Two days have passed since Abraham Lincoln visited Steven Kerling’s laboratory. Unbeknownst to anyone, the Battle of Natural Bridge is happening in two days. Lincoln has asked Kerling to make him a war-winning weapon, and Kerling has delivered. After experimenting with herbivorous dinosaurs and proving  his experiment to be successful, Lincoln has given Kerling the go-ahead to create carnivores to unleash on the South. The killing machines will be utilized both in war and against Southern civilians. Two years ago, Lincoln would have been hesitant to do this, but he is out of options now. His desperation has caused him to experiment with some highly unorthodox methods. Kerling now stands in front of a new cage, one unseen by anyone other than himself. Not even President Lincoln has seen the new beast yet.  

Kerling’s first carnivore is much smaller than the goliath plant-eating Brachiosaurus he showcased to President Lincoln two days ago, though it isn’t exactly small. It’s 6-feet-2 inches tall (just two inches shorter than President Lincoln) but it’s small and bony skeleton allows it to weigh just 33 pounds (Lincoln weighs 180). It is called “Velociraptor”, and it is possibly the greatest killing machine to have ever walked the planet. The beast has 28 razor sharp teeth, three small claws on each foot and hand, and one extremely large claw measuring 6.5 centimeters in length on the edge of each foot. Kerling nearly lost a finger to the beast when he first successfully created it. It happened while he was releasing it into the enclosure that he created for it. That is when he realized what the problem with these beasts was and the reason that Abraham Lincoln might have been reluctant to agree to his plan: the dinosaurs; being wild animals, were uncontrollable and deadly not just for their enemies in the South, but for the North as well. You couldn’t trust these beasts to fight alongside Union soldiers and then; at the same time, slaughter Southerners. It wasn’t feasible. They would kill without remorse and without discrimination. Anything that moved was dead. The Velociraptors; for example, had no concept of the war, didn’t care what it was about. They killed with the intent of making a meal out of their victim. The Union meant nothing to them. The rebellion meant nothing to them. The country meant nothing to them. It was a hunting grounds, nothing more nothing less.  

Steven Kerling is watching the killing machine he has created as it stands in an enclosure, contemplating its existence. For the past few minutes the beast has made some very unique sounds that seem to be some sort of call. It’s trying to communicate, not with Steven but with it’s own kind. Steven deduces that the beast must be a pack hunter, like a hyena. The Velociraptors work in teams to hunt down their prey, giving them the ability to take down animals that are twice their size. This is perfect. If Steven can produce more than one of these creatures, it could end the war as swiftly as it started.  

As Lincoln sits down with Steven Kerling; watching the Velociraptor run rampant through it’s enclosure, the risks were easy to see. Bringing the dinosaurs into the fray would increase casualties on both sides, not just the Confederacy. Lincoln had a lot to think about. On one hand, he would have what he wanted: a unified America. On the other hand, unleashing these beasts on half of the United States could create a new problem: the entire country could be overrun with dinosaurs, unkillable killing machines. This plan could put his country and his Presidency at risk. Though, he was already in the thick of it. He had asked Kerling to do it, Kerling had succeeded, and now it was time to see what the results of the experiment would be. There was no backing out of it now.  

Lincoln decides not to tell Kerling about his uncertainty, nor does he tell him about the fact that he is contemplating backing out of the project. Doing so would mean that months of research will have been for naught and Lincoln does not want to do that to his friend. “Steven, I am giving you complete control over this project. Make as many of these beasts as you would like; mass produce them, and do what you have set out to do: crush the rebels”, Lincoln says; watching as the Raptor tears apart it’s dinner.

Kerling’s laboratory becomes an assembly line. Dinosaurs are made faster than a manufacturing plant producing cars. Velociraptors are separated into groups of six, being used like special forces units. They will be the most efficient killing machines created, but not the most destructive. That is where Kerling’s new creations come into play. His favorite is a 46-foot long, 11-ton Tyrannosaurus Rex, but he has many other destructive weapons. Kerling looks out over the assembly line and sees his work. The raptors, the T-Rex, a fearsome Carnotaurus, and many other various creatures manufactured with the intent to kill. The beasts are nearly ready, and the Confederacy has no idea what is about to happen.  

Abraham Lincoln sits in the Oval Office, grasping what he is about to do. The idea seemed absolutely wonderful; yet wildly absurd. Now that he has seen the dinosaurs for himself, he is worried about just how detrimental of an effect the monsters will have; not just on the South, but on his Presidency as well. If this plan fails, he is risking impeachment or worse. Tensions are higher in the United States of America than they have ever been before. Hopefully, Lincoln’s new weapons will put an end to the war and ease the tensions throughout the country. He knows that the South will be even more damaged than it already is after he unleashes the dinosaurs, but he hopes that he can compensate for that after the war is over and he convinces the Confederates and their supporters to reunite and rebuild the Union.