I'm glad you all liked the last chapter! Thanks so much for your support and all the heartwarming reviews. I'll keep 'em coming as long as I feel there's a story. Happy 4th of July!

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The drive to and from town had never felt longer for Owen. Getting groceries had added to the agony of driving Claire the extra hour to the airport. She was going to that meeting and there was no stopping her. Claire Dearing didn't sit by until she had exhausted all options. Another trait Owen went between loving and having to take aspirin over. Still, he'd driven her there; and he'd be there to pick her up in two days. He just hoped she'd be there.

Please don't make me out to be an idiot... again. Owen pleaded to whomever might be listening. Ultimately, he knew that only one of them going was the only option, no matter what congress said; Maisie couldn't be left alone. Still, he'd felt Claire's despondency as she'd left, promising a text when she landed in San Jose. She was mistaking his removal from the situation as a lack of support. It wasn't... if fighting had to be done, if she needed back up in anyway, he was there. But he'd already said his piece; about Jurassic World, the volcano, the dinosaurs. And they'd still ended up in this new mess that had been solved 65 million years ago. As idealistic as Claire fought to be, Owen doubted anyone would listen this time- inside or outside of Congress. And he hoped that the fight to be heard wouldn't pull Claire away from him again. Owen was sure his heart would go bitter and black if she did.

His eyes flickered to the rearview mirror as he slowed the car around a curve. Maisie's pale face and dark brown hair were turned to the window, avoiding eye contact with him on purpose. The disturbing lack of emotion from her during their drive had Owen more unnerved then Claire's absence. The easy going repoire between them that vanished and Owen knew why.

Claire wanted him to apologize; Owen half agreed with her. Maisie didn't deserve to be yelled at, but he wasn't going to coddle her about her decision. People were getting hurt, hospitals and the Red Cross were stretched thin with reported dinosaur attacks all across the Golden State, and the government was hyperventilating, trying to figure which resources to exhaust first. The only positive spin on it was that the pattern of attacks showed them which way each dinosaur was headed. A single airstrike for each and it would all be over... if it weren't for the threat of further loss of human life. Boy, Claire was going to have a ball at those meetings. While he, in the meantime, fought for common ground with Maisie again.

"You believe all the cleaning supplies Claire had us buy?" Owen blurted out. "Be cheaper just to hose the whole trailer down."

Maisie said nothing for a few seconds, her gaze remaining out the window. "A flamethrower would be better."

"Hee." Owen chuckled. The kid had wit. She was still mad about last night though. He eyed the dashboard's clock. Twenty minutes till they made it to the homestead. He put some words in order, taking a deep breath. "Maisie-"

His intentions were cut off by the growing sight of the car- stalled in the middle of the road. Owen eyed it, puzzled, slowing several feet behind it. The hood wasn't up, and the tires didn't look flat. The driver's door was wide open. Yet, he didn't immediately see anyone in the car.

"Where's the driver?" Maisie asked.

"Good question." Owen acknowledged, slowly opening his door. "Stay here."

Maisie compiled, though she rolled down her window and stuck her head out. Owen removed his rifle from the floor of the passenger's seat, eyes on the car. Nothing moved. That didn't comfort him. Rifle in hand, he took cautious steps toward the car, trying to not let the pounding in his ears distract him. He stayed sharp, spying on the terrain that lined the road for any unusual markings. The trees rustled with the dry wind coming down from the hills. Owen worked his hands to feel the air on his sweaty palms.

"Owen." Maisie called out. Owen jerked his head around, a finger to his lips. Maisie threw him a frustrated look and pointed, making a downward motion. Owen looked back at the car and spotted what she saw. Feet, jutting out from where their owner lay, and the rest of the body blocked by the car. Owen cleared his throat. "Hello?"

The feet gave no response. Dread wrenched Owen's stomach. He'd come alongside the car by now and was almost certain of what he'd find. Rifle raised, he came closer. Then the faint chatter of chomping confirmed it before he rounded the front fender.

The body of a man lay still, numerous scratches and bites over his skin. A lean compsognathus, spine streaked with dark green scales, munched through the man's right torso, regardless of the clothes he wore. Another, smaller 'compie' was digging its claws into the guy's face, tearing skin from the left cheek; just above where a giant gash in the throat had been left. Then there was a third, it's whole head buried and biting in a dark red pool of what used to be the stomach.

Owen's dread turned to bile as he backed up, tracing his steps exactly. Compsognathi were pack hunters and at three, four feet high, it would've taken several of them to bring a grown man down. He'd had probably stopped, thinking what harm such little dinosaurs could do. The answer was plenty!

There was no need to disturb them... until Owen was in the car and could run them over! Owen took another step- and got a searing pain above the ankle of his jeans. He looked down to see a compie helping itself to a bite of his leg! Owen drove the rifle butt into its head and it let go. Blood warmed his pant leg, but Owen didn't let it hinder his bolt for the car. His peripheral saw a fifth compie leap at him and latch onto his side. The claws and teeth stung through his shirt and skin, ripping into his ribs. This caused Owen to stagger, but he knew if he went down, there'd be no getting up. He heard one signaling for the others; they'd be coming in from all sides!

"Gaaagghh!" Owen cried, yanking the compie off of him by its scrawny neck. He hauled it aside as Maisie let out a scream. This had Owen looking up in panic to see another of the puny dinosaurs- by comparison- scraping at the car, trying to climb through her window. Owen raised the rifle and fired this time, sending the compie limp and bloody to the pavement. He then spun around and sent three more bullets at his attackers. He got two, leaving for another to try for his other leg. Owen kicked it back, buying himself enough distance to reach his car. Maisie had her window up by the time he slammed the door. Two of the compsognathi weren't deterred, charging at the glass, determined to break it and have their next meal. Another appeared on their hood, ramming its head at the windshield!

Loud gasping breaths could be heard from Maisie as Owen punched the gas, lurching them forward. The compie tried to maintain its balance, but was flung off when Owen swerved to avoid the stalled car. A light started dinging on the dashboard, reminding him to fasten his seatbelt. That and his side was in agony, stringing the seat and the console with his blood. He needed to apply pressure, but he couldn't stop. A compsognathus could go forty miles an hour when it was motivated. He needed to get home. He prayed that was far enough away.