This is my first venture into writing fanfic for the Jurassic Park series. There are parts of this story that will include references to events, dinosaurs, & characters from the first three movies, the Jurassic Park novel, & even a video game storyline. If you've not read the novel, then I imagine some will be confused about some things I mention (such as certain characters being alive when in film canon, they actually died). Anyway, I'll try to explain things that would be a reference so they'll be understood.

And just a little more info about this story – I know Jurassic World made it seem like Owen Grady had always been the raptor trainer, but I had an idea for how he came to be in that position & this story is the result.

Disclaimer: I obviously own nothing you recognize from any form of Jurassic Park. I wouldn't be working 2 jobs if I did. lol

Reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy!

June 2008

Fifteen years since the demise of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar once again buzzed with activity. Public interest in bringing dinosaurs to life again had paved the way for a new dinosaur park to be built on the island. Investors were continuing to support seeing what animals could come from the Hammond Creation Lab as the first three years had seen a steady increase in daily attendance. Despite the catastrophic failure of its predecessor, Jurassic World had proven to be a global success with visitors from all over the world flocking to the island every day.

"Do you ever wonder just how long it'll be before they do something that'll shut this park down like the first one?"

Owen Grady looked over his shoulder at his fellow ACU teammate Dylan Hurd who stood behind him. Dylan was twenty-four and had been with the ACU since the opening of the park in 2005. Despite being five years older, Owen had somehow managed to learn more from his younger teammate than almost anyone else. He guessed it was because they were a lot alike. They were two of the youngest members of the ACU. They both acted way below their age at times, but they took pride in their jobs.

The Asset Containment Unit was one of the first things established once plans were drawn up for the new park. Simon Masrani wanted to ensure that guests would be safe from the dinosaurs that roamed the park in the event one were to escape, and he wanted one of the best park security teams in any theme park in the world. There would be no expense spared in ensuring the dinosaurs could be kept under control after what had happened with the original park in the early 1990s. Working with the ACU wasn't what Owen originally pictured himself doing when he left the Navy, but his love for animals and the need to start a new life led him to Isla Nublar when the opportunity presented itself.

"I don't try to think about it, Dylan," He told the younger man as he looked out at the water of the mosasaurus lagoon. Dylan took a seat across from him at the small picnic table shaded by a large gray and blue umbrella. "Besides, this park at least made it past being opened. The first one never opened to the public."

It was mid-afternoon, and Owen was taking a break from helping his ACU unit track down and capture half a dozen apatosaurus that escaped from their area when a tree felled by a late night storm took down a section of fence near the northern edge of their enclosure. He had found an empty picnic table by the mosasaur's lagoon, which had been the perfect place to take a break and observe the park visitors.

"We have a hard enough time keeping the pachys in their area, let alone those apatosaurs," Owen told him. "They're going to have to reinforce that fence. That's twice they've managed to get out. Last time it was two of the larger females fighting that knocked it down."

"At least the fence keeping that old T-Rex in her area is working like it should."

"I heard she was a handful when they first got her into that pen," Owen remembered some of the stories from Commander Hamada about how the old girl just did not want to be contained again.

"She nearly killed Jake the first day we had to go after her once the enclosure was finished. He's lucky to have just the scars on his arm from where she got ahold of him."

"Jake? You mean the guy who's in charge of her care now?"

"I guess if she gets ahold of you and doesn't kill you, then you're obligated to take care of her." Dylan turned his attention to the lagoon as well, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I heard Miss Dearing telling some investors that the mosasarus still had a lot of growing to do. The thing is forty feet long. Apparently Dr. Wu estimates she'll end up being close to seventy feet long."

"Well, at least we won't have to worry about her escaping," Owen mused.

"Unless she grows legs."

"Don't even joke about that," Owen tried to sound serious even though he was trying to picture the large aquatic dinosaur stumbling around on legs. "You don't want to give Dr. Wu any ideas to make our job tougher."

"Ha," Dylan laughed. "Who knows what those mad scientists, especially Dr. Wu, will create. Right now though, the pachys and the occasional triceratops are the only things we really have to watch out for. Lady Margaret likes to be a bit stubborn if we have to check on the triceratops herd. That old girl could give the T-Rex a run for her money."

"Yeah, nobody told me that old triceratops was so grumpy."

Owen recalled one of his first missions with the ACU was to relocate Lady Margaret, the matriarch of the triceratops herd from a holding area on the west side of the island to what had now become 'Gallimimus Valley'. The old triceratops had one larger horn broken in half, a result of a battle with the tyrannosaurus not long after Jurassic Park fell to ruin. She had somehow survived along with her small herd until the island was once again reclaimed for building a theme park. Most of the dinosaurs from the original park had died off, save for the few who managed to not get eaten by the predators or managed to not have a lysine deficiency in their genes like Dr. Wu and the scientists for the original park had planned as a means of population control. Some were also exterminated before construction of the new park began.

"I went in there thinking she was going to be like that older triceratops named Shula," Owen chuckled. "Everyone apparently thought it would be funny not to warn me about Lady Margaret so they could watch the new guy get trampled."

"Commander Hamada told me he's never seen a grown man run that fast before," Dylan laughed as though it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

"If an animal that large with horns that could skewer you like a campfire marshmallow was charging you, I bet you'd run too."

"Hey, at least she's actually threatening!" Dylan laughed again. "I still haven't lived down having a juvenile gallimimus send me running. She ran out of some bushes down by the river, and I seriously thought the baryonyx had me."

Owen laughed loudly as he pictured Dylan running from what would be the Jurassic equivalent of an small ostrich.

"I guess we should be thankful that there really aren't too many predators on the island to worry about, but Commander Hamada said yesterday that he's heard InGen wants velociraptors."

"When did he say that?" Owen questioned, raising a brow at Dylan. "I don't remember him saying anything about raptors."

"During that meeting you didn't show up for yesterday," Dylan answered with a chuckle. "The one you slept through."

"Who the hell schedules a meeting for six in the morning? The park doesn't even open until eight."

"You really aren't a morning person, are you?"

"Not at all," Owen sighed. "It really makes me question why I took this job sometimes."

"It's not that bad, but you could have one of the worst jobs on the island."

"What's that?"

"Cleanup crew," Dylan chuckled. "You could be stuck cleaning up apatosaurus poop or going into ol' Rexy's home to clean up her poop or the remains of those poor goats."

"True," Owen agreed. "Anyway, why would InGen want raptors for? Didn't they learn how uncontrollable those things are? I mean, the original ones were ruthless killing machines. There's no use for a creature like that ."

"Been reading Muldoon's book, huh?"

"He really hated the raptors," Owen frowned. "I always thought they were fascinating."

"I'm sure he'd disagree with you on that one," Dylan commented. "I read his book not long after it got published. It seemed as though he was the only one who understood how dangerous the raptors were. He wanted them all killed, and from what I heard, all but a few raptors were killed after the first park failed."

"Is it true they wanted to drop napalm all over this island?"

"Yeah, it is," Dylan nodded. "The Costa Rican government and the American government wanted to obliviate everything here. For whatever reason, they didn't. Most of the dinosaurs died out on their own, but the raptors actually reproduced enough to form a few separate packs. All but one pack was killed off. A small pack of about eight raptors got sent to Isla Sorna."

"Why?"

"Rumor is InGen wanted to study the raptors for some project back on the mainland," Dylan shrugged. "I don't know what they expect to do with them. The raptors from this island as well as the ones that were already on Isla Sorna aren't the kind of animals you want on display at a place like this."

"I just think they went about it wrong for the first park," Owen leaned back and watched the mosasaurus swim around her lagoon.

"How so?" Dylan raised a brow.

"The animals, especially the raptors, had no human contact aside from just a short time after they hatched," Owen explained. "Sure, they saw humans first when they hatched, but those humans never truly imprinted on them because those dinosaurs were immediately secluded until they reached the right size to release into the park. Everything I've read about the first park indicates no real human contact with the animals unless it was for a vet checkup."

"So, you're saying you think raptors can be tamed? "

"No," Owen shook his head. "I'm just saying that animals in captivity do better if they're not forced into seclusion from such a young age."

"Maybe you should tell that to Ms. Dearing," Dylan chuckled. "I'm sure she'd love to have an attraction featuring tame raptors."

"In her dreams, maybe," Owen scoffed, thinking of the park's fiery redheaded director. "Although I'm sure she'd love that sort of thing since it's something people would go crazy for."

Their conversation was interrupted by a voice from the radio clipped to Owen's belt.

"Grady, Hurd, if you two are done enjoying your unapproved break," their unit leader Jeremy Carver's authoritative voice cut in. "I need you both over here at the east end of the Cretaceous Cruise exhibit for a final inspection of the fences and river banks. Ms. Dearing wants this newest attraction ready in three days."

Owen keyed the mic button on the radio. "Yes, sir. We'll be right over."

The duo got to their feet and headed for the ACU vehicle Owen had driven over to the main part of the park.

"Wonder how fast Director Dearing would want a raptor exhibit done if you could tame the raptors? " Dylan questioned with a laugh.

"I never said they could be tamed," Owen shot back. "And I never said they'd be a good addition to this park."

"But what if they do decide to create raptors for this park?"

"Then I hope they hire someone to work with them properly," Owen answered honestly. "Otherwise, they'll just turn into man-eating dinosaurs just like the ones before. Then we'll all be in trouble."