Disclaimer: i do not own Owen or Jurassic World elements. The engineering conundrums presented here are not supported by research and are purely fictional, please do not try them at home.
A/N: there's a poll on my profile page, i thought i'd get your opinion on whether Project Shiva should continue. please vote, and your response is greatly appreciated.
Dr. Wu slipped on his best suit and looked at himself in the mirror in the room. He has aged since the last time there had been one of these, but he couldn't help but see the upside of it. He didn't get a good night's sleep, but then again, he had forgotten what a good night's sleep actually meant. He picked up his note cards and slipped them into the pocket of his suit and left the room. There's still time till the presentation, and there's a stop he had to make first.
The doctor hurried along the corridor of the living quarters, converted from the VIP suites of the old resorts, down the lift and across the park to his office building, in the innovation centre. The early morning sun has risen and is casting a gentle glow on the island. The birds were chirping in the trees and the wind felt cool against his face, but his mind was far from ease. The compound was fairly empty, with a few workers cleaning up the paths and going about their daily duties. Dr. Wu did not pay attention to them, but hastened his pace as he hurried along, avoiding any eye contact.
He pressed his thumb on the fingerprint sensor and the door popped opened. He quietly slipped into his glass encased lab and strode to his table. He unlocked the bottom cabinet and rummaged through it, finding a card key. He tucked the card into his jacket pocket and looked around. There was no one there. Good. He locked his cabinet again and slipped back out.
Crossing the corridor that joined the innovation center and the main control building, Wu looked around discretely to check if anyone is around. He glanced at his watch. It was still fairly early. He strode to a door leading towards another corridor. At the far end stood a single office, lit brightly by the sunlight streaming from the full length glass panes. He scanned the card key on the door, ignoring the fingerprint sensor this time. The door buzzed open and he slid through.
The empty office was luxuriously decorated, with a mini bar in a corner and a small putt course in the other, but Wu didn't care for any. He strode to the computer and booted it up quickly, glancing often at the door. He shouldn't be here, after all, it's not his office.
The computer came to life quickly after a swipe off the screensaver. The password prompt was no obstacle for Wu with a few hacks. He drew up the screen with security all over the compound. Workers are starting to file out, going about their work. Officials are directing the workers about the main event of that day. Wu drew up a menu and pulled out the surveillance of Isla Sorna.
The doctor was prompted for a password. Wu keyed in something. Error. He tried a hack. Another error. Frustrated, he thumped the table with his fist and strut over to the windows. His mind was getting clouded with unease and panic. There's got to be a way. What could be the password? Why did he need to protect it? What was he trying to disable and hide from?
Wu looked at the computer screen again. As he let his mind settle for one moment, the answer became clear. He quickly crossed over to the screen.
P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S.H.I.V.A
The password window disappeared and the screen was divided into multiple smaller windows, each showing a part of Sorna; the paddocks, guest building, barracks, the main building, with some showing static. Wu squinted as he tried to make out what was in front of the main building. He selected the window and enlarged it, and saw the floor outside littered with scrap materials and drag marks. As his finger touched part of the screen, the camera angle shifted. Wu quickly found the control to the camera and followed the drag marks. It didn't take him long to realize he was controlling a surveillance camera on a drone.
He shifted slowly and turned the camera to see the drag marks leading towards the jetty. The security check point door was completely thrashed, making a big hole in the exit. Wu slowly navigated the drone through the hole and saw there was also another hole in place of the entrance. Beyond that, he could see movements, he inched the drone towards the hole and felt his heart stopped.
Floating along the jetty on the water, was a raft made of oil drums with five white and one greyish blue raptor on top of it. There were two human figures hovering on the jetty, both of which he recognized. He felt his heartbeat return as he heaved a sigh of relief. One of the humans turned abruptly to look in his direction. Wu froze, his hands on the control of the drone, keeping it still. His eyes squinted to make out what the figure was doing as it moved.
The doctor's hands trembled as he watch the figure take something long from the other figure, a long stick. It then stepped away, coming towards the security check point. Wu drew a sharp breath, unsure of what to do next, as the figure on the screen stopped after a few steps.
He watched as the figure raised the stick, held it horizontally, and the next thing he saw, was the screen went blank.
…
Owen took in the poker face that Zeng had plastered on as she shoved him back his Marlin. He wasn't sure what implications that would bring about, yet he knew it was best not to bother with it now. Regardless if they know it or not, they are going to Nublar no matter what. He gave Blue an encouraging look before moving along the cable pulling the raptors' raft to the Wrangler. He stood for a moment in the morning sunlight, surveying his human companion's handiwork.
The Wrangler has three oil drums welded together on each side and two on the front and back, all fitted together in place with metal support struts that the engineer had made adjustable so that they rise when they needed to be on land and lower when in water. Zeng even welded small metal sheets she had cut from the cable boxes and kitchenware onto the wheels to make fins. He watched as his companion opened the sunroof and pushed a package out onto the roof.
"Now would be a good time to be a Navy person again." Zeng said, climbing back out of the jeep and tossing him the key. The sides of Owens' lips curved as he picked up the duffle bag next to him. It was the same bag he took with him to the island, and now he's leaving it for good. It didn't take him long to pack, after all he had very few possessions with him. Perhaps deep down, he had never expected to last this long on an island for a project that he came to stop.
Zeng came up behind him threw her own backpackers bag into the trunk of the car. Owen followed and climbed into the driver's seat wobbly, as the jeep tilted at his side. Zeng countered it by jumping onto the two oil drums fitted behind and quickly crossing to the other side. The jeep bobbed up and down in the water as Owen adjusted himself on the seat. His companion slipped in swiftly next to him.
He turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. He gently stepped on the pedals and heard the water churn beneath him. He applied more pressure and the wheels turned harder. The jeep inched forward slowly.
"Hey it's moving!" he announced, turning around to see the raptors' raft sailing slowly towards them.
"Yep." Zeng said, poking her head out of the window. "You can step on it."
Owen gunned the engine and let it roar above the waves and the jeep moved off. He couldn't help but let out a triumphant laugh and punched his companion in her arm.
"Keep it steady." she said coming back into the car, and got up. Her head disappeared into the sunroof and Owen heard a loud shuffle. He looked behind and saw two ropes hanging loosely from the roof and attached onto a large pulley system that was fitted where the backseats should be. He held his heading as the jeep moved slowly forward, pulling the raft behind. The jeep was powerful, as the speedometer clocked them going at 50, but with a raft and the water being displaced, they were going more at 20.
Owen glanced around and saw the last wooden plank of the jetty as they head out to open ocean. He could barely hear anything but the roar of the engine and wind buffeting his ear. Zeng dropped back down and quickly reclined her seat all the way back. She tugged on the levers behind, testing their strength.
"Hey wait, did you get that-" Owen glanced behind, finding the levers familiar.
"Yep I did." she said quickly and disappeared up onto the sunroof again. "Hold it steady."
"What are you doing?" Owen asked, his attention straight ahead, trying to get a sense of direction. He couldn't hear anything above the strong wind that was blowing with the car. "Zeng!"
There was a loud flap and suddenly the ocean view through his windshield was replaced with a large patch of beige. He yelled out in surprise but the patch of beige flapped and lifted higher. He could see the ocean again and above the loud wind he heard rattling. The ropes from the lever started feeding out quickly. Owen bent lower to peer out the windshield. He was right, the patch of beige indeed belonged to the awning that kept the raptors dry during rainy days in their paddock. The metal struts were gone, replaced with ropes that were attached to the four corners of the rectangle canvas, making it a large kite sailing in the winds that was pulling their jeep with the wind.
Behind him he could hear the calls of the excited raptors. Owen cheered loudly and laughed, thoroughly amazed. He felt the jeep jerk forward and his companion lost her footing and dropped back down. Before he could as if she was okay, she flipped around quickly and pulled on the levers, halting the rope from feeding out further. Zeng locked them in place and turned back to see the kite sailing high above in the wind, pulling them faster along the current. She then felt another punch to her arm and heard her human companion's loud cheer and laugh. She couldn't help herself but smile at her handiwork. She climbed to the back to roll up the windows, and Owen did the same for the front. His ears rang with the constant buffeting.
Zeng sat upright on the reclined seat and heaved a sigh of relief, with her companion still laughing. They are finally getting off the island. The jeep seemed to be holding on well, and the raptors remained calm so far. The floatation seemed to have worked despite her various calculations, and the kite held on as planned.
"You're the man!" Owen yelled, obviously haven't regained his hearing yet, causing Zeng to cringe away. "I mean not that you're a man, but you're-"
"I get it, I get it." she waved his yells off with half a smile and massaged her right ear. She pulled out her tablet and phone, there was no signal yet.
"Nublar is that way." she pointed north east. She reached behind her and tugged on the lever controlling the right side of the kite. Owen felt the jeep pull towards the right and he steered the wheels that way, his excitement still hasn't subside.
"This, is really cool." he tapped on the steering wheel hard. "How, wow. Just really, wow."
Zeng felt another punch coming her way and raised her own to meet his. The compliments didn't sit well with her, after all, if her upbringing had taught her one thing, it's that complacency is the downfall of any achievements. There was still a long way until they can get help or reach Nublar, and plenty could happen between now and then. Yet after all, she couldn't help but feel a smug grin creeping up onto her face, thinking about how Hoskins probably had expected her to die on Sorna.
"So what's the plan?"
That made her smile fall. That's right, she still doesn't have a plan, from the moment they climbed out of the crater, till now. There was no plan. Owen saw her tensed and stopped smiling. She looked at him with apprehension.
"Let's think of something now." Owen said at a lower volume, now that he could hear himself again. "There's still some ways till Nublar."
"Right." she agreed almost immediately, something Owen did not fully expect. "Once I get a signal, I'm going to call for help. The agency said they were on their way the night before, but until now I haven't got an update. They probably can't get to me either."
"You called them?" he turned to look at her tapping away on her phone and tablet.
"Yeah, during dinner. Everything that Hoskins said to us, they were listening, but either way it doesn't matter given they were all wrong." she tossed both devices onto the dashboard, frustrated. She dug into the bag that Owen placed on the floor and found a small pack of snack from the guest building. She tore it open with her teeth and started eating.
"So if they come, that's good news for us. But what if they don't?" Owen asked.
"If they don't, I say we get to the island from the other side, find out what they are doing, and try to stop them." she said in between chews.
"And by stop them, you mean…" Owen took the pack from her and started eating. She took a deep breath as one prominent thought popped into her head. She shrugged, not knowing what to say, and look to her companion, hoping he has some idea. "I know what you mean. At the moment I can't think of anything else other than that."
Zeng stretched herself on the reclined seat and closed her eyes. Indeed, other than dying out here in the sea, what if they discovered them before they could even get onto the island? What if by then dinosaurs have already shipped out? What exactly do they hope to achieve without any equipment or reinforcements? Her frustration probably showed on her face.
"Hey." Owen started, and she opened one eye to see him looking over. "We'll think of something. At least, I think you'll be able to think of something once we get there."
There was a strange feeling of déjà vu, like the exact same situation happened before. Oh that's right, as she recalled. It was the night before in the tree, the same reassuring voice told her to get some sleep before the big fight. It seemed so distant suddenly, that they escaped the jaws of death that was attached to a giant dinosaur hours ago. The short twenty minutes naps that she took the night before have started to wear off and she felt the exhaustion again. She knew Owen had slept in his room during the wee hours after the raptors returned from their excursion. What did they do, she did not ask, but she had some idea what happened given they all came back with tiny bits and pieces of plastic and metal in their mouths. Aquila even came back with shards of glass, similar to that of lenses.
"Get some rest, you've done enough for now." Owen said, turning back to watch the horizon. Zeng did not answer, for her body was attuned to the rocking motion of the car, just like a hammock simulator on the, her eyes closed before she knew it. She could still hear the sound of waves, splashing against the oil drums and the car, and the distant raptor calls. In the midst there might have been birds, calling above the waves. Her mind quieten down, and she felt herself craving for her bed back in her own apartment. There are a few times once in a while, she hated to come home to an empty apartment, but there's nowhere else she'd rather be lying on. She remembered the late night pizzas she had on it, watching movies that she'd seen for a millionth time, still amazed by how it gets her as though watching it for the first time. Oh pizza, that's right, she hated the pineapples on it whenever she had that with her friend, but she will always eat her share. Then in the middle of that her phone will ring countless times, and Zeng would muse as her friend orchestrated her work and family off her incredible memory. Sometimes she wished her friend would turn off the phone for a while. It would do her good, the buzzing sure is annoying and disruptive. That's right, the annoying buzzing…
Zeng sprang up in the seat, mind still fuzzy. Her eyes automatically sought out the source of the buzzing, it was on the dashboard. Owen retracted his hand from shaking her leg and looked over. She shuffled quickly and picked up the phone. A quick glance at the number and she answered with relief.
"Finally!" she shouted into the phone. Owen turned away from the horizon to see his companion scrunching her face so hard. "What is going on why didn't you counter hack it instead? Never mind what's the situation now?"
There was a pause and she looked straight into Owen's eyes. She pressed a finger to her lips and switched the phone to speaker mode. Owen heard a calm male voice on the other end.
"We have an agent gathering intelligence on Isla Nublar, and the latest update is that they are holding an auction." the male voice said.
"Which ones are they auctioning now?" Zeng asked quickly.
"A female Tyrannosaur."
"Duchess." she said quickly, Owen's jaw hung. "They are auctioning off the pure breeds first, and keeping the hybrids for themselves or later on."
"It would seem that way." the male voice continued. "We have surveillance proof that there are more hybrids on Nublar."
"Big or small ones?"
"Both." Zeng's eyes closed in defeat.
"So what's the plan for stopping them then?" she asked quickly.
"We are positioning agents on the island and auctions at the moment, once the auction close and we have our targets, we'll arrest them straightaway." the male voice said calmly still. Owen was rather surprised. "We need you on the island for the final initiative."
He looked up at the words "final initiative" but Zeng was focused on something else.
"Well then get me there now!" she said exasperatedly. "I'm floating in the middle of nowhere with six raptors in a raft."
"We have sent an agent to fetch you, we just didn't factor in that you would manage to leave without a boat." the calm voice continued. "Either way, he should be close to where you are now."
"What do you mean close?" Zeng started, but her voice was interrupted by agitated raptor calls. The two humans turned around at the same time to see the raptors calling and snarling at something behind.
"Based on our tracking of your current position, he should be there by now." the voice said. Owen stopped the engine and they shifted to get a good look. Sure enough, coming up behind them, was a dark blue dot that is getting bigger. Owen recognized it to be a navy boat. As it came closer, they could see it was larger than an ordinary ferry, painted in navy blue.
"Is your agent the one with the bowler hat on the boat with your ugly flag on it?" Zeng said, and Owen noted her sarcastic tone again. Sure enough, the boat came closer and there was a figure standing by the rails. In the winds, Owen could see the flag flapping furiously, with an image of what looked like a bird.
"Yes. He has been assigned to retrieve and transport you to Isla Nublar, and join the other agents for the arrest." the male voice stated. Owen turned in his seat as the boat past the raft of agitated raptors and slowed. His heart stopped for a moment when he saw the agent waving at them.
"Oh you've, got, to be kidding me." Zeng growled into the phone, as she too, saw the agent smiling as the boat came closer.
"Ahoy there! O'Grady! Ms. Zeng!"