A soldier sitting in front of a console nodded and pressed a button. Down the hall, a click could be heard as a distant doorway opened. Scarface stared down the hall, and then growled at Ryder.
"None of that now," said Ryder as he removed his shock prod from its sheath. "Now move!"
Scarface shrieked as the prod discharged, causing him to step back. He growled again, dodging as Ryder struck out again. Reluctantly, Scarface made his way out the door and began walking down the hall with Ryder just behind him. Finally, they came to the opened door. Scarface peered inside, then entered when Ryder threatened to shock him again.
The room was wide with a tiled floor, alternating black and white like a chessboard. Scarface approached slowly and paused at the edge. He looked to Ryder, who indicated Scarface should cross. On the opposite side, a pedestal rose that held a shank of meat.
Seeing and then catching the smell of the meat in the air, Scarface approached boldly. He stepped across the first tile, a black one, but an electrical jolt came from the floor when he tried to pass onto a white tile. Scarface shot a glance to Ryder, accusing him of the shock, but saw Ryder was not near enough to have delivered it. Besides, the jolt had come from his foot and not the side of his body.
Scarface turned his attention to the tiles once again. Rather than moving forward, Scarface stepped to the side and onto another white tile. Another jolt shot out. Shrieking, the raptor returned to the safety of his black tile. Black? Was that the answer?
Stepping diagonal, Scarface touched the next black tile experimentally and found it to be safe. Soon, he began jumping easily from tile to tile. After the fifth jump, the floor tiles began to fluctuate in color. Confused, Scarface stayed on his current tile and waited. After a moment, the tiles stopped changing and now showed a different pattern of blue and yellow.
Unsure of what to make of this new development, Scarface looked to see he was standing on a blue tile. Searching, he discovered a nearby blue tile and jumped over to it. When he landed, the tile switched to red. A mechanical whirring sound filled the chamber and Scarface was then blasted by a stream of water. The force caused him to step backward onto a yellow tile, sending an electrical discharge through his body.
Scarface shrieked in pain before finding his way back to his safe tile. Panting, Scarface looked behind to find all the tiles behind him were yellow. He studied the pattern on the floor. Were there differences in the blue tile he was now standing and the one on which he had just been sprayed?
Looking first at Ryder and then at his goal, he leapt on to the blue tile once again and kept jumping before the water had time to hit him. He ran fast as he could from tile to tile when they began to fluctuate in color again. Rather than stop, he continued to run with increased speed.
The tiles stabilized and immediately Scarface was shocked again, but still he moved forward. He stepped on another tile and immediately a hail of metal pellets was shot at him. Most passed harmlessly by, but some struck his body with painful results. With the goal at hand, Scarface leapt off the tiled floor and onto the concrete next to the pedestal.
A buzzer sounded and the tiles all faded to a singular gray color. Scarface approached the piece of meat and bit into it. The shank was bitter, tasting unlike anything Scarface had before experienced, but it was food. Within a few bites, it was gone.
Ryder motioned for Scarface to return, but the raptor was unwilling to venture across the tiles again. As a show of good faith, Ryder strode out onto the tiles with no ill effects. Scarface hesitated, but then strode forward.
"Not bad," said Ryder. "A bit unconventional, but you do show promise. Time to go meet your roommates now."
Ryder led Scarface to another section of the underground facility. Scarface kept a constant pace to prevent being shocked again, and Ryder had the prod always on the ready. Stopping in front of a metal door, Ryder stood in front of a retinal scanner and a moment later the door clicked open.
Immediately the inhabitants of the door were on their feet. Four Deinonychus, around the same age as Scarface, stood at attention as Ryder entered. Scarface followed, uttering a low growl at the other raptors.
"These will be your new roommates," said Ryder. "You will eat, sleep, and train as they do. Is that understood?"
The five raptors barked a response in unison, having been trained to answer any question in that manner. Ryder nodded and Scarface entered the room, eyeing each of the inhabitants intently. The soldier then left and closed the door behind him. The lock chimed back into place and the raptors relaxed, eyeing Scarface with malicious intent.
The leader of the group, code named Talon, approached the newcomer, and hissed. He walked in a circle around Scarface, taking note of the different coloration and the marks over his body. Talon snapped aggressively, to which Scarface did not respond. Again, Talon snapped and this time progressed further and latched his jaws around Scarface's neck.
Feeling the pinpricks of Talon's teeth, Scarface submitted and lowered his head. Talon released his hold and strutted proudly, the four remaining raptors expressing their approval by raising their heads and chirping excitedly.
Scarface remained with his head lowered until the raptors turned away. He could feel his hatred for them boiling, but he could do nothing now. Their training was evident. As with the one human he attacked, he would have to bide his time. He would have to learn what they knew and behave as they did.
However, Scarface did not want these raptors to respect him. He wanted them to fear him. He had to understand what the humans wanted him to do, and then use it against them. Only then would he be stronger than they were.
Chapter 6
Three months later
"Activate the simulation, level five," said Ryder from the control panel. From his vantage point above the field, he could see as the gray floor panels rose, rotated, and repositioned themselves to form a type of maze. On the field, holographic projections of soldiers appeared, as well as some posing as civilians. The holograms themselves could do no damage, but computers controlled gunneries that fired metal pellets to simulate gunfire. Only this time, they had been replaced with darts that paralyzed any part of the flesh the toxins met.
"Let them in." A control operator pressed a button and down below Group Seven emerged. "Positioning looks good. Talon up front, flanked by Fang and Razor with Howler and Scarface in the rear."
"Think they'll all make it through this time?” Paddon asked. “I would hate to see my resources going to waste.” The General enjoyed from time to time watching the training for the raptors. It gave him a sense of the progress the groups made, and helped him determine which squads the groups would be assigned.
"Talon shows most potential, but Razor is still reckless."
"What of the green one?"
Ryder looked down to see Scarface, his green hide with red stripes clashing with the black and silver of the other raptors. "Scarface, I believe, has finally learned his place. It was no easy task, but he shows great promise as well."
Paddon nodded. "Begin the simulation."
A light in front of the raptors flashed from red to green. As one, the group entered the maze. Every maze was different, the computers made certain of that. The variety kept the raptors on their toes so they would never become accustomed to a single course. The goals were always the same. Attack the enemy, defend the innocent, and survive.
The hologram of a young woman holding a child appeared in front of the group. All of the raptors evaded it without making contact. Sensors around the holographic area either added or deducted points should any of the test subjects make contact with the area. They had all learned early on to avoid the civilian holograms.
A fork in the maze presented itself. Talon barked that Fang and Howler should follow him one direction, while Scarface was to follow Razor in the opposite direction. They followed the orders without hesitation.
"Impressive," Paddon sai
d. "I know five year veterans that don't follow as well. Throw them for a loop. Send a soldier posing as a civilian to the group of three."
A computer technician nodded and pressed a couple buttons. Down below, a projection appeared around the corner from the first group of raptors. As before, the raptors avoided the projection. When they had passed, the projection removed a concealed weapon and fired. Fang was struck in the thigh, the toxin immediately paralyzing her entire body.
The simulated sound of gunfire alerted the other raptors. Confused, they fled. They had never before seen a simulated civilian fire upon them. They quickly turned a corner, but not before several more shots were fired. Howler was struck in the tail. His balance was shaken, but he could still maneuver. Fang was left behind.
"Shall we remove points for leaving Fang?" Ryder asked.
"Not this time," Paddon responded. "It is to be expected in uncertain circumstances, especially the first time around. Next time I will not be so merciful. Send the same projection to Razor and Scarface."
The technician did as he was told, and the civilian image appeared before the two raptors. Razor sped past without hesitation, but Scarface skid to a halt. He stared at the projection, cocking his head. He knew it was a civilian, but something seemed off. Rather than go around, Scarface attacked the projection. As he did so, a gun wielding hand emerged. Scarface was upon the projection before it was able to fire. A snap in the appropriate area indicated a kill, and then Scarface moved on.
"How the hell did he see through that?" Paddon demanded. "That simulated projection was meant to be exactly like a civilian."
"I don't know, sir," the technician said. "Maybe he sensed the targeting computers?"
"Impossible! Fire up three enemy soldiers and target Scarface."
The technician did as he was told and seconds later three enemy projections were converging on Scarface. The raptor hissed at the projections and charged. He ducked under the firing darts of one and struck the leg of the hologram, causing the image to buckle as a real victim would. The other projections fired, one dart striking Scarface in the arm, but did nothing to stop the momentum as claws raked across the target's face.
The third projection advanced, keeping his focus on Scarface, when Razor attacked the projection from behind. The raptors acknowledged one another and continued side by side.
"Nice bit of teamwork," Ryder said. "A moment's slip of attention from the projections and Razor was able to line up for a perfect kill strike."
"So it would seem," Paddon grumbled. "Keep up the random attacker and disguised targets. See if we can't throw them for a loop."
The technician nodded and pressed in a sequence that would control the rest of the simulation automatically. Razor and Scarface were the first to finish, Talon finishing last having lost his other teammate in a surprise attack. A horn sounded and the walls receded into the ground leaving a flat plane.
The scoreboard for the simulation was projected onto the wall, showing Scarface as having earned the most points. Talon snarled, having been used to seeing his image at the top. Scarface showed no pride in his accomplishment, instead waiting at the door to return to the cell.
It took some time for the toxins from the simulation's darts to wear off enough for the raptors to move on their own. The stricken raptors felt waves of disappointment in their failure to make it to the end, but Talon felt a surge of anger ever since Scarface had replaced him at the top of the list. Being top raptor had key advantages, including the best portions of meat and first choice of locations and training. He would never lose to Scarface again.
Chapter 7
The raptors of Group Seven stood ready. They now averaged three feet in length and their training had progressed further. No longer were their skills tested against holographic projections, but actual people. Today their training was not in a maze as it had been in the four months since Scarface had arrived. It was on an open plane against armed soldiers with a few sparse obstacles along the way for hiding.
Though the soldiers were carrying real weapons, the ammunition used had been manufactured specifically for training purposes. There would be the typical muzzle flash at the end of the barrel, along with the accompanying crack of the bullet, but the rounds themselves were not designed to penetrate skin. Their speed would be reduced, but were still faster than reflex would allow their target to dodge directly.
If any of the rounds made contact with the raptors, it would hurt and bruise. However, if the raptors were struck enough times consecutively in any given area they could easily be hospitalized or even killed. This was crucial for their training. In real combat, even a single bullet could kill.
The raptors hissed in anticipation as they saw their targets. Covered head to toe in combat armor, the soldiers were protected from the teeth and claws of the raptors but able to maneuver well enough to fulfill their purpose. Electrical signals to key joints in their bodies would prevent movement if they were struck, simulating an injured or broken limb. That being the case, their orders were simple. Take out the raptors before being taken out.
The buzzer sounded and the raptors took to cover. A few training bullets grazed by the raptors harmlessly, but none made contact. Talon barked to be separated into three groups, a tactic to draw attention away from a single large target. Talon would be alone, Scarface teaming with Fang, Howler and Razor making up the third group. At once, they moved to the next set of barriers.
Bullets fired and Howler was struck in the tail but he could still function. Fang was not so lucky. Being hit squarely in the leg, she would be unable to maneuver. Falling short of the obstacle, Scarface pushed her the rest of the way. Without looking down, Scarface surveyed his targets.
"Rather efficient," said Ryder. "Protecting his comrade, but then completely focused on the mission. Scarface is proving to be quite capable."
"Shouldn't he check to see if Fang is okay?" another soldier asked.
"They're dinosaurs,” said Paddon. “Is he going to pull out the first aid kit and fix her up? If the mission succeeds, they can pick her up later."
Scarface judged the distance between obstacles. He allowed his hatred for humanity to flow freely. Though he knew the humans attacking him now would live, they could still be made to suffer. As with what happened in Group Seven, Scarface believed these humans would receive humiliation from their own kind if they were defeated. In addition, this gave Scarface training to avoid the thunder sticks they carried.
The humans were no pushovers. They acted, reacted, planned, and strategized to succeed in their own goals. One of the raptors was down before they had even made it halfway to the humans. Scarface had learned this was merely training, and it was the training he had been waiting for.
A burst of gunshots erupted as Talon made his presence known. The other raptors tried to move forward but were held back by the onslaught of shots. Again, a burst of noise came from the humans, but it ended abruptly. Scarface used this as his cue to move forward. He had learned faster than the others that the weapons could only fire so many shots before needing to be reloaded. As the humans concentrated on doing such, Scarface was able to move closer undetected.
"Did you see what Scarface did?" Ryder asked.
"He made it to the next obstacle," another soldier responded. "So what?"
"He waited for the first rounds of fire to cease,” said Paddon. “He’s using the reload time to slip closer. That's a clever one."
Howler and Razor made a sprint for the next closest obstacle. Bullets rained down on them, striking several points on their body. Though hurt, they could still continue with the exercise. Talon attempted to use the cover to make it to his next mark but was struck in the side. He fell, the pain surging through him, and dragged himself to the safety of the obstacle to recover for a moment.
Scarface surveyed his location. He looked to the sides, then up above. He looked at the observation area, not t
o see inside but to see the reflection of the arena. He could see that all soldiers were concentrating their attention on the three other raptors and not him. Waiting for the right moment, he quietly made his way into the open and walked casually to the next barrier.
The soldiers fired once again as Talon tried to run. As soon as the first sounds of bullets sounded, Howler and Razor were out and running. Razor fell to a barrage of bullets, Talon meeting Howler behind another obstacle. The two ran from opposite sides of the obstacle, only to be shot down by the gunfire.
Their enemies fallen, the soldiers exposed themselves. "We won," one said. "Why aren't they sounding the all clear?"
"Wait, where's the green one?" another soldier asked.
Filing into a defensive position, the group moved to where Scarface had last been seen. One looked over the obstacle to find it was empty. A momentary slip of his guard and the soldier found Fang lunging at him. The electrical stimulation of his suit made him collapse as it registered a kill signal but Fang, too, fell in the attack as the remaining soldiers fired.