#jurassi

           Unlike last time, Maisie kept her heart steady. It wasn’t an easy feat for a terrified little girl, but she knew if the machine started to beep erratically, the scientist-doctors would come back.

           She shifted her arm and felt the pinch of a needle. A thick, red liquid flowed into her arm. She knew for sure that she was on the receiving end this time. She didn’t know how, but she could just tell.

           What are they doing to me? She muttered to herself. Why did I need more blood?

           Maisie searched the bag for answers, but she moved too far and the needle came loose. A frantic alarm sounded and within seconds she was surrounded by nurses in white coats.

           “We need the transfusion to complete,” one said, re-inserting the needle. “We don’t have much time left.”

           A familiar voice responded, but she couldn’t quite place him. “We’ll get it done. Tomorrow, Owen and Claire will bring us Blue, and we’ll send them on a wild goose chase for Maisie. It’ll buy us enough time.”

           At the mention of her parents, Maisie began to cry. Were they even looking for her? She knew they had to be. They wouldn’t leave her in the cold, windowless room forever. What was taking so long, though? Why did the crazy scientist want Blue? Would Owen really give up his beloved dinosaur to find Maisie?

           The little girl knew he would. Owen loved her. But Maisie also knew that Owen would do whatever it took to save both her and Blue. She only hoped he could come up with a plan soon.

           A dark-skinned nurse towered over Maisie with a strange-looking smile. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but we need you to sleep just a while longer. Soon it’ll all make sense.”

           Maisie doubted it would ever make sense, but she couldn’t fight the anesthesia being pumped into her veins. The only comfort as she fell asleep was that Owen and Claire were searching for Blue, which meant they would be searching for Maisie, too. She was sure that her parents would find her, she just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

***

           Claire struggled to keep up with the two-legged carnivore. Over the last few months, Blue had learned the forest inside and out. She was able to dodge trees and holes in the ground gracefully, but Claire and Owen weren’t so lucky.

           “Shit,” Claire screamed, her ankle twisting in yet another hole. Her adrenaline kept her from feeling the pain too strongly, but she knew it would be excruciating when it was all over.

           Blue slowed when she heard Claire fall. She nuzzled Claire’s shoulder, urging the woman to stand and follow her. Whatever Blue wanted Claire and Owen to see, it was important.

           “You okay?” Owen asked, offering Claire a hand. She accepted it and got back to her feet.

           “I’m fine. We have to keep going.”

           Claire started forward with only a slight limp. Blue trotted ahead, but this time at a much slower speed. The dinosaur’s intuition was incredible. She knew that Claire was struggling to keep up, so she adjusted her speed. How much of that was Blue, and how much was Owen’s training? Claire knew that Owen blamed himself for the indoraptor because of his work with Blue, specifically, but Claire was grateful that he raised such an incredible dinosaur. Blue had saved their lives multiple times, and who knew what she was trying to show them now.

           “How much farther?” Claire asked Owen, her breath coming out in ragged puffs. Her trips to the gym did nothing to prepare her for a ten-mile chase through varying terrain. Even Owen, who maintained his former-army physique quite well, was struggling to catch his breath.

           “I don’t know,” Owen panted. “I don’t even know where we are anymore. Is this still State Park territory?”

           Claire couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t seem like it. The Park was well maintained and carefully marked with appropriate trails. Claire hadn’t seen one of these signs in a few miles. “Where is she taking us?”

           “I wish I knew,” Owen responded. “I just hope we get there soon.”

***

           Zack and Grey found their mother worrying in the van. Her face went dark when she saw her son’s scratched face, and darker when she realized the boys were alone.

           “Where are Claire and Owen?” she cried.

           Zack put steady hands on his mother’s shoulders. “They’re okay,” he promised. “Blue found us, and she saved Grey’s life. Then she started acting like Lassie and begged Claire and Owen to follow. Claire sent us to find you, but their GPS trackers are on.”

           Karen raced to the van and pulled out her computer. “Where are they headed?”

           Grey keyed in the codes for Owen and Claire’s tracking devices and the three of them looked at the screen.

           “Where are they going? They’re like fifteen miles away from where we saw them.”

           Karen studied the map carefully, her face falling as soon as she made the connection. “Shit,” she said. “Get in, boys. I know where Blue is taking them.”

           “Where?” Zack asked. Karen didn’t answer. She couldn’t. The boys would have to see for themselves.

***

           Blue’s steps slowed as they neared a clearing. She purred back at them, and Owen and Claire assumed she meant for them to keep quiet. She took a few more paces forward and pushed aside a tree branch, revealing their location.

           Blue had led them to InGen.

           “Why did you bring us here?” Claire asked, wishing Owen had taught the dinosaurs to speak.

           Blue nudged Claire’s stomach and motioned towards Owen.

           “What is she doing? What is she trying to tell us?”

           Owen watched as Blue repeated the gesture desperately. Finally, it clicked.

           “Maisie?” he said. “Is Maisie in there?”

           The dinosaur recognized the young girl’s name and started to jump and scratch her feet in the rocks. She had led Owen and Claire to their daughter.

           “Those sons of bitches,” Claire screamed. “They lied to us!”

           Owen pulled her back before she could storm onto InGen’s property. “They did, and we’ll get Maisie back, but we can’t just walk in the front door. They think we’re out tracking Blue for them, remember?”

           The sun started to rise behind the InGen headquarters. It would have been a beautiful sight if it weren’t for the awfulness of the company inside.

           “Claire?” a whispered yell came from Owen and Claire’s left. “Owen?”

           “In here,” Owen whispered back.

           A few beats later, Karen, Zack, and Grey stood in front of them, shielded by the brush. “We followed your GPS trackers here. Why would Blue bring you to InGen?” Zack said.

           “Because InGen has Maisie.”

           The three newcomers gasped. “You can’t be serious,” Karen said, her face flushed. She looked as ready as Claire to take on the entire corporation with her fists. “We have to get her back.”

           “And we will,” Owen promised. “But first, we need a plan.”

           Owen looked at Claire, whose eyes stayed trained on the warehouse ahead of them. “I know what to do,” she said.

           Owen wasn’t surprised. It was Claire’s operation, and she was going to lead them right back to their daughter.

           “We’re all ears,” Zack said.