Picking Up the Pieces

Forty-five minutes after Donald Gennaro requested for the supply boat to wait for the new passengers, the group finally arrived at the east dock. Apparently, Gennaro was serious about Lewis Dodgson and his team leaving Isla Nublar for good. During the final long walk, Dodgson had convinced himself that Gennaro was bluffing. After all, Dodgson had managed to convince Gennaro that it was in InGen's best interest to let Biosyn run the park. But as they came closer, Dodgson realized that his team's defeat and resulting departure was a reality.

Rows of palm trees blew softly in the wind and the dirt road was muddy from the recent rainfall. Although part of the storm had cleared up, the ocean remained wild and waves slapped the dock, rocking the supply boat. It wouldn't be an easy trip to the mainland and it would probably take twice as long to make the journey due to the bad weather.

Dodgson scowled as he turned to his team. "Get the hell on!"

He gestured angrily at the supply boat, impatient at his team's slow pace. Sonya Durant helped Roland Tembo with George Baselton's assistance. This is fucking ridiculous, Dodgson thought. Roland never got a last look at this island. Howard King scuttled aboard without taking a last glance behind him. Sonya came back down and helped Raúl Lopez.

"Thanks, Sonya," he mumbled as he limped aboard.

Lopez turned around once to catch his final glimpse at Isla Nublar. He had dreamed of being there for the longest time and it had morphed into an insane nightmare. When he got to the deck, he scanned the dock area and saw Dennis Nedry standing between Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold. Grinning, Nedry popped up his left middle finger and waved it around. Lopez clenched his fists, shaking his head. Lew should've listened to me…that little traitor scumbag did us in. He wanted to kill Nedry more than ever, but he was in no shape to lift a fist against him. He didn't even have the energy to tell him off. Lopez turned away, refusing to give Nedry the satisfaction at seeing him broken and unable to fend for himself or Biosyn.

The captain stuck his head out, checking to make sure all the passengers had boarded. There were only two that had not boarded yet: Henry Wu and Lewis Dodgson.

"You're making a huge mistake, Dennis," Dodgson said, as he took one step towards the supply boat. A cold wind blew around him. He didn't feel it at all. "I was willing to help you, but you decided to be a sneaky little dirtbag and go back to lousy InGen."

"Shove it," Nedry said. "I'm not your little lapdog anymore. Maybe you didn't get the message the first time around."

"I did."

"Good."

"You'll miss your boat if you keep running your foul mouth," Muldoon said, pointing behind Dodgson.

"That would be a 'bloody' shame, wouldn't it?" Dodgson sneered.

"Yeah, it really would," Arnold said.

"Hold on." Malcolm came forward. "Dr. Dodgson?"

Dodgson was halfway onto the boat when he turned back around. "Dr. Malcolm?" His mocking tone was obvious.

Malcolm pulled back his clenched fist and slammed Dodgson's jaw. Dodgson's face swung, spewing out blood.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time. Consider it a walk in the park compared to what you really deserve."

"Ah yes, Dr. Malcolm. Linear equations and chaos theory. Bullshit boyfriend to sappy Dr. Sattler. You'll be sorely missed."

"Glad to hear it," Malcolm said. He turned to Muldoon, Arnold, and Nedry. "He's all yours." Malcolm returned to where Grant and Ellie were waiting.

Dodgson glared at him as he walked away and then refocused on Muldoon and Arnold. "You haven't seen the last of me. I didn't get InGen this time, but I will another time. You can bet your stupid asses on that one. I'll blow up this island—you won't even know what hit you!"

"We'll be waiting," Muldoon said.

"Don't hold your breath." Dodgson limped onto the supply boat with Sonya's assistance and gestured for Wu to follow. "Then again, hold it for about ten minutes, so that you can all drop dead in your pathetic misery."

"Only after you," Nedry said, flashing an obnoxious grin.

"HENRY!" Arnold called out as Wu boarded the boat with Nedry's laptop. He didn't know if it was desperation at the last minute that made him reach out to Wu, but he felt he had to try. "It's not too late. You don't have to leave with them!"

Wu turned around to face him. His dark eyes met Arnold's and held them.

"Henry, you don't have to leave with them," Arnold pleaded again. "Do the right thing and come back to InGen! You know it's where you belong!"

"Let him go, it's not like he's Dr. Huang, all virtuous and whatever," Nedry said.

"Dennis!" Muldoon interrupted Nedry, when he saw the mixture of hurt and fury on Arnold's face. "Right now's not the time—"

"It's the perfect time. If he won't admit to himself that he's wrong, what makes you think he'll admit it to you? Why are you even wasting your time trying?"

This question was directed at Arnold, who glared angrily at Nedry now.

"Because it's what we should've done when you turned your back on us," Arnold said. His voice was firm, but there was also a note of regret or sorrow mixed in. He appealed to Wu one last time. "Please, Henry...think about what you're doing. We're your friends, we've been through so much as a company, as a team...as a family."

Wu remained impassive.

"Come back—damn it, don't go with them!"

It was impossible to decipher what Wu was feeling or thinking. Whether he was touched by Arnold appealing to him, or repulsed by his pleading was a mystery. Arnold thought maybe he was regretful of his decision to go with Biosyn. He didn't look thrilled or saddened. Then—Wu took a step towards InGen. He remained standing there, facing them, still on the supply boat. He briefly looked over his shoulder at Dodgson, and then back at Arnold.

Upon hearing Arnold's reaction, Nedry immediately silenced. Muldoon noticed this right away. He also noticed the thoughtful expression on Nedry's face...as though he had wished someone had called him back before he had gotten entangled with Dodgson. Or perhaps, instead of calling the police that fateful day, Arnold and Muldoon could've talked to Nedry and figure out why he had stolen from InGen and betrayed John Hammond in the first place. Maybe if someone had reached out to him...or had reached him in time...maybe none of us would be standing here right now, Muldoon thought.

He would never know.

Wu turned his back on them and continued onward, the last of the Biosyn team to board the vessel. He had made his decision.

Arnold sighed. He dug in his pants for his lighter, and when he found it, he threw it down on the ground.

"Let him go," Nedry said. His tone was softer this time. "I know you want him to do the right thing...it's just that if he wants to come back, he will, but not on your time or terms."

"On his?" Arnold asked, turning around.

Nedry nodded. "Exactly."

oOo

Several feet behind them, Malcolm stood with Grant and Ellie. He observed Nedry's exchange with Dodgson and Wu's final stance as he boarded the supply boat. A moment later, the supply boat departed from the east dock, taking the Biosyn team with them. Malcolm never took his eyes off the supply boat. It seemed almost too good to be true that their enemies had finally been removed—even it was through force, failure, or a fight to the near-death of one opponent. Dennis really kept his promise, Malcolm thought. He turned Dodgson's ambition to own Jurassic Park into a miserable failure and Roland finally got what was coming to him thanks to Robert. As Malcolm thought about it, he knew everything was going to be okay. The park staff had a lot of rebuilding to do—and explaining to do when Hammond returned from the hospital. For right now, they needed time to heal.

Malcolm noticed that Muldoon, Nedry, and Arnold stayed near the dock, watching it leave. They didn't turn around right away, ready to depart and head back to the visitor center. Instead, they stood together, the wind blowing around them. They were encased in their own time and space. Grant and Ellie were about to join them when Malcolm shook his head.

"Give them their space," he said. "They need this moment. It's been a long time coming."

"Reconciliation?" Grant asked.

"Yes, and theirs is long overdue."

oOo

Arnold, Muldoon, and Nedry stood together on the east dock, watching Dodgson and his team leave the island for good. The supply boat picked up speed as it sailed further away. There were no words expressed between them. They weren't ready to break the silence yet, and so they remained quiet as the reality of their victory settled in. The relief experienced by all three was indescribable. After several minutes, when the supply boat was just a speck on the horizon, Arnold and Muldoon finally faced each other. One thing was for certain:

It was finally over.

Arnold took one step and Muldoon stepped forward. Muldoon could see the tension melt in Arnold's eyes and Arnold could see the friend he had in Muldoon before everything had turned upside-down on Isla Nublar. Silently, they hugged each other, as good friends do after surviving a severe catastrophe together that only they could understand and speak about. When Muldoon released Arnold, both men felt something click back into place. They didn't have a name for the "something", but it was an inner-knowing that things would go back to what they were before, or more so, that everything would be far better.

"My friend has finally returned," Arnold said.

Muldoon smiled. "He was always here."

Arnold sighed and then went to Nedry. He had walked to the edge of the dock and now stood by himself and watched the supply boat disappear from the horizon. Arnold placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Nedry turned to them, still cradling his injured right hand. The bandages had been ripped away by Lopez, revealing black and blue bruises on Nedry's hand and fingers.

"I thought you could never redeem yourself..." Arnold spoke, slowly. He understood what he was saying, but it still took all his strength to say what needed to be said. "I was wrong. You kept your promise in the best way you knew how…I know it's been one helluva trip ever since that day down here."

Arnold extended his hand, shocked by his gesture, and not knowing what to expect. To his surprise, Nedry shook it awkwardly with his injured hand.

Muldoon came forward. "I think it's time for all three of us to start over," he said. "Or at least, pick up the pieces from that day. What do you think?"

Arnold and Muldoon glanced at each other and then at Nedry, who for the first time that they could recall, remained silent, as though he was unsure of how to respond to Muldoon's suggestion. He simply nodded.

"Sure," he mumbled.

"Let's go back," Arnold said, gesturing towards Ellie, Grant, and Malcolm, who stood twenty feet away, waiting patiently.

Muldoon, Nedry, and Arnold started back towards them, their steps slow and deliberate. When they finally reached them, Ellie stood holding Grant's hand, and Malcolm had his arm around her shoulder.

"Ready?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah…" Muldoon looked around him as though double-checking for something missing or out of place. There was something or someone that had been left behind on the island. He instinctively knew it, but didn't know what or who it was. I'll figure it out later, he thought. "Let's go."

They started heading to the visitor center, taking the maintenance road, as the sun dipped behind the jungle's canopy.

oOo

They were within view of the visitor center when Ellie stopped in her tracks. She pointed at a muscular man sitting on the visitor center's steps. The man turned his head in their direction. He appeared to have been waiting for them.

"What the hell's he still doing here?"

Muldoon didn't like the rigid note in her voice. It was full of apprehension and anger. He remembered that sinking feeling he had at the east dock: someone from the Biosyn team had stayed behind on Isla Nublar. As they neared the visitor center, Muldoon recognized the man sitting on the steps. Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm stopped near the lake while Muldoon, Arnold, and Nedry continued onward to meet the man who had waited patiently for them.

It was George Lawala.

Lawala stood up, just as they stopped in front of the visitor center.

"You missed your boat," Arnold growled. "Get—"

"Wait," Muldoon said, signaling for Arnold to keep calm. He approached Lawala, curious as to why he was still on the island. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you have left with Dodgson?"

Lawala shook his head. He looked from Muldoon to Nedry, and stole a glance at Malcolm, Ellie and Grant who watched their exchange.

"I'm no longer with them…I…" Lawala was hesitant. He didn't know how they would perceive or receive him. He wasn't sure how to express what had happened, but he knew he had to speak up. He hoped they would hear out what he had to say. "When I left you and Roland before your fight, I brought Lopez halfway over, and then left him. I went inside the visitor center and waited…and I spoke with Mr. Gennaro."

Muldoon heaved a great sigh of relief and embraced Lawala like a long lost brother. He was ecstatic to know that at least one person had made the right decision today. Even better—it was George Lawala! From speaking with Arnold, Muldoon had sensed that Lawala wasn't wholeheartedly with Biosyn and that leaving Dodgson's gang was what he truly wanted to do. He just didn't have a way out until now.

Everyone watched, silent in disbelief. Didn't Lawala help Dodgson take over Isla Nublar? Finally, Grant spoke up.

"Look," he said, watching Lawala cautiously. "I know you two have a history together—but you're the same scumbag that shot Ellie in the leg and—"

Muldoon and Lawala broke their embrace. Lawala nodded, agreeing with Grant's statement.

"You're right, Dr. Grant…I did do that to you and her. I'm truly sorry for that and for everything else that happened here." Lawala made sure that what he said next carried weight. "I would like to make amends…" Now he met Ellie's eyes and held them to ensure he meant what he said next. "By helping rebuild your greenhouse—first thing tomorrow morning."

Ellie's lips perked up slightly. Beside her, Malcolm said, "Sounds like a step in the right direction."

Lawala turned to Muldoon. "As for you, Robert, I spoke to Mr. Gennaro about working here." This time, he sounded more confident. "I heard you need an extra hand on the island taking care of the lizards." He glanced at Nedry.

Grant was in full agreement. "He definitely does. The more help, the better."

Muldoon took a step back. His silence conveyed his amazement, and yet, he was also unsure of how to adequately respond to the news that Lawala was the newly hired game warden who would assist him in the park with the animals. It was the best news he had heard in a long time! He was beyond grateful that he would finally get the extra help he needed. He didn't even know how to express his gratitude.

Lawala was the perfect man for the job. He was sensible, cautious, and respectful. Respect for the animals, in Muldoon's view, was an absolute must. Dinosaurs were long extinct creatures that they still had so much to learn about. There was so much to explore. They weren't just for display, nor were they meant to be the easy target of a poacher who just wanted to mount their heads over a fireplace or trophy room. They weren't meant to be stolen and sold to the highest bidder. They were living breathing animals who deserved to be cared for by experienced people who were passionate about life. Muldoon had a feeling that Lawala's incident with the dilophsoaur had humbled him in a manner that would always remain with him. Aside from that, Lawala and Muldoon had a shared history together that dated back to their time in Africa. They had overcome their rivalry long ago, and had a new solid respect for each other. Muldoon couldn't have asked for a more qualified—and exceptional person—to work with.

One question crossed Muldoon's mind. How did Lawala know that he needed assistance protecting the dinosaurs, as well as maintaining the safety of everyone in the park? He knew the answer to his unspoken question when he followed Lawala's gaze. Nedry stood next to Arnold pressing down on his injured fingers. Muldoon's mind went back to the past conversation he and Nedry had when they were traveling back to Isla Nublar in the raft. It was the conversation where Muldoon had shut down on Nedry because he figured he would never get the help he needed. Not to mention how difficult it was to convey his frustration to someone who had no idea what his work was like. All Muldoon wanted was at least one more person in the same position as he, so that carrying the weight of protecting Jurassic Park wouldn't always rest on his shoulders. He really understood me, Muldoon thought. He knew what I meant…

"This is really great," Muldoon finally said. "You have no idea how much this means to me...I"m sorry, I really don't have the right words..."

"It's a good thing," Arnold said. "Don't worry, the elated expression on your face says it all, Robert." He smiled. "Let's go inside and see what everyone else is doing. We should have a feast tonight, after everything that's happened."

"We should," Malcolm agreed.

Grant nodded and started up the steps, followed by Malcolm and Ellie. Arnold went in after them, leaving Lawala, Muldoon, and Nedry outside.

Lawala pointed at the double doors. "I'll go join them and meet up with you later. I have to tell Mr. Gennaro I accepted the job offer. He said he'd make a contract for me to sign."

"Sounds good," Muldoon said.

Lawala briefly smiled and Muldoon thought he saw a flash in his eyes. It was as though he had been freed from a dark and dreary dungeon and was finally able to breathe fresh air again. It dawned on Muldoon that not everyone who worked for Dodgson had enjoyed it or wanted to remain forever with Biosyn. Thankfully, Lawala had the sense and courage to leave. Muldoon only hoped that Wu would make the same decision someday—and hopefully sooner than later.

He watched as Lawala went into the visitor center and then turned to Nedry. Muldoon struggled with his next words. He had to say them before the opportunity passed.

"This means a lot...thank you."

Nedry nodded. "You're welcome."

Muldoon started up the stairs and then stopped for a moment. There was one thing he had just remembered and he wondered if it had crossed Arnold's mind. "What about the laptop that Dodgson took? It has all of—"

"InGen's information? Yeah, that's what he thinks."

He smirked, and Muldoon wasn't sure what to make of it. He knew it wasn't good, but then again, if it was bad for Biosyn, then it was good for InGen. Muldoon felt smug satisfaction at the thought of what Nedy had done that Dodgson had yet to discover on that laptop.

Muldoon pointed at Nedry's bruised hand. "Let's get that hand fixed up."

Nedry pointing back at Muldoon. "And don't forget your shoulder."

They walked up the stairs and entered the visitor center, thankful that they had finally gotten rid of Lewis Dodgson's team. Somehow things were going to change, and for once, they would change for the better. Muldoon smiled as he thought about it. Things would take a positive turn for everyone in InGen, and he knew that everyone, himself included, would be appreciative of it.