Nero watched placidly the scene that was proposed in front of his screen. "… From now on, we are in a new era. An era where we will all live in the same world, together. Humans and dinosaurs..."

"Great job, girl… great job" Nero whispered as he sipped a beer. Those videos were obviously not known in the West, as governments blocked communications; but there was no block that could stop Nero.

Although he already had an overview of how skilled the girl was, Nero found that he was surprised. Jocelyne had done a lot more than he had imagined. It was clear as the sun that had been plotting with dinosaurs for a long time.

"Now I understand why you asked me to divulge everything that happens in Beleriard to the rest of the world..." Nero laughed. "A nation where humans and dinosaurs coexist... if humanity were faced with such a spectacle, what face could say it's wrong?"

Nero typed some numbers on the keyboard. His computer chirped as the video was uploaded to the Internet, also sending out a lot of banner ads. "Okay, Miss Jersey, I'll do as you asked me. From here on, the baton passes to her. It is up to you now to prove that living together is possible. Don't worry, I'll upload everything..."

After careful analysis, Nero had decided he had bet on the right horse. The reforms introduced by Jocelyne and the way he had circumvented the international crisis were exactly what Nero was looking for in a government. Therefore she would have helped her.

But he knew he couldn't do it alone. He was no fool: sooner or later the NMWA would come with new weapons, new threats. If he wanted to safeguard Jocelyne's project, he had to make sure he could have a network large enough to keep governments in check.

He couldn't do it a hacker alone… but a large group of hackers could.

"So far I have always moved on my own, but it is clear that the time is ripe for change. I will take advantage of the momentary respite to build a group of hackers efficient enough to be able to counter the overwhelming power of governments"he murmured aloud. "I'll have my hard work finding members… and I don't even know what to call it… or maybe I do? Wait… I like the term 'RESIST'. No, too little cybernetic… let's do 'RE/SYST'! Yes, it's perfect! Good, now let's start to search the right people... I already have few names in mind..."

*********

"After these videos went viral, the NMWA initially declared the absence of reliable sources, but given the huge influx of requests, it then admitted that they actually come from Beleriard. Governments around the world have ridiculed the idea, reiterating for the umpteenth time that it is impossible for dinosaurs and humans to coexist..."

Hammond was watching television in his study. The old tycoon didn't know whether to smile or sigh.

Now Jocelyne's plan was finally clear to him. It was a dangerous plan, there was no doubt about that, but it was also efficient. The more he thought about it, the more Hammond became convinced that perhaps it was the only possible solution.

The NMWA was too hostile towards dinosaurs to allow a nation to coexist peacefully with them. The only way to start a nation ruled by both dinosaurs and humans was to deal a heavy blow to the NMWA to keep it from interfering. The mere presence of the Colonel had shown how capable the NMWA was of interfering in the actions of other states.

Now the borders were closed and the new nation could develop without problems. And since there was apparently a mysterious collaborator who spread the news to the rest of the human world without any kind of censorship, soon only the most foolish would have thought that living together was not possible. Sure, assuming everything was fine.

But Hammond had no doubts that Jocelyne's project would prove successful. And when the naval blockade finally convinced the NMWA to come to terms, the coexistence between humans and dinosaurs could expand further.

Hammond was confident that the victory would be for the girl. And with her, he would win the whole life of Eden.

**********

"Who would have imagined it would end like this?"

Zia was shocked as she watched the images on the television. The same could be said of Franklin, or any of the other members of the MCD.

Claire was the most astonished of all. Logically, the dinosaurs after being attacked by humans should have kept their distance, instead they didn't seem willing to stop and indeed, Lord Sobek himself was aiming to build a mixed nation!

"If experts hadn't authenticated the footage, I wouldn't have believed it either" Franklin said. "Yet it is so. It seems that once again the dinosaurs have chosen the path of peace"

"Then we must make sure that humanity also chooses it!" Claire exclaimed. "Guys, this is an opportunity. I don't know who the benefactor is who divulged these images, but it is likely that he will divulge others in the future. If the coexistence project is successful, then people will no longer be able to deny that it is possible to live together on the same planet"

The members of the MCD looked at each other curiously. "Yeah… it might actually work. In short, reality cannot be denied… right?" Zia asked.

Claire shook her head. "Nations would also deny that the world is round if it suited them. What we have to convince is the population. It is ordinary people who must take sides in favor of coexistence with dinosaurs! The greater the consensus, the lower the chances of another open confrontation!"

"You're right about that" Franklin said. "But do you think it will be enough?"

"It has to be enough. We can't go to war forever" was Claire's response. "Come on, get to work! We have a lot of things to do..."

********

"A nation where humans and dinosaurs coexist..." Ian looked rather aloof, which is rare for his character. "I wonder how long it will last"

"And it seemed to you. Can't you be optimistic for five seconds?" Sarah grumbled.

"I am an optimist. In fact, I'm sure this project will work great" Ian replied. "The problem is the others"

"I'm afraid to ask but... what do you mean?" Alan asked in a tired voice.

The entire group of scientists was gathered at Professor Malcolm's home. Ian had invited everyone because he had prepared for the so-called 'last dinner', but luckily it seemed the world would see another day.

"Isn't it obvious, Alan? Speak of the nations" Ellie replied for her.

"Nothing is needed to build a nation, professor Grant. When kids build a treehouse and proclaim it their country, that's a nation" Mitch grumbled. "The difficult thing is to make that nation last, because the adults will then arrive and destroy the tree house, because they would be too afraid that the children will become too autonomous and deviate from their authority. The same is true in this case. Beleriard is our nation of children, and the NMWA is the adults"

"But there is a naval blockade now" protested Jamie.

"It doesn't mean anything. The NMWA will try to stop this. In particular, the superpowers will try. How… I prefer not to know" Mitch said.

"The how is irrelevant. What matters is that at least one more fight is, so to speak, impossible to avoid"Ian murmured. "With each battle we get closer and closer to the extermination of our species. When the time comes, we will be extinguished in the dust"

"Ok, that's enough. Stop being curmudgeoned!" Sarah retorted. "I've had enough of this pessimism. Seriously, Ian, but you just can't think positive for once? I want to believe that this attempt at coexistence is a small beginning"

Ellie burst out laughing. "Sarah is right, Ian. It might work. We humans will also be irrational and capricious, but we are not totally stupid... at least most of us"

"I side with the ladies" said Alan.

Ian immediately pointed his finger: "Traitor! You should support a friend in difficult times!"

"Then why don't you shut up? You would support me great that way" was Professor Grant's dry reply.

Ellie and Sarah shook their heads as Ian launched into a rant on poor Alan. "Men" was the only word that came out of their mouths.

Jamie looked at Mitch. "They are not all wrong. A little hope is a must, don't you think?"

Dr. Morgan looked frown, but then a faint smile broke on his face as well. "But yes... why not hope a little"

**********

Markus and Bethany sat on the sofa in front of the television. Unlike the rest of the world they were watching their daughter on the national news, since it was not subjected to any censorship.

Despite the typical concern of their parents, the two could only puff their chests with pride in seeing their daughter next to the leader of the dinosaurs announcing the birth of a new nation.

"Think about how far she has gone, Markus..." Bethany whispered. "It seems to me yesterday that she had just learned to walk"

Markus was a little less excited than his wife. He was proud of him, his daughter, of course, but he hadn't forgotten the cold, murderous gaze that Jocelyne had given the heads of the families while they were dying.

If it had been a look of anger, Markus might as well have understood it; after all, he too would have gladly killed those bastards personally if he had had the opportunity. But Jocelyne's gaze was different. It was… empty. It seemed that there was no soul behind those eyes.

Markus believed in her daughter and was proud of her, but he was afraid of her. He didn't know what was in Jocelyne's head and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He could only pray that despite everything that had gone through her daughter's soul had remained intact, and she had not broken under the infinite pressure of the darkness that he had had to face.

"I just hope she's okay..."

"Sorry, what did you said?" Bethany asked him.

"Nothing nothing. Rather, we should visit her someday, right? She is busy at the moment, but who knows... maybe in the future..."

"When?"

"Ah, I don't know. How long do you think it will take to build a nation where dinosaurs and humans can coexist?"

*********

Jake and his crew had disembarked a short time ago. From the top of the cliffs they had been able to admire marine reptiles tearing ships to pieces.

Unfortunately, finding a Neanderthal tribe was certainly not easy: humans only knew a few and only thanks to satellite images. Many of them were too well hidden. Eventually, Jake had decided to hide most of his men somewhere near the cliff and go alone with a few soldiers in search of a sign of civilization. Fortunately, the dinosaurs at that time were still resting even though the ultimatum had expired, so they would not be looking for them.

Eventually it was the Neanderthals who found them. They ambushed them in the middle of the forest: suddenly they emerged from the trees and surrounded them. The soldiers raised their weapons, but Jake ordered them to lower them.

The Neanderthals took them to their tribe, a village in the middle of the forest. Here they were brought before the supreme priestess.

Jake hid nothing. He revealed it all to them and admitted their faults. "… and that's why I'm here. We would like to ask you for refuge, or at least for help. Not for me, but for my men. Many of them have nothing to do with it. Please choose considering this, noble... excuse me, I didn't get your name"

The high priestess narrowed her eyes slightly. "My name is Neytiri"