New Beginnings - Chapter 11 - Defiance
Previously…
Abruptly, the dinosaur lifted its head up, and lengthened back to its full height, as if sensing something. It turned towards the performance hall, roared, and trotted towards the building. Claire stood still for a second, and then sprinted after the dinosaur. Please be running towards Owen, she thought as she chased after the dinosaur.
Owen burst into the amphitheater, its enormous doors creaking loudly on its hinges. He turned around, realizing he no longer heard footsteps behind him. He was greeted with an abandoned street. Shit! I lost Claire! He had been so preoccupied with tracking down the dinosaurs, and making sure that they wouldn't cause any harm, that everything else left his mind.
He started to walk back, when he heard a bloodcurdling scream echo through the air. At the front, near the raised platform of a stage, three of the dinosaurs had ambushed a visitor. Owen watched, in horror, as his animals tore someone limb from limb.
He had raised them since they were the size of lizards. Despite the circumstances, he had made a connection with them. They had so much potential, but they were being tossed aside as killing machines by a crazy, ambitious scientist.
But they didn't know any better. They had never handled freedom around such a large mass of people. So, they did the only thing ingrained deep in their bodies: they attacked; they hunted; they killed.
They were supposed to be contained in their cages in between demonstrations, but something had let them out. Wu, Owen thought. He felt his anger rise in his throat, burning like bile. I have to stop them before Wu gets what he wants...
"HEY!" he shouted impulsively. The dinosaurs looked up from their victim, their teeth glistening with layers of fresh blood, and their pupils narrowing into minuscule slits filled of bloodlust. Their snarls softened a bit when they saw Owen, but they still looked like they wanted to kill and eat him. Owen cautiously stepped forward, watching their every movement.
"Hey there Delta...Epsilon…and B," he greeted each dinosaur. The dinosaurs twitched upon hearing their names. "And where's little Gam?" Beta growled at the mention of her sister; her scowl was one of anger and betrayal. Of course Gam wouldn't join them...she's always been too sensitive for her own good...
"Okay, girls," Owen said, looking between each dinosaur and the bloody heap of a human before them. He saw similar grotesque piles littered throughout the auditorium. He took a deep breath in and gestured at the messes. Owen knew that the animals would understand him to some extent.
"This...this is not okay. You do shit like this, and you'll be treated like some monster." The dinosaurs sneered as Owen said 'monster'. He stepped forward. Epsilon bared her teeth, Delta yapped angrily, but Beta just continued to glare at Owen silently.
"But you're not monsters." The dinosaurs paused, thinking over his words. "You're living, breathing animals." With each word, he treaded closer, his head tilted upwards in attempt to maintain eye contact with the massive dinosaurs.
"I know you're all smarter than this. Don't stoop to the level of some basketcase using you all for his own messed up, selfish reasons." Now, Owen stood within an arm's reach of Beta. He lifted his arm up, extending his hand out. "You girls have been amazing...Don't throw that away."
The dinosaurs stared at Owen, and began chattering. Epsilon snapped her jaws bitterly, but backed off, her red eyes still tracking Owen's every move. As Beta lowered her head, resting it under Owen's outstretched hand, Delta skittered around nervously, unsure of what to do. She eventually mimicked her sister, throwing her head under Owen's other hand.
"See? Not monsters," he said breathlessly.
"I beg to differ, Mr. Grady," a voice rang out. The dinosaurs and Owen raised their heads towards the stage, where Henry Wu was walking across currently. He was escorted by three guards, their guns bobbing upon their shoulders. Owen glowered at the ensemble.
"Wu, it's over," he fumed, "You've got nothing left to control me with, and these girls won't kill for your pleasure anymore." The dinosaurs, sensing Owen's anger, flared up at the sight of Wu and his people as well. Wu stared at the pack, his eyes shining with a mix of amusement and wonder.
"Incredible," he breathed, "They're understanding everything..." Owen snorted.
"Yea, they understand that you're just using them for your own evil needs; they're never going to follow anyone again." Wu nodded slightly at Owen, and glanced back-and-forth between the four dinosaurs.
"You're correct, Mr. Grady," Wu said stiffly. Then, he locked eyes with Beta. "Which is why I should regain control over them." Beta sneered at Wu, and roared loudly. Her siblings followed suit. Wu smirked. "But how is the question..."
"Wu, I suggest you stop. I doubt your three men could take down three enormous dinosaurs," Owen said, squaring his shoulders, and inconspicuously walking towards Wu.
Suddenly, the hall doors crashed open as another dinosaur rushed in, with some smaller figure bobbing after it. Owen's eyes widened in recognition.
"Claire! Gamma!" Owen shouted. Gamma stomped over to her siblings as Claire ran to Owen. As the two were about to reunite, Claire and Wu made eye contact. Claire went rigid.
"Miss Dearing! Or should I call you Mrs. Grady? It's been a while," Wu said smoothly, "And that must be little Owen Junior." Nicolas buried his face into Claire's neck, feeling uneasy with Wu's demeanor. Claire pulled him closer, comforting him while glaring down Wu.
"Dr. Wu," Claire said stiffly, mocking Wu's tone, "The line ends here. You're through." The dinosaurs howled in agreement, showing their allegiance.
Wu's lips pulled into a thin line. He couldn't give up his precious specimens to these...buffoons that didn't understand. He turned to his three escorts.
"Please, execute these three," he ordered, gesturing at Owen, Claire and Nicolas. Owen and Claire felt their blood run cold.
"You wouldn't...," Owen growled. But, he stepped in front of Claire, ready to protect her and Nicolas if anything happened.
"Wu, you're insane! Just stop and think of what you're doing!" she yelled, attempting to sound confident; she hoped to knock sense into him. She was unable to conceal the distress in her voice though. In response to the family's stress, the pack chattered to each other, deep in argument.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Wu responded coolly, "I'll be taking one step closer towards my goal." He motioned towards the family again. "Do it, quickly please. Oh, and please don't injure the assets." The three men nodded and raised their weapons-their scopes finding the wide eyes of Claire and Owen.
Gunshots rang throughout the theater. And so did the roar and rumbling of four dinosaurs rushing towards the men who dare threaten their family.
a/n: oh my god i am so so sorry for this super late update D:
i turned into exactly what i feared! (eaten alive by school and life)
but im going to try my hardest to do this!
only a few more chapters left! c: lets finish this!
see you soon!