Morning: A twin-prop airplane tore over the Pacific Ocean headed for Costa Rica carrying Grant, Stephanie, and Billy as John had opted to stay behind to try and do what he could back on Indigo.
"So who's this Henry Wu person?" asked Billy confused. Grant was extremely amused at the prospect before that amusement turned to a chuckle and then a full blown laugh for several minutes.
"Sorry," Grant apologized as he finally calmed down and noticed the stares he was getting. "He and I have a lot to talk about. He has…a lot to answer for."
Billy looked at Stephanie even more confused when she leaned in close.
"He was the chief scientists of Nublar during their tour," she explained. "He had some…outdated information that he relayed to the group."
"Oh," said Billy knowingly. "Well this should be fun."
"Yes, yes it will," said Stephanie mildly amused. The plane continued its course above the water while down below, several dots appeared to be following in its wake.
Sorna: Jake was slumped over his desk out cold as Sam lay passed out on his rotting couch and Gerry was in a sleeping bag on the floor between the two of them. Aeryl stood at the entrance to Jake's office leaning against the door frame watching them silently before she sighed and cleared her throat anxious to get things underway. To her mild surprise and chagrin, Jake slumped off his desk and crashed to the floor promptly awakening Sam who rolled over and fell off the couch elbowing Gerry in the stomach who sat up abruptly only to find his movement restricted by the sleeping bag and he immediately fell back over onto his back.
"Gee it's like the Three Stooges in here," said Aeryl with a mild grin. Her grin turned to terror as a orange shaped projectile came flying right at her.
THWAP
Aeryl looked up at her forehead to see a rubber dart attached to it before looking down at the group.
"Jake," she accused.
"Wasn't me," came the groggy response as Jake was just barely visible from around his desk, still on the floor. "Besides if I were going to shoot you it'd have been with this."
The scientist produced his silver Long Colt before dropping the gun lazily onto the floor before reaching into his jacket and producing his black Long Colt and dropping that right next to it before starting to snore again softly.
"Gerry?" she asked.
"If I could pop off a shot like that with my arms still underneath this bag I'd be revealing in pride right now," commented the veterinarian struggling to take the thing off. That left only one person. Aeryl stared at Sam skeptically who had since gotten back onto the couch.
"You?" she asked skeptical. Sam shrugged and produced a cheap plastic yellow dart gun.
"What of it?" he challenged. A couple of tense charged moments pass between the two before it was dissolved with Aeryl's shrug.
"I came here to tell you that we're planning the day's plans and felt that if I were to include you now it would spare me your grief later on when you demand to know why you weren't included," began Aeryl. "Oh and Sam?"
The former head of operations at Ingen looked at her through narrow eyes.
"Nice shot," she said yanking the dart off of her head, with a mild grin, and tossing it to him before leaving. Sam stared at her wide-eyed as Jake began laughing groggily and then harder and harder.
"Hey Sam-," began Jake mischievously. Sam growled at that.
"Not one word," he stated darkly.
"All I'm saying," continued Jake when suddenly a dart slammed into his forehead.
"You're going down!" shouted Sam getting up. Jake quickly collected his guns and raced out the door with Sam in hot pursuit reaching into his jacket for another dart.
Nublar, 17 years ago: Jake and Henry strode across the large open grassy area in front of the Visitor Center and past several pieces of construction equipment before heading up the stairs and into the building proper. The two walked across the lobby where a base was being set up for the future brachiosaur and tyrannosaur skeletons.
"Do you know what was on today's menu?" asked Jake to Henry. The other scientist shook his head.
"Hopefully something good," commented Henry before he and Jake chuckled at that. In the distance the sound of rapid footsteps were heard and getting closer and closer. As Jake and Henry turned to locate the sound of the source, they were nearly run over by an orange and blonde blur before it vanished around a corner.
"Catreece!" shouted a voice out of breath. "Get back here!"
Collin Meeks, a junior scientist on the Dinosaur Revification Project, came to a halt near them exhausted.
"Hey C," Jake greeted him. "How're things?"
"The same as usual, trying to stop her from wreaking havoc on this place," commented Collin of his younger sister Catreece who had just run through.
"A hassle I'm well aware of," said Henry remembering his younger sister. "So what is her rush this time?"
"Well you know how she gets around food," Collin pointed out.
"Yeah," said Jake lightly before realization dawned on him. "Wait, it's not salmon for lunch today is it?"
"Yeah," said Collin as if this was obvious. "I thought you knew that."
"No," said Jake stunned. "Get back her Catreece, that food is mine!"
Jake vanished around the corner as Henry shook his head watching him go.
"So what're you up to?" asked Collin as the two walked off to the mess hall.
"Just trying to keep tabs on things," said Henry. Collin smirked at that.
"Aren't we all," he commented amused. The two entered into the dining area where Jake and Catreece were arguing over who got the most salmon on the table. Henry and Collin just bypassed them and grabbed some rolls and salad before sitting down.
"So I hear through the grapevine you're concerned about Doctor Graves," said Collin.
"Yeah well it should be pretty obvious by now," commented Henry annoyed at the whole subject. "Even he knows."
"You really think he's up to something?" asked Collin unsure. "I mean even I haven't hit it off well with the guy but if he wants to be alone in his research I say let him."
A biscuit went flying across the cafeteria which Catreece chased after before spinning around and running back to tackle Jake who was reaching for a plate with most of the fish.
"I really wish I could but I know that he's up to something," said Henry desperately. "I can't sleep, I can't think, I can't eat without being concerned over Grave's actions."
Catreece ran hurriedly past them clutching her plate of salmon and dropping pieces here and there as Jake chased after her.
"You think it's that serious?" said Collin doubtful. Henry tried to respond but just gave a defeated gesture. Catreece was now zooming across tables with Jake just a step behind grabbing what salmon he could that she dropped.
"If I just knew something about what he was up to…" began Henry softly. He had gone over the list that Stephanie had provided him but it wasn't much to go on. Henry felt that one more ingredient and he'd be able to put the puzzle together but until then it was just out of reach. His thought process was interrupted as two large plates of salmon crashed down on both sides of the table as Jake and Catreece took their seats.
"Satisfied?" Collin asked them. Catreece nodded happily as she grabbed a piece of salmon and crammed it into her mouth.
"I think she got more than I did," Jake lamented as Catreece stuck out her salmon coated tongue at him.
"I swear those two act more like siblings that she and I do," Collin stated. Henry smirked briefly at that before turning slightly insightful. He had known Jake longer than any of them had and he also knew that his old friend had had a younger sister who had passed away several years prior. Within the past few months, Jake had been having a friendlier relationship with Catreece and when Henry had inquired about it, the scientist had admitted that the young woman reminded him of his sister. Henry had let it go at that but was always checking up on Jake about the matter of his younger sister because Jake buried enough as it was, any more and he'd likely go nuts. And Henry would know; he minored in psychology.
"Yes, yes they do," said Henry still mildly amused. Catreece silently reached across the table for one of Jake's pieces and he lightly slapped her hand away. Catreece reared back before lunging for the long bread loaf in between them and soon both were tugging it back and forth before it split in half and the two sat their ends down on their plates. The two eyed each other with mock anger before breaking into a regular conversation about their days and soon all four were conversing back and forth. But the conversation came to an abrupt end when Catreece sneezed and all of her hair went straight out turning her into a fuzzball.
"Sorry," Catreece apologized sniffling. She abruptly sneezed again and her hair stood out even further.
"You okay?" asked Henry concerned.
"Yeah," said Catreece wiping her noise. "You two smell funny."
"Catreece!" admonished Collin. "That's not very nice!"
"It's true," said Catreece hurt. "They smell strange."
"Strange how?" asked Jake confused. "I don't smell anything."
"You smell like…" began Catreece trying to figure out the word. "You smell like…"
"Like?" prompted Henry and Jake leaning forward.
"Bubblegum Flavor Number 5!" said Catreece triumphantly as she jolted straight up. Jake's head slumped onto the table defeated as Henry sighed.
"How anticlimactic," he said dully. Catreece sat down hurt.
"But it's true," she said nearly tearing up. Collin chuckled softly.
"You'll have to forgive her," he apologized. "She's not very good with memorizing names of things so when we're working in the lab we come up with names she'll remember. Bubblegum Flavor Number 5 is corticosterone."
Henry and Jake looked confused at that.
"It's a glucocorticoid hormone designed to boost memory," continued Collin. Henry and Jake looked up at him.
"Yeah we know that, but I've never touched the stuff in my life," explained Jake.
"Me neither," confirmed Henry. "And we haven't been in the lab today either."
"Well that's strange," said Collin bewildered. "Catreece's sense of smell is usually very accurate."
Henry and Jake racked their memories for several moments before it dawned on them.
"Graves," they said in realization. The two slowly got up and nodded at each other.
"Thank you Catreece," complimented Jake as Catreece smiled. "You've been a big help. Like our own personal bloodhound."
Catreece's jaw dropped in shock.
"I'm not a bloodhound!" she protested. "I'm a-."
"Anyway, how does that help you?" asked Collin intentionally butting in.
"It gives us a lead since everything else Graves has is just your common DRP materials," said Henry already seeing the end in sight. The two left the cafeteria and Catreece was about to pounce on Jake's food when he ran back in and collected his plate before tossing half of it onto Catreece's and then leaving.
"Victory is mine," she said pleased.
Costa Rica, Present: "Hello Doctor Wu, I hope you don't mind but I have a few questions to ask you about dinosaurs," said Doctor Grant with an evil grin.
"Ah heh-heh," laughed Henry nervously as the two shook hands. "About that…"
"Let me guess, we all make mistakes right?" quipped Grant.
"In my defense the original gens were the ones that attacked you, not the second gens. So your argument is with Dennis Nedry not with me," said Henry. "At any rate, I am sorry for what happened on Jurassic Park. But it could've been worse."
"It shouldn't have happened at all," commented Grant darkly.
"Yeah well as they say let brachiosaurs be brachiosaurs," commented Stephanie. "We've got a DNA sample for you to take a look at Henry as well as some footprints."
Dr. Grant reluctantly stepped aside as Billy and Stephanie handed over what they had. The group of them was inside an older Ingen Building that had been reactivated when Pacific Pharmaceuticals bought them out.
"Right, let's take a look at it," agreed Henry. He took the sample and placed the slide underneath his microscope.
"Hi, I'm Stephanie," said Stephanie offering her right hand to the other woman in the room. Normally it would've been busy holding up her dinosaur but she had left her behind on Sorna not wanting to further complicate what was going on. That and it was perhaps the first step on the difficult road to separation between the two.
"Danni," commented the other shaking it.
"So what's your take in all this? I used to work on Sorna is why I'm here," began Stephanie.
"What a coincidence, I ran for my life on Sorna," said Danni still a little sore over the subject.
"Well we're all on the opposite sides of the coin now aren't we?" said Stephanie slightly aggravated at yet another person demanding an apology for Project DRP. It wasn't her place to give one, especially after the deaths of so many of her coworkers.
"I'll be damned," said Henry looking through the viewfinder.
"What?" demanded Billy. "What is it?"
"Something that makes no sense," said Henry sitting back confused. "Glucocorticoids."
Nublar, 17 years ago: "Dennis I don't care about how much work you already have to do, I just need you to tell me where this stuff is coming from and where it's going," said Jake fed up with the technician's lengthy tirade about being overworked and underappreciated. For the past several weeks he, Gerry, Henry, and Ray had done their best to make friends with the selfish mountain of a man and he had rebuked them at every turn. Eventually they'd given up and an open antagonism had created a rift between them. Hammond had done his best to be civil with Nedry in an attempt to maintain a working family amongst the workers but he too was succumbing to the man's constant antagonism. Right now Jake, Henry, and the computer nerd were in a heated argument in the recently completed control center.
"You just don't get it do you," said Nedry shaking his head. "Genius is…"
"Underappreciated in its own time we know," concluded Henry having heard it a thousand times from him.
"But that's a cross we're more than willing to live with," said Jake condescendingly. "Now give us that information!"
"Get it yourself!" shouted Nedry and turning away from them and working on another computer on something he called 'the interweb'. Jake groaned and ran his hand down his face annoyed. He didn't know anything about computers and Henry knew some stuff but not enough to go rooting through the Unix System to find shipping reports. They'd have had Ray do it if he wasn't on Sorna right now but he was and so their hands were tied.
"Look I'm going back to San Diego anyway, I can just get someone there to find out," offered Henry trying to diffuse the situation. The last time Jake and Nedry had argued, the scientist had threatened to put a bullet through his hard drive. Then it would've just set them back a little bit but now with dinosaurs on the island it could potentially cause more harmful damage.
"Fine," said Jake reluctantly conceding the point. Nedry gave them a self satisfied smirk as the two left.
"That man drives me nuts," said Jake groaning. Henry laughed.
"Yeah but it could be worse," said Henry looking up at the massive viewscreen. "Like that for instance."
The screen showed an image from one of the remote camera depicting three deinonychosaurs on one side of the electrified fence staring out at the beach and ocean beyond.
"Yeah that is creepy," agreed Jake shuddering briefly before letting it go as the lights flickered. "In the meantime we'd better get you to the helipad before the power craps out or something."
Henry nodded and they headed out.
Two days later the Deinonychosaurs escaped.
Sorna, Present: An oviraptor leapt through the air and was instantly torn apart by gunfire. Jake, Gerry, and Sam were part of a convoy heading for the docks and pumping stations when they had been set upon by an enclave of dinosaurs.
"I can't believe there are still first gens alive after all these years," commented Sam. An RPG took out a hadrosaur ringing blood and guts everywhere.
"Yeah for creatures that've been dead 65 million years they've proven surprisingly resilient," commented Gerry wryly.
"We don't have time for this, we've got to keep moving," said Jake. "The longer they keep us pinned down here the more first gens can arrive to the party."
The scientist promptly gunned the engine on his Interceptor and it took off down the dirt road followed by a quartet of hummers, and a pair of semis at the rear.
Costa Rica: "What's a 'glucocorticoid' thing?" asked Billy.
"It's a hormone designed to aid in brain stimulation. You remember things better when you take it provided you can get an emotional stimulus to activate it," responded Henry rifling through several large binders of data.
"Did the dinosaurs possess this hormone?" asked Grant.
"No, they didn't," responded Henry still looking through his records.
"Then I guess its humans," said Stephanie defeated.
"Not necessarily," commented Henry. "We did a lot of experimentation back in the old days someone could've put it just to see what would result."
"And do you know anyone who would've done something like this that we could ask?" inquired Stephanie.
"No," said Henry wistfully lying. "There's no real way to track these things and then there's the possibility whoever did this is dead anyway. That's a dead end but look at it this way. If a human were to knock off that boat I would doubt they'd be using this stuff."
"You've got a point there," admitted Billy. "And the footprints?"
"Well…" beginning Henry picking up the photographs when a worker rushed in.
"We've got a live one!" he shouted. "Squad 8-A has discovered B-13!"
Henry instantly leapt out of his chair and grabbed his coat.
"I got to take care of this you wait here for now!" he shouted heading for the exit.
"What's going on?" said Grant confused. Realization hit Stephanie like a ton of bricks as she chased after him. As soon as she exited the building she was buffeted by high winds as a helicopter sat outside on the helipad ready to take off.
"Just wait here!" shouted Henry over the noise.
"It's A-1 isn't it?" accused Stephanie. Henry stopped and sighed.
"Yes," he reluctantly admitted.
"Then I'm coming with you," Stephanie asserted her hair blowing about.
"This doesn't concern you," said Henry trying to warn her off.
"I was there when you got back remember?" said Stephanie angrily. "You can't tell me it isn't my concern."
Henry sighed. "Fine, you can come. The rest of you stay here!"
The two entered into the helicopter and it tore off into the sky leaving the rest.
"A-1?" asked Billy beginning to rub his stomach. "I could really go for a steak right now."
"Yeah I'll show you a place," said Danni leading them to the exit. Once the trio had exited the building and the helicopter long since vanished into the distance, several shadows converged on it from out of the jungle.
Sorna, 17 years ago: Jake, Henry, Sam, Gerry, and Jeff sat shell shocked as to what it was they had seen back on Costa Rica. On the table in the middle of them were a mess of photos they had taken of the destroyed village and the deinonychosaur that had done it.
"You just wouldn't believe it," said Gerry at a complete loss for words. Stephanie was sitting next to Jake and offering him some coffee as Hammond paced back and forth. Graves was there too, Hammond had strong armed him into coming, and he was not happy about it.
"What are we going to do about this?" he said stressed out.
"For one, implement the damn lysine policy on all the dinosaurs!" shouted Jake abruptly sitting up.
"That's not an option," said Graves immediately.
"Like hell it isn't!" spat Henry. "People have died we can't let that happen again! It shouldn't have even happened in the first place!"
Hammond had no idea how to respond to this.
"You have to expect certain glitches in the system when dealing with new technology," said Graves bored with the whole subject.
"Glitches?!?!" roared Jake. He leapt out of his chair before Henry grabbed his shoulder and slammed him back down into it.
"Chill out," he hissed. Jake simmered angrily at the whole situation.
"Is there no alternative?" inquired Hammond concerned for his creations.
"John-," began Jake in a guttural voice as pure rage flashed past his eyes.
"What Jake means to say is that either you authorize the contingency or we put it in regardless," said Henry calmly. Hammond sighed, still pacing.
"How many-," he began inquiring about how many were dead.
"30 at least," answered Gerry grimly. Hammond stopped and just stood there helpless.
"How are we even going to classify this?" he said finally.
"This is just the beginning of a much larger problem," said Sam as if sensing the future.
"Which is why I say its Alpha Omega 1," Jake chimed in. "The potential beginning of the end of this project."
"We don't know that," said Graves shaking his head. "This is an isolated incident, nothing more."
"But it isn't something we can sweep under the table," said Hammond knowing that he'd get nothing but grief from those sitting around the table if he did. "We'll call it, A-1. In the meantime we do need to see that this is prevented from happening again."
"The lysine contingency is a detriment to our project," said Graves sensing where this was going.
"No," said Henry shaking his head. "You are a detriment to this project. What are you doing on Nublar that we aren't allowed to see?"
Graves growled darkly at that comment. "I am allowed certain personal side projects. I am not doing any harm by pursuing them."
"No offense but I think that kind of reasoning was almost the same behind leaving lysine by the wayside and now we're all paying for it," commented Jake. Graves narrowed his eyes but didn't respond to that.
"I am not concerned about Doctor Graves and his projects right now," said Hammond to Graves' pleasure. "We have to worry about getting Jurassic Park on its feet and ramping up production. Everything else can wait until later."
Grumbles emerged from all across the table about any number of issues.
"Do I have your commitment?" said Hammond forcefully. A group of reluctant committals came from across the table.
"Good," said Hammond pleased. "Now Doctors Graves and Wu will return with me to Jurassic Park and the rest of you can continue your work here for now."
Jake and Henry exchanged a glance before Jake pointed lightly at Dr. Graves who just smiled even wider. As soon as the trio was gone, the scientist stood up.
"I'm going to Indigo," he stated and left as well. "Maybe there I'll be able to get my hands on Graves' stuff."
Indigo, Present Day: "Sir?" asked Tim.
"Yeah?" responded John looking up from his plans to scout the nearby islands from where The Equestrian was attacked.
"Motion Sensors are picking up more signatures on this island then there should be," commented the lead technician. John took out his radio.
"Scott I think we have tourists again," he said into it.
"Roger," came the response. "Where?"
"Near…" began Tim pinpointing the area before looking up again. "Near the ship…"
John's eyes widened as he tore out the door.
"Thomas you're likely going to have hostile company incoming," said John hurriedly into his radio. "I'm on my way with reinforcements."
"Roger that," said Thomas as the sounds of guns being loaded could be heard.
"Scott, you and your team make your way to the boat," ordered John.
"Understood," came the response.
On the beach, several objects raced across the sand headed for the massive passenger liner.
Costa Rican Jungle: The helicopter flew low over the trees as it homed in on squadron 8-A.
"So why are you really here?" asked Henry of Stephanie. "It isn't because of this, I think we both know that."
Stephanie nodded. "I think we both know that you know who put those glucocorticoids into the dinosaurs."
"Assuming it is dinosaurs," rebutted Henry.
"It has to be," said Stephanie convinced. "In fact, I'd say this whole thing is going to send us to early 'graves'."
Henry looked up at her sharply. "That's not funny."
"I'm not joking," Stephanie shot back. "We both know it's him or at least his legacy."
"And how would you possibly know anything about this?" asked Henry somewhat smugly. Stephanie shrugged as the helicopter landed in a clearing and they both got out and joined a team member there.
"You know Jake was never good with computers," she began.
Indigo, 17 years ago: Jake was pacing back and forth with a crowbar as Stephanie watched him amused. The two were outside in the sun as Stephanie sat on a picnic table, her feet on the bench, with her new Compaq LTE notebook computer.
"When's it going to get here?" he said referring to the twice weekly shipment of supplies.
"It'll be here when it gets here," said Stephanie typing away on her laptop. "It's not like it's heading to Nublar or Sorna."
"It'd better not be or I'll go chasing after it in a dinghy," commented Jake still pacing.
"Would you chill out and sit down," said Stephanie patting the side of the table next to her for him to sit down. Jake looked out at the ocean beyond them before reluctantly taking a seat next to her.
"So was that worth all the money I spent on it for you?" asked Jake.
"Of course it was," said Stephanie still looking at the screen. "I'm miles ahead of the rest of the world with this baby."
"And just what are you doing to advance yourself?" asked Jake. He looked at the screen and it showed Tetris being played.
"Terrific," said the scientist leaning back.
"Well we all can't be serious all the time," Stephanie commented. "Case in point you and this Graves deal. When is the last time you had any real fun?"
Jake thought about it for a few moments. "Catreece and I had some amusement in the lounge back on Nublar."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Yeah fighting over food no doubt, but when's the last time you had real fun that you didn't have forced upon you?"
"I don't know," remarked Jake softly. "If not work, it's always something."
Silence filled the air between them after that as a massive boat appeared in the distance.
"So what're we going to do after Jurassic Park takes off?" asked Stephanie. "Go see the island, go find new dinosaurs, what?"
"Quit I suppose," mused Jake.
"Quit?" said Stephanie not believing it for a second. "Why would you do that?"
"This is job is too stressful," said Jake as he looked up at a cargo helicopter coming in for a landing. "That and I'm probably going to get fired stealing Graves' crate."
"Oh boy now we're having fun," said Stephanie with a smile as she shut off her computer and the two headed for the supply chopper.
Indigo, Nighttime Present: "Fire!" shouted Thomas. Gunfire erupted from the team located on the bow of the boat at the objects crisscrossing the beach. Moments later a helicopter roared by overhead and gunfire erupted from it as well while it shone a spotlight on the area.
"Get 'em all before they get to the ship!" shouted John as he did his best to use the Pulse Rifle Jake had given him earlier. He pumped the bottom of the rifle and a grenade came flying out blasting sand into the darkened sky.
Costa Rica: "Sorry about the wait Billy but it's an expensive camera," explained Doctor Grant. Billy nodded still hungry for dinner.
"Yeah I know how tough money is around the site," he acknowledged. "Hopefully this'll all pan out and that'll be a thing of the past."
Grant nodded, but knowing fully well how he'd thought that fourteen years ago and how it turned out then. Danni meanwhile was rifling through her keys until she found the one she needed and opened the door. As soon as they entered they were all left stunned as several Velociraptors, Deinonychosaurs, and several other dinosaurs were tearing the place apart. The two groups stopped what they were doing and just stared at each other for a few moments.
"Oh great," said Grant shaking his head. "Ian I owe you one."
The dinosaurs charged.