Jurassic Park

Chapter Four – Isla Sorna

Author's Note: Many thanks to Trekker 77 for pointing out the mistake I made at the end of chapter three – it has now been corrected!

The light from the tall, sky-blue lampshade that stood tall and erect in the corner flooded the room with light, and shone upon the three figures of Dr. Grant, Jo and Harry Warne as they sat around the dining room table.

Alan had disclosed his plans to Jo when she had returned from the mall in the afternoon. Robbie was playing outside in the back garden, playing 'dinosaurs'. The coarse, echoing sound of the raptor's call had drifted in from the open window as brother and sister sat discussing the case, which seemed to add to the drama in an unnatural, menacing way.

Of course Jo protested, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle. Once Alan had made up his mind he would not be moved, she knew that; and yet she endeavoured to dissuade him from his course of action, fearing with an intense terror the deadly dangers that stalked Isla Sorna.

Not long after Jo and Alan's conversation, Harry Warne, Jo's boyfriend, had arrived. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, with chestnut hair and hazel eyes. He appeared to be in his mid thirties, about five years Jo's senior, and was a lawyer by profession. There was an easy, care-free manner about him, which was portrayed by a pleasing, good-natured smile which heightened his handsome features. He was a natural with children, Alan thought, and seemed to fit into the role of 'dad' with perfect ease when he was around Robbie. He displayed genuine interest when Robbie paraded his raptor resonating chamber, and joined in his games in complete whole-heartedness and energy.

Alan and Harry appeared to hit it off straight away, and when Robbie had been put to bed that night, Alan revealed his next plan of action to Harry, while Jo listened gravely, her face lined with trepidation.

"I've managed to get in contact with an old friend of mine, Jack Carter. He's agreed to take me to Isla Sorna in his private plane, along with a few other men that I was able to get hold of this morning," Alan explained.

"How many men were you able to assemble so quickly?" Harry inquired, not altogether sure of the wisdom in this crazy venture.

Grant hesitated. He knew it sounded like a reckless and impossible mission. "Including me and Jack, six men."

Harry frowned and uttered an exclamation. "Are you crazy man?" he said incredulously. "What chance do six men have? Do you appreciate the dangers out there? Not only have you got to deal with a possibly dangerous man, and goodness knows how many men he has working for him, but you'll have a variety of man-eating, savage giants to withstand!"

Grant nodded wearily in assent. "I know what I'm going up against. Believe me, I've faced it before," he added, with a short almost disdainful laugh. "I've been out there and battled it all before, and trust me I would be the last person in the world to go back there by choice, but I believe John Hammond is in trouble and I am determined to do all I can to keep a mad Professor making the biggest mistake of his life."

Harry sighed heavily. "I can see I can't discourage you from your impulsive mission, but I think you're crazy. How soon do you leave?"

"I'm going to meet up with Jack tomorrow – he lives in San Diego. We've arranged to rally there with the rest of the crew, and he'll fly us to Isla Sorna the next morning. I told him in plain terms the danger of this trip, but he won't let that deter him. I'll keep in touch by cell phone, so you will be hearing from me," said Alan, as he took a look at Jo's fear stricken face.

"I don't know how you managed to assemble a crew so rapidly," said Harry, in a tone that betrayed a hint of disbelief.

Grant grinned. "A man of my position and experience just happens to know the right people at the right time. Jack's the same – he rustled up a couple of the men himself."

Jo looked at her brother, her body tense with nerves. Alan could read the dread and apprehension in her eyes. No words were necessary between them.

"Well, Alan, I wish you the very best of luck. Hurry home – the safest place to stay, in my opinion, and the more rational decision to have made, but I know you're resolute!" said Harry, as he firmly grasped Grant's hand and shook it warmly.

Grant smiled in appreciation, but Jo detected the faintest glimmer of anxiety about the corners of his mouth. "Thanks Harry. Take care of Jo and Robbie – especially Jo. She worries too much!"

Jo pulled a face at Alan, and received one in return. Then they both smiled, which almost seemed to lighten the heavy atmosphere that hung over them, almost like a thick blanket.

Harry rose to take his leave, and Jo showed him to the door, where they said their goodbyes in a quiet, sober manner. He could sense the cloud that hung over Jo, and as he walked out the door, he leaned forward and gave Jo a soft parting kiss on the forehead and put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Jo," he said, as he gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Alan's a big boy – he can take care of himself. He knows exactly what he's doing; he'll be alright."

Jo looked at Harry with a look of desperate hope. She forced a weak smile but no words would come.

A similar farewell took place at the same doorway the next morning, this time between brother and sister. "Take care of yourself, Jo. I'll be back before you know it," said Alan, attempting to speak in a steady, optimistic tone. He wrapped Jo up in a tight embrace, which she returned with a trembling lip.

The only words she managed to whisper were, "Keep safe." And then he was gone.

Jo shut the front door and turned round to face Robbie, who stood holding his precious 'toy' from Uncle Alan. He had been somewhat forlorn at breakfast when Alan explained that he would be going away for a while, but had brightened when he told him that he was going on another expedition to the 'dinosaur island', as Robbie called it, and now he smiled up at his Mom with an animated expression. "I wonder what dinosaurs Uncle Alan will see this time. Do you think he'll see any raptors, Mom?"

It was all Jo could do to gain control of her voice. "Perhaps, Robbie . . . perhaps."

Dr. Grant reached his destination ten long hours later. He arrived at Jack Carter's abode weary and fatigued both physically and mentally. A short but satisfactory meal was consumed followed by a brief introduction and meeting with the assembled crew before retiring to bed for the night. The flight to Isla Sorna was to be a long one, and upon arrival all members needed their wits about them, and so a refreshing night's sleep was vital to ensure all the crew was alert, energised and prepared for the dangers and uncertainties ahead both in mind and body.

The members of Grant's crew included their pilot, Jack Carter; Carl Jenkins and Brad Dent, both scientists and friends of Carter's; Darren Wright, an old acquaintance of Grant's and private detective by profession; and Billy Brennan, a fellow palaeontologist who had survived a pteranodon attack on Isla Sora a few years ago, when Alan Grant had been with a search party for the missing Eric Kirby.

The following morning arrived all too soon, and one last briefing session was held after a hearty breakfast. It was a solemn party that filled Carter's plane that morning. The ambience was tense and nervous. Brennan was the only one who made the effort to lighten up the mood with jokes that everyone had heard a hundred times before, and insignificant 'small talk' which only served the purpose of avoiding speaking about the dreaded topic. No one referred to their perilous mission ahead during that tedious and lengthy plane journey.

Grant found himself staring out the window for the latter part of the trip. Watching the clouds sail by sedately had a soporific effect upon him, and he gradually found himself sailing away with them. When Alan awoke Jack was announcing that they were now approximately only an hour and a half away from their destination. Drowsily, Dr. Grant turned his head towards the window, and looked below him through half-open eyes. A large cargo ship was gliding by across the ocean just at that time. It appeared to move very slowly, as if dragging some heavy load.

Alan did not fall asleep again. He could not, even if he wanted to. Now that he knew they were so close to Isla Sorna, and to certain danger, peaceful rest was chased away by a gnawing sense of terror that was difficult to control, even for Dr. Grant. He looked over at the men, Jenkins, Dent and Wright, who had never been to Isla Sorna before. They were nervous, of course, but only of the unknown. They had never stood face to face with raptors, run away from a charging T-Rex or tried to hide from a blood-thirsty Spinosaurus. They had never stood looking death in the face, or known the terrors of walking through dense forest, never sure of what might be stalking you from behind or jump out at you at the next turn. They had never experienced the gripping fear of being hunted by the most terrifying predators that had ever walked the earth.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss, thought Alan as images of his previous experiences flashed up before him. Perhaps it's better if you don't know exactly what you're likely to face. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to remember. But they were not events that he was likely to ever forget – especially now.

"Alright, guys!" came Jack's clear voice, which suddenly broke Grant's chain of thought. "Isla Sorna up ahead. Prepare to land!"

Grant felt his stomach lurch forward with the plane, and his heart sink lower into his belly as the plane slowly descended. He could see it himself. There it lay – Isla Sorna, the island of terror! From up above, it gave the appearance of being a pleasant tropical paradise – a dream, get-away Pacific island. Talk about looks being deceiving! Thought Alan with a contemptuous snort, as the plane dropped for the final time and came to a bumpy but safe landing along the hard-packed dirt ground.

One by one the sparse rescue team trundled out of the plane, stretching their stiff and numb legs and muscles.

Billy approached Alan as he stretched his aching limbs. He spoke almost hesitantly, scanning the terrain around him, "Feels kind of strange being back here again, doesn't it, Dr. Grant?"

Alan nodded his head slowly in agreement. Then he looked at Billy and gave him a sly grin, "Just keep a look out for Pteranodons."

Billy gave Alan a lopsided smile and a short half laugh, and then almost automatically gave a glance to the skies, which produced a laugh from Dr. Grant.

Well, they had made it to Isla Sorna. Now their real mission awaited them – to search the island in the hopes of discovering the missing John Hammond, and keeping the Professor from interfering with what should be well left alone.

"There doesn't seem to be a sign of life here, Alan. Not a sign!" said Jack.

"Believe me, Jack," said Alan, as his eyes peeled the surroundings, expecting the unexpected at any moment, "this place is very much alive. It's what you might call a living nightmare."

"What I mean is that there doesn't appear to be any sign of human life."

Billy gave a nervous laugh. "Well, if there was, there doesn't seem to be any now."

Alan said nothing. He was beginning to feel anxious and perplexed. He had been so sure of himself and his suspicions of the Professor and his designs. What if he had been horribly wrong, and mistaken completely about Professor Gates? Had he orchestrated this long and hazardous trip for nothing? Had he endangered the lives of himself and five other men for a wasted mission? Grant knew he was responsible, and he felt the full weight of the circumstances with a terrible sense of fear that he had failed miserably.

A couple of the men were beginning to murmur, which added to the guilt which had begun to creep over Dr. Grant. He walked a few paces forward, looking about him with a sense of desperation, eagerly hoping that he would find a sign that man was present here.

Billy walked up to Alan uncertainly. He understood exactly what Grant was feeling and what he must be thinking. "Dr. Grant," he began tentatively. "What if the Professor is on Isla Nublar, instead? You might have just guessed the wrong island. If so, it's not a lost cause. We can easily get to Isla Nublar . . . Dr. Grant?"

Grant didn't seem to be listening. His whole facial expression and body stance had changed. He had strained his head forward and was frowning. His whole body had craned forward, as if he was listening to something. Then he was looking at the trees and scrub to the right, which were trembling slightly, probably with the slight breeze.

"Uh, Dr. Grant?" Billy repeated.

Grant put his hand up to silence Billy. "Shhh!" he commanded.

Billy looked concerned. "What is it?"

"Listen!" came the reply.

Billy obeyed. He could hear the faint screech of some strange birds coming from the forest of green, and the growing complaints of the men.

"I don't hear anything of consequence," began Billy, and then he stopped. Something had caught his attention. He wasn't quite sure what it was at first. It wasn't a sound. No, it was more like a trembling sensation beneath his feet.

The other men had begun to notice it, too, for they had stopped talking, and were looking about them frantically.

The ground and nature about them seemed to be vibrating. And then a faint thudding sound met their ears, which gradually increased to a crescendo as the shaking beneath and around them grew more intense.

Billy found his voice again. "Do you think maybe we should . . . "

Whatever Billy was going to say, he never got to finish it, for at that moment, the thick dense of green parted to reveal a hideous, snarling monster which generally only appeared in nightmares.

The men stared in unbelieving terror at the towering form before them.

"T – Rex!" Billy managed to whisper.

The rest of the men gazed at the dinosaur in silent horror. Fear had seemed to grip them with paralysis.

Grant knew the T – Rex would charge at any moment. Without taking his eyes of the dinosaur, he said in a harsh whisper, "Run!"