This is where the story begins. I hope you liked the Prologue! Have fun reading.
Chapter 1
The clock struck three times. Alan opened his eyes and realized he overslept. After his flight to San Francisco and arrival at the hotel he had had the urge for some sleep and since it had been more than 2 hours before his taxi was to arrive he had made himself comfortable in the chair, thereby closing his eyes. Unfortunately, time had passed quicker than he had hoped and now he had only fifteen minutes left. He took a quick shower and started to put on his suit. On the TV, a newsreader was going through the recent events.
"As market prices have risen even more today, people wonder whether they will ever drop again. We now go to Tom, Tom can you hear us?"
"Crystal clear."
"Now Tom, what can you tell us…"
As the conversation between the two men on TV continued, Alan was fighting to get his tie in its proper folding. While doing so, he noticed a few small holes in the sleeve of his suit. During the time it spent unused in his closet, it had apparently suffered from moths. He checked the rest of his clothing, but apart from the three holes on the bottom of his arm all was intact. He sighed, it was too late to get a new one anyway.
"Thank you Tom. Now in other news, a cargo ship that departed from Costa Rica yesterday has vanished off the radar. Authorities suspect the crew might have been surprised by -"
The newsreader was interrupted as Alan turned off the television. He felt in his pocket whether he had his invitation. Check. He opened the door to the hallway and looked at the coatrack. Would he take his hat? He thought for a second and decided to leave it. But as he walked towards the staircase he felt naked, so he went back to pick up his trusty hat. When he got in the lobby, an annoyed taxi driver was in discussion with the receptionist. When he saw Alan, he left the man behind the desk without even saying goodbye and unleashed his irritation on the doctor.
"Doctor Grant I assume? You are late, I have another guest to pick up and if you are late so am I and I don't want to be late!"
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Alan's witty riposte didn't strike the man as amusing and he preceded towards the cab in silence. The palaeontologist said goodbye to the porter and got in the cab. The chauffeur closed the door behind him and rushed to the driver seat. He glanced a last time at the doctor through the mirror and then drove the vehicle to its second destination.
.
The yellow car stopped in front of another hotel. Alan inspected the building through the window as the taxi driver went in for the other passenger. It looked more expensive than his own, but he didn't care much. If he would've subsidized his trip himself he wouldn't have done it differently. Rather had he paid for it all himself, but the people from the dig insisted that he deserved it as a token of appreciation. Even though they insisted, Alan didn't want to double the debts they already had, so he persuaded them to choose a modest hotel. The chauffeur came back with an old man of whom he was carrying the bag. The car door opened and the elder sat down next to him and took the bag on his lap. The man wasn't exactly skinny, but there was no perspective from which he could look fat. He wore a small pair of glasses with eyes that stared back joyfully. He was bold, except for a half circle of grey-white hairs from ear to ear over the back of his head.
"Good evening sir!" he greeted heartily.
"Good evening." Alan replied with a timid smile.
"Also on your way to the convention?"
Alan suspected that the driver already told him this so just nodded without further elaboration and returned the question.
"Of course, of course. I've been looking forward to it, haven't you? It always nice to see what old things have been discovered lately. I've retired a couple of years back you see, Marine Reptile expert I was. Well still am if I may put it that way. I've continued lecturing at the university of Amsterdam. Have you ever been to Amsterdam?"
Dr Grant, who was slightly overwhelmed by the incredibly large flow of words that suddenly filled the tight chamber, got back to his senses as the car started moving.
"I must say I haven't had the pleasure."
"Well, lovely town I can give you that. Town, what nonsense, city. Great city, capital of The Netherlands to be precise. There is a lot that you can visit there, for instance …"
The elder caught sight of Alan's uninterested look and changed the subject.
"I'm sorry, I'm blabbering too much again. I'm just always so excited about the congress. Allow me to introduce myself: Professor Arie Vliegenthart."
"Vliegenthart? The famous Dutch specialist on marine reptiles?"
"Oh no-no-no-no! Try something like: Flee-Kent-Heart. That should pretty much cover it. I forgot you English-talking folk are not so good with my name."
"But you are …"
"Yes, one and the same."
"I'm sorry, where are my manners. Grant, doctor Alan Grant."
They shook hands in a gentle manner.
"I already suspected as much. With that hat you had to be either Indiana Jones or Alan Grant, but I suppose the first has nothing to do with dinosaurs."
As the two men laughed the driver rolled his eyes and sighed, palaeontologists and their humour were not meant for him. He pulled over at a large building and parked in front of the entrance. A porter opened the back door and helped the two get out of the cab.
"Welcome to the Dinosaur convention, please follow the red carpet and everything will show itself."
Alan and Arie followed the signs to end up at the check-in desk. They flashed their invitation tickets, left their coats at the cloakroom. Alan reluctantly gave away his hat. When they entered the large hall, many of their colleagues had already formed small groups, conversing heavily. Vliegenthart clapped his hands together and rubbed them in joy. He couldn't wait to get started. He shook hands with dr. Grant again and they went their separate ways to meet old acquaintances. After a while all researchers, dino-fans and whomever more were invited, were guided into the huge lecture room and where the talks were to be given. The subjects varied from high-tech scanning devices to newly discovered patterns in herbivore feeding behaviour. With some speakers more enthusiastic than others, malfunctioning beamers and questions that either led to agreement or discussion, it was a congress like all others. Time had passed quickly and after three hours of palaeontology, a break was in order. Everyone went back to the hall, where meanwhile, a buffet had been put up. After all knowledge makes hungry and it was about dinnertime.
"Doctor Grant!"
Alan took a bite of his cracker with French cheese and turned around. An old man with a rough beard, large glasses and a cane walked up to him. As soon as he recognized him, he felt the urge to run away.
"Doctor Grant, so nice we meet again. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
It was John Hammond who had cleared a path through the crowd to greet him with a cheerful smile.
"Mr Hammond, what are you doing here? Weren't you…"
"Fired, yes, yes, but that doesn't avert me from getting to know more about dinosaurs, does it?"
He laughed, but this turned into coughing.
"You´ve had better days haven´t you Mr Hammond?"
"John, please."
"Okay, John."
"Let's say my physician determined that I've passed my warranty period."
He coughed again loudly.
"Let's hope the same goes for the topic of Jurassic park. I still get story-seekers at my door, all because of your brilliant plan. Not to mention the occasional nightmares I'm still having."
"I am sorry for that, truly. Maybe I can arrange something…"
"No, John, no. You're not going to do anything for or with me ever again. Not after the park. By the way, some things can't be undone, I thought you knew that by now."
The old man smiled at him, grabbed his hand and patted on it with the other.
"Of course, you are right again, Doctor Grant. I will not bother you any further. I wish you a fine day."
Hammond vanished in the sea of faces and Alan buttered a piece of bread. When he turned around he bumped into someone and his snack dropped on the floor.
"Excuse me-oh it's you again. How do you like the congress so far?"
Professor Vliegenthart apologized and prepared another piece of loaf for him and for himself. Alan accepted it and they both enjoyed the rich flavour of the French Brie.
"So far I enjoy the topics, but I didn't enjoy the Jurassic Park joke." Alan admitted.
One of the speakers referred to Alan as the only historian who has been in the situation where history tries to get to you instead of the other way around.
"Ha! I understand what it..."
"Excuse me gentleman."
A well-dressed man stood next to them and held out his hand. The man was wearing a black suit covered by small white stripes, probably very expensive. His tie had a 45 degree angle stripe pattern of black and red. His lips formed a fake smile whilst his grey eyes looked sharply at the men in front of him.
"The name's Jacobson, Pavel Jacobson."
He shook both their hands, but before they could dictate their own names, he continued.
"Doctor Alan Grant, am I correct?"
"Yes indeed."
"Good, than I have found the right man. And this must be doctor Vliegenthart?"
"Professor, if you please."
"Oh forgive me, I'm not so common in the academic world. To me you are all equally brilliant." Pavel laughed, although he was clearly not amused.
"If only that was true for half of the palaeontologists." Alan let out.
The bold Dutchman agreed with a sad nod and Pavel's smile disappeared.
"Anyways. There was something I would like to show you, doctor Grant, would you care to follow me?"
"I'll be seeing you around then…" Arie said as Pavel gestured Alan to come along.
"Why don't you come along? I'm sure that it'll be interesting for both of us old experts." Alan said.
"Is that possible?" Arie demanded.
"Well I… Sure, why not. The more, the merrier." Pavel replied reluctantly.
End of chapter 1