Platform 24
-	by ilbv 
05/06/2017
PART 1
ISSAC
“I need you to stay and volunteer late tonight.” Issac’s Boss informed him and promptly hung up the phone. Issac scowled and put his phone down. “Yeah, no problem…” The company was putting on a fundraiser benefit for the “well-being of privileged children”. Issac had scoffed at the absurdity of it, how had this project been green-lit? His boss had explained that the children on the cities wealthy and prosperous were suffering mental trauma from the lack of their parent’s involvement in their young lives, instead being shuttled off to boarding schools and forced to be cared for by live-in nannies. “The aim for this benefit is to raise awareness that all children need a helping hand.”

Issac believed that yes, all children needed to be loved and supported by their families, educated, live by good worldly principles and accept all beings who both agree and vary from their own beliefs. The idea of raising money for already well off rich kids was what made Issac uncomfortable, like these kids needed more money, honestly. They have more money than what most people will ever have. Issac was bitter about it, being low middle class himself and on that dangerous edge of financially surviving or requiring government assistance. 

The event was scheduled to be running all night and Issac had been submitted to stay and sell auction tickets from midnight until six o‘clock in the morning. He boarded his commuter train at 10pm and sat back as it zipped along into the heart of the city.  Because it was so late at night and not many people were heading into the city, Issac found himself alone in his double decker train car; he spent most of the ride reading a book he had brought along for the trip. Just as he was getting to a climactic moment in a chapter, the train had made its stop by the stadium and as the doors slid open, hundreds of cheering, loud, and heavily intoxicated people clambered onboard. Issac closed his book and put it in his bag, then lifted it and his coat off of the chair in front of him to free up space. Tromping boots and shoes echoed along the floor as the new flock of people crowded and gathered inside. The whole length of the train was inundated. Issac noticed everyone wearing cowboy boots and red, white, and blue plaid shirts. A country concert must have just concluded. That became more apparent as many of the wavering intoxicated ladies began to sing out and clap from the concert’s playlist. It wasn’t long before everyone around was belting out their slurry renditions. 

Issac sat in his seat holding his bag and coat to himself feeling exceptionally out of the loop. “Good think I’m off at the next stop” he had thought to himself. A drunken couple sat on the seat diagonal to Issac and were passionately swapping spit. The attractive woman was sitting in her boyfriend’s lap and sliding down his front and splayed her legs to get a little more comfortable. Issac stayed looked down the corridor of the car at the steps he would be taking soon The woman’s legs squeezed together and pressed Issac’s knee between them. “I’m tried and just trying to get comfortable and I keep touching this guy” the woman was saying up to her boyfriend. Issac smiled and stood up, “I'm getting off at the next stop if you want to sit here.” “Oh thanks, you're a good guy.”

Issac picked up his things and made his way down to the train car door. As the train arrived at the main city station, Issac  was shuffled out of the doors with a bunch of other passengers eager to get off and continue their country celebrations. Shaking his head amused, Issac went with the flow of people down the stairs and underground into the main stations concourse hall. He tapped his train pass on the card fare reader and after it beeped and showed its green light, Issac walked out into the city’s downtown core. 
GRIM
Grim the Ceratosaurus grit his clenched teeth as he stood behind a crumbling pillar in an old factory on the outer edge of the city. He was being shot at by a rogue Alien criminal that he had been hunting for months, now with all the resources he had to find him and the exceptional work of his team and family, he was being shot at! They had planned for this. 

Grim clicked his weapon into a stun mode and whirled around, aimed and fired. His target shrieked as one of his arms was blasted off, the one holding its gun. Grim snarled and charged, pounding his chest armor and securing a helmet protection over his snout and eyes. Grim rolled in the air and shot twice more at his target and the creature went down writhing and shrieking ungodly sounds. “Twins deploy!” Grim shouted in a headpiece. There was a pause, “Shock, Awe! Go!” “Copy that!” Two smaller armoured dinosaur bodies scuttled out of a hiding place and held weapons at the ready on the prone alien target, still groaning. 

Grim tromped over and stood at the creature’s head, hissing and swaying his tail in victory. “You’ve been a hard space criminal to find.” The alien garbled a foreign language and spat at Grim, who smirked and put his huge foot on the creature’s throat, choking his air supply. “Grim! Stop!” the twins shouted, “we need him alive to collect a higher figure!” Grim stepped off of the alien’s neck and left him sputtering. “Unfortunately that is true; otherwise I’d have finished you off with my plasma breath.” Grim hauled the alien up with his huge fist and the twins bound him. “Recky, bring the ship in; we have apprehended our subject.” A female reptilian voice responded over the radio, “On the way, good job brothers.” Reckonia was the youngest of her brothers and the only female, but she had just as much of a badass side. Her brothers called her Recky, most of the time. “Have you any word from Dread?” Grim asked her, “Not at the moment Grim, his signal is too far to connect to.” “Even with our superior technology?” 

The alien made a lunge for Grim’s weapon and Grim had to whip away without hearing Recky’s answer. He brought a pile-driving fist down on the alien’s head and it crumpled at the Dinosaur’s feet. “Next time it’ll be the plasma.” Grim wiped off some of the alien spittle from his armour and looked to Shock and Awe. “Haul this heap over to where Recky will land the ship and chuck him into a holding cell.” 

As the twins dragged the alien away, Grim took a deep breath and reloaded his weapon. Then he stooped to pick up the alien’s gun, it was a pathetic model, one that Grim had stopped using ages ago, he crushed it to fine powder in fist and blew it into the air where is sparked like dust. Grim gave the powdery mess a quick fiery blast and it vaporized into nothing. He smirked at his power and looked up at the night sky through a hole in the roof of the old dilapidated factory. He gazed at the stars and shimmering darkness, feeling content with his job of catching bounties and taking out targets. Though something in him was missing and he wasn’t exactly sure what it was.
ISSAC

Luckily the fundraiser was only three blocks away and Issac walked there in about ten minutes. He signed in, got his uniform and badge and went to his post. The last meal had been served at 9pm that evening, Issac hadn’t been informed there would be no meal for him and he had to make do with the apple basket and coffee that was left by a water cooler for the volunteers. 

The night was a roaring success in terms of bringing in money for the rich children, and Issac had managed to sell all his auction tickets and three back up rolls within 2 hours of arriving. The auction itself was expected to run from 2am until sunrise, however because of the unusual nature of the cause, many people who attended and purchased tickets were already among the cities wealthiest, giving vast amounts of money to the children of their equally rich friends. “but so long as it’s giving, it’s a charitable gesture and makes them look so philanthropic.” Really that’s all this benefit was for, to make the rich people look like they really care about people in need. As his boss had said, “It doesn’t matter who they give money too, so long as they give it.” Issac sat as his table reflecting on that; it showed that this was all for social status and to be on the record as a patron. Talk about doing the right thing for the wrong reason. At a point in the night, Issac’s boss’ boss stopped by the event to see how things were going and to drop a few million dollars on auction tickets. He wore an onyx tuxedo and deep blue diamond rings on every finger. Issac took a deep breath and filed away the money then handed out the tickets. “Thank you for your contribution to this important cause”, he dripped the words with sarcasm.  “You don’t agree with this cause?” The man narrowed his eyes. “I just think there are more important things we could be fundraising for.” “So you don’t support this company or its projects?” “I do as I’m told and I work hard.” “I see.” The man left to proceed with bidding at the auction, but he looked back with disapproval at Issac several times. He pulled out his phone and made several calls. 

The auction ended at the crack of the third hour of the morning after an ultra-conglomerate of the city’s transit system bought up all the rest of the auction inventory in one fell swoop. After speeches and event dismissal, everyone began packing up and heading home. 

Issac yawned and checked the time, it was just after 3:30am and his heart sank. Outer City Transit didn’t run at night and now Issac was stranded with no way to get home. He went around to other co-workers asking if anyone could give him a ride or a place to stay for the night. “There is no shuttle going out towards your area, sorry. Why would you even take this job?” “I didn’t expect to be done so early.” “Tough luck kid.” 

Issac stayed in the empty event hall for another hour, hoping to pass some time, he tried to read his book but was feeling too tired to focus on the words. He tried to sleep on a bench but it was too uncomfortable. After a while longer he sat up, changed out of his uniform and into his regular comfortable orange shirt, packed his bag and put on his coat. He made his way back outside in the early morning air and walked the three blocks to the train station. He got there and the doors were all still locked, despite lights and inner hall construction still going on. A Train Station Transit Safety Officer shook his head when Issac tapped on the glass. “Station opens at 5:30, come back then.” 

Luckily it wasn’t that cold out as June had just started. Issac waked around the train station to a 24 hours diner and bought himself a vanilla latte and sausage breakfast sandwich. As he was enjoying his meal a dishevelled man came up from behind him, “hey man do you have any spare change for a coffee?” Issac internally cringed, but he gave the man his change and the guy went on his way asking the next person for money.

GRIM
“What do you mean you’re only going to pay us a quarter of the price?!” Grim pounded his huge fist on the meeting table so hard that he split it down the middle and the whole table thundered to the floor in a heap of timber. He would have set it on fire too had all of the security personnel not aimed their weapons at him.  Shock and Awe, who were on either side of Grim hissed menacingly, “How dare you aim at us!” Grim bellowed, his eyes were glowing read and the back of his throat began to glow hot with fire. The Kobold whom Grim was shouting at calmly held out his hands. “Lower your weapons.” The uncertain guards all did as they were told. The Kobold, who was much bigger than average kobolds stood from his seat and flicked dust and wood slivers from his suit. “Have you had any success in contacting your brother?” Grim flared his nostrils. “No, Dreadnaught has been unreachable. As soon as matters are concluded here we aim to go and search for him.” The Kobold smiled, “That is because he has been under my containment after a…unfortunate incident at the headquarters of this alien race.” Grim sucked in his breath; a flame burst from his mouth but quickly disappeared. “You’ve been keeping my brother as a prisoner! I ought to filet you!” The Kobold flared his own nostrils and turned to his guards, “Bring him in.” 
Several aggravating minutes later, Grim saw his gigantic younger brother being brought into the room; he was bound at the wrists and ankles and looked extremely bashful. “Hi Grim.” He sounded like he knew he had made a big mistake. Grim looked at the Kobold, “Release him to me at once and explain what the meaning of this disrespect is or I shall destroy the rest of this office.” The Kobold nodded at his guards and they released Dread’s bindings and the big Giganotosaurus padded over and stood behind Grim as the twins each hugged onto one of Dread’s legs and climbed up his body to snuggle his head and sit on his shoulders. 
“While you were hunting for the leader of this alien race, I had my own team sent out to investigate and invade their prime locations within the city if we detected any invasion plots.” The Kobold puffed out his nostrils and heaved his shoulders and pointed a shaking accusatory finger at Dread. “What we found was THIS ONE stomping around the entire compound, devouring its occupants and crushing buildings like sandcastles! He has laid waste to everything we were looking for! This is a matter of Global Security, I could have your entire team detained and put under brutal scrutiny for near treasonous actions against this planet and its people, but because you have brought the leader of this race to us, I have shown mercy and released your brother back to you, the cost being half of the bounty. You should be lucky I didn’t revoke the entire amount.” 
Grim listened intently and swished his tail and crossed his arms.
“I understand your displeasure Mercenary, however we required you apprehend the fugitive alive and intact.” “He is still alive!” one of the twins shouted. The Kobold looked at the dinosaur with a bored expression and turned back to Grim. “He’s missing an arm, for that we are docking an additional quarter of the bounty. Take what is left or leave with nothing.” A deep rumbling growl emitted from Grim’s throat, but he unfolded his arms. “Keep your money. Don’t ever contact us again.” “I have no intention.” The Dinosaurs stalked out of the room, each slamming a fist into the wall and punching a hole through it. Dread took a bite out of the doorframe as he ducked to crawl out and followed in his brother’s wake leaving big stomping footprints in the floor and cracked tiles. 
“What happened?” Recky asked as her brothers all entered into their ship. Grim growled and pulled off his chest armour, “just another case where Earth creatures try to get a free capture. They take complete advantage of the work we do. The next bounty holder to try and scam us; I’ll devour his head.” “I’ll never understand the creatures of Earth.” Recky muttered. “And who the hell put a Kobold in charge of this sector’s global security?” Grim shook his head, “Humans used to rule this planet, after we did. If it hadn’t been for that meteor several millennia ago, our species would have ruled the Earth, humans would have been ours to control. Now they think they can pick and choose what species get to do. It makes me sick.” Dread was nervously fidgeting with his claws, “I’m sorry I messed things up Grim. I was just hungry.” Grim ignored him, he loved his brother, but the big guy made new and huge mistakes on every mission and it was impeding their ability to successfully collect full bounties. “Reck, take Dread to the infirmary and check out his ankles and wrists for any bruising from the binds they had him in.” Recky gave the controls of the ship over to Ivan, the ship’s AI and led Dread away, he whimpered slightly. Grim sat down in the co-pilots seat and sighed. “Something the matter Master Grim?” Ivan asked. Grim groaned and flopped his tail limply across the arm of his chair, “I don’t know what I'm going to do about Dread, he just keeps getting in the way of missions.” “Perhaps if you kept him closer and used him as the front runner for your attacks, you may find his size and strength most beneficial to you.” Grim smile and rubbed the dashboard of the ship. “Thanks Ivan, you always give good advice.” “It is my pleasure sir, now where would you like me to fly?” Grim’s stomach rumbled, “To the meat market district, we are running low.” “Right away master Grim.” The ship swerved and flew off to its destination. 
As his siblings loaded the ship up with vast amounts of raw meat, Grim was bargaining with the seller. He had managed to knock down the price by 15% and decided not to press his luck any further. He grunted and paid for the meat and fish supply. His siblings had loaded the meat locker and were all boarding their ship when Grim’s communications device buzzed in a call. He answered it bluntly, “State your business.” “Is this the reptilian mercenary group? The Ravagers?” “The only one.” “I’ve a bounty for you.” The caller continued and explained, and then when he offered a price Grim burst out in deep laughter. “You must be joking! That much for a human? Why don’t you just fire him?” “Too much paperwork. I want him gone. Take him out.” Grim smiled and his thick tail swayed, “Consider it done.”
The file on his target was soon sent over to the ship’s main control room where the Ravagers, elite Dinosaur Mercenaries planned out their missions. This however hardly seemed like a mission. “There’s a bounty out for this guy?” Recky asked incredulous, pointing at the picture of their target. “He’s just a Human” Awe said, Shock nodded, “Yeah, he doesn’t look like a criminal at all.” Grim shrugged, “The client wants him taken out.” Recky shook her head, “you mean eliminated?” “Yeah, as if he never existed.” Shock and Awe clacked their teeth together. Recky frowned, “That just seems so extreme for…a little human.” Grim snarled a little, “Don’t go getting a heart Recky, were Ravagers. We are paid to kill.” Dread who had been quietly observing the picture of the target piped up, “I think he’s adorable. Can we keep him?” Grim rolled his eyes, “No Dread, we’ve been asked to get rid of this human, so that’s what I’m going to do.” “Just you?” Awe asked. Grim smirked and gestured at the screen. “Of course, look at him. He’s small, weak, I see no threat whatsoever. I can singlehandedly complete this mission in less than an hour and we can all be on our way. Do I need to remind you the sum on this kid’s head?” Everyone was silent, thinking about what they could all do with that much money. Dread was whining a little, pressing his snout into the screen, trying to smell the human target. “I don’t want you to hurt him Grim.” Ignoring Dread’s plea Grim looked up to the ceiling, “Ivan, have you found the target?” Ivan’s sensors whirred and processed. “The human target has been located using facial recognition within all citywide cctv security cameras. He is sitting on a bench at the main train station as we speak. Distance to the location exactly 12 minutes and 54 seconds. Shall I proceed?” “Affirmative.” The ship swerved and diverted on a new course, set for the new destination. Awe gazed over the target profile, “Do you need any armor Grim?” Shock joined his twin and also pursed the profile, “How about a gun? He looks like he could be taken out with anything. I suggest-” “I don’t need any of that. This target is too easy.” Grim glared at the photograph and licked his lips, his stomach growled. “Besides, I haven’t had breakfast yet.” He snapped his jaws together. Dread bit his lower lip, “You’re going to eat him?” Recky grabbed Grim’s arm, “Grim you can’t! That’s awful!” The twins looked at each other and back at the picture, silently wondering how they would each attempt to do that.” Grim shrugged off Recky’s claws, “It’s nothing new. We have all dined on the flesh of humans before, this way I can eliminate the target quickly and without a mess.” Dread whined and puffed air out of his nostrils, “Well why can’t I do it then? I'm bigger.” Grim turned to look at his huge brother, “You’ve already devoured nearly an entire alien compound and cost us our bounty”. “They tasted like sour fish guts.” Dread moaned and rubbed over his stomach, which had been burbling constantly as it churned away his extensive meal. He let out a raunchy belch, “sorry”. Grim patted his brother on the back, “I don’t need you to make another mess Dread. Stay aboard the ship, that’s an order.” Dread huffed and whined but he nodded, “I still don’t want you to hurt that human” he said, and stalked out of the meeting room heading for his bunk to lie down. Grim watched him leave and looked at his other siblings, “I’ll go get out of the rest of my armour then. I need to blend in”. Recky started to protest but couldn’t find the words and the twins were still focused on the human’s photograph, muttering to each other about which spices the human would taste best with.  
Grim walked to the armory and undressed from his metal and chrome armour, he polished it clean and hung it up on a scanner so Ivan could identify any weaknesses or microscopic cracks and chinks and make the appropriate repairs. He went over to a laundry hamper and pulled out some of his regular clothes, pulling his large black t-shirt with the Dinosaur Skull Emblem on it over his head and down his chest. He pulled on his shorts and looked at himself in a floor to ceiling mirror, baring his teeth he grinned at himself and licked his lips at the thought of devouring a human again. It had been too long. Grim smirked at himself and flexed his huge arms, “No escaping this Dino little human.” 
The ship flew out of the sky and came to rest hovering over the train station’s roof; Ivan announced their arrival and Grim walked to the main doors which whooshed open. Recky and the Twins joined him at the door; Dread was still sulking in his room. “Make it quick” Recky said, she sounded slightly annoyed. “Save me an arm!” Shock said, “And a leg!” added Awe. Grim smirked, “No chance, He’s mine.”

ISSAC
At 5:30 Issac made his return to the train station and back down to the concourse hall, he tapped his train pass on the card reader and waited in the hall for his train to arrive. Overhead screens showed it wasn’t going to be there for another hour and a half, so he had more time to kill. Issac sat down on a bench chair and continued to read his book. The human hadn’t noticed as the concourse hall began to fill with more people and species as the morning traffic began to take shape. The station restaurants were flicking on all their coffee peculators and toasting up fresh bagels and English muffins in preparation for the morning rush. 

The main station was especially busy since all of the inner, outer, and anthro sections of the city interwove and connected, allowing all species and beings into the multiverse that was the city. Creatures of all sizes and kinds milled about the place, talking on phones, in line for tickets or food, in small groups conversing, there was a line of school children human and anthro alike flanked by parent chaperones and a human and cat teacher. Several transit safety officers were punching in and spreading out to board their respective trains. As the atmosphere buzzed with life and commotion, Issac closed and packed away his book. He looked up at the screen again and saw that his train’s platform had been assigned. Platform 24. Securing his bag around his shoulder, Issac stood from his seat and walked to join the throng of other riders who made their way to the staircase that rose up to the station’s 24th platform. As he was climbing up the stairs the human’s attention noticed a huge Dinosaur leaning against a pillar. His huge muscled arms were crossed and Issac swore that the Dinosaur was staring at him. He swallowed nervously and looked forward again, hurrying upwards. The Dinosaur eased himself upright and let his arms fall to his sides, following the human, with his tail swaying slowly and a rumble in his stomach.
PART 2
Sunlight broke out in fractured rays onto Platform 24 from all of the obstructions of pipes and wires as construction at the station was never ending. Issac made his way through the crowd and found himself looking back a few times, seeing if the Dinosaur had followed. He bumped into an antelope that snorted and muttered, “Watch it”, “Sorry,” Issac apologized and he hurried on. He liked to be near the rear back of the train cars since that end of the train was where the station exit was at the other station he was travelling to, from there he could board his bus and ride into his smaller little section of the city where he could make the forty minute walk to his apartment. Less people gathered at that end of the platform and Issac was almost alone. He turned around one of the construction elevators to step into a waiting space and bumped into a thick pair of legs. “Oh sorry sir-” Issac looked up and felt his heart leap and voice catch in his windpipe. It was the massive Dinosaur, leaning once again on the elevator this time and arms folded. He was gazing down at the little human with a bemused expression. “S-sorry.” Issac repeated and he hurried along the wooden barrier divide. He stopped along a painted metal beam and waited, clutching his back in front of him with both hands. He kept looking over at the Dinosaur, who was still looking over at him, the tip of his tail twitching. Issac looked away, he began to feel a little uncomfortable and nervous. Once when he looked back he thought he had seen the Dinosaur pulling its tongue back into his jaws, lined with so many teeth. A few minutes later the train lumbered into the station and as the brakes squealed and the train slowed, Issac and many others at the platform crowded around at the doors, waiting for them to slide open and admit passengers. With a hiss and beeping, the train halted and after a pregnant pause, the doors slid open and people began to pour in, all rushing to make sure they got a seat. 

Issac was near the back of the crowd and had only taken a few steps when there was a tug and coiling feeling around his middle. He felt his breath catch and as he looked down he was yanked backwards out of the crowd. Air whirled around him and he dizzily looked down at his waist to see a thick muscled tail squeezing around him. Following along the tail Issac say that it belonged to the large Dinosaur he had bumped into! It looked like perhaps the Dinosaur was more bothered by it than Issac had hoped. He yelped but the sound was lost in the hustle and bustle of passengers trying to get on. 

Grim smiled to himself, he had caught the human, now he just needed to complete the mission. It was so easy, he recalled jumping from the ship onto the station roof and scaling down the side of the building, then hopping among the jostling city crowd and blending right in. A few female reptiles had noticed his bulky frame passing by and they giggled squeals of delight at seeing such a masculine beast. Grim payed them no attention as he rounded a street corner and entered the high doors of the station, stooping low under a beam and entering the concourse, hunting for his target, his prey. He sniffed the air, but the scent of humans was everywhere mixed among all of the other creatures. He would need to extract a sample from the individual human alone to forever bank his scent, but what good would that be if the human was going to be breakfast? Grim rumbled deep in his throat and trudged along a far wall, scoping out the location Ivan had given him. Since the human was sitting down he would have been easier to spot. It was the Orange Shirt that gave him away, such a bright eye catching color. Grim recognized the little snack at once. He licked his lips and tapped his belly with his sharp claws. “Soon, you’ll be all mine.” Grim thought to himself, he was going to enjoy this. 

Issac was being held sideways and almost upside down as the Dinosaur hauled him over to the very back car of the train. He stepped inside and bared his fangs at the few humans and anthros that had taken seats. “Scram!” he bellowed. No one needed telling twice, they all nervously rushed out the opposite doors and fled to other cars. The announcement went on that the train would be leaving in one minute. Grim stepped into the car which happened to be constructed for the taller occupants of the city and he was able to fully stand upright. The doors whished closed and secured, the train began to jerk and leave the station. The two of them, human and Dinosaur were very much alone. “C-can you let go of me?” Issac asked nervously. Grim rumbled for a moment then released the human and turned around to directly face him and loom tall and mighty. Issac looked up at the massive guy and trembled a little. “Wh-what do you want?” Grim studied the little guy silently for a long time, his tail rested on the floor behind him as he gazed over the human’s face, his trembling vibrations, the scent of his fear and innocence. As much as Grim valued being a badass mercenary with a thirst for blood and enjoyment for carnage, he had a jolting feeling in his core. This really was just an innocent little human, who probably did nothing wrong and was frightened out of his mind. Grim snorted and shook his head, was he becoming soft? This wouldn’t do, he roared loudly at the human who yelped and backed into the wall of the train car. Grim could hear the thudding of the human’s racing heartbeat. Everything in his mercenary being was telling him to lunge, attack, sink his teeth into his prey; but Dread’s voice rattled around Grim’s brain more: “Don’t hurt him Grim”. What was happening to him? He had never lost focus on a mission before, had this human been armed and a worthy adversary, Grim could have been injured or killed already. It was time to finish the mission. His hand swooshed and grabbed the human up and lifted him close to his face. 

Issac thought he was dead, that the huge dinosaur was going to kill him and tear him apart, staining the white of the train car red with his blood. He was so scared he lost his ability to speak, and as the dinosaur grabbed him in a strong meaty hand and lifted him up close, Issac looked nowhere else but in the beast’s eyes, which in turn were staring at him, taking him all in, looking into his soul. Grim saw the innocence, the fear, he could smell it, taste it even. It tasted so good; he could only imagine the taste of his catch. Then he simply asked, “what’s your name?” though he already knew the answer, he had read the human’s profile. He knew everything about the little guy clutched in his fist. The human blinked and tried to remember. “I-Issac”.  Grim smiled, “Good, then I got the right one, just wanted to make sure. I'm Grim.” “Like the Grim Reaper?” “A deep chuckle flowed out of his jaws, “Yeah, something like that.” A moment went by, Issac was still trembling, then he asked what no person wants to ask, “are you going to kill me?” Grim’s thoughts whirred, it was now or never. 

“I was.” Issac screamed blue terror. It took Grim not a second to bare his fangs and press a finger to the human’s mouth. His own adrenaline and heart rate spiked like a jukebox. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Be quiet or I still will!” Issac went silent and as Grim’s finger pulled away he covered his mouth with his own hands to try and keep the terror in, a small tear trickled out of his left eye. Grim felt a wave of nausea rush over him and he dropped Issac and grabbed a metal pole and crushed it, he was so stressed out, he had never done something like this before. He had never felt like this before! He took several deep breaths and clutched at his chest. Issac was lying on his back and gasping for air too, he felt like his whole torso caved in and there was nothing but black ice in his heart. They coughed and writhed, Grim was so confused and even a little alarmed at the pulsing roaring feeling in his chest, and Issac was on the verge of scrambling up and running for his life or sobbing uncontrollably, neither of which he wanted to do, so he took another deep breath and sat up, managing to crawl into a train seat.  The train arrived at a stop and the doors slid open, a few people started to enter but Grim roared “Out!” and the people fled to another car.

As the train doors closed and the train lurched and pulled away again, Issac heaved a big sigh and looked up at Grim, who had sat down with a thump on the floor of the car. “What the hell was that?” He wondered aloud. Issac shrugged and coughed, “I don’t know…” They were quiet for a long time; another train station came and went. Grim had only needed to growl to prevent anyone from entering their car. When they were bumping along the tracks again, Grim looked up at Issac and shook his head, “I can’t understand why anyone would have you killed.” Issac felt himself sweating, “someone wants me dead?” He couldn’t believe it. “What the hell for? I pay my taxes, I follow the law, and I pay my train fare. What’s going on?” Grim grunted, “Look kid, I'm a mercenary. My family and I; we get hired to take out bad guys and carry out hits; we collect bounties and lay waste to enemy territories. We don’t serve anyone but ourselves and our paying customers, and for some reason, there is a mighty high bounty for your elimination.” Issac felt like his blood was as thick as canola oil. “A Mercenary? Family? There are more of you? Bounty?” Grim chuffed and sat up, “Yeah, a big one.” Issac backed away, “so you are going to kill me?” Grim stood to his towering imposing height. “I was going to, and for some reason I’ve developed a soft spot. It doesn’t seem right to hurt you. My younger brother practically begged me not to.” Issac felt a warming glow for this brother of Grim, “let’s go with his idea.” Grim chuckled and swayed his thick tail. “I’ll consider it, but I still have a bounty to collect, and I’m starving.” 

With a predatory roar, Grim pounced and pinned Issac to the floor under his front paws, Grim leaned his snout in close and hooked his front horn under the humans shirt and pulled it off, exposing his bare flesh. Issac squirmed and protested, “H-hey what are you doing!” Grim huffed hot air over the human and dragged his long slimy tongue along Issac’s front. “Gahh! That tickles! What are you doing?” Grim licked over him again, and again. His tongue was large, heavy and thick; drool ran down Issac’s sides and soaked into the waistband of his jeans. “You taste incredible.” Grim rumbled, he licked his lips and then licked Issac again. “You're going to eat me!?” Issac shouted, he tried to sit up and Grim’s hands pressed him into the floor and Grim rolled his tongue all the way up Issac’s body and face this time, pressing his tongue hard into the human’s face and keeping his head to the floor. “I haven’t eaten a human in years, and you’re just too easy to resist.” With that he opened his jaws and grabbed Issac’s head with his teeth and lifted him upwards, opening his mouth again and shoving, Grim eased the thrashing, wriggling, protesting human into his mouth. “No! Wait! Stop! You don’t want to do this! I’m not worth any nutritional value!” Issac was pressed into Grim’s tongue as it slithered down his chest and up against his neck and face, getting more taste. The large Dinosaurs throat pulsed and a rumbling gurgle was emitting form beyond the darkness. Issac felt Grim make a pleased purring type sound and a wet *GLK* as the tongue sunk and allowed Issac to fall forward and into the throat. Grim swallowed again and felt the little human begin to sink into his throat. He pulled his jaws back in a huge open-mouthed smile as he swallowed and gulped again. Issac tipped over the back of Grim’s throat and began to get tugged down by the powerful pulsing muscles in the dinosaur’s neck, even beginning to bulge the outside. Everything was dark, red, wet, slimy, and slippery. Issac gasped for breath; he was being eaten alive by a Dinosaur! Was he going to die in here? Would the beast digest him? Deep below Issac could hear the grumbling of the stomach, Grim growled in delight and made a larger swallow, it rippled down Issac’s body and tugged him further within. Grim peeled off Issac’s shoes and socks, and then tugged off his saliva saturated jeans, leaving Issac in his embarrassing intimates. Grim nearly purred at the excessive enhanced flavor of the human as he swallowed again, sending Issac’s waist and legs into his throat. Grim lifted a meaty hand and caressed the lump in his neck as he felt the wriggling human sinking down inside of him. With a final push, Grim forced Issac’s feet into his maw and snapped his teeth shut behind them. He lifted his tongue and bounces and tasted on the lingering parts of the human before lifting his head to the train ceiling and opening his throat. Issac slipped further and deeper as Grim’s huge tongue lifted and pushed Issac’s feet over the back and down into the hungry throat with a huge strong *GLRUPGLUK* As the human slid past where Grim’s lungs were the Dinosaur exhaled a huge breath of satisfaction and chuckled, sliding his tongue across his lips and swallowing again, *gulp*. Issac slid down Grim’s tight throat, sealed off from the outside and burbled through until he was dropped with a wet slursh into the large but crammed stomach. The space was squishy and dark, very little light to see and Issac felt nervous and afraid. He had just been eaten alive. “At least that’s something.” He thought to himself. The stomach seemed to echo his movements and slimy noises, which became very apparent as Grim released a long belch from his meal. The stomach quavered and sloshed, Issac bumped into a bulbous squishy wall of stomach tissue and heard it blurp in response to the human’s touch. The stomach had also shrunk a little bit, as the release of air from Grim’s burp shrank in and made the place a little tighter. 

On the outside, Grim was inhaling deep satisfying breaths with his jaws parted and his tongue hanging out. He had both of his hands rubbing over his stomach, feeling for the human he contained within himself. If he pressed his stomach out he could just feel the little bulge his breakfast had made in his muscled strong body. Grim groaned in deep pleasure and marveled at how good it felt to swallow a human whole. “You are Mine.” he rumbled to his stomach occupant. “All Mine.” Issac rolled and squirmed helplessly inside, “Wh-whatever you say big guy. D-Did you enjoy it as much as you wanted to?” “It was awesome.” He breathed in a deep low rumble. “Sp-speak for yourself, it’s getting tight in here.” Issac responded by pounding on the stomach wall, Grim saw the little movement and felt it within him and it gave him great satisfaction. He patted over his belly and chuckled, “You’re alive aren’t you? I’d show a little more gratitude human. It isn’t every day you get to be breakfast and live. Besides, I can make it tighter!” Grim belched again and pressed his paws into his stomach, pinning Issac against the back wall as the whole stomach compressed tighter. Issac was now forced into the fetal position as Grim rubbed over his belly and swallowed down some fresh air for his stomach occupant. Issac wriggled, which only pleased Grim more as he fully took in his accomplishment of dominating and devouring a weaker being. “That feels so good, keep it up little morsel and maybe I won’t digest you!” Grim teased, chuckling. Issac began to yell out a tirade and at that moment the train made it to the next station and people came filling in the car. It was a bigger station so Grim was unable to deter anyone this time, so he had to pretend to cough and thumps his chest and stomach to try and relay the message. Grim sat down in a large seat and a wise old crocodile sat beside him reading a newspaper. Grim continues to cough and thump his stomach, which attracted that croc’s attention. He looked at Grim, down at his stomach and smiled. He knew. Then the crocodile leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “Friend or Food?” Grim looked at him confused. “The fella you’ve got in there, is he your friend or are you just going to digest him?” Grim pondered this, was he going to digest his breakfast? It would fully complete the mission, but then again…that overwhelming feeling before. What did it mean? Grim stroked his stomach and thought harder. As quick as a flash of lightning, quicker than Grim could reload and fire an entire magazine of a gun he had a dawning realization. That emptiness he had inside of him all these years, a feeling no amount of murder and blood seemed to fill, Grim couldn’t feel that emptiness anymore. Issac had filled him, not only by means of his breakfast, but Issac’s soul, had filled and mixed with his own. Grim blinked a few times and looked down at his stomach, a hand still stroking it. He knew what this was…it was Love. He really had grown a heart. Recky had been right not to kill this human, Dread had been right, he was a lovey-dovy goofball, and yet he had seen, and he had loved this human without even knowing him. Grim’s heart swelled in his chest and thumped a few harder beats to which Issac heard them too, and he wriggled weakly inside the tight strong stomach. The crocodile had been amusedly enjoying Grim’s stomach squirms and recognized that same look of discovery and shock. He leaned back over and said, “I think you’ve just made a lifelong friend in there, best you do your best to keep him forever.” Then the crocodile went back to his paper and Grim sat there, in the crowded commuter train car in his street clothes, with a human in his belly, and love in his heart. 
PART 3
Grim didn’t even know what station to get off at, so he waited for the train to make its final stop all the way on the outskirts of the city. It was nearly 8am and the sun was high in the sky, showing off the blue and cityscape. Grim got out of the Train and headed down the path, it was crammed full of morning commuters who wanted to ride back into the city, so Grim quickly and stealthy vaulted a fence and found himself in a wheatgrass field. Inside, Issac had been jostled around by Grim’s movements and as much as he wanted to protest, he was feeling exhausted from the late night shift he had taken, though the idea of falling asleep inside a stomach was pretty frightening. He needed to calm his nerves, so looking up at the opening of Grim’s stomach Issac called up, “Hey Grim, can I come out now?” “No.” “Are you…going to digest me?” “No.” “Then what are you doing with me exactly?” Grim stroked his stomach and pressed in on the human. “I'm not sure yet. I’ve got a lot to think about.” Issac rolled over and pressed back against Grim’s hand, which caused him to rumble teasingly and push even harder, squishing Issac against the back belly wall. “Where are we going to go?” Issac asked with a nervous giggle, he was pinned again within the huge Dinosaur. “I’ve got to return to my ship, and collect the bounty for your uh…elimination.” “But I'm still alive.” “For now.” Issac yelped and Grim chuckled, “Nah I'm just teasing you kid, I won’t hurt you. I’ve had a real change of heart. I think some of my brother and sister has rubbed off on me. Normally I’d try and scower myself in lava at such a suggestion, but I think you might be the one exception I’ll ever make”. Issac settled back into the stomach as it groaned under and around him. “Thank you Grim, I uh, hope I can prove myself worth keeping around.” Grim couldn’t stop rubbing over his stomach and chirring a pleased rumble, his thick tail was swinging happily and he spun slowly in the sunny field. “My ship will arrive soon to pick me up, and my siblings are going to go wild to meet you. Just remember, you belong to me now”. 

The ship tracked Grim to the field and landed among the wheatgrass. Shock and Awe came barreling out of the ship and down to Grim, tails thrashing wildly. “Did you get him? Did you get him? What did he taste like? Did he scream? Did you save me a piece?” They chided and chattered. Grim smiled proudly and rubbed over his stomach again, Issac stayed quiet within. “Yes he screamed and yes he tasted fantastic. Humans are a rather delicious food source, but this one was particularly enjoyable. Here.” Grim dropped Issac’s shirt, shoes and pants to his twins who snatched them up and began to snuffle and inhale the scent of the human who had been wearing them. “Gosh he smells good!” Shock said sliding his tongue up the shirt. “I’d have devoured him in seconds!” Awe added as he suckled on a pant leg. The eventually crumpled up the clothing into balls and each swallowed them down. “Not as satisfying as the human I’m sure, but a nice idea of it”. They clinked Issacs’ shoes together before each swallowed one. Grim began walking up the ships ramp, while the twins rolled gleefully in the grass, enjoying the flavors of the clothes they just ate. Reckonia was standing at the entrance her arms folded. “There could have been another way.” She said, not wanting to look down at her brother’s stomach. She turned with a sigh and headed back to the cockpit, “So I guess we locate our hire and collect?” Grim was absently still stroking his stomach, “oh, yes. Let’s get that done and we can take a break from missions for a while, fly out into space and train some more.” As soon as the Twins boarded, Recky and Ivan lifted off and Grim went to the control room where he found himself alone. “You okay in there little guy?” He asked. Issac stirred and rolled around, giving Grim a pleasing massage. “Yeah, just a little nervous about uh…whatever happens next.” Grim hummed as he flicked through some manifests and order sheets, “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe with us. With Me.” 

At that moment Dread entered into the control room, his eyes were bleary and he looked like he may have been crying. “Oh, I didn’t know you were back yet.” Dread’s voice was twinged with his sorrowful whine. Grim looked up at him, “yeah I just got back; we are on the way to collect the bounty.” Dread looked forlornly at Issac’s profile still displayed on the screen. “So you…is he…?” “The mission is completed Dread.” Grim said firmly. Dread sighed and looked down at Grim’s stomach, it was flat and gave no indication that a human being was tucked away inside. Grim was clenching his stomach muscles together to prevent the bulge from showing. He wasn’t ready just yet to share the truth with his family, once they were safely off the planet with their bounty collected would he divulge what happened.

Dread pressed a button on the screen and a hard copy of the profile was printed out. Dread picked it up and gazed over the face of Issac, then he hugged the picture to his chest and left the control room. Grim let out a deep breath and released his stomach muscled, bulging out his middle slightly, but enough to give Issac away. “I swear, my brother Dread is smitten for you, and he doesn’t even know you. He thinks you're adorable. Though admittedly…you kind of are.” Grim’s claws tapped on his muscled front and his tail swished, he really enjoyed his containment of the human inside of him.

Ivan’s voice came over the intercom. “Master Grim, your hire is on the line.” Grim pressed a button. “Send him through to the control room.” A moment later Grim was looking face to face with a screen between them, at his hire. “So, what news do you have for me?” The man asked, twiddling his deep blue diamond ringed fingers. Grim felt a growl of dislike towards this individual, he had ordered the elimination of his precious little stomach occupant. “The mission is complete, the target has been eliminated.” Grim said professionally. He had his badass demeanor back and bared his teeth in a snarl. “I want to see the body,” the man said. Grim laughed loudly. “There is no more body, but I can certainly show up at your residence and show you where he went!” Grim licked his jaws quite menacingly but also out of sheer enjoyment for the taste of Issac that was still on his tongue and after it slipped back into his mouth he snapped his jaws shut very loudly and kept his teeth bared at the screen. The man frowned and his eyes widened, “Are you saying that you...” Grim chuckled deeply, “That is exactly what I did. Target eliminated and rather satisfying too.” That part was no lie; Grim had been and still was blissfully enjoying his full stomach. “You Monster!” Grim shrugged and burped, “I prefer Reaper, but no matter. We are ready to collect, no tricks, I don’t think I need to tell you the consequences for treachery.” The man and Grim stared each other down for a long time though their screens. “The amount agreed has been transferred to your accounts. Our business is done here.” Ivan came over the speaker to announce the monetary deposit and new account total. “Pleasure doing business with you,” Grim said, then he clicked off his screen and rolled his eyes. “He’s the monster, for trying to have you killed.” 

The twins burst into the control room, Grim pulled his hand off of his stomach but Awe had noticed. “We’re rich! We’re rich!” They shouted gleefully. Even within Grim’s stomach Issac had heard how much money his former boss’ boss had paid to have him taken out, and ironically because of that, he felt so worthless. “Yes yes, we have a lot more money now; go off to the meat locker and feast yourselves.” The twins high-fived and raced out of the control room, Grim followed and bumped into Reckonia rounding a corner. “Hey, good job on securing our future for a while. Now we can purchase some newer weapons and armour.” She sounded proud, but still slightly saddened about what it cost to get this far. Grim decided he had to tell someone. “Look Recky, that human…he uh…he’s fine.” Grim was rubbing his stomach and felt a small patch of embarrassment blooming over his snout. Recky’s eyes widened, “Grim! You mean you-” “Whole and Alive. Yes. He’s a bit nervous about uh…meeting the rest of you, but I promised him that I would look after him. Since he can’t return to his job or the city for a while, I figured he could stay here with us, with me.” His sister blinked and studied her brother’s face, “what about being a tough ruthless blood-thirsty mercenary?” Grim shrugged, “We still are, but…. I don’t know what happened with me Recks, I was all ready to go through with the mission and he was just…so small and helpless, and I couldn’t do it Recks, I couldn’t hurt him. I seriously don’t know what happened or what came over me, but I feel really connected to him now and I just…want him to be with me always. He belongs to me.” Recky smiles softly and punched Grim in the shoulder, “look who’s gone and grown a heart now.” “Shut up sis, you’re a real pain you know that.” Recky swayed her tail and nuzzled under Grim’s chin. “And you're a brutish tank, but it’s nice to know that part of you can care. I'm proud of you Grim.” She continued down the hall to the living room and meat locker. “Guess you won’t be eating lunch.” she teased. “I’ll come later, don’t tell anyone. I’ll do it in my own time.” She nodded and turned another corner, disappearing from sight. 

Grim sighed a deep breath and went to his quarters. Sitting down on his bed he pulled his shirt off and lay down. Inside his stomach Issac rolled with the squishy movement and flopped against the back wall of the stomach lining. Grim thought for a while before saying, “Well my sister knows you exist now, just a matter of telling the rest.” “I can hear you guys from in here you know, I'm glad it was my small helpless innocence that spared me”. Grim growled and purposely flexed his stomach muscles tighter. “Careful, I can still do whatever I want with you. Your life belongs to me now.” “H-heh of course big guy, I didn’t mean any insinuation of your soft spot.” “The only soft spot I’ve got is the one you’re currently in, and you’ll stay in there until I deem it fit to spit you out and show you to the rest of my family.”

Grim dozed then and a few hours later was awakened by an alarm ringing from Ivan’s system. “I hope your slumber was restful Master Grim, I’m here to inform you that Master Dread is on his way to speak to you.” Grim sat up in his bed and pulled on his shirt. “Thank you Ivan, he swung his feet off the bed and stood up stretching and looking down at his belly. Issac had fallen asleep and was not awakened by Grim’s movements. “Precious little thing,” he churlled. “And Master Grim, might I suggest you ease Master’s Dread’s heartache and inform him of your new passenger?” Grim raised his brows and looked up at the ceiling. “How did you know?” Ivan let out a sound that was the equivalent of a computer laughing. “You can’t have expected my scanners and biological detections to overlook the fact there is another living being within yourself Master Grim.” Ivan’s lights and sounds whirred and blinked. “Ivan you are too smart for your own good.” “I know Master Grim, thank you. Master Dread will be arriving in exactly 12 seconds.” “Thank you Ivan.”

Dread’s footsteps thumped down the hall and he stopped in front of Grim’s door and tapped it with a huge knuckle. “Grim? May I come in?” Grim rubbed over his horns and sighed, “Yes Dread.” His giant younger brother slid the door open and stooped to crawl inside. Dread was massive, and his body rippled with imposing muscles. His jaws were studded with razor teeth, and he was everything dangerous, yet in his present state the most gentle and harmless being on this ship, except for probably Issac. He sat down and tucked in his legs on Grim’s floor and Grim sat back down on the edge of his bed. The two brothers used to spend a lot of time together like this, talking, joking, wrestling, Dread would win almost every time. “What is it big guy?” Grim asked, he kept his hands in his lap and tried not to focus on his stomach. Dread was picking at lint in his claws, then he looked up at Grim with sad eyes. “I don’t want to be a mercenary anymore”. Grim patted his brother’s boulder of a shoulder. “Dread, it’s what we do. And when have you not enjoyed destroying evil and putting all your training into good use?” Dread heaved his shoulders up and down, making his body shake. “I don’t want to hurt the innocent anymore.” Grim avoided rolling his eyes, “Dread, all of our targets have been war criminals, invaders, murderers, bad guys. We don’t hunt the innocent.” Dread bellowed a deep snarl of his own, it was full or half rage and half despair. “That human was innocent! Issac! He didn’t do anything wrong! And you…ate him! You killed him! He was just doing his job, living his life. I wanted to keep that human safe, forever”. Dread was shaking his head and rocking back and forth, “I just don’t know what to do anymore Grim; I can’t handle the pain of feeling that I lost this little guy. It’s too much.” He was inhaling deeply and Grim was sure he was ready to cry.

He pounded his chest and belched, inside, his stomach squished together and Issac was stirred from sleep, and he found himself being forced upwards and sliding across Grim’s tongue. The dinosaur opened his mouth and tipped his head down, along with forcing his tongue forward, Issac spilled out into Grim’s large hands. “Here.” Grim said, swallowing down a slurge of saliva that had gathered in his mouth, it had been saturated with Issac’s flavor and there was no way he was going to spit that out. “OH MY GOD!” Dread screeched and grabbed Issac with a hand even bigger than Grim’s. He buried his snout into Issac’s bare slimy skin and nuzzled into him hard and firmly. “Oh my god! You’re alive! You’re here! You’re okay!” Dread’s tail whipped around Grim’s room wildly and was knocking everything asunder. Grim had to duck and sit back on his bed to avoid being whacked by the near tree trunk sized tail. He wasn’t all too worried about his stuff being knocked around, Ivan would sort it out. Issac though, was full of fear and confusion until it dawned on him that this was Grim’s giant golden-hearted brother who was simply smitten and overjoyed with the little human. Dread was crying with happiness, and he started to bathe and lather Issac with his tongue, not out of hunger but pure unwavering love and affection. He was so happy, so thrilled, absolutely in love. Issac was to Dread the size of a Ken Doll and he was easily pushed and rolled and jostled as Dread’s Mattress sized tongue slicked and slid over Issac’s entire body over and over. He was trying to breathe and but all he could do was whimper and blush as the huge dinosaur assaulted him endlessly with his heart’s greatest love. Dread wrapped Issac up in both of his fists and gazed down at him, smiling so wide and showing all of his fangs Issac wasn’t sure whether to scream or smile. “Hello little one! I’m so happy you're not dead! I’ve wanted to keep you ever since I saw you! I love you! I love you! I love you!” His tongue slide over Issac again and he gasped for breath. “Y-you must be Dread.” He managed to get out before the huge Dino squeaked with pleasure. “Yes! That’s me!” He leaned in and pressed Issac to his snout and murred happily, inhaling deep so he could forever store away Issac’s scent in his memory receptors. Issac thought that if Dread let go he would have been sucked right up the big guy’s huge nose. Grim had been watching from his bed, smirking and with his arms crossed, he was very happy that his brother was happy, and even more so that the big guy was so in love with Issac. Dread was smothering the little guy in kisses and slurps and pinning him in his hands under his snout. It was as if Dread wanted to pass through Issac’s very heart with his entire body. 

Dread’s huge bellow had caught the attention of everyone else on the ship and within a few moments Shock, Awe, and Reckonia raced to Grim’s room and burst in. Since Dread was leading against the back wall, now cradling Issac to his massive chest and licking him gently, he blocked the door and his younger siblings all crashed into each other with a muffled groan. “Dread what the heck is going on in there?” Recky shouted. Dread shuffled aside, knocking over another of Grim’s shelves. The others clambered in and Dread simply beamed with elation. “Whoa! The Human is alive!” Awe said, sounding just like his name. “No way! Can we have turns to snuggle him too?” Shock asked in a hyped up voice. Reckonia stole a glance at Grim who smiled at her. She leaned in too look at Issac too. “What a cutie.” Issac was now inundated with huge sharp toothed maws all grinning and snuffling at his face and he tried to recoil into Dread’s fist but there was nowhere to go. He looked back up at all the beaming glittery eyes of the large dinosaurs, and suddenly was very aware that he was only in his underwear. “Grim! I don’t have any clothes!” Grim looked at the twins and raised a brow, “cough them up.” Shock and Awe spit out Issac’s slimy clothes and shoes and tossed them into Grim’s laundry bin. “Ivan, can you clean these?” Grim asked. The robotic voice responded, “right away Master Grim”. The basket was pulled down a chute and off to be washed. “In the meantime, here is hot towel to cover your guest,” Ivan said, and a clawed arm came down from the ceiling and handed Grim a steaming towel. “Thank you Ivan.” Grim knelt down and wrapped Issac in the warm towel with that fresh-out-of-the-dryer warmth. It was wonderful, but the moment didn’t last as Issac saw that all eyes were on him and he couldn’t think of anything to say, but he managed to squeak out a cry of embarrassment. Everyone started chattering at once in excitement over their new little family member. “I want him in my bed!” “No I do!” “We could all take turns” “I don’t want to let him out of my sight ever again!” “He belongs to me, I’m the one who captured him.” “No way you human hogger!” 

This was all so much to take in, Issac was feeling overwhelmed. All of these dinosaurs wanted to keep him, forever it seemed. He had a life, a home, friends occasionally, he wasn’t ready to just drop his life and jet off to space with a bunch of infatuated dominating Dinosaurs. He wriggled out of Dread’s grasp and held out his arms, “Hey!” There was silence. Issac looked at all of the excited faces, feeling extremely small and vulnerable. “I appreciate you all wanting to take care of me and everything, but can’t I go back home?” Grim spoke first and authoritatively, “Unfortunately you can’t. Your employment thinks you’re dead…digested in fact, by me. You can no longer go back to your job and the rest of your life on Earth needs to be put on hold until your employers move on and away from your city so as to never see you again, keeping with the belief that they successfully got rid of you. In the meantime, you are going to stay with us.” Grim squatted down and pressed his snout into Issac’s chest and closed his eyes.= for a moment before opening them again and speaking firmly. “You belong to me now Issac, you’re my human, and I've brought you to my home, my family, so that we can take care of you and keep you safe from the dangers of your planet and the vile people in it who think they can choose who lives and dies.” Dread nodded, “Yeah, you belong here now. We are your new family.” He sealed his proclamation with a massive slurp. “Awesome a new brother!” Shock threw a fist in the air “Never fear bro, you’ve got twin power on your side for life!” Awe added. Reckonia stroked a dangerous sharp claw through Issac’s hair, “Welcome to our family Issac”. There was so much love here, from beastly dangerous mercenaries, what a wild bunch to call family, yet Issac knew that’s what they were to him now, and he felt that fulfilling feeling in his own heart and soul, of finding cherished love. Grim scooped him up out of Dread’s arms and rested him up on his snout. “Come on, let’s go have lunch”. The family filed out of the room and went down the hall to the meat locker. Dread nearly skipped with glee, his tail thumping from wall to wall. Grim took up the rear, “Ivan can you handle the mess in there?” he asked the ceiling. Ivan chimed in, “Right away Master Grim, I'm happy that he received the news well, and welcome to the family Master Issac”. Issac looked up at Grim’s eyes from where he rested on the dinosaur’s snout in surprise, “your ship knows my name?” Grim nodded, “Ivan knows everything.” Ivan was humble enough not to respond to that, but the hallways heated up a few degrees as if he was blushing. Grim began down the hallway, “What are we having for lunch?” Grim licked his lips, “Meat.” Issac breathed a sigh of relief, “Heh at least it isn’t me this time.” “You are going to be dessert.” Grim said with deep throaty chuckle. Issac rubbed Grim’s snout gently, “You’re going to eat me a lot aren’t you?” “Your bedroom is going to be my stomach,” Even the thought was making Grim’s mouth salivate. “What about your siblings? Will they try and eat me too?” Grim nodded, “They will all want to, and depending on how I feel I might share you once in a while. Dread will want you most, as you saw, he really likes you.” Then Grim pinched the towel and lifted Issac up in it like a little pouch. “You are always going to be mine, and don’t you ever forget that, no matter who else every tries to say it. You are mine! My human, my snack, my love.” Issac dangled in the towel and looked at the large Dino who had such affection for him. “Just swallow me already.” 

Grim growled hungrily, opening his jaws and sticking out his tongue. He let go of one corner of the towel and Issac free fell into the deep red of the Dinosaur’s maw. Shutting his teeth and sealing out the light of the hallway from the human’s view with his lips, Grim rumbled and relished in the taste of him. Sloshing him side to side and playing with his wriggling little treat before his hunger gave in and Grim lifted his head to the ceiling and swallowed Issac whole. The human tumbled down Grim’s throat, bulging out his neck in a satisfying way and slowly disappeared under his firm chest and plopped back inside Grim’s belly, once again contained and enjoyed by a bloodthirsty, warm hearted Ceratosaurus Mercenary. 
THE END