Owen started at his phone's vibration. Kolov made a show of taking note of the caller, then smirked. "Your wife. Booty call?"
Owen reached across and grabbed Kolov's wrist. He held on, saying all that was needed with his grip. He'd been keeping his cool, but this guy was pushing him.
Aldovich cleared his throat through the comms. "Ignore him. He should've been drowned at birth; we're paying for that oversight now."
Kolov swore in Russian as he yanked his hand out of Owen's. The phone buzzed again; still Claire. It had to be about the video conference. Owen fell back, adjusting the earwig that'd been forced on him at the airstrip. Aldovich had stayed behind with Gavrill, while the rest went ahead to ingenue. But he planned to be tuned in every step of the way.
"Alright," Jasha announced from his seat, finally closing the laptop. "We're entering from the north doors. Once Grady gets us through, hold back fifteen seconds while I disarm the rest of the building's security system…"
Wasn't aware he could string this many sentences together. Owen distracted the foreboding in his stomach. There had been no chances for him to escape and the closer they got to InGen, the more trapped he felt. He was crammed in an armored vehicle, seated next to Terry, with ammo and other felony tools stuffed in the back. He had been giving the InGen blueprints momentary glimpses as Terry looked them over. "Who'd you exploit for these? Or did you go the with bribery?"
Terry didn't respond to that, tapping the north entrance with his finger. "No high-end renovations have been done since 2010. We'll go down to sub level one. In and out in thirteen minutes."
The truck braked and Terry got out, expressionless. "You may not like it, but it is what it is, Grady. Do your job and soon it'll be a bad memory."
"You lull yourself to sleep with that mantra." Owen drilled a stare into the man's back. He looked up at the building; since there wasn't much else to look at. There was silence… eerie and desolate over the barren streets. It resembled the wake of every post-apocalyptic movie scene ever made, scattered leaves and recalled the miles of cars they'd lumbered behind to get to the border. Still, he hadn't thought it possible to make California look abandoned.
A wind blew... was that a prehistoric moan that blew with it? That anticipation of finding a dinosaur around any corner was held taught in the air. Which made the guards at the InGen doors seem entirely pointless. Owen's throat became dry as Kolov and the others struck straight postures. They were wearing army drabs- him included. With helmets, vests, and guns. His however, wasn't loaded.
"At ease." Terry took the lead, saluting the soldiers in their approach. "Shift change. You'll be reporting back to the South Tahoe base; expected arrival 2100 hours."
"Sir." The soldiers nodded, leaving their posts to be replaced by Jasha and Kolov. Owen tightened his hand around the strap of his useless gun as they passed. They radioed their instructions to soldiers posted on the south and east entrances. None of them seemed suspect, but Owen's breath stayed in his throat until they had driven away.
"You shy of killing, American." Kolov had to remark. Owen sized him up with a sturdy stare. "Just innocent people. Lucky for me, you don't make that list."
Kolov snorted, mimicking Owen's tone. "Such confidence."
"Nice to know you've got a beef with me, on top of wanting to frame me." Owen bombshelled, enjoying the shock coming over Kolov's face. "Oh, was I not supposed to know that? I mean, it's the only logical reason you'd risk dragging me here..."
Aldovich gave a chuckle. "I see why a dinosaur would follow you, Mr. Grady. Instinct breeds instinct."
The false flattery from him and his boss was getting on Owen's nerves. Jasha continued hooking his laptop to the keypad, Terry keeping watch. Kolov took a step closer, gloating the inches he had on Owen. "You know the best thing about confidence, Grady? Watching it die as you beat a man down."
"Kolov, shut up." Aldovich ordered, the edge growing on his tone.
"Grady." Jasha broke into their standoff, pointing to the number pad. Owen clenched his teeth and moved past Kolov to punch in his code. The computer calculated them, then flashed green as the door bars snapped back.
"We're in." Terry reported to Aldovich.
"Locate the eggs first." Aldovich reminded them. "They will be easier to transport, should we run out of time."
"We won't."
Jasha pointed to the left and Owen followed his lead; flanked by Kolov. Owen spotted the cameras on every corner, moving irregularly. Almost like their lens were following him. His grip went sweaty on the handle of the traveling case Terry had handed him. One of two to lug the embryos away. If they were there... all Owen knew was that he needed to be watching for an opportunity. Get back to Claire and Maisie and start having regular troubles. Reaching the elevator. Jasha repeated his hook up, with Owen surrendering his code. It granted them access and he was shoved in, Kolov's gun to his neck. Uneventfully, they rode down, til the doors opened on a wide and dark hall. It stretched out in both directions, multiple doors labeled. It all centered on a neatly kept lab, quiet behind a wall of glass. Low lights turned on in the hall with Terry's first step on the tile.
"Comms with Aldovich are down." Jasha reported before going to work on the lab door. "The depth's messing with the signal."
"That blow heart will live." Kolov sneered. Owen might have asked him why he hated Aldovich so much, but he didn't care. Plus, it just seemed like the guy got off on being ticked at everybody. A sound from down the hall distracted him. The metal door on the left- a wide, steel frame- had a window and he moved over to take a look. There was a loud snort and the head of a hadrosaurid rose into view. It wasn't full-grown yet, brown jagged stripes along its green and yellow side. The horn jutting from the back of its skull bent down and pushed at the wall, satisfying an itch.
"They captured one?" Kolov asked, pushing Owen aside so he could see. Owen shook his head. "Too young. Looks like InGen was raising it." He sighed. "Research never rests."
"Alright." Jasha announced as the lab door opened. Kolov went back to shoving Owen and the four men entered. The lab lingered under familiar blue lighting and machines hummed along both walls. The long side was completely glass, giving the duckbill a full view of the lab from its cage. Owen rested a hand on the counter, watching Terry unlock the carrying cases. "So how do we play this? Hot and cold? Marco Polo?"
"They're being kept in sub-zero containment." Terry ignored his sarcasm, pointing to a floor-to-ceiling cylinder. "There's twenty-two DNA samples and they'll last 16 hours in our containers."
"Then the Indoraptor." Kolov moved along the counter as Terry and Jasha opened their two carrying cases. Owen rather caught the far end of the lab, held in complete blackness. He hesitated, then walked the aisle between the counters. He was stopped by yet another wall of glass; cold, nearly frigid. He spotted three buttons below the rim and hit the one with the lightbulb.
His heart pounded with shock as he jumped back. Within the glass, the frozen, lax smile of the Indoraptor illuminated before Owen. The dead hybrid laid on its side with the airtight unit, enough space for a few men to walk in and around it. Probably what the hazmat suits were for.
Kolov let out a long whistle at the Indoraptor. "We finally collect on what we pay for."
Owen didn't move. It was stupid, but a part of him expected the Indoraptor to leap up at any second. "You really want to being another one of these to life."
Kolov clapped a hand on his shoulder. "It's part of the sport, American. The best weapons do not guarantee a win. But they don't hurt your chances."
Owen whacked Kolov's hand off. The last thing he was discussing with this meathead was the wisdom of war. He'd seen Kolov's eagerness in other guys before... a want for conflict and its violence...
"They're not here."
Owen and Kolov looked back at Terry's tense expression. Fog laced out of the unsealed cylinder and he reached in. All he came out with was an empty vial holder. Kolov rushed up and crowded in for a second look. Owen lingered behind them, eyes no the door. He needed to squeeze past, but it was a straight shot-
"Where are they?" Kolov jerked Terry out of his bewilderment. He spun, sweeping his eyes over the lab; and cutting off Owen's escape route.
"They have to be here." Terry murmured, pacing to the counter, then back to the cylinder. "She said they were."
She? Owen's ears perked up. Terry leaned on the counter, pinching his nose to think. "We're on a time limit. We'll load up the Indoraptor."
"Mr. Gavrill wants the embryos." Jasha told him; and he wasn't suggesting it.
"He'll get them." Terry slammed their cases closed. Owen caught movement behind him, in the hall. His pulse quickened. "Or what? Double his money back?"
His chin stung with the pistol whip Kolov delivered, knocking him back against the counter. Kolov grabbed his collar, the gun set between Owen's eyes. Owen held back his pained expression, staring into the guy's souls irises. "I grow tired of your back talk."
"Kolov!" Jasha warned. Kolov only clicked his safety off. "Should've done this on the plane-"
"WHAT are you people doing here?"
All heads- and gun barrels- whipped toward the door. Owen straightened and saw someone he hadn't expected to see for another three years: Henry Wu!
Before it was a full thought, Owen struck Kolov's throat and threw him back. He caught the wrist with the readied gun, but Kolov's reaction was immediate, jabbing Owen in the ribs. Owen gripped the gun harder with the pain, pointed it down, and blasted the man's knee. Kolov howled.
"Don't move, Doctor." Terry ordered, angry at this sudden turn. Owen hurled Kolov's weight into Jasha, dodged around the square counter, and in three steps, had Dr. Wu as a shield, Kolov's gun steady against his temple. Terry stilled as Jasha pulled Kolov up, Russian obscenities spewing from them both. Owen locked his arm around Dr. Wu, breathing hard over the man's shoulder. "I shoot him, good luck finding any embryos."
Everyone took stock of their new position, Owen backing up with the doctor; who resisted. "A-Are you insane? What is happening here?"
"Think about what you're risking here, Grady." Terry edged forward, sighting them with his weapon. Owen narrowed his eyes on him. "Traitors know all about risks, don't they."
"Waste him!" Kolov roared, half-staggering with his knee.
"You are contaminating this location!" Dr. Wu cried, craning his neck over Owen's arm. "One bullet hits any of this equipment-"
Is he serious? Owen dragged him along, almost out the door. That was when he spied the padlock, along the edge of the duckbill's cage. A bio-metric scanner, just like on the island. He looked at the dinosaur as it breathed a yawn, watching the drama unfold in front of it. Eyes back on the padlock, Owen nudged the gun deeper into Dr. Wu's skin. "Open it."
They all froze. Dr. Wu's breath hitched. "You can't be-"
Owen grabbed the doctor's hand and slapped it on the pad. It beeped, turned green, and hissed as the doors began to slide back. The dinosaur's eyes went wide at the sudden activity. Owen yanked Dr. Wu into the hall, firing a round into its cage. The duckbill relented, bulging out the doors to escape the noise. Jasha swore and fired his own weapon at the beast. He didn't miss and the duckbill moaned, swinging its body into the lab. Glass shattered and a cabinet tipped over as it swung its tail, pushing the Russian and Terry back. Owen kept his grip on Dr. Wu, getting to the elevator. He dug his earwig out and crushed it under his heel. "Anyone else here?"
"No!" Dr. Wu wrestled to get away. "And you shouldn't be here either!"
"You got a car?" Owen demanded, checking back at the lab. The duckbill was trying to make sense of the space and the men were just trying to keep from... Owen flinched as the duckbill rammed Jasha through the window. The elevator opened and he shoved Dr. Wu inside. They both shook glass off, Dr. Wu gapping at Jasha's broken body. A gun retorted at them and Owen returned it as the doors closed.
Owen took the moment to breathe and check his mag. Dr. Wu just continued to gape. Then choked. "Do you have ANY idea how much research you just destroyed!"
Owen pushed him against the wall, forearm tight on his windpipe. "I've got more then enough reason to beat you up. Those guys? They'll kill you. Pick which side you're on Doc."
Dr. Wu considered this, clearly unhappy with either. "My car... in the parking garage. You can add grand theft auto to the number of crimes you've already committed."
"Maybe we can share a cell." Owen slapped his self-righteous cheek, hitting the button for the parking garage.
"That lab is beyond repair!" Dr. Wu babbled, hands waving above his head. "And the Indoraptor! A marvel of science-"
"It was a prototype." Owen reminded him; unsympathetically. Dr. Wu stared at him, his face between perplexed and angry. The elevator dinged, opening up on the InGen parking garage. Owen scouted the opening, but other then company vans and a silver BMW, there was nothing in sight. He gestured to Dr. Wu. "I'm driving."
Dr. Wu glared, keys coming out of his pocket. "It's not like you're giving me a choice."
In spite of his grumbling, he and Owen were in the car and peeling out when the first shot slammed the back window. Owen eyed the rearview mirror to find Terry aiming for another.
"The guardrail!" Dr. Wu warned, seat belt clicking into place. "The guard-"
The hood dented as it reamed the rail back, letting the BMW through. It roared them up to ground level, the afternoon sun blinding Owen as he hung a right. He gunned for the intersection, mind spinning off one problem and into another. He was short a phone and there were three hours of driving between him and Carson City. It'd take them ten minutes at least to clear Palo Alto... The black truck fishtailing into the lane behind them indicated that wasn't enough time.
Dr. Wu also spotted the truck, ducking with the sound of continued gunfire. He eyed Owen, face ashen. "We won't outrun them in this."
"There's still a block between us." Owen stated. He'd point out anything to boost morale! He needed to put distance and... Owen erected in his seat, looking back at the street they'd just passed. Hope hit his chest and he slammed on the brakes. Dr. Wu gasped against the merciless jerk of his seat belt. "What're you doing, Mr. Grady?!"
"Giving science a field test." Owen reversed the car, hitting the curb as he turned onto the street. Right into the path of a romping ankylosaurs! It was happily munching on a square of grass surrounding a lamp post. Owen rolled the window down and fired his gun outside. "HEY!"
The ankylosaurs stirred, but kept at its dinner. He needed to get it riled; and Terry's car kept getting closer! Owen yelled out his anger and cracked a car window with his next bullet. It shattered and the alarm rang out into the deserted street.
Whatever works. Owen cleared the ankylosaurs and braked again. Now the dinosaur was between them. Owen took the chance and got out, running for another car. He gained momentum and smashed the gun through the window. Its alarm also sounded. The ankylosaurs looked up with a nervous moan. It backed up, blocking the truck. The ankylosaurs turned, swiping its tail across the front. Only to come back around toward Owen! Owen ducked and rolled as it left a dent in the car door. The car alarms continued to blare, making Owen's ears hurt. That and the glass shard stuck in his knuckle! He reached the car again, in time to see the ankylosaurs lower its head.
"Kolov, hold your fire!" Terry shouted again at the red-faced Russian. The ankylosaurs snorted, scrapped its feet; then surged forward as they pulled back into the truck. Owen grinned as it pushed the truck down the street, braying madly. He fell back into their car, where Dr. Wu shook like a leaf. "Your... hand."
Owen eyed the bloody tracing down his arm as he geared the car up the street, away from the van and the ankylosaurs. Just more stitches to match his side.
"Might I suggest bandaging that and not getting blood everywhere?" Dr. Wu withdrew napkins from the glove compartment.
"That all you can think about right now?" Owen seethed as the glass strained against his movements. The pain was setting in-
"Drive with your other hand." Dr. Wu braced himself as Owen turned. Once they were righted, Owen gave him his hand; he couldn't leave the glass in there. Ahead, signs pointed him toward CA-88 and that's where his focus went. He held it in while Dr. Wu pulled the long piece out. All he cared about was getting to Claire and Maisie before Gavrill did.
You guys enjoying the ride? With Thanksgiving a week away, next chapter will be up next month. Until then, thankful for all the reads and reviews!