Hide (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)

Chapter 12

The sound of footsteps alerts me to someone's presence. My head snaps up and I see two men walking down the hall towards me. I push myself off the ground and sniffle, wiping the tears away from my eyes and cheeks. I lift my chin in defiance as the two men stop in front of my cell. My eyes meet those of Wheatley first, who has a smug smirk on his face.

"Here's the other stowaway," he says. Other? Does that mean he found the others?

My gaze shifts to the second man. He's younger than Wheatley, and taller. He's dressed in a suit and he stands straight with confidence.

Judging by his stature and what Wheatley said to him, I deduce he must be the ringleader of this whole operation. He opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Don't." My voice is raspy. He looks taken aback, but only for a second. "You don't get to say anything." I slowly wrap my hands around the bars and tighten my grip until my knuckles turn white.

He sighs.

"I'm sorry it had to go this way, I truly am." Bullshit. "But I want you-I need you to understand what we are doing here. With these dinosaurs, and-and Owen's research... we are stepping into the future here." I swallow thickly. What the hell is he talking about?

Behind him Bella groans, and the man turns slightly, shifting his gaze between her and me.

"You trained her, right?"

I don't react.

"You are angry that we are keeping these animals like this, trying to contain them. Yet you trained a T-Rex to listen to your orders."

"I bonded with her, and we kept her in an open enclosure, not a cell. She was there for scientific observation and to teach people about these animals. Not for whatever sadistic goals you're trying to achieve."

He scoffs.

"I saved these animals." He takes a step closer to the bars. Big mistake. "They were going to die on that island, your T-Rex included."

In an instant I reach through the bars and grab the collar of his shirt. He barely has a moment to react as my right fist collides with his face.

He stumbles back as Wheatley aims his gun at me.

"I shoulda warned you," he says, still smirking. "She bites."

I glare at the man as he caresses his cheek, trying to shake it off.

"Should I take care of her?" Wheatley asks, and I can see his finger twitching on the trigger. I shift as I eye the gun warily. The other man gives me one last look, this time with a look of disgust on his face.

"We'll deal with her later. As far as anyone else knows, she died on the island, alongside the rest of them." Wheatley reluctantly lowers his gun and the two walk away, leaving me alone again.

It takes a moment for what he said to sink in. I could have died on the island. It would be easy to convince everyone I did. Which makes them able to do whatever they want with me. I shudder at the thought.

He said alongside the others. He mentioned others.

I allow myself to feel hopeful for a moment.

They have to be alive.

Slowly I sink back down to the floor, where I wrap my hands around the bars again and stare at Bella.

——

A banging draws me from my trance-like state. I slowly lift my gaze from the ground and look down the hall.