JURASSIC PARK

1 - Surprise!

Days slowly crept by, it already being a week since selected zoo personnel were transferred to the new park. Pet, of course, was not one of them. Instead, she was forced to remain in Kenya and work with her new partner, Terrence. Neither of the two liked working with the other but did what they could to tolerate the other for the sake of getting work done instead of fighting. Naturally being one to challenge another for dominance, Pet kept instigating fights with Terrence any chance she could, which usually resulted in arguments. On one occasion, she got him pissed enough to show physical force, but that quickly ended when she pinned him down.

She missed her and Robert's wrestle matches, as they proved to be a challenge and always with her being defeated. It's what made challenging him so fun; the effort needed to try and overcome him. He was the only person who was able to incapacitate the hybrid without the use of tranquilizers, such as the time Terrence felt he was forced to do. Or at least, as he explained it to Hammond in a report, but everyone knew he did it on purpose to defeat her at her 'challenge' game.

Pet grumbled and leaned onto her forearms she had against a young lioness's neck while restraining her. Terrence held down the animal's hips while feeling the animal become weaker to the influence of the tranquilizer. Content the large cat was finally asleep, he nodded to Pet, but frowned when he saw her attention was elsewhere. He glanced over his shoulder to see Hammond striding towards them through the animal holding pens with a smile on his face.

Pet's focus remained locked onto the much older man, her upper lip slightly curling. Hammond spoke. "Ah, busy as usual, I see."

The hybrid snorted in frustration and looked away. Terrence, however, gave a welcoming smile. "Good morning, Mr. Hammond!" He looked to Pet next. "On the count of three, okay?" She nodded. "One, two, three..." Together in a fluid movement, they hoisted the sedated lioness off the floor of the concrete pen and onto a nearby animal transport cart.

Hammond continued. "Pet...I'm here to tell you...pack your bags." The girl paused in her fastening a leather retraining strap around the lion's waist and looked into the bright blue eyes, framed behind glasses.

"What?" Pet saw a piece of paper in the man's hand that he held out to her. "What's this?"

"Your transfer request has been approved and-" but his breath was knocked out of his chest the moment Pet collided with him to tightly hug him. He wheezed out, "You'll be flying out next week. Tuesday…to be exact."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you..." Pet continued, never relaxing her embrace off the man. She was so excited, she even kissed the man on his bearded cheek, which completely shocked not only him, but everyone else nearby.

Terrence stiffened back a snicker for the now blushing man's sake. "Congratulations, Pet. It looks like you got your wish, after all. I would say it's been fun, but…" he planted his hands on his hips, "it hasn't."

Pet's expression shifted from a smile to a smirk. "Likewise. I hope you become a hyena chew toy."

Terrence sarcastically laughed and patted the hybrid on the shoulder. "I hope a T-Rex eats you."

Hammond questioned, "What is the matter with you people?" The hybrid took another look at the paper and shrilled in excitement, tightly clutching it to her chest.


That was Thursday as it was now Tuesday. Pet sat in a helicopter and peered out of a window to the ocean beneath with blue-green eyes. Hammond sat across from her and wore a pleasant smile stretched across his face. He wasn't sure which she was more excited about; finally, being out of Kenya, getting to work with dinosaurs or possibly because she was going to be reunited with her lifelong best friend and guardian.

Hammond chuckled behind a broader smile. "You look like a kid on Christmas, Pet." She darted her focus to the man across from her and cocked a sideways smile. "Keep an eye out on the horizon. You should see the island, Isla Sorna or Site B, coming up any minute now."

She scooted further to the window and nearly mashed her face against the window, straining to see as much of the horizon as possible. "Sorna...Sorna...That's the containment island, correct? Not the actual park, island..."

"Correct. Most likely, you will be working primarily on Isla Sorna until the park, itself, is completed nearby on Isla Nublar. Hopefully, it'll be complete here in the next two years, or so."

Pet nodded in understanding. "Does Robert know I'm coming?"

Hammond's sly smile was nearly stretching from ear to ear now. "Nope. I figured I'd leave that to you as a surprise."

"Oh boy."

"Hopefully you've reviewed the island maps and species list?" His smile faltered to raise his brow in question.

Pet nodded. "Oh yeah. First thing I did was access the park information to get spun up on everything."'

"Excellent." The older man lounged back in the helicopter seat and folded his hands over his cane, glancing outside the window as well.

Within fifteen minutes, the helicopter descended onto a helipad near the island's small aircraft landing strip, where a Jeep painted in the park's sand beige and red colors waited. "Why Jeeps? Honestly, John." She shot a joking smile at the man. "There are other vehicles out there capable of utility work other than Jeeps."

Hammond shook his head and unbuckled once the helicopter touched down and the door was opened. Both people crawled out and strode over, though Pet more ran over to where the Jeep was. Pet took in a deep breath of the fresh, jungle air and slowly exhaled it. It was utterly different in smell versus Kenya. Here, there was a sweet floral aroma wafting over the humid winds whereas in Kenya, it stunk and the air was hot and dry.

Hammond gestured to the Jeep, Pet crawling into the back as he got in the front seat. "As soon as we get to the main compound, we'll work on getting your ID badge for security access first."

"Okay, sure." It was a question of whether or not she was listening, as her full-eyed gaze took in every detail around her.

"Also, I'm having your bags taken to the dorm complex for permanent status employees, located near the main complex." Pet nodded and widely smiled with the growing anticipation of seeing Muldoon again after several days of them being apart.

Minutes later, the complex came into view, and the Jeep pulled up to the electrified front gate, waiting for it to be opened. "The electricity bill must be a bitch to run this place."

The Jeep drove through the gate and around the protected courtyard. The vehicle hadn't even come to a complete stop before Pet jumped out. She jogged into the main center and smiled a sharp, toothy grin at the mural painted behind the front desk.

One of the security guards, a slightly heavy set Hispanic man with a thick mustache, stood up to speak. "Excuse me, can I help you?"

Pet met his gaze. "Oh, uh..."

Hammond entered the complex and answered the guard. "It's alright, Tomas. She's going to be working here." The wealthy man grabbed the excited Pet by her arm and guided her around the desk and to where two joining hallways forked. "There are two hallways here." He pointed to his left. "This one, here, leads to the genetics lab and animal holding pens while this one," he pointed to his right, "leads to the control room and administrative offices."

Pet nodded her head and followed Hammond as they strode into the control room. A pair of brown eyes belonging to a black man looked up from a computer screen. Hanging from his lips was a partially burning cigarette. He stated under his breath, "I wasn't aware the island was open to kids, now."

An overweight man wearing glasses took a deep chug of soda and leaned over from behind his own computer to see for himself. "Oh her. Eh..."

"You know her?"

The two locked gazes in confusion. Hammond stated, "Mr. Arnold..." The black man sat up straighter in his chair to better see the addressing man from over the top of his computer monitor. "I need you to assist this young lady, here, in getting an ID badge made. She will be working with Robert in the game warden department."

Arnold's gaze slimmed on the girl as he took a puff of his cigarette. "A little young to be a game warden, don't you think, John?" The blue-green eyes of the hybrid shifted to a raptor's, both men instinctively rolling back in their chairs. "Whoa, what the hell?"

Pet snorted for added effect as Hammond lightly gripped her shoulder. "Gentlemen, yes, this is the young lady commonly known as Pet. Pet, these two men are Ray Arnold," he gestured to the black man before gesturing to the overweight man, "and Dennis Nedry." The latter man waved his sausage-like fingers, the hybrid forcing a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some paperwork to attend to." He turned his attention back on the hybrid. "Once you're done here, you should have security access to pretty much all sections of the island. I'm not exactly sure where Robert is, but I'm sure one of these two gentlemen can help you."

The hybrid dug her clawed hands into her short's front pockets. "Okay. First things first, then. What do I need to do for an ID card, or whatever?"