The following week and a half had been a blur. Preparations were being made, construction was being done, and contingencies were being reviewed. It astounded Owen at how fast things were moving. It had taken nearly a hundred men and two days of hard work, but a tall portable wall had been erected leading from the paddock gate to the nearest gate into the research zone. And all of this work had been done despite the near constant rain and the mud. This had all come together so well in fact, that the trainer didn't want to think about what might go wrong in all the haste.

Blue had made significant progress during their morning trainings. They had only released two more pigs with her. Each time she had caught the prey with precision and grace, ending the creature's life quickly and firmly. The blue streaked raptor had even stepped off her final catch and stared at him with a quizzical look, her head tilted slightly. She had continued watching him through the barred doors issuing soft warbles until he had finally shaken his head and waved her off.

She had shifted her weight from side to side before giving him a soft snort and finally digging into the warm carcass. A grim smile crept onto his face. He could practically feel the predator's enjoyment of the fresh meat. Her pleasure was visible in her body language and the way her eyes became half lidded as she ate. These "bagged" hunts still bothered him, but they were crucial in Blue's training, and her visible pride over another successful catch bled into him. He was proud. Proud of her speed and her effort. He could only hope that it would be enough to push her up the hierarchy of the pack.

The other three had seen no visible improvement in the past two weeks, and Blue still tended to ignore him when she was with her sisters. This was a fact the Vic Hoskins like to repeatedly bring up at every available opportunity. He had become a common sight at the paddock, appear almost daily to watch to check security and preparation, though he often stopped whatever he was doing to watch Owen and Barry work and shout the occasional remark.

Owen figured it was simply so he could look smug in front of the two trainers. He mentioned the other raptor trainers frequently, stating things were progressing far better than this operation, though he never shared any details on their training. Both Owen and Barry took it in stride, refusing to rise to the baited comments.

Hoskins was at least professional when they met each evening. He had his reservations about the plan, reservations that he voiced frequently, but he was working with the trainers to plan for every possible outcome. They worked late each night in the paddock outbuilding, discussing everything from evacuation procedures to recovery methods. Vic was an asshole most of the time, but Owen could at least respect a man who took his job seriously.

Soon enough, the day had arrived. Owen woke, a nervous pit gnawing at the base of his stomach. He forced himself up off the couch and threw on some cleaner clothes before exiting the outbuilding where he had slept for almost the past week.

He stepped out into a muggy, overcast morning. His boots stuck heavily to the clay mud, squelching wetly with each step and accumulating heavily on his boots with each step. When he finally reached the top of the paddock stairs, leaned against the inner railing, taking a spot next to an antsy Barry and glancing into the pen at the girls.

Charlie looked comfortable where she was laying, inches deep in the muddy ground. She ignored everything around her, choosing instead to drape her neck across her own back and eye the pink line of healing flesh that sat between her shoulder blades.

The new tracking devices had been implanted just a week ago. It would provide the park with a stronger GPS signal, and backup telemetry signals to better keep track of the young pack as they moved. Charlie however, had been fixated on the small scar that the incision had left on her back. The cut itself had been far enough up the back that the raptor couldn't reach it with her snout, but that hadn't stopped her from eyeing it every few minutes.

Blue on the other hand was acting almost as nervous as he felt. She had taken to running perimeter checks throughout the paddock. When Owen had arrived at the top of the paddock, she had stopped to look at him and offered a soft warble in his direction.

"Morning Blue." he greeted softly. The raptor accepted his response with a quiet bark and resumed her patrols. He frowned at that. She must be nervous if she risked acknowledging him in front of the pack.

"They're nervous too you know." Barry spoke up from his spot next to Owen.

"How can you tell?"

"Just like you do with Blue. Their body language, the movements and vocalizations. They're just more subtle about it, unlike Blue, they don't wear their emotions on their scales. Look at Echo and Delta. They are staying closer to the brush, even backing into it from time to time. The way they smell the air and how they hold their bodies. They're on edge, unsure of what is happening but trying to be ready for it all the same." Barry glanced at the eldest sister as she lay in the mud.

"Even Charlie is nervous. Her muscles are so tense, I can see them from here. They all know something is going to happen today."

Owen grunted, chastising himself for not paying enough attention to the other raptors. He would need to talk with Barry more about their body language and learn their behaviors.

They watched in silence for a few more minutes before a large hand tightly gripped the shoulder of each man.

"Well? Are you boys ready to let your chickens out of their coop?" Hoskins asked with a playful chuckle. When neither men responded, he gave them hurt look. "What? Aww, you two don't need to be worried, your girls will be just fine out there, there's not a thing out there that can hurt them, you know that… Unless it's not their safety you're worried about."

He gripped each of their shoulders tightly, leaning in and speaking in a low voice. "Don't you worry your little heads, should something go wrong, my boys and I will make sure you and everyone else on this island is safe. No matter what."

Owen felt himself shiver unintentionally at the thought, but before he could respond, the large man pushed away and turned toward the large chute with a soft laugh. Pulling out his radio, Hoskins clicked it on with a short burst of static.

"Alright boys, everything is ready to go up here. Remember, all personnel are to remain clear of the research zone until the raptors are contained two weeks from now. Starting this morning there will be a very real very dangerous pack of predators in the research zone. Let's make sure things go smoothly and let's get this show on the road. Any questions?" He paused, but no questions came through. "Open the gate on my mark." He turned back to Owen, making sure to get the trainer's attention. Owen locked eyes with the man and gave a curt nod. "Mark."

If Vic Hoskins had been expecting excitement when the doors had opened, he was sorely disappointed. In fact, it had now been nearly four hours since the gates had been opened. All four raptors were still in the paddock.

When the gate had opened, everyone had expected them to bolt out towards freedom. Instead, the raptors had approached the opening with caution, sniffing the walls and the floor just beyond their own territory. Rather than venture out, Charlie had retreated back into the paddock deciding that the places beyond their home weren't as appealing as the territory they had grown up in.

Vic had stomped away in frustration after about thirty minutes, grumbling about work that needed to be done elsewhere. Owen and Barry were given a handheld device meant to track the raptors and a radio for communication purposes. The rugged device had a small screen with a topographical image of the island. On the far west side of the digital map, a single blip blinked every few seconds marking the raptor's combined position. Before two hours had passed, they were once again alone with their girls The only remaining A.C.U members being the ones stationed there with the trainers.

It was sometime later when the first real signs of movement had occurred in the paddock. It was well passed feeding time and all four raptors were getting restless, moving along the paddock walls, but never ducking through the large opening into the chute leading towards freedom.

It was Blue who had ultimately taken the first step beyond the gate, Delta and Echo hesitating on either side of the large door. Charlie seemed content managing from the rear offering barks to her sisters occasionally. After ten more minutes of nervous pacing at the gate's edge, Echo offered a questioning chirrup when Blue finally took a few more steps beyond the gate and into the temporary chute leading to the northern half of the island. The streaked raptor paused, looking around and sniffing the air with short, quick breaths. Finally, looking back at her sister, she offered a soft warble before moving further down the chute.

It took over thirty minutes for them to reach the edge of the chute some 200 yards away. The whole pack stopped at the edge, stretching their necks out into the open air beyond the cement hallway. With more short breaths and mewling purrls, they tested the air around them, searching for any threat before finally taking their first tentative steps into the open grasslands beyond the large gates that marked the research zone.

Once they realized there was no immediate threat, they began to explore, Charlie finally taking charge and pushing past Blue who lowered herself as the older raptor passed. Spreading out, they made their way through the grassland stopping to sniff the trees and the rocks that dotted the area.

They never strayed far from the chute entrance, always within eyesight of their safe shelter, always within earshot of each other. It took them another twenty minutes to become comfortable with their surroundings. When they had finally explored everything near them, Echo decided that they had worried long enough.

Playfully nipping Blue's tail, the tan raptor jumped back lowering herself toward the streaked raptor. Blue eyed her, watching Echo wait stock still with the exception of the playful sway in her tail.

With a quick lunge Blue shot towards Echo, both raptors tumbling into the tall grass emitting playful growls and whines. Owen watched his girl charge out of the grass, echo hot on her tail as the two began a long game of tag that would eventually include all four raptors chasing each other through the grasses just north of the makeshift chute.

All four raptors returned to the paddock that night, breathing hard and their heads drooping in playful exhaustion. The two trainers had figured they might return that evening and had lowered several shanks of cow down to the paddock floor, though the trainers themselves made it a point to be gone by the time the raptors returned. It would be enough food to curb their hunger a bit, but it was not enough for all four animals.

The young pack returned to their paddock for two nights after the initial release. Each day, the raptors explored further into the research zone splitting into multiple dots on the tracker briefly, but always returning to each other, their trackers merging into one larger dot for Owen and Barry to watch. With each day they returned, Owen and Barry lowered a little less food into the paddock, allowing themselves to be seen by the raptors, but only briefly before retreating back to the cover of the outbuilding.

It was after day three that the young pack of Velociraptors spent their first night outside the safety of the paddock walls. It was the same night that Owen began to visibly worry over the pack. He kept the tracker on him at all times, ensuring that it stayed charged and everything on the small screen looked fine.

Occasionally, the small device would let out a chirp indicating that it had lost signal. Barry could only sigh to himself when Owen would drop whatever he was doing and check the device. Each time signal returned minutes later, the dot jumping several pixels in some direction before returning to its normal repetitive ping.

The raptors were undoubtedly exploring the deep jungle floor that snaked its way through the island. They began to hunt. Occasionally, the dot would separate into two or even four dots before they converged again a little while later.

Owen's concern was so bad at times that Barry would take the small tracking device and hide it, promising only to return it when their daily chores were completed, though he understood the worry that quietly gnawed at the other trainer.

Red hot streaks of fire flashed through his mind.

Pain.

The copper taste of blood clung to his face.

Fear

Cold and gripping, it promised only uncertainty and loss.

A torrent of emotions bombarded him, threatening to drown him where he stood over the abyss.

Darkness consuming everything as quickly as it had assaulted him.

Owen bolted upright. His chest and face were drenched in a cold sweat as the soldier turned trainer gasped heavily, gulping hungrily at the stale air that surrounded him in the outbuilding. Nightmare.

Forcing himself to calm and slow his breathing, he hitched a few times as his arms trembled and gripped the arms of the sofa.

The rain outside was torrential, battering the tin roof and turning the silence into a chorus of natural static that served only to keep the trainer more on edge.

Shakily he stood, getting over whatever had just haunted his sleep. He reached the table, his hand searching for and finding the tracker seated snugly in its charger.

Waking the device up he stared that the bright screen, waiting for his eyes to focus and adjust to the light coming from the device.

It was two thirty in the morning on day nine of the temporary release. When he had finally retired for the night a few hours ago, the pack had settled almost a kilometer to the northeast, deep in the heart of the original Jurassic Park. With five more days in the experiment, Owen had only just begun to let himself relax and focus more on the work around him. This wasn't the first time nightmares had woken him. Though this one had been as bad as his first nights after returning from tour with the Navy.

He stared at the tracker. What he saw was troubling. A dot was still visible where the pack had settled for the night, but now there was another dot moving further east into unexplored territory. Owen Fumbled with the device tiredly trying to adjust the zoom on the tiny screen. As the zoomed map loaded in the moving dot split into three more.

One of the raptors had been left behind. It hadn't happened before. The pack had split occasionally into twos, or sometimes four individuals, but it had never split three to one.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"No. I cannot authorize that. It's too risky."

"Vic please. Can't we at least take a chopper and get a visual on them? Something is definitely wrong."

The larger man sighed leaning back into his comfortable office chair. "Then what Mr. Grady? I suppose you would like us to drop veterinarian in to help them?" Vic raised a finger to stop Owen from answering. "Even if I was willing to risk on of this island's vets, which I am not, using the helicopter alone is too risky in this weather. And, before you say it, I know you've probably flown in worse, but you aren't a pilot and my men aren't the coast guard. It's too risky."

Owen's frown grew and his fingers absently ran along the tracker he had been given. "One of them is hurt or even dead. We need to at least confirm what is going on. Please."

Vic leaned forward, placing his arms on the edge of his desk and staring Owen in the eye. "I understand your concern, but there are still three of them out there. You have made it abundantly clear that my team cannot shoot these animals. Without that, I cannot guarantee their safety. Food based tranquilizers will take nearly a day to kick in properly by which time, the outcome will likely be decided already."

"Then let me go." Owen offered. "Blue at least knows me."

"And if she's injured or unresponsive. Owen. I cannot jeopardize your safety just because you are worried that your experiment has gone fubar."

"Vic-"

"No, Mr. Grady, there's no more to discuss. This is final. Please see yourself out, get some rest." Owen stood hurriedly and turned to the door to hide the frustrated scowl on his face. "Oh, and Mr. Grady, should this continue to be an issue, I will be more than happy to revoke your security clearance until the experiment has concluded.

Own didn't respond and continued briskly out the door.

xxxxxxxxxx

"You're crazy."

It was nearly midday, but you wouldn't guess it by the pale light filtering through the heavy rain clouds. Owen was hurriedly zipping a backpack, the highest caliber rifle, a .308, borrowed from the paddock security closet, already resting on his shoulder.

"Yeah, you've said that several times already."

"Yet it's still not sinking in!" Barry commented in exasperation.

Owen paused, turning to his partner. "The individual hasn't moved in over four hours. Something is wrong."

"Are you sure you aren't overreacting? They've already regrouped once."

"I know, but they left almost immediately and one of them stayed behind again. There's something wrong, it could be serious, or it could be nothing but I need to find out before I can let this go. Besides, if it's nothing, maybe we'll learn something new about their behavior."

Barry sighed defeatedly. "Or you'll get killed by four hungry predators. How much rest have you gotten this week?"

"Yeah, possibly. But it's a risk I have to take." Owen ignored the last question and grabbed one of the radios on the table. "I'll be on channel 14.2. Check in every six hours. If I don't respond then contact A.C.U."

"And if they wonder where you are before then?"

"I sent an email this morning explaining a family emergency. I just left on the 11:45 ferry off the island this morning."

"I don't like this Owen. Vic might be right this time"

Owen gave a hollow laugh. "And you think I'm the one not thinking straight! Look, you and I both know that something is wrong, and Vic has already assured me that he does not intend to help us in any way."

"Owen this is a direct violation, this could easily get you fired."

"I'll need to live long enough to get fired then." The trainer paused and turned to his friend. "Look on of the raptors needs help, and it is our job to ensure their safety and training. Like it or not, we put them in this situation and we need to help them out. If something happens, it was my life and no one else's at risk."

Pressing the radio to his belt and pushing the talk button, he heard a comforting crackle from the radio in Barry's hand.

Clipping it to his belt, he shouldered the heavy bag and donned a wide brimmed hat. Taking one last look around the room to see if he missed anything, he paused, glancing at Barry once more. "I should be in and out before anyone knows I'm gone. If anything goes wrong. It's on me."

Before his friend could respond, he opened the door and stepped into the thunderous rainstorm.

Owen moved quickly through the paddock chute, letting the dreary weather and pooling water cover his tracks. It wasn't going to be too hard to get into the research zone, but he really didn't want to be spotted by one of the guards this early on in his endeavor.

Four A.C.U. guards had been placed on each gate into the research zone. At any other time, this might be a problem, but the torrential rain that had bombarded the island for the last twenty-four hours was making visibility terrible and guards irritable. All Owen would need to do is follow the chute to the open gate and duck into the tall grass on either side of the now washed out dirt trail.

When he reached the mouth of the chute, he paused and scanned the area for danger. The irony was not lost on him that the raptors had done this exact thing only days ago. Confident that his path was clear, he waited for the next sheet of particularly heavy rain. It didn't take long and he was able to duck into grass under the cover of the maelstrom.

He stayed low all the way to the tree line, crouching at times, crawling at others, anything to stay under the cover of the tall grass and pouring rain. When he finally arrived at the safety of the trees he and his gear were already muddy and soaking through. He stood under the cover of jungle brush and surveyed the forest ahead of him biting his lip in concentration.

The tropical forest was dense, the underbrush thick and the expansive canopy making the area darker than it already was. His chosen path went through the middle of this jungle and if the topographical map on the tracker was right, he would be traversing the side of a very steep ridge. He pulled the rugged device out of his jacket, grateful that it was waterproof and he checked his position. It wasn't tracking him so he could only make an educated guess as to where he actually was, but with a compass and some careful orienteering, he could get to where he needed to go. Biting back the chill of his wet clothes, he decided that he would need to keep moving if he wanted to stay on schedule.

The first signs of dinosaurs became evident about twenty minutes through his jungle slog. He had come across a large flattened trail that he had followed for awhile before hearing movement ahead. Ducking into the denser underbrush, Owen watched as three hulking Ankylosaurs trudged down the makeshift highway. When they had passed, he continued moving, branching from the trail as soon as he could, not wanting to run into anything else.

Soon his path steepened as he blazed his way through the underbrush. He began traversing along the side of the large ridge he'd identified on his map. The steep, slick terrain slowed him down even further as he was forced to tread carefully along the forest floor or risk slipping and injuring himself.

He was behind schedule. The rain had make a tricky hike nearly impassible. The ping on his tracker had shown that the pack was only a kilometer from the gate, but the weather and the terrain had made his path a winding hell that was filled with dead ends and cutbacks. He had probably walked nearly five kilometers at this point, and it had taken him almost all day to do it. Still he hid his exhaustion when he reported his location to Barry roughly six hours in.

He had nearly cried when the spillway he was using as a "trail" crossed an old road. The weathered tarmac snaked its way along the ridge line, slowly making its way from the valley to the top. He sat on the pavement, ignoring the still constant rain, just grateful to have level ground and a place to rest for a moment. Checking the tracker again he looked for the markings that indicated a road on the map. The tired trainer let out a relieved sigh when he saw that the road actually curved towards his destination at the base of the next cut in the ridge.

Reinvigorated by the news, he stood back up, determined to follow the road down to the lone blip on his tracker. It was nearly nightfall when he stumbled across a small herd of Gallimimus at the edge of the valley. Ignoring the birdlike dinosaurs, he let them run into the nearby underbrush. Rounding the bend he caught his first view of his destination and his heart sank.

A mudslide had stripped the side of the ridge bare, leaving an ugly gash in the otherwise green hillside. At the base of the ridge, the earth had piled into a messy soup of mud, trees, and debris. Shaking the fatigue from his body, Owen pushed his way to the base of the disaster. Snatching the tracker out of his pocket, he stared at the device before glancing back at terrain before him. She was nearby, the tracker pinging diligently.

He began to look carefully look for a raptor head. She was somewhere nearby and if she was alive, she likely needed help.

He was going to find her.

His eyes passed over her at first as he scanned the debris.

A silhouette against the brown clay and debris, her legs sunk deeply into the mire. The rest of her body lay prone from exhaustion.

Charlie looked back at him with amber eyes, a nervous warble escaping her throat.