Next day, InGen HQ, San Diego: Jake and Henry were sitting in a room set up to look like an interrogation room with a single table and an assortment of chairs around it. After they landed in San Diego late last night they had been set up with some accommodations for the night and gruffly been told to be back at HQ when it opened and if not, a non-specific threat was made. The two had arrived diligently and were led to this room where they'd been sitting for the past hour with no sign of anybody.
"I didn't think things were this bad," Henry commented, a little miffed. Jake shrugged as he leaned back in his chair and stretched.
"I highly doubt they are. Ludlow's probably jumping at shadows like he always does," the other scientist figured. "Remember when that oviraptor got loose back on Indigo while it was being transferred? He was practically foaming at the mouth looking for someone to blame when in reality it was just an accident that the gate didn't lock properly on its container. Some things never change."
"I suppose you're right," agreed Henry as he too began to relax. The door handle began to turn as he finished saying that. "Well Jake, as you always say 'don't give him the satisfaction'."
"You're absolutely right," said Jake with a smile as Ludlow and Ross walked in with a stack of papers. They walked over and sat down and he produced a tape recorder and set it on the table and pressed record.
"Gee, Pete, no coffee or donuts?" asked Jake with feigned dismay as Henry grinned at that. Ludlow didn't respond to that comment, he continued to put his paperwork on the desk before clearing his throat and looking straight at them with an icy stare.
"Unacceptable," he began saying. "You two and that team of yours is responsible for mass contamination of a crime scene that has major implications for the future of this company. You also disobeyed a direct order from me to leave that island. I have every right at the moment to fire both of you and have you brought up on charges for insubordination, gross negligence, and dereliction of duty. What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Jake straightened back up and cracked his neck before leaning over and looking Ludlow in the eyes.
"I want to speak with Hammond," he requested simply and calmly.
"You don't get that luxury. I am effectively running InGen now and you are answerable to me, not him," stated Ludlow shooting his request down.
"Then I want to speak with a lawyer," said Henry chiming in.
"Partner Ross is a lawyer and you're speaking with him right now," said Ludlow again dismissively. Jake barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at that.
"Then fire us and get this kangaroo court over with," said Jake effectively forcing his hand. "Because we both know you won't. We're far too valuable to this organization now more than ever and deep down you know we didn't do anything wrong."
Ludlow subsequently grinded his jaw so hard that the two scientists could easily hear it.
"This company is under attack from forces unknown and I will find who is responsible," he stated darkly.
"I don't understand," began Henry confused. "The only person responsible was Nedry and whomever he was working for. Nobody else."
"I'm not convinced of that," Ludlow declared. "I don't believe Nedry acted alone and I am also not convinced that whoever hired him won't attempt to reacquire more embryos in the future."
"A witch hunt, great," remarked Jake now rolling his eyes. "You're looking for things that aren't there again, Pete."
"I will be the judge of that. Right now I am compiling a list of likely suspects who could potentially betray this company's secrets to outside organizations," Ludlow began anew as he reached for his paperwork.
"Well let me stop you right there because if Jake and I were stealing embryos from this company, you'd never know about it," said Henry with a conspiratorial smile. Ludlow angrily brushed all of his paperwork off the table and it flew everywhere. The two scientists were unmoved by his little outburst.
"I don't think you're aware of what situation this company is currently in because of that little incident at the Park," Ludlow accused. "Even with no official word out, the investors are all looking to pull out of this project and our insurance company seems to be out for blood. So I don't need your garbage right now. I will do whatever is necessary to keep this company afloat during these turbulent times and if that means being the enemy then so be it."
Jake and Henry had no response to that. Ludlow was right, InGen was going to be in for some turbulent times ahead but neither felt that what he was planning on doing would make things better, only worse. But they weren't on the board so there wasn't much they could do about it.
"Tell me what you found on Nublar," Ludlow continued as if the prior outburst hadn't happened.
"We went to Jurassic Park to recover vital assets that shouldn't have been left unattended," Henry began. Jake had briefed him on his side of the story on the helicopter ride over. "We also wanted to figure out exactly what had happened and so we brought Timothy and the DRT Team along with us. What we found was a wrecked Visitors Center and stolen embryos. So we recovered what we could and Timothy, the DRT Team, and myself returned to the landing pad while Jake and a DRT member went into the jungle to try and find the missing embryos."
"Were you able to determine why Jurassic Park experienced its technical difficulties?" Ludlow asked next as he began scribbling down notes about their story.
"Not conclusively, but we did uncover enough evidence to develop a theory," Henry answered next.
"Which is?" asked Ludlow all ears. Jake and Henry exchanged a glance contemplating what Ludlow's responses would be.
"We believe Dennis Nedry attempted to steal the embryos and get them to the east dock and the awaiting Anne B.," Henry told him.
"And did he succeed?" asked Ludlow next, completely emotionless and without wasting a beat.
"I don't believe so," said Jake finally speaking up.
"And why not?" asked Ludlow.
"Because I found Nedry's jeep about a quarter mile from the docks lodged on a fallen tree, still apparently heading towards it," Jake answered. "Judging from the fact that a tow cable was wrapped around a tree and Nedry's rotting corpse was inside the jeep itself, I would further postulate that he did not walk to the dock to deliver his cargo."
"What do you believe killed him?" asked Ludlow.
"Dilophosaur," Jake said simply. Inwardly he wondered if Ludlow even knew anything about that dinosaur.
"And you're positive that it killed him?" asked Ludlow with a hint of doubt in his voice.
"What else could have? The signs were pretty distinct," Jake mentioned.
"He could have been killed beforehand by whomever he was supposed to deliver the embryos to," Ludlow suggested. Jake and Henry were amazed he even made that suggestion.
"That's a little far fetched don't you think?" Henry accused.
"You said it yourself, you failed to recover the missing embryos," the COO shot back. Jake shifted uncomfortably at that.
"Yes, but not from lack of trying," he responded. "We were set upon by dilophosaurs as well and were coated with venom from them. We couldn't stay to find the embryos. In fact we were fortunate just to survive the encounter."
"Just weighing all options pending a full investigation," he said dismissively as he reviewed his notes. "Was that all?"
"Yes," said Jake. He and Henry had chosen to remain quiet on the juvenile raptor until they could draw their own conclusions. "Do you mind if I ask a question?"
"I cannot guarantee a response," Ludlow warned him.
"After the boat left, why where there only four people left behind to man Nublar?" Jake demanded. "That's a clear violation of SOP and makes absolutely no sense from an operating standpoint with the guests outnumbering the workers. Yet everyone we interviewed said they received official orders to leave. Those orders evidently came from the top brass. So I want to know who issued them."
"Well I'm afraid that orders such as that are often marked confidential so I'm of no help to you there," Ludlow stated, avoiding the question.
"If I find out you're somehow responsible…," Jake warned.
"You'll do what?" asked Ludlow calling his bluff. "Do nothing? That's really the only option available to you."
Jake leaned back in his chair and stewed over that comment.
"So where do we go now?" asked Henry. "What becomes of InGen now that Jurassic Park's future is uncertain?"
"We have yet to decide such matters, but when we do, you'll know," Ludlow said cryptically.
"So then what now, do we just go back to our regular lives?" asked Jake curious.
"More or less," Ludlow began. "You will certainly be allowed to return to Sorna and continue your work but an onsite investigation will be conducted at some point."
Henry and Jake both groaned at that to Ludlow's pleasure.
"And who is going to be conducted said investigation?" Jake asked before adding obnoxiously. "Because of course any investigation needs to be impartial."
"Oh, I know," said Ludlow agreeing with him but not without a hint of sarcasm. "That's why I consider myself fortunate to have found someone whom is independent of InGen, but has a vested interest in our products and also cannot be bought off by the competition."
"Who?" asked Henry. Ludlow motioned to the doorway and a new arrival walked in with a broad grin on his face as Jake and Henry sat their stunned, utterly speechless.
"Oh, sh-," began Jake involuntarily as the man laughed.
"Gentlemen, I believe you know Dr. Richard Levine," said Ludlow with a menacing grin. Levine walked up and grabbed and shook both the scientists' hands.
"It's such a pleasure to finally be able to meet you two. You were avoiding Marty so much, I was beginning to think you didn't like me," said Levine feigning hurt. "Imagine my delight when InGen came knocking on my door to investigate the safety and security of your little project. I can't wait to begin!"
"Couldn't you have hired someone else?" Henry pleaded.
"Such as?" asked Ludlow curious and doubtful.
"George Baselton," Jake suggested. He was a professor at another university that Jake and Henry knew from their readings on T-Rex behavior. They also believed he was grossly incompetent, which meant they could more easily manipulate him into not bothering their work.
"I would, but we're using him to deny that Jurassic Park ever existed in the event that word leaks out and so he can't be allowed to see any dinosaurs," the COO told them. "Besides that, we think he has ties to Biosyn so he cannot be allowed anywhere near InGen classified assets."
"So as you see, I'm the perfect man for the job," said Levine smugly as he took crossed his arms.
"But don't you have to play with your dollies first?" asked Jake derisively. Levine refused to give him the satisfaction of a groan.
"Like I haven't heard that a million times before," he scoffed. He was the heir apparent to a very popular toy manufacturer that produced the Becky Doll series and they were all the rage. As such he was extremely rich.
"Those 'dollies' as you refer to them means that Dr. Levine cannot be bought off by companies such as Biosyn and can provide the impartiality we need," Ludlow responded curtly. Jake and Henry had to concede that point at least, despite their dislike for the man.
"But he's not qualified to lead an investigation," Henry said, which was completely true.
"That is why he's bringing his own team with him to assist in his assignment. First is Dr. Gutierrez whom I believe you're both already familiar with. His expertise will be primarily needed to determine if the dinosaurs are capable of escaping Sorna. Next up is Jack Thorne who is an expert on everything mechanical and he'll do a thorough check to make sure the island is up to code," Ludlow began as he produced some personnel files.
"Gee are you not going to bring those two middle school students of yours? I heard they were your new assistants after you got the University HR Department fed up with you and refused to send you any more secretaries," Jake laughed as Henry did the same.
"Yes I am bringing them," said Levine cutting into their humor. "And for the record, they're now college freshmen and both have full scholarships to continue working for me. So they'll be around for every other weekend."
"Well good for them," was Henry's truthful contribution on his and Jake's behalf. He didn't want any oversight over his work either, but the two teenagers weren't to be blamed for that.
"So when does this oversight begin?" asked Jake next. He needed to know how much time they had to make Site B a pristine model of efficiency.
"Oh, not until the end of the month," Ludlow told them. He too respected their silent need to make the island look better than it actually was. After all, Levine's report would be used as a basis for the future prospects of InGen. As long as Sorna was intact, there might still be hope the company could recover from what had happened on Nublar. After all, Jurassic Park Europe was in the beginning phases of construction and they still had the Jurassic Park amphitheatre only a few blocks away.
"Well if that's all, you're dismissed," Ludlow said next. "I look forward to reading your reports."
"And I look forward to writing it. Gentlemen," said Levine tipping his head and then arrogantly striding out of the room. Jake and Henry got up as well.
"This isn't over," Jake warned Ludlow.
"No," Ludlow agreed. "It's only just the beginning."
Jake and Henry left at that and headed outside where they saw Levine driving off in his Ferrari. Jake just stalked off towards the exit of the parking lot.
"Where we going?" asked Henry since he had nowhere else to be until the helicopter arrived.
"Lunch at the amphitheatre," Jake said simply as the large construction could be seen in the distance. The two walked in silence towards it as each thought about the conversation they had just had.
Isla Indigo: Head of Indigo Station, Danielle St. Ives was on the phone with Peter Ludlow.
"I give you my personal assurance that no embryos passed through this island from Nublar to the mainland," Danielle insisted. "We have very strict security checks in place."
"So do you have a record of everything Dennis Nedry brought onto Nublar during his last trip?" asked Ludlow next. Danielle's brow furled at that.
"Nedry?" she asked confused as to his importance and then began checking the records on her computer. "Yes of course I do. He brought assorted candy bars, soda cans, technical journals, and stuff like that. I don't see anything out of the ordinary."
"What was the bulkiest item he brought?" Ludlow asked next. Danielle wasn't sure where he was going with that statement but she checked her records.
"A can of shaving cream," she answered. A muffled silence was heard over the phone as if Ludlow was talking to someone and didn't want her to hear.
"Did you check the can?" he asked. Danielle was really perplexed about that.
"Not personally, but whomever did the checking on the item would've made sure that it worked," she answered. She then rattled off the name of the worker who had and then noted the case number to indicate Nedry had been cleared to go on to Jurassic Park just days before it collapsed.
"And no cans of shaving cream have left to the mainland since then?" Ludlow continued asking. Danielle checked her records again.
"Negative," she stated. Normally such detailed records would seem out of the ordinary for even a government customs checking point, but the trio of islands were supposed to be an entirely contained system with nothing come in or out without being checked and logged in the system. The danger of contaminants coming in or out was just too great a risk when dealing with dinosaurs.
"And you detail checked the boat?" asked Ludlow with the next predictable question.
"Every time," said Danielle beginning to feel a headache coming on over this questioning. "The Anne B. is an InGen contracted boat and they're well aware of our procedures. We've even retooled our entire checking procedure after we found that oviraptor that escaped its cage a few months back. I won't allow another A-1 incident to occur if it's in my power to prevent. Although I will say that we weren't afforded the opportunity to check the Nublar survivors or Drs. Whitacre and Wu since you circumvented us to get at them. Not to mention that tour of Hammond's from a couple days back."
"Yes and I apologize for that," said Ludlow truthfully. "But time is of the essence at the moment and I couldn't afford any delays."
"Fine," said Danielle willing to let it slide. "Just inform me about these things in the future because the safety of Indigo, Nublar, and Sorna is my top priority. Which brings up a question I had, what's the current status of Nublar?"
"Uncertain," said Ludlow with just as much uncertainty in his voice. "If you receive any supplies for that island, just stock them for now. We'll keep you appraised as things go on. But confiscate any and all shaving cans that are on the way out and make note of any that are brought in and whom they're going to. Oh and I'm planning for an inspection team to make their way through Indigo and Sorna in a few weeks so be prepared for them as well."
"Understood," Danielle acknowledged as Ludlow signed off. She hung up her phone and leaned back in her chair as a million thoughts raced through her head. And then she decided on a course of action as she always did during stressful situations and picked up the phone.
"Hey Danni, what's up?" asked Sam on the other end from Sorna.
"I'd like to arrange a meeting of the minds once Jake and Henry return," she requested.
"Sure, no problem," her counterpart agreed. "You want to meet there or here."
"Here, since Jake and Henry should be coming through anyway," Danielle responded. "I'll let you know when they're scheduled to arrive."
"See you then," said Sam and then he hung up. Danielle then tied up a stray strand of hair and then consulted her computer to see which customs official had approved Nedry to leave for Nublar with his things.
"Sherri?" she asked of her secretary. "I need to see Worker Stevens as soon as possible."
She then hung up her phone and then began reviewing all the items Nedry had brought to Nublar since Indigo was constructed and they started keeping records. It was going to be a long day.
San Diego: Jake and Henry sat on a row of seating in the empty Jurassic Park amphitheatre with their lunches. Jake was currently enjoying an ice cream cone as Henry was eating a salad. The amphitheatre had been constructed prior to, and in a relatively short time span, compared to Nublar, Sorna and Indigo, but had been abandoned once Hammond had permanently settled on an island to house the dinosaurs. The place had nearly been finished and the abrupt decision to abandon it hadn't sat well with the urban planning commission, Ludlow, and the government of San Diego. Some viewed its construction as a waste of space and money that was no longer going to generate revenue funds or jobs for the city, but InGen agreed to loan out the building for special events.
It was because the amphitheatre looked so interesting from a visual standpoint that they managed to book a handful of events each year. Usually stage performances, a couple of weddings, some corporate outings, and the occasional documentary crew passed through in a given year providing some revenue to justify not demolishing the place. And secretly the day before Jurassic Park was to accept dinosaurs into the paddocks, InGen snuck in some dinosaurs to wander the central area for the night as they held a huge celebration. As it stood now, there were a small group of workers in the central area setting up a stage for some event as bulldozers plowed the dirt back and forth.
"Ludlow's going to pay for this," Jake ruminated over bringing Levine into the fold. Henry chuckled at that.
"He's just doing what he thinks is best," the scientist remarked. "It's better than just leaving us to our own devices alone on Sorna. Who knows what we would do then, probably have our own Lord of the Flies occur."
Jake snorted at that as he leaned back and lay down on the bench.
"I think he's going to run this company into the ground," Jake further insisted.
"Always Mr. Negativity," Henry complained. "You said we'd be fine, remember?"
"We will," said Jake with a smile. "I never said jack about InGen."
Henry groaned at that as he continued eating his food.
"You know it's never too late to jump ship," said a new voice startling them both. Looking up, they found one of the executives of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, John Brown, standing on the steps next to them. He was an acquaintance of both Henry and Jake from high school having been a senior when they were freshmen in science club and a similar situation occurring in college. Secretly the two wondered if Brown was mad that they'd left for InGen before he had a chance to try and recruit them to his company. Even now they knew he still held hope they'd leave and work for him.
"Not today," said Henry resuming his salad.
"Why not?" asked John. "Considering what's happened on Nublar, I'd say you don't have much of a future left."
John Brown always had inside sources in rival companies and intelligence that seemed to rival the CIA at times.
"So you sabotaged Nublar to get us to work for you? How unoriginal," Jake lamented. John shook his head in shame over that comment.
"I have no reason to sabotage InGen. After all, they're not interested in the pharmaceuticals market and at the moment I don't see how their 'product' could be of any use to me," he remarked. "No, I strongly suspect as you do that Biosyn was responsible for this."
"No proof?" asked Jake with a raised eyebrow.
"They're too good at covering their tracks, we both know that," John responded as he put his hands in his suit jacket pockets and looked down at the workers below. "But if I hear anything conclusive, I'll let you know."
John Brown started back down the stairs.
"I appreciate the concern, but I'm still not sure why you care," Jake admitted aloud.
"It's not for love of InGen, but more for fear of Biosyn," the executive stated as he continued walking down the steps leaving the two behind with their thoughts.
"Let's go, I'd rather deal with bloodthirsty dinosaurs than corporate sharks," said Henry shivering despite the warm weather.
"I hear that," Jake agreed and both collected their things and headed down the steps.
Biosyn HQ: Lewis Dodgson sat in a chair with a single light over it as he faced the darkened board of executive directors.
"You failed in your attempt to secure the embryos," the board noted.
"It was because of that fool Nedry that the plan fell apart," Dodgson corrected them. "But I can secure more embryos just give me some more time. I'm convinced that InGen secretly has a second facility where it is really manufacturing these dinosaurs. If I can infiltrate that island, I can make off with more than the fifteen specimens available on Nublar and increase our profits that much more."
Dodgson was confident that his proposal would be accepted by the board.
"No," was the unanimous response. Dodgson's expression dropped at that.
"What do you mean, no?" he demanded.
"Your failure to secure the embryos and the subsequent damage done to Jurassic Park has ensured that InGen will now be keeping a suspicious watch on us and will likely be increasing their security accordingly. That would make it much more difficult to acquire the embryos through illicit means. As if that was not enough, John Brown of Pacific Pharmaceuticals has used the incident as even more of a justification to go on the offensive against us. We can't afford any more bad publicity on this subject," said the Director angrily. "You are hereby ordered to drop all efforts against Nublar effective immediately."
"And if I don't?" Dodgson replied.
"Then you'll be terminated, effective immediately," the Leader answered. "You're dismissed."
Dodgson wanted to push the issue but decided now was not the right time and so he tipped his head at them and exited the room.
"Fools, they'll never know the possibilities we could've had," Dodgson complained bitterly before silently cursing Nedry in every way imaginable. And while every fiber in his being screamed that he should find a new way to obtain those embryos, he knew that his future in the company was now more at risk than it had ever been. But he had hurt InGen and that was what was the most important. Soon that company would collapse under its own weight and he'd be there, willing and waiting to pick up the pieces. It was only a matter of time.
Nighttime: In the Jurassic Park amphitheatre, John Brown was presenting his report to the shareholders and the other executives.
"In short, Biosyn is becoming more and more a threat with each passing moment," he concluded. "I have reason to suspect they deliberately attempted to sabotage InGen Bioengineering, the owners of this very complex, and could potentially do the same to us. They're a threat that needs to be dealt with now, not later."
"You really think we should be going to war with them?" asked the Director from the stands. "They've never done anything in the past as overt as what you're suggesting they just did to InGen…at least not without succeeding."
"But I think this is a golden opportunity because they did slip up," John continued further. "If we can link them to InGen's little mishap…find some smoking gun…then we can bring down Biosyn without doing anything overt. And let's face it, InGen would have to show their gratitude and we may get some access to their research. That information may benefit us in ways we can't even imagine."
The Director looked through the information packet he'd been given by the executive.
"You really think that whatever InGen was working on could have some viable applications in the pharmacological market?" asked the Director a little doubtful. He knew John Brown was hiding whatever he knew or suspected about the products InGen was creating, but that was fine by him. He didn't need to know at this point in the game to still stay ahead of him and his ambitions.
"I'm saying that bringing down Biosyn would greatly benefit us the most and anything InGen provides would be helpful as well," John told them. "Biological weapons, chemical warfare, strategic defense applications, the possibilities could be endless."
The Director lightly shook his head at the executive's continued desire to resurrect the defunct weapons program of Pacific Pharmaceuticals that had been abandoned in the early 80s.
"Fine," the Director agreed if only to give him something to do. "You may take covert action against Biosyn to determine if they were responsible for the InGen incident. But strictly under the radar, do you hear me? I don't want anything to happen that could be linked back to us."
"Understood," said John with a broad grin. Already in his mind, a plan of action was forming to topple Biosyn. With a little luck, Pacific Pharmaceuticals would acquire whatever was left of the company once he was through. And then maybe one day, InGen would follow suit and become another acquisition for them. It was only a matter of time.
InGen HQ: Peter Ludlow and Ross watched the proceeding on a close circuited television as John Brown concluded his speech.
"Interesting," said Ross drinking some coffee to stay awake. "I wouldn't have pegged John Brown to be so interested in stopping Biosyn for what they did to us."
"He's not," Ludlow concluded. "Biosyn is a threat to his company, but he's not going after them over some misguided sense of altruism. No, he wants InGen and Biosyn working for him to further his own ambitions. I won't let that happen."
"But how can you tell that's what he wants?" asked Ross curious.
"Because looking in his eyes, I see a reflection of my own. One day I will be the one truly running this company, not my Uncle, and then InGen will have entered a new era of unrivalled prosperity," Ludlow promised and then got up to leave. "And then nothing will stand in our way. I'll see you in the morning because we still have much work to do to keep this company secure. And soon it will be. It's only a matter of time."
Morning: The Anne B. departed from Costa Rica full of supplies as well as carrying Jake Whitacre and Henry Wu onboard. Both were looking a little green as seasickness occasionally hit them, which was why they preferred flying by air. But InGen San Jose refused to expend fuel on a helicopter to just take the two of them when a boat was headed the same way. The one bright spot was that Sam Stone and Lori Ruso, the head of dinosaur production, were coming by helicopter to meet up with them at Indigo so they could all have a long chat with Danielle and then fly back to Sorna. They all had a lot of work to do before Levine and his team arrived, but they'd get past it and what happened to Jurassic Park and keep doing what they had always been doing. It was only a matter of time.