Zia Rodriguez was just finishing up for the day, looking through the reports for the last dinosaurs catalogued. She had given all the raptors a clean bill of health for now, well, at least until the next time that they went out into the field. They would not need another one until they went out with Cooper. She let her eyes flicker over the man, still studying Grady's files regarding the raptors. It had been a few days since Claire had visited after the incident. She remembered Claire had left pretty fast right after.
But not before asking her discreetly about the Carnotaurus files. Zia had said at the time that she had not seen them, but that was not entirely accurate. What was true was that the order for the reports had been expedited from the top. Which wasn't so unusual. She had heard that sometimes the shareholders wanted to see statistics on just what percentage of dinosaurs the Mesozoic project was actually 'saving'.
The file had been sent, and the backups deleted, on order from above, as she had been requested. However, what the higher ups did not know, or perhaps overlooked was that Zia kept copious notes for her own reference. It certainly helped when dealing with the raptors, especially in cases where the servers might go down, or in cases of poor internet connection.
Still, she had gotten the information, it was laid out in her journal, and she'd just finished writing up the report, eyes flickering back to the other people in the compound, they wouldn't assume she was doing anything else. She was almost done anyways, as she sipped at her coffee.
She had a bit of a workload to go as well. Typing up the last paragraph, she watched as Cooper got ready to go, as she would hit the print key on the computer. Typing it out, she would get it all out, tucking it into her notebook, and binding it together in her backpack. She usually carried her notes everywhere so that would not seem too out of place.
Cooper's first trial with the raptors was today. This was going to be interesting, as she was supposed to be there. She was still on the fence about actually giving Claire the documents right now, as she knew that if it got out that she was sharing them, she could be in hot water. Especially after she'd seen how Masrani and Jessica had spoken to her. Jessica. Now that was someone to watch your back around. Nothing that she could explain, it was just a feeling that she got.
She pushed it out of her mind as she got her pack and notes, walking out of the warehouse and heading out in the fresh air as she followed Cooper. The man was heading up the stairs now, as she followed closely. Not that she much liked it, but it was something that she had to do. Being one of the few experts in these extinct animals, she was well aware that there was nothing that beat constant observation of them.
Yes, in captivity, but she would rather this than dealing with these things out there in the wild. Besides Grady, she thought that she had probably the most hands on experience with them, even if they were there on her table, the killer slasher claw restrained and anesthetic pumped into them almost continuously. She was not under any illusions about these animals. To Zia, the raptors were very dangerous predators, and every day she came to work with them, she was always on her guard.
Maybe that was why here was so much security around this place. Ironically Grady had insisted on it too, and he was now barred by what he had set in motion. She had liked Grady, but it did not look like he would be coming back to work anytime soon. It really was a shame, as she watched as Cooper was talking to some of the other men, as they were looking down at the Raptors.
She could see with some surprise that the new one- Beta was out in the open, feeding on some meat that had been left out. There were no visible scars on it, so that was good, she thought. It also meant that they could proceed.
"Stand back…raise the gates!" Zia stood back on instinct, as she heard the devices on either side of top of the structure begin to activate. They were sending out a subtle sonic signal, that would interact with the chips already inside of the animals. It would prevent them from coming into a specific area. Masrani had managed to patent this technology originally for a Military application, but Grady had seen it's applications for animals, especially with his experience in the navy.
As she walked over ot the side, they might see Beta turn around, attempting to scamper in the bush. However, as she did so, she was almost repelled as if by an invisible wall, as she yelped in some distress. That yelp did not go unanswered as three other reptilian heads poked out of the nearby brush. Zia shook her head. No matter how many times she saw it, she still didn't understand how it was possible to be ao completely caught off guard. People visiting this place or new on shift often claimed they would see a raptor before it saw them.
Zia highly doubted that. However, she had learned that lesson, as she would know where she fell in the ecosystem in this scenario. Still, she knew that she had to go down there. Not just yet, she saw as she would see Cooper holding a gun. A dart handgun, though as he holstered it. She got on the lift with him as they were lowered down, and Cooper was watching the animal. Two other guards would follow them onto the lift, one on either side.
Two pairs of reptilian eyes stared back. She could see now the distinct similarity between Blue and Beta, as the large of the two animals would stalk bck and forth along the sonic barrier, eyes following them as Beta circled them. Swallowing, Zia sighed as the lift reached the bottom. She hung back, clutching her case of pharmaceuticals tightly, as she felt herself try to calm down.
Outnumbered, separated from it's pack, Beta was backing up into a corner. Zia looked to the side, as she watched Cooper take another step. Maybe this was a bad idea. He had never been down there like Grady… but as he did so, she noticed something else in his hand, it seemed almost like a remote of some kind, she could not be exactly sure.
"Stay back. I have this," Cooper said, breaking the silence as he would hold his hand up, in much the same way that Grady had. However, Beta's response, it was telling, as she would back up slightly, growling a bit in response. She was clearly agitated, and it was clear why, this was not something that was easy, a new and unfamiliar face in her territory.
"Beta. Look at me. Eyes on me girl," it was a direct copy of whate Owen would have said, as the man stepped forward, his breathing calm, or attempting it at the very least, but there was something in his face, as he held up his other hand. Zia couldn't put her finger on it, as she would step behind the guards. Maybe it was better safe than sorry.
"Are you sure this is working?" Zia asked softly, trying not to let uncertainty in her voice. They could smell fear. That was the one thing that she remembered Owen telling her over and over again when he went to check in with her.
Cooper didn't answer her right away, advancing still on the animal. Beta gave another cry, somewhere between a growl and a mewling sound as she backed up further. There was a look of panic in her eyes, a trapped animal.
Cooper was holding the control now, as he would start circling with the other men working to cut off any avenues of escape. It was working. Just a few feet away, almost close enough to touch, the other three raptors were pacing along the lines, staring at them. Zia felt a chill, knowing what the outcome would be if she were here without the sonic fencing.
Beta cried out again, but she suddenly leaped forward, and then there was a whining sound, and Zia felt herself clap her hands to her ears. Looking to the front, she could see Beta on the floor now, as she was groaning on the floor, having her leap cut short. Cooper was holding the remote now, pressing the button.
"Yah! Yah!" Cooper was calling out like a lion tamer, as he would step forward, hands out. There was a few snarls from the side, as she looked around, saw the three raptors stamping the ground just feet from them, they were getting agitated.
"What-the fuck?" Zia cried out, as she staggered slightly. It was affecting her, but the raptors were seemingly affect too.
Cooper didn't lose his cool though, as he kept on staring down at Beta, as he pushed a button on the dial. "The chips that we use to track them, they have another function, they can be tuned to certain frequencies." Zia's eyes widened as she thought she understood, and she felt her brows furrow as it dawned on her.
"You're resistance training," she said as she just felt a rash of confusion and anger go through her. She had been wondering how he would acclimate to the raptors in Owen's absence…but now it seemed she knew. They weren't going to at all…or, she saw he was looking at her shaking his head.
"Don't look at me like that. This was always how they trained the raptors in the first place. Whenever Owen was out in the field, their chips were set to a low frequency hum which created a barrier between the raptors and him."
Cooper would lean down, as he waved the remote like a wand, and as she watched, Beta would take a few steps in the direction that he was pointing. She was amazed by how efficient it was.
Although as she stepped over to take the animal's vitals, she was amazed as well by another sudden decision she made in her head now. She had been on the fence before about whether or not to give Claire the documents…well, now she was one hundred percent sure that she was going to send them to her. In addition…she was sure that Grady would be very interested to find this out.