Collateral Damage

A Jurassic Park Fanfiction by Sassy Lil Scorpio

Disclaimer: All names mentioned in this fanfiction are the creative property of Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg. No monetary gain is being made from this work.

Summary: After being captured by Lewis Dodgson's henchmen at the Biosyn compound, Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, along with Ian Malcolm, finally learn the truth about what happened at Jurassic Park all those years ago… [Mild spoilers for Jurassic World: Dominion]

Rating: T for profanity and brief violence.

Author's Notes: I saw Jurassic World: Dominion hoping for this specific loose end to be addressed and it wasn't. I was disappointed, but hey, that's why there's fanfiction! This fanfic is my way of tying up that loose end.

Dedication: This fanfiction is dedicated to Erin and Jeff. Corey and I had a wonderful time with you guys on 6/11 – the 29th anniversary of Jurassic Park's premiere. Thank you for the awesome time spent together, the great laughs, and the awesome conversation. Erin, we met because of our passion for Jurassic Park, and it's amazing that we are still friends to this day. Thank you!

oOo

Dust rise right on over my time
Empty fossil of the new scene
I feel so alone
Gonna end up a big ol' pile of them bones

"Them Bones" Alice in Chains

oOo

Lewis Dodgson watched on the security monitor in his private office as the cameras picked up footage of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler infiltrating the locust lab. His devious expression was subtle and those who didn't know him would think he was processing how to execute a new idea, considering an opportunity he wanted to seize, or simply curious. It was none of those things. Dodgson knew how to play the eccentric CEO, the socially awkward but charming leader of Biosyn. It was a pleasant mask for the darkness that lay just beneath the surface. Grant and Ellie brought into it, and that was the best part.

From the moment he met them, Dodgson knew they were there to sneak around Biosyn. Dodgson found it amusing that they believed they could fool him, when all along, he was well-informed of their previous association with InGen briefly when John Hammond invited them to inspect Jurassic Park all those years ago. Dodgson had kept tabs on InGen after the destruction of the park. Recently, thanks to Ramsay Cole doing in-depth research, Dodgson found out about everyone who was present at the initial park inspection. He had also dug up information on Hammond's park employees… Dodgson quicky flipped through a manilla folder showing profiles with attached photographs. He stopped and glared at a particular one.

"I've moved on. We're past embryos, Dennis." Dodgson closed the manilla folder.

Where Grant and Sattler were concerned, he knew exactly who they were…but they hadn't the faintest idea of who he really was…

He also appreciated the irony of them trying to dig up info on Biosyn. He found it humorous since he had Dennis Nedry steal the embryos from InGen which set off the entire catastrophe—and they had no idea. Neither did Malcolm for that matter. In his private office, the Barbasol can sat on a shelf, recovered by Nima Cruz and Miles Chadwick from that time, but completely useless as the embryos were no longer viable and hadn't been for years. He had tried to work with them when he first got the Barbasol can back, but the embryos were fragile and easily destroyed. Dodgson held onto the shaving cream can because it was a symbol of InGen's failure. InGen's downfall was Biosyn's triumph, so even if Dodgson couldn't work with the embryos, it didn't matter since Biosyn was the company that had survived. They were finally ahead with genetic engineering and the new dinosaur sanctuary proved to be a clever guise to the outside world. They had surpassed their competition after all these years… Survival of the fittest, Dodgson mused.

Still, he wouldn't tolerate their nosy bullshit. If Grant and Sattler discovered the truth about Biosyn being the masterminds behind the genetically engineered locusts—and everything involved in their creation—then Biosyn would go under. And Dodgson wasn't having that. He and Henry Wu had done such great work together ever since forming a strange alliance. The mutated locusts that devoured crops across America—except the grain sold by Biosyn—meant the company was making a fortune. It was damaging the ecological system and throwing nature off course, but Dodgson didn't care. As Biosyn's CEO, Dodgson loved delving into genetics, playing with gene sequences and genomes—especially if controlling and manipulating nature meant profits in the millions, and soon, billions. The more America and other countries around the world relied on Biosyn for their products, the more money they raked in. Dodgson found it hilarious that he had designed a solution to a problem that he had created and made immense profits from it. To him, it was akin to inventing a virus in a lab, allowing it to spread worldwide, and then creating the vaccine—all to roll in the mountains of money.

The loud knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in!" He shouted.

Ramsay Cole and Wyatt Huntley came inside and closed the door behind them. Dodgson stood up from his desk and sized them up. Cole was young and new in his field, seeking to prove himself, but Dodgson always felt there was something off about him. He didn't completely trust Cole. Maybe he was too quiet or not as ambitious as Dodgson who was willing to go through any lengths to get what he wanted. Whatever the reason was, Dodgson knew he had better pay attention to that weird inkling he sensed whenever Cole was around. If it came down to it, Dodgson had no qualms about permanently eliminating Cole if he turned out to be an obstacle.

Huntley, on the other hand, had an aggressive aura underneath that calm veneer. It's why Dodgson hired him to help Rainn Delacourt kidnap the Lockwood girl. Now she was strapped down to a lab table in a hidden part of the Biosyn facility that only Dodgson, Huntley, and Wu knew about. Wu had initially protested Dodgson's treatment of holding Maisie Lockwood captive in a manner that would traumatize the girl, but Dodgson had waved him off. She's a fucking human clone, Henry, get over it. There was no way he would allow that teenager, clone or not, to wander around the facility and stir up trouble. Just as he wouldn't permit the same for Grant and Sattler.

"They're in the locust lab—I want them apprehended and brought down to the sub-level. They do not leave the facility under any circumstances." Cole nodded, but Dodgson picked up on his uneasiness. "Is there a problem with that, Ramsay?"

Cole stared at him, his mouth opened to respond, but no words came out.

Huntley simply smiled to indicate he agreed with whatever Dodgson had planned. No matter how criminal or outlandish, he would follow Dodgson's orders. Dodgson knew this and it's why he relied on Huntley to kidnap Maisie Lockwood.

Dodgson pointed at the door, indicating he wanted them to leave and ensure that his wish was their command. Without another word, Cole and Huntley started towards the door when Dodgson called them back.

"On second thought…" Dodgson smirked. "Bring Dr. Malcolm too because that rapacious rat bastard betrayed me by giving them access to the lab. I have eyes everywhere."

"Got it," Huntley said.

Cole gave him a thumb-up sign, confirming that he would follow along with whatever Dodgson wanted. He fucking better if he knows what's good for him. Dodgson's cold gray eyes narrowed behind the glasses as he watched them leave. When he was certain they were gone, he went down to the sub-basement to get the room ready for his VIPs.

oOo

Grant and Ellie finally got out of the cleaning station swarming with oversized mutated locusts and steam. As they lay on the ground catching their breath, they knew they had to get out of there—fast. Where was Malcolm? They had to find him before they were discovered. Still on the ground, Ellie glanced around the area, searching for an exit. Beside her, Grant was exhausted and relieved to be out of that cleaning station that felt like it was closing in on them. The thick steam and the huge locusts flying around only increased the sense of claustrophobia.

"Alan…" Ellie rolled her on her back and sat up, groggily. "We gotta get the hell out of here. We got what we came for." She referred to the DNA sample from the locust.

"Yeah, we did…" Grant coughed as he tried to get his bearings. Everything had happened so fast. "Where's Ian?"

"I don't—"

The metallic click of guns filled the air. Ellie and Grant were suddenly wide awake. They were still sitting on the floor, but now they fully alert and on guard. When they looked up, they saw Ramsay Cole grinning down at them.

"You both have taken a keen interest in our facility." Cole's smile was artificial. "Dr. Dodgson would like to have a word with you."

Grant and Ellie exchanged a worried glance. Without either of them saying it aloud, both didn't like his foreboding tone. Grant helped Ellie to her feet, and she did likewise for him.

"Actually, we were just about to head out," Grant said, gesturing to the hallway. He didn't know if it led to the exit of the facility, which was huge and maze-like, but he decided to pretend for now.

"With the Biosyn hazmat suits?" Cole pointed at the white outfits that Ellie and Grant still wore. "That would be stealing…" A strange chuckle erupted from him.

Ellie offered an uneasy laugh in return and then quickly silenced when another man came to stand next to Cole and pulled out two syringes. She didn't recognize him, although she racked her brains trying to figure out if she had met him before. Meanwhile, he handed one syringe to Cole.

"That really isn't necessary," Ellie said, staring at the long needle on the syringe. Her heart started to hammer against her chest. "We can give back your hazmat suits." She reached for the zipper and stopped when Cole responded.

"I'm afraid it is," Cole said, keeping his voice neutral. "No need to worry about the suits. We'll remove and de-contaminate them. That's the least of our concerns."

Cole and the man now approached Grant and Ellie. He snatched Grant's right arm and plunged the syringe. Grant tried to fight it off, but he was already feeling drowsy and collapsed to the floor.

"She's all yours, Wyatt," Cole said, pointing at Ellie. He turned to the security guards and gestured at them to pick up the unconscious Grant.

Huntley approached Ellie and before she knew what was happening, the sharp pinch of the syringe pricked her left arm. The room blurred around her and then she was on the ground, the ceiling turning into white nothingness…

oOo

When Grant woke up, he realized he was sitting in a folding chair. He raised his head and turned to the left, trying to get his bearings. Where had they been taken? He saw Ellie sitting in a folding chair on his left side about four feet away. Her head hung down between her shoulders. She's still out of it, Grant thought. They were in a small gray room that seemed to be an underground chamber. It couldn't be more than twelve feet wide and eight feet in height. Grant tried to get up, but his legs wouldn't move. He tried to move his arms and they remained in place. As he became more fully aware, he realized zip tie restraints had been applied to his wrists and ankles so that he was bound to the chair. He looked beside him and saw that Ellie was in the same predicament. Both hazmat suits were gone, and they were wearing the clothing they had on when they initially arrived at the facility.

Grant blinked—at first, he thought his eyes deceived him, but they hadn't—Malcolm was tied to a chair in the same way he and Ellie were. He was sitting on the other side of Grant, several feet away. Malcolm was completely out of it. What were they doing down here? Grant was about to call out when he heard the door open, and slam shut. At that same instant, he saw Ellie slowly lift her head. Grant noticed she was still out of it but was slowly waking up. A bright light was switched on, illuminating the room they had been put in—and now it confirmed what he already knew to be true: they were being held prisoner. Grant squinted when the harsh light hit his eyes.

He was about to call out to Ellie when he saw he was face to face with Lewis Dodgson.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, which for all of you, might be a temporary state. Enjoy it while you still can."

Dodgson's tone was flat, but Grant heard the undercurrent of restrained rage. He clenched his fists when he met Dodgson's piercing stare. His lifeless gray eyes were vacant behind his glasses. Gone was the charming façade and oddball behavior. In its place was the real Lewis Dodgson—Grant was immediately aware of this stark fact. It was his eyes. Dodgson had eyes that reminded him of a hawk searching for its prey—and once located—would swoop down and snatch it in its talons while it was still alive and struggling to free itself.

When Dodgson had first introduced himself, Grant thought he was…off. Strange. Awkward. Quirky. He couldn't put his finger on it. He wanted to think of Dodgson as friendly, and even charming, but that didn't ring true. It seemed like Dodgson was too eager to have him and Ellie visit Biosyn's dinosaur sanctuary. Why was that? It was weird, although it shouldn't be. Grant was a well-known paleontologist, and he could've easily interpreted Dodgson's enthusiasm as respect for him and his field—or the fact that he had been on both Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna at two separate times.

He could've compared Dodgson's eagerness to Hammond's grandson, Tim Murphy, who was excited to speak with him during the initial park inspection. But Tim was an innocent and well-meaning child who genuinely loved dinosaurs and idolized Grant—whereas Dodgson was an experienced adult and the CEO of a major bioengineering company. Grant didn't want to be idolized, he simply saw himself as a man who was passionate about ancient life and enjoyed spreading that love to others by teaching it to his students, writing books about his findings… Tim's wonder was absent with Dodgson. Indeed, when he reflected on it now, Grant felt like Dodgson was scrutinizing him when he and Ellie first arrived, and now he was sizing him up as though he were a meal to be devoured.

"You can scream if you like. No one will hear you." Dodgson walked around the room and tapped on the walls. "This room is soundproof."

At the mention of "soundproof", Ellie finally came to, and Grant could see from where he sat that she was terrified. Ellie tried to lift her arms and legs, and when she couldn't, she twisted in her seat trying to figure out where she had been taken—where was she being held.

"Ellie, no—stay calm," Grant urged.

"Where the hell are we?" Ellie's eyes were wide with fright as she turned to Grant, searching for answers. "Where did they take us?!"

"You're in the Biosyn Research Facility where we first met, Dr. Sattler." Dodgson's voice remained deadpan. "That's all you need to know."

Ellie's fear turned to fury as she faced him directly. "Let us go."

"Why should I do that?"

"I'm not answering that question," Ellie snapped.

"Then don't make fucking demands!" Dodgson strolled over to where Ellie sat and slapped her across the face.

Grant gasped in shock—what the hell kind of madman was Lewis Dodgson? He didn't even know what to say or how to react. In less than a nanosecond, Dodgson went from emotionless, to calm, to furious. And now it was starting to dawn on Grant that Dodgson was extremely dangerous… Didn't he already imply that they may not survive this? Had he and Ellie unwittingly walked into a death trap? The harsh truth remained:

They were prisoners of a sociopath.

Beside him, Ellie's breathing came out labored. He could tell she was terrified and trying to remain calm. The harder she tried though, the more difficult it was for her to breathe. Grant knew he had to try and talk to her to calm her down, even while Dodgson stood over them, intimidating and enjoying the fact that he had complete control over them.

"Ellie, breathe. Just breathe. Deep breaths." He watched as the rapid rising and falling of her chest gradually slowed down. He repeated the same mantra. "Breathe, Ellie."

Grant couldn't say it because this wasn't the time or the place—but he loved Ellie. He had always loved her since their digging days in Snakewater, Montana. When she approached him to find out more about the locust incidents, he decided to go—just to be by her side. He didn't let on that he was glad that it didn't work out with her and Mark. Grant knew that man was never good for her, but because he loved her, he let her go…in the hopes that they would one day reunite. Now they were reunited—and in a bad situation that was worsening every passing moment.

Grant took a deep breath and tried to focus on why he loved Ellie. She was passionate, intelligent, beautiful, and strong. He had kept a picture of them in their younger days where he'd always see it when he took breaks during his digs—but pulled it down before she could see it. Seeing her helpless and frightened now superseded his own terror. He was more afraid for Ellie than himself because there was no telling what Dodgson was capable of—especially if he knew they had found out the truth about Biosyn's so-called dinosaur sanctuary. Then, just as quickly as Dodgson's temper escalated, Grant found himself angry for what was happening. He was about to shout at Dodgson when he heard Malcolm groan.

"What the hell…Dr. Dodgson?" Malcolm was slowly waking up.

Grant glanced at Malcolm and then turned to Dodgson who leaned against the wall, watching them.

"Why am I here?" Malcolm sounded exhausted, but as second passed, he became more awake. A moment later, he realized he was tied down like Grant and Ellie. "These accommodations are terrible. What gives?"

Grant saw Dodgson turn his attention on Malcolm.

"You know damn well why you're down here."

"It's freezing," Ellie said, her teeth chattering. "Where are we?"

"Better get used to it because none of you are leaving this place."

"Alive?" Grant asked. He watched as Dodgson walk over to a small table against the wall. He thought he saw a Barbasol shaving cream can and a manilla folder on top of the table. A plastic bag of syringes filled with clear liquid. This is getting weirder by the moment, Grant thought. What the hell?!

"That's the part I'm still trying to figure out," Dodgson said. "While I think on that, it's time you all three know the truth."

"The truth about your genetically engineered locusts?" Ellie asked. "The truth about Biosyn's corruption and how you're using a supposed 'dinosaur sanctuary' as a pretense?"

Dodgson didn't answer as he deliberately turned his back on her. Grant saw him pick up the Barbasol shaving cream can and manilla folder. Dodgson returned so that he stood in front of Ellie, Grant, and Malcolm.

"This is the perfect time, the golden opportunity for you all to learn—"

"About how shady Biosyn really is," Grant accused Dodgson.

Dodgson's warm smile didn't match his slate gray eyes as he put the Barbasol can and manilla folder back on the table. "Right now, you all need to the shut the fuck up. If you don't, I'll do it for you." He took out a syringe from the plastic bag and held it up in the air. "Who wants to volunteer to go first?"

The trio remained quiet.

"Good. Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler, you're probably wondering why you're down here, aside from the obvious."

Malcolm looked up at Dodgson, a questioning uncertain look flickering in his face.

"Even you, Dr. Malcolm. You betrayed me and I despise traitors."

"So, uh, will you fire me?" Malcolm quipped, chuckling.

Grant breathed slowly, trying to keep calm. Malcolm's humor was irritating, and this was not the time to be joking with a mad scientist who was corrupt and capable of violence.

"Believe me, I can do far worse things than fire you. Don't press your luck." Dodgson held Malcolm's gaze, not the least bit intimidated. "So, you all discovered the truth about what we do here at Biosyn."

Ellie struggled against the restraints, trying to free herself, but it was futile. Grant couldn't stop staring at Dodgson. He couldn't believe that the ruthless man standing before him was the same socially awkward man they had met hours ago. They were like two different people in the same body.

"You want to expose Biosyn, but that's not gonna happen. Or you came here to save that little girl, Maisie Lockwood, but your journey ends here. The sooner you accept that as absolute truth, the better off you'll be."

"Where's Maisie?" Grant wasn't sure who she was, but he was genuinely concerned. He figured it was best to act like he knew who she was. He never wanted his own children, although he grew close to Hammond's grandchildren, Tim and Lex, after helping them to get through the park all those years ago. Dodgson's tone was dark and foreboding.

"You kidnapped a girl?" Ellie didn't hide her disgust. "Why am I not surprised?"

Dodgson smirked in Ellie's direction. "At this moment, Maisie Lockwood is being held underneath our complex, where Dr. Wu and I will perform experiments on her to test her DNA."

"Wait, did you say Dr. Wu?" Grant thought that name was familiar. "Dr. Henry Wu? From—"

"InGen," Dodgson spat out the name. "Yes, John Hammond's so-called Miracle Worker works for me now—just as Malcolm does."

"Did," Malcolm quickly corrected him.

Dodgson offered a sardonic grin. "'Did'. That's quite correct since you gave our two VIPs access to the locust labs."

"VIPs are considered Very Important Persons. Shouldn't they be allowed to go wherever they want? And if you have nothing to hide, why are you so bent out of shape?"

"I'm not hiding anything. In fact, I intend to reveal everything, so you're way off base there."

Malcolm jumped to the other topic that was far more troubling to him. "That's against ethics—you can't just perform experiments on humans because you feel like it."

"I'm not hampered by ethics and all that red-tape bureaucratic limiting bullshit," Dodgson said, weaving in and out of the trio who sat spaced apart. "I've done plenty experiments before…I'm sure you've all heard about the airborne rabies vaccine."

Grant's eyes bulged in shock. He had heard of it before. "The vaccine experiment?!" He squinted at Dodgson. "Ten Chilean farmers dead—that was you?!"

"That was me." Dodgson smiled proudly, putting his hand on his chest.

"You're sick." The fact was indisputable: Dodgson wasn't the socially awkward Biosyn CEO they had met earlier. He was ruthless and willing to do anything to accomplish his goals. He had no respect for the sanctity of human life. "We're gonna expose you."

"To whom, Dr. Grant?" Dodgson said, laughing now. "Your friends at the dig site? Your funds have already dried up. I'm sure you don't want to scare away potential donors with your tall tales. What about you, Dr. Sattler?"

"I have links to the media. You'll be exposed and forced to shut down."

Dodgson leaned over and ran his fingers through her blonde hair. "You're allowed to dream, and so am I…"

Ellie turned away, rejecting Dodgson's advances. Dodgson chuckled and came over to Malcolm now.

"Dr. Malcolm, how quickly you forgot how InGen smeared your reputation when you went to the public about what happened when you visited Isla Nublar. How your own university revoked your tenure. I raised you from the ashes and you chose to stab me in the back."

Malcolm stared straight ahead, refusing to engage with Dodgson.

A long beat of silence passed.

"I think it's about time you all learn the truth." Dodgson went to the table and picked up the Barbasol can.

"Uh, your version of it," Malcolm muttered under his breath.

"We already know the truth, Dr. Dodgson," Grant said, referring to the locust labs.

Ellie said nothing as she focused on the Barbasol shaving cream can in Dodgson's hands.

"Have you ever wondered why Jurassic Park failed? After all, John Hammond wanted you to endorse the park so that he could open it up to the world. You were there that weekend."

Ellie's eyebrows knitted together, indicating her confusion. She was uncertain as to why Dodgson was going in that direction. She sneaked a glance at Grant and Malcolm who seemed just as puzzled as her. Why was Dodgson changing the topic abruptly? She knew he was angry for being discovered, but now he was asking about the failure of the original park. Probably to distract us. When no one answered, Dodgson went on.

"How was life after the park? It couldn't have been easy, living with those memories. The nightmares must've been horrendous. No one to talk to, no one who would understand. Folks thinking you're crazy. Must've been very traumatic. How did you cope with it? Did you bury yourself in your work? Maybe you abused substances to try to forget—like smoking weed, pot…" Dodgson's voice trailed off.

Grant noticed that Dodgson unscrewed the bottom of the shaving cream can, revealing tiny compartments. There were tiny tubes inside the compartments that had a strange greenish blackish color. So, the shaving cream can was a ruse? Meant to fool customs or anyone at a border check that this was a regular shaving cream can—but it held items. He also noted that Dodgson's tone didn't match his words. There was no sincere concern or compassion in his voice when he asked them about what they experienced in the aftermath of Jurassic Park. It came off more like he was mocking them.

"We put it behind us and went on with our lives," Grant said, firmly.

There was no way in hell he'd ever confirm anything Dodgson had suggested—how life after Jurassic Park had never been the same. He was certain that Ellie and Malcolm wouldn't openly disclose their lives after that incident. There was no reason for Grant to reveal to this psychopath how he couldn't go into paleontologists' circles without being either questioned or ridiculed. Even the lecture he gave where some of the audience acted like he should be glad that he was able to be on Isla Nublar to see if his theories were correct. They had no idea how terrifying it was to come face to face with a T-Rex or velociraptor—even if it was genetically engineered and had frog DNA to fill in the gaps. Digging up the skeleton and postulating about the behavior of dinosaurs was one thing—being in front of a live one not knowing if you'd survive the next moment was quite another. Memories of the Kirby's lying to him, manipulating him to get him on Isla Sorna, with the promise of funding his digs—just so that they could use him to help find their son, Eric—sent a wave of fury through him, but Grant forced himself to remain stoic. He wouldn't give Dodgson the pleasure of knowing he had hit a nerve.

Dodgson studied their facial expressions. Grant appeared deep in thought. Ellie looked mystified. Malcolm wanted to escape and couldn't. He still held the shaving cream can with its compartments revealed.

Finally, Malcolm spoke up. "So, are you endorsing Barbasol shaving cream?"

Dodgson smiled down at the Barbasol can and then threw it in Malcolm's direction. Malcolm ducked in time and the shaving cream can hit the wall. Dodgson went behind him to snatch the can and went back to standing in front of the group.

"Jurassic Park failed because of sabotage."

This morsel of information felt like a punch in the face to Grant. "What're you talking about?!"

"I'll repeat it one more time and don't make me say it a fucking third time. Jurassic Park failed because of sabotage."

"I have no idea…" Grant shook his head, completely unaware of what Dodgson referred to. "You're saying someone deliberately screwed it up?" He remembered thinking the tour vehicles had stopped due to him touching something—until Malcolm confirmed that he hadn't touched anything—the vehicles had stopped. His mounting terror when the tyrannosaur was able to touch the electrified fence without being electrocuted, the ear-piercing whipping sounds as the fences' cable wires tore apart…he was there again, reliving the nightmare. Grant shook his head, willing himself to push away the memories of that night.

"Alan—look at me," Ellie said, motioning with her head for Grant to face her and not Dodgson. "I don't know if I ever told you this, but when Dr. Harding dropped me off at the visitor center, John and Mr. Arnold were trying to figure out what Nedry had done to the systems."

"Who's Mr. Arnold? Or Nedry? I've never heard of them. Did they work for Hammond?"

"Yes, they worked for InGen. They ran the control room and managed the security systems in the park."

Grant was genuinely stumped. He tried to remember if he and Ellie had ever spoken in-depth about that awful weekend when they returned to the States. They probably had numerous conversations about it, but the combination of more than two decades of time in which he experienced frightening flashbacks, and not wanting to remember those horrible events caused him to forget. He also admitted to himself that he wanted to forget. His dream had turned into a nightmare that weekend, and over time, he tried to block it from his memory. It was better and safer that way.

"Bingo!" Dodgson said happily. "Nedry is the reason it all went to hell. You all just happened to be collateral damage."

"'Collateral damage'," Ellie spat out the words. "Is that what we are to you?"

Dodgson set down the Barbasol shaving cream can on the floor and approached Ellie who sat up, straining against the zip tie restraints. He stroked her blonde hair and Ellie jerked away from him.

"Get off me!"

Dodgson yanked her hair back, exposing her neck. "Don't get cheeky with me. You're gonna listen now—" He let her go, shoving her head downward. "And so are all of you," he said, pointing at Grant and Malcolm.

"Don't touch her—" Grant was cut off when Dodgson punched him across the face.

Grant's face throbbed with pain, and he heard Ellie and Malcolm shouting his name, asking if he was okay, but they sounded far away. He tasted coppery blood on his lips and heard Dodgson yelling at them to shut up or else. There was a brief silence and then Dodgson continued.

"The sabotage happened when one of Hammond's employees betrayed him that night. Stole from InGen."

"How do you know so much about what happened that weekend?" The question escaped from Grant before he could stop himself. Then more came out. "How do you know someone stole from InGen that time?"

"Because I paid him to."

"What?!" Grant didn't think he heard Dodgson right. Jurassic Park hadn't failed due to a fluke or an accident—but because of deliberate human interference? And Lewis Dodgson was behind it all?

"No more fucking questions until I'm done. You wanna know what happened to the systems that night? He shut them down so that he could steal embryos for me. He was supposed to transport them in this can," Dodgson said as he picked up the shaving cream off the floor, "and deliver them to the east dock. He'd get back in time to turn back on the power. Swore up and down he could do it in fifteen minutes and that no one would suspect anything. Even promised an eighteen-minute window so that Biosyn could catch up on InGen's research—all ten years of it."

"Who's 'he'?" Grant asked, frustrated now. He felt like he was on a broken carousel, going in circles and getting dizzier by the second.

Dodgson had been walking back and forth in front of them. He stopped and glared at Grant for what seemed like an hour.

"Nedry," Ellie whispered to him. "That's who."

Dodgson didn't seem to notice that Ellie had whispered to Grant, or he simply didn't care. "We had met before the park inspection for months on end, putting details into the plan so that it was foolproof."

"Get to the good part," Malcolm said. "I'm dying to know what happens."

"I bet you are, Dr. Malcolm," Dodgson said, resumed walking back and forth across the room, as he carefully observed their reactions. "He never made it. The scumbag got himself killed, and my other workers found his rotting corpse being feasted on by compys—but who gives a shit. His death saved me money and my workers found the can buried under mud."

"He stole dinosaur embryos from Hammond—from InGen?" Grant couldn't believe it. "Why would he do that?!"

Had Hammond ever told him about the theft? Did he even know? More pieces fell into place: if this Nedry person was supposed to turn the power back on and couldn't do so because he had been killed in the park…that must've led to the deadly domino effect that had occurred. From what Dodgson said, Grant surmised that Nedry had always intended to restore the power. Wasn't there anyone else who could do it? It infuriated Grant and confirmed for him why he was mistrustful of technology to begin with. Or more so, that he didn't want to become overly dependent on it. Too much automation, he thought, it's ridiculous.

"This canister holds fifteen embryos." Dodgson pointed at one of the greenish colored capsules. "They were only good until a day and a half later after they were picked up. After thirty-six hours, the dinosaur embryos would die and that would be the end of it."

He went back to the table, set down the Barbasol shaving cream can, and then picked up the manilla folder. Breezing through it, he selected a paper and held it up for all of them to see.

"Know who this is?" Dodgson asked. He held up a profile with a photo and description underneath. The words in red had been stamped under the photo: CURRENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. He slowly walked in front of them holding the profile for their viewing, starting with Ellie.

"Gerry Harding, veterinarian for the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park," Ellie said. "He was there with the sick triceratops. Remember, Alan?"

Grant nodded, but questions swarmed in his mind with no answers. Why did Nedry steal from Hammond? Was it a grand scheme between Nedry and Dodgson to sabotage InGen and destroy Hammond's dreams for Jurassic Park? How the hell did Dodgson get away with this horrendous crime? After all, his conspiring with Nedry led to several people's deaths that weekend—and Grant's, Ellie's, and Malcolm's lives had never been the same again. He was certain that was true for Hammond's grandchildren, Tim and Lex. Then Grant remembered how Dodgson had been callous of how he viewed them: collateral damage. Thinking of the phrase and hearing Dodgson's cold pronunciation of it made his blood boil.

"InGen's loss is my gain," Dodgson said, grinning as he held up another profile. This one showed Henry Wu with the word ALIVE stamped under his photo. "Jurassic Park's miracle worker!"

"Yeah, he's quite the miracle worker, huh. You and those adorable locusts you both genetically engineered, mutated, like a couple of mad scientists," Malcolm said. "Birds of a feather…"

"Most people hate lawyers, but in this case, he's an exception, right?" Dodgson continued to maintain a cheerful tone. He wasn't oblivious to the reactions from Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm—he simply couldn't care less what they thought and felt. If anything, he was amused by their responses. This time he held up a profile showing Donald Gennaro. DECEASED was stamped in red under his photo.

Malcolm shook his head. "You love spitting on the graves of dead people. Wonder what'll happen when it's your time to leave this planet."

Ellie sighed, her breath rattling. Grant maintained his calm by clearing his mind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He watched Dodgson go through the profiles to see if there was anyone he didn't know from that weekend.

"How about him? Ray Arnold," Dodgson said, ignoring Malcolm and holding up another profile. The photo showed a slender black man with glasses, a cigarette clenched in his mouth. DECEASED was stamped in red under the photo.

There was a long silence. Grant was trying to speed read the information under Arnold's photo and looked in Ellie's direction when he heard her choked up voice. She sounded like she was trying to hold back tears.

"Mr. Arnold…tried to restore the power…he never came back…I only found…what was left of him…"

"I remember," Malcolm said.

Grant turned in his direction and noticed Malcolm was staring at the floor in deep thought about Arnold's attempts to untangle Nedry's mess. Usually, Malcolm had a confident, I-told-you-so tone in his voice, but now he sounded quiet and reflective. Ian knew Arnold too. Grant was amazed…maybe he had misread Malcolm all this time.

"I'm sure you all know Robert Muldoon." Dodgson sounded like he was trying to hold back derisive laughter.

Grant glanced at the profile and photo, and instantly recognized Muldoon's sharp features and stoic expression. The same word in all capital letters and stamped red was beneath his photo: DECEASED.

"He sacrificed himself…so I could get into the maintenance shed…" Ellie bowed her head as she finally broke down in tears.

"Ellie…please…" Grant tried to comfort her, but she kept her head down, not wanting to be reminded of anyone else from InGen who ended up as a casualty resulting from Nedry's and Dodgson's failed attempt at industrial espionage. When he looked up, he saw a broad sneer on Dodgson's face. The twisted son of a bitch is enjoying this. "That's enough!"

Dodgson regarded Grant as though noticing him for the first time. "Do you want to see the last one?"

"No."

"Why not? Wouldn't you like to put a face on the name of the man who destroyed Jurassic Park?"

As though they had all agreed to go along with Dodgson's suggestion, he held up the final profile like a prized gem or a coveted trophy. It was the only profile that he treated in this fashion. This fact was not lost on Malcolm, Grant, and Ellie.

Malcolm looked up briefly and then refused to glance at it again. He stared at the wall past Dodgson. His uncharacteristic silence was telling, and the clenched fists revealed what he refused to speak aloud. Malcolm's dark eyes smoldered with rage. He tapped his foot, agitated with how Dodgson enjoyed drawing this out. It was obvious that he was thrilled with the destruction and deaths that resulted from Nedry's treachery, so that even if he didn't succeed in obtaining viable embryos, InGen's fall was enough to satisfy him.

Although he didn't want to, Grant forced himself to look at the profile. Right away, he wished he hadn't done so. Nedry's smirk was contemptuous—like he was laughing at Grant from the photo. He was a corpulent man who appeared smug and radiated arrogance. Grant noted his full name: Dennis Nedry. He scanned the information typed beneath the irksome photo and only caught a few phrases: "sabotaged the park's control systems", "badly decomposed", and "motives unknown". In large capital red letters was the word DECEASED under his photo. Grant thought it was good that Nedry was dead—because if he wasn't, he would kill Nedry himself with his bare hands for the devastation he had brought about that night over twenty years ago. Grant finally turned away and Dodgson held up the profile in front of Ellie to see.

"We don't want to leave you out, Dr. Sattler. Take a peek."

Ellie looked up, tears still silently flowing down her cheeks. Then her face reddened as fury overcame her, and she spat on Nedry's photo.

Dodgson threw the folder aside and all the profiles of Harding, Gennaro, Arnold, Muldoon, and Nedry landed on the floor, scattered. He snatched up Nedry's profile as though it was the only one that he cared about.

"That's disgusting. I expect professional behavior from you," he said, wiping off the spit with his bare hand. With the same saliva smeared hand, he caressed Ellie's face before grabbing her jaw. "You've got some damn nerve."

"You're the one that's disgusting." The words dragged through clenched teeth as she wrenched herself free from his grip. Ellie's humiliation didn't deter her from expressing hatred towards Dodgson and the man she had never met. "And don't you dare talk to me about 'professional behavior' when you base your entire career on stealing and ruining others. I'm sure there's reservations in Hell for you and Nedry where you both will burn together."

She was beyond furious. Dodgson's and Nedry's plan to steal from InGen resulted in his coworkers' deaths and Donald Gennaro's. It was so needless, stupid, and selfish. Whether Nedry intended or not to get anyone killed didn't matter to her—what mattered to Ellie was what actually happened then and after. The devastating effects were far-reaching. It didn't end once they escaped Isla Nublar.

Malcolm was laughed out of academia for telling the truth and refusing to be silenced by InGen's attorneys. Grant had buried himself in his work for years and blocked her out unintentionally for a brief period. Her marriage to Mark fell apart because she could never talk to him about that traumatic time. The only ones who understood her were Grant and Malcolm because they lived through it. They knew the carnivorous throaty sounds of raptors growling—when she was still married to Mark and Grant had visited once, she had told him that she tried not to remember. She really meant it. Ellie wanted to erase the memory of visiting Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park so that it was just a black hole in her memory.

She lost contact with Tim and Lex after their parents forbid them from ever speaking to their grandfather again or anyone associated with him—including Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm. Ellie had been deeply hurt by this, especially since it was thanks to Grant that the kids survived the island. She heard from Lex a year after the disaster at the park and never again after that. Ellie had tried to reach out to her for two years. Phone calls went unanswered no matter how many voicemails she left. Letters were marked "Return to Sender". She gave up by the third year.

She was so mad that she never spoke with John Hammond again. He had tried to reach her and Grant several years later about Isla Sorna. Some nonsense about dinosaurs roaming free on another island (as though one wasn't bad enough), or how his nephew, Peter Ludlow, stole InGen right from under him. Neither one responded to his letters and phone calls. It didn't matter how many zeros Hammond put after any digit on a check made out to her or Grant. They were done—they had learned the hard way not to be easily brought by promises of funds in exchange for their expertise. All the money in the world couldn't undo seeing Arnold's severed bloody arm—and she never wanted to know how horrific his death was. It couldn't undo the sheer terror of trying to outrun a velociraptor in the tiny confines of the maintenance shed with the flashlight dragging on the floor behind her, clanking as it hit the guardrails. Malcolm was the only one who responded to Hammond when he sought them out to help with the Isla Sorna situation…

Malcolm…Ellie pulled against the zip tie restraints holding her wrists and ankles to the chair. They didn't budge. She leaned over so that she could see Malcolm sitting on the other side of Grant.

"Ian—you've been working for Biosyn—for this asshole," she said, motioning with her head at Dodgson. "You've been sleeping with the enemy! What the hell's wrong with you?!"

Malcolm shifted in his chair as he met Ellie's furious accusation. "I wasn't sleeping with the enemy—I—I had no idea—none whatsoever!"

"You've always wanted to shut down Hammond's 'science project'—but who went to Isla Sorna for the right price?! Who was under Biosyn employment even though they sabotaged InGen and threw our lives all over the place—you!"

Malcolm's jaw dropped in genuine shock at Ellie's anger—and more from the fact that she was accusing him of working with InGen's competition. He was flustered and embarrassed—which was completely unlike him. Between them, Grant turned his head left and right, looking from Ellie to Malcolm, and back to Ellie again. Although Grant wasn't particularly fond of Malcolm—mainly because he always flirted with Ellie, and he found his lectures on chaos theory to be on the preachy side—he believed him. There was no reason Malcolm would team up with InGen's rival to destroy what Hammond had so painstakingly created. Aside from that, Malcolm was straightforward and in-your-face. Grant knew that from the first park inspection when he was upfront with telling Hammond what he felt about Jurassic Park. He wasn't duplicitous or spiteful.

"I didn't know," Malcolm was subdued now as he shook his head.

"Like hell you didn't."

"Ellie—stop it," Grant said. "Right now, we gotta stick together."

Ellie looked away, tuning out both Grant and Malcolm.

"Alan—" Malcolm appealed to Grant now. "It's not what you think it is, or what Ellie thinks it is."

Grant sighed. He hated being in the middle of conflicts, and right now, he was literally seated between the only two people he could count on to work together, so that they could get the hell out of here. They needed each other to escape this hellhole since it was anything but a sanctuary. Once they left, they would never look back. He understood Ellie's outrage, but he believed Malcolm was sincere.

"I believe you, Ian." Grant said.

Malcolm gave a curt nod, but remained staring at the floor, trying to avoid inciting Ellie.

"Ellie, I believe him. Pull yourself together."

She turned away in the opposite direction, still refusing to face Grant.

"We have to stick together, it's the only way we'll get out of this," Grant said, trying to appeal to her. He tried to shift his chair closer to hers, but it was difficult with both his hands and feet immobile thanks to the restraints.

"Yeah, stick together 'cause a lot of good that'll do you," Dodgson said, interjecting himself into their argument. He stacked the profiles together and placed them back in the manilla folder. He stood over them now. "Or feel free to fight amongst yourselves. I find it entertaining!"

Ellie seemed to forget about her reaction to Malcolm as she glared at Dodgson now. Malcolm and Grant also focused on Dodgson, remembering that he was the reason they were imprisoned in this tiny soundproof room that seemed to grow colder as time went on. They watched as Dodgson placed the Barbasol can and manilla folder on the table and returned to stand in front of them.

"Before I make my offer to you, do you have any questions?"

"Ohhh, we get an offer out of all this," Malcolm jeered. "How exciting!"

Dodgson shot him a sideways glance and then continued. "This is your only opportunity to ask any questions you have, so you better take advantage while you still can."

"Ellie?" Grant tried to appeal to her.

"I have no questions," she muttered, refusing to give Dodgson the satisfaction of wanting answers. "And I don't trust him to tell us the truth about anything."

"That breaks my heart," Dodgson said, putting his hand on his chest. Then he busted out laughing, as though her reaction was comedic.

Grant realized it came down to him. He didn't know why he was asking. Maybe it would help him to understand what happened that fateful night more than two decades ago, when they were stranded outside by the tyrannosaur paddock in the middle of a tropical storm. They had already learned so much today, why not go the full extent? At least, he'd finally get the answers he wanted for questions he didn't know he had.

"Why did he do it?"

Dodgson had been leaning against the wall in front of Grant, with his arms folded across his chest. His eyebrows rose in surprise at Grant's question.

"Why did Dennis Nedry betray John Hammond?" Dodgson asked to confirm. He had that same iron calmness in his voice, although by now they all knew about his hair-trigger temper.

"Yes. That's my question—so answer it." Grant made piercing eye contact with Dodgson who stared him down, unblinking and cold.

"I'll start by telling you that John Hammond isn't the sweet grandfatherly business owner of InGen he portrayed himself to be. He wasn't the idealistic dreamer he wanted you all to believe he was. Hammond was incredibly cutthroat to his employees. And he created Jurassic Park to make money. Bet none of you knew that."

Grant listened and waited to hear more. Without looking on either side of him, he knew that Ellie and Malcolm were also paying attention.

"What was the phrase Hammond said repeatedly? Dennis heard it many times when he worked for him."

"Spare no expense," Ellie said.

"Gold stars for you, you got it right," Dodgson said, winking at her.

Ellie averted her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the slimy gesture from him.

"Hammond was fond of boasting that he spared no expense to build his dream, Jurassic Park—but that was a huge fucking lie—and no one else knew that better than Dennis. You see, Dennis Nedry is—or was—an incredible systems analyst—and he knew it. He was a sarcastic and arrogant bastard—a real pain in the ass. God knows I tried to cultivate him, but he's not one to be trained or tamed."

"You could tell by the photo," Malcolm said.

Dodgson continued as though Malcolm hadn't said anything. "He knew how to get past Jurassic Park security and that's all I cared about. When Hammond hired him for InGen, he didn't appreciate his genius. He kept him working in the dark. Nedry had no idea what he was creating the security systems for until much later. By then, the system had a fair number of bugs, which is to be expected when you aren't given the proper parameters. But it gets better."

Malcolm, Ellie, and Grant exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of which direction Dodgson was going and then he dropped the bombshell:

"John Hammond wanted changes made to the system at the last minute, but he wasn't willing to pay him the extra work. He claimed this was in Nedry's original contract."

"I take it these were major changes?" Grant asked.

Dodgson nodded. "They were and Hammond wanted everything done the way he wanted it—but he refused to compensate Nedry for additional labor. Keep in mind, this is the same man who claims he 'spares no expense'."

"So, he turned his back on Hammond because he wasn't getting paid to do more work? Got himself and his coworkers killed because he didn't walk away from the job with his dignity intact?" Ellie asked, annoyed. "That's a lousy excuse, but I'm sure that works just fine for you."

Dodgson's eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he glared at Ellie. He shifted against the wall. "Don't be so quick to judge because the plot thickens: Hammond sent letters to Nedry's clients stating he was unreliable. He threatened to take him to court, filed lawsuits against him, and almost derailed Nedry's career—and Dennis had already signed a non-disclosure agreement, so he wasn't left with many options for recourse. He was being blackmailed. Does that answer your question, Dr. Sattler?"

Ellie shrugged, refusing to answer.

Grant thought of Nedry's profile now. No wonder he appeared that way, he realized. Hammond had cornered him—pressured him and gave him no way out. And Hammond's cruel treatment of Nedry was light years away from the respect he gave Grant and Ellie. He remembered how Hammond invited them to the island, offering to fund their digs for another three years. And yet, he couldn't find it in his heart to pay his employee for extra work? God knows John Hammond had plenty money in his wallet. At that exact moment, Grant wondered who was the worst of the two: Nedry—or Hammond?

"The irony of their conflict was that Hammond always made Nedry feel that this was his fault, that he had bid low for his position. The truth is, even if Nedry did bid low for his position, Hammond had more than enough money to fairly compensate him for the extra work he demanded of him. By the time I met Dennis, he was beyond disgruntled."

"He was upset with Hammond," Grant said.

"That's putting it mildly," Dodgson said. "He was infuriated, so when I asked him if he could defeat Jurassic Park security, he said he could because he had built it from the ground up. He knew all the ins and outs. I wanted embryos and he could override security to steal them. In return, I paid him one point five million dollars. There's more to our money deal, but it doesn't matter. What matters is now you know why Dennis Nedry betrayed John Hammond. Despite what you all may think, it was never his intention to get anyone killed—"

"Or traumatized, I'm sure," Malcolm threw in.

"Certainly not traumatized, but as I said before, you're all collateral damage."

Collateral damage. That damn term again, Grant thought, frustrated. As though they were all an afterthought. Now that he knew the truth, did he feel less angry? He considered everything he had learned today. While he certainly didn't blame Nedry for the rage he must've felt towards Hammond, it still didn't justify what he had done. In the end, Nedry's conflict with Hammond spilled over to innocent people who paid the price with their lives, and there was no excusing that. Even Nedry had been killed, so that in the end, his own actions caught up to him.

Grant felt some closure for knowing the truth of what happened that night. Then again—wasn't it better to think that the entire ordeal had been the result of a random computer malfunction? Knowing that Nedry had turned off the security systems on purpose, so that he could commit what he thought was the "perfect crime", incensed Grant. He imagined which criminal charges would've been leveled against Dennis Nedry if he had survived: grand larceny, reckless endangerment of human life, industrial espionage, computer hacking… He would've ended up with life imprisonment—or even the death penalty since his actions cost the lives of Gennaro, Arnold, and Muldoon. The latter seemed to happen on its own as Nedry was dead. Grant shook his head as all the thoughts swirled in his mind. He wondered what Ellie and Malcolm thought about what they had learned when he heard Dodgson abruptly change the topic.

"So that brings me to the final part of all this. I'd like to make you all an offer." Dodgson left the wall and started to walk around the cramped room.

"What kind of offer?" Ellie watched him suspiciously.

"A job offer. You see, I specialize in raising up people's careers, especially when they are in a downward spiral. Dr. Malcolm, you were in a downward spiral after speaking the truth about InGen. Henry Wu was also in a bad state after his hybrid creations got out. So, I took them under my wing and now, they're here serving Biosyn with their talents and abilities." Dodgson grinned, proud. What he was proud of, wasn't clear. Perhaps he was proud of Biosyn or perhaps he was proud that he had cajoled well-meaning honest employees into working for him so that he could fully exploit them while they were none the wiser.

Malcolm didn't bother to acknowledge what Dodgson said. "You exploit what people love most and pretend to be their savior. Your day is coming just as it did for Dennis."

Dodgson shrugged. "That's one man's opinion."

"That's a fact," Malcolm countered.

"I'm not gonna waste my fucking time arguing with you. Preach to the one-man choir and leave it at that." Dodgson stared down Malcolm and then gestured to Grant and Ellie. "You have two choices: you can join Biosyn—because you're not leaving here. This research facility is your final resting place. Now that can mean either one of two things…you're resting after a long day of work with Biosyn—or you're resting in a location where they will never find your bodies."

Grant's jaw dropped. Ellie gasped. Malcolm looked up sharply.

"That caught your attention," Dodgson said.

Ellie and Grant exchanged a questioning glance that was a mix of fear and disbelief.

"Consider it an act of mercy. Instead of eliminating you off the bat, I'm giving you an opportunity to continue living. The only condition is that it's on my terms."

"Your terms?" Grant repeated.

Dodgson's voice dropped to a harsh growl as he approached Grant so that they were a foot away from each other. "Yes. My. Fucking. Terms."

"I'm already here," Malcolm said, "so where does that leave me?"

Dodgson scoffed as he turned in his direction. "I'll give you a second chance, which is unprecedented. Usually, I get rid of anyone who backstabs me—and not by firing them. I make it so they don't backstab me or anyone else again…if you catch my drift."

"I caught it a while ago, so allow me to express my humblest gratitude," Malcolm said. "Not that you appreciate it."

"If anyone here is unappreciative it's you," Dodgson said as he approached Malcolm, towering above him.

Malcolm sat back in his chair as much as he could, trying to avoid Dodgson, who now turned to Grant and Ellie. They tried to mask their own escalating terror with a confident veneer that was quickly eroding as the seconds ticked by.

"Join Biosyn. Contribute to its wealth of research as we have a wonderful dinosaur sanctuary for you to really delve into, Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler."

Ellie glanced at Grant, wondering about what he would decide.

Grant shook his head vehemently. "I'll never partner with the man whose actions led to the deaths of three innocent people and the one guilty person who betrayed John Hammond."

Dodgson tilted his head in thought, puzzled by Grant's stance. "Or you can spend the rest of your days languishing here."

"I pick choice C—none of the above," Malcolm said, jumping in. "And I'm sure I speak for all of us."

Grant and Ellie glared at Malcolm, disturbed by his strange sense of humor.

"There is no 'choice C'. You either join Biosyn or join the dead. That latter option means ending up as a bag of bones—like the bones you study, Dr. Grant."

Grant now turned to Dodgson who appeared jovial and unfazed by what he was implying.

"'The dead'?" Ellie asked in disbelief. "That's our second choice?!"

"That makes your choice obvious, Dr. Sattler. Don't you agree?" Dodgson asked with a syrupy tone. "Sometimes it's best to be direct rather than to use silly euphemisms. You can join a successful bioengineering company, lend your expertise in paleobotany, and be paid wonderfully for your skills. Or there's that other unpleasant choice…"

Ellie shook her head. Dodgson saw her reaction and grinned triumphantly. He turned to Grant. "Dr. Grant, you can offer us much information about paleontology while testing your theories."

"Dr. Dodgson—and it pains me to call you that, because I doubt you're a doctor anyway," Grant said as he met Dodgson's dead gaze head on. "You and everyone in your company can rot in hell."

Dodgson sighed he picked up the Barbasol can and the manilla folder. He started towards the door. "You've all made your decision. I'll check back in a day or so to see if you've changed your minds." He opened the door and turned back once more. "Just know that you're not going anywhere anytime soon. None of you are."

Dodgson walked out, and locked the door behind him, leaving Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm to reflect on the truth behind the destruction and failure of Jurassic Park…and to ponder if they had made the right decision to reject Lewis Dodgson's "offer".

=The End=