Chapter 19 - Russian Roulette

"Given a choice between life and death, choose life. Given a choice between right and wrong, choose what's right. And given a choice between a terrible truth and a beautiful lie, choose the truth every time." - Mira Grant

oOo

The following morning, Raúl Lopez and Roland Tembo returned to their room. By then, both Henry Wu and Dennis Nedry had fallen asleep. Wu was the first to wake up when he felt the ropes being tugged away from him. He blinked awake and was met with that same never-ending blackness. He hoped that Nedry had rested, even if it was for a brief time. Around him, he heard footsteps, the clicking of cuffs, and then Tembo speaking in his usual take-charge tone.

"Sonya, take Henry. Raúl will take Dennis. Follow me."

Wu felt himself being led to what seemed like a long hallway that went on forever. Maybe it felt that way because he was exhausted from everything. By now, he had familiarized himself with Sonya Durant's claw-like grip on his arm. He heard footsteps in front of him leading the way. Must be Roland, he thought. Behind him were more footsteps. He instinctively knew it was Lopez leading Nedry. The sound of a door opening and then Wu felt himself pulled forward. A scraping sound and then he was forced downward into a chair. Footsteps all around him, the same scraping sound and then he heard a soft thump. It sounded like it had come across from him. Since Sonya released him, Wu felt outwards with his hands to get a sense of where he was or what was in front of him. His hands closed on an edge and a flat surface. A table?

"Take off your fucking blindfolds."

Wu exhaled slowly when he recognized Lewis Dodgson's voice. That steel calm voice… He hoped that after today he never heard it again. He yanked the blindfold off and was able to see where they had been taken. It was the nondescript conference room the team always used for their meetings. The large table the entire team sat around for their meetings had been pushed to the far end of the room, near the window. Wu quickly glanced at the window to gage the time. It was light outside. The sun was up—it was morning. What were they doing in here though? What did Dodgson have planned?

Wu noticed he and Nedry sat across from each other at a small round table that was only four feet across. They were in the center of the conference room. He searched around the room and saw his gym bag in the corner. If they were lucky to escape, Wu swore he'd take it back. Hopefully, Lopez and Tembo hadn't bothered to look inside it. More so, how would they escape? Wu put that question out of his mind for now when he saw Nedry's eyes lingering on his wrists that were reddened. Rope burns, he thought. Likewise, Wu's attention gravitated towards Nedry's wrists that bore ring marks from the handcuffs. As though self-conscious about it, he wrung his wrists and Wu mirrored his actions. As they did so, their eyes landed on the item Dodgson placed at the center of the table.

A revolver.

Wu thought he heard heavy breathing from Nedry trying to calm himself. He glanced around the conference room and saw that they were enclosed in a ring consisting of Dodgson, King, Baselton, Lopez, Tembo, and Sonya. They stood in a circle around them, preventing their escape. They're spectators for what's about to go down, Wu realized as icy panic descended upon him.

"We're gonna play a fun game very dear to my heart—Russian Roulette. Roland, do the honors," Dodgson said.

Tembo snatched the revolver off the table. Wu and Nedry watched as Tembo opened the revolver's cylinder. They were able to see all six cartridges loaded in the revolver as he showed it to them. Tembo inverted the revolver so that all the cartridges fell in his hand. He placed them on the table and examined the firearm, making sure it would work effectively for its intended purpose. Tembo took his time as he double-checked the chambers to make sure they were cleared. Then he picked up one cartridge, holding it up to the light.

Nedry's and Wu's eyes briefly met across the table. Both men were under the same impression: Tembo deliberately took his time, so that their anticipation was drawn out and torturous. They were on the verge of being forced to play the deadly game and there was no way out. No chance of escape and no one in that room who would intervene on their behalf. There was a metallic click as Tembo loaded the chamber with one cartridge. One bullet. He closed the cylinder and then placed it back on the center of the table.

"She's ready to go, Dr. Dodgson."

"Excellent! Who wants to start?"

Dodgson's sadistic glee caused Wu to break out in cold sweat. Beads of perspiration slid down his back and he was certain Nedry was experiencing his own physical manifestation of extreme terror. He didn't know that Nedry suffered from hoplophobia—fear of guns and firearms. Only Muldoon knew about it and even then, he had used guns in the past, but when it was aimed at his face—that was an entirely different story. Then to his surprise, Nedry did the thing he least expected—and yet expected at the same time.

"Why don't R&R do a live demonstration for us? I've never played this game before." Nedry turned in his chair, making puppy eyes at everyone. "I'm so into my computer programming and candy bars that it's all I focus on. I've never heard of Russian Roulette until now," he said with exaggerated and obviously feigned ignorance. "I learn best by watching others."

Wu's throat constricted as he forced himself to look at Lopez and Tembo to see their reactions. Both men glanced at each other quizzically and then busted out laughing. Sonya shook her head. Baselton and King watched, completely expressionless. Dodgson glowered at Nedry, as though angry at him for having the nerve to ask for a "live demonstration".

"No, Dennis, this is a two-player game. You and Henry. That's it," Lopez said. "Sorry, man. You'll just have to learn as you go. Fake it till you make it—that is, if you make it!"

Nedry's puppy eyes disappeared, and he frowned. Wu watched him carefully, while trying not to stare at the words written on his face and the number scrawled on his neck. SNITCH. RAT. TRAITOR. 0807-55. He was aware that Nedry was being purposeful in delaying the inevitable—or buying them more time in case the police finally crashed their "game".

"What about the survivor? I mean, there's no winners in this game, Lew."

Wu's eyebrows rose when he heard Nedry refer to Dodgson as "Lew". He tried to use this time to gather his nerves, but he was feeling light-headed. He thought he'd fall out of his chair and gripped the table to remain sitting upright. I need to present confidence, Wu thought, trying to slip into his cold persona. He was having a difficult time doing so as now it felt unnatural to him. The stakes had never been this high and although Nedry was trying to help them both, a part of Wu wanted to start the game already. Just get it over and done with. Wu shivered: he never imagined himself as being fatalistic until now.

"So glad you asked!" Dodgson's tone had that same saturated sweetness that he used when his temper was starting to heat towards its boiling point. "Whoever survives will be killed anyway, so that it looks like a murder-suicide."

The room was deadly silent and then—Wu busted out laughing. He laughed so hard that he hit the table with his open palms. Across from him, Nedry's eyebrows shot upward. He was confused by Wu's untimely outburst and looked at him like he was crazy. But Wu couldn't stop laughing and now he was holding his stomach from the hilarity of it all. Dodgson's ring of employees all looked at each other questioningly, not understanding why he found this amusing. Then, just as quickly as the laughter burst forth, Wu now sat up straight in his chair and composed himself.

"I'm ready." Wu's jaw tightened as he tried to maintain his calm now. He had to get that nervous laughter out of his system.

"How're we deciding who goes first, Dr. Dodgson?" Lopez asked. "Heads or tails?"

Dodgson thought for a moment and then it came to him. "Yep, we'll do exactly that."

Everyone waited for him to take out a dime or quarter. Instead, he pointed at Nedry with his semi-automatic pistol that he produced from his suit jacket.

"Dennis will be heads since he leads, and Henry will be tails since he follows. Dennis went down first, and Henry followed right after him. That's it—problem solved!"

There was a murmuring of agreement amongst Dodgson's group. Everyone focused on Nedry now. The sensation of seven pairs of eyes burning into him (including Wu's), watching his every move for what he was about to do caused his entire body to heat up. His face reddened as a wave of anger swept over him.

"I'm not playing this stupid game."

Dodgson sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had expected this resistant behavior from Nedry. Nodding at everyone that stood in the circle around the two former InGen employees, he snapped his fingers. In no time at all, everyone—except Dodgson—produced guns that they had kept concealed until now and aimed them at Nedry. A flood of metallic clicks filled the room. Nedry turned to the left and saw King and Baselton holding their guns to his head, and on his right, Tembo, Sonya, and Lopez aimed theirs directly at him. He thought he heard Wu draw in his breath, shocked by the sight of his co-worker being surrounded by what he hated most.

"If you want to experience the pleasure of watching me blow out my brains, then you'll get your stupid toy guns out of my face."

Dodgson waited several seconds and then signaled to the group to lower their guns. "Stand down—for now." He pointed at Nedry with his own semi-automatic pistol. "You better start playing."

"With pleasure, Dr. Dodgson," Nedry's voice was syrupy as he reached for the revolver now situated at the center of the table.

Wu watched him as his heart banged against his chest. The palpitations made everything worse. He was tempted to reach across the table and stop Nedry, but he knew it wouldn't stop what was about to happen. He noticed Nedry's hand shaking—he couldn't tell if it was terror, sleep deprivation, or a combination of both. Then Nedry was gripping the revolver and just before he put it to his temple, Tembo barked an order:

"Spin the cylinder!"

Nedry let out an exaggerated sigh but followed Tembo's command. He spun the cylinder and Wu was surprised when he didn't hear any clicking noise. Maybe it was a myth? Then he thought of how strange it was that he even expected to hear some sort of noise. He watched as Nedry closed his eyes and rested the muzzle at his temple. His finger curled around the trigger, and he pulled—

Nothing.

Nedry exhaled slowly as he placed the revolver at the center of the table. Wu tried to decipher his facial expression. Nedry looked exhausted and relieved, but also fed up with everything.

"Give it to him." Tembo used his double rifle to point at the revolver and then at Nedry and Wu.

Nedry silently passed the revolver across the table. Now it was closer to Wu's side. Wu stared at the revolver while trying to keep from showing any signs that he was terrified. He kept his hands balled up into fists under the table and resisted swallowing nervously. Even so, he imagined that Dodgson had x-ray vision and could see his heart beating fast in his chest.

He couldn't bring himself to pick up the revolver as Nedry had done. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the circle of people who had come to witness his and Nedry's demise. He was only delaying the inevitable…Keeping one clenched fist under the table, Wu dragged the revolver closer to him, still trying to put off his turn. Then, before he knew it, he raised it to his temple. Nedry shook his head. Wu waited. His heart stopped and his lips and mouth were parched. His finger involuntarily made its way around the trigger but didn't pull.

"Close your eyes, sometimes it helps," Dodgson suggested in a tone that was meant to imitate empathy but came off as sadistic.

Although he hated to do so because it would give Dodgson satisfaction, Wu closed his eyes and let out a rattled breath. He dug up the strength he needed to pull the trigger.

And again, nothing.

Wu gently pushed the revolver across the table so that it was now Nedry's turn. As he did so, he heard Sonya and Lopez chattering.

"We should take bets on who'll be the first to fall back dead!" Lopez looked from left to right at the rest of the group whom he stood with. "What do you think? I'm betting on Dennis!"

"Me too," Sonya said. "How much?"

"Ten bucks. Maybe fifteen—a dollar for every year he's supposed to be locked up."

"That's it?" Sonya seemed to miss Lopez's jab about Nedry's incarceration.

"He ain't worth much."

Wu locked eyes with Nedry. Nedry didn't openly respond to their demeaning comments, but his clenched fists on the table trembled, betraying the anger he tried to contain. Wu understood that he was infuriated at how they implied his life had little value. Wu thought it couldn't get worse and then Tembo decided to bet on his life.

"I wager the so-called Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park."

"How much?" Lopez asked.

"Ten grand. Maybe a hundred. Way more important and a much bigger loss."

"That's very true." Lopez nodded eagerly.

"What the hell is wrong with all of you?" Wu found his nerve to speak up.

He glared at them, furious that they found the death game entertaining. For them, the trauma being inflicted on Wu and Nedry was exciting and suspenseful. Even King looked interested, although he hadn't spoken up. With every passing moment, the entire situation became more nightmarish. Especially because Wu knew that anytime the gun didn't discharge, it meant him and Nedry were closer to death. One man would end up blowing out their brains and the other man would be shot dead and then framed as though he had killed whoever died first. Wu didn't want it to be him—but he also didn't want it to be Nedry.

"You're all warped as hell, you sick pieces of shit!"

They ignored him.

Instead, Baselton took out a pen and pad of paper. "Let's keep track of who's turn it is. Dennis went first, and then Henry. Both men are still standing. Dennis is next and his odds of surviving this round are slimmer." He jotted down everyone's wagers so far.

Dodgson listened and watched, his face stone-like.

"I bet that brightens your day, Broken-Arm-Baselton," Nedry snapped, referring to the time when he had broken Baselton's arm.

"Indeed, it does." Baselton stepped forward and knocked his knuckles on the table. "Your turn."

Nedry reached for the revolver mechanically. He started to raise it to his temple when Dodgson interrupted him.

"Stop putting it to your fucking temple—that's boring! Let's make this more interesting…put it like this—" Dodgson demonstrated by putting his semi-automatic pistol under his jaw. "I wanna see your brains spa-lat-ter-ring everywhere."

Nedry tossed the revolver back onto the table. "It would be more interesting if you turned the safety off on yours, so that we can see your brains spa-lat-ter-ring everywhere!"

Before he could reach for the revolver again, Lopez pistol-whipped him in the face.

Wu pulled away in his chair so fast that he nearly fell out. He clenched his teeth, upset that he had allowed his fear to peak through. Nedry acted like it was nothing though and simply wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his arm. Without another word and turning in his seat so that his back was to Dodgson, Nedry shoved the gun under his jaw.

"Turn around!" Tembo demanded.

Nedry shook his head and Wu saw he had closed his eyes. He took it to mean Nedry was getting ready to pull the trigger—except he would do it where Dodgson couldn't get a full view. Dodgson would have to walk around the table if he wanted to see if Nedry was destined to lose. Nedry didn't care and refused to respond when Tembo demanded he turn around a second time. Wu watched, wondering how this would end up. By now, none of Nedry's antics surprised him, and yet, a part of him wished he had possessed half of Nedry's nerve. Lopez forced Nedry to turn around so that he could face Wu again. As he did so, Nedry pistol-whipped Lopez's jaw. Wu quickly bit down on his tongue to keep from laughing—the game had turned into a comedic horror.

"Son of a bitch!" Lopez grasped his jaw.

"Keep your damn hands off me. Stupid bone-brusher." Nedry daintily placed the revolver on the table and folded his hands in front of him, like an obedient schoolboy awaiting his teacher's instructions.

"Alright, Dennis—enough of this bullshit," Dodgson growled. "Pick up the fucking gun."

Nedry glowered at Dodgson and did as he was told. "What do you want me to do, your Royal Highness?"

"Exactly what I told you to do."

He started to raise the revolver to his temple when Sonya stopped him.

"Uh-uh, you know where it goes." She tapped under her jaw.

"Under your fucking jaw!" Dodgson shouted, while pointing his semi-automatic pistol in Nedry's face.

"This is so boring." Nedry glanced at Wu, as though wanting to know what he thought of everything.

"DO IT NOW!"

"What if I don't? What will you do?"

"You don't want to find out."

"Oh, I really wanna find out. Do tell!"

"You. Strapped to a gurney. Extraction forceps. No anesthesia. You'll lose teeth and there will be blood. Lots of it. Do you get the fucking picture?"

"Oh, that. You and Lopez have warped minds that think alike—certainly not great." Nedry took his time putting the revolver under his jaw and closing his eyes. Before he did, he offered a sardonic smile to Wu and mouthed "just biding our time", confirming Wu's earlier thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the trigger…

Dead silence.

Nedry inched the revolver back to Wu. You got this. We're almost done.

Wu nodded stiffly at the message Nedry mouthed. He looked up at the conference room's white ceiling. For a moment in time, it felt like they were suspended in space. No walls. No floor. No table. No revolver. Nothing. It was the strangest sensation and he wondered what it meant. Was he disassociating? He had no idea. Even so, he thought his hand was betraying him when he saw himself reach for the revolver for the second time. It never became easier, and it felt like he and Nedry had been playing Russian Roulette for hours on end—although it couldn't be more than ten minutes. Wu had started to place the revolver at his temple when Lopez stopped him.

"Dr. Dodgson, you had Dennis put it under his jaw. I have one better for Henry."

Wu waited, his eyes narrowing in fury as he awaited whatever ridiculous idea Lopez would spout out.

Dodgson waved his hand. "Go ahead, share with all of us." He pointed at Wu and Nedry with his semi-automatic pistol. "Better yet, share with our guests of honor."

"Since we're being creative about positions and angles…" Lopez started, nodding as though he agreed with his own idea before he even voiced it. "He should put it in his mouth."

King took a step back, surprised. Meanwhile, Baselton jotted down Lopez's idea on his notepad in a hurried manner as though he needed to get down all the details of the morbid game. All the twists and turns. Sonya and Tembo watched to see if Wu would do it and Dodgson gave Lopez an approving pat on the back.

"Great mind, Raúl." He eagerly turned to Wu now. "Do it!"

Wu stared at Dodgson, incredulous of what he was being told to do. When he saw Dodgson nodding, urging him to go forward with Lopez's suggestion, he knew he had no choice. Wu had the revolver raised and started to open his mouth when Nedry interceded.

"Stop, Henry!" Nedry turned and pointed at Lopez. "Why don't you put Dodgson's gun in your mouth? Isn't that what you and Roland—"

Wu pushed away from the table when he saw Tembo storm behind Nedry and shove him facedown into the table. Tembo's double rifle lay on the floor, abandoned. Wu barely heard his chair moving backwards as he watched horror-filled by what was happening in front of him. Nedry gripped the edge of the table and tried to raise himself, while Tembo held him facedown with one hand.

"Here's what's going to happen. We're going to finish playing Russian Roulette without any more smart-ass comments spilling from your mouth. This game will end when one of you dies at your own hand. Got it?"

Nedry's response was a mix of incoherent words and muffled grunts. A trail of blood had started to form right near his head. Wu stared at the blood and then up at Tembo, his jaw wide open in shock. Tembo appeared not to notice as he maintained his iron grip on Nedry's head.

"That's not necessary, Roland." Wu was tempted to slam the revolver on the table, but he was afraid it would discharge. He used it to point at the blood trickling on the table. "Let him go. Dennis is always like this, you know that."

"I don't take orders from traitors like you—especially when it's one traitor advocating for another."

Wu's heart jumped around in his chest as Nedry kept trying to free himself. He wished he could hide behind his cold persona but being that both their lives were on the line, he found it impossible to hide behind that veneer. He knew Nedry was manipulating the entire situation to bide them more time, but every time he did, he put himself at risk for physical violence from the Biosyn team. A pit of guilt dropped in Wu's stomach and expanded as every second passed. He pointed in front of him when he saw Nedry trying to reach for Tembo's hand and arm to get him off or loosen the grip.

Tembo pressed down on the back of his head harder, ignoring Nedry's feeble attempts to free himself and focused on Wu now.

"Your best bet is to spin that cylinder, point the gun where Dr. Dodgson told you to, pull the trigger, and pray that a bullet doesn't fly through the back of your head."

In the background, Wu heard Sonya and Lopez laughing hysterically. King and Baselton looked on, simply watching. Dodgson maintained an icy demeanor. Knowing he had no choice and wanting Tembo to let go of Nedry sooner than later, Wu did as he was told. His hands and fingers stiffened as he reached to spin the cylinder. From there, he let his jaw go slack and placed the gun in his mouth. By now, his body was burning with hot fury. Rage drenched him—and he couldn't express it. He could sense the gun vibrating in his mouth—he couldn't keep his hand still. Closing his eyes, Wu pulled the trigger…

Nothing but silence.

Wu had never been more grateful to hear absolutely nothing. As he shoved the revolver away from him on the table, he turned on his side, leaned forward, and spat out a glob of saliva that tasted metallic. He was afraid to open his eyes, but he did so and saw the foamy saliva on the carpet. When he sat up in his chair again, he saw Nedry sitting across from him, blood splattered across his face. Some of his blood was smeared over the word SNITCH.

"I'm a sight for sore eyes, huh Henry?" Nedry grinned, although he was visibly shaken. To keep himself still, he folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, you are," Wu muttered as he glared at Tembo who now stepped away and resumed standing next to Dodgson.

"That was a bitch move, Roland! Not surprised given your status as a Dodgson Whore."

Tembo sent him an icy stare but said nothing.

Wu heard Nedry in the background. He swallowed the saliva collecting in his throat. The metallic taste from the gun lingered in his mouth. He never understood how Nedry could make jokes, say off-handed comments, and even laugh while being abused repeatedly. He had seen the same behavior in the cell when Nedry laughed after he had smashed his broken fingers with a nightstick. Wu wanted to know how he managed to carry on. Was it a defense mechanism? What's he really feeling and thinking? The question echoed in Wu's mind with no obvious answer.

Maybe he acted the way he did to show that Dodgson hadn't broken him—but that was Dennis Nedry.

By now, Henry Wu was shattered inside. He didn't even know how he'd put the pieces of himself back together after this ordeal was over. And that was if he survived this deadly game of Russian Roulette. Then he remembered Dodgson's murder-suicide plan. Wu wondered if it was better to die a quick death than to spend the rest of his life processing the life-threatening violence that he and Nedry had experienced nonstop ever since their failed escape attempt. Maybe it was better to be dead and six feet under as a failed geneticist, than to be alive and know that he had forever destroyed his credibility by teaming up with Biosyn.

"Your turn," Baselton said, gesturing for Nedry to pick up the revolver. "Round three, and still two men standing."

Nedry picked up the revolver with no hesitation this time. He seemed oblivious to the blood on his face. Wu noting how relaxed he presented himself unlike in the beginning when he was clearly anxious about what they were being forced to do. He's made his peace, Wu realized. He's come to terms with everything…that his death is imminent… This time Nedry didn't wait for anyone to tell him what to do. He simply spun the cylinder, pressed the muzzle of the gun against his forehead, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger…

Everyone waited…only to hear no thunderous gunshot indicating the revolver had finally discharged.

Nedry placed the revolver in the middle of the table, in its exact location when he and Wu had first sat down.

"This is a really tight game," Baselton said, tapping his pen on the notepad. "What are the odds of Dennis surviving all three rounds so far, which leaves us with…"

"Hank," Dodgson spat out his name. "Pick up the fucking gun. Let's see if you have as much as luck as your good ol' rat pal from InGen."

"If I calculated correctly…this should be it."

"How do you know, George?" Lopez asked.

"It's a strong possibility. Not certain of course, but…there's that one bullet and—"

"And your theory is bullshit," Lopez cut him off. "They could spin the cylinder, pull the trigger six more times and still keep going."

"Don't listen to him," Sonya said, coming to Baselton's rescue. "He just wants Dennis dead."

As they continued to squabble, Wu allowed it to become background noise. His entire body felt rubbery as he reached for the revolver. He couldn't believe it. Had it really come down to this? Would the next time he put the revolver against his head—and pulled the trigger—would he end up dead in a split-second from a bullet ramming through his skin, breaking through his skull, racing through his brain—and then exiting out of his body? What would Nedry feel having witnessed his gory death? Not that Nedry would have a lot of time to process it if Dodgson followed through on his suicide-murder framing idea. Wu couldn't even swallow. His throat was dry like he had tried to swallow cotton balls. His skin had broken out in goosebumps—he was freezing although it was warm in the conference room. His head pounded with an unrelieved migraine that worsened as the game progressed. He didn't know what to do about what he knew would be the last action in his entire life.

"Last one," Tembo said, mockingly.

Wu summoned up his last bit of strength and put the revolver at his head. His looked across the table…and was surprised to see Nedry's thoughtful expression.

"When we were stranded on Isla Sorna, I tried to convince Robert that you had betrayed InGen for Biosyn. I talked so much trash about you. I told him you were a 'grimy geneticist' and that you were 'dirtier than dino droppings'. I even called you a 'stupid traitor'. But I was wrong."

Wu listened and kept the revolver's muzzle pressed against his temple.

Nedry leaned forward. "You're brilliant, Henry. You're an innovator. There's no one like you in the entire universe—no one as accomplished or as bold. I mean, you brought extinct lizards back to life. That's like telling God that you could do it better. Admirable and blasphemous all at once!"

Wu offered a queasy smile in response. He knew Nedry was stalling again.

"I'm serious. Imagine John's reaction if you pull the trigger right now. Or Ray's, Robert's, and Gerry's. Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler, and even Dr. Malcolm. Donald. The kids—especially the kids. Tim and Lex worship you! What about future park visitors? Don't you think they'd want to meet the man behind the miracles of Jurassic Park?"

Wu blinked, trying to force down whatever jumbled feelings threatened to manifest. He couldn't tell if Nedry's voice was bending with genuine emotion or if he was just imagining it.

"Look at all your awesome achievements. None can compare. This jackass here," Nedry pointed at Dodgson standing back watching everything. "His claim to fame is the rabies vaccine he tested on Chilean farmers—ten innocent people dead because of his recklessness. He killed people, Henry. And he didn't care! It was like squashing bugs to him!"

"Shut your big mouth!" Lopez said, stepping towards Nedry threateningly.

Dodgson held up his hand and he remained calm. "Let him talk, I wanna hear this."

"Before that, he was dismissed by Hopkins because he was planning an experiment on human gene therapy without FDA approval. Everything you've done is a contribution—bringing back big-ass lizards—"

"They were modified," Wu said quietly, as though ashamed of his work. One lone tear slid down his face against his will. He hated to cry because he thought it was showing weakness. "They weren't real, and you know it."

"They're more real than anything Lewis Dodgson has ever done. Look at him, he's a failure with a capital F." Nedry pointed at Dodgson. "All he knows how to do is destroy. You're his antithesis—you create and innovate, while everything he touches turns to shit."

"He's making Henry stall again, Dr. Dodgson!" Lopez shouted.

Beside him, Sonya snickered, and Tembo shook his head, a wry expression on his face. They both knew the rivalry between Nedry and Lopez would never end. Sometimes, like now, it came off as immature and childish; other times, it was frightening how much Lopez hated Nedry. Baselton yawned and King glanced at the clock on the wall. Wu gripped the revolver and pressed it against his temple.

"Henry, listen to me." Nedry tried again. "Don't do it. You had choices. I had choices. We both did. We did what we did—joining this jackass," he motioned again towards Dodgson, "because we thought there was no other way to get what we wanted. I wanted to be paid for my extra work and you want to be recognized for your astounding work—you should be. He capitalized on that and promised us kingdoms made of sand."

"That's so deep—who knew the slob had it in him?" Dodgson sneered.

Nedry continued as though Dodgson hadn't said a word. "Think about it. You don't have to pull the trigger on yourself. It doesn't have to end this way—it shouldn't."

"Since you have choices, Hank, then you can make the best choice of your life and shoot Dennis point-blank," Dodgson said gleefully, pointing at Nedry. "Shoot that fucking bastard in the head for destroying your dreams. He would deserve it, and no one would miss him. Everyone at InGen would celebrate his timely death."

His hand still trembling, Wu removed the revolver slowly from himself and aimed it at Nedry now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the revolver shaking—his hand was unsteady.

"I'm not afraid to die." Nedry's eyes flickered to the revolver being pointed at him and then to Wu's face pale with terror. "I could sit here and tell you I'm not the enemy, but I'm the reason that you didn't get the fame you worked so hard for—the fame you deserve. Your fame that's long overdue."

Wu swallowed involuntarily when he heard Nedry's words. He wished Nedry would shut up because he was making everything so much more difficult than it had to be. And yet, Wu felt a strange comfort wash over him as he listened.

"If I die, then so be it. If it was at your hands, it would be an honor. I'm serious—and I meant every word I said. You're a genius and you need to get out of this alive—you don't have to worry about me…I'm finished."

Wu slowly nodded. He thought of all the conversations he and Nedry had in the past few days. No one had ever tried to understand him the way Nedry did. No one got him. No one really knew what it was to take a leap of faith on the corporate enemy because of dreams promised. Dreams that meant everything to him and Nedry but were foolish and selfish to everyone else. No one understood the enormous regret he felt for his past treachery. Nor did anyone comprehend the stark loneliness. They both had lost others' trust and their own self-respect. Maybe they had connected because they were traitors—and they were doomed to be remembered that way. And maybe they got along because they were both lost and trying to find their way back to who they were before they went off the wrong track.

"It would be better to die at your hands than Mr. Clean's," Nedry gestured at Tembo, "way better than Dr. Lizard Bones or Mrs. Dodgson Whore/Attention Whore," he pointed at Lopez and Sonya now. "Especially not Mr. Charm or the rest of these silly jokers." Dodgson, King, and Baselton received a dismissive wave. "I don't have a life anymore since I'm looking at life in prison. I've finally made my peace. If you shoot me, then go on with your life guilt-free, that's all I ask."

Wu noticed that Nedry was staring hard at Dodgson now. It seemed a full minute of maddening silence passed before Nedry spoke again.

"Or you can do the world a favor and shoot him..."

Wu followed the direction where Nedry pointed—right at Dodgson.

"You would never have the fucking nerve," Dodgson taunted as he stepped forward and opened his arms wide, daring Wu to shoot him.

"Shoot him and we're shooting you." Lopez reached in his pocket for his handgun.

"Me too," Sonya said as her arm snaked out from behind her back, whipping out a pistol.

Tembo scoffed as he silently held his double rifle, as though to say he didn't need to waste his bullets on Wu. Baselton and King looked indifferent.

Wu held the revolver away from himself, studying it, pondering his decision. All the memories he had of meeting John Hammond, the beginning trials of piecing together the genetic sequences, witnessing the first dinosaur emerge from its eggshell, holding the first baby that he had recreated—his entire life as InGen's chief geneticist flashed before his eyes.

Without a word, he aimed the gun at Dodgson.

"I dare you, Hank. See if you can live with yourself after shooting your savior! Your savior who only wanted to ensure the world knew of your accomplishments. Then again," Dodgson gestured at the rest of the team, "you won't be alive to live with yourself because they'll send you to heaven first."

"Or Henry will send you to hell where you belong," Nedry snapped.

Wu was shocked that after everything that had happened, Nedry would muster up the nerve for such a vitriolic reaction. He knew he needed to focus now and make a final decision, so that this entire nightmare would finally be over. It would be done in less than a second. His hand was sweaty, and he gripped the revolver tightly. He just needed to swallow his terror and use every ounce of strength he had left.

Wu aimed the revolver and pulled the trigger.


Author's Notes: Dodgson's line, "Close your eyes, sometimes it helps," are lyrics from Rhianna's song "Russian Roulette". Thank you for your continued readership!