Jurassic: The New World

Chapter Nine

Maisie struggled to pull herself from the drug-induced coma. She focused on the faint beeping coming from her heart monitor until it got louder and louder. Finally, her eyes opened and she could make out the harshly-lit hospital room.

Unlike last time, Maisie kept her heart steady. It wasn't an easy feat for a terrified little girl, but she knew if the machine started to beep erratically, the scientist-doctors would come back.

She shifted her arm and felt the pinch of a needle. A thick, red liquid flowed into her arm. She knew for sure that she was on the receiving end this time. She didn't know how, but she could just tell.

What are they doing to me? She muttered to herself. Why did I need more blood?

Maisie searched the bag for answers, but she moved too far and the needle came loose. A frantic alarm sounded and within seconds she was surrounded by nurses in white coats.

"We need the transfusion to complete," one said, re-inserting the needle. "We don't have much time left."

A familiar voice responded, but she couldn't quite place him. "We'll get it done. Tomorrow, Owen and Claire will bring us Blue, and we'll send them on a wild goose chase for Maisie. It'll buy us enough time."

At the mention of her parents, Maisie began to cry. Were they even looking for her? She knew they had to be. They wouldn't leave her in the cold, windowless room forever. What was taking so long, though? Why did the crazy scientist want Blue? Would Owen really give up his beloved dinosaur to find Maisie?

The little girl knew he would. Owen loved her. But Maisie also knew that Owen would do whatever it took to save both her and Blue. She only hoped he could come up with a plan soon.

A dark-skinned nurse towered over Maisie with a strange-looking smile. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we need you to sleep just a while longer. Soon it'll all make sense."

Maisie doubted it would ever make sense, but she couldn't fight the anesthesia being pumped into her veins. The only comfort as she fell asleep was that Owen and Claire were searching for Blue, which meant they would be searching for Maisie, too. She was sure that her parents would find her, she just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

***

Claire struggled to keep up with the two-legged carnivore. Over the last few months, Blue had learned the forest inside and out. She was able to dodge trees and holes in the ground gracefully, but Claire and Owen weren't so lucky.

"Shit," Claire screamed, her ankle twisting in yet another hole. Her adrenaline kept her from feeling the pain too strongly, but she knew it would be excruciating when it was all over.

Blue slowed when she heard Claire fall. She nuzzled Claire's shoulder, urging the woman to stand and follow her. Whatever Blue wanted Claire and Owen to see, it was important.

"You okay?" Owen asked, offering Claire a hand. She accepted it and got back to her feet.

"I'm fine. We have to keep going."

Claire started forward with only a slight limp. Blue trotted ahead, but this time at a much slower speed. The dinosaur's intuition was incredible. She knew that Claire was struggling to keep up, so she adjusted her speed. How much of that was Blue, and how much was Owen's training? Claire knew that Owen blamed himself for the indoraptor because of his work with Blue, specifically, but Claire was grateful that he raised such an incredible dinosaur. Blue had saved their lives multiple times, and who knew what she was trying to show them now.