"After this morning's incident, nobody leaves the compound without at least one armed guard." André Pireux glared at the handful of supervisors sitting at the table in his boardroom. "As director of this facility, I'm responsible for every person and every piece of equipment."

He locked eyes with the small dark-skinned man standing at the end of the long table. "Dr. Bashir, you've been here longer than any of us. I expected you to be more aware of the dangers we face out there."

The little man pulled on his goatee. "You are absolutely correct, Director. I should have been more careful." He smiled. "As you pointed out, I've been here a long time. Ten years, to be precise. Two years without being up-line. I needed to get away from this place for a while, breathe natural air, smell the flowers and the soil, swim in a real pond and see animals in their natural environment."

"And provide a snack for the beasts that live in that natural environment," Pireux sneered. "If I hadn't immediately sent out a team to rescue you from the jaws of that Tyrannosaurus, you wouldn't stand here now."

"Carcharodontosaurus," Dr. Bashir said softly.

"What?"

"It was a Carcharodontosaurus. Tyrannosaurus rex won't appear for another thirty million years, or so."

Pireux made an impatient gesture. "Whatever that huge lizard is called." He sighed. "You're lucky I consider you such a valuable member of the research team, otherwise I might just have left you out there."

Dr. Bashir made a small bow. "I thank you for that compassion, Director Pireux. Maybe some day I can pay you back. Are we done here? I'm a busy man."

"We're done. Go and do whatever you do."

The small man turned to leave. Hesitating, he stopped. "Oh, before I go, I'd like to remind you that I represent the Wells Foundation. Let me also refresh your memory. The Wells Foundation spearheaded this project and is funding a large part of it."

Director Pireux heaved another loud sigh. "How can I ever forget, Dr. Bashir? You remind me twice a month, at the very least."

When the door closed behind the little man, Pireux threw up his hands. Looking at the big man who sat on his right, he said, "Sorry about this, Mr. Steel, but that man has been a thorn in my side ever since I assumed my position as director of this project."

The big man smiled thinly. In the past two week, he's seen tempers fly more than once. Most of the researchers and technicians didn't last much longer than a year before this place got to them. It had taken him a few days to adjust his mental state to the fact that he had traveled one hundred million years into the past. If, for some reason, he died in this place, archeologists digging in the soil for a peek into the past of Earth wouldn't find a trace of his existence, not even his fancy golden watch.

He smiled and thought, You wouldn't be too happy, Grandfather, if your treasured watch ended up in a time before it was made, buried under tons of granite, instead of being handed down to my oldest son. If I ever have one.

"We've had some valuable research data destroyed by a virus that suddenly popped up in our computer."

Steel brought his attention back to the people seated at the table and let his eyes rest on the older man across from him. "I know a little bit about computers," he said. "How can a virus even get into yours? This facility is totally isolated and removed from anything even vaguely electronic." He smiled. "One hundred million years removed. I'm still trying to get used to it." He looked at the others. "As I understand, every piece of electronic equipment is built and checked by computers up-line. No human hand touches any of the components. Not even the programs."

The older man gave Steel an almost hostile look. "Well, either the equipment doesn't get checked out as thoroughly as you think, or somebody in this compound is fooling around with the computers." He looked around the table at the anxious faces of his colleagues. "We have a saboteur among us."

"A saboteur?" A young woman beside him laughed. "Now you're becoming just a little bit too paranoid, Dr. Olfson. Everyone here has been investigated from top to bottom. The government knows more about each one of us than we do ourselves." She shook her long blond hair. "No, Dr. Olfson, you're wrong. Not even a pregnant mouse gets into the base without being investigated first."

Some of the others laughed.

"The last thing we need here in the Mesozoic era is a pregnant mouse. No telling what her descendants would look like in the twenty-first century AD."

Steel studied the man who made that comment. He didn't look like a researcher. Tall and muscular, he could have been a model for a men's clothing catalogue. There is something arrogant about this man, I'm not sure if I like him. When he looked up, he noticed the young blond woman's stare. She seemed to study him intensely.

"I haven't seen you before, Mr. Steel. What exactly is your job here?" It sounded like an innocent question, but Steel had the impression it was more than just rhetorical.

"I'm here to check out your computers." Steel gave her a smile. "I didn't get your name and your position."

"I'm Captain Gifford, and I'm the head of the local constabulary." She smiled back at him, but her blue eyes stayed cool. Then she looked at Director Pireux. "Why wasn't I made aware of Mr. Steel's arrival? Security in this place is not taken seriously. I'm almost inclined to assume Dr. Olfson's attitude."

"I saw no reason to notify you of Mr. Steel's arrival. He is no security threat." Director Pireux made an impatient gesture of dismissal. "This meeting is over."

When Steel rose from his seat, Pireux said, "I'd like to have a word with you, Mr. Steel." He turned to the blond woman. "You, too, Captain Gifford."

When everyone left, the Director leaned back in his chair, looked first at Steel and then at the woman. "I apologize if I waited for you to meet, but even you, Captain Gifford, are not above suspicion."

Gifford lifted an eyebrow. "Meaning what, Director?"

"Meaning I take no chances with anyone, unless I know them personally." He paused. "Captain Gifford, let me introduce you to Lt. Derek Steel, Special Investigator with Army Intelligence."

"I thought you were a computer expert."

Steel smiled. "I am."

"I see." Her eyes flashed back to Pireux. "I didn't like that remark about me not being above suspicion, Director Pireux. I'm the head of security, for heaven's sake. If you can't trust me ... ?

Pireux cut her off. "I take it back." He smiled at Steel. "She's quite competent, Lieutenant, but has a bit of a temper. Watch her."

Gifford shook her head and rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you hate me, Director."

Pireux chuckled. "How can anyone hate a beautiful woman like you, Gifford?"

The woman's blue eyes clouded over. "I know I shouldn't get angry over that remark, because you mean it as a compliment, but I wish you would see me as a professional first and a woman second." She glanced at Steel. "Is the lieutenant reporting to me, or is he an independent?"

"He reports to me, Captain. Lt. Steel's identity will not be revealed to anyone. As far as everyone else is concerned, he is a computer expert, here to check out the computers."

"So why reveal his identity to me?"

The Director smiled. "Because I trust you, Captain Gifford."