Footprints were scattered in the snow. There were small ones with two claws and there were bigger ones that also had two claws. If someone were to inspect this, they'd say that the creature who made the bigger footprints was on a hunt, but that couldn't have been more far from the truth.
The cold wind brushed up against Krystal's feathers as she kept running, not caring if her legs were getting tired or not. She was so stressed that she thought Ripper actually did want to kill her. After how he acted towards her before, it wouldn't be a surprise.
She had her gaze focused on the front. if she looked back for even a few seconds, she might run into a tree or slow down and that's not what she wants to do. All she needs is to outrun Ripper until he tires out.
That is if tiring him out is even possible.
She doesn't know much about his kind but from what she's seen of them, they seem to have a large amount of stamina. This was proven after Nemesis had a tree pin Ripper's tail a few months back and the Indoraptor still had the strength to drag Nemesis across the ground as he ran.
What if she can't outrun him? It seems that the only way to tire him out is to injure him as much as possible, but what could she possibly do to him? Not only is she just a kid but he's got bullet proof skin, what use is her claws when she can't even put a dent in him?
"Krystal!" Ripper shouted in the background.
"Leave me be! What do you need me for anyways?!" Krystal shot back.
She wondered where she would go from here. Maybe find her old paddock perhaps? Little did she know, that facility has been abandoned for a while now. If she were to go there, she'd be wasting her time.
Maybe she should go to the Dilophosaurus family instead. They could offer her protection with their spit attack. Or a better option is going to the Tyrannosaurus family. With their bite force and reputation, nobody would even dare to hurt her.
But how would she go about that? She doesn't even know where she's going right now. For all she knows, she's probably running blind trying to do everything she can to avoid Ripper.
In the distance, Krystal could see some kind of clearing. She hoped that maybe there was a herd of herbivores there. that way she can lose Ripper if she causes a stampede. If she isn't trampled in the process.
Krystal moved faster, the snow and wind colliding with her feathers as she did. Everytime she felt cold, she'd just shake her body and all the snow would come off of her.
The young Raptor charged straight for the clearing. If there was a herd, she'd have to cause a panic for them to get moving. She leaped into the air as high as she could, and landed into the clearing releasing a threatening roar.
But what she found on the other side wasn't what she expected.
Instead of a herd of herbivores like Parasaurolophus. Krystal came across a small group of three men and one pickup truck.
"There we go. Boss wants that one." One of the men said as the other aimed a gun at Krystal.
She prepared to run. Ripper and his son may be bullet proof, but the only protection she has for her skin is her feathers. And they won't do her any favors against bullets.
Krystal dashed to the right side and tried to find another way out. Perhaps she should've listened to Ripper and stopped running. Maybe she shouldn't have ran at all. What good will all of this bring her anyways? She'll have nothing if she-
The young Raptor felt something piercing her left leg as she stumbled and fell onto the snow. The men started to approach her cautiously as she turned her head to look at what hit her.
It turns out that those men didn't have bullets. They were using darts. Once Krystal laid her eyes on the dart, her vision started to blur and the men who were approaching her were turning into black blobs as she was slowly succumbing to the effects of the dart.
"Fang... Talon... Help..." Krystal mumbled as her head fell.
Now knowing how much of a risk it was to run from her new home. She wished she hadn't moved her legs at all. If she had known this was what she would encounter on the other side, she would've tried to convince Ripper that she was innocent in a calmer, more composed way. But her stress won over everything else.
"Yep, a Raptor alright. And it's fuzzy too." One of the men observed.
"Must be worth more than the scaly ones. This must be rare. Means more dough for us if we sell it." Another man chuckled.
They then lifted Krystal, she was a juvenile and she wasn't too heavy so there shouldn't be an issue with transporting her.
The three men then loaded the poor Raptor onto the back of their truck and tied her down with ropes so that she won't fall off while they were driving.
Two of the hunters were in the front of the vehicle and one of them was at the back to monitor Krystal and make sure she wouldn't be able to escape. The truck then started to drive away in a hurry. They needed to get away before someone from the DFW spots them. Getting eating alive is one thing because it's quick, but spending the rest of life behind bars might be even worse.
Ripper charged out of the forest and into the clearing. Krystal was nowhere to be seen. Ripper was panicking now, not only has he lost sight of one of the only friends his son has, but she thinks that she doesn't deserve to live with them anymore.
However, not all was lost. When Ripper was about to head back to tell his family about this, he saw a truck that was driving away in the distance. He squinted his eyes for a moment snd saw something pink on the back of it. He also noticed that Krystal's footprints end near a patch of snow that indicated she fell over.
With no time to waste, Ripper made a mad dash for the truck. He didn't even need to smell the air to locate her. He couldn't have lost her that easy and footprints don't just end on a random patch of snow.
He was in such a rush to get to her he started growling. Why can't he break away from this? Everytime something bad happens in his life it's usually because he's the one who causes problems for himself. Fang got kidnapped because he couldn't kill the people who took him, Henry got away because he couldn't kill him due to being occupied with the Ultimasaurus, and he had to spend a year in isolation because he freed his sister. When will this cycle end?
Ripper was so frustrated, he started roaring and cursing for no reason. He just needed to let his anger out on someone.
The man who was guarding Krystal spotted Ripper charging towards the truck. His eyes widened because he's never seen a Raptor that was this big. He could tell it was one due to the sickle claws but apart from him being able to tell it was some sort of Raptor, he had no idea what it was.
It looked unnatural. And not in the monstrous kind of way. It looked like it was designed by someone. Which wouldn't be too far off from what Ripper was. He was designed for war, it's just that he was able to rebel against the purpose he was made for.
"Heya guys, you seeing this?" The man asked.
The driver looked at the rear view mirror and couldn't believe his eyes. They were being trailed by a predator. It probably wanted to eat the Raptor they had in the back. There's no other explanation as to why it would go after them.
"Get the stick." The driver replied.
Every stride Ripper did was filled with fury. While running on fours, he almost looked like he was ripping the snow apart due to how furious he was. He failed at saving one Raptor from getting kidnapped. He's not going through that again.
Ripper started snapping towards them to scare them. If he gets close enough, he's going to ram that truck. But he's going to make sure not to tip it over or else Krystal will be hurt.
The man tasked with guarding Krystal pulled out a weapon. It was a taser stick, but when he pushed a button to activate it, the stick extended itself and the tip started to generate electricity.
As the chase continued, the truck was headed for a road that would lead to either the town where Maisie often went to, or someplace else Ripper isn't aware of. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to allow them to get to it. They would have to get through the forest in order to get onto that road. If he can ram that jeep into one of the trees, it's over for them.
The Untamable Thief was just three feet away from the back of the truck where Krystal was. They had now entered the forest which would lead into the road. If they get to that road, he might not be able to catch up with them. Owen has said something about not following roads because they often lead to very crowded areas with lots of people. If anybody records footage of him, he'll be hunted down along with the rest of his family so he has to end this fast.
"Bastards! Let her go!" Ripper roared.
The men were intrigued about the turn of events. It seemed like the bigger Raptor didn't want to eat the feathered one. Did it see her as it's child or something.
"You want her? Come and get her." The man with the taser stick called out.
"You're damn right I will." Ripper grunted as he lunged forward.
He held his head low as he was about to ram the back of the truck. That would be the case if he hadn't seen a white spark light up in front of his eyes.
ZAP!
Ripper was so focused on ramming the truck into the trees he neglected to pay attention to the incoming taser stick. The man had aimed straight for his head. While it wasn't as painful as being bitten by another Indoraptor, it wasn't far from it. He may be bullet proof, but he isn't invulnerable to everything.
The Indoraptor was sent hurdling into a tree. The impact head his head first, coupled with the shock he just received from the taser, it was too much even for him. He tried his best to stand, but his vision was darkening. The only thing he saw was the truck moving further and further away as he couldn't make out Krystal's silhouette anymore.
"K-krystal..." Ripper's eyes shut themselves after that.
All the effort he put into running, all the breath he used to roar in anger, all wasted. Was he just destined for this? Did fate really hate him that much? He knows firsthand that suffering can lead to good things, but this is not one of those instances.
As Ripper's body laid motionless, and cold on the snow, he could only hope that he'll have a second chance at bringing back the lost Raptor. If not, he's not sure if a dinosaur as fearsome as him is ready for the consequences.
Because to Ripper, words hurt a hundred times more than bites or slashes.
Meanwhile
If Owen was in any more of a rush, he would've crashed into something by now. The only reason he hasn't is because he's used to driving his motorcycle through a forest. He did it a lot back on Isla Nublar when he still worked there.
He had to constantly change direction because he was pushing his bike nearly to it's limit. He could barely see the trail left by Maisie's bike but it was enough for him.
"Heh, "Because you can't." Good going Owen. You're a real piece of work aren't ya?" Owen sighed.
If he had said something else, this wouldn't have happened. He should've taken that opportunity to tell her how much he really loved her as a daughter. Even if they're not related, him and Claire taking care of her has to amount to something.
Though he tried to keep his focus on the route he was taking, he couldn't help but think about what would've happened if he did start calling her his daughter. Would that have stopped her from leaving?
Who knows, maybe it might've. Ever since they've taken her in, they have done everything they can to take care of her and show their affection, but the one thing she's been missing since she came here was the feeling of having true parents.
The reason why she never saw them as parents was because they never referred to her as their daughter. She could tell that they cared for her, but she was never sure if they cared about her to the point that they loved her.
He needs to get her back to make things right, or else all their efforts would've been for nothing. Owen has already been through loss multiple times in the past. And every time it happens, it gets worse. He can't just keep letting this happen.
"Don't worry Mase. We'll change when we get you back. We're long overdue for some changes around here." Owen thought.
The man wasn't sure if it was his stress or something, but he didn't care if it was risky. If the changes he and Claire will apply to themselves will make Maisie happy, that's all that mattered.
In fact, that's all they should've been doing. Maybe they could have gone to town with her so that she'll have someone to look after her just in case if something happens.
Owen squinted. He swiftly stopped his bike in the middle of the pursuit. He almost crashed into a tree in the process, but when he looked to see where the tracks were, they suddenly turned to the left.
He continued the chase. Every turn he made was executed with extreme caution. While he is used to driving in this environment, it doesn't mean he can just charge into a forest without a care in the world.
A road was in front of him. He just hope he'd find her on the bridge, if not then he'll scour the entire country if he has to. She doesn't deserve a life in the shadows without feeling the warmth of being loved.
Owen made a sharp right turn and boosted forwards. There were barely any cars driving ahead or beside him so it was easy for him to get through. He focused his eyes forward, he could see the bridge now. All he needed to do was get to it.
Pushing his motorcycle forwards with all the speed he had left, he went past any car that stood in his way. He's sure of it that if there was an officer, they would've detected that he was way over the speed limit. Like that would stop him from getting to Maisie.
He's already keeping an illegal hybrid in his backyard. He's not afraid to break a few laws for the people he loves.
Maisie was starting to become more relaxed. She couldn't see anyone trailing her and she felt more free than she's ever been in her whole life. She let out a sigh of satisfaction. No more constraints, no more waiting, no more rules. This is her life and she'll decide how it'll go.
The girl started to slow down as she approached the bridge. She wasn't in a rush anymore, she was just too busy enjoying her freedom. Who knows what lies beyond this point. All she knows is that she's going to make the best of it.
But a question started to stir in her mind. Where would she stay at? The Lockwood Manor? Technically speaking, she should have ownership of that property since she's Benjamin's last living "relative" but even then, she's not sure if she wants to go back there.
There were too many bad memories she remembers from the night her life went downhill. The Manor is probably being investigated by the government to find any kind of information related to Ripper or her.
Right, the government. She'd have to find a way to avoid them. Putting a hood on might not be enough to stop them from finding her. If she had to think of a solution for this, she'd dye her hair either that or go to a surgeon so they can restructure her face. If she had any money to afford either option.
Really, those are the only two things she has to worry about. Keeping herself hidden from people who are after her and money. Other than that's she's free to enjoy life to the fullest. And if it comes to it, she'll go as far as changing her name. She's a clone, does it really matter if she does change it?
But what Maisie was about to find out was that the former issue would catch up to her faster than she'd expect.
When she was at the middle of the bridge, she stopped halfway through. There was a group of men in front of a pickup truck and they didn't look like they came by to enjoy the scenery.
Maisie looked at them closer, she had to make sure if they were after her or not. During her escape, she had put on her hood over her head, there's no way they'd recognize her unless they saw her face.
The leader of the group then walked over to Maisie, but as to not make it obvious, he stared at the river that was running under the bridge. Maisie started to tense up, she didn't like the vibe this man was giving off. She was about to turn back until the man started to speak.
"Charlotte Lockwood. That's your name, yeah?" Delacourt asked.
Maisie froze. She tried to calm herself down and avoided eye contact. The only people who'd know about the name of the person she was cloned from would be either Owen, Claire, their friends, or people who were hunting for her. Part of Maisie hoped that these men were just friends of Owen that she's never seen before.
"Charlotte? You must be mistaking me for someone." Maisie changed her accent slightly. Because she's lived with Owen and Claire, she's learned how to change her voice overtime.
"You sure? I mean, there's only one of you on this ball we live on isn't there? At least there used to only be one before your gramps made you." Delacourt responded.
Maisie moved her left hand slowly over to her left pocket. There was a switchblade hidden inside of it that Owen gave to her. Claire didn't approve of it because she didn't want Maisie to hurt anybody, but Owen told her only to use it when it's absolutely necessary.
"Here, I'll give ya an offer. You come with us and you won't have to worry about nothin'. We'll even buy you a mansion like the one your grandpa had, how's about that?" Delacourt was right behind her.
She though hard about her next move. She's never hurt anyone before. Yes, she knows how to talk back to someone but as long as she's lived she's never laid a hit on anybody.
"That's a nice offer there sir... But I think I'll pass!" Maisie spun around and lunged towards Rainn.
Maisie's eyes widened. There was a little blood that was drawn. She managed to land a scratch on Delacourt's wrist right before he caught her with his right hand.
"You're a fighter, I'll give ya that, kid. Boys!" Delacourt called out for his men.
His goons rushed over to the girl and restrained her by holding her harms. This made her drop her switchblade and they began to drag her towards their truck.
Owen was a few feet away from the bridge. His gas tank was nearly empty but it should be enough to get him to the bridge. He accelerated faster this time, there were no cars in his way and he could see Maisie's bike. He assumed she got tired, Owen needed to be fast before she ran again or else he won't have the chance o catch up with the gas he had left.
As Owen drew nearer, his smile faded. From the distance, he could see Maisie trying to struggle to get out of the grasp of Delacourt and his men but they continued to drag her to their truck.
Owen's heart was beating swiftly. The moment he got near to the men, he stopped his bike and ran towards Maisie to try to help her.
Delacourt took notice of this and nodded his head arrogantly. He then pulled something out of his right holster just as Owen was drawing closer.
He was sure of it that he was going to beat the lights out of Delacourt. He's never killed a person before, his Raptors usually do that for him. But he wasn't afraid to take a life if it would insure the safety of someone else's life.
BANG!
Owen came to a dead stop. A bullet flew right by his feet. After he turned to look at where Delacourt had shot the bullet, he pulled his head up and saw the hunter with a revolver in his hand.
He balled up his hands into fists. He wanted to rush them and take Maisie back. He was so focused on catching up to Maisie he forgot to bring his rifle with him.
The Raptor Trainer glared at Delacourt as he turned his attention to Maisie who was forced into the pickup truck.
"Let go of my daughter!" Owen roared.
Delacourt chuckled.
"Your daughter? Buddy, believe me, you don't wanna take ownership of her if you know what's good for ya." Delacourt replied.
"Leave her alone or-" Owen was cut off
"Or what? That last shot was just a warning. Trust me, if I wasn't gettin' paid, you would've dropped dead by now." Delacourt threatened.
Owen took rapid breaths in a worried manner. He looked into the truck to see Maisie banging on the window, but Delacourt's men began to hold her back.
He didn't know what it was, but this awakened something in Owen. He didn't know if this was the first instance of his fatherly instincts kicking or not but if it was he welcomed it.
"MASE!" Owen shouted.
The Raptor Trainer stumbled back as another warning shot was sent his way. Delacourt would've finished him off the moment he caught up to them, but he'd rather not if he still wants his head intact.
"Mind your own business, partner. Just go back to your place and forget any of this happened. Nobody's stopping you." Delacourt smirked.
He took another look at Maisie. Tears were filling his eyes as he kept his gaze on her. This made Owen wish he could've strangled Mills before he had the chance to tell them Maisie was a clone. They're in this mess because of him, all Benjamin wanted was his daughter back. It was a simple wish, he never asked for it to escalate to this.
"Y'know Grady, you're not half bad, but you ain't stopping what's coming. You can try but one of these days, you're gonna wish you burned on Nublar." Delacourt mockingly waved Owen farewell as he got in the truck and drove it away.
Owen let out a frustrated scream and fell to his knees. He watched as the truck got away from his view. The Raptor Trainer, a person some people viewed as a hero because he was able to tame some of the planet's most dangerous predators, was sobbing as he watched fate take someone else he cared for.
He let out an angry growl and he rushed back to his bike. He needed to get to Claire quickly, if they dare to waste any more time, they'll never see their girl again.
"Burn on Nublar? I'll make you wish you never learned how to live. You have my word on that." Owen said to himself.
Meanwhile with Ripper
Light was returning. It has been twenty minutes since Krystal was taken. Or was it that long? Maybe it had been an hour? Or maybe it's been days.
He needed to get up fast. He's come back from far worse, a little spark won't stop him.
Ripper felt cold. Colder than he felt when he was still acted like a savage beast. The snow was like a knife cutting into his skin, eliminating the warmth he held dear. Life treats him the same way.
It takes whatever it wants from him no matter how much he cares about it. Be it his brother, his sister, his friends, his son. Life will always take something from him even though it gave that something to him in the first place.
Why did it have to be like this? Why can't he keep what he's been given? Why must it be taken away?
Sometimes he doesn't want to admit it, but he's the cause of most of what he's lost. Though he never wanted to lose any of what he cared for, he always had a play in it whether intentional or not. And what just happened proved that point even further.
Ripper coughed as he slowly rose up, using his arms to support him. He sharply whisked the snow that was covering him as his vision began to sharpen again.
He closed his eyes, shook his head, then opened them again. When his vision was done focusing, he was left disappointed by what he saw.
The tire tracks. They weren't visible anymore.
His only way of tracking down Krystal without smelling her scent, were gone. But he can't give up on her now.
Ripper didn't give a care if he had just started to recover. He boosted forwards with the limited stamina he had left. He tried desperately to sense Krystal's scent, but he was picking up nothing but random animals.
He saw nothing but the snow, and a flock of Gallimimus in front of him. He didn't know if what he was about to do was foolish or not, but at this point, he'd take any hint he can get if it meant he'd be able to locate Krystal.
"H-hey! Have you seen a Raptor?! A pink one, with feathers!" Ripper called out in desperation.
"Predator in sight! Scatter!" The lead Gallimimus shouted as they split off in different directions to evade Ripper.
"N-no! Wait, hold on!" Ripper tried to persuade them. But they're all too familiar with this dinosaur.
For the past two years, word has spread out about a black Raptor with a golden stripe who mauls his opponents alive. The more dinosaurs Ripper hunted, the more dinosaurs started to spread stories about him. Particularly two Carnotaurus who were almost killed by him.
The Gallis jumped over logs, ran into bushes, and did multiple evasive maneuvers to confuse Ripper. He was so desperate, he didn't even care if he had to ask dinosaurs who he hunted on the daily. Any help is good enough for him, carnivore or not.
Because he had just gotten up, he was tiring out fast. And his legs were hurting from all the running. He hated to do it, but he had to give up the pursuit.
Ripper fell to the ground. He was on all fours and tried to calm himself down so that he'll regain some of his energy that he lost during the chase. But he just couldn't relax. How could anyone do that at this moment?
Worst of all, what was he going to tell his son? Fang is still a child, and he reacts very negatively to something he sees as a bad thing. But Ripper didn't care at that point.
He promised Fang he and Blue would stop hiding things from him. And he's not about to break that promise. Not now when one of Fang's friends is in danger because of something he did. So with a heavy weight of guilt on his shoulders, Ripper started his way back to the Grady Residence. He ran as slow as he could because he was still conserving his energy. But he needed to get there as soon as possible before something bad happens to Krystal.
But he may have an idea on who hired those men. Though they looked like your usual hunters, they had something that Ripper recognized all too well.
It took a while but Ripper was able to get back to his home. And when he did, he stared at it for a good ten minutes. Debating with himself whether to tell them the truth or not.
If he doesn't and just lies and says Krystal left for no reason. His son will be sad but maybe he'll find more friends down the line.
But he knows Fang better than that. There's no way he'll move on from losing a friend. It would be selfish of him if does lie because Krystal is innocent. Other than helping with Fang's kidnapping, everything else she's done after that has benefitted Fang. He finally had a Raptor to bond with other than his family, he's not going to allow Fang to go through loss like he did. He knows too well what it'll do to Fang if he lets this go on without doing something about it.
Ripper inhaled, then slowly made his way back to the house. He could already see his son who was outside and Talon was there with him. The Indoraptor closed his eyes again and prepared for what he was about to say to his only child. He just hoped this won't ruin his son. The only thing he's been trying to do is give Fang a life better than his. He can't do that if the boy will never see one of his friends again.
"Hey, have you seen Krys anywhere?" Fang asked.
"Nope. Haven't got a clue. Where did you last see her?" Talon queried.
"Hmm... Well, she went with my dad earlier. He said they needed to talk about secret stuff." Fang answered.
"Um... About that." A voice said behind Fang.
Fang turned and saw his father with a saddened look on his face as if he had just experienced something traumatic. What was troubling him? Nothing has bothered them for the last eight months, why would that change now?
"Dad, what's going on?" Fang asked in a worried tone.
The young hybrid looked into his dad's eyes and he could see small tears beginning to form. What exactly happened during that "talk" they had? Or was it more than just that?
Blue, who was busy trying to ignore Charlie's whining, turned to look at her mate and she instantly knew that something was wrong with him. You don't live with someone for an extended period of time without knowing when they feel unwell or not. And she knows whenever Ripper is in a stressful state because it's all in his eyes. They're always filled with pain even when he tries to hide it.
She walked over to see what was going on. She hadn't seen Krystal since she left with Ripper. Blue assumed that something happened to Krystal which is why Ripper was in this unhappy state.
Ripper's mouth quivered. His heart wanted to say the truth, but he was still conflicted if he should. Lying would be so easy. Especially because Fang is a child. They're easily fooled by anything their parents tell them. But Ripper does not dare to take advantage of his son's innocence. A good father never would.
"S-son. I... *Sob* I made another mistake. Please, forgive me." Ripper begged.
"Uh... Dad, you're not making much sense. What's wrong? Where's Krystal?" Fang worryingly asked his father.
"She..." Ripper trailed off.
"Ripper?" Blue asked as she approached her mate.
The Indoraptor looked at his mate's concerned eyes. Blue being there was enough to give him courage to admit the truth. Whenever Ripper was sad or stressed, all he needed was to think of the good things in his life to give him strength. It's what he's been doing ever since he reunited with his son.
"... She's gone." Ripper sobbed.
Fang staggered back. Gone? What does he mean gone?
Talon was also taken aback by this. What happened during their talk? If it was merely just a talk Ripper wouldn't be crying right now.
But Talon has heard that exact phrase multiple times. And it usually means somebody is dead. He just hoped that it was the case for Krystal. She may have threatened to turn him into food once but she apologized and became a good friend of his. He can't just lose a friend this fast, his family nearly lost their whole flock eight months ago. He's not sure if he's ready to lose someone this close to him.
"W-what do you mean she's gone?" Fang asked in a shaky tone.
Ripper breathed back and forth. He stared at his mate again but Blue had a look of suspicion on her face. She wasn't particularly angry at her mate. The last time she did that, he almost gave up on their family and she doesn't want to do that again unless their family will be torn apart.
"Ripper, what did you do?" Blue tried to ask in the most none threatening way she could.
"I... I thought that she was planning something. Because she helped take Fang away, I thought she'd do it again... But all she wanted was to feel wanted... She left because I scared her..." Ripper admitted.
The wind coldly whistled as if it was
shaming Ripper for what he had done. Ripper stared at his son with sorry eyes, but when he looked into the eyes of his child. He noticed that the left one started to twitch.
That's never happened before. He's seen Fang when he's angry. But he's only seen it once when he was fighting Nemesis.
Fang then cocked his head up and his eyes bore into Ripper's soul like a drill. He had a look of unhinged fury, he was guessing the only thing holding the boy back was that he was his father.
"Fang. I didn't know-" Ripper was cut off.
The young hybrid unleashed a rage filled roar towards his father. When he closed his mouth, his lower jaw was quivering and his head was shaking from side to side.
"D-did you even give her a chance?" Fang asked, with venom in his voice. From the tone he was using, he sounded older than he actually was.
"Son-" Ripper was interrupted again.
"Don't lie to me! You said you'd never lie to me again!" Fang shouted.
The anger and fury in Fang's voice was not too dissimilar to the kind of tone Ripper used when he was pummeling Nemesis. He just never expected to hear that kind of tone from his son.
"... Fang, I'm sorry. I was too paranoid to see the truth. I tried to scare it out of her because it was the only way I knew of to deal with the situation. But it was the wrong one." Ripper replied.
"We were doing just fine! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Fang screeched.
"Fang! Do not talk to your father like that!" Blue interjected.
"But he- he-" Fang was interrupted just like his father.
"No. You have no right to speak to him as if he's not your father, do you know how much he's done so that you can be born? You're lucky I'm able to control myself right now or else I would've grounded you in a blink of an eye!" Blue retorted.
Fang staggered backwards. His parents have never spoken to him like that. For all he's life, whenever they'd get "mad" at him, it was only for a prank. But this was no joke.
Blue stopped bearing her teeth in anger when she saw her son's ferocious expression turn back into his softer one. He may stronger than her, but the boy still feared his mother.
"Blue, please. Don't talk to him like that." Ripper calmly chimed it, trying to de-escalate the situation.
The mother Velociraptor didn't even hear what her mate said because she was too focused on her son who was shivering. Not from the snow but because for the first time in his life, he was scared of his own family.
"Fang, baby, I... I didn't mean to." Blue calmed down.
Blue approached her son to nuzzle him but he took a step back. He wasn't sure what he was doing right now. Children who aren't used to their parents getting mad at them tend to respond even more negatively than usual because in their mind, their parents could never lay a claw on them.
But it was almost like Fang's world shattered when Blue said those words.
"D-do you hate me, mom?" Fang stuttered.
Blue's eyes widened and she pulled Fang towards her and she held his head in her arms and began to stroke his quills.
"No, no, no. Baby, I could never hate you. I didn't know what came over me. I'm so sorry." Blue whispered.
They didn't know it, but the rest of the squad saw the whole thing play out. But Delta, Echo, and Charlie didn't want to get involved for fear of escalating things.
Ripper held his head low in shame. Not only did he lose Krystal but he managed to make his own son angry at him. Delta was the first to approach them, Talon stayed back since this was a family issue and he didn't want to get in the way.
"Ripper, what happened out there?" Delta asked softly.
Ripper sniffed as he shook his tears away.
"When Krystal ran, I tried my best to follow her. She got a headstart before me so I couldn't catch her immediately. Then I saw a bunch of hunters, they took her. I tried to take her back but they shocked me and I crashed into a tree. After that everything went black." Ripper explained.
After hearing that, while Fang still had a bit of anger raging within him, he was starting to settle down and he actually appreciated that his father went through the effort of chasing Krystal even if he didn't get her back.
"Wait. Does that mean we're never gonna see her again?" Talon asked in a sad tone.
"No. Those hunters weren't the usual poachers." Ripper responded.
"Huh? Rip, what are you saying?" Blue queried.
Ripper was about to say something else, then he heard the sound of a familiar motorcycle nearby. He turned around and saw Owen slowly making his way back to the house, but he parked his bike further than usual. When he got off it, Ripper immediately picked up on something.
Owen was furious. The way he walked signaled to Ripper that he wasn't the only one who was going through a serious issue. As Ripper kept observing, he noticed that Owen was mumbling something about busting a hole into someone's head.
This was odd. Owen is not the type of person Ripper thinks of when he thinks of violent people. Sure, he has a gun, but most of the time he keeps his cool. Something even worse must've happened to Owen to make him act like this.
"What's up with him?" Charlie asked.
"Guys. I don't see Maisie." Echo said in a worried voice.
Owen growled, he went to a nearby tree stump that he and Maisie would often use whenever they'd chop firewood. He then started kicking the stump and grunting angrily as he did. When the squad, and in particular when Blue saw this, it was making her even more concerned.
For as long as she's lived, she's never seen Owen like this. Or at least not recently.
There was one time where Blue caught a glimpse of Owen constantly punching a metal wall for seemingly no reason. But there was a reason. It was his way of dealing with the loss of Red and Felicia.
"Dammit!" Owen roared into the sky. He placed his arms onto the top of the stump and resting his head on his arms as he began to cry.
The front door swung open. Both Claire and Rex came through the door. She's never heard Owen scream like that. But she's sure of it that he did this exact same thing when Red was taken away from him. Considering what situation they were in, she hoped what she was thinking of wasn't the truth.
Claire walked slowly over to Owen. She didn't want to stress him any further. Rex followed his owner's lower as they were getting closer to The Raptor Trainer.
She placed a hand on his right shoulder, she could hear him weeping which is something she hasn't seen in years. She's only ever seen him like this once.
"Owen?" Claire asked.
The man turned his head, he was almost ashamed to show his face to Claire. If she left him again, he wouldn't even blame her.
"T-they got her." Owen sounded broken. Like a father who's just lost something that he held very close to his heart.
"W-what? They? Who's they?" Claire asked as she kept hoping, praying that Owen's answer won't be the one she was thinking of.
"Poachers. They took Maisie... I tried to stop them, but I didn't bring my damn gun..." Owen continued to sob as the rest of the squad watched from a distance.
Claire shook her head. This can't be real. This has to be some sick nightmare. Or maybe they're just playing a skit on her and Maisie will jump out of the trees and surprise them.
"No, no. We-we're supposed to protect her. They can't..." Claire panicked.
"I really am not cut out to a father. Maybe Ripper was wrong." Owen held his face in his hands.
Rex went over to Owen and tried to comfort his owner. Dogs may not be as intelligent as humans, but they are smart enough to know when their owners are experiencing grief.
Owen stroked Rex's head as he kept crying. If he had more control of himself, he'd be able to tell her how much they loved her. They'd be able to call her their daughter.
"Mase, I'm sorry. You could've had a dad who understood you. But instead, you ended up with me. I never would've adopted her if I knew I wouldn't have the guts to tell her I love her." Owen whispered.
Claire embraced Owen as he cried in her arms. Claire was shaking as she held Owen. But she didn't agree with what Owen said because if she was left in an orphanage or was put up for foster care, there's no guarantee if she would've been treated as nicely as she would have been here.
"D-don't say that. If it was anybody else, they would have given her up the moment they found out she was a clone. But you? You took her in, let her stay in your house. She never even needed to ask for anything because you almost always delivered. You're not a failure Owen, all dads make mistakes." Claire comforted him. She wasn't there for him when Red was taken and that was a mistake, she's not going to let him drown in his sorrow again.
"This is way more than just a mistake Claire. You know what's worse? Right before they took her, I called her my daughter. That's the first time I did that and I didn't even get to tell her." Owen breathed.
"Did you see who took her?" Claire asked.
"I did. He threatened to shoot me if I got any closer but... Hold on." Owen said as he stood up.
Maybe hope was not lost yet. There was still something Owen remembered that might give him a clue. A clue that will help them resolve this problem.
"Owen, what is it?" Claire queried.
"That man. He was the boss of the guys who took Maisie but I don't think he's The Boss. He said something about not wanting to shoot me because he was being paid by someone." Owen responded.
Paid? By who? And there's no way it wasn't just some random who happened to know where they lived. If this employer didn't want the men to shoot Owen then they must have something planned for him and maybe even Claire.
Then it clicked. Claire's eyes sharpened as she turned to face Owen again.
"Henry." Claire said bluntly.
"Are you sure? We can't just make guesses, Claire." Owen replied.
"It has to be him. You said that when you came upon that facility near Oakland, a drone caught footage of you before Ripper broke it. And remember those guys who kidnapped Fang? They knew where to look and where our house was. Who else could it be, Owen?" Claire questioned.
Owen thought more clearly of it. Maybe there was merit to what Claire was saying. Who else would target them? Probably someone who already knew where they lived.
"Wait, if it is Henry, does that mean Biosyn is in on this too?" Owen continued.
"They probably are." Ripper said as Owen and Claire looked at him
"How can you be sure?" Owen wondered.
"Earlier today, I threatened Krystal because I thought she was up to something but she wasn't. I scared her too much to the point where she ran away, a bunch of hunters took her but I tried to get her back. Then I was knocked out by a taser. But that taser wasn't just a normal one, if it was it wouldn't have had such an effect on me. It's the same type Wu used on me when I was younger. In his words, he did it so I could 'behave' maybe he should've tried to use his own methods on himself." Ripper explained. But when he mentioned Wu there was a touch of anger and disgust in his voice.
While Owen didn't like what he was hearing since not only must they deal with Maisie's kidnapping, but Krystal's too. Ripper did have a point, if those men were using the same tasers Henry used on him, then they're not just random poachers who are trying to make a quick buck.
"If this really is Biosyn's doing. Then they must be transporting Krystal to their headquarters in the Dolomites. Which means they might be taking Maisie there too." Claire lit up with a hint of joy.
Owen stood up to his full height and Claire faced him. He closed his eyes and tried to focus. He stared at Ripper, and looked back at Claire.
"Are you sure about this? I mean, how would we even get there? And besides, I don't even know who took her." Owen said.
"Owen, if there's even a slim chance that we'll get our girl back, we have to take the risk. We can't let them get away with this or else she really will be trapped. Trapped in a place where nobody will love her." Claire held over by the shoulders and her voice cracked as she spoke.
Owen took a breath. He went into his right pocket and pulled out Maisie's switchblade. He looked at it for three minutes before looking back at Claire. He placed his forehead against hers and spoke.
"What goes around, comes around. That guy said that if I kept doing this I'm gonna wish I burned on Nublar. Well, once we catch up to him, I'll make sure he's going to be the one wishing he was on that island when it died." Owen smirked.
Claire smiled and hugged Owen. He did the same and looked at Ripper and winked at him. Ripper simply nodded at him.
"Okay, now that we've got that all cleared, all we need to do is locate the guy who took her. But how do we do that?" Claire asked.
Owen scratched his chin. He thought of various ways to track those men. They definitely can't just follow their tire tracks, they'll blend into the pavement once they get further because of all the other tracks left by other vehicles.
But then an idea popped into his head.
"Maybe we can ask around town. These kinds of guys like to go to bars, we'll start there. And didn't you say that Franklin got that new job opportunity at an intelligence agency? Once we know what this guy's name is, we'll be able to track him down." Owen answered.
Claire nodded. Owen didn't care if he was tired. If they end up finding any leads, he'll tire out every fiber in his body to find Maisie. Losing Benjamin was enough, having to live in isolation from the rest of the world is even worse.
It didn't take long before Owen and Claire left the house to go to town. All they needed was an hour to get Owen to rest.
The Raptors stayed in the backyard for the rest of the day just in case if there were more of this poachers, they'd want to stay together. And Talon flew back to his home in the mountains with his parents.
Fang rested as his mother put a hand on his head to help him relax. He couldn't do anything but think about what he said to his father. Was it right to berate him like that?
If it weren't for Ripper, Fang wouldn't be born. And if it wasn't for his father letting his anger get to him, he wouldn't have driven off Nemesis. The Young Hybrid shut his eyes, he needed time to think about this before he spoke to his father again.
But, just as Fang was thinking about his father, the Untamable Thief made his way over to his son. Hearing his father's footsteps made Fang bolt his eyes open.
Ripper stood five feet away from Fang. His look was completely devoid of emotion. Blue was tensing up a little, she knew how Ripper dealt with negative emotions. And usually, it doesn't end with him sweeping it under the rug. Most of the time, he takes it personally.
But would he really go as far as hurting his own flesh and blood?
The hybrid focused his eyes on his son's. Ripper's eyes didn't look like the ones of a vicious animal. Fang wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling at the moment. Was he angry but didn't want to make it obvious?
There was only one way to get that answer. If he answered himself.
"You know Fang, you're lucky I'm your dad. Because if it was anyone else, they might've scarred you to get you to take back your words. Just so you know, what you said did hurt. I'm not going to pretend like it didn't, I want you to remember this the next time we speak. So listen very carefully." Ripper began.
The mother Raptor was beginning to let her guard down. It's clear that her mate doesn't have any intentions to hurt their son, but what does he intend to tell him that's so important?
Ripper moved in closer, he lowered his stance and his head was just a few inches away from Fang. The young Raptor gulped. Was he going to threaten him? He wouldn't go that far would he? He might not have any intentions to hurt him, but a simple false threat is enough to get almost anyone to submit.
"You can say the most vile things to me. Heck, maybe you can even stop calling me your father. But know this, you'll always be my boy. Me and your mother didn't go through the trouble of having you just so we can make you bleed. You're one of the only reasons I still push myself to live, and when we get Krystal back, I'll make sure she'll stay. And I will do everything I can so she will be happy to stay here instead of being forced to stay just because you're friends. Your mother knows I'm a Raptor of my word, if I fail to deliver then you have every right to hate me." Ripper nuzzled his son.
Ripper turned back and walked away. Just as he did, he shot his son a smile. This made Fang wonder, what would it take for Ripper to hate him? But that question has already been answered and while was still conflicted, he was actually feeling better.
If Ripper really did mean what he said, then he's the best dad on the planet in Fang's eyes. Blue smiled as well, she's not sure if Ripper would've responded like that two years ago when he was consumed by vengeance. But now that he has mellowed out and let his true personality shine through, he's way more considerate.
To the Indoraptor, a good father is one who can show restraint. He wouldn't dare to lay a claw on that boy even if Fang hurt him. If there's one thing Ripper hates more than Wu, it's him hurting the ones he loves.
"Don't worry Fang, your lousy dad's on it." Ripper thought.
He's not sure why they took her, but considering what Claire said, and that they used a taser that they probably knew would work on him, there can only be one suspect as to who hired those rats.
Ripper looked into the distance. And started planning something. Something that he should've done since the very start. If he had just executed this plan earlier, he wouldn't have had to go through as much pain as he has. But after everything that's happened, he's going to insure that he savors every last drop of blood that pours into his mouth.
"Just you wait, you snake. It's about time karma gave you a bite." Ripper growled.
To be continued
Author's Notes:
So yeah, I already said that since Beta doesn't exist in this universe she wouldn't the Raptor who'd be kidnapped. And Fang definitely wouldn't have been a good choice either since he was already kidnapped in the previous story he featured in. So instead, I chose Krystal. And by the looks of it, unlike when Blue got mad at him in Ripper's Journey II, Ripper didn't fall into a spiral of sadness, instead, it gave him even more motivation to get Krystal back. And if you're wondering why the tasers are so specialized, it's because in Fallen Kingdom, Ripper was tased as well but I'm not sure if normal tasers would do much to a bullet proof hybrid so I explained it through then being a specific kind of taser.
SEE YA NEXT TIME!