Front steps of the Administration Building in the Workers Village: "No I don't know if you're going to be fired or transferred," said Jake. It had been a week since his conversation with Peter Ludlow and two days later he had been given a second shorter list of names of people to be pulled out at the end of the week. He had reported it immediately and not surprisingly an uproar emerged minutes afterwards.

"How can you not know?" someone shouted.

"It's because Mr. Ludlow has remained silent on the whole matter. This list was all I got and when I tried to contact him, I was refused contact," Jake lied.

"I thought you said we'd be fine!" someone shouted.

"Apparently those at Ingen do not share my appraisal of the situation," Jake responded truthfully. "But should we really be that surprised? Ingen has to be on the verge of Chapter 11, there's no way to look around that fact. Recalls and layoff are probable I won't lie to you about that. But Mr. Hammond is a nice man and maybe it won't come to that. At the very least your severance package should be really worth something and you're all going to be paid off to remain silent about this place. Truth be told, getting fired really doesn't look half bad. Maybe I should ask to be fired also."

Some laughter rippled through the group clustered around the bridge and around the moat at that statement.

"Listen," said Jake seriously. "If Ingen does let you go, take some time off, enjoy life being free of this accursed island, and try and get a job at Pacific Pharmaceuticals. They employ a decent amount of geneticists there and I'm sure we all know someone who works there and it isn't half bad based on what've I heard. Anyway, for those of you that are being pulled out this week, I wish you luck, and your rides should be here in a couple hours. I'll see you in the future."

Jake got up from the steps and walked down the steps to some mild clapping from the crowd. Everyone saw that he was just as upset and torn apart as they were over the whole situation. Jake looked extremely sleep deprived and had a variety of rings under his eyes as though he hadn't slept in days. As he passed through the crowd, he got a variety of thank you's and appreciation for everything that Jake had done for them over the years. Jake nodded and stumbled off down the road past the crowd.

"Where're you going?" someone asked. Jake turned around weakly and looked at them through bloodshot eyes.

"To work," he said with a grin. He got more laughs as he stumbled off and the crowd dispersed. Jake stumbled a little bit down the road before collapsing in front of the gas station. He sat against the wall silently reflective as people passed by either heading off to work or to pack for the trip back home. Some noticed him by the side of the street, but put off his look as tiredness. Jake sat there for several minutes before he finally looked up as time seemed to almost slow down and become surreal.

"Hey buddy, what's troubling you?" a voice said.

"Nothing that should concern you," said Jake not looking up and absently using a stick to draw strange figures in the dust.

"I think it does," said the voice. "After all, it's me that concerns you."

"What're you-," began Jake annoyed before he looked up at the speaker. What he saw shocked him to the bone as his old pal Jeffrey stood there above him. Jake began shaking uncontrollably before falling over in shock.

"Always said you were too high strung," said Jeffrey with a laugh as he sat down on the spot Jake had vacated. Jake just continued to stare at him wide-eyed, his friend didn't appear to be a ghost, but then again Jake had to admit he'd never seen one before nor considered them to exist at all.

"Y-you're dead," said Jake still lying on the ground.

"Yeah, go figure," said Jeffrey leaning back against the gas station wall. "Still, had to happen sometime I guess."

"But I killed you," said Jake sadly.

"No you didn't," said Jeffrey.

"Yes I-,"

"No, you didn't. I should've been paying more attention while on top of that crate. I should've known a raptor could pull something like that. You told me everything to expect and I didn't pay attention to any of it. I died, it was my fault, end of story," said Jeffrey.

"Then why are you here?" asked Jake finally getting up and sitting next to his old friend.

"I'm here because you are in danger of doing something in which there will be no turning back," said Jeffrey sadly. Jake shook his head.

"I don't have a choice!" Jake said helplessly. "There's nothing to hold me back now! You're dead! Ingen is gone! We're all alone out here and still they're short changing our staff leaving us even more defenseless when they break loose! It's not just me because other members of the still remaining staff are beginning to feel the same way. If it comes to it, and believe me it will, we will strike first!"

"They're not your enemy!" shouted Jeffrey. "These creatures have no grudge against you or humanity, they just want to live and survive like everything else. If you attack them first, only death and destruction can come as a result. And it won't just be here and now, oh no, it will affect things for years and years to come. Don't do this Jake, turn back now, get a hold of this situation!"

"I can't," said Jake with extreme remorse. "It's too late for me. It's too late for us all. I'm sorry old friend but I'm no longer the person I once was, your death, my cousin Ian getting wounded by that rex, has finally opened my eyes to the truth. It is not a good truth, but a truth nonetheless. This island changes you, into what I don't know, but by just being here, you will be very different than when you first came."

"Look," said Jeffrey getting up to leave. "Just promise you'll think about it and when you are forced to make your decision, do not make it lightly."

"I hope it doesn't come to that," admitted Jake. "But somehow, I think it will. Life always finds a way."

"Yes, I guess it does," said Jeffrey nodding. "Well I've got to go, but I will be back, rest assured of that."

"I will," said Jake. "And hopefully things will be different."

"No," said Jeffrey sadly as he shook his head. "I don't think they will. Remember, when you look too long into the abyss that abyss looks right through. Don't forget what Santyanna said."

"That those for forget the past and condemned to repeat it?" said Jake with a grin.

"That a fanatic is someone who redoubles his efforts while loosing sight of the goal," said Jeffrey and with that he was gone and in his place was a velociraptor.

"Hey Jake, wake up," it said. Jake's eyes went wide-open before he snapped awake and found himself laying down on the doctor's examining table in the medical ward of the operations building. Jake groaned.

"Oy," he said. The doctor, LaSalle, hovered over him.

"You need more sleep!" he chastised.

"I'm fine!" said Jake angrily as he began to get up, but found that he was too weak to do it.

"See what I mean?" said LaSalle. "When Sam and Jeff found you, you were delirious and talking in your sleep about who knows what. If you don't get some sleep and soon I'll have no choice but to relieve you of command on this island."

"You can't do that, you don't have the power to enforce that decision, not anymore," said Jake willing himself to get up despite his pain.

"Maybe not," agreed LaSalle. "But I can pump you so full of drugs that you won't know one day from the next. Get some sleep or there'll be consequences."

"If I go to sleep, this island will fall apart at the seams," said Jake angrily. "I can't and won't let that happen. This is a perilous time for Ingen and this island and I will see to it that it never tips it in the wrong direction."

"One of those factors could be an overworked and sleep deprived leader," said LaSalle. Jake sighed.

"Based on the amount of sleep that you think I've gotten, what am I in most danger of right now?" said Jake.

"Hallucinations," said the doctor simply. That really made Jake think long hard. After a few moments he sighed and growled angrily.

"In this savage land, one man stands alone, Jack Tenrec, defending humanity in a world gone mad. A world where only the strong survive," began Jake.

"What are you talking about?" demanded LaSalle.

"A world of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs," finished the scientist.

"Oh," said LaSalle still somewhat confused by the validity of the reference. "So what're you going to do?"

"I'll get some sleep," said Jake finally as he left the room. Jake growled angrily as he left the room, he had simply too much to do, than go to sleep, but if he was relieved of command, things would get even worse. The scientist stumbled across the building where various scientists were sitting and loafing around.

"Get back to work," said Jake. "We can't afford to have laziness set in now; it'll impact the rest of the operations on this island."

"What operations?" someone asked. "There's no place to send them so what's the point?"

"Make one," said Jake harshly. "Now get back to work."

The scientists all grumbled, but ultimately got up and went back to the incubators.

"Look, I'm just as disillusioned as you all are, but we have to keep it together, we can't afford to let laziness set in because those creatures out there don't know that word. We have to keep at the top of our game if we hope to survive," said Jake solemnly. The scientists shrugged not really caring as Jake returned to his room back at the hotel. When he was walking down the main street though, he stopped and watched Stevie walking her protoceratops.

"Hey Stevie," said Jake walking up to the two of them.

"Oh hi Jake," said Stevie as she pushed up her sunglasses so they stood on top of her head.

"Hi Steviesaurus," said Jake bending down and rubbing the creatures crest causing it to growl happily. Jake stood up and began walking with the two of them down the street.

"She's looking a little tubby," said Jake.

"Yeah," admitted Stevie "That's why we're on our walk so she'll loose some weight. I've been feeding her way too many snacks."

"Hard to believe eating your greens can get you fat," said Jake shrugging.

"I don't think the greens were the problem," said Stevie. "Although thanks for that fern, she really enjoyed it."

"Well if not the greens then what?" said Jake before he noticed Stevie fidgeting nervously. "Oh no, you didn't feed her candy did you? Stevie, how could you? That's so irresponsible."

"You're the one who get her hooked on the stuff!" Stevie protested.

"When?" Jake demanded.

"During 'take your secretary to lunch' day!" said Stevie. "You couldn't handle that rich chocolate and you fed it to her. She was absolutely wired after that, for the next day and a half. Afterwards she wouldn't eat her greens unless I gave her candy as well. It took me forever to wean her off of that stuff! Believe me it's your entire fault. You made my baby become fat."

Jake laughed before he started yawning as his eyes began drooping. Stevie referred to the protoceratops as her child, but Jake would often have to take care of it when she went on vacation so that sometimes the scientists referred to it as their child. Stevie would sometimes refer to it as theirs if they were walking together with the thing. But on days like today when she felt that Jake was being detrimental to the protoceratops health, she referred to it as just being hers.

"Alright Stevie," Jake admitted. "I'm sorry. I don't want to see Steviesaurus suffer from high cholesterol, I'll keep in mind what I feed her in the future."

"Thanks," said Stevie. "You know you're not looking too hot yourself."

"Yeah," said Jake nodding sadly. "It's just the unfortunate side-effect of having to run a multi-million dollar installation with minimal staff. Three days would be hard enough, but from now until who knows when? It's a nightmare."

"I'm sure you'll manage," said Stevie beginning to laugh. "After all, if you could teach me Econ, you can do anything."

"At least your heart was in the right place," said Jake. "Here is another matter."

They walked in silence for another few moments as Steviesaurus ate what little grass was still left inside the compound.

"Hey Jake," said Stevie as they reached the apartment complex.

"Yeah," said Jake yawning as he stretched his arms out.

"Thanks again for everything," said Stevie. "Tutoring me in Econ, getting me this job here, presenting me with Steviesaurus, taking me out to lunch, just…thanks for everything."

"It was my pleasure," said Jake shrugging. "You've been a great friend over the years."

"Yeah," said Stevie nodding. "You too. Listen, I don't know if I'm going to be recalled or not, but if I am could you do me a big favor."

"Anything," said Jake shrugging.

"Please take care of Steviesaurus," said Stevie sadly as she looked at the thing. "I don't think she can survive in the wild and I'd fall apart if I found out anything bad happened to her because I had to leave."

"Yeah I'll watch over Stevie Jr. for you," said Jake bending down and rubbing the thing's frill. The creature rumbled again in pleasure.

"Well I'll see you two again sometime," said Jake making a motion to leave. "Oh, be careful when wandering around the perimeter fences on your own, it's dangerous out there. I don't want to see you two injured."

"We will. Bye Jake," said Stevie nodding as she and her protoceratops continued walking down the street and out of the compound. Jake sighed as he watched them go before he turned to the apartment complex and entered into it. He made his way to his room, which was adorned with mostly movie posters of Godzilla, Mad Max, one Carnosaur poster, and some promotional posters for Jurassic Park. Jake sighed and lay down on his bed before realizing something and picked up the phone. He dialed a long list of numbers.

"Hello, Ian Malcolm's room please. Yes I know he's still recuperating from his ordeal. My name's Jake Whitacre, I'm his cousin and he's expecting my call. Thank you," said Jake. He sighed and rubbed his weary eyes and silently cursed at himself. Ian had been injured a week ago and only now was he bothering to call him.

"Hey Ian it's me Jake. Yeah I'm glad you're alright. Listen sorry I couldn't call earlier, but works was really bogging me down and yes I know that isn't an excuse. Yeah I had no idea that was going to happen. So life did find a way, I bet you're happy. Chaos is inevitable, yes I know. Wait, what? They can't breed that's impossible, Grant's just off his rocker. West African Frogs? I don't know, it doesn't seem possible… Sure I'll think about it. No, I had nothing to do with those things on Jurassic Park," Jake lied and instantly felt intense guilt wash over him. "I just did research on amber deposits. Listen, Ian I'm sorry about what happened I really am. No, Ian don't do that! I'm not speaking out of loyalty to my company, if you speak out about what happened on Nublar Ingen will bury you! This isn't an idle statement, I've seen it done before. Speaking of which, what the hell happened over there? Nedry! Damn, I should've suspected him of having something up his sleeve. What's that, the nurse is telling you to get some rest? Alright I'll talk to you again sometime, say hi to Kelly for me. Good night Ian."

Jake hung up the phone and really rubbed his eyes. Now things were starting to fall into place, apparently Nedry had sold out Ingen, but neither John Hammond nor John Brown had mentioned that. Jake just shrugged it off and laid down on his bed and moments later he was sound asleep.