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JP6 SotF p1
By Mr Goodbytes.
Survival of The Fittest.
Prologue: Flight Home
Dr. Ian Malcolm leaned back in his seat. He could see the sunlight fading fast as the Boeing 727 lifted off the runway. Watching the ground drop away, he sat and contemplated everything that Dr. Grant had relayed to him. Alan was badly frightened, and Ian had not really wanted to leave him. Ian had been with Grant every day for the past two weeks. Alan had been healing steadily, and would probably be released in a few days. Malcolm regretted leaving, but he had a wife waiting for him at home.
It’s a good thing I gave them my number, he thought, if anything happens I can just hop on the next returning flight.
“Would you care for a drink,” asked the stewardess.
“No thanks,” He said, “What’s the in-flight movie?”
“It’s the documentary ‘Jurassic Park: 65 Million Years in the Making
.’ You know, the one that was made a few years ago by that team on one of the islands. It’s really quite…”
“I’ve already seen it,” Ian said interrupting.
************************
“He’s going into cardiac arrest!”
“I can’t get a pulse!”
“He’s flat line, Get the paddles STAT!”
As the voices in Spanish and English floated around the room of the Lady of Guadalupe Medical Center, all immediate attention was on one man. Dr. Alan Grant lay unconscious in his hospital bed. Twenty people gathered around him. They were all probing and taking measurements. His eyes fluttered, his body shook, and he was still aware of what was happening. He could hear them talking, but it sounded so far away.
So, he thought, this is how it all ends.
“Clear!”
Everything he sees and hears fades away. There is nothing.
*****************************
The loud ringing of his satellite phone awakened Ian. He fumbled for it, then pushed the receive button.
“Hello.”
“Dr. Malcolm?”
“Yes, this is Ian Malcolm.”
“I’m afraid we have some unfortunate news regarding your colleague, Dr. Alan Grant,” said the Woman’s voice on the other end.
“Oh my God. Yes, I’ll call her myself.”
Malcolm hung up his phone. He lowered his head, taking a deep breath. Ian quickly dialed the phone. A woman answered.
“Hello, Degler residence.”
“Ellie, It’s Ian. I have some bad news.”
Chapter 1 part 1: Awakening
Whispering voices filled the room. Rows of freezers and metal tables lined the area. A sign hung on the entrance. Written in Spanish, the sign read simply “Morgue.”
“Here he is Señor Buckley,” said a gruff voice in strained English, “I hope you are paying well. I could lose my job.”
“I’m sure this will be enough,” Buckley stated as he handed the man a large case full of bills, “Just stick to your story. It cost us a lot just to pay off the doctor”
“No problem Señor,” the man replied, “His body was cremated by mistake.”
“That’s right. Keep it that way,” Buckley said. He grabbed the gurney, and wheeled it out of the hospital.
*********************
Alan Grant opened his eyes slowly. Looking around, he saw that he was in a dimly lit room. Though he still had an I.V. in his arm, he knew that he wasn’t in the hospital any more. A dark figure approached the bedside.
“Where am I,” Grant asked in a sore voice.
“Biosyn facility 990-32.”
“I’m back on the island?”
“I’m afraid I cannot divulge that information Dr. Grant.”
“Who are you?”
“Don’t you remember me,” the man said as he stepped into the light.
“Dodgson,” Grant said.
“Can you stand?”
“I think so… Why am I here,” Alan asked as he got to his feet.
“I think you know Dr. Grant. Let’s take a walk.”
Grant began walking behind Dodgson. As they exited the room, an armed guard followed. Alan cringed as the man pushed the barrel of a gun into his spine.
I’m not going to make it out of here alive, Alan thought as he walked down the long hall.
“Why do you want me? You could have killed me easily.”
“I don’t want you dead unless necessary Dr. Grant. You see, that old saying ‘good help is hard to come by’ is true. We need a paleontologist. We can’t positively identify half of our own attractions.”
“So why didn’t you just hire someone?”
“Two reasons Dr. Grant,” Dodgson said, “One, because none of them come close to your experience.”
“I wish I had no experience…”
Dodgson chuckled slightly.
“The second reason is that if word got out about our attractions, our facility would be shut down. Even though we have broken no laws.”
“Broken no laws? How about murder,” Grant yelled angrily.
“Murder?” We killed no one. Your protégés all died in a plane crash.”
“What about me?”
“You Dr. Grant… You are already dead.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You died of heart failure last night.”
Grant stumbled backwards. Stunned at what he just heard.
“H-How?”
“A simple combination of drugs. It gives the appearance of cardiac arrest. Your heart slows to almost a stop, your breathing slows, your pulse is undetectable, and your muscles become ridged, mimicking rigor mortis.”
Alan began taking deep breaths. He closed his eyes, thinking to himself about escape.
“We’ll keep you here. You can’t leave, not until the park opens anyway. You will be paid, fed, and clothed for your service.”
“What if I say no?”
“I would advise against that Dr. Grant. After all, you are already dead as far as the world is concerned.”
Not much of a choice, he thought to himself. He turned, looking out the window of the large room that they were standing in. A large herd of Amargasaurus ambled across the large plane. The sun set behind them, outlining their graceful bodies against a red sky. Their unusual sail and spikes wobbling back and forth. Grant turned back toward Dodgson.
“Okay.”
“Excellent Dr. Grant.”
Something else suddenly caught Grant’s eye. The dinosaurs had strange collars around their legs.
“What are those?”
“That is the latest in invisible fencing technology. Our visitors will be able to get closer than InGen ever could have imagined.”
“Must have been expensive,” Grant said.
“We spared no expense.”
Where have I heard that before, Grant thought as a shiver ran down his spine. He turned back to the window, staring at prehistory.
Chapter 1 part 2: Morgue
“What the hell do you mean,” Ellie Degler screamed at the top of her lungs.
“We are sorry Dr. Degler,” said the orderly in English, “Our records say that he was cremated by mistake.”
“How do you cremate a body by mistake,” Malcolm asked shaking his head in disbelief.
“The orderly on call picked up the wrong chart…”
“What is a crematory doing in a hospital anyway?”
“Well,” the Orderly said, “Many families cannot afford the cost of a burial, so we provide it as a free service.”
Ellie began crying, and turned away. She headed down the hall with tears streaming down her face. Ellie had lost Mark in a car accident just two months earlier. Her children and Alan were all that she had left. If it weren’t for Alan, she would have been in pieces. He kept her calm, and she knew that he loved her. She loved him also. Ellie wasn’t prepared to lose him again.
“Is she alright,” Sarah Malcolm whispered to Ian.
He looked at Ellie. She sat on a hall bench, her head buried in her hands. Ian turned back to his wife, and shook his head.
“She’s had it rough the past few months.”
“We should try to comfort her,” Sarah said.
They both stood and began walking over to where Ellie was seated. Sarah knelt down in front of Ellie.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just was hoping that it was all a mistake. I just wish there was something to take home.”
“I know,” Ian said, “Alan and I never really saw eye to eye, but I’m going to miss pestering him.”
Ellie smile a little at Malcolm’s jest. She knew that it was harder on him than he was letting on. She finally got herself composed, standing to leave.
“Over here,” Whispered an orderly with poor English, “I have news of your Dr. Grant.”
The trio moved slowly towards this strange little man.
“We know,” Ian said, “He died.”
“Señor Grant no es muerto.”
“Pardon me,” Ellie asked, “Say again…”
“Señor Grant is alive,” the little orderly said.
“Señor Buckley, I do not know his first name, sobornado the doctor to droga Señor Grant.”
“What does sobornado mean?”
“Bribed,” Ian answered, “and droga is drug.”
“Sí, Then he pay me to sneak Señor Grant out.”
Ian, Sarah, and Ellie left the hospital dazed. Who was this Mr. Buckley? Why did he want Alan? It made no sense. As they climbed into their rental car, the orderly appeared again. He waved Ian over to him.
“Señor Malcolm,” he whispered, “Tell no one.”
**********************
The orderly stepped out of the hospital once again. He was heading home for the night after the long day. Walking to his 2006 Ford Thunderbird, the orderly scanned in every direction. He knew that if anyone had seen him talking with Grant’s friends, his life would be in danger. He placed his thumb on the lock plate, letting it scan his fingerprint. Taking one last look around, he climbed into his car. Safe, he thought. He placed his hand on the ignition scanner, and heard a slight pop. With a thunderous explosion, he and his car were incinerated. As onlookers screamed and ran in all directions, Troy Buckley dialed his cell phone.
“Mr. Dodgson,” he said, “He talked.”
“Did you take care of him?”
“Yes Sir,” Buckley said.
“Good, now find out what he told them.”
“I’m already on it,” Buckley replied.
He hung up, and placed his phone back in his pocket. As sirens filled the air, he climbed into a waiting Limo and pulled away.
Chapter 1 part 3: The Second Survivor
The large yellow life raft slammed onto the white sandy beach. The raft was weather worn and half deflated. It had clearly been adrift for some time. Constructed on the top was a small plastic canopy designed for catching rainwater. A young man with a scraggly facial hair, climbed over the sides. Collapsing immediately, the man began kissing the sand and laughing.
“Thank God. I made it!”
The man stood again, revealing his scrawny physique. He had clearly been without sustenance for several weeks, surviving solely on the rainwater, dew, and what little fat reserves he had to begin with. Spotting bright red berries at the edge of the beach, the man ran toward them. He thought only once about the possibility of poison. He didn’t care. He was starving. Cramming as many berries as possible in his mouth at once, Hank Corel was finally eating after two weeks on the open ocean. Hank gorged himself on the delicious fruit, and then headed off into the jungle in search of civilization.
*********************
Flashing lights appeared in the rear window of the black limousine. Buckley dialed his cell phone rapidly. He had to reach Dodgson right away.
“Lew! It’s Buckley,” He said as he motioned his driver to pull over, “The cops are onto me. You must send someone else.”
“How much trouble do you think you’re in?”
“Not much. Probably just questioning.”
“I’ll get K.T. on it right away,” Dodgson said.
Buckley pressed end on his phone, and placed it back in his pocket. He pressed the window button on his door. The tinted window slid downward slowly as the police officer approached.
“What seems to be the trouble officer,” Buckley said in Spanish.
**************************
Hank Corel wondered on through the dense jungle. He started to become fearful that he had returned to the island somehow. In the last two hours, he had seen no roads or buildings of any kind. He only saw jungle, just thick, dark, and dank jungle.
“Where the hell am I,” Hank asked himself.
As he cleared a small hill, Hank finally thought he knew where he was. There, over the hill, Hank found what he hoped he would not. Rising thirty-five feet, the vine-covered concrete of a barrier wall blocked his path.
“Oh my God. All that time on the ocean… I’m back… I’m back on this damn island!”
Not knowing which side of the barrier the animals would be on, Hank sat down on a stump to think. The loud roar of a familiar terror filled the air. It was far away, but he couldn’t decide which side of the wall the creature was on. Hank stood, he wasn’t going to stay around long enough to find out. He walked over to the barrier, and began climbing the thick vines.
Chapter 1 part 4: K.T.
Sitting in his black BMW, Kirby Trenton Brown watched the three targets walk into a roadside diner near the local airfield. KT. had received a call half an hour earlier from Buckley, telling him to find the three scientists and dispose of them. He already knew what they looked like. Dodgson hadn’t let any of the agents in Costa Rica forget about them for the past three days. K.T. hated Dodgson, and he hated his job.
“Now I’m down here doing Lew’s dirty work,” he mumbled to himself.
He had nothing to do but wait. All he wanted was to get the dastardly deed over fast. Then he would quit his job at Biosyn. If it weren’t for his fear for his own life, K.T. would just let them live.
***************************
Ian, Sarah, and Ellie sat quietly in the diner. They were all hungry, but they only ordered Cokes. No one had the stomach for it after their strange visit to the Lady of Guadalupe Medical Center. Ian broke the silence first.
“Biosyn, that’s the only explanation.”
“Well,” Sarah said, “If that little orderly was telling the truth.”
“Why would he lie,” Ellie asked
A man rushing in yelling something in Spanish interrupted them suddenly.
“¡Gire la televisión!”
The cashier pressed the button on the remote, turning on the television. There, on the screen, they saw the parking lot of the medical center. The remains of a car smoldered in the background as the reporter rambled on in Spanish. The news station flashed a photo of the vehicle’s owner. It was the little orderly!
“Biosyn,” Malcolm said, “We have to go. Now!”
**************************
K.T. watched as the three burst from the building. They were onto him! He burst from the car, pistol in hand. Malcolm saw him before K.T. had a chance to fire.
“Get down!”
They all dropped to the ground, rolling behind parked vehicles. Sparks erupted from the pavement as multiple bullets ricocheted. Ian crawled over to the women. Ellie was holding her shoulder. One of the bullets grazed the first two layers of flesh. It was enough for blood, but nothing to really worry about. K.T. rained shot after shot down toward the three scientists. Five more shots then Ian heard the loud click. The gun was empty! Ian stood; K.T. was fumbling for his second clip. Malcolm took his opportunity. Shoulders level, he charged K.T. Taking him by surprise, the gun spun down the pavement. K.T. head butted Ian in the face. Falling backwards, Ian grabbed his nose as blood gushed everywhere. K.T. Brown jumped to his feet, and began kicking Ian in the stomach. As his foot came down for a third kick, Ian rolled towards him. As Brown tried to steady himself, Ian let loose a well placed punch between the man’s legs. K.T. doubled over, letting Ian smash his face with another blow. Malcolm hit him so hard that he fell backwards. Malcolm stood again, and began stomping the man’s face. His forth kick knocked K.T. out cold. Ian picked up the gun and clip from the asphalt, and threw it to Sarah.
“Hold this for me, I’m going to look for identification.”
As he turned back to the man, K.T. was already on his feet. He lifted his arm, revealing a grenade in his hand. He pulled the clip, and pulled his arm back to throw it. Ian closed his eyes tightly, waiting for his fiery death. Instead, a shot rang out from behind. Sarah had loaded the pistol, and shot him between the eyes. Ian momentarily forgot the grenade, and started to say something to his wife. Then, he caught sight of the rolling object moving slowly towards him.
“Oh Sh…..”
A loud explosion cut him off. His body hurtled twenty yards through the air. He came to rest on soft grass near the diner.
“It,” he said finishing his sentence.
Looking up, he saw the police surround the area. Soon after, everything went dark.
Chapter 1 part 5: Hank
As quietly as possible, Hank Corel moved through the dense undergrowth. He had been hearing the strange sounds of the animals for several hours now, but he still had not encountered any. Ahead, he spotted a small rise in the landscape, and a decline in vegetation. Sunlight trickled down between the leaves, breaking the monotony of ever-present darkness. Hank approached the clearing cautiously. He knew, from his previous encounters, that large dinosaurs roamed the plains of this forgotten isle. As he pushed aside a rather large leaf, Hank saw something totally unexpected. Two, each men wearing the standard Biosyn garb, snatched him up by his arms. He had been caught, and his captors’ rifles told him that there was no escape. He glimpsed another large man in a Jeep, and buildings beyond that. His last visual was that of a rifle butt closing in on his skull.
“We found him at the compounds perimeter Mr. Dodgson.”
“Strange, I wasn’t aware that there were any other survivors.”
Hank opened his eyes with a jolt. He sat up on the table, and saw the face of evil staring back at him.
“I see no reason for him. Take him away and eliminate him.”
“Yes sir Mr. Dodgson.”
Hank began to struggle violently. Making a fist, he smashed the man’s mouth. He was started towards Dodgson, when a familiar voice interrupted the chaos.
“Hold it Mr. Dodgson. I have use for him.”
“Dr. Grant?”
“The one and only Mr. Corel.”
“How did you…?”
“It’s a long story,” Alan replied.
“Enough of the small talk,” Dodgson said, “How can you put him to use?”
“Well, he helped build the animatronics that were to be used in the movie.”
“So…”
“So, he knows a little anatomy. Don’t you Hank.”
“Yeah,” Hank said. He was clearly confused.
“I could use an assistant.”
“Okay Dr. Grant, But you keep him in line,” Dodgson said.
Dodgson turned, leaving the two alone.
“What did you just do to me Dr. Grant?”
“First, the name is Alan. Second, I saved your life, and third, you are now my assistant.”
“So, what does my work entail?”
“Let’s just say we’ll be working with the animals,” Grant replied.
“Great,” Hank said sarcastically.
“Would you rather be dead?”
“Not really,” Hank replied. Swallowing hard, he followed Alan into the lab.
Chapter 2 part 1: Two Weeks Later
Ian Malcolm hobbled down the concrete steps of the local police headquarters. The three had spent a week in detention. It was, however, for their protection. After the questioning, Sarah and Ellie had been sent back to the U.S. under heavy security. Malcolm, however, spent another week in the custody of the Costa Rican government. It had taken a lot of work, but Ian managed to get released. Ian was also offered protection, but promptly turned it down. He was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery alone. He knew that police or military would probably ruin the chances of getting Grant back alive. However, he wasn’t sure where to start first. He needed a clue.
************************************
“So, where are we Alan?”
“I’m really not sure,” Grant replied, “They won’t tell me. It looks like the island though.”
“Why won’t they tell us?”
“They probably think we’ll try to escape.”
Hank leaned closer to Alan and whispered.
“Will we try?”
“Not yet,” replied Grant, “I’m working on a plan.”
“Quiet! Finish your work,” shouted one of the guards.
Grant and Hank continued their animal cataloging. Searching photo after photo, and name after name. Most of the names were wrong. It was as if no one that worked for Biosyn knew anything about dinosaurs. Grant wondered what would happen when they finished their work. Would Dodgson keep his word? They needed out. Grant did indeed have a plan, but it wasn’t perfected yet.
Just a few more days, Alan thought to himself.
Chapter 2 part 2: Escape
Two days passed slowly into history. Alan and Hank were near complete with their cataloging. Grant was furious, and he tried not to show his anger. He had read the morning paper, and the main headline had been all about the incident with Ian and the others. Ellie’s injury really hit him hard, and he was determined to make his captors pay. However, Alan was also extremely worried. Dodgson was very unstable, and there was no telling what assignment they would get next. That is, if they got an assignment. Dodgson was likely to change his mind completely. Alan and Hank had been studying their surroundings intently. They were sure of where the vital systems were located. They had a plan of escape, but it was possible that they would die trying. The stakes were indeed high. However, they were in just as much danger staying as escaping. As the scoured over the photos and files of the dinosaurs, Grant turned to Hank.
“Tomorrow,” Alan whispered.
******************************
“Hello Todd,” Malcolm said. A young man of around 27 walked up to Ian, his hand lifted for Malcolm to shake. Todd M. Shal had lived in Costa Rica half of his life. He knew the people, plants, and animals better than most natives. Shal was an artist. He spent hours in the jungles doing nothing except sketching the beautiful birds. Todd knew every detail of avian anatomy, and could describe or draw birds with the finest detail. In fact, Malcolm had first met Shal through Grant. Alan was not the finest of artists. He had heard of Todd’s expertise on avian anatomy, and turned to him to help illustrate his third book. Grant had traveled to Costa Rica to meet Shal. Ian was working at a small university in the area whilst Sarah worked on a dig. He heard Grant was in the country, and decided to visit. Ian called Todd, and explained everything that had happened. Todd agreed to be Ian’s guide into the jungles.
“Are you sure that this facility is where they would take Alan?”
“I’m positive,” answered Malcolm
“Why is that?”
“Well, the island is too far. It would just waste time and money. Also, Dodgson doesn’t stay on the island.”
“How do you know,” Todd asked.
“Grant told me.”
Todd nodded. He sighed heavily as he glanced down at his watch. It was 10:15am.
“When do we start?”
“We get some rest. I still have one more person to meet. We leave tomorrow at noon.
**********************************
The sunrise was a glorious one as seen from Biosyn facility 990-32. Alan Grant and Hank Corel had finished breakfast, and headed off to do their duties. This would be their last day of paperwork. Grant was determined not to find out what Dodgson had meant about him “Working with the animals.” He had relayed his escape plan to Hank the night before, and this was the only day to do it. Moving into the control room, Hank waited for Alan’s signal. As usual, there were only two guards. Neither of which paid much attention. Grant was amazed that Dodgson had put up with such incompetence. In any case, it worked in their favor. Alan gave the signal as soon as the closest guard turned his back. Hank ran forward, tackling the man with full force. Stunned, the second man focused on Hank. He raised his pistol, and prepared to fire. Grant pounced before the man could squeeze the trigger. Wrestling with the man, Alan pulled a knife that he had smuggled from the kitchen. He plunged it as deep as possible into the man’s neck, killing him almost instantly. Grabbing the pistol, Grant rushed over to help Hank. The guard had taken control of the fight, and was pounding Hank in the face repeatedly. Hank freed one hand, and punched the man hard in the face. The guard reared back, grabbing his nose. Grant opened fire, shooting him directly in the back of his head. Hank climbed to his feet. He stared at Grant, completely speechless. This mild mannered man in front of him had just killed two people. It didn’t seem possible. Grant picked up the guard’s automatic rifle, and handed Hank the pistol.
“You know how to use one?”
Hank shook his head in response.
“Good,” Grant said as he grabbed three grenades off the dead men.
“Come on. The gunshot was silenced, but this won’t be.”
He pulled the pin of one grenade, and threw it into the room.
Chapter 2 part 3: Nanotyrannus
Alan and Hank fought their way through the guards. It was a Saturday, so there were only about fifteen in the whole compound. Nine men had rushed to the explosion, only to be mowed down by the escapees. The other six guards appeared as the two ran for the jungle. Bullets were buzzing by their heads and bodies. Heavy foliage soon enveloped them. They could still hear the gunshots, and feel the air part as the bullet sliced through. Weaving and turning at every opportunity, they finally managed to evade their pursuers. The gunshots cut off suddenly. Something was wrong. Alan and Hank stopped to rest, hiding in thick bushes. A horrid roar broke the almost total silence. Grant realized, to his horror, why the guards had turned back.
****************************
“Why are we stopping?”
“Quiet. Listen.”
Ian and Shal had been walking for hours. Todd knew where the boundary of the facility was located. He had spotted it on several occasions. No trespassing signs covered the concrete wall, so he never dared to cross. Now, they were a little over one hundred feet away from the barrier. Strange animal noises filled the air. Several large animals were moving beyond the wall. They could hear the growls and grunts. Then they heard another sound. It was the repeating report of an automatic rifle.
*****************************
“Go now!”
“I’m going!”
Grant and Hank ran as fast as they could. Six medium sized theropod dinosaurs roared in unison as they chased the humans. As Hank parted a stand of bushes, he came face to face with a brick wall. The two turned back to the dinosaur pack. They had come across ten of the beasts. It was obviously a family group, and an unusually large one at that. Grant had managed to take out four of the animals. Now, they had their backs against the wall as the entire pack of the pale yellow creatures moved in for the kill. Hank pulled his pistol, removed the silencer, and fired. The loud noise spooked them.
“Keep shooting,” Grant yelled, “Get them as far away as possible!”
Hank continued to blast, not sure how many shots were left. He pushed them back thirty feet. Grant grabbed one of the hand grenades, pulled the pin, and threw it at the dinosaurs!
“Get down!”
The lead animal caught the grenade in his mouth as it fell. Holding it gently, he carried it back for the others to inspect. As he moved towards the group, he stumbled. One of his massive teeth clicked the grenade. His head exploded in an eruption of fire and gore, killing the two closest animals. The two remaining juveniles fled back into the jungle.
*******************************
The jungle had been silent for about three minutes, when Todd broke the silence.
“Do you think they made it?”
“I’m not sure. It’s been quite a while since that explosion.”
Without warning, a massive shockwave knocked the two backwards. Chunks of concrete flew through the air. The barrier in front of them had somehow been blown apart. They lie on their backs, the wind knocked from their lungs. Less than a minute after the blast, two figures emerged from the dust. Ian looked up, not sure of the danger. Then, he saw the closest man’s face.
“I’ll be damned,” he said, “Here I thought you were in danger.”
“You know me Ian. I’m used to tough situations.”
“What the hack happened in there,” Todd asked.
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain right after I get me a good beer.”
They wasted little time getting away from the area. No one wanted to run into a dinosaur or a guard. Both were deadly in their own right. Soon, they were pretty far away from the area. Hank thought it might be safe to talk.
“What kind of dinosaurs were those?”
“Tyrannosaurus lancensis. They had it labeled as Nanotyrannus on their list, which is correct in a way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, when it was first discovered, it was believed to be a different genus. It’s now known to be a Tyrannosaur.”
“By the way,” Grant inquired, “How did you two get to the island?”
“Island? This isn’t the island.”
Grant froze. He began shaking violently, finally realizing the consequences of his actions.
“My God! What have I done?”
Chapter 2 part 4: Dodgson
“I can’t believe this! How the hell could two men escape, and destroy the main control room?”
“They caught us off guard Mr. Dodgson. They were armed.”
“So were you!”
“Yes, and we tried to stop them.”
“You didn’t try hard enough!”
“The animals cut us off,” the guard said.
“Yes, it was probably a mistake to rely on the invisible fencing technology,” Dodgson said to himself.
“There’s more sir. With the computers destroyed, all of the animals are free, and both male and female animals can interact without our help. They can breed now.”
Dodgson sat in silence. His second mistake became glaringly clear now. Biosyn’s animals had an extremely low survival rate, much lower than InGen’s. Dodgson proposed a plan to engineer the animals to breed at a high rate. As a result, the animals had a very fast gestation, and were able to breed at an earlier age. They essentially bred like giant rodents. Now, the male and female animals were mixed together. They were able to breed, and able to escape. Even Dodgson feared what would happen if enough escaped captivity.
“What about control backup?”
“It’s not ready sir,” the guard said, “Our only choice is to abandon the compound.”
“What about Katie? How long would it take to get Mrs. Harbin down here?”
“Approximately twenty hours Lew,” Buckley said.
“Good, send for her. She can get the systems in control two up in a few hours.”
“Yes sir,” the guard said. He exited the room, and Dodgson turned to Buckley.
“Do we have the resources to corral the animals,” He asked.
“No, not even half.”
“All we really need is to secure control two…”
“That can be done. I’ll get the men on it right away.”
Troy Buckley turned, and walked out the door. Dodgson sat in his chair, thinking about what he had caused. He had killed before, but if his fears were realized, he would be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocents.
Chapter 3 part 1: Control 2
“I can’t believe it. What kind of emergency requires me? Did their coffee makers stop working?”
“They said that they needed their second control room,” James Hart said.
“I really don’t get it. Did they say why they need me? Surly there’s someone else over there that can do it,” Kate Harbin said.
“Mr. Dodgson said that there are no computer technicians on the weekend.”
“I still don’t get it James. Call him back and tell him I’ll be on the mainland this afternoon.”
**************************
“I still can’t believe it. I was on the mainland the whole time,” Hank said as he trudged along.
No one replied. They all walked forward in silence until Hank broke the silence again.
“What were those orange collars around their necks?”
“I guess Dodgson didn’t tell you,” Alan replied, “They were using invisible fencing.”
“Pretty good idea in theory,” Malcolm said, “Visitors could get closer to the wonder. Unfortunately, the wonder is nothing but chaos and big teeth.”
Alan rolled his eyes. Ian was already starting to annoy him.
“What about the ones without collars?”
“From what I gathered,” Grant said, “The youngest animals have a small chip implanted beneath the skin.”
A loud cry floated toward them from the jungle. All four men quickened pace, practically running in the direction of civilization.
**********************************
“I can’t believe this! Why the hell didn’t you have the backups up and running?”
“We didn’t see it as necessary. No one could have predicted this,” Dustin Russell replied.
As head of security, Russell was responsible for everything that had happened. If it had not been for the complete lack of manpower after the escape, Dodgson would have killed him outright. However, he was in more danger from the escaped dinosaurs now. Dodgson entered the room. Buckley followed closely behind. Troy Buckley was Dodgson’s right hand man, and just as dangerous.
“How’s it going Katie?”
“Not so good. These systems are very old. Who the hell was the programmer?”
“Well, these are the original programs. We just had them carried over onto new hardware. All of the original programs are there along with new ones. There is no one programmer,” Dodgson replied.
“Great,” Katie said sarcastically.
Suddenly, the door burst open. One of the surviving guards fell forward, covered in bloody slashes.
“We were attacked,” the Guard stammered. “The Giganotosaurus…”
“Where?”
“By the aviary compound. It killed John, and kicked me across the field.”
Katie could see that the man was in pain. He had lost a lot of blood, and his voice was growing weak.
“Where is it now?”
“Inside the aviary… Please help me…”
Buckley pulled his pistol, and fired one shot into the man’s head. Katie turned away in shock and disgust. She was about to opine when a frantic voice came over the radio.
“Get--now! Su---m--us is out! It---move---control two!”
“Say again,” Russell said.
“Suchomimus--escape---eading---control---o!”
Chapter 3 part 2: Dragon
“What’s a Sucho whatever,” Katie asked.
No one answered. They were all staring out the large window. A large dinosaur lumbered slowly toward the compound. Just the sight of the beast terrified Katie. Rows of pointed teeth glistened in the sun as the animal opened its crocodilian jaws. Its long arms flexed as it swaggered along. A small red fin ran along the creatures back. It was like something from a nightmare. The Suchomimus continued along, paying no attention to the little humans behind the glass. Katie relaxed a little. It didn’t seem interested at all. She wondered why the others were still so tense. As the beast drew closer, she noticed small cuts running down the animal’s body. A glint of light caught her eye. There was a large piece of glass stabbed into the dinosaur’s side. The shard was way too large to have come from a normal window. This animal had been behind a glass barrier, but why? None of the other species had been. Before she could ask, three men ran forward. They all carried automatic rifles, and they were moving in for attack. The dinosaur saw them, but it paid very little attention. It wasn’t hungry. The Suchomimus simply walked into the shade of nearby trees, cooling off in the shadows.
“What the heck are those idiots doing,” Katie asked, “Are they nuts?”
“They’re just carrying out my orders,” Buckley said.
“Call them back in,” Dodgson said, “They’re too close.”
“Yeah. They must not realize what that is.”
Buckley turned on his radio, but it was too late. One of the men began firing. The Suchomimus roared. Its nap had just been rudely interrupted. A scream filled the air as the Suchomimus tore into the closest man. The others quickly turned away and began running. They were just out of the Sucho’s reach.
“Quick,” Dodgson yelled, “Open the doors!”
Russell sprinted to the glass doors, reaching them at the same time as the two men. However, before he could open them, the Suchomimus reared back. A jet of steaming liquid sprayed from a gland on the animal’s lower jaw. The three men screamed as boiling hot chemicals covered their bodies. Russell watched in horror as their skin blistered and peeled. More of the liquid splattered on the glass. The men were dead seconds later, their flesh still steaming. Russell was so caught up in the horror that he failed to see the dinosaur charging towards him. The Suchomimus rammed through the glass, tearing Dustin Russell from the floor. Blood splattered the area as the others ran to the rear of the compound.
***********************
Alan, Ian, Todd, and Hank had finally reached the hotel the night before. Alan’s immediate reaction was to call Ellie. He realized however, that she would want to rush down to see him, but it was now much too dangerous for that. He knew that the animals would soon learn of their freedom. Ian had tried to contact the Costa Rican military, but was only laughed. No one would even believe that he was Ian Malcolm, much less that there were dinosaurs on the mainland. There was nothing they could do. Their only choice was to take the next flight back to the states.
***************************
The Suchomimus continued to ram the building. It screeched loudly, trying to squeeze its massive body into the small control room. Boiling hot spray splashed on most of the equipment. Stream after stream flowed from the large glands on the animal’s lower jaw. From a room in the far end of the control building, the humans listened to the sounds of destruction. Katie sat in horror and shock. She couldn’t even think about what she had seen. It was just too sickening. Eventually though, curiosity got the better of her. Pushing the visuals to the back of her mind, she asked her question.
“What the hell was that?”
“That, my dear, was a Suchomimus. A living Dragon,” Buckley replied.
“What was that spray, some sort of acid?”
“In a way,” Buckley explained, “Have you ever heard of a Bombardier Beetle?”
“No, the only beetles I like are singers.”
“Well, as with the beetle, The Sucho has special reservoirs which produce hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinones. These chemicals are released to the second pair of thick-walled reservoirs called the combustion chambers where the chemicals are then mixed with enzymes, releasing heat, p-quinones, and water, at the same time accumulating pressure. The result is the explosive spray coming out of a pair of openings at the tip of the animals jaw. It’s pretty close to the fire breath which dragons were thought to have possessed.”
“Very informative,” Dodgson said, “You learn something new every day. Now, can we please cut the chatter and get out of here?”
Suddenly, the Suchomimus penetrated the control room. It tore half of the room apart as it entered. It gave a shriek of victory, and then started on the next wall. Halfway into his efforts, the beast yawned. As if deciding the little creatures were not worth the effort, the Sucho backed out of his excavation. Returning to his shady spot, the dragon lay down his head to finish his nap. Dodgson and the others fled from the building, running for the safety of the nearest bunker.
Chapter 3 part 3: Peace Interrupted
Lewis Dodgson sat in the bunker, staring at the only working video monitor. Mrs. Harbin and Troy Buckley slept on the small cots behind him. It had been nearly twelve hours since the Suchomimus attack, the weekend was nearly over, and the weekly staff was due to return in the morning. The last of the weekend staff were either dead or missing. It was just the three of them. Dodgson shivered at the thought of how alone they were.
“Damn you Grant,” He muttered to himself.
He watched the video intently, hoping for signs of human life. The only pictures broadcast to him were grainy night vision. It showed nothing but the occasional Gastonia, a small armored herbivorous dinosaur. It was a very tranquil scene. Watching the animals graze, Dodgson began to drift slowly to sleep.
***************************
Bright sunlight surrounded Dodgson as he opened his eyes. It must be noon, he thought to himself. He opened his eyes wider, and realized that he was laying on the ground. Looking around, he noticed all of the herbivorous dinosaurs grazing around him in the open field. Startled, he jumped to his feet.
“That damn Buckley betrayed me,” He muttered to himself.
He began to walk back towards the bunker, all the while planning a way to kill Buckley. Suddenly, the herbivores began to roar and honk. Dodgson saw the reason immediately. The Suchomimus was on the field, charging directly towards him. Giant Apatosaurs raced in the other direction, while the Gastonia herds stampeded in his. Dodgson ran, but the Sucho was too close. He saw the animal’s neck puff out, just before a stream of boiling chemicals smothered his body.
***************************
Dodgson jumped, screaming loudly. The others looked at him strangely.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Dodgson replied, “Just a bad dream.”
Dodgson turned back to the monitor just in time to see the Gastonia on the screen scatter. A man burst onto the screen, tripping over a branch. Someone was alive out there! The man tried to stand, but eight Eoraptors swarmed over him. The man rolled on the ground, but the dinosaurs’ venom had already taken hold. There was no hope for the man. Dodgson turned away from the scene, he hoped that the arrival of the weekday staff would be his saving grace.
Chapter 3 part 4: No Way Home
Alan, Ian, Todd, and Hank drove their rental car down the long stretch of road. They were nearly to the airport, and the next flight left in thirty minuets. Ian turned on the radio. The first station was cut into by a news bulletin. The four of them listened intently as a local described a bizarre animal attack. He told the reporter of strange little birds surrounding him as he walked his dog. The little creatures had surrounded him, and began biting him and his dog. He said that the animals had followed them until the dog collapsed. He had continued to run, even though his leg was swollen and bleeding. The man had been admitted to a local hospital with what appeared to be bites from a venomous animal.
“Eoraptors,” Grant said as he listened to the report.
“We tried to warn them,” Ian said, “but they wouldn’t listen.”
“Well, there’s little we can do now.”
The car rolled onward. They could now see the small airport in the distance.
“We’ll be home and safe pretty soon. The government can handle it.”
**************************
“What the hell happened here,“ Larry Doyle asked as he entered the control room. Doyle, and the rest of the weekday crew were shocked at the site. The entire room had been blown apart. Every computer was destroyed. Human remains were scattered across the floor. Fresh animal droppings littered the ground. Several of the control engineers turned away, clearly sickened. A shriek cut through the air.
“Deinonychus,” Doyle said, “We should try to reach the bunker.”
“Do you think anyone survived?”
“I’m not sure.”
***********************
Grant sat in the lobby, watching the news closely, even though he didn’t know much Spanish. He watched as a report on the bite victim aired. Alan couldn’t understand much, but he did know enough to realize the man had died. There was little doubt about his attacker now. Ian and the others walked towards Grant.
“Come on Alan. Our plane is here.”
Alan stood. He could not wait to get out of this impending death trap. He wondered if Ellie would be there to greet him. The four men headed to their awaiting transport. The sound of a propeller driven plane filled the air. No one noticed. No one cared. They were going home. However, their attention shifted when they heard a scream. None of them had noticed when the sound of the engines stopped, but now they could see the aircraft falling right towards the building.
“Everyone down!”
*************************
“Is anyone here,” Doyle asked as he entered the bunker.
“Yes. Over here!”
“Are you the only survivors?”
“Yes, Grant and Corel escaped. They turned the animals loose, and destroyed the control room.”
“What about Control 2?”
“We were attacked by the Sucho,” Troy said, “We’re not sure of the damage, but everything is almost certainly inoperable.”
“Very well, evacuation should start immediately.”
“No,” Dodgson replied, “We should at least try the computers again.”
“Are you out of your damned mind,” Katie screamed, “The only way I’m leaving this bunker is if we are getting the hell out of this death trap!”
“You will do as I say, or you will be the next victim of this death trap,” Dodgson screamed.
Katie became silent. She knew Dodgson was serious, and she had seen with her own eyes what Buckley was capable of.
“Let’s get this over with,” Doyle said, “Everyone grab a weapon when we get to the Jeeps.”
*******************
The impact came very fast. The nose of the plane ripped into the side of the building, throwing bodies and furniture in all direction. Grant and the others were pretty far from the actual impact, but debris still rained down upon them. Alan stood, approaching the aircraft. There were few survivors on the plane.
“Is that what I think it is,” Hank asked.
Grant looked closer at one of the propellers. A very large, bloody form was wrapped around the blades. A Pterosaur!
“Do you smell that,” Todd asked.
Alan and Ian sniffed the air. They looked at each other, and then looked at the plane. A large puddle covered the ground below the craft, and sparks popped from a busted light fixture above.
“Run,” Ian and Alan yelled at the same time.
As they ran down the corridor, Hank looked back to see the fuel fumes reach the sparks. The entire plane was engulfed in a mammoth fireball. The shockwave of the blast traveled down the corridor at the speed of sound, knocking all four men down flat.
“I don’t think we’re flying home any time soon,” Malcolm said as he regained his breath.
Alan felt like punching him, but he was too tired.
Chapter 3 part 5: Clash of the Titans
Everyone piled into the five gas powered Jeeps. Control 2 was within walking distance, but no one was willing to risk the trek. The vehicles moved through the jungle. It was almost completely silent. Not one bird chirped. Not one lizard could be seen. The only sound was the chugging of the automobiles. Dodgson was nervous. The Sucho was probably still in the area, and the Giga was also on the loose. They had never taken any sort of loud vehicle into the enclosures, so there was no way to know how the animals would react. The large clearing opened up before them. It was the exact same area Dodgson had seen in his nightmare. Gastonia herds grazed along the edges. Torosaurus and Pentaceratops herds wallowed in a patch of muddy ground. A lone Chasmosaurus infant wandered along, crying for his mother. The animals paid no attention to the Jeeps.
“They’re beautiful,” Katie said.
“Yes, they are,” replied one of the guards.
Unexpectedly, the animals began to bellow and roar. The adults gathered around their young. The little Chasmosaurus ran for the nearest cover he could find, the lead Jeep! The vehicle smashed hard into the poor little creature. The next two Jeeps couldn’t stop in time. They slammed into the back of the automobile.
“Is everyone alright?”
“Yes, but I’m afraid the road is blocked. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”
“Son of a bi…”
Dodgson was cut off. The herbivores became even more agitated. Something was stalking them. The ground began to vibrate. A very slight tremor that only came every few seconds.
“It’s big.”
“Mr. Dodgson, what do we do?”
“How the hell should I know?”
The vibration stopped. Every animal was frozen with tension. Whatever it was, it was about to strike!
***********************
“Is everybody okay?”
“As well as can be expected, Hank.”
“Alan, did you see that thing wrapped around the propeller?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Well, what the hell was it,” Todd asked, “I’ve never seen a bird that large.”
“That’s because it wasn’t a bird. It was Quetzalcoatlus northropi.”
“A Pterosaur,” Ian translated to the others.
“I think they could have figured that out themselves,” Grant shot back.
“How can you tell,” asked Hank, “It was pretty torn up.”
“Sheer size. It was too large to have been anything else.”
During their conversation, they had made their way out of the building. They were now standing in the parking lot. Police and paramedics were on the scene. One officer stepped in their direction.
“Por favor, una palabra con usted,” The man said in Spanish.
“A word with you please,” He repeated in English.
The four men went with him. Maybe they could finally get the government’s attention.
**************************
“Where is it,” whispered one of the men,” I don’t see anything.”
“Shhh…”
Everyone and everything in the clearing awaited the appearance of the unknown terror. The ground began to quake once more. Dodgson watched the massive animal emerge from the jungle. An adult Gastonia rose from the ground, clenched in the jaws of a giant. Throwing the animal into a nearby tree, the carnivore turned its attention towards the other animals. A small Torosaurus wriggled past its mother. It was open for attack. The Giganotosaurus screamed as it charged the little dinosaur. Katie gasped. This creature was so massive! The tallest man came only to its knee! She noticed the others staring at the spectacle, unable to move. Katie took charge. She decided that their lives were more important that curiosity. Telling the others to run, they used the opportunity to their advantage. The dinosaur reached the baby as the humans left. Squealing in pain, the little Torosaurus squirmed in the Giganotosaur’s jaws. The mother became enraged. She galloped towards the giant carnivore. Her horns pierced his tough hide. Razor teeth clamped onto her neck. The Giganotosaurus lifted her off the ground, but she continued to thrust her horns at the carnivore. He had already killed her infant, and she was probably next, but the mother Torosaurus refused to go down without a fight. Besides, her herd had already abandoned her. The Giganotosaur dropped her. She charged, ramming her horns into his knee. As he came forward again, the Giganotosaurus closed his powerful jaws on the only defense of the Torosaur. His immense bite pressure snapped the horns. Her exposed nerves fired pain signals throughout her body. The mother Torosaur began squealing in agony. She turned to flee, but it was much too late. The Giganotosaurus grabbed the mother, flipping her on her side. Her last breath came as the carnivore ripped the flesh from her soft belly. Intestines and blood covered the carnivorous dinosaurs face as he roared in victory. Though injured, he had three fresh kills to gorge himself on. Anyway, he had spotted a large group of easy prey during his battle with the Torosaur. He would just follow them while he healed.
Chapter 4 Part 1: Terror Cruise
After several grueling interrogations and medical checks, the four men had returned to their hotel. They were told not to leave the country, and to tell everything they know. Grant and Malcolm were glued to the news reports. Todd was talking to room service, while Hank snored away in the next room. All four men were exhausted. People were beginning to panic all over the city. Rumors were circulating that the military would be mobilized. The government was denying everything. Reports of sightings filled the airwaves. Alan knew that it was only a matter of time until the truth was revealed. The dinosaurs were free, and it was his fault entirely.
*******************
Martin Jackman had lived in the small village of Tripa de los pescados for most of his life His parents were American. They had moved there when he was four. As the name suggested, it was a fishing village, one of many along the Pacific coastline. He owned the fishing vessel Tormenta. Sitting in his small quarters below deck, he was estimating the payment for their catch that day. The entire hold was full of fish. There were even two net loads on deck. It had been a very good day, and was undoubtedly going to be very profitable. The vessel was on its way back to shore. Martin looked at his watch. He yawned, and then returned to his calculating. Suddenly, his younger brother swung open the door.
“What is it James?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied, “You better come and look at this.”
Martin followed his sibling onto the deck. As he exited his quarters, he saw two huge birds plucking the fish from the nets. Looking closer, he realized that these were no birds. They were huge! Green in color, the creatures had large blue and pink crests rising from their skulls. Their wingspan was massive, and claws protruded from the wings.
“What are they? Some sort of bat?”
“Look up there!”
More of the winged beasts circled the boat. They all screeched as a second, much larger, group of animals joined in the fray. A feeding frenzy had started on deck. The massive new creatures squabbled with the smaller animals over the fishy smorgasbord. Martin ordered his men to save the fish. He wasn’t about to give them all up without a fight. James picked up a spear gun. He had used it twice before, but that was just for sport fishing. James fired at the closest pterosaur, hitting it square in the neck. The other five of the six-man crew battled the monsters with anything they could find. One of the Quetzalcoatlus dived onto the second mate’s shoulders. It pecked at his head, cracking his skull after the fourth strike. James screamed in anger. He raised the spear gun again. As he fired, one of the smaller animals hit him from behind. The spear exploded from the gun, slamming into Martins chest. Martin looked down at his bleeding wound, then up at his crying brother. As he collapsed, two of the Quetzalcoatlus swarmed his body. Five Tapejara circled above. James stood in one spot. He was in total shock. Two more men were gutted by the pterosaurs. The last man scrambled below deck, leaving James with the monsters. As the Quetzalcoatlus dined on the fish, the five Tapejara surrounded James. Still in shock, he succumbed to the flying serpents.
************************
“Did you hear that?”
“Here what?”
“I thought I heard a scream,” Alan said.
“It was just your imagination.”
“Yeah, I am pretty tired.”
Closing his eyes for a little rest, Alan heard the sound again. It was louder this time.
“What the hell was that,” Todd asked as he entered the room.
“You heard it too?”
“Yeah, we all did this time.”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
Chapter 4 Part 2: Horror Hotel
Ian opened the door slowly. Screams of terror filled the air. Dozens of people were running past the hotel room. As the last person passed, a second sound came from the hall. It was a high pitched, hissing screech. Ian recognized the noise immediately. He slammed the door closed.
“Velociraptor!”
Hank asked, “What’s that?”
“A small, birdlike dinosaur,” Alan replied, “Only I don’t remember those on Biosyn’s list.”
“I know what they sound like,” Ian said defensively, “You’re not the only one to get close to them you know.”
Alan was about to counter, but was interrupted by a loud thump on the door. Ian peered out the peephole, and was surprised to see a man’s face. Malcolm opened the door, allowing the young American to enter. The man said nothing. He simply collapsed.
“What the hell…”
“He’s dead,” Todd said.
Indeed, he was dead. Is stomach was slashed open. Intestines and blood covered the floor. Another loud shriek came out of the blue. Two Deinonychus pounced on the fallen body, ripping large chunks of cloth and flesh. With their only exit blocked, Grant and the others ran for the balcony. They slid the glass doors closed. There was no fire escape. They were trapped, and the carnivores were nearly finished with their kill.
******************************
The group reached the ruins of control room two. Luckily, they had not encountered any more dinosaurs. However, they were now stranded.
“Everything is destroyed.”
“Now what do we do,” Katie asked, “We have no safe way to get back to the bunker, and we are in the territory of that Sucho-whateverasaurus!”
“What should we do Mr. Dodgson?”
“I… I don’t know, Larry.”
It was clear to everyone that Dodgson was no longer functioning correctly. He was beginning to break down before them. The rest of the group knew that Buckley would soon take over. That was Katie’s worst fear. She knew Dodgson was ruthless, but she could handle him. Troy Buckley was another story. He was feared more than the dinosaurs.
“I say we make stay here until dark,” Buckley said, “We can head out tonight while most of the animals are sleeping.”
“Are you sure about that, Mr. Buckley?”
“Yes, all of the large predators are diurnal,” He said
“What about the nocturnal animals,” Doyle asked.
“There is only one species of carnivore,” Buckley answered.”
“Well, it’s settled. Everyone head as deep into the structure as possible for now.”
******************************
“What do we do, Alan?”
“Why the hell does everyone always ask me?”
“Because you’re the dinosaur expert.”
“I’m not an escape expert!”
“You should be by now,” Ian said.
“I just want to know why there’s no fire escape,” Hank said.
“We have to think of something,” Todd said.
One of the animals finished its meal, and then headed out of the hotel room. The second dinosaur was still gorging on the carcass. It stripped one last chunk of meat from the bloody remains. Looking up, it spotted the group on the balcony. The Deinonychus flared his tail feathers. He snarled at the humans. Grant and the others began backing toward the balcony’s edge. They were only on the second story, but it was still a very long drop. There was no way they could jump it. The dinosaur moved slowly in their direction. It appeared more curious than anything. Suddenly, Todd spotted a small spout protruding from the wall. He began searching among the many plants around the balcony.
“What are you looking for?”
“A garden hose.”
Hank and Malcolm began searching also. Grant kept a close eye on the Deinonychus.
“I found it!”
Todd quickly unwound it, and tied it on the balcony rail. It was a few feet short, but they could make it. Ian went first. He slid down with no problem. Alan followed close behind. The Deinonychus began pounding on the glass. It would soon bust through. Hank began his descent. Todd waited patently for his turn. However, something went horribly wrong. The hose came untied from the railing! Todd was trapped. The dinosaur continued to pound the glass behind him. A large crack was forming in the door.
“Oh my God!”
“Don’t worry Dr. Grant,” Todd yelled down, “Just toss the end back up.”
“We can’t!”
“Why the hell not?”
His question was answered by a loud shriek from below. The second Deinonychus was standing right in front of his three friends. He watched helplessly. There was nothing he could do. One dinosaur pounded on the door behind while the second stalked his friends below.
We’re all going to die, he thought.
Glass flew all around him as the doors shattered. A heavy weight hit him hard in the back, tossing him over the edge of the balcony. Todd Shal plummeted downward. The wind was knocked from his lungs as he hit violently. His body was lifted up again as he strained to regain his breath. He had landed directly on top of the dinosaur! The Deinonychus cried out. Todd was thrown from the creature’s back. The animal turned quickly, pouncing on the fallen man. It raised its killing claw, ready to strike. Todd winced, waiting for the pain. No pain came. The dinosaur fell onto its side. Grant helped the young man to his feet. As he stood, Todd Shal could see the uniformed men with their firearms raised, and the dead dinosaur lying at his feet.
Chapter 4 Part 3: Crusher of Skulls
Lewis Dodgson exited the control building. It was a very dark night. No heavenly body shown in the night sky. An eerie howl floated on the air. Dodgson hoped that the animal responsible for the sound was far away. It was nearly 10:00 at night.
“Let’s get a move on,” Doyle said.
“Are you sure it’s safe?”
“It should be,” Buckley replied. “Most of the animals should be in for the night.”
Katie didn’t believe him. The man was completely untrustworthy. She stayed as close to Larry Doyle as possible.
“Where exactly are we headed anyway?”
“We head for the wall breach,” Dodgson said, “It’s not that far, and we may be able to reach the nearest village by sunrise.”
Doyle nodded in agreement, then signaled everyone to march.
*****************************
“Are you alright Alan? I heard the news. I was so scared!”
Ellie was in tears. She had gone from deep depression to joy and back to depression again in the past few weeks. Not knowing Grant’s whereabouts had sent her on an emotional roller coaster. It had not been that long ago since she had thought Alan was dead. She later learned the truth, but lost hope a second time after she heard of the plane crash. Now, she was talking to her true love. Her only wish was that it could be in person instead of a long distance call.
“I’m fine Ellie,” Alan replied. “The military says we can catch a transport out as soon as possible.”
“How long will that take?”
“I don’t know.”
“Please be careful, Alan.”
“You know me,” He said, “I’m always careful.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Sunshine.”
Alan and Ellie disconnected at the same time.
“The phone’s all yours Ian.”
“Why didn’t you tell her, Alan?”
“I didn’t want to worry her. It’s best if she doesn’t know.”
Ian began dialing.
“Please tell Sarah to keep it quiet.”
“Okay,” Ian said
Grant turned to the officer standing next to him.
“When do we leave?”
*************************
“How much further?”
“Only a few hundred yards beyond that ridge.”
“Looks like you were right, Troy.”
“I do my research, Lew.”
“I am not congratulating anyone until we are safely in the village,” said Doyle.
The group returned to silence. They had been extremely lucky. No animals had crossed their path, and the group was still eighteen members strong. Darkness surrounded them. Visibility was only about three feet. With no light to guide them, they had become disoriented on several occasions. As a result, a one-hour hike lasted for over three. It was now 1:30 A.M. and they were finally on the right course. They would soon reach the boundary, but they were nowhere near out of danger’s grasp. The bizarre howling began again, quickly followed by a squawking growl. Something moved through the foliage to their left. Everyone was in high alert. No one could see anything, but the sound was very abundant. Screams suddenly began to mix with the animal cries. Chaos ensued. Katie saw strange figures rushing all around her. She took a step forward. A loud crunch was heard under her feet. She pulled out her cigarette lighter. The flame lit the scene. Below her, a nest of ten eggs surrounded her feet. Yellow slime covered her right foot. Everyone continued to scream. She spotted Dodgson and Buckley running for cover. However, she couldn’t see anyone else. A warm breeze sent shivers down her spine. Something was breathing down the back of her neck. She turned around quickly, coming face to face with the howling creature. The animal was small in comparison to the other creatures she had seen, and was completely covered in feathers. A large crest topped the dinosaur’s parrot-like head. Most terrifying of all was that it held a man’s head in its jaws!
“Help m…”
The creature clamped down as the man spoke. His head imploded, easily collapsing under the immense pressure. Blood and brain material splattered her face. Katie dropped her lighter. She screamed in terror, running in the same direction as Dodgson and Buckley. The strange dinosaur squawked and howled behind her, but it did not follow. Even as she ran, she could hear the sickening pop of human skulls being crushed.
Chapter 4 Part 4: The Plan.
Alan Grant followed his two friends out into the morning air. Hank had decided to take the next transport out, and was already headed to the makeshift airfield. Alan couldn’t blame him. He knew almost nothing about the creatures, and he probably would not be very useful in this situation. Todd, on the other hand, knew much about avian behavior. That was definitely of use.
The entire area was swarming with Costa Rican military. Very few spoke English. Ian and Alan relied on the one English speaking officer, Ramirez, and the translations given by Todd. Ramirez had briefed them the night before. The plan was simple, but extremely hazardous. Ian, Alan, and Todd were to separate into three groups. Each party would consist of a translator, a light armored vehicle, and twenty solders. Ramirez approached them. After a second briefing, they would move out.
********************
“What the fu… What were those things?”
Katie Harbin could barely speak. She had been running and hiding from unseen animals for the past three and a half hours! The sun was just beginning to rise to the East. She had finally found her way to the battered perimeter wall. To her surprise, she found Dodgson, Buckley, and two other men hiding in the nearby trees. Doyle, however, was nowhere to be seen.
“Those, my dear, were a type of Oviraptor,” Buckley said as he descended the tree.
“Well,” Dodgson said, “That’s what we think they are.”
“Yes,” Buckley continued, “Grant seemed to think it was a new species.”
He pointed to a corpse on the ground. The skull was crushed, and the body was badly mangled.
“Normal Oviraptors could probably never do that.”
“They followed you?”
“Yes, they got Mr. Doyle there.”
“Where are they now?”
“They’re sleeping.”
“I thought you said that none of the carnivores were nocturnal?”
“I never said that,” Buckley corrected, “I said that none of the large carnivores were nocturnal. Now, stop wasting time. We are still in danger here.”
***********************
“We leave in veinte minutos. Our objective is to destroy only hostile animales,” Ramirez said in broken English.
“What happens to the Biosyn facility?”
“Once the animales are contained, we will destruya the area.”
Ian turned to Grant and Todd.
“It still sounds like a lousy plan to me,” he said.
“It’s the best anyone can do,” said Todd, “What other choices are there?”
Ian shrugged. He knew that Todd was right. However, Ian was beginning to wish he had left with Hank.
“You okay Alan?”
“Yeah, I’m just a little nervous, Todd.”
They began their march to the jungle. Grant turned to Ian, a serious look on his face.
“If I don’t make it back,” Grant said solemnly, “tell Ellie that I love her.”
“I was just going to tell you to tell Sarah the same,” Malcolm said.
“Don’t be so negative you two,” Todd said, “It’ll be alright.”
“No one can predict that,” Ian replied. “Chaos rules in life, love, and especially in battle.”
As they reached the limits of the village, the large group split into three. The final campaign had begun.
Chapter 5 part 1: Return of the Dragon.
Only five survivors found their way back to Dodgson’s group. They had been traveling nonstop for twenty minutes. Everyone was exhausted. There were very few paths through the jungle. Most of it was very tough going. Katie Harbin yawned. The only dinosaur they had seen since the attack was a rotting Segnosaur carcass. She was finally out of the living nightmare, and for the first time in several days, she was able to reflect on how tired she really was.
“How much further?”
“We should be out of here in ten minutes,” Buckley said, “If we can keep up this pace.”
“I would kill for an ice cold beer right about now.”
“I think everyone here would, Katie.”
She smiled at Dodgson. It was funny. She once despised the man, now, she found herself staying close to him. His mental stability had returned to him. He was beginning to take control of the situation once more. There was something different about him though. Warmth took over what once was cold.
Guilt must be a very powerful feeling, Katie thought.
Lewis Dodgson was a very ruthless man. He wouldn’t think twice about eliminating anyone that got in his way of success. Every competitor was a piece of meat, and he was a starving lion. Coming face to face with the man could literally mean death if you were on the opposing side of things. He was never afraid of getting his hands dirty, as long as the dirt wasn’t innocent. Dodgson had never destroyed anyone he viewed as innocent. Now, for the first time in his life, he felt guilty. Blood of innocents were on his hands now, and with the animal’s gestation acceleration, many more would surely follow.
“What is that?”
The group was stopped about twenty yards from a large body. Large eyes stared lifelessly into space. Black flies buzzed around the head of the beast. Katie noticed a long horn protruding from the mangled face.
“Looks like a Pentaceratops,” Buckley said, “or a Torosaurus.”
As they edged closer, they could see large lacerations and gnaw on the animal.
“This is definitely a kill site.”
“Yes,” Dodgson said, “We need to get out of this area.”
“What do you think killed it, Mr. Buckley,” asked one of the surviving staff.
“I’m not a frigging forensics expert,” Buckley answered shortly.
“Jeez man. Don’t jump down my throat for a simple question”
Buckley’s face turned blood red with anger. He hated being asked stupid questions, but he hated little brats with smart mouths even more.
“You open your mouth again and my fist will be in it.”
“Back off,” Katie yelled, “He didn’t do anything”
“Nobody asked for your opinion, bitch.”
Katie’s blood began to boil. She balled up her hand, and placed a heavy punch to Buckley’s face. The impact caught him off guard, knocking him to the ground. He jumped to his feet. Katie prepared for his retaliation. Instead, his eyes went wide with fear. He screamed and ran in the opposite direction just as a stream of boiling liquid saturated the young man that she had just defended. Katie was frozen in place. She turned around just in time to see the Suchomimus rip a man in two.
Chapter 5 part 2: Cavalry
Katie Harbin screamed in terror. The Suchomimus gulped down the upper torso of his victim. Dodgson, like Katie, was frozen with fear. With one last crunch, the dinosaur finished the morsel. It quickly turned its attention to the closest target. Unfortunately for Dodgson, that target was him! He stood in one spot, stiff with horror. The Suchomimus rushed towards him. Foamy saliva dripped from the creature’s jaws as it anticipated the taste of mammalian flesh. Dodgson yelled at the top of his lounges. He began to run, but Katie could see that he would not make it. The dinosaur opened its mouth wide, preparing to tackle the human at full speed. Katie ran as fast as she could, diving straight into Dodgson. They fell down together just as the beast’s jaws snapped above their heads. As the massive body passed over them, Katie pulled herself and Dodgson up. They began running in the opposite direction as the dinosaur spun around. It was very confused. No prey had ever gotten that close without getting at least a gash from his claws. He roared, filling his boiler for a full blast. Charging toward his prey, he spotted another human running a little closer to him. His eyes were still fixated on his target, but there was no way he would pass up the opportunity. A single claw raked down the man’s back. The dragon continued forward. He was almost within range, but then his prey reached a thick part of the jungle. The Suchomimus lost sight of his prey. Roaring in anger, the animal sprayed his boiling fluid. He returned to his fresh kill.
“I think we lost it.”
“You saved my life,” Dodgson said.
“Well, I certainly hope you would have done the same for me.”
“No, he wouldn’t have,” Buckley said from the treetops, “He would have run just like I did, except his legs were stuck.”
“Don’t start on me, Troy.”
“Oh come on, Lew, you know you would have.”
“The old Dodgson would,” He said as he looked at Katie, “I’ve changed.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft…”
“Not soft,” Dodgson interrupted, “I’ve just seen my life in a new way.”
“You’ll never make it through this ‘survival of the fittest’ world with that attitude my friend.”
“Just get out of that tree,” Dodgson replied, “You look ridiculous.”
Buckley began climbing down from his high perch. They needed to find the others and get back on track before the dinosaur found them. As Buckley approached, he mouthed something at Katie. Although she couldn’t make it out, she knew it was a threat.
The jungle became slow going once again. Large trees, thorny plants, and thick vines made it almost impossible to walk. Only two others had found their way back to the group leaders. All others were either dead or lost.
“We should probably turn back,” said Buckley, “If we are attacked here, there would be no escape.”
“I agree,” replied Dodgson, “We need to find another path.”
“But that creature is back there!”
“Mrs. Harbin, we would be in more danger here. Just look around. You can barely even walk, much less run.”
Katie shook her head in agreement. Dodgson’s reassurance was comforting. Besides, she knew they were right. The five turned back, trying to locate a safer path.
The Suchomimus yawned. He was actually quite full. However, the little mammals he had encountered perplexed him. Never had he lost a sure kill by the actions of another prey animal. Curiosity is a strong trait in any carnivore, and dinosaurs are no exception. Suddenly, his nostrils flared outward. The familiar smell of the little creatures flooded his olfactory chamber. With a low growl, he stood slowly. He sniffed the air again. It was definitely the same animals. Standing for only a minute, his curiosity finally got the better of him. He lumbered off in the direction of the scent. Even with his stomach full, he still couldn’t pass up a chance to have some tasty fun.
“Oh my God! It’s coming back!”
The Suchomimus charged in at full velocity. Everyone scattered in different directions. Loud bellows rumbled through the air. Blistering liquid splashed across one of the men. The man screamed in pain as his flesh roasted. Katie dived behind a fallen tree. It wasn’t the greatest of hiding spots, but she thought she was safe. Dodgson and Buckley headed for the nearest tree, but even that was proven unsafe. The second man had also climbed a tree only to be smothered with the dinosaur’s chemicals. From their high perch, the two men could see Katie ducking behind a large tree trunk. The dinosaur sniffed the air. It made wide arcs with its head. It spun around, snarling with fury. It began moving leisurely in Katie’s direction.
“Why doesn’t it just spray here,” Buckley asked.
Dodgson said nothing. He simply stared out at the scene unfolding below.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“To help her,” Dodgson replied as he began descending down the tree.
“You’re insane.”
“Maybe.”
The dinosaur was standing very close to Katie now. It would only be a matter of seconds until she was found. Dodgson jumped the rest of the way to the ground. The Suchomimus growled, bending down close to the tree trunk. Katie shivered in panic. Her only thoughts were of her own demise.
“Over here asshole,” Dodgson screamed.
The dinosaur ignored him. It was very close to finding Katie. Dodgson looked around for something to draw the animal’s attention. He picked up a heavy branch. Yelling again, he threw the branch at the beast. This time, he gathered the creature’s undivided attention. The dinosaur turned to face him. He saw the animal’s jaw pouch swell. Two streams of the scalding chemical shot out at him. Dodgson dodged the spray as best he could, but his leg was hit. He screamed. The pain was excruciating. He stood again as the dinosaur charged. Limping slowly, he didn’t make it very far. The Suchomimus was closing in fast. Dodgson was in such immense agony that he surrendered to the leviathan. Stopping just short of him, the Suchomimus sniffed loudly. A long tongue stretched forward, licking Dodgson. Dodgson shivered in fear and nausea as he awaited the final blow. The Suchomimus roared, and then closed his jaws around the minuscule mammal. Dodgson shrieked in pain. The dinosaur held him tightly in his maw. Its arms rose towards the jaws, grabbing onto the man’s body. Great claws embedded into Dodgson’s flesh. With one great jerking motion, Dodgson’s body was torn into shreds of gore. Blood flowed over the animal’s jaws. It swallowed the meat quickly, and then turned back to Katie’s hiding spot. Buckley took the opportunity to scramble out of the tree, running off in the direction of the village. The Suchomimus closed in on Katie with speed this time. She looked up to see bloody teeth swinging downward. Suddenly, the dinosaur closed its jaws, looking at something behind it. Katie heard the loud sound of a motor followed by loud pops. Gaping wounds appeared on the animal. Katie crawled away, getting far enough to stand. When she stood, she was surprised to see twenty men and women. All were heavily armed, and were firing at the dinosaur. The Suchomimus sprayed its reserve of liquid fire, hitting four men. A final shot was fired, this time from a shoulder mounted R.P.G. The grenade hit the animal full on, killing it instantly. Katie ran to her saviors. The solders led her to an armored vehicle behind the troops. To add to her shock, the first person to greet her was none other than Alan Grant.
Chapter 5 part 3: Baryonyx
Troy Buckley stumbled down a steep embankment. His body tumbled fast. Stones and branches bashed his frame, and ripped his clothing. Pain rippled throughout his every limb. He came to a sudden stop, smashing face first into the hardened earth. He raised his head, cursed, then darkness closed in around him.
***************************
“You are the last person in the world I expected to see,” Katie said to Grant.
“I’m just cleaning up the mess I made.”
“You made?”
“Yes. I caused it all when I escaped. I should have just stayed.”
“No,” Katie said in a soothing voice, “Biosyn made the mess, you just knocked over the dumpster.”
Even as she said it, she realized that the words came out wrong. Grant smiled anyway. He knew what she had meant. Alan sensed that she felt embarrassed, so he quickly changed the subject.
“We’ve been tracking that Sucho for quite some time now,” He said, “We were able to lock on to the radio signals used by the collars and implants.”
“So, you can track all of the dinosaurs?”
“Yes, but only at a short distance. Only a couple hundred meters or so…”
A loud beeping alarm sounded, and a small red dot appeared on the GPS unit.
“Speak of the devil… We’ve got another one,” Grant said “Approximately one hundred and fifty meters southeast.”
The translator informed the troops, and the caravan moved in for the attack.
*************************
Troy Buckley cursed aloud as he stood. His face was swollen and extremely sore. He glanced at his watch. The face was smashed, but it was still ticking. He had been unconscious for only a minute and a half. Buckley wondered how far he had gotten. It wasn’t very far.
“Damn,” he said to himself aloud, “I should have just stayed put.”
He was lost. The long fall and brief unconsciousness had left him in a daze. Buckley finally decided to find refuge nearby until he got his bearings back. Just as he found suitable shelter, a low animal call sounded off to his left. It was a rather large animal by the sound. Buckley shivered as a wave of fear rolled over him. With such a large animal around, he wondered if crawling into a rotten log was the safest thing to do…
*************************
Alan exited the truck. He needed to get close enough to make identification. Since he was the only dinosaur expert, it was his responsibility to identify all species and to assess the risk. The other two groups sent images via a direct satalite feed. Grant, on the other hand, had to go in on foot, taking the infantry with him for protection. Katie had wanted to come along. Grant convinced her that she was safer in the vehicle. The truth was that she was inexperienced and loud. They moved stealthily among the heavy undergrowth. Extensive military training allowed the infantry to move undetected through the jungle. Countless personal encounters, however, made Alan even more silent. As they made their way through the dense undergrowth, they began to hear the animal moving nearby. It was very close. Grant signaled for the team to halt. The sound was emanating from behind a large stand of monkey-tail ferns. Some of the ferns were over twelve feet tall! Grant pushed a smaller fern aside slowly, staring at the monster beyond.
******************************
Troy Buckley was lying on his stomach inside the rotting tree. Black muck and squirming insects covered his body. A large leech had attached itself to his face, and others were probably draining him in other locations. Heavy footsteps shook him every so often as a massive beast circled the area. Buckley had no clue what kind of dinosaur it was, but it was defiantly a predator. He had seen the animal’s large feet beyond the log opening. Whatever it was, it stopped frequently to sniff the air around the log. It knew he was close. It could smell his blood. The beast just couldn’t figure out where Buckley was.
******************************
I sure wish I had some of that perfume on me, was Alan Grant’s first thought when he spied the dinosaur in front of him. Alan’s last memory of the animal was of it dying to protect him. He was almost unafraid. That is, until the Baryonyx looked directly at him! Grant froze. Luckily, it hadn’t noticed him. He could see the animal breathing deeply. It was sniffing a fallen tree. Heavy armor, like the plates on a crocodile, covered the dinosaur. It would take a lot of firepower to bring it down. Grant turned away, telling the translator to signal for the grenadiers. Five men stepped forward. Each one carried a shoulder mounted RPG launcher. They loaded their weapons, preparing to fire. Unexpectedly, the Baryonyx roared. It had found something. It bent down. The dinosaur’s jaws opened wide. It clamped down hard on the log. The log splintered easily under immense jaw pressure. A scream came from inside the rotted tree trunk. There was someone inside!
*************************
Buckley scrambled out of the log as the wood splintered close to his head. The damn thing had figured it out somehow. He made it out and to his feet. Buckley didn’t look back. He ran blindly away. Vibrations shook the ground hard. It was nearly upon him. The dinosaur was so close that he could feel hot breath on his neck. Buckley knew he was going to die…
Chapter 5 part 4: Three for One
Alan Grant recognized the man immediately. He was almost willing to let Buckley die. His conscience won out, however. The Baryonyx was closing in fast on Buckley. Alan gave the order to open fire. The first grenade impacted just as the Baryonyx prepared to snatch Buckley from the ground. Fire and blood erupted from the animal’s body. Buckley dived for safety as a second RPG detonated, blowing the dinosaur’s leg to shreds of red flesh. Troy Buckley turned towards his saviors, saw Grant, and ran the opposite direction.
“Stupid,” Grant said to himself.
“What should we do now, Señor Grant?”
“Leave him,” Grant said, “He won’t come willingly anyway.”
A blood-curdling scream came from behind Grant. Men began running past him. Alan turned sharply.
“Oh my God!”
*********************
Troy Buckley ran like a greyhound. He had to escape. He knew that if Alan Grant caught him it would mean a long jail sentence. Buckley would rather have been eaten. Running through the thick jungle growth, Buckley never noticed that one of the trees he passed wasn’t what it appeared to be. He never saw the tree bend at the center. He never saw the roots rise from the ground to reveal three sharp claws. However, Troy Buckley did hear the sound of giant feet in hot pursuit.
*************************
Grant realized his mistake too late. He had relied heavily on technology, something that he had never done before, and now a second Baryonyx was screaming down upon his group. The GPS unit picked up both dinosaurs as one animal since they were so close together. Chaos ensued around him, as men were ripped apart. The grenadiers, caught completely by surprise, dropped their weapons in a moment of shock-induced stupidity. Making matters worse, this Baryonyx was extremely aggressive. Three men died in the first few seconds of the attack. At least four more followed thereafter. Grant decided not to stick around. Alan launched himself into a run faster than he had ever moved in his life.
“Everyone to the vehicle,” Alan screamed as he sprinted.
It did him little good. The interpreter was snatched up into the jaws of death before he could translate. Now on his own, Alan Grant raced onward.
*************************
Large limbs and whole trees smashed around Buckley as the Giganotosaurus crashed around. The giant in pursuit was having a difficult time moving through the thick forest foliage. Buckley glanced back. He saw his pursuer for the first time. He recognized the monster at once. Buckley laughed aloud. He knew that the dinosaur was too large to catch him. It could barely keep up. The jungle was much too thick. Not only that, but the dinosaur had a slight limp as well. Buckley turned back, smashing face first into a low branch. He managed to keep his balance, but his nose bled profusely. Buckley kept running, but he was slightly dazed. His pace had slowed. The Giganotosaurus closed in fast. A large tree cracked as the animals weight pressed upon it. The tree smashed forward, hitting Buckley directly in the back. He cried out loudly as the fallen tree snapped his vertebrae and pinned his body. Tears streamed down Buckley’s face. His agony was immense. Pain surged throughout his body. The dinosaur bent forward, sniffing the screaming human. Troy Buckley realized at that moment his life was about to end. Buckley uttered a final sentence, a wish to end it all. As if in answer to his prayer, the Giganotosaurus closed his jaws around Buckley’s torso.
Chapter 6 Part 1: Total Chaos
Ian Malcolm was dumbfounded by the spectacle before him. His group had been tracking a single dinosaur, but the one red dot on their GPS abruptly turned into dozens.
“Must be a nesting ground,” Malcolm said to Todd.
“Has to be,” Shal agreed, “There’s no telling how many there are.”
Todd and Malcolm had started in different groups. However, Ian called for backup when he saw his GPS light up like a Christmas tree. They had been trying to raise Grant’s team for further support, but they received no response.
“I’m starting to get worried, Ian”
“I’m not,” said Malcolm, “I know Alan. He probably doesn’t know how to work the radio.”
“Wouldn’t someone be with him?”
“I would think so, but you cannot predict the actions of the human race. The others could be doing anything from fighting a dinosaur to answering the call of nature.”
“So, what should we do?”
“Well, the dots aren’t moving. Let’s just wait. If Alan doesn’t answer in five minutes, we’ll move in on our own.”
****************************
Alan Grant dashed through the forest like a madman. His only goal was to reach the relative safety of the LAV. He could still hear the second Baryonyx bellowing behind him. With a quick glance over his shoulder, Alan saw one of the soldiers crawling towards a grenade launcher. Alan stopped in his tracks. The man could reach it if the beast was distracted. Grant had to think quickly. He ripped his pistol from its holster. With shaking hands he raised the pistol. The dinosaur was almost on top of the soldier. Grant fired the gun at the Baryonyx. The bullet didn’t even reach the animal. However, the sound was enough to distract it. The dinosaur whirled around to face the threat.
“Come on!”
The dinosaur moved closer. Grant fired a second shot. A fierce growl rumbled from the creature’s throat.
“You piscivorous pansy! Go jump in a lake you sorry excuse for a Spinosauria!”
Grant suddenly realized how ridiculous he sounded, but it was working. He had the animal’s undivided attention. The soldier grabbed the RPG launcher.
“Hurry up,” said Grant under his breath.
The dinosaur moved closer. It was being very cautious. Very rarely did such a small animal stand up to the mighty beast. The Baryonyx smelled the air. Alan could see the smallest details on the animal. It was way to close for comfort. Grant stood his ground until he saw the puff of smoke from the launcher. At that moment, Grant began his sprint for the vehicle again. Blood and fire erupted behind him as the grenade collided with the dinosaur like a freight train. Even with seared flesh and a gaping wound, the animal thrust forward. Gnashing its teeth, it grabbed Alan’s right leg. As the animal ripped him off the ground, Grant aimed the pistol at the dinosaur’s snout and squeezed off a round. The Baryonyx clamped down harder, smashing Grant’s ankle. Alan cried out as he felt the bones being crushed. Suddenly, he felt a new sensation. He was falling head first towards the ground.
***********************
“Damn it. Still no word from Alan.”
“I guess we should move in,” said Todd.
“Yes, let’s get this over with. Give the order.”
The translator transmitted the orders to march. Forty soldiers moved forward through the tropical forest. Ian and Todd exited the LAV. The jungle ahead of them was impenetrable by light armored vehicle. Gunfire started as soon as the first line passed the third row of trees. Abruptly, several men began retreating. Screams of men mixed with the snarls of beasts. As Ian and Todd watched, a medium sized carnivore leapt from beyond a stand of ferns and landed on a screaming soldier. Six more Deinonychus swarmed into the troop of soldiers.
“You know, we may be in over our heads,” Malcolm said as he un-shouldered his rifle.
8/23/2005 7:58:52 AM
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