Jurassic Park: Ranger of Isla Sorna II

by Marutectz552

Doing what is necessary to save a life is one thing, doing your job to the best of your ability is another. Luke Anderson has always done what others could not have done, but sometimes life finds a way to bring what makes a person to confront his own self. Beyond Isla Sorna's shores is the World that seeks to claim it, so what happens when the Lost World claims the World itself?

2. Chapter I

The Ranger of Isla Sorna II

Chapter One

I stood inspecting a corpse of a herbivore out in the thick of the jungles, it seemed that a predator took this young Edmontosaurus down. I instantly thought it would be a Spinosaurus or even the Albertosaurus at the least but to my utter shock, nothing matched the bite wounds! So I had to rationalize maybe scavengers picked off a sick or injured prey item since it made sense to me. Crouching close to the ground I knew I could feel something off about this kill, my eyes drifted up past the tall grass that I found the dead animal at. So really I had to ask myself, why did my gut feel like this?

Instincts were starting to stir, not in a good way either.

"Luke you copy? Anything out there on patrol?"

The small walkies-talkie that had a single ear-phone into my left ear came to life.

The microphone rounded my face to have it near my mouth since this was a small piece of equipment that Isabella got me to implement on our job here on the island. She was tracking and tagging some animals to basically play doctor with and she recorded massive amounts of videos ever since the insanity called a 'Night-Hunt' had left me in a near death like state.

Which was six months ago!

Six months since that night and all those hours that I thought my time among the living was spent. I had to put that number into what it seemed to be six months, literally half a year of recovery and yet my ribs really felt like crap. Hell I always felt like crap, but I was still kicking amongst the living, somehow. That word didn't do me enough credit to consider what else I could call it. For the hellish nightmares that plagued me at night usually, I had to stick with that word.

Living.

Again the term really stuck to me.

I felt like something had happened to change my views on actually living my life to the fullest while doing this job, I felt closer to those who I considered a family. John Hammond had be surviving his aging nature body since that time, he considerably got me supplies that would've made my time here on Nublar seem tame. More ammo, new weapons, new gear and most all a new chance to be a better person that I ever was. I smiled somewhat embarrassed, I had asked Isabella to be my girlfriend for a better lack of a word and it really, really made things challenging.

Not in the physical senses, well I had to admit it was a challenge in that sense. However it wasn't just that but I had made it extremely weird to have someone to actually express my feelings too. I wasn't the best person in that motion when the nightmares came to get me when I slept. Now which my newly found companion knew to which she told me to take my time when trying to go through with this.

I felt somewhat awkward, so in the end.

"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast".

That statement Isabella once said to me on a night where I laid next to her outside next to the fire pit. We hadn't done the deed, or sex at my utter reluctance due to the fact I didn't want a child, so I settled for just holding her or even sleeping by her. I wasn't like most men in a good way and for that I had that pride to be in control of my actions no matter what. I found it hardest to talk to her since I had literally no experience confining in my friends about my feelings, less so with a romantic partner.

I sighed to myself, "What a piss poor day to be thinking about my growing love life, or lack of one."

I had to assume if it ever manifested, I knew I'd have the courage.

So I just rolled with the punches as it were.

However I got side tracked for a moment, I was staring at the half-eaten corpse of the Edmontosaurus on the ground where the rotting flesh sparked flies to do their thing. Absently I took out a small camera from my cargo pants pocket, so I started to take photos slightly from all angles with my hunting rifle slung over my shoulder. I kept a reasonable amount of bullets on me just in case as I got down onto a knee to take an angle shot of the half mangled skull of the animal. Slowly I could see the teeth marks, several claw and what not markings of a predator picking at it.

Wearily my eyes looked around the high glass with the wind shifting my scent around, sooner I left this area the better.

"Well, I got a dead Edmonto here in front of me. It's maybe a year or two old. A bit strange, I don't recall anything other than Tyrannosaurs taking them for prey. Possible Spinosaurus kill, so don't expect anything concrete." I spoke quietly into the microphone maintain my composure with my ribs aching slightly. Six months or not, hell my bones still fucking hurt like hell and Isabella had reassured me, along with the Head Chief Medical Doctor of In-Gen that broken ribs take almost a year to be normal again. So my recovery was quick but not that splendid to be at full strength as time took everything to heal. Recently we had been photographing, documenting and even getting live videos of herbivores on the island to appease the entire world's population to see us in action.

I was a celebrity apparently...

And I hated it.

All of the comments on YouTube and other sites were making tens of millions of views per week at the rate we had been going. In six months the hundred or so videos or photos we posted on the web had hundreds of millions of views from all over the world. Isabella had been particularly gossiping wit her family and older friends back on the mainland from the computer where we used to upload/stream videos to the web. Personally I had overheard her and Lex, the CEO of In-Gen or my boss, talk about the details of our newly founded status. I snorted at the thought of it all, I didn't know anything sociable and to me if I didn't try it then what could I live for?

Honestly, I felt somewhat normal in the sense that I wasn't like an ignorant person coming to this island for a beach picnic.

I scolded myself since that already happened much to utter sarcastic failure of an analogy.

Due to the fact I was the only surviving member of the original staff on Isla Sorna, plus I was a young man literally just past eighteen it created an opportunity for most to exploit me. Apparently thousands wanted me in a physical fashion or others wanted me for questioning about my involvement in the Park and so forth. All in all the biggest pain in the ass I could ever imagine twice over with the Spinosaurus trying to eat me alive again. Thankfully the 'paparazzi' as I called them wouldn't ever come here, In-Gen along with the Costa Rica government declared this a sanctuary with me as the Warden of the Island to get people off or escort them away from dangers if they were stumble onto the island. The incident with the Kirby family had put some strains on the United States for example to get their asses in gear about missing citizens.

Perks for being the boss of the island I supposed.

In me being a Warden, a Ranger and now instant celebrity.

"Oh fucking joy, I loved my job."

But I understood why the Kirby family had gotten some attention especially about the way they did it to get their child back. I respected a little of what they had to do, but I hated most of the story if someone were to tell it to me face to face. I was there for most of my time and I was there before they ever showed their faces on the island, it was a hell I'd not do again.

I liked Eric but the kids folks, I hoped to god I'd never see them again.

When one family would go to the desperate attempts to get their child back, seemed public support flooded into John Hammond's hands who took it with a humble grace to placate the public itself. The government caught an earful but got it steered away due to In-Gen's allurement it was isolated as their employee, which was me, who did his job great and wished to remain true to the mandate of Isla Sorna being a sanctuary. Most people from what I gathered wanted me to host 'tours' or group survivable spots so that professional scientists can learn about the prehistoric animals in safety.

If I had to say something about it, I summed it up in two words.

Fuck. No.

"Minimized Danger my ass. There's no such thing as safety in this job." I said scoffing amused to no one although it didn't mean I hated the entire world. I asked my former and current boss about a few people I had met during my tenure on this god forsaken piece of paradise. Again my sarcasm came back to bite anyone with a cruel twist.

I tried to get news from John about Eric, who if worst came to shove I'd recommend him to be a Ranger if he ever wished for it. Despite being younger than I was when I started, he did a fair job with me overlooking his efforts to survive on the island. Honestly it took common sense with some luck to be survivable here unless you went looking for a 'favorite' dinosaur which I used with extreme sarcasm in my mind. Last thing I need were nut cases wanting to take a pet home off the island, I'd be screwed in a heart beat if that were the case.

So hopefully my mind would wander away as I took several more photographs of the dead animal.

Again this was definitely strange.

Also apparently Allen Grant got enough funding for his dig sites for another full decade pending on how much money is spent on hiring, upgrading and so forth. In-Gen had put out a small claim to fame with the man's reputation, John Hammond personally would be funding the dig sites with his ever infinite amount of wealth. Allen had taken the gesture with silent yet grateful delight. No more trips to Isla Sorna to be kidnapped or taken against his will to find missing family, last I heard he was about to write a book about his adventures on Isla Sorna for an additional funding means. I had to give the man credit where it was due.

He knew how to make money to fund his life's dream of digging for old fossils.

I wished him well, so I'd have to take a trip to visit him since I really read the man's books, they were certainly a well endorsed read. Also I had learned of a rather surprising development that made me feel easier to sleep at night. It was something that had bothered me for quite a while, the lack of my effort to save a life during that flying hellish cage that nearly cost me my sanity.

It seemed that Grant's protege Billy had survived the Cage of Death!

When that news broke over towards my ears, I couldn't believe it! The man literally at least to my thought I could have died being pecked to death made it through the river into the ocean to be picked up. I wondered how? How he could have survived but my heart didn't have as much weight when one of my past failures had been turned right. My eyes briefly softened out of pity and for the lack of remorse in what lead up to that event in that hellish cage.

My knuckles especially, always knew those moments.

I always felt horrible knowing I had punched the living shit out of the college kid, but he stole Jean's eggs who were now youngsters intent on plaguing my life. I felt happier and I'd personally would go to the man to apologize to him, since I felt that need to do it. Sighing to myself I smiled also at least to him Jean's own youngsters were sprouting about in my camp. The raptors had maintained a routine time frame to stop by as it were, to patrol around the area for smaller animals to hunt excluding my own hatch-ling who was growing slowly, but surely.

Here I got my mind back to Jean herself.

The pack had grown into dozens of little ones were mingling amongst the adults, who tended to their young with extreme care. I could hear their little squawks and growls whenever they tried to peck at my pants with a near determined mindset. I kicked or nudged them away from time to time, always under their parents guarded eyes since I didn't need to upset them. It just got annoying to have a dozen or so little raptors trying to get your attention when you were trying to rest to enjoy the day.

I felt like a walking deterrent for parental discretion.

Isabella had frequently taped and recorded the spectacles since she called the times, as I was quoting her words, "So adorable that it'd make your heart melt." Whatever she called it, I called it a nuisance that made me feel happier that Chomper had taken a role of a protector, shockingly. This was mainly due to me since that time I was under the knife that night six months ago. His possessive streak could turn violent but my hands always calmed him down mainly.

Chomper's head could reach my mid thigh as he mainly a meter or so in length. In six months he had doubled to nearly tripled his size and weight. Those numbers made me cringe since this time next year he could technically kill me if he went overboard in playful scuffles or even angry. So this was a delicate act of me trying to be a parent to him, literally by the skin of my teeth, I had been teaching him restraint or even patience towards anyone willing to be near me. He didn't snap at Isabella rarely and if he did it was when we were sleeping together.

Now that made me laugh contently.

Always he'd plop himself in between us. I didn't hate it but my girlfriend slash co-worker often yelled at him.

And the little Tyrannosaur didn't care as I agreed in that mentality much to my laughter at times.

"Are you sure it's a Spino kill? What about Jean or her pack?"

Isabella responded much to my pondering thoughts as the raptors wouldn't go out this far unless they had me to get for more numbers. I got the gist of them getting my help for hunts, it was for long distance and hopefully high potential targets to feed a dozen velocirpators easily like a Stegosaurus or even the Edmontosaurus. Point of the matter was they, if they wanted to get something really big: Jean would get me to go with her. At least, that was what I getting at since trying to understand the raptors gave me a few headaches. Slowly I'd get vibes of my body to translate into raptor body language such as anger, anxiety, worry and even excitement.

Personally, I got the idea if they were pushy it meant they wanted something.

So end of story.

"If it was that creature, there would be nothing left and in case you didn't know about our local Spino. That thing can take down an adult Tyrannosaurus but as for Jean, no. Not her nor the packs style, I noticed sections would be devoured otherwise and taken back into the nests. Trust me, I've seen them do it."

My words didn't carry anything negative, it was mainly informative remarks and facts. Isabella got my tone though, which was sarcastic annoyance. I hated when I got questioned on things that I knew for certain, besides the Spinosaurus wouldn't have come after this thing since it pretty much ruled the Island from its own territory. Anything larger than I'd say it had gotten desperate for a meal, which I was unlucky to hope for.

My hands soon finished their task in taking photos, again I thought this was odd.

I remembered we tagged this animal roughly two months back and now it turned out dead so short.

Yawning slightly I pocketed the camera before getting my weapon into both hands, just another mission that I affectionately called 'TNT'; or known as Tag and Track.

I couldn't help it with the corny names but hey my imagination lacked anything subtle to make any other person smile. Isabella thankfully ignored the acronym preferably getting her work down, studying the age, health and whatever she wanted on the animals we tagged. She began to catalog many animals, it only got more detailed when I'd gotten onto my feet with a camera to scout for potential targets to mark. Personally it gave me a goal and a time frame to do better as a Ranger at his job.

What more could a man ask for in this time?

"Alright. I believe you, but I'm not going to lie. That youngster was healthy as a boar not even a week ago. I'll mark it down as possible prey killed, you sure nothings wrong with the carcass?" A very dumb question that I immediately answered, "Yes, it happens to lot out here to the younger animals. Too slow or have no experience when exploring, don't think too much into it." I stood up enjoying the warmth from the sun as I started my track down to the opposite end of the clearing, its where my initial patrol had ended. My mind wandered slightly as I kept a good vigil out for anything wanting to scavenge the kill, I hoped it wasn't anything bigger than a car at the least.

Inhaling slightly, my legs took me towards a patch of tall grass that had several knocked down trees.

Just then I froze when calls of panic and distress hit my ears

As birds flapped from the side of the clearing!

"Damn it."

Getting to my knees, I put down the level of volume for my radio so that nothing could hear me. My legs went level to the ground with my rifle propped by my elbows to get my eyes down the scope to see what could be coming to investigate the kill site. I knew in my gut that a predator was hungry, I knew it could smell an easy meal from a good mile away. So literally going prone I absently stilled my breathing to steady my eye onto the form of a lumbering reddish carnivore that lifted its head into the air sniffing eagerly.

My smile couldn't have been kept, I knew what this animal was and it didn't seem too particularly dangerous but my caution won out.

A Ceratosaur of all things had come out of the dense jungles.

They were the horned scavengers of the island and was more of the timid carnivores. Rarely did I see them among my time here, they tended to be in small groups of three or five, small enough to not pose a threat to larger animals but a great danger to anything smaller than them. Even the Albertosaurs harassed them out of the previous kills, from what the Park's history said of them during my time recovering in the trailer. I had gotten old reports and observations from people studying the animals when the compound on Isla Sorna had been at full capacity.

John Hammond gave me access along with Lex, to allow me to study up on the pat and it helped.

I know had the full list of all species sitting back on my head in the trailer along with a computer to help me visualize what they looked like and it'd would help me overall. It did its wonders when I had to guess certain species yet I'd take photo documentation of whatever I came across now. Helping me identify corpses of whatever animals while cross referencing anything details could assist us whenever we tracked animal or filmed it. I'd been getting good enough to leave a film at a high vantage point while I moved around the area, it boosted the legitimacy of my own job credentials to assist Isabella in gathering support for In-Gen.

Every time we posted a video, guaranteed millions of hits poured in to the point where it mattered for me to help John or Alexis, if need be.

Sighing to myself as the carnivore went to the dead carcass, sniffing and even growling loud enough to get my eyes trained on it.

Slowly my body wiggled to the point where I used the tall grass to conceal my position, the treeline wasn't that far but I had no need to start sprinting as the animal began to peck at the semi-fresh kill of the young Edmontosaur. "It's still strange to see one of those animals, I know for a fact they are one of the most shyest carnivores, they hate staying out in the open yet why is it here?" Those questions would have to wait as I roll myself over, using my rifle as leverage to keep myself from making too much noise. Exhaling deeply as my eyes didn't once leave the form of the scavenging animal, my heart rate started to pick up when another bird call sounded directly parallel to the feeding.

Glancing over I witnessed another of the same species coming over to scavenge the kill.

I distinctly knew that this was going to be one of those days, in having to see rare animals meant that something was up on the island.

The two carnivores were growling or absently biting each other when they were feeding together, part of me assumed a mated pair but for all I knew it was casual interactions between species members. I started to pick up on small motions when an animal leaned away from another member of the same species as if giving a wide berth for room. Perhaps I knew of the signs, but it never hurt to go back to the basics to find answers to problems about the animals you never beforehand.

Small things.

Always the small things that tended to make big things in the long run of schemes.

Feeling secured, my eyes scanned the tall grass to my right and left as paranoia of that time in the clearing in first meeting Isabella ran through my mind. I didn't want an sneaky animals seeing me as a free meal ticket, so I got out my portable camera to take a few pictures. I immediately took off the flash button feature, which always was the first thing I actually did when I had to take this damn thing out with me. So setting down my rifle for a moment, I took several shots with the device stretched out in front of me since I didn't want to get caught flat footed. The process took several moments really and I just gave a long exhale to lower my blood rushes to my brain.

No need to panic.

Need to rush and do not get anxious yet.

I got a chill down my neck immediately as I put the camera away, slowly.

"I know I feel something is here! C'mon Luke if that were true, than were?"

That instinct of mine when I knew something was wrong seemingly flared to life. I glanced behind me, to see the tall grass still concealing my position but again my gut knew something else was out there. Watching me or perhaps the scavenging going on just up ahead of my spot, I sighed deeply as I started to make my way out of the clearing. I held my rifle close into a position if I had to roll over to use it, as I distantly heard grunts and growling from the feeding carnivores. I used my elbows to move towards the tree line as I witnessed the grass fading underneath the shade of the trees, sighing in relative peace as my fears were misplaced.

As my eyes adjusted from the light to the darkened shade, nothing greeted me or even attempted to jump out at me. No animal around here, nothing at all and why did I feel so extremely anxious. I got near a tree, concealing my body away from the clearing as birds squawked loudly towards my right. Narrowing my eyes, I really knew something out there started to move but it was sloppy. Twice did these bird calls finally get my attention, sloppy carnivores?

No.

No, while much to utter hope it wouldn't be very plausible unless the said animal were sick or old. Being sloppy meant an animal lost an opportunity to get another meal to live another day. I could hear birds squawking out in distress so my body tensed as I decided to move towards a dense part of the forest away from the clearing.

"So whatever is out there, it's tailing me. Time to see if it follows me again."

My legs broke out into a light jog careful of the loose branches and leaves littering about in piles. I stepped onto over grown roots and rocks, at least the flatter ones in order to have little to subdued noise over the jungle floor. The canopy flocked with birds that didn't even flinch at my rushing form, a good sign as I didn't just lose my edge over the time at the camp. Spending a month or two in a bed, I was just trying to move around would dull a man but not completely erase what he learned when alone. In this case, I knew something was up and I didn't have to be a genius to realize whatever started to track me, wanted me for some reason or another. Either through a free meal or even a potential one at that, I'd make sure that it'd didn't get the fucking chance to try.

If it wanted me, well I had no choice but to oblige.

It was going to die pending on the size of the hunter.

And just in case if it was bigger than me, time to find a fucking tree.

However I decided to warn Isabella immediately if she heard gunshots over the radio and tried to spam my receiver with frantic calls, it'd be a marker for whatever animal to make a bee-line for my location. Sighing to myself as I edged behind a tree while keeping an angle to notice anymore movement behind me. Much to my growing anger, I heard noises trying to keep up with me and I tried to deduce that it had to be a sick animal tailing me. Figuring to myself that I'd be a small but easy meal, my lips brought themselves into my microphone in a hushed tone.

I even lowered my radio volume to a point where it'd didn't travel over the semi-opened clearings around the trees themselves.

"Isabella, I think I have something trying to get me into a meal."

The response didn't take long.

"What kind? And how sure?"

My answer didn't even waver as I heard crunching leaves in several directions, indicating that I had a small party of whatever wanted me. I flicked the safety off as I eyed the trees trying to determine if a high advantage would give me my own edge over whatever was out there. Sighing I answered in a low tone, just moving away from the tree's edge while glancing in front of me.

I had the urge to grin, but I held it back for the moment.

"I don't know what kind, but I do believe its a small group. I hear multiple sounds in different directions and I'm fairly sure that they've been tailing me since I went to patrol. Don't worry, I'll let you know if I find out." My causally stated prediction or promise for what not made Bells speak in a worried tone. Although I knew she was scared for me, I hid the smile once more as I eyed a particular fallen amount of logs from a recent storm a week or so ago. The storm in question was a mild tropical storm that had formed, nothing extremely dangerous less so than the island but it made half the jungles flooded with water past my ankle.

A good rain shower in other words with winds I guessed them to be around fifty miles an hour and that was my shot in the dark to be fair.

"Be careful, you hear me Luke? I don't want to go through that night again and not see you tomorrow." I just snorted, "I promise. So stop worrying, just be ready if you hear shots and get that SUV started if you want to meet me on the way back. Bring Chomper, I know he needs another meal already." My eyes were carefully evaluating my surroundings, as the wind picked up slightly with the sun shinning overhead. I slipped my bag off lying it against the tree, along with my spare firearm, the shotgun leaning against it. Placing my hat on the end of the barrel, I leaned to an angle so that it stood out a bit.

I could hear snapping leaves and twigs picking up.

Whatever it was, it was so damned loud that it made me smirk.

I settled in while shutting down my radio completely.

I jogged quickly into a series of bushes overgrowing a set of logs while placing my body level with the moss infected wood. The damp smell made it slightly uncomfortable but nonetheless did its job of concealing my body. My own clothing melded into the terrain quite easily as my rifle came to sit beneath several low lying fern branches. The entire bush itself only exposed the logs sticking out, so I knew my concealment would do wonders. I had a hunch that if this were another animal, it'd be predictable to come up to my recent scent trail to investigate it.

Hence leaving some of my equipment as a baited trap as an old saying crossed into my mind.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Exhaling lightly the anticipation got my own nerves flaring to life, the anxiety and adrenaline were rushing through me as I found myself in another situation since that night. What could be stalking me out in the middle of this day? A day that literally started off so well, that it didn't give any carnivores to hunt in as if it were dusk or dawn. That set of conditions made this list into a more of a mute point: if this were an animal stalking me, how big was it? Concentrating on the bend of trees around the to the right of my stuff, I had that inkling if this were a massive animal, I'd have felt the impacts of its own feet. Snorting lightly to shoo off several small ants crawling near the log's surface, I had to ask myself questions.

What could be big enough to hunt me and not cause the ground to shake?

And why was it after me all of a sudden?

I knew that there couldn't be signs that I missed, if I did I knew my skills had gone to complete shit.

That nagged on me truthfully as did all my experiences come to a complete halt? Being bed ridden had its fair share of ups and downs, but did it dilute my mind's ability to keep me alive? And to be picked off by an animal? Possible in hindsight yet my gut knew something didn't add up to this situation when my hearing could hear the actual crunching leaves coming closer to my position. My heart rate slowed to the point as my will exerted over my intakes of air, as flashbacks of that night rushed through my mind. I didn't need to panic, to panic was to expose my position and for that I could really die again. Clenching my fist, I had my knuckles popped as I raised my eye to the scope of the hunting rifle.

No need to worry again.

The daylight wouldn't hide anything big.

I had the advantage to get away and live onwards.

No need to panic as I exhaled lowly easing the stress away. "Relax. Go back to the fundamentals, breathe in deep and exhale out calmly. Don't jerk the trigger, just ease it in one fluid motion and the bullet will do the rest." This barely quelled the turning of my stomach, which did its own sort of back-flip when my anxiety built up. Settling in between my concealment, I just waited for time to go by to reveal my stalker or hunter, for whatever reason. However I couldn't but wonder about this situation, this seemed way too straightforward enough. Too straightforward to be a hunting tactic unless the raptors were deliberately trying to psyche me out.

And I knew they were nowhere near this part of the island.

Still the lack of noises got me really set on edge.

No sort of growling, snarling or even calling of the hunter if it knew its prey had spotted it. That little brief jog should have tipped the predator off, that I knew something was up. No sort of increased aggression or even the crushing of trees to come at me quicker? I had to shake off this weird feeling, all of this was way too odd for me to believe to be a text book prey-predator scenario. Yet what dinosaur out there could actually make me feel like this, or was this my paranoia just coming back to bite me in the ass. Sighing lightly as my instincts were screaming at me to ignore the odd part of this situation because it's never failed me beforehand.

Whatever was out there, I knew for sure it was coming at me.

Leaves crunched and twigs broke from just around the bend from my spot as I glared getting my rifle ready.

"Alright, let's see what the hell wants me this early in the day? Oh I hope its not that fucking Albertosaur, last thing I need is a literal imaginative of that night." Inhaling lightly I waited as still as I would ever be, feeling the last breezes of a wind from my right. The wind was warm yet almost tempting me to wipe my forehead yet I withheld that urge quite easily. Birds called out in warning as they flapped away into the skies above me, so where the living hell was the danger at? I narrowed my eyes as I looked to the sides just in case to have any surprises coming to pay me a visit.

Wasn't the first time to make a mistake in seeing one predator out in the grass.

Then again I was in the actual jungle while having trees.

I wasn't in the high grass in that clearing so that idea of a hidden predator was rather weak but I didn't chance it. Expected arrival or not I didn't want to have new surprises jumping up on me if I witnessed a pack of carnivores. I only had so much room to run or even have time to jump into a tree, perhaps the height advantage would work out fine. I didn't have the time as the sounds got closer, much to my paranoia growing again. Whatever my stalker seemed to be, it had a slow speed or perhaps it was really a sick animal. I knew in the back of my mind, that sick animals were noisy much to my unease.

The suspense got worse for me personally when something snapped a twig off my far left, I snarled lowly as it seemingly meant I had more than one stalker. Well, I got real tense as my eyes moved to my scope as steps got closer from behind the baited equipment.

I didn't wait long to see...

A person?

"What the fuck? Am I seeing this right?"

Slowly but surely a digital uniform came into my sight as it seemed to be a soldier of some kind. The Kevlar helmet had some sort of black metallic piece center of his forehead, along with some kind of cameo-detail completely wrong for this type of jungle. The uniform stood out in anything that came remotely close inside this environment, which got me thinking: how long were they here for? And why were they even on this island in the first place? I had to sit in my spot as I witnessed the man sweat as droplets fell down his chin.

He seemed to be panting as if not used to this type of climate but held his semi-automatic weapon at the ready expecting any sort of danger. His vest had several magazine of ammunition along with a knife that was strapped onto his right thigh. I tried to get angle to see what type of insignia or even nationality that the man was from. If this was a soldier, which I knew, what nation did he come from and why? What was the reason for having a professional soldier on this type of island whereas the world declared it to be a no fly zone for any sort of public intervention. My political motives weren't up to par since I'd had been talking with John Hammond about it during my stint on the bed.

Even more so with my current boss Alexis Murphy, who last I heard was starting to turn In-Gen around by doing some radical changes to turn a profit.

Apparently the world wanted to exploit Isla Sorna for whatever purposes as only In-Gen and a few government allies were making a front against such odds. Costa Rica especially were against any sort of foreign intervention on these islands, for good reason since I agreed to keep it separate from the world. Sighing to myself I watched the man look at my equipment as if puzzled, my scope still trained onto him as he suddenly went stiff. Apparently when a person leaves a noticeable piece of their equipment in an area that was as open as this meant one thing.

I knew they were here.

And he figured it out immediately since he had a radio of some sort next to his ear.

I smirked as his eyes drifted over the surroundings. A part of me knew that this man, who most likely guessed I had just baited him out. I wasn't arrogant but they had to find me, which was the more of the trickier questions. Where could another man hide in this jungle in order to watch another man? I always knew that common sense could do wonders, but if I had to trick another person to rely on it in this type of environment.

I hoped he took his time.

Just because my answer would be the most obvious: the trees.

"Okay that's done. So now I wonder if he has friends out there."

The man turned to the side as if searching for a position that I'd could be in, I saw the American flag on his shoulder much to my confusion.

Okay, so why the hell did the United States of America send professional soldiers to this island that were armed and apparently on short notice?

On very short notice since it added to my growing amount of questions. As much as I wanted to speak out to the soldier, I didn't trust the fact they were tailing me in the jungle that I lived in for nearly a few years. This meant something was up or they were lost out here. Two possible scenarios that got me rather on edge, intentional actions meant to draw me out or were they here for other reasons? Perhaps it could be both? Both but for all I knew they wanted me for some reason that I wasn't privy too from my employers on the mainland.

"He's aware of us, remember we're not here to engage. Come up on my flanks, over."

I caught wind of the man speaking as he shifted uncomfortable in the small clearing, I didn't even flinch in my spot as I waited his next move. Briefly I scanned the overgrowth for more of the same coloration's as the man in the clear had, I wasn't disappointed when I noticed two coloration of the same uniform coming in from the sides of the man, likely they were in a triangular formation to keep eyes on each other. Normally I'd be against such a tactic with dinosaurs in the jungle, but they had the firepower to hopefully to deter most animals.

Well to be fair, expecting the Spinosaurus to come charging forward I'd have high tailed it out of there into the deepest hole possible.

And more birds squawked indignantly.

"What is making them do that?"

Another snapping twig made my nerves flare to life.

"Oh great. That explains it."

Shuddering slightly I watched now, the three soldiers coming together.

Although I happened to catch movement on the side of me!

Roughly thirty maybe forty feet I spotted a gillie suit of another soldier! I had the urge to snort in sheer disbelief, damn this guy was good but clearly he didn't know this terrain since his weapon gleamed in the sunlight from an angle that made him clear as day to my vision. He was moving slowly but surely towards the clearing as if over-watching the area, I had the mind to spook this guy but alas to my utter smile I let him come closer to my position.

I could let him move towards me, I had nothing but time to see if they wanted me.

It made sense now, the noises along with the birds squawking out in fright around me and the lack of carnivore behavior were clicking together. So they had been watching me either in that clearing with the scavenged kill, which in turn attracted the Certaosaurus to make them pause in their intentions. Trying to approach me in a potential killing zone would've been the worst decision to make, so I gave them credit if that was there intentions in the first place. Again this still had to be the most strangest thing that I had ever witnessed, soldiers on Isla Sorna!

What a nightmare in other words.

Going completely still as my body didn't even twitch when the sniper in the gillie suit came within ten feet of me, I had the urge to whisper a word to him. But again I lied there with the man crouched near the same set of logs I was at, but my attention got distracted when I heard the soldier who I had witnessed first speak to the surrounding jungle.

He didn't yell extremely loud but my nerves got set on fire from the volume alone.

"Idiot. Louder you get, more likely something big is going to come and investigate."

I'd been silent on my patrol so speaking loudly and intentionally screamed for me to silence it. Immediately if it attracted anything bigger than a truck and boy that would be the worst time to deal with people. My track record with people while keeping them alive had always got me to shamefully admit, it was bad. I felt it was my troubles that got people killed or the lack of my intervention to keep anyone breathing on this island. However my heart didn't waver as I listened to the soldier, who spoke in a collected voice that didn't stutter to which I gave him credit in this environment.

"I'm First Lieutenant Tom Rogers of the United States Rangers, we're here to not engage with you Luke Anderson. We need your help, if your willing we can meet in the clearing. I repeat we're not here for any sort of hostile activity. Please, we are not here to fight you."

The solders were looking around clearing not comfortable meeting in the open as I watched them, the sniper near my position also shifted. He seemingly wanted to spot me as I sighed to myself, what more could a man in my position ask for? They stated they didn't want to harm me, so that was a plus and their reason was for my help?

Questions were starting to grow inside my mind, so did Isabella know about this?

Or did John?

Maybe Alexis in In-Gen as well?

I didn't feel this was just as simple so I decided if they wanted to meet me I could allow it.

However one of their one was going to be my shield just in case anymore showed up since I was outnumbered one to four. They had more ammo, but I had the jump on them to make the first move. So I looked to the sniper in the gillie suit who looked around the clearing as I shifted to make my way over to him. My eyes gleamed in mischief, professional soldiers were trained but in this type of environment. Perhaps I hadn't been stuck in a bed for too long, this place just was familiar to me no matter how long I stayed in a bed. My body slid over the logs that had concealed my position as I came right behind the gillie covered sniper, whose swamp hat style had the right coloration for the brush.

A shame that the sun exposed him near me else I'd peg him to be very good.

Hell if I didn't look over, he'd be a ghost if I had confronted the men in the clearing immediately.

Inhaling slowly I rolled over a pair of rocks that didn't make any noise, but the jagged points made my jaws clench hard.

I came up directly behind the sniper or whatever marksmen this soldier was as I took a small breathe to ease off the necessary pain that was required to get here. I had to withhold my smile, if I could sneak up on people like this then I knew my time out here was well spent. Moving into a position where my rifle could be placed at the center of his spine. I heard the sniper started to speak quietly into his radio microphone to information the Lieutenant about something.

I just sat there in a crouched position, just listening to my silent amusement.

"Lt. I don't see him yet, this could be a diversion for a shot to be lined up. I'd reckon that because I doubt anyone one of us would move into the open for an exchange. Over." The sniper had stated to his officer in the clearing, as I waited patiently directly behind. He had a gruff yet calm tone of voice much to assessment. Then again, these guys were soldiers who had some sort of experience and I only lucked out to get the jump on them. I sighed lightly while idly waiting for a response from the officer in the clearing. Well at least these guys were patient to allow me to make a move if I'd didn't get the chance to prepare for this moment.

I chalked this up as a guess to my luck was changing, slowly.

For several minutes, I didn't move again as the soldiers in the clearing seemingly let out sighs of frustration. Apparently they were eager to meet me, to which I thought as rather strange. I didn't particularly enjoy people too much, I could understand some of my problems to tolerate large groups but indifferently? No way in hell I could do such a thing, I just waited several more moments deciding on a course of action as the Lieutenant in the clearing looked over to the other two soldiers in his command. I knew they were looks of patience or at the least hope as I figured to introduce myself to these soldiers.

I could respect their decisions to fight for their country, mine as well but it didn't meant I trusted them.

At all.

The sniper prepared to move somewhere as I decided to make my move.

I casually had the barrel of my rifle against his back.

Here I spoke making the man freeze as he went rigid as my voice wasn't one to toy with.

"Do not move, if you try to turn around I will put a bullet in your back. Understand? Nod once if you do."

At least the soldier complied nodding as his own firearm was pointed to the ground as I nudged him once in the back to make sure my point came through. I then told him a calm yet stern manner in the best way I knew how to: by using my weapon as leverage to get someone to do something in the safest way possible. Internally I felt kind of sick doing this to a fellow citizen of my home country, but I hadn't been back there in a long time so why did I bother to think about it? I was human, what else and I didn't want anyone to die on this island while under my watch ever again. Unwillingly memories with Eric came back to mind, as well as the other times when people have died when it was my responsibility to get them off alive.

Shaking my head, I told the sniper who was still as well in a calming manner.

"Place your best hand on your weapon, I'm allowing you to keep it but you won't be able to use it. Put in the center of the weapon, then radio your officer that you found me. Trust me, I'm being lenient and offering you a sign of faith." My eyes didn't waver as I witnessed the man, who held out his right hand with the weapon on a vertical angle to show that he was listening to me, he then radioed in towards the other group who had started to settle as if to wait for me to show up. They were indeed determined to wait for me since I needed to get my pack anyways, so figuring to show them some sort of civil affair I allowed them to be patient.

"Lt. I found our man."

The sniper said simply as the instant answer came back from the man who had his hand next to the side of his Kevlar, "Roger that. Give me a position."

"No need for that, I already got you."

My silent thoughts were filled with a guarded expression.

Nonetheless I snorted making the sniper try to turn his head as I nudged him in the back, "Stand up and move forward."

The simple instructions was met with little resistance from the man who calmly got up moving to the clearing as I followed behind with two hands on my firearm. No need to get too riled up but I had my caution that saved my life several times over in the past. My eyes briefly shut from the glaring sun overhead as I made my way over to the clearing as I kept myself as hidden as possible. Trying to not present myself without being a target meant that difference for me to see, if these soldiers were truly truthfully in their intentions.

I'd been lied too before and I expected it too happen in the future in some shape or form.

Yet my sense of caution made the group of soldiers in the clearing, aim their weapons at me or rather the officer didn't. I kept my face as calm as possible while using the sniper as a shield much to my apparent annoyance in seeing weapons pointed at me. I felt uneasy, really having other weapons pointing at me rather than a carnivore got me to wonder if this was how a fight started. I pushed aside my unease while stepping in tune with the sniper who had his weapon vertically up at my instruction, sighing to myself I knew I felt extremely awkward.

"Awkward, that word doesn't do me justice."

Awkward in holding a man hostage in a way that could be plausible since few people ever came to this island willingly. Less so to just see me, for some reason or another. I didn't buy it! Not in the slightest and I hoped that it didn't lead into a point where gunshots would be made to take out humans. I'd prefer to shoot carnivore who were hell intent on making me a meal, which made me feel less guilty if I had to take a life in the long run of things.

I broke out of those thoughts once we were a good ten meters away from the group as I took a moment to organize my thoughts.

"There's no need to do anything rash. I know this seems very strange, and well out of the blue. But we are we here for your help, Luke." Lieutenant Rogers said evenly trying to gauge the situation as my eyes leaned over with my head to stare at this man in the eye. He was fucking right I didn't buy this, no way did soldiers, especially United States ones casually come onto this island and come to seek me out. There was an ulterior motive!

My paranoia granted me that much and I wasn't an idiot to blindly trust things at face value.

"Oh I can understand your line of thought, I agree this is strange and very, very sudden. I mean getting my help for what? You think I'm that stupid to just trust you and you expect me to believe this? If you're going to lie, please just say something more interesting." I spoke rather guarded as the sniper in front of me twitch, I didn't make a move as the two soldiers behind the Lieutenant moved to aim their own weapons at my flanks. My eyes tracked them as I shifted slightly to hide from one soldier to the other, I didn't need this to become even more tense as it was.

But if they wanted to take shots at me.

I allowed them too.

Since my muscles if they were to suddenly lose all control, the jerking motion would pull the trigger on my rifle if they shot me then at least one of these men were going down with me. I think this man knew the danger we were heading into.

It was that simple and would be that simple.

"I have no reason to lie, we were sent here to get your help for events happening on the mainland that we can't frankly understand. I'm aware you don't keep up with the media or anything beyond this island, because trust me: if they weren't out of our realm to be handed. Than this wouldn't be happening and we wouldn't have bothered to come meet you." Rogers said trying to defuse the situation, I didn't even flinch when one of the soldiers to the left of me aimed his weapon towards my head. There stances were ones of those who expected such a tense standoff to happen. My mind just formed questions as I felt the need to make sure if they were this willing to find me.

Then their intentions must have held some truth in them.

But were they lying?

What could they have to gain?

Anything at all?

And why would they lie?

"Okay, I'll bite. What's happening on the mainland?"

I asked warily since I had heard nothing from In-Gen about the matter much to my wariness. I couldn't shake the fact that there was something off, as the lieutenant had a pain expression on his face. Like he wanted to say more but he held back, probably for the safety of the man that I had at gun point. I sighed to myself as I wanted to prolong this for the sake of seeing how far they were going to go, but I'd let the softer side of me make the next course of action. Speaking of which, these soldiers were quite tense as I offered a sign of good faith on my own part. What little I had left, after this job sucked all sense of socializing out of my skull.

"Alright, how about this? You put your weapons down and I'll hear you out. I don't want to kill a man for doing his job, do you agree to that and I'll leave my rifle be. Lets get some common ground here."

I said speaking rather slowly to which the lieutenant looked to his men and nodded as they lowered their rifles to the ground. My smile grew slightly as I lowered my rifle from the sniper's back as he moved away from me hands still on his own weapon, they were being honest with me. Distantly that urge to get away exposed itself, but my conscious got the better of me. I slung my own hunting firearm over my shoulder to state that I was going to stay, as the other soldiers under their lieutenant's gaze had their own weapons placed against the tree with my pack.

"Put your weapons with his gear, we don't need to get startled. Understood?"

The three nodded as they all moved to the base of the tree leaving me to stand with their officer. I had the impression the sniper was pale, since he started to shake from the shock of being caught from behind. I had that feeling a few times, being jumped from behind wasn't a pleasant experience for those who weren't used too it. The clearing had gone silent, as various birds were clearing the area in a quick fashion.

That made me feel very, uneasy.

"Alright, you wanted to meet me. Tell me what's getting the government in the U.S to send soldiers to ask me for help." I said getting to the point immediately as I felt my body grow tense in the clearing. The wind picked up making the canopy above shift to have the sun flicker in and out inside the clearing. Without my hat on, the light made me wince slightly from the pain and I made a note to not wear a hat on a sunny day. Bringing myself into a position to listen, I did what I could to ignore most of my surroundings for the time being, maybe I felt too paranoid out here. Absently I put a hand through my hair to calm myself down, again no need to freak out if things in this clearing go from strange to complete crap.

The lieutenant to his credit took a moment to compose himself, "Yes, we were sent here to ask for your help. More like trying to get you to come with us willingly, since recently we've been contacting In-Gen for your assistance."

I looked at him, curious. "How recent?"

Rogers answered immediately, "The last day or so, believe me I wouldn't be here otherwise if we needed your help this urgently. Please before you make any assumptions about the reasons, I have to warn you. This is going to take some time to explain, I'm hoping you can hear me out before anything tries to interrupt us and to be honest, it seems you know how to disappear if you don't like anything around you." The compliment didn't really settle well with me, they could have easily tailed me without realizing it and I wouldn't have been able to see them. Their uniforms did stick out, but not obviously in the sense that it wouldn't catch my eye but a more larger carnivore that stalked the jungles. The only reason why I did what I did was for the fact, I thought it was an animal that was sick trying to get me as an easy meal.

To be fair, I hadn't planned on dealing with actual professional soldiers especially from the United States.

Still I did speak my mind about being able to 'disappear', "The only reason why I was able to lure you guys in was for the fact I thought you were a sick animal trying to get me as a meal. I just left my pack there to draw it as a fresh scent, then I'd determine whether its sizable to take out. Trust me on this, if it were any bigger than myself I'd have high tailed it into a tree."

Being honest out in the middle of this island was rare, so I tried to make it a common occurrence because trying to hide anything out here could have resulted in someone dying. Why bother to lie or hide anything? To be me, to be straightforward got results when it came down to the grind to survive out here. Well to put it simply, why would I brag about something that certainly wouldn't help me in the long run of things?

I had nothing to prove to these men as they fought their battles much more brutally than to mine in some cases. I certainly didn't like the idea of getting shot, bullets weren't easy to dodge or hell, it'd worse to even see to a Spinosaurus. Fucking hell, I was comparing the two which was so stupid because either way I was dead if that scenario were to come to face me head on. Ironically bullets wouldn't be able to stop that monster in its tracks unless someone had a damned bazooka on hand. And that sight would be nice to see!

That monsters skull exploding in a shower of gore to knock it off its pedestal on the island.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

The sniper spoke out gruffly as he seemed to be sore about me actually getting the jump onto him. I felt again awkward since it was just a slim chance or else our positions could have been reversed. My eyes drifted to him, as his swamp hat practically concealed his face from me. However I did answer him in my rather friendly tone as best as I could have in this situation.

"If I hadn't looked over to my side, you would most likely have had me at gun point. You're pretty good, I'm just a bit more luckier. So take it as it is because I got nothing to brag about." The sniper just remained silent as one of the other soldiers, to the left of him snorted. "To sneak up on a Ranger, that's more than some fucking luck. You losing your edge Wells?" the sniper just grunted not wishing to comment or extend the conversation since it seemed to me he hated talking too much.

Personally if this were his intentions I'd respect that within a heart beat.

At this point my interest grew. Since I looked to the lieutenant Rogers for an answer since the names were going to give me a headache, I just wanted answers. If I had to know some names, so be it. I honestly had nothing but time to waste whenever Isabella got here and even if she did at least we got a quicker trip back to the Fleet-Wood.

"Ah as I said before I'm First Lieutenant Tom Rogers."

The silver, well black insignia was on his body armor near the base of his neck. Also he had some sort of pouch that held probably some sort of eye wear strapped to his vest. Various other pouches with loaded magazines and a two water canteens on opposite sides of his hips. He looked pretty armed to be out here to which I didn't fault them for in the slightest problem.

Turning to the side, he gestured to the sniper. "That's Staff Sergeant Kyle Wells." the sniper just stared at me not really wanting to speak as I gave him a nod of respect, guess not trying to burn a bridge. He cleared his throat as if somewhat embarrassed by the man for not saying a greeting. He then gestured to the other two men who had looks of eagerness that made me wince mentally.

"On the left, is Specialist Josue Ramirez and Specialist Rick Joyce."

The two were different in every sense of the word expect for being young. Ramirez was literally the hispanic that everyone could identify with a tanned skin line, he looked to be about twenty three in my guess or around that. He was loaded similar to a layout like the Lieutenant with the amount of ammunition. He had blue piercing eyes which seemed kind of creepy to my own green. Though I had to say, he seemed friendly as he held his rifle in his hands sitting on an exposed root of a tree they were against.

"Well holy shit this is cool, we get to meet the actual Ranger of the Isla Sorna. My kids love your videos." he spoke in an accent that made me sigh out loud, "I don't do them, my co-worker does and I hate doing them." I told him flat out as he smiled good naturally. Rogers continued on the introductions to the other soldier who came up to me with a hand shake. Joyce, if I ever remembered these peoples names within the next hour: it'd be a fucking blessing.

I shook his hand despite me being again, awkward in this situation.

"Not going to lie man, that video of you actually doing that Night Hunt is my favorite. Props to you for pulling through that, bro." He was a Caucasian, with a pale skin tone. With brown hair and a straight rigid face structure, he seemed to be around my age much to my shock. I had to give him some respect in joining the armed forces at his age and being accepted into Ranger school. Jesus, what a stressful life for him to handle. Still being civil I responded again rather than shrugging him off like nothing was important here.

"Just my job, can't do much if I can't live to do it."

Now that the semi introductions were out of the way, I did ask their Lieutenant if they had anymore people trying to pop out.

"But before you say anything else, just how many of you are here on this island? Already this seems a bit much just to see me."

My mind kind of was drawing a blank as to how many of these people were on this island. The way these guys were armed, they could handle themselves but if they pissed off anything larger than a small truck, their own chances just dropped into a hole that would be hell to get out of. Because if they hadn't the right mind to not shoot everything, then they were going to be a pile of dinosaur dung out nearby a river for some other people to dig through for a phone.

I remembered that part of the trip getting Alan Grant and the Kirby's off the island, sick people.

"Apart from the four us here, I have three others rendezvous onto our position now. Essentially we're just a small team to be able to move with enough firepower to deter anything to cause us harm while searching the island for you. As I said, if this wasn't serious enough we would not be here in this jungle talking."

At this point he started to radio in the other members of his team, which got me thinking pretty intently.

As he said three more people, totalizing now at seven soldiers on this island to just find me really spoke volumes about the severity of whatever they needed help for. Seven lives! Seven lives at risk to just to find me for potentially what? Save more? Asking for help on what? I had all these questions just forming into a complete shit storm of uncertainty that just screamed insanity into a bundle. I put my hand onto my forehead to stem off the headache that just formed, why the fuck was this stuff happening to me? Again?

I wasn't a super human!

Hell, I honestly barely got by on this god forsaken island through means that most people would go crazy from!

Really was I that special to travel half way across the Western Hemisphere to ask for help?

"Apparently so Luke, great job buddy."

I just sighed helplessly, what a pain in the ass.

I should have just walked away into the jungle and seemingly disappeared for these guys to make it impossible to find me. I wished that were the case, but my job corresponded with people appearing on the island. Soldiers or what not, I had to interact with them in the long run of things since their purpose was for my cooperation. Perhaps I needed a soda or something in the Fleet-Wood to calm my anxiety down. Caffeine did wonders since I barely could stomach coffee in the long run of things.

"Tell you guys what, when my co-worker gets here with our vehicle. Pile in as many as possible, then we can discuss this in the Fleet-wood, we have working internet there to contact my employers about this situation. Not to mention, you all might need some cooler temperatures and I call tell you, air conditioning really spoils you out here." I extended the offer while smiling a bit as the soldiers in the group seemed to be grateful for that. At this point I moved away for a moment turning up my radio volume to contact Isabella about this new development. I knew she'd flip over this in some shape or form, that part didn't make me feel any eager to explain it either.

Sighing again I looked to the canopy to see the birds calling out. Narrowing my eyes slightly, I paced into the clearing while ideally looking towards my pack. I really felt alien without my hat to stem the bright sun off my face, I felt really off without it on.

"Isabella, you there?"

The immediate answer nearly made my ears bleed. "No! I'm in South Africa! Of course I'm fucking here. Can you explain why I'm being stopped by three United States soldiers?" Well shit, this was going to be one of those days. She was scared somewhat but more worried about me than her, given the current details. Shaking my head I did what I could to give her an answer, since I rarely didn't have mine at this time. Which really made my life a pain in the ass trying to explain again. Honestly I swore god had a sense irony here that I just realized. Causing me to laugh slightly, the next thought got me to do this.

Elite U.S Rangers meeting me an employed Ranger of Isla Sorna and I found them first.

Whereas they were supposed to fine me first!

What a load of amusing shit this was turning out to be.

"I got four here, so I one upped you. They're here to track me down for something, getting my help on the mainland for some damned reason. And the hell if know what's happening out there, did John or Lex tell you about anything?"

I asked into the receiver as I made my way back to my bag.

I got my hat on fitting naturally around my head as I felt instantly more secure with the darkened vision. Seemingly getting a more natural feeling to dim the surrounding area, the light didn't bother me as much anymore. I took this time to scan the clearing, small enough to be safe but large enough for anything in the jungle to spot us out in the open. Even with weaponry, I still didn't like the idea of staying out here in the open and the fact that I had to look out for seven more humans didn't help my uneasiness anymore than necessary.

I just smiled once I heard her response.

"Is this a fucking contest? Since when? So wipe that smile off your face, since I nearly shot them when they stopped me."

I had to suspend my amusement in that matter, Isabella actually shooting a person? I highly, I mean I really highly doubted she had the guts to pull the trigger and lord if she did. I would give her more steel will than I had if I had to come down to that type of situation. Still I settled for looking over at the First Lieutenant who probably just over heard my conversation. My look of amusement made the soldier seemingly exhausted, they didn't expect us to be less than civil due to the natural state of the island.

We did our jobs.

We did our jobs well, but we weren't sociable in the normal sense.

"I hear ya, just keep going your current way since I have the game trails marked with tags. Just follow them to a small clearing, you can't miss the gathering here. Drive safe, alright?"

So I clicked my microphone off for the moment as I moved towards my bag, I figured to get it off the ground. Feeling the comfortable weight onto my shoulders, I just cracked my neck staring into the surrounding terrain again. My gut told me I had to be wary out here, the Ceratosaurs were not that far off the line to actually come around to investigate any sort of an ample chance to get another meal. Humans, were quite the easy picking compared to most herbivores or their usual prey items, so my body got tense real quick if I heard anything off again.

Dealing with surprises tended to end badly for me or just flat out made my life a bigger pain to go through. Chomper's literal 'adoption' practically stood out, along with my earlier ventures in the compound when that holding tank exploded a rejected cousin of the velocirpators. That damned bulky Denoiclyus, I had phantom pains in my legs from that bastard. I still felt that fear, which had only grown into a cautious respect for the rest of the horrors this island had allowed. Unknowingly I guess my silence had made the soldiers notice my staring contest with the jungle, they shifted uneasily as Rogers spoke to me.

Cautious and rather nervous in general.

"Are you alright Mister Anderson? Something coming our way?"

My mind broke out of my day dreaming before giving him a glance, my mood immediately didn't shift but I had the grace to answer. "Something is always going to come this way, I'm just thinking is all. And don't call me by my last name, Luke is just fine. Lieutenant." I shifted uneasily while moving around the edge of the clearing, trying to keep a vigil since I knew in the back of my mind a distinct possibility. The Ceratosaurs weren't that far off to get a whiff off so many humans within a clearing, to them it could signal an aggressive hunt or an opportunity. Every Carnivore on this island had that instinct buried within their bodies, hell I witnessed the raptors do such things on multiple occasions while living with them. It just didn't sit well with me, to really stay in this area for too long and the amount of fire power still didn't make me feel at ease at all.

Bullets could only stop so many things...

And a rampaging carnivores that could kill an animal larger than a bus, bullets wouldn't kill it or even deter it.

It'd just get pissed off and eventually kill whoever shot at it, which made my mind flash into territories best left forgotten.

"Aren't you a bit paranoid much?" Ramirez asked good naturally as I gave him the best equivalent of a glare. Being second guessed out here didn't settle too well with me, I had no room to make mistakes when it came to lives endangered. "I'll tell you what, when you start screaming when an animal like the Spinosaurus rushes towards us. You can stand still and as it crushes you within its jaws, I'll give you an answer. Which is my signal to get the hell away, because you weren't competent enough to keep an eye on your surroundings. Everything out here will kill you, if given the chance."

The other three soldiers gave one of their youngest separate glares ranging from stupidity to even disappointment. Apparently they needed me to be willing, or at the least content to talk with them. If they were so concerned for my well being, why didn't they try to understand the risks of even coming out here to find me. Offering them a well maintained smile that I really wanted to break, I still added on a few more pieces of information to the soldier.

"I may sound like I'm paranoid, but its saved me and others plenty of times. I'm stating a fact on this island, you let your guard down and something will take you down. Painfully and without mercy, trust me it's not a pleasant thing to run from a twenty meter long animal intent on consuming you." Ramirez shut his mouth with audible click, as if realizing something and the way his commanding officer looked at him, it probably was for the better to stop speaking. I just ignored whatever drama that was there as my priorities was keeping an eye out for anything willing to step foot int the clearing.

I distantly heard the rumble of an engine.

So inhaling lightly that was the first sign of good news I'd had been asking for a while.

Apparently my warnings must have gotten them spooked, each of them in their various ways felt the need to find their firearms a bit more friendlier. Sighing out loud, a hand went through my hair because my big mouth became a pessimistic reality to those who didn't understand this island's order. Well, habitat and its inhabitants that acted in certain ways.

"I'm just doing my job, it may not sound nice but its the best to keep you alive. The last thing you want is to have a bite wound that covers your entire limb and then get infected. Still relax, nothing has noticed you guys at all so your doing your jobs right."

Honestly this felt really awkward trying to comfort people who were intentionally on the island searching for me. I just felt the need to at least question myself, did I have the means to become a sane person again? Maybe? But in the back of my mind, in this job you had to be insane on some level to really get a decent understanding of what the fuck could happen. Hell I bet I was insane, right now and my own inner thoughts deciding upon this could be the means to my end.

I smirked.

What a way to live and for all that shit to follow in its footsteps.

"No need to explain, some of us have been in combat before. You sound like a few older soldiers I served with." The lieutenant spoke near me, I think I noticed the sniper fellow nod with my words. He wasn't offended nor even remotely annoyed to be told of the dangers. He either accepted them, or just took my word for it. I could respect that, we all do our jobs and we all can breathe to see another morning which I planned on. Obviously ever since that fucked up night I made it a vow to see the sun at least every day in the morning. I could have spoke up more but something got my attention, I turned around to hear the sound of an engine.

I smiled a bit too happily.

Guess Isabella could drive well enough in this damned jungle.

"Guess our ride is here, so get your gear together boys."

Walking over towards the tree line, the SUV came out of the brush with Isabella in the drivers seat. I noticed the other occupied by another soldier. It was another woman along with two more in the back as the Lieutenant had stated earlier that he had more of his team out here. Sighing lightly, now this just got my job funnier by the minute and I had to wonder: was the pay worth it?

I seriously contemplated by bitching to my boss for a pay raise, I certainly had to wonder did all dangerous defying jobs have some sort of insane parameters to justify screaming your soul out? Perhaps for sure but at the moment I had to get all of this towards my camp, or home for that matter in order to sort this mess out. So moving towards the running SUV I happened to notice Isabella's expression when her 'passenger' said something that I didn't pick up on.

She distinctly pointed her finger at the other woman, clearly annoyed or angry for that matter much to my utter confusion. Apart of me screamed at my brain to dare not question what I witnessed while another half just wanted answers. So I settled for moving around the SUV itself, bypassing my girlfriend or co-worker in the driver seat in order to throw my pack in the trunk.

Leaving the trunk open as I called over to the Lieutenant who followed my actions. Waving him forward, "Alright get as many as your people into this trunk. The more they fit in here the faster we can get out of here, we have room for one more in the middle seats if your not worried about getting close. I'll ride shotgun." He nodded clearly not uncomfortable, "No problem, we've fit ten people inside a Humevee back in the states, this is not so bad. Least we got an air conditioner that works."

I moved to the driver window knocking on it for good measure as I witnessed Isabella having a semi annoyed face. Her jaw twitched as well as her eyes were staring ahead as if trying to burn the entire jungle down with it. I must have pissed her off, or something along the lines as I leaned against the door waiting patiently. Over time I'd developed a small barrier to allow her to vent her frustrations for anything so that I could calm her down and it similarly reminded me of Jean when she tried to attack her during that first meeting.

Birds flapped across the clearing as the soldiers started to pile into the SUV, the vehicle bouncing from the added weight.

I felt something over my shoulder as the window rolled down with cold air hitting the side of my face. Couldn't have said it made me feel bad, the cold really made me sigh in relief once we reached back towards the Fleet-Wood trailer.

"You alright?"

The two words made her scoff, "Not in the slightest. Soldiers, Luke! Soldiers from the United States showing up literally like ghosts and asking for you specifically! Not only that, no word from Lex or John about this warning, plus the dead youngster recently and the best part is..." She looked at me as I watched her calmly though I started laughing when her next sentence revealed something rather awkward for me. At least it wasn't too bad yet.

"You have fans."

I just laughed out loud,

It was official, this was getting funny.

Until she nudged her to gesture to the soldier in the passenger seat, the female one.

And there goes the funny part of me! Fuck this job!

"I told you I didn't like those videos, making a documentary is one thing but doing whatever you called 'blogging' is just stupid. I don't like attention Bells, you should know that you made this: so deal with it." My answers weren't stern nor reprimanding, it was just stating the facts. I didn't the videos, she did and she wanted to express more about us working with the animals. I absolutely didn't like people watching me, to criticize me was one thing but to be idolized, well fuck that. My job was simple and I liked it to be simple until I died.

End of story, bye-bye and see you later.

As much as I wanted to hate this situation, it was just another part of the job I particularly hated in the absolute top ten of my hated things list ever since taking this fucked up profession.

"Trouble in paradise?"

A question that was said so innocently as it made my own teeth rot from the sweetness of the owner of that voice. Ignoring the urge to 'snap a remark' I happened to look down to see the soldier, the woman smile at me as if meeting someone in a sort of 'dream come true' fashion. There wasn't anything more I could describe the look of this person's face, but being the friendlier person I decided to ask her name. Might as well get used to this fact, I had female fans and male fans, together on this fucking island and the universe just laughed at my expense. "I feel like a celebrity who literally does nothing but get praises from anything I do."

"I'm Luke Anderson. And you are?" I questioned casually, trying to ignore Isabella mutter 'bitch' under her breath.

The woman beamed as she stretched herself in her gear to shake my hand, I did so without pause while trying to figure out the next course of action once we all got back to the Fleet-Wood.

"Second Lieutenant Maria Williams. I got to say, you look more handsome in person."

Oh just great and she flirts immediately.

"Uh, thank you..."

I looked away after realizing this was going to be a problem in the sense that if she got pushy with me I'd relatively with nothing less than feeding her to Jean. I swear, if this woman tried anything with me I was going to have her meet Jean underneath a tree and I'd just smile the whole time from whatever followed. Maybe this island would be something more than my 'home', it'd be a great flirt-repellent in the sense to stop pushy people. Having their bodies ripped apart, having them scream for their lives and I had to enjoy the sight because: I warned them.

Or maybe I was scared.

Scared to have woman chasing me?

Ugh, my fucking head just hurt trying to process that annoying pipe dream.

"We'll we got everyone loaded in Luke, I can have one of the guys in the middle fit in the back. I'll sit in the middle seats with Williams and Wells." Rogers came back to me as I gave a silent 'thank you' to not speak to the second lieutenant who was already transitioning into the middle with the Sniper Sergeant. Absently he tried to get in on my side, I caught his rifle as he had a hard time trying to fit into the seat. Waiting for a several minutes I just relaxed.

"Well, that's a good thing. Just pile in and we'll get moving. Oh let me get that for you."

I grabbed the sniper rifle itself before the man got in.

"Here you go, don't rush. We'll going to same place." The Sniper just nodded thankful as he retrieved his rifle to put it between his legs barrel upwards. I may have had them put their weapons on safe, but I think they had the common sense to do it without my asking them too. And so I stood up while shutting the door to the side as I followed Rogers to the opposite side where both doors were open. He got in as I shut the door after him, not too loudly while I took a moment to scan the environment. Just being sure, I had that urge to be wary of whatever was out there. A good half a dozen humans within a confined tin can was like a 'buffet' waiting to happen if something big enough got the opportunity to do it.

Inhaling sharply my eyes wandered for a moment as the SUV started up.

Perhaps I was just being paranoid, with too many people around again.

Sighing I just closed the door before looking over to Isabella, "Alright lets hit the trail and head back. Please avoid the rocks this time."

I got a whack on the shoulder from her as a result, I just chuckled while leaning back in the seat to get myself comfortable.

It was going to be a long day once we got back.

And I didn't realize, that this time...

I'd be in for a real shock.

End Chapter One

Author's Note: Okay that's in the books. I really took my time with most of this chapter, trying to get a variety of people mixing with the two local Rangers. Granted I used my experiences of various others in my stint in the Army, to compensate first hand how some soldiers acted. It's not meant to be accurate but believable, I honestly have my own quirks in crowds now and frankly, I'm uncomfortable with so many people. So in essence Luke's paranoia is probably my own extension into places since I rarely like too many people within one place. Just call it anxiety if paranoia doesn't make much sense.

Before anyone comments about the obvious soldier branch, I wanted the amount to be an indicator as to how bad Military needs him. Not just for knowledge but practical use, so sending Delta Force or Seals is rather excessive in the sense that they need those type of soldiers to ask a civilian, a highly valued one at that for help. So I had to flip flop with either Marines or just reflect on what branches could be used to do such a mission on short notice.

I went with U.S Rangers to which is a bit of an irony here: Rangers looking for Rangers.

I found it amusing and somewhat plausible, U.S Army Rangers are pretty good and I can vouch I had several acquaintances test into that school and see them both succeed and fail. Its no joke, but at the same time its a very good thing for a soldier to prove. But I'm rambling about my experiences so I'll get back to some other details.

I'm bad at promoting and introducing so many characters, I find it much more endearing and investing my ability to make one or two main characters to develop. Its hard to keep things interesting without trying to make a 'by-the-numbers' formula of whose the dickhead, the ally, the enemy or even the comedy relief. I'm bad at that granted but I'll try to make all characters I introduce interesting down the line, its a work in progress for me.

So, enough of the human aspect.

Did I oversell Luke's encounter with the Dinosaurs?

Did the animals seem alright in the pretext of how they'd do in a natural habitat like I just wrote?

I need some feedback about everything, to get me better at what I try to do. And how I can find mistakes once others point them out or even ask me about it in reviews. Please, review and explain in detail why this story is great or about the characters etc.

Have a good one folks!

Until Next Chapter!