Again, Scarface leapt. High into the air, his aim was to land on the human's back and finish the creature in the same manner as the hadrosaur. However, leaping into the open air left it exposed, and Scarface had underestimated the human's speed.
Scarface was struck hard on the side as the human spun around wielding a large stick, the impact knocking the wind from Scarface. He landed hard on the ground, gasping for air. His eyes grew wide as the human once again aimed the small thunder stick. Scarface leapt to his feet and began running, still barely able to breathe.
Shots fired out but passed harmlessly beside Scarface. After a few seconds, the shots ceased. But Scarface continued to run. He had been a fool to attack in such a manner. Humans were different from most animals. They were witty and intelligent, able to adapt quickly and use tools to aid them. If he were to avenge his family, Scarface would first have to learn of the humans to discover their weakness.
****
Weeks passed. Scarface had begun to suffer greatly, the wounds on his face burned fiercely and scratching only made things worse. Unknown to him the wounds had become infected, swelling to nearly close his eye. He was weak and although his broken toe had nearly healed, he found himself struggling to keep going.
His emotions could only keep him going for so long. But even now, he was close to giving up. It was then he heard a commotion in the clearing ahead. Two humans were speaking with one another, and then one of them struck the other. Scarface was intrigued. Did humans generally fight among one another in such a manner?
The human struck the other once again using the end of his thunder stick. The man fell, a trickle of blood running down his forehead. Unconcerned of the consequences, Scarface emerged. The standing human spoke again, then stepped back. He motioned to Scarface to approach the fallen man.
Seeing the downed human, rage began to rise up once again, giving strength to the young Scarface. He attacked fiercely as the standing human watched. Having killed the fallen human, Scarface felt intense satisfaction in what he had done. The other human approached and reached out.
Scarface could not outrun this human, nor could he attack without being killed. He allowed the human to touch his face, though doing so increased his rage. Perhaps this human could be of use. Scarface could never survive on his own and, weakened as he was, he would die in a few days.
The human spoke softly, a wide grin spreading across his face. He knelt and lifted Scarface, taking him to a strange contraption he had only seen from a distance in the past. The contraption began rolling across the ground and the duo soon arrived at another contraption.
Being motioned inside, Scarface obeyed and seated himself on one of the cushioned seats. It was soft, and Scarface soon found himself sleeping.
****
Trevor Peck flipped a variety of switches in the cockpit of his star cruiser, the young raptor he discovered having fallen asleep in back. He could tell the dinosaur was in a much-weakened state, but it would prove to be a valuable investment if it survived.
With a swollen face and infected wound on its face, Trevor would have to hurry in order to ensure its survival. Within moments, he was flying the ship through the atmosphere and into the blackness of space.
"K-1 this is BH," Trevor said into the headset. "Mission complete, returning with precious cargo." While on business, Trevor referred to himself as BH, or Bounty Hunter, for the sake of anonymity. K-1 was also a code, this one for his contact on the world of Khepri.
"Copy, BH," a voice on the other end said. "Please explain type of precious cargo."
Trying to determine how best to describe his cargo without risking being overheard by prying ears he said, "Military dog, ripe for the picking. Medical attention required."
"Understood. Transmitting coordinates now, access code Gamma."
"Copy, K-1. Access code Gamma. BH out."
Trevor punched in the coordinates to his flight computer and immediately deleted them from his log memory. As a bounty hunter, secrecy was everything. He could not allow the location of his employer to be known to the common people. Moreover, with a new pet that would be trained to do his bidding, he would become the greatest bounty hunter on all the colonized worlds.
Chapter 4
"How is he?” Trevor asked the doctor. "Will he make it?"
The doctor emerged from the operating area and removed his mask and gloves, throwing them in a nearby garbage can.
"He'll survive," said the doctor. "But it will take time. The physical damage he sustained was extensive, and I can only imagine what kind of emotional scars that creature will have."
"Emotional scars mend in time. What can you tell me about his physical condition?"
"Well, it's a good thing you found him when you did. He was borderline starvation. I doubt he would have been able to last another day. His blood chemistry is a bit odd and clearly he has led a very stressful life."
Trevor looked at the young dinosaur from behind the glass, the bandages on its face covering the eye and medication being transferred via several IV’s. "Will the facial wounds heal?"
The doctor took a deep breath and sighed. "The infection should heal within a couple of days with proper medication, but with how advanced the infection was this guy will be left with some rather large scars over his face."
"Scarface..." Trevor muttered.
"What was that?"
"Sorry, nothing. Could you tell me what species it is? I never learned that much about the wildlife before going after my quarry on Dinoworld."
"The species is a purebred Deinonychus lewenii, the general classification being raptors. The military is breeding this same species, actually. Though I believe the military has made some modifications."
"Can he be trained?"
"Not until he recovers, but I see no reason he can't undergo the same training as the engineered ones. He'll be an outcast for sure, but as long as you can pay the fees."
"It's not a problem. The military owes me a favor."
"A favor? May I inquire as to why?"
"Clyde Simmons," Trevor said, making the name sound like garbage coming out of his mouth. "I was the sole survivor of my unit. I was able to report him and was immediately afterward- shall we say- forcibly retired."
The doctor's eyes opened wide. "I had no idea. Do they know where he went? I heard stories of what he did."
"No one knows for sure. He probably high tailed it to one of the lesser worlds after his little incident. Not many places you can hide after murdering two units of soldiers."
The two stood in silence for a few moments, watching as the young raptor slept. It would be a few days until it would be well enough to move on its own, but Trevor had seen what it was capable of doing. It could be trained to become so much more than what it now was.
"Rest now, my Scarface," Trevor whispered. "And soon we will begin your training. With you by my side, I will become the greatest bounty hunter among the stars."
****
Scarface awoke slowly. Unbeknownst to the young dinosaur, he had been asleep for three days. His surroundings were strange, bright lights shone everywhere and some type of tubing was inserted into his body. Unable to see out of one eye, Scarface became agitated.
A human wearing a white robe approached and rested its hand on Scarface. Though he despised the physical contact, the young raptor forced himself to remain still. If he were ever to learn of the humans, he would have to cooperate with them for the time being.
Removing the tubes, the human lifted Scarface and carried him to an enclosure. Scarface felt himself being lowered and wriggled his body out of the human's grasp as he neared the floor. He landed on his side, but quickly righted himself. He felt stronger and more energized than he had known in a long time.
Reaching to the bandages on the side of his face, Scarface tore them away. It stung, but the constraint was now gone. He was relieved to be able to see fully again. The h
uman pressed something behind the box it was standing behind and the wall opened up beside Scarface. A platter slid out, filled with meat.
Scarface sniffed the meat and tasted it. The flesh was different from anything he had tasted before, but his body was famished and so he gorged himself. Unknown to the dinosaur, his meal had been prepared especially with enhanced vitamins and supplements in order to speed his recovery.
The human nodded, then left. Scarface surveyed his surroundings. He was unable to escape this area. It gave him room to walk, but not run. Jump, but not leap. Scarface growled at the confinement and began to pace.
Along one wall, the raptor stopped. It was transparent, but he could see his reflection. Gazing at first, he turned his head and revealed the left side of his face. He was relieved to know he was able to see out of the eye. When Alpha had struck him, he managed to close his eye tightly, causing it to sink inward. Had his eye been open, his vision there would have been lost.
The next thing Scarface noticed were the large wounds on his face. Three wide, parallel marks that revealed red flesh against the green plumage. It was the first time he had ever seen the wounds. Scarface narrowed his eyes and scowled. His enemies would see this face as they died by his tooth and claw.
Sniffing the air, Scarface located a source of water. He drank deeply before returning his attention to his confinement. He knew the humans would not keep him there permanently. Somehow, he knew it. And if not, he would force his way out. This was a new lesson for Scarface to learn. Patience.
The patience paid off. Two days later, the human that had found him back home returned. The white-robed human removed Scarface from the confinement and handed him over to the other human. Scarface nuzzled his snout against the human's neck, though performing the false affection caused his rage to build. Although the human had saved him, it was still a human and therefore an enemy.
The humans exchanged words, none of which Scarface understood. The human carrying him then left with the young raptor in hand. Traveling through several passages, they emerged outside. The noise was almost overwhelming with humans everywhere and noisy transport devices being driven by humans. The air was putrid and activity was everywhere.
Animal instinct overcame Scarface for a moment but he fought the urge to run. This was to be his time to learn of the humans. He had to overcome animal instinct and become stronger. He had to know the strengths and weaknesses of the humans. So far, he had learned they were loud, messy, and manipulative. That did not matter. Scarface would learn to be manipulative as well. The human carrying him trusted Scarface enough. But this human was merely a tool.
The human approached a transport device and opened the side. He placed Scarface on one side and said something before starting the device. Suddenly, the device moved and Scarface gripped the cloth with his claws. The human laughed, much to Scarface's dismay, and said something before repeating the words again. Scarface would have to learn the meanings of their words if he were to overcome the humans. He had much to learn, but he had learned much already.
Chapter 5
Trevor parked his vehicle in an open stall near the Khepri Military Base main office. He looked to Scarface and said, "Stay here. I'll be right back."
Scarface hissed lowly, but remained in the seat. Nodding in satisfaction, Trevor nodded and exited. He left the door unlocked. Anyone that would dare open the door of a car parked at a military installation deserved whatever they got, especially if there was an angry raptor inside.
Stepping inside, Trevor made his way to the secretary. After finishing a call, the man behind the desk looked up. "How can I be of assistance?" he asked.
"I'm here to see General Paddon," Trevor said. "He's expecting me."
"May I ask as to who is calling?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Trevor Peck."
The secretary nodded and pressed a button. "Sir, there is a Lieutenant Colonel Peck to see you."
"Send him in," a voice said over the speaker.
The secretary nodded to Trevor, who proceeded to walk past two security guards and to a closed door. Trevor promptly grabbed the handle, entered, and closed the door before turning to face his host. He saluted promptly and stood at attention.
General Paddon was a gruff man, silvery hair cut in a sharp military style and a face that looked as if it had never smiled. His black uniform was decorated with several dozen medals neatly aligned to precision and topped with a shirt collar that was stiff as cardboard, and probably just as uncomfortable.
"There's no need for that," Paddon said in a gargly voice that matched his appearance. "You're retired. Discharged. Hell, I don't even know why you came in and addressed yourself by rank."
"Force of habit, I suppose," Trevor said.
"Yeah, well forget it. War is over. Damned people got what they wanted. Peace and freedom. Anarchy if you ask me. They need discipline. Enough with the chit chat. We both know why you're here. So? Where is it?"
"Back in my vehicle."
"Are you stupid? What if one of those goody two-shoes sees a natural born raptor out there? The last thing we need are more people siding with those environmentalist groups. Get out there and bring it in right now."
Trevor apologized and quickly retreated to his vehicle. The last thing he wanted was to further aggravate the General. Though there would be no discipline as a soldier, he could still be charged as a civilian.
On Khepri, the military had a supply of raptors ever since their discovery on Dinoworld. Genetically altering their color to be black with silver stripes rather than the natural green and red, they were also enhanced to obey orders and become greater than anything nature could provide. These were essentially the attack dogs of the military. Small, fast and deadly, they proved to be the most effective creatures to ensure the desired fear of the targets.
Trevor opened the vehicle door and motioned Scarface to exit. The raptor obeyed and followed Trevor as he made his way back to the general's office. Along the way, it was clear Scarface was agitated at the presence of so many humans, many of them pointing and making silent comments on how cute the small dinosaur was following Trevor like an obedient puppy.
Upon returning, Trevor closed the door once again so the men could converse privately. Paddon rose and approached Scarface, who stood his ground and hissed defiantly as the large man neared.
"He is a spiteful one," Paddon said. "He will do well in the training. You are certain this is what you want as payment for your services?"
Trevor nodded. "With permission, I would like to check in from time to time. Just to remind Scarface that he will be under my control once the training is complete."
"Scarface?" Paddon looked down to see the three parallel marks running across the raptor's face, and then nodded. "Good of a code name as any I suppose. I will take it from here. You are dismissed."
Trevor was about to salute, but stopped at a warning gaze from Paddon. Instead, he simply nodded and exited. Scarface looked at the closed door, then at the General and hissed a warning.
"You better have enjoyed your freedom, young one," said Paddon as he glared at Scarface. "You're under my command now."
Scarface hissed as Paddon approached, then leapt away as the General made a lunge. Scarface landed next to the wall, took aim, and then leapt to attack. He had not anticipated the General was expecting as much and found himself caught in firm grip around the neck. Scarface tried to shriek but Paddon's clutch prevented any sound from escaping.
Attempting to claw at his captor's hand, the young raptor failed to notice the dozens of scars and calluses that made Paddon's skin tougher than usual. Paddon carried Scarface to his desk and slammed the youngster down hard, threatening to break the dinosaur's neck.
"This is your first lesson, Scarface," Paddon said, leaning in close. "You will live or die by my word. It doesn't matter to me. If you obey, your training can be quite pleasant. If not, whate
ver cruel world you came from would have been considered paradise by comparison."
Paddon loosened his grip, and then finally released the raptor. Scarface slowly got to his feet and looked at the General. Giving a hiss of annoyance, he lowered his head to a submissive position. Paddon nodded in approval.
"You learn quickly. Good. Very good indeed."
****
Paddon carried Scarface by the neck down the long hallway of the underground facility, stopping only once to have a retinal scan for clearance. On occasion a doorway could be seen, each of them leading to a different type of training ground for both soldier and raptor. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, there was a loud click as the wall opened to reveal a bunker with several soldiers armed with shock prods.
"I've got a new recruit for you," Paddon said as he dropped Scarface to the ground. The raptor quickly righted himself and stiffened, ready to move at a moment’s notice. "Put him through a few runs to soften him up and then throw him in with group seven."
"Code name, sir?" the soldier asked.
"Scarface."
The soldier saluted sharply, not moving a muscle until Paddon had left the room. "Well then, Scarface. Welcome to your first day in hell. I am your torturer, Ryder. It is my job to break you down and then build you up in a proper manner. Paulson, let's start him off with simulation three."