Note- Umbrella Corp. has nothing to do with Resident Evil Franchise.
Disclaimer- I own nothing. sigh
Alan nursed the beer in his hand, leaning across the booth and whispering to his companions. One was a burly man in his late fifties, with steel grey hair and a grim face. The other man was younger, in his mid thirties. He had thick glasses and a nervous, twitchy look.
"Help me understand, Alan." The younger one hissed. "You help me get into a good ring of scientists, and I have to repay you by getting a helicopter to take you to a dinosaur infested island?" He was Richard Levine, a grad student of Alan's who along with Alan's help and considerable donations from his father, now worked for Umbrella Corporation, one of the most influential scientific research facilities in the country, possibly even the world. The older man was Dr. Robert Thorne, a friend of Alan's and a fellow science teacher. He was retired now, but he had been considered one of the greatest teachers to grace the halls of Burkley.
"I'm calling in the favor, Rich." Alan said calmly, glancing around to make sure no one was listening in. "I just need to borrow it to fly down to Costa Rica by five o'clock on June fifteenth, and once more to pick us up at five the following day. I'm not asking you to go." Richard didn't look completely convinced. "Richard, you would not be at Umbrella without my help and your father's money. You're a smart guy, but think about it. Would you really have been able to get in without me? You don't even have to ride down. I just need to take a few people down and back up."
"What makes you think Richard and I don't want to go?" Thorne asked quietly. "I think going to dinosaur land sounds like a helluva thrill." He elbowed Richard, who looked ready to throw up. "Let me guess. You need to borrow a ride for the night?" Alan grinned sheepishly.
"I'll be returning the favor if I survive." He offered. Thorne laughed loudly. He slapped a heavy hand on the table. Several other patrons shot him a scandalized look. He ignored them.
"Al, if you take me on this little trip of yours, the favor's paid back in full." He assured Alan. "And you'll need to take to take Richard here, Mr. Super Intelligent Geneticist, who I'm sure, would jump at the chance to report to his bosses, the puppet masters of society, what the greatest genetic advances the world has ever seen actually look like." Richard appeared torn.
"I- I guess I could get a chopper for you." He said uncertainly. "I mean, I have you to thank for my job." Alan took a swig from the dark brown bottle, setting it back on the table with a heavy thud.
"This is excellent." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and flagged the waitress over, taking out his wallet. Thorne and Richard followed suit, but Alan stopped them. "Consider this a down payment for the next thing I need." He said, pulling out two twenties and handing them to the girl after scanning the bill. "I need a weapons specialist and an engineer."
"Alan. You are just the man I need to talk to." The girl plunked down in front of Alan, sweeping her long black hair over one shoulder. "I heard tell of a little trip you're taking to pay back InGen." Alice O'Malley was a paleontologist working with Alan in the badlands. At twenty eight, she showed more promise as a scientist than most of both the students and the veterans. Alan leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest "Mitch can't keep his mouth shut." She confessed.
"Well, Alice. You know this is true. Why do you need to see me about it?" He feigned curiosity, knowing she was perfectly capable of working out the whole story by herself. She probably knew more than she should about InGen's islands. "Something to do with the fossils here? I'll expect Carl to be taking care of them, if that's what you want." He knew, of course, this wasn't what she wanted, and she knew that he knew what she really sought after.
"Of course, since Carl is the obvious choice. He's been here the longest." Alice smiled. "Aside from you, Alan." She cleared her throat, drumming her long, perfectly red nails on the table. That was the strangest thing about Alice. She didn't care at all how she looked, wherever she was going. She could go to a black-tie affair in jeans and a coffee stained tank top. But she insisted on having her nails perfect, and redid them every night. Alan had never seen them chipped. "I was at the bar last night, and I couldn't help but overhearing you and your two friends." That was another weird thing about her. She could be incredibly devious sometimes.
"Oh, I see." Alan nodded, smiling slightly. "You wanted to know if I could get you a job at Burkley, or Umbrella. Is that it?" He was stalling, and they both knew it. Alice shook her head, tilting it to one side and smiling prettily.
"Alan, I seem to remember Ellie Sattler went with you on your first trip, because Hammond had cloned some prehistoric plants and she had to check them." She leaned forward. "She was useful, right?" Alan shrugged. Alice leaned forward, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I can be useful."
"Absolutely not." He said firmly. This wasn't like with Ellie. They hadn't known the dangers back then. They'd been so excited, when Hammond proposed the idea. It had been a chance to confirm all their work, all their theories. And then- then it had been a nightmare. They still talked of course. They'd been close back then, and still were. He'd been to her wedding, and visited her after she'd had her first son, a year ago. She confided in him, often, that she still had nightmares. He wouldn't do that to another innocent person.
"Alan, you didn't even consider it." Alice whined, sounding more like a petulant child than a paleontologist. "I can help you. I've studied these animals." Alan glared at her. "I mean, I know you have to," she rushed, thinking hard. "But I meant to say you might need me. I have- have- connections." She blurted. Alan raised an eyebrow. "I can get almost anything you need." He didn't look swayed. "Okay, I can't. But Alan, I'm not a kid. I can handle myself. This is an important move in my career." Alan sighed. He shook his head. "I'll find a cheap, less safe way down there. My blood is on your hands if I die." She warned. Against his will, Alan laughed.
"I've been notified." He replied sarcastically. "Alice, I don't control you, but this is between me and InGen. I'm taking the people I need, and not the people who have no use." She pouted. "I'm not saying you aren't useful. Just that you aren't on this trip."
The trailer was becoming increasingly hot, and Alan wanted to get back to his research. He didn't want to think about the impending stay on the island, which he now knew was Isla Sorna, about 50 miles away from Isla Nublar, and half the size. The door creaked open, and Malcolm entered the trailer. He was staying at a motel just outside of the dig site until just after the trip, at which point he would be returning to his home in Texas. If he survived. He wanted to stay close to fully detail their plans, so no mistakes would happen, unlike the last time he had visited John Hammond's pet project. Right now, they were supposed to be meeting with one of Thorne's suggested artillery experts, as well as Thorne himself, to make sure the man or woman was qualified enough. Malcolm was picking Alan up.
"Ready when you are, Alan." Malcolm leaned against the counter, tapping his cane on the floor. He seemed to notice Alice for the first time. "Oh, hello. You must be one of Alan's students." He glanced down at her. "I'm Ian Malcolm."
"Well, hello, Dr. Malcolm. Alice O'Malley." Alice said flirtatiously. Alan's heart sank. He knew from experience that Malcolm was a sucker for beautiful women, and Alice was indeed a beautiful woman. She was tall and graceful, and when she wanted to, could seduce anyone into letting her get her way. She shot Alan a smirk, standing and shaking Malcolm's hand. "Do you want a beer?" She bent to the refrigerator, pulling out some bottles. Malcolm shook his head, his eyes locked on Alice.
"No, no." He waved a hand dismissively. "I haven't drank since my third wife left me." He explained. Alice peered at him strangely. "She was an alcoholic. Do you have water?" She handed him a bottle of Poland Springs, pulling the cap off a beer bottle.
"Alan?" She held the bottle forward, and Alan accepted with the feeling he would need a drink soon. "So, Dr. Malcolm, I hear you and Alan are going to Dinosaur Island." Malcolm spat out a mouthful of water, coughing. He shot an agitated look at Alan.
"D- Dinosaur Island, hmm?" He wiped his chin with his sleeve, taking another long drink. "That what the kids are calling it, now?" Alice tapped her nail on the counter, studying the assorted chips and random stains. "Yeah, when I was in college we called it Costa Rica." Alice snorted, drinking from her own beer.
"I'm not in college. I graduated four years ago. With a Masters, I should say." Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "Besides, I have a feeling you might need a paleontologist where you're going."
"Oh, you do?" Malcolm asked. "You see, I was going under the assumption that Alan here was a paleontologist as well. Alan, have you been lying to me for five years? What do you really do here?" Alan had to commend Malcolm's job at trying to shift the direction of the conversation.
"I cook."
"Well, yes. Alan is a paleontologist." Alice replied impatiently, with a wave of her hand. "But I graduated four years ago, and Alan graduated sixteen years ago. I know more stuff." Malcolm frowned, staring at her hand.
"What kind of paleontologist has immaculate nails?" He asked. Alice ignored him. She drummed her nails on the table again.
"You agree I could be useful?" She demanded. Behind her, Alan shook his head desperately. Malcolm didn't notice.
"Yeah, I suppose you could. But I'm not handing out permission slips. This isn't a trip to the museum of Natural Science." Malcolm said. He flourished his bottle at her. "You're a little young to be scarred for life." To Alan's horror, he gave her a thumb's up and drank from his bottle. "Hey if you want to spend years in therapy, and suffer from horrible nightmares and constant insomnia because of what you see, that's your choice. I guess it's a learning experience." Alan bowed his head in defeat as Malcolm headed for the door. "Car's running when you're ready, Alan. Until we meet again, Miss O'Malley." He left, the door slamming in his wake.
"Fine, Alice. It looks like you've been approved." Alan tossed the beer into the blue plastic recycling bucket that overflowed with the bottles. Next to it, cardboard cases were flattened and neatly stacked. "I'm telling you now. This is something you really don't want to do." Alice smiled sweetly at him.
"We'll see, Alan." She said, giving him a girlish wave as he left the trailer. "I have a feeling this is exactly what I want."