JURASSIC PARK III
11 - The Aviary
The further down the spiraling staircase the people went, the cooler the air became. Normally, such cooler air would bring a chill to Pet, but not this time. She gladly welcomed the temperature change as it felt soothing against her feverish body. She sniffed of the stale air and smelled faint traces of rotting flesh. Should she be worried? She lightly hissed a screech and perked her head up, listening to what she could. All was quiet, minus the running of water from the river nearby, as well as the breathing and beating of hearts of the people standing next to her.
Grant studied the hybrid. "What is it?"
Pet shook her head. "That's just it." She met his gaze. "...Nothing."
Paul inquired, next. "That's a good thing, right?"
"Not necessarily." Grant gave Paul a sideways glance and resumed his exploring the new-found area of the compound.
The two men went down a set of stairs, Grant being mindful of his step and good thing, too. A section of the catwalk stairs broke loose, the man's grip on the railing and Paul's around his arm saving him from falling.
Pet heard the noise and saw what could've happened and stumbled to where they were. "Alan! Are you okay?"
She helped get him to his feet, the two men and the hybrid watching and listening to the stair section land in the water. Paul whistled to himself. "You okay?"
Grant nodded. "Yeah." Looks like they would have to go another way. "Veronica, do you remember your way around here?"
She shook her head. "I didn't come this way, very much. There was a specially trained group of game wardens that dealt with this. Robert and I mostly tended to the herbivores and some of the carnivores that other people didn't want to deal with. Mostly the raptors..."
The man nodded his head. Time to take a tour of the place and hope for the best. In his striding towards a bridge section, his resentful gaze rested on Billy for a moment.
Grant took one step onto the bridge section and strongly disliked how it rattled beneath his weight. That wasn't good. "Let's do this one at a time, shall we?" He just hoped his weight, alone, wasn't enough to send the section into the foggy depths below and to an almost predictably painful death.
Pet grabbed his hand to stop him. "Want me to go ahead?" They two people studied each other for a moment. "No offense, love, but I'm lighter than you and well..." she closed the distance between them to whisper in his ear, "Neither of us know what's on the other side."
Did she know something he didn't? He felt the heat of her fever against his face. "You're in no condition, Nica."
She wasn't dissuaded and proceeded down the catwalk with or without his permission. Cautiously, Pet crossed the rickety bridge section and safely to the other side. She sniffed the air again and listened to the surroundings. Still quiet. "Okay, Alan!"
A sharp pain wracked at her insides, sending to her knees. She screeched a whimper and gasped for air. Her condition was deteriorating. Once they got to the boat, she could finally rest. She just had to help get them to the boat.
Grant mirrored the woman's slow and steady steps, him able to see her hunched over form break through the dense fog. He rushed to her aide. "Veronica?"
The woman coughed and wiped at her sweaty brow. "Don't worry about me. We need to keep going."
He knew what she was saying was true, even though he wanted to let her take a break. He called out to the others. "Okay, come on over!" Another cough ripped his care and concerns off of the others and back to her. "We can take a break if you need it."
"No." Pet shook her head and continued to cough. After a minute, it passed. "If I stop, I can't guarantee I'll be able to get up and keep going. As long as we don't stop, I'll be fine."
"You're not fine, Veronica. You're sick and you need to rest."
"Look around, Alan! I can't! Those people, over there," She pointed in the direction of the others. "They're counting on us to get them to safety." The hybrid fought to get to her feet, barking a yelp.
Grant wrapped his arms around the woman upper body to help stabilize her. "After this, when we're off this damn island and back home..." he gently caressed her flustered face. "I'm not going to ask you for anymore life-threatening favors."
Pet weakly smiled. "Just non-life-threatening favors, right?"
Grant huffed a laugh under his breath. "Well, I might have you chase off the occasional college kid asking a dozen questions." Pet tried to laugh, but couldn't. It hurt too much.
The two people smiled at the other instead, Grant taking her by a hand and guiding her down a catwalk. "Now we just need to figure out where to go from there. We need to get down there...to the river." Pet could hear Amana call out to Eric and went motionless. She heard something nearby and it brought a bad tingle to her spine. "Veronica?" She didn't verbally answer, but the fearful expression on her face told him something was wrong. "What is it?"
Her blue-green eyes morphed to a raptor's and her breathing intensified. "We're not alone..." Pet's gaze broke off Grant's equally startled one and to where a white substance was, dried onto a beam of the catwalk's protective fencing.
"What is this place?" His eyes followed hers and to the questionable, dried substance.
He broke off a section to analyze it and suddenly regretted asking that question. Bird feces and from what he could tell, an incredibly large bird. What flying creature could InGen have created? There were so many that crossed Grant's mind.
The sound of something closer was now louder, Pet whimpering a screech. "Alan..."
A strong rumble vibrated through the catwalk structure, both people feeling it. Grant's concerns went beyond the hybrid's shoulder and to where Amanda was standing. He rushed over to her, Pet trudging behind him. His eyes met hers and then upwards, the rolling fog parting just enough to make out a dome like cage over the canyon.
"Oh my God...It's a bird cage."
Amanda didn't like the tone of the scientist's voice. "For what?" She looked to Pet.
Another rattling of the catwalk bridge was quickly followed by Eric screaming. The hybrid snorted, "Shit," and pushed past Grant. She wasn't in the mood nor in the best of shape for this crap.
Deep toned screeching pierced the air. Grant tried to make out what it was posing harm to them, but was unable to. The fog filling the canyon was much too thick to make anything out in, unless close range.
What were they dealing with, here? He was about to find out. "What is that thing?"
Pet, panting and trying to keep up, breathlessly replied. "Sounds like...a Pteranodon."
The faint form of the large winged predator could be seen flying off and with a desperately shouting Eric in its clutches. After everything everyone had been through, they were not about to lose Eric this easily! Heavy and franticly running footsteps against the catwalk echoed the air. None bothered to think about any other unsafe or loose sections of the bridge when following the boy's screams.
Amanda yelled at the top of her lungs, "I can't see him, I can't see him!"
Grant was a bit livid with the situation and felt it could've been avoided. "Damn it, Veronica, why didn't you tell us these things were in here?!"
"I didn't think they would still be alive!"
"Are you kidding me?"
Pet just knew she was in a similar, sinking boat as Billy. Might as well hop in with him and let the current of Grant's wrath carry them off. Great.
Paul could be heard. "This way!" But trying to make out where he was, was a bit difficult. He and Amanda had blindly ran ahead, their figures sometimes visible amongst the fog.
Had it not been for Grant having to frequently drag the weakened hybrid behind him to keep her up to pace with him, he would be further ahead than where he currently was. He was barely able to keep track of Billy, roughly fifteen feet in front of him.
Then he stopped. Why did Billy stop? Pet unintentionally collided into Grant and leaned against him for support, deeply panting, while the man stared bewilderingly to his protégé. He was fastening the parachute's harness straps around him.
"Billy..."
But the junior scientist didn't care to listen and took off running up a set of stairs leading to a higher tiered over look. Grant's running after the younger man caused Pet to lose her support and fall to the hard surface of the bridge way. As much as he was concerned for the hybrid, there was another serious, pressing matter.
He continued to call out to his protégé in plea. "Billy, stop! Don't Billy!"
Hearing the commotion made Pet raise her head in deep worry. What was he about to do? Mustering what she could of herself, the hybrid stumbled when getting to her feet to follow the other two. She hadn't even reached the stairs when she saw the man jump from the railing, above, and into the canyon below. Moments later, red and white of a parachute came into view.
Pet topped the stairs, but with some effort. Grant was back at her side, helping her stay on her feet. Why, of all the times, did she have to get sick now? He couldn't really be mad at her. It wasn't her fault her illness decided to flare up at the worst possible time!
They soon came across the Kirbys and to a dead end in the walkway as well. A section of it had fallen off, at one point in the past, leaving them nowhere to go. But down. Another squawk of a roar ripped their attention off the empty void of the lacking walkway, a Pteranodon replacing it. It tried to land on the exposed section of the walkway, only to fail. The provided area was much too small for both its body mass and wing span so it decided to try and find another way to the group of people.
Seeing how Pet was previously dragging behind the people, she was now in front of them given her head start. But that head start was cut off by the Pteranodon crashing onto the caged in walkway after falling though the top. Now it was between her and the others.
The dinosaur crept towards the group of frightened people, Grant trying to shield the others from harm. A raptor like shriek was heard as Pet leapt onto its back. Her grip was weak, though, and the force behind her toe's claws digging at its hind legs lacking. Grant kicked at the animal's head while it tried to shake its attacker off its back.
Paul tugged for the scientist to follow in their retreating backwards. That was, until they ran out of walkway. Back to the dead-end section. He only hoped a second wouldn't join the first and completely trap them inside. But that idea was quickly replaced by the realization they were about to fall. The support mounts bolted into the cliff side broke loose, causing the section housing them to slant.
Loss of footing sent them falling to the water below, Pet desperately clutching onto the dinosaur's back and neck to not fall as well. Between her weight and the dinosaur's combined, it was too much for it to support and it too fell into the river below. Landing in the water dislodged Pet's grip and the Pteranodon able to try and get away. It was almost out of the water when the loose section of the walkway completely broke off and fell into the water and onto the frantic animal. To the river's depths it sank and most likely to his regretful end.
Grant had been attentively watching what was happening and was terrified. "Veronica!" He would swim under if he had to save her should something have happened to her.
Pet surfaced and coughed for air, grabbing at whatever she could to keep her head above water. A hand took hold of hers and helped her to shore, her about to hug them in relief until she saw it was Paul. She blinked and disbelief and quickly started looking around.
"Alan!"
Grant motioned to her. "Here! Are you alright? Is anyone hurt?" He looked to the others, concerned. Seeing they were fine, he took off running again and leaving Pet to stumble behind him.
She was really in no condition for this. If she wasn't sick, she'd be the one leaving them behind when hauling ass all over the place. She definitely needed a rest after this. Breathing was becoming more and more difficult and her body teetering on the brink of a complete collapse. But something in her kept pushing to follow the others.
Eric was standing on the shore not too far ahead and pointing across the river and upwards. His aim was on Billy, stranded several feet up on the rocks because of the snagged parachute. "There he is! He's across the river!"
He should jump. He had to jump. Staying here, swinging from the rocks was only putting him in more harm. Billy looked below to see the area free of any rocks. Which only left to question, how deep was the water? If it was too shallow, he could break his legs, if not more, on impact. Either way, he was still in a bad situation. Here would result in him being fed on by passing by Pteranodon. Down there, he at least stood a better chance.
Billy unfastened the harness and allowed himself to fall freely into the water beneath. Luckily for him, he landed in a deep portion that swallowed him completely. In his resurfacing, he got to shallower waters and started to run from another Pteranodon flying in behind him.
The animal's talons raked across this back and shoulders when grabbing him by his shirt. The sudden invasion of pain on the man's body made him cry out and struggle against his captor. Despite the Pteranodon's best efforts to keep a hold of its prey, the twisting and struggling caused the hopeful meal to splash back into the water.
Two more predators were coming in to take a claim on the kill, Billy just knowing this was it. He could see his mentor and Paul racing towards him through the water, but there was nothing they could do. Billy tried to think of a way to get himself out of this situation and to keep the others out of it, too.
He waved a hand to the other two people. "Get away! Go!"
All Grant could do was watch, horrified at the scene as the other man was relentlessly attacked by the savage bird like creatures. Billy could still be heard screaming and seen splashing as he was swept away in the river's current. No. Not like this. He might've been a son of a bitch at times, but he didn't deserve to die like this.
A piercing, high pitched shrill tore through the air and over the bellowing squawking roars of the Pteranodons. Pet. She was running along the river's opposite shore the fastest she could. A furious look of death was in her raptor eyes solely set on the attacking creatures. She leapt onto a nearby rock and off, right on the backs of one of the Pteranodons. Her sickle claws tore at the hunches of her current target, her not caring about how dull her hands' claws were at that moment. The raptor in her had kicked in and all the saw was red in furiousness. She knew with enough force, her dulled claws could puncture skin and that was all she was wanting to do.
All she needed was to break the thin skin of the wings and the rest she'd take care of with her hands. With a forceful jerk of a hand's claws, wing tissue was torn and split open. The dinosaur, already shrieking in pain, was losing its ability to fly. It began to fly away from the other, Pet letting go.
She was in no condition to be doing this and Grant knew it. Though he understood her purpose for such an action, he knew doing so would hurt her and probably cost her in life. "Veronica, no!" He had to help her, had to save her.
In his trying to go after her, Paul stopped him. A Pteranodon watching the scene turned its gaze on the two fear struck men. They were not about to allow themselves to share the same fate as Billy and reluctantly fled the scene. He didn't want to leave her. The weight of turning his back on the hybrid and running for his own life was something he didn't do easily. He would go back and get her. He had to. He needed to. Not just because of his promise to those involved, but because he loved her. He wasn't going to just leave her.
Once he and Paul were clear of the cage, he glanced back over his shoulder to see a Pteranodon crash into the caging to attack them. They were out of its reach and it squawked a roar in anger. How would he be able to go back and get her? Grant knew going back in was an impending death sentence. Pet was strong. She'd been sick on the island before and had lived then. She'd live now, right? He had just seen her damn near tear apart a Pteranodon in flight.
She was strong. She knew the plan. Get to the coast. She'd meet them at the coast. Would she even be able to walk? She bad been barely able to move. Grant kept telling himself over and over again the hybrid would be fine.
Paul pointed to the boat he knew the senior scientist had seen. "There! There's the boat! Hurry, come on! Get on!" He hoisted Eric up onto it first, following by assisting Amanda. He offered a hand to Grant, the man so lost in his own mind that he didn't immediately notice the offer. "Come on, we need to get out of here!"
Taking Paul Kirby's hand and getting on that boat meant leaving the cage; leaving her. "I can't. Veronica..." His voice was heart wrenching. "I can't leave her, Mr. Kirby."
Paul understood all too well. "I know, but we have to get out of here. Staying here could mean risking all of our lives. We can wait around for a few minutes, but we're going to have to get going."
Grant nodded and reluctantly boarded the boat. His eyes remained centered on the cage, whole heartedly expecting to see Pet with Billy in tow running away to safety. No matter how hard he willed it, though, it wasn't going to happen.
"Come on, Nica," he whispered to himself. "You got this. Come on, come on..." Still nothing. And there wouldn't be. Because she had been indubitably taken down stream.
