lodge； Grant would be in danger。
〃You're making too much noise；〃 Ellie said。
'Bloody hell；〃 Muldoon said。
〃Well； you are。〃
〃I know these animals…〃
〃You're drunk；〃 she said。 〃Let me handle it。〃
〃And how will you do that？〃
She didn't answer him。 She went to the gate。 〃They say the raptors are intelligent。〃
〃They are。 At least as intelligent as chimps。〃
〃They have good hearing？〃
〃Yes； excellent。〃
〃Maybe they'll