Threshold shift

Chapter 25

Quarantine was deserted, as if everyone had just dropped their work and abandoned the area. Security had been tightened, but he hadn't seen any troopers as he got out of the car. Owen had no doubts, though. Should anything happen, anything at all, the place would be swarming with armed troops.

For now, he was alone.

Owen braced himself. He squared his shoulders, drew in a deep breath, then relaxed himself by sheer force of will. Nancy had tried to teach him meditation and it had never really worked, but a few things had stuck. He listened to the hum in the back of his mind, located the three clear-cut dots that were the Sorna raptors, then drew in his shields.

Ready.

As ready as he would ever get.

He whistled.

Blue stepped gracefully out of the bushes, clicking and chittering, cautiously approaching the building that she had never been before. Scents assaulted her, of humans and dinosaurs alike.

Owen felt her displeasure at being here.

She didn't like it.

It smelled wrong.

I know, Owen told her. We'll be fine.

The pack had been even more displeased that not all had been allowed to accompany their alpha. Delta had viciously snarled and growled, snapping at Charlie. Echo had yowled when the gates had closed after their alpha and beta had left the paddock.

Owen hadn't liked it either, but having Blue here was complicated enough. All four had been an impossible idea.

They wouldn't actually walk into the complex. That would violate all kinds of protocols for a quarantine area. The three raptors had been isolated on the far side, next to the docking area, and there was an access point that suited Owen's needs.

The raptors had been declared clean, though they had been shot full of vitamins and a cocktail of meds to prevent them catching anything. May had called them hardy little bastards and Owen just knew that they were.

So he and Blue would be able to meet them, without the rest of quarantine being compromised.

Carter, in full gear, armed, and very much alert, shot him a look. The man had been quiet as a mouse the whole time, just watching. It was one of the things he did best, in Owen's opinion: blend into the background and watch.

He was also the only person aside from Owen who was here.

Dan's eyes flicked over to Blue, who returned his gaze calmly. She snuffled softly, then huffed at him. She seemed to straighten up, look taller and more imposing, but not more threatening. Blue briefly tilted her head at him and Carter rested his hands on the barrel of the rifle he had around his neck.

"I'm going in alone, Dan," Owen repeated what he had told his friend countless times already over the past hour.

It got him a brief nod. There was no more need for arguing. Carter didn't like it, had expressed his own displeasure often enough, but he had yielded in the end.

"Be careful," he said neutrally.

Grady shot him a quick smile. "Always am." He turned to his beta. "Blue,"

She fell in step beside him.

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It was just a short walk from the access hatch to the quarantine area reserved for the Sorna raptors. Blue had taken a moment to adjust to the new environment, the smells and faint sounds. Her trust in Owen hadn't let her falter, but he had slowed his step for a moment, scenting.