Phone Calls

It was all Owen's fault.

Earlier today Lowery had received a phone call from the two Velociraptor Trainers announcing that they would be arriving back soon and reporting all of the deets. It had actually been Barry talking, so it wasn't exactly Owen's fault, but Barry had used 'we' in the unroyal manner, so he was part of the problem.

His deep accented voice sounded fatigued, and Lowery bet the both of them needed a long rest. All of the staff did.

Especially Claire.

She and Lowery had become quite the formidable team, and out of the millions of phone calls they took, this was one that would spike her interest. He tried summing it up as best as he could, but as soon as he mentioned the trainers' name she cut him off like chainsaw, ordering him to monitor the VDU's (like he didn't already), also to take her phone and answer all the phone calls she received. His plate was full before, but now? He had a whole bloody table.

Lowery wasn't one to talk, though. Claire was always on alert for any signs of trouble in the lab. So far, construction was being undergone in the Innovation centre, disabling Dr. Wu from entering the building. Lowery and Claire had agreed that they would stall his project as much as they could until they had a proper sabotage plan. Dr. Wu had wanted Owen to assist him, and if they were to stop the Geneticist's unhinged schemes, they needed to steer anyone away from it. Claire had yet to warn Owen.

After hanging up one call, he wouldn't even get a minute's break before receiving another.

This one, he was entirely convinced not to answer, but Claire gave him a sharp glance, and his hand shot to the vibrating device, pressing it to his ear. "Jurassic World operations, how can I help?"

But thank god, it was just a kid, not a business snob.

"Hi, is Claire there?" the unidentified caller asked. Lowery could hear a motherly voice scold the teenager for his rudeness, and he rephrased his words in a more polite manner. "Great. Yeah, sorry for interrupting," he said in an impatient voice, "if Claire Dearing is available, may I speak with her?"

Lowery chuckled. "I don't see why not. Can I ask who is calling?" He replied, turning to glance at Claire, who was barking out orders, before he received an answer.

"This is Zach, and his little bro – Gray. We're Claire's nephews." The teen answered, the realization hitting Lowery like a truck. When families did call, most of the time it was just complaints and threats over loved ones and belongings.

"Uh huh, go ahead. I'll give you to her," pushing himself up off the chair he walked casually over to the wolverine snapping at stray tails. Handing the device to Claire, who was still speaking, he swiftly backed off before she could comment on his interference of her 'speech' and sat back down.

o0o

The conversation went on forever, not that Claire minded. She never really had long phone conversations that were personally. Her nephews had called mainly because they were concerned for her, and she promised them she was fine. But they had asked if she was free tomorrow, and if they could 'hang out' for the day. Owen was also welcome. Claire didn't have the heart to deny their generous offer.

"So where should we meet?" Gray asked, "Aren't all of the restaurants...you know, destroyed?"

"I have that all sorted out. Staff food supplies were deported recently, so we are stocked up at the moment. I'll cook us dinner, and we can take it with us." Claire assured. "Do you...have any allergies I should know about, any food you don't particularly like?" She asked, cringing slightly at her lack of knowledge for her kin.

"I hate mushrooms!" Gray blurted out.

"And I'm allergic to Blue cheese." Zach added.

"How about meat...?" Claire asked, scribbling all of their food intolerances down on a piece of note-book paper because she would probably forgot later, knowing herself.

"Yes!" They exclaimed in unison. Claire had to laugh.

"That works for me." Of course, Claire was a vegetarian. It wouldn't hurt add a bit of steak or chicken in the diet, if it was for a good cause. "4:30 it is, then. I'll meet you guys at the Hotel Lobby." It had been difficult for her to not specify the time right down to the minute, and she gritted her teeth to avoid saying it aloud.

"Yeah, sounds good. See you then, Aunt Claire."

"Bye, Aunt Claire!" Gray chirped, before they hung up. She was starting to look forward to the reunion.

It was almost the end of the day and Lowery had finally convinced her to go home, rest, get a bite to eat and wash up. But purely for her own reassurance, she wanted to check in on Dr. Wu in his make-shift Lab, a spare building InGen had constructed for 'emergencies'.

That's where Claire was heading now, seated in the driver's seat of the white Mercedes Masrani Corporation had kindly loaned to her. The sun was behind her now as she slowed the car to a halt in the small white construct built into the side of a cliff surrounded by dense foliage. The car had swerved off-road due to the lack of usage of the small construct.

Exiting the car and slamming the door shut, she marched up to where a security guard stood, dressed in black attire, almost asleep. Claire straightened her own rugged clothing and cleared her throat.

"Ahem." The guard's eyes flickered out of daze, and reflected his surprise at the sight of the usually sharp-looking business woman standing before him with, what looked like, relation to a dog. But that didn't get in the way of her aggressive attitude.

"I'm here to see Dr. Wu." Claire stated, firmly.

He gave a lazy glance at her before lifting his wrist up to examine the time on his watch. "It doesn't seem that he is available at this time. Sorry for the inconvenience, but go away." He droned on. Boy, he did not know what he was getting in to.

"It wasn't a question." She said her voice eerily calm. The guard, Claire inspected his badge, Conan, was staring at her as if she barking mad.

"Looks like I answered, anyway. Get lost, lady."

"Stop calling me that. You like your job, right?" she snarled, glaring up at him. He instantly grabbed his radio, speaking into it. His attitude was more urgent, now.

"Yeah, we have a lady coming in to visit Mr. Wu." He spoke, giving Claire a look of disdain; she returned it with a predatory smile. It was nothing personal, it was just business.

"Thank you." She commented, as he opened the door for her.

She was directed down a short hall. There wasn't much privacy to the offices attached, being made of glass.

Dr. Wu's assistant, Nora Smitt, had rushed to meet her, filling her in on 'vitals' such as the work pressure he was under, and today not being the ideal time to drop in, as they walked through an opening that apparently lead to his Office.

Claire turned to slim girl, eying her nervous contorted face. "I would like further preference."

"You may only have a couple minutes with him, but he has a visitor. He does not generally like to be disturbed during meetings."

"Meetings about what?"

"I apologise, Ms. Dearing, that information is confidential."

"I'm one of the Park's highest ranking employees and employer. His privacy on this matter is un-needed."

"That isn't your decision to make; your opinion on this matter is completely ignored, seeing as it has little relevance. His words along with Mr. Grady's, not mine."

Claire's stomach dropped, and her throat tightened. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't take it personally, after what has happened recently, I don't entirely blame you. I've considered the pressure you're under has made you mentally unstable and that it affects the decisions you're making, which have been quite obtuse-"

"Just...shut up! Who is visiting Dr. Wu currently?"

"I don't understand what you are implying, you are not in a place to be accusing InGen of-"

"Bring me to his Lab now!" Claire demanded her voice high-pitched, on the verge of tears.

"Y-yes! Certainly. Right this way!" The assistant stuttered, scuffling towards a door with a small window implanted in it and pushing it open for a distressed Claire.

It was a bright room, and the temperature was cool, giving her goose bumps as a shiver ran down her spine. A crawling sense of dread covered her skin as she stopped forward, her eyes adjusting a bit more as she became accustomed to the room.

A large glass freezer stood off to the right side, containing the Embryo's Dr. Wu had rushed off the island days earlier, hence the room being so chilly. There was also a large incubator on the opposite side, hidden in the corner. Fortunately, it was empty. To the left stood a desk with a computer and papers splayed out in front of it, where two people were engrossed in a deep discussion. Dr. Wu sat behind the computer, speaking up to the figure standing beside him and looking over the Doctor's shoulder at the screen, As Claire had entered the room, both their heads snapped in her direction, staring at her.

It turns out, there was a meeting being undergone, that had surprised her. Dr. Wu wasn't completely full of crap after all. Though, surprise barely summoned up the feeling that shook her at the realization of who was with the Geneticist. It was like a giant thorn had stabbed her stomach and her brain had jumped out of its skull and ran away screaming.

To her, the room swayed under her feat, like a ship. Claire would always get seasick on boats. On the outside she looked like hell, but inside, she was bawling.

It was Owen Grady.