Chapter 21
:
Leena drove carefully up the cliff road, hugging the far side so that their jeep didn't scrape against the rusted guardrail. The road overlooked a vast jungle that was dense and hard to see through. Not even Mike or Rick could see much of anything from where they were sitting.
A distant roar echoed through the air, causing Mike's neck to snap up. He looked beyond the treeline, gazing in all directions. It sounded like the Tyrannosaur all right, but it wasn't close. Rick gulped, looking around as well.
They had been driving for at least five minutes and had not seen another sign that showed that they were going in the right direction to the dock. They'd past one, but it had fallen over on the side off the road. Leena had stopped, gotten out of the jeep, and had checked to see if they were really going the right way. They were. The dock was close.
Leena got back into the jeep and they continued on. Though they were nearing the docks, Leena had not forgotten her mission. She had to get her hands on some dinosaur eggs before the boat arrived or she was never getting paid. Unfortunately, she had not seen any nests along the way. Her hopes of helping her family were beginning to wane.
The jeep bounced in a hole in the road, spattering mud everywhere. Seated behind Mike and Leena, Rick said, "Are we almost at the dock? I don't see it anywhere, Mike."
"It's going to be another few minutes, Rick," Mike reminded him. "keep your shorts on. And keep a look out for any sign of the Rex. I think it might be following us."
"How do you know?"
"Those roars have not been far away as we like to think, bro," said Mike. "The Rex is following us."
Leena said nothing as she drove. The boy's words did get to her, but not so much. She was more worried about what the InGen worker would say. Sure she wouldn't get paid, but the disappointment would be the hardest part. Her family needed the money. And there was the matter of the boys. What if they saw her gathering eggs? They would certainly question her and want to know why, but what could she tell them? That she needed the money? That her family was poor? They wouldn't understand, they were city kids. They didn't know what it was like for her. And there was no way in hell she was going to tell them.
The jeep took a curve very fast, the tires slippery in the mud. Leena levelled them out and kept on going. Mike and Rick were both gripping a part of the vehicle so as not to fall out, their hearts skipping a beat. The both of them wandered where this woman learned to drive.
The road began to descend, and Leena concentrated on driving more carefully, in case they missed a fork in the road. They had passed a Hydro Electric Station, a low building that had another form of clean energy other than geothermal power, but Leena didn't bother to stop to check it out.
Another four minutes passed before Rick couldn't stand it anymore. He leaned foreword and tapped Leena on her shoulder.
"Can we pull over for a minute, I gotta pee."
Leena slowed down a bit to look at him. "Can't you hold it in? We're going to be there in a little while."
Rick shook his head. "No, I can't."
Leena let out a disgruntled sigh. She stopped the jeep, pulling over to a clearing. Rick got out and quickly made his way through the dense foliage.
"Hey! Don't go too far, all right?" called Leena. "Remember, Rick, this is an island full of dinosaurs."
Rick waved a hand through the brush as he called back, "Got it."
They waited for at least half a minute before Rick called from the jungle. He sounded urgent and even a little scared. "Leena! Mike! I think you better come look at what I found."
"Stay here in the jeep," Leena ordered Mike, running over to where Rick had gone. She made her way through the brush, taking out her pistol and loading it. When she reached him, Rick was standing in a wide space in the middle of the forest with several boulders and thick tree trunks. It felt moist to Leena and the leaves and branches were soaked with droplets. The air was stuffy and warm.
Looking down near Rick's feet, Leena stared at the sight met before her, her jaw slightly open.
It was a nest. No, two nests full of eggs: Dinosaur eggs. They were white and oval shaped, nestled in a clutch of thirteen.
This was the chance Leena had finally been waiting for. But she couldn't just take an egg, not with Mike's brother standing there. "We have to get out of here, Rick. Now!" She said in a pretend tone that sounded urgent, while ushering Rick in the back to get him to move.
Rick raised an eyebrow as he was pushed along, careful not step on the nests. "Why? What's the matter?"
"Not now! There's no time, now move!" Leena shouted, pushing Rick harder so that he had to run.
As soon as they were a couple yards away, Leena stopped, turned back towards the nests, and went to work.
Panting, Rick rushed out of the bush and climbed back into the jeep, hurriedly.
"What's the matter?" said Mike. "What are you running from?"
"I came across a nest: a dinosaur's nest." Rick panted as he sat down. "I didn't know what kind it was, but it sure got Leena scared."
"Where is she?"
Rick looked around for the older woman. "I don't know, Mike. She was right behind me..."
Leena came out from the bush, while also zipping up and adjusting her backpack. "I'm here,"
"What kind of nest was it?" said Mike as he watched her put her pack under the transmission-hump beside his seat.
"It was a raptor nest. We need to leave now!" Leena said, starting the jeep and driving down the road again. "If we're lucky, they won't know we've been there. We'll be off this island long before that."
Mike and Rick didn't feel very certain about that. They knew from experience that the raptors might track them, like the Rex was doing now.
::
The sun was beginning to fall, casting a light-orange glare that made it almost impossible for Leena to see the road. She had to squint her eyes just to see straight. All the while Mike and Rick were talking amongst themselves about what would happen once they got home.
"I bet our friends are never gonna' believe this when we get back home and tell 'em." said Rick.
Mike laughed. "Sure, and what are they gonna' say, Rick? They'll think we're crazy and won't believe us. We don't have any evidence like photos or video to show them. All we have is our words."
"And besides," Leena added in. "We won't be able to tell anyone. The government of my country and the authorities will make sure to keep this all hushed. They'll make the two of you sign a lot of papers to keep you from telling anybody about the island... or the dinosaurs."
Mike shook his head as he looked at her. "You mean sign a non-disclosure agreement? I already know all about that. Even Rick because I told him."
"Then the both of you know that you can't tell anyone," said Leena as she turned another corner. "You or your father because he'll have to do the same. And so will I."
Rick's voiced sounded hard when he spoke. "So you're saying we have to lie about what really happened to us?"
Leena nodded.
"Man, that is bullshit!" Rick growled. "We went through hell on this island, the rescue team died trying to save us, the pilot is gone, and we won't be able to tell anyone."
Mike thought about it as well. "Speaking of the pilot, how are we going to explain to everyone what happened to him?"
Leena didn't say anything for a long moment. She felt a little tired as she drove. This was because she knew that pilot that had flown the boys, the old man called Dave. To hear that he was dead saddened her. That man had helped her family on occasion when things got tough in the city. What little money he made with his island hopping business sometimes went to her family. Now he was gone.
Leena finally had to say something as they past by another signpost that said: North Dock 2 miles. "I'm not sure what's going to happen when we get onto the boat and back to the mainland, but what I do know is that the authorities might be called in to investigate the incident. Ah, I can see the docks now."
Mike and Rick both looked up to see a structure of buildings in the distance, right by a seaport. They were nearing the coastline that overlooked the beach and the ocean.
Leena drove a little faster now as the jungle around them and below began to get darker. She estimated that they would reach the dock in twenty minutes.
::
They soon came upon a large tribal gate with an electric fence on ether side. They had made it to the North Dock.
Leena parked the jeep and they got out. Rick stretched his legs and so did Mike. Looking around, they noticed that the North Dock was some-kind of shipyard with towers with skywalks. The skywalks were elevated walkways that were built along the towers to check supervising, shipping containers, and navigating the docks for park staff.
The place was a wreck though. Four years of abandonment and low maintenance had allowed the jungle to reclaim the place. The towers were covered in overgrowth and ivy. The rooftops were caved-in and completely smashed. The long wooden wharf had collapsed, the planks now broken and half submerged in the water. Broken branches and other forest debris from storms cluttered the ground.
Rick gave a low whistle. "Man, this place really took a beating."
"That's what happens during four years, Rick," said Mike. "Nature takes over."
Leena looked over at the wreck dock and sighed. "We'll just wait here on the wharf for the boat to arrive. No sense in going out on the dock."
And so they waited. Mike and Rick past the time by exploring parts of the dock, while keeping close to the wharf.
Leena occupied her time by carefully checking the eggs, to see that they were still intact. They were. Not a scratch on them. This was essential since the eggs had to remain undamaged upon delivery. A lot of money would come from this.
A faint thud could be heard in the distance. It was so sudden that Leena had not noticed it before. But now it was getting closer.
Leena slowly got to her feet and looked around. Her eyes widened when she felt the ground shake from another thud. Something big was coming toward them. She turned toward the boys, putting her backpack on. "Boys, get back over here!" she called.
The both of them looked over at her, puzzled. "What's the matter? Nothing's wrong." said Rick.
Leena shook her hands. "Get over here, now!"
"Leena, what's the matter?" Mike said. He sounded a little concerned.
And then they heard it; a deep guttural growl that sounded close. Turning around slowly to look back at the containers, Mike and Rick looked up and saw the shadowy outline of something big within the jumble of containers. Standing within the shadows was the Carnotaurus. A low rumbling growl came from the back of its throat as it looked down upon the two boys, its green eyes narrowed.
"Oh shit," Rick breathed.
The Carnotaur roared and then charged out from the shadows, right towards them. It opened its jaws which were dripping with saliva as it bellowed, intending on devouring them. Rick took Mike's hand and they ran for it.
"Run!" Leena shouted. Mike and Rick heard the dinosaur snarl as it gave chase. They dashed over to Leena who, taking both boys by the hand, ran with them to one of the nearby towers. They reached the staircase, got inside, and dashed up the steps. The Carnotaur's broad snout smashed through the entrance, snarling and snapping its jaws. As they climbed Mike, who was behind Leena and Rick, felt the staircase beneath him suddenly collapse without warning. He fell with a yell, landing back down on the hard floor, the wind knocked out of him. He groaned as he got up, opened his eyes, and then screamed in terror. The Carnotaur's jaws were right there in front of him. The dinosaur had somehow broken the doorway just enough so that its whole broad head could fit inside the space. There was nowhere for Mike to run or hide. He got up quickly and moved as far away as he could.
The Carnotaur growled and then snapped its jaws at Mike, trying to reach him. Flecks of saliva spattered his face and arms.
There was no way out. Mike was trapped like a rat.
The Carnotaur snarled in irritation as it moved closer to Mike, who now had his back against the wall. He shivered and tried again to huddle deeper in the space, but there was no more room. He looked around for anything he could use as a weapon.
The Carnotaur withdrew its head from the hole with a low growl. And then, with a roar, the dinosaur's head burst through the hole toward him again. Mike spun 'round and ducked down as the jaws snapped on empty air, barely missing him. "This is crazy!" he cried out. "Rick, Leena, where are you guys?!"
And then Mike felt something grab him by the seat of his pants. The Carnotaur had snagged him! And as if sensing that it had caught something, the carnivore began to drag Mike out of the structure, its snorting breath washing over him. Mike tried to struggle lose, but it was no use. He was helpless against the dinosaur's strength. Just like he had been helpless against the Quetzalcoatlus in the aviary.
"No! Let go!"
The Carnotaur kept on dragging him out until it lifted Mike bodily off the ground, and into the air. He screamed, flailing his arms in panic. Then the Carnotaur shook its great head from side to side, growling. Mike screamed again, his heart pounding as he was dangled in the air like a small doll.
Then Mike heard shots being fired, the ping of bullets hitting. The Carnotaur paused, and then turned toward the tower's walkway. Mike saw that it was Leena who was shooting at it.
Growling in annoyance rather then anger, the Carnotaur turned and walked away from the tower, heading back towards the main gate with its prey.
Rick could only watch in horror as his brother was carried away. "No! Mike!" he ran toward the other adjacent tower, but Leena grabbed him by the arm.
"I can't risk having the two of you killed!" she said breathlessly from behind him. "I'll go after him. You stay here!" she took off her backpack, gave it to Rick, and then ran to the other tower and down the steps.
The Carnotaur was halfway to the gate with Mike when suddenly, it heard a roar from the jungle coming toward them. The Carnotaur stopped in its tracks, growling. It stared forward towards the gate. And then, from out of the shadows of the trees, came the Tyrannosaur. Mike watched as the dinosaur bellowed at the Carnotaur, and the response was immediate. The Carnotaur opened its jaws, dropping Mike so suddenly that the boy had no warning. He hit the ground hard, rolling onto his back and then onto his side. He groaned, feeling pain shoot through him. He felt the ground shake as the dinosaurs above him roared and stomped their feet. Then a pair of arms grabbed him from around his middle, pulling him to his feet.
"I gotcha', Mike," said Leena. "Let's get out of here and let these guys settle things, huh?"
"I hope the T-Rex wins," Mike groaned. He gritted his teeth in pain. "Let's get out of here."
They moved out of the way, taking shelter among a crate. The Rex let out a roar of challenge, then the Carnotaur let out one as well. They stood there, sizing each other up. The two massive predators then charged towards each other, the Rex landing the first attack by biting down on the Carnotaur's neck. That did very little since the Carnotaur had a thick hide. It wrenched itself free and countered with its own bite. The Rex dodged out of the way, ducking her head, and then lunging to bite the Carnotaur's neck again. But the horned devil was not having it. It tackled the Rex in the side with a roar and it bit down on her neck. The Tyrannosaur let out a roar in pain, falling to her side near the wharf. The Carnotaur then pinned her to the ground with its hind foot, its claws digging into her flesh.
The moment Mike heard the Rex bellow in pain, the sound shot right through him to his heart. For some reason the tears in his eyes were no longer from pain, but from something else. Watching the T-Rex pinned and hurt like that by another carnivore wasn't right. The Carnotaur was going to kill her, not for food, but to get rid of the competition for territory.
Mike ran out from behind the crate, picked up a brick on the ground, and threw it as hard as he could. It hit the Carnotaur in the side of the head, but that did little damage. What it did do was get the dinosaur's attention really quick. Mike didn't know what he was thinking when he did that. He'd only been trying to distract the dinosaur to help the Rex.
Growling menacingly, the Carnotaur stepped off the Rex's side and made its way towards Mike. It roared, and then charged, its jaws open. Mike turned and ran for it. But then his foot all of a sudden hit an upturned branch, and he went sprawling to the ground. He quickly turned over on his back in time to see the Carnotaur's jaws open towards him, saliva flying.
Then the jaws snapped shut mere inches from his face, the nostrils flaring. Mike opened his eyes and looked past the Carnotaur in time to see that the Tyrannosaur had its tail in her jaws. She growled and then dragged the Carnotaur toward the edge of the dock. As if sensing her intent, the Carnotaur tried to wrench itself free. But if was to no avail because the next thing it knew, the Rex had swung her head, and flung the Carnotaur off the dock and into the water with a tremendous splash. The horned dinosaur flailed in a frantic panic, roaring desperately. But it was no use. The Carnotaur's tiny arms could not save it, nor its strength. And swimming didn't help because it was too heavy. And then with one final struggle, the dinosaur's great, horned head disappeared under the water.
Mike breathed slowly and went over to the dock's edge and looked down. He saw bubbles floating up to the surface, but could not see the dinosaur. After a second or two, the bubbles stopped and the water was still. The Carnotaur was finally gone.
Mike felt a sudden exhalation wash over him. Turning slowly, he came face to snout with the Tyrannosaur. The dinosaur had lowered her head to see him batter and Mike hadn't expected that. He took a step back because he could smell rotted carrion on her breath. Blood dripped from her lower jaw. The Rex looked at Mike and Mike looked at her. With huge flaring nostrils, the dinosaur smelled him, a long snuffling breath that wavered Mike's shirt and shorts.
Mike didn't move. He felt sweat trickle down his face. He didn't know if the dinosaur was going to attack him or not. Finally, after a few tense moments, the Rex gave Mike a final soft growl before she turned and lumbered away. Mike watch her until she was beyond the main gate, and finally into the jungle and out of sight, her footfalls fading.
For a moment, Mike stood where he was. And then, feeling very tired, he felt the last of his strength leave him, and his body collapsed onto the ground as he fainted. The last thing he saw was Rick and Leena running towards him.
::
"It's a good thing we got onto the ship when we did."
"I think he'll be all right, Rick. I think it's best that we let him sleep for another few hours. It's going to be a while before we reach the port."
"Yeah, but this cabin's a bit small."
"You take what you get. It's the only one with a double bed."
"I'm sure glad that this adventure is over. Our dad's going to be so relieved to see us."
Mike could hear the voices of his brother and Leena, but they made no sense whatsoever. All he knew was that every inch of him was hurting as though he'd been beaten up and left for dead.
"The captain had asked for you and your brother to stay on the ship for a while until we sort things out. Remember?"
"No way in hell are we doing that, Leena, we are going with our dad when we land at the port. I told him that myself."
"The authorities on the mainland will have something to say about that. Remember, they call the shots."
"We'll see,"
Mike's eyes slowly opened. He was lying on a cot in a cabin. His brother and Leena were sitting on the opposite side.
"Mike! You're awake." said Rick, a look of relief on his face. "Are you okay?"
Mike groaned as he sat up. "...ere are we?"
"We're on the ship, Mike," said Leena. "We are off the island."
"How long have I been out?"
Rick smiled. "Only a few minutes. The island's still in sight from the back of the ship."
Mike got out of bed and promptly put his shoes on. "I want to see it. Just one last time."
Leena understood as she opened the door and went out. "Then you better follow me," she said. "You don't know your way around this ship."
They followed her through the short corridors, up a few stairs, and then onto the deck. They walked to the stern where Mike saw that they were now on open ocean. And behind them was the island, a dark shape growing smaller as the boat sailed away. The sky was a dark-blue as gulls soared overhead and around the boat. Mike stood near the railing with Rick. Leena decided to leave them alone as she turned, and walked back to the bow.
Staring at the fading silhouette of Nublar, Mike smiled. "I wonder if the island will ever be a working park again, like John Hammond wanted." he said softly.
Rick shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said. "I'm not sure of anything anymore."
"I'm sure Jurassic Park would've been a top-grade theme-park if things had just worked out the way Hammond had wanted." Mike said.
"You think so, huh?"
Mike nodded in reply. "John Hammond's dream will come true someday, Rick. I just know it."
"Maybe..." Rick yawned. "But it could be a long time. In the meantime, I think I'll get some rest. Man, I'm beat." he walked away, leaving Mike alone on the stern.
Mike looked back at the Island one last time. In the far distance he thought he heard the roar of the Tyrannosaur, but it was faint. Or maybe it was just the sound of the ocean playing tricks on him. "One day, Isla Nublar, you will be a working park again." he said aloud. "For now, at least, you'll just be a Jurassic world long forgotten."
Mike smiled, turned away, and left the stern, heading back down to the cabin to get some rest.
It was time for him and Rick to go home.
:
Finally! the story is done! All that is left is the Epilogue, and that's it.
Mike and Rick, Leena Marquis belong to me
Jurassic Park/Isla nublar/Carnotaur Kenner apperence(C) Universal
-All Fan Art is Copyrighted to their owners.
-All Fan Art is Copyrighted to their owners.
All the materials contained in my deviantART gallery may not be reproduced, copied, tubed, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in anyway without my written permission.