Chapter Ten
May 31st 1993
Day three and one can't help but feel a slight sense of things unravelling. That and a disappointing exploration in tedium.
Whilst I was due to once again monitor the Velociraptors today, I received word from Mr Muldoon that the Pride had suffered some casualties over-night. I was asked to monitor another animal today, to allow Mr Muldoon and his team time to corral the surviving raptors and begin a clean-up of some sort. I must admit a sense of relief, to some extent. My dreams last night were filled with the calls of the raptors, and a somewhat unpleasant experience of being trapped in a room with them. A day or two away from them is welcome reprieve. A brief update from Mr Muldoon appears to allude to some hierarchy disagreements within the Pride. When I return to observing them, I will be intrigued to see what results this disagreement has yielded.
As my day's object of study would not be ready until the afternoon, my morning was spent at the Visitor Centre. A grand building, it was enjoyable to poke around and admire the aesthetic that John Hammond has created there. For all his eccentricities, he has captured a clever blend of intrigue and adventure in his building. When he opens to the public, I have no doubt the impressionable young minds of children will be enthralled, not unlike the mosquitos in the amber of his enterprise. If I thought my empathy could stretch that far, I might feel for the parent's bank balances. Jurassic Park has the potential to make a fortune.
Following an average lunch in the Visitor Centre where I had the displeasure of observing a severely obese employee consume a great deal of greasy food, I was taken to the paddock of Hammond's star attraction, his Tyrannosaurus Rex. The oldest of the seven that I am told were bred on Sorna, this specimen was moved to the park for exhibit a few months ago. Although, one could be forgiven for doubting that Jurassic Park has a Tyrannosaur. I saw no sign of the animal today, even with access to the keeper viewing platforms around the paddock. Whilst I did not see the Rex, I did feel her. She must have passed by my viewing platform at some point, as I felt the distinct impact tremors of her strides.
This only deepened my intrigue to catch a sight of her. As it stands, I will have to return tomorrow, if able. I am told by the keepers she is most active in the early hours, and extremely vocal. I look forward to hearing her displays, if not the early start. Another downside to this will be having to use the restrooms located outside the paddock. My experience of them today left me feeling a good breeze would knock the building down. For all of John Hammond's claims that no expense is spared, I dare say some was spared in this regard.
Following the unsuccessful day, I opted to return to the guest cabin for further reflection on the Velociraptors. Something about them has been puzzling me, and I will be interested to see the report from Mr Muldoon in the morning, as it may confirm my suspicions. I will also need to talk to Dr Wu, the lead geneticist, as my concerns may be linked to his protocols. There is so much further study to do with these animals, and one forgets how fantastical it is to be conducting research like this, but with that in mind it seems so much more important to me to understand them, and soon. I worry about the safety of any visitors to the Park whilst the Velociraptors are an exhibit. They have shown an exceptional level of overt malice, in a way. I think back to the cow that was fed to them yesterday. If one could say it was fed. That poor creature bore the brunt of their fury, and it troubles me that an animal that we do not fully understand can be capable of killing out of spite and what appeared to be sheer anger.
I have seen crocodiles kill for no reason, but with crocs they exhibit no emotional output in relation to the kill. Granted, they show a cold, unfeeling connection with their victim, but the way the raptors tore into the cow was by far a clear display to me. Almost…a threat. A promise, even. For them, things seem alarmingly personal.
Dr Jane Marsden.
The clang of the elevator bumping into its docking shocks echoed around them all, overly loud and at odds with the quiet summit of the hills. The group were all stood, rigid and tense, waiting, watching. Jane realised she herself was tense too, her fists bunched tight, her lips pursed together, almost painful. The morning sun was high now, beating down with a fierce strength. She forced herself to exhale and rolled her shoulders, trying to escape the tickle of the single bead of sweat that was snaking its way down from her neck to her back. She scratched at her hair, glad that she had always worn it short. Charlotte had always liked that as well, when they were speaking that is. Jane felt a pang of rare regret. Seemed the chances of her ever speaking to Charlotte again grew slimmer and slimmer, certainly if recent events were to be considered.
Standing at the back of the group, she looked down towards the rugged coastline and the green forest hugging the clifftop. She saw one of the Carnotaurs, a small shape now, making its way up the dirt road and disappearing into the trees. She bit her lower lip, trying to ignore the instinct to memorise her observations of the animal as it had ripped Debbie apart. She knew now was not the time to be remarking on any observations with anyone. The group were already tiring of her blunt, distant manner and cold expressions, clearly they were wary of her. Didn't take long really. It never did.
She watched Sidney approaching the cargo doors of the elevator, his shotgun raised and his whole body coiled. She could see the definition of the muscles in his arms, squirming beneath the skin as he moved. The man looked like he expected every carnivore on the island to come charging through the trees at them. And from what she was watching happening to the man, she suspected he wished they would. The man's anger and rage were building, his internal struggles bubbling up to his surface. He hid it well beneath a veneer of thoughtful doubt and stubborn bloody-mindedness, but Jane could tell he was itching to find a reason to fire that shotgun. She could see how each death had affected him. The others took each loss as a tragedy. Sidney Wallace took each loss as an insult. The warden reached for the large door bolts, looking over his shoulder at the group.
"Everyone is to stay here,'' he growled. "Once I am out, these doors get shut and not opened until I know it's safe.'' There were a few nods, and then he pulled the bolts and slipped through the metal doors, pulling it shut behind him. Anna dashed to the door and pushed the bolts home again before dashing back to stand with Julia, fussing with her hands.
"And what if it's not safe?'' whispered Ogawa to no one in particular.
"Shut up Gord,'' hissed Viv.
Jane watched Sidney crouch for a moment, scanning the area. His shotgun barrel was panning the surroundings slowly, and Jane imagined the man's green eyes taking in everything, assessing, calculating. Not unlike how she herself watched an object of study. As he took careful deliberate steps forward, Jane made her own assessment of the area.
The top of the hills gave way to a wide area, which had clearly been the result of machine works to build the structure that Jane saw. Directly ahead of the elevator was a wide trackway of concrete with two parallel channels cut into it, clearly the tracks of another cargo platform, only this one was apparently designed to traverse the flat area at the top of the hills. About fifty or so metres ahead, mobile platform could be seen, docked at the far end of its runners. The elevator to take any cargo to the other side of the hills could not be seen.
To her left, the rocky hilltop was peppered with trees that formed a crown of greenery that followed the length of the hills as it swept away into the distance and curved round into the islands interior. The right held a similar feature, only with the addition of a wide three storied building that sat adjacent to the midway of the concrete area. Various cranes and scaffolding adorned both sides of the trackway, some damaged and leaning at precarious angles, some seemingly intact. The building, a rugged and basic looking article, had clearly taken damage from the storms. Smashed windows and even a door or two hanging off gave a somewhat unwelcome feeling. A veranda encircled the bottom floor of the building, while a narrow balcony could be seen on the top floor. Various bits of tree debris hung from the roof and railings, some teetering gently in the breeze. Behind the building, a small area had been cleared before the trees sprang up once again, this time much thicker, forming a dense woodland that followed the hilltop as it curved away to the right. All in all, Jane felt far from reassured by the place.
Sidney had made it as far as the opposite end of the trackway, his movements now smooth, confident. Jane could tell the man was still tense, but the feel of a predator, investigating its new surroundings, made the man seem that much more self-assured. He hopped athletically up onto the cargo platform, ducking under the railings and moving fluidly around it, missing nothing.
Whilst Sidney seemed to be growing in confidence, the group were becoming tenser. Every moment seemed dragged out, the fear of sudden attack heightened by the awful silence. All they could do was watch and wait.
The warden was moving out of view now as he slipped off the other side of the cargo platform. Occasionally Jane could see his dark hair bobbing into view, but it was difficult to keep track of the man now. Jane found she was rubbing her thumb and forefinger together in anticipation, something she found herself often doing when watching animals. Curious how Sidney put her in mind of an animal.
"Where has he gone?'' piped Anna, craning her head to try and spy the warden. "Where is he?"
"Hush Dr Michaels,'' said Dr Sturridge. Jane could see the Adams apple bobbing in the older man's throat, a clear indicator he was as nervous as his young intern colleague. A glistening sheen of sweat coated his forehead and gave his salt and pepper beard a greasy shine. For a man of aging years, Jane had been impressed so far that he had not fallen behind at any point, considering the harsh physical strain they had all been put under recently. Jane twitched her lips in her usual effort at a smile as she mused about how he must be an exception to the usual law of predator and prey relationships. Usually, the old or the sick got picked off first. Now that she watched him, he put Jane in mind of an old goat, stubborn and resourceful.
"There!'' squeaked Julia suddenly. "He's going inside!''
All eyes of the group watched as Sidney hugged the wall of the building and ducked inside, melting into the darkness within. Jane caught the sound of creaking floor boards on the breeze before the silence returned. The distant calls of gulls over the docks occasionally punctured the pregnant silence. They waited. Minutes passed, and only the occasional bump or flapping of a nearby birds wings gave clue to any sound.
Eventually, Sidney appeared from the rear of the building, he movements still cautious. He had his back to the outside wall of the building, facing the thick trees, scanning, forever watching. He seemed to nod to himself before pushing away and moving over to the elevator, shouldering his weapon and rapping the metal frame with fist.
"Alight,'' he said calmly, his voice low. "It's clear. Let's go."
"Just like that, we have to take your word for it do we?'' grated Lee. "You were so sure down on the docks and look how that turned out.''
"Then stay here,'' said Sidney, turning those green eyes on the young man. "The rest of you, let's move.'' Andrea shouldered past Lee, knocking the intern off balance.
"Asesino says it's safe, hombre,'' he said, tucking a lock of black hair behind his ear and fixing Sidney with a careful look. "Why would he lie?'' Jane could almost see the air between Andrea and Sidney crackle, the resentment dripping off the Costa Rican even as he gave Sidney a smirk and sauntered past him. Carlos swaggered in his wake, and then the rest of them were following. Lee Denton shuffled along too, his face sullen. Jane sighed, already bored with the young man's reluctance to try any other emotion other than petulance. She wondered if she had misjudged him at the cliffs when he had saved her from falling, but he seemed to take every opportunity to prove himself an idiot.
The group began to fan out on the concrete track, unsure again of how to proceed. Nervous eyes darted left and right, checking the trees and the trackway. It wasn't long before Sidney began to direct his herd. Jane watched quietly as he marshalled them.
"Ogawa, I need you to come with me. Captain Williams, best get everyone inside for the moment. See if there's any communications devices or working terminals. Anything that's useful. Make sure people are drinking too. Suns getting up now.''
"Aye, Mr Wallace,'' rumbled Williams. "I can do that. Barker! With me eh?'' The captain turned to the group and started directing them inside, pointing and gesturing in an effort to regain his composure. Jane could see he was still shaking slightly. More than likely the adrenaline was fading from his blood, leaving his body gasping for the fuel that had urged him on. She had felt not too dissimilar after the sudden climb to the elevator. She tried to imagine what it must have been like, to have those Carnotaurs below you whilst you hung there, helpless, desperate. Reduced to nothing but prey.
She followed the group as Ogawa went with Sidney towards the far end of the trackway, the warden showing him something. Jane climbed the short wide steps to the veranda of the building and stepped in through the doorway into the dark interior of the building, the gloom swallowing her and forcing her to take a moment to adjust her eyesight.
Shapes began to take form, and she found herself in a control room of sorts, with various desks and computers, panels and operating equipment stationed around the room. Chairs lay on the floor, and open books and manuals littered the floor or worktops. A coffee cup, neatly placed on a coaster, sat quite undisturbed on the edge of a desk.
Jane slowly walked through the control room, taking in the features, quickly noticing the lack of obvious power save for the whirring of a ceiling fan. A light bulb flickered erratically on the wall, another clue that there must be some power, but the circuits were clearly struggling. The station had been left in a hurry, with little thought to its running after the evacuation. Little thought to the eventuality that people would ever be back here.
People were moving about the room a bit more now, poking into cabinets and cupboards, some of them ascending the stairs at the back of the room. Captain Williams was testing the consoles and phone sets at each desk, pushing buttons and tapping keys as if he knew what he was doing. The man looked more and more lost the further they had got from his wrecked ship. Clearly it wasn't easy leaving your world behind. If only Jane could share that feeling, she might have had more luck with people over the years, or less difficulty maybe. Certainly would have been easier telling Charlotte all those weeks ago that she had taken this job. Taken it without even considering her. She'd not been happy, but then Jane knew she'd not been happy for a long time, and her anger was just an excuse to be angry. To show it. To say the unkind words. The words that Jane had let bounce off her, even though they still left a bruise. The room suddenly felt just that bit too stifling, and Jane turned on her heel and headed for the veranda. She passed Andrea and Carlos who were scanning the trees and area, apparently keen to play sentry. The boards creaked underfoot as she found a spot on the corner of the building, leaning on the railing and taking in a long deep breath.
"Takes its toll, doesn't it?'' Jane twitched her head to the side, seeing Dr Sturridge sat on a wooden chair, his back against the wall. Looked like a man taking his ease, almost as if he were untroubled by anything they had seen that day.
"Doesn't appear to be troubling you much, Dr Sturridge,'' said Jane, propping her forearms on the rail.
"My hands are chafed raw, my back is protesting at every movement and my legs feel like dead weights. But that's hardly the problem.''
"I don't believe I am following you,'' sighed Jane.
"What I mean, Dr Marsden, is it's not the physical that takes its toll on us. It's the knowledge, isn't it? Of what we've done. What we have unleashed.''
"You regret your decision to work for InGen?''
"Oh no,'' said Sturridge, shaking his head. "Not at all. What I have been a part of, only a handful of scientist can dream of. No, the trouble is reconciling our progress with the lives of those lost. Had someone told me that people would have to die for this discovery to be explored, I would have dismissed the offer of this company and never looked back. Condemned it even. You do not exchange lives for discovery, not willingly.'' He rubbed the bridge of his nose and then stretched out a leg, massaging his thigh. "But knowing people are dying after you made the discovery, after you were part of its development, of its creation. Well, it leaves a somewhat heavy burden on your shoulders, does it not, to know that the lightening you helped trap in the bottle is striking people? Striking friends?''
"Sounds like regret to me,'' said Jane blankly. Sturridge looked at her and smiled.
"You do not like people do you, Dr Marsden?"
"I rather suspect that it is people that do not like me, Dr Sturridge,'' sighed Jane, tilting her head to one side. "People have always found me somewhat…challenging."
"No doubt that made it easier to pursue a career into the study of animal behaviour?''
"No. I studied animal behaviour because animals fascinate me. People bore me.''
"Bore you?'' chirped Sturridge, scratching at his thinning hair. "Perhaps now it is people you find challenging, and not the other way around?''
"People are indeed challenging, and the tedium of dealing with the many various aspects of people is wearing. People can be complicated, erratic and all too obvious in their emotional displays. It becomes predictable after not too long. Animals are so much more interesting. They are more direct, more intriguing in their mysteries. Their approach to life appeals to me.''
"Some might say their approach to life is very basic, and without depth or meaning,'' said Sturridge.
"You assume life has a meaning then?''
"People of science are often hesitant to believe our existence has a purpose, but I admit I am one of the few,'' said Sturridge, nodding to himself. "Perhaps my life's purpose was to aid in the breakthrough of this company. To create more life. Life long thought out of reach.''
"Then perhaps you have come to regret the purpose of your life, Dr Sturridge.'' Jane fixed him one of her looks, choosing not to bite back at his oblivious arrogance.
"Perhaps,'' he mused, rubbing a few strands of his beard between thumb and fore-finger. "But my regrets, however intricate, are of no matter to anyone now. No use to those who have died now, are they? And not much use to John Hammond and Henry, either, now that these animals are amongst us.''
"How long have you worked for InGen, Dr Sturridge?''
"Henry approached me three years ago. Obviously, I was incredulous at his claims, but I couldn't resist, if only to see for myself. I'll never forget the first time, as I am sure you won't either. Which one was it you saw?''
"A Brachiosaur,'' said Jane, turning her gaze back over to the trees opposite. "One of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.''
"I envy you then, Dr Marsden. My first was a Velociraptor." Jane felt a lance of cold run through her body at the mention of the raptors. "Henry and I had been working on their sequencing for months. A truly complex genome. Always seemed just out of reach, elusive almost. Henry figured it out in the end of course, as he usually does. But it had been such a long chase that I wasn't going to miss the hatching of the first infants, to share in the moment. There in does lie a regret.'' Sturridge rifled in the open pack at his feet and produced a water bottle. He took a deep swig and offered it to Jane. She shook her head.
"You regret witnessing a hatching? Your regrets continue to perplex me Dr Sturridge.''
"No no," he chuckled humourlessly. "My regret is pursuing the completion of what is possibly the most dangerous animal to have ever lived.''
"Is that an academic conclusion or a personal one?"
"Both, perhaps,'' said Sturridge. "You have seen them, haven't you? You must have. Hammond always likes to show them off. Working on Sorna is much more preferable to Nublar. The raptor pen is miles from the Embryonic's labs, and I could almost forget we have them. But Nublar, one big exhibit, you can't escape their presence there."
"I had the pleasure of studying them, before they decided to cull their own numbers.''
"I'm sorry?'' Sturridge frowned at her.
"You are unaware?'' said Jane, surprised. Sturridge was clearly waiting for more. "You must have heard about the transfer to the confinement pen, and then the subsequent death of that worker and animal?''
"I thought that was idle gossip? You know, the usual gripes of the more…native employees. I fail to see how that relates to the raptors engaging in their own culling though?'' Jane turned and leant against the rail, perching on the edge.
"The relation is that I observed troubling behaviour within the Pride,'' she said, "and then I was later informed by Mr Muldoon that the most recent addition organised a coup and killed off all but three of the others. It was on my recommendation report to Muldoon that they be transferred to a holding pen for temporary confinement and assessment. I was troubled further when I learnt John Hammond wanted to keep them in the pen for longer than I advised.''
"But why? Why kill off their own numbers?'' asked Sturridge. "I confess not to be an expert on them, only in making them, but I know they are pack hunters. Why reduce their numbers, and in so violent a manner?''
"I have my theories, but Dr Wu was reluctant to agree with me, as it contradicted his genius.'' Jane's lips twitched in a grin, somewhat savouring the memory of Henry Wu's face when she spoke to him about it.
"What do you mean?''
"Are you familiar with the hierarchy and social habits of wolves, Dr Sturridge? Specifically the habits of the breeding pair, or alpha's?''
"I think you know the answer to that already, Dr Marsden,'' said Sturridge patiently, but still with a twist to his lips.
"The abridged lesson here is that an alpha female has been known to kill off rival females within the pack. Many species share this trait, but wolves in particular can be extremely violent when the alpha decides on a course of action. Such as the removal of other rivals.''
"Alarming indeed, and something I used to see at my days in the University with the venomously ambitious under-graduates. But how does this relate to our Velociraptors. Their numbers are all female, with no chance of their being any rivalries for mating.'' Jane stared at him blankly, her cool blue eyes watching him closely.
"Are you so sure of that, Dr Sturridge?'' she said slowly. The older man looked at her thoughtfully, rubbing his beard again. The action irritated Jane.
"Dr Marsden, whilst we have males of almost all the species on Sorna, all the animals on Nublar and in Jurassic Park are female. You would suggest undermining our cloning process, our safety protocols and population numbers based on a hunch? Because of some bad tempered animals? Or in fact, one bad tempered animal, as you suggest that just one animal killed off the others?''
"One animal did kill off the others. There is no question of that," said Jane.
"So what is the question?''
"The question is why did she spare the others,'' said Jane. Sturridge waited for her to continue, with an infuriating air as if he were just humouring her. "She spared the others because they are male.''
"They cannot be,'' said Sturridge, almost confidently. "I have seen the adult males here, in both of our prides. The males are distinctly different in colour to the females."
"That may be, but I rather suspect the behaviour the males exhibit here will be identical to the ones in Jurassic Park. They will be subordinate to the female. Of this I am sure.''
"How can you be so sure though?'' queried Sturridge, frowning.
"Experience,'' said Jane. "I want to monitor their behaviour again when we return to Nublar, to verify my theory.''
"And I will be intrigued to see what conclusions you draw and submit. John Hammond as well, I suspect.''
"I doubt Mr Hammond will enjoy my observations." Jane rummaged in her own bag and produced a bottle of water, drinking deeply as she imagined Hammonds face as she reported her findings. "I think instead he will question why he thought hiring me was a good idea.''
"You do him a disservice. Granted, what Hammond wants Hammond gets, but Hammond only ever wants the best. Which reflects well on you, Dr Marsden. You would have been hired for a reason."
"We will see, I suppose,'' mused Jane, "when we return to Nublar later."
"If we get to Nublar,'' said Sturridge with a sigh. "I am not so confident in Mr Wallace's ability to get us back there safely. Not after what happened to Debbie."
"Would you prefer he not be here then? Or who would you put in charge?" Jane said it a bit more prickly than she'd intended, which irritated her even more. She looked over at where Ogawa was stood with Sidney, both of them bent over something that she couldn't see inside of a narrow, sheltered hut. Clearly an animated discussion going on between them. Seemed most discussion were animated at the moment where Sidney Wallace was concerned. "That man was hired for a reason too."
"I hope you are right,'' said Sturridge, returning to rubbing his leg. "But for the moment, I am entitled to my doubts. Who knows what else we will encounter between here and the village.''
"Excitement and high adventure I am sure,'' said Jane as she slung her pack over a shoulder and left the man to his scratching. Excitement had certainly been what they had had so far, however terrifying. An uneventful journey to the village and airlift to Nublar now seemed somewhat of a disappointing prospect. Jane knew she should be glad of no more incidents, but she couldn't shake the feeling of regret if they were to leave this island, so full of opportunity, even if it was just the Dilophosaurus and Carnotaurs that were out of containment.
Somehow, knowing the animals were roaming the island, free of fences, it was exhilarating. And what a chance it was, observing them as they should be. Wild, un-caged and acting as their instincts guided them to. She knew she was prey to them, it was no different to her time in the savannah, or the Amazon. With nothing between the hunter and the hunted, Jane felt the euphoric sense of belonging she got when she was in the field, away from the tribulations of her colleagues and fellow species.
Unbidden, the smile of the largest Velociraptor entered her mind, and all sense of euphoria evaporated. She had observed almost all of the species on Nublar, and wondered at them and admired all of them. Save the raptors. She was sure her theories were correct, which only succeeded in worrying her. If the Dilophosaurus and Carnotaurs were free, the chances that the raptors were free too seemed a chilling possibility. An uneventful airlift to the safety of Nublar held a lot more appeal of a sudden.
She wandered over to Sidney and Ogawa, curious about what they were discussing. Inside the small wooden hut she could see they were bent over another terminal, similar to the one back in the cargo building at the base of the hills. The warden looked up at her as she approached, his face betraying the apprehension he felt at her arrival. Not surprising. Most people shared that look when she turned up, the look of someone bracing themselves.
"Dr Marsden, I would return to the control building if I were you, make use of the shade.'' The warden nodded back the direction she had come, apparently indicating that was the best option for her.
"I thought I would enquire as to the progress of our journey. The younger members of our group will no doubt have some questions. I may be able to re-assure them, should they ask.'' Sidney raised his eyebrows, looking like he thought the idea of Jane re-assuring anyone was unlikely. Ogawa got there before Sidney.
"The situation is Doc that this terminal needs to be re-set in line with the control servers, inside the building yonder. I can get it online, but it's gonna take an hour or so. I'd go and take the weight off if I were you, because we aint going anywhere just yet." Jane pursed her lips, nodding.
"Not so hard now was it,'' said Jane, locking eyes with Sidney. The warden didn't reply, clearly wary of her, but Jane couldn't help herself. "Try not to look so sour Mr Wallace.'' She turned on her heel and headed for the building, passing a few people on the veranda. The interns were there muttering to each other and watching Sidney and Ogawa, whilst Grace was sat with Sturridge now, talking quietly. As she passed, the young doctors stopped talking and Jane felt a nasty reminder of high school. That awful time when she didn't know who she was, or who she was trying to be. Trapped between childhood and adulthood, with no way through but the vindictive, hurtful trials of adolescence and the relentless unkindness of the kids that always had something to prove. She tried a smile at them, but she might well have smiled at the wall for all the reaction she got. She forced the feelings down, ignoring them.
She entered the control room and found Williams sat with his crew mates, the big man Bertram sat playing with a computer, happily tapping at a keyboard with a blank screen. He looked up at her and gave her a warm smile, blinking stupidly as she stood in the doorway. She found herself smiling back at him, a wider smile than she could usually manage.
Not wanting to feel the tempting allure of a kind gesture, she moved swiftly on and found an empty chair next to Viv. The dark skinned woman had her head tipped back over the back of her chair, her eyes closed. She opened one a crack as Jane sat down.
"Any news? We going yet?''
"Not for an hour or so,'' said Jane, shifting her weight on the chair to get comfy. "Your colleague needs some time to get the power going on the next elevator, which is clearly testing Mr Wallace's patience.''
"He might play the moron, but Gordon is pretty slick when it comes to electronics. The guy is always droning on about servers and shit. Drives me nuts. But if he says he can get it going, he will.''
"Do you usually work together then?''
"Always do. We have worked the same shifts for a year now. Truth be told, he's my best friend. But God don't tell him I said that.'' Viv leant her head back again and shut her eyes, settling back into her seat. Jane watched her quietly for a moment, exploring the idea of working with a friend. The notion was quite alien.
She looked across the room and saw Dr Wilson, sat on the floor and fussing with his hands. The man looked worried, and tired. His bag was hugged close to him, looked like he would never let it go. Probably holding onto something that gave him any purpose right now. The man had been a source of reassurance to the group ever since they had all washed up on that beach, caring for them all as best he could. Small wonder he looked exhausted. Despite his clearly athletic physique, the man was feeling the strain.
Gail appeared suddenly, thumping down the steps from the floor above, a loaf of sliced bread in her hands. Jane felt her stomach growl at the sight of the bread, her body reminding her of how little food she had eaten recently. Gail began handing out the bread silently, her face looking grim. Her eyes, usually twinkling with good humour, were dull and hard. Seemed others were feeling the strain. Jane watched the tall woman move about the room before tossing the remainder of the bread on a desk and settling against a window sill, her eyes staring through Williams and his crewmate.
Jane could feel the weariness settling into her legs the longer she sat, and the dull ache of fatigue sinking its claws into her muscles. Her jaw worked mechanically at the bread, washing down the stale food with mouthfuls of water. She stretched out her legs and let her mind wander, ignoring the throb of her muscles and wishing, if only for a moment, that she was back in Vancouver, sliding into a hot bath, waiting for Charlotte to come home. Idle fantasy really. Even if she ever did get back, wasn't much chance of Charlotte ever coming home to her again.
Lewis Dodgson sat at the window of the hotel room, the wicker chair creaking every time he shifted his weight. He stared out across the town, rolling an empty glass between his hands, the last drops of bourbon sliding back and forth. The gently whump whump whump of the ceiling fan provided a hypnotic steady rhythm, much more preferable to that absolute shit they played on the radio. He was beginning to despise Costa Rica, and the clinging heat only served to piss him off so much more than it should have. The bourbon had tasted sour, but only because of the infuriating past few days. He'd been saving the bottle for a victorious indulgence, a way to mark his success.
Instead, it was now a consolation. Less than that. It was the only thing he had to show for his efforts, and he'd drunk half the bottle already. Literally turning the only thing in his world right then to piss. Piss to be flushed away, probably with his future with Biosyn.
He clenched the glass again, frowning even harder at the rooftops of the town, focusing his building fury. Fury that he promised himself someone would answer for. Someone like Dennis fucking Nedry. He'd last seen the man nearly a week ago. The arsehole had had the audacity to make Lewis pay for the colossal amount of food he'd consumed at their meeting place, even after Lewis had handed him a bag full of money. Money for a job that Nedry had not delivered on.
And that is what really grated on him. There had been no contact from his other agent at InGen, no word of a successful transfer from Nedry. In fact, he had heard nothing from any of them. Not Nedry, not even the idiot crewman he'd so easily coerced into his scheme. Why though? His mind had been over the possibility of Nedry or any of them getting caught so many times, maybe his fears had come true. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair, wondering if he would soon be facing the furious allegation of the InGen lawyers. There was no way Nedry wouldn't rat him out. The crewman either, he seemed the sort too. Still, his agent should have arrived here yesterday morning, if everything had gone to plan. Maybe they had double crossed him after all, stuck with InGen? No. Nedry was too obsessed with money to risk that, and the crewman was too desperate to climb out of the shithole of debt he'd got himself into. And his agent, well, they wouldn't dare now, would they?
He watched a bird swooping over the rooftops, pirouetting in the sky gracefully, when the phone on the rickety desk rang. The noise was shrill in the quiet of the room, and sudden. Most people would have jumped out of their skin at its sudden ringing. Lewis Dodgson simply lolled his head to one side and regarded the device with a dark look, as if the phone itself was now responsible for the fiasco of his operation. He snaked an arm out and wrenched the receiver off the cradle, stretching the cord and pressing it to his ear.
"Yes?''
"Hola, Senor," said the voice, heavily accented. "You have a call on the line for you. May I pass them through?''
"Who is it?" he slurred, running a finger around the rim of his glass.
"Apologise Senor, they didn't say. Only that you'd know?''
"Put them through. Gracias."
"Si, Senor." The line clicked a few times as the hotel receptionist transferred the call. After a few moments, the background noise of the hotel lobby was replaced with odd silence. Lewis wondered if the call had been cut off. Then a voice.
"Hello?'' Lewis sat up a bit more in his chair, recognising the caller.
"It's Dodgson. Where the fuck are you? What happened?''
"You tell me!'' the voice hissed. "Nedry never showed!"
"He hasn't made contact at all?'' said Lewis.
"No! He must have got caught." Lewis closed his eyes and breathed a sigh, the fury still there. "Have Hammonds people said anything? Have they charged him? What if he names us?''
"The fuck if I know! I have been sat waiting for the lot of you with my thumb up my ass!''
"No word at all? Nothing from anyone at the Park?'' The voice had faltered a bit, unsure. Confused even. "You're sure?''
"You think I'd be sat here in Costa Rica if they knew?''
"Somethings wrong then.''
"Well aren't you on the fucking ball!'' spat Lewis. "You can hang up this phone now. Our arrangement is terminated. Rest assured, you won't be joining our team, and those documents will be finding their way to the police. You are zero use to me now. All of you. Goodbye.''
"Wait!" hissed the voice. "Things here on Sorna have changed.'' Lewis was looking at the phone cradle, ready to put the receiver down.
"Oh?''
"There was an incident, on the boat. An explosion, during the storm. Listen, it's a long story, but a few of us made it out and Sorna's has been evacuated. InGen cleared out after the storm.''
"What are you saying?'' said Lewis slowly, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm saying the security at the labs will be non-existent. I'm saying the embryo's here will be much ,more viable than the ones you had to settle for with Nedry. I'm saying I can still do this for you.''
"Don't play games with me. I am in no mood to be fucked with. One call and the police receive very interesting paperwork on you. Very, very interesting.''
"There's no need for that,'' urged the voice. "Listen, I can get them for you. I promise."
"Where are you calling from?''
"We are at a cargo station near the docks. I found a satellite phone, but listen, I don't have long before I am missed. We will be moving onto the village soon. They want to radio Nublar for evacuation.''
"Then that's still no use to me is it?''
"What about…transport? Can you arrange something to get me out?''
"Hang on, I'll check the bus timetable for the secret fucking island tour and let you know. What do you think!?''
"Come on Dodgson! You have contacts. You get me an airlift from the lab, I can get you all the species Nedry could, and more!'' Lewis remained silent for a moment, considering. The glass rim began to squeak as the pressure from his fingers increased.
"How long?'' he said at last.
"What?''
"How long until you get to the lab and get me my embryos?''
"A few hours, definitely this afternoon. If I can get to the village I can get a vehicle. It's then a short drive and a quick recovery of the embryos. Have a chopper for me there.''
"And the coordinates for the lab?'' said Lewis. The voice stuttered for a moment.
"I can call you again from the village with the coordinates. The radio room will have all that down somewhere.'' Lewis considered the timings, the logistics of the proposal. He bit into his bottom lip, thinking, always thinking.
"If you fuck this up, and I mean this, I will personally see to it that you and your entire family are dragged through the courts, all your reputations shattered, all your dirty secrets laid bare. And I mean all of them. You want to keep your name clean? You deliver what you promised, and you do whatever must be done. Do you understand?''
"Just give me the time and be ready for my call. I can do this.''
"I hope so.'' The call disconnected and Lewis tossed the handset back towards the cradle. It landed with a plastic thump and slid along the desk. He leant back in his chair, the wicker creaking loudly as he bounced. The smallest smile tugged at his mouth. He glanced at the bottle of bourbon, the golden liquid suddenly looking just that bit more….golden.
"Well, why not,'' he said to himself as he sloshed some into his glass. He really did enjoy a nice bit of blackmail on a Monday morning, and why not? All was not lost after all. He sipped at the drink, and the taste seemed a bit sweeter this time round. A fair bit sweeter. Lewis Dodgson stared out of the hotel window and let his smile grow. After a few moments of he reached for the phone again and reset the dial tone, punching in a new number. After a few rings the call connected.
"Yes?'' growled a new voice.
"Cutter? It's me. Is your helicopter ready? I might have use of you and your men after all.''