The man was taken by complete surprise as Boris landed a heavy fist across his face; a visage of which bore features he had wanted to smash in ever since he had been acquainted with the owner. Having been subjected to brutal methods of interrogation by said individual fuelled this desire even more, and it was not long before blood began to flow. With the surprised enemy knocked to the floor, Boris felt he could strike and strike until his opponent was dead. He had the ability; and there was nothing to stop him. He'd probably do just that.

Barks sounded out from nearby. Amidst an adrenaline pumped ballet, he noticed the arrival of three of the guards, cronies to the being he was engaged in combat with. More pistol rounds flared from the small but lethal weapons in there hands, spitting flashes of flame. Smacking of bullets cracked out all around the deck. Fortunately these guards were full of too excitement, putting off their aim.

It was based on instinct more than anything else, but Boris did exactly what he needed to survive. His adversary, wearing a holster, indication that he was armed, provided a means with which to fight back at this new threat. Tugging the firearm out, he rolled into a better position, lying prone so as to gain the best possible accuracy. Quickly aiming it to face the danger, he snapped off shot after shot. Within four squeezes of the trigger, the threat had been quelled; now nothing but heaps lay on the deck, blood pouring from a forehead or neck. It was safe to say his marksmanship, learned from his days as an agent, had once again saved his own neck. All bullets had hit home; one of his assailants having had to require a couple to finally silence him.

Peering back to what he had been doing previously, he noticed the absence of a particular figure. The man known as Roland had evidently run for it. With no-one shooting at him anymore, Boris raced off to find him and deal with him. Below, he was aware of the fierce sounds raging, indicating that the worst had happened, yet he never actually gazed into the depths of the hull. Had he done so, he may have found himself a little preoccupied to hunt down the man.


Still raging away amidst the only rays of light to flood into the bay, and illuminated in a spot-light effect, Karen and Sarah had their hands wrapped around each others throats, mutually choking the life out of each other. It turned out that both were of similar strength, and so the death-lock continued, both individuals being unable to muster enough strength to deliver a fatal crushing blow down onto the others trachea. It would be a long duel. A few metres away an 8 metre long monster witnessed the fight. The Metriacanthosaur snapped impatiently at them, then backed away, then snapped once more, and continued in such fashion, like a curious dog investigating a bee emerging from the ground after hibernation. The vicious display between the two small creatures it had so hoped to eat had it totally bewildered.

Meanwhile, the other giant lizard stalked through the cargo bay in search of its own prey. Despite being able to easily outrun a person, Jim, David and Jo had been able to gain a head start by surprising the beast. It probably hadn't thought, with its previous meals having been dead or tied down, that such fast food existed. Within moments the terrified humans had managed to clamber up onto one of the many large piles of crates in this death arena. So far, they had managed to escape detection.


Another 9mm lump of lead zoomed past, almost skimming Boris's skull. Even a nick from such a projectile could be deadly, and so he ducked before wheeling about to locate the source of the danger. Loosing off another round his attacker fell, though only injured, with the bullet having lodged itself just beneath his kneecap. It hadn't been a perfect shot as Boris had hoped for, but it would do. Needless to say, it had definitely put that man out of the fight.

Still, he was fired at yet again. Turning, he could see Roland standing near the bow of the ship. Behind him were two very recognisable shapes; a pair of helicopters, one the bulbous but lethal Little Bird that had pulverised their hovercrafts earlier on, the other a larger and sleeker Bell 206 Longranger, the perfect vehicle for a rapid journey back to distant civilisation. Putting two and two together took a matter of seconds. Boris knew what the man was up to all right, and he couldn't allow it to happen.

Quickly, the fleeing man scooted round the back of the Longranger, as Boris fired off a few shots. He stopped after three. He only had the one clip after all and couldn't afford to waste ammunition. And anyway, at the range he was, he would be lucky to score a vital hit on either of the flying machines to prevent them from flying. For the moment, Roland had himself a rather extravagant and expensive, yet thoroughly effective shield.


With an almighty raucous bellow, the creature lumbered forward into the fray with them. Had Karen been too preoccupied to notice, she would have been trampled to death instantly, along with Sarah. As fate would have it, the beast had announced its intentions all too clearly, and both scattered at the oncoming menace. The death grapple she had been a part of broke off and she flung herself hard to one side as a wall of scaly flesh thundered past like a freight train, only stopping when it crashed into a nearby pile of crating. An assortment of things poured from the industrial boxes. One had evidently been a weapons cache, since a mound of black metal forms; pistols, now resided on the deck. But, curiously, Karen couldn't help but notice the presence of another item that had been released after the impact. A selection of vials and syringes; each containing an unpleasant looking serum of a translucent light green colour, almost like washing up liquid, though Karen reckoned it might do anything but keep your hands soft. As it had been located next to a box of guns, she decided on it being an insidious chemical weapon. An asset at this time, she noted to herself.

A hard impact at her knees caused her to buckle, and she fell back down. Obviously Sarah still chose to ignore the Metriacanthosaur threat, and wanted to continue their struggle regardless of the presence of a large animal, which was desperately trying to eat them at the same time. Kicking out, Karen managed to score a hit across her assailant's face, and then another right on Sarah's nose. Blood poured from the area she struck at, be the girl kept on coming; intent heavily evident in her eyes, like a raptor bearing down onto the kill.

Shrieking a rattling cough of irritation, the dinosaur turned back towards them. This time it would surely capture them. Pounding its feet, it stampeded again, its jaws opened up like a net, as if intended to scoop them up in its maw. With death so close, this finally managed to distract Sarah, who made to get out of the way. She managed, but by the skin of her teeth. Karen however, was not so lucky, with that powerful head butting into her torso and causing her to fly some metres. She landed in a heap, barely conscious. Had the Metriacanthosaur noticed, she would never have recovered. The Metriacanthosaur though, was more interested in Sarah.

Cursing somewhat, the evil redhead ran for it. Since she had been a part of bringing this beast, like so many others to life, she felt it most unfair for it to be the one responsible for her demise.

"I made you", she hissed at her threat, which of course was reluctant to listen.

Dodging through the masses of crates, which were situated into an almost labyrinthine maze, she tried to shake the pursuit. Then, after what seemed to have been success, she found herself straight in the path of the other one; the other creature; the other monster. Having failed to find its earlier prey, the beast was all too happy that food had eventually found it. Rumbling in anticipation, it paced towards her.


From atop their makeshift fortress, Jim spotted Sarah halt in her tracks. Cornered by two Metriacanthosaurs, she cursed again, this time even louder. It was a universal cry of distress.

"Shit!" in a voice laden with panic.

It was from a distance of perhaps twenty metres, but for the first time ever, Jim could recognise genuine fear overcoming his enemy, and gripping her terrified frame like vines and creepers. It generated compassion in him despite what she'd done. He felt he had to do something. It was his duty as a human being.

Without thought, he leapt clear of his protection, and onto the deck. His feet impacted onto the metal floor loudly. He'd hoped that might be enough to draw the creatures away from Sarah, giving her the opportunity to escape, while at the same time, giving him an equal opportunity of shimmying back up to the safety of the crating. It hadn't been enough to distract the beasts unfortunately. He hoped running at them would.

"Hey!" he yelled at them, feeling stupid at the same time. One did turn, and it hissed disapprovingly at him, but otherwise kept its attention focused on its current quarry.

Again, without thinking, Jim looked around for something to throw at the creatures. In the end he failed to search out anything useful, and so turned to improvisation. Yanking one of the boots off his feet, he chucked the item of footwear at the rear-side of one of the lizards. It bounced off, and had no effect.

Sarah was now backed against the wall. As far as she was concerned her number was up. Meanwhile, David and Jo tried desperately to coax Jim back to relative safety. They saw no sense for him to be risking his neck to safe one monster from another two.

"Get out of there", yelled David, hardly able to believe the reckless act of his friend. Clambering down, he rushed to assist. He felt it his duty to assist his friend. Jo followed suit. She felt it her duty to her love.


That's right you bunch of fools, the malicious thoughts echoed through Sarah's mind. She had not intended to get into this mess, but she hadn't been unprepared for any eventuality either. At first perhaps being cornered by a pair of rampaging prehistoric carnivores had made her feel queasy from fear; yes, fear, after all she was only human. Feeling her back pocket, she withdrew a small metal device; a grenade. It wasn't just any grenade either. Contained within its cylindrical casing, a tiny charge waited to blast the rest of its contents out over a five-metre radius.

Hurling it at them, the gadget skidded along the deck and landed at Jim's feet. The noise of detonation startled them all. Barrages of confused looks were thrown in Sarah's direction, which were bewildered at her rejection of help from such a terrible situation. Had she known they were trying to help? Why would she do such a heartless thing as to attack the very people who were trying to save her? Jim felt foolish. He should have known better. Some people were just like that.

Now the two Metriacanthosaurs turned their attention to the commotion coming from behind them; from the direction of which a shoe had launched its single solitary assault. Making their way towards the gathering, who were totally unaware of the specific purpose of the explosive that had just been used against them, Sarah used her well calculated diversion to make her getaway. The specially designed 'lure' grenade had worked alright, and quite rightly so. It had contained a generous dosage of "dino bait" after all, a specially designed serum to attract carnivores to where they were wanted, or more accurately, needed, whether it be a cage or an arena of death.

She was in the clear now.

Running back through the maze of crates she was unaware of Karen, who lay in wait, her own device poised for action.


"Stay away now, you hear!" a panic-stricken Roland leapt out from behind the Longranger, Kalashnikov gripped uneasily in his overexcited hands. With his refined reflexes Boris managed to duck just before a hail of rapid fire lead passed by overhead. He smiled. Evidently his skills had brought about fear in his opponent, giving him the upper hand. All he had to do was exploit it.

He knew he'd have to get in close. The pistol would be useless soon. It had only the one clip, which was almost empty. Gritting his teeth, Boris decided he would have to act sooner or later. Briefly emerging from cover, he sprinted across to the next area that he could keep out of range in, but which was also nearer to the assault rifle toting maniac. Biting bullets followed him closely behind, but, Roland had fortunately failed to compensate for the deflection, making them wasted shots. The rounds he fired off harmlessly missed, albeit not by very much.

Before ducking into cover, Boris did loose off another shot. He thought he could spare it, since he knew it wasn't the last one, though it was very possible it was the second to last. It did its intended job well, punching a hole into the fuselage of the helicopter right beside Roland's head, causing the man to flinch, and become even jumpier than before. His sudden adoption of an emphatically stooped posture accentuated cowering. It was evidently too much for him. Keeping his rifle aimed at Boris's position, he pulled open the side door to the vehicle and slithered inside. As soon as he was unable to aim the gun properly Boris decided to act once more, and the final act to this desperate melee.

"No you don't", he shouted, as the whine of rotor blades announced the coming to life of the flying machine. Approaching the aircraft, he yanked open the door and pointed the pistol inside. Roland yelped, and dashed out the other door, sprawling back onto the deck.

As Roland rushed round the back of one flank of the fuselage, Boris followed his progress along the other, until they came to the tail. Being a relatively thin structure compared to the rest of the aircraft's mass, there was nowhere really to hide, and Roland suddenly saw that there was no escape. His only option now would be to try and bargain, like the coward he was. He had tossed his AK-47 to one side as he had exited the vehicle, evidently having had wasted the ammo, and was now armless. Roland looked ridiculous in the getup he was wearing. Once that uniform would have invoked fear in many men; but now, it invoked humour.

"Give up", Boris yelled over the din of the thundering rotors, "There's nowhere to run now. Your boss is dead, and I don't see anyone else up here but you and me. I'm the one with the gun, so I think it would be best if I am the one who decides what's going to happen."

Anger raged through him. Everyone but he and this sniffling bastard was dead. His finger tightened against the trigger. He could change that statistic. It would be easy.

With his hands up Roland started negotiating.

"They're not dead", he shouted back through the noise, his voice having shot that particular comment off as quickly as his voice box would allow. It seemed a little unlikely and not the wisest choice of words but he could think of nothing else. He didn't want to trade an erroneous verbal exchange with a bullet.

"They're not dead", he repeated, "They're still alive."

"Where are they?" shouted Boris, surprised at this turn of events.

"Down below", was the answer, "In the cargo hold. If you hurry…"

Shifting his gaze to that great open hole in the floor, Boris made a very big mistake. He let his guard down. Roland took his chance. Aiming to wrench that firearm out of his captor's grasp, he ducked beneath the tail and lunged forward. He too made a couple of mistakes as well though. Firstly, he underestimated who he was dealing with.

Quickly recovering from being caught off-guard, Boris intercepted his attacker, as malignant fingers wrapped round the butt of the weapon. With both hands locked in fighting off the foe, it seemed a desperate struggle. Boris used his legs to get out of it, kneeing Roland's gut hard, and causing him to stumble back. It was here that his second error made itself known.

In many fights perhaps being kneed in the gut wouldn't be enough to end it. This time however, it was more than enough. Falling back, Roland was removed from the conflict, and never to return to it again. As the tail rotor thundered, the spinning blades connected with his face. A lumpy red mist erupted and spattered over Boris's front. He was quite repulsed. He had seen the man's face get sliced off quite graphically, as well as watched it sail off and into the sea; or half of his face anyway. As Roland revealed that he was still alive, he spun around to face Boris, terrified and in anguished pain. Grimacing at the spectacular mess before him, and repelled by the grotesque screams coming from that red gash which had replaced Roland's mouth, Boris raised the pistol, an act of mercy now in mind. Roland wouldn't have wanted to continue with the state he was in anyway, what with most of his jaw gone, and an untidy red hole where his left eye had been. Those blades had actually meant to do for him; it had been a grim twist of fate which kept him alive.

Expecting the firearm to buck and end these circumstances, Boris sighed upon hearing the tell-tale click that no more bullets were within the weapon. The clip was empty, the chamber was empty, but was Boris's heart? Sighing again, he knew he'd still have to do something, rather than leave the man before him bleed to death without his face.

Grabbing the haemorrhaging chaos before him, he pushed the man back again, and once more into the blades, this time more thoroughly. Roland's skull exploded and he shut up. Grey matter, or bits of brain as some would call it, scattered everywhere, with pieces sticking to Boris's face and chin. That had been particularly unpleasant, and he hoped he'd never have to do anything of the sort again.

His enemy was dead. Had the man gone out defiantly, without trying to negotiate for his life, he'd have reckoned himself the only one left. He would have boarded the chopper and finally escaped. A funny thing fate. Turning, he rushed back to opening in the deck. He had noticed the crane there, and it seemed to be his only means of rescue for his friends. If they were still alive, they could escape with him. As he made for the control panel hope flushed through him again. It was a welcome feeling.


Her opponent had got her well. Lunging from the shadows, Karen had quickly floored that girl she had hated so much. Clasped in her hands was a syringe, its needle menacingly poised. Karen would use it to end Sarah's sadistic life in a relatively clean way. This poison would do for her, and everyone would be avenged, everyone who had come on this trip and died, and that included Steve.

Breaking away, Sarah managed to wriggle free. The last minute or so had been desperately trying to evade the jabbing motions Karen had been making with the needle. That hadn't been much of a challenge though, since Karen hadn't wanted to risk smashing the syringe against the decking and rendering it useless. Because of that, they had been slow attempts, and Sarah had managed to escape with the luck of the devil.

Hurrying round the corner of the stacked crates, which could have been landmarks in this particular great battle, had they not been so similar, Karen rushed after her nemesis. She didn't see it before it was too late. A sickening squelch alerted her that she had just trodden in something.

Sarah stopped and turned. Then a smile crossed her lips, the one that Karen hated so much. Bursting into laughter, she appeared to be having trouble keeping her sides from splitting.

"You stupid bitch", she guffawed, and then, packing maximum scorn into her follow up statement; "You just stepped in your boyfriend."

Indeed, remnants of Steve were now trapped in the sole of Karen's boots. She gazed down at the unrecognisable carcass, a pulpy mess of salivary flesh and semi-digested gunk, almost unable to accept that it had once been a human, and a human she had held a candle for at that. Tears trickled from her eyes as emotion began to overwhelm her. They had never been an item, though Karen had wanted to. No, instead, Sarah, a femme fatale as it where, had lured Steve in. Though not being bad looking at all, Karen had nevertheless been unable to match up with Sarah's "perfect" appearance that had been the demise of the young man. Or she felt that way anyway.

"Don't worry it, you can pick off shit like that with a stick", Sarah taunted her. It was too much. Shrieking with hatred, Karen lunged forward, and plunged the syringe into Sarah's neck, pressing down on the plunger to deliver the dosage quickly. Sarah shrieked as well, but for an entirely different reason, as the cold steel dart penetrated her flesh. She fell back and skittered away, clutching at her point of assault. Feeling her enemy was done for; Karen left Sarah to die the death that she deserved.


Coated in films of a fine sticky material that they couldn't remove, the three dashed from here to there around the cargo bay, desperately trying to avoid jaws, which in turn where desperately trying to bite into them. Since there was only two monsters and three of them, splitting up had managed to confuse the ravenous pursuers. David, however, felt that this system of co-operation could only go on for so long. Sooner or later, he was sure that their tormentors would wise up and co-operate themselves.

The situation was becoming ever more frantic; as if such was possible under the current circumstances. At this moment, the lizard which had been pounding after Jo had given up the chase, turned away like a tank seeking a new target, and given chase to him instead. Despite his fear, he preferred it. Whatever happened he would protect his love; whatever happened. Still, it didn't mean he would stand still and out in the open like a lemon. Nope, he was running as fast as he could, faster than any other time in his life.

He was quite close to the entrance, the great chasm they had plummeted through, and a glorious and wide pillar of light coming from the opening, in which a majestic orange sky was visible miles above. It was beginning to fade. Soon the day would end; as would their lives.

Never did he think that salvation would come from the heavens, but it did. With huge groans, the dirty, oily hook and chain descended from a powerful crane arm and into the pit, an escape, and the only escape available. It was beautiful.

Above, Boris peered down, speechless after so much had happened. He gestured where his words couldn't explain, and David, at that moment, pulverised his lower limbs into maximum action, making the greatest sprint of his life for it. Within feet of being saved, he practically skidded upon his heels. Jo, and Jim. He couldn't leave them. Returning his own gesture, a defiant shake of the head, he spun back and went after them. If he could get them out one at a time, it was quite possible that rescue would come relatively easy. And, if he could just avoid this gigantic monster…Jumping aside from the charging reptile, like a bullfighter would leap aside from a rampaging bull at the crucial moment, he rushed back into the dark maze, while the Metriacanthosaur knocked over another heap of crates, sending them all crashing to the deck.

"Jo!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Jim! Where are you? Come with me quick. There's a way out! There's a way out!"

To Jim this sounded like simple optimism. Rounding a corner he then spied the crane winch. It was anything but optimism. He ran for it. All he could focus on was survival. He hoped dearly that Jo and David made it as well, but for now, and with the bonus of having no snarling beasts currently behind him, he was in the clear to make a getaway.

Latching onto the swinging chain of freedom, he was elated. Boris, observing from up top, made to draw him to safety.

"Jo!" he called again, but David was clueless to where she was. He could hear her screams, but he couldn't find her at all in the shadowy labyrinth. Suspended in the darkness, he stopped, and listened. At desperate times like this he prayed that his sense of sound would fill in what his eyes couldn't see. His ears probed the surrounding area for any possible clue. Proximity, direction, anything at all that might help pinpoint her location. The noise seemed to be coming closer at least; if he stayed where he was, and both charged down that very path, it was possible that he could save her and get both of them to the winch before they were slaughtered. But what's the use? Throat bulging with anxiety; he felt weak at the knees and could only hear "we are not getting out of this one" echo throughout his mind, and a grim suggestion of "give up." If we even get to the crane, he thought, we'd be snatched off it. He sighed. At least he could die with his love; together. Standing firm, he waited, anticipating both love and beast emerging from the gloom soon.

But the he was alerted to the other guy; another presence which had been with him ever since he had entered this pitch black hell. The purr, not all dissimilar to that of a cheetah, and a sound that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck, and which sent shudders down his spine, bubbled out from its owner which sounded as if it was in extreme proximity. There were no big cats on board, David felt sure of that. He knew what it was though, and it was something much more lethal than some flimsy spotted mammalian carnivore from the African plains.


This was the one. That stupid pink and fleshy bipedal being, standing mere metres away, and who thought its species so smart that it reckoned that it was the most intelligent creature alive, was the one he had been hunting for all that time. Success for achieving such stealth for so long just showed how arrogant and dim-witted these creatures were. And now the hunt had finally drawn to a close.

Ever since his breeding partner, a life-mate, had been brutally slaughtered by this man, in an unmotivated attack, slashing her to death with a steel and razor claw, he had wanted to reap what was justice. He knew he would never mate again. His partner was gone. Now, he would deny the lover of this monster before him the same thing he himself had been denied; for the rest of her days the human he had no personal grudge against would suffer the agony of losing her own mate.

Humans. He knew what they were. Ignorant of what he was. It was the Raptor, which nature had built for the kill. That was the basis for the laws of instinct. His mate had just been curious, investigating an unusual presence down by the stream. Nothing hostile at all. Why would she have wasted valuable energy on a couple of foolish beings who didn't know what they were doing? Had she known she would lose her life doing so, she would have stayed away. But that is not how it happened. Fate had taken a different course.

Clacking toe claws against the floor, like an ominous clue to the satisfaction that was to come, he paced forward. Standing frozen to the spot, the one known as David appeared to brace himself. The situation had become much too complicated for him to escape alive, yet alone unscathed, and he was preparing himself for death's embrace. Another step forward and they were seeing eye to eye.

Staring into the human's strange mammalian eyes, he could read terror. Perfect. It would be a mirror to the last strangulated thoughts which occurred in his own mate's mind, as she lay there bleeding to death, her life ebbing away as the stream waters flowed gently past.

This time, rather than purr, he let out a predatory hiss, to let his prey know that its time was up. After all, that is all humans were anyway; prey. He had seen them before, though very rarely. When he had, he had always noticed them as a species easy to intimidate, and when panicked, easy to take. It was his species who were built for predation after all; a human being merely possessed the know-how of being able to obtain such skills.

The time for redemption was now.

It would be the end.

Well, it would have been, had the second Metriacanthosaurus not arrived at that precise moment. Spotting the rival predator, it bellowed at the raptor and lost all interest in any human prey. With a severely pissed-off screech, he was flung as the larger lizard butted him in the chest, an impact that could have been fatal to a lesser species.

It laid into him, its jaws raking across his flesh and tearing through scaly hide. The larger beast could not, however, get an effective grasp onto the wriggling body it almost had caught. It knew perfectly well that only biting down would stop the Velociraptor from proving to be a worthy adversary. The smaller, smarter and considerably more dexterous creature writhed to escape its temporary incarceration, clamped between two tremendous powers of brute force.


Never had any of them thought that such a terrifying monster could ever be of any use to them personally. But that's just how the Metriacanthosuar's arrival could be viewed, as it struggled with the angry raptor, which desperately tried to escape its tooth lined cage. This turn of events essentially occupied both beasts, leaving a window open for escape. Both David, and Jim who had just arrived on the scene, felt it, their emotions close to a feeling of exhilaration. But then there was another factor. Jo. She was still running, possibly trapped somewhere, or dead. David didn't want to dwell on the latter. He gulped, and shook his head at Jim. Jim understood perfectly.

"I won't leave your side", he whispered, in tones of a dedication only a true friend could ever utter, "We'll get her out of here."

And with that, they both ran into the darkness. The two reptilian creatures tussled like a dog trying to devour a cat.


The ferocious roars and hissing snaps of a deadly pursuer had ceased now. And Jo hoped it wouldn't start up again. She had managed to throw the dinosaur off the scent. Or it appeared so, judging by the beast lurking around the hold, clueless to where its prey had got to. Had it looked up, it may have learnt the new hiding place of the small mammal. It didn't though, evidently having never suspected its dinner to have been smart enough to try and escape upwards.

Nevertheless, Jo was kept tense, rigidly alert to what might happen next. She focused on the large predator. She contemplated making a run for it. She had heard shouts that there was a way out now. All she had to do was sprint for her life, and there was a chance she would make it. It was incredibly frightening to think about, yet alone pull off, but she knew she couldn't stay perched atop a pile of crates forever. If David was here, she thought, yearning for his company in such dire consequences.

A noise behind her made her turn. There he was, he had come back to rescue her. It was both stupid and brave, and she felt partially angry for him to try such a suicidal act. But her appreciation overruled all of that, and she looked longingly at him and at a potentially cheerful near future.

He hadn't noticed her, and was quickly making his way around the base of the crates. In seconds he would be in full view of the…

"No", she yelled at the top of her lungs.

The presence of new targets was too much for the Metriacanthosaur. It lunged at the newcomers as they emerged in front of it, jaws parted and ready to mutilate. Barely missing him, David quickly realised how fast he was able to get himself into such a lethal situation. He fell to the deck, as a powerful snapping maw closed where his head would have been. He didn't stay there long, sprinting up and forward, before that same set of jaws could try again.

Jim flanked around the predator, in a bid to try and distract it. It didn't work. Above him Jo was making her way down from her refuge point. It appeared to buckle a little beneath her, indicating it might not be very stable. It wasn't and collapsed, causing her to sprawl in a mess. Jim rushed to free her from the mass of heavy crates, hoping that she hadn't been hurt in the fall.

David had only managed to get himself deeper and deeper into trouble. He was cornered, and though he knew that he could scramble up the wall of those blasted crates in record time, he also knew he still wouldn't be able to do it fast enough. There was no escape, unless…As the razor lined maw came at him, he ducked and dived between the legs of the Metriacanthosaur. The beast tried to follow him through, but instead clamped down onto the deck between its feet, off balancing it and causing it to fall over quite comically. David would have laughed had he not been so preoccupied in trying to save his life.

Reunifications were brief as the three became a group once more and for the last time. Now they would run. They would carry themselves as fast as possible to that liberating crane winch.

A thought crossed Jim's mind at that point. Karen.

"Shit!" he cursed.

An irate snort alerted them that the beast had managed to pick itself up from its humiliation a few moments earlier. They would indeed have to run fast. They started off as soon as the creature charged. A few seconds into the desperate dash, David tried to block their imminent deaths from his mind. He knew perfectly well that they couldn't outrun such a creature, yet he tried to stick to the concept that survival was possible.

Something whipped past his ear at that moment. It had been thrown like a knife, but it was no blade. It had been a plastic tube…a syringe of green fluid in fact, though its appearance as a semi-transparent blur was nearer to what it resembled while it was airborne. A stifled roar sounded out, and the clanging of massive toe claws against the dock halted. Turning, he was given a sight that issued him a new reason for joy, and a gift he had deserved. The monster wasn't going to cause him trouble anymore. It had suddenly lost interest in playing the part of predator, and lurched slowly and sickly away. It seemed they were now in the clear.


Karen emerged out of the shadows. It was a sight that would stay with her for the rest of her life. The looks of relief and delight on their faces, it was certainly something to treasure. She smiled, her fatal blow done. Those vials evidently had contained something indeed strong, especially if it had the power to dispatch a creature of such proportions – thrown like a dart; it had struck accurately and lethally.

"That's it", she said, elated, "They're all gone. I killed the first one, and that one has mere minutes to live. We can go home." It was indeed a day of redemption for Steve; her day. Those creatures had killed him. She had returned the favour.

Silently, they made their way to the winch where Boris was waiting, somewhat thankful that they had managed to survive their ordeal without his assistance. It had been anguishing to watch, but it was over now. They were coming out, and they could escape; the only survivors of the expedition.


Gazing up at the last remnants of daylight, David could not put words to the emotions he felt at that time. They were getting out, finally, and now nothing could prevent that. Darting his head around at that thought, his eyes probed the immediate area. Just nerves, he thought. And he tried to adopt a more optimistic point of view from thereon. Seeing Jo ascend into the light certainly helped. She was hauled onto the deck by Boris and into the open air. It had never felt so rewarding, and so sweet, to once again be topside and alive.

Within moments David would experience that as well. He almost felt giddy with excitement. Hissing emanated from behind him. He turned, as did Karen and Jim. Not now, he thought, not now I was so close. It was all too much.

The Velociraptor, one that Karen had been totally unaware of, judging by the look on her face, stared at the group. Its eyes fixated on David's. It was clear who it wanted.

"Go", he said sadly to the other two.

Jim felt a thousand thoughts burn in his mind at that moment. What could he do? He knew the answer. Anything. He could do anything to safe his friend.

As the Raptor lowered itself to the floor, its muscles tensed for a lethal strike and killing blow, Jim ran at it. He threw his arms around its neck, and practically rode its back like a bucking bronco. It was a short-lived ride, and the prehistoric predator, a veteran of fighting and killing, quickly gained the upper hand upon its assailant.

"Go", Jim yelled his last word, the same as his friend had uttered seconds ago, but with much more impact. He tried to hang onto the creature, but was quickly pulled beneath it, and towards those deadly feet, which stamped in fury.

Before anything else could happen, David felt himself being tugged skyward. Having been so shocked, Karen had evidently attached the winch to him without him realising and he was now in assured safety. It would have been an experience matching the best day of his life. It wasn't. His friend's sacrifice would be an eternal memento to the very power of friendship.

Karen looked in horror. She knew it was too late for Jim. He lay there, motionless, but still alive, as his guts were spewed out by those powerful legs. Entrails stamped, and blood gushing, he felt himself slip away. With a glossy gaze he looked up towards the light. At least his last view would be of a pleasant sunset sky.

With a final, and difficult, nod of the head, he gestured to Karen to follow suit.

Teary eyed she took a hold of the winch. It pulled her upwards. No more dying, she thought, no more, no more. Above her Boris waited anxiously for her safe arrival into his arms. Once she was there, he kept telling himself, they could form a closer friendship under better circumstances. Soon, she would be with him, and they could all get out of there. They could all escape from Hell. Arms outstretched, he waited for contact. Metres away. Then perhaps a few feet. Ten inches. Five centimetres. Six feet. No, his mind desperately tried to make sense of what had just happened. It didn't make any sense. It couldn't happen. Not now. She was safe. She was safe, damn it.

"No more dying", he boomed at the monstrous Metriacanthosaur, drawing the pistol, before remembering it was lacking ammunition. Was there nothing else to use? He feared not.

But the tremendous bite force around Karen's waist loosened. The monster fell back and away. The deadly chemicals it had taken in, chemicals given to it by that very girl, were causing the final effect. As it fell to the floor, Karen was finally returned to Boris. He held her in his arms.

"I'm hurt", she spluttered almost silently, "I won't make it."

"No, you will", he said, pleading for her to hang on. His grip was tight at first. He loosened it in fear that it might hurt her even more otherwise. But he still kept her in his arms, as she became the last victim of a terrible journey.

"I won't", she whispered, her voice faltering. Such an attack had caused critical damage to her, of a sort that she could never recover from. She wasn't going to make it. Not even after so much had happened. So many near misses with death, and now, she is eventually reaped at the very last moment, at the hands of the very last source of danger. It shouldn't have happened. It wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry", she uttered her last words, barely floating out of her mouth as she went limp. The sound of the waves slapping the side of the hull, the low roar of the burning fires at the stern of the ship, the soft caress of a sea breeze, and Karen's fading out of existence; were all that Boris could sense at that moment.

All there was to do now was escape. And with an aircraft prepped and ready, it was simply a matter of boarding the machine and leaving this place of fear and death. They would do just that. But for one last moment, Boris knelt there, with Karen's form, and contemplated what could have been.