Chapter 7:
Max was furious. Whoever had been part of Katashi Hamada's unit would be dead by morning.
He decided he would first drag them by their hair into the raptor paddock then ring the dinner bell. Then he would laugh and post the security footage to Youtube.
When he had a chance to breathe through his violent fantasies he sped out to where his father's bracelet had last let off it's signal.
Cass was with him right now. He had tried to convince her not to come with but she gave him a glare and told him point blank:
"You will be beyond grounded if you deny me this young man."
Even at 19 his mother still put the fear of God himself in him.
Max had figured out long ago when he was a toddler and learning about dinosaur behaviors that his mother was the alpha and his father was the beta.
Being an alpha of his own pack of raptors made him decide this was a wise reasoning from his two year old self way back in the day.
Even so they were quiet scanning the area before they could see someone hunched over a hand on a stun gun.
A stun gun that in Max's opinion would do nothing at all against the creature who had did this.
"Dad!"
"Katashi oh my god!"
Cass was off the ATV in seconds rushing to her husband's side. She nearly slipped in the mud and gore that covered the ground but she didn't care. She knelt down rolling her husband onto his back. "Katashi…? Katashi…?"
"Dad!?" Max joined her side looking him over.
Katashi was quiet before letting out a loud groan.
Cass buried her face in his hair sniffling. "Oh thank goodness you're alive…"
"K-Kazume…?" He looked at his wife before looking to his son. "Max…? Why are you two out here…?"
The beast was still loose. She may have left a trail of blood in her wake but he knew there was more trouble on the way. If she was still around...
"We have to move. RIGHT NOW!" Katashi moved to get up, only to cry out as his injuries were aggravated.
Max narrowed his eyes. "We're getting you to a hospital. That's what we're doing RIGHT NOW."
Katashi gave him a serious look. "Max…"
"Shut up." Cass murmured. "Just let us help you…."
"... Alright but if she comes back-"
Max took his fallen weapon clearing out a jammed bullet. "I'll get it."
Cass gave her husband and her son a look as she helped Katashi onto the back of the ATV carefully. "You both are going to be buried as idiots if that thing eats you. I am so angry right now I swear to gosh-"
"Kazume, please…"
"Shut. Up."
Max looked around narrowing his eyes. He couldn't see anything. Not a hint of movement in the trees. No sign at all that anything had been here…
Except for the remaining carnage. But that would be cleanup's job once this creature was taken care of.
I don't like how quiet it is here… If she's not here, she's getting closer to the guests… And if she's getting closer to the guests…
She's getting closer to Hiro and Tadashi…
"Mom? You know how to work that thing right?"
"Yes-No. I am not leaving you here."
"Can only fit two." He narrowed his eyes. "I'll be fine. I got my radio and my phone. If I have to… I'll just call for help."
Cass looked unsure until Katashi squeezed her arm. She sighed and gave a nod. "Be safe… I mean it Max."
Max turned back to them with a smirk.
"I know."
As soon as they were out of sight, Max narrowed his eyes before breaking into a run.
Hard to track animals on an ATV… But on foot…?
This is my playing field.
ooooooooooooooo
"Hiro don't mess with those controls-GAH!"
They had been trying to figure out the Gyrosphere control for five minutes… After spending nearly two hours in line.
Bracelets letting us have special privileges my foot.
And now Tadashi was hanging on for dear life while Hiro seemed to think accelerating the glorified hamster ball they were in was a great idea. "HIIIIRRROOOOOOO! SLOW IT DOWN!"
"No way! There's no dinosaurs in this spot! I wanna see 'em!"
I thought he said he was feeling sick! Tadashi groaned. "Please. I really don't want a repeat of the rest of the trip thus far!"
Hiro rolled his eyes but did as Tadashi asked the gyrosphere slowing as it made it's way through the fields.
They could see them now… Herds of different herbivores making their way around them. Hiro fell silent in awe as he leaned out of his seat trying to spot them all.
"Stegosaurus… Triceratops…"
Tadashi smiled watching his brother glad he was happy. Alright… Even if he's been a little twerp at times on this trip… That is pretty darn cute.
After awhile, they moved on trying to see what other herds they could spot. Unfortunately… Hiro grew bored quickly as it seemed most of them kept to where the other spheres were. It was just them in the valley currently.
"Hiro…? Maybe we should go back…"
"... But… We just got here… We waited TWO hours!"
Tadashi rolled his eyes. "Hiro you can't always get your way. What would Dad say if he heard THAT?"
"Tadashi…"
"No."
Hiro gave him a look. One Tadashi knew meant pure trouble.
Oh please no. Please no. He better not-
SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH!
Tadashi let out a less than manly scream as he held onto his seat as the sphere shot off.
"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"YAHOOO!"
Hiro glanced at how pale Tadashi had turned and decided now was probably a good time to cut the antics before he really got in trouble.
Unfortunately… He had no idea where to go.
"Um…" He looked around. This area wasn't one he recognized.
Was it even on the map…?
Tadashi glared at him saying nothing for a few minutes as he slowly tapped his fingers on the cupholder.
Hiro gulped.
"Uh… Tadashi…?"
"Hiro…."
Hiro swallowed hard as he looked around trying to figure out what to do. "Wait… They got a GPS on this thing right?"
Tadashi relaxed a bit nodding as he went to tap the touch screen. Only it was dark and remained that way.
Tap.
Tap.
TAP.
"... Oh you're kidding me. IT'S DEFECTIVE?!"
Hiro put his face in his hands. He knew he was in trouble now. Oh man I am SO doomed.
"Hiro! I said not to kid around and what'd ya do!? You did it anyway! Just like that time I said NOT to cheat at that stupid robot competition-"
"IT WAS NOT STUPID!" Hiro shot back.
Tadashi glared. "My point is… Look around! We're LOST! With our luck we'll be stuck here til the battery on this sucker runs out!"
"Um… Nii-san…? … Does this thing even have batteries…?"
"... I don't know but I REALLY am not in the mood to care right now…" Tadashi took off his hat running a hand through his hair. It didn't help that it was getting hot inside the sphere.
Alright calm down…. Calm Tadashi…. He closed his eyes taking a few deep breaths to try to relax himself before looking to Hiro seeing there was guilt in his eyes. "Hey… You screwed up but we'll get outta here… Okay?"
"I'm so sorry…"
"I know… C'mon…"
This time Hiro took his hand off the controls as Tadashi took the lead. The eldest glanced around before picking a direction.
They went through a more rugged terrain as Hiro grew more and more nervous.
"Big brother…? I don't think this is the way we want…"
Tadashi didn't answer him too focused on trying to remember an area they might've passed. Everything had rushed right by during their little 'joy ride' that he admittedly hadn't been paying attention.
Something smacked into the side of the orb knocking them off track a bit.
"Oof!"
"Ack!"
The two glanced to where it was as their eyes grew wide. There was a large dinosaur grazing nearby. It looked as if it had a coat of armor on it with a tail that formed a large orb at the end.
"Hiro…? What is that…?"
"Ankylosaurus…" Hiro noted where it was going following it with his eyes seeing three others… And something else that he didn't recognize.
"Well… At least there's that… Four up close and personal." Tadashi smiled a bit looking to him. "Right Hiro?"
"Five."
"... What? No, there's not five…" Tadashi pointed to them… He didn't see it just yet. "See? Four?"
Hiro pointed straight ahead.
Tadashi followed his gaze and swallowed hard.
"Five."
It was watching them. A large white dinosaur with red eyes and spines covering part of its body.
Tadashi didn't recognize that one… Nor did Hiro.
"What is that…?"
"I don't know…"
They tried to back the sphere up only for it to get lodged between a set of rocks. Tadashi swore under his breath trying to get it loose. It was coming closer… Breaking into a run at them.
"HURRY!"
It let out a roar lunging for them before…
THWACK!
One of the Ankylosaurus had smacked it with its tail deflecting it away from the boys. It snorted digging its foot into the ground challenging the creature to a fight.
Tadashi was able to get the sphere loose as it sped by. They didn't look back but they heard the noise.
Hiro closed his eyes covering his ears.
It lost.
They heard another roar as the creature began to catch up. No matter how well the sphere could keep up with the peaceful herbivores in the valley… This creature was faster.
"Hurry it up! Tadashi!" Hiro looked behind them feeling a chill go down his spine. It was right behind them now. If they couldn't outrun it… He didn't want to think about what could happen.
Tadashi gave a frustrated yell as he tried to get it to turn only for the control to become jammed. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" He screamed as it screeched to a halt.
The creature was circling around them as soon as it stopped moving. It seemed to be confused momentarily about the gyrosphere. It nudged it with it's massive head rolling it as the boys screamed.
"It can't get in can it…!?"
"I-I don't think so…"
Hiro whimpered grabbing Tadashi's hand.
Tadashi didn't break away from watching the dinosaur. If it was going to take one of them out… He'd rather it be him.
I don't want my little brother to die like this…
Unfortunately they were about to get their answer. The dinosaur tilted the orb back and forth before cracking through the glass with one of it's claws. The boys cried out as it kept trying to crack it open lifting it up and slamming it back down as the boy's faced upwards their back's to the floor.
After a few minutes of this, it seemed to try to curl around it biting down on it. More of the glass cracked as it became lodged in the creature's teeth. It lifted them up slamming the orb down as the boys screamed over and over each time as it kept trying.
The back of the gyrosphere cracked away.
Tadashi in a split second unbuckled them both. Hiro grabbed onto his arm.
The creature slammed it down again. The boys fell through starting to get up. It slammed it down again as Tadashi covered Hiro.
As soon as the creature lifted it up again they bolted for it.
Tadashi held a death grip on Hiro's arm as they ran.
"Don't look back! WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T LOOK BACK!"
"Right!"
Hiro did his best to keep up the pace. His heart was pounding in his chest, he was terrified… He couldn't imagine what kind of dinosaur that thing actually was.
He knew one thing's for sure…
It was most definitely not an herbivore.
They heard a snarl behind them. Tadashi took a chance to look back seeing it was making a run at them again.
Tadashi didn't hesitate this time and lifted Hiro up into his arms, breaking into a sprint.
Forget just running… But I am NOT letting this happen to him…
Hiro looked ahead of them.
"Tadashi…!"
"Shh!"
Hiro tugged harder on his shirt eyes going wide. "TADASHI!"
Tadashi tore his eyes away from their pursuer and had to skid to a halt himself. They were at the edge to a waterfall.
The only way out of this was one way..
Tadashi turned around seeing it was only a few paces away.
He swallowed hard.
"Oh this is gonna suck…"
Hiro gave him a desperate look. "You don't mean…?"
Tadashi nodded before he ran for the edge, as they braced themselves.
The creature lunged forward jaws snapping at them… Missing by only inches instead getting a bite of Tadashi's San Francisco Ninjas hat.
Tadashi lost his grip on Hiro as they hit the water, being jetted downstream by the current… Eventually being able to get their heads out of the water.
"Gack!"
"Hiro…!?"
Hiro waved to his brother as Tadashi swam to him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine…"
"Good…"
They made their way to the riverbank pulling themselves out, trying to catch their breath.
Just what the heck is going on here…? What was that thing…?
Tadashi looked back up at the cliffside. The dinosaur was still watching them. It seemed to catch Tadashi's eye before making its way off losing interest in its prey.
"Tadashi…. That's not a dinosaur…"
"What…?" Tadashi gave Hiro a confused look. "Did you see that thing…? Of course it was…"
Hiro shook his head giving Tadashi an annoyed look.
"That thing is on no fossil record I ever read. That thing shouldn't exist… It's not a dinosaur… It's too smart…"
The elder of the two rubbed his head as he sighed. "Then we have another problem… Did it really lose interest in us? Or is it finding a way down stream itself?"
"... Do we really wanna stick around and find out?"
Tadashi pushed himself to his feet.
"No. Let's see if we can find a phone or something…" He dug through his pocket finding his phone and checking it.
It refused to turn on.
"Because I don't think that thing cares if our phones just got waterlogged."
More like… How far did we go before it can catch us…?
