Dino Crisis: Stories

Chapter 3: Outbreak

The months after Cooper’s rescue passed quickly, each day blending into the next as the group of four—Regina, Gail, Rick, and Cooper—continued their mission to contain the disaster that was Ibis Island. Though the island had been a nightmare, the true horror came when reports began flooding in from nearby human-populated areas. The dinosaurs, once confined to Ibis Island, had started leaving the island and migrating toward the mainland. The threat was no longer contained.

It began with small sightings—isolated, confused creatures appearing on the outskirts of human settlements. But soon, the dinosaurs weren’t just appearing; they were hunting. Attacks on farms, forests, and small towns turned into all-out panic as the local authorities struggled to contain the creatures. The military was dispatched, but they were ill-prepared for the terrifying variety of beasts now roaming the countryside.

"Look at this," Rick said, his voice heavy with disbelief as he watched a grainy video of a Tyrannosaurus rex rampaging through a field on his tablet. "It's spreading faster than we thought. We need to move on this—now."

"We’re doing everything we can," Regina said, her gaze distant as she studied the map spread across the table. "But the government’s been slow to react. We’re still playing catch-up after what happened on Ibis Island."

Gail, who had been quiet for a while, spoke up. "We can’t just sit around anymore. These creatures aren’t going to stop on their own. We’ve got to keep taking them down, one at a time. Each one we eliminate slows down their advance."

Cooper, still scarred from his own survival on the island, looked at the others. "We need a permanent solution. These attacks will keep happening. Sooner or later, the larger ones are going to come into populated areas. If we don't stop this now, it'll be too late."

The team was assigned small task missions—locating and neutralizing the dinosaurs before they could cause any major damage. Their first few encounters were manageable—isolated groups of raptors, lone velociraptors hunting livestock, or small herbivores grazing near towns. But each mission brought its own unique dangers. And the more they killed, the more it seemed like others appeared in their place.

One evening, after a particularly intense mission in a remote forest area, Regina surveyed the damage. Several raptors had been killed, but they’d left behind a trail of destruction, including a local wildlife reserve, which had now been destroyed.

"They’re just getting bolder," she muttered. "This isn't just a random spread anymore. The dinosaurs are actively seeking out human populations."

Gail clenched his fists. "It’s like they’re organizing themselves. We're just picking them off one by one, but the problem keeps growing."

Rick wiped the sweat from his brow, his frustration visible. "We’re putting out fires, but the damn forest keeps burning."

The group returned to their briefing headquarters, a small secure facility just outside a major city. Reports were coming in constantly about dinosaur sightings and attacks. But the team had reached the same conclusion—they could not keep up with the scale of the problem.

"We need to call for the island’s total eradication," Rick said bluntly. "We’ve been trying to manage this, but the truth is, the only way to stop this is to wipe out Ibis Island entirely—destroy everything."

Cooper’s face tightened at the thought. "That would mean losing the whole island. All the research, the survivors, everything we’ve been trying to fix. Is that really the only way?"

"It’s the only way to stop the threat from spreading further," Gail said. "We’ve already seen how these creatures are spreading, and it won’t be long before they reach the more populated areas. Ibis Island needs to be contained, permanently."

Regina nodded, though she didn’t like the idea. "I’m with you. It’s hard to think of all that we lost on Ibis Island, but we have to stop this before it gets worse. We can’t risk more outbreaks."

The team submitted a report to the higher-ups—detailed, with data and evidence to support their argument. A global meeting was called, and their request for a full-scale eradication of Ibis Island was put forward.

But as they sat in the sterile conference room, listening to the voices of bureaucrats and officials arguing over the finer details, they began to feel the weight of politics suffocating them. No one wanted to make the final call. One by one, the excuses piled up: environmental concerns, the international ramifications, the scientific research still being conducted. Some spoke of negotiating with the local governments, others wanted a more measured approach.

Finally, one high-ranking official stood up. "We cannot simply wipe out an entire ecosystem based on the actions of a few rogue species. There’s too much at stake."

Cooper slammed his fist on the table, frustration boiling over. "Are you serious? People are dying! Dinosaurs are already in cities! We need to act now, or it’ll be too late!"

The official’s face remained stern. "We’ll have to explore other options first. An eradication plan could have catastrophic consequences."

"That’s what we’re trying to prevent!" Rick shouted.

But despite their impassioned pleas, the decision was made. The bureaucracy would not allow the total wipeout of Ibis Island. The team’s request was denied.

The four of them sat in stunned silence as the meeting adjourned. The fight wasn’t over—it had only just begun. But now, the stakes had been raised. They knew that if Ibis Island was not destroyed, the dinosaurs would continue to spread, and they would have to fight not just for survival but for the future of humanity itself.

As they walked out of the facility, Regina glanced at her team, their faces hardened by the realization that they were facing an enemy that no one was willing to fully acknowledge. The dinosaurs weren’t just a threat to the island anymore. They were a global catastrophe waiting to happen.

And no one was ready to stop them.