Like Watching a Movie.

Jaden nodded and started in the direction he had pointed, turning to make sure D'Michael was following behind him.

"Hey, should we try and find food? Rich people have a weird diet."

"Rich people have weak stomachs too? I doubt any of them will keep it down for long." Nathan commented, readjusting the weight of the little girl on his back.

"Food might not be a bad idea before we walk into whatever the hell's out there." Dylan said. "There's plenty of vegetation, looks like a lot of fruits. I'd rather not try for meat considering what could be attracted to it.

"Food's food. I think they'd handle this better if they had something in their stomachs, ya know?" Jaden looked into the flora. "I'm sure it's not poisonous. Least, not terribly."

"I have snacks!" D'Michael piped up, holding his messenger bag in the other hand. Huh. He'd forgotten about that. "There's energy bars and candy and Monsters and apples." he explained, holding the bag out to Dylan. "Is that good?"

Dylan smiled and nodded, "That's perfect. I think I might have something as well." He addressed the next part to everyone. "We'll stop here and eat before heading on to the structures." He slipped his bag off his shoulder and flipped the cover open to peer into it. He reached a hand in and dug around, the small bag practically ate his arm up to his elbow. His hand soon reappeared with a bottle of pills.
Dylan sighed to himself. "I really should put some real food in here."


Nathan knelt and shrugged the little girl off his back. "I think that kid said he had candy. Maybe he'll share some with ya." He grinned as the girls face lit up, but she still stayed close to him, a bit to shy to go ask by herself.

D'Michael looked up as the fragments of thoughts hit his head, turning to the girl by Nathan's side. He smiled warmly and held up the bag.

"Hi! I'm D'Michael! I've got 3 Musketeers, Twix, Hershey, Twizzlers, Whoppers, and a whole bunch of other stuff." He held out a bar. "Want one?"

The girl blinked, processing what he'd said, before nodding and stepping forward to take the candy bar. "Thank you."

Nathan grinned, glad to see the girl relaxing a bit after the whole dinosaur attacking them thing. He stood straight and stretched his back. His shoulder blades ached, reminding him that his wings hadn't seen daylight for a while. And they probably wouldn't for a while longer.
No need to freak the humans out anymore than they already were.
Although it would have been fun to just stretch his big leathery wings out and see who flinched first.
On second thought that would be kinda mean...nevermind.

Ivero walked up next to him, nudging the brother of the littler girl to go ask for his own candy bar. "Any thoughts on who might be behind all this?" He kept his voice low.

"A few. None really fit in the end though. 'Cept maybe one..."

"That is a possibility. It's not like he's dead."

"It's not like we could stop him if it is him...not with this ragtag bunch of humans and whatever the heck the other ones are." Nathan frowned. He didn't like remembering that man.


-----

Meanwhile elsewhere in the island!

Alder stared up at the large sign. "Jurassic Park." To his own surprise he'd actually seen the movies before. He'd watched them on one of those rare days where he had free time and didn't feel like doing anything significant. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me..."
"If only." The man next to him smiled, "Come. This should be an interesting endeavor."
The two entered the complex, making their way through the building with purpose. They knew where they were going.
Haden was more than interested in finally meeting the sender of the invitation.

D'Michael caught a few tidbits of that too. Not much, just the end.

"Hey! We're very important members of A-"

"Shut up, kid!' Jaden barked, appearing from behind to wrap a hand around the boy's mouth, shooting him a pointed glare. "My God, what happened to their whole lesson on bragging rights?!"

D'Michael frowned and licked the other's hand to make him let go. Jaden's arm flung back and he yelped, stepping away to wipe his hand on the ground.

"It's not like we're helpless! They have a bad guy in mind, we have a bad guy in mind, what if it's the same person?!"

"It doesn't matter because we need to focus on leaving, not beating whoever this is!"

'What?! Since when was that the main issue?!"

"Since we had a couple of humans to take care of, the ones listening in right now to our every word!" Jaden hissed under his breath, getting close so that on D'Michael could hear him. Who shut up at that. And clamped his own hands over his mouth in shock.

"... Sorry."

Jaden sighed. "Holy Hell, kid, you're a friggin' rollar coaster..."

---

"Ugh, it's been over 10 minutes! Someone die again already!"

Daemon spun side to side idly in the roll-y-chair, watching the screens with bored eyes.

"I mean, seriously, first they actually get away with only, like, two dead, and then they actually beat a lizard?! How is that far to me!"

he huffed and dropped his long legs from the table in front of the screens, leaning forward to rest his chin on his fist.

"And, I have intruders, which will totally take my attention away from the lack of fun..." he grumbled, looking to the screen in the lowest corner, of the two men walking through these halls like they owned them. Which, he didn't either, but still. He was here first.

'Whatever." He leaned back in his chair again and waited for something finally interesting to happen.

Nathan and Ivero perked up at the yelling contest/conversation.
"Leaving sounds like a good plan to me."
"Agreed." Ivero nodded.

Dylan nodded, "Leaving can come once we find transportation, let's focus on living for now." He popped open his bottle of food supplements and swallowed a few of the pills. Not the tastiest things, but they were filling at least.

----

Haden chuckled as they approached the main control room. It seemed as though the excitement of having dinosaurs to attack the park guests was warring off. "We'll have to fix that."
"I still don't like this..." Alder eyed the door with unease.
"I don't expect you to like it." Haden rapped on the door with a knuckle. He hoped the man inside wasn't too bored to answer it.

D'Michael had the decency to duck his head in shame, not daring to look up.

"Here, Jaden, hand out the food." he mumbled, not meeting the other boy's eyes. "Sorry for acting like that."

Jaden shook his head. "Whatever. I know you're kinda pmsing with the whole new job description. Just don't cause a riot and it's cool."

---

"Oh, for the love of GOD, let a poor guy be lazy and open the damn door yourself!"

The few survivors formed a semi-line for the food and spread it around as best they could. A couple of the more selfish people snuck more if they could.

Nathan chose the supplement pills, hoping to leave the regular food for the kids and other humans.

----

Haden raised an eyebrow. "My my."
"He fucking invites us here then doesn't even bother to open the door?" Annoyed, Alder kicked the door in. Marching in, he glared at Daemon, "Why don't you learn some fucking manners."
"Come now Alder, it's rude to insult the host." Haden stepped into the room.

Jaden pushed away the food that was offered to him, instead, handing it to the boy and girl. D'Michael did the same. Jaden, because he wasn't hungry, due to nerves. D'Michael, because he was technically dead and didn't have to eat.

"Rest a bit longer then get moving again?" Jaden asked Dylan, deciding that the older man was probably the group leader or something.

---

"Why don't you get a hair cut?" Daemon drawled, leaning back in his chair to look up at the other man from upside down.

"I mean, not that your hair isn't lush, and all, but it's kinda girly too."

he turned to direct his easy going smile to Haden, sticking out his cold hand. "Hi! Daemon, though you probably know that already, Mr. Big and Bad Haden."

Dylan nodded, digging into his bag again, this time pulling out a couple canteens of water. "Hopefully nerves can settle a bit before anything else happens..." He offered Jaden one of the canteens and sent the other one into the rest of the group.

---

"What was that?" Alder growled.

"A pleasure." Haden smiled back and took the hand. "I've heard quite a lot about you."

Jaden took the canteen with a grateful smile, bringing it to his lips for a sip.

"It's not that I'm worried about the situation or anything, I'm more worried about Dee and all these... these humans." he sighed.

"I've been in this business long enough to know that the majority doesn't make it out alive. D'Michael's been around a while, too, but he still hasn't learned about the dangers of attachments. And with the whole Reaper thing, being around death so much could speed up to process in a bad way and..."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair to try and clam himself.

"I don't know... I guess I'd take it almost as bad as I would losing my blood related brother..."

he looked up to the other man.

"But that's just stupid, huh."

---

Daemon grinned playfully at the shorter man before turning his attention back to the other.

"Wow, I'm flattered! Truly, I wouldn't expect someone as... mediocre as me to catch the attention of someone like you." His grin grew into something more sinister than playful.

"I find it even odder that you accepted my invitation to begin with."

He stood gracefully, shoving his hands into his jean pockets and sauntering around to Alders side, giving the man a once over as he spoke.

"Now, enlighten me. Why would you do something like that?"

Dylan shook his head. "It's hardly stupid. Worrying about losing someone you care about, or watching them suffer in anyway, whether they're related to you or not, is far from stupid. Caring for others is what keeps us from losing ourselves." He looked over to watch the kids in the group. "The Reapers have it the worst I think..." The last part was said half to himself. The old man sighed. "I'm just hoping we can save a few of them at least."

---

Alder eyed he man with vicious intent, but kept still. He'd rather let his growing distaste seethe in silence than have to endure Haden's punishment.

Haden chuckled both at Deamon's attitude and Alder's apparent hatred for him, "Flattery shall get you nowhere." He wandered over to the screens, eying the one with the other "guests" in view. "In truth I had been hoping to meet you at some point. I was growing tired of rumors and gossip. You merely presented me with a prime opportunity."

Jaden relented to these words, nodding.

"Yeah, I guess that's all we can really hope for, huh..."

No use in mentioning his own sob story.

That'd be awkward.

After all, it wasn't like it was a competition.

"Dee's gonna have a hell of a life..." he murmured, watching the kid timidly go around and apologize to each individual person for his attitude and outburst. "He's too nice for this."

---

"Che, rumours? I assure you, they've done me no justice."

Daemon made a flippant wave of his hand, turning back to the screens for a moment.

"Though, I must say, I assumed they'd be moving around a lot more." he sighed. "I was hoping they'd run into what I had truly planned for them sooner..."

"Life is hardly seems fair." He remembered something the Watcher had told him once. "'We're all just insects wandering around, living our lives."

(DYLAN'S ALMOST AS BAD AS ELTON NOW. MY STUPID CHARACTERS NEED TO TALK MORE OR SOMETHING! SHEESH. *shot down*)

---

Haden smirked and pointed Dylan out on the screen, "You picked out an interesting guest here. He's probably not helping your fun any. Nor the one next to him...from that AlIaS organization that seems so intent on destroying you I believe."

Alder let himself chuckle, "This is what happens when you rely on the prey to set off the trap."

Jaden made a face.

"... Yeah, I'd like to think I'm a bit more than an insect..."

He pursed his lips and took a sip.

"... Maybe, like, a hummingbird. Or a butterfly. Cause that's better than an ant. Those things are freaky."

---

Daemon shrugged at Alder's words.

"I have great faith in fools, I suppose."

He took out his phone to check the time.

"PLUS, it's not like the Aud are immobile or something. They'll sneak up on them soon enough."

He put the phone away.

"Just kinda hopin' that they'd figure it out on their own. Especially Jaden." he shook his head with a smirk. "The kid's losing his touch with all the shit with his brother."

Dylan chuckled, "Ants could rule the world if they tried. Freaky or not, they have more power than people give them credit for."
He looked around at the group, most had finished their meager meals by now and the water had made it around a few times. The man closed his eyes and images of the surrounding jungle flashed behind his eyelids. Something caught his attention, but he couldn't make it out in the quick glimpse he got from his feathered scout.
"Something's out there..."

---

"Faith in fools leads to an early demise." Alder was still annoyed with the man, but he was finding mild amusement in the fact that Daemon was impatient.

Haden smiled as he watched the monitors. "The distraction of protecting the weak has left them vulnerable." He tapped the screen. "They'll start moving again soon."

"I know." Jaden replied quietly.

"Honestly, I was hoping to whoever's up there that we wouldn't run into someone from there. Now I think that it's truly him and someone else really really bad."

He took a sip and looked out over the humans.

"Not one will make it out alive if it's him."

---

"Oh my God, I think they caught on..." Daemon murmured, leaning closer towards the screen, a maniac grin slowly spreading across his face.

"You underestimate humans. You're also underestimating those protecting them." Dylan glanced at Nathan and Ivero.

A familiar foreboding feeling came over him for a brief moment and he couldn't stop a shudder from running through his body.
"Things are going to get very difficult soon."

---

Haden smiled at the apparent excitement on the man's face. "So it seems."

"Better than overestimating..." Jaden finished, moving to stand. "I've learned to underestimate. It's a nicer surprise than if you're expecting something better."

"But, yeah, your little difficulty thing? I know it's true and shit, but, please. Don't bring me down, man."

He blinked, looking around for a water supply of sorts to refill.

"And I was serious. Doesn't matter who's protecting who. He'll get the humans, one way or another."

---

"Yay! He's just so smart!" Daemon crowed, throwing his arms in the air excitedly.

"Oh, for once in his meager, dismal life, Jaden knows what to expect!"

"True." He smiled a bit, "And sorry. Didn't mean to bring you down or anything."
He wouldn't let himself fall in with Jaden's apparent lack of faith in who was going to survive this. Dylan would always save as many lives as he could no matter the cost. he could afford to risk his life for strangers.

---

Haden chuckled again, amused by both the boys "optimistic" view of the situation and Daemon's elation.
They underestimated Dylan.
Haden knew full well what that man was capable of. After all, he had turned him into what he was today. A cruel smile played at his lips. He was looking forward to seeing what might happen here.

Jaden paused.

"I know what you're thinking. Martyrdom and all that shit." He sighed again.

"I can't do that. Kinda already committed, ya know? Family business and stuff."

He pointed off to the distance.

"There's a spring there."

---

"Aw, so smart, Jade. You found WATER." he leaned back again and tapped his foot idly.

"Just go back a couple thousand years to the cavemen and maybe then you'll actually do some good." he mumbled while picking at a nail.

"I'd never ask others to play the martyr. That's my job." He stood and brushed his pants off. "Right, we'll stop by there to refill the canteens before we head for the metal structures." He turned to address the others as well. "Everybody ready?"

Most of the group nodded and started gathering up what few belongings they had on them.

---

Haden chuckled, "Where there is water there is life..."

Alder had resigned himself to just watching for now. He wondered how well those "Aud" things Daemon had mentioned would fair.

Jaden nodded, looking back to make sure D'Michael was coming along. The kid was still looking upset over his words.

"Dude, cheer up. We can't have angst on top of deadly situations of shitty terror."

D'Michael didn't say anything, only nodded, though it meant little considering how he still didn't look up.

`-`-`-`

Daemon paused from his screening, and turned to Alder.

"So, kid, what's your grand scheme in life? All I know much about it Haden. Never really seen you, cept when you're at the sidelines." He smiled easily at the man.