Jurassic Island

Chapter 21 – When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth

The velociraptor lowered its head, lips curling back as it snarled. A deep purring growl emanated from its throat as it stalked forward, maneuvering around the many computer banks, stopping occasionally to investigate the glowing screens. Castle grabbed the computer monitor off the nearest workstation, and hurled it at the raptor. The monitor struck the raptor square in the snarling face. It let out a high-pitched shrieked and bounced back, stunned.

It was distraction enough.

Almost immediately, Castle turned back around and grabbed Zoe, hoisting her up on his shoulders. Bewildered, she couldn't help but let out a small yelp of surprise, which regained the raptor's focus. Spotting them, it snarled and snapped, leaping into the air and landing atop one of the computer stations closest to them. Taking his cue, Kate and Charlie each grabbed something off the desk and threw it at the raptor. It wasn't enough to completely halt the beast, but it was enough to divert its focus.

Castle gritted his teeth and grunted, reaching his arms over his head to push Zoe up. She was standing on his shoulders now, stretching up to reach for the air vent above their heads, having caught on quickly to his plan. While Charlie continued throwing whatever he could find at the raptor, Kate hurriedly snatched the dropped shotgun back up off the floor. She slipped her hand down Castle's back pocket, and groped around for the extra rounds, earning a raised eyebrow from her husband as he felt her fingers brushed against his posterior. Kate retrieved a pair of bullets, which she quickly loaded into the shotgun barrel. She stepped in front of Castle, holding the gun at the ready, and aimed directly at the raptor.

The velociraptor narrowed its yellow eyes at her and let out a hissing snarl, but halted its approach nonetheless. Apparently the beast understood the threat that came from what Kate held in her hands. It hissed softly, hesitant yet unafraid, clicking its dagger-like toe-claw against the surface of the workbench upon which it stood, watching them.

"I almost got it," Zoe proclaimed, letting out a little grunt as she made the final stretch, flattening her palm on the air vent and pushing it open.

The raptor snapped its jaws in agitation as Zoe shimmied up through the opened air vent and into the crawl space above. Its head tilted up, following her movement with keen interests. Bending its hind legs, the raptor poised in a pouncing stance. Not having any of that, Kate squeezed the shotgun's trigger. The blast reverberated throughout the room, destroying two monitors with a loud bang and a burst of sparks. Debris flew into the air, and the raptor honked in surprise, tumbling back in alarm when the two monitors by its feet exploded.

"Next time aim for the head," Castle suggested, lifting Charlie up and over his head.

Zoe hung out from the air vent, reaching down for her brother. Her fingers curled around his forearms and she yanked him up. He let out a little cry when his feet left Castle's shoulders and he dangled for a moment in mid-air before his big sister hauled him the rest of the way up. Castle let out a breath and turned to Kate, frantically gesturing to her.

"No way," she shook her head, not needing him to voice his request.

"Like you could hold me up on your shoulders!" Castle hissed back.

Kate growled, scowling as she reluctantly inclined her head. She fired off another round at the raptor. Unfortunately it had sensed the impending danger and had moved out of the way, just enough to avoid getting shot. The bullet grazed its left flank. The raptor howled in pain, stumbling backwards, as if stung, colliding with a row of computers. It crashed violently into them, its tail swinging wildly in the air as it fell.

"Now!" Castle insisted, cupping his hands and holding them down low.

Pursing her lips, Kate used the strap on the shotgun to swing it over her shoulder as she lifted a foot, and planted her hands on Castle's broad shoulders. "You just want to grab my ass," she tried to lighten the mood.

"It's a perk, I won't deny it," replied Castle, flashing her a wink.

"Okay, on the count of three."

"Okay," Kate huffed out a breath, agreeing. She curled her fingers into his shoulders.

"One… two… three."

With a grunt, Castle supported Kate's weight as she clambered up him, her hands shifting to grab his head as she adjusted her knees on his shoulders. Kate let out a little strain chuckle as his face smashed right into the apex of her legs. The timing was entirely inappropriate, but she couldn't help having flashbacks to the last time Castle had his head between her legs. The man could work wonders. She wiggled around for a bit, keeping his head pressed tightly between her thighs, before she regained her balance and lifted herself up onto his broad shoulders. Kate was tall, so she had no trouble reaching the air vent. She gripped the sides of the opening and pulled herself up. Castle let out a soft breath when she was clear, slumping his shoulders in relief.

Meanwhile, the raptor thrashed about against the back computer monitors, craning its neck around to examine the bullet graze. Its tongue flicked out, probing the wound. It roared angrily, flopping about, enraged. Castle wasted no time in rolling over a chair and positioning it under the opened air vent. Kate was glancing down at him, encouraging him to hurry, her hands reaching down for him.

"Castle, hurry!" she hissed.

The raptor snapped and snarled, coming up to its feet as Castle jumped up on the rolling chair. It wobbled underfoot, and Castle had to catch his balance. He stretched up, reaching for Kate's hand, but the distance was too much. He couldn't reach.

"Castle, please!"

Frustrated, he jumped off the chair, just in the nick of time, as he narrowly missed the leap of the velociraptor. It sailed through the empty space he had once occupied, jaws opened, and slammed against the large HD screen mounted to the wall. The monitor shattered, and the wall clamps buckled under the impact, giving out. It toppled over in a series of sparks and flashes of smoke, landing squarely on top the raptor. Stunned, the beast lay trapped beneath the large screen, growling and snapping as it thrashed about.

Without further delay, Castle pushed one of the workstations directly under the air vent. The metal legs squealed against the concrete. The raptor was incensed by it, and it redoubled its efforts, kicking its powerful hind legs, the razor sharp claws tearing the shattered wall monitor apart.

Castle heaved in a deep gulp breath, feeling his heart pound furiously beneath his chest as he climbed up on top of the workstation, shoving the computers aside and letting them crash to the concrete floor. Kate was crying his name, and he summoned up all his strength and jumped. His fingers snagged the edge of the opening, and Kate's hands immediately grabbed his arm. She grunted, and cursed, as she and the kids helped pull him up.

Freed of the toppled monitor, the raptor roared in outrage, and leaped up towards Castle, snapping its jaws, just barely missing snagging his ankle with its razor sharp teeth. Castle yanked his leg back and let out a hot breath as he slumped back against Kate's warm body. He could feel her heart pulsing rapidly in her chest. He glanced around, seeing them all crammed inside the crawl space. It was a tight squeeze, but at least they were safe… for now.

"Babe… are you okay?" Kate asked, gently running a shaking hand down the side of his face, eyes large and worried.

Sighing, he eased into her touch, allowing himself a brief respite in the comforting embrace of his wife's touch. "Never better," he replied, pursing his lips and smirking.

XXX

John Hammond slowly pushed the heavy metal door open and peeked outside, glancing around anxiously. The power was back on, so he wasn't worried about the Tyrannosaurus Rex suddenly plowing down Jurassic Boulevard, but from what he'd heard over the phone from the beautiful, yet aggravating Detective Beckett, those bloody raptors were on the loose, having broken out of their pen while the power was temporarily down. Muldoon had always said they were clever.

Seeing now sign of any dinosaur nearby, Hammond quietly slipped out of the emergency bunker and hustled as fast as he could, leaning heavily on his cane, over to the jeep parked nearby. He checked the back compartment, and sighed with relief when he found an orange plastic case. Flares. After the exchange with Beckett, Hammond had quickly called InGen's mainland base and ordered in a helicopter to pick him up. He needed the flares to signal them his location.

Satisfied the jeep was fully equipped, he limped around to the driver's side, and opened the car door. After climbing in behind the steering wheel, he froze. It had been so long since he had ever had to personally drive himself anywhere. He'd always had chauffeurs. Grumbling under his breath, he looked around the automobile, searching for the keys. Thankfully, they were still in the ignition. He turned the key, and listened to the engine roar to life.

"Well, at least I have that. Just like riding a bicycle," he said out loud, allowing himself a little smile of triumph. "Now… let's see if I remember how to change gears."

It took some work, and the gear crank protested several times, but eventually, he was able to get the bloody thing into drive. Adjusting his glasses, Hammond gripped the steering wheel, and pressed his foot down on the accelerator. The jeep jerked forward. He let out a small yelp of surprise, and after some fumbling around, pulled his foot back on the gas pedal. It took some back and forth, but eventually he found a rhythm, and he was steadily moving towards his destination, away from the Visitor Center.

He couldn't care less about the others. Beckett, Castle, and those damn kids could fend for themselves. Hammond's main concern was getting off the island. And the sooner he got to the docks, the better.

The jeep bounced as it skidded the edge of the service road. He yanked the wheel back, intent on righting his course, but his reaction had been too extreme. He slammed his foot onto the breaks. Nothing happened. He did it again. And again… nothing. Taking his eyes off the road, Hammond glanced down to see three pedals.

"Bloody hell!" he cursed. He had forgotten about the clutch. Hammond made another last-ditch effort to right the vehicle, but it was too little, too late. The jeep missed the turn, a sharp S-curve, and went careening off the edge of the road and into the densely packed foliage. Hammond gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. He had seriously misjudged his driving capabilities. He ducked his head down as the jeep bounced down the hillside, slamming hard into the thick trunk of a tree. The crash jolted him about, and his head snapped forward.

And then there was blackness.

XXX

The crawl space was a tight squeeze, but after some careful maneuvering around, they finally managed to get everyone up. After the close call, they all needed a moment to catch their breath. Castle was slightly leaning into her side, squishing her up against the side paneling, but Kate couldn't care less. Those few minutes after she'd crawled up through the vent and waited for him to join her were some of the most terrifying minutes of her life. She had to helplessly watch as he barely avoided getting mauled by the big raptor. If he hadn't become frustrated and jumped down off the chair… No. She didn't want to think about.

"Rick," she gasped his name, and he tilted his head up until their eyes were locked. They stared at one another for a long moment, chests still heaving from the shock of it all, speaking with just their eyes, reassuring and reaffirming their love. "I… I was afraid I might lose you."

"No, never," he asserted with a shake of his head.

Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, furiously blinking her eyes as she quilled the rising tide of emotions. She fisted his shirt, and yanked him close, kissing him soundly.

"Eww, gross," Charlie grimaced.

Zoe just smiled shyly, ducking her head down bashfully as she watched them.

Kate let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "Okay," she brought a hand up to wipe away the sweat from her brow. "Let's get going."

Castle nodded, shifting around in the tight space to let the kids crawl past them as Kate led the way. She moved fast, but carefully, so as not to break through the ceiling paneling below them. Kate ducked her head under some pipes and electrical cables, heading towards an air duct. She had no idea where it might take them, but right now, anyplace was better than this. Kate adjusted the strap securing the shotgun to her shoulder, and shifted around to face the others. Her eyes flicked up to meet with Castle's, and she gestured towards the air duct with a jerk of her head. He gave a subtle nod, concurring with her suggestion.

Moving back, Castle put a hand on Charlie's back, encouraging the boy to go first. Charlie sucked in quick a breath, and crawled forward. Kate held out her hand for the boy. The ceiling beneath them shook. And then the panel beneath Charlie suddenly began rising up off its holdings. The raptor's head appeared, snarling and snapping. Zoe screamed as Charlie cried out in horror, pinned against the top of the crawl space. Kate gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing at the raptor as its head spun to snarl, flashing its razor sharp teeth in her direction.

Kate moved fast. She shifted her body, changing angles. She pulled her leg back and smashed her foot against the side of the raptor's face. The raptor growled, hissing and snapping, trying to snag her shoe, but she pulled back before it could clamp its jaws shut. And then she struck again, ramming her foot twice more against the raptor's head.

That did it. The raptor lost its balance and its own weight pulled it back down. Charlie went down with the raptor, spinning into the hole in the ceiling, tumbling through the air. Zoe cried out, and Castle jerked forward, grasping the young boy by the collar at the last second, and for a single terrifying moment, Charlie hung there above the flailing velociraptor.

Castle clenched his jaw as he shifted his hold over to one of the boy's arms. Meanwhile, the raptor rolled around on the floor, flipping over and shaking its head, disoriented from its fall. Castle grunted as he heaved Charlie back up. Seeing him struggling, Kate moved forward and helped, grabbing Charlie's other arm. Below them, the raptor crouched, preparing to pounce. Together, Kate and Castle pulled Charlie back up into the crawl space. And they were just in time. The raptor sprung up into the air, but was too late, and barely missed snagging the boy's dangling legs.

"Thanks," panted Charlie, still in a daze of shock while Zoe crushed him in a fierce hug.

Kate glanced up at Castle. "That was close," she whispered between them.

"Too close," Castle agreed.

Not wasting any more time, Kate moved back and tapped Zoe's shoulder, gesturing for her to follow. The teen nodded, reluctantly letting go of her little brother. Castle stayed close to Charlie, and helped the boy as they scrambled over to the air duct. Kate watched as Zoe and Charlie went down first, followed by Castle. She glanced around, feeling her heart palpitated wildly beneath her breast. Satisfied that the raptor wasn't going to try attacking again, Kate secured her hold on the shotgun, and then slipped down into the air duct.

XXX

Hammond startled awake, his head resting against the airbag that had inflated the moment the jeep had impacted against the thick tree trunk. Groaning, he slowly leaned back, reaching a hand around to rub the back of his head. He had a headache, probably had a minor concussion. He glanced about, uncertain as to his location. The jungle was quiet around him. Too quiet. Grumbling under his breath, he reached across the center console and grabbed his cane. He slumped out of the jeep, and stood on shaky legs, glancing about anxiously.

Where was he? Everything looked the same. He did a complete three hundred and sixty degree turn, but still nothing looked similar. Hammond knew he had gone off road, but was uncertain just how far down hill he'd traveled before ramming into the tree. He looked back at the jeep, seeing its front end wrapped around the thick trunk. It was a miracle he'd even survived. Thanking the graces for whatever providence watched over him, Hammond gripped his cane tightly in his hand and limped away from the crash.

"Damn jungles," Hammond said under his breath. He found himself yearning for his native Scotland.

It hurt to breathe. There was a throbbing in his left ankle, and his breath was coming in short wheezy gasps. Hammond slumped back against the side of the crashed jeep. He lowered his head in his hand and tried to slow his breathing, but it was difficult. There was a stream nearby, and he clutched his cane, grunting through the pain as he hobbled over to the enticing water. He slipped in the wet mud along the streambed, and fell to his knees with a startled shout.

Taking his glasses off, Hammond cupped his hands and splashed some cool water on his face, sighing at the refreshing feeling. He rubbed his glasses dry against the bottom edge of his shirt, and put them back on, blinking as he glanced about. It was dark here in the forest undergrowth, the tall canopy trees covered the sky, yet he could still see patches of sunlight coming through small openings.

Hammond plopped down heavily in the damp earth of the streambed, caring little for the muddy stains now smearing his once pristine white trousers. It was hot. Hot and humid. Never a good combination. He missed his Scotland, and the cold, dreary, gray days up on the moorlands. He had never really acclimatized to the tropical heat. The air was so thick with moisture; it felt like he was breathing through a sponge.

He huffed out a breath, and pulled back his trouser leg to look at his ankle. It was now swollen and dark purple. He couldn't put any weight on it at all. He had been forced to hop down the small slope on his other leg with only his cane for support, which now burned with pain from the exertion,.

Hammond was tired, panting like an old dog. His leg throbbed and he was dizzy. It would be so easy just to sit there, all day, by the streambed. And why shouldn't he be tired? He was pushing seventy-six years of age. That was no age to go gallivanting through pathless jungles. Even though, Hammond considered himself in peak condition for a man his age, despite his bad leg. Personally, he expected to live to be a hundred. It was just a matter of taking care of himself, of taking care of things as they came up. And he had plenty of reasons to live. Other parks to build. Other wonders to create…

His thoughts were interrupted by a squeaking, then a chattering sound. Hammond narrowed his eyes and gazed up around him at the trees. Some kind of small bird, no doubt, hopping around in the undergrowth or up in the tree canopy. Nothing to be worried about.

XXX

Kate kicked out the gate, and the grating tumbled down to the floor with a loud metallic clang and clatter. Slipping slowly out of the opening, she dropped gracefully down onto the floor. She looked around, and seeing no signs of danger, glanced back up and waved her hand over her head. Castle patted Charlie on the back, and held the boy's arms as he lowered him halfway down. Kate held her arms out and caught the boy when Castle released him, gently easing him to the floor. Zoe was next. She shimmied down by herself, and jumped, landing perfectly on her feet. Charlie immediately broke away from Kate's side and buried himself in his sister's embrace. Zoe clutched him tightly, dipping her head down to whisper reassurances into his ear.

"Castle… come on," Kate hissed, glancing back up at her husband. He wore a worried expression. "What is it?"

"My knee," he confessed.

"Just… take it easy, okay," Kate soothed. "Come down slowly."

"Okay," Castle called back, shifting around and slipping his legs through the vent. He did just as she told him to, and went slowly, easing himself down through the opening. Kate moved closer, placing a hand on his leg to help steady him as he made the final drop.

"There," she said, when he was on his feet, standing beside her. She brushed her fingers through the unruly flop of hair that tumbled down over his forehead. "See, not bad at all."

"Hmm," he hummed, reading the double meaning.

Kate smiled at him, and then stepped back, swinging the shotgun around to hold it at the ready. She had to be careful, they only had four more rounds left, and two of them were already loaded in the barrel. She glanced around the hallway, noting the curved walls. Glancing to the right, she saw the top portions of the large Apatosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons that were on display in the main lobby. The rotunda was filled with sunlight, thanks to the large windows surrounding each side. So Kate didn't have to worry about something jumping out of the shadows.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the domed interior as they ran towards the stairs. Since she had the shotgun, Kate took the lead. Castle trailed at the end, keeping the children between them. They all huddled close, moving as one unit, keenly aware that despite how it may seem, they were far from out of danger. With each step, Kate grew more and more worried. It was all too easy. From what she'd experience thus far, velociraptors did not give up. And there were at least two of them on the loose. She held no illusions that the one she had encountered in the maintenance shed was still trapped behind a closed door.

Her worries were justified when a shrilling roar came from below them. She arched her neck and glanced down, seeing a smaller raptor on the second floor landing. It snarled and snapped, leaping up the spiral staircase with lightning speed. They couldn't outrun it. That was impossible. Kate glanced around frantically, pausing to star out at the suspended fossils. She swallowed. There really weren't any other options.

"Up," she said.

"What?" Castle questioned, glancing at her with a confused and befuddled expression.

"Up," she repeated, grabbing Charlie and spinning the boy around, pushing him on the back to encourage him back up the stairs. "We have to go up. Hurry!"

Castle opened his mouth to object, but the shrieking growl of the small raptor speeding up the stairs towards them cut him off. He nodded, and grabbed Zoe's hand, helping the teen up as Kate kept one hand on Charlie's back, making sure the boy didn't slip or lose his balance. They dashed back up the staircase, tumbling out onto the fourth floor landing.

"And we're back to where we started," Castle commented, matter-of-factly.

A rolling growl sounded from down the hallway, and Kate jerked her head towards the source. At the end of the hallway, emerging from the corridor that led to the control room was the big raptor. It glared at them with its menacing yellow eyes. Rearing its head back, the raptor curled its lips back and roared like a lion, ferocious and angry. Kate's breath caught in her throat, and she froze. They were cornered. They couldn't move; either way led to certain death. The smaller raptor roared from the staircase. It was only a matter of time before it caught up with them.

"The skeletons!" Castle shouted.

"What!? Are you crazy!?" Kate fought the urge to roll her eyes. He couldn't be serious.

He waved his hand to dismiss the protests she never raised, and gestured for them to follow. The kids went without question, easily trusting of Castle and his harebrained ideas. Kate wasn't too sure of it, but she had to admit they were out of options, and usually, whenever that happened when she was working on a case, it was one of Castle's crazy theories that helped spark a new avenue of investigation. Castle helped Charlie up and over the railing. Zoe followed.

"Jump!"

The kids an uncertain exchanged a look, before leaping into the air. Zoe smacked hard against the Apatosaurus's shoulder bone, but managed to find a grip. Charlie landed safely along the backbones, grabbing the ribs for support. Castle climbed over the railing as Kate watched his back, seeing the raptors meet up, snarling and honking, as if discussing a stratagem for capturing their prey.

"Kate?"

"Jump, Castle," she hissed.

For once, her husband inclined his head and obeyed. Castle hurled himself across the distance, hitting the center of the Apatosaurus hard. He let out a grunt of pain, but managed to grab a hold of the ribs before he could slip down. Kate fired two shots at the raptors, hitting the big one in the shoulder, but doing nothing to slow it down. She slung the shotgun strap over her shoulder, and climbed over the railing. She risked a glance back, seeing the raptors charging right at her, displaying their razor sharp teeth, the savaged looking toe-claws curled back, at the ready.

"Kate!" Castle shouted.

His voice snapped her back into reality, and she jumped.

She flew through the air, and landed with a grunt against the twisting tailbones of the behemoth that was Apatosaurus. However, much to her dismay, the shotgun slipped from her grasp, and clattered down to the lobby floor. Kate gripped tightly onto the sharp bones, tugging herself up. She breathed through her nose as she strained to hold her grip. Up above their heads, the anchor bolts groaned in the plaster ceiling, starting to pull free. Kate glanced up, worriedly. She had concerns that the suspended wires couldn't handle the added weight. But for now, at least, it was holding.

The raptors skidded to a halt at the railing, snarling and snapping in annoyance. The big one nipped at the smaller one, and it ducked its head down, submissively. It darted back, and then reappeared, charging towards the railing. Using its powerful legs, the raptor vaulted over the railing and sailed through the air, the curved toe-claw held up, reading to slash and cut. The raptor collided violently with the center of the towering Apatosaurus.

Immediately the skeleton fractured into pieces.

"Hold on!" Kate cried over the din as the bolts and wires cracked, and the bones shattered.

Zoe screamed as the shoulder and neck portion swing away from the ribcage, the wires going taut, and the anchor bolts creaking in protest. The tail section Kate was latched onto spun away, pirouetting around in circle, and she had to close her eyes as prevention against dizziness. Castle held onto Charlie as the ribcage twisted awkwardly, the support wires groaning under the strain.

"Beckett!" Castle shouted, distraught, worried for her safety. "Kate!?"

"I'm fine!" she shouted back, squeezing her arms tighter around the spinning tailbones.

The raptor struggled, roaring in anger at the latest obstacle. And it seemed to be the final straw. The wires and the bolts holding the ribcage snap. The anchor bolts in the ceiling rip free, and zing past them like bullets. Castle, Charlie, and the raptor all tumbled to the floor in a cascade of splintering bone.

"CASTLE!" Kate cried out, watching in horror as the whole middle section of the Apatosaurus plummeted towards the lobby floor.

Across from her, Zoe tried to adjust her hold on the neck bones, but she lost her grip and slipped, barely holding on by her fingertips as she hung there, legs swaying in mid-air. Zoe's struggled for a few seconds, before letting go, screaming as she fell, landing on the ground with the bones falling on top of her.

Above Kate's head, the wires keeping the tailbones suspended finally gave out. The bolts snapped and the wires broke, sending her tumbling towards the ground. She landed hard against the marble tiles, knocking the wind out of her. But before she could catch her breath, Kate quickly covered herself with her arms, protecting her head from the shower of falling bones.

Shaking her head, Kate pushed herself up to her feet, whipping around to search for Castle and the kids. The lobby floor was covered in a mist of bone dust, making it difficult to see. Charlie stumbled out of the remains of the ribcage, and Kate grabbed him, pulling him to her as she glanced around for Castle. She spotted him a second later, helping Zoe to her feet. Dazed and confused, they all staggered around for a second, unaware of the danger approaching.

The rolling roar of the big raptor penetrated through the thick air, striking fear straight into Kate's hammering heart. She spun around, clutching Charlie close to her chest as the big raptor appeared from the stairs, clicking its dagger-like claw against the marble tiles as it stalked forward, confident in its control over the situation. Her back stiffened and her shoulders tensed. Behind her, Kate could hear the hooting howls of the smaller raptor as it herded Castle and Zoe into the center of the lobby. Kate risked a glance over her shoulder, only to have her suspicions confirmed.

Soon, she and Castle were standing back to back, each facing a merciless foe.

The big raptor stared at them, a wicked, snarling grin plastered on its pointy evil face. It lowered its head, crouching down in a pre-attack stance, ready to pounce.

But then a strange and unnatural sound resounded around the rotunda, coming from up above, slowly getting louder. Kate's eyebrows rose in recognition: The whirling rotors of a helicopter.

"The roof!" Castle exclaimed.

The raptors twisted their head around, sniffing and snarling, the strange noise enough to distract them. And despite the dire situation, hope began to fill Kate's heart. But before she could embrace the optimism, it soon faded when the big raptor gave a decisive shake of its head and returned its focus on them. It lowered its head, tail sticking up as it prepared to pounce. The other raptor did the same, hissing and snarling as it stalked forward.

"Kate…," Castle gasped, the anguish and sorrow dripping from his voice as he accepted that this was probably it. "I love you."

She gulped, and leaned back into him, wishing she could hug him tight and never let go. Instead, she clutched Charlie to her chest, and shielding him from the end. She closed her eyes, and replied, going with the classic Han Solo response, knowing Castle would appreciate it. "I know."

What happened next was almost too much to believe. A pure example of deus ex machina at its finest. The dictionary defined deus ex machina as 'an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel'. And really, that was what happened. Kate could not make this stuff up… Castle, maybe… but not her. Later, she would accept that the rotors of the helicopter caught the attention of their unlikely savior, luring the goliath towards the Visitor Center.

The big raptor was poised to strike, but before it could pounce, the entire Visitor Center seemed to shake as if from an earthquake, and within moments the front façade smashed apart, crumbling as if a wrecking ball had just struck it. An angry Tyrannosaurus Rex staggered inside, throwing its massive bulk around, toppling over displays and signage. Bellowing, the tyrannosaur raised its head skyward, staring up at the curved dome roof.

Enraged by the intrusion, the big raptor roared indignantly, and charged undaunted towards the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It pounced into the air, shrieking and snarling, latching itself onto the larger predator's side. The tyrannosaur howled in pain, and rocking violently from side to side as the raptor dug its claws into its thick hide. Snapping its magnificent jaws, the tyrannosaur craned its neck around and snagged the raptor off its back by the tail. It lifted the howling beast into the air, and, with a powerful jerk of its neck, the tyrannosaur flung the raptor across the lobby, where it hit the railing up above with a sickening crack of its spin. The big raptor went limp, and collapsed down the sidewalls of the rotunda, smacking down to the marble floor, completely lifeless.

Stunned, Kate, Castle and the kids just stood there, watching in utter and complete baffled amazement, as the second raptor howled in outrage, and charged the tyrannosaur, as if possessed by some mindless devotion to its fallen leader. The small raptor leaped through the air, snarling and growling in a frenzied rage, rendering the Rex's flesh as it came down, slashing it open with its six-inch razor sharp toe-claw. The tyrannosaur bellowed in pain, and turned on the raptor, eyes aflame, and attacked, just once, as fast as the head of a serpent. It caught the raptor by the thick back end, a set of six-foot jaws clamping down on the raptor. Eighteen-inch teeth sunk into the raptor's flesh, and the helpless beast howled in agony. The tyrannosaur put one of its enormous feet down over the trashing raptor, holding it down, and then with one singular powerful jerk of its head, ripped the raptor in half.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Kate said, grabbing Castle's arm and tugging him along with Zoe and Charlie away from the fray. They darted across the lobby, and watched the scene unfold as they rushed up the stairs.

The Rex whirled around, as it turned, its heavy tail counterbalanced, snapping the other way, sweeping across the lobby and smashing right through the fossils of its long dead ancestor. The skeleton collapsed in an explosion of bones, falling to pieces around the living Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"That was so cool!" Castle enthused, grinning like the little boy he sometimes was.

Kate stifled the need to roll her eyes, and focused on helping Charlie up the stairs. They still weren't out of the woods yet.

XXX

Hammond blinked his eyes open, astonished to discover he had passed out. He rubbed his head, frowning at the headache the pounded like a jackhammer within his cranium. The chirping was getting louder and small bits of earth rolled down the small slope past him. Something was coming. He held a hand up to shield his eyes from the sunlight, and squinted up at the crest of the slope. That was when he spotted it. The dark green animal bounced down the small hill towards him and the temptation of water.

Compys, he thought with a chill, remembering the horrendous scene from the tourist departure docks. The first compy cocked its small head and chirped. Suddenly another jumped up beside it, and another... and another. They moved up and down with little nervous jerks, like chickens. But they were far from being similar to the domesticated fowl. Alone, they were harmless, but compys were dangerous in packs.

And that's when it dawned on him. Hammond suddenly realized why the compys had come. He did not know how long he had been unconscious earlier or how long he'd been sitting here, but it had probably been enough time to call the attention of scavengers, and compys were scavengers, like jackals or hyenas. But then again, just like jackals and hyenas, compys did go after crippled and injured animals.

Crippled animals, he thought, frowning.

The first of the compys stopped about five feet away, just beyond his reach, and just stared up at him, watching. The others soon swooped down, like a flock of birds, all stopping in a row. Watching. They hopped up and down, chittered and waved their little clawed hands.

"Shoo! Get away!" Hammond shouted, picking up a few rocks from the streambed, and throwing them at the small dinosaurs.

The compys fluttered back, but only a foot or two. He realized with a sudden horror that they weren't afraid. Angrily, Hammond tore a branch from a nearby tree and swiped at them with it. He growled and shouted, trying his best to scare them off. But it was futile. The compys didn't budge. They simply nipped at the leaves on the branch when it swept over their little heads, squeaking happily. It was like they thought he was playing some sort of game with them.

Frustrated, Hammond gripped his cane and heaved himself up to his feet. He cursed, wincing when he tried putting some weight on his left foot, but choose to ignore it in favor of getting away from the little dinosaurs crowding around him. Still holding a few small rocks in his hand, Hammond aimed carefully, and threw one, striking a compy flat in the chest. The little animal shrieked in alarm as it was knocked backward, and rolled over its tail. Hammond stumbled forward and kicked the closest compy with all his might, sending it flying into the air. It struck a tree with a loud smack. If it hadn't died from the sheer shock of being kicked, the tree just finished the job. The others chirped and squawked in alarm, immediately backing away from him.

Better.

Hammond turned away and started to climb back up the slope. He could probably find his way back to the road by retracing the destructive path of the jeep. It was an obvious notion, and he wondered why he hadn't thought of it sooner. He squeezed his fingers around the amber head of his cane, his knuckles blanching white. Hammond could feel the ache in his thigh as he put more weight on his right leg. That was when he heard it, the distinctive whirl of rotors. The helicopter! He grunted, redoubling his efforts. At the very least he needed to get back to the jeep. There were flare guns in the back compartment. He could send up a series of flares and alert the rescuers to his location. And then he would finally be off this accursed island.

He had hardly gone fifteen feet when one of the compys jumped onto his back. Hammond let out a strangle cry, flinging his arms wildly in an attempt to knock the animal way, but lost his balance and fell hard, the mud slapping against his side, and before he knew it, he was sliding back down the muddy slope towards the stream. As he skidded to a stop, a second compy sprang forward, and took a tiny nip at his hand. He looked with horror, seeing the blood flow over his fingers.

Running on fear, while also ignoring the throbbing in his left ankle, Hammond turned and began to scramble up the slope, desperate to get away from these scoundrels. He could still hear the helicopter in the distance. The rotors were whirling on idly, meaning the chopper had landed and was awaiting him. But before he could get too far, another compy jumped onto his shoulder, and he felt a brief jolt of pain as it bit the back of his neck. He shrieked and smacked the little beastie away.

He rolled over to face the compys, breathing heavily, and saw them standing all around him, bouncing up and down, cocking their heads, and letting out little hoots and chirps. From the bite on his neck, Hammond felt a warmth flow through his shoulder, and down his spine. He blinked, suddenly dizzy and lightheaded. He tried to fight it, struggled to keep the fog at bay, but the fatigue and exhaustion were setting in, and in the end, he simply surrendered.

Flopping down onto his back, he began to feel strangely relaxed, detached from himself. Hammond lay very still, as still as an infant in its crib, and he felt wonderfully peaceful. When the next compy came up and bit his ankle, he made only a halfhearted effort to kick it away. The ring of compys around him edged closer. Soon they were chattering with glee, like excited birds. He raised his head as another compy jumped onto his chest, the little thing surprisingly light and delicate. Hammond felt only a slight pain, very slight, as the compy bent to chew on his neck.

XXX

The wind howled around them as they broke through the last remaining door and stumbled onto the roof of the Visitor Center. Beside him, Castle heard Beckett let out a cry of relief when she saw the helicopter waiting for them. A slender man, dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit with a silver patch on his shoulder embroidered with the InGen company logo, jumped out of the helicopter, waving his hand, beckoning them over. Clutching hands with the children, they rushed forward, ducking their heads as they approached the spinning blades. The man helped Charlie and Zoe into the helicopter. He lingered to assist them in buckling the safety straps and seatbelts, before he hopped back out to face Castle and Beckett.

"Where's Mr. Hammond?" the man shouted over the roar of the engines, his brow furrowing in confusion as he craned his neck to look behind them. "Is there anyone else!?"

"It's just us," Beckett replied, slipping her hand down Castle's arm, slowly interlacing their hands together.

The man hesitated for a moment, but the faint roar of the Tyrannosaurus Rex from below them snapped him back into action. "Okay, okay," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "We'll do a sweep over the area before we leave, look for other survivors. Let's go."

Castle directed Beckett ahead of him, placing his hand on the small of her back as she ducked her head and climbed inside the back of the helicopter. He gripped the handhold and pulled himself in behind her. The man grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut, before hurrying back up to the front of the helicopter and joined the pilot.

The whirl of the rotors increased, and the helicopter slowly began to rise up into the air.

Castle leaned back into the cushioned seat, draping his arm over Kate's shoulder as she leaned into his side, letting the tension she'd been carrying wash away. He glanced over at the kids, and found, to his amazement, that both had fallen asleep. Kate noticed it too, and smiled, tilting her head up to nuzzle her nose against his jaw.

"We made it, Rick," she murmured, voice rough and raw from the exertion of the forty-eight hours.

He nodded, dipping his head down to pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He held that position, and closed his eyes, inhaling the glorious scent that was Kate Beckett, the love of his life. Castle honestly did not know what he would have done if something had happened to her. He still recalled, in almost vivid detail, the afternoon she was shot. He could still smell the freshly cut grass, feel the heat of the sun, and taste the despair in the back of his mouth. He blinked his eyes, and inhaled another long breath, letting her close presence eradicate his dark and brooding memories of earlier tragedies. They were here now, together, and alive.

"We're survivors, Kate," Castle murmured into the top of her head as he hugged her close. "We always have been, both separately… and together."

"I think I like the 'together' part better," she huffed out a soft chuckle.

"Me too," he returned, brushing his fingertips along the exquisite cut of her jaw, and pulled her in for a kiss, pouring all of his love and adoration into the movement of his lips.

Below them, the expanse of Jurassic Park flew by, all green and lush trees, looking serene and beautiful, the horrors unseen. Soon there was nothing but rolling waves as the helicopter banked to the left, and headed East, towards the mainland.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This wasn't the tropical getaway you were expecting."

"No, it wasn't," Kate concurred with a soft nod. She sat up, and reached up to caress the side of his face, leaning in to press another loving kiss to his lips. "But it wasn't your fault." Closing her eyes, Kate lingered, brushing her nose against his. "We'll try again."

"Yeah," Castle agreed on a sigh. "But next time, without the T-Rex."