The Ark Plan by Laura Martín Page A

Noah said . . .”
    â€œMy mom said that compound moles were brainwashed, but I didn’t think you were that stupid. Don’t you go to some kind of fancy school?”
    â€œYou really don’t live in a compound?” I repeated. My mind whirled with all of the possibilities.
    The boy sighed in exasperation. “I take back what I said about you being quick. I think I passedjudgment too soon. No, there’s no compound around here. I would no more live underground than kiss Big Ugly over there.” He grinned and nodded toward the meadow, where the T. rex was still visible in the distance. Shawn bristled beside me.
    â€œWho are you, anyway?” Shawn asked as he tucked the fragments of his useless gun into his pack.
    â€œI’m Todd.” He held out his hand to Shawn, but Shawn just glared and made no move to shake it. I’d never seen someone our age shake hands before. I’d thought that form of greeting was reserved for compound officials and old men. I was apparently wrong about a lot of things. Todd shrugged and offered his hand to me. I shook it hesitantly. He was tall, with a stretched-out look like he’d grown a foot overnight. Despite his gangly appearance, he moved in a fluid, graceful way that I envied. His bright green eyes were set over a long nose that looked like it’d been broken on more than one occasion.
    I heard a familiar chatter and watched in amazement as Herman trotted out of the trees and right up to Todd. The little creature sat back on its haunches, buzzing and chirping in its birdlike way. Todd chuckled and pulled a small strip of meat from a leather pouch on his belt, flipping it to the creature. Herman caught itmidair, making happy little clucks.
    â€œYou know Herman?” I asked.
    â€œHerman?” he snorted. “This is Verde, and she knows me very well. I raised her from an egg.”
    â€œThat thing almost got us killed,” Shawn fumed. He took a threatening step toward the creature, and I grabbed his arm to stop him. Todd yanked a large bow off his back and had an arrow on the string and pointed at Shawn almost instantaneously.
    â€œTake another step. I dare you,” Todd growled. “Verde saved your life, although now I’m thinking that wasn’t one of her brighter moves.”
    â€œSaved our lives?” I asked as I warily eyeballed the massive bow in Todd’s hand. How had I not noticed that thing? It was huge. It appeared to be made of a single carved bone, a dinosaur rib, maybe? Although it seemed more flexible than normal bone. The arrowhead was the size of my palm. I wondered if it could pierce dinosaur hide.
    â€œI was on lookout and saw that stupid stunt you two pulled. Don’t you know that you never, and I mean never, run through an open field? Lucky for you, I was feeling particularly charitable and sent Verde out to distract Big Ugly over there.” I glanced back toward the T. rex and shuddered.
    â€œThank you, Verde,” I murmured. Verde peeked around Todd’s legs warily, her small beaklike nose sniffing in my direction.
    Todd lowered his bow and glared at Shawn. “Unless you want some ventilation holes poked in your sorry hide, I wouldn’t hurt her . . .” He stopped, cocking a questioning eyebrow at Shawn.
    â€œShawn Reilly,” I filled in for him.
    â€œDon’t tell him anything about us,” Shawn said, frowning.
    Todd slid the bow back onto his back. “Actually, I would be delighted to hear what two compound moles are doing bumbling around my forest.”
    â€œIt isn’t your forest,” Shawn said.
    â€œIf you’re not from a compound, then where are you from?” I asked, a protective hand over my compass.
    â€œWhy should I tell you? How do I know you aren’t one of that Noah guy’s lackeys?”
    I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. The idea was too absurd. “Because the Noah doesn’t hire twelve-year-olds to be