Chapter 2:
"HIRO! SLOW DOWN!" Tadashi called as they made it off the boat after what felt like forever to the young man.
Hiro grinned and slowed down just enough for Tadashi to catch sight of him again before bolting off once more.
"Ugh… HIRO!" Tadashi jogged after him trying not to lose sight of him. "YOU SAID YOU'D BE GOOD!"
"I wanna see it already!"
Where does he get this energy from?
Hiro looked back not realizing where he was going until he slammed right into someone. He let out a surprised sound falling backwards when a set of arms caught him.
"Oof! Note to self, call more often and buy you a gummy bear coated ice cream cone."
Hiro looked up to see his cousin looking down at him a small grimace on his face. "Oh gosh Max I'm sorry! I wasn't-"
"Watching where you were going." Both Max and Tadashi deadpanned as Tadashi finally caught up panting hard.
"Oh great it's in stereo." Hiro rolled his eyes and couldn't help but laugh, as without even looking at one another and keeping total seriousness in their faces Tadashi and Max fist bumped.
"Darn right it is."
"What he said."
"Alright Max, Tadashi you've obviously got nerdy things to catch up on-Where are the meanest ones?" Hiro looked around bouncing in place but some disappointment that it wasn't what he was imagining. That while he knew in reality none of these animals were loose, he couldn't help but wish he could see a Megalodon fin poking ominously out of the sea, or catch a glimpse of a pterosaur flying overhead with majestic wings.
Max laughed a bit. "Hiro they won't be by the marina, that's not good for ANYONE. You do NOT want to hear all the goofy questions I get when I come out here from the boat captains."
"Like what?" Hiro asked curiosity in his eyes as he looked up at Max, Tadashi walking beside them keeping quiet for now just looking around.
"Like: "When are you going to make Nessie?" As in the Loch Ness Monster since old legends suggest it was a Plesiosaur. As if we need another thing to add to our food budget with that specific diet!"
Hiro frowned. "...You don't have one?"
Max ruffled his hair. "Maybe in a few years. We like to introduce our assets slowly so we have time for them to grow nice and strong… If they don't work out… Well they never even are confirmed for existing…"
"What do you mean never confirmed?" Tadashi raised an eyebrow. "Like you euthanize them if they're not pretty enough?"
Max scowled. "Don't even joke about that. We would NEVER. If we've put down an animal it was because it was the only thing that could be done at that point."
"Never had to put one down for aggression?"
"If one was mega aggressive they usually settle themselves out. Our Gallimimus herd was probably the roughest of the bunch since they're pack hunters. Now? I still wouldn't put my hand in one's mouth NOR my head-Hiro don't even THINK about it… But they're not violent towards people. We even offer a jeep tour that goes through their paddock. I went on it ALL the time when I was a little boy." Max explained a smile forming on his face as he thought back to his childhood. It was an odd one growing up around dinosaurs and now training them as his job but it was his life… He loved it that way.
"If you loved it as a kid how do you know it's still cool now?" Hiro quipped with a small smirk.
Max smirked back.
"Because no one said I never go on it anymore. But I get to ride an ATV now because I work here."
Hiro's jaw dropped.
"You have an ATV?"
"And a motorcycle for my personal needs."
Tadashi laughed at the envious look Hiro had cross his features. "Max careful he might try to steal it."
"Oh shut up you two!" Hiro huffed crossing his arms. "So how come you're not doing your job on your fancy ATV?"
"Because I wanted to be with my family for the rest of the day… My charges don't need me right now."
"You never told us just what kind of job you have Max… I mean I know you're into the med stuff like I am so… Do you mean patients?" Tadashi had a hopeful look. "Do they let you work on people this young?!"
"Ah-ah no. I can only do first aid but I can do more than most because of how much I studied - And had to practice on my charges. I'm a handler just like the rest of the H-Division."
"Then what division does Uncle Katashi do?"
"He's Asset Containment Unit or ACU. Basically he's armored up animal control." Max shrugged. "I'd explain more but I really shouldn't when we're walking around in public-Oh!" He went through the shoulder bag he had with him, pulling out two blue wrist bands. "Here, courtesy of Mother. VIP passes for the park."
Tadashi's eyes went wide. "Is… Is this really okay?"
"Please, your family." Max smiled taking Tadashi's wrist and hooking the band around it. "This'll let you do basically everything except get into the paddocks or get drunk on the park's dime. Money for the week is already loaded you just have to tap it against a scanner to pay for it."
"How cool is that?!" Hiro grinned slipping his own on.
"Very-Thanks Max. Seriously." Tadashi bowed his head a bit. "I don't know what to say."
"Don't thank me, thank my mom when you see her." He smiled warmly laying a hand on his shoulder. "Now… One last thing…"
Max fell quiet leaving the brothers confused as he lead them through a gate… A tall gate that read two words that elicited excitement from anyone who saw it.
"Hiro… Tadashi…"
Max turned to them a warm look in his eyes.
"Welcome… To Jurassic World."
ooooooooooooo
Cass sighed heavily as she boarded the elevator trying to memorize the names of the people she was trying to impress.
"Tony, Pepper, Rhodes, Tony, Pepper Rhodes, Tony, Pepper, Rhodes…" She murmured to herself checking her phone and texting her husband.
"About to present Yokai and Oni. So nervous."
"You'll be fine. You managed to raise a loving son AND kept this crazy guy around."
She smirked.
"Yeah, who would've thought me and Miyuki would've married brothers with the same last name."
That was the odd thing about the relationships of Cass and Katashi and Tomeo and Miyuki… They didn't intend to but they wound up falling in love with a set of siblings. It was strange but it was just how life worked for them.
"You know you love me. See you later, got an asset to deal with."
Cass frowned wondering which asset it was. She was about to text him back when the elevator stopped short.
She sighed and fixed her hair a bit before stepping off.
That would have to wait.
She had people to impress after all.
ooooooooooooo
He didn't like this.
Oh no. He did not like this.
Katashi sighed as he had to help haul the now unconscious Yokai out of her paddock. It had taken several different kind of anesthetics to knock out the powerful hybrid before they could finally remove the injured Indominus.
Now Yokai was back in her enclosure starting to awaken.
Her eerie looking eyes snapped open as they looked around. She let out a roar before clumsily getting to her feet and storming off into the brush that filled her enclosure.
However… There was the other problem.
Oni.
Katashi looked down seeing Abigail fret over the injuries her charge had. Tears were running down her face. It had taken almost an hour and it showed the effect to get Oni out. There was gouges, blood… So much blood it was coating Abigail's arms and uniform.
Our vets won't know one thing about this damned beast…..
But… Considering the behaviors…
I think I know someone who will.
He knew his wife would not be happy with him. He knew Max would not be happy about this.
He still pulled out his phone and called.
"Hey Dad, Hiro and Tadashi are here." Max's voice came through on the very second ring. "We're heading to the Ankylosaurus enclosure."
"Max, can you get to the coordinates I'm about to send you?"
"... What's wrong? Is it Akuma?" Max's voice grew worried as he thought of his raptors. Especially the smallest and seemingly frailest of the pack. If it was a fight she got into with her sisters he'd have to patch her up not for the first time either.
"No, no your girls are all fine and accounted for… It's… One of Abigail's charges… Your cousins can't come with you, tell them to go on and have fun that you'll meet them later. I need you here RIGHT now."
"I'm on my way."
ooo
Max hung up and turned to the confused Hiro and Tadashi.
"Is everything alright?" Tadashi asked concern in his eyes. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"No…" Max shook his head quickly and handed over the map he was looking at. "Here, my friends all work at the circled out locations. You can find them there and they'll let you do some behind the scenes stuff if you tell them I said so. Emphasize Raptor Boy sent you."
"Raptor boy…?" Hiro tilted his head.
"I'm sorry I have to go." Max ran off trying to focus.
Just what kind of situation was he getting into?
