Jurassic: The New World

Chapter Eight

Owen hadn't been lying when he told Dr. Wu they were starting their plan in the middle of the night. It wasn't the same plan InGen heard over the bugs, but it started at the same time.

The crew napped on and off all day as best they could. After their therapy session, Owen and Claire were pretty wired, but they knew they had to sleep if they wanted to find Blue and Maisie. They managed to get a few hours of fitful sleep.

Karen and the boys arrived at the trailer at two in the morning as agreed upon. The five of them were groggy, but the adrenaline would wake them up completely soon enough.

"Are we ready?" Claire asked. Like Dr. Anderson suggested, Owen put her in charge of Operation Find Blue. The velociraptor would likely only come to Owen, but Claire was calling the shots. Owen felt a small amount of relief just watching Claire ask the simple question.

The boys nodded. Karen looked hesitant, but the sight of Maisie's empty corner of the trailer pushed her over the edge. "Let's do this," she said.

Claire drove the van back to the state park. They wore black burglary clothes without the face masks so that they'd blend in with the darkness of the night. Most dinosaurs had incredible senses of smell, so the visual camouflage would only go so far, but it made them all feel better to have a level of protection.

"Here we are," Claire said when she parked in the same lot she'd been in with Owen the day before. She stared at the forest in front of her half expecting the t-rex to come running towards them and finish off what she started.

The forest remained still.

After their therapy session, Owen had a better understanding of the crippling fear plaguing his girlfriend. He sensed her apprehension looking at the forest and squeezed her arm. "The t-rex is gone," he reminded her. "The most dangerous thing in the woods right now is Blue and she would never hurt you."

Claire hoped he was right. Would Blue sense the harm Claire had done to Owen and Maisie and come after her for it? A part of Claire wanted the attack if only to prove to herself and everyone else what a burden Claire was.

"Everyone remembers the plan?" Claire asked as the exited the van quietly. She couldn't let her fear stop her from leading the team. They were counting on her.

"Got it, Aunt Claire," Zack said. He held up the backpack of supplies he brought. Gray and Owen had identical ones while Karen was to stay with the van. They had Army-surplus grade walkie-talkies in case InGen – or Biosyn – decided to show up. Karen was the lookout and the getaway driver.

"Let's fall out, then. Owen, you take the lead. You'll be able to track Blue's most likely location."

Owen nodded and headed for the woods. He had to force himself not to give orders and take control. Claire could handle it. He knew she could.

They arrived at the part of the stream where Blue's footprints ended. Owen held up a fist to stop the group.

"What do you see?" Claire asked in a harsh whisper. Owen nearly laughed. The woman was terrible at whispering. He'd noticed it on the island and at the estate.

"We need to follow the stream against the current. That's where she would have gone if she were in danger."

"Upstream we go, then," Claire said. Owen continued on, following the flow of the river. He spent enough time with Blue from the time she was born to the incident on Jurassic World to know her instincts. He held a degree in animal behavior that helped him understand the decisions creatures make, especially in danger.