Chapter Text
“No…” Darius whispered to himself. His eyes widened in horror.
He was too late.
As Darius watched in helpless silence, Kenji handed the computer over to Hawkes, the man who had been in charge of Brooklyn’s captivity for far too long.
Instead of giving the girl back to the other camper, Hawkes let her go to have enough leverage to raise the butt of his gun and hit her head. Knocking her out.
The campers gasped in horror as Brooklyn’s body fell limp and onto the grass, Kenji too stunned to move to catch her.
Hawkes chuckled, hooking the computer to the side of his body and picked the pink-haired girls body and threw it over his shoulder. The doctor, now colored pale just stood and watched as the man passes him and buckles her into a seat in the helicopter.
Brooklyn’s limp body was in the corner, eyes closed, unconscious. She had been taken. Darius’s mind raced—he had been too slow to get there. The plan, the hope of getting her out, was falling apart before his eyes.
Kenji, finally out of his trance yelled, “No!”, rushing forward. His voice cracked with desperation. He grabbed for the mercenary, but Hawkes wasn’t about to let that happen. The man moved like a shadow, faster than Darius could have imagined.
With a swift motion, Hawkes drew his stun gun. A flash of blue light, and Kenji dropped like a ragdoll.
Darius’s breath hitched. Sammy’s hand reached out, gripping his arm tightly as they both watched the scene unfold, the faintest whisper of the wind barely enough to mask the horror in their eyes. Yasmina crouched low beside him and looked just as terrified. Neither of them moved. They were frozen in place, watching as Kenji’s body lay still on the ground. The feeling of helplessness wrapped around Darius like a suffocating cloak.
Ben—he was out there. Darius could only pray that Ben and the ankylosaurus would be able to keep moving, to keep pushing forward. The last hope they had was the large herd of ankylosaurs. But even that was fading.
Ben, no longer willing to stand by, suddenly shouted. His voice carried with an intensity that shook the air. “Charge!” he screamed at the ankylosaurs. His words were full of fury and desperation. “Now! Move! Charge them!”
Bumpy and the jungle boy led the herd crying out angrily heading towards the adults, the herd of ankylosaurs, seemingly responding to Ben’s command, began to stampede forward, their heavy bodies thundering across the jungle floor. Darius’s heart skipped a beat. Could they do it? Would the ankylosaurs be enough to overwhelm the humans?
But as they came closer, Darius saw the cruel smile that twisted Hawkes’s face. It was a smile full of malice, one that sent a chill down his spine. With a sudden motion, Hawkes pulled out his stun gun again and began firing.
The first shot hit one of the ankylosaurs square in the chest. The beast staggered, let out a pained roar, and then crumpled to the ground, falling with a thunderous crash. Hawkes fired again, and another ankylosaur fell. Then another, and another. In rapid succession, five of the largest ankylosaurs in the herd dropped to the ground, each one hit by a precise stun dart.
Ben’s eyes widened in disbelief and rage. “No! Stop!” he screamed, but the ankylosaurs had already slowed their charge, frightened and confused by the sudden onslaught of pain. The herd, now turning in panic, scattered, and the remaining ankylosaurs fled in all directions.
Ben was on Bumpy, urging her forward to help lead the charge, but the sudden barrage of stun darts had spooked her. With a shrill cry, Bumpy veered off course, causing Ben to slide off her back and fall hard to the ground.
Before Ben could regain his footing, Hawkes was standing over him, the dark figure looming as he raised the stun gun. Ben barely had time to react before Hawkes swung the butt of the stun gun at him. The blow connected with a sickening thud, and Ben crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Darius’s heart raced as the ground trembled beneath them, the rumble of the ankylosaurus herd getting louder with every passing second. The massive creatures were charging, spooked by something—perhaps the unexpected noise from the helicopter or the heightened tension in the air. Whatever it was, they were now heading straight toward the trio, their heavy, armored bodies cutting through the grass like tanks.
He watched in stunned silence as Hawkes lifted both Kenji and Ben, one over each shoulder, in a matter of seconds, 3 of the campers were unconscious from the stun dart. Dr. Wu stood at the edge, observing the scene with a calculating expression, his mind working through the next steps of his plan.
Darius failed to hear and feel his friends shaking him.
"We need to move, NOW!" Yazmina shouted over the thundering noise of the approaching ankylosaurs.
Darius didn’t need any more encouragement. His feet were already moving, adrenaline surging through his veins. The grass was taller than usual, whipping at his legs as he tried to stay ahead of the herd, but the ankylosaurs were fast—much faster than he had ever imagined.
The helicopter blades whirred overhead, their deafening noise only adding to the chaos around them. Dr. Wu turned his gaze to Hawkes, his face pale as he spoke, “Did you have to knock them out?”
Hawkes gave a short laugh, a cold, detached sound. “I wouldn’t worry about that, Wu. They’ll be out for a while. When they wake up, they’ll understand exactly what’s happened.” He glanced over his shoulder, noticing the helicopter securing the last of the kids. “We’ve got what we needed plus more.”
“That was not the mission though! We have already completed it and now you placed a huge problem on us!” the doctor argued, “Now what do we do with these children? We of course can’t take them back to the States! People will start questioning! Then when the kids wake up, they’ll spill everything, and yours and my careers would be over!”
“But… if you think about it, they’re perfect for practice,”, the man countered.
Taken aback, Wu thought, he stood silently weighing his options.
Dr. Wu nodded, but there was a trace in his expression—a mix of intrigue and anticipation. “They are quite the perfect candidates… They’re not just any survivors. They’re perfect for what I’m trying to accomplish. This… could be the beginning of something truly groundbreaking.”
Hawkes raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re planning on using them?”
Dr. Wu’s lips curled into a thin, quiet line. “They’ll serve as the perfect test subjects. The Nublar Six were exposed to far more than anyone could have anticipated. Their resilience, their adaptability—it’s precisely what I need for the next step. Their experiences on the island make them prime candidates for my work.”
Hawkes crossed his arms, processing the information. “So... these kids are the first step in your new hybrid? Before the Indoraptor?”
“Exactly,” Dr. Wu said, his eyes lighting up with a rare excitement. “They will serve as the foundation for the project. I’ve learned from their survival instincts and their behavior. We’ll use them as templates, test subjects, ones that are controllable, and subservient to commands. Once I modify their genetic code and their mental states, and apply it to the indoraptor, we’ll have the perfect hybrid. Something far more reliable than the animals we’ve seen so far.”
Hawkes looked at Dr. Wu for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “So, you want the rest of them? The Nublar Six?”
“Indeed, I do, they will be isolated here,” Dr. Wu said, his tone becoming more clinical. “They’re too valuable as test subjects to be taken anywhere else. Their finding a way back to the States would only raise questions—too many people would start asking where they’ve been. But if we keep them on the island, out of sight, no one will even know they’re alive. We’ll be able to test and develop the next phase of the hybrid program right here. They’ll be safe from the world’s prying eyes while we continue the experiments.”
Hawkes smirked. “So they’re lab rats. You want to develop something you can control, but they’re still kids. How do you plan on keeping them under control?”
Dr. Wu’s smile widened. “That’s where their value lies. These kids have experienced far more than most adults could ever handle. The trauma, the survival skills—they’ll be easy to manipulate. I’ll use their experiences to create the perfect soldiers, hybrids that can follow commands—something far more efficient than the animals we’ve seen before.”
At that, Dr. Wu pulled out his phone, dialing a number. The call connected quickly, and Dr. Wu’s voice was smooth and confident as he spoke to the other end.
“Eli, it’s Wu,” he said, his tone businesslike. “I need confirmation to continue operations on Isla Nublar. I want to keep this facility running as a scientific hub, especially with the progress we’re making. The Nublar Six will be key to everything we’re about to do.”
Eli Mills’s voice came through on the other end, calm and composed. The sound was muffled to other attending ears, but with the doctor's pleased look growing on his face, everyone can assume that everything was going his way.
Dr. Wu glanced up at Hawkes, his expression a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. “We’re prepared. I’ll need the extra manpower. We’re moving up the timeline. It’s time to start prepping for the next phase. I’ll need full control over the facility by the end of the month.”
“Understood,” Eli Mills replied, his voice tinged with something almost approving. “Let’s get this done, then.”
Dr. Wu hung up, slipping the phone back into his pocket. He turned to Hawkes, his eyes gleaming with ambition.
“They’ll be ready,” Dr. Wu said softly. “And with them, we’ll create something truly remarkable. The Indoraptor will be the final step, but these children will help shape the future of my work.”
Darius’s heart raced as the ground trembled beneath them, the rumble of the ankylosaurus herd getting louder with every passing second. The massive creatures were charging, spooked by something—perhaps the unexpected noise from the helicopter or the heightened tension in the air. Whatever it was, they were now heading straight toward the trio, their heavy, armored bodies cutting through the grass like tanks.
"We need to move, NOW!" Yazmina shouted over the thundering noise of the approaching ankylosaurs.
Darius didn’t need any more encouragement. His feet were already moving, adrenaline surging through his veins. The grass was taller than usual, whipping at his legs as he tried to stay ahead of the herd, but the ankylosaurs were fast—much faster than he had ever imagined.
"Sammy, stay close!" Yazmina called, glancing over her shoulder at her. Sammy was just a few paces behind, her face flushed with fear, but her legs moving as fast as they could.
“I’m right here!” Sammy shouted back, barely keeping pace with Yazmina’s longer strides. The fear was evident in her voice, but she pushed herself to keep up.
Darius's mind raced, trying to find any path that would lead them to safety, but the grasslands were vast, and there was no sign of cover—no trees to hide behind, no rocks to shelter them from the stampede. The ankylosaur herd was closing in fast, their low, bellowing roars filling the air as they charged.
“Get left! Go left, now!” Yazmina barked, steering them toward a slight dip in the terrain. It was the only chance they had to get out of the direct path of the ankylosaurs.
They veered to the left, the tall grasses brushing against their legs, but Darius’s thoughts kept drifting back to the events that had just unfolded—the helicopter, the capture of Kenji, Ben, and Brooklyn. It was happening too fast, and the weight of their friends’ absence threatened to crush him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their escape was only temporary. There had to be a way to get back to them, to stop what was happening.
“Yaz, we—” Darius started, but she interrupted him with a sharp look.
"Focus! Get us out of here first!"
Darius nodded, clenching his fists as they ran. The ankylosaurs were getting closer—he could hear the clatter of their bony plates scraping against each other, the sound growing louder with every step.
"Move, move!" Yazmina shouted again, pushing them forward. She knew they couldn’t outrun the herd forever.
Suddenly, a massive shadow appeared ahead of them. Darius skidded to a stop, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he saw an ankylosaurus blocking their path. The creature was massive, its spiked club of a tail swinging dangerously as it neared. It was still spooked.
The ankylosaur in front of them wasn’t the only one. Several more had broken away from the main group, flanking them from the sides. The herd was surrounding them.
“We’ve got to find higher ground!” Sammy shouted, panic rising in her voice.
Yazmina shot a sharp glance at her. "We don’t have time for that. We move low. Stay down!"
The ground seemed to shake beneath them as the herd rumbled through the grass. Darius could hear the thrashing of tails and the heavy thud of feet on the earth, the ankylosaurs moving with alarming speed. He could feel the breath of one of the creatures on his neck, its heavy body brushing against the grass just a few feet away.
Yazmina looked up, spotting a narrow gap in the formation of ankylosaurs. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
“Through there!” she barked, pointing to the opening. “On three—one, two—”
Before she could finish, a massive ankylosaurus swung its tail, causing a gust of wind to push them back. The tail didn’t hit them, but the force was enough to stagger them, and the ground beneath them seemed to vibrate with the sheer power of the creature's movements.
“Yaz, go!” Darius shouted, his voice urgent.
Without hesitation, Yazmina surged forward, slithering between the massive bodies of the ankylosaurs. Sammy followed close behind, but Darius could hear the distant screeching of the herd as they turned and charged again.
They weren’t out of danger yet.
Darius pushed forward, his heart racing as they neared the gap Yazmina had found. The ankylosaurs were closing in from all sides, and there was no way they’d outrun them now. He had to get them out. Had to.
“Come on!” Yazmina shouted again, her voice barely audible over the rumble of the herd.
With every muscle in his body screaming, Darius dove forward, barely making it through the gap just as the ankylosaurs closed in behind them.
They were free—at least for now.
The trio skidded to a stop, and ducked behind a large boulder, panting heavily, eyes darting back toward the herd. The ankylosaurs seemed to slow, but their ominous growls and the dust they kicked up still hung in the air. Darius looked at Yazmina, who had a hard edge to her expression.
"We need to keep moving," Yazmina said, her voice steady but tight. "That was too close."
"Yeah," Darius agreed, looking back at the herd, his mind still racing with questions about what was happening to their friends. "We can’t stop yet. We need to regroup and plan."
Sammy’s voice trembled as she asked, "Do you think they’re okay? Kenji, Ben, Brooklyn…?"
Yazmina gave her a look, her face unreadable. “We can’t afford to think about that right now. We need to survive, get back to camp, and figure out what to do next.”
Darius nodded, but doubt lingered in his mind. He wasn’t sure what next even looked like anymore.
“Maybe they’re taking them somewhere off the island… back to the States! We could meet them there, let’s get on the boat and meet them there!” Sammy cried out, her voice desperate.
But Yazmina’s response was cold, her face set in a grim expression. “Wait, no. No, Wu wouldn’t let that happen. Not with what we’ve seen.”
The two girls looked at him. At that moment, Darius could feel all the confidence in him drain away. He sank to his knees, staring at the ground, feeling like the weight of the world had fallen on his shoulders.
“There—There has to be a plan. Right, Darius?” Sammy asked quietly, her voice filled with uncertainty. She reached out, taking his trembling hand in hers.
“I—I don’t know… I’m. I… I can’t think right now. So much just happened…” he whispered, feeling his heart heavy with dread.
Yazmina placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch firm but comforting. “Let’s just head back to camp. I’m sure the others will be fine. They’re just knocked out.”
“But—” Darius began to protest, but Yazmina interrupted him.
“But what can we do? We need to regroup and rethink this. Plus, we’ve been running all day. They can’t hold more than five people in that helicopter anyway. They also need to figure out what to do with the extra people.” She stood up, looking down at him with a steely resolve. “So let’s just head back to camp and figure this out later.”
Darius, feeling her warmth and resolve, grasped her hand. They smiled at each other, a brief moment of reassurance in the storm of emotions swirling around them. Everything would be fine, he thought. There were flaws in their plan, but there were also new problems for their enemies.
But just as he stood, he felt himself suddenly pulled down. Yasmina, who had been standing just behind him, had collapsed and fallen right on top of him.
“What the—” Darius gasped.
Sammy shrieked, rushing forward to pull Yaz into her lap. “Yaz, wake up!”
Yazmina’s body was limp, her face pale. Sammy shook her, desperately tapping her cheek, calling her name over and over in a panic. “Yasmina! Wake up! Please!”
Darius’s gaze flicked to Yazmina’s shoulder, and his breath caught. There, embedded in her skin, was a small dart—black and metallic, glinting under the dimming sunlight. A stun dart.
His eyes widened in horror. “No…”
Sammy, noticing it at the same time, gasped. She flicked her head around, looking up at the sky in confusion. “Ah! How did that? Where—?”
Before Darius could respond, he heard the distant whir of a helicopter.
The sound was growing louder. They were coming.They couldn’t hear them before due to panicked breathes of the campers plus the cries of the frightened dinos.
A shadow loomed overhead, all they could see was a figure hanging out of the helicopter with that very same stun gun in his hand. Darius stood frozen, his chest tight with panic.
Sammy's eyes filled with tears as she looked on, hugging her best friend’s limp body for reassurance. Neither of them could speak. They were trapped—helpless to do anything. The next thing they knew, everything went black.