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Jurassic Park with monsters in place of dinosaurs. You get the picture. |
| [Introduction]
Like many of you, I'm sure, Jurassic Park is on my list of top ten personal favorite movies. But lately, I've been thinking, what if instead of dinosaurs, they had found a way to make mythical beasts real and made a theme park around that instead? Well, here's what that scenario would probably look like. This will basically be a retelling of the movie, but with certain key elements changed. For example, the velociraptors are instead werewolves, the T Rex could be a dragon or similar large beast, etc. Certain story points may be changed too, we'll see where it goes. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Feel free to send me a request if anyone wants to join in!
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| Dr. Lawrence Brady watched as the countless miles of ocean passed by the window of the private jet he was currently seated in, sipping a glass of champagne the stewardess had brought him. The jet wasn’t his, of course, there was no way he could ever afford such a luxury on his salary. No, the jet belonged to one Abraham Magnus, the founder and CEO of Magnus Industries, and one of the top five richest people on the planet. Magnus Industries was a still a fairly young company, but somehow managed to become one of the biggest producers of everything from home appliances to military weaponry, and everything in-between practically overnight. Dr. Brady had been wondering for the entire trip why this seemingly all powerful business mogul had invited him, along with the few others on the jet, to his private island resort. Just last week, he and presumably everybody else onboard had received a letter stamped with the Magnus Industries logo, with the words “OPEN IMMEDIATELY” also stamped across the front. The letter had read thusly… Dear Sir\Madame You have been recognized as the top of your respective field, and are cordially invited to attend a private seminar of sorts, courtesy of Abraham Magnus. He has great need of your knowledge and skills in your subject, and requests you come to his private resort on Isla Terra. Please be at the Los Angeles airport by 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 2nd. All expenses have been paid in advance. We promise you this: It will be unlike anything you have ever seen before, and will be something you will never forget! Yours Faithfully, Magnus Industries “Its kind of funny, isn’t it?” Brady was snapped out of his train of thought by the woman beside him suddenly asking him the question. “What’s funny?” He said “Our situation.” She said with a small smirk “A cryptozoologist, a professor, a lawyer and a big game hunter all on a plane. Sounds like the setup for a joke.” Brady chuckled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Now if only we could think of a punchline.” The woman giggled “I’m Professor Young, but call me Lucy.” Brady introduced himself and they shook hands. “How did you know I was a cryptozoologist?” “I actually attended one of your lectures last month. You really know a lot about monsters.” Brady smiled. “Well, strange creatures have always fascinated me. What are you a professor of, by the way?” “Mythology.” Replied Young “More specifically, the monsters and beasts of legends from various cultures. I guess we sort of have something in common, then.” They looked across the aisle to the two other men sitting beside them. One was dressed in a suit and carried a briefcase, and the other was a gruff looking man dressed in kakis and camo. Based on what Professor Young had said, it wasn’t hard to guess which was the lawyer and which the hunter. “Anybody have any idea what exactly this private seminar is all about?” asked Young. The lawyer, whose name was Marcus Shaft, shrugged. “Beats me.” He said “No idea.” Said the hunter, named Bob Roth. Judging by his accent, he must have been from Australia. The rest of the flight was pretty quiet, besides Brady and Young making small talk. Finally, the pilot announced over the intercom “Now approaching Isla Terra, please remain seated until we come to a complete stop.” After landing, the four of them were greeted by Abraham Magnus himself, dressed in a white suit and walking with a cane. He was bald but had a long white beard and spectacles, making him look almost like Santa Claus without the red outfit. “Welcome! Welcome! I’m so glad you could all make it!” They each shook his hand, and he lead them to a lavish dining room that looked rather spacious, with lots of tables and chairs. Odd thing to have on such a private place, Brady thought. “Before we get to business, I’m sure you all must be hungry after your long trip. So I took the liberty of having my personal chef prepare us lunch.” As they sat at one of the large tables and enjoyed their meal, Brady asked “So, Mr. Magnus. Why exactly did you invite us here? This all seems rather elaborate just for a seminar.” Magnus chuckled. “I can see there’s no fooling you, Dr. Brady. Please, forgive me for deceiving you all, but indeed, this is not a seminar. Rather, it’s an opportunity.” “What do you mean?” asked Young. “You see, this is indeed a private island in my name, but I don’t intend to keep it that way. Once everything is complete, I intend to open this island to the public, as a theme park.” At these words, the four guests looked skeptical, to say the least. “A theme park?” Asked Roth “And what would your theme be?” “I’m glad you asked, Mr. Roth. I plan to turn this entire island into a sort of zoo. A zoo like no other on Earth. A zoo…for monsters.” There was a long silence before Shaft spoke up. “I’m sorry, but, did you say monsters?” Magnus nodded. “Indeed I did. Monsters, myths, cryptids, whatever you want to call them. That’s why I invited each of you here for a sort of unique job opportunity. I wish to hire you as staff once the park is opened to the public.” “You can’t be serious.” Said Shaft “You intend to make this island a zoo, and fill it with creatures that don’t exist?” “Ah, but that is not entirely true, Mr. Shaft. While indeed, these creatures of legend have never been proven to exist in this dimension, I have discovered a way to bring them into this world, quite literally. I’m sure you all must have a great many questions, but if you’ll follow me, I promise you will have your answers by the end of the tour.” |
| "Are they Sapient?" Bob asked. "Why do you ask?" Magnus asked. "I'm no lawyer, like Mr. Shaft here, but I'm pretty certain that there's a law against kidnapping folk," said Bob. "I mean, there's precedents out there - in some places, kill a gorilla, and you get treated as a murderer. Heck, kick a puppy, and you get arrested for assault." "Are you sure you're a big game hunter?" Brady asked. "A hunter that doesn't know about laws regarding animals, is one who loses his license, and possibly more," said Bob. "Mr. Roth does bring up a good point," said Marcus. "There are serious consequences if hunters prove to be ignorant of hunting laws and decide to engage in poaching." |
| "I assure you, each creature in this park is no more intelligent than the average animal on earth. Some may seem smarter than others, maybe even can mimic human speech in some cases, but in they end they are based on sheer instinct, not reason." Roth still didn't seem fully convinced. "Suppose we agree to your job offer." Brady said "What exactly would you have us doing in the park?" "You, Mr. Brady, would be ideal for our advanced research team. Your knowledge of creatures such as these would be most invaluable, as well as designing habitats for the display areas where the creature's will be kept for the public to see. As for Ms. Young, I think she would be an excellent guide and host for our guests, giving tours and such. Mr. Roth, your job would be to help our retrieval teams to capture new attractions, as well as serving as game warden of the park. As for Mr. Shaft, well, simply put, I'm told he's the best in his field on the west coast, and we need a good attorney to represent the park." "And you expect us to quit our jobs just to work at an amusement park?" Young asked "I know it doesn't sound like much, but should you accept, your wages will be triple your current annual salary." Magnus said "Now then, before you decide, I wanted to give you four the honor of being the very first group to take a tour of what we have completed so far." After finishing their lunch, Magnus lead them to the visitors center, where his two grandchildren, Alex and Elise, 10 and 14 respectively, were waiting. They ran up and hugged their grandfather and he chuckled. "I forgot to mention, my grandchildren will will be joining you on the tour." "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is that really a good idea?" Roth interjected "Sending kids on a tour full of monsters?" Magnus just shook his head "Mr Roth, do you really think I would send my own grandchildren out into the park and not take every precaution? Security is one our highest concerns. After all, children will be our chief audience once the park is open. Now, before the tour begins, we have a brief presentation for you. If you'll all follow me." |
| "Got a bad feeling about this," said Bob. "Had one on a hunt in Africa. Expected to bag a gazelle." "What happened?" Marcus asked. "Rebels killed my guides and left me for deal," said Bob. "That in and of itself was bad enough. But there was worse." "What was worse?" Brady asked. "There was a freaking lioness that tried to hunt me down as I tried to get back to the hunting lodge, and possibly call for help," said Bob. "25 kilometers, or 15 miles to you Yanks, with a bad leg, and she was on my tail every meter of the way." "What happened?" Lucy asked. Bob pulled out a certain iconic straight knife. "I had Jimmy with me." He then also pulled out a curved knife that looked like one from Naples. "I was also carrying Kalu here - a gift from a Gurkha mate of mine." He sheathed the blades. "Thanks to Jimmy and Kalu, I managed to kill that oversized pussy cat. Thankfully, the rangers, when they finally showed up at the lodge, were very understanding about the killing of said endangered animal - only a fool hunts big cats with nothing more than a pair of big knives. Then again, seems the cat had other issues that would have gotten it killed anyways." "I'm surprised that you managed to slip those past security," said Magnus. "I made sure to declare them, and all the other stuff necessary," said Bob. "I am not going to part with them easily." |
| Magnus lead the group the a sort of theater, with a large screen at the front. After everyone was seated, the large screen was illuminated by the Magnus Industries logo, followed by a recorded image of Magnus himself. “Greetings!” Said the on screen Magnus “It is my great pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to Mythic Park! You, my friends, are about to experience a place unlike anywhere else in the world, a zoo built solely for creatures once thought to be mere fiction.” Mythic Park?, Brady thought. Could have picked a better name. The Magnus on screen continued “I’m sure you’re all asking, how could we possibly bring such creatures into existence? The answer is, we didn’t! They already existed. We just had to know where to look! Using advanced portal technology, we have discovered a way to open gateways into other worlds outside our own.” An image of such a portal appeared on screen, showing a lush, mysterious jungle. “This new dimension, which we have codenamed Eden, is home to countless species of strange and amazing creatures, many of which, we believed to be mere fantasy before Eden had been discovered. Our top scientists theorize that somehow, ancient humans were able to see glimpses into this strange world, this beginning the legends of such beings here on Earth. But that’s a story for another day.” The group could hardly believe what they were seeing. They knew Magnus Industries had access to advance technology, but not anything like this! “Using robotic drones and probes, we have brought back several species of creatures into our world for the public’s study and enjoyment, with many more still to come.” Suddenly the seating section of the room began to rotate, showing a view of a laboratory behind a glass wall as Magnus continued “Our Magnus Industries engineers and scientists work day and night, developing the most advanced safety measures and security devices, ensuring that guests may enjoy the park in total safety.” The lab showed several people in white coats working on various devices, such as tracking chips and security drones. “I assure you, while some of our resident monsters may look frightening, we have taken every possible step to ensure they cannot harm a guest.” After the presentation, The real Magnus stood up in front of the group. “Now, before we begin the tour, any questions?” Roth asked “Aren’t you worried that these creatures will breed in captivity?” “No need to worry about that, Mr. Roth. We make sure every creature we bring back is female, so they cannot breed with each other. But I’m glad you brought up that point. Anything else?” |
| "Just because they're female now doesn't mean anything," Bob muttered. "Wouldn't be too surprised if there's some sort of biological trigger that would cause at least some of the creatures to change gender." "You have a point there," said Brady. "There's a few stories." "Throw in the fact that they're bringing in wild creatures from an unknown world," said Bob. "The potential for cross-species diseases and the like is there, not to mention other serious dangers." |
| Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the group or even Magnus himself, something was happening within the main control room of the entire facility. Something that was about to set off a disasterous chain of events. Jeff Collins, the head of Magnus Industries' science division, sat alone at the main control station computer, typing away furiously at a keyboard. A week earlier, he had received an offer from the head of his employer's prime competitor, Merlin Inc. They had offered him a total of ten million dollars, with half of that paid to him on the spot, if he would get them the blueprints and all the research data on Magnus Industries' portal technology. It was an offer that was far too good to refuse. What's more, Jeff knew he could easily pull it off. All he had to do was wait until his co workers had left, and download everything onto a thumb drive, and catch the last boat off the island, them boom! He'd have more money than he'd make in a decade. More than he'd know what to do with! All that was left was to fulfil one last condition of the agreement. In addition to stealing the blueprints, he had been asked to upload a virus to the Magnus computer network, one specially made to shut down the whole thing and corrupt the system. This would set the company back for a good long while, if not put them out of business all together. The virus was on a sort of timer, so it would activate only once the systems clock reached a set time, giving Collins plenty of time to get off the island with the thumb drive before anyone could suspect him or catch him in the act. The virus was also made to be undetectable until it was too late, and the damage had been done. Finishing his task, Collins shut off the screen and pocketed the drive. By this time tomorrow, he'd be rich! He exited the room and started making his way to the docks. It was just a matter of time now. In two hours, Magnus Industries would be toast. Back with the group, Magnus was showing his guests the compound that contained what he claimed were the creatures commonly called werewolves. The whole thing was surrounded by electric fence, and full of thick vegetation, blocking most of the inside from view. "Well?" Asked Alex "I don't see anything." "Just wait." Said Magnus with a smirk. "It's almost feeding time." About ten seconds later, a crane began to lower a cow into the compound, and for a moment, there was an eerie silence, until finally... |
| There was still more silence. "Tell me that cow was just a leather-covered bamboo mock-up of a cow filled with beef?" Bob asked. "Real and alive," said Magnus. That was when the sounds of pain and anguish came. "You just violated several laws with that," said Marcus. "Live feeding went out prior to the 90's. Let's not factor in any trauma a child might suffer, but you just had a living breathing animal get mutilated by other living animals. Also, that bovine could have injured your attractions." "And I know a lot what that cow went through too," said Bob. "I think I've seen enough. Send them back home or kill them, and never interfere with their world." "I don't believe this," said Magnus. "I have to agree with him," said Brady. "Having actual werewolves that can kill something the size of a cow is too dangerous." Magnus turned to Lucy. "What about you?" "As fascinating as it is, this is indeed too dangerous," said Lucy. "Many zoo animals have been raised in captivity, and are used to people. Creatures from another world is like walking into an uncharted minefield. One misplaced step, and you get eaten." "I have to agree," said Bob. "Well, could you at least spend the night and take the tour?" Magnus asked. "Then again, with a storm coming, it might be best to stay the night anyways. The captain of the ship I normally use told me he doesn't like the weather we're supposed to have." |
| Back at the hotel, Magnus and his guests were sitting down to dinner. "So, I take it you will all be declining my offer of employment?" "Based on what I've seen so far, I think that would be the wisest decision." Said Bob "I'm sorry, Mr Magnus, but I really think what you're doing here is a bad idea." The others heartily agreed. "As incredible as these creatures may be, they are also extremely dangerous." Said Brady "You claim to have taken extreme precautions, but sooner or later, something is bound to go wrong. What if one of these beasts escapes? There's no telling what havoc they could cause, worst of all if they reached the mainland." "Not to mention any lawsuits that would arise from such an occurrence." Shaft added. "If a guest is injured, or worse, by one of your attractions, the resulting cases would no doubt bankrupt even a company like yours. If I were in your position, I wouldn't open this park at all." Magnus sighed. "I'm sorry you all feel that way, and it's a shame you won't be joining us. Since I was a boy, I've been facsinated by mythological creatures. When Eden was discovered, can you imagine my joy when I found out such beings were real? All I wanted was to share that with the world." "I'm sure we all can understand that." Said Brady "But what you're doing here isn't the way to go about that. It's too great a risk." Magnus gave another sigh and said "You've given me a lot to think about. The bellhop will show you to your rooms for the night. Your flight home should arrive around three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. I'm sorry to have wasted your time." As the adults left, Alex and Elise looked at their grandfather solemnly. "Does this mean you won't open the park, grandpa?" Elise asked. "I don't know, sweetie." He replied "I'm beginning to think maybe I should never have built this place. You two go on to your room, now. I've got a lot of things to reconsider." Alex and Elise got up and went to leave the dinning room. Before they did, they turned to look at their grandfather one last time, as he sat in his chair with an expressionless face, lost in his thoughts. |
| An hour later, Bob came out of his room. He could hear a deep sigh, and the gurgle of liquid pouring out of a bottle, and landing in a glass. Following the sounds, Bob soon came to the parlor, and saw Magnus drinking what looked to be an expensive wine, if the bottle he saw was any indication. "I prefer a box wine myself," he said as he sat in a chair across from the old man. "What do you want?" the elderly man asked, as he sipped on the glass. "How many of those have you had?" Bob asked. "This will be my second glass, so far," said Magnus. "Still got more bottles to go." Bob grabbed a glass, grabbed the bottle, filled the glass, and corked the bottle. He then took a sip. "Not a bad wine, if you don't mind me saying so." Magnus sighed. "I spared no expense." "Could be worse," said Bob. "You could have been totally drunk, and I would of had to toss you into your own bed, and guard the door all night. Did that with a buddy of mine once. His brother ran a wildlife sanctuary, and dedicated his life to educating folks about the beauty of Earth's creatures. One day though, he slipped up, and a King cobra bit him in the jugular. Dead within minutes. The news of his death hit my buddy real hard, and he took to drinking. One night, I found him drinking a bottle I'd gotten for his brother's birthday, and he didn't have the decency to save me a glass. Got into a fight, but I gave him a good one, knocked him out, and like the decent bloke I am, I placed him into his bed, tucked him in, and I spent the night looking over him. Managed to get him the help he needed. He doesn't drink as much as he used to, because he knows that I could take him." "It was my life's dream," said Magnus. "Show folks real life monsters." "Oh, there's plenty of them," said Bob. "Worst ones look human." "I mean, the chance to watch mermaids swim, and unicorns gallop across fields," said Magnus. "What would you have paid to see them?" "Plenty, if I believed it to be safe," said Bob. "Maybe it could be done." "What do you mean?" Magnus asked. "You've used drones to map this place out, right?" Bob asked. Magnus nodded. "Have folks fly drones from here, if they want to be safe," said Bob. "But, then for folks that want to get closer, I'd recommend a secure reinforced Safari Vehicle, like they do in Africa, especially in areas that have dangerous beasts, like rhinoceros, hippopotamus, lions, cheetahs, tigers, bears, and emu." "Emu?" Magnus asked. "Highly dangerous," said Bob. "Make lions look like overgrown pussy cats." "Are you trying to cheer me up or something?" Magnus asked. "You just had a rockslide dam the river you were trying to dig a channel from," said Bob. "Happened to my father once, when we were trying to water the fields on the farm." "Was he forced to sell the farm?" Magnus asked. "Nope, he kicked me and my brothers out of bed, and we went to look at the issue, to come up with a solution to the problem," said Bob. "Solution was simple - dig multiple channels. Backbreaking labor, and had to deal with a few crocodiles, but let me tell you, it was worth it in the end, and thankfully it wasn't just us doing the digging - more than thirty families, that were affected, all helped out." "So, you're giving me another channel, as it were," said Magnus. "One that can be controlled more easily, like a canal," said Bob. "You can even make sure that no one is trying to smuggle things in or out." "Something to think on," said Magnus. "Just trying to help you keep the dream alive," said Bob. "I've seen a few crash and burn, but you haven't hit rock bottom yet. I mean, you still have access to something folks would love to see. You just have to be both smart and wise about it." |
| As Bob was giving Magnus his pep talk, the storm was beginning to really pick up outside. Rain began to fall in droves as thunder shattered the otherwise quiet air. It was right about now that the clocks reached seven o'clock PM. Which happened to be the exact time that Jeff Collins had programed the virus to activate. Almost instantaneously, it spread throughout the island computer network, shutting down every system one by one. At the hotel, everything went suddenly dark as the power was snuffed out. "Oh dammit." Muttered Magnus "Probably the circuit breaker. Somebody should bring it back on in a few minutes." But after several minutes had passed, the power still hadn't returned. "Don't tell me the matinence guy left already." Meanwhile, all across the park, the resident monsters were beginning to realize their restraints and containments were no longer functioning. Grunts, screeches and roars filled the air as the beasts escaped their cages and compounds, echoing through the night. Using the flashlights on their phones, everyone had managed to make their way back to the dining room at the hotel. Unfortunately, the storm was preventing them from getting any signals. "Everybody calm down." Said Magnus "I'm sure the powerr should be back on soon. The storm probably knocked it out." "Um, Mr Magnus?" Said Bob, who was standing over by the windows overlooking the park. "You might want to come see this." Magnus approached the window, and his face turned to an expression of total horror. In the distance, there were two large glowing yellow eyes that were coming increasingly closer to the hotel. Lightning suddenly flashed, briefly illuminating the night to reveal that those eyes belonged to an enormous dragon, each of it's footsteps causing the ground to tremble as it came closer. "I hate to be the one to say it." Said Bob "But I told you so." |
| "What would you recommend?" Magnus asked. "Tell me that you Spared No Expense in building an Emergency Bunker or something for in the event of hurricanes?" Bob asked. "Would be a good thing to have a secure shelter for those sorts of things, even without the threat of dangerous animals. And speaking of the animals, tell me that you have an anti-tank rifle or something with over a thousand rounds, plus other weapons to defend ourselves with. My two knives won't be enough." |
| Well, I have good news and bad news." Said Magnus "The good news is we do have those things. Bad news is, the shelters and security office are on the other side of the park, so there's no way we can get to them. Even worse, most of the park staff will have left the island by now, so they can't help us either." |
| "Tell me that the tour vehicles can withstand attacks from those things, and can take us to the security building and shelter?" Bob asked. "As you mentioned, walking would be a bad idea, but with driving a reasonably protected vehicle, there's a chance. Also, tell me that those vehicles are close enough to run to." |
| Fortunately, the hotel had a garage with a few of the tour jeeps parked inside. With Bob, Magnus and his grandchildren in one, and the rest in another, they began their perilous drive through the pouring rain with wild predators around every corner. The jeeps were specially designed by Magnus Industries technicians, meant to withstand the toughest of conditions and built to withstand the force of a charging minotaur. There was just one thing...they had yet to be tested in such scenarios. Well, no time like the present, thought Magnus as he floored the gas. |
| "At least the speed on these is decent," said Bob. "Hopefully the other person driving is also good." |
| Needless to say, the ride was less than pleasant to say the least. The rain was pouring so hard, the windshield wipers could barely keep up. They were also forced to take an improvised detour when they encountered an enormous fallen tree blocking the most direct route to the security office, forcing them to turn off the paved road and into the jungle. As they did, amidst the thunder and lightning, Bob noticed that they were passing the werewolf compound from earlier. The now inactive electric fence looked like it had been torn apart, with a large hole where there had once been electrified steel. "God help us." He said under his breath, silently praying they reached their destination in one piece. That's when they felt the ground shaking as they heard giant footsteps coming from behind the jeeps. Suddenly, the dragon from before came charging at the caravan, it's roar causing everyone in both jeeps to almost collectively soil themselves as both drivers slammed on the gas as hard as humanly possible. |
| "Tell me that one doesn't have a breath weapon?" Bob asked. "Not that one," said Mangus. "What about its farts?" Bob asked. "Do they light on fire?" "Not that I'm aware of," said Magnus. "Why do you ask?" "There's a stream of fire behind it," said Bob. "That would be the other specie of dragon we do have," said Magnus. |
| While all this was going on, Jeff Collins was driving through the jungle in the torrential storm, having been lost in the dense maze of trees and thickets for far too long. He looked at his watch. He caused to himself. The boat off the island had already left by now! Don't panic, he thought, don't panic. Plan B. He'd have to find a safe, sheltered place, and wait out this storm. Then, he could figure out another way to make his escape, and receive the biggest payday of his life. Suddenly, his Jeep's engine stalled. Swearing loudly, he realized if he stayed here, he was a sitting duck for any hungry creature that might come this way. But if he got out of the car, there was a chance he could find shelter to hide until morning. He chose the second option, stepping out into the rain and mud, and began what seemed like an eternal trek deeper into the jungle. After hiking for about twenty minutes, he heard a sound the made he blood turn to ice in his veins. A low, reptilian hiss, and the sound of something big and very long slithering through the underbrush. Immediately, he started moving as fast as his legs could carry him, but the thick mud slowed him considerably. Finally, his foot came sliding out of his shoe as it got stuck in the mud, causing him to trip and fall face first into the wet earth. As he regained his composure and tried to get back up, wiping the mud from his eyes, he saw a half humanoid, half snake creature with a writhing mass of serpents for hair staring down at him not five inches away, directly in front of his face. And that was the last thing he ever saw, because his entire body turned to stone in just a few seconds after that. The creature had been a gorgon, which were normally kept behind a cage made of a special, triple reinforced glass, which would block their petrifying gaze from harming guests. Unfortunately for Collins, there was no such thing between him and the one he'd encountered, as he turned to lifeless rock, clothes and all, leaving him a statue in the middle of a jungle, on a godforsaken island, where all hell had broken loose directly because of him. |
| Thankfully, the two cars managed to get to the shelter in time, along with the armory. "Hopefully these things can do the job," Bob said, as he picked up the anti-tank rifle. "I don't want to shoot something, just to make it angry." "The thickness of the walls and doors should prove difficult enough that most predators will give up and go after an easier target," said Magnus. "Okay, we'll try waiting first, and only fight these things if we have to," said Bob. "I would appreciate that," said Magnus. |
| So, they waited inside the bunker until early the next morning. Thankfully, the place had plenty of cots to sleep on and emergency rations to eat. The bunker was mostly soundproof, so they couldn't really hear what was going on on the surface, other than the occasional quake from the footsteps of some of the larger beasts. By sun up, the group had all awoken, and they found Magnus trying to get a phone signal to call for help. "Damn it!" He said "I can't get a signal down here." The others checked their phones as well with the same results. "Somebody would have to go up and try to get reception." Said Brady Suddenly, Magnus had an idea "There's a signal tower on the east side of the island. If someone could get to it and climb to the top, there's a good chance they could call the military, or hell, at this point I'll take the cavalry." "Mr Magnus." Said Bob "You know that the military will want to destroy this place, rather than risk these monsters reaching the mainland, don't you?" Magnus sighed deeply. "Yes. I know. But I had plenty of time to think during the night. I realize I was a fool to ever build this place, or those portals. I regret what must be done, but at the same time, I know it's for the best." Bob placed a reasuring hand on Magnus's shoulder "It takes a big man to admit his mistakes. At least this all happened before the park opened to the public. I don't want to think what would have happened then." Bob picked up a 50 caliber rifle and loaded it "I'll go with whoever is going to try to reach the tower. Considering I've spent my life hunting large and dangerous animals, they should be relatively safe with me." Professor Young volunteered to go, and she and Bob stepped outside the bunker to see the park in shambles, but no monsters in sight. So far so good, thought Bob, before they saw that both jeeps were now sitting in a large crater, having been crushed under the foot of that dragon, most likely. "Looks like we're going on foot." |
| "So, what do you recommend?" D.r Young asked. "I'd advise that we make sure that we're well armed," said Bob. "Let's get you an assault rifle or shotgun, preferably with armor piercing rounds or something like that. Also, make sure everyone else is armed. Don't want to give these fellas an easy meal." |
| After making sure the remaining group members were armed, Brady was posted by the bunker door, and told not to open it unless he heard Bob and Young knock when they got back. They both began the perilous journey to the cell tower, every slight noise or movement putting Young on edge. Bob, not so much. "Stay calm." He told young "Wild beasts can sense fear. They can smell it. Stay alert, but don't let it get the best of you." In the distance, they heard the sudden cry of some creature that had been pounced on by a much larger creature, and the sound of crunching bones and ripping flesh. Young, armed with a shotgun, tightened her grip on the weapon. Being an educator, her profession had never required her to use a gun of any kind, so needles to say, he inexperience with such things didn't make her feel all that safe. Suddenly, Bob signaled for her to halt. "What is it?" She whispered. "They're watching us." Bob responded "The werewolves. Over there." He motioned toward a small clearing behind the treeline. If one looked very carefully, they could make out two glinting yellow eyes staring from behind the bushes. The tower was visible above the trees, about a football field's length away. "We can make it if we run." Young whispered "No, we won't." Said Bob "They'll catch us for sure. I'll distract it, you head for the tower." Cocking the 50 cal., Bob began to slowly move towards the trees. "Go. Now." Young bolted towards the tower. She hadn't run like this since high school on the track team, and her side was beginning to get a stitch. Silently, she prayed to whatever higher power that may be watching to let her reach the tower in one piece. Bob had reached the trees now, the werewolf about twenty yards away. He could just make out it's head through the brush. Slowly, he raised the rifle and took aim. That was when he felt a hot blast of air hit the side of his face, reeking of freshly killed game. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another werewolf's face emerge from the bush beside him, a low, hungry growl echoing in it's throat. He couldn't believe it. He had fallen for a trap! In a split second, he reached for his knife as the beast attacked. |
| However, unlike some Too Cool to Live sort, Bob didn't feel like dying today. Also, unlike in the movies, while Bob didn't know if these werewolves were allergic to silver, he'd just found out that ordinary steel from a knife thrust to the chest would do the job, as he embedded Jim into the one's heart. That was when the second made its attack, from behind. In one swift move, Bob pulled out Kalu, spun around, and decapitated it. He then turned to the first one he'd spotted, which was now watching with interest. "Was that the best you got?" he asked, "Or are you going to find something easier?" As if to answer, the werewolf took off, away from the area. "Smart girl," Bob said. He then pulled Jim out of the one corpse, sheathed his knives, picked up the rifle, and went back towards the tower. Young was somewhat shocked when Bob emerged from the trees. "For a moment, I had a feeling you'd been killed." "I didn't feel like being eaten by some mangy mutts today," said Bob. "Let's get on the radio. I want to hear some opera." "Opera?" Young asked. "I tend to leave before the fat lady sings," said Bob. |
| Bob stood guard at the base of the tower as Young climbed. As she did so, she wondered how the military would respond to her call. What was she going to tell them? That mythical monsters were running amok across the island? She'd have to convince them somehow. About halfway up the tower, she heard a piercing shriek coming from above. She looked up to see a flock of harpies had built a nest atop the tower, and we're flying straight towards her! Her shotgun was currently strapped across her back. There was no way she could retrive it without letting go and potentially falling to her death. The harpies were getting closer by the second, their long, razor sharp talons ready to tear her apart! |
| That was when she heard the gunshot, and the one closest to her fell past her, all bloody. "Like shooting an overgrown turkey!" came Bob's voice. There was a second shot, and a second harpy fell. At this, the rest flew away. "Guess they're smart enough to run when the deaths to their own aren't worth the meal to be had," Bob yelled up. "That, or there's no young for them to protect." "Why do you say that?" Young yelled down. She was able to make the hunter out. "Wouldn't you fight to the death to protect your child?" Bob asked. "Point taken," Young yelled back. "Good, now get moving," Bob yelled. "I don't know if those bird ladies will be back or not." |
| Young finished her climb to the very top of the tower, holding out her phone and... Hallelujah! She had a signal! Now she just had to think of a way to convince emergency services about the situation. Which, of course, was going to be easier said than done. At the base of the tower, Bob stood alert for any potential attacking monsters, flying or otherwise. Then he felt the ground tremble slightly, before it did so again, but stronger. "Something wicked this way comes." He said, raising his weapon , his eyes darting in all directions. But something told him that whatever this thing was, if it was big enough to shake the earth with it's footsteps, even a fifty caliber rifle wasn't going to cut it. When it finally showed itself, he thought it was that dragon from before. Then he realized that particular beast only had one head. Whereas this thing had seven, all attached to long, serpentine necks coming from one body. It was a hydra! All fourteen eyes of the beast glared down at him hungrily. Where's Hercules when you need him? Thought Bob as one head reared back and prepared to strike. Bob managed to dodge the attack, but in the process, the creature snatched his rifle and swallowed it whole. For a brief moment, Bob considered attacking with his knives. Then he realized that would be suicide. Plus, if he remembered his mythology correctly, the Hydra's blood was extremely poisonous, so even if he did cut it open, he would probably be blinded or or worse by the blood splatter. What ever he did, he knew he'd better do it fast, because the hydra was preparing to attack again! |
| Much to his reluctance, Bob decided that having something between him and the beast, like a heavy wall, would be a good idea. With that, he ran inside the place, intending to keep some distance between him and it. |
| Young had yet to notice the situation with the hydra, still concentrating on her phone, which had managed to finally connect. "Hello? This is Professor Lucy Young. Me and some others are on Isla Terra, and need immediate rescue!" That was when the tower shook violently from the Hydra's footsteps, almost causing her to lose her grip. She managed to hold on, but accidentally let go of her phone, which fell to the ground and was crushed by the Hydra's foot. She looked down and covered her mouth to stop from screaming. The hydra hadn't noticed her, but Bob was nowhere in sight. She clung desperately to the ladder, staying absolutely still and silent as the grave. If she was lucky, it would move on away from here without seeing her. |
| It was at this point that Bob found a lighter and a can of wasp spray. "Well," he said. "This ought to be fun. I just hope I don't blow my hand up." |
| Meanwhile, back at the bunker, the rest of the group were waiting anxiously for Bob and Young's return. It had been close to an hour now, and still no sign of them. "You don't think... something happened to them?" Asked Elise to her grandfather. "I hope not, my dear." Said Magnus " But I'm sure Ms. Young is in good hands. Bob hunts dangerous creatures for a living after all, I'm sure they'll be back soon." Or at least, that's what he said to keep his grandaughter from freaking out. On the inside, he was as worried and unsure as everyone else. Suddenly, there was a loud scraping metallic sound, and movement coming from above them. "There's something in the air vents!" Cried Marcus. "Everybody grabbed a weapon, even the kids, and huddled together in the center of the room, facing every direction. The noise grew louder and closer by the second, until it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, when suddenly... |
| For a moment, almost everybody couldn't help but chuckle at how scared they had been. But Magnus knew better. That was no ordinary kitten. Before he could say anything, the kitten dropped out of the vent into the room, as it began to turn red and translucent. "It's a Polymorph!" Cried Magnus "Shoot it, quick!" But the kitten had already shapeshifted in a blob of red slime, that was rapidly growing larger. The group opened fire, unloading their weapons into the blob, but the bullets only ended up being absorbed into the shapeless mass, as it was already as big as a good section of the room. They were left with only two choices, either stay and be eaten by the gelatinous glob of slime as it filled the room, or run outside and hope no other predators were nearby. |
| "We leave, now!" Magnus shouted. "What about Bob and Young?" Marcus asked. Brady grabbed some paper, a marker, and duct tape. "We post a note on the door outside!" "That, and we head for the radio tower," said Magnus. |
| Back at the tower, Bob emerged from his hiding place, using the lighter and bug spray as a makeshift flamethrower. To be honest, he almost half expected his plan not to work. But thankfully, the jet of flames seemed to keep the multiheaded overgrown reptile at bay. Young began to climb down as the beast was distracted. Once she reached the bottom, they would both make a run for it. |
| Young managed to get to the ground. "Any luck?" Bob asked. "I don't know," said Young. "I think I got through, but I don't know if anyone heard me." "Let's hope that they heard the shots," said Bob. "Let's get going." As they ran, they eventually ran into Magnus and the rest. "What's wrong with the bunker?" Bob asked. "Compromised," said Magnus. "Phone call?" "Kind of iffy, and you've got an overgrown lizard with a bunch of heads that now hates wasp spray," said Bob. |
| Just then, Magnus's phone rang. "I guess I can finally get a signal out here." He answered it and found it was his assistant that was calling. "Mr Magnus, Sir?" One of our satellites detected a call from your private island. Something about an emergency evacuation. What's wrong?" "Yes, Mr Smith, something is very wrong. I don't know how, but everything's gone to hell, and me and my guests need a rescue, ASAP. Send a helicopter immediately!" "I will, sir. But you do know what this means, right?" "Yes. I know. We must initiate the Armageddon Protocol. I understand." "Very well, sir. The chopper should be there in about three hours. Be at the helipad by then, and God be with you all." Bob spoke up after the call ended. "What exactly is this "Armageddon Protocol"? Magnus sighed "I hoped I would never have to use it. It's our very last resort, in case something like our current situation ever happened. In short, we destroy the island and everything on it." "But how?" Asked Brady "We don't have time for me to go into details, but basically the whole place will be bombed once we are safely away. It pains me to do it, but it's the only way to be sure these creatures don't escape. The helipad is on the roof of the visitor center. We should get moving." |
| "Hopefully you got the research backed up someplace," said Bob. "Like I said, the idea could still work." He then stopped. "Funny looking statue over there. Looks like a computer guy I saw last night." |
| Upon closer inspection, Magnus recognized the statue "Collins? I thought he had left the island last night. Poor sap must have had a run in with a gorgon. There's nothing we can do for him, so let's get to the visitor's center. There's just one thing I need to do before we get off the island." |
| It was at that moment that Bob knelt down, and picked something out of the mud. "Well, this is a nice thumbdrive." He pulled out his cellphone, and plugged the thumbdrive into it. "I wonder if there's any good pictures." The information on the park's creatures showed up, as well as Magnus' information on their world. "Cheeky son of a bitch," he said, as he looked at the statue. "What is it?" Magnus asked. "Not to disrespect our stoned friend here, but it looks like he was a spy," said Bob. "He downloaded your entire kit and caboodle onto this thumbdrive, with plans to get it to some Merlin folks. He'd even set up a virus to delete the stuff you already had. What a shame." "Is all of the information on there?" Magnus asked. "Enough to rebuild, and expand," said Bob, as he git out a few more thumbdrives from his pouch. "Looks like these will do." He then made copies, and passed them to the rest. "Just in case we need the info." He then looked at Magnus. "So, what did we need at the Visitor's Center?" "I'm surprised that a hunter like you carries such things," said Magnus. "Comes in handy," said Bob. "So, what do we need?" |
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