Jurassic Park
Chapter Two – Searching for the Answer
Author's Note: Many thanks to Floating Pizza for pointing out in the first chapter that Robbie should have called his Mother 'Mom' and not 'Mum' as this is set in America and not Britain! Thanks so much for pointing that out – I'll try to be more vigilant in future!
Jo sat down beside Alan and laid a tender hand on his arm. "What can you do, Alan?"
Alan cast a contemplative look at Jo. He inhaled deeply and raised his brows. "I don't exactly know yet, Jo; but I'm determined to find out what's happened to him. I haven't entirely crossed the Professor off my suspect list."
Jo gave her brother an inquisitive glance. "You believe that the Professor kidnapped John Hammond?"
"I can't be sure – but that's what I think."
A sense of bewilderment had overtaken Jo and she looked at Alan intensely, as if his face held the answer to her question. "But why, Alan? For what reason would Hammond be kidnapped, and by Professor Gates?"
There was a confused silence as Alan leant back in his seat and set his gaze far away in front of him, as if searching for the answer. He was not even conscious of the vacant space next to his as Jo exited the room to fetch the coffee, or aware that she had returned and placed a mug of the steaming drink on the circular mahogany table in front of him.
Although present in body, Dr. Alan Grant's mind was far away. He sat motionless, endeavouring to piece together the puzzle of the missing man. If, indeed, he was correct in his suspicions, and Professor Phil Gates was guilty, for what reason had he kidnapped John Hammond and what had he done with him? What had the news report said? That the Professor was engaged in some scientific project with dinosaurs, and had sought out Hammond's assistance, but was refused.
Alan knew John Hammond to be an eccentric sort of fellow. He was the kind of man who envisions wondrous and marvellous things and dreamt big, but was pragmatic and judicious in times when common sense was called for. Hammond had proved that when the last mission to Isla Sorna had failed nearly seven years ago, and the T Rex had been returned. Grant recalled the television reports, and the televised interview with John Hammond. He had stated then that the dinosaurs on the island were to be left alone without any further interference from man.
After this thorough assessment of Hammond's character, Alan asked himself the same question yet again that had been puzzling him. What did the Professor want with Hammond and why did he refuse to help Gates?
Meanwhile, during Grant's reverie, Jo had been studying him keenly. The expression upon his face communicated that he was as a man groping in the dark, desperately trying to discover the light. She stared intently at Alan's face, absorbed, looking for a sign, a hint of emotion, anything. Nothing. And then she saw it. It was only a faint glimmer at first, but Jo thought she read a different appearance in his eyes; and then they flashed with what she conceived as triumph and confirmation. His whole body reacted to it; he sat up resolutely and thumped his fist on the arm of the sofa.
"What is it, Alan?" asked Jo, somewhat alarmed.
Alan looked at his sister. "I think I have the answer!"
Jo returned her brother's steady gaze. "What Alan?"
"Isla Sorna!"
Jo's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Come again?"
Alan stood up in his excitement and snapped his fingers in one sudden motion. "The Professor is undertaking a project on dinosaurs, right?"
Jo's face still wore the same expression of bewilderment. "Yes," she answered simply. "What of it?"
"And he requested the assistance of John Hammond in his project, right?"
Jo gave her brother a quizzical look. What was he getting at? "That's what the report said."
"Now why would a Professor of science solicit the help of John Hammond, who is neither scientist nor palaeontologist?" Grant was growing animated now.
Jo shrugged. "How should I know?" Her face bore a look of curiousity.
Alan rolled his eyes with exasperation. He began to gesticulate with his hands as he frantically tried to get his sister to understand. "But what connection would Hammond have with dinosaurs, the subject of the Professor's project?"
Jo's face was beginning to alter as she began to perceive what her brother was driving at. The light was beginning to dawn on her, too. "Well, Hammond is connected to Isla Sorna, the island he used to set up his reserve for dinosaurs. But that was years ago, Alan. He said himself they're to be let alone now."
"Exactly!" Alan exclaimed, somewhat relieved at this breakthrough. "But what if the Professor doesn't see eye to eye with Hammond about that point? What if he is trying to get Hammond to take him to Isla Sorna to set up experiments to study the dinosaurs?"
"Do you think that's why the Professor's exact project details are unknown?" asked Jo, her eyes clouding over with anxiety.
"Could be," Alan replied. "I think that's why Hammond refused to oblige him. I know him to be a man who would naturally jump at the chance to further science, but not in this case. Not if it meant going back to Isla Sorna and interfering with the dinosaurs. He said himself that they should be left alone in their natural habitat."
Jo rose from her seat and faced her brother. "That may be so, but how can you prove it? What can you do?"
Grant looked at his sister and fixed his steadfast gaze on her. She knew what that look meant. She knew he meant to get involved. "Oh, Alan," she said in a pleading tone. "You came home to San Francisco to have a break. Must you get involved?"
Alan gave Jo one of his warm smiles and took a step towards her. He took both her hands in his. "If I can help Hammond and keep the Professor from causing any harm then I must."
"But what are you going to do?" Jo asked desperately.
Dr. Grant released Jo's hands; and she noticed that his fists tightened as he spoke. "I intend to pay Professor Gates a visit."