Preparations
Sitting in the den of his house, Evan sat sending company e-mails to the members of the board on his laptop. His cell phone started to ring. Looking down the screen showed Peter's name. He answered.
"Peter! How is it going in Montana?"
"It's great."
"And what about Grant? Please tell me you have some good news for me." There was a pause and silence over the phone. "Peter"
"We got Grant!" Peter said with enthusiasm. "I told him we'd pick him up in Hell Creek in three days.
"That's fantastic Peter!"
"What about Thorne? Have you gotten in touch with him yet?"
"Yeah we set up a meeting tomorrow to go over the plans. I spoke to Benton today and he got us two ford explorers, and a trailer to hold our housing compartments. That should be enough for the weekend, I believe."
"That sounds great Evan. It's about time we get this expedition under way. It's probably best if we keep this to ourselves, we don't need any more people in on what we're doing. I guess I will talk to you soon."
"Soon Peter. Bye"
The drive to San Diego only took two hours. Evan arrived in the early morning. The sun had just started to glint over the sea in the west. He pulled onto Conch St. There was a huge grey warehouse on the left side of the street. A huge sign on the side of the building spelled Thorne's garage: 858-555-4975. Pulling into the lot he saw a tall muscular man in a sleeveless shirt, and workman's jeans. Thorne was bent over the hood of an explore checking the timing belts under the hood. Evan parked his civic, and got out, walking up to Thorne. "Mr. Thorne."
"Ah, you must be Evan. George said you'd be coming." The two men shook hands. "I got the two explores in from InGen last night, and the trailer is set to arrive in an hour. And I got the faxes of the out fittings for all three last night."
"Sounds like everything is going smoothly."
"Quite." Thorne paused; pulled himself up from under the hood and looked at Evan. Mr. Klegg might I ask what InGen is going to put these vehicles to use for?"
Peter hesitated. Scratching his cheek, he spoke.
"Were going to do a research and retrieval expedition down in Central America." he said reluctantly remembering what Peter had said on the phone.
"What kind of research, might I ask?"
"Just a couple sites in the jungle; you know how the jungle can be dangerous. We just want to be well prepared."
"I see." Thorne said cautiously. "So the honey comb pre-fab structure outputs for the support of up to twenty tons are for…?"
Evan started to sway in play. "Well were going to be around ruins and trees that are old and rotted we wouldn't want them to fall and crush us in the cars."
"Uh-ha." Thorne raised his left eyebrow. "I guess it's always good to be safer when you need it."
Evan relaxed at the success of his lie.
"You know the only reason I asked was because a couple of years ago I outfitted two explores and two trailers, for use on Isla Sorna. These plans were almost the same as those."
Evan started to tense up. "And what is Isla Sorna?" He said with a fake smile.
"Don't you work for InGen? You should know what is."
"Ah. Right that Isla Sorna."
Thorne looked at Evan condescendingly. "Well wherever your going is fine by me, I'm just the outfitter." He said with a laugh. Evan laughed back nervously.
"So Mr. Klegg would you like to see what we've done so far? Benton told us the time limit, and that you needed these by Thursday, so we worked through most of the night."
"Wow you guys must be hard workers."
"Well InGen pays very first-rate. Always have, so we have tried not to disappoint. Come on I'll show you the tour."
Thorne and Evan walked through the front doors of the two story warehouse. The first room in the building was a lobby. At the center of the room was a large circular desk with a receptionist talking on the phone. Evan could hear her getting details about a Honda from someone. The two men past to the back of the room, a large steel door led to the garage. The garage was massive. It was two stories tall and took up most of the building. Lifts and catwalks lined the walls and ceiling. Vehicles were everywhere, with groups of people working on each.
"Now one of the bad things, is that InGen has taken three days off my deadline, these won't be able to get tested in the elements before you get them."
Thorne bent down to one of the workers. "I need half air here on the tires." And then he continued walking. They came up among the two explores parked in the back of the warehouse nearest the east cargo bay doors.
"Here we are." Thorne said walking up to the two explores.
Thorne went on to describe the changes of the vehicles. The two explores were 6 passenger vehicles with room in the far back for supplies. The windows were 3 inch polypromic glass resistant to glare and scratching. On all four windows, lining them, there were four, five inch tubular steel bars. The tires had seven-teen inch rims for all terrain, and they were equipped with chains for extra traction
Inside the cars were a satellite hookup on the dash for inner communications and video surveillance. Spot lights were installed on the front of the mirrors. On the front bumper was a chain pull, and on the rear bumper was a dolly hitch to pull a trailer.
Thorne popped up the front hood. Inside was a twin solar energy two ply injected engine. "The engine is a specialty." Thorne said. "It holds a ten hour charge, so I would use the charge at night, and run it off of the solar during the day. " Thorne went around to the driver side door and pointed in. "The gauges for it are here on the driver's side of the dash."
Evan stared at the two cars amazed at the changes that had taken place in so little time.
"Well, Mr. Klegg, all which really needs to be done, is to install some data preferences in the solar cords and then lay down a coat of paint and these will be ready to be shipped to Costa Rica. It is a black and green camouflage that you wanted on the vehicles, isn't it?"
"Yes I do believe that is it."
There was a loud scratching sound further down the warehouse; Thorne peered over his shoulder to see what it was. Evan turned towards the sound; the huge cargo bay door creaked open. A motorized twenty foot tall motor home pulled into the garage. "Ah the trailer is here. " Thorne said.
"Okay, I'll have a group of my workers start on the trailer. Mr. Klegg, if you can follow me to my office; I need you to fill out some paper work for me. "
Lying on his hotel bed, Peter sat staring at the blank television. The outside lights from the buildings shone into his room. Peter thought to himself. "What am I getting myself into?" He shifted, laying his head in his palm. "Should I really be going along with this? It failed once, history usually repeats itself." He thought. "Maybe I should +reconsider. Nedry and Dodgson both meet their demise trying to get the embryos." Next to the bed, the hotel phone rang. Peter picked up hesitantly.
"Hello?"
"Hello Peter. How is Montana?"
"Tim? Is that you?"
"Yes Peter it is I. Are you ready for tomorrow, the big day?"
"How did you know I was here?"
"I called the hotel and asked what room you were in."
Peter paused. "Ah. Yeah I suppose I'm ready." He sat up in the bed, and flicked on the light. "I'm ready Tim."
"That's what I like to hear Peter. Remember the embryos are on the second floor of the main lab I the east wing of the visitor center."
"Okay Tim I'll get them."
"Byosin has tried to get this in the past. They always got so close then something happened. Once the embryos are in your hands, and you're back to the plane, secure them to be sent to our island in the gulf."
"Are sure the gulf is the best place to resurrect Jurassic Park?" Peter said cautiously.
"I think it's the perfect place. Just think of the venues that are around the area. Disney and Universal to the north, Busch Gardens to the west, Daytona to the east, the tourism around the area will bring in millions. Why bring the people half way around the world to the park. Bring the park to them. I do believe that was one of InGen's sayings. However, we are being smarter about it. I don't think I have to remind you about the incident in San Diego. That is why we are keeping it an island, and not bringing the animals to the mainland. "
"Okay Tim; sounds good. I'll call you when I have the embryos."
"Have a nice flight Peter." He hung up.
Peter sat at the edge of the bed. His eyes closed, deep in thought. "I won't be like Nedry and Dodgson. I can do this, fifteen species, six million dollars."
