Doctor Fossil Read online

  Before Matt or Gomez had time to scream, the surfer was airborne. It glided across the wide chasm with its sail flat above it, acting like the wing of a hang-glider, keeping it aloft.

  The dinosaurs were committed to the chase. They, too, launched themselves from the cliff top. But unlike the sand-surfer, they couldn’t fly. Snapping and screeching, they plummeted into the crevasse. As they fell, all four beasts momentarily changed into fizzling blue-white holograms, then vanished.

  Roxie had judged the sand-surfer’s launch speed perfectly. Its glide just carried it across the crevasse. As it touched down on the opposite clifftop, Matt let out a celebratory whoop.

  ‘Smooth sailin’, Rox!’

  Roxie blew out her cheeks, relaxed her grip on the steering control, and let the sand-surfer run free down the slope ahead.

  ‘Just in time!’ she said, giving Matt a relieved look. ‘Those things could have destroyed my beautiful sand-surf … er … er …’

  Roxie had just turned her attention back to the way ahead. Her eyes widened with shock. Her stammering turned into a wild yell.

  ‘… er … erraaaaAAAAAHHHH!’

  Only metres ahead, a giant rock stood directly in the speeding surfer’s path. Matt and Gomez saw it too, and added their voices to Roxie’s.

  ‘Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!’

  Roxie threw the sand-surfer into another skidding emergency stop.

  But this time, it was much too late.

  8

  The Crumpepper

  In the lobby of the Coronet theatre, a little furry figure was pacing the purple carpet like a miniature sentry. Marlon was taking his task of covering for his best friend very seriously. Since Matt’s departure, he had been keeping non-stop lookout for the dreaded Mrs Crumpepper.

  A rapping on the window of the theatre door made Marlon let out a startled chitter. He looked up to see an elderly woman’s face behind the glass.

  ‘Hello-ho!’

  Before Marlon could take action, Harry Hatter came striding across the lobby to answer the door.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Crumpepper!’

  As Harry held the door, a small woman in a mauve skirt, white blouse and large, square-framed spectacles entered the theatre. Her grey hair was fixed in a neat bun. She was carrying an umbrella and a leather briefcase.

  ‘Hello.’

  Harry immediately felt like he was ten years old again. It wasn’t just the fact that Mrs Crumpepper had once taught him – there was something in the way she had just greeted him, and in the glint in her eye, that made it instantly clear who was in charge.

  Marlon had seen enough. With a squeak, he retreated to consider his tactics. Mrs Crumpepper spotted him scampering off. She gave a faint, ‘Hmm …’ and raised an eyebrow – enough to make it clear that she did not approve of free-range exotic pets.

  ‘Sorry to keep you waiting!’ said Harry, flustered. ‘I was … erm … looking for Matt! You see, I built this to help with his maths …’

  He produced a peculiar contraption from behind his back. It was his very latest invention. It looked something like a cross between a giant calculator and an abacus – with a single large lightbulb fixed on top, for good measure.

  ‘The Calcuhelper-3000!’ declared Harry proudly.

  Mrs Crumpepper gave him a withering look.

  ‘We’ll be working with our brains!’ she said sternly. ‘Please put that oversized child’s toy away.’

  Harry, crestfallen, was glad to see his wife coming across the lobby. He was feeling in need of backup.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Crumpepper!’ beamed Meg. ‘So nice of you to come at such short notice.’

  Matt’s mum was strangely fascinated by Charlotte Crumpepper. On the surface, she seemed like a prim and proper little old lady – someone you could imagine enjoying tea from a china pot, perhaps with a nice English muffin, before getting back to her knitting. But Meg knew there was much more to Mrs Crumpepper than met the eye. This was the woman who had been on numerous expeditions with Harry’s intrepid father, Alfred, to some of the wildest parts of the globe. Her list of qualifications included a valid helicopter pilot’s licence and a certificate in Advanced Bushcraft. She had scheduled Matt’s tuition to fit around her own scuba diving classes. Even now, Meg noticed, she was wearing wheelie-heels – which were hardly typical footwear for a pensioner.

  ‘We … er … sent Matt up to get his books,’ Meg explained awkwardly, ‘and … erm … haven’t seen him since.’ She planned to give Matt a piece of her mind when he showed up. Disappearing was rude – and embarrassing.

  Mrs Crumpepper seemed unworried.

  ‘I can detect a student at 30 metres,’ she told Matt’s mum. ‘That’s 98.4 feet to you Americans!’

  Without further comment, she went gliding across the lobby on her wheeled heels, and set off into the theatre to seek her prey.

  Meg gazed after her. ‘Poor Matt,’ she murmured. Despite being cross with her son, she was beginning to wonder what she had let him in for.

  ‘I know,’ said Harry absently, still cradling his invention. ‘He would have loved the Calcuhelper-3000 …’

  9

  Relic Gorge

  ‘Is anyone hurt?’

  Matt slowly picked himself up and began brushing the sand from his clothes. Somehow, he was still in one piece.

  The crash had been quite something. Colliding with the rock at high speed had smashed the sand-surfer to smithereens, and sent its crew flying. Bits of broken surfer hull, shreds of torn sail and fragments of shattered wheel were scattered all around. The largest piece of wreckage – the surfer’s front end, with its skid plate still attached – had ended up on a rocky ledge some distance away.

  ‘We’re OK …’ said Roxie, getting to her feet. She picked up a piece of debris and inspected it miserably. ‘But it’s game over for my sand-surfer.’

  Gomez was the slowest to recover. He was still on his knees, staring woozily at the sand. As his vision cleared, he suddenly came to life.

  ‘Look, guys – fossils!’

  Half buried in the bank of sand in which Gomez had landed was the fossilized skull of a large, long-jawed beast. Several other fossilized bones lay nearby. As Matt scanned around for more, he took in their surroundings properly for the first time. The surfer had crashed close to the edge of a quarry-like canyon, a vast natural pit that cut deep into the desert terrain.

  ‘Know what, guys?’ said Matt. ‘I think we just found Relic Gorge.’

  The three companions hurried to the brink of the cliff, and gazed down at the sunken expanse of the gorge below. It appeared to be the site of some kind of exploratory dig. Matt could see primitive lifting equipment, wooden packing crates and several areas where the ground had been carefully excavated.

  ‘This is the place all right,’ said Roxie. Her eyes lit up. ‘And listen – somebody’s busy digging!’

  The faint tink-tink of metal tapping on stone had just begun to echo around the gorge.

  Anticipating their next step, Gomez pulled a face.

  ‘It’s a long way down,’ he said feebly.

  The only route to the canyon floor was via a series of rickety-looking timber scaffolds built against the gorge’s far wall. Roxie was already figuring out a safe way down them. She drew her staff and began using its tip to sketch a map in the sand at her feet.

  ‘If we use that side ramp …’ she muttered, glancing across the gorge, then drawing some more, ‘… and if that ladder’s safe, there’s another ramp on the – hey!’

  Roxie’s cry of protest had been provoked by Matt wiping out most of her sand diagram – by scooping it up with a wooden bucket.

  ‘Sorry, Rox!’ said Matt cheerily. ‘Got an idea!’

  While Roxie had been busy route-mapping, Matt had hatched an alternative plan. Only metres away, a wooden platform jutted out from the cliff. Above its end hung a large pulley, supported by timber struts. A rope was threaded through it. One end was tied to a big, open-topped crate that sat near the plat
form’s edge. The other dangled freely. The whole set-up looked like it had been designed for lowering supplies into the canyon.

  Matt lugged his sand-filled bucket to the platform and emptied it into the crate. He quickly collected another two bucketfuls. Roxie and Gomez watched, intrigued.

  ‘What are you gonna do?’ asked Gomez.

  Matt just passed him the free end of the rope. ‘Hold this – very tight!’

  Gomez did as he was told, but not without looking suspicious.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘You’ll see.’

  ‘But I don’t wanna see!’

  Ignoring the anxious Keeper, Matt began shoving the sand-filled crate towards the platform’s edge.

  Roxie watched, puzzled. ‘What is this?’

  Matt smiled. ‘Counterweight.’

  Roxie looked blank. ‘Counter what?’

  ‘The quick way down,’ grinned Matt.

  A final shove sent the crate plunging into the gorge. Matt quickly grasped the same section of rope as Gomez, and jumped after it – taking the alarmed Keeper with him. Roxie finally saw his plan. She leapt from the platform too, grabbing the rope as she fell.

  ‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa …!’

  As they plummeted into the gorge, Gomez’s screaming didn’t let up for a moment. The weight of the heavy crate on the rope’s other end almost balanced their own. Its pull greatly reduced the speed of their fall, as Matt had intended. But Gomez was still petrified.

  ‘… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa …!’

  The crate whizzed past, on its way back up. They quickly approached the end of their descent.

  ‘Let go … now!’ yelled Matt. Following his lead, Roxie released her grip, dropped to the ground and sprang clear.

  But not Gomez. He clung to the rope like grim death, eyes tight shut. The bump as he hit the ground, on his backside briefly interrupted his screaming. But the fact that his ordeal was over seemed to pass him by. He kept his eyes closed, and resumed his wailing.

  ‘… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa …!’

  Matt wondered if yelling helped Gomez deal with things. It had certainly drawn attention to their unexpected arrival – because someone was coming to greet them …

  10

  Doctor Fossil

  The man standing over Matt was a peculiar-looking character. It was his wild, wide-eyed stare that Matt noticed first. He had never met anyone with red eyes before.

  ‘Can I help you?’

  The stranger’s voice had an undertone of manic excitement – as if he was struggling to contain himself. His broad grin made Matt feel uneasy.

  ‘Sure can,’ replied Matt, trying to sound confident. ‘You can answer some questions.’

  ‘Oh, well, that is my life’s work!’ The man held out his right hand. ‘Doctor Fossil, at your service!’

  Matt stared at the extended hand. It was covered by a weird-looking glove, fed by cables that snaked from inside the man’s sleeve. It might have belonged to Robo-Enforcer.

  Noticing Matt’s expression, Doctor Fossil gave an ‘Oh!’ of realization. With a look of alarm that suggested he had just made a major gaffe, he quickly hid the bizarre glove behind his back and held out a more normal-looking left hand. Matt, a little warily, took it and shook it. It felt cold and clammy.

  ‘Matt Hatter. And these are my friends–’

  Matt was cut short by Doctor Fossil’s reaction to hearing his name. ‘Soooo!’ he breathed, yanking Matt so close that their faces almost touched. His red eyes goggled as he pumped Matt’s hand up and down. ‘I finally meet the famous Matt Hatter!’

  Matt, unnerved, tugged his hand free and stepped back.

  ‘And the almost as famous Gomez!’ chirped Gomez, approaching.

  Roxie gave Gomez a withering look, then addressed Doctor Fossil herself. ‘You, erm, mentioned your life’s work …’

  ‘Yeah,’ said Matt. ‘What kind of work would that be?’

  ‘Why, palaeontology!’ replied Doctor Fossil, as though it was the only kind. ‘The study of prehistoric fossils!’ He turned away, beckoning them to follow him. ‘You must see some of these amazing specimens!’

  ‘I must, I MUST!’ agreed Gomez. ‘I love fossils!’

  He set off eagerly after the Doctor. Roxie made as if to follow, then hesitated. She picked up something from the ground. Looking rather forlorn, she showed it Matt.

  ‘It’s a piece of my surfer …’

  There was a dinosaur-sized bite missing from the fragment of sand-surfer hull. Matt gave his friend a consoling look. They both hurried after Gomez.

  Doctor Fossil led them across the site and up a rickety wooden ramp on to a higher shelf of rock. Here, a number of makeshift tables held dozens of fossil specimens. Gomez’s eyes gleamed.

  Roxie, however, had other priorities. ‘Very nice, Doc,’ she said impatiently, ‘but we’re interested in living dinosaurs.’

  Doctor Fossil gave a condescending chuckle. ‘None of those here, my dear! Only the fossilized remains of those extinct, noble beasts!’

  ‘Noble?’ scowled Matt. He took the piece of wreckage from Roxie and held it up. ‘How noble is taking a bite out of our sand-surfer? We just got attacked by a vicious bunch of chomping dinosaurs!’

  Gomez was keen to show off his knowledge in front of a real palaeontologist. He wagged a finger at Matt. ‘Uh-uh. Early theropods,’ he corrected him. ‘Eoraptors.’

  Doctor Fossil laughed again. ‘Attacked by theropods? Preposterous!’ he cried. ‘They’ve been extinct for millions of years!’ He gave Matt a pitying look. ‘Only a fool would ever suggest such nonsense!’

  ‘He’s been having trouble at school lately,’ Gomez explained, a little smugly.

  ‘Oh, thanks, Gomez!’ said Matt, looking peeved. He was used to his Keeper friend being a bit of a geek – but he wasn’t usually so tactless.

  Gomez, however, had only one thing on his mind.

  ‘Were there any particular fossils you wanted to show us, Doctor?’

  Doctor Fossil beamed. ‘Ah-ha, a curious lad! Here, look!’ He proudly presented one of the larger specimens to Gomez.

  ‘Oooh! A trilobite!’

  ‘Exactly!’

  Doctor Fossil selected another specimen for Gomez to admire and identify. But Matt had already seen enough. He decided to leave the pair of fossil-fanatics to it. He turned and walked away – and was glad when Roxie followed. Together they jumped back down on to the lower level of the site.

  ‘I didn’t bail on my homework and come to another dimension for more lessons!’ grumbled Matt, once Doctor Fossil and Gomez were out of earshot. ‘Let’s take a look around, Rox …’

  They made their way over to a large canvas tent, which Matt guessed provided Doctor Fossil’s living quarters. There were a number of crates stacked to one side of it. Roxie went to take a closer look at them.

  But something else had caught Matt’s attention.

  ‘Hey … nice set of wheels!’

  A green and orange dune buggy was parked in front of the tent. It had a bucket seat for the driver, full suspension, high-grip tyres and a cool rear spoiler. It was powered by a caged propeller at the back, like a giant fan.

  ‘Now, this is how to travel in the Sea of Sands,’ enthused Matt.

  Roxie had found an open crate, and was peering inside. She looked up to speak to Matt.

  ‘Don’t you think there’s something suspicious about that Doctor Fossil?’

  Matt was busy admiring the buggy’s interior. He shrugged. ‘He’s annoying, for sure – but I don’t get the feeling he’s our thief.’

  Roxie turned her attention back to the crate. She let out a gasp.

  ‘Isn’t he?’

  She pulled a silver scimitar with a jewelled hilt from inside the crate. There was a large chunk missing from its curving blade.

  ‘This has to be Captain Yasser’s sword!’ said Roxie. ‘He told me and Gomez that a dinosaur snatched it from him during the attack on the camel caravan! Check the bit
e marks …’

  She held the sword blade against the piece of surfer wreckage.

  ‘They match!’ cried Matt.

  ‘And if this is Yasser’s,’ Roxie went on, ‘I’ll bet all these crates are from the Sultan’s shipment. So what are they doing on Fossil’s dig site, huh?’

  Matt had to agree that Roxie’s suspicions seemed justified. It looked like Doctor Fossil might not be the innocent scientist he claimed to be.

  And they had just left Gomez alone with him …

  11

  A Villain Unveiled

  Doctor Fossil held a cruelly curved Velociraptor claw high over his head. ‘And see how the claw is as sharp as a knife!’ he told Gomez, who was watching him, fascinated. ‘For ripping and gutting its prey!’

  A wild glint flashed in the scientist’s eyes. It looked almost as though he was about to bring the claw slashing down …

  ‘Gomez! LOOK OUT!’

  Matt swooped from nowhere, swinging on the dangling hook of one of the site’s makeshift cranes. He planted a double-footed kick on Doctor Fossil’s raised arm. Fossil let out a howl, and the claw went flying.

  ‘Ooowwwr!’

  Matt landed in a crouch beside Gomez.

  ‘Saved you!’

  But Gomez didn’t seem to think he had been in need of saving. He hurried to the aid of Doctor Fossil, who was nursing his wrist. ‘What’s wrong with you, Matt?’ he scowled. ‘Do you treat all your teachers like this?’

  Matt was running out of patience.

  ‘Newsflash, Einstein,’ he snapped at Gomez. ‘Your good Doctor Fossil, yeah, he’s behind the dino attacks!’

  Roxie joined Matt. She held up the bitten scimitar and surfer fragment for Gomez to see.

  ‘If the bite fits …’ she said.

  Matt glared accusingly at Doctor Fossil. ‘Admit it, Doc – it’s you behind the attacks!’