Author's Note
Okay, here's the other chapter. You won't get another chapter again for at least a day or too. Well, unless I can't help it. Anyway, I'm trying to make this fic last through November so that I can post this while doing NaNoWriMo.
Go onward and enjoy!
Owen
The first time Liv meets Owen is when she's thirteen.
Getting to Isla Nublar takes roughly three to four hours. She takes a plane from Miami to Costa Rica and then stops off at the mainland branch of InGen. InGen has a helicopter set aside for special guests visiting the island and Vic has authorized her to use it, placing her in the books so they are always ready and waiting for her whenever she arrives. One of Vic's rules is that she has to report to him immediately upon arrival, so when the helicopter touches down on the roof of a concrete building set in the hills a little ways north of the main park, she seeks him out.
This building is the main hub of the park, its central nervous center. Everything that goes into keeping the park running happens here. The top few floors are administrative with offices, conference rooms, and the like. Below that is the Control Room. The room is dark, illuminated mostly by the computers set in rows in front of a wall of screens, but there are some overhead lights. Dozens of people are busy at the computer stations, working to keep track of the human visitors and the dinosaur "assets" that are on the island. Liv scans the room until she spots a woman down in front of the big monitors, short red hair perfectly sculpted and wearing deadly high heels.
Liv hoists her backpack higher on her shoulders and approaches the woman with a polite smile. "Ms. Dearing."
Claire Dearing turns to face her wearing a polite smile of her own. "Liv, hello."
Liv holds out a hand for Claire to shake and she accepts it with the same expression every time. One part baffled and one part like she finds it sort of adorable but is trying hard not to show it. It's not exactly behavior that's entirely normal between an adult and a young teen, but Liv learned early on that Claire doesn't care much for anyone who isn't an adult. Kids and teens are too rambunctious and uncontrollable for her. She does appreciate Liv's almost adult-like personality though, a byproduct of having to practically raise herself and Vic's unique teaching techniques. Politeness is ingrained in her as a survival skill, one she happily uses with Claire. Even though Claire is wary around the young generations, Liv has a relatively friendly relationship with her.
"I didn't realize this was one of your visiting weekends," Claire says, looking at her phone to check the date. Or to check her messages. Knowing Claire, it's probably the latter.
"Yeah, it is," Liv says, unphased by the woman's absentmindedness with anything not related to the running of the park.
"Let me guess. You need to know where your father is."
Liv nods. "That would be nice, thank you."
Claire's smile widens a little, part baffled and adoring again. "Well, right now I believe he's at the new Velociraptor paddock. Our new research team arrived last week and we need to make sure we're ready for when the raptors are born."
Liv's eyes widen in excitement. "Are the raptors going to hatch soon?" She's always loved the raptors most out of all of the other dinosaurs, even the more docile ones. There's something captivating and beautiful about all of that power and ferocity they possess. Not to mention their auras are a deep, crisp orange that's almost red, the darkest color she's ever seen any animal possess. Their intelligence is unbelievable.
"I hear it will be in just a few weeks." Her phone chirps and she glances down at it. "You'll have to ask Mr. Grady for something more specific. He's in charge of InGen's little pet project." Her phone chirps again and she starts to turn. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work. I'll see you later, Liv."
"Bye, Ms. Dearing," Liv says with a wave goodbye and then makes her way to the elevator, taking it down again to a series of tunnels that allow employees to traverse all areas of the park while avoiding tourists. They're more hallways than tunnels, really, and wouldn't look out of place in an office building with tiled floors and bright florescent lights. Liv sets a fast pace down the hallway that will take her to the Innovation Center, ending at some stairs leading to a locked door to keep tourists out. She types in the key code and then opens the heavy door to enter another hallway, the Creation Labs.
The Creation Labs are part of the Innovation Center, basically a glass hallway that allows tourists to look into the labs to get a glimpse of how dinosaurs came to be again without actually allowing any of them access. Liv pushes through the crowds towards the main room of the Innovation Center, filled with holographic displays, games, and more, dedicated to teaching park guests about the dinosaurs kept in the park, what their real, non-genetically modified ancestors were like, and about other dinosaurs not yet brought back to life by the labs. Liv bypasses all of it, exiting the building through a side door. She tries not to rush as she rounds to the back of the building where a series of employee vehicles are parked. She's been looking forward to the baby raptors for months. If she's lucky, she'll be here when they're born. But for now, she has to see Vic. Then she can play.
She hops onto her ATV and pulls out the keys she snagged before leaving the Control Room. Really, it isn't her ATV, it belongs to the park, but she claimed it about a year ago and no one has ever stopped her from using it, not even Vic. Now, they actually leave it here just for her and make sure it's kept filled with gas. She's not sure if it's because of who her father is or the workers here really are that friendly but don't ever approach her because of Vic, but in any case, she's grateful.
Starting it up, she takes the trail that leads her parallel with Gyrosphere Valley and into the restricted area at the north end of the island, her VIP wristband giving her special access since she's Vic's daughter. She follows the signs to the Research Center, taking special care to pay attention since she's never been there before, until she finds the paddock, located on the northwestern cliff of the island.
The paddock is octagonal in shape, big concrete walls with a massive door that leads straight into the paddock for the raptors and a caged area on one side acting as another entrance for humans to enter without risking the raptors escaping. The inner door of the cage leading into the paddock is like a big castle gate built to withstand any assault, whether they be human or dinosaur. The outer door is human-sized and one that InGen swears is raptor-proof since it was proved during the Jurassic Park Incident that Velociraptors have near human-like intelligence and are perfectly capable of figuring out how to open normal doors with normal locks. Hopefully an electronic keypad is enough to deter them. Right next to the cage are the stables, just a little indoor area where the raptors will be able to take shelter when they want or need it.
Several smaller buildings stand around the paddock, storage areas and the actual Research Center building for the trainers to work when they're not working directly with the animals. She knows where Vic is as soon as she parks, sensing his muddy red aura on the catwalk that crisscrosses above the paddock.
Leaving her backpack on the seat of her ride, Liv runs a quick hand over her khaki pants and blue blouse, the uniform for her school, and over her light brown hair pulled high in a ponytail, making sure everything is smooth and neat. She wishes she could have had time to change before catching her flight but still pays no mind as she quickly walks through the dirt in her ballet flats and up the stairs to the catwalk.
She pauses a few feet from her father, a heavyset man with thinning brown hair, waiting for him to notice her. He's staring out over the paddock, filled with trees and other plant life native to a prehistoric world and an open clearing in front of the cage. His eyes look hungry almost, like he's a king overseeing his domain. Vic's job is mainly security, especially with the increase in poacher activity around Isla Nublar and neighboring islands, but InGen has asked him to oversee this project for them as well. Based on an overheard phone conversation months ago, it may have even been Vic's idea to try to train Velociraptors to obey human commands. But whatever he expects to happen from all of this, and she knows he expects something that will benefit him, Liv sincerely doubts it will end up with him as king. She knows better than to speak those thoughts, though, so she stays quiet, hands patiently clasped in front of her.
"Do you know what this is?" Vic asks, still not looking at her.
"No, sir," she answers, knowing the obvious answer of "the raptor paddock" wouldn't be received well.
"This here is the dawn of a new era. When the boys are done with those raptors the world's gonna change." He turns to her, victory in his eyes and in the smirk stretching in the middle of his goatee, even though the raptors are still in their eggs. Whatever he's planning, he's eager. But then he shakes his head, like he's remembering she's just a little kid, or so he likes to say. "Anyway, you got a report card this week, right?"
"Yes."
He holds out an expectant hand. "Well, where is it? Give it here."
She struggles not to wince. "It's in my backpack downstairs."
"Well, what good does that do me?" He grabs her by the scruff of her neck, fingers clenching hard as he forcefully turns her around and pushes her towards the stairs. She grabs onto the railing to keep herself from falling, feeling herself bruise, but her healing factor is already taking care of it. The throbbing ache doesn't last long but that doesn't mean it hurts any less.
They go back downstairs and Liv rifles through her backpack until she finds her report card, handing it to him with a lowered head. He snatches it out of her hand, his eyes skimming over the paper. "Says here you got an A- in math," he grouses. "Last I checked, you had an A+."
"I did, sir," she says carefully, her hands clenching sporadically at her sides, "but I had a test that was kind of hard."
He hits her hard on the side of the head with the same hand that holds her report card and she whimpers softly at the pain, careful not to be too loud. "Well, get your grade back up! I know any kid of mine can do better than that." He lets the paper go and it flutters to the ground.
She kneels down to pick it up, saying a quiet, "Yes, sir."
Don't do anything else stupid, she tells herself. Don't do anything else that might set him off.
"Now come on," he says impatiently. "They should be finished getting the eggs settled." He heads off towards the Research Center, Liv struggling to keep up behind him.
"They're keeping the eggs here instead of in the lab?" she asks tentatively.
"Yeah." He shrugs. "Something about imprinting on them and needing to start while they're still in their eggs."
He flings the door open and she follows him inside. The front of the building is basically just a collection of desks with computers, not nearly as fancy as what they have in the Control Room but still state-of-the-art, and a small kitchenette off to one side. At the back of the building is another door and they go through there to find a group of seven men, each looking more like hunters instead of researchers with their cargo pants, button-up shirts with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and large knives strapped somewhere on their lower back or waist. They're circled around an incubator, a machine with bright lights to provide warmth over top a nest of hay. There's also a robotic arm that's supposed to turn the eggs to keep them evenly warmed but it appears to be off now.
One of the researchers, a man younger than Vic, probably in his mid-thirties with short brown hair and scruff on his chin and upper lip, is handling the eggs himself. He's wearing latex gloves and cradles the eggs in his hands with the gentlest care, like they're newborn pups. He holds the eggs up close to his face one by one, talking softly to them before returning them to the nest.
There's four eggs in all, kind of oblong and with shells that look thicker and harder than chicken eggs.
"Hey, fellas," Vic says and the men turn to look at him with slight frowns on their faces. Liv doesn't know how well any of them know Vic but it looks like he didn't make a very good first impression. She's not surprised. Few people ever actually like her father. "Our new project about ready to roll?"
"Hoskins," the man in the center of the group greets cordially despite his dislike for Vic. Carefully, he places the egg in his hands back in the nest. "The eggs are doing fine. Should hatch in another week or two. Three tops."
"Good, good." Vic's voice is filled with breathless anticipation that makes Liv nervous. "How soon can we expect results?"
The man grimaces and moves through the circle of men to stand in front of Vic, arms crossed. "They're not robots, Vic. They're animals, and not all animals can be trained."
"There are guys all over the world who train lions and tigers for performances." Vic stands to his full height, trying to be intimidating. "Are you saying you're not up for the task?"
The man's jaw ticks, his eyes narrowing. "These raptors are in good hands. But they're the smartest animals on the planet. They may not take to training as easily as a dog or even a tiger. Having them this young helps, I can imprint on them as their alpha and they'll think of me as their parent as we take care of them and raise them. But once they're fully grown? They could decide not to have me as an alpha anymore. If they decide to overrule my authority, they can and they will."
"If they decide to be rebellious then show them who's boss with a couple of volts. Pain is a good motivator."
A flash of anger crosses the man's face. "Do that and they'll never trust me or any human again."
Liv swallows heavily, feeling kind of sick, so she tunes out of the discussion that, knowing Vic, could be turning into an argument in a few minutes. Instead, she turns her attention to the incubator and the four Velociraptor eggs. The group of trainers are gone, they left to go outside and let the man and Vic go at it, but the man is standing partly in her way. She lifts herself up on her tiptoes and leans, trying to get a better look. There's already a faint aura around the eggs, a pale orange that will grow and deepen as the raptors get older. The man is right, based on the life she can sense within the eggs, they'll be hatching in just a few short weeks.
A solid hand plops down on her shoulder, forcing her to stop fidgeting and stand flat on her feet again. She glances up at Vic out of the corner of her eye and he's glaring at her disapprovingly.
"Who is this anyway?" the man asks, looking at Liv curiously.
Vic's fingers squeeze around her shoulder, silently telling her to behave, as he replies, "This is my daughter, Olivia. Olivia, this is Owen Grady, the man in charge of training the Velociraptors."
Liv holds out a hand for Owen to shake and he takes it a little disbelievingly. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Grady," she says.
"Uh, likewise." His eyes flit back and forth between them. By the look on his face he's probably wondering how she could possibly be Vic's daughter. Vic's certainly never been known to be nice and polite. She likes the distinction between her and Vic, how she's so different from him. It allows her to sometimes pretend she isn't really his daughter.
Inexplicably drawn, Liv leans slightly to the side to look around Owen at the eggs again. Then Vic's hand squeezes her tighter and she instantly straightens. Glancing at Owen, she hopes he didn't notice. Based on the way his eyes narrow at Vic's hand, though, she knows he did. Owen opens his mouth to say something but then Vic's phone goes off. Vic lets her go and answers it, going back out into the main room to talk to whoever it is, completely ignoring them. She breathes a small sigh of relief and then looks at the eggs, shuffling on her feet a little.
"Do you want to get a closer look?" Owen suddenly asks.
She jerks her attention back to him and he's smirking slightly. Excitement bubbles in her stomach. "May I?" she asks, unsure if he is being serious.
"Sure, come on." He leads her over to the incubator and she stops a few feet away, almost afraid of getting too close. She looks over her shoulder at the door. "It's alright." Owen is motioning her closer with his hand. "You can come closer. They don't bite. Yet."
He grins at her and she smiles shyly back, stepping closer until she's standing right next to Owen and leaning over the eggs. Based on their life force she can tell all four of them are girls, though she didn't really need to look in order to know that. All dinosaurs in Jurassic World are girls, their genetics manipulated in the lab to guarantee it. All of the dinosaurs are also born sterile.
They wanted to be absolutely certain there wouldn't be any accidental breeding.
"Do you want to hold one?" Owen asks and she nods enthusiastically.
He hands her a pair of gloves like the ones he still wears and then gently places one of the eggs in her cupped hands. It's heavier than she thought it would be, and rougher. And a lot bigger than her hands. As soon as Owen lets go so she's holding it on her own she tenses, trying to be extra careful so as not to drop it. This is a life in her hands. This Velociraptor may have been cooked up in a lab, mixed with the DNA of different animals, but it is still a precious, precious life. Liv is terrified for these raptors all of a sudden, terrified of what Vic has in mind for them.
"What are you going to do with them?" she asks quietly, hoping to understand what it is Vic is planning.
"We're doing behavioral research," he says, stroking a finger along the length of the egg. "We're hoping to teach them to respond to commands, you know, like the whale trainers at Sea World and stuff like that." He frowns slightly. "Except we're better than Sea World. A lot better."
Liv bites her lip. That certainly has a lot of possibilities. Dangerous possibilities. "Will it really work?"
"I don't know. Your dad seems to think it will but I don't think it'll be as perfect as what he's imagining. Even at Sea World, the whales hurt the trainers sometimes, people even getting killed. Like I said, they're wild animals, not robots. We'll never be able to completely control them."
"But you'll still take care of them? No matter what happens?"
"Of course," he says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "They could completely hate my guts and I'll still take care of them. If this research project of theirs doesn't work, it's not the raptors' fault. InGen is just expecting too much." He carefully takes the egg back from her and returns it to the nest. "They'll be allowed to comfortably live out their lives, whether as one of their attractions, like the T-Rex, or just staying out here. I'll make sure of it."
The door opens and Vic sticks his head through. "Olivia."
She straightens, taking a step back away from the incubator and Owen. "Yes, sir?"
"I've gotta go." He points a finger at her, almost threateningly. "I want you in your room by eight o'clock, you hear me?"
"Yes, sir." She suppresses the urge to roll her eyes. It's the same as it always is when she visits. It really isn't necessary for him to remind her every time, like she's an infant.
"Good. And make sure you behave." He then leaves, the door swinging closed behind him.
When Vic is sure to be gone Owen asks, "Is he always that strict with you?"
"Yes," she says, not looking at him as she takes off her gloves and throws them away in a nearby trashcan, "he is."
He's quiet for a long time, so long that she thinks he's gone back to working and she's fixing to decide to leave, when he says, "Olivia, if anything ever happens, if he does something you don't like, you come tell me, alright?"
Liv looks up at him in surprise from behind the sweep of her bangs, and there is just such sincerity in him, unlike anything anyone has ever shown her before. Vic is practically his superior, in a way, but Owen is completely serious that he will help her. She takes a quick look at his aura, a bright, vibrant red enveloping him, and she knows that if she does ever need help, she can go to him.
"Okay," she says quietly, a small smile lighting her face. "I will."
Though she may never actually go to him for help, the fear of what Vic would do to her too strong in her mind, she makes the promise anyway. It seems to placate him at least and he nods, slipping off his own gloves.
Glancing at the clock, she lets out an almost disappointed sigh. She still has a lot of homework this weekend and wants to get it all done today so she can have the rest of the weekend free. But she's enjoying herself here. And the company. "May I...come back here tomorrow?" she asks, unsure if it would be a bother. Unsure if it is even something she's allowed to ask.
"Sure thing, kid," he agrees readily. "You can come here whenever you want. Maybe tomorrow I can show you around the paddock."
"I'd like that." She backs away towards the door and gives him a bright grin. "See you tomorrow, Mr. Grady."
"See you tomorrow, Olivia."
Her nose screws up in displeasure. "Please, call me Liv."
"Well, in that case, Liv, you can call me Owen. None of this Mr. Grady stuff. It gives me hives."
She giggles. "Deal. Bye, Owen."
He waves. "By, Liv."
As she exits the Research Center and climbs back on her ATV Liv thinks, yeah, maybe things won't turn out so bad after all. Not with someone like Owen watching over the raptors. They really are in good hands.
Author's Note
And so the adventure begins.
Hope you enjoy, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!