As Liam rode the glass elevator down, he took one last look around the broadcasting building.
At the 23rd floor, he caught a glimpse of a massive studio filled with screens and lighting rigs.
Everything looked cutting-edge.
Familiar faces from television moved across the stage, recording segments under bright lights.
Staff members rushed around in stylish, fast-paced coordination.
It felt… alive.
For someone like Liam, who had been scraping by, this kind of place represented something more than a job.
It was a starting point.
A way up.
…
On his way home, Liam didn’t bring the Charger back.
His father would recognize it instantly.
That wasn’t a conversation he could have yet.
Instead, he left the car with an old friend, Marcus Cole.
Marcus didn’t care much about cars, and more importantly, he didn’t ask questions.
That made things easier.
…
“150… 151… 170… 171…” Liam counted steadily as he pushed through another set of push-ups.
Perfect form.
Straight body.
Controlled breathing.
“200.” He pushed himself off the ground and stood up in one motion.
Sweat dripped down his arms.
No breaks.
He dropped to the floor again, switching to sit-ups.
“1… 2… 160… 161…” His core burned.
Muscles screamed.
He didn’t stop.
Four years in the military had taught him one thing clearly.
Strength wasn’t optional.
It was survival.
Two hours later, Liam laced up his old combat boots.
He strapped weighted bands to both legs.
Five-mile run.
For most people, even a light run at that distance was difficult.
For Liam, it was routine.
He took off down the rural road.
Faster.
Faster.
His shirt soaked through with sweat, then he tore it off and kept running.
The rhythm came back to him.
The memory of running alongside his old squad.
The burn.
The drive.
The focus.
He pushed harder.
After the run, he headed into the woods.
Climbing.
Gripping bark.
Pulling himself upward.
Jurassic terrain wouldn’t be forgiving.
Height could mean survival.
He trained until nightfall.
Only then did he head home.
…
His father waited near the doorway in his wheelchair.
“You quit your job?” “Yeah.” A pause.
“It wasn’t stable, but it was something,” his father said quietly.
“Why leave it?” “I’ve got something better lined up.” “Better?” There was disbelief in his voice.
Liam’s mother stepped out from the kitchen, wiping her hands.
“Where?” “Broadcasting station.
Driver position.
Trial period first.” She froze for a second.
“That’s… real?” Liam showed them the message on his phone.
“Don’t worry,” he said.
“Things are going to get better.” He grabbed a piece of flatbread from the table and headed inside.
“I’m going to shower and crash.” …
Later that night, his parents sat quietly.
“He seems different,” his mother said.
His father didn’t respond immediately.
After a moment, he sighed.
“As long as he stays away from racing… that’s enough.” …
Three days passed quickly.
Liam followed his plan exactly.
His physical conditioning returned close to peak form.
He watched Jurassic World five times.
Every scene.
Every detail.
Every pattern.
The park.
The layout.
The systems.
And the creature.
Indominus rex.
A hybrid engineered from multiple species.
Tyrannosaurus.
Velociraptor.
Others layered in.
Camouflage.
Thermal masking.
Intelligence.
It wasn’t just dangerous.
It was unpredictable.
It escaped containment by outsmarting its handlers.
After that, everything collapsed.
Chaos.
Liam memorized it all.
Then he studied real-world dinosaur behavior.
Movement patterns.
Hunting instincts.
Anything that might give him even a fraction of an edge.
He wasn’t walking in blind.
He refused to.
Even if the mission itself… was insane.
A tooth.
From that thing.
Still… Liam didn’t waver.
…
[Host, crossover time has arrived.
Are you ready?] “I’m ready.” A flash.
He vanished from his darkened room.
…
When Liam opened his eyes again, the world had changed.
Information flooded his mind.
His identity in this world.
A regular tourist.
One of eighty thousand visitors on the island.
Basic language adaptation granted.
Everything else… up to him.
Then— Boom.
A deep, heavy impact shook the air nearby.
Liam’s body tensed instantly.
This wasn’t a simulation anymore.
This was real.