Pairing Up
Samantha and Jessica rushed to the front entrance of the main building. The irritating sound of the siren would not cease. When they arrived Kevin and Jonah were waiting for them.
"What took you guys, come on. We have to hurry!" Kevin said.
"Where's Daren?" Sam questioned as the whole group ran out the front entrance.
"Holding off the problem as best he can." Kevin answered. The four didn't stop running until they reached the spot where the helicopter had touched down earlier. It was just an open field.
"There's Daren!" Sam pointed. He was in the dinstance just standing there. "What's he doing?" Daren waved his hand in a motion suggesting for something behind him to come closer. Into view next to him, stepped an adult Allosaurus. It roared out across the field to a person the group had not noticed before. The person looked to be riding a large raptor.
Jonah squinted his eyes. "Is that...is that Larry on a Utahraptor?" He questioned. He pulled out a telescope-like device from one of his many cargo shorts pockects and gazed into it. "Holy crap, it is!" The group looked on Larry hopped off the raptor's back. The raptor began to run at the Daren. The Allosaur stepped in front of Daren and swung its tail directly into the Utahraptor, sending it through the air and back to Larry's feet. The raptor quickly jumped back up and gave a loud shrill hiss at the larger carnivore. The Allosaurus stomped the ground and roared in response. Larry's Utahraptor charged forward at first, but halted right beofre pouncing when Larry spoke something inaudible to the dinosaur. Slowly the animal turned its gaze to the bystanders. Daren looked in the same direction and saw his companions. His face clearly showed shock.
"Run!" He yelled. But it was barely audible. It was too late, for the Utahraptor was already sprinting the distance towards the group.
"We're dead!" Sam and Jessica yelled.
"Not if I can help it." Jonah stated. He stuck two fingers between his lips and whistled a note so high pitched it seemed inhuman. It echoed to everyone's very core. Then there was absolute silence. Even the raptor had halted its charge, but only for a moment, and it quickly picked up its speed again. Then everything seemed to slow down. The Utahraptor leaped at them from 20 yards away, killing claws lifted high and at the ready. The ground beneath the group's feet began to move as if it were alive. At the instant the raptor was three feet away from the group, a green blur spun out of the ground infront of them knocking the Utahraptor back several yards, and then, as suddenly as it appeared, it disappeared back into the ground. In the distance, Daren breathed a sigh of relief. He ran up to the Allosaurus and touched its leg. In the blink of an eye, Daren and the large carnivore were infront of of the group in a defensive satnce. Almost as if they had teleported.
"How in the...what was the...what's going on!" Jessica shouted.
"I'll explain later. Just get to the Housing Dome. " Daren ordered. "Kevin knows the way." They didn't have to be told twice. Kevin pushed the girls in the direction to their right.
When Kevin noticed Jonah hadn't budged he asked, "Aren't you coming?"
"Naw. Me and Daren will have this under control in no time. Besides, me and Larry have a debt to settle." Jonah responded.
"Good luck to you then." The trio of Kevin, Jessica and Samantha ran into the forest, leaving Jonah and Daren to fend off Larry's attack.
"Jonah, my old friend. It's been awhile." Larry smirked. "I love what you and Daren have done to the place."
"Cut the small talk. Why are you here?" Jonah asked flatly.
"To test your defenses, of course. I have to see just how long your little organization here is going to stall me in my goals." Larry laughed. "Why else would I come alone?"
"Just to be a cocky ass." Daren answered.
"Well that too, but that's just the bonus." Larry grinned. "After I see just how pathetic the technology is here I'll be on my way."
Daren was about to say a string of curses at Larry, but Jonah had an outburst first. "MY TECH IS NO WHERE NEAR THE INFERIOR SHIT YOU DESIGNED ON THE FIRST ISLAND! I'M SURPRISED AN OUTBREAK DIDN'T OCCUR SOONER WITH YOUR SHITTY STUFF IN PLACE! PATHETIC, HA! YOU'RE THE ONLY PATHETIC THING ON THIS ISLAND, SO FUCK YOU!" Daren looked at Jonah in complete shock. Never in all the years he knew him had he ever seen his friend so pissed off. Larry kept his calm dameanor, though it was noticable that Jonah's insult had cut deep into him. "Daren, I've got this! Go with the others." Jonah said.
Daren was actually too afraid to disagree with him, so he just said, "Alright, but I'm only leaving because frankly you're scaring me." Daren tried to joke. Jonah didn't laugh however. "I know your capable of taking him down, but be careful. He is under handed. I trust you can do this Jonah." Daren said on a more serious note, patting Jonah on the shoulder. "And I'm leaving the Allosaurus with you incase you need him." On command, the Allosaurus sat down behind Jonah in a pounce ready posture.
"Fine, but he won't be needed." Jonah said glaring daggers at Larry. "Larry deserves a beating from a dinosaur he's already aquainted with." Jonah performed his high pitched whistle again. The soil beneath his feet beagn to move, and then a green blur came spinning up infront of him, but this time instead of tunneling underground again, the dinosaur landed on its feet. In front of Jonah stood an adult Pachycephalosaurus. Its thick dome skull was black and shined in the bright sunlight like a bald spot. Its announcing cry was was a high resonaitng honk. It lowered its head towards the Utahraptor and honked out again. "Pachy can do this by himself."
Daren sighed. "Meet me in th Dome in 30 minutes. If you're not in there by then, then I know something is wrong. Stay in one peice, and..." Daren paused to think. "And seriously, reconsider naming the dinosaur. It's had that sucky name for years now."
"I'll be fine...And I'm not changing his name." Jonah waved a hand dismissively at Daren. Daren sighed and ran off the way he sent Samantha, Jessica, and Kevin. Daren figured Jonah would be fine. Jonah was a wild card afterall.
"It's just you and me here now, Jonah. " Larry stated, moving next to his Utahraptor. "And soon it will just be me here." Larry tapped the big bird of prey on the shoulder. The raptor lunged forwad at the pachycephlosaurus. The pachycephlosaurus stomped the ground in response with its left foot. A large chunk of ground rose in front of the pachycephalosaurus. The dome-skull dinosaur rammed the piece of earth with its head making the soil turn to a large chunk of solid stone that was sent flying through the air straight into the raptor's chest. The raptor was knocked back and rolled on the ground. It was struggling to get to its feet.
"Too easy." Jonah shook his head in mocking disappointment at a growling Larry. The Pachycephalosaur was doing the same towards the raptor. "Before you leave this island today, I'll make sure you pay your debt for what you did to Pachy two years ago. And more importantly, I'm going to make you pay for when you broke Daren's spirit when Sarah died." Jonah took a small black box from his pocket and pushed a button on it.
XXXXXX
"Where exactly are we going?" Samantha inquired.
"To meet our partners in the Housing Dome." Kevin said. He and the girls were on trail completely surrounded by forest. "Daren wanted to introduce us to them when you were more settled, but with Larry's attack I'm assuming he wants us to get aquainted right away."
"So we're getting paired up with someone that has similar field of experience as us?" Jessica questioned.
"Uhh...Something like that." Kevin hesitated. The females gave Kevin a suspicious look, but didn't question him any further.
The group walked in silence for awhile until Jessica spoke. "Keivn...do you think Daren and Jonah are alright." She spoke very timidly.
Kevin smiled at her question. "Larry's probably been beaten to a pulp by now. Daren can handle himself, and Jonah's just Daren's ace up his sleeve. They'll both be fine." In truth, Kevin believed his own words to a certain extent, but he also believed Larry probably had some underlying intention for coming to the island. Kevin was pulled from his thoughts when he felt something intertwine with his fingers. He looked down at his hand and saw Jessica's hand holding his.
"I'm glad you didn't stay back there with them." She smiled at Kevin with a slight blush on her cheeks. "I don't know exactly why, but after what happened on the docks I worry about your safety a lot." She gently squeezed Kevin's hand.
Kevin grinned in embarassment. "I appreciate your concern, Jessica."
"Call me Jessy." Jessica said. Sam rolled her eyes at the two.
"First she makes out with a tech genius, and now she's crushing on a worldwide known medic." Sam thought to herself. "At least she's not lusting after him."
When they finally exited the foliage of the jungle they were in front of a giant glass dome that could hold 12 large football stadiums. It had 3 garage-like doors. One door was human sized, another one was a size that could fit medium sized carnivores, and the largest seemed that it could fit a super predator.
"Daren walked up to the human sized door, opened it, and stepped inside the dome. He paused when he realized only Kevin was was following him. "Aren't you guys coming? Don't you want to at least meet your field partner inside?" The girls didn't move. "Come on, we don't have time to waste. If Jonah isn't able to fend off Larry, then you two have to be prepared to help defend this island. And the easiest way to do that is with your field partner." Sam was the first to reluctantly walk through the door, and then Jessica quickly followed.
"Daren, what is this place?" Jessica gawked at the sheer size of the dome once inside. She could see the heads of grazing Brachiosaurs and Sauroposeidons above the trees that the dome housed. Their soft moans echoed off the dome's glass walls. The group continued deeper into the dome with Daren leading them to an unknown location.
"It's where my field partner lives. I have him stationed on gaurd duty here whenever he's not out. He's protecting your partners, since he has more experience than them." Daren informed.
"Your field partner wouldn't happen to be this Cipher guy you were talking about earlier?" Sam asked.
"You hit the nail on the head." Daren smiled. Sam put a hand to her chin and begin to ponder.
"Who's Cipher?" Jessica asked.
"You're about to meet him soon enough." Daren answered.
"You'll grow to like him." Jonah's voice said. He rose from a hole in the ground on a mechanical platform behind the group. Everyone turned to face him.
"What happened with Larry?" Daren inquired.
"Oh, let's just say he didn't need to call for a chopper to get off the island." Jonah gave a sly grin.
"You didn't?" Daren's face held shock.
"I did." Jonah laughed. "And to think you said we had no use for phase one, two, and three rocket thrusters."
"You are one twisted guy, dude." Kevin shook his head.
"It comes with the genius." Jonah shrugged. "I'll talk to you guys later. I have to deal with the scorched earth the rocket left behind." He said descending back into the ground on the platform. "Have fun with Cipher. Kevin and I always do." His voice echoed from the hole before it closed over.
"He's a real nice dinosaur when you get to know him- OWW" Kevin blurted out which immediately follwed up with a hit in the arm and glare from Daren. "What? I forgot they didn't know."
"Our field partner is going to be a dinosaur!" Jessica yelled. "Your paring us up with a DINOSAUR!"
"It's not as bad as it sounds." Kevin tried to calm her.
"No, it's worse!" Jessica crossed her arms.
"I was starting to wonder why you had your and our partners live in this huge dome." Sam stated. "I now know it's because their dinosaurs. But that's not all is it, Daren?" Sam pointed an acuusing finger. "They're carnivores aren't they? That's why you have them in this dome, because carnivores are territorial and need space."
Jessica's eyes widened. "What! No way! I refuse to take…" Jessica's complaint was drowned out by an earth shaking roar in the not too far off distance. Jessica and Sam froze in place. Daren continued to walk on in the direction of the roar. "What the hell was that!"
"That was Cipher." Daren laughed. "And yes I'm pairing you up with dinosaurs, and yes, they are carnivores. But I promise you that you'll be perfectly safe around them. Especially once you bond with them."
"No way. Forget it." Jessica stomped her foot.
"Well...I've always wanted my own dinosaur since I was a little girl." Sam said which surprised everyone. "And you haven't lied to us so far...maybe withheld some of the scarrier truth...but not lied, so I'll try and give it a shot."
"That's the spirit! Now let's get to the building in here so we can meet your partners." Daren cheered.
"I'm not going anywhere." Jessica stated.
"Must you be difficult?" Daren sighed. "You partner is not even in the building if that makes you feel any better. You came aboard on short notice so it may be a week before you're able to be paired."
"That doesn't mean I won't be attacked by the other dinosaurs in the building." Jessica argued.
"Alright, looks as if we're doing this the hard way." Daren said to Kevin. Kevin nodded.
"I don't want to make you go, but you're less safer here in this jungle than at the building with a gaurd like Cipher." Kevin told Jessica.
"That's so convincing." Jessica said sarcastically. Kevin sighed and grabbed her hips. Jessica gave a small yelp and blushed at the unexpected action. Kevin picked her up off the ground and tossed her over his shoulder. Her slight petite form made her very light and easy to carry. Jessica began kicking and screaming, demanding to be let go but to no avail. Sam giggled at her friends futile efforts. "I'll never forgive you for this Kevin!" Jessica screamed.
"You will when you're alive in the morning." Kevin joked.
"Doesn't this seem kind of extreme." Sam asked Daren while trying to supress her laughter at her wiggling friend.
"Probably, if it wasn't for the fact that a predator in this jungle would pick her off if we left her here alone." Daren said. "Let's move, before an Albertosaurus or something hears all the noise she's making." Daren said as he moved in the same direction as the roar had come from. After a few minutes more of kicking, screaming, and saying she would never forgive Kevin for this, Jessica finally stopped yelling and accepted her fate.
"I think she's out of steam." Sam giggled to Daren. Daren chuckled at the comment.
"I can hear you, Samantha! Some friend you are!" Jessica said from on Kevin's shoulder. "Can you put me down now?" She complained.
"Sure, as soon as we reach the building." Kevin answered.
"We're here." Daren said on cue, and sure enough they were. The building was the size of a typical two story house. Nothing fancy about it. It had only one door, and it was human sized. The roar from earlier blasted into life at a defeaning range. Everyone, but Kevin was able to cover their ears to cushion the sound. The owner of the sound stomped around from the side of the building.
"Oh my God...It's the Rex from the picture...but how?" Sam gasped. She recognized its coloration pattern. It was much larger than the picture had her believe it was. The rex's eyes darted from Jessica on Kevin's shoulder, to Samantha. The T-rex lowered its head and roared at his percieved threats. It was about to charge, but Daren stepped in front of it.
"Whoa there boy. They're with me and Kevin." Daren shouted while waving his hands. The rex halted and tilted his head, listening to Daren. "We're here to show Kevin and Sam their partners." The massive dinosaur took a second to perceive what was said, but when he understood he nodded his head in a clear notion that he comprehended Daren. The T-rex then laid down flat on its stomach and head on the ground. Daren walked up to the huge jaws of the carnivore and pat him on the snout.
"What's going on? I can't see!" Jessica squirmed to get a look over Kevin's shoulder. "OH MY GOD!" Jessica screamed as she tried to run, but Kevin held her tightly in place. "It's the damn diamond encased dinosaur from the video and picture!"
"Calm down, Jessica. This is my friend and field partner, Cipherdias. But we call him Cipher for short most of the time." Daren explained.
"This is Cipher? How is it possible he's here? He was in a giant diamond." Sam questioned nervously. Cipher opened his mouth and made a low rumble as if to answer for hiself. Sam laughed at this action. It wasn't really from finding it funny, but more so a laugh of a mixture nervousness and amazement. She was awed by how such an ancient animal could befriend a human. It made her excited to meet her own partner. "We're going to go inside the building. You gonna keep watch out here?" Daren asked the dinosaur. Cipher rumbled a series of growls. "Alright, fine with me." Daren responded with a big grin to Cipher's growls. The T-rex stood up and walked off into the thick jungle. Daren turned to the group and said, "He's going hunting. He'll be back in a few minutes."
"You understand him?" Sam asked shocked.
"It's the seeping effect." Kevin answered.
"The seeping what?" Jessica chimed in.
"I'll explain once we get you introduced to your partners. And I'll explain why he's no longer in the diamond." Daren opened the door to the building and motioned for Sam and Kevin to walk in. Jessica really had no choice in the matter, but Kevin finally set her down once the door closed behind them and locked. Once let go, she hit Kevin square in the chest, and stormed away from him to stand next to Sam. Sam paid Jessica and the now wheezing Kevin no attention; instead, she looked around the room which was bigger than it looked to be from the outside, but was relatively empty. It had three small cave-like rooms to it, and in two of the rooms laid resting raptors. The smaller of the two birds of prey, which was 5 and half feet tall, instantly jumped to its feet and excitedly rushed at the group. It started sniffing everyone individually. To Sam's disappointment the raptor didn't linger on her and Daren, but did on Jessica. Jessica freaked out a bit and tried to shoe the raptor away but gave up when she realized he wouldn't move on until he was satisfied. When finished, the raptor turned away from Jessica almost in disgust, and sneezed loudly. Kevin withheld a laugh as best he could, and only let a few chuckles escape, but he silenced himself completely when Jessica shot him a nasty look. The raptor then turned to Kevin.
"Don't even think about it." Kevin said to the dinosaur. The raptor only moved closer. "Stay. Stay boy. Staaay."
"Kevin he's a velociraptor, not a dog." Daren said.
"I don't care what kind of raptor he is I just don't want it to jump on me and- AHHH!" Kevin was cut short when the velociraptor jumped onto him. "Stop it, stop. That tickles." He laughed as the raptor licked his face.
"Looks like you'll be working with him." Sam giggled.
"You know, he's actually kind of cute." Jessica said giggling a little. "And he seems pretty nice too...for a dinosaur I mean."
"He wouldn't harm a fly." Daren stated. At that moment a fly flew past the resting raptor's head. With lightening speed, the raptor snapped up the fly in its mouth. A few seconds later it spat out the wings which everyone watched slowly flutter to the ground. "Okay, so maybe he would harm a fly. But only a fly." Daren then looked at the still resting raptor. He addressed his next question to it. "Aren't you going to sniff out your companion?" The raptor shook its head.
"Why not?" Daren looked to Sam, who was now slowly approaching the raptor. He hadn't expected the girls to take to the dinosaurs so well at first, but Sam seemed to be pulled to the raptor's presence, even after its display of hunting prowess. "I think it would be fun to have a friend like you." Sam said cautiously kneeling down next to the bird of prey. She marveled at the raptor's hide and feathers. Its hide was a dark tint of red, almost burgundy, and red mixed with white feathers traveled in a line from the top of his head to the tip of his tail. Sam reached out and placed her hand on the raptor's head and ruffled his feathers a little. The dinosaur began to purr.
"Well I never…" Daren said, laughing some. "I've never heard him make that sound before. He must really have taken a liking to you…Though that's not too hard to do in my opinion." He commented while smiling at Sam.
A blush briefly crossed Sam's face and she smiled back. "I think I know who my partner is." She said petting the raptor's head. The dinosaur nuzzled her neck in response.
"You said there would be a dinosaur for me too, later...right?" Jessica asked. Daren looked at her in surprise.
"So you changed your mind?" Daren said. "Even after all that resistance to the idea of it?"
Jessica looked down. "To be honest, I believe I'd probably freak out if it got to close to me. But I think with time I may grow to like it."
"I'm glad to here that, and I'm sure your partner will be glad to get to know you too." Daren said. "As for you two," He pointed to Kevin and Sam. Kevin was petting his raptor's head. Sam had made her way next to Kevin, and her raptor was standing beside her. It was nearly as tall as Daren, and slightly taller than Sam at 6 feet in height. "What names have you decided upon giving them?" Kevin was the first to answer.
"I like Vector. How about you?" He asked the velociraptor. The raptor gave an approving nod and growl.
"Vector it is then. I'll be sure to documanet it. What about you Sam?" Daren asked.
"I don't know. What do you want to be called?" She asked her raptor. The raptor stared into Sam's eyes with in depth focus. Sam stared back just as intensely. Daren watched on with great interest at the two. He had never seen the seeping effect act so quickly on a person except or twice before, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind. "Pod." Sam stated.
"Come again?" Daren asked. His thoughts had distracted him from listening.
"Pod. He wants to be called Pod." Sam said tearing her gaze away from the raptor and focusing back on Daren.
"Perfect. It fits your deinonychus well." Daren smiled. Suddenly the building began to shake violently, and a low rumble could be heard coming from outside. Daren quickly moved to the door and stepped outside. The rest of the group followed, including the raptors. "Cipherdias, cut that out." Daren scolded as he ran up to T-rex. Sam, Jessica, and Kevin watched on curiosly as they watched Daren push on the rex's leg in vain as he tried to move the predator away from the building. Cipher had decided the building would make a perfect object to scratch an itch on his back he could not reach with his teeth. "That is what the trees are for you blockhead of a titan." Daren shouted as he continued his failed efforts to move the rex. His companions began to on laugh.
XXXXXX
Larry paced back and forwth in his control room on his island. He was beyond upset that Jonah had beaten him so easily.
"Well I didn't use my more powerful dinosaurs." Larry mumbled to soften his defeat. "I didn't even use the Guardian I have." Larry stopped pacing. "But was the rocket really necessary, Jonah!" Larry yelled out. He was covered in first and second degree burns after being strapped so close to the flame. "Well at least I accomplished my goal." Larry took a seat in a metal chair. "I know now their defenses are pretty tough, but not without their weakspots." Larry smirked. "My team will soon have fully excuvated the next Guardian, and then I can put the first parts of my plan into effect. And since Daren has yet to show any sign he has a Guardian, I will have two to his zero."
Dinosaur partners? Seeping effects? Diamond encased rexes? What?
Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I attempted to create a sweet moment between Kevin and Jessica. Tell me how I did on that(Remember, I lack experience in the romance department of writing).
Any constructive criticism is happily welcomed.