Owen pulled the old flip phone out of his jacket pocket, checking the small screen for the umpteenth time. It was 7:34pm. Grumbling to himself, he slid the phone back into his jacket and left it on the chair. It was just too damn hot for this kind of dress, let alone the jacket.
The event had been set up in the Hilton's outdoor event venue. Floral arrangements and business decorations were spread across the large area. Numerous dining tables and chairs were carefully placed throughout the manicured grass. It was a high class social event, catering to the elite, those who were funding anything related to Jurassic World. Owen could feel himself sweating through his dress shirt in the muggy, equatorial evening air.
Dinner had been nice enough, though it too had been far above his tastes. The lobster had been decoratively arranged with a various assortment of sauces and greenery in an effort to make edible art out of roughly two bites of food. The resulting flavor, at least to Owen's uncultured tastes, had been that of lobster and decorative greenery.
When dinner was finished, Simon Masrani had stood up and given a brief welcoming speech, thanking everyone for attending and encouraging them to enjoy the evening courtesy of Jurassic World. He also reminded everyone that Island staff were among them, each wearing their staff security badge. If anyone had questions regarding the work being done on the island, then they were encouraged to speak with the staff members present.
Owen glanced down at the security badge clipped to his shirt pocket, resisting the urge to pull it off and slip it in a pocket. He gave an exasperated sigh, looking away from the temptation. The consequences would be worse than simply putting up with a few questions and snobbish people. Instead, the man had made his way to the edges of the venue, leaning against the carved pillar that marked one side of the venue's entrance. He would just stay out of the way for the next few hours, then he could go home and continue solving the Delta problem with Barry.
So far his plan was working, he hadn't been approached in nearly fifteen minutes, the majority of the crowds flocking around more important park staff. He watched investors and park supporters crowding around Simon Masrani and his entourage, hoping to get a word in with the busy CEO. Dr. Wu had his own group of scientists that were being assaulted with questions and attention. The doctor seemed more than happy to engage anyone who approached him.
"Not a fan of the crowds?" Owen jerked his head towards the voice to see a lanky looking kid with dirty blonde hair leaning against the same pillar, a Jurassic World badge clipped to his shirt.
Content that it wasn't a curious member of the public, he turned his head back to the crowd. "Not in particular. Give me a paddock and my animals over this madness any day.
"Mhmm." The young man took a swig from the glass held in his hand. "I hear you there. Our Baryonyx can be more easily approached than some of the people here tonight."
"No kidding, I almost feel sorry for the staff caught in that crowd." The trainer replied before extending his hand casually to the young man. "Owen Grady by the way."
"Evan Albright. So Mr. Grady-"
"Owen, please."
"Owen. How did you get dragged into all of this?"
Owen's face turned to a grimace. "InGen. Apparently, they want to show off their research projects and I'm the best person to explain what we are doing."
Evan's eyebrow rose."What are you doing?"
"Velociraptors. We're testing to see if they are trainable."
"Trainable raptors. Heh, I bet that's a load of fun."
"It's not too bad, they're smart as hell, but I still have my all my fingers. So what about you?"
Evan pulled his glass up to his face, downing the rest of the beverage. "I'm the assistant Baryonyx keeper. My boss dragged me here to answer questions about the park's newest expansion. He said it would be good for me to learn how to answer the 'tough stuff'. So far, the toughest question I've gotten is how much it costs to feed our girls regularly. I'm not sure half these people even know what a Baryonyx is." Owen coughed, looking away from the assistant keeper.
"Come on! Not you too!" The man let out a small groan. "There like ancient, crocodile mouthed Tyrannosaurs. Not quite as big, but the mental image should be fitting. We just opened the Cretaceous cruise two months ago. Introduced two more carnivores into the park." When Owen only looked gave him a confused stare, Evan gave the raptor trainer a flat look. "Have you ever even been through the park?"
Owen gave the man a lame shrug before turning back to watch over the crowded venue. "Not really. Been a bit too busy to be playing tourist."
"Well you should stop by Margaritaville sometime. The keepers like to relax and socialize on Wednesdays before we prepare for the weekend rush. I'm sure they'd like to meet one of the men crazy enough to play with velociraptors. We could even give you a real tour of the park sometime, not the lame stuff the visitors see."
"Sure, I'll drop by sometime."
"Looking forward to it." The man looked back into the crowd, his face dropping to a tight frown. "Hey, I gotta get going, I think I see my boss looking for me. But seriously, drop by sometime, I'd like to hear more about how you train your raptors, maybe get a short consult on training my girls. Hell, at least drop by the bar, I'm sure you've got some stories to tell." Owen waved at him with a dismissing nod as the man turned to find a new hiding spot before turning once more. "Oh, Owen, stay away from Tim, he's the Tyrannosaur keeper."
"Why? Is he an ass or something?"
"What? No, Tim is great, he's just the keeper for the most popular attraction in the park. If you don't want to talk to any investors tonight, stay away from him."
Before he could respond, the young keeper had pushed into the crowd, no doubt to find a new spot away from the throngs of people talking business.
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It turned out that Tim was the least of Owen's problems. After Evan snuck away, Owen began to people watch. His position at the back of the venue gave him a great vantage point and he used it to observe the gathering like he did his raptors. He watched for anyone that would show even the slightest interest in his direction. When someone did, he would duck into the crowd for a few minutes, grab a drink or one of the many hors d'oeuvre before returning to his spot. It worked surprisingly well until Dr. Wu spotted him.
He had been watching the doctor for a few minutes. The man was speaking with a rather large group of people. It was during this conversation the Henry looked up and spotted him. Suddenly realizing that his glass was once again empty, Owen turned to head for the refreshments table, glancing once more at the scientist. Unfortunately, Wu was already pointing him out, Owen sighed turning to answer any questions and slip back into the crowd as quickly as possible. It was as he turned that he recognized the man with Dr. Wu to be none other than Simon Masrani himself.
His shoulders slouching a bit, Owen stayed put. He could deflect most questions, but he doubted the CEO would be so easily dissuaded if he really wanted to talk with the trainer. Simon approached Owen quickly, his rather large entourage of people following closely behind. He had a smile on his face and brought his hand out to offer a firm handshake that Owen accepted with a forced smile.
"Mr. Grady! I am glad to see that you are doing well!"
"Please call me Owen."
"Owen, Dr. Wu tells me that your training is going well, but I wish to hear it from you. How are my raptors doing?"
"They're fine sir, a few bumps in the road, but we are making real progress."
"Fantastic. Are they hunting well?"
"With all due respect Mr. Masrani, I'm not training them to hunt, I'm training them to keep people safe."
"I know, but hunting is a part of their nature is it not? Would they not hunt to stay happy?"
"I wouldn't say happy sir, but maybe content."
"Well, are my raptors content?"
"Yes sir. I do everything I can to keep them that way. Content raptors mean a safer paddock. We let them run down pigs on occasion, I wouldn't call it hunting, but it's the closest we can safely come to the real thing."
"I am glad to hear it, I have been reading your reports, and they are very interesting. The Velociraptor project is showing some fantastic progress. We may yet see a day where your raptors can be safely displayed to the public. Imagine the look on people's faces when they come face to face with the greatest predator on earth. "
"Several Velociraptors may still not be enough to reverse the recent dip in sales Mr. Masrani." A voice interrupted them from behind.
The CEO turned with a genuine smile and stepped to the side, allowing Dr. Wu and a sharply dressed woman step into the conversation. "Ah Ms. Dearing, Henry, I'm glad you could join us, we were just discussing the positive effect the velociraptor project could have on the park."
"And as I stated, Velociraptors may not be enough. Park attendance is dwindling sir, and one new attraction may not be enough."
Simon turned to Claire bowing his head slightly. "As always, you may be right Ms. Dearing. That is just another reason why I am confident with my decision to step down and let you run this park. Still I hold all of my faith that Mr. Grady and the other trainers can develop something truly remarkable."
A slight blush crept onto the red-head's face and she looked away. Dr. Wu on the other hand took the opportunity to speak up. "Simon, are you absolutely sure that you want to step down? You've been overseeing this project since Hammond left it to you. No offence to Ms. Dearing's work, but are you sure that this is the wisest decision?"
"Henry don't worry. Claire has been shadowing me for the past year, learning everything about this park. She is perfectly suited to this role, given time, she will likely surpass my abilities. Besides, it's time to let a little more new mix with the old. I am not foolish enough to believe that only my ideas breed success. If the last two years are any indication, then it is time to step down and the let newer ideas flourish. Claire will provide a new perspective that I believe will turn this recent slump around."
Claire turned to Dr. Wu. "I do not intend to hinder your work Dr. Wu. My main goal is to boost ticket sales and ensure the efficient management of this park and its assets." She casually gestured towards Owen. "Which is part of why I do not think that velociraptors will be enough. The park needs new attractions that provide a wow factor. For example, the Tyrannosaur Kingdom is one of our most popular exhibits. Her size and ferocity are a big draw to the park. I believe that building off of that success will help bring the most viable revenue source. I will of course be conducting research to provide evidence for my theory, but I am confident it will stand."
Simon gave the woman a kind smile before turning to Dr. Wu with a rogue smirk. "You hear that, Henry, they want them bigger, more teeth. Between your experience and Ms. Dearing's drive, I think I can comfortably step down and hand over the reins. You and Claire will carry Hammond's dream far further than I can now. Allow me focus on making sure you have the funding to get there."
He turned back to Owen giving the trainer a kind look. "I am impressed with your work Mr. Grady. Your background and experience has served you well so far. Despite Ms. Dearing's misgivings, I do believe your work can benefit this park in more ways than we can hope to imagine. I look forward to seeing the finished product." The CEO turned to the group as a whole. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a few other investors to win over before the night is done."
As he walked away, Owen's eyes were drawn back to Claire. She had a predatory look about her. Her sharp eyes complimented her no-nonsense personality. She was dangerous, sharp like his raptors, and he had no doubt she was a vicious businesswoman to have attracted Masrani's attention. She certainly attracted him. The redhead paid him no mind however, turning instead to Dr. Wu.
"Give me a few days to settle into my office and I will be sure to send you the latest focus group studies. When you've looked them over, we can begin discussing future asset development with Mr. Masrani."
"I look forward to it, Ms. Dearing, InGen has a project or two that may interest you. Now if you will excuse me as well, I need to meet with my directors and inform them of your new position and the direction you will be hoping to go." He turned to Owen. "Thank you for joining us Mr. Grady. I'm sure there are still a few more people who would like to speak with you, but I appreciate your patience with this event."
With that, Dr. Wu turned and walked toward the Hilton, pulling out his phone as he stepped away.
"Mr. Grady, it was a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Masrani speaks highly of your work, and I meant no disrespect with my statements. It is simply my job to ensure that Jurassic World begins making the most of its assets."
"None taken Ms. Dearing, and please, call me Owen." The trainer paused, rubbing his neck sheepishly and mentally committing to what he was about to say. "Listen I know you're busy, but would you like to grab dinner with me sometime? We can of course discuss your assets, I mean the park's assets, but I just think I'd like to get to know you a little better." Another pause. "You know seeing that you're kind of the new boss around here."
Claire stared at him, an unreadable expression on her face. "Very well Mr. Grady."
"Great. I was thinking we cou-"
"Give the details to my assistant, she will relay the date and time to me. Now please excuse me, Mr. Young mentioned that he was looking for his assistant keeper and I believe I've just spotted him hiding near the refreshments."
She was gone before he could ask who her assistant was.
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Simon's stop with Owen had attracted the attention of a number of people. Owen found himself answering remarkably inane questions regarding his work and the raptors. Were their talons trimmed? Had they been house trained? Were there plans to bring them into the petting zoo? He had actually laughed at that one. Did he live with them? How expensive were they to care for? The questions went on and on, each question pounding a headache firmly into the trainer's skull.
One man had approached him with a small stack of papers. Owen quickly learned that Jacob Finely was a marketing supervisor for the park. He had cornered the handler when Owen had tried to duck away and grab another drink.
"Mr. Grady, do you have a minute?"
The pounding headache was souring his mood and he saw the Jurassic World badge on the man's coat. "Would it be too bad if I said no?"
"Please this will only take a minute."
"What is it?"
"I just need you to take a look at these. I was put in charge of developing the publicity around the raptor experiment. The park wants to be ready if one of the velociraptor groups is cleared for exhibit status. I've already spoken with the other paddock handlers, but I never received a response from the email I sent you and was hoping you could review these profiles we developed for your Velociraptors."
Owen rubbed his temples before taking the document. "Fine, just give me a minute."
He scanned the profiles, a frown growing deeper on his face as he read each sentence. "What are these going to be used for?"
"Exhibit signage, park website, product sponsorships, anything developed for public consumption relating to your raptors.
"These are wrong Mr…"
"Finely, sir. If I may, what's wrong?" the supervisor replied nervously.
"Well Blue's profile seems to be the most accurate, but there are still several noticeable problems." Owen's eyes rolled when the young man pulled out a notebook. "You state that Blue is the oldest. She's actually the youngest. She is the pack beta, but that's not because of her age. And here in the next paragraph, look, you state that Charlie is the youngest, but that should be Blue. Concerning age it should be Charlie, Delta, Echo, Blue from oldest to youngest. Currently Blue is the pack leader followed by Charlie, Delta, and Echo, though that may change if we cannot adjust Delta's attitude soon.
He paused and glanced up at the marketing supervisor to see the man's face pale as he scribbled frantically on his notepad. Feeling a bit sorry for the man, he continued. "You may be right about Blue being the most cunning though. She's damn smart." The trainer paused, rubbing his forehead with a frown. "What's this about Delta having gecko like pupils?"
"That was an idea by my boss. Said it would help the public differentiate between two green raptors."
Owen crossed his arms and gave the marketer a flat look. "And the handlers nicknaming Echo 'Elvis' because of a scar on her snout?"
"That one was true! I spoke to your assistant and got it straight from his mouth!"
Owen let out a frustrated sigh at Barry's poor attempt at humor. Pulling away from Mr. Finely he said, "I can assure you, Echo does not have a scar there. Look, I could go on, but my headache is killing me and I am very tired. Why don't you stop by the paddock this week and we can go over this in detail."
Jacob's face paled further. "N-No it's okay, I don't need to come by." He paused, taking a deep breath. "It's kind of a moot point anyway. The first version was sent to distributors several days ago. I tried to contact you about it, but I guess you never got my email. I was just hoping to get your approval on the formatting tonight."
Owen's eyebrow shot up, realization washing over him. That would explain his partner's involvement. Barry had warned him to check his email more often.
Jacob let out a nervous laugh. "Don't worry! Nothing gets released to the public until Jurassic World announces it. We can send out an updated version long before your experiment ends!"
Owen didn't have the energy for any more of this tonight. He just wanted to get home and change out of the damned monkey suit that was slowly choking the life out of him. The trainer gave Jacob a false smile and shook the man's hand. "Well, thank you Mr. Finely. Now is there anything else you need from me?"
"No sir! Thank you so much for your time."
After Mr. Finely's hasty departed, the trainer was finally able to sneak out before anyone else approached him. He had seen Vic moving his way, several people with military dress in tow, and decided it was time to leave. He appreciated the Security Chief's fondness of the military, they were similar in those regards, but Owen had no interest in speaking with officers or commanders tonight.
The moment he left the party the man made a beeline to the paddock outbuilding. Owen had practically moved into the building over the last few weeks. The thing was dusty and older, but it had all of the amenities he needed. It was just too much of a hassle for him to drive the length of the island every day just to get to work. Besides, he figured the pack would appreciate his staying closer to them.
Having changed out of his suit and into something more fitting for the muggy night air, Owen made his way to the paddock under the rising full moon. Taking a seat on the catwalks, he watched the moonlit clearing and enjoyed the silence of it all. His girls would no doubt be nested for the night. They were comfortable in the dark, but they were not nocturnal. No, they we crepuscular, preferring dawn and dusk most of all.
A rustle of leaves drew his attention as a tired looking Velociraptor stepped into the clearing. Blue approached sitting man, eyeing his dangling feet and greeting him with a soft trill.
"Hey Blue." He trilled back.
She watched him, her amber eyes reflecting the moonlight making the discs appear to glow in the pale light. When the trainer didn't do anything interesting, Blue turned away with a snort, loping back into the cover of the dark foliage. Owen smiled at the beta. She was curious, cunning, smart, and protective. When she was awake of course. She apparently didn't like being awoken, even by him. He watched the leaves settle, enjoying the night air and the coastal breeze. Tomorrow, he would scold Barry for messing with the park's desk jockeys; then they would begin sorting out what more they could do about Delta's growing aggression.