The Ranger of Isla Sorna II

Chapter Three

"Excuse me, but what in the hell is a Deinonychus?"

Tom asked me directly while screwing up the name of the animal that got me petrified. Ignoring the word problems, as I stood there frozen looking at the video clip of the animal sprinting across the screen. I could see the differences now, that more bulkier body meant to brutally force down a prey item to the ground as the killing claw did its job to end the struggling victims life. I could only shudder as the namesake of the animal came forward into my mind, it wasn't a pleasant thought. If I could recall the information right, I did have the means in order to spell it out to the soldier who just asked me that questions itself.

Not to mention, I had first hand experience on being on the receiving end of that fucking claw.

"Deinonychus. It means 'Terrible-Claw' which basically is just the more muscled version of the Velociraptors that are well known here. Better yet Tom, I want you to just image an animal that is slightly taller than you or me, plus tack on a length of about three meters give or take and have the ability to to solve problems. Just imagine an animal that, it can learn and apply solutions on a hunt for its prey." I spoke this low and quite thoroughly as I could have done on a good day. I felt the need to be afraid more so about the fact that this was a cousin of the Velociraptor yet it had its own horrors to be unleashed in a more physical sense that it was more built up than its leaner cousins. Damn it all, my hands brushed against the side of my thigh in a pitiful attempt to ward off the phantom pains of a laceration that nearly got me to bleed out in this very clearing.

About six or maybe so, months ago which was still fresh on my mind.

"Wait, you're saying that this is a creature that is like these Raptors you've been warning us about?" Tom didn't really understand at first, so at least I tried to to explain the meaning of this Theropods namesake. The 'terrible-claw' wasn't a gimmick, I meant this fucking thing had a larger killer claw more so than the raptors I was familiarized with in my time here. To be fair the creatures were similar but well adapted to different environments meant for life to grow more bountiful. Both species were big, they were mean and they were smart enough to take on things much, much larger than their own sizes. My mouth tried to form words but I had to steady myself as nightmares came back to my mind in a quick manner.

I inhaled deeply while exhaling a few seconds later to start a small rhythm to calm myself down.

"Yes and no. Yes in the same general sense of them being smart, but no in that these things are meant to be up-front killers. Deinonychus from what I've read on about, which I can show you. Hell in fact there's a book up front in the drivers compartment, it's on the shelves with the books and you can't miss this creature in one of the chapters. So get someone up there to find it." I motioned to the other woman had been listening the entire time as Tom looked to the lower grade second-lieutenant who nodded immediately as her face had been paling since she had listened in. I just ignored her mainly for the fact that eventually everyone on this trailer was going to know about it. No use in keeping secrets that were easily overhead, as varying degrees of shock were on each humans face.

Not that I didn't blame them.

"What's got me more scared is that I've nearly gotten killed by one of these things in this compound when it was being raised in a tank. I didn't know what the hell I was dealing with, hell I barely got out that occasion with my life due to the Raptor pack taking it down with their sheer numbers. One on One, I'd say a Deinonychus would take out a Velociraptor due to their bulk in muscle." I realized I was explaining some of my long suppressed nightmares that plagued me! The tone certainly fit the bill as Isabella looked at my sweating face. I could see her concern for me when she took my hand to gently placate my rising anxiety which had made breathing a bit more harder than necessary.

"You're serious." The soldier said completely realizing how terrified I was now.

I looked at him with the most sarcastic smile in the world. "No, I'm joking around just for a good old fucking time. Really are you laughing because I'm certainly about too and guess what? You want to know what the kicker for me is? I'll spell it out for you: you have these things on the mainland somehow! Plus I want you to tell me something Lieutenant. Something clearly that I need an answer for like now" My eyes hardened to make the man realize how close I was too flat out being furious. A fury that masked the terror deep within myself for that matter.

Isabella had my hand griped firmly despite an urge to crush it, I inhaled deeply enough to ask the soldier in front of me in why he wanted to come here. Was it just for my help that something beyond their expertise or did their incompetence get someone killed after hiding these facts? I felt so angry that I couldn't react other than to smile almost happily. I finally understood why people were stupid, they simply didn't understand their consequences for doing an idiot thing to the world as they knew it! People would always be stupid, they'd be ignorant and they'd never understand what happens when they knocked themselves off the food chain.

I said this deliberately slowly, "Why in the fucking deepest parts of hell should I help anyone with that problem? It's out of my hands legally and I have a hunch that whoever put those things there, now granted I'm not Einstein when it comes to complex problems, but its fucking clear someone put those animals in that place intentionally!"

I already noticed how uneasy the Lieutenant really was as the seconds ticked on by. Oh I could see the sweat running down his face as a result and I even noted the other soldiers were less than happy to actually be put on the spot, but I had a legitimate question. Just why in the living hell should I ever go to the mainland to assist in hunting down animals clearly not my problem to begin with, I certainly knew that line of doing my job and saving people. What they were going to ask of me was getting my ass into the fire that was the dangerous reality, these animals were nothing less of immediate danger to human lives.

So did that give them the reason to sucker me into this crap?

I mentally snorted as I considered it all, "Hell no. It's their problem and they have all the resources in the world to deal with it, I just do my job entitled to this island and that's it. Sue me otherwise."

Standing there with my arms crossed since I pulled my hand away from my girlfriends, I really wanted them to answer. I begged them silently to at least tell me why, or how the living hell it was my problem to deal with in the first place? I seriously didn't want anything remotely close to myself to leave this island to hunt down, or trap and track dinosaurs clearly not in my job description. As far as I was concerned Isla Sorna was my work place, my home and utterly my own living hell to deal with on my terms when it came down to the fine print.

So I stood there waiting impatiently while giving my best glare I could muster.

And I was confident enough to make anyone staring at me flinch.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, my boy." John Hammond spoke up clearly to get my attention as I looked down to the monitor.

He was staring at me either in pity or sadness, I couldn't tell which due to the fact I wasn't an expert on human emotions despite being human myself. I hardly felt normal due to my experiences out here, no one remained the same once surviving in a hell that had been decimated for millions of years. It was like asking a man to go to the moon and come back! They weren't the same nor were they were ever arrogant to consider breathing as a trivial thing. Tracking animals was one thing but hunting them down was like taking a stroll down a road with a knife to kill a bear.

"Enlighten me here John, please by all means try to convince me why I should leave? Why I should give a damn about the outside world with something out of my hands! Something that's not my fucking job!" I swore vulgarly at the man who looked at me with a tired expression, a sad one for my role in this new revelation of events.

The old man would have explained but a 'ping' appeared next to the conversation on the screen. Isabella immediately accepted it to reveal a face I hadn't seen in quite some time. Alexis Murphy also known as my boss had finally graced this surprise party and I wasn't happy in the slightest. As far as I was concerned whatever was happening in that part of world, she really had a hand to get my own sorry sack of flesh involved and damn it all, I hated every thought. Plus I felt my body crush any urge to remain civil.

My knuckles cracked angrily when she spoke up on the side of her grandfather who smiled yet again sadly, "I apologize for being late to this call, but I had to iron out some details that required my attention. Luke I have to say sorry, specifically to you, it's a difficult time and all I can hope for is for you to accept what's going on. I can already see that the military escort has arrived, so I can't say this won't be sorted quickly either."

If I wasn't thrilled beforehand, well color me impressed now, because I was furious!

"I'm going to ask you the same thing I told your grandfather: why should I leave this island to help with crap on the mainland? It's not my problem nor my job to go hunting down animals clearly not apart of Jurassic Park, Lex." I hissed out a majority of those words and it certainly got the point across.

It took a lot of patience on my part to not suddenly start yelling or screaming at the young woman, her expression said it all to grate my sense of faith in people I called friends. I came so close to walking out on these people to just sit in the jungle for the next night or two, I really wanted to leave so bad and it'd take a miracle for me to hear what I needed to be heard. Inhaling sharply through my nose I kept my posture stiff and very tense as my fingers cracked the knuckles on them consistently, although I felt my heart rate pick up as the Chairwoman of In-Gen started to explain.

And right off the damned bat, I knew it wasn't going to be what I wanted to hear.

"You don't have a choice, ranger, so you can accept my explanation now or you can go find another career. It's out of my hands Luke, so don't push it."

Oh, so she wanted to play that game.

The game in who was the apex predator?

I gave her the credit and the balls to threaten my job, I heard that clearly right? I had to almost flip to the point where I'd physically deck her in the jaw for being so callous towards me, she had no idea in what kind of hell I had to contend with here on a daily basis. Plus add in the whole there wasn't a choice to live or die aspect of this island, Lex truly knew how to piss me off without evening trying.

I grinned, if Lex wanted to play hardball, oh well I'd give her a run for her money. I wasn't in the mood to be fucked around with regardless of who was dying on the mainland, I wasn't a saint but I wasn't the devil in any case. I just wanted answers, so I spoke quite sarcastically. "You better get a memo boss, I always push it because things push back out here. You want to fire me, by all means I want you try because I'm calling bull shit, you find someone crazy enough to work here without dying in a week."

My response made a general mood shift from uneasy into aggression, John looked a bit concerned to see his grand daughter nearly glare at me potently I'd peg it to be hatred. Although I merely smirked right back at her, I wasn't afraid of her and comparing this danger to the stuff on this island over the months, it'd barely fazed me in the least. Contending with the Spinosaurus, the raptors and all the other living dangers walking on two feet certainly made a human contact less of a priority, I wanted my answers and I'd be all the more willing to be the asshole to get them.

"Luke..."

Isabella said off the side clearly worried, I ignored her to keep my eyes focused on the threat that had to be put down. I knew in my mind I'd be playing the line in where I could getaway with things, job aside, I wasn't going to get strung up like the last time involving these women. I had enough of that crap, I had enough of being jerked around without the common courteously to call it that and for once, I knew in my body that I'd not relent in my stance.

People died on this island because I'd been too soft, too caring and way too human.

"As I said, this is out of my hands officially now and you don't have a choice. The federal government here in the United States legally bought out your contract for the duration of this mission. I can't go into details due to company policy, but the pro's of them acquiring your rights is enough for me to allow it. They're desperate for help..." I snorted loudly at that load of crap.

I couldn't even run it past myself, so the government was being desperate in tracking down animals? I honestly didn't believe she could pull that one over me, I mean who the hell was going to believe that load of crap? Soldiers were here armed to the teeth looking for me, so why not spend that amount of resources to hunt down dinosaurs? I was so certainly that it sounded so odd to me that I had to take a moment to smirk.

So I called out that little known humane concept called sanity, "Desperate? I think they're more like insane! Since when am I clearly the best person when it comes down to working with others Lex? But I have a better question to ask, why don't they use oh I don't know, soldiers? The ones sitting not even ten meters off to my right?"

My hand gestured to the people off screen watching with varying expressions of uneasiness and interest, I guess they thought of me being a wonderful person. I mean I was the celebrity for In-Gen, so naturally they'd assume I'd be the people person of the world, right? Well fuck them, I wasn't in the mood to play nice and for a good reason, I was being sold off like an indentured servant for the sake of convenience! Honestly if any person had a natural feeling to course up into their minds, I'd say it boiled down to the simple yet truth fact in this situation.

I had the damned right to be furious!

"They spared no expense, Luke."

John immediately chuckled at how his quote was used, I almost cracked a laugh at how absurd it seemed in this conversation. Hell I let a smile worm it's way onto my face, Lex replied in kind even though she said that infamous sentence. Well, I gave her credit again, this time in making me want to hear the real reasons without laughing to ward off the suppressed rage. There was no love lost, it just got misplaced due to the circumstances.

"Doesn't help your case, so glad to know they paid a lot of me, but tell me why. Why am I qualified? Why have me do this when I clearly do not want to leave the island? Boss." I had calmed down to a point where the anger had been replaced with a colder truth, I wanted answers and I needed them now. If there was ever a point in my life where I had to do something so incredibly asinine, I'd hate to say it but this conversation certainly hit that mark to the point of no return. I leaned back to await the answers that would be coming from an old friend and employer in a mixed package.

"As much as you want to think I sold you off to the highest bidder without a just cause Luke, I did it because you're the only person in the world who can effectively deal with these animals. No one on the planet comes close to what you've done, the government was adamant in having you personally to coordinate with a team to deal with these problems. And honestly, who else would you have do this if not you?" Lex explained gently in a clear manner to get my attention, I gave it all I had before closing my eyes to exhale sharply. It made sense really even though I had no say in the matter, who else in the world knew how to assume what any dinosaur behavior would be in the present day and age. Also Lex herself didn't do this out of spite, or grievances to my personal belief so it lead to believe in a realistic assumption in what was offered.

A very good deal that was impossible to pass up on.

And I had a hunch that In-Gen was going to be really set for the next couple of years. I mean I had to think the sheer weight and bargaining options for my, services, which I used quotations mentally to imagine what had been offered in exchange. It didn't settle well with me at all to be the literal center piece in some operation that I had say in for a Ranger in my position within Isla Sorna. Site B was an area condoned off from the world itself, I was the first and only person to enforce such a ruling if things ever came to a crossroads in the upcoming future.

"I'm not a one man army Lex, hell I doubt I could even deal with those animals right now. In case you haven't noticed, I almost ran out of luck recently and I don't think I can even imagine if I press it further." I said this quietly as Isabella winced at the mention of my physical health, I almost died and nothing on Earth could state otherwise. I really wanted to shed tears for what was being asked of me, I wanted a normalcy in my job and my life with these animals on this island. It wasn't much to be asking for yet the world, the world itself was in trouble because of something that wasn't meant to exist was hunting within its territory.

Lex offered a small smile, "Do you think about how I feel? Am I in any other situation Luke? Even though I love my grandfather, but when your taking over In-Gen as it's Chairwoman, its nothing short of luck on my part. We're in rough shape out here and Jurassic Park is a cash crop that many want us to share with the World. Please I don't want another situation that my brother and I went through on Isla Nubar, Luke. I don't want anyone to go through things you or I did again."

I noticed John having a pain smiled on his face when Alexis spoke about the truth of In-Gen, it was a failing power and soon it'd be on the verge of extinction itself. I was ignorant of the corporate structures in civilization, so I never cared for it and always loved to be hands on based on my experiences in Jurassic Park as a whole.

"If I recall didn't you and Tim practically beg John to go to the Park?" I recalled that memory to be amusing when I met them years ago, the old man in question replied good naturally. He beat Lex to the punch who looked away somewhat childishly, "Tim was the one who was begging me, Alexis thought it'd be like their wasting time when they were younger. She changed her tune when I offered to take them over school break to get her out of the house, I believe her parents were relieved at that time." I smiled somewhat bitterly at the idea of a family, I had little experience sadly in that area of a human life. I glanced over to the window to see the darkened time frame, the rain storm would be coming soon and I'd have to consider my options carefully.

My fingers pinched the sides of my eyes, I wanted to avoid a tear being shed for what I'd be getting myself into. I honestly wasn't enjoying this at all, "I really don't like this, Lex. Truly I think you got the wrong man, really the wrong guy, for what you're asking, I don't like people too much and I really do not like going back to a place where I'd feel more of a stranger." This came directly from the back of my mind, I had no idea to react to a location like a city, or anything for that matter. It'd had been a long time since I had adjusted back to a regular life that most people took for granted, I didn't like this one bit and it essentially pissed me off to be forced back onto it.

"Luke I'd be lying in saying I understood why. But if my grandfather can have the hope and trust in a thirteen year old teenager as Ranger for a Park. A Park that was filled with extinct animals then I have to trust in you, just because you haven't failed anyone, not ever. You are the right person for this because there would be no else I'd trust to do this and you won't be alone." The chairwoman informed me warmly when she gestured to my girlfriend sitting next to me. Isabella squeezed my hand tightly to know she backed up what our boss said, I knew it was her silent attempt to reassure me it'd be fine.

But I knew wishful thinking was worse off not being thought about.

"I need time to think." I said this quietly before moving away, I felt every single pair of eyes on my body when I moved. I needed time away from people to think about what was going to happen to me now, I had to sort these hidden horrors in a place away from this place. My request made Lex speak up from the monitor, "Luke! Please I know you're nervous, but don't make this any harder on yourself then it has too be! I really am sorry, but I..."

I cut her off with a sharp response, "I'm aware. But right now, I have to go talk to someone whose going to listen to me regardless of what's being offered behind my back. So for the record, I'm just going for a long walk and I have time to kill since we have a storm brewing here." Isabella looked at me in a conflicted manner, I knew she wanted to follow me but she knew otherwise on the inside. She would capitulate to let me get my space. I had to think about a lot of things and I'd be continuously questioning the fact if my sanity had finally reached its point of return officially. Perhaps I was already crazy, I was actually considering my options without flipping out but I knew it was a thin delay to prevent my inevitable explosion.

If I didn't get out of this trailer than I'd eventually flip my peace, I didn't want details for whatever the hell was going on the mainland currently. I needed to be alone with someone who'd always listen to me. I had to get away for a time, I had too and I knew where exactly to go. I had to go to a person was someone who certainly knew how to get under my skin. An irony since I had gotten under hers on more then one occasion and she in turn had nearly killed me via accidental, or not.

Idly I got my weapon off the rack and moved past the various soldiers who were looking at me with gazes akin to caution. They saw how angry, how pissed off I was getting and they knew, they were the cause of it all. So I had to give them credit when I put on my jacket to prepare for a wet night out in the jungles, a night I was way more accustomed too than I'd ever admit to anyone. Grinning lightly I shouldered my bag while checking my laces on my boots, I wanted them tight so I'd not risk anything slipping off.

Chomper lightly nibbled on my pant leg as I gave a small smile, "I know buddy, I know. You're coming with your dad no matter what." Slinging the rifle over my shoulder I brought my arms around the hatchling and lifted him with a small grunt, the smaller tyrannosaur growled playfully trying to lightly bite at my chin. I knew he was excited in going out for a patrol, I had done small areas but going to the raptors nests were going to be a new distance. Then again I knew that with a storm, I'd wager most of the animals inhabiting the jungles were going to be hunkered down and many of them would avoid getting wet for the most part.

"Luke..."

My ears caught my girlfriend's voice as I turned around, "What?" I questioned her curiously to see her glance down somewhat embarrassed. It looked somewhat awkward to see her acting like this but she definitely shocked me in the next moment. I had Chomper who was struggling playfully and gnarling on my forearm as if trying to get my attention, I almost surrendered to that urge. Well I would have except for a simple fact.

Isabella kissed me directly on the lips before whispering into my ear, "Please be safe. Take your time and think it over. For you, Jean, Chomper and me, okay?" I let a small smile loose before hugging her briefly. It nearly took all my will to say I was sorry, but I had the justification to be angry with a lot of people at this moment. At least she was apologizing in her own way and she understood why I was acting so hostile to these people. It was one of the traits that certainly appealed to me, Isabella had that understanding patience to take her time with me and I appreciated every second of it.

When my eyes caught hers, I stared with a gaze the reflected all of my experiences on this island.

I said to her very clearly, "I'll be fine. I promise." I had said this while cupping her face as I left to go outside the trailer.

My heart rate beating quickly at the intimacy that she displayed and I'd be an idiot to say it didn't feel thrilling. As much as it was the wrong time to consider what my body and feelings made of it, I inhaled deeply looking to the darkening skies for comfort. The cooling weather patterns made my little hatchling growl impatiently while in my arms, I smiled while rubbing the back of his neck to make him growl happily. His tail as a result hit me in my ribs, I almost wanted to swat him his head for that cheeky hit.

"Easy, easy Chomper. I'm getting the tarp so we don't become fish for the tonight. So hold your horses, you little bastard." I carefully let him to the ground as he growled impatiently to suddenly run around the area. He was going to mark his territory as it was and I wasn't going to stop him this time. Exhaling deeply I turned to pull open one of the side compartments that had a bundle of a wet tarp that could hold two to three people under a makeshift roof. It'd work for my needs tonight and I needed to stay dry for the time being anyways.

Easily I packed the bundle away into the bag and I kept it firmly in place, I avoided any part of it being caught in the zipper when I doubled checked. I could hear Chomper roaring in his tiny mouth around at anything that caught his fancy and he occasionally let out surprised squeaks. Smiling as I shook my head, I firmly whistled sharply to get his attention. "Come on Chomper. Get over here now!" I had everything squared away with my back over my shoulders, the rifle in my hands and I tipped my cap to lower the chances for droplets of water to hit me in the eyes. I was all set to go and I had to get my kid ready for a small hike over to the pack's territory.

Chomper came scampering out of the undergrowth with a small corpse of a lizard in his jaws, I just smiled before shaking my head. If he could catch small snacks like that then it'd be all the more easier for myself to feed him, "You get fast food?" I half asked the hatchling who was shredding the small prey item in his jaws and starting to consume it. I waited for a few minutes before walking into the forest with the Tyrannosaur at my heels. Pushing overgrown vines, branches and a few leaves out of my face I made my way towards the original spots that I called home for weeks in my time on this island.

The sound of thunder rumbled over head as I kept a vigil out over the terrain I was in currently.

"So bad things are happening on the main land, dinosaurs and man, together in the same environment outside of Isla Sorna. Son of a bitch, I don't know what to think about it. Just how is that possible and why is it even happening now?" I thought to myself as I side stepped a fallen pair of logs, I kept my footing even with Chomper exploring the surroundings. He kept close to me and I had him in eyesight consistently, I strayed back into my musings. I knew for a fact I'd be in for a rough night to know if I had to consider my options all the more easier.

"Great so I have to take on the terrible-claw? I already ran into one of those things when I was returning back to this place, so what gives? Didn't In-Gen have the embryos stored only on this island, or what gives? John hasn't had personnel sent to this island since Malcom's team years ago, but even then I..." My musings were cut off as I glanced over to the side. Birds were squawking in fear when I leveled my rifle into the direction that they were springing up from. Chomper had started growling behind my legs when I steadied myself to have the barrel trained at the source of the interruption.

My eyes narrowed when I heard something skitter directly over my shoulder, I briefly turned to see that I had another visitor around my camp. Chomper kept growling fiercely as his small size permitted when I shouldered my rifle, I knew the signs of the raptors being coy with my arrival. They had more then likely smelled me before I'd ever see them and it showed honestly. I wasn't looking for a confrontation and I kept my cool to ideally wait for one of them to show their faces.

I didn't wait long for a smile entered my face, "You're having fun with this aren't you, Jean?"

My voice said warmly as a raptor hissed directly behind me yet again. I turned to see the alpha female hum as her head popped up from the thick grass surrounding the trees. The raptor looked much more healthier and had a few new scars added to her muzzle, a small wound from a hunt that maybe had gone wrong when I was recovering. The predator growled loudly as several small yet bigger versions of raptor hatchlings came streaking out of the undergrowth to crowd at my shins.

Chomper roared at the smaller variant of his cousins and the small mosh pit of a roaring fest began as I sighed out loud.

"Oh knock that crap off." I muttered while gently stomping down to have the smaller juvenile raptors scampering back to their mothers legs. I shrugged helplessly while moving forward to have Jean growling softly in a nonthreatening manner, she had moved to where I managed to gently rub her scaly neck in order to appease any instinctive means to do me harm. I smiled warmly while dipping my forehead against her skull to tenderly get at the sweet spots that normally her limbs couldn't reach, Jean hummed deeply to have it vibrate my own skull due to the intensity.

She had missed me deeply enough to show the equivalent of what most would consider affection.

"You've been dealing with all these little ones Jean, I can share that grievance. Being a parent is stressful, right?" I joked warmly as I felt a tongue slip out to hit my face briefly. Over the months the raptor female had gotten closer per say to me and I didn't understand fully it meant. She'd visit the Fleetwood and I would just lay next to her for hours when our time together was fine. Sometimes I'd have a fire to ward off the insects, the drier heat made many of the raptors either huddle near the fire in the mornings or evenings for a warmer method to get their blood flows active. Usually at night they calmed down to rest for the most part and I never rushed them to head back to their nests.

For a minute I just stood there allowing Jean to rub her face flat against my chest, I guess she was trying to return affection or at least is what I assumed. I still didn't have a solid idea as to what these animals used for affection, relief or even friendly expressions in their body languages. It was strictly me assuming what they felt and it never technically was accurate, I mean I had dealt with them at times but I didn't feel that confident. Confident in knowing where I stood with the raptors even with all my time amongst them and that alone scared me secretly. So secretly I feared one day I'd over step my boundaries with these animals and it'd cost me my life.

Jean lightly nipped my arm when I stopped rubbing her neck, I nearly fell over when her weight shifted to get my attention. I felt slightly intrigued to know I had been playfully warned, I understood the severity of a bite first hand. "I know, I know. You hate it when I don't do the full job, right? Seems like you think I'm teasing you." I whispered amused to the raptor as she parted her jaws when my touch made her more docile then usual. She remained nearly immobile with her hind leg clawing at the dirt briefly and I managed this despite the pain flaring up in my ribs for supporting the heavier animal.

It was worth the experience in living with a cooperative environment with someone like Jean.

"You ever have a day that goes from normal to completely bad, Jean? If you have then I got a story for you to hear." I murmured softly to have the raptor lightly hiss as my hands went over her scalp. I kept my hands movements even, precise and firm from under her jawline down her neck to get at angles that her talons couldn't naturally reach. As much as I'd say anyone else in this position would be dead, I had that luck and that chance to see another side of animals that were natural killers. Hunters much more deadly then anything in the modern world and I could have them become passive docile animals that enjoyed to be touched by a person.

Sadly, I knew I had to be a one in a million chance for this to happen and nothing ever would come close to what I had done in time on Isla Sorna. I knew it inside my heart even though my mind tried to rationalize a truth, I'd be the only man in history to literally get along with dinosaurs and they in turn would cooperate with myself as well. Honestly when I held this animal close to my beating heart, I didn't think anyone would ever get as close as I had done. It wasn't even planned, I hadn't ever in my life planned to be close to these raptors and even back when I was in Isla Nublar. My eyes watered briefly since it was my job to provide a barrier for people to witness these animals and I was failing horribly in doing that because of my selfish desires to not return to that aspect of my job as a Ranger of Jurassic Park.

I was a shield, a weapon and an honest man doing a job that required my life to save others if necessary.

"It's your job to protect people from these animals boy. As much as some are completely docile to humans, the carnivores will see them as a meal and it's no different from lions, tigers, or wolves. We have a place on the food chain naturally and you have to be above it all." I hadn't heard the voice of my mentor Robert Muldoon in so many years. But for his voice to suddenly appear in my mind out of the blue, I just lost it completely.

Everything in my body went numb.

My knees went slack suddenly as I fell to the earth in a tumble of limbs, Jean suddenly called out for help and immediately snapped in shock. I just laid there completely sullen when my heart hurt because of what I was considering and it consumed my sense of will. Tears were leaking down from the corner of my eyes as various animals, Jean, Chomper and the juvenile raptors were all nibbling at me in some sense to get responsive. I started to cry because I was forcing myself to remember the terrible things that were apart of this job, I had to face that terror of knowing I'd die because of what was responsible for my life to others.

But the pain from months ago...

That primal fear of being devoured shook me to the core, I couldn't face that horror again without realizing that my life wasn't special. I was expendable as a man, I was expendable to be an asset and I wasn't super human to take on the world. I hated it, I hated being this helpless and being this defeated because I had to do the right thing to go help this world. As much as it hated me, the world gave me a shit hand because on what I had done in my early years and now it wanted to take another pound of flesh off my body. It hurt to know that people were dying because of animals akin to the raptors were taking innocent people, who lives that were not supposed to be caught in that prehistoric crossfire of modern and extinct worlds colliding together.

That was what Isla Sorna and Isla Nublar were in a nut shell and I was that small barrier of human control left to maintain that responsibility of balance.

My hand covered my eyes when I felt the warm liquid drip past to hit the ground, I felt Jean growling lowly before settling herself around me in a protective cover. Her head pushed itself onto my lap when in the jungle as I sat there completely breaking down. Chomper pulled at my forearm to get a response for me to say anything to him but I couldn't now. I just couldn't and I allowed myself to cry for the first time in months after suppressing it for so long. It came back with a vengeance as I sat there under the cooling jungle with thunder booming overhead, I barely could think straight now. I could only ask myself just what should I do now?

Why?

Why did I have to be that person who was needed for something clearly that I wanted no part in?

Everyone who knew me believed in myself to accomplish something clearly out of my league. I clearly had no experience in dealing with unknown animals, they'd be unpredictable as much as I had encountered the raptors years ago on the first island and what was it worth? People needed my help, they had faith in me to do this right all because I was a Ranger of Isla Sorna? Did that make me something beyond any normal person and why should I have to see that hope in their eyes? I saw it in John, Isabella, Lex and everyone person inside that damned Fleet wood for as far as my eyes could see. What made me so god damned special that the world wanted my help to solve a problem that would kill me more likely then not?

Why was I so god damned special for people to believe in me?

"This isn't fair! This isn't fair, I can't be that type of person. I never was and I never will be. So why the fuck am I the one who has to be a hero?" My voice cracked when I realized what this would do to me as a person. If I accepted this then the my reputation as a Ranger would sky rocket and John would be the first to say that many would see me in a new light. A light I never wanted nor did I ever wish to have, I wasn't superman, I wasn't a hero and I wasn't that good of a man to relate to people. I was something different altogether, I felt it into my stomach and my time as a person was destroyed ever since living in Jurassic Park for years.

Jean gave a low pitched trill of a growl, I nearly jumped at the first time hearing of such a sound. Finally it made me look down to the nuzzling raptor's skull pressed against my stomach. She was lying flat against the ground trying to get my attention as did the various juvenile dinosaurs trilling, or growling loudly. Chomper had wormed his way under my arm in parallel to the adult alpha female raptor's head who ignored the tyrannosaur youngster altogether. I blinked numbly to hear my heart rate race inside my ears, I felt blood rush through my veins and I exhaled deeply with tears leaking on top of Jean's head.

The raptor kept trying to make those low pitched sounds, one of her eyes flickered to my own and I pressed my palm to gently rub the small crests above her eyes themselves. I leaned down to hug the animal and I whispered in a tone of voice akin to heartbroken, "I don't want to leave Jean, I don't want to leave you, the pack and everything on this island. Does that sound crazy, or am I that much of a coward to hate my own decision to face my own kind?" The raptor would never understand in what I was saying, I did my own language and she had her own sort of methods. However I hoped deeply that emotions that could be felt were what the key was to understanding animals intelligent as herself and I'd never lose that hope if progress could be made.

Yet I cried like some pathetic child over an animal and an environment that wanted to kill me.

Was that insane of a man to think that such a place was his home? That he was afraid of losing it to go back to a land that was just as unknown and dangerous such as this Lost World? Could I face that world again and be prepared to deal with people once again? I didn't want to leave this danger zone of an island because it was what I considered to be my home, my comfort zone and I'd never be able to let go in what made me survive as I was now! My eyes drifted to the clouds above in my crumbled state, I found no comfort of the blue skies or the warming sun, the storm above rumbled without caring at my vulnerable state.

And an epiphany hit me hard.

The world had never cared and it would never stop spinning regardless of what was done.

Absently my ears picked up the other calling of the raptors, their calls for help and what not were growing closer to my position. Jean reflexively returned the calls as the juveniles echoed the sentiment in their tiny vocal boxes, I had Chomper pressed tightly against me out of fear. I brought my remaining arm to scoop him to my chest were I held him firmly in a sea of warmth. I did what I could to have my heart steel itself for tomorrow, I had to say my goodbyes tonight and I was going to always cherish my time amongst these animals.

These animals were my friends, my enemies, my family, my love and my greatest nightmare to form the basis of my life.

It was a haven.

It was a hell.

And it was a home to me everyday.

"Son of a bitch. I'm really pathetic, aren't I Jean?" I said biting my lips to blink away the remaining tears as I heard the bushes and brush alike start to move rapidly. The rest of the pack started to emerge at varying intervals, their snapping jaws and concerned growling slowly overrode my senses. I remained perfectly still to have the feeling of the alpha female in my arms humming contently, the juveniles all around me chirping and hissing in correlation with the adults to form a consistent pattern. Chomper squirmed in my arms and I gave it my all to remember every detail, I would never forget these animals as the closest thing to an actual family who were my nightmare and haven all together in one messed up lost world.

Lightning cracked above me as the flash of light lit up the small clearing I had collapsed in and the eyes of the animals lit up due to the natural formation of light. Thunder doomed as the first droplets of rain hit the ground within seconds, the storm had arrived and I embraced every fiber of its conception to renew myself to what was needed. I had to brace myself to push onwards, to push through this madness of a world that wanted my help and I'd be damned to not enjoy the last day in my home. I'd return one day, I'd return and I'd never say I'd hate this place without a reason ever again.

I flicked my hat back to allow my hair to be hit by the falling rain water.

Inhaling deeply I looked up to feel the water cleansing my skin, I felt every pore, I felt every drop and I felt my heart ease itself down finally. Whispering to nothing but my own sense of morality as a person, I only had to say one thing. A simple thing but it'd do me enough credit to respond to this new challenge of tracking down animals to save lives. I had to do this now, or else the real horrors of imagining lives be taken without doing a single thing hit me hard. I inhaled deeply while feeling the wild of Isla Sorna practically wrap me in a field of understanding and unpredictably as a man who survived in this lost world for so many years.

"I guess it's time to go back to that other lost world. Good luck Luke, good luck because you're nothing without it."

I closed my eyes and allowed the rain to soak me for the time being.

In time I'd go to the raptor's nest and set up a small shelter.

But right now...

I wouldn't want to trade anything in being with Jean and the raptors for the last time, I was leaving Isla Sorna after so many years.

And I'd always remember this moment when I felt that fear in never returning home again.

End Chapter Three

Author's Note: I wrote this in one night due to my going to watch, 'Jurassic World' and I was blown away to the seventh level of hell. I had tears of manliness, nostalgic, redemption and utter bliss to see that movie perform on a level that blew away that Third Abomination of a sequel. The Lost World, the Oringial Jurassic Park were always the better of this new Saga of Movies on the way.

However in terms of what I believed, Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, The Lost World and Jurassic Park 3 are my official movies in terms of favoritism. I'd never replace Jurassic Park as the top movie but World did it's job of sending this franchise to the top of the Food-Chain once again. I applaud the director, the cast, the teams and I want you Readers to go spend money to watch it. It's an amazing two plus hours of a movie that made me feel a spectrum of emotions.

I felt humor, fear, horror, amusement, happiness and utter adrenaline rush into my veins.

And so it got me to write this chapter in exactly two and a half hours.

In short Jurassic World was everything I had hoped for and it took my breath away for sure.