Smoke (currently under editing)

12 · Return Of The Raptors

"Unless they figure out how to open doors." - Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jurassic Park (1993)

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"They evacuated the lab." Claire muttered, stepping in the now empty laboratory. The rest of us shuffled in behind her as she looked around. "What were they thinking?"

"Afraid that's above your paygrade, honey."

I turned around, glaring at Hoskins. "Men are dead," I snarled, stepping forward. "Your men! We risked our lives for nothing. The Indominus is still on the loose, hunting us down, and the raptors turned sides like flicking a switch." I clenched my hands into tight fist, forcing myself not to swing in the man's direction. Instead, I forced myself to utter a single sentence; "I think we deserve an explanation."

"Somebody's gotta make sure that this company has a future." Hoskins replied, scoffing when he noticed my hands. But he continued with a smirk, knowing that I was too far away to throw an accurate punch. "Imagine, a fraction of the size, deadly, intelligent, and able to hide from the most advanced military technology. A living weapon unlike anything we've ever seen. Millions of years of evolution, what did we learn? Nature is the gift that just keeps giving."

"You're insane." Owen retorted, taking a step forward.

There was a loud clanging noise and I looked back, eyes widening as Delta came into view. I hadn't seen her since the incident with the Indominus, shaking slightly at the memory, barely noticing with Owen held his arms out to shield us from the raptor. Delta walked over, stopping to sniff his face. I held my breath, sighing in relief as she walked past.

"Easy boy." Hoskins said, holding out a hand when he noticed the creature moving towards him. "We're on the same side, right?"

Owen and the others shuffled over to the exit in the confusion, myself close behind them.

"Her name's Delta." I growled, walking towards the door. "And she's on no one's side but her own." I slipped out the door just as Delta's sharp jaws clamped down on Hoskins' hand. The man let out a fierce scream and I winced, slamming the door shut behind me.

❂ ❂ ❂

"I don't know how to feel about Hoskins getting attacked by Delta." I admitted, my voice soft as I fiddled with my ring.

The five of us were on our way to the gift shops, as it was the closest place to where evacuation was being held. There hadn't been many signs of the Indominus or the raptors, and that was one of the few facts we weren't bothered about.

"Look on the bright side," Owen said, "It could've been us. Delta chose Hoskins instead."

"She only passed us by because she recognized your scent." I retorted, stopping in my tracks and turning to look Owen in the eyes. "If it had been anyone else, a guest even, they'd be dead. The raptors, animals that we worked with for years, just up and abandoned us! So I'm sorry if I'm not exactly in the mood to 'look on the bright side'."

Claire, Zach, and Gray were staring at me, nervous expressions on their faces. I rarely yelled at people unless I really hated them, and I could tell even Owen was a bit surprised by my sudden outburst. "Izabelle?" The man asked, staring at me in shock.

"Don't!" I snapped. I whirled around, anger and adrenaline rushing through my veins.

However, as my eyes focused on the path in front of me, I realized what everyone was staring at. Standing in front of me was Mist, her golden eyes flashing. I took a few steps forward, slowly reaching out a hand. Owen was shaking his head, trying to stop me, but I didn't care. This was my raptor. I knew what I was doing and if I lost a hand, it would be no one's fault but my own.

"Hey, Misty." I cooed, holding my breath as sniffed it. "Easy girl."

A small smile appeared on my face as Mist rubbed against my outstretched hand, her gray scales cool to the touch. A wave of warmth and calm covered me, the first sense of it I had felt all day. As my hands brushed against the small, gray scales that lined her jaw, the ground trembled under my feet.

I looked back, eyes widening. Owen and Claire's eyes flickered back as well, Zach and Gray following suit. A single word formed in my mind as I recognized the large beast stomping out of the trees.

"Run."