Third person view
A pig squealed loudly as it ran through the trees and bushes of a jungle. The reason it was running was because behind it was the Raptor pack was right behind him with the two Betas leading.
Blue looked over at her new mate and sent him a grin before running ahead of him, showing him she was the superior.
DJ smiled and went to run back up to next her, and possibly past her, when she playfully hit him with her tail. It wasn't a hard hit but just enough to distract him.
Distracted by the hit, DJ didn't see the pig take a turn left. He stopped running but due to the loose soil, he slid for a few feet and soon found himself at the back of the pack.
He growled in frustration at the fact that she used his tactic before he took off again with the intent to get back up to the very front of the group.
"Hold!" Owen commanded as Blue stopped at his command while the pig safely got into a holding area and a door closed.
DJ, having gotten behind the other Beta again just as the pig was back in the cage, came up beside her and stopped beside her followed by the rest of the pack. However he only stopped because Blue did not because Owen commanded it.
"Hey" he said drawing all the animals to him, even DJ looked up though he had more of a bored look on his face.
Up on the catwalk, Owen was holding his hand up with his clicker in the other. While he was on the catwalk, the other staff for the raptor pen were off to the sides watching intently.
"Okay, eyes on me" he commanded clicking the clicker. DJ shook his head as Blue squawked at him. It never really sat well with her that her friend/mate didn't listen to her Alpha.
"Blue? Blue!" Owen said clicking his clicker making her look back up.
"Watch it" he said unknown to him, she was defending him.
Charlie, not liking his tone at her sister, shook her head and voiced her displeasure.
"Hey Charlie, don't give me that shit!" Owen commanded.
"Delta, lock it up!" he added seeing the other member of the pack was shifting on her feet, ready to go.
"Good... and we're moving" he said walking along the catwalk. The pack turned, keeping their heads to their alpha and keeping the form they were in. A few snaps and growls from one when they bumped into one of her sisters.
"Hold" Owen said stopping at a bucket hanging on the rail of the catwalk as they all stopped and watched him.
"Okay, that's good. That is damn good" he said clicking his clicker, letting them know they did good before reaching into his bucket and pulling out some chunks of meat.
"See Charlie that's what you get" he said throwing a chunk of meat to her who quickly ate it.
"Echo there you go. Delta!" he said throwing each raptor a piece of meat. He then seen that Bravo wasn't paying attention to him but was still in the same spot where he had stopped.
Owen knew from past experiences, the male raptor didn't respond to both the clicker and his name. At first he'd look at Owen to see what the noise was, for a second, and then he'd look away.
However he was getting better. He didn't just walk away when the pig was taken away. However Owen knew it was just because Blue started yelling at him when he did so.
"Alright Bravo, good effort" he said hoping it would draw his attention. However it didn't so Owen just threw the chunk of meat. However by bad luck, Owen's throw hit Bravo right on the top of the head, causing the animal to roar at Owen.
He dug his claws into the ground and bared his teeth, almost like he was about to do something. However a screech from Blue caused him to look at her.
After a short conversation in raptor, Bravo looked down at the chunk of meat before back at Owen. He growled once more at the human before he bent down and, after taking the chunk into his mouth and eating it, stalked off into the bushes.
"Blue!" He said drawing her attention. "Thanks. This one is for you" he added holding up a large rat. He threw it to her and she ate it at once.
"Hold. Eyes up" Owen said first holding a hand to them causing them to stop and then raised the hand into the air as the squad lifted their heads.
"Go!" he said moving his hand like he was starting a race and with that, the raptors took off under and past the catwalk, free to do their own things.
Cheers erupted from the staff as that was the first time that they all responded to their combined and solo commands and no serious fight broke out between them.
Barry came up smiling and laughing like they had just won the lottery.
"You finally did it, man" Barry said as another voice rang out causing all celebrations to grind to a halt.
"Owen!" Hoskins yelled walking up patting some staff who all gave him dirty looks.
"I was starting to think I hired the wrong guys but damn, you got them eating outta your palm" he said coming onto the catwalk.
"You came on a good day, it's not usually a happy ending" Owen said with a neutral face.
"Is that why you're not sending in your reports?" He asked shaking his hand.
"We've been busy" Barry said defending his friend.
"Not too busy to cash your paychecks" he said fake punching Barry who didn't flinch and wasn't amused.
"What do you need buddy?" Owen said trying to keep his calm.
"Another field test" Hoskins said as Owen rolled his eyes and turned around trying to walk away.
"Hey we've seen it can be done. We used it to catch Bravo" Hoskins said.
"Yeah and it almost went horribly wrong when he jumped a Creek and we spent nearly ten minutes looking for a new way around" Owen said.
"Hey, I've just seen they can respond to commands. We need to take the research and get it on it's feet" Hoskins said walking with Owen.
"They're animals, Hoskins. And for the last six and a half months, they've been under the influence of an actual wild born animal. Trust me you don't want them in a field. Especially Bravo" Owen said.
"I just saw a bond, a real. Okay, maybe not with Bravo, but still a bond between man and beast" Hoskins said getting in front of Owen.
"You're in my way" Owen said simply.
"Come on, we're the same. We're dogs of war. We know that the military needs to reduce casualties. Some people think robots are the future" he said as Owen just walked around him. However Hoskins wasn't giving up and kept following him.
"Look nature gave us the most efficient killing machine 75 million years ago and now we know they can take orders" Hoskins said as Owen stopped.
"And Bravo is a perfect example of how much training they need. Six months and he still isn't following orders, not like the rest of the girls. And I know the military doesn't have the patience to train them from birth" Owen said as Barry walked up.
"We finally make progress and that's the first thing he says? Make a weapon?" Barry asked as Hoskins threw his hands in the air and turned around and cursed.
"They are the government" Owen said with a smirk.
"Come on gents, it's grown up time. Drones can't searched tunnels and caves. And they're hackable. The minute a real war breaks out, all that fancy tech is gonna go dark" Hoskins said.
"But that tech ain't gonna eat them if they forget to feed it" Owen said as they came to a spot that over looked a clearing where most of the girls were hanging out.
"Look at these creatures. They've got millions of years of instinct in their cells, instincts we can program. They've got loyalty that cannot be bought" Hoskins said admiring the animals.
"These guys are gonna run straight into the enemies teeth and eat them, belt buckle and all" Hoskins said.
"And what if they decided they wanna be in control?" Barry asked.
"Then we remind them who is. We terminate the rogues, promote only loyal bloodlines" Hoskins said.
Barry's response to that was just to laugh and walk away.
"What? What's so funny?" Hoskins said. Owen just pointed into the pen.
Charlie came running out of the brush. Soon after, Bravo came out as well before he playfully tackled Charlie. However he took a chunk of a tree with his shoulder at the speed he was running when he came out. And from the color of the wood and the green leaves, they could tell the tree was healthy and not rotten.
"You're gonna try and terminate that? It takes four tranquilizers just to bring him down" He asked before he took another look at the animals.
"You don't come here and learn anything about these animals except for what you want to learn. You made them and now you think you own them" he added.
"We do own them. Extinct animals have no rights" Hoskins reminded him.
"They're not extinct anymore, Hoskins" Owen said walking away.
"Exactly, we're sitting on a gold mine and Masrani is using it to stock a petting zoo" he said as Owen accepted a bucket from another worker.
"He just wants to teach some people some humility. He doesn't want to make weapons" Owen said as the two walked down a set of stairs. At that Hoskins laughed.
"You that the 8th richest man in the world is only into oil, telecom and family fun parks? He's so diversified he doesn't know what he owns" Hoskins said.
"How long has Ingen been practicing this pitch?" Owen asked.
"Since we hired you outta the Navy" Hoskins said as the stepped off the stairs and onto ground level.
"These animals can replace thousands of boots on the ground. How many lives would that save?" Hoskins said. Owen then opened a gate that led into an open part with another gate that led into the raptor pen. He immediately closed the door and hit a button, locking it so Hoskins couldn't get inside.
"War is a part of nature. Look around Owen, every living thing in this jungle is trying to murder the other. You think Bravo just woke up with those scars one morning. Mother nature's way of testing her creations, refining the pecking order. War is struggle, struggle breeds greatness" he said as Owen began to approach him.
"Without that... we'd end up with places like this, charging seven bucks a soda" he said as Owen got to the bars that separated them.
"Do you hear yourself when you talk?" Owen asked. Hoskins only smiled.
"This is gonna happen with or without you boys. Progress always wins, man" he said. Owen just got closer to the bars, his smirk never leaving his face.
"Maybe progress should lose this time. Also I would love to see you try and control them without us" he said. Suddenly they heard a loud crash followed by a pig squealing.
"Pig loose! Pig loose!" A worker yelled as both men turned and looked inside the pen. A worker ran onto the catwalk holding a noose-pole.
He stopped where there was no brush and put the pole into the pen as the pig ran towards him. The pig ran right into the noose and the worker was about to pull it up and out of the enclosure.
Until Echo snatched the pig and pulled the worker off the catwalk and into the enclosure.
He hit the ground with a loud thud as Blue and her sisters, minus Echo, immediately took notice of the intruder in there territory.
Owen ran forwards to the second gate and watched as Blue, Charlie and Delta stalked forwards, screeching at the man who tried to pull himself back using his hands.
Owen didn't need to think twice and hit a button beside the second gate as it began to rise.
"Owen no!" Barry yelled coming up next to Hoskins. Owen didn't hesitate and once the gate rose enough, he crawled underneath it.
"No, no hold your fire!" Owen shouted rushing forwards into the pen and seeing a pair of guards aim their guns at the Raptors from up on the catwalk. They quickly looked at him like he was crazy.
"Hold your fire, do not fire!" He said getting in between the worker and the animals. They screeched at him as he held his hands up.
"Put twelve amps in these animals, they'll never trust me again" he said. As he was talking to the animals, Barry had come into the middle of the two gates and was standing by the close button for the second gate.
"Blue, stand down. Stand down" he said staring down the female beta. She snapped at him.
"Hey, hey! What did I just say?" He said before hearing a screech to his left.
"Delta, I see you. Back up" he ordered seeing the raptor trying to sneak around him.
"Good, good. Charlie, stay right there" he said now looking to his right.
Unknown to him, Hoskins was smiling through the bars. He seen that they weren't advancing any more.
"Okay, move back towards Barry" Owen instructed.
"N-No" the worker said still on the ground looking in Barry's direction.
"Listen to me, I have them under control for now but if Bravo sees us in here, we will die. Move towards the gate. Now!" Owen ordered.
"Owen!" Barry yelled. Owen, keeping his hands up, looked over his shoulder and froze.
Standing tall between them and the gate was Bravo. His slightly bloodied teeth from the treat Owen had given him seemed to stand out more than anything.
The guards immediately shifted their gaze along with their guns .
"No, hold your fire!" he shouted again which caused them to look at him with shocked expressions once more.
"Shoot him and the girls will tear everyone in this pen apart" he said, knowing that he and the girls now had a bond. He reached down and pulled the worker to his feet.
"Okay over here" he said before backwards walking until they was against the wall and able to look at both male and females.
"Alright, everyone just stay calm" Owen instructed still having his hands up.
"Okay Bravo, take it easy. We're just gonna leave okay?" he added trying to walk along the wall towards the exit with the worker. Bravo hissed and snapped at the movement which caused both of them to stop.
"Okay, okay!" Owen said quickly backing up the few steps he managed to get in. He took a breath before he seen Bravo start to approach him.
"Get behind me and no matter what keep quiet" he instructed as the worker did as he was told, getting in between the man and the wall.
As Owen watched the large animal walk, he could feel sweat for the first time in working with the raptor drip down his forehead.
Finally the animal was less than a few feet from him. Bravo leaned forwards as Owen closed his eyes. He sniffed his hair and face a few times before he leaned around and began sniffing at the worker behind him.
The worker struggled to keep quiet but somehow did so. Finally Bravo straightened back up. For a few seconds, neither side did anything. Finally Owen opened his one eye.
Bravo then screeched loudly in Owen's face, his teeth inches from the man's skin. The security raised their guns once more while Owen just welded his eyes shut, waiting for the enviable.
However the roar soon stopped, followed by a snort and then came the footsteps. Owen opened his eyes and seen that the raptor was now walking away from him, towards the girls who had moved back to about 30 feet.
"Okay, on my mark slowly-" Owen started but was cut off as the worker ran from behind him full tilt towards the gate. As soon as his footsteps started, all the animals turned around and Owen locked eyes with Bravo while the girls looked at the worker.
Owen wasn't a fool, he knew what running triggered in a predator. So he quickly joined the man in running while he heard an army of footsteps behind him.
"Close the gate!" He yelled seeing the worker get inside. Barry was about to argue but chose just to do what his friend wanted. Or maybe it was the five charging animals behind him.
So he hit a button as the gate began to lower. Just when it was a two feet from the ground Owen slid through, feeling the metal scrap against his clothing.
The gate was an inch from the ground when the first raptor, Bravo, slammed into it with his head, quickly followed by a few of the girls. They quickly shook it off before most of the girls walked off.
Barry then helped Owen up saying something in French.
"Yeah" Owen said agreeing before he shifted his focus to the worker.
"You're the new guy right? Leon?" He questioned.
"Yeah" the worker said outta breath, still on the ground.
"You ever wonder why there was a job opening?" he asked next as the man paled and let out a shuttering breath.
"Hey don't ever turn your back to the cage" he said giving behind the man a gesture before walking away. The man was confused until he heard hissing.
Turning around he seen both Betas with their snouts between the bars as far as they would go looking at him with snarling faces.
As Owen was about to approach the other gate, he seen Hoskins with a slight smile on his face. Hoskins then walked away before anything else could be said.
In the pen
"Your Alpha is lucky I didn't tear his head off" DJ said coming back to the clearing where he and Charlie had been playing tag. However once he got there he found only Blue there smiling.
"What?" He said confused at her smirk.
"You hate humans. The young ones a few days ago, you pounced without hesitation. But you only gave Alpha a warning. You're starting to accept him" she said in a teasing tone.
"I am not! I just... didn't want you girls to be mad at me if I killed him" DJ said wanting to keep his reputation.
"Suuuurrrre" Blue said trailing the word out and her tone told the male that she didn't at all believe him.
Not being able to come up with a comeback, DJ just huffed and walked away.
Blue just smiled even more, knowing her mate was starting to warm up to their Alpha and maybe if Alpha knew that, he'd let the girls and DJ mate during their heat season.
Blue would love to have a clutch of raptors to watch over, to teach all hunting moves that DJ had taught them. To love and raise them.
She shook her head. One step at a time. Everything is going perfectly right now.
There you guys go. Over the next few months, chapters for all stories might be delayed as I'm still getting used to my new house.