Owen immediately got between Blue and Claire, his hands both wide open as he looked at the raptor. She had just appeared out of nowhere; he hadn't even heard her approach. They were quite a distance from the trees too- but he knew better than to underestimate raptors. His time with the raptor squad had told him that. To even let your guard down- that was certainly something that he could never do. He'd trained himself not to over quite some time.

Blue kept her distance, pacing to the side, as she would walk around the two humans in a semi circle. Owen turned, facing her as he didn't dare keep his eyes off of her. Still, he whispered to Claire. "It's okay. I got her. Look and see if there are any more out there."

He didn't look back to see if she did so, even though he felt he would have liked to. Blue was eyeing him, a slight growl as she tapped her sickle claw on the ground, looking at him. She knew, she must have known he followed her, and now she was challenging him.

"There's no other raptors. She's alone," Claire whispered, as Owen could hear the fear in her voice. Oh yes, it was trembling, and he didn't blame her. The last time that they had met her, he had gotten lucky. She had been alone, and still had yet to find another of her kind that was free.

Since then, things had changed. "She's not alone. I'd bet that we're being watched. Even now," Owen said. He could well imagine that the other raptors were likely watching from the treeline. Observing what went on here, as they were trying to assess the situation. Blue had established dominance over this pack, and now they would see what she did here...

This whole area, this was now part of the raptor's territory. Maybe it had been something else before, but now, now- this was raptor country. Maybe it helped that this place was a bit isolated. Close to the city yes, but rugged enough that people might not come out here.

As he continued pacing around Blue, he gulped. Using his shifted position to be able to look around him, really take a look. The convoy. He had seen that there were quite a few vehicles out here. All the people in here had escaped into the big trailer, which had been quite spacious to store four raptors. He frowned, as he held his hand out, stalling for time.

Blue growled, but did not lunge. She stepped forward, her killing claw tapping on the ground as she walked. He was reminded with every moment that passed, that here was a dangerous predator. Not someone to be taken lightly at all, as he knew just what might separate himself from death at this moment.

He could hear Claire right now moving behind him, and Blue looked up and growled at him. Or behind him. Owen didn't dare look, he just stepped forward again. "Girl, don't look at her. Look at me. I'm the one you want." He said with every fiber of sincerity he could muster.

The raptor turned, tilted her head towards him, her attention moved away. Still, he thought he might see her teeth showing just a bit. Not moving his head away from the raptor, Owen realized what he must do. "Claire. Lower the taser prod. It's making her antsy."

"But that's the only thing keeping her at bay-" Claire started.

"Dammit, I said do it!" Owen cried out, a bit harsh, but at this moment, he knew that he must.

He was looking past Blue, now he could see the whole convoy, and he realized that in his pacing, he must have walked a bit outward from the straight line that he had been following. Not close to the trees, but inwards, towards the bluff. Which meant his back must be to the wall right now.

But he couldn't panic. Because if he did, he knew that it would be the end for him. "Girl. Listen to me. I know what this is," Owen nodded as he looked at Blue, knowing that he couldn't even ask for the taser at this point.

Blue raised her head, still snarling, and as Owen raised his own head in response, he was able to see the very end of the convoy. It hit him at that moment, the size of the. Trailer- why so many had been able to fit in it all at once. It was because they had been using the full raptor squad to try and catch Blue.

But that would mean they'd need to reobtain Blue, because they wouldn't have tried to reinsert a chip out in the field. No. They'd have another... and he saw it as he paced around, that car that was last in line. It was a car, but connected to it was a trailer cage, perfect for one animal. He carefully returned his gaze to the Raptor.

She was still staring at him, but he knew his time was limited. Sooner or later, she'd try and attack. Right now, she was giving him this much space, purely because of her history with him. But she was now the alpha of this territory, meaning that she had to defend it. The other humans were out of her reach, and he and Claire were the only ones now she could contend with. She must have been waiting for one of the capture crew to try to leave, he realized.

That was why she had been waiting, around, and when he'd arrived, his scent was not one that she would have easily forgotten. She had to face him, he understood. Maybe he'd understood from the beginning of all of this. They'd really been so foolish, trying to use the raptors.

"Claire. In a minute I'm going to do something. When I do, follow me." Owen said, as he would take a deep breath. He knew that he would only have one shot at this. After all, Blue was eyeing his every move.

He primed himself, and started off, as he willed his feet to move. However, he got a few feet barely before he was knocked off of his feet. He hit the dust roughly, groaning as he rolled over. It was Blue, she had butted into him almost as soon as he had taken off, and she stood over him, growling. Owen groaned, as he tried to get up, but she would advance before him, teeth bared.

"Fuck- just let me get up-" he started, but her foot was already on his chest, pushing it down, sickle claw bared. Owen grit his teeth, bracing himself, but then instead of an attack, Blue screeched.

Looking up, he could see Claire had stepped forward, setting the taser prod directly on Blue's back. She was keeping it on as she stepped forward, wordlessly holding onto it as if her life depended on it. Which it did.

Owen scrambled to his feet, as he would get up, heavy breathing, as he looked back briefly at the trailer. Coast was still clear. "Claire. Keep it up for ten seconds after I start running. She'll go after you second. It's me she wants." He said as he looked her in the eye. Hoping she'd know what he meant.

Luckily, he didn't have to repeat himself, as she nodded. "I hope you know what you're doing- Just don't get killed." She snapped as she stepped forward again at the raptor.

As he said this, he would take off at a run again, not even wanting to count it off in his head. Knowing that he had precious little time. He could see the trailer from here, as he would get closer. Yes, the front was unlocked, he thought as he felt or imagined he did, that hot breath of a raptor pursuit on the back of his neck.

It didn't matter. Thinking too hard wouldn't do him much good as he picked up the pace. Running faster perhaps than he'd thought possible, even more than he had in that abandoned ghost town. It was there, he could reach it...and he jumped, and he was on it. Grabbing the bar of the loading dock, he would turn, and see Blue there, panting and snarling. So she had been right behind him.

And now he was apparently cornered yet again. Just like the last time. Last time he had used the magnet to remove the chip, and she had let him go for that. He knew that it wouldn't be the same this time...after all, she now had a place to protect. Owen would start backing up, into the trailer, as he looked to the side, before the walls of the trailer would stop him from seeing...there she was, coming fast, Claire. But as he stepped back again, he now breathed his hardest, as the space was barely big enough for a grown man.

Unlike last time, Blue leapt onto the landing without hesitation. She would tilt her head, as she made sure her whole body blocked the exit. Owen quickly scanned the interior. Nothing this time...nothing except...he forced his eyes to stay forward as he breathed out heavily. There was a door right next to him. Of course. He had suspected, otherwise he wouldn't have run.

Holding onto it, he would confirm for himself, it was unlocked. That was good, as he didn't dare look away from Blue. Even if he did open it though, that wouldn't change his situation, there was no where to run. Nowhere that Blue wouldn't run him down in a split second anyway. He was trapped, and they both knew it. Silently, he felt himself begin to panic, his heart beating louder as the raptor advanced, her hot breath seeming very close now.

Last time he'd been lucky. He knew that often, luck only held up for so long. Because now, he was faced with the worst possible scenario. No chips, nothing like that separating him and the raptor. He held forth his hand, as he recalled what was happening here. Blue had to confront him, she had to. It was her new territory, and she had to reassert herself in front of all the raptors.

But he still had that one ace to play, as he needed to buy time. He held his hand in front of him again, like he had back on the outskirts of the city, and in the Ghost town. She halted her advance, as Owen took a deep breath. "Girl. It's me. We don't have to do this." He said softly, remembering the training... he had never used the chips personally, that had been more what Cooper's style had been.

She stopped, looking him straight in the eye, and there was a glint he'd seen before. She was remembering. They had worked together well, but he knew that things were different now, fundamentally different. The sweat was running down his forehead, and he felt like the moment lasted an eternity as they stared at each other, unblinking. But she broke the silence, with another step forward.

He was already backed into the corner, as he knew then that he had run out of time. His hand was still forward, held in front of him like a beacon, but even so, he was unaware if it would really work yet again. There was so much luck that he had already pushed so far, and he was at the end of it. This was not Blue his partner anymore, but a wild animal who had found her pack again.

Just as she was haunched back, ready to spring on him, there was a shout from behind her. Owen and Blue both turned their heads , as Claire appeared in the doorway. Holding the taser sideways, as she faced it towards the raptor. "Get away from him- you Bitch!" she called out, as she was holding it steady in her hands, squeezing the trigger, causing the tip to sparkle and spurt as the prod was close to Blue's tail.

Blue screeched and turned around almost immediately. Owen was thrown back against the wall due to the mass of the Raptor turning in the enclosed space. He felt his side. Yes, she'd scratched him, something dark was already forming on his side, as he groaned. No time to think about that, he knew. He grasped the handle of the door, as he took a quick look, as Claire was poking the cattle prod again, using it to force Blue back. Tumbling through, Owen literally fell through the side door, falling on his side. Scrambling up, he would quickly get up and lock the door.

Screeching came from the trailer, as Owen immediately got up to the door and looked inside. Keys still in the ignition. Made sense, they hadn't expected to be gone long before the pack had forced them all to hide in the other trailer. Sliding in, he would gun the car, hearing the screech, as he left the door open. Running back, he would see Claire still holding the cattle prod. Blue's eyes were fierce as it was clear she wouldn't last. But she was holding herself well, Claire was at least.

In the face of danger. Owen stepped forward. "Let me handle this, you go around and start the engine!" She looked at him, a brief half second, but it was enough, as Owen took the shock prod after she handed it off to him. Then she was gone, already running down the side of the car. Owen looked at Blue again, he knew this was cheating, and so did she. "I really am sorry, girl." he said.

He switched the shock prod to it's max setting, even as he pushed it forward, right against Blue's flank. The contact was immediate, as she flinched, no- spasmed back, an electric, immediate reaction as she hit the side of the truck with a grunt. There was a soft thud, and she fell back into the truck.

Owen jumped back as he called out. "Claire! There should be a switch to close the back!" He was already backing up, as he heard her.

"Which one is it?" There's so many!" Owen groaned as he looked down at the raptor. How many minutes would that charge take her out? He couldn't remember now, it had been long enough already. But he just ran, as he reached the side door, the taser prod left by the door. He could see Claire staring at the panels. She wouldn't be able to figure it out, he could tell.

Moving over ,he would lean and press the one that her finger was hovering over. Still sweating bullets, he could hear the sound of the back door closing. Just then, he heard a screech, and his blood ran cold, but that was quickly followed by the sound of a loud thump against the back. He sighed, as he looked out and frowned.

"Drive."

"Owen, it's safe now."

"Just drive. Trust me." She turned the key, putting the car into gear as they backed up. He could see it now, the shadows against the trees coming out as they began to back up. Emerging now fully as the car left along the path they'd come by.

The raptors. They'd been watching the entire time. Claire looked over to him shaking her head. "I hope you know what you're doing. We've got a raptor in the back of our truck."

Owen shook his head again, closing the door as he would let himself take a moment to breath as he heard the car running. "You said it yourself. Vegas. So...time to call Zia again?"