RUN ➳ ZACH MITCHELL

nine

"What do you mean: use the raptors?" Claire blurted into her phone with confusion.

Owen's eyes widened at that statement, and he drawled out in anger, "Son of a bitch."

"You shouldn't say bitch," Gray immediately countered.

Rory glanced at the boy in with a disapproving look, "And you shouldn't swear when you're telling others not to." Gray sheepishly shrugged as Zach agreed with her.

"Take the kids. Get them someplace safe," Owen said, as the sound of harsh banging reached the groups ears. Nervously, Rory took Zach's hand as they all turned in unison towards the giant gate that was currently about to break open. Zach only had time to give the girl's hand a single reassuring squeeze before the metal doors gave way completely and a massive sea of people charged towards them.

Zach pushed Rory in front of him as they raced after Owen and Claire to a park Jeep parked in the middle of the alley. The 3 teens piled into the back of the vehicle, and Zach shouted out encouragements to Owen as they drove backwards.

"You got this. Drive! DRIVE!" Zach called, his large hands gesturing frantically on the back of the front seats.

Owen frantically continued to back up, and eventually they stopped just inside an opening in the tall white cement walls. Watching the tourists run madly in front of her, Rory murmured, "This . . . does not feel safe."

"Can we stay with you?" Gray squeaked from next to her.

Claire inhaled sharply, "I am not leaving you as long as you li-"

"No, no, no, him," Gray cut her off, pointing to Owen Grady simultaneously with his brother.

Rory giggled, and patted Owen's shoulder. "Looks like you've got yourself some fans, Grady," she chortled more at the look at Claire's face.

Gray sized up his aunt and then Rory's adoptive parent. Owen's biceps bulged beneath is shirt, and Gray breathed out, "Yeah; definitely him."

»»

Staring out at the darkened sky, Rory let out an angry huff as they approached the Velociraptor padlock. She could almost feel the negative, cocky energy Hoskins was letting off from inside the indigo Jeep she was currently seated in.

Despite Claire's instructions to stay in the car, Rory follows her godfather out of the Jeep, and stalks behind him as they approach the horrid excuse of a person, Vic Hoskins.

"The mother hen has finally arrived," Hoskins says saucily, barley finishing the sentence before Owen's left fist came in contact with his cheek.

"Oh!" Zach said, racing up behind the adults (plus Rory). He hadn't wanted Rory to follow her godfather, and therefore leave him behind in the car.

"Nice left hook," Rory smirked from where she stood. Zach's hands found themselves on her waist, and neither one moved away.

"Get the hell out of here," Owen Grady said with a deadly calm voice. "And stay away from my animals."

Vic rubbed his cheek gingerly, and glowered at the head Velociraptor trainer.

"Hoskins, you wanted this to happen. You son of a bitch," Claire practically spat at the bulky man in front of the group.

"Oh, Jesus," Hoskins exclaimed, taking the blonde fifteen year old slightly by surprise. "How many more people have to die before this mission makes sense to you guys?" Rory scoffed in disgust, causing the much older man to cast a sharp look at her.

"It's not a mission. It is a field test," came Barry's distinctive accent. Rory smiled fondly towards the dark skinned male.

"This is an iNGen situation now," Hoskins said aggressively, his face becoming uncomfortably close to Claire's. "Okay, there will be cruise ships that show up here at first light. Everybody is gonna get off of this island. You're gonna watch a news story tomorrow about how you saved lives. No, no, no, better yet . . . how your animals saved lives."

"Cool story bro," Rory snarls, finally speaking up. "Here's mine: Once upon a time we didn't give a fu-" Zach's warm hand moved from the sassy girl's waist, encasing the curly blonde's mouth, as the adults stare at her in shock.

Hot air from Rory's nostrils breathes on the back of his hand, causing Zach to shiver as her whispers in her ear in a thick voice, "Not now, princess."

Rory nodded, taking in a few deep breaths to calm her flaring rage. She stared up at Zach silently and then leaned into his chest as she listened to the adults converse again.

"They've never been out of containment," Barry shook his head. "This is crazy."

"Let's move it," Vic yelled over to the workers, ignoring Barry's feeble vote against this 'plan.' He turned back to Owen, staring directly at him. "This is happening! With or without you."

Rory buried her face in Zach's fuchsia shirt, already knowing the decision her guardian had come to.

»»

"We know that she is in sector five," Owen started, placing two fingers on the map of the Isla Nublar.

Rory stood next to him, having begged endlessly to be part of the presentation to explain the final battle plan. She wasn't very fond of putting her beloved Charlie out there in harm's way, but explaining a plan of attack to men twice as old as her made Rory feel powerful.

"This is a game we call hide-and-seek," Rory described. "It's a scent drill. We've done it a thousand times with these animals."

Owen placed a toned hand on Rory's shoulder, saying, "When they get on target and they will get on target . . . wait to engage. Velociraptors are pack hunters. They like to herd animals into a kill zone. That's when we take our shot.

"Get a clear shot, wait for my command and give her everything you got," Owen continues. "We got one good target, gentleman. Do not shoot my Raptors-" Rory let out a loud cough. "Our raptors," he corrects himself.

Rory stared at the armed group around the white fold out table. "Please," she pleaded, before she turned and walked away from the men and towards the Velociraptor's holding cell.

// 20 comments for new part and sorry for the long wait. i just don't want this book to end :/