With the flaming ruins of the ranger cabin behind her, Maisie was once again at the mercy of the forest. She had a few new gifts now, but against the prehistoric monsters, what good would they do?
Thunderstorms still raged across the valley but without any shelter, Maisie was drenched to the bone, but the adrenaline from the fire kept her going.
She survived the crazy family and their arena, she escaped the Megalosaurus pack, and she just defeated a group of bloodthirsty genetically engineered baboons. She could survive anything this damn forest threw at her.
Even with her busted leg, she managed to survive the horrors of a world now controlled by dinosaurs. She heard them roaring, calling, and bellowing in the night. It sent chills down her spine, but she had to keep moving. If she stayed out here much longer, something else would find her.
"We did it, Cheyenne. We showed those monkeys who's boss!"
Cheyenne whined and licked Maisie's hand. They wandered through the foliage in silence. Every now and then they'd come across a fallen log or boulder and take a quick rest. The rain subsided but thunder still rumbled overhead threatening to unleash its fury once more. It was too wet for a fire but even if it wasn't raining, Maisey wouldn't dare light one. That would only attract unwanted attention.
They stayed under the log and huddled close together for warmth.
As morning broke, they continued onwards heading northwest towards the mountains. Hopefully, there might be another building nearby where she could take cover for the day. Maybe a cave or even an old mine shaft. Anything would do. As long as it kept them safe from predators.
Maisey checked on Cheyenne's wounds. The ointment had done its job well enough to prevent infection.
"You're a tough dog, Cheyenne. A real survivor," she said proudly.
The rain stopped completely allowing the sun's rays to shine through the thick canopy above. The humidity made breathing difficult but that was the least of her concerns right now. The ground beneath her feet was muddy and slippery causing her boots to sink into the soft earth making walking harder than usual.
By noon she reached the base of the mountain range. She searched for any caves or openings big enough for both her and Cheyenne to fit through safely. She stopped by a boulder and slipped off her jeans to check on her injuries. She winced slightly as she touched her swollen thigh. Thankfully the anti-biotic she injected herself with last night seemed to be working because there wasn't any pus leaking out of her bandages yet.
She reapplied the ointment and wrapped new bandages around her wounded areas. She took the second syringe from her first aid kit and shot another dose of anti-biotics into her leg.
"I'm going to run out of this stuff soon."
She put her pants back on and got up slowly. Her muscles ached terribly but at least she could still walk normally. But this wouldn't be enough though. Without proper aid, she'd get sepsis and die. And that was assuming something else didn't kill her first. She was already getting a fever and dizzy spells. This was not good. Not at all.
Maisie walked over to a tree stump and sat down. She leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees and hung her head low.
"This sucks," she muttered under her breath.
Cheyenne came up beside her and nuzzled her cheek. Maisie patted her side.
"Don't worry, girl, we'll find somewhere safe. I promise."
Cheyenne wagged her tail excitedly at her words. Maisey was so thankful she found so many medical supplies throughout her two days here. Without them, the gash in her leg would have most likely killed her by now. And then what would happen to Cheyenne?
Maisie pulled out her compass and looked north towards where the valley lay. The forest stretched onward seemingly endless before ending abruptly at the foot of a mountain range.
She opened her kit and began to inventory everything she had left. After rummaging through it for several minutes she realized how low she was running on supplies. She only had enough food for three meals, which would last her maybe another day. Even if she rationed, there wouldn't be enough sustenance for both her and Cheyenne. And the water bottles were almost empty too.
The flare gun would come in handy if she ever needed help getting rescued, but she doubted anyone even knew they were missing. Or cared for that matter. Besides, the odds of being spotted by a helicopter or plane were slim at best.
There were two antibiotical syringes, along with some extra bandages, but little else beyond that.
Her shotgun still held five rounds of buckshot while the pistol she found had ten bullets. She also managed to scrounge up four additional magazines for the Glock, each lavishly decorated with gold floral patterns etched into their black plastic casings.
How stupid, she thought. This was a tool capable of injury or taking life, and some people wanted to make it pretty.
She had some Tylenol she recovered at the way station and gulped them down to relieve her fever. She hoped they would kick in fast because she needed to keep moving.
She heard the bellows of a lot of herbivores around here and that would attract the carnivores. They were always hungry and would track prey relentlessly until it was caught. If Maisie stayed put, she'd become easy pickings for them. So, no, sitting still wasn't an option.
Cheyenne perked her ears up and looked around nervously. Maisey packed away her gear and stood up quickly.
"Come on, girl. Let's go."
Maisie moved further into the forest following the trail of crushed vegetation. It led directly towards the mountainside. As they neared the base of the nearest cliff face, they came across a small stream flowing down from above.
She took off her backpack and kneeled beside it. Her hands trembled slightly as she unscrewed the cap of her canteen and filled it with water.
Then she cupped her palms together and dipped them into the icy stream. She splashed her face and neck repeatedly trying to cool herself off. Cheyenne lapped eagerly at the flowing liquid making loud slurping noises.
Maisie watched her friend drink before refilling her container again. Then she picked up her bag and continued onward. She broke a long stick from a tree. She used her tomahawk to cut the excess branches off and sharpened one end of it into a point.
She desired it to be a walking stick. But if worse came to worst, she could use this as a spear. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to.
They walked along the side of the mountain heading east towards the other side of the valley. She hoped to reach the other end where the river flowed. Across the river she heard trees snapping and the familiar calls of stegosaurus. There was a whole herd of them. They were colored jet black, fading into vanilla at the underside. Their thagomizers jutted out like knives ready to impale any predator foolish enough to attack them. They noticed Maisey and honked curiously. The alpha male made a louder noise, warning her to back off. He didn't want her too close to his family.
Maisie got down on her knees and put the stick down to show she meant no harm. Cheyenne lay down next to her panting heavily.
"Good girl," Maisey whispered. "Just stay there."
The stegosaurus herd snorted and bellowed. They started to drink from the river. A few babies began playing at its shoreline, chasing after each other along the muddy banks. The rest kept their distance while eyeing her cautiously.
Once the adults settled down, Maisey stood slowly and backed away slowly.
"Come on," she whispered mouthing silently. "Let's get out of here."
As they continued along the cliffs edge, Maisie noticed a large cave opening hidden behind several fallen trees. Bones were littered everywhere suggesting some kind of animal lived in this den.
"Whatever made that is close by," Maisie said under her breath.
Cheyenne sniffed around and then barked excitedly. She ran inside the hole and disappeared into the shadows.
"Cheyenne! Get back here!" Maisie called after her but it was no use. The dog rushed inside, her barking echoing loudly off the rock walls.
"Oh, for fucks sake..." Maisie muttered as she followed her pet.
"Cheyenne! Cheyenne!" Maisie shouted at her. "What the hell are you doing?"
The dog suddenly yelped and a powerful roar filled the air. It sounded like nothing she'd ever heard before. Whatever had scared her off must be huge.
She readied her shotgun and raised it up level with her chest. She moved forward cautiously looking left and right trying to locate whatever was causing all the commotion.
Cheyenne came running back toward her and jumped onto Maisey, knocking her over. Her pack fell off her back and rolled away as she hit the ground hard. She landed on her wounded leg and winced in pain.
"Dammit!" she cursed angrily. She picked herself up and grabbed her bag. Heavy footsteps and snorting noises drew closer. The beast stomping towards them wasn't far away now. Its massive feet shook the ground beneath her feet as it came charging straight towards them.
"Oh shit!" Maisie screamed as the colossal creature appeared out of the darkness.
Ursus spelaeus. Cave bear!
Its giant jet black fur covered body lumbered through the cavern entrance blocking out the sunlight momentarily. It roared loudly displaying its sharp white teeth as it glared directly at her. Its eyes glowed bright yellow reflecting light. It opened its mouth wide and growled threateningly baring its long fangs.
It was massive!
Its paws were bigger than Maisie's head and could easily swipe her aside like an insect. This thing could kill her with one bite or swat from its paw. Even if she shot it dead center in the chest, it wouldn't even penetrate deep enough to stop this monster in its tracks.
This was going to be difficult.
It stood on its hind legs and roared. A misty cloud of foul smelling breath erupted forth from its throat as it bellowed defiantly. It dropped down onto four legs again and charged at full speed.
"Run!" Maisey screamed as she scrambled to escape. But it was useless. There was no way she could outrun it. She was doomed. Her leg gave out and she fell flat on her face hitting the ground hard.
The cave bear lunged at her and swung its mighty paw.
Cheyenne leapt onto the bear's back biting savagely at its thick hide. The ursine turned its attention towards the little dog and shook violently trying to throw her off.
But Cheyenne held tight refusing to let go no matter how hard the beast tried. She growled savagely and bit on its ear pulling it with all her might.
The cave bear roared in anger as it reared back onto two legs flailing wildly trying to dislodge Cheyenne. It threw itself against the wall repeatedly slamming its own back against solid rock until finally Cheyenne released its grip on its flesh and flew into the air landing several meters away.
She barked fiercely as she ran back towards Maisey and started growling viciously. The bear charged towards them once more roaring angrily.
Maisie fired her shotgun, but the blast only managed to do minor damage to the enormous beast. It kept coming and slammed into her knocking the weapon free from her grasp. The bear shoved her out of the way to get to Cheyenne.
"Ooof!" she grunted as she rolled across the ground. Cheyenne ran around the lumbering beast, biting the back of its legs causing it to stumble over onto its side. The cave bear roared in fury and swatted at her with its massive paws. Cheyenne saw it coming and dodged the attack narrowly missing being hit by one of the giant claws.
Maisey opened the barrel and fumbled over the pouches on her belt searching desperately for any extra ammo. "Come on! Come on!" she shouted.
As she popped another shell into the chamber, Cheyenne attacked again jumping onto the bears face and clawing at its eyes. It roared angrily and shook its head furiously trying to rid itself of this annoying pest. But Cheyenne was too quick and agile and managed to avoid every attempt to shake her loose.
Maisey fired another round directly into the cave bear's shoulder, but it barely even registered the impact. Instead, it seemed more preoccupied with removing the dog from its face than dealing with her.
The bear swiped at Cheyenne forcing her to release her hold on its face, sending her flying through the air again. She slammed into a tree and yelped.
"Cheyenne!" Maisie called out. She rushed towards her fallen friend.
The bear stood up and roared loudly before charging toward them once more. Cheyenne got back up, shaking off the pain and bolted towards Maisey, who fired one final time before running.
The earth shook as something bigger than the bear stomped behind them. Another monstrous creature appeared behind them. It was the Siats meekerorum.
The giant theropod from Mama's sick arena was back. It had caught up with them. Now, there were two enormous animals chasing after them. One massive bear and one hungry giant predator that could easily rip them apart like tissue paper.
Cheyenne picked up her pace and ran ahead of Maisie while barking fiercely. The cave bear stood on its hind legs and roared at Siats. The huge carnivore stomped its foot on the ground and roared back. Maisey covered her ears against the deafening noise. She didn't know which animal to be more afraid of now. Both looked equally terrifying as they faced off against each other.
The two apex predators charged at each other locking jaws in deadly combat. They tore into one another furiously biting and clawing at anything within reach.
"Cheyenne!" Maisey shouted as she watched in amazement. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Two monsters fighting to the death. It was unreal. The cave bear tackled Siats in the snout. The dinosaur backed up, its huge feet coming towards Maisey. She screamed and rolled away as it stomped down onto the ground where she'd just been standing.
The bear clawed at the giant theropod causing it to roar loudly as blood flowed freely from its wounds. Siats roared and bit into the bear's neck, struggling to get a solid grip. It used its strength advantage to slam the bear down onto the floor, pinning it underneath its massive bulk.
Cheyenne circled around the two battling animals and ran to Maisey.
"Let's get out of here!" she yelled as she started running away from the ferocious creatures locked in battle.
Maisey followed suit leaving the cave behind. Cheyenne kept pace alongside her without needing any encouragement to stay close.
Siats eventually got a firm grip on the cave bear's neck and twisted its head violently snapping bones cleanly breaking them in two. The bear went limp and fell motionless beneath the giant theropod. Its body lay lifeless, blood seeping from deep gashes cut across its hide.
Siats released its hold and raised its head skyward roaring victoriously over its kill. Maisey and Cheyenne ran with all their might. Eventually the adrenaline wore off and her leg gave out once again. She screamed and tumbled end over end crashing hard against the unforgiving earth. Her pack bounced off her back and hit a tree trunk with a thud.
Cheyenne ran back and licked her face reassuringly.
"Oh god," Maisey groaned as pain shot through her entire body. She couldn't hold it in anymore. She started sobbing like a child that had fallen off her bike. Tears streamed down her face mixing with mud and dirt creating an ugly mixture of filth caked upon her cheeks.
She cried uncontrollably while clinging to her leg. This sucked! She wasn't supposed to be out here alone, lost in a world filled with monsters!
She should have listened to Owen. She should never have let the dinosaurs out of the estate that night. Because of her, the world has ended and prehistoric monsters once again roam the planet free to do as they please. She knew this was all her fault.
"AAAAAAAAH!" She screamed as loud as she could until her lungs burned and throat became sore. She sobbed pathetically unable to contain herself any longer.
She slammed her fist into the ground repeatedly. Cheyenne whined anxiously next to her but didn't dare approach any closer than she already had. She sat patiently watching over her human.
Maisie continued crying for several minutes before finally calming down enough to breathe normally again.
Her eyes hurt. "Is this my punishment? Are you punishing me for letting them out?" She spoke to God. "If it is... then I deserve it!" she said quietly. She cried again, tears running freely down her cheeks.
The wind blew softly causing leaves to rustle overhead creating an eerie sound that echoed throughout the forest. A flock of birds took flight from the treetops scaring Cheyenne who yelped in surprise.
"It's okay, girl. It's alright." Maisie reassured her canine companion. She wiped her face on her sleeve and looked around nervously trying to locate any sign of danger approaching. There was nothing moving save for some insects crawling along the ground below her feet. She sniffed and stood up slowly. She limped forward picking her walking stick off the ground as she went.
Cheyenne followed beside her keeping watchful eyes peeled for threats. They walked through the brush heading northwest towards the other side of the valley where hopefully safety waited.
But with her luck, there was none. Just more forest hiding who knows what horrors from view.
It was time to heal her wounds. Maisie reached into her backpack and pulled out a roll of gauze. She unwrapped it and wrapped the bandage around her leg tightly. She winced slightly as she applied pressure on the wound. Then she used tape to secure it in place so that it wouldn't fall loose. She checked to make sure everything was secured properly before putting her pants back over the injury.
Cheyenne sat down watching intently as Maisie tended to herself. Once finished, she stood up straight and tested her balance by shifting weight onto one foot. Her left ankle felt fine though the pain in her thigh still lingered.
She picked up her bag and slung it across her shoulders.
"Let's go, girl," Maisie said as she patted Cheyenne's head gently. Cheyenne barked excitedly and trotted alongside Maisie happily.
They walked for a while longer before coming upon a small creek running parallel to their course. The water looked clean enough to drink so Maisie kneeled beside it and cupped some of the liquid into her hand.
The metallic blue hue of twilight began settling in as darkness crept up on them once again.
Maisie drank deeply quenching her thirst while Cheyenne lapped away eagerly. They rested momentarily allowing themselves a brief respite.
Three days had passed since the triceratops gored her. And she was running out of time. Her kit was merely slowing down the inevitable. She needed medical attention and fast or she would die.
She glanced at Cheyenne. The dog watched her intensely staring straight into her eyes without blinking.
"I'm sorry I got you into this mess, girl," she whispered softly.
Cheyenne tilted her head curiously and whimpered.
"You had that cozy cottage and I led those monsters to your door."
The dog whined again and licked Maisey's face reassuringly.
"I know. It's okay, Cheyenne. I'll protect you. We both will."
Cheyenne woofed excitedly and wagged her tail rapidly.
"But listen. If anything happens to me, I need you to be brave. Okay?"
The canine blinked several times but didn't respond. She simply continued staring intently at Maisie.
"We're gonna find our way home. No matter what. That's a promise. Now let's get going."
Cheyenne ran ahead, bounding through the underbrush happily. She jumped up and down playfully waiting patiently for Maisey to catch up.
The night air felt cool against her face as she walked along the bank of the stream heading westward toward the mountainside. Above the canopy of trees, stars glimmered brightly overhead lighting their path forward.
As they neared the base of the cliffs, a strange odor filled the air. It smelled foul and rotten like decaying flesh mixed with feces.
It wasn't far now. Something nearby was dying. Or already dead. Whatever it was, it stunk bad enough to turn her stomach upside down. She gagged violently as bile rose into her throat threatening to spew forth uncontrollably.
She covered her mouth and nose with one hand holding back vomit while trying desperately to hold onto consciousness long enough to keep walking.
Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air through clenched teeth. She stumbled forward nearly falling flat on her face. But she managed to catch herself before hitting the ground completely. Her legs shook as she struggled to remain upright. Her entire body trembled as fear gripped her mind rendering her immobile.
A shadow moved just outside of sight causing her heart rate to spike dramatically. She spun around frantically searching for whatever creature lurked in the darkness ready to pounce.
Nothing. There was nothing there. Just more forest surrounding them on all sides.
Cheyenne whimpered and pawed at Maisie's leg anxiously.
"What is it, girl?" Maisey whispered.
She couldn't see anything save for vague outlines of trees outlined by faint starlight above. Everything seemed normal except for the foul smell permeating throughout this area.
Maisie followed Cheyenne who sniffed at something lying hidden beneath a thick patch of brush covering the ground. She crept closer slowly moving toward the object until she reached it.
Upon reaching the edge of the foliage, she found a massive piles of stegosaurus dung piled high above the earth.
"Wow...that is one big pile of shit," she said.
Cheyenne reeled back. She definitely wanted to get out of here. Maisie agreed. Then she noticed something else in the pile of dung. She gasped and covered her mouth in horror. Men. They were piled with the dung. They wore black BDUs and pants, giving them the appearance of soldiers. Their gear must have been looted by how bare they looked.
"Come on, Cheyenne. Let's go."
They walked away from the stinking mass leaving it behind. They left the stream and headed deeper into the woods hoping to escape whatever stench wafted from within. Dinosaurs called and howled in the night. Maisie kept glancing back over her shoulder but saw no sign of anything chasing them.
She sighed and walked up a steep hillside leading toward the mountainside where hopefully shelter waited. She used her stick for balance as she climbed higher until she reached the top overlooking a clearing below. There was a formation of rocks that provided cover for them from the elements. She hoped to rest there for the night. It looked like an ideal spot to camp out and regroup.
She set down her gear and piled up some sticks and branches into a small fire pit. Using her flint stones and steel, she got a spark going creating embers which ignited the wood producing flames quickly warming their surroundings.
Once they had everything organized, she laid her head on her bag and managed her gash before drifting off into sleep.
The next morning dawned bright and warm with sunlight streaming through gaps in the canopy above them illuminating the area brightly. The sound of birds chirping filled the air accompanied by the rustle of leaves caused by a gentle breeze blowing across the trees around them.
Her leg still ached terribly but not nearly as bad as yesterday. She sat up groggily wiping her eyes and yawning loudly. Her throat was dry making swallowing difficult.
She reached for her canteen only to discover it empty.
"Dammit!" she cursed angrily slamming her fist down onto her backpack. "How could I be so careless?"
She checked her shells. She only had six rounds left in her shotgun plus two magazines loaded with ammo for the Glock pistol strapped around her waist. She had to ration her food carefully too because if she ran out, they'd both starve.
"You don't suppose the rangers around here have another cache do you?" she asked Cheyenne.
The dog tilted her head inquisitively at Maisie. Her tongue hung out lazily as she panted happily.
"I guess not. Well, maybe we'll find something else along the way."
She stood up slowly trying to avoid putting too much pressure on her wounded leg. She tested its stability and found herself able to walk normally without any major problems. So long as they didn't run into any danger today, she should be okay.
However, every step sent sharp pains shooting up from her thigh causing her to wince slightly as she limped forward. It hurt badly, but she couldn't afford to stop moving. She had no choice but to keep going.
"This is my only shot, Cheyenne. If I don't find help soon, I'm going to lose my leg. Or worse."
Cheyenne watched her intently studying Maisey's face curiously. She seemed concerned about her master which warmed her heart.
Maisie took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Then she grabbed her pack and started hiking again heading deeper into unknown territory hoping against all hope that some kind soul might be watching over them.
Maisey stopped. She heard the rumble of helicopter engines overhead. They sounded far away though. Maybe a mile or more. She craned her neck looking up through the dense tree tops searching for signs of aircraft passing above the clouds above. There were none—just a blue sky with puffy white clouds floating high above her.
The noise got louder as three black hawk helicopters flew by low overhead. The trees shook violently as the powerful rotors churned up windstorms whipping debris everywhere. Maisie covered her ears with both hands shielding her head as twigs and leaves blasted past her face stinging her cheeks painfully.
"Hey! Heeey!" she screamed frantically waving her arms wildly hoping someone aboard would notice her. But they didn't respond. Instead, they disappeared off into the distance leaving her alone once more.
Maisie lowered her arms and sighed heavily. She dropped her shoulders and looked down at Cheyenne sitting patiently beside her.
"Come on!" Maisie yelled grabbing hold of her walking stick. "We've gotta try!"
They continued onward following the trail left by the helicopters. It wasn't easy keeping up with them. The thick foliage kept obscuring their view forcing them to stop frequently. She still heard them, which meant they were scouting around this area searching for something. Perhaps survivors?
Eventually, the sound faded completely leaving nothing but silence surrounding them. Maisie stopped and rested against a large boulder taking a breather before continuing forward.
"What's the use?"
Pop! Pop! She heard gunfire coming from somewhere ahead of them. Cheyenne perked her ears straight up listening intently. The shooting continued intermittently for several seconds followed by women screaming.
Maisey gulped and headed toward the gunshots. She saw smoke rising through the treetops creating an ominous fogbank blocking everything out beyond sight.
There was another scream followed by more shots fired. Then everything fell silent.
Cheyenne whimpered nervously next to Maisie who patted her reassuringly on the side. Through the trees, they saw what looked like a village burning. Makeshift shacks and tents made from scrap materials lined either side of a dirt road leading towards a larger structure further ahead.
The buildings were engulfed in flames spreading outward consuming every bit of wood available. Smoke billowed upwards into the air while flames crackled loudly sending sparks flying all around them.
Then she saw them! Men covered from head to toe in advanced tactical gear carrying assault rifles and shotguns standing guard over the perimeter of this place.
Their faces were covered completely by helmets concealing their identities completely leaving no trace of humanity behind.
Their radios crackled occasionally as they spoke amongst themselves. They were armed to the teeth ready for war.
"What is this?" Maisey whispered under her breath.
A squad of soldiers dragged out a farmer and his wife before a man in the same black combat gear. He wore a tactical black poncho to make himself stand out from his men as well as a black beret.
"Now, why'd you peasants have to go and shoot our helicopters like that. Do you have any idea how expensive those are?"
"Please let my family live!" the farmer pleaded desperately. "We're sorry!"
"Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it. You lot just ambushed a dozen of my men last night."
"We didn't do nothing!" shouted the woman.
The man in the beret knelt in front of her. He noticed something tucked in the waistband of her jeans. He whipped it out and examined it. "Hmm. Glock 18. Custom." He checked the ammo inside. "Hollow piercing rounds. Highly advanced gear for a farm full of backwoods reprobates. What did I say about lying to me?"
"I...I'm sorry," the woman said.
"They killed our pigs! And all our crops are destroyed! What else were we supposed to do?!"
The leader laughed heartily at the man's words. "You thought that was bad? Well, guess again! My boys are here for a little payback. But unless you savages can give me a little info, I'm willing to spare your lives. How does that sound?"
He opened one of his pouches and took out a roll of paper. He unrolled it showing a picture of Maisey to the farmers.
"Recognize this girl? Hmm?"
Maisey hid behind the bushes. They were looking for her! That guy must be an InGen hitman.
"No," the farmer said quickly shaking his head vigorously.
"Don't lie to me, old man. I know for a fact you are or were a paying customer of that barbaric arena those hicks were running in the mountains. She was there a few days ago. Did you see her?"
"She was there, yes, but I don't know where she could have gone. When the dinosaurs broke loose, there was enough chaos to make Ian Malcom hard. Most folks were trying to escape alive while others tried to get inside the walls for safety."
"And you didn't see her after that?"
"No, sir. Please, let us go."
"You know, I would, but seeing as how you and these hillbillies aided that sick family in running that arena, you've proven yourselves traitors to society. So, I have no choice but to treat you accordingly."
The soldier pulled out a pistol from his holster and aimed it directly at the man's forehead. His wife screamed hysterically.
Boom!
He aimed at the ground beside him and laughed. "Naw, I've got something better planned for you and these savages. You two. Put stakes on the ground and cuff 'em to them."
Two men grabbed hold of the farmers and dragged them away toward some large posts planted deep within the earth. The husband fought against his captors while his wife sobbed uncontrollably.
One of the soldiers kicked her down onto her knees and forced her arms behind her back. Then he handcuffed her wrists tightly together.
They did the same thing to the male farmer and chained his legs to the pole.
Once finished securing both hostages, the leader took a flare from his vest and lit it up. He tossed it at their feet.
"Get the choppers here now. I want to be out of here before the MRex get shows up."
"MRex?" Maisey whispered curiously. "What are they talking about?"
Cheyenne whined.
A black hawk landed nearby kicking dirt and debris everywhere. A woman in a corporate suit jumped out followed by several more men dressed similarly to those guarding the perimeter of this place.
"Are you nuts!? This is madness! You can't kill everyone here! Those are civilians!"
The man in charge glared at her angrily. He pointed his gun at the farmer's wife who cried loudly. "This is my show. These are not civilians. They're criminals. They were part of that arena and they will be treated as such."
"InGen wants answers, not death! We need to find Maisey! What if she was hiding here? You could have killed her!"
"They just want her body and that's exactly what we'll give them. If she's dead, then so be it. It's less work for us."
"You don't understand. You can't just—"
"I've heard enough, Meadows. Maybe you take orders from that old coot, but I answer to the InGen executive board. And the only thing they want is that girl. Alive or dead. Don't make me repeat myself."
A loud monstrous roar echoed through the valley causing everyone present to freeze instantly.
"You're calling on that THING again!?"
"The board gave me the rights to use it exclusively to hunt down Maisie. There's nothing you can do about it. Get your ass in the helicopter before I feed it to that monster."
"You son of a bitch," she snapped under her breath as she turned and stormed off.
She entered the chopper and the leader whirled his arm around. "Come on, men! Move!" he ordered.
The soldiers rushed back into the aircraft taking positions inside. They secured themselves using their seatbelts and held on tightly as the engines roared louder. The blades began spinning faster creating powerful winds blowing across the ground below. Dust flew everywhere obscuring vision completely.
Maisey watched anxiously as the chopper lifted off. The farmers shivered fearfully while watching helplessly as the flying machine ascended higher and higher into the sky disappearing beyond sight.
Then everything went quiet except for a single faint growl coming from somewhere far behind them. The hairs on the back of Maisie's neck stood up and a chill ran down her spine causing goosebumps along her skin. The trees snapped and shook violently as something massive stomped through the woods.
The farmers screamed as a mutated tyrannosaurus stomped toward them. It was two times bigger than an average t-rex, covered in thick armored plates from head to toe making it look like a tank. Its mouth hung open revealing rows of sharp teeth ready to tear flesh apart easily. Its red eyes glowed brightly shining bloodlust onto its victims. Lining its back were rows of glowing magenta spines that pulsed with each step.
Its tail thrashed wildly sending tremors through the ground beneath it.
The MRex stopped right in front of the farmer couple and roared angrily. The farmer's wife fainted and the husband stared at the beast defiantly despite being absolutely terrified.
He kicked around trying to break free of the chains holding him to the stake but it was no use. The iron cuffs were too strong. He grunted furiously as he struggled hopelessly against them. His wife lay unmoving on the ground beside him.
The monster opened its mouth wide displaying razor sharp fangs dripping saliva all over the dirt floor. Then with a thrust of its head forward, it bit down hard crushing bone between its jaws. Its ripped the iron cuff from the pole as easy as ripping paper. The farmer's legs thrashed from between the monster's teeth. Blood gushed everywhere as the monster chewed vigorously breaking bones apart while swallowing pieces whole.
Maisie covered her mouth desperately trying mask her breathing. Cheyenne trembled violently hiding behind Maisey's legs. The woman stirred and let out a muffled moan as she slowly came around. She blinked several times before realizing what was happening. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw the mutated tyrannosaur chewing on her husband's corpse.
She screamed loudly drawing its attention instantly. It swallowed him with one gulp before turning towards her. The monster's long tail whipped back and forth knocking down trees nearby as it lumbered closer. Its eyes fixed on the screaming woman trapped helplessly against the earth.
The MRex raised its massive foot high above her head ready to crush her into pulp. A deafening roar escaped from its throat as it slammed down forcefully flattening her completely leaving nothing more than a pool of crimson blood pouring into the soil underneath.
"Oh god," Maisey muttered shakily.
This was not good. That thing was aiding InGen soldiers hunting for her! What did she do wrong? Why would they send such a monster after her? This made no sense.
Cheyenne whined frantically at Maisey. They needed to get out of here now. Before that mutant rex finds them.
"You're right. Keep low."
But that didn't help. The creature could smell them. Its massive nostrils flared taking in deep breaths of air searching for its next victim. Its huge tongue hung out the side of its mouth dripping blood and saliva. It took another step forward stomping through the brush crushing everything beneath it easily. Its gaze locked onto them and it roared threateningly.
It pinpointed where they were without even having to use its eyes. Its sense of smell had found them out.
"Cheyenne run!"
They bolted forward running deeper into the forest as fast as possible. Branches broke under their feet as they trampled over roots sticking up from the ground below. Trees crashed behind them toppled by the monster chasing after them.
A loud roar shook the ground underneath sending tremors coursing through Maisie's entire body. Cheyenne barked furiously as she ran faster than Maisey could keep pace. Her leg ached terribly but she kept going regardless. There was no other choice. If they stopped, that thing would catch them in seconds.
The MRex bellowed again and tore through the foliage like it was paper.
In the helicopter, the leader got a notification on his tablet. "What'd the big guy find?" he asked with a smile. He whipped out a heavy tablet and started tapping on its surface. A video feed from the drones following the Rex came back.
The MRex had located prey. It was charging after them.
"Holy shit! Hahahaha! It's her! Get ready boys! We've almost got her now! And we'll be rich!"
"Commander Lockheart, you need to call that thing back!" Meadows shouted.
"No can do. I'm gonna make sure we bag ourselves a pretty penny for this."
"You don't understand! She's a valuable scientific asset! You cannot just kill her for your own gain!"
He ignored her and cackled at the sight of the rex chasing Maisie and her dog through the valley. This was too good.
"Run, Cheyenne! Don't look back!" Maisie yelled while running for her life.
The monstrous mutant predator closed the distance between them quickly, its razor sharp teeth glistened menacingly. If it weren't for the trees providing cover, it would have already caught them both. But there wasn't enough space for it to maneuver its massive frame. So instead, it simply plowed through anything standing in its way.
Her lungs burned as she gasped for air desperately trying to keep oxygen flowing through her body.
She broke through the forest and discovered she had run towards a cliff beside a waterfall.
Cheyenne halted near the edge of the cliff panting heavily. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth as she panted rapidly. Sweat dripped down her fur. Her eyes darted frantically searching for somewhere to hide.
The MRex emerged through the brush crashing against a tree as it stopped to roar at them, telling them there was no way out . Its eyes glowed bright blood red as it stared right into their souls.
Maisey gulped and backed away slowly. She knew she had to jump. Be it the fall or this creature, she accepted it. Death would be a sweet release from all the suffering she'd endured lately.
"Cheyenne... let's go!"
The dog knew what that meant. She whined nervously but obeyed her master anyway. They leapt over the side of the cliff and fell into the rushing water below.
The mutated tyrannosaurus stepped forward and growled threateningly as it peered over the ledge watching Maisey and Cheyenne fall for what felt like forever.
Then with another loud bellow, it turned away disappearing back into the forest.
The sound of helicopter rotors echoed above them as the chopper circled overhead before flying off after the MRex.
Maisie hit the water hard and vanished beneath the waves. The current carried her downstream rapidly leaving nothing more than ripples on the surface to mark her passing.
"No life signs detected," Commander Lockheart said happily. "We lost 'em."
"You bastard!" Meadows screamed.
"Don't get your g-string in a twist, Meadows. I'll send men to the riverbank to search for any remains."
"Harvey is not going to like this!"
"Who gives a damn? He's got no authority in the company anymore." He put a radio to his lips. "Saffron Team and Cobalt Team, listen up. Get down here now! We've gotta search every inch of this riverbed for that girl's corpse. Be advised, that forest is crawling with predators but MRex is around to provide cover."
"Copy that, sir."
The helicopters landed on the riverbank, scaring off small herds of dinosaurs. The doors slid open and soldiers poured out armed to the teeth ready to shoot anything moving.
The search was on!