In the Raptor pen.

Grant charges across the compound, a fire in his eyes, ahead of Ellie, Malcolm, and Gennaro. Hammond struggles to keep up.

Hammond: "Dr. Grant, Dr. Grant?  Uh ... we planned to show you the raptors later, after lunch."

But Grant has stopped abruptly next to the Velociraptor pen, which we recognize as the heavily fortified cage we some earlier, which the San Quentin towers at one end.

Grant stands right up against the fence, eyes wide, dying for a glimpse.

Hammond catches up, slightly out of breath.

Hammond: "Dr. Grant ... as I was saying, we've laid out lunch for you before you head out into the park.  Alejandro, our gourmet chef...

Grant: "What are they doing?"

As they watch, a giant crane lowers a large cow down into the middle of the jungle foliage inside the pen.  Something very large. It's a steer.  They poor thing looks disconcerted as hell, helpless its in a harness, flailing its legs in the air.

Hammond: "Feeding them. (moving along) Alejandro is preparing a delightful meal for us.  A Chilean sea bass, I believe.  Shall we?"

Grant goes up to the viewing deck.  The others follow, staring as the steer disappears into the shroud of foliage.  The line from the crane hangs for a moment.

The jungle seems to grow very quiet.  They all stare at the

motionless crane line.  It jerks suddenly, like a fishing pole finally getting a nibble.  There's a pause...

... and then a frenzy.  The line jerks every which way, the

jungle plants sway and snap from some frantic activity within, there is

a cacophony of growling, of snapping, of wet crunches that mean the

steer is literally being torn to pieces and is almost makes it worse

that we can't see anything of what's going on ...

... and then it's quiet again.  The line jerks a few times, then stops.  Slowly the sound of the jungle starts up again.

Hammond: "Fascinating animals, fascinating."

Ellie: "Oh my God."

Hammond: "Give time, they'll out draw the T- Rex.  Guarantee it."

Grant: "I want to see them.  Can we get closer?"

Ellie puts a hand on his arm, like calming an overexcited child.

Ellie: "Alan, these aren't bones anymore."

Hammond: "We're ... still perfecting a viewing system.  The raptors seem to be a bit resistant to integration into a park setting.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

A voice with a country accent came from behind.

???: "They should all be destroyed."

They turn and look at the man who spoke.  Robert Muldoon, the

grim-faced man who was present at the accident in the beginning, is

about 40 years old, British.

He joins the group and takes his hat off.  When Muldoon talks, you should listen. A recommendation since he's in charge of the raptors here.

Hammond: "Robert.  Robert Muldoon, my game warden from Kenya.  Bit of an alarmist, I'm afraid, But he's dealt with the

raptors more than anyone."

Grant grant up and pull up his hand to greet Robert.

Grant: "Alan Grant.  Tell me, what kind of metabolism do they have? What's their growth rate?"

Muldoon: "They're lethal at eight months.  And I do lethal.  I've hunted most things that can hunt you, but the way these things move..."

Grant: "Fast for biped?"

Muldoon: "Cheetah speed.  50, 60 miles per hour top and that if they ever

got out in the open.  And they're astonishing jumpers."

Hammond: "Yes, yes, yes, which is why we take extreme precautions.They viewing area below us will have eight-inch tempered glass set in reinforced steel frames to-"

Grant: "Do they show intelligence?  With the brain cavity like theirs we assumed-"

Muldoon: "They show extreme intelligence, even problem solving. Especially the big one.  We bred eight originally, but when she came in, she took over the pride and killed all but two of the others.  That one - when she looks at you, you can see when she's thinking.  She's the reason we have to feed 'em like this.  She had them all attacking the fences when the feeders came.

Ellie: "The fences are electrified, right?"

Muldoon: "That's right.  But they never attack the same place twice.  They were testing the fences for weaknesses. Systematically.  They remembered."

The Hunter stared at me and I could tell from his expression that he wanted to say that, "These damn dinosaurs are gonna be in our way in the future."

Behind them, the crane whirs back to life, raising the cable back up out of the raptor pen.  The guest turn and stare as the end portion of the cable becomes visible.  The steer has been dragged completely away, leaving only the tattered, bloody harness.

Hammond claps his hands together excitedly.

Hammond: "Who's hungry?  After you, my dear."