"So we drag all that way to trade... and all we end up with is a couple of bags of salt?" "It's worth its wait in gold Malone... unless you know a better way to preserve our food?" "And actually I thought we did pretty well." "You didn't lose the shirt off your back." "Pity, I wonder what it would take for that?" "More than you can afford." "It was nice of the chief to throw this into the bargain." "You offered him our shirts didn't you, our shirts for that trinket?" "Ivory Malone and the workmanship is exquisite." "I can't say the same about your shirts." "Ah large birds how fascinating." "It's not the birds, it's what they're waiting for." "Which is?" "Something to die." "I guess they want to do this the hard way." "Okay bucko." "Nice work." "I don't think it's us they're afraid of Malone." "Then what could have made them..." " Oh." " That's our queue." "He's still alive." "That's surprising considering how much blood he's lost." "It's not his." " But he's soaked in it." " So is the ground." "It's been put there to draw predators." "This guys like a dinner bell." "Let's get him out of here before we're included on the menu." "Eaten alive; who would leave a man to die this way?" "At the dawn of the century" "A band of adventurers set out to prove the impossible" "The existence of a prehistoric world" "The Visionary" "The Heiress" "The Hunter" "The Scientist and The Reporter" "All chasing the story of a lifetime" "Stranded in a savage land" "Befriended by an untamed beauty" "Together they fight to survive" "In this amazing world of lost civilizations and terrifying creatures" "Always searching for a way home" "A way out of... the Lost World" "If we don't get some water into this guy soon he's not going to make it." "Neither will we if that T-rex catches up with us." "You're all heart." "Hey, maybe if you helped... we could move a little quicker." "If you want me to leave the salt behind fine." "Your pants will buy another bag." "Enough both of you." "We'll need to get his shirt off... the smell of blood will bring ever raptor for miles." "What about the ones that staked him out?" "Oh please I can only worry about one thing at a time." "Try to get some water into him." "What are you doing?" "Making sure we're not being followed by any of his friends." "How the hell did he get there?" "A little soap and water and a shave the guy would look half civilized." "Soap water and a shave and so would you and Roxton... on the surface at least." "What's that?" "Scars from manacles." "I'd say our man here was kept prisoner for a good while." "Where I come from we call that picking pockets." "Just trying to put a name to the face." "Anybody following us?" "Not that I could tell but there are ape-men all over the place." " We should get moving." " Wait!" "It looks like a map." "My God." "The treehouse." "It seems our mystery man was looking for us." "That's beautiful my dear you've captured every detail the shading the veins in the leaves." "Audubon himself couldn't have done better." "Just putting down what I see." "You're too modest." "How did you come by a skill like that?" "My father... when we were exploring he drew everything he saw." "Copying him was a good way to get his attention." "I thought you said he was a botanist?" "Art was his first love." "But his parents thought that science was more respectable that painting." "It's an old story." "What the devil is that?" "An alarm, a warning." "A warning of what?" "Death." " Any idea what that means?" " No!" "but I've got a feeling it's not good." "This guy is not getting any lighter." "We'll rest here." "Three minutes no more." "He's coming to." "Easy old boy we're not going to hurt you." "We're trying to help." "Can you understand?" "Yes." "You were in a pretty rough spot when we found you." "Mind telling us why?" "We were on an expedition... captured... raiding party..." "The Horta." "Horta, never heard of them?" "You don't want to." "They kept us in their village... as slaves for years, until I escaped." " It seems they caught up with you." " The penalty for escape... is death." "I owe you my life." "Don't speak too soon; sounds like they've noticed your absence." "Yes I vote we continue this discussion later." "About this map?" "I drew that myself years ago." "It's a map to my home." "You said this is your home?" "The treehouse I built it." "Veronica is still alive... after all these years I'd given up hope." "I'm really here home." "It seems like a lifetime ago but... everything is just as I left it." "Well not exactly everything." "Glad your back Malone you heard the drums?" "There's something really bizarre going on." "Tell me about it." "Easy now." "Who's this?" "Veronica?" "Veronica." " Do I know you?" " Don't you recognize him?" "I knew you'd be older but I never imagined you'd be so beautiful." "Ned?" "It's me sweetie; it's me." "I promised I come back for you." "Daddy?" "Daddy?" "Daddy?" "Finding each other after eleven years." "Sometimes life can deal you a good hand for a change." "I wish it would deal us a way off this plateau." "Tired of my company already." "A man as fascinating as you, never." "Exactly where do you think you're going?" "Just making a quick circuit of the trail to be sure we weren't being followed." "Whoever wanted Tom Layton dead is still out there." "You're always so reassuring Roxton how do you sleep at night?" "Oh like a baby... you should watch me sometime." "You don't know how many times I've prayed for this." "No more than I." "I'm here and I swear I will never leave you again." "Mom, where is she daddy?" "Daddy?" "It was Sunday, we were scouting that little river to the west." "One of the first times we ever left you alone." "You said you'd be back before dark." "A raiding party jumped us... dragged us across the plateau;" "to use us as slaves." "Life there was hell." "It's only the thought of getting back to you that kept us going." "Please I have to know." "Your mother... she tried; she tried so very hard." "But the work... and the sickness, there was nothing I..." "I couldn't..." "I lost her." " No, no daddy." " Listen to me." "When Abby died I wanted to die too." "You are the only thing that kept me alive Veronica." "You are my miracle." "Nice try." "Son of a..." "All right you've got my attention." " What the hell do you want?" " Justice." "He said he'd be back soon." "He's been gone over two hours." "Well he'll be flattered to hear you're so concerned." "I'll deny every word." "No sign of him." "No blood, no gunfire, nothing." "It's like the earth just swallowed him up." "No, the earth or a dinosaur." "I would have seen signs of an attack... and Roxton wouldn't go quietly." "There was just nothing." "Nothing you saw." "Where's Veronica?" "She's not here she's out with her father." "Now?" "What the hell were they thinking?" "They wanted to spend some time together alone." "It's not safe." " Veronica knows what she's doing." " So did Roxton." "You sure it's tight enough?" "I think some blood is still reaching my hands." "I am Kartas." "I am Roxton." "I think I recognize the rope technique." "I seek the one who calls himself Tom Layton." "The man that you staked out like a piece of meat." "That is the sentence." " For runaway slaves?" " For murder." "What the hell are you talking about?" "Months ago this man was found wandering... lost in the jungle." "Weak, dying... one of my tribe took him in, nursed him back to health." "Oh really." "I suppose he forgot to pay his bill." "He murdered the one who saved him... for a few pieces of gold, some food... and a hunting knife." "There must be some mistake." "There is no mistake." "You think we take life easily?" "He was tried by my people and convicted... it was his execution... you interfered with." "He was about to be eaten alive." "There are worst things." "If you're going to kill me get on with it." "If I wanted you dead you would be dead." "Hey!" "Thank you." "I found almost everything you wanted." "Hypericum Perforatum..." "Papaver Somniferum and Triformis Muscaria." "You've remembered every name;" "you haven't forgotten a thing." "I've read every one of your books, a hundred times." "You must have been so lonely?" "Not anymore, you're like a dream daddy." "It's hard to live up to a dream;" "I hope I'm not a disappointment?" "How could you be?" "The truth is... after all these years away from my work I've become a bit rusty." "I don't even remember what this one is called." "The blue orchid." "I don't suppose you recall..." "Where we found it?" "It's was my tenth birthday I'm not likely to forget it." "You remember don't you?" "So much has happened; sometimes the memories run together." "I am not the man I used to be." "No you're better." "You wait here" "I'll go find all the blue orchids you want." " Nothing." " Damn the man." "I knew he shouldn't have gone off alone." "and neither should Veronica." "No she's not alone." "She's with her father." "That's hardly reassuring." "Someone wanted to kill him in a very unpleasant way." "We did say twenty minutes, didn't we?" " So?" " So where's Malone?" "Don't move." "I'll put a hole in you big enough to drive a street car through." " Malone?" " It is this way." "I could have sworn that shot came from around here." "Then why aren't there any tracks?" "What's was that?" "It was just a bird." "Don't worry we'll find them." "I wish I had your confidence." "What?" "A spent cartridge;" "Malone's pistol my guess." "Still doesn't tell us where they went." "No, but it means he was here... and he didn't go willingly." "Do not complain." "I don't enjoy this either." "Be silent." "No... no I am innocent." "It wasn't me I swear." "How easily you lie." " Why did you kill him?" " Why not?" "No, please." "Daddy, are you hurt?" "He's one of the slavers that held me." "He's still alive." " Not for long." " No!" "Leave him... there may be more of them out there." " We have to get back and warn the others." " Did you find the blue orchid?" " Yes." " Where is it?" "There." "My work and you you're all I have." "I won't let either of you be taken away." "I'm sorry daddy, if it means that much to you." "If I ever get out of here I'll be a couple of feet taller." "Oh that was close," "very close." "Please tell me you're a vegetarian." "Whoa, good boy... down." "Over here." "Now we'll try it without the ropes." "All right you bastard meet the Marquis of Queensbury." "Now either we get civilized or I'm going to break it." "If you wanted me dead I'd be dead." "I guess you've never heard of Queensbury." "Where the hell have you been all day while I was getting dragged around in the jungle?" " Oh just hangin' around." " This is no time for jokes." " Tell me about it." " Who was that guy with the tattoos?" "The one who staked out Tom." "Well you should have finished him." "It's not like I wasn't trying Malone." " I guess we're lucky to be alive." " Very lucky." "What do you mean by that?" "I think it's about time we had a little talk with Veronica's father." "If Veronica hadn't come when she did, I'd be dead." "Still no sign of Roxton or Malone." "Challenger and Marguerite are going to need my help to find them." " That's too dangerous." " I have to." "Come back to me." "I will." "Isn't that a Triformis Muscaria?" "As a matter of fact it is." "Contains a neural poison;" "it could cause paralysis." "True but when you combine it with other plants... including the blue orchid... it simply becomes a pain killer." "I had no idea." "Veronica draws like another Audubon you must be very proud of her." "Always, wish I had the talent." "She got that from her mother." "Abigail?" "Veronica said that you taught her yourself." "Of course, we both did." "Did you know that the latent period of that..." "Muscaria will last another three weeks." "I'd actually accounted for that." "The Muscaria has no latent period." "You're not a botanist... and you're not Tom Layton!" "Don't worry old man I won't kill you." "I need your help." " I'll be damned if I'll help you." " You'll be damned old man... but you will help me." "Roxton you are crazy..." "Veronica's father wouldn't murder anyone." " Yes does seem unlikely." " Unlikely?" "I can't believe you're taking his side." "Look Kartas is the sort of man that." "What?" "It's his name Malone." "Didn't realize you were on a first name basis." "Look if you hadn't escaped... we would have been a two course lunch for that guy." "I doubt it." "I've never seen a cannibal without sharpened teeth." "Well then we would have been rotting away in some slave camp like Tom." "I don't know... there was something about Kartas that I believed." "He had conviction... purpose." " Purpose?" " Yeah." "You know what had purpose?" "That dinosaur, that was gonna... eat you, had purpose." "But Kartas killed it... when he could have just left us to die, why?" "That son of a bitch cold cocked me with a Billy Club." "We stole his prisoner." "We rescued him." "Tom is Veronica's father and that's enough for me." "There's no choice... if we're going to find Malone and Roxton we need to widen our search area." "That means splitting up into two groups." "Exactly." "Veronica can stay with her father... and Summerlee, Summerlee?" "Tom needs my help." "That puts you with me." "Wonderful." "I'll just close my eyes and try to think of England." "For Veronica." "You know he's actually getting better at this." "We'll start at the river." "You already checked the river and didn't find a trace." "Maybe we should take another look." "Whatever you do you should stay together." "The man who came after me is very dangerous." "And a persistent little devil too isn't he?" "He's come to take me back to the slave camp." "He won't quit until he's been killed..." "I'm sure you agree Challenger." "Are you okay?" "I must have picked up a little fever." "But yes he probably won't quit until he's been killed." "That's odd... he's gone to a lot of trouble to take back a runaway slave." "Well clear the decks the Paris fashion show has hit town." "You look beautiful." "It was my mother's." "What do you think daddy?" "Do I look like her?" "You look so much like her." "It's as if your mother were here with us." "Summerlee have you noticed anything about Tom?" "Such as?" "Oh I don't know, something about his story doesn't quite hold up." "Indeed, in what way?" "Oh come on, a savage drags halfway across the plateau for a runaway slave?" "And you didn't see that look he just gave Veronica." "I don't know what you mean." "Oh neither do I." "I can't help feeling there's something wrong with the guy." "As far as I'm concerned Tom is fine." "I wish I could say the same about you." "Challenger Summerlee?" "Veronica?" "No one here Malone they're gone... and so are the guns." "Guess that lets out the notion of a picnic." "Roxton quick!" " Marguerite." " She's alive." "Someone's hit her pretty hard." "Well, I guess that rules out your theory of the noble savage." "I'd say Kartas beat us here." "Seems you're right." "Why are there no signs of a struggle?" "No blood, no shells." "Maybe they escaped to the jungle." "He's only one man." " Who trapped the two of us." " I'm going after him." "I'm with ya." "One of us has to stay here with Marguerite." "You're going to go after him alone and unarmed." "There's nothing in there except dried herbs and rat droppings." "Son of a gun." "You could say that." "Always keep an ace up your sleeve Malone." "Roxton, if it comes down to you or him." "I'll make sure it's him." "You were bait, a trap." "And you walked right into it." "I wish you no harm." "I'm after the evil one." "You don't mean me?" "Good girl." "Sooner or later justice is always served." "You think it was just I was born a slave in the stinking mines." "That the only sunlight I ever saw was through a metal grate?" "That does not excuse murder." "Like hell, I needed food and trade goods for my journey here." "So you murdered a man who saved your life?" "I'd kill a thousand to get here." "When Layton and his wife were chained beside me they told me about this place their life; their daughter." "It was like a dream." "Then they told me they had found a drug that could turn anyone to their will." "So I stole their map... and disappeared and I found the drug... that will make a slave named Largo... a king." "Never happen." "Kings need wisdom and compassion... seems like yours are in short supply." "Challenger, Summerlee best back off." "Oh." "what the hell's going on?" "They're drugged Roxton." "They have no will of their own... until it wears off and you will be long dead by then." "Drop the gun." "Who would you rather be killed by Roxton... a friend or an enemy?" "Run!" "All right guys." "Find him and when you do kill him." "Oh Malone." "It's okay Kartas is gone." "Kartas?" "Who the hell is Kartas?" "The man who attacked you." "It was Summerlee who hit me." "Summerlee?" "Maybe you better lay down." "Maybe I need to say it slower." "Summerlee whacked me with a skillet." " Why would he do that?" " I don't know." "It's got something to do with Tom Layton." "Veronica's father?" "If he's her father I'll wash Roxton's socks for a month." "You should have seen the way he looked at her." "On second thoughts maybe you shouldn't." "There's definitely something wrong with this guy." "Kartas the one that was following Tom." "What about him?" "He swore that Tom was a murderer." "We've got to go after them." "Where's my gun?" "Forget it all the guns are gone." " What about your pistol?" " History." "We're unarmed?" "I got this from the kitchen." "Perfect we'll mince them to death." "Logic Challenger, you're a sucker for it." "I have to kill you." "Didn't you hear;" "he drugged you." " You have to die." " I got that part." "You have no choice." "Friends can't reason with them can't shoot them." "On the contrary Roxton it's really no problem." "How disappointing;" "time to reload." "Where are you going?" "The gunshots came from this way." "Someone's coming." " Empty." " I know." "Great." " Could I have the gun back please?" " Why?" "So I can kill you." "You're serious?" "What in Gods name has gotten into you?" "It's the plants you see;" "Tom has discovered this marvelous neuro-toxin." "A what?" "A drug that for a few hours makes anyone obey." "How handy." "I need my gun." "What you need is a lobotomy." "Take off his belt and tie him up." "I'll get a head start and try to find Roxton." "Veronica it's me, Roxton." "Roxton dies." "Damn it, Roxton doesn't die;" "put the knife down now." "I can't!" "What do I have to do to make you stop?" " Kill me." " Please, I'm your friend." "And he's my father." "I don't know who the hell he is Veronica... but he's not your father." "Liar!" "No, no." "No!" "Roxton!" "Roxton are you all right?" "I'm fine, help Marguerite." "I don't think so." "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "Veronica he's not your father." "He's not your father." "Are you sure you want to do that?" "That drug was my father's secret." "It's going to stay that way." "I'm sorry about Tom." "That he wasn't..." "I think a small part of me knew." "I just wanted him to be so much." "Largo knew a lot about the treehouse." "He knew a lot about you too." "That means that your parents are still alive." "But where?" "There are thousands of mines... a lifetime of ground to cover." "You'll find them." "You think so?" "Someday."