AN: This chapter marks a turning point in the story. If you're thinking about jumping ship, now would be the time to do so. The last chapter works as a conclusion of sorts if you want it to. If however you want more, stick with me and I reckon we're about halfway there. Of course I hope everyone will read on but I know I'm being super slow with updates so I wanted people to have a satisfactory out option too. Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and especially to those who've been reviewing. Hopefully you're all still with me, now let's get on with the show...
Muldoon pushed all thoughts of Priscilla to the back of his mind. There was nothing to be done for her now, the decision had been made. He had to move on to the next chapter of his life.
When Muldoon returned to the compound to search for Wu he found that the scientist was missing. Something about his disappearance didn't feel right. Everything was quiet. There was no sign of a struggle or anything to indicate that anyone else had been here, human or otherwise. As he looked around the empty nursery he noticed a conspicuously placed piece of paper. He sat his SPAS down and picked the note up to examine it; Your secret is safe with me.
Son of a bitch!
What was the last thing he'd said to Wu? Not a word about these raptors to anyone...
No, no, no... What had he done? He'd given Wu the perfect opportunity to betray him.
Muldoon dropped the note and raced out the visitor centre, sprang into the jeep and tore off towards the dock, following the fresh tyre tracks left by the fleeing scientist. He drove as fast as he could, praying that he wasn't too late.
Muldoon arrived at the dock in time to see the boat shrinking towards the horizon. Nearby was the abandoned vehicle Wu had used for his clandestine departure. The sneaky bastard must've taken off the second Muldoon walked out the door.
As he powerlessly watched the boat disappear and considered the position he'd put himself in, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Wu might be right. While he'd been gallivanting around playing with baby dinosaurs Wu had seized the moment and taken his chance at rescue. It was the sensible thing to do.
Muldoon felt like a fool. And now because of his sentimentality he was doomed to be stranded on this godless island forever. Wu had made that quite clear in his note. He would keep quiet about the raptors, which included the fact that an idiotic game warden happened to be stranded with them. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. What was he thinking? Putting the welfare of animals before his own wellbeing. Human lives were more valuable than those of animals, he knew that. Everyone knew that. He should never have put them first.
What in the name of Asa was he supposed to do now? It seemed unlikely that anyone would be returning to the island anytime soon. Wu had obviously claimed to be the only survivor; presumably the rescuers would have waited if he hadn't.
There was only one thing for it. Muldoon climbed into the jeep and headed back towards the compound. He briefly considered lighting a signal fire but there was nothing that would burn effectively in the dense, damp jungle... except a jeep. He slammed the brakes on and ran back to where Wu had left the second jeep. He could blow it up. That would leave him with only one working vehicle but hopefully his plan would work and he wouldn't need it.
He soaked a rag in fuel from a jerry can and stuffed it in the fuel line. Then he poured fuel all over the vehicle and made a trail to a safe distance away before lighting it with a flare. (A gun to go with the flare might've been nice...) The flames quickly sprang to life, racing along the ground and engulfing the jeep, burning hotly until they reached the fuel tank and then the whole thing exploded.
Muldoon gazed out to sea as fiery debris rained down around him and hoped it would be enough.
xxx
A cricket chirped as the light began to fade. Muldoon continued to gaze out at the empty horizon in vain. More crickets joined in the chorus as the minutes ticked by, until a more sinister chirp issued from the trees, stirring Muldoon from his reverie.
It was inevitable that the sound from the explosion would draw in curious predators. He went to retrieve his gun from the jeep as a precaution but as he reached for the weapon he realised he'd left it behind in the visitor centre in his haste to follow the treacherous scientist.
A burst of anger flared through him at his own stupidity once more. How could he have forgotten his weapon? It was unacceptable. There was nothing for it but to resign himself to his ill fate and return to the compound.
He climbed into the surviving jeep and turned the key, then drove back west.
As he made his way along the narrow road he decided on a change of tactics. His new plan involved retrieving his weapon and then raiding the old man's liquor cabinet. He resolved it was the best plan he'd come up with in days but a forty foot spanner sporting a mouthful of dagger-like teeth was thrown into the works when he coasted to a stop on the edge of the compound.
Deja vu seemed to be the order of the day. Not only had he been stranded on the island once more, but he'd driven into the compound to find the Tyrannosaur nosing about. Now all he needed was Priscilla to appear on the other side of the clearing and he was close to having his worst day ever.
He heard an unfamiliar raptor vocalisation issue from the edge of the forest and looked across to see Priscilla. The noise she'd made was one he'd never heard from her, or any raptor, before. It was a low sort of clucking sound.
For a split second he had half a mind to leave her to it, she was the reason he'd missed the boat after all but the thought was gone as quickly as it came when a wave of guilt washed over him. She wasn't to blame. He wasn't really angry at her, he was just frustrated at the whole situation.
A rumble from the Tyrannosaur reminded him of what was at stake here and he focused on getting both himself and the raptor out of this current predicament alive.
The key to distracting a Tyrannosaur was movement, and there was only one moving part in this equation he was willing to sacrifice. He wheeled the jeep around, stuck it in low range, blew the horn and stealthily abandoned ship. The sound of the horn was successful in drawing the big carnivore's attention and she followed along behind it, allowing him to slip into the visitor centre unnoticed. From there he retrieved his shotgun and then left the safety of the building to help a friend he should never have abandoned in the first place.
The scene that met him as he stepped outside didn't bode well.
The jeep lay on its side, the Tyrannosaur apparently having grown tired of it quickly when she'd discovered nothing edible amongst the metal and rubber.
He quickly scanned the area and saw Priscilla watching him from the edge of the jungle. He gave the stay signal but she disobeyed the command, and he knew he had broken her trust with his abandonment.
He took a few quick steps forward when he realised she was heading in the direction of the Tyrannosaur and shouted at her to stay. For a moment she hesitated, and he thought she would obey him this time, but his voice had drawn the attention of the Tyrannosaur and she turned towards him. Immediately Priscilla perceived the threat and surged forward, launching herself at the big dinosaur.
She sprang at its left side, landing high on its flank, her talons sinking deep into its flesh, while she screeched and tried to attack it with her teeth. She was completely outmatched in size and strength, the Tyrannosaur probably seeing her as nothing more than an irritation. Muldoon watched on fearfully as it swung its great head around and snapped its fearsome jaws, only just falling short of crushing the raptor. He acted on instinct shouldering his weapon and firing directly at the Tyrannosaur's head. It was a dangerous shot to take with Priscilla in the firing line but the alternative was waiting around to see her eaten alive and that wasn't an option. He didn't wait to see if he'd landed an effective shot before he was firing off another. At least one of his shots must've hit its mark because the gigantic reptile ceased her attack and staggered. He looked up and saw blood trickling from her eye socket where the bullet must have entered, it was a fortunate shot that no doubt had hit her brain. Time seemed to slow as the gigantic reptile lost her footing and tumbled over. For a second he felt elated but in the moment before she crashed to the ground his relief was overridden by dread as he caught a glimpse of a raptor tail being flung out of sight, obscured by nine tonnes of meat and bone.