Jurassic World

An Indominus Imprint

Chapter Eleven

My hands were rubbing small circles around both sides of my skull to calm myself down. Both sets of fingers dragged the skin in between my eyes downward for a split second, then I clasped my hands in a brief prayer like gesture to calm myself down. "Alright man, alright! You can handle this, I mean it's no different from what you've been put through. So suck it up and deal with it as you always do Marcus. As I always do and this is not helping me in the slightest, oh god damn it!"

I had a headache forming due to the fact I wasn't exactly happy.

The reason being was because on a supposed day off, I unfortunately was being paged. My tablet went off when the picture of my mentor revealed itself to be the origin of the circuitry activating. Recently the Indominus siblings had my life somewhat in a living hell when they stalked outside the perimeter of my doorway, I believed it to be a new routine of sorts. The kind that really made me uneasy if anyone else other then myself ever were to walk through that door, it'd be a violent encounter.

I cringed mentally at the images alone.

Thankfully I prepared enough food and water for both Ivy, or Donny to sate themselves. Hopefully I'd get through this little portion of a day without much hassle and I'd be back to them easily. Lately nothing had been happening as Joe called me to give updates regarding the paddock's construction, I knew for a fact that all the walls were being marked out and the ground dug up to be supported internally. So that was on schedule, now that got a laugh out of my chief construction consultant when I asked about being there in person to lend a hand again.

My engineer of a friend literally told me over the phone in the exact words, "Don't worry about extra-hands here Mark, we got this covered. I'll let you know if something dramatic happens, so relax. Enjoy your day off while I make my money!" It bugged me that I couldn't help to lend a hand yet I trusted my friend to know that everything had been going smoothly.

So as a result I only had to write up a few reports to the higher ups inside the park to appease them.

Now as much as I hadn't been summoned, or forcefully told to appear before the ever so heart warming Claire Dearing, I'd say I was content to do my job. I kept at it as much I had humanely given and it showed through a lot of popularity within the staff here on the island. Most people were impressed, somehow and the Mosasaur Lagoon had a huge spike in attendance as I got a text from Rachael about the workload. Apparently Rosa Mosa had did her first ever breaching to the world's technological eyes and ears, I honestly couldn't see why it wouldn't be bad.

So Jurassic World was very clearly on top within social media.

And evidently enough...

The public wanted the person responsible to be on stage in the future.

Frequently.

I knew for sure I'd be back there within a day or two, Christ I just damned well knew. My face and my little show were all over the major news outlets or media to create this spark of attraction. Again even though I really didn't want to hear from the boss lady herself, Claire certainly got Jurassic World relevant again and even though they were her words, I just bit my tongue to go with it. However this wasn't my source of a headache as much as I kind of wanted it too be in the first place. No, I had a more pressing and truthfully a scary prospect staring me down.

It came in the form of my mentor Owen Grady.

"Oh please let this be a good day, please!"

I watched as a small truck pulled up to my apartment block, I gave a semi-wave to the older man who waved me forward. Tightening my newest paddock keeper hat, I made sure to open the door with a nervous smile. Owen grinned because of my expression, "Well if it ain't the boy wonder of Jurassic World himself." I rolled my eyes while slamming the door shut to the truck with an audible thud that slightly shook the vehicle as I didn't reply right away to the taunt.

Honestly I'd wager that it was way too early to deal with the guy's humor.

Grudgingly I got my seat belt on due to my unfamiliarity with Owen's driving skills on a dirt road. Although I smirked when I refused to rise to the taunt, "Well it's nice to see you as well Owen. You get dumped by another woman again?" My mentor laughed briefly as if finding my snark retort a good sign. Absently my gaze took in the actions he put the truck into drive to gain some ground to wherever we were head off to in the first place.

I watched as the trees over took most of the details beyond the glass windows on either side of us.

"Great to see that having women in your life is showing some positive effects Mark. So I heard that you had a close encounter with someone recently." His eyebrows raised themselves dramatically as I snorted out loud. Apparently word had spread about Kate's drunken route, I knew many were happy and relieved to know she was alright. So now this became a teasing affair on my part because she had specifically showed up my place, that got the rumors to spread in what happened.

I hated gossip without a secondary thought.

"Jesus fucking Christ! Does everyone on this island know about it?" I said annoyed as Owen laughed clearly amused at my irritation on the subject. As much as my mentor loved to joke about things, I knew for a fact he was more concerned about how it affected me. It was why he kept up the joking nature to keep me more likely to be open with my intentions. Not to mention it worked when I kind of explained the general gist of what happened with Kate, so I hoped he'd be disappointed that nothing came about the drunken night.

Or else god knew what my mentor would do.

"Nothing really happened, I mean she showed up completely gone and was probably half way to the moon. Lots of vomit and a few insane mood swings, but I managed to get her to sleep it off without too much of a hassle." Ideally my tablet saved me from staring over at the driver of the truck, I assumed Owen was probably making a face of negativity. He seemed to really want me to be with a friend of mine that much, I guess he still had problems asking Claire out from what Barry said to me that one night inside the bar.

My eyes looked over to see the man completely at ease despite Barry's word ringing inside my ears. "I've seen the man happy, content and even a bit annoyed. He was scared out of his once he saw how much blood he saw on you." Despite the revelation, honestly I had a hard time picturing in what had been said and to translate it into a reality. Since when did Owen ever give off the impression of being terrified, or even remotely scared for anything? To me it didn't make sense at all, so I had to ask myself why?

Why did the guy have to take a personal interest in my life? Especially when the world refused to give me it's time of the day, I just fucking hated when people took their priorities to ensure my well being. As much as I seemingly wanted to do a great job to prove to the world to raise my middle finger at it, I never wanted any other person involved in my life to have them believe they were responsible for myself. That got as far to simply anger me to the point in where I wanted to punch a wall out of frustration because of that fear inside my mind.

What made me so special for anyone to feel that they were responsible for me?

Why?

"You glare any harder at that tablet, I'd think you'd make it burn Mark." Owen's voice broke me out of my darkening mood as I glanced over at the elder man. As much as I wanted to bite out the words to confront him, I withheld it to take a more proactive stance. I wanted to know what he needed me for and to be fair, I had to get my mind off these thoughts. It was bad enough I had brought one negative thing out of my past to have infect me like a parasite.

I simply asked Owen what the deal today involved me, "It'll be fine. So what the hell are you up too today? You never did explain to me in what I'm doing here with you." I gestured to the road in which the man merely gave a charming smile which would have fooled a lot of people. However to me I knew he was just being an ass to hide the reason, or maybe he wanted to joke around. It was hard to tell with him at times, but I waited patiently.

Eventually my mentor touched on the reason when we turned around a bend to go deeper into the jungle on the island.

The first sign he gave was a resigned shrug, "Well Barry and I figured to let you in on what we're doing on our side of the island. Plus we need an extra hand to help us feed, or assist us in doing some trial runs. Also if I had to say, way down in the long run of everything, I'd need someone to be up to speed if Barry isn't around to handle our routine." Well I had to say, I'd been officially curious before entering the truck but now it was confirmed. I frowned trying to picture whatever tasks that Owen wanted me to learn up, or even know the process for and I came up with a damned blank slate.

My eyes were trained on my tablet's screen scanning through the various headlines via the social network on the island.

Yet I had to ask exactly what was this about.

In fact I spoke up a bit unsure, "Owen. What exactly are you saying here? You want me to cover down for Barry on days when he's busy, or do you want someone to replace you when something happens? You're kind of dodging the bullet man." My face reflected the confusion that was just simmering below the surface of my thoughts. The guy certainly had his moments in which he stuck up for me, I mean for all that was holy, Owen literally beat someone down to save my ass. So I didn't want to understand the worst but merely to guess his intentions.

Although what he did next made me scowl at his usual easiness to the situation. I watched my mentor grinned a bit cheekily, "Hey dodging bullets is no joke Mark. You know I'm former Navy and all right?" Why did I actually care for what this man had to say? As much as I knew the answers, I still hated the fact he wanted to be the wise-ass when it came down to my concerns that were genuinely authentic.

I glared at him from the corner of my peripherals to make him chuckle again.

The vehicle lurched when we hit a small patch of rough road, I thankfully reminded myself that getting carsick would be a terrible idea. Thankfully Owen started to explain a bit and quite frankly, I didn't get what was wrong with him. He seemed unbearably keen on avoiding the direct answers to very simple questions. So again color me curious since I had a sudden sense that he was avoiding it because it wasn't so simply to explain. Then again the entirety of Jurassic World already proved to me that whatever was thrown at you, you had to do an excellent job for people to get off your ass when it came down to the public eye.

I tuned myself to listen in on what the older man said.

"Mark I know you and I haven't been working together directly. I mean sure you, me and Barry all get together at the bar. Which is fine, I mean lord knows you need some pals to keep you sane." I discreetly flipped him off at that last comment. Owen inhaled heavily with a shrug of his shoulders, I wanted to impatiently demand him to spill it. Just what the fuck was going on for him to be deliberating stalling for him and add the fact, he seemed almost...

Nervous?

"What the hell is up with him?"

When I got my answer, I knew for sure that it wasn't going to be great. In fact I nearly had to clean my ears in what came next, "You see I haven't been totally upfront with you when it involves my job here. As it turns out, I'm technically and I use that term so damned loosely, I work with In-Gen. Well with your awesome pals you met at the bar a while back." He told me a bit apologetic as I stared at him akin to disbelief when it completely washed over me. I felt my hands go numb to the point in which I had small tingling sensations going up into my wrist.

Owen worked his job alongside the people who were with In-Gen?

"What the hell!"

These were same guys who started shit with me because they got their egos kicked in the balls? By my friend no less who was defending her own friend? Was this what I was hearing? Because if I had heard right, then Owen and that asshole who busted my skull would be in the same general proximity! That right there was so fucking asinine for me to consider, I almost threw myself out of the damned moving truck into a tree!

Throughout my disbelief in that regard, I had a single worded question that made him wince openly.

"What?"

Again the infamous Owen Grady gave a resigned shrug, he tried to explain this to me almost clearly. I was just in shock that this man took his time to explain why, "So yeah. I work alongside Vic Hoskins whose apart of In-Gen's own little project. Initially I didn't want you to come down to the place where you'll be under me because I didn't want to rush it. However since that incident at the bar, I really put it back but now I'm short handed, so I needed an extra hand for today." I leaned back in my seat staring at the varying degrees of jungle beyond the glass window. I had my lips pressed into a thin as I shook my head at the idea in working alongside those fucking pricks.

I didn't hate In-Gen as a whole.

To be fair, I could say that was a bit petty on my part to go that far. It boiled down to the fact that I hated the people who represented them. Did I hate the legendary John Hammond, I'd say no and again to be fair I'd wish I could have met the man. That legendary figure pretty much gave the ground work for Jurassic World and I couldn't hate the guy who I owed my job too. However it was those damned people running the company that really dug me in to have a sour taste on what I thought about In-Gen, so in the end I had to do what I could to bite down on my tongue to stop cussing violently.

Inhaling through my nose with a sheer amount of will power that rivaled Gandhi I finally broke my silence.

Intently rubbing the underside of my chin to get the ball rolling, "Okay! Let's settle my internal anger at those guys right now Owen, so you want me to work with them. Who by extension are technically your problem and co-workers at wherever you're working at, right? Is that what you're saying to me, I have to deal with your friends while I have to be with you?" The disbelief in my tone made the elder man cringe a bit as shrugged a bit resigned at my bitterness. Owen gave me a look that bordered on apologetic and expectancy for my level toned voice.

But he summed it up rather fine in my humble opinion.

"Yup. You, me and In-Gen all working together. Happy times!"

My mentor even grinned near the end of his statement with a sheepish expression, I wanted to knock his lights out for that look. I was amazed he found it funny, or rather he had an optimistic tone that I couldn't relate too here. Angrily leaning back in the seat to stare at the varying fleeting forms of jungle and flora zooming on by, I didn't like this situation at all. Hell, I really felt like Owen just sent me into a prison that I could have avoided by ignoring his damned request to help me. As much as I liked him, which was starting to wear out in irritation, I did owe the guy for patching me up and saving my skin in that bar some time back.

Setting the tablet into my bag that I brought along I just inhaled sharply trying to ignore any lingering resentment.

Slowly my words came out which were deliberately slow, "Owen. If it wasn't for the fact you saved my ass during that bar-fight, I'd have told you to fuck off and turn this truck around because I'd be around those people." My eyes were staring straight past the wind-shield to the dirt road as the truck lurched briefly to jostle me around. "But because this isn't the most ideal thing I'd been dealt with, I have to ask just what are we going to be doing? You've never told me in what you specifically do around Jurassic World."

The man's smile hadn't even dimmed in the slightest as my resignation to help him.

I got a slap on my shoulder from my mentor, "That's what I like about you Mark. You know when things are tough, or they're just a pain in the ass yet you step up to tackle it. I know I'm not exactly mister perfect, though I wish I could be, but that's the attitude you can't ever teach anyone. It's really not that hard to understand but you've nailed it, people put aside the bullshit and do the job. It all means everyone has to come around to accept it." Grunting at the praises alone was enough for the elder man to laugh lightly at my dejected face, he nimbly took a soft turn on the dirt road that barely did anything to us. I really didn't want to go anywhere near those In-Gen guys but like Owen said, I'd be a glutton for punishment do my job right for whatever reasons.

Sometimes I hated being determined to do a lot of things right.

"Whatever man. So what the hell do you exactly do on the island Owen?" I glanced at him as he gave a laugh in which I gritted my teeth. "Well if my chances are good, I'll be doing a one on one with our lovely Claire Dearing soon." Somehow I got a sneaking hunch that the word okay had seemingly drifted away into nowhere, or else the conversation would turn weird soon. So when my eyes were focused on the road I told myself something oddly acceptable for this situation.

I'd officially throw any respect out the window.

Also for sure this time around I didn't resist that irritation in when I threw a pen to smack him in the face! As the speed alone made him jerk the wheel briefly as he laughed loudly at my peeved expression. I also didn't want to know what the fuck did he ever see in that ice cold woman, I truly wouldn't spend then time on those thoughts. "Jesus Christ man! I swear the day that woman actually agrees to go on a date with that man, I'll be the first to send the fucking bouquet of flowers to their wedding. Odds are that is not going to happen!" I had both hands covering my face groaning openly at my mentor's laughter which made him pat me on the shoulder all too easily.

"You're lucky that Jurassic World has an insurance policy on vehicles Mark, or else you'd be footing the bill for an accident." I ignored Owen's humor as the truck came around the next bend much to growing irritation. Did everything I ever ask, or want to know about have to involve a struggle that made the building of Noah's Ark seem easy in comparison? It took me a considerable amount of time for my head to reprocess an action called self-control, I really wanted to throw something else at the man for stringing me along.

Just what was I getting into?

Was it that hard to ask and get a simple answer in return?

Somehow my mentor caught my darkening expression as he let off the joking for a bit. He gave me a clear expectation on what I was getting into, "Alright! Technically as I said before that In-Gen is sponsoring the project that I'm on. It's really more of a passing curiosity that people higher above my pay-grade want to discover." I had to raise my eyebrow at that explanation, or if one could call it that in the first place. The vague interest and the effort to conceal it were getting older pretty quickly, I'd peg it all to annoy me intentionally honestly.

"In-Gen's sponsoring whatever you're doing for their own interest? Is that what you mean?" I shot back the question with a simple answer as Owen shrugged a bit. He seemed to have a small pause as if trying to find the right words, "Sure. I suppose it was something like that but now, let's say that they're eager to jump the gun and its going to bite them in the ass. Respect is always earned and it's never given, I'm just trying..." His answer was stopping cold due to the fact a small bump in the road lurched the cabin around.

Yet I stared at the elder man when he stopped talking with a resigned exhale that got my attention.

Slowly I tried to piece together exactly what he was saying, "So In-Gen and you are disagreeing on your job? Or the results of said job? Owen I'm not a fucking mind reader, so you better tell it cleanly or I'm going to be lost over here." The guy grinned at my blunt demand as he eased off the pedal to slow the truck down because of a small incline leading downwards. Small rays of sunlight were peeling through the canopy to strike me at the corner of my right eye, I had to suppress a wince to focus on my mentor's reply.

"Let's just say that some people are very overly eager when any progress is made."

I didn't have to be a shrink to notice the amount of bitterness and probably the most direct example of tolerance I'd ever imagine. Owen had an air of tension that bordered onto nearly outright aggression if I could peg it as such. Inwardly that urge to press the issue seemed almost natural yet I wanted to lead a hand to my mentor without causing some debatable drama. So I figured to sum up what I'd say would be the ideal situation and overall scope in what Owen wanted me to understand. Idly I rubbed the underside of my chin to ease myself into a comfortable mood.

Without a doubt it seemed my mentor did his job pretty damned well.

But the results were another issue.

"I don't know what I'm getting into here."

He was being hard-pressed to do better because whatever he did was important. In retrospect Owen did have a lot more experience then me when it came to getting stuff done, so why did it scare me to wonder why? Rather how that led me to believe some of the people working with him were impatient, or when it came to whatever goal they had? God I had so many questions to ask but in the end I figured to do the sensible thing to ask what was going to be done between myself and the In-Gen friends of mine from the bar encounter.

"I don't get what your doing but for the sake of getting my help, Owen what's going to go down once I meet my friends from the bar? Don't think playing big-brother is going to help here really." That got a snort of amusement to rush past my mentor to get me startled. He seemed literally at ease when discussing those fellows because of the fact he joked about it.

The humor infected me by causing a smirk to appear.

"Where's the fun in that Mark? Big brother's gotta kick some ass to make sure little brother gets home to scary monster, or else she gets very violent!" I started to shake my head while laughing silently at what he referred to Kate, but Ivy came to tie at the violent descriptions. Although I appreciated the subtle nudge since his impression clearly became obvious. We both let out a few chuckles to ward off the more serious part which came next in a surprising admission from Owen himself. I watched a change wash over the elder man.

He seemed almost pleased with the circumstances.

Motioning over to me with a free hand, I raised my eyebrow at his words. "You don't need to worry about Vic's crew, I'd be willing to bet they won't try to raise an issue. Turns out they'll be behaving like good little kids finally." Now I didn't want to doubt Owen when it came down to personal safety, I'd stake my life that he had a very, very good idea in that category. To say other wise would be a slap to the guy's face without having a courtesy to give a verbal warning. My mentor's experience wasn't anything to scoff at due to the fact he just wasn't that kind of person.

"Why say that? In-Gen got someone to watch them, or do you have that job?" I took a shot in the dark to assume the best of both worlds. Really I hoped for that because I'd love to find out who and make those guys days a total hell. I mean what else could ever hope to imagine when fresh wounds came back into a mild headache. Now as it turned out the elder man gave me a smug grin that bordered onto sheer confidence.

His eyes went back to the road.

Though he explained somewhat vaguely due to the fact even he didn't know much, "Well that would've been too easy. Hell I wish I could knock a few of them out but thanks to some assurance, I guess they got some supervisor to keep the commotion down in Jurassic World. Turns out Jurassic World and them have an old commitment that can be activated whenever stupid shit goes down. I don't know much because it was before I ever got hired." That explanation sort of made me more suspicious yet Owen didn't seem too worried. I guess I could trust his over word of such things but in the end I'd make up my opinion.

"Too easy? I bet you'd be enjoying every moment of it." I retorted to make the guy laugh all the more amused as he replied a bit happily. Eventually Owen shrugged mainly content once he got over the chuckling, "I'm not going to deny that abuse of power. But again don't worry about them Mark, I know for a fact if Vic or his pals tried anything to mess with you. Well..." He trailed off deliberately ominous to make my curiosity spike up again much to inner delight. I really wanted to know what in the hell I'd be getting into once again on this freaking circus of an island.

But I put my mind onto the job on hand.

Or the lack of a job description mainly.

"Alright Owen I need to know what I'll be doing. I'm starting to doubt you'd ask anyone else but me for something important, so shoot." I prompted with a relieved yet excited smile to make the elder man grin appreciatively at my attitude. He turned around a bend to reveal a straight away road to some sort of distant place in the jungle. I could hardly make out whatever but I had a hunch that he'd be explaining to me at the last minute.

And I was right about him.

Owen turned his face over while smirking like a bastard out of hell. My heart raced knowing this wasn't going to be good, I fucking knew it and I'd call it with all the money on my next paycheck. God damn me other wise because that was it! He only had to ask a single question to my get my immediate attention.

"Alright! Mark how much do you know about a dinosaur species called Velociraptors?"

My eyes were very, very still wide open once we pulled up to the job site.

"I already hate this job."

Those words were coming to haunt me as I stood on one of the bridges holding a long pole to catch a practice piglet on a run. Owen wanted the crew and all the handlers there to at least wrangle a pig without interference from larger animals. Namely the other dangerous portion to this job on top of a busted spine if one were to fall into the pen itself. Not to mention the damned sun really dung into the back of my neck with sunblock already applied.

Shockingly today all the people working in the raptor pen weren't bad to listen too.

"Okay! Listen up guys, gals and potential single teens!"

I scowled momentarily as Owen's voice washed over the pen with his usual humor to make me feel a bit out of place. Several handlers near me nodded as to respect my resentment to my own mentor who found a way to annoy me. Although it wasn't harmful, or even serious but I found it be a distraction while maneuvering the grasping pole to loop my end around a pig that squealed in terror at it's sudden stop. The guy across from me gave a thumbs up he switched to another piece of equipment that guided an assistant pole to link up with my own to lift the squealing bacon into a trap overhead.

Talk about fast food.

"The raptors will be undergoing verbal commands today, I'll also have do some runs with the piglets and I want everyone to stay on the perimeter of the pen. We don't need them getting distracted by other potential food sources, now I'll say it again like last week, I want everyone to watch their footing and equipment so you don't get snagged. I do want to avoid human for lunch today for my girls." Owen stated seriously with a slightly twinge of humor that few gratefully ignored in favor of the dangers. Several handlers adjusted their hats to swing the poles over the side and I followed suite as well.

I noticed Barry gave me a nod as he waited near the front of the pen itself.

Absently I couldn't help it but I let loose a few whispering words about the weather, "Man it's hot out! Thought we just got over a heat wave? Feels like hell and we're getting another one?" My complaint made several employees on Owen's staff glance at one another agreeing wholeheartedly about the climate in general. The heat got to me when I was wiping droplets off my face but fortunately I heard someone call over to me as I blinked a bit tiredly.

"Kid! Heads up!"

I caught an ice cold water bottle and I returned the gesture with a grateful smile to the guy who tossed it over to me. Setting the lasso pole into a holder off the side of the pen's metal walls, now I finally got to lean back to start sipping on the frigid liquid. All in all the time here wasn't as bad as I thought it would ever be really. Considering the fact that none of Owen's staff, or the employees were remotely related to my favorite band of people.

In-Gen personnel hadn't even been spotted near the raptor pens today.

Yet people were uneasy.

Just for a better lack of a word.

Unlike other people I actually felt more at ease working around this place, I honestly didn't want to deal with people who were apart of In-Gen. Exhaling loudly while drinking down the water in a content manner, I waited patiently for the actual animals to get out of their padlocks. If I told myself I'd be working with the most intelligent predators in Jurassic World on day one, I'd have laughed in my own face at how crazy it sounded. In fact I actually almost started to chuckle because this was one hell of a diversity to manage or view dinosaurs in the park.

Eventually boredom struck me rather quickly.

I glanced over to see a more rugged handler who been here seemingly a lot longer to ask him a question, "So what happens next? Do we just take a beat seat and watch Owen play? Or what?" My voice alone made the guy smirk as my youth and inexperience made it all too obvious. He gestured to the doors near the side of the front of the pen itself, "For the first hour or so we just sit around. Once the pig races are set then we take out spots and if we do good the piglets survive for another run hopefully."

I raised an eyebrow to warrant my confusion.

The guy grinned lightly because I was indeed a new handler here technically, "Pigs don't survive a run if we can't get them out in time and all that progress with the animals are wasted until we set another. The longer a piglet lasts then the more likely Owen can get commands to the raptors but beyond that we wait until we're allowed to do our jobs kid." My eyes were narrowing due to the concentration that mind needed to form some solid answers. Absently I rubbed my neck to ward off the burning as I took a wild guess about my mentor's intentions.

Owen wanted to train raptors to follow commands?

I waited for a while as the signals were being sent across all the handlers for the raptors to be unleashed. I leaned forward against the railing to keep my physical safety in check, I wanted to go over just what exactly I'd figure out here. Not to mention I needed to pass my boredom again, "So the pigs are used for the raptors to track them? Then Owen just issues commands to keep them in line? If so then they won't listen because once they get the piglet as it will tire out, so that's were we and I come in to get them into these traps overhead. Basically it's one big game of tag and if we lose the piglet is lunch. So we win if the pigs survive to make these animals stop, or else we have to try it all over again."

My mind wandered when various people were leaning against their own portions on the railing waiting patiently for the main event to appear. Apart of me wanted to actually study these velociraptors as they were the top danger in Jurassic World among all predatory animals. I had to respect and secretly fear such killing machines who were all the more infamous in past roots involving Jurassic Park as I learned from many conversations around the pen. Many people were completely terrified of these animals and that curiosity to know why came to hit me hard.

An alarm buzzed as the cages doors were violently smacked open.

"And the girls are out!"

Owen's voice called out in a warning when I took in the four animals screeching and shrieking as they all sprinted around the circular area. My arms were trembling at the massive claws on their feet which could slice any grown man's leg into pieces given the chance. However I maintained my rigid posture to see various other handlers back away a bit cautious of the edge with the raptors in full swing, somehow I kept my place to study the individuals within the padlock.

Among the four I couldn't help but notice the large blue one right off the bat. That one seemed to be the biggest amongst the small pack and hands down in charge given the provocations within. Hell I winced as it snapped at a smaller member while running around the pen's interior in a race. Occasionally the lighter hided animals were growling or yelping in their own calls as the pack started to settle down with Owen waiting overhead. He seemed to let them all stretch their legs and it looked similar to what I did with the Indominus siblings.

Let them socialize for a bit basically.

"Holy crap it's hot out today and I could be home with the siblings. In a nice cool regulated room on a nice bed."

Warding off the aggravation I finally dumped some of the water to pool it past my neck and it fell into the pen without restraint. Sighing heavily I just let my hand cup the liquid into my hair to cool off the blood rushing around the neck region. It definitely eased off the boiling sensations when I leaned a bit forward to actually catch a small breeze, I prayed for one mentally and I unfortunately didn't get a stroke of luck on that regard. Due to the heat alone I ignored people murmuring or the occasional footsteps among the handlers moving away from my spot.

"Look at that! That's not good."

I ignored the first of the many voices easing away from me on both sides.

"Well I think this is going to be a first."

And eventually it all got to me.

"What the hell are people talking about..."

The moment my eyes flashed open due to the fact my arms were folded to press my forehead into it, I didn't catch the coloration at first. Blinking rapidly I turned to my left and right to see the handlers looking very uneasy. For some reason I considered the idea that I'd was being step up on a prank by someone and it'd be a form of hazing to break me into the routine around the pens. Normally that would have been the case except for one glaring problem to that guess at all. Both ears picked up on something snorting just below my very feet.

"Oh crap."

I found out why.

One of the raptors had curiously came over to inspect the dripping water. Within moments I instantly felt my chest freeze up into a panic. Especially once those slits narrowed onto my still expression which mirrored something caught out in the open. Every single handler backed off as the stare down started to begin and the animal shifted almost excited at the lack of caution alone. Now whether it found me standing my ground interesting, or I somehow presented a far more darker aspect in being a challenge altogether.

The bottle remained over my neck as the occasional droplets kept on pouring down the wall.

Due to the fact Ivy and Donny liked to stare as well, I honestly wasn't too intimidated. Maybe the fact almost a ton of steel prevented that feeling yet I worked up the courage to speak, "Shoo! Go play with your other friends. I got nothing but a heat stroke waiting to happen!" My voice tried to be civil but it came out as a grouch and the animal tilted its head while hissing eagerly. Unfortunately I caught the sign of an animal, or animals who were siblings that responded in a similar manner. I had a hunch it clearly found me to be playful or my personal fear being interested in a bad way to indicate a food source.

Why did I have a sinking feeling inside my stomach?

It's tail started to sway left to right ever so deliberately.

My eyes narrowed as the animal clearly found my voice interesting, "You know just go bug someone else damn it! Clearly you can find something better to do, or better yet go bite Owen in the ass or something!" At this point I knew it wouldn't leave me alone because I was paying attention. Maybe that was the whole point in itself as I rationalized that the animal loved attention, or wanted something to respond to it perhaps? Lord in heaven I was grasping at straws since I had no idea in what it wanted in the first place.

I knew next to nothing about velociraptors.

"What do you want from me?"

Bottle of water forgotten I capped it in a fit.

"Please do not do what I think you're going to do!"

My eyes were trained on the animal's body language especially when I went to walk away from the inquisitive creature altogether. My fears were starting to grow colder as it followed me all the way down the perimeter of the paddock wall. I gnashed my teeth together as I caught the snickers originating from all the handlers inside the pen itself. Curiously enough Owen hadn't said a word which fueled my anxiety to get the hell out of this place now. Snickers, hoots and even the occasional laughter were simply piling up now.

Two slit eyes were tracking me without a doubt now.

I stopped immediately to turn and quickly picked up pace to glance down over my opposite shoulder to say one word.

"Really!?"

The raptor gave a strangled chirp loudly as it suddenly spun around to keep up with me. Again I noticed that swaying tail go quicker, I even realized it's large claw clicked against the ground. All the signs were making my heart race and forcing a metaphorical knife into my ribs since the animal clearly found my discomfort enjoyable. My feet were carrying me faster and faster around on the metallic structure which got my adrenaline going. I really didn't want to make a good impression but if one of these animals found me to be appetizing then all bets were off.

That feeling grew once the raptor got a bit more vocal.

Biting the interior of my mouth in order to pause immediately the raptor growled a bit more louder while peering upwards with it's tail swaying. Mustering the courage to not scream or yell took a lot of will power to instead make me lean on the railing to stare at the animal. Now it seemed to be a whole world apart from the Indominus siblings coloration's except the raptor had a greenish skin. Two large slits for eyes with blackened stripes going along it's back. Plus I felt the need throw something to really tell it off but I simply stood there looking down.

When I blinked I swore it made the animal blink to create a small contest.

People were edging themselves away from me as I remained stead fast to hold my ground against a larger predatory creature. I could have ignored it yet having an animal that could gut a man into pieces interested wasn't exactly subtle to miss. Apart of me wanted it to understand I wasn't afraid of it to the point where I'd roll over, I would stand my ground and hope for the best in any case. Ivy and Donny weren't trying to contest my will but I had a bad feeling whenever they got larger things would be difficult to get around. So I clenched my fists to stare back at the green hided velociraptor who chirped several times with its swaying tail.

Between myself and this curious raptor we had to have stared for a few minutes at best.

"Charlie let's go! No more playing!"

I internally sighed grateful as Owen came up past my right side clicking whatever he had in his hand. I got a shoulder slap to indicate my mentor took some pity on me or finally found the guts to stop laughing after all this time. The grin in place told me he had found the situation funny as sin, I managed to shake off the metaphorical cob webs to lean back away from the edge. All the raptors came to stand under Owen's foot steps over the walk ways, "And we're moving! Blue keep them in line! Echo, Delta you two knock that shit off."

My throat went dry when I realized I'd been staring at a creature that could possibly kill me if it ever got out.

I used my hands to lower myself backwards to ward off the adrenaline rushes, "Mark you just stared down an honest to god Velociraptor and now you're scared? Holy shit my legs are starting to act like rubber." Wasn't there a hidden danger to stare at something that was known to kill humans? It felt like staring down a large mountain lion before it pounced on the poor bastard too scared to defend him, or herself in a forest somewhere. The imagery alone didn't exactly settle that raging organ called a heart within my chest as it nearly exploded out of its confines.

I heard footsteps walking over the metal path ways and I lifted my paling face to see Barry shaking his head all too amused.

"You alright? Never seen a white boy look like an actual ghost." I weakly gestured to the pen to ask just what the hell had happened really. The raptors were chirping loudly or growling in a pitiful manner as Owen snapped at them again for doing something inside. Despite the commotion inside the pens Barry came up to stand next to place a hand on my shoulder firmly, "It's okay if one of them finds you interesting, Mark. Relax, I'm say this because their youngsters who will try to figure out what makes something tick to get them going. Trust me when I say them girls are just having a bit of fun."

My mind absently said that word all too uneasily.

Fun?

I spoke a bit strained, "Fun? Barry it was staring at me! I saw both eyes look right at mine and it found me interesting enough to maintain said contact? I don't buy it." The man had a grin worthy to make my skin crawl due to the fact he found it entertaining. But the sheer enthusiasm in his gaze made it like he'd consider do something extremely problematic for myself to imagine. Hopefully I'd get an answer to the questions and confusion swarming around inside a space called my brain.

"Well the raptors are still a work in progress in terms of them growing and learning Mark." He explained gesturing to the four animals snapping their jaws at one another. The sound alone made me wince at how threatening it'd do against a human, "Also Charlie is the youngest and she's a bit smaller then her sisters yet it doesn't measure her inquisitive habits." He tried to laugh it off as I snorted loudly to ignore the good news until my fears were settled, "She got really interested only because you reacted physically if I had to guess."

It took me a few moments to gather my sanity.

"Think it through Mark, I know you can do it."

I told myself that the only reason I hadn't started to yell or scream at the animal mainly came due to the fact I recognized a familiar sign attuned to interest. Both Indominus siblings held akin habits to match with that young raptor, so it puzzled me greatly because Ivy and Donny were supposed to be Tyrannosaurs? I couldn't judge it solely on this encounter alone for the lack of interacting and comparing with the mature adult in paddock nine, now hell's truth alone that opened another can of worms altogether. Really I wanted to jump the gun but I settled down to at least promise myself that I'd study these raptors when I had the chance.

I needed more information.

Technically I needed examples or more experiences to actually assume more about the siblings later on down the line. Did I feel terrified in handling raptors? Hell yes I'd be the first man to say that these animals completely were the last thing I'd ever get near. Even in the outside world I'd peg a guess to say that velociraptors were synonymous with danger. So my body wanted to pull an instinctive flight motive into an locked building without hesitation.

I gestured into the pen to the specific animal that tagged me as interesting. Barry kept his grin tamed to know he took my uneasiness seriously, "I know it's apart of the job interacting with the animals but I'm just scared shit less Barry. I never expected to deal with these animals and I haven't even gotten to the Tyrannosaur itself. So no ifs, thens or buts." Covering my mouth with a palm did little to stop the sweat dripping down my skin. Idly I had to place a hand over the race organ called a heart in order to slowly ease my blood pressure downwards. Plus it really didn't help as Owen started to direct the small pack of animals into a generalized direction without having them expose their teeth.

God damn it I cringed once the feeder mice were thrown to have their bodies crunched into pieces.

Barry kept a firm grip on my shoulder when he reassured me calmly, "You're nervous and it's understandable when with dealing animals as dangerous as the girls are Mark. But once you start to get a hands on experience to feel them under your fingers. Hell I bet you'll be seeing them in a different light and you'll learn along with us." I remained silent to watch the mounting aggression inside the pen and two of the raptors were loudly trying to snap at each other. Only the larger blue one kept them in line as they backed down whenever Owen gave a verbal command to move to a direction.

A lot of rats were tossed as I noted grimly.

"The more they listen to him then the more they get to eat and sleep it off."

Hopefully it all indicated a positive sign.

"Sounds about right!" Nervously brushing my hair back I replied with a weak grin, "Thanks a lot man! It's a lot to take in once you realize what you're about to step into, so my stomach is twisting uneasily Barry."

At this point Owen gave a firm if not downright loud verbal command to halt in the center of the paddock itself. I watched to see the large blue raptor follow my mentor's movements in a way Donny tried to grab my attention. It seemed that one of them truly enjoyed the time being spent between imprinted parental figures if I guess correctly. Obviously the guy had to have these things hatched at a young age to build a working bond with the raptor squad. This concept wasn't exactly foreign to me since it really applied to puppies, kittens or any young baby animal if they had no biological parents to look after them.

But the sooner I started working then the better.

"Come on you coward! Don't start to shit your own pants when you can handle Rosa Mosa's show and the Indominus siblings already." I looked down into the pens again to someone find a silver of confidence to take on this latest challenge. "So watching raptors will be an easy job. Take it easy Mark, take it easy. Just follow everyone who will show you to learn the ropes as always"

I noticed majority of the handlers were on the opposite side of the pen leaving only Barry and myself alone which was odd. I blinked owlishly to see a dozen or so grown men shifting nervously as if something got them stirred up. Owen gave a the clicker in his palm a few more beats before slamming his hand down to have the raptors screech excitedly to have a sprinting race of sorts. It seemed that the first of many pig runs were finished yet I had a suspicious tingle in the back of my skull to wonder if the elder man had a grasp on the raptors themselves.

Not to mention my lips were somewhat dry when I looked around to see the pathways all clear of any human presences. Absently I felt Barry give my shoulder one more firm shake before walking along the pathway to meet Owen up head for a bit. Looking down to the water I uncapped it and continued to drink it down to ward off the heat again.

However once my eyes met the grounds inside the massive holding pen.

My unfortunate familiar friend came back to find me again.

"Back already?"

Those two words were spoken a bit more confidently on my part to that same raptor who immediately came running up to stare at me expectantly. It's tail swayed somewhat eagerly to my understanding as I shook my head at the sudden pressure. "Okay. Let's try small and see if things go wonderfully swell from there." That lamented thought process managed to get myself pumped as the last of the water drained into my throat. Since no one was around me to over hear what I was saying, I'd figure to at least try to see if vocal tones did the trick.

It had worked for Ivy and Donny so far.

But this animal wasn't so small.

I lost all momentum while giving off a sarcastic laugh.

"You know what? Really I get the feeling you want to eat me." Sadly a frown became all the more evident as the animal below me chirped loudly in response to the consistency of my voice. Both forearms were clawing at the ground briefly as it's tail swung all the more excitedly, "Yup. You really want to kill me before possibly to eat me alive, so yeah. I'm already calling it." That grim resigned tone must have made the animal more eager to inspect me. The raptor backed up snapping it's jaws to give off an eager trilling growl of sorts.

My blood froze in what came next due to that vocalization.

All three raptors lightly ran over to form a loose ring.

I couldn't believe to see four animals stare up at me in eerily similar manners to the first one. I swore if I'd ever have to get a hand's on approach, "Oh dear god. What the hell did I do now to trigger this kind of group effort?" Mentally praying to god I'd bet I would lose both limbs to curious taste buds inside these raptors literally. Still I held my ground against all four pairs of eyes staring up at me as that original raptor over eagerly stared to snap its jaws at the others if they tried to get closer towards my position.

Oddly enough I considered it first dibs to tear into me.

"Man oh man I swear my girls are going to be all over you Mark. What did you do to get them all riled up?" Owen's voice alone both relieved me and utterly made my fears doubled. He stood next to me leaning onto the railing with an arm pressed onto the bars. For a split second I kept my mouth shut due to the fact I witnessed the small pack of large predators start to perk up at my mentor.

His presence almost got them even more exuberant.

"How should I know? That green one hasn't stopped following me," I gestured to the said animal as it snapped at it's counterparts. Only the large blue one stayed back overlooking the three in a sharpened manner, "Apart from that it made some sounds when I told it go away and now all four are here ready to take turns tearing into me given the chance. Christ in heaven so do you care to share some light onto this mystery Owen?"

He started to laugh loudly as if my nervousness was too much of a joke to pass up.

God damn it I wanted to punch the man in the balls for finding my wound be terrors to be laughable. These animals were like some gentle things at a damned petting zoo for the love of all that was holy! Did he expect me to ignore them like it was nothing? Having animals overly eager into anyone signaled a bad sign in my experience because it led to biting. A lot of biting and plenty of skittish actions to warrant my safety into the future.

Owen's laughter hadn't let up.

And I finally snapped!

My voice rose up to sharply threaten him, "Do you want me to throw you in there? I bet I can lift your fat ass."

Eventually my mentor grinned cheekily as I twitched angrily in response, "You checking out men's asses? Shit no wonder nothing happened between you and your friends. Didn't know you went for the other team Mark." He chuckled a few more times as my glare could have burned a hole in his face. I came so close to deck him in the jaw and put him on the ground for the bull shit he'd make me endure. Plus feeling the blood rush to my face as the snicking started over to my right side didn't do him any damned favors.

Thankfully he waved a hand to ease my anger within.

"Relax."

He told me all too easily, "You got nothing to be worried about when it comes down to my girls." I wasn't convinced much to inward growing emotion called annoyance as Owen explained smirking a bit, "I'm somewhat surprised they picked up on you already Mark, but it's expected. I mean you're technically new here, so to them you're different and the new scent always gets them interested for a little while."

My facial expression remained tense regardless.

Owen gestured to the predatory dinosaur that initially followed me, I picked up on the names right away to identify them. "The one that's got you pegged is Charlie. She's the youngest one of the bunch yet it's a first time she's taken an interest in a handler. Barry's only the other person, besides yours truly, they all crowd around to fight for attention." I raised an eyebrow because that was the last thing I'd ever give these dangerous predators already. I kept my mouth shut when my mentor kept on going as if enjoying the explanations.

I knew he liked it when someone listened to him about a job.

"You got baby Charlie whose green then you got Echo and Delta who are partners in crimes. I recommend you don't turn your back to either one." He laughed lightly while warning me a bit playfully as I nodded taking in the information, "That big one in the back is the beta, she's the eldest and largest. Her name is Blue by the way and I am the Alpha." At the mention of said name that animal muscled it's way to the forefront to stare up at Owen clearly eager to listen to the man. He gave a casual whistle followed by a hand motion to make the raptor chirp excitedly.

She stepped back as Owen called down to them as they all perked up.

His arm gripped my shoulder to shake me roughly, "Eyes up! Girls meet Mark, Mark meet the girls." All the creatures rose their heads up at the verbal command, I winced as the man's enthusiasm made my ears ring badly. "He'll be hanging out with Barry and I. Blue you keep the peace!" Of course I bet that I knew the animals didn't technically understand the words yet the names alone made the raptors almost energetic as Owen mentioned them while gesturing to my stiffened form. It almost seemed too surreal to see these predators eager to listen to this man.

I bit down on my tongue to stop a snarling urge to get away.

My newly acquainted interest snapped her jaws together as Owen mentioned her name, "Charlie you get along with your new friend and knock that shit off." Holy god my face turned paler then a corpse when I got a eyeful of those razor sharpened teeth. I'd take a wild guess to assume my imagination wanted to die off somewhere.

But that wasn't the worst.

It started when Owen waved over Barry who shook his head laughing. I swore the look in the elder handler's eyes were completely innocent yet I told myself to fuck off. They were looking at each other as if they knew what was coming next, "So Mark you ready for a real hands on experience with your new friends? Barry's going to teach you the ropes and I'm fairly sure that Charlie's going to play nice since we're about to find out."

I rasped out a single word because I thought I misheard him.

"What?"

That smile appeared next came all too innocently placed.

"Welcome to raptor schooling One O One."

Oh crap.

It was too late that I wished I'd never had accepted to come here now.

"No way in hell."

Those were the words that kept me rigidly in place as Barry casually started to lock the raptors into predetermined positions so their skulls were able to touched. I could practically feel every pair of eyes stare at me every few moments, I needed a literal chill pill to stop the anxiety from crushing whatever sanity I had left. Owen had almost dragged me towards a separate part of the pens in where an interacting holding area could be used for handlers to get a hands on experience for the animals which willingly moved into somehow.

Occasionally a few loud growls were breaking the eased tension with little problem.

"Mark just relax, I can assure you my girls aren't going to do anything to you at all. Hell it's like you think they're going to bite a hand off you or something." I shut my eyes as Owen cheekily commented from behind the bars on the outside of the interior pen. Praying mentally while picturing someone slugging the guy in the jaw, I somehow managed to gesture to the four predators within an arms length of my flesh.

It took a lot out of me to keep my voice leveled.

"I have no experience in handling animals of this size Owen. Christ above I don't even know much about velociraptors in general! Cut me some slack." Here I bitterly reminded the man about these animals and my lack of understanding them. However he shrugged a bit helplessly at the facts given out. He tried in his own way to reassure me which wasn't very good, "Well best way to learn as I was told is to get a hands on experience. I'd say it worked or basically it's really a sink and swim approach if I can understand it clearly."

I looked over my shoulder to stare the guy right in eye.

"Please tell me you're just lying."

That question got Owen grinning a bit entertained at my pale face.

He elaborated a bit on some of his origins involving this species of predatory dinosaur, "Now Mark if you went through what I had to do in learning about raptors and raising them once they hatched, oh boy I'd say you're getting it easy right now. Trust me at least you have the best safety measures in place, so wait a minute..." I nearly interrupted the man yet he snapped his fingers to tell me to wait, "Plus on top of that you have myself and Barry, I can say we're the best men who are used to the girls on this island. All in all you're as safe as you can get in this job."

The man's conviction in his experience, or confidence in myself hadn't faltered even once when he told me straight out about the dangers. He knew very well apparently and Barry wasn't a slouch to disregard it. In fact the said person smiled a bit amused at my skittish attitude really. So combined that with the truth in having the raptors locked down, I'd have to swallow that fear to do something productive to work alongside the few of my friends on this island. As much as it scared the living crap out of me.

I had to step up again to work with animals that required everyone to start from scratch.

But sure enough I looked away completely uneasy with it all.

"I'm scared guys, I can't get around it." Both men smiled knowing that I'd step up again to take the challenge because my mentor reached through the metallic bars. He gave me a very firm grasp on my arm, "You don't think that Barry or I had similar emotions Mark? All animals are scary but if you earn their trust and you earn their respect, I can assure you that it's an amazing experience to work alongside them every day. Trust me when I say there's no better place then bonding with velociraptors who watch your back just as you watch their own."

Why in god's name did I feel inspired to smile at the man's words?

More so Barry came up patting me on the back, "The crazy white man isn't lying to you Mark. I'll help you in making one of the girls warm up to you. So take a breath and take it one step at a step." He advised me all too gently as I shrugged a bit resigned in knowing I couldn't back off. As much as it sucked to see an animal reaching up to my chest possibly kill me or tear me up, I had to contend with the fact about the Indominus siblings back home.

If I couldn't handle animals as large as the raptors?

Then what would happen in the future?

Truly it hurt knowing I had to risk my life sooner or later on this job. Plus at least I'd had the choice to deal with it sooner now. Not to mention because this job would be one hell of a dangerous health hazard down the line, "Oh crap! Ivy and Donny are going to be huge as adults man! Just fucking man up Marcus, you just gotta man up and do what you can. It's the best thing you can do right now and Owen's right. You're not in the pen with them alone, so I can do this! I can do it!" Slowly calming down my raging heart I managed to finally get a grip on my own nerves.

My eyes reflected that courage as both men were clearly enjoying the emotional turnaround on my part.

"Alright."

Trying to gauge a guess on what was a good start, I finally warmed up to the idea of getting a hands on experience. So taking a shot in the dark I based an idea on what I did to Ivy and Donny, I mean it wouldn't hurt to talk to an animal. As long as it didn't get snippy, "What do I do first? Want me to sit next to the one whose overly eager and just talk for a bit?" That suggestion made Barry agree almost shocked at my bold attempt to get face to face with the animals. Even Owen had to raise an eyebrow yet he gave a go-ahead nod to the man inside the pen with me.

Barry's accent definitely got me to perk up, "Charlie. She's the eager one Mark and yes, I'd say it's a good start. It works on Delta when she settles down as I starting speaking to her." I blinked a bit to understand but Owen gave his two cents to make the man roll his eyes, "Just because I have to use double stuffed Oreos doesn't make you special. Blue loves it when she and I bond together." I raised an eyebrow at the junk food because I knew for sure it wouldn't be healthy to feed any dinosaur a modern snack food.

"When you find your boot Owen, I'll believe you." He snickered to make my mentor blatantly raise his middle finger though the insult was lost when as they both laughed. My confusion didn't even come close to what, or even how the hell his boots and stuffed Oreos ever came together involving these animals. I chalked it up as an inside joke between them and called it a day at that.

Thankfully enough I waited patiently for them to explain how to handle an actual velociraptor.

"Damn! Good times man, good times." Eventually Owen stopped to laugh a bit yet he didn't forget my own inexperience's to these animals. As much he looked to me with an innocent smile, "Mark the big problem you have is actually making sure Charlie likes you without finding you appetizing."

And just like that.

I wanted to punch him in the face again.

"How?"

That question made the two look to the said animal who kept snorting as if her name being spoken made it exciting. Honestly I recognized an attention whore all too easily based on how Ivy and Donny acted around me consistently. Considering I formed a legitimate guess on a raptor's behavior signs, I'd say it made me feel a bit more confident.

Barry carried over a small stool of sorts as it folded into a sturdy support for a person to sit. He gestured me to follow as we brushed past the entire pack of raptors which were eagerly following us based on their eyes. Occasionally one growled almost in a whining fashion as I followed the elder handler with a nervous expression, I guess it came down to a sink or swim approach. We literally came to stand on both sides of the raptor they called Charlie. Again the raptors all growled in similar fashions as Barry told me swiftly, "Mark just sit down and start talking to her. If she makes any deeper or high pitched snarling then I'm afraid she's curious with her stomach. Trust me that Delta already does something similar."

I took his word for it without a problem.

Still I pointed to animal in question, "Do they give off any aggressive calls Barry? Like say if they found me to a threat, or a danger would they go off?" That question made man smile a bit reassuringly at my uneasy words, "Yes they do but you wouldn't be a danger. They'd have already started communicating to each other whenever they catch a scent that makes them anxious." I took in that information knowing that made me feel a bit easier but it scared me. They didn't think of me as a threat and as such they wouldn't back down in a hypothetical scenario in my mind's eye.

I got pulled from my thought as Barry poked me in the chest.

"Mark I know you're nervous and it's fine. But again take my word for it, Owen and I have seen them react to a danger already. You'll see it too eventually yet right now they are..." He paused to find a word to make it sound exhilarating or it's what it seemed to me really. Barry continued after a moment, "...they're curious to smell, or see someone and anything new. Whenever raptors find anything interesting they will take their own time to understand it, or possibly inspect it. We've done this when they first hatched and soon enough if they understand, they get used too it."

At this point I leaned against the bars to cross my arms as the occasional raptor gave a chirp or a growl at the sound of our voices. Interestingly enough all the reptilian slit eyes were orientating between Owen on the outside pen then onto Barry and myself. It really struck me as a familiar feeling when I dealt with the Indominus siblings all too strangely compared to these animals. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Ivy and Donny acted close to these raptors based on my limited experiences.

"I guess I should stop delaying myself."

That final resignation forced me to stare down at the animal that barely came up to my mid chest. I noted the raptors eyes were clearly fixed on me which wasn't too awkward. Barry got the hint as he slapped me on the shoulder before going towards Delta who seemingly whined for the man's attention. Again it struck me as a familiar attitude when Donny wanted the attention and it boosted my resolve to know this wasn't completely strange. In fact I'd say it tuned down my nerves a bit more to make it all bearable somehow.

I took a deep lungful of air in order to get myself to sit down.

Maybe I considered it insane but here I was literally face to face with the most dangerous animal in Jurassic World. Rubbing the exterior edges around my hands, I managed to look up right into the eye of the predator herself. Ideally I noticed how intently it stared at me as if trying to figure out what I was or rather why it found me intriguing.

At least the raptor herself didn't even snarl as I sat staring at her silently as well.

"You know I really don't get it."

That reptilian slit of an eye blinked as I spoke up finally.

"I expected to come down here and help Owen with something easy. Well it's official since I'm never making that assumption ever again." I said to the animal completely defeated as the responsibilities kept on piling up for myself to handle. Going from a paddock manager to a Jurassic World poster boy and now the latest as a Velociraptor trainer took the cake. The only reason why I talked to the raptor named Charlie because I was finally fed up with the curve balls that this place gave off. So I figured go all in and take my time to explain problems that I explained to Ivy and Donny.

Ironically enough I talked to dinosaurs more about my problems then I'd ever say to any person at all.

"So Charlie?" I prodded rhetorically as the raptor snorted loudly, I gave a smile that tried to be optimistic. I raised my palm to have it exposed to the large slit eye, I noted that Charlie herself shifted to inspect the limb. Ignoring the sweat on my neck I continued onwards, "I'm not going to do anything without trying to show you first. I mean I'm scared of you but hey, I guess we all got to deal with fears sooner then later. Right?"

All I got for my efforts was a raptor's silence.

"Oh great start genius."

Figuring to ward off the internal pressure of somehow trying to tell an animal that I wasn't going to hurt it my hands came to settle on my legs. If I wanted to test that insane theory that Ivy and Donny having similar reactions to when I first encountered them, I had to do it just like then. My hands came to expose their palms as I waited for the animal to get full on view of my movements. Surprisingly I kept on talking to the large slit of an eye as it blinked owlishly, "I don't want to imagine how big you guys are supposed to be because if you the smallest, well I doubt I'd be able to stop you from cutting me open you know? Having fingers doesn't do anyone any good against teeth like yours."

I gestured to the said jaws which hadn't parted much to my silent relief, I'd say the animal was more curious to hear me speak. Ivy held a similar reaction when she tried to ignore my voice yet her gaze always kept me in a visual range. Humming thoughtfully I wanted to avoid straight out touching the raptor's hide because I didn't know how would she react. It wasn't like a hatchling as with the Indominus siblings who fist saw me when they entered the world. Charlie on the other hand from what I gathered wasn't in the same circumstances as my two little ones.

But my luck played out.

Much to my utter shock when I had hummed loudly the raptor chirped!

My eyes were staring wide eyed at the animal as it started to let out a small guttural call. A bit unsure I hummed again a bit more drawn out as if the sound itself were a bit wary. That slit eye blinked to snort almost loudly as several other raptors on the other side let out similar calls. Now fully curious I decided to do something a little radically insane yet it don't bother me as much as I thought.

"Let's see if sound can work then you can work your way around into telling their body language works as well. Visually I know she can see my hands, but what if I do this? Is she smart enough to tell a difference between a friendly gesture and a potentially hostile action? Okay, I think I can try to work this out. So give it a shot man!"

Inhaling deeply I just snorted loudly to have the exhaled air brush over the animals snout, I wanted to see if she responded in any way possible. Hopefully it wouldn't trigger anything to indicate a negative response to my approach. I waited for a moment as the animal's eye locked onto me when I snorted again a bit more quickly.

Charlie crooned loudly as I got a blast of hot air smashing into my face.

And for love of Christ.

I nearly gagged at the smell.

"Holy hell! You need a breath mint."

I started coughing while waving my hand in front of my nose to disperse the rotten meat smell. Much to my shock the raptor itself growled loudly in response as I gave that slit eye a dull glare. It briefly adjusted it's gaze before the chirps and croons were being echoed by her sisters. My ears rang a little as they started to get a bit more lively. Plus I adjusted my cap to speak a bit annoyed, "Aren't you the funny one? Maybe I should stuff a giant brush down your throat and have you smell like strawberry fruit cakes!"

Again another owlish blink made my own confidence grow a bit.

"You know if I come down here more often then you and I..." I pointed directly at that reptilian slit with a bemused tone, "...we're not going to be doing this so I assure you Charlie. You blow stuff in my face and I'm going to do it right back!" I warned her as the animal growled lightly when I went through on my threat. I inhaled deeply to blow right back a cooler breeze to make the eye close reflexively yet the chirping only grew more intense. Hell the animal started to part its jaws to make a low toned crooning to make the other raptors react in similar manners.

I think I finally understood what the interest they had or so I hoped.

They were being playful?

"You just want to play don't you?" I questioned a bit happily as the animal didn't react to my warmer tone. However I saw the jaws part to let out a low crooning tone and I raised an eyebrow to talk to her again, I knew that gesture! Hand down I knew what she'd have done if the locks in place hadn't been there and this raptor held a very similar reaction to the Indominus siblings. "Oh yeah. You really do remind me of two small ones that do the same thing when I rough house with them. So I'll be damned."

Now I couldn't help but laugh loudly as tears came to my eyes because it was so damned funny to see a larger version of Ivy and Donny. They'd get larger for sure and if I could somehow get the experience to predict their body language using raptors as a base then I'd be more confident to stick around. Hell this made my day as I kept on laughing even when all the raptors went silent for a moment. Somehow calming down I managed to look over once the silence finally dug into my brain for an explanation as to why.

It seemed I drew a crowd.

"Whoa."

Barry and Owen were against the bars of the pen watching my work almost interestingly at how the raptors were reacting. Both handlers were nodding faintly while giving me smiles that indicated an impressed response to what I'd just did. My mentor's eyes were intensively going between my sitting form and Charlie then onto the rest of his girls. He grinned almost absolutely happily to witness something extraordinary if I had to guess the intentions alone. More so I looked over beyond them to see another peculiar sight to make my heart drop.

A vehicle had pulled up.

An In-Gen marked vehicle to be specific.

I suppressed an urge to scowl angrily at the recognized faded white logo on it's driver's door.

The windows were darkly tinted to the point where I couldn't see into interior at all and it really didn't make feel good to not know anything. I swore people were inside since it had armored bars on the windows and this thing looked worn out. Really worn out or heavily used if the paint had faded into a darkened greenish coloration that held camouflage patterns. All in all the model struck me really out of place compared to the more stream lined ones I've seen in the park. This thing looked older but the spot lights on the roof were clearly cleaned to be used.

The passenger door opened on opposite side to reveal Vic Hoskins of all people.

"Grady! We need to talk like now!"

Even his voice made my teeth gnash together as phantom pains in where my skin got torn came back in full force. Unfortunately my knuckles pressed themselves together to have whitened skin indicate the pressure as I watched person being called out roll his eyes. Barry nodded almost tiredly as the two separated yet that wasn't the most odd thing to happen as I noted. Despite the moment I started to hear a low growling of sorts that grew into a heated snarling.

"What the hell?"

Immediately Charlie literally started snarling so angrily at the sight of the man waving Owen over, I nearly swore out loud. Without even realizing it I spoke up quickly trying to placate the ever aggressive predator. Digging mentally for the strength that I put up with the Indominus siblings, I whispered gently into what I assumed to be the raptor's ears, "Hey, hey, hey. Easy girl, Charlie take it easy. It's okay! It's alright. Owen's fine and he's not going to be hurt."

Without even hesitating my hand started to rub the lower portion of the raptor's neck and I realized what I had just done.

"Don't flinch! Don't flinch! You keep going to stop them from being worked up and do not hesitate to calm her down. Just like any other animal if they get anxious they'll look for something to take it out on if it's a quick movement. Dogs, cats and even Ivy do the same thing Marcus. Don't hesitate or you know things will just get worse, so keep it together man!"

Yet I followed up on doing the right thing.

I slowly started to make small circular motions on the smooth scales which were warm! I blinked shocked knowing I'd just crushed whatever small progress into a leap of faith to ease my fingers onto the tensing muscle groups which tried to open powerful jaws. Charlie snarled loudly at first before her eye looked up to my face as I kept scratching the underside of her neck just under her back part of the jaw. The scales or skin seemed to be more specifiable to be softened as I eased my way into a similar pattern that got the Indominus siblings to start dozing off for an afternoon nap.

Easing my jaw to the side of her skull I made the raptor croon ever so slowly.

Amazingly the animal leaned into the gentle admissions to ward off the rising aggression and aggravation altogether.

Trying to ignore the conversation that started to brew and I heard Hoskin's voice clear as day, I kept my voice the dominate sound over it all. I spoke clearly to have the animal's senses focused on my closer body, "It's okay Charlie, it's okay. I don't like him either so trust me on that, I know you're scared for Owen but it's alright. He'll be fine so relax." I traced a small bony ridge of the eye to have the slit stare up at me as I used both hands to keep the female velocirpator's growls to a bare minimal. She crooned lowly yet both jaws parted to make a small whining sound of sorts.

My heart pounded so hard within my chest I nearly gagged.

"Easy girl. Easy..." I trailed off softly as the familiarity to calm down a young female Indominus saved my courage, "That's a good girl. That's a very good girl you're being right now Charlie. You're not a bad girl but you're protective over Owen aren't you?" I playfully questioned even though the animal couldn't understand I maintained the easy going demeanor to keep her placated. Somehow through all my luck and shots in the dark I got a bulls eye to keep an aggressive predator content to just issue lowly growls.

I considered it a good sign mainly.

My eyes looked up to see a window barely rolling up as I narrowed my eyes when I caught the interior of the In-Gen vehicle. Owen had gotten into the vehicle's passenger door while Vic got into the back seat as well. Absently hands trailed down the lower jaws of the predatory dinosaur yet I had a cold feeling wash up my back regardless of how hot it was outside today. Something really didn't seem right when I frowned intently as the vehicle started up with a decent engine rumbling to life. Whatever Owen had to talk about with Vic Hoskins I really didn't want to know what.

The In-Gen vehicle remained in an idle gear for a moment.

"And here I thought Delta loved being pampered. You're a crazy person Mark just like Owen sometimes." Barry came up to kneel next to me as I nearly jolted at the sudden appearance of the man. He had a hand on my shoulder completely proud to see the youngest raptor staring to doze off due to my actions. Ignoring the compliment I focused on doing predetermined motions that became a pattern involving both hands to make the raptor less likely to get aggravated at a certain someone's presence beyond the interior pen.

Sweat dropped down my neck to dampen my shirt line unfortunately due to the heat.

"I just reacted all of a sudden Barry. It's nothing to be impressed about really."

I tried to be humble to the man who shook his head smiling all the more amused. I didn't understand why except his next words struck me pretty hard, "You're the third person these girls have ever allowed anyone to touch them. Any other handler would have been losing an arm if they tried to touch these raptors Mark so you did do something incredible." No matter where I went praises always rubbed me the wrong way as I wanted to resist to say it wasn't incredible to calm down an animal. I wanted to ignore being angered and doing my job kept me focused on what had to be done.

I exhaled deeply while my own fingers made the young velociraptor leaned into my touch all the more visibly now.

Barry chuckled as Charlie crooned a bit more lowly, "You keep on doing that and she might fall asleep Mark. I might be jealous to have Delta do the same thing." The humor made me smile briefly once I heard the vehicle pull away down the road more. I briefly caught the tires moving towards another part of the site that housed the pens and other buildings involving storage of sorts. I really don't want to see that guy again because I'd fluently tell him off next time.

I may not hate In-Gen completely.

But that man earned my top spot to say fuck off too.

"Barry?"

The man gave a humming acknowledgment as my stomach shifted into a familiar feeling as hunger overrode my will. Due to the quick and adrenaline like rushes to keep this animal calmed down I'd felt the lack of any energy inside to keep me going. However I couldn't explain the feeling in knowing I had conquroed a terror inside me that was justified. Hell I took a large breath to ward off the nerves which were starting to make my arms tremble but I managed to ask a simple question. Hunger did many things to a person yet for me I needed something to keep my stomach in check.

The smile that appeared thankfully hid the fading fear that seemingly got washed away with the words that came next.

"I think I might start to like this job."

I knew for a fact it sounded crazy.

But honestly?

It felt like the right thing to say.

End Chapter Eleven

Author's Note: Please Review! I do enjoy to read them a lot. So here we go as many have asked about the raptor squad and I have delivered to your questions as much as I could without getting unreal. I can say for certain that it's difficult trying to gauge an actual animal using fictional sources to make it believable. I might as well point some glaring holes that people will mention probably and it doesn't hurt to explain why.

How big are the Raptors?

Well we all know this is before the movie and these raptors are younger as well as smaller. But I did leave a few hints within to get a good guess but ultimately I skirted the issue because of a cliche attempt I might be using a time skip. It's not confirmed yet if you've read my previous stories then you know I hate having giant holes in a story. So details were key and a lot of effort was made to show you all how Marcus's friendship to the person who took him under his wing grows lead up into the movie itself.

I know people have asked me but is In-Gen the real villains in this story?

Again people have asked and I have to say not really. I mean it's no different from when people are overlooking a person at a job place and they want the results that are heavily pressured for workers to achieve. It's a slow process to get that type of thing and involving weaponizing animals it's damned near impossible to predict how smooth the process can go. Which all of this is from the movie as I've gotten in a clear 1080p format and I absolutely am trying to see exactly what the potential angle is for using Raptors/Indominus Rex's to be weapons.

But don't be worried about me procrastinating about this story's plot, or the movies own.

I mean I'm eager to see what happens next in Jurassic World 2.

Apart from that I'll let you readers determine what you think might happen, or could happen. I'm eager to hear the theories on certain subjects I refuse (I'm grinning like a bastard) to answer over a public setting. If you want to ask me specific questions, I'm open to PM's and just ready to bull shit around answers since I hate being a spoiler. All in all it's fun to write this story once I get the urge to do so, plus I can't go wrong with writing something that's inspired me since childhood to love a what-if take for prehistoric animals.

So until next the chapter, I hope you all enjoyed reading.

Oh if you recognize the Oreo and Boot references, again I have to say it still makes me laugh to this day when I read it in the story you all know. I offer nothing except for respect when I use it because it's too good, I find it hilarious yet if anyone has a problem with me using it. I'll edit it out on a future update since if some people get too angered by it.