The Girl Trilogy *Zach Mitchell*

Vol 2 Ch 8

Zach looked at his ex-girlfriend with a mix of disbelief and awe. Ayana stood before the Tyrannosaurus, her posture confident and firm, as if she were in control of the prehistoric beast. She held her hand up, palm outstretched, as if she were giving it a command.

To his astonishment, the dinosaur responded. It tilted its head, its eyes fixed on Ayana, and emitted a low rumble that seemed almost... obedient. The aggressive tension in its stance softened, and it took a step back, acknowledging their presence.

Zach's mind raced with a whirlwind of questions and emotions. The enormity of the moment was beyond anything he could have imagined. The prehistoric giant obeying Ayana's unspoken command was nothing short of miraculous.

He had known Ayana to be resourceful and quick-witted, but this was a whole new level of incredible.

Summoning his courage, he approached Ayana's side, his eyes never leaving the creature before them. The dinosaur's gaze shifted to him, but there was no hostility in its eyes. It seemed almost curious, as if it recognized him.

"What's the hell going on?" Zach asked, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and concern, struggling to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before him.

Ayana turned to face him, a radiant smile on her face. "I think... I think she's recognizing commands like Blue and the other Raptor's did."

Zach's astonishment grew, but he couldn't deny what he was witnessing. He took a step back, his mind reeling with shock and disbelief. The boundaries between science fiction and reality were blurring right before his eyes.

"Do you think she remembers us?" he asked, awestruck, the notion of a prehistoric beast recognizing them defying all logic.

Ayana's smile faded slightly as she looked back at the Tyrannosaurus. "I'm not sure," she admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "But there has to be some familiarity to her. It's like she recognizes us on some level."

Zach couldn't tear his gaze away from the massive creature. The memory of their last encounter with the T-Rex flooded his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was the same one, the same creature they had encountered on their previous visit to Isla Nublar.

"Alright," He said quietly, trying to regain his composure. "Let's get her to the dock."

Zach raised the flare high above his head, only for it to be shot out of his hands. The interruption came from Wheatley and his mercenary team, an unexpected twist that cast a shadow over their plan.

"We'll take it from here," Wheatley's gruff voice cut through the dense foliage surrounding them. "Thanks for your help, folks."

Zach watched in frustration as the mercenaries unloaded tranquilizers into the T-Rex, their intentions becoming painfully clear.

He glanced over his shoulder at Ayana, who was visibly shaken by the turn of events. The color drained from her face, her earlier confidence replaced by a sense of powerlessness.

Zach stepped forward, determined to prevent the capture of the dinosaur. "You don't want to do this," he tried to reason with them, as they struggled to restrain the drugged Dinosaur. His voice was laced with urgency and desperation.

Wheatley chuckled, "Son, I can assure you, there is nothing I want more than my cut for delivering this dinosaur." The greed in Wheatley's tone was unmistakable.

They bound the Tyrannosaur's limbs with a thick rope, several soldiers securing it tightly around its waist. The majestic creature that had moments ago obeyed Ayana's command was now defenseless and at the mercy of the mercenaries.

Ayana's voice wavered with disillusionment, her world unraveling before her eyes. "It was all a lie," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You're animal traffickers."

Several voices among the mercenaries began shouting orders, their voices rising in pitch as they gave instructions to those nearby. The reality of their illicit operation became apparent, leaving Ayana and Zach in a perilous situation.

Ayana shook her head, her mouth opening to speak, but her words failed to leave her lips. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, and her anger and fear threatened to overwhelm her.

"I'll die before I let you take her."

Her movements were quick and resolute. Ayana pulled the gun from Zach's waist, aiming it directly at Wheatly's head. Her defiance and determination were palpable.

Wheatley, his arrogance momentarily shattered, attempted to mock her, but Ayana wasn't playing games. She pulled the trigger, and the sound of the gunshot echoed through the forest as blood spurted across Wheatley's shirt. Pain and shock contorted his face as he clutched his wound, struggling to maintain his balance.

"Sweetheart, you really shouldn't play with those." He mocked, his bravado crumbling in the face of her actions.

Ayana raised an eyebrow, her resolve unshaken. "Play?" She fired another bullet, this time into his left shoulder, her expression unyielding. "Does it look like I'm playing?"

In response, the rest of the mercenaries rushed towards her, their loyalty to Wheatley and their profit motives driving them forward.

Zach quickly stepped in front of Ayana, his protective instincts kicking into high gear. He took a hit to his side as one of the mercenaries struck him, but he pushed forward, determined to shield Ayana from harm.

"If anyone else comes within 10 yards of her," he warned, his voice resolute, "I will kill every last one of you." His navy seal training had prepared him for this moment, and he wasn't about to back down.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" One of the mercenaries taunted him, underestimating Zach's capabilities.

Zach smirked, his confidence unwavering. "That's the easy part."

Had Wheatley done his research, he would have known that Zach Mitchell was a Navy Seal, a fact that the mercenaries were about to painfully discover.

Zach moved with lightning speed, disarming one of the mercenaries and using his combat skills to incapacitate the others. The sight of their comrade being overpowered left the mercenaries shocked and bewildered.

Without warning, Zach spun on his heel, executing a rapid series of takedowns, incapacitating those who attempted to tackle him. He displayed a level of violence and proficiency that the mercenaries hadn't anticipated, and they went flying through the air, landing several feet away, their plans falling apart.

Zach grabbed Ayana by the arm, his grip firm and protective, and pulled her towards the safety of the jungle. The chaos and violence that had erupted around them were a stark contrast to the serenity they had experienced with the T-Rex just moments before.

"We can't leave her!" Ayana shouted, fighting against him, her determination to save the dinosaur unyielding.

"We'll get her back! We're of no use to her if we're dead." Zach's voice was resolute, and he knew that their chances of helping the T-Rex depended on their escape from the mercenaries.

Despite his efforts, Ayana wouldn't relent. Her struggle to break free from his grip was a reflection of her unwavering commitment to the