JURASSIC PARK III

2 – Plotting and Scheming

Grant watched the man known as Paul Kirby drive off in his rather ho hum rental vehicle for someone prompting a business proposition. He turned his annoyed gaze to his protégé. "Why did you do that?"

Billy pressed his lips together timidly. "He called while you were gone and made mention of a job that would benefit the dig site. I figured what the hell, hear what he had to say."

Pet closed the tail bed to a truck loaded down with plastered fossils and joined the two men. "So...what's going on?"

Grant grumbled. "Billy has taken it upon himself to schedule my life out for me."

The protégé and hybrid met stares. "Um...what?"

"Apparently I'm to join Mr. Kirby and his wife for dinner to discuss business." The older man made his way to his trailer, more than ready to relax if only for a minute.

Pet sprinted to catch up with the man before continuing. "Well, that's a good thing isn't it? I mean, it could result in funding the site in some way. Maybe then we won't lose the dig in three to four weeks."

"Another decision made by ours truly," Grant jabbed, swinging open his trailer door and going inside.

Coming towards the group was the dig site's all too well-known yappy Shih Tzu. Sugar was feet from the hybrid and barking obnoxiously. In a fit of annoyance, she hissed a bark in return and sent the dog yelping back towards its owner. Billy chuckled. "I expect that damn dog to come up missing one day."

The people proceeded to join the senior scientist. Grant tossed his hat onto the kitchenette bar and fell onto the cushions of the couch. He toed off his shoes and sat there, letting his body sink into the comfortable softness beneath him. "You're joining me on this." He pointed a finger at Billy. "Since you got me into this, you're as much involved as I am."

Billy shrugged and dug his hands into his dirty pants pockets. "Okay. That's fine."

Pet took a seat on the edge of the bar top and reached for the hat not far away. She placed it on her head and cocked it to the side. "What do you think? Yes or no?"

Grant sighed at the hybrid and waved a hand at her. "Give it here." Reluctantly she did and frowned. He sat his favored treasure next to him and continued. "So, get cleaned up and ready to go, soon."


Pet was wearing a smile when she returned to Quarantine. She went into the open trailer door to see a sweaty Terrence sprawled out on the couch and drinking a bottle of water. The hybrid spoke. "Boy Scout is in such deep shit at the moment."

"Oh yeah?" Terrence sat up. "Derek said something about some business proposal being tossed Dr. Grant's way. How'd that go?"

The hybrid shrugged. "I don't know. Guess we'll see after the dinner meeting. Which reminds me..." She smiled to her friend. "Alan and Billy are going to meet these...Kirbys...at Catfish's. Apparently, my being third in the list to run things isn't enough for me to join them. I got to thinking…" She clapped her hands together and rubbed them. "Care to join me for something to eat at Cat's? I really want to know what's going on."

Terrence huffed a laugh. About that time, Derek poked his head into the trailer. "Am I hearing plotting and scheming?"

"Yes," the hybrid smirked out. "You in or out?"

The bounty hunter scoffed. "What do you think?"

Twenty-five minutes later, the Jeep pulled out and away from the dig site leaving a dust trail in its wake. Derek reached for the radio, Pet glaring at him from the passenger seat. "So help me if you turn on that damn song, I'll-"

Click. The young man happily blared out in song to the rock tune and drummed his hands on the Jeep's steering wheel. Every time Pet would turn off the stereo, he'd turn it back on.

Terrence sighed in the back seat, shaking his head. Were they there yet?"


Meanwhile, as Billy tried to finish getting ready before leaving, his ears were starting to throb from his boss's tangent. "What the hell were you thinking blowing that much money on that piece of equipment? Not to mention you're making business arrangements with this jackass, Paul Kirby, who I have a bad feeling, about, by the way."

Billy finished combing down his hair with a wet comb and chuckled to himself. "Come on, Alan, it's not like there's going to be a commitment or anything. It's just meeting with him and his wife and hearing what they're offering. No big deal, right?"

"To you," scolded Grant. "There's work I need to catch up on. Reports to review-"

"All that has been taken care of," Billy reassured. "Believe it or not, everyone here has come to work well on their own with your constant being absent for seminars and business trips to Bozeman." The silenced the senior scientist. "We're not all incapable monkeys running around like crazy. We're just as capable to get work done, around here, as you are."

"Is that so?" Grant planted his hands on his hips. "I'm most likely going to lose my dig site in the next three weeks to that buffoon Dr. Burke because of your assumed bright idea at saving the dig! I've already sacrificed enough for this dig site and I will not have that be in vein because of one person's irresponsible actions!" He aimed a finger at the younger man. "If I lose my dig site and anything else of major importance to me over this, I sure as hell hope you have connections somewhere else because any and all hopes of making a paleontologist are screwed." Billy frowned at how small he felt. Grant checked his watch. "I hope you're ready because it's time to go." With that, the older man left the trailer, slamming the door behind him.


The parking lot to many of the dig site's favorite bar and grill was packed, leaving Derek having to park near the highway. The group got out and went to the quaint little set up's front door and strode inside. The group was greeted by Camille, who's smile instantly dropped the moment she saw Derek.

She gave him a sour scowl and grabbed three menus. "This way."

Pet stated as friendly as she could to the disgruntled waitress. "Finally got that hostess job?"

"I'm currently cross training for it. So far, I'm liking it better than being a waitress, although I'm still having to do that too."

Pet sniffed the air. "Mmmm. Smells like pot roast is the daily special today"

Terrence sighed. "Great." He was tired of pot roast. Seemed like more times than not, the special was always pot roast. When were they going to bring back the chicken and gravy special? Or the house chili special? He gazed around the place to see if there was possibly an available pool table. Sadly, there wasn't. They were all full, which was no surprise. The place was packed, after all.

Camille nodded. "The chefs in the back have been keeping busy cooking one right after another since the lunch hour." She stopped in between an open table and booth. "Table or booth?"

Derek spoke for the three. "Bar, please."

Camille sneered. "Perfect. Now I don't have to wait on your ass. I enjoy your other friends but you-" she shouldered past him, making him smile after her in her wake, "can go choke on a piece of ice and I wouldn't care."

The three were led to the bar area where they sat, barely squeezing in between a group of giggly vacationing girls and a heavy-set man. Derek was convinced the man had taken permanent root in the chair he was often seen in more times than not. The young man had come to mentally name the patron as Big Wally, given his real name being Wallace.

The bartender, a bald-headed man sporting a handlebar mustache and naturally wide brown eyes, smiled at the three. "Hey, folks."

"Hey Catfish," Derek stated. "How's business?"

The man nodded. "Doing good, doing good." He gestured at the boisterous establishment. "Busy as you can tell."

"Yeah, what's up with that?"

"Oil field workers came into the area here not too long ago and have basically taken over the place. Mac's down the road and Frog Hoppers outside of town have been just as busy, too." As the two men conversed, Pet swiveled her head to the front door to watch for a certain man's arrival. "I'm surprised it's just you three. Where's the others? Alan and them joining up in a bit?"

"The Doc is supposed to be here in a bit with Boy Scout and a couple others to discuss business."

Catfish started laughing. "I see. Alright, then, folks. What can I get everyone tonight?"

"Usual for me," Terrence stated.

"Same," answered Derek. All eyes settled on Pet still gawking at the front door. Derek leaned back just enough to block her view as their eyes met. "Drink? Food? Something?"

Pet's hopeful eyes sunk in annoyance as she snorted. "I'll just take the usual soda."

Derek refaced the amused establishment owner. "We'll have our usual for drinks, a couple orders of your boneless wings and the daily special."

"Coming right up."


Not a word had been said between Paul Kirby and a nice dressed blond-haired woman in the passenger seat of the car. They had been sitting in the parking lot of a rather questionable restaurant and bar for the past thirty minutes. The woman nervously bit at her finger nails, which drove the man seated in the driver's seat a bit into annoyance. She always did that. Always. And he hated it. Every car and or truck that either drove by or pulled up to the parking lot caused the woman to either rear up in the seat or strain her neck to get a better view of who it might be.

"Amanda... I'm almost certain he'll show up, okay? So, can you please calm down?"

"I am calm," the woman answered impatiently.

Paul wasn't convinced as he continued to stare at the woman with unblinking eyes. A part of him was regretting on bringing her along, but then the setup he carefully planned in his head wouldn't seem as legit. "Would you like to go in and wait?"

Amanda almost had her face pressed against the glass when looking to see who the unloading driver was of a navy-blue Dodge pickup. "Is that him?"

Paul took one look at the burly man and shook his head. "No, it's not." He got out of the car, startling the woman.

"Is he here? Do you see him?" Amanda almost fell out of the car when scrambling to get out and look around.

"Will you just calm down!" He locked the doors to the rental and mentally face palmed at the antsy woman. "Come on, let's go." In their striding through the parking lot, Amanda almost ran into the side view mirror of a car due to her not paying attention. Had it not been for the man tugging her out of the way, she would've most likely hit it. "Watch where you're going, please."

They went inside and waited to be seated. Paul instantly started searching the many faces of those present within the bar and grill to see if maybe by chance, Dr. Grant and Billy were already there. Much to his dismay, they were not, but he did spot a few other familiar faces at the bar. He recognized the dark-haired younger man and strawberry blonde man as being dig site workers. He recognized the woman, too, and debated on paying them a visit. He watched as the trio made cheers to the other with their respective drinks in hand. The two men tipped up their shot glasses and downed their drinks as the woman took a hefty swig of her soda.

Camille came to seat the newly arrived couple. "Good evening. Just two?"

"Uh, four," Paul answered with a smile.

"Booth or table?"

"Table," Amanda instantly answered at the same time Paul answered booth. Both people stared at the other in question, the woman sighing. "Booth, please."

Camille's dark eyes darted between the two customers questionably. Paul forced a smile and answered again, "Booth, please." After weaving through the people, they were seated at a booth off to the side and just beyond a series of arcade games along a wall.

Terrence nudged the hybrid in the shoulder. "Hey, isn't that the uh..." He snapped his fingers to try and recall the name.

Pet took one look at the suited man and snorted. "Kirbys."

"Yeah."

Derek folded his arms over the bar top and leaned into them and smiled to Pet. "Why don't you go say hi. I'm sure he'd love to chat with you, again."

The hybrid grumbled. "I don't like that guy."

"Yup," Derek laughed. He looked to Terrence and tapped on his shoulder. "Hey Personality..." The addressed man rolled his eyes at his much-loathed nickname. "Bets. I bet you a drink Pet will say how she doesn't like Mr. Kirby at least ten times before the night is over with."

Terrence laughed. "Just ten times? I say at least closer to twenty."

"Deal." Both men shook hands behind Pet's back. She snorted in annoyance.


Grant was not happy. At all. He gave a sideways glare of annoyance to Billy while parking the museum truck not far from an all too familiar red Jeep. Great. He had a feeling the hybrid would end up forcing her presence in on the situation. He just hoped whoever it was with her would restrain her from butting into the business at hand. Grant began to run through the possible people accompanying the hybrid. Instant dread was all that filled the man when thinking about the notorious trouble maker, Derek. If it was Terrence then chances are there was still some sort of a responsible adult to keep the hybrid from making a scene. Nothing needed to be said of her legal guardian.

Both scientists went into the bar and grille, looking around for Mr. Kirby. Billy saw them and waved at the man and what could only be assumed was his wife. "They're over there," Billy stated, pointing to the couple waving them over.

Grant blurted, "Damn it, all," when watching the three people at the bar.

He sighed in displeasure and in grumbling, decided it best to just leave the three people alone and conclude in conducting business. Maybe he could sneak past them and not be seen. A part of him felt bad for trying to ignore the hybrid, but knew it was probably for the best. She had a way of intimidating people and the last thing he wanted was for her to inadvertently ruin any chances of losing funding.

Terrence met Grant's gaze and felt a bit thrown off by the level of aggression in the usually collected features of the scientist. He took one look at Pet, cutting up a piece of pot roast, and felt it best to not tell her of the latest arrivals. Instead, he just shifted his attention on his half full beer bottle. Derek, attempting to be responsible being the driver and all, swished his straw around in his soda glass. He was bored. He planned on drinking and having fun, but Pet insisted how she would drink if he couldn't after drinking so much. No way was he about to let her drive for a number of reasons. The tally count for the bet was already at three as the two men involved in the bet anxiously waited for the count to favor their betted amount.