JURASSIC PARK

4 - The Isla Nublar Incident

The tropical island night was hot and humid as it always was, no matter the time of year or hour of the day or night. The past few days were more muggy than usual seeing how it had been raining off and on due to spin off storms from a hurricane in the area. The weather was only making the event of the night tricky to perform as one of the forklifts had become stuck in the mud, and a backup needed.

A gray and red painted Jeep sloshed through the mud and came to a halt not far from a concrete pen-like structure with electrified cable fencing at the top. Pet got out of the driver's seat, raptor eyes reflecting the danger of the situation, as Muldoon grabbed the extra magazine from the center console. Pet's voice echoed over the stillness of the air. "¿Puede alguien decirme el estado de la entrega de paquetes, por favor? Someone, what is the status of the package? ETA?" There was silence. "Come on people, anyone?"

A man's voice called from the crowd as he stepped forward from where stood, it being a Hispanic man. "Hora estimada de llegada es de seis minutos, señorita." [Estimated time of arrival is six minutes, young lady.]

She nodded in approval. "Gracias, Señor." [Thank you, sir.]

Muldoon strode over in the direction of the concrete structure and walked up the stairs. "Is everything ready for unloading?" His attention shot over to Jophrey standing not too far away.

Jophrey responded. "I double checked it twice. It's good." Muldoon looked to Pet who held a radio to her ear. She nodded to her closest friend. "Okay, people get into position."

Pet translated for the Hispanic workers who didn't quite understand English as they quickly hurried off to the side. Muldoon strode down the stairs followed by Jophrey, who joined the hybrid. Everyone in the clearing stood in tense silence, listening to the growl of a heavy engine in the distance become louder.

Treetops swayed as a light shined through the trees and emerged into the clearing. Ridding on the forks of a bulldozer was a large metal crate. A deafening shrill rang out from the container, one that even brought a shiver of fear to Pet. The crate jostled around on the forks of the heavy machinery as it was slid onto the concrete block for unloading.

Muldoon stood motionless and loudly called out, "Alright now, pushers move in. Loading team move it." The teams did as ordered and the sudden movement of the people coming at the crate caused the creature within to growl again. The people paused in their tracks in an uncertainty of getting any closer to the crate. "Alright, steady. Get back in there now, push." The team still didn't move. "Get back in there! Don't let her know you're afraid!"

Pet narrowed her eyes and watched the team finally move back in. Nervously, they lined themselves up along the sides of the crate, being careful where they placed their hands in conjunction to the crate's holes in the walls. The hybrid barked, "On the count of three…" She saw the team brace themselves in preparation. "One…Two…Three!" The crate was forcefully heaved into position and locked into place as the positive connection lock light flashed green.

Muldoon sighed a breath of relief. "Well locked, loading team. Step away. Jophrey, raise the gate." The man did as ordered and a spotlight panned to where the man crawled up a small ladder and onto the crate.

Jophrey's mind was racing with fear. He made his way to where the gate was and wiped his sweaty palms on his blue coveralls. Finally getting into position, he grabbed the gate and slowly started to lift it when the creature within the crate roared a deafening screech. The raptor slammed into the side of the enclosure, causing the gate handle to fly out of Jophrey's hands and the man to lose his balance. To the ground he fell, landing rather hard and bumping his head on the ground. The emergency alarm went off, signifying the crate was no longer locked in place as a pair of fearsome claws emerged from within the metal container.

A painful cry of pain came from the man, Pet rushing to his aide. "Jophrey!"

Muldoon followed and ordered to the others nearby, "Tasers get in there, damn it!" The armed team that stood not far away on standby were already at the crate, jabbing their taser guns through the slats and striking the raptor within. It did no good to the creature within which was already ravenous with a hunger for the taste of blood. "Shoot her!"

Pet desperately tried to fight the creature's deadly grip off the man and met the same golden yellow beady gaze she saw in the mirror more often than not. "Jophrey!" She could see the Velociraptor's clawed hands dug deep in her screaming's friend's legs as the raptor's sharp-toothed jaws tore away at his abdomen. Jophrey desperately clutched onto Pet and Muldoon's hands, but his grasp was getting weak.

They could feel him be pulled from their grasp, Muldoon bellowing once more, "Shoot her!"

The hybrid then glanced over her shoulder to see her rifle laying on the ground. She knew what she had to do and released Jophrey in exchange for the gun. Her releasing the man caused him to be pulled into the crate a little more, and the raptor's teeth clamped around his thighs. A small trail of blood started to flow from the opening of the crate and to where Muldoon was. She choked back a cry and aimed the rifle at Jophrey, knowing it was for the best. Even if they did manage to get him free of the raptor's teeth and claws, his injuries were too severe to treat. With a pull on the trigger, she shot one of her closest friends to get him out of his misery. Muldoon felt Jophrey's grasp go limp, but kept a hold on him.

The raptor tugged harshly at the man's torso, causing the body of Jophrey to be pulled out of Muldoon's grasp and disappear into the crate and.

Pet stood motionless as she saw the blood flow thicker and faster from the crate. Muldoon grabbed the rifle from the girl and shoved shoved her harshly to the ground. Round after round he fired into the crate only to stop when Pet drug him away. Not wanting anyone else to fall victim to the raptor, the loading team quickly shoved the crate back into place. A moment later, the gate was open and the raptor darted inside the quarantine pen. The gate was closed and locked in its wake, letting the gathering of people know all was safe for the moment.

Muldoon harshly grabbed Pet by her upper arm and slammed her against the concrete wall of the holding pen. "Why the fuck did you shoot him?" She tried to answer, but couldn't. Not with the sick feeling rising in her throat. The air was quiet once more as no one dared breathe or talk. Again Muldoon lashed out in rage, "Damn it to hell Pet can't you do anything right? I could've saved him!"

Pet fought back her own animal within her that urged her to attack back in defense. "No, you couldn't! None of us could've done anything to save him, Robert, and you know that! He was already dead!" She snorted and blinked back tears. "It was an act of humanity." Muldoon threw his rifle, empty of rounds, into the growth and darkness of the trees and brush nearby. "I figured you, of all people, would have understood that!" The workers slowly backed away from the two arguing people. They knew not to cross the man when angry, if even in the least. The game warden knew she was right and angrily strode away towards the observation tower. Pet glanced around at those looking to her for guidance on what to do next. She spoke up. "Ok people…" She looked to the bloody streaks coming from the crate now and choked out, "We still have a job to do. It may be different now, but we still have a job." She jumped off the concrete loading platform. "Move this thing out of the way so I can retrieve the dead."

Pet walked over to the Jeep and took the car cover out of the backend. The hybrid then disappeared into the darkness of the crate as the workers removed their hats in respect for the deceased. Pet could see the remains of Jophrey and felt sick at the sight. His lower abdomen was shredded, revealing his bodily organs as chunks of meat were missing from his legs. She knelt down and placed her clawed hand onto the man's forehead and slid it down his face to close his eyes. Pet choked out a sob and unrolled the Jeep's cover tarp beside the corpse of the man. She carefully placed the body onto the tarp and wrapped it around him to cover his mangled remains out of respect. The hybrid squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed, hot tears falling from her eyes and onto the tarp. She wasn't sure how long she knelt there, crying the hardest she felt she ever had when a hand gently squeezed her shoulder.

Muldoon's voice was a hoarse whisper. "What you did was right. You saved him from going through more pain. I'm sorry."

Pet's breathing was labored through her grieving. "He didn't deserve this." The hybrid gently kissed the tarp that rested over the man's forehead. "Rest in peace, my friend. May the angels guide you home."

Not needing to be told, Muldoon moved into position to grab the heavier end of the makeshift body bag while Pet took hold of the feet. Together and moving as carefully as they could, they carried their fallen friend outside. The workers parted to allow the two to bring the body to a nearby truck, three of the men assisting them in loading the corpse into the bed. One of the loading team members, appearing much younger than the rest, looked down at the ground to see bloody footprints reflect the light from the overhead spotlights. The driver of the truck met gazes with Muldoon, the game warden nodding as the driver got into the truck and slowly drove off with the two wardens in the tail bed.

Pet lightly whispered. "What happens now?"

Muldoon didn't immediately respond, but instead, shook his head. He blinked back his tears and wiped at his eyes on his sleeve. "It's out of our hands."

When the truck arrived at the visitor center, Pet got out and went inside, leaving a saddened and quiet Muldoon in the dark. The hybrid made her way to the control room and went inside where Arnold and Nedry sat. They saw the blood splattered Pet and fell quiet with horror. She made her way to a phone on the corner of Arnold's desk and took it into her blood soaked hand. The black man peered at her through his glasses but didn't say anything as she started dialing a number.

A few rings later Hammond answered. "Hello?"

Pet took in a deep and shaky breath. "Notify the family of Jophrey Haughton that he will not be coming home." The hybrid choked back another sob and slammed a clawed, bloody hand onto the desk.

Hammond wanted to yell out in anger but couldn't. He knew for an absolute fact Pet and Muldoon did the best they could to prevent such an accident from occurring, especially to someone so close to them. "What should I tell the family, then?"

Pet gathered her words in her head. "Well, I can tell you not to say he was ripped to shreds by the Big One. Tell them he died strong and brave...fighting till the end."

Hammond nodded. "Very well. I'll be there in the morning. When I arrive, I want a full explanation of exactly what happened and why a good man died tonight!"

Pet nodded her head in understanding and hung up the phone. She stood there in silence, head hung low and reeking of fear and death. At least to her, anyway. Because of her heightened sense of smell, there was no mistaking the overpowering smell of fear lacing Jophrey's blood. It further pained her knowing one of her closest friends died in such a brutal manner.

The hybrid tightly balled her fists and shrilled out in anger. The sudden outburst in the haunting silence startled the two men. Nedry almost fell out of his seat when he shot to his feet, knocking over a soda can onto the floor. The hybrid snorted a bark and walked out of the room. Nedry's watch followed the quiet teen out of the room and in her passing in front a circular window.

Arnold, however, couldn't remove his stare from the bloody handprint on his desk and the blood on his phone. Both men then looked at each other in fear and shock, not knowing what to say, think or do at that moment.

Meanwhile, Muldoon still sat in the tail bed as Pet saw him place the tarp back over the body upon her exiting the visitor center. She leaned against the side of the truck next to where her close friend sat and softly spoke. "Hammond is notifying the family. I asked that he tell them Jophrey died strong and brave." Muldoon nodded in approval and wiped his nose. "He's going to be here in the morning." He wrapped a comforting arm around Pet's shoulders and she wrapped her arms around his waist. Jophrey was their second closest best friend, and now, he was gone. He held Pet tightly to him as he feared him losing her next to the damnation of the island's titans.