markdown-everyday-life-with-raptors/chapters/part_07.md

# Part 7

“What’re you talking about!?” Owen snapped. They stood in the airport control room, he was with two other men. One a very overweight Hispanic man named Jorge, who was leading this operation. He had a thick black beard and a red beret on his head. He had a cigar in his hand and he looked positively flustered in his corpulent face. Jorge didn’t speak English, so next to him was a translator named Paul, who spoke both languages fluently. He was a thin man with a meek constitution. Unlike Jorge, Paul was shakable…easily startled. He had nearly pissed himself when he saw the girls step off the plane earlier. But now it was Owen who he was frightened of.
“You mean we have NO contact!?” Jorge spoke rapidly in Spanish and Owen turned to Paul.
“Erm…he says that he can’t explain…that there must be some sort of interference, likely coming from the smugglers hide out.” Paul answered in a stutter. Owen cursed and rubbed his brow.
“Shit, and I can’t get word out to them. How heavily armed are the monsters at this smugglers den?” Paul respoke the question to Jorge who blinked a few times and tapped his cigar.
“Monstrous?” He asked. “Que?” This time it was Owen who looked confused.
“What?”
“He doesn’t know what you-”
“I know what he meant!” Owen snarled. “I’m trying to figure out what he’s talking about!” Jorge turned to Paul and spoke carefully and matter of factly. Paul nodded.
“He…He says there are no monsters on the island. Just gun smugglers.”
“WHAT?!” Owen shouted, causing Jorge and Paul to jump. “YOU MEAN THIS ISN’T A MONSTER IMMIGRATION HIDE OUT!?”
“N-no!” Paul cried.
“Then why were we called!? My squad only deals with extra species situations!”  Owen turned, grabbing his backpack and running for the door, waiting on Jorge to respond.
“He says that we received a call from your superiors saying they were going to deal with the situation on the island. We didn’t even know about the smugglers den until we got the call, so we trusted your Navy to provide!” Owen spat and threw open the door. He looked out and saw two motorcycles waiting nearby. He turned back to the shaken Paul and Jorge.
“I need this bike.”
“But y-”
“Don’t argue!” Owen shouted. “Right now, on the other side of this island, there are four girls with predatory instincts in the middle of ground zero, and I can’t communicate with them! They are trained, but they are DEFINITELY not domesticated. If they feel threatened, they will resort to their instincts…and god help us if they lose themselves to it.”

There were 24 men in the jungle. All of them gangsters…thugs…and some were even former military. They all were ruthless and desperate. They knew they’d seen something moving in the trees…they’d heard the planes and helicopters flying overhead recently and they’d assumed that the American or Cuban government might be onto them by now. It was a good gig they had going, and none of them wanted it ruined. They’d kill anyone in that jungle…but right now they didn’t see anything. No soldiers…no spies…not even a bird chirping.
“Hey, got something!” What called out. Three broke off to investigate and they knelt down. There, on the log, was a few drops of blood. They had hit something! Something was in the jungle with them…but who?
“You hear that!?” One spun around, gun on his shoulder and aiming down the sights.
“Hear what?”
“Thought…didn’t you it?”
“No…”
“AAAAAAH!”
“SILVEO!” The men spun around at the sound of Silveo’s scream, but just as it was heard…it was gone again. Matthew had his pistol drawn, when suddenly he let out a cry of fright as a massive force hit him full on and threw him to the ground. The men shrieked and ran to back him up, but each time one had his back turned another let out a scream. One after another, until only 18 remained. If the men were nervous, now they were beginning to panic. Whatever was in the jungle…it was systematically taking them down, one after another…and no one had fired a shot.
Ricky raised a light machine gun up…and then he saw it! A flash of blue run through the bushes. He fired fast, screaming furiously as he swore he saw it had a…a tail? He fired after it, but the figure was already gone, slinking back into the foliage.
“COME OUT! GET OUT HERE Y-AAAAAH!” Out of the bushes to his left, a green figure screeched and threw itself on him, digging her vicious claws into his chest and ripping it out, biting down on his throat until the screaming stopped. Delta spat out the blood and snarled, rushing back into the woods to continue the hunt.
“I FOUND ONE! IT’S SOME LIZARD GI-AAAAAAAH GET OFF GET AACK!” Jeffery never finished alerting the men to Charlie’s location…Echo had silenced him with a knife buried deep in his neck. One of the men, an older block named Russell came running out, a submachine gun drawn. He saw Charlie and started shooting. She moved like a snake, sliding in and out of the shot until, with a primal roar, she headbutted him into a tree and began savagely cutting him down with her combat sword.
Within 7 minutes, the 24 trained and anxious soldiers were reduced to just 8. As one saw his comrade fall, he would chase the attacker, only to be attacked from behind by another, on standby. This was their way of hunting…it was primal…it was instinctive…and it was merciless. With cruel and deadly efficiency, the soldiers were hunted, slaughtered, and silenced. And all the while, the girls knew they could not communicate through words…so they communicated in the way of raptors…through their screeches and roars. And thus, the sounds of wild animals filled the night as screeching, hisses, roars, and growls could be distinctly heard…a language known only to the raptors, but foreign and horrifying to their prey.
There were only 5 now…five to kill…five in their way. Blue let out a hiss that alerted Delta and Echo to engage. The man had no idea what hit him. Echo attacked from the left, throwing him to the ground. The second man, who saw Echo’s assault was so busy aiming his gun, that Delta was nothing but a shadow as she dealt the fool his final blow; a sword through the back of his heart. Charlie had broken off from the group and was circling around to seek out the stragglers and the ones running for cover. It was better this way. With her injured shoulder, she could take them down more efficiently. Blue was issuing orders, and striking where necessary. But, just as she was about to draw back, one final soldier in the tree line was making a break for the main road. Blue pursued, her snarl evident on her face as she lunged towards him. She lept through the air, bursting from the ferns to tackle the bastard.

Owen flew through the jungle on the bike, hearing the familiar sound of gunfire and screaming…and a frightening sound of raptor calls. His fears were realized. He brought the bike to a halt as he saw the body of a gun smuggler on the ground, his body mangled and slashed by a blade…and a claw. As he stepped back to appreciate the efficiency of this kill, there came a man bursting out onto the road. Behind him, flew the beautiful Blue. With uncanny viciousness, she fell upon the smuggler and drew her combat sword she had strapped to her back in a holster. Her eyes flashed dangerously and her fangs were bared.

“BLUE!” Owen roared. Blue’s eyes darted up at him and they starred…taking him in. “STAND DOWN RIGHT NOW!”
“A-Alpha!?” Blue squeaked, the predatory glare gone from her eyes.
“I ORDERED YOU TO STAND DOWN! GET OFF HIM!” Blue swiftly put her sword away and jumped off the man, who scrambled to his feet. As he got up, Owen threw his arm out and, with an angry grunt, clotheslined the runner as he hit his back hard. He didn’t even acknowledge him…his eyes were fixed on Blue. “Get the girls here…now!” Owen hissed. Blue nodded quickly and let out a raptor like bark from her throat. Within moments the other three came running out of the trees. Their eyes fell on Owen and they started to growl…until they recognized the anger in his face. Instantly their moods and their expressions softened into guilty glances away from his accusatory eyes. Even Delta frowned and looked away from him, cleaning blood from her chin.
“What happened?” Owen ordered. “Tell me what the hell happened!”
“We were outnumbered…and attacked.” Blue answered weakly. “We surveyed the situation and discovered we were dealing with human hostiles.”
“We did try to contact you…but…” Echo whimpered.
“But we couldn’t reach you.” Delta finished. “And Charlie got hit.” Charlie pointed to her bleeding and broken shoulder with a painful squeak.
“Why didn’t you retreat!? Return to the command center?” Owen ordered.
“Because…because…” Blue tried to rationalize.
“We had a job to do!” Delta argued. “We were sent in to deal with a threat and it was dealt with. Right?”
“NO!” Owen barked. “Human targets are prohibited!”
“But our lives were in danger! They attacked Charlie!” Delta exclaimed, though the look in her eyes seemed more directed at herself. She was making excuses to herself more than Owen.
“…Delta…Echo…take Charlie back to the command center and let them now we’re leaving immediately after Charlie gets patched up.”
“I’m okay, Alpha…I can-”
“I didn’t ask for input Charlie.” Owen hissed. “That’s an order. Just go.”
“…Yes sir.” Delta and Charlie saluted and took off down the road, Charlie sniveling and holding her wounded shoulder. Echo looked briefly and Owen in an apologetic way and ran off too, leaving Owen and Blue alone.

“Blue, what the hell were you-”
“Alpha, there’s no excuse for our actions…but please listen!” She begged.
“Fine. Talk.”
“Sir, we were scared. Charlie was wounded. We couldn’t get in contact with you and with all the confusion I had to make a split second decision.” She explained. “I’m not saying it was the right call, but I felt we had no other choice.”
“It was against protocol.”
“It was to protect my family.” Blue countered. “With all due respect, Alpha…I did what I thought you would have if you were in my situation.” Owen looked her up and down and then let out a curse, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking over to a tree to lean against it, his hand trembling violently as he fought back angry tears.
“Goddamn it…”
“Alpha, I can’t tell you how sorry I am.” Blue muttered.
“Neither can I.” Owen answered. “…I don’t know which is worse: the fact that you deliberately broke protocol and now will be punished for it….or the fact that you’re right, and I would’ve done the exact same thing you did.” Blue looked up at Owen in stunned disbelief; flabbergast at his admission.
“You…would’ve done the same thing!?”
“You made a judgement call for the safety and preservation of you family. I can’t blame you for that…it’s what any respectable soldier would do.”
“Then why are you angry with us?”
“I’m angry because of what this means now. Whether you made the right decision or not is irrelevant; you killed humans…and now there will be discipline from my superiors to me and you!” Blue looked away and bit her lip; a nervous habit of hers. Owen rubbed the back of his head in frustration.
“I’m angry because I don’t want to lose you…and I might.” Owen admitted. “If the judicial board determines you broke the law, it could be grounds to end my contract with you, and this whole experiment will end. We’ll be separated…and you’ll go back to the island.”
“NO!” Blue cried. “Alpha, we’ll do anything! We can’t go back…we have to stay with you. You’ve made us a family. Even Delta admits you’re a good alpha! We need you…we need to stay…please!”
“…I’ll do what I can, Blue. But for now, we need to get back to the mainland. You’re dismissed. Regroup with the others and prepare to leave.” Blue walked around Owen and paused, reaching out her claw like hand to touch Owen’s shoulder.
“Alpha…forgive me.”
“…I already have.” He answered closing his eyes grimly and touching her hand. “I’m proud of you Blue. You and Delta, Charlie, and Echo…I just don’t know how to fix this mess.” Blue felt hot tears stream from her golden eyes. The same eyes that had flashed with a blood lust to slaughter 24 armed soldiers, now wept bitter tears of regret for just one.
“I’ll see you at the plane.” Blue whispered, turning and running into the night, fighting the urge to burst into sobs. Meanwhile Owen walked into the jungle to inspect the damage his girls had done. Though he knew it made no difference as to their circumstances, he could not dislodge the morbid curiosity he had for the girls hunting efficiency. As he looked among the bodies of the soldiers on the ground…the mangled and mutilated…the savagely ripped apart and cut up…he remembered a very sobering truth that perhaps he should have realized and kept in mind long ago: They were girls yes…soldiers definitely…but they were still primal predators.