Have you ever wondered, what kind of existence does a psychopath fear?
As a psychopath itself, the Scorpios rex wasn't entirely sure of the answer, but it was currently experiencing a very real, very physical sense of terror.
Just moments ago, it had been mid-fight with one of its own kind, only for a monster to burst out of the foliage. That thing had pinned its kinsman down, clamped its jaws onto the head, and proceeded to yank the entire skull clean out, spinal cord and all.
Blood had splattered across this Scorpios rex's face.
In that instant, its low, guttural hissing vanished. Its mind, usually a fog of manic aggression, became crystal clear. Without a shred of hesitation, it turned and bolted into the woods. Its usual shadowy, sinister crawl became a desperate, light-speed scramble.
The hyperactive troublemaker had suddenly become a quiet, well-behaved child, crouching motionless deep within the thickets.
The surroundings were silent, giving the creature the illusion that the monster had left. But much like the Indominus rex, it could sense thermal radiation; it knew perfectly well that the pursuer hadn't gone anywhere. In fact, it was actively searching for its location.
Gulp...
The Scorpios rex swallowed hard, trying to keep saliva from leaking out of the corner of its mouth and giving it away.
But even that tiny sound was like a gunshot to a startled bird. It instantly drew Carlo.
Heavy footsteps thudded. Carlo began circling within seven meters of the hybrid's hiding spot.
The Scorpios rex proved a quick learner; it held its breath and stayed perfectly still, achieving a level of stealth that almost rivaled the Indominus's camouflage. Ordinarily, this would be a perfect opportunity for an ambush, but at the sight of Carlo, even the venomous quills on its tail went limp. Ambush? Fat chance.
"Give him a dose of the medicine," Dr. Wu suggested from the helicopter, seeing Carlo's pace slow as he narrowed down the search area.
"But... he isn't injured, Dr. Wu?"
Though Hawkes didn't understand the logic, he followed orders, leveling his rifle at Carlo's lower flank.
"Just a precaution," Wu said flatly, his voice regaining that "everything is under control" tone.
"Copy that."
Hawkes pulled the trigger. With a faint whistle of air, the dart streaked through the gaps in the leaves and embedded itself precisely into the soft tissue between Carlo's scales.
Carlo's movements hitched for a split second. He didn't feel any adverse effects; the potency of the medicine seemed weaker than his own natural regeneration rate.
"Roar—"
He looked up and gave a short, low rumble toward the helicopter. Thanks.
"He... he felt it? He knows it was us?!" Hawkes pulled his eye away from the scope, staring down at Carlo in disbelief.
"I am not surprised," Wu replied. He didn't unbuckle his seatbelt, instead leaning forward slightly to observe the activity below.
"Hey! Hawkes! Ten o'clock! Let's give the big guy a hand." Ryan, the operative whose curiosity Wu had previously stifled, tossed a flare gun over.
"Distance?"
"One hundred fifty... nearly two hundred meters out."
Bang!
Hawkes didn't waste breath. He fired toward the target coordinates. The flare streaked horizontally from the short red barrel until its momentum began to fail.
The brilliant red light plummeted into the forest, shattering the dark, quiet atmosphere and illuminating the hideous, distorted face of the Scorpios rex hidden in the brush.
You motherfu—
The Scorpios rex spun around, attempting to flee Carlo's clutches. But in an instant, it felt a piercing pain in its flanks, followed by a total sense of weightlessness.
Screee-hiss—kraaa!
Realizing it was suddenly eye-level with the treetops, it shrieked in panic. Then came the rapid, vertical descent, only to be caught in mid-air by Carlo's jaws before it could hit the ground.
This time, Carlo didn't throw it high. He simply held it, standing in place while rhythmically loosening his grip and snapping shut... loosening and snapping...
Under that immense pressure, Carlo's serrated teeth raked across the hybrid's body, shredding skin and muscle. Blood poured from the wounds like water, flowing down Carlo's mandible and drenching the earth.
Its life force faded quickly. Sensing the creature in his mouth was no longer moving, Carlo dropped it.
Blood instantly stained the green grass, forming a small pool. Even then, Carlo wasn't taking chances; he pinned the body with a massive foot, gripped the head, and tore it away along with the spine.
Blood sprayed, flecking Carlo's snout. He didn't bother heading to a nearby stream to wash off the scent. He tilted his head back, tasting the residual pheromones in the air, and set off toward the next location.
He had the Scorpios rex scent memorized now. Not even the smell of gore could hide these madmen running loose on his island.
He had them locked on.
…
"Bad news, guys," Kenji said, stepping out of the bridge.
"The boat is almost out of gas. I saved just enough to help us dock. Now we just have to pray the currents stay in our favor."
Seeing Kenji's dejection, Sammy stepped forward to comfort him. "It's okay. At least we're safe now, right? And we can check the wind—"
"ROAR—"
A powerful bellow cut her off. Across the water, on the shores of Isla Nublar some fifty meters away, an Allosaurus emerged from the forest. It moved in a series of calculated sprints and stops, baiting a Scorpios rex into a relentless pursuit.
The Allosaur was cautious, maintaining a specific distance to ensure the hybrid couldn't land a tail strike, successfully draining its opponent's stamina.
"ROAR—"
Sensing the timing was right, the leader roared again. In an instant, three more Allosaurs lunged from the brush on the hybrid's flanks and rear, moving with such speed they seemed to appear out of thin air.
Two Allosaurs clamped onto the hybrid's legs. The leader seized the opportunity to bite down on the creature's head, forcing it into the dirt and pinning it with a heavy foot.
An accident occurred, however; the Allosaur responsible for the tail was a split-second slow. The Scorpios rex whipped its tail, driving several quills into the leg of one of the attackers.
Grr-growl...
The Allosaur let out a low huff of pain but didn't let go of its post. This minor setback wouldn't change the outcome. The Alpha Allosaurus readjusted its grip on the pinned head, and together with the other three, they performed a "four-way dismemberment" on the hybrid.
Rip—!
Watching the blood spray in the distance, the kids on the boat screamed, horrified by the carnage.
"I... I'm going back to the bridge!" Kenji bolted, fleeing the aft deck.
"Uh... I just had lunch. I don't want to see it twice," Yasmina gagged, pulling the other two girls away.
"Wait! Bumpy!" Ben, worried the Ankylosaurus might do something reckless in her agitation, ran over to soothe her.
Darius didn't leave. He stood by the railing, brow furrowed in deep thought.
What the hell was that ugly thing?
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