Clawen ♡ Second Time's the Charm

Chapter 17: The Ride Back

"Owen, have you ever been scratched or bitten by one of your raptors? Was it really bad? Have you ever been inside the enclosure with them? Did people think you were foolish?"

The four of them were on their way back to the resort. Despite the fact that Zach and Gray barely knew Owen, it was not an awkwardly silent ride in the Jeep. Gray was physically unable to keep his mouth shut as he bombarded Owen with countless questions about his raptors.

Fortunately, Owen didn't mind speaking nonstop about his four raptors, especially because he could clearly see Claire's not-so-subtle curiosity peeking through her facade of indifference. He caught her watching him with interest several times before she'd quickly avert her gaze back out the window. How cute. Claire Dearing is shy around me. Who would've thought that?

"When my raptors were real little, I'd spend lots of time with them inside a smaller paddock and-" Owen reminisced, smiling.

Unfortunately, his pleasant thoughts were interrupted yet again by a hyper Gray, who always managed to cut Owen off before he could finish answering the question. The kid simply had way too many questions.

"Wait, but how many paddocks are there on this island?" Gray asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know, buddy. Lots of 'em, probably. Ask your aunt. She runs this whole freakin' place anyway," Owen replied good-naturedly. He smirked at Claire, who was dialing a number on her phone, and elbowed her in the side. "So, Claire, how many paddocks are on this island?"

She rolled her eyes. "Owen, I need to call control. Just continue your conversation quietly with the boys."

Owen laughed. "You're just saying that 'cause you don't know the answer to my question but you don't wanna admit it." Claire slapped him lightly in exasperation, though Zach noticed that she rested her hand on his arm afterward. Owen noticed it, too.

"Hello? Lowery, are you there?" Claire spoke into the phone, holding her breath. Please pick up. Please pick up.
         
"Claire? Is that you?" She let out a small sigh of relief.

"Lowery. Yes, it's Claire."
         
"Did you find your nephews?" Lowery asked with genuine concern. Claire was slightly touched that he even remembered that her nephews had been missing. Then again, she had been in such an out-of-control panic earlier today that it would have been very difficult not to remember.

"Yes, thank you. I did find them. Are you aware of that there was a helicopter roaming somewhere around here? I think the Indominus is following it."
         
"Um, yeah. Actually, um... Mr. Masrani was flying it. When he arrived from the lab, you had already gone to find your nephews. He ordered for us to get ACU and then... yeah." For some reason, Lowery sounded quiet, almost guilty, now. Claire had a hunch that there was something that he wasn't telling her.

"Where is the helicopter now? Is the Indominus dead?"
         
"Um... Actually, Mr. Masrani is dead." Claire's gripped Owen's arm tightly, her face losing all of its color. Owen turned to her with a worried expression, but she waved him off. Silence fell upon them all as the somber mood descended. Even Gray closed his mouth and listened to his aunt speak.

"He... he can't be," Claire whispered. Her brain refused to process the information she had received. How is he dead? He can't be dead.
         
"Claire, I can't answer that right now! Listen, you need to-"

"No, I want to know what happened!" Claire snapped, her calm shattering. She didn't know what else to do; her brain was like a muddled mess and all she could do was lash out at poor Lowery.

She didn't know that he could see something she couldn't. She didn't know that he could see the hidden dangers. She didn't know that he was trying to tell her something far more important than the death of her snooty boss.
         
"Claire! You need to get to the resort now! Just listen to me!"

"Why the hell can't you just tell me? I deserve to know what happened!" Claire half-yelled, causing her nephews to jump. Was their aunt usually like this? Owen took her hand in his and stared at her with a perplexed look, but she ignored him.
         
"Claire, it's behind you! Look behind you! It's coming for you! Listen to me!" Lowery shrieked hysterically.

Claire whirled around in her seat and glanced through the back window. Oh, my God. Is it the Indominus? Oh, my God. When she caught sight of whatever Lowery was referring to, her heart stopped beating. She screamed.

It wasn't the Indominus.
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