Chapter 1: The Raptors

I was in a darkness unlike I had ever seen before, there was nothing but blackness. "Shelly…" I turned to the sound of my name being called, but there was no person around, only the odd sound voice. I blinked and called out hello, but there was no answer. "Shels…it's time to go." it was a different voice, lighter with a ring to it like bells. I strained my eyes, there had to be someone around for me to hear the voices of them. "Sweetheart, please." I felt hopeless and curious as the voices came and went, all around me, yet I was so alone. "Who are you?" I asked out loud and they continued to speak to me, swirling around me in a tornado of sounds.

I shot out of the bed, swinging my arm out in warning. It surprised me when I actually connected with something. I opened my eyes and saw Barry rubbing his cheek and glaring at me. "Woman! I was just trying to wake you up. No need to hit." I apologized and sat up, rubbing my head at the slight pain in it. "What time is it?" "It's time to go. Owen wants us both over to the enclosure now." I got out of bed and Barry stepped out as I needed to get dressed. As I did, I kept hearing the voices in my head from my dream, trying to figure out where I had heard them before. "Probably just someone I heard in passing. Can't be that important."

I yawned and rubbed my eyes, sighing deeply as I walked along the path. "It's too early for this, Barry. Why couldn't Owen have come instead?" he chuckled and shook his head at me before answering. "Shelly, come on. You know Owen already over there, he's waiting for us. He's going to be irritated that we are late." "Then go ahead. I'm sure there is enough people, you don't need me." he took my arm and hooked it with his, making sure I couldn't sneak off. "Now now, no running off while on duty." I groaned as he walked faster, making me stumble to keep up.

When we reached the enclosure, I heard talking and noticed a bunch of cars I haven't seen before. Owen appeared at the top of the walkway, smiling at us as we started up the stairs. "I see you had to rip her from her bed this time. How much fight did she give you?" I stuck out my tongue at him, still feeling tired and unable to come up with a witty retort. "Why on earth are they here Owen?" Barry asked, nodding toward the cars. "No idea, but nothing good. Let's get started. Shels, you going to be able to stay awake or do I need to find another worker to assist me?" "Oh haha, very funny. Like you could find someone to replace me. Or someone that would actually tolerate your smartass." I smirked, beginning to wake up finally.

Owen went up top to oversee as the pig was released, running for its life from the four raptors in the enclosure. I saw Blue right up front, leading the others, keeping her eyes on the pig, but she did stop when Owen called out to her, telling them all to hold. Barry motioned for another worker to close the gate, saving the pig. The others came to a stop behind Blue, to which they all looked up at Owen as he got there attention. "Okay!" he clicked the clicker, telling them to keep eyes on him. "Blue? Blue!" he clicked again and again until she was watching him as well.

"Charlie. Hey! Don't give me that shit! Delta! Lock it up! Good!" he praised them as they listened, locking in on him and moving with him as he walked along the bridge, clicking as he did. "Hold!" he stopped in front of the bucket and I could tell they were getting excited, knowing what was in that bucket. "That's good. That is damn good. Very good." he reached it and pulled out the meat, tossing to Charlie first, then Echo, then Delta. Finally he pulled out a whole rat, getting Blue's attention. "This one's for you." he tossed it to her, and he snapped it, gulping it down in a second.

"Hold! Eyes up!" he paused as they waited for his next order and he waved them down, telling them to go. They took off running, back to their own business as we all cheered and Barry and myself walked over to Owen. "You finally did it, man!" Barry told him and I went to tell him something, but I was interrupted by another voice. "Owen. I was starting to think I hired the wrong guys, but, damn, you got them eating out of your palm." the large man laughed and came over to us, still talking to Owen.

"You came on a good day. It's not usually a happy ending." "Is that why you're not sending in your reports?" "We've been busy." Barry cut in, not wanting his friend to get bitched at for no reason. I wasn't sure who this guy was, but I already didn't trust him by his words. "Not too busy to cash your paychecks." he snapped at him, then Owen finally spoke about why the man was here. "What do you need, buddy?" "A field test." Owen turned and went to walk away, but the man continued. "Hey. I've just seen they can respond to commands. We need to take the research and get it on its feet."

"These are wild animals, Hoskins. Trust me, you don't want them in the field." they got out of our ear shot as they continued to talk. "Who is that Barr?" I asked as we walked the other way to head back down. "He's a idiot that thinks he can control these wild animals and use them for the government. Don't worry, Owen can handle him." I nodded and kept my eye on Owen as I could tell he was tense and partly wanted to punch Hoskins in the face. We met back up at the bottom of the stairs and Barry cuts back in again.

"Make a weapon?" Hoskins rolled his eyes and walked off, talking again. "Come on, gents. It's grown-up time. Drones can't search tunnels and caves. And they're hackable. The minute a real war breaks out, all that fancy tech is gonna go dark." I went to say something, but Barry just shook his head. "But that tech's not gonna eat them if they forget to feed it." "Look at these creatures." Hoskins motioned to the raptors, pausing. "They've got millions of years of instinct in their cells, instincts that we can program. Their loyalty cannot be bought. These guys are gonna run straight into the enemy's teeth and eat them, belt buckle and all."

"What if they decide they wanna be in control?" Barry asked, to which Hoskins already had an answer. "Well, then we remind them who is. We terminate the rogues. Promote only loyal bloodlines." I scoffed at his remark, no way he was serious. Barry also laughed and walked off, Owen whistles while Hoskins asked what was funny. "I don't know. You come here and you don't learn anything about these animals except what you want to know. You made them, and now you think you own them." I didn't want to hear what this fool was going to say next and followed after Barry.

I opened the door for Owen as he brought the bucket down and he slammed the door in Hoskins face, locking it so he couldn't follow. "War is part of nature. Look around, Owen. Every living thing in this jungle is trying to murder the other." I touched Owen arm as I saw he was about to turn and knock this dumbass out. He met my eyes and I gave my head a slight shake, telling him to let it go. "Do you hear yourself when you talk?" I asked, glancing over at Hoskins. "This is gonna happen. With or without you boys. Progress always wins." "Maybe progress should lose for once." Owen said before I heard the pig squealing and I turned at the shout of a crew member.

"Pig Loose! Pig loose!" a young man tried to hook it with the noose, but a raptor grabbed it at the last second, jerking the man over into the pen. "Oh shit!" I ran to the bars, seeing the raptors snap to attention and move in on the boy. Owen hit the button and opened the gate some, but there was no way that he was going to make a run and survive, they would tear the boy to pieces. "Owen, no!" Barry shouted and I watched in horror as Owen dove under the gate into the pen with the raptors and boys.

"No! Hold your fire!" I shouted to the guys as Owen threw up his hands. He ran in front of the boy and held up his hand to the raptors, causing them to pause, but growl. "Hold your fire! Do not fire." Owen ordered and Barry hit the button, stopping the gate from opening further. "Put 12 amps in these animal, they're never gonna trust me again." Barry grabbed the boy as he was close enough and I helped pull him to safety. I turned back to Owen, who was still is such danger. "Blue, stand down. Stand down." he ordered, keeping his eyes locked with Blue, who was the Beta.

She snapped at him, which I jumped at, worried about Owen. "Hey! What did I just say? Delta, I see you. Back up!" he held out another hand, making sure they knew that he knew what they were trying. "Okay. Good. Charlie? Stay right there." he kept taking small steps back, but the raptors were taking steps right with him, ready to jump at the chance to attack and have a good meal. "Good. Close the gate." I was shocked and so was Barry, "Are you crazy?" "Just trust me." "Close the gate!" the boy demanded, still shaking from his brush with death. Barry muttered in French before going to the button and hitting it.

I held out my hand for Owen as the gate began to descend. "Owen!" I shouted as he turned and rolled into the pen, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a hug roll as the raptors slammed into the gate, just shy of us. Owen looked at me and I was breathing heavily as my heart was racing. "You alright?" he asked and I nodded, not trusting my voice. We got up and Barry shook his hand, happy that he was safe. I let his hand go and he looked at me, smiling a bit. I took the chance to punch him in the chest, scolding him. "How could you do that! You are so stupid! You moron!" In my mind I was partly relieved that he was safe, but I also felt like he was so reckless and would end up getting killed.