Chapter 4

"Attention passengers, we are going to begin our descent into Orlando. Please turn off all electronic devices, put your seats in the upright position, secure your trays, and fasten your seatbelts."

Grant woke and rubbed his neck. He had been on the plane for the past nine and a half hours. The flight had been too long and Grant could feel it. He still couldn't believe he had actually agreed to fly to Florida, but here he was on the plane.

His body lurched as the plane touched down. He stretched and walked off the plane into the brightly painted terminal. He glanced around the terminal at the families and tourists surging to the different gates and further into the airport. Not knowing where he was supposed to go, Grant shouldered his duffle bag and walked through the security gate.

"Dr. Grant? I'm Sophia Anderson. Mr. Monroe's personal secretary. I am here to pick up and take you to your hotel," Sophie said as she glanced at Grant over the top of her designer sunglasses and forced a smile, "This will give you a chance to freshen up before you meet with Mr. Monroe."

Grant looked at Sophia. Besides her designer sunglasses, she was wearing a tailored blue business suit, and low, matching pumps. Grant would have found her attractive, but any beauty she might have had was lost in the serious, stony demeanor of her face and authoritative manner in which she carried herself. Clearly, she was all business and thought that being sent to pick up a professor from Montana was a waste of her time.

Grant ruffled his hair and smiled, "No thanks, I think I'm ready to see Mr. Monroe."

Sophia looked at Grant's wrinkled clothes, unwashed body, and plainly tired face, "Are you sure? Mr. Monroe is used to his associates presenting themselves in a more...respectable fashion. I really think we should go to the hotel first."

"Look, I'm tired, but I really would like to see Mr. Monroe before I do anything else. So, if you would be so kind, please take me to see Mr. Monroe."

"Suit yourself,"Sophia sighed and began walking to the doors, "Let's go, I have a limousine waiting outside.

"Wonderful. Oh-do you mind? I am famished and could really use a hot meal. Could we stop somewhere- as long as it isn't out of the way."

Sophia glared at Grant as she opened the door to the limousine, "There is a Jack-in-the-Box a few miles away. Get drive-thru. Don't spill on the seats."

"Mr. Monroe, may I present Dr. Alan Grant from Montana."

Mr. Monroe smiled, advanced with his hand extended, "Welcome Dr. Grant. I have been expecting you. I see that you came straight from the airport. Excellent. I like a man who gets down to business. Have a seat. May I offer you a drink?"

Grant sat in down in the chair offered by Mr. Monroe and graciously accepted the drink. "Now, you wanted some information about an intern - a Ms. Susan Turner. I'd be happy to help you, but I will admit that I have a favor to ask in return."

Grant paused with the glass to his lips and tightened his grip on the arm of the chair. Wave after wave of suspicions swept over him. He slowly placed his glass on Monroe's desk and cleared his throat, "What exactly do you want from me."

"Straight to the point. An excellent quality. I need your help with a project that my company is working on down in Costa Rica. One with which you are well acquainted - Jurassic Park and it's sister island."

"Jurassic what? I'm sorry, but you've lost me."

Monroe smiled and slid a folder across the desk to Grant. Grant stared at the red 'classified' stamped across the folder in English and Spanish.

"Open it, Dr. Grant."

Grant opened the folder and glanced at the contents. He quickly sucked in his breath and began leafing through the papers.

"Looks familiar doesn't it. That is your signature at the bottom of the page isn't it? Let me be frank, Dr. Grant. My company is what remains of InGen- renamed and under strict government supervision, but InGen still the same. I was hand selected by the military to take over the company. We no longer are interested in creating dinosaurs and in fact are working on destroying them. Things have gone smoothly for the past four years, but recently we've hit a snag. Some of our crews have begun being attacked. The Costa Rica government has only granted us limited access to the islands and the U.S. government have very strict guidelines about this type of operation. Both governments have denied that the attacks were done by a dinosaur and without their authorization, I can't continue my work. They don't want to panic the local population, so they refuse to verify the attacks. That's what I need you for. If I can get an expert down there to look at the bodies, then I can get them to verify the attacks and be able to continue with my work."

"Why would the government want to keep the dinosaurs alive? Jurassic Park was a disaster for both governments. If the public found out about it the results would be catastrophic. Why would my verifying an animal attack change anything?"

"The dinosaurs have become a kind of novelty to them. No one has ever seen animals like these before and let's face it, they're fascinating. If someone can prove that they are a danger to humans, then the governments are obligated to destroy them. We believe that some of the animal- particularly the carnivores have escaped from the islands and are attacking locals. We have photos- if you care to see," Monroe slid a stack of photos to Grant, "Be prepared. They are rather gruesome."

Grant stared at the remains of what he guessed were humans. Deep slashes cut across the flesh of the torso and it was clear that something had been eating the bodies. Nausea swept over Grant as memories of Jurassic Park and the swift raptors flooded him.

"Velociraptors did this," Grant said as he pushed the pictures away, "they have a recognizable attack method that can't be mistaken for anything else. There, I told you what you need to know. Now tell me what I want to know."

"I appreciate the help Dr. Grant, but I still need something more from you. The governments won't accept anything accept a signed account stating that it was a dinosaur attack. Verifying it from pictures isn't enough. The Costa Rican government has been burning the bodies of the dinosaurs they find on their island, so the American government won't get too involved. Now, I need you to go down to Costa Rica and examine the bodies so that I can continue to exterminate the dinosaurs. I will arrange it so that you can make it down there without being detained by either the Americans or Costa Ricans."

"Look, I'm flattered that you would consider me enough of an expert to look at the bodies, but I am really only interested in finding Sue Turner."

"What about Ian Malcolm? A lot of questions can be answered by going to Costa Rica, Dr. Grant."

"You know about Malcolm?"

"I know a lot more than you think Dr. Grant. Accept the offer, go to Costa Rica, find your friends. Think of it as a vacation with a purpose. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think that you wouldn't help. What could it hurt?"

Grant stared intently into Monroe's equally intent brown eyes, "Give me a week to prepare. I need to take care of some things in Montana before I can leave the country. I'll go there for two weeks, but no longer. That is one place I don't care to revisit."

"You have five days Dr. Grant. I'll overnight all your information, so it will be waiting for you when you get back. I'll meet you in Costa Rica when you fly down."

"You're going to be there?"

"Of course, Dr. Grant," Monroe said as he stood up, "This is one project I will personally oversee."