A NEW HOPE

3 - Simon's Plan

The plane ride thus far was as promised; less stressful than the previous one. For this, Grant was extremely grateful. Pet was still giggly and talking about her childhood memories at the zoo to a very interested Billy and Derek. Between her and the ex-game warden, there were plenty of stories of share.

Grant got up from his seat to claim the one the hybrid had been sitting in previously across the table from Simon. The tone of voice in those blue eyes let the other man know this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. "There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you," the senior scientist began.

"What would that be?" Simon coolly replied.

"Since taking responsibility of InGen, what have your people been doing on those islands?"

Brows lowered and dark eyes slimmed in uncertainty and puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"Genetic research…creating new dinosaurs not originally on InGen's list. Shortly after the San Diego incident, InGen was ordered to provide an entire species list of all the prehistoric animals and plant life ever recreated."

"I'm aware of this."

Grant slyly grinned. "Of all the species on that list, not once did I see the name Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus or Spinosaurus. Yet, there just so happens to be one roaming about on Isla Sorna." The news seemed troubling to the billionaire. "Were you aware of this?"

Simon shook his head and shot his gaze over to the laptop still in the hybrid's clutches. Even though she had already watched the videos on the disk, now she was watching them a second if not third time. "Ms. Hammond?" Pet snapped her attention to the calling man. "Excuse my interruption but I need my computer to look up something."

"Oh, yeah sure absolutely." She rushed the desired item back to its owner and took it upon herself to sit down beside Grant. "What's going on, honey?"

As Simon's fingers darted over the laptop's keyboard and its wireless mouse clicked, Grant explained. "Just addressing the issue that is the Spino on Site B."

Pet gave a single nod. "You mean the one that isn't supposed to be there? That Spino?"

Her attention redirected to the billionaire, who was aware of the probing stares he was receiving in quiet demand for an answer. "I am not sure if your trespassing on the island was a good…or bad thing."

Pet was rendered momentarily speechless by the response. "Excuse me? A good thing? People died. How is that a good thing?"

Dark brown eyes lost their friendly warmth only to harden in sternness. "Since nineteen ninety-seven after the disastrous events of San Diego, both islands were turned into a preserve for the animals at John Hammond's insistence. To keep unwanted intrusions from the island, the United States and Costa Rican governments further made them restricted. No one was allowed in or around those islands without InGen approval. That order still stands today. Something you and your friends disregarded." Pet opened her mouth to explain, but was cut off. "Be thankful I don't press legal action against each and every one of you for your irresponsible actions."

By now, the entire cabin of the aircraft was silent. All that could be heard was the typing on the laptop's keyboard and Pet's intensifying breathing. Grant had heard that sound plenty of times before and glanced at his left to see the jaw clenched hybrid unblinking on the other man. She was pissed so much that Grant worried if she would be brazen enough to attack him. Maybe not enough to do serious physical harm, but just enough to scare him. Pet hissed a screech, something that started the senior scientist but not Simon.

Grant cautiously wrapped a hand around the hybrid's tightly clutching the seat's armrest in an effort to calm her. He whispered, "Nica…it's fine. What he says is true. We shouldn't have gone to the island."

Pet snarled. "I suggest you watch yourself, Mr. Masrani. You don't want me as your enemy."

"And I advise the same to you, Ms. Hammond," Simon calmly replied. "Right now, I'm the only thing keeping you safe from InGen."

"The same reason that just so happens to be keeping you safe."

Pet snorted again and got up, going back to where Derek and Billy sat towards the rear section of the cabin. Grant was deeply concerned about any repercussions the hybrid's actions and words might have on the situation.

Jacobs stated to himself, "I see she hasn't changed much since Kenya…" Both men looked over at the geneticist. "She was aggressive, then, too. I'm not sure if that's because a product of her upbringing or the other part of her genetic makeup."

Grant took it upon himself to defend the hybrid he so deeply cared for. "She's part Velociraptor, Dr. Jacobs. They're a very challenging and aggressive species."

"Don't I know it."

"Do you?" was asked back in a daring tone.

Suddenly Grant became aware of this. Had he been spending that much time with the hybrid that he was now becoming a challenging person himself? He had never been a violent man, yet he punched Paul Kirby. Who knows what he would've done to Masrani the very first moment he saw him standing there dangerously close to the sick hybrid had he not been stopped.

Simon almost mindlessly blurted something out loud that didn't need stating and instead, turned the laptop around for the senior paleontologist to see. "Here is the complete list of all the animals InGen recreated or ever attempted to. It's straight from a file within the company's drive. Nowhere is this Spinosaurus listed."

Grant dared him to ask 'are you certain you know what you saw?' So help him, if those words or anything along the lines of were spoken- "I know what we saw," Pet called out. Grant cracked a semi smile to himself. "If I have to, I'll go back and kill that thing myself and drag it to your front door as proof."

Billy snickered. "I'd like to see you drag that thing across an ocean."

Pet smacked him on the shoulder, drawing a sharp yelp from him after hitting one of his injured spots. A horrifically apologetic look overcame her previous tempered expression of the woman. "Way to go, Pet," Derek jabbed. "Hasn't the Boy Scout been brutalized enough?" Raptor eyes cut down on chocolate brown ones. "If you're wanting to brutalize someone that bad you can always beat up on me. I'll even let you call me by someone else's name if you wanna add role play into it."

Pet rolled her eyes and hissed in annoyance.

Grant ignored Derek's unwanted comments and continued his conversing with the wealthy man. "Well, a dinosaur that's been dead since the Cretaceous period up to one hundred and twelve million years ago isn't just going to recreate itself, Mr. Masrani. Someone or someones might have been conducting experiments without your knowledge."

Simon scowled at Jacobs, sitting to himself. It didn't take him long to realize all eyes were on him. "What? No, I know what you're all thinking! I had nothing to do with whatever is being assumed."

Derek shook his head, speaking up. "Whenever it was created, it had to be recently. I don't recall there being a Spinosaurus on the island the last time I was there."

Billy scoffed a laugh. "Do you even know what one looks like?"

"Yeah. Since being at the dig site, I've been doing some homework using some of the Doc's books." Derek looked over at his uncle, who had been sitting awfully quiet since the conversation began. "What about you, Uncle Rob? Did you see that thing on your end of the island?"

"No." Muldoon met Simon's troubled expression. "Although, it wouldn't surprise me to learn if InGen has been up to no good. After all the years I worked for them, I personally witnessed some questionable scientific practices." His eyes fell on Pet for a moment, the hybrid unable to deny it. "Not just with Pet, but with other animals. Creating hybrids of feral cats, only to dispose of them almost immediately before anyone learned of them. Hammond was the one who authorized it."

Simon looked back at Jacobs. The geneticist frowned and shifted uneasily in his seat. "I might have had a hand in some of the experiments."

Grant interrupted. "Point is, Mr. Masrani, if I were you, I would do some investigating as to what else has been created and set loose on those islands without your knowledge."

To say Simon wasn't upset by the news was a lie. He was absolutely livid! When was this Spinosaurus created? Who was the scientist or science team responsible for it? It had to be after his integrating InGen with his company. Not once had this thing been mentioned in any report from anyone that survived the expedition back in ninety-seven. And he trusted the ex-game warden and his nephew. While Derek might not have had the most respected reputation, there was no reason to doubt the authenticity of his word regarding this particular situation.

Simon turned the computer back around and read through the species names on the list. "I plan on looking into this matter as soon as I return to the InGen headquarters in California."


Tires of the private plane touched down on the Glasgow, Montana runway and taxied to a parking spot. The engines shut down and the front hatch opened to allow the passengers to unload. Pet deeply inhaled the greatly missed Montana air as the group was ushered to a nearby navy-blue helicopter.

Grant turned his gaze over to the billionaire descending the stairwell. "Guess this is where we part ways, eh Mr. Masrani?"

Simon gazed out at the distant barren nothing of the landscape. "Of course not, Dr. Grant. I was hoping to get a better look at the dig site since I planned on funding it."

The scientist wasn't sure if he should be slightly annoyed at the foreign man's intrusion or thankful for what he hoped would be sizeable funding. He did need the money, after all. "Oh, well in that case..."


Pet watched the dig site become larger as the helicopter touched down on the dig site's main road. She couldn't wait to get her feet back on solid ground as her booted feet kicked up dirt in her running to where Terrence stood nearby. She crashed into him in relief and groaned, "I'm never going back there again."

Derek trudged by as did his uncle. "I need a drink," the younger man stated.

Grant helped Billy out of the helicopter and offered stabilization as they strode towards their trailer. Billy saw Cheryl standing next to a tent and looking rather upset at how he must appear. He was still pretty bruised up following the Pteranodon attack.

Meanwhile, several site workers saw the senior scientist and protégé and ran up to welcome them back. Simon watched the scene from the side, hands in his slacks pockets and smiling to himself. Though the dig site didn't look quite as he imagined, this place was close knit and respectful of its senior scientist. Yes, he would fund this place and with the hopes of the current living conditions improving.

Terrence was about to follow Pet trailing after Muldoon and Derek, but decided to hang back. He approached the billionaire and gave a side nod of his head in Quarantine's direction. "Care to join us?"

Simon slyly smiled. "I was hoping we could all talk somewhere in private now that you are present, Mr. Mitchell."

Uh oh. Should he be worried? What was needing to be said that could be on a seven-hour private plane ride? Derek was right. The little shit stated his suspicions of there being more to this guy than what was being led to believe when they spoke on the phone while still in Costa Rica at the hospital.


Pet snarled at Simon. "I fucking knew it. You son of a bitch." Simon arched his brows in surprise to the insult. "You want to build another park!" She looked at her friends, some seated and some standing around Grant's trailer, appearing just as the hybrid sounded. "Wasn't the first park and Peter Ludlow's attempt at another not enough convincing on how a dinosaur themed amusement park is a very bad idea?" Her last words were bit out venomously.

The wealthy man shrugged. "The first park's disastrous end was the result of unfortunate sabotaging. As for Peter Ludlow, he had the right concept and it would have been successful had it not been for more unfortunate sabotaging." Pet's nostrils flared. "Not too long ago I went back and reviewed a file containing several informative notes on safe animal transporting from one location to another. They were written by none other than you, Mr. Muldoon." Simon directed his gaze to the scarred ex-game warden. "Had Mr. Ludlow reviewed the same notes, he'd have learned that transporting a Tyrannosaur over a certain weight and height was highly unadvisable. I aim to learn from his mistake and those made by others in regards to the first park."

Pet shook her head. "It's not going to work, Mr. Masrani. Man cannot control dinosaurs, despite what they think."

"I believe they can." Pet cut her eyes down on the man. "I have one of the best construction teams sighed on to work on this new park."

Derek cut in. "That's doesn't mean shit. Hammond had the best teams working for him back in the day."

The billionaire continued. "Which is why I wanted to speak with you all. I want a better understanding of what it is I'm to expect from these animals." He looked to Grant. "It's said you're one of the best in your field of study. Need I explain more?" His attention bounced between Pet and Muldoon. "You two were noted to be the best of both islands' game warden teams. You both have extensive knowledge on the animals' behavior and special handling procedures."

Pet clenched her jaw in annoyance. "I'm not going back to those islands. Those islands are why I don't trust people! From getting left behind to hunted!" She winced at Grant. "No offense, babe."

Simon shot his observing to Terrence. "As for you, Mr. Mitchell, you have quite the record from your time in Kenya. Impressive, to say the least."

Derek spoke up. "So... your riding in on a white horse to save Pet from the island and cure her was all in part of your convincing us to agree to this mad idea of yours?"

"A bit over analyzing."

"Or maybe just enough."

Once more, both men were visually boring holes in the other. Pet buried her face in her hands and groaned. "Will you knock it off, Derek?" She heaved a sigh and brought her focus back up to the billionaire. "How set are you on making this new park?"

"Very. With or without your companions' assistance, I will still strive to see Mr. Hammond's dream a reality."

Pet breathed out, "That's what I was afraid of." She bit her lips and thought to herself. "I'm going to have to agree with Derek on this. You had this planned before you even came looking for me. Your coming to 'save' me and cure me was just your way of bribing me to say yes. You wanted to hold that over me, over us," she mentioned to those around the trailer.

The statement seemed to have hurt Simon, a bit. He frowned. "It was never my intention to hold anything over anyone. What I did, I did on my own accord. Just like the choice is yours on whether or not you choose to assist with the new park."

Pet shook her head. "I've had my fair share of dinosaurs. Besides," she paused, looking at both Grant and Billy. "I have a new life here that I've always wanted since a kid."

A faint smile could be seen beneath Simon's bearded face. "Understandable. It's not something you have to decide on, immediately. I still need to finalize the paddock layouts for both the carnivores and herbivores. The only things I have plans for are the visitor center, petting zoo as well as rough drafts for-"

Muldoon cut in. "Wait, a petting zoo?"

Derek blinked. "You mean with goats and sheep and cute little fuzzy animals, right? Maybe some ducks…a small horse…"

Simon's deadpan expression spoke loudly enough for what he as thinking. Pet scoffed. "Yeah, maybe to use to feed the dinosaurs at the park with. The T-Rex on Isla Nublar is quite partial to goats."

Simon cut in. "There will not be any dangerous animals in the petting zoo. I thought it'd be a great way for the children to interact with some of the more...gentler and smaller...herbivore species." All he got in response were several disbelieving stares. He arched a brow in question. "Is something wrong with that?"

Terrence snorted a laugh. "Do you really want an answer?"


Woo hoo! I revised a chapter before midnight! My goal is to revise and post a new/updated chapter daily if not every other day. Also, don't be afraid to leave any reviews about how the revisions are going so far! Just...don't make them snarky or complain about the 17 year age difference between Grant and Pet. I get enough of that in PMs. Yes, I'm well aware it's not a thing everyone is in favor of...