Talon didn't have to wait long for his meal. As he made his way through the jungle, he
soon heard the sounds of something in the underbrush, something smaller than him (there
was no use in hunting something large until he was more familiar with the prey in this
place). He leapt forward as it came into view: it was about a third his size, hairless, and
walked on four feet. He'd never seen anything like it before. But that didn't matter…
the claws on his hands grasped the smaller creature, while those on his feet dug into its
flesh, piercing the abdominal muscles and spilling its guts onto the ground.
Immensely pleased with himself, Talon began to eat. The taste was different than what
he was used to, but it was good, and its scaly skin wasn't nearly as unpleasant to swallow
as fur. Or cloth. In the distance, he thought he heard the rumbles of something that
sounded...large…but he was too intent on the taste of blood in his mouth to give it any
more thought.
Once his stomach had been taken care of, Talon went back to his search for the other
raptors. This was unfamiliar territory, and he had no idea of what else might be on this
island. Besides, he wanted to explore his new surroundings. He liked to explore. He
hadn't been able to do anything like that for a very long time, and he was looking forward
to the new sights, sounds, and smells. He had always been curious.
He sniffed again, trying to catch the scent. He picked the most likely direction, and
headed out.
"He's moving again," said the woman watching the screen.
The man's brow furrowed. "Where do you think he's going?"
"Inland…it looks like…yes, it is. He's heading toward the old Ingen complex."
He looked at her quizzically. "He couldn't possibly know that's there."
She couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. "He's not going there because of the
buildings -- he's going there because that's where the other raptors are," she said. Then a
frown crossed her face as she realized what she'd said. "The other raptors..." she
repeated, her voice trailing off. "I guess I…I haven't really been thinking of him that
way. Not that I can think of him as anything else, but—"
"I understand," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's been hard. Hell, it's
been hard for all of us. You don't want him in that place any more than I do, but they say
it's the best thing for him. He hated being locked up. You know that."
"I know. I also know how he could break out of any cage they put him in, given enough
time, which is why I think they're sending him there. To prevent another lawsuit."
"As opposed to ours, if they can't manage to fix all of this?" he said softly. "At least now
we don't have to worry about him getting loose again, and possibly hurting anyone." He
raised an eyebrow. "Do we really want another incident like with that T. rex a few years
ago? Or do we want him to take up hunting in another populated area, like he was doing
before he was caught?"
"First San Diego, then L.A.," she murmured, thinking about how the whole mess started.
"No, I suppose we don't."
"And once he finds the oth—I mean, once he finds the raptors that are there, he should do
fine."
She leaned back in the chair and folded her arms. "What if they don't accept him?"
"Why wouldn't they do that? They've taken others into their pack; that's why Ingen
decided to send him there in the first place. They've even adopted orphaned chicks from
the other island. If they encounter one of their own, they'll generally take it in."
"But he's not really one of their own, is he," she said warily. "I wonder if they'll be able
to tell he's different."
"I don't think they'll be able to tell. He looks exactly like one of them."
She frowned up at him. "It's not his looks that I'm worried about; it's his scent. I know
the scientists told us it wouldn't be a problem, but how can they be sure? We certainly
can't smell what they can." She paused, gazing up at him uncomfortably. "My God,
what if they can tell he's not what he looks like?"
soon heard the sounds of something in the underbrush, something smaller than him (there
was no use in hunting something large until he was more familiar with the prey in this
place). He leapt forward as it came into view: it was about a third his size, hairless, and
walked on four feet. He'd never seen anything like it before. But that didn't matter…
the claws on his hands grasped the smaller creature, while those on his feet dug into its
flesh, piercing the abdominal muscles and spilling its guts onto the ground.
Immensely pleased with himself, Talon began to eat. The taste was different than what
he was used to, but it was good, and its scaly skin wasn't nearly as unpleasant to swallow
as fur. Or cloth. In the distance, he thought he heard the rumbles of something that
sounded...large…but he was too intent on the taste of blood in his mouth to give it any
more thought.
Once his stomach had been taken care of, Talon went back to his search for the other
raptors. This was unfamiliar territory, and he had no idea of what else might be on this
island. Besides, he wanted to explore his new surroundings. He liked to explore. He
hadn't been able to do anything like that for a very long time, and he was looking forward
to the new sights, sounds, and smells. He had always been curious.
He sniffed again, trying to catch the scent. He picked the most likely direction, and
headed out.
"He's moving again," said the woman watching the screen.
The man's brow furrowed. "Where do you think he's going?"
"Inland…it looks like…yes, it is. He's heading toward the old Ingen complex."
He looked at her quizzically. "He couldn't possibly know that's there."
She couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. "He's not going there because of the
buildings -- he's going there because that's where the other raptors are," she said. Then a
frown crossed her face as she realized what she'd said. "The other raptors..." she
repeated, her voice trailing off. "I guess I…I haven't really been thinking of him that
way. Not that I can think of him as anything else, but—"
"I understand," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's been hard. Hell, it's
been hard for all of us. You don't want him in that place any more than I do, but they say
it's the best thing for him. He hated being locked up. You know that."
"I know. I also know how he could break out of any cage they put him in, given enough
time, which is why I think they're sending him there. To prevent another lawsuit."
"As opposed to ours, if they can't manage to fix all of this?" he said softly. "At least now
we don't have to worry about him getting loose again, and possibly hurting anyone." He
raised an eyebrow. "Do we really want another incident like with that T. rex a few years
ago? Or do we want him to take up hunting in another populated area, like he was doing
before he was caught?"
"First San Diego, then L.A.," she murmured, thinking about how the whole mess started.
"No, I suppose we don't."
"And once he finds the oth—I mean, once he finds the raptors that are there, he should do
fine."
She leaned back in the chair and folded her arms. "What if they don't accept him?"
"Why wouldn't they do that? They've taken others into their pack; that's why Ingen
decided to send him there in the first place. They've even adopted orphaned chicks from
the other island. If they encounter one of their own, they'll generally take it in."
"But he's not really one of their own, is he," she said warily. "I wonder if they'll be able
to tell he's different."
"I don't think they'll be able to tell. He looks exactly like one of them."
She frowned up at him. "It's not his looks that I'm worried about; it's his scent. I know
the scientists told us it wouldn't be a problem, but how can they be sure? We certainly
can't smell what they can." She paused, gazing up at him uncomfortably. "My God,
what if they can tell he's not what he looks like?"