The ocean. A wide range of water spanning seventy-one percent of our planet. A great blue realm that, at times, seems like something you would find in a Science Fiction film taking lace in the vacuum of space. It is an oddity and has remained so even to this day. Today, the ocean is still not fully explored, with much of its dark and eerie depths remaining unexplored.
And the creatures within it are even more so.
Creatures such as the octopus, the Seahorse, and the Jellyfish seem so unrealistic, that they could most easily be from the stars above us. They are completely different from the animals we commonly know today. And the scariest park about the ocean is: not every animal of the deep has been discovered. One minute, the murky, misty depths are calm and peaceful. The very next, you are in the jaws of a Great White Shark that shot from the mist before you. Blue water could turn red at any moment.
But on a boat or ship, you have nothing to worry about.
And on a ship, Claire found peace. After nearly a month of fighting and hiding from Biosyn, she found peace and quiet. Twenty-Sevan days ago, she had hardly known anything about InGen's ancient rival, Mantah Corp. All she knew about them back then was what Masrani told her before his death. He told her that "They were a low-budget wannabe of Hammond from back in the day." And that was all she knew before now. If someone had told her that they were a secret military force that rivaled only Biosyn in funding, she would've taken their claims to court for fear of Defamation. But now, it seemed that Mantah Corp was on their side in their fight against Biosyn.
But the reason for being out I'm the middle of the ocean was beyond her.
She heard footsteps coming from beside her while she sat in her chair, watching the waves roll along across the surface of the deep blue water below the giant ship. She didn't have to see who it was to know that the person was Owen Grady, the one who she once had good relations with. Long before that fateful incident at Lockwood Estate.
Owen sat down in the chair next to her and also watched the waves. He hadn't been out to sea for a long time, not since his days in the army. "How've you been Claire?"
"Fair." Claire said shortly.
"Look, Claire, the boys are alright, I'm sure of it." Owen said after a brief beat of silence. "Those kids escaped being eating by a Carnotaur, shot at by soldiers, swallowed by a Spino… yeah, I'm probably not helping, am I? Sorry. But believe me when I say that they're alright."
Claire looked down and didn't say a word. When Owen noticed this, he sighed before looking back out to the ocean. "Uh… it wasn't your fault you know? Franklin wanted to go with you guys. No one knew what was gonna happen there. Look, you can't keep beating yourself up about this."
"I'm sorry."
"I said it isn't your fault."
"No, I mean I'm sorry, Owen." Claire said, not even looking at him. "I'm sorry for leaving you after the thing with Mills. I'm sorry I left you with Maisie. Of all the things I did wrong in life, it was leaving that girl in the orphanage . Then she got tangled up in all of this mess, and now we don't even know where she is now."
This was clearly something Owen was not prepared to talk about. He hadn't seen Masie since that day Claire left him again. The two had had a complicated relationship over the years, and it got even more awkward when they rescued Maisie from Eli Mills. Naturally, due to Claire's previous occasion when caring for her nephews, she thought it would be best to not have her in her care. So she asked Owen to take her to the local orphanage. And the worst part of it was: she had never said goodbye.
Owen turned his head to her in understanding. He too cared for the girl and had regretted ever leaving her. He had already let someone he cared about go once, and he hated to do the same to the young girl. "Maisie's a tough girl. I've seen her outrun a ten-foot tall super hybrid. I think she can hold her own against some mercs."
Claire snorted a little bit before turning to see him. "Owen… I have to tell you. It's good to see you. How's the cabin doing? Last time I saw it, you were just starting to lay the ground work."
Owen rubbed his arm as he looked up. "Uh, well, it's been better." Of course, Owen knew exactly how his cabin was doing. He just hoped that Baselton's Bazooka didn't destroy any of his crops with it. He spent a long time growing those vegetables. He soon wanted to change the subject when he looked down the lower deck, seeing a certain individual speaking with one of the Mantah Corp. Scientists who had evacuated with them.
"I understand your concern, Dr. Grant," The scientist said as he walked along the former Paleontologist. "but we can assure you that the asset we have in captivity has no means of escape."
"You have that animal behind glass, Dr. Mortem," Dr. Grant said to the shorter man. "Glass has been known to break in more than one occasion. Animals in zoos have been known to push their limits and damage the glass separating them from the visitors. And in the current state that thing in there's in, it's only a matter of time before it finds out how to escape."
"We are aware, Dr. Grant." Dr. Mortem answered. "But Mr. Robinson has ordered us to capture one of Dr. Wu's specimens to study it and find a way to reverse the Hurisym's effects. Besides, we've tested the delivery plexiglass we're using before. Not even a 4 ton Ankylosaurus was able to break through it, let alone an adolescent Pyroraptor. Our manufacturer's have learned from past leadership of how to prevent fatal incidents."
"John Hammond thought that too," Grant sighed. "that just makes me all the more concerned."
"Well, that makes one of us."
Alan Grant looked to see Owen Grady and Claire Dearing coming down the stairs towards him and Dr. Mortem. Owen walked up to Grant and gave an amused smile. "Alan Grant. Head Paleontologist of . Honestly, I never thought I'd meet you in the flesh."
"And you must be Owen Grady," The older man smiled lightly before shaking his head. "the Raptor trainer. Ms. Dearing here's told me a lot about you."
"Is that so?" He glanced at Claire before turning back. "What's she told you?"
"Well mostly about how you used to train Velociraptors." Grant shrugged. Once Owen smiled a little relieved, Grant continued. "And that you like to take your first date to a bar in board shorts."
Owen rolled his eyes as Claire chuckled. He then looked back at him. "Anyways, sorry we haven't spoken since we've gotten on this steel trap. I've been looking at that thing Mantah Corp caught in there."
"Oh yes, Pyroraptor Olympius is an interesting species to study." Dr. Mortem replied to them both. "This one we captured from Isla Sorna isn't even fully grown. You can see where it left some scars in Dr. Grant here. I'm actually glad you came down here, Mr. Grady. Being a person who's seen Velociraptors up close, I'm sure you wanted to know more about this new species."
"Believe me, I've seen what they can do." Owen glanced at the healing scars on Grant. "My friend, Barry, he met some people who have dug these guys up down in Mongolia. You been feeding that thing?"
"You should see it rip through cow meat," Dr. Mortem answered. "It has a higher attack rate than the normal Velociraptor. Our research shows that it's blood pressure can withstand nearly two months without food, which is probably why they've lasted so long on Sorna."
"I've seen how Raptors hunt, how they communicate." Grant stated. "They know when they're being watched. They know when they've got someone on their trail. Mr. Grady, have you ever trained your Raptors to hunt?"
"Every darn day," Owen nodded. "give 'em live targets like Pigs, and they figure it out soon enough. Ellie says Hammond told you two about how Dinosaurs imprint the first face they see? That's how it worked with my Raptors. Charlie, Echo, Delta, and Blue."
"Interesting names," Grant then pointed at him as he snapped his fingers with the other hand. "Uh, sorry, but back to what you said earlier. When you said we haven't spoken since we got on the boat. We actually have spoken before that, I only remember now. I remember seeing you on the bus in California."
Owen blinked before the realization came to him. Way back before the deal with Biosyn had taken place. He remembered boarding that bus and riding to the city, and having a short conversation with an older man in a fedora. "W-wait a minute. That was you?!"
"The same." Grant smiled and nodded. "I usually don't remember a face after a small interaction, but it looked like you were doing the same as me that day. Just getting out there."
"Well yeah, that's pretty much it." Owen shrugged. "Yeah, I also had to get stuff to make a fence for my garden. Little dinos have been getting into my Lettuce and such. Micro-thingies. Mirco… uh…"
"Microceratus?" Dr. Mortem suggested.
"That's it. I swear, they're just as bad as Rabbits."
"Well, there's one way of looking at them." Grant chuckled. "Your friend, Mr. Sembène, was it? How's he doing?"
"Barry? Oh he's fine. Just got a few brokens, but hey, I would too if I fell down a hill in a car. The doctors say, he'll be up and at 'em in two weeks. Maybe by the time we get to this Island of Mantah Corp's."
"Yes, about that," Claire turned to Dr. Mortem as they walked along the ship's main hull. "Where exactly is this Island, Dr. Mortem? And what all do you have on it?"
"Glad you asked, Ms. Dearing." Dr. Mortem answered, walking alongside her. "You see, after an unforeseeable incident on the part of our previous CEO, Mantah Corp has had to do some major renovations. Some of which have had to do with our nature Biomes. Our current CEO, Albert Robinson, should catch you up on everything when we arrive in Isla Alten."
"Isla Alten." Owen couldn't help but laugh at this name.
"You try giving an Island a completely original name. " Mortem joked. "Anyways, once we're there, we'll give you a tour of the facility and take our captured friend in there to the labs."
"Dr. Julius Mortem."
The monotone voice caught them off guard, all except for Dr. Mortem of course. They turned to see the strange, unexpected presence behind them. It was a white, mechanical creature standing on four legs, about the size of a Golden Retriever. There were two lights on the front of where the head was, obviously the eyes.
"Ah, hello there BRAD." Dr. Mortem greeted the robot.
"Geez, been on this ship for almost a month, and I'm still not used to these things." Owen shook his head.
"Can we help you, BRAD?"
"I have been sent to inform you that according to the data, Isla Alten is approximately 1,200 miles away." The BRAD answered. "Mr. Robinson has requested to meet with you immediately at arrival."
"Very good, thank you, BRAD." Dr. Mortem answered. "Please forward a message to Mr. Robinson. Tell him that we are continuing work on his project."
"Compliance, Dr. Mortem." The BRAD replied before heading down the halls.
As Claire watched the robot walk away, she spotted a familiar face staring out of the large windows that gave view of the sea around the. The deep, blue depths were as mysterious as the bottom of it all. Zane Maxin was the kind of person who would stare at it for a mere minute, and would write a soliloquy about it immediately afterwards. Beside him stood another BRAD, which also seemed to be looking at the outside ocean.
"Maxin?" Claire spoke up trying to get his attention. "What're you looking at?"
As she and the others walked over to him, it was cleNothosaurus marchicus ar that he had heard her. He turned his head down to his BRAD. "BRAD, please perform a scan for any lifeforms outside this window."
"Compliance, Zane Maxin." The BRAD droned as green rays shot out of its eyes, aiming towards the window before the hunter. They moved from left to right as if it were scanning the blue air outside. Soon, the rays dissolved and the BRAD looked up at Maxin.
"Several life forms detected. Classified asNothosaurus Marchicus."
"Classify."
"A full skeleton of Nothosaurus Marchicus was first discovered in Berlin. Nothosaurus loved in the Triassic period and lived alongside other marine reptiles such as Tanystropheus and Cymbospondylus. In the past four years, it has been discovered that they are some of the only species of prehistoric reptile to give live birth in comparison to most species who lay eggs."
Hearing this description, Claire steppes closer to the window next to Maxin and the BRAD. The blue void was empty, devoid of all life. But then, something appeared from the murky depths. It looked like a kind of large lizard. The sixteen-foot long body was brownish-tan with a tail that resembled that of a Chinese dragon. The head was that of a Crocodile but significantly smaller. And coming from the jaws were a set of jagged teeth, sticking out like old nails in a board.
The way the animal swam through the water reminded Claire of the time she watch Sea Otters swim in the bay before she joined Jurassic World. It glided through the blue space with ease, maneuvering its tail and pushing its limbs forward. And it was soon joined by another, slightly smaller and a different shaped jaw. More of a U-shape instead of the sharp V of the one before it. And then another, and another, and another.
Soon, there were at least ten of them swimming around. One of the males and the U-jawed one were swimming the closest to each other. It was some of the most graceful movements that Claire had ever seen in water. Not even the Mosasaurus was as peaceful at swimming as them.
"See that one with the U-shaped Jaw?" Maxin asked her. "That one is a female. And that male she's swimming with, that's her new mate. The biggest male is the alpha, and these all are his sons."
"How do you know that?" Claire asked.
"I've watched them." He answered. "I've hunted everywhere. From Nome, Alaska to the Pacific. I've seen this particular group of Nothosaurs travel to different locations. But the beach they once called home has become Biosyn property. Now they, like many other species, will have to find a new place to hide."
The pair of Nothosaurs swam circles around each other outside. The male kept his arms around his mate as they danced their dance outside. They opened and closed their jaws rhythmically, as if it were part of the ritual. The Alpha male and his sons swam about, as if they were giving clearance for the event to take place.
As Claire got closer to the glass, she saw the shape of one of them appear from below. She jumped back as the Nothosaur joined up with its group. Maxin chuckled at this. "They've had a few encounters with humans, but they mean no harm. They are natural Pescatarians."
The creatures swam around each other a little more before the two mates ceased their dance. The both began to swim in an opposite direction together, right behind the alpha. Soon, More Nothosaurs joined them as they began to disappear into the murky depths of the ocean.
"Where do you think they're going?" Gran asked.
"My guess?" Dr. Mortem said. "The same place we're going. Isla Alten."
The four of them walked back up to the top deck, where the rest of the group and the soldiers of Mantah Corp were conversing with one another. The waves continued to roll around the ship as it bobbed around ever so slightly. Below them, they could see the bodies of some of the Nothosaurs coming up for some air. They opened their mouths as they broke through the surface.
Claire had been keeping an open mind about this voyage since day one. Ever since the soldiers saved them on the ruins of Sorna, there was no doubt that things were about to take a turn in their favor. Back home, there was no way she or any of the group could show their faces. Biosyn was beginning to close its hand tightly around the American population as they knew it. It was only a matter of time before they would start to thin out the herd.
And those people could send one of their own Dinosaurs after them. She knew for a fact that they had the ability to swim. They must have picked up their sent eventually. They were safe now, but how long would it last?
And what was in store for them at Isla Alten?
Well, first off, I wanna apologize, Jurassic Fans. I had hoped to have this chapter out before the new movie came out, but work got in the way. I haven't seen it yet, so I don't want any spoilers. Anyways, here's the 32nd chapter of my story, and nearly two years after I first started writing it. My goodness, where has the time gone? And yes, Isla Alten is the name I've given for Mantah Corp's island, and yes, it's the same one from Camp Cretaceous.
We are now introduced to some unique Dinosaurs in the fanon JWD universe. The Nothosaurus, the first dinosaur in the Jurassic Park franchise that can give live birth. In real life, there are some species of Snake and Gecko that can give live birth, so I based it off of that. It also helps make them a unique species in the JP/W universe. And now that Mantah Corp has entered the fray, and the 5th and final Season of Camp Cretaceous is a little over a month away, there comes a point when certain things are due to be predicted. And seeing the number of things this story has predicted for the new movie scares even me.
Anyways, be sure and watch for the next chapter, in which we see how far Henry Wu has come since he's gained control of the Government. There will be new lows in which the bad doctor will stoop. So, as always, stay tuned, and Spare no Expense.