Alright, I didn't know until I started writing this chapter that Grim and Chaos were girls and Limbo was a boy. When Sammy named them after bad boys on a TV show, I just assumed they were all guys.
Since it would take way too long to go back and change everything, I've decided for this story, all the Baryonyxs will be boys, okay?
Also, anything related to manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs is taken from a video on YouTube.
Ben was endeavoring to figure out what was wrong with his "daughter" as the truck went over another pothole. Bumpy moaned in pain and slammed her tail a few more times. Her eyes looked up at Ben pleading for help.
"Bumpy, you have to tell me what's wrong. You're not interested in food or affection. So, what is bothering you?"
She let out another moan and struggled a bit to breathe. The dinosaur noticed Ben was reaching inside his jacket pocket. Knowing what he was about to do, she shook her head.
"Alright, I won't do it yet. Please, girl, tell me what's wrong?"
Despite the enormous amount of pain she was in, Bumpy slowly started to scratch a word on the metal floor. She managed to scratch an E and started on a G when she was racked with pain again as the pressure inside her mounted.
The college boy scanned the floor trying to figure out what word Bumpy had been spelling. It only took him a few minutes before his eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, you're pregnant!"
Bumpy managed to smile at him and moaned again. Ben looked terrified now. "Girl, I don't know how to help you. I've never had to help an animal lay an egg. I might make it worse if I try by myself."
She moaned and tried pushing her egg out again, but it was stuck. Ben was panicking acknowledging only one person could help in this situation. "We need Sammy, Bumpy. She would know how to deliver your egg."
Bumpy moaned as if asking when would Sammy get here. She wasn't sure how much longer she could last. The longer the egg stayed stuck inside her, the more damage it could do.
"Don't worry, girl. Yaz and Sammy have to be trailing us. As soon as we've stopped, I'll get you out of here and to her. I promise, no one is taking your baby from you."
Bumpy nodded as she tried to relax. Maybe if she took a few minutes to breathe she could get her egg out by herself.
While Yaz and Sammy followed the truck, Darius and Kenji were already at the warehouse the truck was heading for. With the place crawling with workers, it was difficult to move around.
"This is much larger than we originally suspected," Darius whispered to Kenji.
They were hiding next to a crate marked deceased when it shook violently. Plucking up the courage, Kenji peered in and was astonished to see Big Eatie from Mantah Corp Island.
She studied him for a minute. As if deciding if he was food or not. She then turned away and started trying to get out of the crate.
"What is she doing here? I thought all the dinosaurs from my Dad's island went to sanctuaries," Kenji pondered out loud.
Darius suggested whoever was in charge of the sanctuary probably sold her to whoever was running the dinosaur trafficking ring. Kenji wondered how they were able to run this big operation without tipping people off with the orders of big amounts of food. That's when a terrible thought hit Darius's mind.
"I really hope I'm wrong. But there are two methods they could be doing this. One, the person in charge is from the DPW so they can divert the food here."
"What's the second way? Why do you look like you're going to pass out?"
"Because the second way is extremely gruesome. Do you know what is number one on the trafficking list?" Darius asked.
Kenji shook his head so Darius told him. "People. Millions of people are trafficked each year to be sold as slaves. Who's going to notice and care if a few hundred illegal immigrants disappear from detention?"
Now Kenji wanted to throw up. He didn't want to think Darius's hypothesis was true. Yet, deep in his heart, he was certain it was true somewhere in the world.
"We need to get inside that warehouse and figure out who gave the order to hunt us."
A massive forklift came and picked up the Big Eatie's crate. The boys secured themselves against the side of the forklift's door as they were driven much closer to the building. When it came to a stop, they concealed themselves between two shipping containers
Peeking out, Darius was shocked when he saw Pach being strapped down to a truck bed. The woman doing it didn't seem to care that the straps were rubbing harshly against the dino's skin. Open sores were starting to form.
He and Kenji pressed themselves against the containers to avoid being seen as more workers moved about the area. When the coast was clear, the duo moved closer to the warehouse. Darius looked at Pach and knew he had to help.
Pach moaned in relief as his savior began undoing those painful straps. The human was careful not to touch the open sores. The savior's friend handed him a small container.
A gentle sprinkle of water soothed the raw skin. Pach grunted a warning. The bad woman was coming back.
Darius and Kenji moved again, this time to the side of the warehouse. Kenji pointed to an open window near the roof. "We can climb in through there."
"More climbing? Dude, you know I am not a climber like you!" Darius hissed as he followed his best friend.
Pach noticed the bad people coming back towards him. If one of them looked in his savior's direction, he could be harmed. When the bad woman told him to shut up one more time, he acted.
He reared up and snapped all the straps. He swung his head and sent the woman careening into a nearby container. He then proceeded to smash her truck.
More bad people were coming to hurt him again. He wasn't going down without a fight. He continued his rampage hoping to buy his savior enough time to get away.
Kenji hoisted Darius onto the roof as the building shook. "Your friend is creating a very dangerous distraction."
"You would too if someone rubbed your skin raw," Darius replied hastily.
Kenji grunted as both young men crawled through the window and onto a catwalk. Down on the floor, Yaz and Sammy had just snuck inside the building. They scrambled to hide as the truck with Bumpy and Ben started to back in.
Inside the truck, Ben was strewing the hay over the floor. He couldn't let the traffickers see the scratched-out letters. The traffickers would be on the hunt for him because they wouldn't believe Bumpy wrote them.
"Shush, girl. I know you're in pain. Try to keep them from getting your egg."
Bumpy moaned and struck her tail on the floor. Her eyes pleaded with him to stay. His heart was breaking knowing he had to get out now.
"I need to find Sammy for you, girl. As soon as I do, I'll find you again. Just bellow every few minutes, okay?"
Bumpy nodded as she nudged him towards the fruit door. He slid through it and closed it almost all the way. Through a thin crack, he saw them shocking Bumpy to force her to move off the truck.
He squeezed his pendant tightly. "I promise Bumper Car, we're getting you and your little one out of here."
In the rafters of the building, Darius and Kenji were gazing at the staggering amount of shipping containers in the building. Darius lost count after fifty. "If I had to guess, there's at a hundred to a hundred and twenty-five shipping containers in here alone."
"There were at least two dozen outside along with several semi-trucks. This is a large-scale trafficking ring. No wonder Brooklynn was invested in getting to the bottom of this," Kenji whispered.
He noticed that Darius had a heartbroken expression on his face. "Darius, are you okay?"
Darius shook his head. "This isn't what the DPW was created for. The goal was to protect both humans and dinosaurs. This black market is against everything I was hoping for when I joined."
Kenji placed a comforting hand on Darius's shoulder. "There are plenty of respectable people who want a peaceful coexistence with dinosaurs. That's why Brooklynn started this investigation."
"Remember, we're not only on this quest for us. We're also here to get justice for Brooklynn's murder."
Darius clutched Kenji's hand tightly. "You're right, Kenji. Any suggestions on how we're supposed to do that with just the two of us?"
Kenji smiled and pointed at the floor below. Yaz and Sammy were hiding behind some boxes as a patrol approached their position. Darius quickly loaded his slingshot and aimed it at the opposite end of the warehouse.
He released it and the pebble sailed through the air hole of a distant shipping container. The inhabitant instantly let out a loud bellow. That set off the other dinosaurs in that part of the warehouse.
The patrolman stopped and turned his attention in the opposite direction. He clicked his walkie-talkie. "Hey, could someone check the disturbance in Quadrant 3? The dinosaurs started acting up."
The response from the walkie-talkie was another guard would check it out. They also added if someone was trying to sneak a smoke break again, heads would roll. The patrolman did a quick sweep of the area around him before continuing his patrol.
Sammy and Yaz softly sighed. They were lucky the patrolman got distracted. The girls moved slowly up the aisle. Seeing the coast was clear, they darted into the next aisle and behind more boxes.
"We can't keep moving away from Ben and Bumpy. We need to find them and get out of here," Sammy insisted.
"We will, Sammy. We just need to be smart about it. We can't take on a dozen guards by ourselves."
"What about two more?" A voice asked. Sammy kicked out but her foot was caught by Kenji. However, her momentum caused her to jostle a box creating a noise.
Yaz heard someone coming and told them to lie down behind the boxes. A few seconds later, another person patrolled the area. They shined the light around the boxes while the young adults tried to sink into the floor.
Finally, the patrol person clicked the flashlight off. The person resumed their patrol and the friends started breathing again. They slowly got off the floor.
"You need a less violent way to greet people, Sammy," Kenji whispered.
"Be happy I didn't use my crossbow," she replied as she hugged him. Kenji embraced Yaz, who was ecstatic to see him.
"Is Darius with you?" Yaz whispered as she released Kenji. He pointed up where Darius was slowly shimming down the crane cable. When he was close enough, Sammy helped him off.
Darius hugged Sammy, then hugged Yaz. She told him how happy she was to see him again. He replied he was also glad to see her.
He then noticed Ben wasn't with them. "Where's Ben?"
Yaz quickly explained the situation making both boys tense up. They hoped that Ben wouldn't do anything stupid to get himself caught. They needed to locate him and Bumpy fast.
The four friends started searching the aisles as they caught up with one another about what had occurred during their time apart. When Darius heard what the DPW officers had done, it took a lot of inner strength not to vomit.
"They actually allowed civilians to be eaten just to lure you three onto the bridge? What kind of person does that?" Darius pondered.
"Probably the same person who hired Micro-Brows to use her Atrociraptor hit squad. If Mateo hadn't shown up when he did, we be dead just like…" Kenji broke off unable to speak.
The girls looked at Darius wondering why Kenji couldn't talk. He discreetly mimed what had transpired at the halfway house. The girls were badly shaken when they realized Kenji's father was dead.
"We manage to injure the raptors and the trainer a little. The one you shot Sammy, is still recovering from the burn. Bumpy broke the tail of the white one and the tiger-striped one has a black eye and fewer teeth now."
"If the raptors are still hunting us despite injuries, then whoever put the hit on us must want us dead badly," Yaz commented.
Darius nodded and pointed out this ring was a lot bigger than Brooklynn originally believed it to be. This trafficking ring was sending most of the carnivores to countries that were known for active warfare. While a bunch of the herbivores were being sent to countries known for their endangered animal cuisines.
The few omnivores they saw were being shipped to places most likely to have illegal zoos or safari hunts. Each of these animals was doomed to a miserable life at the hands of evil people.
Though they had labored to survive on Nublar after they had been left behind, they hadn't despised the dinosaurs for it. While it was annoying and dangerous to live among them, they also knew that life was precious. That these animals should have been left alone to live free and in the wild.
Even now, despite how many deaths and dangers they caused, it didn't sit right with the camp family to let these animals suffer. Particularly because it could have easily been them in their place. They had to do something.
As they walked past the shipping containers, Darius came to a stop. There, in a large shipping container with large slits was One-Eye. The Allosaurus sniffed the air and growled.
"Is that One-Eye," Sammy whispered to Darius. He nodded and turned away in guilt.
The others started to tear up. Seeing the Allosaurus reminded them of their departed friend. They all wished Brooklynn was here now.
"We think Brooklynn was there that night to purchase One-Eye for my dad," Kenji whispered.
The girls protested Brooklynn wouldn't do that. Darius told the girls about Brooklynn's secret apartment and the millions of dollars they found there.
"Before he died, my dad…" Kenji wiped the tears from his face. "Before he died my dad said that he didn't know that Brooklynn was investigating the dinosaur trafficking ring. He wasn't the one who made her."
"Then whoever is in command of this operation did. Once they got rid of her, they went after us. Because we might know something about her investigation," Yaz concluded.
At that moment, the group heard hurried footsteps coming in their direction. They brandished their weapons and skimmed all around them. They even glanced up to see if the sounds were coming from the catwalk.
That's when Ben bowled them over. The young man jumped to his feet and started dragging Sammy after him. "Come on, Bumpy needs you right now or she might die!"
The others followed after Ben, who jogging even faster than before. Finding Bumpy's container, he put together his last spear. "Kenji, help me get this open!"
"Darius, Yaz, make some noise to cover up our actions," Kenji barked at the two.
Yaz and Darius quickly started pounding on the shipping containers. The dinosaurs inside started roaring and scratching the sides of the containers. Then the dinosaurs in the other containers started doing the same thing.
Putting all his strength into it, Ben was able to finally wretch open the door with Kenji's help. Bumpy gave a weak call when she saw Ben with Sammy. The young man rushed inside hollering at Sammy that Bumpy needed her help to lay her egg.
The others were shocked to hear that Bumpy was pregnant. Their dino herd mate let out another cry as she pushed again. Ben had to hold Bumpy's tail so she didn't club Sammy as she worked.
Reaching inside her cloaca, Sammy felt around until she located the egg. It was stuck sideways. Going by feel, she located the tip of the egg and slowly started to rotate it.
Once she was certain that the egg was facing the right direction, she urged Bumpy to push one more time. Bumpy gave one final push and then collapsed. The others looked worriedly at her.
Sammy assured them Bumpy was just exhausted after being in labor so long. Ben carefully cradled the egg in his arms. The camp family was delighted to add a new member to their group.
"Look at all the little speckles on it. Was Bumpy's egg this colorful?" Kenji asked quietly.
Ben shook his head. "Her egg was plain and beige colored. I guess this is what they're naturally supposed to be."
"I wonder if this is one of the reasons Bumpy didn't want to leave the ranch permanently. She knew her egg would be safe with us," Sammy said in excitement. "Ben and I are going to be grandparents."
Heavy footsteps approached the group. They clustered as Reginal Director Cabrea pointed the electrical prod at the group. "What a beautiful day for a reunion."
Yaz kept running as the juvenile Cryolophosaurus followed her. She could hear it getting closer. She counted down to ten and then she zigzagged through the brush.
The Cryolophosaurus lunged at her and missed. It slowed down slightly before turning in the right direction. Roaring, the carnivore picked up speed once more.
Yaz raced into the thickest brush, using her smaller size to get through it speedily. While the juvenile wasn't as big as an adult, it was having trouble getting through the brush. The dinosaur's feet would get snagged on the downed trees or the roots, nearly tripping.
Another factor in Yaz's favor was she was more familiar with the area. Having spent all his life at the Menagerie, the Cryolophosaurus was startled easily when encountering other dinosaurs. For example, while he was hunting Yaz, he slowed down when saw a sleeping stegosaurus in his path.
Unsure if the stegosaurus posed a threat to him, the Cryolophosaurus gave the creature a wide berth. It sniffed the air and caught Yaz's scent. She had turned back towards the genetic lab.
Yaz had run into Kenji, who helped her into one of the trees. It wasn't easy for them to climb trees with their changed bodies but it was manageable.
"How far behind do you think it is?" Kenji asked Yaz.
"About…five minutes…away. Think you can get him back to the lab?"
"Don't worry about me. Catch your breath and meet up at the lab in about ten minutes. Be careful."
"You as well. Don't get too cocky, Frills."
The boy smiled as he slid down the trunk. The ground was shaking as the juvenile charged forward. Maneuvering behind a few thick bushes, Kenji tried to calm his racing heart as the Cryolophosaurus appeared.
The dinosaur started smelling the air. Yaz pressed herself against the trunk doing her best to hide. Kenji cautiously approached holding a large rock.
The wind shifted and the juvenile twisted his head back. Startled, Kenji hurled the rock at the dinosaur. The rock smashed into the Cryolophosaurus's weird headpiece.
He yowled in pain and threw his head back. From her spot in the tree, Yaz noticed tiny cracks on the nasal crest. Kenji had definitively broken part of it.
Perhaps comprehending how much he pissed the juvenile off Kenji had already started running back towards the lab. The Cryolophosaurus let out a mega roar that echoed across the jungle. It went after Kenji resolute to kill him.
While Kenji and Yaz were busy with the Cryolophosaurus, Darius was digging as fast as he could. His claws churned out a ton of dirt quickly while his tail brushed it away. He had made the hole five-by-five and was aiming to dig it six feet deep.
Above the rim of the hole, Bumpy was scanning the jungle for signs of trouble. Her tail twitched back and forth as her anxiety grew. She looked towards Ben, to see if he was okay.
Ben perceived Bumpy watching him. He turned and gave her a thumbs up to assure her he was fine. Sammy also waved to Bumpy assuring her she was fine as well.
About five minutes later they heard Brooklynn tooting in Morse code. Her call signaled that the two Baryonyxs were on their way back.
"I'm not past the halfway point! I need more time!" Darius shouted as he started digging faster.
Ben shouted he would buy him time. He barked at Sammy and Bumpy to remain where they were. Darius still needed help to finish the hole.
He let out a battle cry as he darted into the jungle. This time, he would defeat a dinosaur without Bumpy's help.
Brooklynn was watching the situation from her post in the tree. The Baryonyx duo had just entered a clearing a few feet from her tree. She started debating whether to alert the campers again or hide out.
That's when Limbo caught her scent. Growling, he headbutted her tree.
Brooklynn yelped in surprise causing Limbo to look up. He let out a hiss when he saw her. He started headbutting the tree again trying to shake her loose.
Chaos growled at his sibling and slashed his tail. Limbo snapped at him only to be struck on the side by Chaos's tail. He let out a series of growls and snarls, reminding Limbo they could hunt after they found the intruder.
Reluctantly, Limbo left the tree and started trotting after Chaos. That's when Ben popped out of the jungle. He stomped his feet and let out a battle cry indicating he was in the mood to fight.
The Baryonyxs seemed to chuckle as they slowly drifted apart. If prey was stupid enough to challenge them then they deserved to die. Besides, he was blocking their way to reach the intruder.
Limbo acted first, lunging at Ben. The teenager twirled around and managed to get a tail strike on Limbo's jaw. Chaos slashed at him only for Ben to dodge it.
Going on the offensive, Ben jumped on Chaos. As he tried to shake Ben off the teenager jabbed his thumb claw into the skin next to the eyes. The creature shrieked and tossed Ben off.
He scrambled to his feet and barely avoided being bitten by the enraged animal. Limbo lashed out with his tail and tripped Ben. The Baryonyx moved in for the kill only to be shoved into Chaos as Brooklynn joined the fight.
"Brooklynn! You're…"
"Saving your butt! Come on, we need to get a few more hits in before heading in Darius's direction," Brooklynn hooted. She stomped her feet and her crest made a high pitched sound causing the Baryonyxs to wince in pain.
Back at the hole, Sammy had jumped inside the hole to help Darius finish quicker. Bumpy circled the top keeping alert for more trouble. "Please hurry, I'm sensing we could be stumbled onto any minute."
"I'm nearly done. I just need to make it a few inches deeper. Sammy kept widening the sides and making certain they were nearly impossible for a big dinosaur to get their feet unstuck easily.
"Got it, Darius." In the distance, they heard the roar of the juvenile Cryolophosaurus coming nearer to them. Kenji and Yaz must be leading it back in their direction.
Five minutes later the hole was finished. Bumpy helped the two out of the hole. "Start climbing! I'll stay on the ground to help the others up!"
About a minute later, both Brooklynn and Ben burst through the trees. Bumpy barely managed to stop them from falling into the hole with her tail. "Start climbing!"
Ben and Brooklynn quickly scaled a different tree than Darius and Sammy. Ben urged Bumpy to get up a tree, but she wouldn't move until Yaz and Kenji got there.
"Don't be stupid! The Baryonyx will be here in less than five minutes!" Ben screamed.
At that moment, Yaz and Kenji appeared, skirting the edge of the hole. "The juvenile is right behind us!" Kenji shouted.
Bumpy quickly gave Yaz and him a boost into the closest tree. The two leaned down and pulled her up. The camp family held their breaths as they gripped their trees tightly.
The ground shook intensely as the juvenile shoved its way through the jungle. He roared while swiveling his head. The kids ignored the pain of their dinosaur parts as they made themselves as small as possible.
The Cryolophosaurus tilted its head as it listened to approaching footsteps. He pulled his lips back to reveal his teeth and stomped the ground. As soon as he heard the leaves rustling in front of him, he charged forward.
The juvenile's left foot sank into the hole causing him to lose his balance. He flailed about as he waved his arms around trying to regain balance. The Baryonyxs shoved their way through just as the Cryolophosaurus started falling forward.
Chaos and Limbo screeched as they jumped to the side to avoid being squashed. Once the juvenile was lying flat, the two attacked. Chaos went for the neck while Limbo raised his claws to slash an eye.
The Cryolophosaurus bellowed as it thrashed about. He managed to jaw smack Limbo away. Chaos bit down on the dinosaur's neck but soon had to let go as the creature whipped his tail and got a lucky hit.
Chaos and Limbo backed up a few steps and started assessing the situation more closely. The male managed to get to his feet, using his arms to push himself up. He swayed again as he got both feet under him again.
He roared and stomped his feet, indicating he was ready to challenge them for the territory. In response, Limbo and Chaos snapped their jaws and stomped their feet as well. The dinosaurs started circling one another, careful to avoid the hole.
"What are they doing?" Kenji whispered too Bumpy. He had expected the dinosaurs to start attacking each other right away
"It's a pre-battle ritual," she whispered. She scooted a bit closer to Kenji so he could hear her better. Laying her horned head against the trunk she explained.
"The immediate attack was to discourage the battle by injuring the Cryolophosaurus. If he had remained down, they would have killed him. Instead, he got up and now they're sizing each other up."
The circling continued as the Baryonyxs snapped their jaws at the intruder. The Cryolophosaurus snapped his jaws in turn and whacked his tail across the ground. As they circled the campers noticed the juvenile wasn't putting the same amount on his left foot as the right.
Their plan had worked. The animal most likely sprained his ankle or had a torn tendon. The Baryonyxs appeared to have noticed the injury as well.
Limbo dashed forward and snapped his jaw open. He aimed for the left leg and the Cryolophosaurus had anticipated that. He pulled his left leg back so his right foot was in front.
As Limbo started to pivot the juvenile swung his tail across the ground. The tip of the tail tripped Limbo who fell to the ground. The tail was swinging back to him when Chaos zipped forward.
She slashed the midsection of the tail and blood came out. The juvenile roared in pain and pulled back its tail. This time, he lunged forward with his jaws open. Chaos tried to get out of the way and was unable to.
His tail was in the Cryolophosaurus's jaws. He shook his head back and forth. The campers covered their ears as the Baryonyx called out in pain. Finally, the juvenile flung her into one of the trees.
Thankfully, it wasn't one the campers were in. Seeing his packmate in distress, Limbo got to his feet and rushed over. Checking to see if there were any other injuries faced by the juvenile again.
Up in the trees, Darius was wondering who would win. The juvenile only stood at six feet and was only fifteen feet long. Even at adult size of eight feet and twenty feet long, it was smaller than the Baryonyx.
While both species grew to eight feet tall, the Baryonyxs were at least twenty-five feet long. However, size didn't always matter in a fight. The juvenile's jaw was much wider and had sharper teeth than the Baryonyxs.
This meant the Cryolophosaurus could do more damage to the Baryonyxs. Yet, two against one had a better chance of taking one individual down. Especially with the Cryolophosaurus injured.
Sammy tapped Darius's knee nearly causing him to fall. She shrugged her shoulders in apology. She then tapped her ribs and pointed at Chaos. He appeared to have a piece of bone showing on his chest.
Ben and Brooklynn observed the bone as well. "The rib must have been dislodged when he was thrown at the tree," Brooklynn whispered to Ben.
"Our attacks might have weakened the Chaos as well. Hey look, Limbo is trying to slash the juvenile again."
Indeed, Limbo was slashing at the juvenile. He had a longer reach, however the juvenile was able to move quickly. He darted in and got a few good slashes in.
The fighting continued for several minutes. Each side doing damage to the other. The campers began wondering if the fight would end in a draw.
Then Chaos managed to finally get a bite on the juvenile's left leg. It was just above the ankle. The Cryolophosaurus shrieked and started to back away.
Chaos and Limbo pressed the attack. They managed to get a few nips in, but never a full bite. The juvenile had enough and retreated. From their position in the trees, the campers saw it heading back to the Menagerie.
Chaos and Limbo chased after it to ensure that the Cryolophosaurus left their territory. The campers waited several minutes before slowly shimming down the trees.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say that was intense," Kenji said. The others nodded in agreement.
"We were extremely lucky today. I don't think we could have survived if we weren't part dinosaur or part human like Bumpy. Staying on the ground could have cost you your life."
Bumpy nodded knowing she had been lucky. Territorial battles were fierce and dangerous. Often, creatures not involved in the fight could end up with injuries.
"We should head back to the genetics lab. We still have to create the cure," Yaz reminded the group.
Sammy asked Darius if he thought the Baryonyxs would come towards the lab after making sure the Cryolophosaurus was gone. Darius replied that it was a possibility but it was more than likely they find a place to hunker down for now.
Injured dinosaurs made for easy prey. Especially if they had used up a lot of energy in a fight. Chaos and Limbo would probably find a place where they felt safe to rest and recuperate.
The group trudged back to the genetics lab. Thankfully, everything was still intact when they made it back. Ben picked the notes back up and gave the group a faint smile.
"Alright, let's begin. Our first step is to thoroughly mix and heat the APIs, (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) in solvents. Once that's finished, we boil away the ones we don't need."
"How long do we have to boil it after it's mixed?" Brooklynn asked.
"At least an hour." Ben looked at the clock on the wall. It was now late in the afternoon. Going over the paperwork he said it would take at least two to three days to make the cure.
Sammy asked why the video said it would only take Wu a day. Ben replied that probably Dr. Wu had done some of the work ahead of time so it wouldn't take as long. Sighing, everyone knew they would have to take turns watching the doors during the night.
The group used the chemistry set to create the chemicals they needed to put into the reactor to mix. Since they would need at least seven different reactors, the group started looking for more in the other areas of the lab.
They got lucky and found the required reactors in a storage closet. They put the chemicals and the solvents in the reactor. They only had little Bunsen burners so it would take at least three to four hours for everything to mix properly.
The mixing and boiling took until seven thirty that night. Once the material had cooled down it became a slurry. It was getting late and they needed to eat soon or pass out.
"What should we do with the different slurries?" Yaz asked as her stomach growled.
"The notes say something about filtering the slurry and then pounding it into a powder," Ben exclaimed. His stomach also started growling. "Did anyone bring any food?"
Brooklynn said she packed a few juice boxes and two bags of chips. "It's not a lot I know. We're going to have to limit how much we eat."
Kenji remarked that the situation sucked big time. The others agreed with him.
"Alright, Brooklynn divide up the chips from one bag. Sammy and Bumpy, can you help me out? I think I saw another filter in the storage closet."
"I'll come to," Darius remarked. "We might as well bring everything we find in storage back here."
It took three trips to bring everything from storage back to the room. Ben was instructing Yaz and Sammy on how to set up the first filter. The boys joined in and soon they were all set up.
"It will take at least three to four hours for the slurry to be filtered and turned into dough before leaving it to dry. That's when we start grinding the dough into powder," Ben explained as he took his small share of chips to eat.
"Do we have to start grinding right then or can it wait until morning?" Darius asked.
Ben made a so-so gesture with his hand. He honestly didn't know for sure. They would just have to hope it would be fine.
Yaz had the first shift that night due to her nocturnal nature. The campers and Bumpy were tossing and turning in their sleep. The early encounter most likely gave them nightmares.
She left the lab area and went to check the doors and windows. She didn't want anything to get inside. As she walked the length of the building, she discovered a small window had been busted.
Cocking her head, she did her best to listen. Not hearing anything she peered into the dark and didn't spot any Compy tracks. Still, it wouldn't be wise to let the window remain busted.
She went back to the lab room and saw everyone was still asleep. She picked up the toolbox and headed back to the window. As she approached the window, her eyes narrowed.
A Compy was investigating the open window. It hopped inside and down to the floor. The creature was chittering and opened its mouth to call for the rest of its pack.
A loud snarl echoed in the corridor causing the Compy to close its mouth. It took a cautious step forward as the moonlight filtered in. The dinosaur sniffed the air and took a step back.
The creature turned back towards the window and dashed for it. Out of the darkness, Yaz lunged forward. She slashed the Compy across its side.
The creature cried out in pain. It scrambled for the window only to be kicked up to the windowsill. Yaz stood in the moonlight growling at the Compy.
Deciding he had enough, the little dinosaur zipped away. It wouldn't be returning here.
Inside the genetics lab, Yaz took a few deep breaths and calmed down. She had planned to scare the Compy away not injure it. The dinosaur part of her brain had taken over for a split second when she got angry.
"Keep your emotions in check, Yaz. It's only for another day or two. Then you won't have to worry anymore. At least, I hope so."
Picking up the toolbox, she got to work on boarding up the window. She was unaware that Bumpy, who had been looking for a bathroom, had witnessed the encounter.
She's just stressed out, Bumpy told herself. She wouldn't attack any of us. This nightmare will be over soon.
The rest of the night went peacefully. Yaz had switched off with Brooklynn without any problems. Then it was Darius's turn to keep an eye out.
Bumpy had the last shift. Sunlight was starting to creep out near the doors. She added another pipe to the rest shoved into the door handles making it even harder for the door to open.
When she returned to the lab, everyone was up. Brooklynn offered her a few potato chips. The dino/girl hybrid tried to hide her pleasure at the salty treat. Too bad the salty treats would be unhealthy for her once she was herself again.
Then the group got back to work. Since they didn't have a machine to do the grinding it was up to Bumpy to do it. The kids had laid out the first dough on a lap coat draped over a table.
"Okay, Bumper Car. You need to smash the dough repeatedly until it's powdery. But don't hit it so hard the table breaks."
"I understand, Daddy." Ben once again blushed upon hearing that word while Bumpy lined up with the table. "Just let me know when I should stop."
She raised her club tail high in the air and then smacked it on the table. There was the sound of metal grinding. Raising her tail again she smacked the table again with less force this time.
Two and half hours later all the powders were ready for the next step. This was also when it was time to separate Bumpy's booster from the cure tablets the campers were making.
"Okay, Bumpy's powder needs to be combined with these specific bulking agents. While our powders need to combine with bonding agents. I've written down the regular names for those agents."
For Bumpy, they needed the blood, some trehalose, and, glycine for the bulking agents. The campers needed a large quantity of cellulose and a few solvents, such as pure water and ethanol alcohol.
After putting all the powders and agents in separate containers the next step required a bit of creative thinking. They had the mixing machines but not a massive drying machine that created the granules to fill the tablets.
They also needed a blender machine to create the liquid booster. The blender needed to be at a high level to thoroughly blend everything perfectly
They went through everything they had found in storage. They discovered three box fans. Once the mixing was done, they could use the fans to dry everything.
It would take longer than usual, but it was the best they could do. Brooklynn cobbled a blender together using parts from a coffee machine, a robot arm, and duct tape. It wasn't pretty, but it should do the job.
It would take three hours to complete both the mixing and blending. Then at least two and a half hours for the granules to dry. Also, they would need to fill a bottle to take Bumpy's medicine with them.
After all, if they tested the cure in the genetics lab, Bumpy would be trapped inside. Not to mention Chaos and Limbo could come back anytime. No, it would be safer to take the cure at the camp.
"I guess we're stuck here for another night," Kenji moaned. "Brooklynn, why didn't you pack more food?"
"How was I supposed to know it would take three days to make the medicine? I thought Dr. Wu would have already done some of the work," she shot back.
"Everyone needs to simmer down," Sammy informed the group. "I'm not enjoying this situation either but our cards have been dealt. We just need to keep looking for ways to use them."
Ben promised they would be finished by noon tomorrow. Darius also encouraged everybody to stay positive. As soon as they were normal, they could begin working on finding a way off the island.
That night, Darius had several thoughts about the last few days swirling in his brain.
He looked at Bumpy as she turned over in her sleep. He wondered how she felt about the last week. Her desires were prevalent when it came to the future.
The next morning, the camp family woke up with trepidation. Today was the day to learn if the cure worked on them. They started walking back to the lab room.
The granules were all ready to be used. All they needed was to create the tablet molds and press them to finish making the cure. Before they reached the lab, Sammy stopped them.
"Before we do this, I wanted to show you something I made last night. I found some pieces of metal and tinkered with them. So, Tada!"
She presented everyone with a pendant with the names carved on them. She then told them she had found some fingerprint scanners and added them in. "You see, the pendants can open up by pressing both fingerprint scanners. You could store something small inside of them."
"Like, medicine tablets?" Darius asked. Everyone glanced at him curiously. Why did he want to know that?
Surprisingly, it was Bumpy who figured out what Darius meant. "He's wondering if we should produce more tablets to change back into our hybrid state if we're cured."
Kenji opened his mouth to say something then closed it. "Okay, why do you believe we should make extra tablets? We've had nothing but trouble thanks to Dr. Wu's experiment."
Yaz countered that this experiment had helped them get out of trouble this week also. It also led them to discover where the newest dinosaurs were coming from. That knowledge would keep them alive longer as they attempted to find a way off the island.
Kenji stared at the others for support. "Guys, why are you even thinking about this? It's obvious we should just make enough to cure us."
"Maybe we are crazy for thinking about this. But we still haven't found a way to dispose of the gas and the original booster safely. What happens if we leave that stuff lying around?" Brooklynn asked him.
Kenji argued that no one would find it because once they were off the island, the dinosaurs would never see another human again. Sammy interjected that he couldn't know that for sure.
"What if someone comes to move the dinosaurs? I mean there is a volcano on this island. It could become active again."
The others hoped that wouldn't happen while they were on the island. The chances of the volcano blowing when it hadn't been active in a hundred years were small.
"What about Tiffany and Mitch? They're probably not the last big-game hunters who will come here. Can you imagine people like them with the abilities of a dinosaur?"
"The gas is made up of herbivore DNA! The only problem would be if someone was dosed with Yaz's gas donor."
Bumpy bumped Kenji with her horns. "Even herbivores are dangerous. I want to be my normal self, but if there's a situation like the volcano erupting, I want an option to get out of here."
Ben reluctantly admitted that if only some of them were cured, the option of becoming a hybrid again could mean the difference between life and death. They might never have to use it but it was better to have the option.
Kenji threw up his hands in frustration. Was he the only sane one in this family? He demanded to know how they were going to turn a gas into a tablet.
Ben simply smiled and asked if Kenji knew what deposition was. Seeing his confusion, the boy explained it was the process of gas becoming solid by bypassing the liquid phase.
Kenji muttered about how he really should have paid more attention in chemistry and physics classes. Sighing in defeat, he asked how long it would take. Ben just smiled and said he would find out.
The camp family finished making the medicine around three in the afternoon. They had managed to inject the booster into some placebo gel tablets. Since it was a placebo, it wouldn't cause a problem besides making the tablet easier to swallow.
By the time they made it back to camp, it was almost time for dinner. However, no one had food on their mind. They each held the cure/booster in their hands.
"Before we take this, we need to make a promise," Darius told the others. "That we never tell anyone about the experiment or this week. That we only will use the tablets if we're in a life and death situation with no other options."
Kenji added they had to promise each other to let them know when they used it. The whole group would have to agree before telling someone else if the circumstances warranted it.
Ben also pledged to keep Bumpy's pendent on him at all times. That he would only give her the tablets if she agreed to it. Bumpy assured him she would be able to nod or shake her head if he presented the pendant to her.
The camp family all agreed to the vow. Bumpy then went outside the fence and behind a tree. She carefully removed her clothes and placed them to the side. If the cure did work, she didn't want to shred them so she could use them in the future.
On the count of three, everyone put the tablets in their mouth and took a big gulp from their juice boxes. The group didn't have to wait long to find out if they were cured.
Almost immediately they all sank to their knees in pain. They screamed as their bodies actively started to change. They could hear bones grinding and felt their skin changing.
Their tails rapidly died and fell off. Yaz covered her eyes as her vision started to change. Ben's thumbnails broke off revealing the regular one's underneath.
With Bumpy, her hair fell out. The cells in her body were rapidly changing as her body fat started to increase by converting the changing bones and muscles into fat.
After an agonizing ten minutes, everyone was back to normal. The humans cheered as Bumpy bellowed in delight. It was good to be back to normal.