Chapter 1: How it all begins
It was a cold night of early December 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Everyone was asleep in a little house, minus a little girl who was coloring a piece of paper lying near the blazing fire.
She had light brown hair and blue sapphire eyes. The little girl's name was Valentina Grady. Valentina wore a pink nightgown and a silver whisttle around her neck. She was waiting for her parents to come home. She was actually very different from other little girls, as she knew how to communicate with animals and plants. But some people wouldn't understand, so her parents kept her homeschooled.
Speaking of whom, they were so to say good people. Her father was named Matt Grady and her mother was named Alma Grady. Matt Grady used to be an airline pilot while Matt's brother Owen was a Fleet Marine Force corpsman. After an excellent service, Matt became a well-liked flight instructor, but would also play with his baby girl while protecting her from frustrated neighbours as well as spoiling his baby daughter. Valentina was indeed very curious, perhaps a little too much, as she often brought in dangerous animals in the neighbourhood which caused her to get into trouble. The little girl's mother Alma was an Italian-born doctor at the infectious disease research center who was very kind to her colleagues. But she chose to marry Matt, as Alma preferred to marry airline pilots rather than a servicemember, like her brother-in-law Owen was, though she didn't hate military service members. Back to Valentina, she loved her parents so much that she followed them everywhere, except when going to the bathroom or to bed.
As Valentina finished her drawing, a teenage girl dressed in a red checkered shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of winter boots came down the stairs. Her name was Abigail Starling, who lived with her brother Josh in the neighbourhood after they moved away from the family book shop to their college studies. Abigail worked as a part-time babysitter for Valentina while Josh worked at the garage to help out with money.
Once near the toddler, Abigail told her smiling, "Hey, Valentina. It's past bed time, you know."
Valentina looked at the teenager pleadingly and said, "But pwease, can I stay up fow a few mowe minutes? Mommy and Daddy pwomised me to wead me a bedtime stowy."
"Alright, but I'm gonna tell your parents about this. And they won't like it" Abigail told jokingly.
""YAY! Thank you, Abigail. You'we the best babysittew evew." Valentina exclaimed happily.
"Ah, you're making me blush." Abigail said before seeing Valentina's drawing. "What are you drawing her, Valentina?"
Valentina showed the picture, representing a long-necked animal eating leaves on the top of a pine tree, to Abigail. "It's a Ba-wo-sau-wus." she said trying to say 'Barosaurus' correctly.
"Tell me if I'm wrong but this is a dinosaur, isn't it?" Abigail asked playfully.
Valentina loves dinosaurs so much that she owns dozens of stuffed toy dinosaurs in her room. She always dreamed of meeting one of these in Jurassic World, where her uncle Owen worked and where her 16-year-old cousin Peyton lived. Although they did visit and her father did talk about them, Valentina was still a baby back then and she therefore barely remembered her cousin and uncle. However, Alma and Matt never understood their niece's taste for the military nor her willingness to enlist after turning 17 or becoming a war correspondant. Actually, Valentina didn't understand either.
"Yes, and they awe pwant eatews and awe weally big." the toddler playfully told.
"I bet they can reach very tall trees." Abigail remarked.
"Yes, but they have to stand on theiw hind legs to eat leaves fwom high twees." Valentina replied./
"Alright, I will make you some hot coco, you will go to sleep while we wait for your parents" Abigail suggested softly.
Valentina excitedly nodded before Abigail went to the kitchen to make the hot coco. Valentina quickly went up and jumped upon the sofa and looked up at the window, waited for her parents. As Valentina looked at the streets, Abigail came back with the mug of hot coco and handed it to the little girl, who drank it one little sip after another while still waiting for her parents who still didn't come. Valentina soon fell asleep on the couch with the empty mug on her map. Abigail took the little girl, tucked her in the bed and covered her with the blanket before texting the Grady parents.
'Mr. and Mrs. Grady, it's me Abby. I was wondering why you aren't coming home yet. If you have an extra shift for work, then I'll watch Valentina tomorrow. Abigail'
After sending the message, Abigail went to the couch, looked out the window to see the whole neighbourhood being asleep. Then, she texted her brother Josh she would stay at the Grady's home to watch over Valentina. Abigail waited for a while, but seeing Matt or Alma not texting back, fell asleep on the couch. On the next morning, Abigail made some pancakes for Valentina before calling Matt. But there was no reply, leaving her no choice but to hang up. Then, Abigail heard some small footsteps and saw Valentina come down the stairs, holding a stuffed yellow Utahraptor dubbed Honey. Honey was given as a birthday gift by Alma to her daughter and Valentina treasured Honey like her closest friend.
"Morning, Valentina." Abigail said the toddler.
Valentina then sat on her chair before eating her breakfast. Abigail then smiled at her before grabbing the phone as it rang. She quickly grabbed the device and went to the living room to answer. Valentina turned her head and watched the whole scene.
"Howdy? It's Abigail Starling. I'm the babysitter for Mr. and Mrs Grady. Ah you're Peyton. What? Okay." Abigail said before turning the loudspeaker on. Abigail then saw Valentina standing there for a while and feared what Peyton would say
"This morning, the US Air Force and the NTSB told in a joint press conference about what happened at the Philadelphia International Airport yesterday night. After helping the firefighters and police to secure the crash site of an Airbus A340, they discovered nobody survived. My uncle was the guest crewmember, who was to evaluate the actual crew, and my aunt was coming back from a conference in Dublin when the plane crashed. Needless to say, they died like all of the other passengers and crewmembers of the plane. And no need to call Dad, Pop and Meemaw" Peyton explicitely said on the phone.
Valentina's eyes widened as she heard what her cousin told. Her parents would never come back? That's impossible! They promised! They have to be fine. Valentina then began to cry as tears came streaming down her face. Abigail gently tried to comfort the three-year old, sad that the little girl lost her parents at such a young age and shocked that someone was so direct in her words towards a little girl.
Upon hearing that, Abigail composed herself and called Josh to tell him about the sad news before heading to the airport to see what happened. What she, Josh and Valentina saw at the crash site was horrifying: there were Air National Guard personel and NTSB investigator gathering the chared remains of the plane while firefighters gathered what little remained of the people in the plane.
A week after the crash, a proper funeral could finally take place at a National Guard hangar, where seven USAF airmen armed with M4 carbines were standing five feet from a chaplain. Valentina, Josh, Abigail and many other people were inside the hangar standing in front of 310 caskets, among which those containing the remains of Matt and Alma Grady.
Valentina was next to Josh and Abigail, while Candace Grady and her husband Geoff were standing next to their remaining son and oldest granddaughter, who in turn was standing next to her friends Kelli, Dean, Rick, Lindy, Liv, Liz and Mary. Peyton was wearing black Jungle Boots, a pair of dark gray trousers, a black blazer and a black beanie
After a short prayer, the Airmen fired three shots in the air each and a buggler played 'Taps' before the families and relatives went to their loved one's casket. Peyton came at her uncle and aunt's coffins and laid a miniature American flag on each one of them, before Valentina put a red rose on her father's casket and a white rose on her mother's one. Peyton then walked towards the entrance of the garage before calling someone on her phone./
"So, who was that?" Owen asked his daughter while the latter's friends turned to the teenager.
"The recruiter. I told him I would wait for his decision." Peyton replied, noticing Abigail and Josh cuddling a crying Valentina while giving her and her friends a 'We're gonna kill you' gaze. Peyton and her friends stared at them with an equally hostile gaze.
After the funeral was over, Peyton, her father and grandparents came to the Starling siblings' home with Valentina, as everyone did including Peyton's friends. Valentina was at her home crying while her grandparents comforted her, explaining Peyton had developped a thick skin and that they saw her crying only twice in the course of fourteen years: when Peyton's mother died and when Kelli's father passed away due to a cancer. Candace and her husband also saw Peyton burst of anger only three times over the same period of time.
Peyton and her father were standing at the doorframe watching the whole scene without even shedding a tear, as both had forged themselves a shell in which they hid their feelings
"That's you and Uncle Matt after going into middle school. Grinning like dorks" Peyton remarked, earning a warm nod from her father.
Then, the teenager let out something from her pocket. It was her uncle and aunt's will, should something bad happen to them.
"Where did you get this?" Owen asked his daughter
Peyton looked at her father and replied, "I called the notary. He said I didn't have to pay with cash nor credit card since uncle Matt and aunt Alma already did."
Then, the two of them saw Josh and Abigail coming towards them. Josh motioned them into the kitchen, Owen went inside before Peyton closed the door behind them.
"What's the matter?" Owen asked the Starling siblings.
After an eary silence, Peyton bursted out and screamed, "WHAT'S THE FUCKING MATTER?"
Abigail then answered, "Listen, Valentina will be given to the Child Service. They called us recently."
"What the fuck is that?" Peyton told so loudly that Valentina and her grandparents could hear the teen cursing.
"They think you and Peyton aren't fit to take care of Valentina. they think she'll be better in a foster family, because your father has health issues, probably linked with the Vietnam War, as does your mother. Moreover, you work at Jurassic World while Peyton lives and is schooled out there. They also know every employee and employee brat has a gun. That's why they said this." Josh told Owen.
"Tell them we don't give a fuck of their fucking opinion, because the notary sent me an email six hours ago. In said email, there was this. I know, it's a copy, but the will states aunt Alma and uncle Matt are trusting us for Valentina's education." Peyton said out loud showing her aunt and uncle's will.
Abigail and her brother looked at each other, not knowing what to say before Josh took his phone and called Child Service to tell them about Alma and Matt Grady's will. Peyton then phone her father's right-hand, who was also another of her friends, named Barry Sembène.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Barry. Peyton here. Did you hear about the plane crash last night in Pennsylvania?" Peyton replied
"Yes, I did. Bet you need help with something linked to this." Barry said at the other end of the line.
"Yep. And my aunt and uncle were inside. Both of them got turned into chared bodies because of some nasty thing causing the crash. I need your help to put all my military-related books, TV shows, movies and video games into the guest room. Also, transfer all of the furniture in my bedroom to that same guest room before turning it in a children-friendly environment." Peyton politely instructed.
Barry knew that Peyton didn't hold a high opinion of her uncle, as Matt always considered all of those who served in Vietnam as cowards and idiots, preferring to hang out with his friends, meaning Owen had to help his father through an art therapy to help Geoff overcome the traumatic memories of Vietnam War. Peyton had to correct her uncle very frequently over historical facts when he visited her and her father, which helped the Grady family to reconcile over the different points of view about the US Military. Now, it was up to Owen and his daughter to raise Valentina, Owen's niece. Barry knew that, even if Peyton was a socially dextrous and patient girl, she wasn't the kind of person to mess with in the first place, as she knew how to cope by herself and already behaved like a US Military service member despite being only 16 years old. And the teenager's patience had its limits, beyond which she would burst out in anger, even if her anger hardly ever took over, as Peyton preferred to analyze a situation to find an equal treatment for both of those involved in a crisis.
"Kay. Will do." Barry replied.
"Thanks. Owe you a solid." Peyton told before she heard Barry end the call.
With that, the teenager put her phone back in her pocket before turning to the Starling siblings. "See. All set. And don't tell me I'm a fucking monster. It's just that in Jurassic World, you better not be infatuated with someone, in case that someone gets eaten." Peyton explained to the two siblings before joining her father in the dining room.
"Know you're getting through a lot. But you'll live in Jurassic World." Peyton told her cousin.
"Weally? Will I see dinosauws? Will I pway with them?" Valentina asked, slightly reassured.
"Yeah. BUT now, it's gonna be MY world, MY rules, MY decisions. Understand?" Peyton said on a stern voice, hoping the toddler understands she will be raised her uncle.
Valentina shyly nodded before her older cousin went to the photocopier. "Turn your computer on." she instructed Josh.
Josh did as instructed before Peyton and him scanned Alma and Matt Grady's will, downloaded the copy and sent it to the Child Service. As that was happening, Valentina was crying, as she now knew she would have to adapt to a whole new world, where rules and punishments were way harsher than what she lived through until now. Her parents indeed never scolded her, but now her cousin and uncle wouldn't hesitate to do so.
After coming back to Isla Nublar, Peyton and her father got a call from a woman named Adalyn Walker informing them they were definitely granted custody of Valentina. Bad news was that she would come to see if their house was a children-friendly environment or not. Peyton and her father hurried to turn Peyton's old bedroom into a kid's one while they turned the guest room into Peyton's new bedroom.
Some workers who owed either Peyton or her father a favor were cutting some boards while others were measuring or hamering them while Barry and his friend Owen painted Peyton's room pink instead of green. Peyton was being helped by her friends to transfer all of her stuff in her new bedroom.
Suddenly, a Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG parked in front of the house. Then, a redhead woman dressed in white came out of the car and came near the doorframe. Everyone put their things down as they recognized the woman as Claire Dearing, the overseer of the park in the owner's absence. Owner who happened to be Simon Masrani, CEO of Masrani Global Corporation.
"Claire, we're gonna have a new head on the island. My cousin lost her parents and is going to live there." Peyton told.
"What?" Claire exclaimed.
"You heard it." the teenager replied, knowing Claire would chew her off for doing such a mess.
"Hope your cousin won't wander off and cause trouble." Claire said before walking back to her car.
With that, Peyton, her friends, her father, Barry and the workers went back to work, as they knew the custody of a toddler was at stake. Barry just hoped the little newcommer will be able to handle her wild uncle and unpredictable cousin. After finishing the work inside the house, Peyton and her father also made sure the garden was secure. They put a fence around the house and around the lake to prevent Valentina from wandering off or drowning. They even made a tire-swing for her, a pink playhouse, a sandbox and a tropical-flower-filled mini-garden.
Peyton also kept her father's tools inside a shed so the little kid won't get hurt. Only Owen had the key to the shed. He also helped his daughter conceal the armory from a kid's eyesight. Inside the armory were four SIG-Sauer P225 pistols, four Glock-17 pistols, Peyton's great-grandfather's M1 Garand and Colt M1911A1, Peyton's grandfather's M16A1 rifle, Owen's scoped Marlin Model 1895 SBL rifle, Owen's customized M16A4 rifle, Peyton's M16A2, five customized M4A1 carbines, six customized Tavor X95 carbines, four customized Heckler Koch G36K rifles, four Beretta 92FS pistols and four SAKO TRG-42 sniper rifle, plus a huge amount of ammunition and four AN/PVS-7 night vision device.