As they returned Sobek was approached by Buck. "I don't understand. Why did we release the prisoners?"

"To prove that we aren't barbarians" Sobek explained.

"And is it important?"

"Not at the moment. But in the future it will be. When we take the city we will have to maintain order and discipline. Also we will soon have to go down to negotiations. It'll be easier if humans don't see us as killer monsters"

Sobek knew he was playing a dangerous and extremely delicate game. He couldn't afford any mistakes. He needed humans to fear him, but he also need that they see him as a creature they could reason with. Only then would he be able to buy enough time to complete the formation of his army.

And for this to happen, for this delicate balance between fear and respect to be achieved, several steps were needed. Sobek had built a big stage and had only finished the first scene for now. There was so much more to do. Even so, though, the payoffs were showing right away: his bonus money had been spiraling since he'd started that plan. More bonus money meaned more weapons and more armor: the more he continued that plan, the more strong his army will become.

Carnopo joined them. "How can you be so sure that we will attack the city?"

"Right! Humans might even listen to our ultimatum" Buck gave him support.

Sobek smiled. "It's impossible. One day is not enough to evacuate an entire human city, especially one so big. What's more, this is a colonial city with no efficient infrastructure, vehicles, or airstrips. And even if they would try, they wouldn't be able to reach the mountains in time. Consequently they can only fight"

"However, they could stay in the city"

"I doubt it. We have shown them that we can break through their defenses. Consequently, the battlefield would become the city itself and civilians would be involved. Even if they would be able to defeat us, countless innocent people would die. If I were in their place I would try to move the battlefield elsewhere, which is exactly what we want"

Sobek had put on that little theater precisely because he didn't want to lead a siege. Even if they could break through human defenses, taking the city would have resulted in heavy losses for its army if the human soldiers had been there. And since humans would surely call in reinforcements thanks to their technology, Sobek had no intention of showing up for future battles with an unguarded army.

One day was a too short time for Odaria's reinforcements to arrive to help, but they would surely be there within two weeks at the most. Sobek must have his forces in full shape by that moment, or the battle would end in a massacre. He had to conquer the city at all costs, but he preferred to do it with the least possible losses. Otherwise he would have already attacked humans time ago.

Now, he just had to wait for the little monkeys to dance exactly as he had trained them to do.

*************

"Fortunately most of the soldiers were down at the front door. They didn't see anything. If not, they would be in the purest terror" Dreyfus murmured.

After the event that morning, the mayor had called an emergency meeting with the heads of the major police forces in Cartago. They had to find a solution to the problem quickly. But none of them had any idea what to do: they weren't prepared for such an event!

Obviously Malcolm was also present. "And those who were on the walls, and who instead saw?"

"We convinced them to shut up, but many of them are in fear. Same for the workers" Dreyfus grumbled. "We asked everyone to keep silent, but it is impossible for everyone to stay quiet. There have already been episodes of violence. Those who know of the ultimatum want to leave immediately with their families"

To calm the population, Dreyfus had called a rally in which he had passed off the alarm that morning as a failure. The movements of the police? Simple security procedure. Fortunately, people seemed to have bought it, but not even two hours had passed and chaos was already beginning to spread through the city.

"Maybe that's what we should do" Malcolm said. "Leave the city, I mean. Let's bring the population to safety"

"Malcolm, my friend, if you know a way to clear the entire colony in such a short time, I'll be happy to hear it" Dreyfus said. "We are a colonial city of a third world country. Most people came here hoping to improve their financial conditions. Many of them don't even have a car. We have no airstrips and the first ship will arrive at the port in two days, and it will be too small to carry all the hundreds of thousands of people present here. It is impossible to reach the border of the colony in one day. Even if we implement an escape plan, the only ones who will be saved will be the wealthiest, the ones who can afford a helicopter. All the others would be joined by the dinosaurs in a few hours"

Many things could be said about Dreyfus: he was short-tempered, stern, dictatorial and unbearable. But unlike many of Odaria's leaders, he didn't put the survival of a limited elite above ordinary people. If not everyone could be saved, then no one would be saved.

Even though Malcolm appreciated Dreyfus for it, the problem remained. And time was running out. "We could try talking to him" he proposed. "Well… he freed the workers. He isn't a savage. If we show ourselves humble, he could understand..."

"He won't do it" the militia leader, a man called Kemp, said. "I recognize a murderous look when I see it. Why do you think they gave us so little time? They want us dead. I don't know why they are playing this little theater, but they will not accept any negotiations"

"We ask for reinforcements, then!" Malcolm exclaimed.

"We have already done that. Some troops are already flying in military helicopters" Dreyfus replied. "But we are talking about a small number. I don't know if they will be enough"

"How many will come?"

"Just five hundred men, and they will carry some powerful weapons... but they certainly cannot carry the missiles on helicopters"

"Five hundred men!? Does the government not understand the gravity of the situation?"

"Of course not. They don't know what's really going on. They think they are sending soldiers to suppress a workers' rebellion"

"What!?"

"What did you expect? How do you think they would have reacted if I said 'hey, there are some talking dinosaurs threatening to tear down the wall in a day, please send us help!'? They would have sent us a psychiatrist, other than soldiers"

Malcolm bit his tongue. "We have the testimonies of many soldiers. We have also videos. If we send them to the government..."

"... they'll think we gave some drugs to the soldiers and that we fabricated false proves" Dreyfus cut him short. "Forget it, Malcolm. No one will ever believe in talking dinosaurs"

Malcolm shook his head. He would have liked to argue, but he could find no arguments. He too would have considered that story a nonsense if he hadn't experienced it firsthand. "So what do you do?"

Dreyfus sighed, than he looked to the only person that hadn't still talk. "You, secret agent, spy, 007 or whatever you are: there is something that you know that we should know too?"

That person was obviously Abe. Even though he had asked Malcolm to keep his identity a secret, after what had happened that morning the man hadn't wanted to hear any excuse: he had dragged him into the mayor's office and told everything to Dreyfus. The mayor was initially confused, but as Malcolm continued with the explanations all the oddities made sense.

Abe shook his head. "Everything Malcolm told you before is all what I know. I don't have some magical cure for intelligent dinosaurs"

"And the ones that send you here? They can offer us help?"

"I don't believe so. We don't have so much power. Maybe they can send us some helicopters, but I don't think that they could do more, not in such a short time"

"So you're useless. Got it" Dreyfus grumbled. "Kemp, I let the choice to you. What do you suggest?"

The militia leader stepped forward: "Let's fight" he replied. "We have all seen it, the walls are not strong enough. If we face them here, thousands of civilians will die. But we can move the battle elsewhere"

Kemp pointed to a point on the map. "In this area, which is located just halfway between Cartago and the forest, there is a quarry. If we make the dinosaurs go down the hole, we can bomb them from the other with grenade launchers and machine guns. We will be placing anti-personnel mines and explosives all over the perimeter, so the shields will be useless. We will destroy half of their army before we even face them. We may not be able to exterminate them, but at least we should be able to repel them"

"Are you sure?" Malcolm asked doubtfully.

"Based on what we know about them, the plan will work. Unfortunately, however, they are an unknown enemy. I can't guarantee they don't have a few tricks up their sleeves" the militia leader explained. "But of one thing I'm sure: facing them at the quarry is better than facing them here"

Dreyfus nodded. "So be it, then. We will mobilize all the men available. If it will go as we think, then we could at least buy some time"

"What if it won't go as you think?" Malcolm asked.

Dreyfus grumbled. "Then all of us will be screwed, and this will be our grave"