After getting to a part of this chapter, I realized I made some serious age difference boo boos in previous chapters when referencing Billy, Derek and Pet's ages to the other. As I added a note to ADAPTATIONS – 5 – What Is and Isn't Off Limits addressing the boo boo, I'll add it here. Billy is one year older than Pet and three years younger than Derek, as Derek is four years older than Pet. So, if there's any question, there's my official addressing to the issue. One day as I go back through past chapters, I'll make appropriate adjustments to any age confusions.


A NEW HOPE

1 – An Unexpected Ally

Simon watched the still unconscious hybrid lay motionless in her hospital bed with the best hospital Costa Rica had to offer. A heart monitor, blood pressure cuff, oxygen mask and IV were hooked up to the woman while a nurse ran a blood test somewhere within the hospital complex. Access to the hybrid was strict and heavily enforced. No one was allowed in the room without his personal approval and so far, that list was rather small. Outside the medical room was a member of InGen Security.

The hybrid looked so weak and helpless as she laid there. Simon took a step closer to the woman and with shaking fingers, gently touched her hand. His eyes watered up. For the past seven hours he had intently watched her current health condition fluctuate. Ice packs had been brought in and situated around her in an effort to cool her fevered body. She had already been given a pain killer and fever reducer, as well, but it didn't seem to have much effect. The woman was still sweat laden and whimpering in her sleep; even tossing fitfully about too. Before she inadvertently hurt herself with her claws in her spasmatic fits, mittens and socks were placed on her hands and feet.

Another hoarse whimper escaped the hybrid. The hospital door handle giggled and the door opened to reveal Muldoon. Dark circles from stress lined the underneath of his eyes, a cup of hot coffee steaming in his hand. "Still here, huh?"

Simon nodded. "You expected otherwise?"

Muldoon closed the door behind him and reclaimed his seat he positioned right next to Pet's bed side. "I've been wondering…Why go through all this for her? You don't even know her. You only met her once and that was…thirteen or so years ago."

"She meant an incredible amount to John Hammond. He wanted so much to include her in the world she was forced to miss out on. Family holidays…special occasions…He knew how much she was hated by his company and knew how much danger she was in every day of her life. He just didn't know the executives would go as far as to hunt her down to kill her."

Muldoon slimmed his pondering gaze down on the man not too much older than Derek over the top of his Styrofoam coffee cup. "That still doesn't answer my question. Why go through all this trouble to save someone you only met once?"

Simon inhaled a breath and took a moment to carefully think on his words. "I remember seeing how much life and hope she had in her eyes those years ago. The idea of someone wanting to flush that out of existence… Shortly after I integrated InGen with my company, the first thing I did was read over reports regarding the incident at Jurassic Park. At the time, the many reports from the survivors had certain parts redacted. I couldn't figure out why.

"I had no idea those redacted portions pertained to an eighteen-year-old hybrid girl. She risked her life to save those of people she either didn't know or only met once. I later came across reports detailing the events that transpired on Isla Sorna during a specimen retrieval operation overseen by InGen. Yet again, she risked her life to save those of others she either barely knew or not at all. She even tried to help save an individual who tried to have her killed four years prior."

Muldoon chuckled to himself, recalling Roland telling him of those days on the island. "As it was explained to me by a good friend of mine who was there with Pet, she tried to kill that bloke the moment she saw him."

This surprised Simon and he arched his brows at the news. "Oh. I see." He looked back down at the feverish hybrid. "Regardless, she's saved plenty of lives. This latest event on Isla Sorna proves just that. After everything she has done for others, it was time someone reached out to return the favor." It occurred to the billionaire how his words sounded and further explained. "I'm not saying you and your companions haven't done your best to help Ms. Hammond…"

"I know what you meant," Muldoon calmly answered, taking another drink of his coffee. "I just hope this scatterbrained idea of yours and Jacobs' works out."

The room's door opened again, this time giving way to Derek. He stopped in the doorway when he saw the foreigner still in the room. "Shouldn't you be partying it up in a hotel's suite somewhere? Isn't that what rich people do?"

Simon stared at the slightly younger man unimpressed. Jacobs was right; he was a mouthy little shit. "Shouldn't you be chasing an escaped convict somewhere? Isn't that what bounty hunters do?"

Derek was walking over to his uncle when he heard the equally snarky question. Derek smirked at the wealthy man humorously. Pet whimpered and fitfully tossed her head to the side, eyes squeezed closed. Derek sat down a bag of chips in his hand in exchange to a wet rag sitting on an ice pack on the room's tray stand. He gently dabbed the sweat off her brow, holding the cool of the rag against her hot skin for what momentary relief it might provide.

"I see her condition hasn't changed." He frowned. "I wish this shit would hurry up and pass over so she can finally get some rest."

Muldoon felt the same. "How's the Boy Scout?"

"Sleeping. It's taken some sedation since he's having night terrors after getting attacked. No sooner would he start to nod off then he'd wake up scared out of his mind, screaming and flailing about. It's why the Doc is sitting with him. He knows Boy Scout will need someone there that can relate to his issues."

"It's going to happen," Muldoon solemnly said. "Pet still has nightmares from her time on the islands."

"Oh, I know all too well. All those nights she woke Billy up in the middle of the night, I think he can finally relate. Hell, I still have the scars on my chest from when she clawed me when I was trying to wake her up." Derek sat the rag back on the ice pack to cool it off for a little bit. "Some fucked up little group we have, huh? The Doc has PTSD, you have PTSD," Derek teasingly nudged his uncle's leg with his, "now Boy Scout is broken in the head. Mr. Personality should start his counseling up again. He could make a killing at the dig site."

Muldoon's facial scars wrinkled in sour expression of disapproval. "He's the last person I'd ever go to with my problems."

"As for the Kirbys, they're being held here two nights for monitoring. I think the kid is handling his experience on the island better than Billy." Derek started laughing to himself. "That's sad. A twelve-year-old kid is coping better than a twenty-seven-year-old man."

Muldoon observed his nephew. It was easy to say that until savagely and fatally attacked by something and left with scars as a reminder. His grey eyes fell back on Pet. How much was her own experience on the island going to affect her?


Two days had passed, the Kirbys paying their last farewells to Grant and Billy prior to leaving. When apologies were given to Derek and Muldoon for what had happened, Derek didn't care. He still hit Paul in the face for lying and the outcome of the disastrous trip. Paul could understand, though, and let it slide. Maybe one day forgiveness could be had.

Billy was on the mend and now up and walking around, more, which greatly relieved his friends. He even went to pay Pet a visit. He didn't stick around for very long, due to nurses having to come in and do their hourly progress check. The sitting and waiting was becoming more and more mind numbing and painful for those concerned. If only she would wake up. At least her profuse sweating, whimpering and tossing in her sleep had finally come to a stop.


Beeping. Steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor filled the otherwise quiet air of...where was she? Pet's face contorted in a slew of mixed thoughts. A faint bark came from her in attempting to move. Sore. So sore. Her body, joints and muscles all burned in pain. That smell...What was that smell? She'd smelt it before. Antiseptics. The type of smell used in disinfecting...hospitals. She was in a hospital. No, no, no, no, no! She couldn't be here!

Again, Pet tried to sit up but a jolt of body seizing pain tore through her and sent her back down. A whimper of a cry broke through her lips. The more she came to, the more she became aware of her surroundings and the miscellaneous monitors hooked up to her. She wasn't alone. Someone else was with her and sitting in a chair, sleeping, at the foot of her bed. Robert? No, not just Robert. There was more than one person present. Was Derek there too?

Slowly, the hybrid tried to look through the dim light barely allowing any visibility. Sure enough, just as she guessed, she was in a hospital and in her own room, too. Oh no! They knew...the doctors and nurses who had been treating her. They must've seen her feet, hands and her overall in general. Thinking about it, she brought her hands up to look at them. She had mittens tied around her hands as though a newborn baby to keep her from scratching herself. How could anyone tell if she did? She was already scraped up enough from the excitement on the island.

"Veronica?" Came a man's hushed, accented voice. She had heard this voice before, but where?

Where was Alan? Did Billy survive his injuries? What about the Kirbys? Eric? Damn her illness having to flare up when it did. "Alan?" Pet's voice was hoarse.

Her speaking stirred Muldoon from his shallow slumber and he opened his eyes to see Pet awake. Relief flooded him. "Pet! It's good to see you finally awake."

Pet tried to sit up again, but gave up when her body continued to protest her moving. "Where's Alan?"

"Dr. Grant isn't here, at the moment," answered the foreign voice again. "How are you feeling?"

Who was that? Who kept talking? Pet winced when turning her neck to focus on the accompanying person sounding from somewhere next to her bed. That's when she remembered seeing Masrani with the military on the island.

Pet watched Muldoon get up and stride around her bed to go to the wall behind her bed. Slowly the darkness was filled with slightly brighter light the more a wall mounted dial was turned. This allowed the hybrid to finally get a good look at the stranger now getting up out of his seat.

Instant horror and panic filled the hybrid when staring into the dark eyes of Simon Masrani. Despite the pain tearing through her every limb, Pet didn't care. She shrieked out loud and tried to get out of the bed, but the railing slowed her down. In her blind, frantic scrambling to try and escape an almost certain death, a strong pair of hands wrapped themselves around her from behind to try and both restrain her and calm her as Muldoon took a firm hold of her ankles desperately kicking about.

"It's alright! I'm not going to hurt you!" Simon kept repeating himself, thankful the hybrid was in such a weak state or he'd be the one in a hospital bed. "Shh, shh, shh, it's alright! I know what you're thinking, that I'm here to try and kill you like the others did, but I'm not."

He had her wrapped up from behind, an arm around the front of her shoulders while his other hand remained around her arm housing her IV. Over and over, he kept whispering in her ear how he meant no harm. Her frail body within his embrace trembled as he felt the power of her rapid heartbeat against his forearm. Even though he and Muldoon had a reasonably well-off hold on her, it didn't stop her from making that horrendous noise. Loud bark after bark filled the room, it loud enough to be heard down the hall.

The door to the room swung open followed by another man's voice, one Pet recognized; Grant. "What's going on in here?" His panicked eyes took in the scene.

Muldoon answered. "Trying to calm her down!"

Familiar, and all too welcomed, blue eyes came into the hybrid's view. "It's okay, Veronica," Grant soothed to the hysterical hybrid. He was so relieved to see her finally awake and smiled broadly at her. "You're better, now." He nodded and caressed her tear sodden cheeks.

Seeing the hybrid was calming down, both Muldoon and Simon released their grips on her. Pet almost fell out of the bed when flinging her arms around Grant's neck. Sudden movement from three nurses coming into the room quickly got Pet's attention and the already adrenaline amped hybrid shrieked out.

Muldoon held up a hand to the nurses to briefly halt them. "Easy, now. She's alright. Just shaken up." He redirected his attention to the woman tightly clutching onto the senior scientist. "It's alright, Pet. You're alright." The small group of people gave the startled woman a minute to calm back down.

After seeing the patient was in no immediate need of emergency care, two of the three nurses left the room. Pet's raptor like eyes went from the remaining nurse standing against the back wall, looking obviously mortified, to her dreaded visitor's dark eyes coming around the foot of the bed and into view.

Pet tried to swallow, but her dry mouth wouldn't allow it through her feverous panting. The longer she sat there, studying the man standing a few feet from her, the more she came to realize. She was alive and in a hospital with this man at her bedside. Why wasn't she dead? Why was she being tended to as though a normal person? He had to know who and what she was. He owned InGen, now, and had access to whatever files he wanted. He'd have to know about her, otherwise why would he be here?

The two people stared at the other, Pet unaware of her calming down a bit more. His dark eyes enveloped her in their warmth and concern as she gradually relaxed her white knuckled grip on Grant. He was thankful for this as her dulled claws still hurt when pressing into a sore spot on top of his shoulder.

"What's he doing here," questioned the raspy woman.

Muldoon looked up to the man in question and answered. "Believe it or not, but he's actually here to help you." It more sounded as though he were trying to convince himself rather than the hybrid.

Slowly, Simon approached the woman afraid any sudden movement in her direction would set her off again. His gaze was solely focused on the raptor like ones staring at him in wide horror. He cautiously smiled, being mindful of the sickle like claws not too far from where he was. Though their owner was in a weakened state, she could still be dangerous with enough force placed behind the claws.

"I'm sure no introductions are needed?" Pet didn't give an immediate verbal response. Simon continued. "I have been searching quite a long time for you. Since taking over your father's company in nineteen ninety-eight, to be exact."

He was so calm on the outside, never mind his racing heartbeat within his chest, but it wasn't fear. No, it was excitement. There was not an ounce of fear, at all, in this man.

She snorted in annoyance and squared her eyes down. She growled a bark. "Why? To finish what two other people started? What two hunting parties couldn't?"

"Oh, no, no, no." He genuinely smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "I have been trying to find you to help you."

The words took the hybrid by surprise. "What? Exactly how are you planning to 'help' me?"

Grant took it upon himself to answer. "He already did. He and Dr. Jacobs both." He held her back just enough to meet her puzzled eyes. "He's cured you, Veronica. Your illness…it's gone."

Pet's brow furrowed and she shook her head in denial. "No, that's impossible."


Now settled down within her bed, Pet listened to everything being explained. It all sounded so surreal. "How do you know I'm cured?"

"Blood tests," Simon answered from where he stood at the foot of the bed. Muldoon was seated at the woman's right and Grant at her left with her frail hand in his. "You've been unconscious for about three and a half days, now. The one following your emergency extraction from the island, and another two more when the viraling out of your illness began. Not to worry, though. Extensive blood tests have been concluded post procedure to monitor your progress. And yes," Simon began, a smile stretched across his bearded face, "you are...cured...of your inherited illness."

"Just like that?"

Simon shrugged. "There was a little bit more to it than 'just like that'."

Something about the smile on his face and glint in his eye said to Pet there was more than what was being said. "Why go through all that...whatever it was...just to cure me? InGen has wanted me dead since the day I was created. No telling how much money was spent on teams, alone, to hunt me down."

"I'm not them," Simon answered coolly. "I assure you, the interests of Mr. Ludlow and Mr. Stevens are not my own." He could tell the hybrid was still untrusting of him, and he couldn't blame her.

Pet forced her attention off the man when hearing yet another familiar voice outside her door. "I want to see her," Derek could be heard when arguing with the InGen security guard at the door. The hybrid sat more upright in her bed; her whole alert being focused on the door. "I'm not leaving this room until I see her!"

"Only those with permission are allowed to answer," the guard snarled.

Simon calmly strode to the door and opened it. "It's okay. Allow him in."

Derek barged in and went straight to the woman's bedside. "Thank God you wake your ass up, Pet! We've been worried sick about you! I was afraid Dr. Dipshit put you in a medical coma and that you wouldn't wake up!"

Pet weakly smiled. "It'll take more than that to keep me down." She glanced over Derek's shoulder at the door. "Where's Billy? I haven't seen him since…since the island. He didn't…"

"No," Grant smiled out. "He's still around. The nurses are having him do physical therapy by walking up and down the hallway."

Derek shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's not fun let me tell ya. I was just helping him when I heard talking in here. I knew you had to be awake and wanted to come see you."

Pet was briefly jaw dropped. "You left Billy outside in the hallway alone?"

"No! He's with his PT nurse. Do you think I'd actually leave him by himself?" Muldoon, Pet and Grant stared at the mouthy man placidly. "The last time I left him by himself, he ended up crawling under the nurses' station desk crying about fly dino lizards."

Pet rolled her eyes. "You're so full of shit, Derek."

"Hey, it's funny to mentally imagine, okay?" He laughed to himself. "I'd totally record that and post it online somewhere for others to laugh at. I'd let his girlfriend at the dig site watch it first… make her question her life choices."

Pet scoffed, next. "This is why you're going to a special hell when you die, Derek. You're an asshole."