Chapter 7 - Dreams and Schemes
"Betrayal leaves us at a fork in the road. We can become stuck in a bad moment forever or we can put it behind us for good. We decide our path." - Carmen Harra
oOo
One week later, John Hammond had his entire staff and consultants meet in the visitor center's conference room. He sat at the head of the table with a small box in front of him. Everyone, except Donald Gennaro, Tim and Lex Murphy, were seated around the conference table. It reminded Hammond of when he met with Henry Wu, Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm to discuss cloning a sixteenth species for Jurassic Park. That time seemed eons ago…
Today, he planned to do something completely different. After speaking with Tim and Lex, he wanted to give recognition to his staff. He had spoken with Gennaro about it earlier in the week. Gennaro had agreed this was the right move to make. Hammond waited until Gerry Harding took a seat next to Robert Muldoon. Ray Arnold and George Lawala were already present at their side. Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm sat on the other side.
"Thank you all for coming today. I know I haven't made myself available these past two weeks. I've been doing a lot of thinking, which I'm sure you're all aware of and understand."
No one spoke. All eyes were on Hammond.
"As a token of my gratitude for everything you all have done to maintain my park, guard this island, and show loyalty to InGen's mission and values, please accept this pin and wear it proudly."
Hammond opened the box and passed it to Muldoon, who sat closest to him. Muldoon took out the pin: it was the blue and white InGen logo. He passed the box to Harding, who removed a pin from the box, and gave it to Arnold. As the box and its contents made its way around the table, Hammond took the time to explain the significance of the pins.
"Some will say it's just a pin, but it's more than that. It's a symbol of the unity and strength that InGen embodies. The ingenuity. All of you are InGen. Without you, InGen wouldn't exist. I appreciate every one of you, your dedication to Jurassic Park, your efforts to maintain this island, and even your kindness to my grandchildren and always ensuring their safety. That's paramount."
Grant spoke up. "Thank you for acknowledging us—" He gestured at everyone sitting around the conference table. "All of us—staff and consultants."
The box continued to make its way around the table. Everyone took a pin. Malcolm closed the box and placed it near Hammond, as he was the last one to obtain a pin. Without anyone saying so, Hammond immediately knew what his staff must be thinking. They probably think I'm too cheap to give them raises, since I gave out pins with the company logo. What they didn't know was that the idea of the pins and their salary increases—Tim, Lex, and Gennaro had brainstormed it together when Hammond asked them how to best show appreciation to his staff. He had started with Tim and Lex first to get their feedback and then went to Gennaro later. In fact, they already had their own InGen pins. Tim and Lex had also received additional funds in their savings accounts, and Gennaro was awarded a raise.
"I hope that all of you accept this pin as my appreciation for all of you've done during my absence. I'm also giving everyone a ten percent raise. It will be retroactive to the day that I went to the hospital. You should see a pay increase in the next paycheck or the one after that. I'll double-check with Donald."
"Thank you, John."
Arnold was the first to express his gratitude. Around the table, Muldoon and Harding nodded in acknowledgement.
"I'm new here, but thank you for making me feel welcome," Lawala said.
Hammond smiled. "You joined us a little later, George, so I'll be sure your salary is retroactive to when you first started."
"I appreciate that…" Lawala's voice trailed off as he glanced at Ellie, Malcolm, and Grant.
"I'm sure I speak for all of us here when I say that we wanted—and still want—to do the right thing by you and InGen," Grant said. "We stand behind you in seeing Jurassic Park's gates open to the world one day."
"I'm glad you brought that up, Dr. Grant. That's a perfect segue into what I want to discuss with all of you. I know I'm not the best communicator, and it's something I had to come to terms with during my hospitalization—amongst other things."
Muldoon met Hammond's gaze. He wondered what direction Hammond was going in.
"I want to change that starting today. For InGen to thrive and be successful, a strong sense of community amongst the park staff and open communication are a must—and I will hold myself to that standard," Hammond said as he looked at each of them.
"Sounds like you're on the right track," Ellie said. "We would all benefit from having open communication. As a community though…" She glanced at Lawala and offered him a warm smile. "All of us have come a long way with building our rapport and strengthening our relationships."
Lawala nodded in her direction. "I agree with you, Dr. Sattler."
"I second that," Arnold said.
"Same here," Muldoon said.
"I'm glad to see that we're all on the same page," Hammond said. "I want to take it a step further and have you all involved in any decision-making that goes on here. In the past, I would make decisions and tell you all about it afterwards. I didn't consult any of you, or ask for your opinions, or suggestions. I would decide and push full steam ahead."
"Ah, do you really want to hear our opinions?" Malcolm said, smirking.
"Maybe not yours, Dr. Malcolm."
At this, everyone laughed, even Malcolm.
Hammond turned serious again. "Joking aside, yes, I really want to hear your thoughts and opinions on my decisions going forward. I will make the final call, but I'm open to hearing from all of you—anyone outside myself, really. Even my grandchildren. I want input from all of you because I value all of you."
There was murmuring and exchanged glances. Hammond noticed the raised eyebrows from some of the park staff—notable Arnold and Muldoon. They were surprised that Hammond would consider their opinions in the future, since in the past, he had disregarded them. Before today, Hammond had considered Arnold as a chronic worrier and Muldoon as an alarmist. They probably were still that way to an extent, but now Hammond was more willing to listen to their concerns.
"Dennis once criticized the fact that I run the park on minimal staff and too much automation, so given that fair assessment…" Hammond paused as he recognized that he was validating Nedry's complaints, "I've decided to hire three more staff members. I know we need more than three people, but I'm starting out slow to see how it goes."
"Three new employees are a reasonable start," Ellie said. "What are the positions?"
Hammond shifted through the papers in front of him and then found the one he was looking for. "I'm looking to fill positions for an animal behaviorist, a park operations manager, and an individual who would be my second-in-command. This last person would work towards the end goal of having Jurassic Park open to the public."
Hammond put down the paper and glanced at everyone. It was hard to tell what they were all feeling and thinking and he wondered if they purposely tried to remain expressionless or neutral in front of him. He wanted to believe that after all this time, after all the years of the park construction, all the blood, sweat, and tears, all the effort and heart that went into creating Jurassic Park—and especially following that fiasco with Dodgson and Biosyn—that they would agree to seeing it finally open to the public. He wanted them to support his endeavor—but he was also prepared for divergent views and opinions. After all, he had pretty much opened himself to that when he had told them he wanted them to be involved in the decision-making.
"You really want to go forward with opening Jurassic Park to the world?" Malcolm asked. "Do you think you're ready? What about everyone else?" He glanced at the rest of the park staff who hadn't yet responded to Hammond's ambitious plans.
Ordinarily, Hammond's frustration would've begun to climb, especially since Malcolm questioned him. In the past, Malcolm always found reasons to doubt his aspirations for the park. This time he decided to approach this differently.
"Yes, I'd like for Jurassic Park to be functioning and open to the public, since you three," Hammond said, pointing at Malcolm, Ellie, and Grant, "gave your endorsement all those years ago. I'd start off slowly."
"Ah, explain more what you mean by 'start off slowly'," Malcolm pressed.
"The park would be open only once or twice a week with a small group of visitors, no more than ten to twenty. Maybe every other week. I'm not planning to have it open every day just yet. I want to see how things go, make changes as needed, and then continue from there."
Everyone waited to see Malcolm's reaction. Surprisingly enough, he appeared to approve.
"That's a good plan, John. And here I thought you were ready to have it open twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year, including leap year!"
"One day, but not right now." Hammond didn't smile when he responded to Malcolm's jests. "It's a tentative plan, nothing's written in stone. I kept the park closed after Dennis' trial. I was insistent on having staff I could trust to run the day-to-day operations."
"That's understandable," Harding said. "We're still here," he added, gesturing to Muldoon and Arnold. "And we have George as new staff."
Lawala nodded in acknowledgement.
"I know and I appreciate all of you. It's just that Henry…" Hammond struggled with how to say what he needed to say and sighed sadly. "Henry's gone now, but this time, I can't let that stop me. I want him to be here for the park's opening, but…" he didn't know what else to say.
"We'll figure it out, John," Arnold said. "I'm all for hiring more park staff. Do you have anyone in mind? Any candidates that you want to interview?"
"I have some names and I'll give you that information later today. I'm thinking it would be best to do three rounds of interviews and have you, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Sattler conduct them. This way you can confer together about the applicants."
"That sounds great," Arnold said. "Having extra staff could be beneficial in the long run."
"We'd be glad to help," Ellie said, and Grant nodded in agreement.
"So, with that said—" Hammond started and was interrupted when Gennaro rushed into the conference room.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the meeting, but you all need to see this," Gennaro said, holding the door open.
"What happened?" Hammond asked. He looked at everyone and then back to Gennaro.
Everyone appeared baffled and had no idea what Gennaro was talking about.
"It's Dennis—they caught him in California."
Hammond drew in his breath sharply. Even as Gennaro's message registered, he heard everyone rise from their seats. He adjourned the meeting and they followed Gennaro into the control room.
oOo
Gennaro sat at Nedry's old workstation with everyone standing around him in a semi-circle. Hammond stood right next to him; his eyes glued to the screen. Tim and Lex sat at Arnold's and Muldoon's workstations, watching everyone. Gennaro pulled up the video he had seen earlier on the Internet news channel, raised the volume, and then sat back. Everyone was silent as they watched the video.
A group of reporters, photographers, and cameramen stood near the back of a courthouse. Cupertino, California was in the lefthand corner of the screen, identifying the location. A petite blonde reporter stood on the right side of the screen and narrated the current situation.
"Earlier today, convicted felon and prison escapee, Dennis Nedry, was brought to court for his initial arraignment after his capture several weeks ago. Court has been adjourned until further notice. Authorities report that following his escape from federal prison over a year ago, Dennis Nedry went on a crime spree, committing numerous offenses: trespassing, grand larceny, property destruction, and aggravated assault. He allegedly assaulted his own employer, the founder and CEO of InGen, John Hammond, resulting in Mr. Hammond suffering a debilitating stroke and being hospitalized for several months."
Hammond groaned inwardly as he watched and listened to the news video. He knew—and everyone in the control room knew—that his hospitalization was a lot more complicated than how the news media portrayed it. Just as he processed what the news reporter had said, the courtroom's doors opened. Nedry was dressed in a jail-issued orange jumpsuit and escorted between two plainclothes police officers. He kept his head down and didn't answer the reporters' questions, even when they put their mics in his face, hoping for a response.
"Tell us why you assaulted John Hammond."
"Were you aware that he suffered a stroke?"
"Share your story, Dennis."
Nedry lost his concentration as he looked up when he heard his first name and received the bright flash from a photographer snapping his picture. He quickly turned away and kept shuffling along. The officer holding his right arm was open to answering the reporters' questions. He was a stocky black man who wore his police badge around his neck and was slightly taller than Nedry. When he spoke, his voice was calm and firm. Unlike Nedry who chose not to comment, he answered one reporter's questions, but kept his answers brief.
"Detective Anderson, were you present during the capture of Dennis Nedry?"
"Yes, I was."
"According to the California Department of Corrections, he had been on the run for quite some time. Is that true?"
"Over a year."
"Tell us what went down when you finally captured him."
"He was cooperative. There were no incidents or altercations during his arrest."
"Authorities say he is, or rather, that he was armed and dangerous—can you verify that?"
"We received an anonymous tip from a man claiming Mr. Nedry broke his arm and bashed his friend's kneecap. I have reason to believe that the person giving the tip wasn't being fully honest. As it was, Mr. Nedry wasn't armed when we captured him. I'm not verifying that statement—I'm tossing it out."
The rest of the video played out with the news media following after Nedry, Anderson, and the second police officer. Moments later, he was placed in the backseat of a police cruiser. Even after Anderson closed the car door, the journalists and photographers still hovered around, trying to snap a picture of Nedry in the backseat. Anderson and the other officer got into the cruiser and drove away. The video ended.
"I don't know what to make of this," Hammond said, turning to everyone to see their responses. "They actually think he assaulted me—that he attacked me?!"
"When I went to the court on the mainland, the report stated he shook you, pushed you to the ground, and kept harassing you," Malcolm said.
Hammond shook his head in disbelief. "That's not true though."
Malcolm sighed. "That narrative has been circulating for some time and it's not likely to change. Remember, the worse it sounds, the more sensational, and the greater the chance of it sticking."
Muldoon was disappointed at this recent development—Nedry's capture and the truth about Hammond's stroke being completely absent. As Malcolm had pointed out, the entire incident had been sensationalized. Muldoon also knew why Nedry appeared to be staring at the ground when he shuffled…
"That's not him."
Hammond was confused by Muldoon's observation. "Of course, It's him, Robert. Who else—?"
"He's not the man he used to be," Muldoon clarified. "He's changed a lot, and more than once he's told me that letting out the raptors was his worst mistake."
Muldoon didn't say it aloud because he didn't think anyone would understand, but he felt upset seeing Nedry in this predicament, especially after he had made amends to InGen by helping them defeat Biosyn. Being in police custody was terrible, but then again, once Muldoon let him leave Isla Nublar, there was always a chance of him getting captured. Both men had known the stakes, so it wasn't a surprise that it had even happened.
Hammond looked around and found a swiveling chair to sit on. As he sat down, he wiped his forehead. Every time he thought he had processed some of what had occurred during his absence (because it was impossible to process it all at once), another situation would come up, and get added to the pile. He wondered how much more he'd learn before he mentally and emotionally collapsed from everything. Hammond pictured it like the game Tim and Lex liked to play with stacking wooden blocks. Jenga, he mused. They would keep building on the wooden blocks, creating a Jenga tower. They would remove wooden blocks from the bottom, placing them on top until the Jenga tower collapsed.
"He looked embarrassed in the video," Arnold said, searching for a lighter in his pocket. "At his trial, he was the opposite—he couldn't get enough attention—he thrived on it."
"That's because he was hellbent on embarrassing John and the entire company," Gennaro said.
"You're right," Arnold agreed. "It's just interesting to see him like this now. Almost like two different people."
Lawala was quiet as he listened to everyone share their observations. He always remembered being the only one from Dodgson's group that had a decent rapport with Nedry. Nedry had helped him when he was blinded by the dilophosaur during one of their assignments. Later, he guided Lawala on how he could leave Biosyn forever—by joining InGen to work together with Muldoon. The one thing that weighed on his mind was Dodgson finding out. He hoped Dodgson didn't know that Nedry had been apprehended by the authorities. Lawala wouldn't put it past him to get revenge on Nedry for thwarting Biosyn. Nedry made it impossible for Biosyn to permanently own Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar. Even after all this time, Dodgson would go after him, Lawala was sure of it.
Harding was like Lawala: he watched silently. He almost mentioned that if Nedry was feeling like himself, he would've made snarky remarks in response to the reporters' questions. Tell us why your breath stinks. Were you aware that the sky is blue? Share your paycheck, so that I can get more items from the commissary. He would've laughed aloud if the situation wasn't serious.
"I agree with you both. This version of Dennis is completely different from what we've seen before," Grant said.
"It's degrading that they bring him out like that," Ellie said. "It gives the impression that he's guilty even if he's innocent."
"It's called a perp walk," Malcolm explained. "'Perp' is short for perpetrator. When the police parade a criminal suspect in handcuffs and shackles for the news media to snap photos and video the event, it's about public shaming. The walk of shame. Humiliation for the accused while the media shouts loaded questions at them. Even the most saintly person would look guilty when doing a perp walk. Not everyone gets the perp walk, but it's done, especially in high profile cases."
Everyone took in what they had just seen and spoke about. The mood was somber, and it seemed no one knew what else to say. Gennaro broke the silence.
"I'll track down the detective who apprehended him," Gennaro said, holding up a scrap paper with the name Detective Corey Anderson scribbled on it.
"That would be great, Donald," Hammond said quietly.
"Give me a few days, and I'll do the legwork. Do you want to speak with him about Dennis?"
Hammond looked from Gennaro to everyone else, remembering that he would include them in his decisions. "Yes, I do. Does anyone object to this?"
Everyone shook their heads. Malcolm raised his hand.
"What're your plans, John? What do you want to do once you speak with him?"
"I'm not sure yet. I need to think about it some more, and then I'll let you all know."
Just then, the phone rang. Coincidentally, it was the phone at Nedry's workstation.
"Here we go again," Harding muttered.
The phone rang two more times.
"Is this what you've all been telling me about?" Hammond asked as he stood up and approached Nedry's workstation.
"If you pick it up and the person doesn't respond or hangs up right away—then, yes, this is what we were telling you about," Arnold said. "I still think it's Henry trying to reach us."
"Why would he call and hang up?"
Everyone listened to their conversation, but no one made a move to reach the phone. Gennaro was about to pick it up and then stopped when Hammond stood up and came over.
"Let me get it. I want to see this for myself." Hammond let the phone ring one more time. The shrill ringing echoed in the control room. Knowing everyone was watching him, he picked up the phone. "Hello…"
There was silence on the other end.
Hammond remained standing and met Muldoon's and Arnold's eyes. They both shook their heads, disappointed once again if it was Wu calling and not responding.
"Who is this?" Hammond spoke to the unseen person.
He thought he heard breathing on the other line. Glancing at Grant and Ellie now, he saw they looked the same way he felt—mystified. Confused. They shrugged, unable able to give him a satisfactory answer. He decided to try a different route with the caller.
"Henry, is that you?"
The person hung up the phone.
Hammond held the phone away from him, staring at it and wondering if it really had been Wu on the other end.
"Did the person hang up?" Lawala asked.
Hammond slowly placed back the phone on the desk. "I don't understand. Why would he do choose to go with Dodgson? Why did he betray me?"
No one knew how to answer Hammond's question. Or maybe it was that no one wanted to broach the topic. Everyone knew why Nedry betrayed Hammond, but Wu was a different matter altogether. Then, based on what he remembered Wu telling him that night by the raptor pen, Muldoon spoke up.
"He wanted Jurassic Park to open to the world so that he could finally be recognized for his accomplishments. You kept the park closed because you wanted to be sure you had staff you could trust. He was angry about that, but he was more bloody pissed at Dennis for everything going downhill—in his view."
Muldoon saw Hammond wipe his eyes with his handkerchief as though smoothing away a tear—a subtle emotional reaction from what he had shared. He had thought of keeping it to himself, but Hammond had asked, and it was better that he knew the truth.
For Hammond though, it made sense, although he didn't want to admit aloud that Muldoon was right. A memory of meeting Wu and their early conversations flashed through his mind. Wu's enthusiasm was contagious and Hammond knew he had found the right man for chief geneticist position. His gift—how he could tell instantly about people—had steered him to the man who would make Jurassic Park a reality. Hammond had told him he should stay out of universities—because back then Wu wanted to be published. Hammond already knew what he had planned to do with InGen…and his one promise to Wu: If you succeed, the whole world will know about what you've done, I promise you. Looking back, Hammond realized he didn't fully know the impact his words would have on Wu. He had meant what he had said, and now it occurred to him that Wu's friendly smiles masked his growing frustration when they started working on cloning the sixteen species. Wu was still (im)patiently waiting for Hammond to live up to his promise…
"Now that you know the truth, do you still want to get him back to InGen?" Malcolm asked as he stepped forward next to Muldoon. "Is this something you really want to pursue?"
"I—" Hammond started, but then he hesitated.
"The other question is why do you want him to return?"
Hammond looked at everyone and everyone stared back at him, waiting for him to answer. Even Tim and Lex watched him carefully, curious about his response.
"He's my miracle worker…he's the reason we're standing here right now. Without Henry, there would be no Jurassic Park."
He now sent a pained look in the direction where Arnold, Muldoon, and Harding stood. If anyone understood this, it would be them. He felt like he was silently begging them to validate his stance. Instead of affirming him, they remained quiet. Then he heard Malcolm speak up again and he forced himself to bite his tongue. Hammond knew he and Malcolm had a long history of clashing…
"Last question, John. How do you plan to get him to return?"
It took every ounce of willpower to not lash out. Instead, he thought about how to respond and the only answer that came to him was vague, but it was the best he could do for now. "Give me some time to think it over and I'll let you all know."
Everyone took that as their cue to leave. They trickled out of the control room, so that only Hammond and Ellie were left behind. Hammond stayed in the swiveling chair near Nedry's former workstation, while Ellie stood across from him, watching him and trying to decide how to approach him. Hammond rubbed his forehead as though an intense headache plagued him.
"You didn't answer Ian's questions," Ellie pointed out. "Two out of three isn't bad, but—"
Hammond turned in her direction, squinting at her. "I'm not sure how to answer what he's asking me."
The silence between them was stifling as Ellie took a seat across from Hammond.
"Answer it as honestly as possible."
Hammond's chest raised and fell as he took a deep breath and prepared himself for any reaction he might receive from her when he spoke his truth. "I want Henry to come back…I promised he would be known for his accomplishments…"
"You didn't break your promise—he broke your trust."
"He broke my trust because I didn't keep my promise…" Hammond shook his head when he thought about the cycle of betrayal that had occurred within his staff. "I kept Dennis in the dark during the construction of Jurassic Park…I put pressure on him towards the end…I nearly destroyed his career…"
"Dennis is responsible for his own choices," Ellie said firmly as she folded her arms across her chest.
"He betrayed me as payback. It's something I always knew, Dr. Sattler." He wasn't sure why he was speaking so formally to her, but at the same time, he didn't feel he was fully present either. His mind was replaying when Arnold and Muldoon first told him about Nedry's arrest and he had to force himself to stay in the present. "I kept the park closed because I wanted to have trustworthy staff…" It seemed like he was talking to himself as he glanced around the control room, being careful to avoid Ellie. "Henry was trustworthy, hardworking, and dedicated. He brought my dreams to life with this park and how did I pay him back?"
Hammond forced himself to look in her direction now and waited to see if Ellie would respond. Ellie leaned forward in the swiving chair, several feet across from Hammond.
"You kept him on staff, John. You didn't fire him, Ray, Robert, or Gerry when you found out what Dennis had done. You could've easily gotten rid of your entire staff back then and you didn't."
"You're right…but I understand Henry's anger. I get it. He bore the brunt of my fears. Whatever mistrust I had, shouldn't have been taken out on him or anyone else. He still deserves recognition for all his accomplishments."
Ellie's face contorted into a grimace. Hammond hoped he was imagining this and then he realized he wasn't.
"I'm sorry, John, I just…" Now it was Ellie who avoided his questioning stare, as she turned away and focused on the far corner of the control room. "I'm not sure I feel the same way you do about him deserving recognition—and I'm not sure I forgive him for what he did to everyone here, my greenhouse, and InGen in general…but for your sake, I will try to see it from your point-of-view as to why you want him to return."
Hammond nodded. "I appreciate that you understand."
Ellie now faced him and she saw how worn-down Hammond looked now. For the first time since she had met him all those years ago in her and Grant's trailer, Hammond truly looked like a much older and tired man.
"The thing is…it's not even about what Henry wants for himself…it's what I want for myself."
Ellie blinked as the realization dawned on her. Now she understood why Hammond brought up the cause-and-effect of Nedry's and Wu's betrayals. "You want to be forgiven."
Hammond's voice was barely audible when he responded. "Don't we all?"
oOo
One week later, everyone sat together in the visitor center's conference room—including Tim and Lex. Hammond closed the door once Arnold joined them. He sat at the head of the table next to Gennaro. Gennaro handed him a folder which Hammond opened and then looked at everyone. Taking a deep breath, he proceeded to share his ideas.
"As you are all aware, or rather, you all made me aware, Henry is no longer with us. We also recently found out that Dennis is under police custody again."
Hammond faced the group, noticing their attentiveness.
"I would like to get Henry Wu back to InGen—I know I've said this before, but I gave it more thought and I've made up my mind." He wondered what everyone was thinking, but then he realized he couldn't allow fear of opposing opinions to halt his progress. That was something Hammond never did—stop his own goals and dreams because of divergent views. If he had been that way, Jurassic Park would've never come into existence. With that thought in mind and a firm resolve, he continued. "I know he's with Dodgson, but from what you told me, you think he's been calling the control room for quite some time now. Is that correct, Ray?"
Arnold sat with Muldoon towards the opposite end of the table. "We believe so, but we don't know for sure."
"So then…" Hammond went slowly with this. "Is it safe to assume that he wants to return to InGen?"
"I think so," Arnold said. "What do you guys think?" He turned to Muldoon and Harding.
"He might, but there's no way to know for sure," Harding said.
"Last week, I believe it was him calling again," Hammond said. "He must've been shocked that I picked up the phone."
"Probably was," Arnold agreed, but kept his eyes on the table.
"How do you all feel about giving Henry a second chance, that is, if he were to return home?" Hammond posed the question that had been replaying in his mind ever since finding out about his betrayal.
"The more important question is, how do you feel about it?" Malcolm asked, pointing at him.
"I'm open to giving him a second chance and I'll tell you my reasons, but you can finish first."
Malcolm had a pained expression on his face that read he felt uncertain about Hammond giving Wu a second chance. "He hurt you deeply, and you're still processing and coming to grips with it. Having him back here seems a little premature, don't you think?"
Hammond tilted his head in thought. "In a sense, yes. In a sense, no, because I forgive him."
A long thick silence followed. No one knew how to respond to what Hammond said. Not even Ellie, who glanced his direction now, knowing that he was focused on forgiveness. Still, she wouldn't question him about it, especially not in front of the park staff. She left that part to Malcolm, who never shied away from questioning Hammond—be it about Jurassic Park or his inner emotional state.
"Although he hasn't made amends?" Malcolm pressed for more information.
"It's not about whether Henry makes amends or not. I know Dennis did, but I realized even if he hadn't, I had to forgive him so that I wouldn't walk around harboring anger and resentment. It's the same with Henry. I've chosen to forgive him because it helps me to move forward."
The entire conference room was quiet as everyone found another point to focus on. The table, the blue and white InGen logo painted on the walls, the shelves with replicas of amber encased mosquitoes, a watercolor painting showing a herd of maiasaurs. Arnold exchanged a worried look with Ellie, who shrugged as she was uncertain of what to say about Hammond's ideas. Muldoon kept his steely gaze on the table. Tim and Lex sat in the middle of the conference table and looked from left to right to see how the rest of the adults would respond to Hammond. Grant and Lawala appeared neutral. When after a minute of awkward silence had passed, Hammond pressed forward.
"Yes, it seems premature as I'm still coming to terms with what he's done. At the same time, I don't think it's unexpected that I want him to return home."
"What's this 'home' you speak of?" Harding asked. Usually, he stayed quiet, but something about the way Hammond used the word "home" stood out to him.
"Here on Isla Nublar," Hammond gestured with his arms wide open. "Jurassic Park. Our InGen family. That's what I mean by 'home'. How else did you think I meant it?" He wasn't angry, but genuinely curious about Harding's perspective.
Harding shook his head. "I don't know. It seems rather fast to welcome him back with open arms after what he's done. Even forgiving him before he's shown that he's sorry for betraying you."
"I agree with you, Gerry," Ellie said, and then she addressed Hammond. "I know we spoke about your reasons, John. I get it, but I also know firsthand why Gerry feels as he does."
Hammond looked from Harding to Ellie, noticing both appeared upset. Harding folded his arms across his chest and Ellie avoided looking in his direction. He resolved not to reveal his disappointment about Ellie's position on the matter. She had heard him out last week and that was more than enough.
"I understand that…" Hammond said slowly, while still watching them, "but there's a reason for it."
Denial, Malcolm mouthed to no one in particular.
"I'm not in denial, Dr. Malcolm." Hammond's tone was sharper than he intended.
Malcolm met his hard stare, shocked that Hammond had even noticed what he had silently communicated to the group. No one spoke for a few seconds—no one knew what to say.
"What's your reason?" Muldoon asked, breaking the silence.
"Reasons."
"Let's hear them," Malcolm said as though daring Hammond.
"In no particular order: forgiveness and…" Hammond's voice trailed off.
"And…? C'mon John, prove your thesis."
"Forgiveness and Dennis."
Hammond waited to see if anyone would argue against him, invalidate, or validate his views on the matter, or even flat out disagree with him. Since he had called out Malcolm, it seemed no one else wanted to challenge him—for now.
"Dennis changed. If he did, then so can Henry."
It was quiet for a moment before Muldoon brought up his next question.
"I'll be the first one to back him up, but where does he come into this? He tried to start his life over again and got captured while on the run."
Hammond took a deep breath, knowing that the answer to Muldoon's question was the reason he brought them all together. "I want to see if he can convince Henry to return. He did an amazing turnaround and if there's anyone who can convince Henry to return to InGen, it's him."
This time it was Grant who offered his thoughts. "I believe you had this conversation before with the park staff about wanting to get Henry back here. Ray, you had told me about it in passing."
Arnold nodded. "I did, when John first returned."
Grant sat across from him. "I remember that." He turned to Hammond now and reiterated Muldoon's point. "How do you plan to have Dennis convince Henry to return to InGen if he's locked up? How is that possible?"
At this, Hammond's face lit up with a broad grin. "At last, we come to the crux of our meeting today!" He held up the folder that Gennaro had passed to him in the beginning. "Donald has been in touch with Detective Corey Anderson; he's the one that apprehended Dennis. I want to see if I can fight for him to be granted a full pardon under the condition that he convinces Henry to return."
"Wait—what?!" Malcolm sat up in his chair. He didn't think he heard right. Then he shook his head, indicating his disagreement. "That's wishful thinking, John—"
"I know but hear me out—if I can hire a lawyer to advocate for him to be granted clemency, he could reach out to Henry…"
Hammond's voice trailed off when he saw Ellie's eyebrows furrowed together. She was completely bewildered.
"I thought you wanted to open the park and hire three more employees. You're taking on way more than you can handle, and you just overcame a severe stroke!" Ellie didn't intend for her tone to sound exasperated, but she was thrown off by everything. Hammond was all over the place and not centered at all.
Hammond closed the folder, and everyone looked from Malcolm to Ellie, wondering what the outcome would be. "I still want to hire three more employees—"
"I understand that—" Ellie protested.
Hammond held up his hand, indicating for her to let him finish. "I still want to open this park to the world—but I also want to give Henry a second chance. I believe he can come around because Dennis did."
"Apples and oranges, John," Malcolm said, shaking his head. "Dennis had reasons for why he betrayed you—although it was wrong. Henry, on the other hand…"
"No solid motive except his ego," Harding threw in.
Hammond sighed. He knew it would come to this: his own staff balking against his aspirations. "If Dennis can change, why can't Henry?" When no one answered, Hammond went a step further. "After what you all told me about what Dennis did to right his wrongs, to ensure Dodgson and Biosyn didn't keep our island for themselves—I want to offer him my gratitude."
"How?!" Ellie and Arnold asked at the same time.
"By fighting for his freedom."
Hammond saw raised eyebrows from everyone in the room. He found their doubt to be the motivation he needed to press forward with his plans. Even so, he knew they thought his ideas were inconceivable and far-fetched.
"I know it sounds impossible given his current legal situation, but you all must remember that no one ever thought Jurassic Park was possible until we created it. Until we built it, until we went through trial after trial, until we gave it our very best to make Jurassic Park a reality, no one believed we did what we did here until we did it."
Another strange silence filled the room. Everyone knew he was right. Whether they agreed with his idea to involve himself in Nedry's legal problems and get Wu to return was another matter. However, they all understood Jurassic Park finally opening to the public gave Hammond much-needed hope. Hammond believed in his visions and his dreams, and nothing had ever stopped him. If he was able to use his funds to build a theme park from the ground up featuring cloned dinosaurs—then why wouldn't he be able to help Nedry with his legal situation—and get Wu back to InGen?
"Donald has been in touch with Detective Anderson about Dennis' next scheduled arraignment, which will take place a week from today. I plan to attend as I want to find out about him gaining clemency in exchange for getting Henry back. And I understand it may take more than that—it might mean having Dennis help the authorities bring down Dodgson and Biosyn once and for all."
"That last part sounds more reasonable," Malcolm said. "The rest…?"
"I wanted to find out what you all thought of my ideas, and you were all open with your thoughts. A mixed reaction, which I accept, but I'm going forward with it."
At this, a wry smirk flashed across Malcolm's face. He knew Hammond well enough to know that even when you disagreed with him, Hammond still pushed full steam ahead.
"I'd like to know who will accompany me, and who will stay here and review the candidates for the open positions…I've already asked for Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Ray to do the interviewing, so that's where we're at now."
The moment Hammond opened the door to who would accompany him to Nedry's arraignment, Muldoon felt all eyes focus on him—especially Arnold's and Harding's. Then, as though to make it obvious, Arnold pointed at Muldoon.
"Robert's the best one to go with you," he said.
"Why are you choosing me?" Muldoon asked. "I didn't volunteer to go."
"Not yet, so I went ahead and volunteered you—if that makes sense." Arnold chuckled lightly and stopped when Muldoon didn't smile. "Seriously, you both have a…" He searched for the right words. "A bond that no one understands except you two."
"That's right," Harding said. "You both hated each other when Dodgson's group kidnapped you guys. By the time you got back to the island, the dynamic had changed. We didn't understand for a long time why that was, until we found out what happened at Isla Sorna."
Hammond's eyes flickered from Muldoon to Arnold and Harding. "Is there something I'm missing?" He looked at Tim and Lex, and then at Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm. Everyone seemed unsure of what Hammond referred to and then Malcolm responded.
"Ah, that's something we neglected to tell you, John. When they were stranded on Isla Sorna, Dennis saved Robert's life."
"Is this true?" Hammond looked from Malcolm to Muldoon, seeking confirmation.
Muldoon reached for his flask filled with alcohol in his pocket, but he didn't take it out. "It's true—I'll explain it to you later. I'll just say from that point on, things were different between him and I. We were able to hold a conversation without all the bloody insults and back-and-forth arguing. I wouldn't call it a 'bond', it's that we respect each other."
Hammond sat back in his chair, amazed by this new revelation. It amazed him how much had happened during his absence. He just hoped Muldoon would be agreeable to going with him to the States. "Would you be open to coming with me?"
Muldoon nodded. "Sure. In my absence, I'm leaving George in charge of managing the park's residents. You can handle Rexy."
"Now who's volunteering who?" Lawala asked, and everyone laughed.
"Anyone else," Hammond asked. He made eye contact with Malcolm who gestured at himself, surprised.
Grant and Ellie also offered him up. "You should go, Ian," Ellie said.
"You need someone who can be objective, John." Grant agreed. "Ian's the perfect man for the job." He pointed at Malcolm.
"Why me, John?" Malcolm asked. "And why're you both volunteering me? There better not be any hanky-panky while I'm away."
More laughter erupted from everyone, helping to diffuse the uncomfortable tension.
"Because you give me a dose of reality even when I don't want to hear it. I need that more than ever," Hammond said.
"Are you sure?"
Everyone watched Hammond to see his response. The mood in the room was mixed: gleeful anticipation and muted surprise at the direction he was going in. No one stopped him or directly opposed him though. Hammond had been out of commission for months, so it seemed only fair to let him be in the driver's seat.
"I'm probably going to regret this…" Hammond sighed in resignation, "but yes."
This concluded the meeting. Everyone stood up and left the conference room leaving Hammond by himself to ponder over everything. He could tell his staff was shocked that he even asked for their feedback. In the past, he would make decisions and tell them after. He decided it was time to take a different approach and was glad to see that everyone was receptive to giving their opinions—even if there were different views expressed.
He could tell that his ideas had received a mixed reaction, especially when it went in the direction of Nedry convincing Wu to return to InGen. And even more so—forgiving Nedry and Wu for their betrayals. The truth was Nedry aiding the authorities to turn in Dodgson and his group sounded more believable. It was far more realistic and attainable. Even so, Hammond mainly put his focus on Nedry helping Wu—mainly because he wanted Wu back, although Dodgson and his gang being put away would be extremely helpful. If they were locked up, then they couldn't sabotage InGen anymore.
Perhaps some of the staff felt the whole thing was impossible or unrealistic. Hammond acknowledged his plan consisted of scattered ideas without enough backing. Not yet anyway. In time, the pieces would fall into place, he was sure about that. No matter what, Hammond wanted to try because he would rather try and fail than to not try and never know.
oOo
Four days later, Muldoon was in his suite at the staff lodge filling his luggage with belongings he would need for the trip. It was early morning after 9a.m. and Hammond was hoping to fly out in the afternoon, preferably after one o'clock. Muldoon wasn't surprised that Hammond had asked him to be present, but he wondered how everything would turn out. The last time he had seen Nedry was outside by the visitor center before letting him leave Isla Nublar. It was the same day that everyone found out about Crichton's ankylosaur being the sixteenth species that Hammond and Wu had cloned in secret. That was less than two months ago. Muldoon was putting his hygiene products in his luggage when he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." Muldoon looked up when he saw Lawala approach him after closing the door behind him. Right away, he noticed Lawala's pensive expression. "Everything okay, George?"
Lawala's eyes flickered from Muldoon to the luggage. "Yeah, I just wanted to check in before you leave today."
"You look worried. I know you'll handle the park just fine. You fit in well with the staff like you've always been with InGen."
"It's not that."
Muldoon checked over his luggage again. He had everything he needed for the trip and zipped the luggage closed. "What is it? You're never this apprehensive."
A dry laugh escaped Lawala. "Is it that obvious?"
"Yes, of course. We're blood brothers and go way back to our days in Africa." Muldoon gave a half-smile, remembering their rivalry and how they developed a friendship after Lawala saved his life. Given that he hardly ever smiled due to his stoic nature, it came off like a lop-sided scowl.
Lawala tried to smile back but shook his head. "I'm hoping you can make sure that Dennis stays safe."
Muldoon blinked. He was embarrassed to admit that Nedry's safety hadn't crossed his mind. Probably because he was in police custody and Muldoon didn't know how Hammond planned to have him convince Wu to return to InGen. Nedry might've already been transported to the prison where he had been serving his sentence before Dodgson broke him out. He decided to start with that.
"We don't know how this will go. I know John wants Dennis to convince Henry to return, but he might already be back at the prison."
"It's nothing to do with where he's at now, but where he will be when John's plan comes into fruition."
"He just wants him to talk to Henry. That's my impression…" Muldoon's voice trailed off as he stared at his luggage. Although Hammond had openly shared his ideas with the staff, he hadn't come up with any concrete plans. Muldoon supposed that would all come to light once they went to the States.
"But how will he do that? It can't be over the phone; it'll be in-person. That means Dennis will run into Lewis Dodgson and his gang again."
"I'm not sure if that's going to happen."
Lawala shot Muldoon a frustrated look that read you know damn well it's going to happen, Robert. "Dodgson will stop at nothing to get his revenge. He's tried to kill him many times—destroy him. Dennis is like a cat with nine lives, but luck may not be on his side this time…" Lawala didn't want to finish his thought.
Muldoon sighed. He wished he could promise Lawala that Nedry would be safe and that he'd even help to maintain his safety, but it was impossible. "I understand your concern, George, but I don't know how this will go down."
"Just be mindful of it."
"Without question."
Lawala was silent for a few moments as he thought over everything. When he spoke again, Muldoon heard the bend in his voice.
"He helped me get away from Dodgson when I was fed up with Biosyn. I couldn't stand that group—all of them were toxic. He told me about how you needed help here with the lizards—" Lawala laughed when he remembered how much Nedry loved calling the dinosaurs "lizards"—and how it always infuriated Lopez. Just as quickly, he became solemn again as he straightened his posture. "He was the only one on that so-called team who cared when the dilophosaur spat its venom in my eyes. No one else tried to help me except him. You helped me, and so did Gerry, but as far as Biosyn is concerned…"
He didn't have the heart to finish. Muldoon remembered that time. Back then, he and Nedry hated each other with every ounce of their beings. Despite their intense loathing towards each other, they had put Lawala first, and got him the help he needed. Harding had been instrumental that day in removing the blinding and painful venom from Lawala's eyes, restoring his sight. When Lawala could see again, the first person he saw was Muldoon and he instantly recognized him. Nedry was the only person from Dodgson's group that showed genuine concern. Muldoon found this out later when Lawala recounted that day from his perspective. Given that situation, he understood why Lawala was concerned about Nedry's safety and well-being.
"I'll do the best I can."
"That's all I'm asking for…thank you, Robert."
"You're welcome." He glanced at the clock on his wall. "I still have plenty of time before I leave with John and Dr. Malcolm. We can catch breakfast and go over everything that needs to be done in the park while I'm away."
"That would work."
Muldoon and Lawala left his room, leaving the closed luggage on the bed. As they headed to the visitor center to have breakfast in the cafeteria, Muldoon hoped that Hammond's plan wouldn't involve Nedry coming face-to-face with Lewis Dodgson or his gang. He hadn't thought about the possibility of that happening until Lawala brought it up. In a matter of hours, he'd leave Isla Nublar for the unknown. He was glad that he could leave the island, knowing that someone else had the same position and expertise as him. Lawala would keep everyone—both people and dinosaurs—safe in Jurassic Park, just as Muldoon had been striving to do ever since Hammond hired him…but he had no idea how he would keep Nedry safe—especially if Hammond's plan was for him to infiltrate Biosyn to get Henry Wu back to InGen…
Author's Notes: Special thank you to Arkhan_the_Black for his suggestion about the conversation between Hammond and Ellie pertaining to forgiveness! Forgiveness-forgiveness of one's self and others-is one of the themes in this story, so this was a great way to bring it to light. Thank you for your continued readership! -Sassy Lil Scorpio