8. MOMBASSA
Based from early scripting for the movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park by
Michael Crichton
Tuesday, July 12, 1999(Different Time Lines) Mombassa, Kenya
Roland Tembo- a man in his late sixties, his skin like leather, and the diamond hard look of a cobra- sat at a table in the middle of an African bar in Mombassa, Kenya. It was daytime and the place was half full, mostly with locals, but there were a few obnoxious tourists too, Americans on safari who somehow found the local hangout. They were a noisy bunch, but Roland tuned them out, calmly eating his lunch and drinking a beer while he was reading a book, eyeglasses hanging low on his nose.
Roland was a poacher, and a damned good one at that. He had killed dozens of African predators in his time and still had yet to stop killing them. Roland loved the hunt, almost too much, but nevertheless, he always got what he was after. Until recently, when he finally decided that it was time to throw in the towel and retire. Old age finally crept up on the poacher, and he may have hated it, but it was inevitable.
Roland suddenly stopped reading and furrowed his brow. He looked up. He sniffed the air once, then smiled." Ajay," he said turning around. Roland had a keen sense for picking any kind of smell, especially from his best friend, and greatest partner, Ajay.
Ajay Sidahu, the wiry East Indian from the amber mine, was standing behind him, caught trying to sneak up. "How did you know?" Ajay said cheerfully.
Roland stood up and hugged Ajay. "That cheap aftershave I send you every Christmas, you actually wear it," Roland said. "I'm touched. Sit down. Sit down... What in the world brings you to Mombassa?" the two sat down at the table as Roland took a drink of his beer.
"You," Ajay said.
"Me," Roland asked.
Ajay shook his head. "Tell me, Roland, when was the last time you answered your phone? "
"Last time I plugged it in, I suppose," Roland said questioningly. "Why?"
Behind them, the group of American tourists, all men, laughed loudly. One of them, the most obnoxious one, berated the waitress.
"The company that I work for now in the United States, Biosyn, is going to Costa Rica, or thereabouts," Ajay said. "Now, if I can make you believe me, it's a most, uh, unique expedition. And very well funded.
"Well, I'm a very well-funded old son of a bitch," Roland said. "You go."
The most obnoxious tourist bellowed for the waitress. His buddies laughed. Roland threw a glance, annoyed.
"But alone," Ajay said. "We always had such great success together, you and I."
"Just a little bit too much, I think," Roland said.
"How do you mean," Ajay said.
"A true hunter doesn't mind if the animal wins," Roland said. "If it escapes. But there weren't enough escapes from you and me, Ajay. I've decided to spend a bit less time in the company of death. Maybe I just feel too close to it myself. Hell, it's probably illegal." Ajay laughed. "You know how it is with all of these laws preventing us to kill basically any of the wildlife anymore."
The waitress went to the tourists' table and the most obnoxious tourist actually pawed her ass. Roland was out of his chair in a second.
"Excuse me," Roland claimed to Ajay. Ajay turned around. He couldn't wait to see what was about to happen. Whenever Roland had reason to get mad at someone, he'd take the opportunity to kick some ass, no questions asked.
Roland walked over to the tourists' table, and said something to the waitress in the local dialect, and she walked away, behind him. Roland stared down at the most obnoxious tourist.
"You, sir are no gentleman," Roland said wiping off his reading glasses.
One of the tourist's friends laughed and placed his hand on the obnoxious tourist's shoulder. "Haven't I been telling you that?"
"Is that supposed to be an insult," the tourist said.
"I can think of none greater," Roland said.
The tourist looked at his Buddies and laughed. "Buzz off, you silly old bastard."
"What do I have to do to pick a fight with you, bring your mother into it," Roland said smiling.
"Are you kidding," the tourist asked. " I could take you with one hand tied down."
"Oh, is that so," Roland asked smiling.
* * *
In the middle of the restaurant, a waiter finished tying a man's wrist to his belt in the back of his pants with a napkin. He pulled the knot tight and the man turned around. It was Roland, with his arm tied down. The tourist stood across from him. "I meant my hand."
Pow! Roland punched him square in the jaw. The tourist reels, stunned. Enraged, he lunged at Roland, swinging with both arms. Roland bobbed, neatly ducking the punches, and waited for the tourist to turn around, and popped him thrice in the face. The tourist spun and went down to the floor, face first. A cloud of sawdust and a loud cheer from the locals rose up in the bar.
"Welcome to Mombassa," Roland said smiling.
Back at his table, Roland dropped the napkin on the table and sat back down with Ajay. In the background, the tourist's buddies hurriedly carried their fallen cohort out of the bar.
"Are you alright," of the tourist's friends said.
"Man he kicked your ass," another friend said.
The friends that were carrying the obnoxious tourist weren't paying attention to where they were going and accidentally ran his spread legs into a pole nearby.
The obnoxious tourist yelled in pain. "Oh my God!"
"Sorry," Roland said wiping blood off his knuckles. "You were saying?
"You broke that idiot's jaw for no reason other than your own boredom," Ajay said. " Tell the truth, Roland. Aren't you even interested in knowing this expedition's quarry?"
"Ajay," Roland said looking up at his best friend. "Go on up to my ranch, take a look around the trophy room, and tell me what kind of quarry you think could possibly be of any interest to me."
Ajay smiled. "I don't have to go up there, Roland. I've seen that room dozens of times. What I'm offering to you is a chance to catch something that hasn't existed for sixty-five million years."
Roland looked up from his drink. "What?"
"You really should watch more television," Ajay replied. "Haven't you ever heard of InGen, or the incident that occurred on an island off shore of Costa Rica back in 1989?"
"No," Roland replied, "I haven't. Should I have?"
"Well Roland," Ajay began, "InGen were able to create something that wasn't thought to ever be possible. They created majestic animals of unbelievable magnitude that only you and I could ever dream of..."
"Is there a point to this Ajay," Roland asked. "I've been trying to read this book here for several days and I'd really like to get through it."
"You never change my old friend," Ajay said. "Always wanting to get to the point. Well, ok. They created genetically engineered dinosaurs."
"You've got to be kidding me," Roland said showing confusion. "How is that possible?"
"It's a very long story, but now Biosyn is planning to go to one of those old islands and take some of the animals back to the mainland for a park that they're creating."
"What happened to InGen's park?"
"It failed several years ago thanks to a former partner that Biosyn had within InGen. He was a disgruntled employee that was tired of the way things were being run. So a man named Lewis Dodgson, to take some of the dinosaur's embryos, hired him. That plain backfired causing the park's power systems to go down and several people to be killed."
"I see. And what's to keep this sort of thing from happening again?"
"That isn't our concern, Roland. What we are to be concerned with is how to get you there, and as your best friend, I know what you're looking for."
"Oh really? What am I looking for Ajay?"
"A trophy in your ranch that you can claim as your own without someone else saying that they have one that is bigger. Think about it Roland. How would you like to see a snarling Tyrannosaurus Rex head mounted on your walls?"
Roland suddenly perked up hearing what his best friend had just said. It was true that there was very little in Roland's ranch that someone else didn't already have. A T-Rex would be something new that he could brag about and show off. This was an offer that he could no longer refuse. "Alright, Ajay, I'm in."
"Good," Ajay replied smiling. "We'll leave from here in a few hours to the states. Have some things ready and I'll meet you at your home when I'm ready to go."
Ajay got up from the table and walked away. Roland turned back to his book and smiled while he started reading again.
Michael Crichton
Tuesday, July 12, 1999(Different Time Lines) Mombassa, Kenya
Roland Tembo- a man in his late sixties, his skin like leather, and the diamond hard look of a cobra- sat at a table in the middle of an African bar in Mombassa, Kenya. It was daytime and the place was half full, mostly with locals, but there were a few obnoxious tourists too, Americans on safari who somehow found the local hangout. They were a noisy bunch, but Roland tuned them out, calmly eating his lunch and drinking a beer while he was reading a book, eyeglasses hanging low on his nose.
Roland was a poacher, and a damned good one at that. He had killed dozens of African predators in his time and still had yet to stop killing them. Roland loved the hunt, almost too much, but nevertheless, he always got what he was after. Until recently, when he finally decided that it was time to throw in the towel and retire. Old age finally crept up on the poacher, and he may have hated it, but it was inevitable.
Roland suddenly stopped reading and furrowed his brow. He looked up. He sniffed the air once, then smiled." Ajay," he said turning around. Roland had a keen sense for picking any kind of smell, especially from his best friend, and greatest partner, Ajay.
Ajay Sidahu, the wiry East Indian from the amber mine, was standing behind him, caught trying to sneak up. "How did you know?" Ajay said cheerfully.
Roland stood up and hugged Ajay. "That cheap aftershave I send you every Christmas, you actually wear it," Roland said. "I'm touched. Sit down. Sit down... What in the world brings you to Mombassa?" the two sat down at the table as Roland took a drink of his beer.
"You," Ajay said.
"Me," Roland asked.
Ajay shook his head. "Tell me, Roland, when was the last time you answered your phone? "
"Last time I plugged it in, I suppose," Roland said questioningly. "Why?"
Behind them, the group of American tourists, all men, laughed loudly. One of them, the most obnoxious one, berated the waitress.
"The company that I work for now in the United States, Biosyn, is going to Costa Rica, or thereabouts," Ajay said. "Now, if I can make you believe me, it's a most, uh, unique expedition. And very well funded.
"Well, I'm a very well-funded old son of a bitch," Roland said. "You go."
The most obnoxious tourist bellowed for the waitress. His buddies laughed. Roland threw a glance, annoyed.
"But alone," Ajay said. "We always had such great success together, you and I."
"Just a little bit too much, I think," Roland said.
"How do you mean," Ajay said.
"A true hunter doesn't mind if the animal wins," Roland said. "If it escapes. But there weren't enough escapes from you and me, Ajay. I've decided to spend a bit less time in the company of death. Maybe I just feel too close to it myself. Hell, it's probably illegal." Ajay laughed. "You know how it is with all of these laws preventing us to kill basically any of the wildlife anymore."
The waitress went to the tourists' table and the most obnoxious tourist actually pawed her ass. Roland was out of his chair in a second.
"Excuse me," Roland claimed to Ajay. Ajay turned around. He couldn't wait to see what was about to happen. Whenever Roland had reason to get mad at someone, he'd take the opportunity to kick some ass, no questions asked.
Roland walked over to the tourists' table, and said something to the waitress in the local dialect, and she walked away, behind him. Roland stared down at the most obnoxious tourist.
"You, sir are no gentleman," Roland said wiping off his reading glasses.
One of the tourist's friends laughed and placed his hand on the obnoxious tourist's shoulder. "Haven't I been telling you that?"
"Is that supposed to be an insult," the tourist said.
"I can think of none greater," Roland said.
The tourist looked at his Buddies and laughed. "Buzz off, you silly old bastard."
"What do I have to do to pick a fight with you, bring your mother into it," Roland said smiling.
"Are you kidding," the tourist asked. " I could take you with one hand tied down."
"Oh, is that so," Roland asked smiling.
* * *
In the middle of the restaurant, a waiter finished tying a man's wrist to his belt in the back of his pants with a napkin. He pulled the knot tight and the man turned around. It was Roland, with his arm tied down. The tourist stood across from him. "I meant my hand."
Pow! Roland punched him square in the jaw. The tourist reels, stunned. Enraged, he lunged at Roland, swinging with both arms. Roland bobbed, neatly ducking the punches, and waited for the tourist to turn around, and popped him thrice in the face. The tourist spun and went down to the floor, face first. A cloud of sawdust and a loud cheer from the locals rose up in the bar.
"Welcome to Mombassa," Roland said smiling.
Back at his table, Roland dropped the napkin on the table and sat back down with Ajay. In the background, the tourist's buddies hurriedly carried their fallen cohort out of the bar.
"Are you alright," of the tourist's friends said.
"Man he kicked your ass," another friend said.
The friends that were carrying the obnoxious tourist weren't paying attention to where they were going and accidentally ran his spread legs into a pole nearby.
The obnoxious tourist yelled in pain. "Oh my God!"
"Sorry," Roland said wiping blood off his knuckles. "You were saying?
"You broke that idiot's jaw for no reason other than your own boredom," Ajay said. " Tell the truth, Roland. Aren't you even interested in knowing this expedition's quarry?"
"Ajay," Roland said looking up at his best friend. "Go on up to my ranch, take a look around the trophy room, and tell me what kind of quarry you think could possibly be of any interest to me."
Ajay smiled. "I don't have to go up there, Roland. I've seen that room dozens of times. What I'm offering to you is a chance to catch something that hasn't existed for sixty-five million years."
Roland looked up from his drink. "What?"
"You really should watch more television," Ajay replied. "Haven't you ever heard of InGen, or the incident that occurred on an island off shore of Costa Rica back in 1989?"
"No," Roland replied, "I haven't. Should I have?"
"Well Roland," Ajay began, "InGen were able to create something that wasn't thought to ever be possible. They created majestic animals of unbelievable magnitude that only you and I could ever dream of..."
"Is there a point to this Ajay," Roland asked. "I've been trying to read this book here for several days and I'd really like to get through it."
"You never change my old friend," Ajay said. "Always wanting to get to the point. Well, ok. They created genetically engineered dinosaurs."
"You've got to be kidding me," Roland said showing confusion. "How is that possible?"
"It's a very long story, but now Biosyn is planning to go to one of those old islands and take some of the animals back to the mainland for a park that they're creating."
"What happened to InGen's park?"
"It failed several years ago thanks to a former partner that Biosyn had within InGen. He was a disgruntled employee that was tired of the way things were being run. So a man named Lewis Dodgson, to take some of the dinosaur's embryos, hired him. That plain backfired causing the park's power systems to go down and several people to be killed."
"I see. And what's to keep this sort of thing from happening again?"
"That isn't our concern, Roland. What we are to be concerned with is how to get you there, and as your best friend, I know what you're looking for."
"Oh really? What am I looking for Ajay?"
"A trophy in your ranch that you can claim as your own without someone else saying that they have one that is bigger. Think about it Roland. How would you like to see a snarling Tyrannosaurus Rex head mounted on your walls?"
Roland suddenly perked up hearing what his best friend had just said. It was true that there was very little in Roland's ranch that someone else didn't already have. A T-Rex would be something new that he could brag about and show off. This was an offer that he could no longer refuse. "Alright, Ajay, I'm in."
"Good," Ajay replied smiling. "We'll leave from here in a few hours to the states. Have some things ready and I'll meet you at your home when I'm ready to go."
Ajay got up from the table and walked away. Roland turned back to his book and smiled while he started reading again.