"Grandpa!" Mr. Hammond was nearly knocked over by the two young children that pounced on him.
"Ah, Children. How I missed you!" The elderly man replied, laughing happily. "You've arrived just in time for our tour!" The children squealed in delight as their grandfather led the pack out the main doors.
Dr. Alan Grant felt his stomach churn as he heard the kids giggling. Ellie grinned at him, knowing his aversion to small humans. Grant scowled back. It wasn't just because they were small, annoying, and extraordinarily good a breaking things...
Besides, wasn't an untested park full of possibly dangerous dinosaurs the wrong place for mayhem-inducing children?
"Children, where is your new sister?" Mr. Hammond asked once they were outside in the fresh sunshine.
"She wouldn't get out of the car." The younger boy piped up. Mr. Hammond sighed heavily, then began to walk down the steps towards the jeeps assembled out front of the visitor's center.
"You said there were only two coming..." The lawyer said fretfully.
"A slight change of plans, Mr. Gennaro." The old man said, his voice once again jolly. The lawyer didn't seem convinced. He grabbed Hammond by the shoulder.
"Two kids is a handful, Mr. Hammond. Why bring a third into this environment?" Mr. Hammond opened his mouth, then looked pointedly to the two children hanging on his other arm.
"Ellie got the hint first.
"Kids, why don't we go try to pry your, ah, sister out of the car. Save Dr. Hammond some time." The two shrugged, then followed Ellie down to the Jeeps, still looking back at their grandfather.
"Tim and Alexis' parents were supposed to have adopted Kayla next month, but through unforeseen circumstances, her foster grandparents... Well, they passed last week. The adoption was pushed through, but with the divorce finalizing this week, my son and daughter-in-law decided that Roxanne would travel with the children and they would re-think their options upon their return."
"That's harsh, poor kid." Ian said from behind Grant.
"Grandpa, Kayla won't get out!" Tim whined from the second Jeep. Hammond sighed, traversing the rest of the stairs.
"That's all right Timothy, she may stay in her seat for the tour." The old man peered in the window of the second Jeep. Grant followed his gaze to see a blonde girl of maybe seven or eight hunched over a book. She looked like she was doing fine on her own.
"HI." Dr. Grant looked sharply at the voice coming from his elbow. Timothy stood next to him, smiling brightly.
"I read your book!" The pipsqueak continued. Grant squirmed uncomfortably. He had issues with small children... Or any children for that matter.
In an attempt to shake Timothy off before the boy got the idea that it was okay to touch him, Grant got into the first jeep. Timothy followed him, beginning to chatter on about several books on dinosaurs he had read. Grant scooted right out the other side of the Jeep, shutting the door behind him and getting in the second vehicle.
As he buckled in next to Kayla Hammond, he noticed that he was reading a copy of his latest book.
"You like dinosaurs, kid?" He asked. Kayla ignored him.
"You know, while I was writing that book on my laptop, I slipped and almost impaled myself on a Velociraptor skeleton embedded in a rock... Funny, eh?"
If Kayla found his story funny, she made no inclination. Grant sighed. This kid would be tough to crack, but he wouldn't be the one doing any more cracking. Let Ellie or one of the other more social persons around bring the girl to the present.
Ellie got into the front seat of the car, swiveling around to watch his interaction with the little girl. He shrugged at her, and she made a sympathetic face before starting on her own crusade for the child's attention.
"So, Kayla. Which era of the dinosaurs do you find the most interesting?" She asked. Surprisingly, the little girl answered.
"Jurassic."
"How fitting that your grandfather made this park for you to see, then." Ellie replied brightly.
Kayla looked up at Ellie, revealing large light blue eyes that were so intense, they almost crackled with electricity. Ellie sat back in her seat, oddly disconcerted by the teen's unabashed stare.
Grant raised an eyebrow at the child's odd behavior. Roxanne was obviously troubled, but not in the rebellious way children showed their anger.
"Hey, mind if I scoot in?" Ian's obnoxious voice came as he rapped on Kayla's window. The girl ignored him until Ellie politely asked her to move, astounding the two men. Kayla shuffled over to the middle seat, putting her nose back in her book.
The computer in the front began to speak, and the Jeep started trundling along at a mild pace. Grant sighed as Ellie and Ian led a collaborative attack to get Kayla to speak.
The girl obviously had issues; her silence was proof enough of that. But her silence could also be attributed to other personality traits. Grant saw a shy, alienated girl who had recently undergone tragedy.
She would talk when she was good and ready.
Owen Grady had seen a lot of things, but a paleontologist disillusioned by a dinosaur theme park? That was a first.
"You let small children touch baby dinosaurs? Are you crazy?! You built a pacSun here? What is this, capitalization island? Ugh, what the hell-" He heard the new paleo-trainee before he caught sight of her.
Owen sighed, allowing his own version of resting bitch face settle in. He really didn't have time for this shit, what with the InGen operators breathing down his neck about the raptor pack he'd been working with and Claire from control voicemailing him every day to nag him about anything she could think of; his habits, his dinosaurs, his living conditions, his manners, his "Stench". This new paleontologist he was supposed to be babysitting could suck his dick for all he cared, he had better things to do that watch some crabby middle-aged dino-nerd peck around this island.
Another dissatisfied snort and a snarky comment later, his new charge was led into his line of sight. He instantly stiffened in surprise. The woman that Boyd was leading up the main drag was not a middle-aged dino-nerd, it was a blonde bombshell who looked like she should be walking around as a rich VIP guest, not a scientist.
"She's all yours, cap." Boyd said, ushering the woman towards where Owen was lounging on a bench.
The woman snorted, continuing to look rather unimpressed.
"They told me you were scary, Mr. Grady." She said in a haughty tone, her ocean blue eyes glaring down at him. "You look like the washed out son of Indiana Jones."
"Have fun." Boyd said, taking his leave. Owen decided to stand up, he wanted to ditch this broad sooner rather than later. He began walking towards the nearest staff exit.
"Oh, what. Am I supposed to be following you?"
Owen ignored her. His orders were to bring her to the control room and let Claire deal with her. It was part of Mazrati's insistence that they start measuring dinosaur happiness... whatever the hell that meant.
"You actually like working here? Ugh, it's like Disneyland. Not that Hammond's places were any better."
"What would a chick like you know about Hammond's islands?" Owen asked.
"I was there, jerk."
Owen turned around, not buying it.
"What were you in '92, sweetheart, two?"
"Seven, actually. Ass."
"Quit it with the name calling, Missy. You expect me to believe that you were part of the original tour on the first island?" Owen turned when they reached the locked access to the control room.
"It's true whether you believe it or not. I could tell you stories about velociraptors that would make your hair curl, Grady." The blonde pushed past him and flashed her badge and thumb on the scan pad. She popped her tongue out at him and backed into control with a smirk.
Owen fumed, glaring at the retreating paleontologist's back. He flashed his badge and thumb at the scan pad and followed her into control. The paleontologist was already standing with Claire.
"Owen! Perfect timing, have you met our newest paleontologist, Kayla Grant?"
"I walked her in here... or do you not remember assigning me that detail?" Owen growled.
"Oh! Well then, since you're all buddy buddy, take her out to the raptor paddock and she can start her assessment there."
"Aw, hell no. assessing my raptors is MY job. Emphasis on the MY."
"Okay. Well, then drop her off at the Anylosaurus paddock on your way back to assessing YOUR raptors. Okay? Okay. Thank youuuu." Claire turned her back on them, major bitch mode in full swing. Owen swore under his breath and turned back to the elevator, not even bothering to see if that Grant chick was following him.
He got in the elevator, seething. Kayla followed him.
"Wow. That bitch needs seriously needs to get laid." Kayla said as soon as the doors slid shut. In spite of himself, Owen chuckled.
"Yeah, well. I tried." He was actually beginning to like this Grant chick, even if she was sassy as hell. He preferred that in his women, actually. Part of the reason why he and Claire hadn't worked out; her sass crossed the line into bitchiness. That, and the itinerary. Who the hell brought an itinerary on the first date? Owen decided to try turning on the charm.
"Tell you what, Short Round. I'll take you 'round the park, show you the 'Saurs. In return, you come out for a drink with me tonight."
"Please. As if I want to be saddled with your crabby ass all day." She tugged her white tank top down over her shorts and pulled a hair off her arm.
"Same could be said for you, sweetheart." Owen replied, crossing his arms and sending her his best smirk.
The elevator dinged, spilling them out onto the main staff way. Owen got out and watched as Kayla squinted in the bright sun.
"Either you go with me, or you go by yourself. And this park can get preeetty scary after dark." Owen said.
"I'll take my chances, Indiana." Kayla replied, pushing past him and taking his hat off his head.
"Hey!" He yelled after her. That was his hat. She turned and tipped his hat at him before hopping onto a Jeep bound for the paddocks.
Owen chuckled. It looked like he'd finally found the only chick on this island with enough balls to stand up to him. Alpha material all right.