The trainer rushed back to the paddock outbuilding where most of his possessions currently resided. He pulled the old laptop out of his bag and cleared the small table with his arm. When he checked his email, there was no notification. Owen was notoriously bad at checking his email for news and park reports, but this time, he had been right. There wasn't any notification regarding a paddock survey in the morning. With a sigh he let himself relax just a bit.
The ding of an incoming email echoed through the small break room some time later. The trainer opened his eyes from where he was sitting on the couch. With a low groan that expanded into an exhausted yawn, Owen stood, making his way back to the machine already knowing what would greet him.
Sure enough, sitting in his inbox was a short missive from none other than Claire Dearing. Clicking the icon, the email popped up.
ATTN: INTERNAL MEMO
April 7 th 2013, 9:47:34
To: MG Investor Development Liaison
CC: InGen Security Administrator, Staff of Research Paddock #1
From: Claire Dearing, Park Operations Manager
Subject: Mandatory Operations and Security Survey
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there has been a change of schedule for the events of Monday April 8th 2013. The scheduled survey for 9:00am tomorrow morning has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. However, in the interest of efficiency, the staff at Research Paddock Number #1 has offered to fill the cancelled appointment.
Because this is a research paddock and not a public display, we have requested the presence of InGen's security division for verification of paddock security and adequate containment of research assets. If your investors would like to review the list of security measures installed within each paddock, please open attachment 1-A.
We apologize for any inconvenience this scheduling change may have caused, and we appreciate your patience.
Thank you.
Claire Dearing
Park Operations Manager
Jurassic World
Owen let out a groan, abandoning any hopes of sleeping. Reaching for his things, the trainer quickly changed into a pair of work clothes and stepped outside into the cooler night air. His radio crackled to life as he made his way to the darkened paddock.
"Owen? You there?"
Pulling the radio off his belt Owen responded tiredly. "Yeah I'm here."
"Good, I just got an email. Did you know anything about a paddock survey?"
"You know, Claire mentioned something about a survey as I was walking out on her during dinner tonight." The trainer replied flatly as he stepped up to the paddock wall.
"It went that badly?"
"Yeah, that woman had control issues."
"Like I said, she's a predator Owen, one of the few you aren't equipped to handle."
Owen rolled his eyes pulling the large breaker switch and flooding the paddock in artificial light. "I'm plenty equipped thank you very much. She just caught me by surprise and it won't happen again. Now, chatting aside, get your ass down here, I don't want to give her any ammo for this damned survey."
Owen heard Barry's laugh through the radio. "Alright, I'm on my way, but you owe me a drink for making me work this late, and another because I told you so."
"Whatever, just get over here. We have work to do."
Sliding the radio back onto his belt, the handler stepped into the caged 'airlock', closing the door behind him. He gave a sharp whistle and approached the inner gate. Working this late was a break from routine and Owen wasn't about to enter without alerting the girls first.
Blue was the first to materialize from the paddock foliage. The raptor approached him slowly, giving him soft trills as her head cocked curiously.
"Hey girl."
She pushed the top of her head against the barred gate, offering him a purrl in greeting. He placed his hand lightly on the top of her head, scratching the bony ridges above her eyes.
"Sorry to wake you, Barry and I are going to work tonight. We'll try not to disturb you, but I'll be in the paddock." His tone was soft and even.
The raptor let out a soft warble that developed into a more stressed hiss, pressing her head even more tightly against the bars as the trainer ran his hand across the top of her head. Her tail twitched back and forth. She eyed him with a suspicious look, her pupils dilating as she focused on him. Owen whispered to her, speaking about the night, and what would be going on.
He didn't usually talk to his girls, they were smart, and he knew they could understand his commands, but that was training, not communication. The trainer had no inclination that the raptor before him understood his words. What he did know was that she understood his tone, his stance, and his movements. It was their own way communication, he read their behaviors and they learned his. In a way it was far more complex and infinitely more subtle than spoken word or barking calls.
Right now, he needed his girls calm, he needed them to accept him and ignore him as he worked with Barry. They were stepping out of the safety of daily routine. That paired with the disastrous evening behind him and the stressful morning ahead put the trainer on edge and he knew that the Velociraptors would likely reflect that.
Even now, the other raptors were stepping out of the brush eyeing him at the gate with varied looks of curiosity and nervousness. Owen paused, pulling his hand away from Blue. The tired trainer took a deep breath and pushed the soured evening from his mind, ignoring the pressure that would come in the morning. He needed to focus, and let himself just work on the task at hand.
With one more calm breath, he pushed the gate button, letting the heavy barrier lift up, leaving him open to the pack. A blue streaked head immediately pushed against his gut as the raptor rubbed against him, leaving the musty earthen smell of the pack on his clothes. Owen gave a lopsided smile, letting himself enjoy his job once more. His worries melted as he walked into the clearing with a smooth gait.
Barry arrived twenty minutes later and they got to work. The duo cleaned and inspected every surface, crack, and panel of the large enclosure. Owen worked inside the paddock with calm precision learned from years spent on a naval vessel. Barry handled the exterior, looking over every wall, access panel, and light. The pack quickly lost interest in the men, retreating into the shadows of the foliage.
The large flood lights stayed lit over the paddock for most of the night as the men worked. Finally around four thirty in the morning, they shut everything down and retreated to the outbuilding to catch a nap before morning broke. Barry crashed on the dusty couch and Owen took the floor, his head resting on the duffel bag holding most of his clothes. They were both asleep within minutes.
Owen awoke to the sound of his friend's soft snoring and the faint crumble of tires moving on loose earth. The trainer shot up, looking around the darkened outbuilding. His eyes locked on the clock and he felt a sigh of relief escape his mouth. It was only eight forty-five. They didn't have much time, but they weren't late either. Getting up, he gave Barry a push on the shoulder, waking the man before heading to the bathroom.
Owen stepped out of the outbuilding a few minutes later, straightening his shirt and squinting into the morning light. The vehicle he had heard was parked nearby. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he made his way to the parked vehicle.
It was a standard park SUV, but InGen's A.C.U. logo decorated the front door panels. As Owen approached, the driver's door opened and a man he didn't recognize stepped out. He was just a bit shorter than Owen, and he wore the InGen Security uniform with a visible A.C.U. patch on his shoulder. His gloved hand reached out to shake Owen's.
"Katashi Hamada. InGen Security and Asset Containment Unit Commander."
His handshake was firm and Owen smiled as he shook it back. "Owen Grady. What can I do for you today?"
"Just here to observe and make notes on security sir. Vic would be here himself, but he was called away on a project off island."
"Please, just call me Owen."
"Very well." He looked over to the paddock. "How are things going out here? There's been plenty of rumors about the animals in paddocks one through four."
Owen turned, motioning the officer to follow him as he walked toward the paddock stairs. "I'll be honest Mr. Hamada. I haven't heard any rumors about my girls. What stories are going around?"
"Oh, the usual. We hear it a lot when we deal with predators. Someone has been eaten or maimed, the animals have escaped, or mutated horribly. It's just chatter by the park staff. Honestly the only one I ever heard first hand was some kid jumping into a paddock and getting eaten. People are crazy."
Owen chuckled a bit and rubbed some sleep from his eyes. "Believe me, I know it." He climbed the stairs with the officer in tow, taking his favored spot on the railing. "So, do you have any idea what is going to happen today?"
"No sir, I'm just here to observe and make note of any security problems. Ms. Dearing is running the show."
"That's what I was afraid of." Owen replied with a grimace.
Barry joined them on the paddock catwalks a few minutes later, leaning against the railing as a small convoy of official park vehicles entered the clearing that housed the paddock. The vehicles parked alongside the others and a small group of people emerged. Claire Dearing quickly took the reins and guided the group towards the paddock.
As they walked up, Claire was speaking to the group. The conversation felt foreign to him, but he recognized a few scraps and random words, picking out terms like 'investment returns', 'park growth', and 'assets'. The trainer's eyes narrowed as Claire led the group to the top of the stairs.
"Mr. Hamada, thank you for joining us on such short notice."
"It's no problem ma'am. Just doing my job."
Claire nodded her head, turning to Owen with a professional gaze. "Mr. Grady. I would like to introduce you to some of Jurassic World's key investors and representatives. They will be joining us this morning to observe your methods and practices." She gestured at the group behind her. "If you and Mr. Sy will simply go about your morning routine, we will watch and ask questions if needed." She turned back to the group of suited individuals. "I apologize for Mr. Grady's unprofessional appearance. I can assure you that when this attraction opens; he, or whoever else may be handling these assets will be dressed in a full park uniform."
Owen turned away, his teeth grinding a bit as he forced himself to ignore Claire's jab. He walked across the catwalk and grabbed the red bucket. He wasn't a park handler and he didn't even own a full park uniform. He was a researcher, he would wear whatever helped him do the job best, not that she would understand. He shook his head. He had a job to do, and he needed to focus.
"Hey!" Owen's voice rang out firmly over the large enclosure.
Several seconds later, Blue ambled out of the foliage, followed quickly by Delta, Charlie and Echo. Owen heard a slight gasp from a member of the group to his left. He smiled a bit.
Blue was watching him with interest, her amber eyes sparkling as they jumped from him to the group nearby. She let out a bark, her head snaking back to look at the rest of her pack as they stood behind her.
"Eyes on me."
Blue's eyes locked onto his, the rest of the pack quickly following suit. The pack focused on him a chorus of expectant hisses and warbles echoing through the enclosure as the sharp click of Owen's clicker sounded.
He tossed each girl a treat, calling their name as he did so. Blue knew her name, but the others were still learning, needing the reinforcement of repetition to help it sink in.
"That's incredible." A low voice exclaimed from the group watching him. "You've tamed them."
Owen shook his head. "It's nothing. This is a simple Pavlovian response. Everything I just did was a learned behavior because I've reinforced it every day for nearly a year." He looked down at the pack below him. "Most of what I do each morning is just repetitions of this behavior. Occasionally we add something new, but it's not a quick process and this is about as far as we've gotten."
He could hear the group murmuring and whispering amongst themselves. "But these assets are tameable, right Mr. Grady?" Claire's voice rose above the rest, an expectant sharpness in her words. There was that word again and Owen felt his shoulders tense and his jaw set just a bit.
"We aren't sure yet Ms. Dearing. If I had make an educated guess. I would say no. Just like modern predators, these are wild animals that have an overpowering instinct. We can push that instinct towards our goals, train them with repetition and sheer stubbornness, but we can never overcome it completely or force them to go against it."
"But you got them to listen to you just now. Surely that means that they can be trained, even tamed given time." This was a male voice hidden in the back of the group.
"These animals will Never be tame." Owen's voice was calm and even as he worked. "Hell, it's unlikely they will ever respond to anyone but me or Barry."
"And why do you believe that Mr. Grady?" Claire asked, folding her arms and giving him a hard look.
"Because I'm part of the constant reinforcement. Barry and I have been the sole provider of food for them throughout the majority of their entire lives. We are a part of the criteria for their acceptance of our commands."
The skeptical look she gave him told told the trainer everything she was thinking.
"Claire, would you mind stepping over here, so I can prove my point?" His tone was still even, but had a slight edge now.
"Please, call me Ms. Dearing, Mr. Grady." As the woman stepped forward, he felt his neck stiffen, the muscles in his back tighten. He stepped aside, letting the Chief Operations Manager step up to the railing.
"Ms. Dearing" the trainer emphasized her name. "Please take my clicker and do exactly as I did just now."
She snatched the clicker from him and glared down at the Velociraptors below. Blue glared right back. Owen had noticed her focus shift the moment Claire had approached the bucket. He could just hear the low growl that was beginning to emanate from the streaked raptor.
"Eye's on me." Claire's voice was cold and commanding.
Blue's gaze never left the woman, but the subtle shift in the raptor's stance indicated a challenge. The other Velociraptors glanced at her briefly, but the woman couldn't hold their attention.
"Eyes. On. Me." She repeated, emphasizing each word coldly.
Blue's gaze hardened a bit. The growl turning to a low hiss as the woman commanded them yet again. The grey-blue raptor's vocalizations drew the attention of the other raptors, Charlie pressing against Blue, Delta and Echo moving up towards the catwalk where Claire stood. Four sets of eyes fixed themselves onto the woman in the suit jacket.
Claire froze. She stared back at the predators and Owen could see the faintest tremble run up her arm. Owen cracked a thin smile, maybe she did have a little common sense. Blue's hiss was joined by Delta's and Owen's smile faded.
"Dammit Claire, click the clicker already!"
CLICK
"Good, now toss a couple treats to them. They earned it after all."
The Operations Manager glanced down into the red bucket and grimaced before dropping the clicker inside and walking away hurriedly. Owen rolled his eyes and pulled the thawed rats out of the bucket, tossing one to each raptor as he called their name.
Out of the corner of his eye, Owen saw a man step forward from the group. He was balding, the receding brown hair becoming wispy at the top of his head. He nervously stepped forward and held his hand out to the trainer.
"Mr. Grady. My name is Oliver Fields, I represent the combined interests of the Target Corporation. We have been following your project for some time." He paused, searching for his next words. "I understand that your raptors may not be trainable, but will they be presentable in the park? Are they safe?"
Owen took the man's hand and shook it but snorted. "Hell no." That had earned him a harsh glare from Claire. "Mr. Fields, are you aware of the incident that happened on this island years ago?" The man nodded quietly. "These are the smartest predatory animals I have ever worked with. Their ability to solve problems and exploit weaknesses is unmatched in the animal kingdom. If you want my honest opinion, they may be slightly trainable, but I don't think they will ever be safe enough for public viewing."
Claire stepped up next to the investor. "I can assure you Mr. Fields that while Mr. Grady's words may have a ring of truth, he is also unaware of the security measures we incorporate into each exhibit that specifically meet the danger that may be present around these animals."
She turned to the group. "I can think of our greatest asset as an example. The Tyrannosaurus Rex has lived in her exhibit for nearly seven years now. We have never had an incident resulting in more than a few cuts and bruises. Our designers and construction teams researched the exhibit designs heavily before the first concrete is laid. Jurassic World has been and will continue to be the safest park in the world, even with the eventual additions of a few Velociraptors."
Her reassurances were met with grumbles and sideways comments which earned Owen another quick glare from the business woman before she smiled back at the group. "Mr. Grady, would you mind showing us the lower gate? I believe some of our investors would like to see these assets a little closer so they can see how safely constructed our paddocks are."
"Fine, but if any of you are at all unsure about the situation, I need to ask you to stay behind the outer bars. My girls are sensitive to the body language and behaviors we exhibit, nervousness or visible fear can trigger a predatory response in a couple of them." The trainer smiled a bit as he saw several faces pale slightly. Without waiting for Claire's further approval, he led the group down the stairs and to the 'Airlock'.
Four of the investors waited behind the safety of the second row of bars, two others, Claire, and Mr. Hamada joined him inside the large caged room. The investors that had entered took up spots near the back of the cage with Mr. Hamada while Claire joined Owen towards the front of the cage where his girls could approach them.
Owen gave a sharp whistle. He knew his girls were already watching them, but he wanted to see if they would come closer to investigate the intruders in their space. Sure enough, Blue was the first to approach. The large raptor stood tall as she approached them, and Owen realized that she was now head height with him when standing normally. They truly had grown into large predators.
Oddly enough Blue stopped several feet from the caged gate, lowering her head and giving a sharp hiss before retreating. The other three that had been following paused but didn't retreat, looking to the streaked raptor and giving her inquisitive barks.
He saw Claire take a step back as the raptors communicated. It was odd behavior, even for his girls. If they didn't like someone, they were quick to show it, usually aggressively, but they, especially Blue, never retreated. It displayed weakness.
Blue was chittering to the other raptors, her tail twitching in agitation as she began looking from side to side. Owen watched her curiously, hoping to figure out what was going on.
It was when the wind shifted that the answer finally clicked with the handler. When the coastal breeze died down a bit, he caught a whiff of Vanilla in the breeze. It was subtle, but it was there. Taking a few more testing sniffs Owen realized that it was whatever perfume Claire was wearing.
A childish smile grew on his lips and he leaned over to the Operations Manager. He spoke quietly, but just loud enough to be overheard. "Ms. Dearing could you take a step back? My girls are very sensitive to certain odors."
Her reaction had been everything he was hoping for.
xxxxxxxxxx
Ten minutes later, the investors were satisfied with Owen and his paddock. The trainer waved to Mr. Hamada as he sat back in his vehicle before turning to the investors. Shaking their hands, he escorted them back to their own vehicles before being grabbed by Claire.
"Look I'm sorry, but it's the truth! Velociraptors have incredible olfactory glands."
"Mr. Grady! I am not the one who smells perpetually of dirt and mold."
"It's actually a-"
"I don't care what it is, that is not why I am pulling you aside, although I do not appreciate it in the slightest. Come with me." The red headed woman turned and stalked towards the paddock's outbuilding. She threw open the door with a loud crash. "What the hell is this? Have you been living here?"
Owen paled a bit, reaching up and nervously running his hand through his hair. "I've stayed here a couple nights, usually when I have a lot of work to do, or a paddock survey to prepare for in under twelve hours."
"Mr. Grady, Paddock Outbuildings are strictly designed as working break rooms, not makeshift apartments."
"And the staff apartments are on the other side of the island."
"Mr. Sy seems to be handling it well enough." She stopped him before he could speak again. "Clean up this room Mr. Grady. Jurassic World assigned you an apartment, and I would rather not waste that space. If I find out you've been using work assets for personal use again, I will make sure that you will regret it. Now, come with me, I have one more thing to discuss with you."
Claire led the handler back into the paddock 'Airlock' and pointed to the control panel. "What's your story for this?"
"That would be the gate controls." Owen replied bluntly.
Claire rolled her eyes. "I'm aware of that Mr. Grady, why have you been tampering with it?"
"We didn't tamper with it. We moved it."
Claire's hand hit her forehead with a quiet slap before she massed her brow asking in a softer voice, "Why did you move it, do you understand the security risk you took just in disabling this device to move it."
"I am." Owen nodded back, folding his arms. "We moved it because our raptors could reach it."
Claire gave him a skeptical look.
"Claire, I know you know how intelligent raptors can be, it was well documented after the Jurassic Park incident. Is it really a stretch to believe a raptor could learn to press a button?"
The Operation Manager sighed. "In the future, please contact the InGen Security Division before you make changes to this paddock. Any further intentional breaches of security will result in a temporary suspension and possible termination. And please contact Timack Construction before you build any more 'additions' to the paddock." She gestured to the squeeze chutes and steel muzzles. I am going to send one of the foremen over to inspect your work. If it's not up to code, I am going to need a formal report and asset request in order to build a proper system for you to use. I have already reported these safety violations with Mr. Hamada, they will be reviewed and you will be notified if there is to be any further consequences."
"Ms. Dearing?" Katashi Hamada stood on the other side of the cage door, now outfitted in full A.C.U. operations gear.
"Yes Mr. Hamada, is something wrong?"
He nodded, "I need you and Mr. Grady to come with me, it's urgent."
"What's going on?"
Hamada's face dropped to a slight frown as he adjusted his ballistics vest. "We have a containment breach. The assets in question are predators."