Chapter 1
A/N: This takes place kinda in the Jurassic World: Evolution timeline, which is kinda confusing and possibly AU. If you haven't played it, it doesn't matter. Just know that this story takes place after Jurassic World and before Dominion, and proceeds like they got everything under control again and expanded the park to most of the islands. Jeff Goldblum and B.D. Wong both voice their characters in the game, so there you go lmao.
The failure of Jurassic World had not deterred Dr. Henry Wu or dampened his spirits in the least. He worked tirelessly with new teams of researchers and scientists for years to get the dinosaur park up and working again. This time, however, Jurassic World was not limited to just one island. It spanned five of the six islands of the Muertes Archipelago, and now Isla Sorna was the main attraction.
Over the years Henry had been in complete control of everything dinosaur on Sorna, and so far the minutely modified creatures had no problems. Those here were all new while the original T-Rex and all other dinos from the first Jurassic World were still on Nublar. The parks were running well and had been for a few years thanks to updated backup contingency plans and no more underestimations. Guests were in no danger any more and well trained ranger teams made sure of that.
When things quieted down during the evenings and most guests returned to their hotels, Henry liked to venture outside the research centers and observe the dinosaurs. Viewing towers for each paddock made this very easy. One particular tower was Henry's favorite and he used it for himself, 'to gain inspiration'. It overlooked two paddocks; new T-Rex and new raptors. These were the two species that were inspiration for the Indominous Rex, the fruition of the project the geneticist had been working on for so long. The first Indos were utter failures and Jurassic World had been ravaged by the fallout of a rampaging hybrid. However, after more research and tweaking of DNA, more stable specimens were eventually created. These were housed nearby with the modified genetics to keep them more docile and a pair together. They were one of the main attractions on this island, and usually took attention away from the two species that helped create them.
That was part of the reason Henry liked this particular tower; there were few people out and about down there especially in the evenings. He could be alone with his tablet and think. How could he improve the lifespan of the Indominous? How could he get ankylosaurs to live with other species more peacefully? Did he want to start creating dinosaurs that actually looked like they were supposed to, as a side project?
On this particular evening, Henry's full attention was on velociraptors and how to make real-to-life versions more interesting. He watched the park's modified ones slowly stalking around together, wondering if bright feathering might be enough.
Next to him on another seat his phone vibrated. Snapping his eyes away from the raptors, Henry glared down at the device. It was Cabot Finch. Feeling his irritation rise, Henry nonetheless picked up the phone.
"What?"
"That's not very much of a 'hello'!" came the boisterous voice over the phone.
"What do you want?" Henry said, his tone even.
"Well Dr. Malcolm has decided to give us a surprise visit! He wants a tour of the new sciency buildings, and who better to give it to him than the main science nerd?"
Henry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Malcolm was his antithesis; if Dr. Wu was order and control, Dr. Malcolm was chaos and lack of control. Henry had read his stupid chaos book and on their numerous dealings with each other, he had found the man insufferable. And now he was coming to spout more about chaos and how it would inevitably lead to the destruction of this park too, no doubt. Henry would show him, though. Everything was ordered and controlled, even the Indos. They were by no means 'tame', but they were behaved enough to be on display. How was that chaos?
"Fine. I'll meet him there," Henry said, and hung up before he could hear a reply. He made his way quickly down the tower and outside. He walked swiftly down the path towards the research center, ignoring when the few people around started to recognize him. It was no secret now that he was the one who had designed the Indominous Rex and pretty much every dinosaur, but he hated the attention. He would rather just work and let the world see his creations, not him.
Unsurprisingly Henry made it to the research center before Malcolm. He checked on a few associates and what they were doing, scrutinizing every small detail before moving on. It was a privilege to get to work for him, he knew. The people that were here made it this far because of their work ethic and desire for knowledge, just like himself. He certainly wasn't going to have anyone like Ian Malcolm working for him.
After checking on the core temperatures of a few newly acquired samples, Henry noticed a commotion at the main entrance to the building. He went to see Malcolm surrounded by park guests and he looked to be signing autographs. Henry's eyes narrowed, but he positioned himself in front of the swinging doors, adjusted his lab coat, and clasped his hands behind his back. A moment later Malcolm shoved his way inside, letting in a burst of sound from the gathered crowd. Henry took another deep breath.
"I'll be around for a week! Don't worry!" Malcolm called through the door before security guards closed it. He turned to see Henry standing there and threw up his arms.
"Ah, Dr. Wu! Pleasure to see you again," Malcolm said, extending a hand. Henry reluctantly took it, feeling the shape of it, the roughness. He was surprised at the roughness; Henry assumed that Malcolm would stop doing anything interesting once his book got popular and he made all that money.
"So, I hear that you've been cooking up new and exciting things here, and uh, well, I'd like to see them." Malcolm indeed looked excited and surprisingly not worried. Perhaps he had let off on the chaos a little.
"You heard right," Henry said, turning and beginning to walk down a hallway. Malcolm followed, looking around curiously.
"I'm sure you know about the improved Indos we have here. They find companionship in each other and we provide mental stimulation for them every day-"
"But how long do you expect that to last?" Malcolm cut right into Henry's sentence and the geneticist narrowed his eyes. "I mean, uh, sure for now they are complacent enough, but how long until they figure out how to get out, or camouflage and escape and-"
"Please, Dr. Malcolm, we took their camouflage gene out-"
"Out of all the possibilities of things that can happen in the grand experiment of keeping a hybrid animal with the intelligence of the Indominous in a paddock in a theme park, how many end in bloodshed? How many of those, uh, possibilities end where people get hurt?"
A few scientists nearby had noticed the two doctors arguing and had stopped what they were doing, a couple subtly pulling their phones out to record.
"That is what all of this research is about, Dr. Malcolm. We have engineered them with order and security in mind-"
"Engineered them! Uh! That's the problem! You've... you've messed with their DNA so much that there's no telling what can happen! You've created the ultimate chaos machines with these, uh, dinosaurs."
"And there it is! All you ever care about is proving your chaos theory!" Henry said, raising his voice much more than he meant to. This man—this man was the only one who could get under his skin like this and every time it felt like a little chaos was seeping into him. Henry hated it.
"I uh, don't need to prove anything. You've done that work for me," Malcolm said, a smirk on his face.
"I have done no such thing. The only thing that I've done is proven how controlled life can be. Those Indominous out there," Henry pointed in the vague direction of the Indo paddock, "are stable, secure, and will not escape. The same goes for the rest of the dinosaurs that inhabit this island. They are engineered to thrive in this climate, elevation, with the native species-"
Malcolm held a hand up with a grin. "Let's continue this conversation over dinner. Where are you treating me?"
Without skipping a beat, Henry ran through the available restaurants in his mind. He supposed he could eat right now. "There's a nice Italian place close by. We'll take my Jeep©," he said, leading the way to one of the back exits. A few of the scientists gathered close together and compared clips while whispering about the doctors as they left.
Henry and Malcolm were silent as they walked to the parking lot out back, where Henry's Jeep© was immediately visible among the others. His was huge, shiny, had chrome accents, and was a sleek silver. Malcolm laughed as they got in.
"Really? This is what you chose?" he said, looking around the luxurious and impeccable interior. Henry started the motor.
"Yes. Only Jeeps© are allowed on the islands, so I might as well have a nice one," Henry said as he pulled the vehicle out of the parking lot. They both knew the other was not hurting for money, so Henry didn't see why Malcolm was so interested in this topic. He had expected the conversation from earlier to continue. But this... this was something. Were they having a normal conversation?
"But uh, so do you even drive it around? It's spotless."
"I do. It has over 100,000 miles on it. I get it detailed every time I drive it."
"Oh, uh, wow," Malcolm said, and leaned right over to have a look at the odometer. Malcolm's head was suddenly practically in Henry's lap and he was aware of Malcolm all at once. He smelled tropical somehow, even though he must have been in a helicopter for a couple hours directly before this. Why was Henry thinking this? His brain must have short circuited for a second.
A few moments later and they were at the restaurant and Henry parked in the VIP lot. There was a separate entrance for them and they were seated in the VIP section right away. A few customers noticed who they were and started pointing. Henry ignored them, while Malcolm took a few minutes to go down and sign autographs. He returned to their table with a grin.
"People always ask why I don't charge for autographs, but uh, that wouldn't be very nice would it? It's just a scribble on paper and off they go, happier from the encounter and uh... the world is a better uh, place."
"So you're happy giving your time to fans when you could be doing something more important?" Henry asked. The waiter came and took their orders, and Malcolm leaned in close. Henry was compelled to do the same. Their faces were inches apart.
"Do you really think about every aspect of life like that? No wonder you're so stuck up and unreachable!" Malcolm leaned back, grinning. Henry leaned back slowly, clasping his hands on the table.
"I am far from unreachable. I simply value work and don't see the need to waste time. Look what that has wrought," Henry said, gesturing around with a sweep of his arm. Malcolm caught his hand and brought it to the table, palm down.
"What..?" Henry asked, though he didn't try to take back his hand. He was curious.
"I've used this simple exercise time and time again to show something. Hold your hand out flat, perfectly level," Malcolm picked up his glass of water. Henry steadied his hand.
"Now, I'm sure a person of your intellect will figure this out quickly," the chaos expert said, baiting him. Henry remained silent.
"Where do you think a water drop will roll off your hand?" Malcolm tilted the glass of water and poked his finger down into it.
"If this isn't a trick question, it will follow the path of least resistance," Henry said, feeling like this was all a waste of time. Did the higher ups want him occupied for an evening for some reason?
"Yes it would, wouldn't it?" Malcolm said, and gently touched his finger to Henry's hand. The drop rolled off to one side.
"That was the shortest distance it could have traveled. What's your point?" the scientist said, beginning to retract his hand.
"Wait a minute. Hold still again. Will a second drop follow?"
Henry stilled his hand and glanced at it. A clear water trail spilled down the one side of his hand. This sort of mind game was beneath him, but he was compelled to see it through for some reason.
"It will follow the path of least resistance."
"Which is, what? The uh, same path?"
"Theoretically yes."
"Good, safe answer. Let's see, shall we?" Malcolm poked another drop onto Henry's hand in the same place as the last. It rolled down in the same path. Henry raised an eyebrow, but stayed still.
"Ah, the thing of it is that even if things seem to be going according to uh, plan, how long will it stay that way?" Malcolm added another drop. Instead of following the well worn path, the third drop rolled off the opposite side of Henry's hand.
"Ah, the first step of order's undoing."
Thankfully the food arrived just then and they were quiet for a few moments.
"Why do you have to prove your theory at every opportunity? Is there something more to it, Dr. Malcolm?" Henry asked eventually.
"Please, we're eating together. Just call me Ian," Malcol-Ian said. Henry stared at his food for a moment, wresting with himself about first names. He looked up, a sour look on his face.
"Fine. I suppose you can call me Henry."
"Oh, ah, wow, Dr. Wu has a first name. How novel, Henry," Ian said, as if obtaining Henry's name granted him some power.
"Hmph. Answer my question."
"I don't, uh, have to prove anything as I said earlier. Opportunities to share my theories and knowledge simply present themselves in almost every conversation. And what about you, Mr.-uptight-science-I-can-control-everything-man? Why are you so afraid of losing control?"
Henry glared at Ian, sitting back in his chair. "I am not afraid of that. As a scientist I am fully aware that failure comes with the territory. However, I am willing and able to minimize that failure. If it can serve me in furthering my goals, why shouldn't I?"
"That's, uh, your problem right there. You think you have to solve failure," Ian said, brandishing a fork at Henry. "What you actually need to do is embrace failure, as it is a symptom of chaos and is inevitable."
"I am not going to give myself up to failure. I learn from it and move on, and that's the only interaction I have with it. The first Indo was a failure, and from that I learned which genes to change to get them under control."
"And we're back to control! Do you, ah, control everything in your life with an iron grip? Huh? Control your employees, the beings that you create, your family, your friends-"
"What about you? I'm sure your family and friends just love to hear about how all of their dreams and aspirations are doomed to failure because there's just too much chaos in the world!"
Both doctors glared at each other and Henry slowly became aware that most of the restaurant was watching them, recording them. Ian scrunched up his nose a couple times and frowned.
"I have uh, associates, not friends. And uh, one daughter left that will actually talk to me."
The wind petered out of Henry's sails and he sagged down in his chair a little. He poked at his remaining food with his fork for a moment, then looked up and made sure to catch Ian's glance.
"I don't have any 'friends' either. I have a daughter who followed in my footsteps, but is afraid of me," he said quietly. Ian's expression softened.
"I had no idea that you even had a daughter. Boy, we're a pair aren't we? Why don't we try to get along a little better, hmm? We both tone down, and who knows what we can do together?" Ian held his hand out, and Henry took it. If he had to be in Ian's presence, he might as well see if it could be advantageous.
Who knew what they could do together?
A/N - in Evolution Henry does have a daughter
