Falcon || Jurassic World

Three

Owen starts training us again but even my sisters can tell that he is distracted. It shows in his voice and his actions and my sisters lose their interest in his clicking very quickly. I only look up at Owen and chirp sadly. He barely glances at me, just leans on the railing and closes his eyes. I ache to comfort him. After all this time, I still can't reach him.

Owen's friend stands beside him and says something very quietly. I think his name is Barry. Barry is a good person. Barry has his own raptors. I like Barry. Owen likes Barry too but Owen is upset right now and I can hear him tell Barry to leave him alone.

It hurts to hear Owen sound so defeated.

I think he's going to leave when there's thunderous footsteps and soldiers appear on the walkway, blocking him in. The guns are aimed at me though, and I trill in alarm. I don't like guns.

Blue growls beside me. "What do they want with us now? Horrible humans."

I don't have the heart to tell her that they want to take me away. I'm afraid she will fight and they will take her away too. Blue is Beta, she must stay with the others.

"What the hell?" Owen shouts.

A man clad in a scientists coat strolls casually up to my trainer and motions for two soldiers to monitor him. I think it's so Owen doesn't attack. If he attacks, then nobody can stop them from taking me away.

"Mr Grady, please remove yourself from this situation." The scientist sounds calm and cruel and my nostrils flare as I catch his scent. He almost smells worse than Vic. He smells of chemicals and cleanliness and danger. He smells sharp.

"The hell I will!" Owen snarls. "These are my Raptors!"

I don't like the angry voices. I start to back away slowly, keeping my eyes on Owen as he fights against the two soldiers that are restraining him. A low whine slips from my throat and the scientist looks smug as he turns to me. I have survived, I repeat to myself silently, Owen will not let them take me.

The man says something to the soldiers on the walkway and I let out a cry that is echoed by my sisters around me. There's something unfamiliar and invasive in my flank, something that injects something cold and foreign into my bloodstream. I think that now would be a good time to go back to my little ball of nothing and sleep for a while because that cold is starting to hurt and then I go numb and then I fall.

I think Owen screams.

*

Owen stares down at his raptors helplessly as they collapse to the ground, eyes wide and panicked before they succumb to the tranquilliser darts. It takes an extra shot to subdue Falcon and something akin to pride kindles in his chest. It does nothing to quench his burning anger as he thrashes against the grips on his arms.

"You son of a bitch," he hisses. "You leave them alone."

The scientist, who's name tag reads Kaleb Jamber, gives him a small smile. "Thank you for your co-operation, Mr Grady." He walks away before Owen can spit in his face and the soldiers follow him, people already entering the enclosure to collect Falcon. It pains him to see her so vulnerable. He's grateful that at least her sisters are left alone.

He can hardly stand to see the truck drive off with his raptor in the back.

Barry murmurs something to him, but Owen can't hear him over the blood roaring in his ears. He wants to hit something, he wants to cry. He wants Falcon back. Without answering Barry, Owen stalks down off the walkway and opens the gate that allows him into the raptor enclosure.

"Owen!" Barry calls. "What the hell, man?"

But there are still darts in his dinosaurs and Owen wants them out, needs them out. Footsteps follow him and he assumes Barry is behind him but he doesn't turn around to check. Instead, he falls to his knees between Blue and Charlie, one hand on each other them. Delta and Echo are in front of him, limp.

"Oh Blue," he mumbles, running a hand over her head. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Gently, he pulls the two darts from her body then turns and pulls two more from Charlie. Slowly, carefully, he removes all the darts from his girls and just stays the, knelt amongst his fallen family. They will wake up, he knows they aren't hurt.

But Falcon is gone and he doesn't know what that means.

He wants to stay with them for a little while longer but Echo starts stirring and Barry pulls him up and away, getting them both out of the enclosure safely before Echo opens her eyes. Owens heart squeezes when he hears her calls of confusion and pain as she realises Falcon isn't there.

Minutes later, Blue's screech tears through the air.

Owen wants to apologise to them but Barry is helping him into a car and driving and soon enough, Owen can't see the enclosure anymore and he lets his head fall against the window. He's still angry. He's also tired.

"She'll be okay," Barry tells him.

Owen ignores him because what would Barry know?