Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-one of "Running From Here." The Power Rangers and the Jurassic Park survivors finally stop for the night. I felt was important they are shown doing so, especially since a conversation can take place around a campfire. There is some Alan/Ellie as well. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-two.

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Chapter 21: Continuing On/Camping Out

The Power Rangers, the survivors, and the dinosaurs reached a denser part of the rainforest thirty minutes later. Rexy and Mia were still being ridden by their riders. The wind started to pick up a little bit. Trees dipped and swayed in it. Their leaves rustled somewhat loudly. Lex looked up at the sky. She could see some breaks in the clouds.

"It seems the clouds are trying to break up," Lex whispered curiously.

"You got that right, sis," Tim agreed, his eyes turning upward.

"I am always right, bro," Lex responded.

"Not always," Tim said with a shake of his head.

"Yeah always," Lex yelled with a fast nod

"No way," Tim blurted out and made a funny noise.

"Yeah way," Lex said and spoke gibberish. "Ask Grandpa."

"Lex is cool, Tim," John said, a soft chuckle leaving his mouth. "Way past cool, that is."

Lex formed a big smile on her face. Tim emitted an annoyed huff and crossed his arms. Jason looked over his shoulder at the trio. He petted Rexy's neck in a gentle way.

"It is obvious you have been watching Sonic the Hedgehog, John," Jason commented.

"Yes, I have," John admitted. "Lex and Tim own a Sega Genesis. They have all three Sonic games. They always bring it over to my place. We play it for hours. It is perfect for improving eye-hand coordination. These two have an excellent form of it."

"Zack, Billy, Trini, and I have Sega Genesis at our homes," Jason said, looking ahead. "We play the Sonic games a lot, especially Sonic the Hedgehog 3. That game isn't even finished."

"Sonic and Knuckles is the second part of that game. It is coming out this October," Lex pointed out.

John stroked his beard. "This game will be the first ever to have lock-on technology. You can insert Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 into the compartment to get new games."

"It will be a lot of fun playing the entirety of Sonic the Hedgehog 3," Lex said excitedly.

"If we get off this island," Tim said, cringing somewhat.

Lex rolled her eyes. "We will, Tim. Don't be negative."

Tim waved his sister off, getting a laugh from her. Growling sounded, causing Rexy and Mia to halt themselves. Their human friends followed suit. The duo sniffed the air, cringing a bit. Zack clasped his hands together.

"It seems Rexy and Mia caught a bad smell," Zack suggested.

"Yeah," Tommy agreed.

Alan cupped his chin in his hand. "The bad smell probably came from a carcass."

"Most likely," Ellie commented and exhaled slowly.

"Let's go check it out," Ian said, his hands going to hips.

Kim nodded in agreement. "Yes. Let's."

"Okay," Jason said and held up his hand. "Let's stay aware of our surroundings. We have no idea what we could encounter."

Alan, Ellie, Ian, Tommy, Kim, Zack, and Trini resumed walking. Rexy and Mia followed suit. They moved at a steady pace. They came upon two Velociraptors feasting on a juvenile Saurolophus carcass. The critters focused on their prize's hindquarters. Everyone came to a stop not far from them. Rexy and Mia lowered themselves, allowing their riders to get off. Jason, John, Lex, Tim, and Billy joined the other humans.

"It is just Velociraptors feeding on a carcass," Billy said, his hand going to his temple.

"I don't think those are the same ones the team encountered earlier," Tommy murmured.

"Me neither," Trini agreed.

"It is interesting to watch them feed without tearing their meal to shreds," John admitted and smiled warmly.

"I hope they don't think we are disturbing them," Alan muttered in some nervousness.

The Velociraptors moved their heads upward, their snorts dripping with blood. They glanced at the group. They tilted their heads, purring in much curiosity. Jason, Trini, Billy, Kim, and Zack put their hands on their Blade Blasters, as did Tommy on Saba. The Velociraptors growled and resumed feeding. Everyone sighed in relief.

"Thank God those critters didn't think we were disturbing them," Ian whispered, his breathing soft and steady.

"That's not to say they won't feel that way next time," Lex pointed out truthfully.

"You are right, Lex," John agreed. "Animals rarely attack people for no reason."

"Some people are stupid enough to get close to dangerous animals. They are shocked when they get hurt," Alan grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

Ellie crossed her arms. "I have no sympathy for them."

Ian ran his tongue over his teeth. "None of us do."

A third Velociraptor came out of the undergrowth. It made its way to the carcass. It stopped at the front of it. It clamped its jaws around a piece of meat in the Saurolophus's neck. It jerked its head from side to side, tearing the piece off to gobble down. It licked its lips before clamping its jaws around another piece.

"I never thought we'd be watching Velociraptors without them attacking us," Alan said in amazement.

"Me neither, Alan," Ellie agreed, wrapping her arm around his.

The group continued watching the feeding Velociraptors. Two brown pelicans flew overhead, but no one noticed them.

00000

The late evening moon beamed its light on a large clearing. A campfire burned brightly in its center. Tommy, Kim, Billy, Zack, John, Alan, Ellie, and Ian sat around it. Mia lay asleep on her stomach nearby. She had her head on her front hooves. Jason and Trini were leaned against her side with their backs. They were asleep, their heads resting on their shoulders. Rexy laid on her stomach with Lex and Tim leaned against her side on their backs. They were asleep. The children's heads leaned back. The Power Rangers had their helmets off.

Rexy opened her eyes and lifted her head. She turned to look at Lex and Tim. She listened to their soft snoring. She moved her tail as if putting them in a protective circle. She laid her head on the ground close to the tip. She sighed in great content before closing her eyes. Tommy, Kim, Billy, Zack, John, Alan, Ellie, and Ian saw the entire thing happen. They looked at each other, their eyebrows raising.

"It is obvious Rexy is very protective of Lex and Tim now," Tommy said with a soft chuckle.

"She knows how dangerous it is out there at night, Tommy," John said, laying his cane in his lap. "She does not want them to fall victim to the danger."

"It is ironic she and Mia still dangerous, yet they have been loving and warm to all of us," Alan whispered in much amazement.

"It is all thanks to Jason and Billy," Kim said, pulling her knees up to her chest and folding her arms to lay them on top.

"We are quite proud we took advantage of our ability to talk to the actual representatives of our Power Coins," Billy said honestly.

"Without it, we would not have gotten this far," Zack added, his breathing turning to shudders.

Alan looked toward Rexy, Lex, and Tim. He listened to the Tyrannosaurus's soft breathing. He shifted his attention back to the others. He grabbed his hat and took it off.

"I feel so bad for Lex and Tim. They never asked to be trapped on this island for a second time," Alan said sympathetically.

"None of us did, Alan. Lord Zedd took advantage of our groups meeting at the zoo. He launched the attack that landed us here," Ellie pointed out.

"Once the team arrived, he encased the entire island in a force field. We didn't know until we tried to contact Zordon and teleport out," Billy added, feeling his heart skip a beat.

Zack huffed in frustration. "If only we had known sooner."

"No one blames you and your friends for becoming trapped here, Zack," John said in comfort. "It could have happened, even if we weren't being held captive here."

"Zedd could have launched an attack on the island instead. You could've come here to defend it, but you could not leave because of the force field," Ian explained gently.

"I understand," Zack said, nodding. "I still wish we could've—"

Tommy held up his hand. "It's okay, Zack."

Kim sighed softly. "You do not have to say any more."

Zack nodded at his friends. He touched the back of his neck with both hands before mumbling inaudible words. He laid them in his lap. He clicked his tongue three times. John drew a circle in the dirt with his cane. He pressed his lips together.

"It's good to know we have only a few miles before we get to the Visitor Center," John whispered in relief. "We are lucky we got this far before dark."

"I imagine how difficult it was for people to travel in the dark before electricity was invented. They had to use oil lamps to light their way. If they didn't have that, they relied on the moon. Sometimes, it was not visible," Billy commented.

"I will tell you I came from a modest home. We didn't have a ton of money, but I was talented at making it. I would operate lemonade stands in front of my home. People loved the lemonade I made," John said, chuckling as that memory went through his mind.

"I imagine you put too much sugar in it occasionally," Ian commented, his eyebrows raising.

John nodded. "I did every now and then. One woman even joked she would need new teeth if she drank any more of it."

"My grandparents needed dentures in their fifties," Zack admitted and suppressed a yawn. "They ate too many sweets and rotted their teeth from all the sugar."

"I am sure they got a bit hyper," Billy joked with a snicker.

"Very funny, Billy," Zack retorted annoyingly.

"At least I am capable of making good jokes like you do," Billy pointed out matter-of-factly.

Zack nodded in agreement. "That you are."

"Just never pull a joke out of a joke book," Tommy warned in a stern way.

"Those jokes suck ass. People will do variations of them to hurt others, especially children. It is disgusting," Kim said, shuddering badly.

Alan clenched his teeth. "People lose sympathy from me when they go after children."

Ellie touched his shoulder. "The same goes for me and the others."

Alan touched his girlfriend's hand. John drew a line in the dirt before laying his cane next to him. He folded his hands and laid them in his lap. He twirled his thumbs around.

"When we get off this island, I plan to pool all my resources to make sure Isla Nublar stays isolated," John whispered seriously.

"If you do that, John, that means Lex and Tim will never see Rexy and Mia again," Alan said, looking toward the dinosaurs and the children. "Neither will we."

"I understand your feelings, Alan, but it is for the best. The dinosaurs require our absence to survive. They don't need our help. They have established a very stable ecosystem here," John explained. "This is not the only island that has dinosaurs."

"What are you talking about?" Ian asked confusingly.

"Isla Sorna has dinosaurs. That was the main place we bred them and raised them for their first few years. Once they were ready, they were brought here," John said, sighing heavily. "We called it Site B. It was evacuated after Hurricane Clarissa hit the area. Before the scientists left, they opened all the cages. This allowed the dinosaurs to get out into the wild. I believe they have established a stable ecosystem there. I am sorry I wasn't more honest with you."

"Nobody blames you for not saying anything about a second island filled with dinosaurs," Alan assured gently. He grew a bit serious as he turned back to him. "Still, you should have revealed the whole operation, not just parts of it. We would have understood it a bit better."

"What you did reveal about Jurassic Park didn't make a whole lot of sense," Ellie added. "You didn't have any facilities with the exception of the Visitor Center. I realized you must have had a place where you raised the dinosaurs first."

"One thing is clear. Both islands must never be allowed visitors. It will destroy their ecosystems," John said gravely. He started talking about the first dinosaurs he raised.