BILLY BRENNAN AND THE T-REX
Billy Brennan rested against the side of the compound they had gotten to an hour ago, sweat slid down his temple and he lazily wiped at it with his dark green shirt as he drank from his lukewarm water bottle. God, this heat was intense and unbearable to the point he thought he'd be better off in a sauna the rest of his life.
Since they had came to the compound there wasn't much of anything he could do like he had back at the Center, all that was in here was dead equipment and technology that he had no interest in. their 'guards' were standing atop the trailers watching everyone and making sure no one wandered off again. Anyways, so here he was, posing as a paleontologist with legitimate credentials with no idea what he should be doing. Maybe. Billy looked up a the sound of a camera clicking to fins Angela seated atop their trailer next to Clark who was huddled in on himself with his head resting on his knees. The poor kid…Billy shook his head as something in his heart clenched in pain.
To lose someone was hard enough but to lose someone to-to an animal that was supposed to be extinct was even worse. Billy couldn't get the kid's cries out of his head; 'baby brother' rang in his head every time he looked at the young boy.
Billy moved aside as men came out carrying glass domes.
When Muldoon had come back saying the boy was dead with blood on his hands…the only thing that ran through his mind was 'thank god it wasn't Angie.' Billy look back up in time to see her bring the kid into a hug and kiss his forehead before resting hers on his, he smiled to himself before pushing off the wall he had been resting on and walking into the compound for the shield of the sun.
She'd be a great mom; he had always though that since the first time he had met her…that was one of the best moments in his life…
Five Years Ago
Billy flicked dust off the toothbrush before returning to the bone he was unveiling; the head of a baby brachiosaur, his fifth one under Alan Grant so far. He tuned to the side and coughed as dust flew into his nose and hit the back of his dust in an angry storm.
"You'll get used to it Brennan." His partner, Graham spoke up next to him. He grinned as he took Billy's dirt toothbrush from him and patted his shoulder, causing more dust to puff up, "Taka e a break, grab some water. The bones'll be here when you come back."
"Thanks." Billy nodded and stood up, the Mexico sun beating down on him as he made his way to his 'volunteer' tent.
He had volunteered to go on this dig because he was one of Grant's students, to be the student of the world's most renowned paleontologist was amazing…plus a bit of hero worship but his friend had done the same thing following a band around and now he was their tech operator. At first he had been excited when Alan approached him into volunteering for the dig but Billy hadn't really thought it through; just packed and followed obediently. He does that a lot come to think of it. Anyways, they were in collaboration with the archeologists who had been digging up an ancient civilization and happened across dinosaur fossils so the money was split and for the first time since working under Alan, Billy saw how happy he was for the dig to be kept up for as long as they wanted. Most of their digs closed after a couple months or so.
They had twenty volunteers for the dig and fifty at the archeological site so the food and water supplies were equally shared and passed along. For some reason, out of everyone and Alan's more experienced students, he chose Billy to help him and his assistant Graham personally. So the three of them had worked day and night every day for the past couple weeks and Billy finally felt comfortable. Alan was quiet when he worked but when he was asked a question he'd go off in lectures to which he and Graham would just smirk and tune out until he was done.
Soon enough Alan was turning to Billy for answers and Billy had been promoted to honorary assistant. It also helped that he was studying under Alan during his school year and well, being at every dig Alan was at.
Billy tore his dusty-gritty shirt off and used it to wipe at the sweat on his body, the course grains scratched and dug into his skin. He tossed the shirt into his tent as an old beat up red truck with the institutes' insignia sprawled across the door. Alan must be back then, which Graham wouldn't like. He had come down with a rough cough a few days ago and Graham forced Alan to go inland to clear it up. Billy grabbed another shirt to slide on but stopped mid way when the person-who was very not much Alan Grant-hopped out of the truck…in shorts and a worn-out MontanaUniversity shirt.
Billy watched the young girl grab a bag from the bed of the truck and make her way down the slope towards where the dig was taking place; she brushed short hair out of her face and readjusted her glasses on her face as she hopped onto level ground. Billy slid his shirt on and turned to Graham who hadn't noticed yet. if she was a volunteer worker then she might as well head back now, Alan doesn't accept late comers, especially if they're two weeks late. She wasn't from the archeology team either, he had met most of them that first night they had the giant bonfire.
Billy looked away as she passed then looked back up and watched her make her way to Alan's beat up old trailer. She moved like she owned the place, like she wasn't even bothered by the fact she looked like a city kid and didn't fit in. But the fact that she headed towards Alan's trailer stirred something in him, Alan enjoyed his privacy and he hated it when anyone went in. Billy had gone in only once to get Alan's extra brushes and that alone he knew set Alan on edge.
Billy took off after the girl, knowing Graham wouldn't do a damn thing, and watched as the girl opened the trailer door and stepped inside. He ran a hand through his dirty short blonde hair and wiped his face from the dust. She was pretty and he had a first appearance to make anyways. He stepped into the trailer softly; nerves on edge like Alan would pop around the corner at any second. The girl had her back to him and was going through the fridge, her ratty converse tapping to a beat that only she knew. He coughed obviously and she spun around in surprise before offering a welcoming smile.
"…Can I help you?" she shut the fridge, taking out a beer and sliding up on the counter. He noticed a red bandana tied around her wrist as she scratched beneath it, "Oh, you don't know me…"
"Nope. Sorry, listen-"
"So you're not Graham?"
"Graham?" Billy raised an eyebrow then chuckled softly, "No, no I'm not. Graham's outside. My name's Billy, Billy Brennan."
He stuck out a hand and moved closer, she took it and blushed before handing him the beer and getting water for herself. He stared at the beer, unsure whether to open it or not but went for it anyways, he nodded in thanks.
"I'm Angela Grant, Alan's kid. I'm sorry I thought you were Graham. We talked on the phone the other day; I have his retirement papers and everything." She gestured to the bag that had been thrown haphazardly on the small chair in the corner as Billy hopped up on the counter across from her, "It's nice to meet you though. I can see why my dad chose you,"
"Your dad's Alan?" Billy relished in the ice cold beer that went down his throat, "Funny, he never mentioned he actually had kids."
"Yeah, we're not very big on the 'sharing' the family thing." She laughed and ran a hand through her hair, "Speaking of him, where is he? I've been trying to get a hold of him for like, a day."
"Inland, came down with something. Graham he uh, made him go clear it up." He watched as she rolled her eyes and muttered 'figures' under her breath before looking up at him again. She had the most amazing brown eyes he had ever seen…and tanned skin, and raven black hair, "You don't look anything like Alan."
"Stepdaughter, Ellie Sattler's kid technically." She smiled and Billy nodded, he had met the woman once, when she had been a guest speaker in Alan's class a year ago. Billy scratched at the dust caked into his hands.
"The paleobotanist is your mom? So you've lived through the Park fame as well then huh?"
"Yeah, all the glory of it." she groaned and he laughed then hopped down from the counter to toss the beer away.
"That bad?"
"Try being the guy's kid in a public school. I'm not a very big fan of attention I guess. One thing Alan and I always agree on."
"So what would happen if I gave you attention?" Billy smiled softly and stepped closer until his shirt brushed her arms. She bit her bottom lip and smiled before looking down in her lap. She looked up and he gave a small smirk.
"You'll have to try harder than that Billy Brennan." she smiled and he chuckled before stepping back, the moment fading away into comfortable silence.
"So when is my dad going to be back?"
"Give or take a day. Knowing him he won't stay for long."
"Sounds like the Alan I know. Can I help out here? 'Cause I'm not leaving yet; I flew from California on a couple hour flight and I am not turning around."
"How much do you know?" he challenged as she hopped down from the counter as well.
"I'm majoring in this field…and I've been on more digs than any seven year old would care to admit. This isn't exactly my first time seeing dirt Billy." She brushed past him and he laughed to himself before following out. He grabbed a kit and handed it to her before they made their way to Graham. He stared at her for a moment and she raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"…nothing, come on."
Present
Muldoon shouldered past Billy, stripping his own soaked-through shirt off. Billy walked further into the compound trying not to inhale too much of the dust circulating through the air.
After they had settled in with Graham Angie had attached herself to him like a leech, except this one Billy had been happy to have. When Angie had left the dig a few days later, she had left with his number, email and an address she could visit. They had completely hit it off, better than any girl Billy had hit on. She was nice, sarcastic and at times bordering on way too playful to be normal but nice nonetheless. Alan had noticed the crush they had formed on each other, what with Angie draping herself over him like a blanket at night when everyone was resting but Graham had shoved Alan off Billy's back thankfully…still, Alan seemed wary of him whenever Angie was brought up.
A couple months after the dig they had met up in Vegas to hang…and everything Billy had ever known flew out of his head. She was beautiful and daring, a thrill seeker like him and an adventurer. They couldn't have been more different and the same. Their Vegas trip had ended on a steamy note and soon Billy was flying to Cali after the digs to crash at her mom's place with her. Before Billy knew it they were an item, a couple…something Billy really hadn't thought about since diving into paleontology.
But it had ended badly, for the both of them. He blamed himself just as much as she blamed her own self. The falling out between them cut deep and from time to time it would come up in his head, all those night arguing and fighting, that he'd just stop whatever he was doing and just feel the sickness in his stomach curdle.
If they hadn't broken up, if they hadn't grown apart. He would have proposed.
They were still friends, still said hello whenever they happened across each other but something between them had shifted from friendly to so friendly that they knew something was still there. But then came Cheryl at the one dig when Angie surprise visited…and that pained look he had seen in her eyes when she caught him and Cheryl…he tried not to think about that to much. He had broken up with Cheryl a day later but now Angie had Ian Malcolm and from what Alan had told him about the chaotician and the interviews from Ian's encounters…frankly, he seemed like an idiot and a guy who Angie usually wouldn't look twice at much less date.
But the things Angie and him have talked about since arriving here, from him sliding into her cot at night…Billy sighed as he came to a stop beside Hugh, looking at the dusty inside of the dark compound. He didn't know where he stood with her, he loved her still, he loved her more than before but…they were on un-paved ground at the moment.
"Muldoon says there will be one more compound, we're skipping the raptors." Hugh turned to him, using a handkerchief to wipe his mouth.
"Why?" Billy leaned against the railing and wiped the sweat from his head.
"No clue, frankly I think he's scared. Don't know why, the man survived the island."
"You'd be afraid too if you were attacked by the world's fastest predator that had once ruled the earth." Billy scuffed his shoes on the ground, "Just be thankful the most we've seen are compis. And even then we weren't the ones at the wrong end of the stick, that was all Angela."
Hugh grunted in amusement as they went back to staring at the men working, Hugh cast him a sideways glance.
"How's the kid holding up?"
"Better than what I expected. He's with Angela right now."
"She's a good kid, good asset to bring along."
"Yeah, she is."
"You used to be together?"
Billy laughed softly at the question as he leaned on his forearms against the rusty railing. He hung his head for a moment before looking up.
"I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind."
"All right, but ti doesn't take a scientist to see she still likes you." Hugh patted him on the back before pushing away and venturing further into the compound to take pictures. Billy shook his head and pulled away as well but went back to the entrance, the dust catching in his throat.
Angela and Clark were still seated atop the trailer but Clark was the one taking pictures while Angie sat and bather in sunlight. He made his way over to the trailer and hooked his hands around the wide ladder before starting up.
"Hey you." He grinned as he made it up, Angie sat up and smiled brightly before moving away from the kid to help him up over the dip in the roof. He kissed her cheek before sitting down, swinging his legs over the side of the trailer along with her. Her intense brown eyes locked onto him as Clark gave them privacy by sliding to the other end.
"How is he?"
"Fine, like I expected. He just doesn't want to leave the trailer so." She shrugged and they stared at the teen before looking away, "I told him to uh, to grieve at home. I don't know why I feel horrible saying it but he somehow wrapped his head around it."
"Well that's good, how are you?"
"Good, I'm pretty sure this sun is giving me cancer but otherwise than that I'm peachy. How's everything inside?" she smiled and leaned against his shoulder as he chuckled at her comment. He looked down at his hands before looking over the tree tops.
"I've been thinking actually."
"Don't hurt yourself."
"Very funny."
"I'm just kidding, tell me."
"It's just…Angie you know how I feel about you still. You know why I actually came here, it's not like it's a secret to the world or anything." Billy looked to her, heart pounding as she bit her lip, a habit he knew she did when she couldn't decide on anything.
"I don't know about anything anymore Billy. Everything's been so crazy these past few weeks it's hard to tell what's a dream and what's not. We split because of our jobs, our lives. You moved on so I did too."
"You think I actually moved on?" Billy tilted her head up with his thumb, "Will you at least look at me? You know me and Cheryl broke up after a few days when you saw us-"
"Going at it? Billy, we were talking about getting back together for a few weeks before I even arrived there." She pulled back and he let his hand drop away.
"I never moved on, every time I heard 'Grant' I always figured it was you back at the digs coming to visit. When we first met you told me to try harder and I am, still. I'm so close to earning my degree and everything else under your dad."
"But Ian-"
"Is twice your age for god's sake. He's got three kids and one of which is only a few years younger than you." Billy sat back as Angie looked away in defeat, "Don't lie to me and say what we had wasn't good."
"I won't, I can't because you know I suck at lying." She laughed dryly then looked back up at him. He could see the fire behind her eyes; just itching for a fight they had always been so good at, "There's nothing wrong with Ian. You sound just like my father-"
"Maybe because your dad is right Angie." Billy interrupted, Angie fell silent again, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry. I don't…I don't want to fight with you, we've done that enough already it's just…"
"I know Billy, trust me I do." She put her head in her hands and gave a crazy laugh of stress and anger before lifting her head back up to the sun, "God, it's like I'm in some kind of sick love triangle with you two."
"Who would you pick?"
"What?"
"Between the two of us, who would you pick?" Billy brushed hair away from her eyes and she sighed, looking down at her lap.
"…I'm indecisive." She finally let out, "It doesn't matter anyways, he'll probably break up with me after he and my dad come get me."
"He'll understand, I'm sure." Billy threw an arm around her, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulder. All emotions ran through him and he kissed her temple again as she leaned into his touch.
"You're so weird Billy. You go from 'break up with him' to 'he''ll love you'."
"Well doesn't he?"
Angela fell silent and Billy regretted the question but it was to late to take it back now. He muttered 'sorry' into her hair as Clark finally wandered over to them with the camera hanging around his neck.
. He sat besides angela and handed her the camera wordlessly, his glasses slid down his nose and he pushed them back in annoyance. Billy cleared his throat.
"How's it going Clark?"
"Fine." he responded softly, "I just can't wait to get back home."
"I don't blame you." Billy chuckled softly and bumped the kids shoulder with his fist, "What do you do for fun at home?"
"Mountain bike." He replied with a bright grin, "Off-road with friends."
"Seriously?" Angela turned to him in surprise, "Then how the hell do you manage to fit this 'technology' in with that schedule?"
"Gotta dress to impress. I do most of it over summer with Kent and we perfect it over the school year. All this stuff we made during the summer, we add things here and there." He smiled then looked over the treetops with a wistful look, "But now…now I may not even bother."
"Well you know-"
A scream pierced through Billy's sentence, making all of them jump in fear and retract their feet from the ledge. Billy watched as the guards jumped in surprise as well before hopping down and running into the compound.
"What's going on?!" Angela yelled, getting up and pulling Clark with her. Billy was already halfway over the ladder, heart thumping as he heard shots from inside the compound, "billy!"
"Stay here!" he yelled, feet smacking onto the ground, plumes of dust and mud splashing over his jeans. Angela seung her leg over the side and he grabbed it, forcing her to look at him in the eyes, "Angela, for once just listen to me and stay here. Please, kep Clark safe. I'll be back in a few minutes. Just…please, stay."
She stared at him, eyes wild with confusion and fear. Clark pulled her arm; fear etched into his face and she looked to him before giving in and nodding. She pulled herself back up and Billy thanked the kid mentally.
He took off into the compound, listening to the shouts coming from the pit where the men had been gathering the equipment. There was absolutely no one in the hallways. Billy couldn't see, the lights had been cracked out by the bullets. His heart thumped as claustrophobia gripped his heart and set his nerves on fire.
"RUN!" someone slammed in to him, sending him sprawling into the wall and smacking his head face first on the concrete walls. He slid to the ground seeing stars as the loud pops of machine guns filled the air.
"Shoot her! Shoot her!" He could hear voices swimming around him as he made his way up with the wall; his feet were clumsy as he fought down the steps into the pit. Lights filled his vision suddenly and he stared.
Men were strewn across the floors, bloodied and torn open, some even twitching. Their guards were shooting at animals that were hiding behind machines; long tails like whips smacked them into walls and claws dug into their stomachs. Billy ducked behind a pillar as a raptor raised its head up from below. Something dug into his side and he peered around the side, trying not to pay attention to the body he was crawling over. The dim red lights sent everything into him like a spiral, the generator created a hum that sounded like a monster as the men shouted and shot at the herd of raptors they had stumbled across.
A hand clamped over his shoulder and he screamed before Muldoon was stumbling and pulling him up and away from the carnage. Muldoon was bloodied, cut and bleeding like no other. Billy's heart raced and his chest hurt in fear as Muldoon shoved him into the hallway and turned around…shutting the inside door to the pit where the men were fighting.
"What are you doing?! You can't leave them in there!" Billy got up from the ground, charging Muldoon but the retired game warden just pushed him back, jamming an empty gun into the lock to hold it in place, "Robert!"
"It's either their arses or ours boy!" Muldoon shoved him against the wall, sending waves of pain through Billy's spine and he groaned, "And I quite like being alive if you don't mind."
There was a pounding on he door and they both turned to see a bloodied, beaten up Hugh begging for his life on the other side of t he glass. Billy pushed away from Muldoon and pounded on the glass as well, Hugh was screaming bloody murder, half of his face was torn and open for the world to see.
"I's so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Billy screamed at the top of his lungs as Hugh's torn up knuckles tried to break through the glass. His face was contorted in pain and fear-
Then he was gone. Like something had yanked him from behind. Billy stood, stunned in fear as Muldoon tried to pull him away. He could feel the sweat and blood from his own injuries slide down his skin. It was a euphoric experience; all the hormones of fear, anticipation, anxiety and paranoia crept over him like a smooth static blanket. He couldn't feel his legs but he could see…he could see through the bloodied glass the raptors attacking the men and snapping their necks gently with their razor sharp teeth…and suddenly Billy wasn't watching a raptor peer through the glass from miles away but now in front of him. The raptor had scaly grey skin with tiny spiked-feathers on its head, its teeth held pieces of cloth that had clothed the man that was begging for his life only moment before.
Billy couldn't breath, he was frozen. Muldoon was shoving him now from in front, his scarred face occasionally blocking the view from the raptor as it studied Billy with hellish black eyes. It cocked its head and the spell was broken. Muldoon's shouts broke through the haze and Billy found himself stumbling and running towards the door as Muldoon slammed the doors shut behind them. Billy slammed to the ground, feet and limbs numb, Muldoon jerked him up by the collar and forced him into the open.
Sun broke into his vision and he looked up to see Angela and Clark coming out of the trailer, eyes wide in fear and then surprise when Muldoon came out last, slamming the door behind him and pushing a machine in front of it.
"Billy!"
"We need to go! NOW!" he yelled, pulling her towards the trailer along with Clark as Muldoon shot ahead and into the driver's seat. She was yelling at him, Billy could make out Angela's voice warily but he was too focused on the images that replayed through his head. The blood, all that blood…and those eyes. The darkest place in earth didn't hold a candle to the beads that had looked through him, like they knew everything Billy had ever been through.
"Billy, please come on, talk to me." Angela shook him once and looked up…and then she screamed, she screamed like someone had shoved a knife through her throat. She pointed out the window and Muldoon was by her side in an instant, shoving a hand around her mouth and clamping it shut. Clark covered his own as Billy stared at the monster that had broken through the trees.
A tyrannosaur loomed in front of them, eyes locked on the trailer as silence overwhelmed them at once. Billy grabbed Clark and pulled him behind him as they all shuffled to the furthest corner of the trailer, eyes trained on the Rex that was slowly sniffing the compound and the extra trailers.
Angela was shaking in Muldoon's arms and Clark was stunned to the point Billy had to shake his shoulders to get a response out of him. Heart thudding, adrenaline racing all Billy could do was watch as the rex turned its large head to the compound where the raptor had managed to get through via a top exit. Its huge teeth chomped down on one, its feet stomping and shaking the ground as it moved from side to side.
Angela screamed in surprise behind Muldoon's hand as a raptor attempted to break through their window. Billy lunged forward as its nose smashed through, he kicked it straight in the snout and grabbed a needle that was lying around and jabbed it. Muldoon pulled him back as the raptor stumbled back in pain, only to be crushed in the jaws of the rex that was bellowing furiously. Angela's arms wrapped around Clark and Billy stood in front of them with Muldoon as the raptors scurried off in different directions. He could feel the anger from the rex through the steel that separated them.
"What's…what's it going to do?" Clark whispered, Angela shushed him and Billy pushed them towards the other end of the trailer, grabbing a pack and shoving it on. They suddenly tumbled into the wall as the rex shoved against the vehicle, Billy landed on top of the other two and Muldoon tumbled next to Billy. They screamed as the rex dove its nose into the side of the trailer.
The rex roared and rammed its head against the trailer again, sending it toppling over and over. Billy saw a flash of red before everything went black.
