Chapter 14 - Investigation
"The knives of betrayal and drama cut deep and hurt…but they also trim away the nonsense and reveal your true friends." - Steve Maraboli
oOo
Corey Anderson sat behind his desk in his private office at the precinct. It was mid-afternoon and Ian Malcolm, John Hammond, and Robert Muldoon waited patiently to see what he promised to show them. It was a small office, but big enough for them to sit apart and have their own space. On the side wall was a large evidence board with everyone's names and faces associated with Biosyn—Dennis Nedry, Henry Wu, Roland Tembo, Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, George Baselton, and Howard King. Being that he was the ringleader, Lewis Dodgson's photo was in the center with a yellow sticky post-it note that read "the leader". Anderson had set it up in the morning. Seeing everyone's names and pictures helped to keep track of everyone involved.
As Hammond took a seat and waited to see what Anderson would show them, Muldoon and Malcolm studied the photos and the brightly colored sticky post-it notes under each profile with a little blurb about each person. The blurbs had the first and last names of each person and information about their position in Dodgson's group. Nedry's blue post-it note had "the hacker". Wu's was the same color as Nedry's and had "geneticist/miracle worker" scribbled on it. Sonya and Tembo had orange post-it notes; both labeled with "mercenary". Lopez's green post-it note had "paleontologist" written on it. Pink post-it notes were under Baselton's and King's photos with "associate" listed. Baselton's had "InGen/Biosyn" written over "associate". George Lawala was the only person whose name and photo was not on the board since he had left Biosyn and aligned himself with InGen.
The listening station where Anderson continued to record any interactions Nedry had with the Biosyn team was situated in the corner. Anderson wanted to let them listen to last night's clip, but first he had something important to show them.
"I've been digging up more information about Biosyn and Lewis Dodgson, and I found out about these two men."
Anderson held up two photos and noticed Malcolm's eyes widen.
"Do you recognize them?"
Malcolm nodded. He noticed Hammond looked worried and explained quickly. "Those are the two higher-ups from Biosyn that Dodgson invited to the park."
"The guy on the left is Bill Steingarten," Muldoon added. "The guy on the right is Jeff Rossiter."
"Right," Anderson affirmed.
"He had both of them on my island?!" Hammond was incredulous. "To take my—"
His anger overwhelmed him as he clenched his walking cane. For the moment, he couldn't find the right words to express what he felt about hearing about this occurrence for the second time. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler had told him about how this had happened, but for some reason, he had forgotten about it. Or maybe, it was more accurate to say that he had blocked it out of his memory.
"He didn't succeed, John," Malcolm reminded him, placing a reassuring hand on Hammond's shoulder. "They ended up leaving the island after Dennis told Dr. Grant to drop them off at the east dock."
Hammond's eyebrows shot up. "The east dock?!"
"We told you about this, remember?"
Hammond nodded, but he still looked shocked. Malcolm and Muldoon exchanged a knowing glance. Hammond had finally learned of everything that happened in his absence upon his return. It was so much that either he hadn't retained everything, or he did, but hadn't fully processed it yet to the point of acceptance.
Anderson looked from both Malcolm to Hammond, uncertain of the significance of the "east dock". However, he noted that these were two men whom Hammond didn't want on his property. He also had good news that might help quell Hammond's shock and anger about the corporate enemies who had tried to seize his property.
"You might be interested to know a couple of things. The first is that Biosyn is no longer in the same building they used reside in, the one in Cupertino. From the information I found, it seems like they've split up."
Muldoon sat back in his chair, curious. "Why?"
"Not sure," Anderson continued. "It's unclear if the entire company fragmented after Dodgson's group trespassed on Mr. Hammond's property, but one thing is certain: Jeff Rossiter, Dodgson's supervisor, was fired shortly after for keeping Dodgson under his employment. The CEO of Biosyn, Bill Steingarten, resigned at the request of the board of directors."
Malcolm had been focused on Hammond and now sent a questioning glance in Anderson's direction.
"So, Dodgson isn't working for them anymore?" Malcolm's skepticism was clear in his tone. "He's doing everything on his own accord without Steingarten and Rossiter?"
"That's where it's dicey." Anderson stepped around his desk and placed Rossiter's and Steingarten's photos on the corner of the evidence board, apart from the rest of the photos and post-it notes. "It could be that these two guys left Biosyn but are still conspiring with Dodgson to obtain InGen technology. Or it could be that Dodgson's just doing his own thing now and pretending to be under Biosyn's employment. We think it's the latter."
Anderson walked back to his desk and grabbed two orange post-it notes and wrote down Rossiter's and Steingarten's names. Under Rossiter's name, he wrote "fired for keeping Dodgson in the company" and under Steingarten's name he wrote, "forced to resign". He placed the sticky post-it notes under the corresponding photographs.
"What's certain is that the large building in Cupertino that Biosyn had used as their headquarters—it's vacant. From what my team told me, Biosyn downsized and relocated to a smaller compound. There're rumors floating around that Biosyn changed their name to Mantah Corp to distance themselves from their previous shady reputation, but we don't have enough information about that."
"'Mantah Corp'?!" Muldoon asked in disbelief. "What the bloody hell is 'Mantah Corp'?"
Hammond tried to follow everything. "Is this the place where you dropped off Dennis and watched…"
He couldn't finish his statement. Hammond didn't expect to feel guilty about asking Nedry to help them convince Wu, but now he was starting to feel slight pangs on his conscience. Had he done the right thing in putting Nedry in harm's way—just so he could have Wu back under his employment?
Anderson watched Hammond closely as he stepped away from the evidence board. "No. Remember we let him drive to Carlos and Charlie's in Silicon Valley? He was taken hostage there by Dodgson's guys. One of our guys tailed them to Los Altos. The location where Dodgson and his group are currently working out is this building. The compound is surrounded by a chain link fence."
"So why aren't we getting him out of there?" Hammond pressed. His guilt was eating away at him now. What if Nedry got killed because of him wanting Wu to return to InGen?
"Because he's still getting information," Anderson said, maintaining his calm. He wouldn't align himself with Hammond's fear—he couldn't. If he did, then nothing would get done. "I understand you're worried, but we have several hours of recorded conversation that can be used in court against everyone from Biosyn."
"Any cameras?" Muldoon asked. "Surveillance?"
"None that we've seen so far. We also don't know if the entire organization works from that location, or if It's just Dodgson's department—so to speak. "Head of Research", I think?"
Malcolm folded his arms across his chest, indicating what he felt about the so-called "Head of Research" title. "That's code for what Dodgson really does—stealing a competitor's project, stripping it down to the bone, and calling it his own. He does it to gain advantage over the competition—in this case, InGen."
"Industrial espionage," Anderson commented as he came back to sit behind his desk.
"Why don't we take a listen to the first recording," Malcolm suggested.
Anderson nodded. "I heard it before you came in today. I'd say Dennis is already off to a good start when convincing Henry, but I'd rather hear your thoughts on this."
He stood up again and went to the listening station, making sure to turn the audio on medium volume. Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon stood up and gathered around the desk with the radio as Anderson checked the door of his office. There was a pause of silence and then they heard Wu and Nedry talking.
"Code, okay?"
"Ever miss the good ol' days? You know, back during the construction?"
"We were a family."
"A dysfunctional one. Robert was the drunk, Ray was the worrywart, Gerry was silent but deadly with his occasional jabs. You were the goody-two-shoes of the bunch."
"You were the black sheep."
A grim smile flashed across Muldoon's face at the mention of him being a "drunk". He knew Nedry didn't mean it in an insulting way, and the truth was he still drank on the job. What amazed him was Wu saying they were "we were a family". He hadn't expected that, and he wondered what Hammond and Malcolm thought about it. On one hand, it might be comforting to Hammond. Then again, it might increase his confusion as to why Wu turned against him.
"Dennis has the gift of gab," Anderson said, leaning against the wall near the listening station. "I'm sure he'll get a lot of info from Henry and the rest of the Biosyn team." He played the rest of the recording. When it was done, he stopped it and turned to the group. "Do you think it will take long for him to convince Wu?"
"Not if he continues at this pace," Malcolm said. "Based on this conversation, Henry sounded nostalgic."
Muldoon went back to the wall that held the evidence board with the photos of Nedry and Wu tacked on. Both photos had captured their personalities. Wu looked arrogant with a faint smirk on his face, his dark eyes narrowed and focused on an unseen point. Nedry had his usual amused expression that couldn't be distinguished as him laughing at or with someone.
"They're both very different," Muldoon started as he studied the photos of his former co-workers. "Henry came off like he was proud that he had betrayed InGen, but it's different from Dennis."
Anderson came over to where Muldoon was standing in front of the evidence board. "They're both glad they betrayed the company?"
"At the time, Dennis acted ecstatic that I knew the truth," Hammond spoke quietly as he remembered the scene at the courthouse with the media buzzing around. "We had a lot of issues with his contract…"
Muldoon watched Hammond to see if he would say more. By now, he knew the full story as to why Nedry betrayed Hammond. Although he would never agree with Nedry's actions, he was able to understand the anger that motivated him. Hammond didn't further elaborate; but based on how he avoided looking at everyone when he spoke about his conflict with Nedry, Muldoon could see he felt guilt about it. Although it was late, Muldoon thought it was good that Hammond owned his part in the conflict and was even regretful for it. Henry's a different story altogether…Muldoon thought.
"I don't think he's that way now," Hammond said, focusing on his walking cane. "He's paid for his crimes many times over, but that's Dennis. Henry's betrayal is a mystery to me." He shook his head. Although he had been told why Wu betrayed him, it was still difficult to accept. If he had just waited for the park to open to the public…if he had been more understanding about why I decided to hold off… The thoughts swirled in his mind, but he wouldn't speak them aloud. For Hammond, saying them aloud would confirm the truth that he still didn't want to accept.
"Fascinating…" Anderson's voice trailed off as he took out his pocket notebook and wrote down what was being discussed.
He drew a Venn diagram. Nedry's full name was above the left circle, and Wu's full name was above the right circle. Nedry had "contract/salary issues?" and "lack of remorse at trial" in his circle, while Wu had "proud?", "motives", and "family of co-workers" in his. In the section where the circles overlapped, Anderson wrote "swayed by Dodgson/Biosyn" and "worked for InGen" as common denominators. He tore the page out and found a piece of tape on his desk. From there, he taped the Venn diagram to another corner of the evidence board.
"Robert, you don't know this, but when you and Dennis were stranded on Sorna, Ray found this notebook with everyone's names from Biosyn and InGen. Henry's name was circled in red," Malcolm said.
Muldoon's eyebrows furrowed and he instinctively reached in his pocket for his whiskey-filled flask, but it wasn't there. He had left it in his hotel room. "What's that about?"
"Dennis had written a list of names from both InGen and Biosyn."
Hammond looked up sharply, ripped free from his inner thoughts. "Which company was Henry listed under?"
"Biosyn." Malcolm was solemn. "His name was circled red to bring attention to it."
Hammond closed his eyes in deep thought. He opened his eyes again, almost half expecting and half hoping that he would find out everything was the product of a bizarre nightmare. It was real though—he was with Malcolm and Muldoon in a detective's office, Nedry was risking his life to try to convince Wu to return to InGen, and Wu was working with Dodgson because of promises of worldwide fame if he chose Biosyn over InGen.
Anderson observed the exchange in front of him. He noticed Hammond's reaction and realized how these revelations about his former employee were like being repeatedly stabbed in the back—and heart. He found an empty chair nearby and gently urged Hammond to sit down. Hammond did so while holding his walking cane on his lap.
"Henry's reaction at the time was very telling. He was angry and lashing out, as though we were already accusing him of having betrayed InGen." When Hammond and Muldoon stared at Malcolm without responding, he took at his cue to make his point. "Henry never wanted to be discovered, but once Dodgson came to the island, he began making his move. Something was off about him because his personality kept flipping back and forth—from kind and humble one moment, to cold and unapproachable the next. Whereas Dennis has always been Dennis: arrogant and difficult to deal with."
"He doesn't hide who he is," Muldoon said.
"Exactly," Malcolm said, and he took it a step further. "Dennis Nedry knows why he betrayed InGen, whereas Henry Wu is questioning his decision while trying to pretend that he's standing by it."
"Can I hear the entire recording again?" Hammond suddenly asked, breaking out of his trance. For some reason, he felt compelled to listen to it again.
"Sure, of course." Anderson reached over to the listening station, rewound the recording, and then pressed the play button.
Hammond scooted over to get closer to the listening station, as though the proximity would help him to accept what he found unacceptable: Wu's betrayal. This time, he couldn't tear himself away from it. There was something that struck him about hearing the two employees who had betrayed him, especially when Nedry called out Wu. The recording ended.
"Dennis fell first," Hammond said, staring at the machine. "It's why he's the only one who can reach Henry. He came around eventually—he's changed, but he can still be difficult. He's just not the same as before. He used to be very bitter and cold towards me and everyone here."
"He wasn't too eager about doing this initially, even with the promise of having his sentence commuted," Anderson said.
"You're right, he wasn't. I know he wasn't, but…" Hammond shrugged, unsure of what to say.
"It's because he's afraid," Muldoon said. "He won't openly say it because that's not who he is. Dodgson put him through hell in the past and who knows what he'll do this time."
Malcolm latched on. "Sometimes people hide their fear behind anger. Robert's right: we know Lewis Dodgson has done awful things to Dennis before, but he always manages to get back up again and keep fighting."
"With broken fingers," Muldoon muttered, shaking his head.
"That didn't stop him last time. Uh, with Henry—"
"Do you think he's afraid?"
Anderson and Hammond waited to see how Malcolm would respond to Muldoon's question. Malcolm thought about it before finally answering.
"He's not afraid, he's ambivalent. My hope is that because Henry is on the fence about everything—that he will take the leap into InGen's front yard. The grass is always greener on the other side as the saying goes. He thought it would be that way with Biosyn, but I think he's come to the realization that it's not. It was always a mirage."
oOo
Meanwhile, in Los Altos, in the building that Dodgson labeled as "Biosyn Off-Site: Research Department", Nedry still found the basement to be freezing cold. He didn't expect he'd be given welcoming accommodations. After all, he was their prisoner. He didn't know what time it was, if it was day or night, but he knew if he asked, they wouldn't tell him.
They being his former "co-workers" who now surrounded his gurney. Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo, the three musketeers, he thought. For once, he was thankful for the duct tape that prevented him from speaking. When they first came down to check on him, Lopez wanted him gagged, so they wouldn't have to put up with his excessive backtalk and sarcasm. The less he heard Nedry's mouth, the better. Tembo insisted it was so that Nedry couldn't lead them into conversations where they revealed information. He was still convinced that Nedry wore a secret recording device and was furious that he couldn't find it the day before. Sonya acted indifferent about both their reasons.
For the past hour, they had discussed him as though he weren't there. It was just as well.
Nedry let them blab as much as they liked. It was only a matter of time before one of them slipped and gave more information than they intended to. Henry Wu was with them too but being that he sat in a chair against the wall, observing and not participating, Nedry didn't count him. Nedry wondered why he was even there if he wasn't going to say anything, but then again, maybe it was good that Wu was present—especially since he claimed he wouldn't be around when the team was there. Nedry knew he had a small span of time to convince Wu to return to InGen. He thought they made progress the first night, but yesterday, Wu was at his absolute worst. Today when Wu returned with the group, he stayed on the sidelines. He didn't participate but observed everything. Then again, Wu did stop Tembo from shooting Nedry again during the first day of his imprisonment. He also interrupted the group when they searched for a wire…so maybe his presence was meant to keep Nedry safe?
"I have an idea," Tembo said, leering at Nedry.
"What's that?" Sonya asked as she leaned against the gurney's rails.
"We shouldn't call him by his name. We should call him by his department identification number—the one from prison."
Lopez walked around the basement to check if they had certain supplies—a towel or a cloth and an empty container to put water in. He immediately whipped around when he heard Tembo's suggestion.
"Zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?! That's brilliant, Roland!"
Lopez found what he was looking for and placed it on a nearby desk. He noticed Wu watching him.
"Gotta be prepared for whenever Lew wants us to start waterboarding, Denn—oops, I meant, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five."
Wu maintained a flat expression. He appeared to stare right through Lopez.
"You're no fun," Lopez said to Wu, who turned away, as though interested in something else.
Lopez watched him for a moment and then approached the gurney with a wide smile on his face.
Tembo and Lopez using his Department of Corrections identification number to mock him didn't go unnoticed. Nedry resolved to not respond whenever they used it. Any reaction he showed would give them tremendous satisfaction—which he refused to do. However, if there was one thing irking him at that moment, it was that sick smile stretched across Lopez's face. Nedry was the only one who received a smile from Lopez that was a mix of sheer hatred and complete disdain.
"You know, we started off on the wrong foot, and it got worse from there."
Lopez circled the gurney and then stopped when he stood directly over Nedry. Nedry followed him with his eyes and watched him carefully, unsure of where he was going with this one-sided conversation—and wondering why he was standing close to the gurney.
"If you were like this back then, as you are now—the embodiment of golden silence—no snarky comments, no obnoxious sarcasm, and no annoying backtalk—we could've had a great working relationship. Strike that. We would've."
He wished he could rip off the duct tape and shove it in Lopez's mouth! If only he weren't strapped down, Nedry would even the score and Lopez was fully aware of that fact. Neither man had forgotten their brutal fight in the visitor center. Nedry knew Lopez was still bitter that he had come so close to finally wiping out his existence and was robbed of the chance to do so when Muldoon showed up in time to destroy Lopez's dreams—and Lopez himself.
"Don't you agree, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five? We would've gotten along wonderfully if you had just kept your big mouth shut. But you know, we can start over today. Silence gives consent, right?" Lopez tapped the roll of duct tape that had been placed next to the tray of surgical tools earlier. "I'll take your silence to mean you completely agree with me. We're finally on the same page! Aren't you glad I didn't have to beat you senseless this time?"
He leaned in close—and received a swift head-butt from Nedry. Lopez grunted in pain, clasping his forehead.
"You shi—" He reached over to attack Nedry when Sonya pulled him away.
"Don't give him what he wants," Sonya demanded.
Lopez didn't hear her as he focused on Nedry who glared back at him. "Even without you running your mouth, you manage to be a miserable pain in the ass!"
"Back off, Raúl," Tembo said, interrupting the fray. "You know the insecure bastard needs to get in one hit to feel good about himself."
Lopez pushed Sonya off him and then caught Wu's jeering expression. It was worse because Wu was silently mocking him, although Lopez had always respected him and his accomplishments. Wu's expression was derisive, he was entertained by what had just happened. Right then, it hit Lopez that Nedry and Wu were up to something. Lopez looked back at Nedry, noting his contemptuous stare. He wasn't the least bit worried about Lopez retaliating. In fact, he was daring him silently to do so.
"I say we search him again," Lopez said, approaching Nedry for the second time. He grabbed Nedry's collar and twisted it.
Nedry didn't react. This was just Lopez throwing his weight around to feel important after the embarrassment of getting head-butted.
"Search him for what? You still think he's hiding a bug in his clothes?" Sonya asked, getting in front of Lopez again and pushing him away. "Back off, for the second time today."
Lopez walked off in a huff as she patted down Nedry's arms and legs and then started on his chest. When she started for his hair, he pulled away from her touch.
"What, you don't want me touching you?"
Nedry sent her a blank stare, indicating he couldn't care less what she felt.
"Looks clean to me." Sonya shrugged, uninterested in continuing to search him since he wasn't giving her the reaction she had hoped for. As always, Sonya sought attention—be it positive or negative. Indifference was her worst enemy.
"Don't be a ditz, Sonya," Lopez called from the middle of the room. "How did he get arrested one day, then released the next, and suddenly he's on our doorstep? Something's not right about this picture."
Tembo nodded. "I'm inclined to agree with you, Raúl."
"Great minds think alike."
"Maybe John Hammond bailed him out," Sonya suggested.
"Spared no expense," Wu muttered.
Nedry's shoulders shook as though he were containing his laughter.
"You find that funny," Tembo growled. "You know, you never answered our question from the first day. Why are you here? We know why Dodgson wants you back, but what are your reasons?"
Nedry rolled his eyes as though saying: these stupid questions again? He then motioned with his head in Wu's direction. Tembo looked over his shoulder at Wu, who sat in a chair against the wall, watching everyone. Wu looked annoyed; he sat with his arms folded across his chest, indicating he wasn't open to being involved or sharing his thoughts on the matter.
"Since he obviously isn't going to tell us—" Tembo started again when Wu finally spoke up.
"He can't since you gagged him again." Wu got up and yanked off the duct tape. "Now he can talk to us." He sat down again after tossing the duct tape on the floor.
"Who said I want to talk with you assholes?" Nedry said with a wide grin. "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't."
"We don't have time to waste," Tembo said, resuming his take-charge role. "We need to figure out a schedule of who will guard him, so he doesn't escape."
"Why would I run off when you've made me a captive audience?"
"Because you're a pathetic coward," Sonya said with a sing-song voice.
"I have a question for you guys—two actually," Nedry said, twisting against the straps. He noticed Wu turned in his direction. He's listening. "So yeah, I feel like talking."
"What's your first question?" Lopez asked. He stood back as though avoiding another painful headbutt. "You only get this question and one more. That's it."
Nedry locked eyes with Lopez, wanting to make it clear that this question was reserved for him—especially after their recent exchange. "I can't believe what I'm about to ask you, but this inquiring mind wants to know: why do you hate me so much?"
Lopez blinked, shocked. He clearly hadn't expected this question. He turned to Tembo and Sonya, as though expecting they knew why Nedry was asking this question. A moment later, they all busted out laughing. Nothing was heard for a full minute except hideous laughter. Lopez caught his breath and was about to respond when Tembo spoke up.
"Three words: because you're you."
"Three more words: what he said," Sonya added, smirking in his direction.
"Guys, let me answer, ok? That question was meant for me," Lopez said.
Nedry nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with Lopez. "Yeah, you know he hates for anyone to steal his thunder."
"But you're you. Period. If you know yourself, then you know why he hates you," Sonya insisted.
"What does that mean?" Nedry asked, feigning ignorance. "That's very vague. Besides, I know myself—and I love who I am!" Nothing could be further from the truth, but Nedry would never let on that he constantly struggled with self-hatred and shame for betraying Hammond, hurting his InGen coworkers, and messing up his life.
"Let me answer this one, Sonya," Lopez said. He was near the gurney so that he was face to face with Nedry—but still at a safe distance so that he wouldn't receive another painful headbutt. "You're an arrogant jackass—you always have been." He jabbed his pointer finger in Nedry's chest. "You constantly lie, you suck up to Dodgson when it suits you, and then turn around and backstab him. Good thing is now Dodgson learned from last time, so you can't fool him again. You call dinosaurs 'lizards'—"
"You're butthurt because I call them 'lizards'?!" This struck Nedry as hilarious.
"You have an issue with my chosen career."
"I don't have an issue with you being a paleontologist. I have an issue with you," Nedry corrected him. "Your career plays no role in that."
"Oh really?" Lopez's voice was dry as sand.
"Really. I have no issues with Dr. Grant and he's a world-renowned paleontologist. He doesn't like computers and technology, but he doesn't have an issue with me. The only issue I see here is you, Dr. Lopez. You like to be called that, right? Doctor Lopez? Petty jealousy and professional rivalry and it's not about to die down."
"It will die when you die…and hopefully that will be soon." Lopez stepped away now. If he remained there, he wouldn't control his violent rage that threatened to erupt anytime he was near Nedry.
"You hate me and yet you've never walked a mile in my shoes."
Lopez turned around to respond when Nedry cut him off.
"All this ridiculous jealousy and for what?!"
Nedry raised himself as much as he could, straining against the straps in an effort to challenge Lopez. He noticed Tembo, Sonya, and Wu watching Lopez to see how he would react.
"Dodgson's always favored you, and you know it, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five—we all do." Lopez's voice dripped with hatred as he pointed at him. "And only because you could override Jurassic Park's security systems—"
"Because I designed them myself, dumbass!" Nedry shook his head, annoyed. "If you had designed the security systems, then you could easily override them, and Dodgson would depend on you! You have all this knowledge when it comes to extinct lizards—but you have zero common sense!"
"I have zero common sense?" Lopez shot a knowing smirk at Tembo and Sonya as though expecting them to jump to his side.
"You heard me—and don't look to Roland or Sonya to back you up. I'm not looking to Henry to defend me. I can stand on my own two feet, thank you very much!"
The basement was deadly silent. Everyone, even Wu, was invested as they watched and listened. Lopez started towards the gurney again and stopped when he was a foot away from Nedry.
"You want to lose your career? Be locked up and have every decision made for you no matter how small? How about having your reputation ruined or the embarrassment of wearing chains? Or living in a cage? What about knowing that everyone is looking down at you for being a convicted felon?"
"Boo-hoo, that's so sad." Lopez scoffed. "Sucks to be you."
"And yet somehow you still got this green-eyed monster when it comes to me. You really want Dodgson to send Tembo to kill you—all because you refuse to do what he wants?" Nedry still pressed against the straps holding him down. "How dare you decide not to carry out one of his most malicious plans! The nerve!"
Lopez was quiet now and he swallowed nervously.
"Dodgson really favored me that time, right?"
Lopez still said nothing as he glared at Nedry.
"He didn't have the group beat you up for his entertainment—but sure, keep whining that he favors me."
Lopez finally responded. "You survived."
"Sucks to be you! Your pettiness is exhausting. Shut up and sit down!"
Lopez didn't answer this time, although he was obviously taken aback. He went to stand against the wall, away from everyone else. He didn't "sit down" as a deliberate way to show he wouldn't do what Nedry told him to do. Even so, it wasn't clear if he was embarrassed by Nedry telling him off, or if his silence betrayed that he agreed with Nedry that Dodgson didn't favor him if he put a hit on him. Either way, Lopez would never admit it aloud—to himself or anyone—that Nedry made valid points.
Nedry watched him walk away and then glanced at Wu, who still sat quietly, listening to everything. He wondered what Wu thought of all this. Did Wu really enjoy being on a toxic team with people who talked casually about the death of each other? Where if one person got a little more appreciation or acknowledgement than the other, suddenly there were fits of violent jealousy? Henry knows InGen was never like this, Nedry thought. We were a dysfunctional family and had our moments with each other and John, but there were never talks about who should be dead, who got more attention, who had more respect. None of that childish bullshit.
He admitted to himself that he did carry a huge grudge against Arnold and Muldoon after he was arrested, and yes, he had made their lives a living hell for some time. Sometimes looking back at his old self, Nedry couldn't believe he was that bitter and angry. That at one time, he had been hellbent on destroying Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold for simply doing the right thing by having him arrested for his crimes against the company. Was I that far gone?! I really was… He only hoped Wu wasn't that far over the edge. Based on what he had seen so far, Nedry felt relieved that Wu wasn't. He was with Biosyn reluctantly, whereas Nedry had been completely in. Knowing he had their attention; he went forward with his next question.
"My second question is for all of you. Why do you hate InGen?"
Tembo, Sonya, and Lopez exchanged confused glances as though trying to decide who should answer that question and how it should be answered. Sonya then looked from Wu to Nedry, while Lopez tilted his head in thought. Tembo was the only one who spoke up.
"We don't hate InGen, we simply want what they have."
"But you all made every effort to destroy them when you occupied the island last time. Why?"
"Why not?" Tembo sneered. "With InGen out of the way, Biosyn could take over and be the number one name in genetic engineering."
"Why did you bully Gerry Harding, Robert Muldoon, and Ray Arnold?" Nedry pressed. "Same with John's grandchildren, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Sattler. Why were you so vicious to them? They didn't do anything to hurt you, so why did you all go out of your way to make them miserable? Can anyone answer this question? Sonya? Roland? Raúl?"
"We're not doing this," Lopez said, leaving the wall and joining Tembo. "That's like ten questions in one. What are you expecting, an answer for each individual person you just named from InGen?"
"Absolutely."
"Not happening." Lopez shook his head.
"Then answer the one question I asked about hating InGen," Nedry countered.
"I just did, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five," Tembo said. "Take it or leave it."
"You had—or have—a vendetta against anyone from InGen. Dodgson must've fed you all rage-filled protein shakes every morning and told you to go make trouble for them." Nedry aimed his thoughts at Wu now. "You know I'm right, Henry."
Wu shrugged but didn't respond.
"It was fun crushing the competition," Sonya said. "Destroying that bimbo's greenhouse, micromanaging the pissed off staff, separating them and running them into the ground. They couldn't do anything about it. Great times!"
Keep talking, Sonya, Nedry thought, smugly. Sonya and Lopez were alike: they had no restraint once they started talking. Tembo was smart: he got straight to the point and didn't say more than necessary. He had hoped to get Tembo to talk about the failed hit on him, but it hadn't happened. Nedry knew this might be his last chance to pull any information out of them. He'd have to switch gears and focus on Wu from now on. Put all his energy into convincing him to return to InGen. For now, he would still try to get info out of Tembo.
"I thought you wanted Robert Muldoon's position as park warden, Roland," Nedry said.
"I did back then, and I still do now."
"Why?"
"Stop asking questions that you know the answers to," Tembo growled. "Don't mistake me for a fool."
"It's too late for that, since you're still working for Dodgson, even after your dog collar days." Nedry smirked, knowing his comment would infuriate Tembo. "Old dogs can't learn new tricks."
"And a traitor is always a traitor. You truly are the loneliest of all men, "Tembo said. "No one envies you—not even Raúl, despite what you want to believe."
"I'm glad you know me so well; it's like we're best friends." Nedry pretended he was lounging in a king-sized luxury bed, although the gurney was narrow and uncomfortable. "Let's say you succeeded in destroying InGen, and Biosyn took over Isla Nublar, what would you do next?"
"Roll in the millions of dollars that we'd rake in once we opened Jurassic Park to the world!" Sonya said, jumping in before Tembo could answer. "Is that so hard to understand?"
"Oh, I understand it." A sneaky grin flashed across Nedry's face. "It's just I imagine you rolling in money nak—"
Sonya stomped over to the gurney and slapped him across the face before he could finish his sentence. "Keep dreaming, stupid perv."
"That wasn't very nice," Nedry mumbled as he glanced in Wu's direction again. Wu looked like he was trying to suppress his laughter—he tried to appear bored, except it wasn't working as a slight smirk crossed his face. "It's not funny, Henry. This is serious business!"
"I'll tell you what's 'serious business', Denny." Sonya apparently forgot about Tembo's suggestion. "We all want an answer to a question that's been bugging us for a while."
"Ask and you may receive an answer that's been bugging me for a while."
Sonya wagged her finger in his face." "Not 'may'—we will receive an answer."
"Go ahead, Sonya-pie."
"What made you decide to do it?"
Nedry's eyebrows furrowed, confused about what she meant. "Do what?"
Tembo and Lopez exchanged a knowing glance. They knew exactly where she was going.
"When Lew told us he wanted a velociraptor, you spent the entire day bitching and moaning about how dangerous they are, how they killed some no-name—"
"Jophery." Nedry enunciated the name. "His name was Jophery."
Sonya rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"I recall the three of you spending the entire day reminding me that I had been incarcerated and how I owed Dodgson my freedom. You knew about that little detail in the contract he had me sign. Follow his every demand or get thrown back in the slammer. Sweet deal."
"What contract?" Sonya pretended to play innocent.
"That's not our fault you didn't read the fine print," Lopez threw in.
Nedry met Lopez's angry glare and made a quick decision not to respond to him as he focused on Sonya who leaned over the gurney. He watched as she picked up the surgical scissors.
"What do you want to ask me?"
"At a quarter to midnight, you decided to go along with it, after spending the entire day dragging your feet," Sonya said, admiring the surgical scissors and then turning to Nedry. "We want to know why."
"Does it matter?"
"It does," Tembo said before Sonya could respond. "Answer the question."
"Telling me you want to know why isn't a question. It's a statement. Demanding I answer a question isn't a question either."
Tembo rubbed his head as though a migraine was settling in, but it was more so that he was avoiding punching Nedry in the face for his insolence. "Ask him in question format, Sonya, since he's so damn particular."
Nedry waited and glanced at Wu, who remained sitting in his chair, stoic and still not participating outwardly. He could tell Wu was listening though. Wu sat upright with his arms folded across his chest; his dark eyes were cold and distant. It was his usual position in which he radiated superiority. He might pretend to not be interested, but he was hanging onto every word.
"What made you finally agree to get a velociraptor for Dodgson?" Sonya seized his attention as she ran the surgical scissors up and down his chest.
Nedry watched Sonya play with the surgical scissors and was grateful that he wore a jacket and several layers of clothes underneath. He knew she was trying to distract him so that he would blurt out his reasons for agreeing to Dodgson's request after protesting it…but there was no way he'd allow her or any of them to know what he was thinking that day…
"I don't know." Nedry shrugged. "I just agreed to do it."
"You're lying." Sonya pressed down harder. The surgical scissors ripped his jacket near the left pocket as she dragged it downward, tearing the fabric. "I know you're lying, and so does everyone else."
Nedry forced himself to find another point to focus on. It would help him endure the emotional torture of being questioned about the decision he regretted most. His sneakers, the wall behind Wu, the incandescent light above him...anything to distract himself.
"Did Roland and Raúl wear you down? Maybe you couldn't wait to make a ton of money from that assignment."
"Or maybe he hoped the raptor would slash Muldoon's belly, spilling out his intestines," Lopez added as he neared the gurney and made a slashing motion in the air. He grabbed the extraction forceps from the adjacent tray. "I bet that's what it is. Zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five decided to go along with it because he knew Robert hated them. The opposite of everything he told us that day. What do you think, Roland?"
"Truer words have never been spoken," Tembo said.
Nedry said nothing as he kept trying to distract himself. To this day, he didn't know why he agreed to that assignment. Or more so, he didn't want to know why he went along with it. The burden was too heavy to bear, especially knowing the outcome of that awful day. Still, he tried to hide his intense emotions that were threatening to erupt by maintaining a neutral expression. If he revealed anything—guilt, sadness, anger—they would know they had found his weakness and exploit it. He wouldn't allow them to believe there was a valid reason (or reasons) for why he finally agreed to participate in seizing a velociraptor—and he didn't want his regret and guilt spilling outward in front of them.
"When being excessively talkative is your main character trait, your silence speaks deafening volumes," Tembo said, circling the gurney. "You know exactly why you agreed to Dodgson's assignment. Overwhelming greed, a personal vendetta against Robert Muldoon, and the excitement you experienced every time you made your coworkers' lives a living hell—those are your reasons for following through a demand made on you, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five. Not a request. All of us know that Dr. Dodgson doesn't make requests. His wish is our command, and although you used every excuse in the book for why we shouldn't do the assignment, you ended up doing it anyway."
Nedry clenched his teeth, willing himself not to respond. It was becoming more difficult as the seconds ticked by…
"You made it happen when you turned off the security systems—we couldn't have done it without you," Sonya said in that grating sing-song voice she often used. She tossed the surgical scissors back on the tray and ruffled Nedry's hair, laughing as he tried to avoid her touch.
Lopez was the most thrilled to participate in the question session that was causing distress to Nedry. "Look how quiet you are! Any time you're not mouthing off is a sure sign that your weakness has been tapped into. Let me guess—you still feel depressed that Hammond landed in the hospital and sad that Muldoon ended up with hideous scars."
Nedry counted the cracks on the wall behind Wu, refusing to respond to Lopez's malicious charges. He was so focused on making sure he had the right count that he didn't notice Wu following his gaze. Wu looked over his shoulder at the wall behind him, trying to figure out what had caught Nedry's attention.
"You can lay there and act like you're pleading the fifth so that you don't incriminate yourself…" Lopez said, holding the extraction forceps directly in Nedry's face. "But we'll pull the truth out of you, even if it means your mouth is full of blood and missing teeth by the end of today."
Nedry lost his concentration and glared hatefully at Lopez. "I'd love to see you try."
Tembo and Sonya came around the gurney just as Nedry raised his head and spat a glob of saliva in Lopez's eye. Lopez dropped the extraction forceps and wiped the drippy spit out of his eye.
"Disgusting bastard!" Lopez growled.
Tembo shoved Nedry's head down and held it in place, while Sonya snatched the extraction forceps and handed them to Lopez.
"I'll take you up on that challenge." Lopez waved the extraction forceps like a magic wand. "Hold him down, so that we can start." He grinned wickedly at Nedry. "Sorry, this may hurt a little. We ran out of anesthesia."
Wu slowly rose from his seat; his eyes widened with alarm. He started towards the gurney even as Nedry was still insulting Lopez.
"'Cause you got high off it earlier. I bet all three of you took turns having fun with the anesthesia, just like you have fun massaging Dodgson's stinky feet every night."
"Open your mouth nice and wide, Denny, so we can begin pulling out the truth," Sonya said while Tembo held his head in place.
Lopez had the extraction forceps positioned right over Nedry's mouth as though deciding which tooth to pull out first when the door crashed open and slammed shut. Lewis Dodgson rushed into the basement room, red-faced and furious.
"What the fuck is going on down here?! Who told you all to come down here and waste time with him?" Dodgson gestured at the ring of Biosyn team members surrounding Nedry.
Sonya stepped back as though removing herself from the situation and Tembo released his grip.
"We're keeping watch so he doesn't get any bright ideas of escaping," Lopez said, as though this should be obvious. He tossed the extraction forceps on the tray, disappointed that he couldn't extract Nedry's teeth thanks to Dodgson's untimely interference.
Dodgson turned to Nedry now, a ghastly sneer on his face. "You came here to speak with Henry?"
"No, I came to stare at the wall, Lew. Do paint-by-number with Raúl. Play bridge with Roland and go shopping with Sonya." He refused to waste time reminding Dodgson that they had arranged to meet at Carlos and Charlie's and what had ensued…
Dodgson grabbed the gurney's rail and got in Nedry's face. "Do yourself a fucking favor and don't get smart with me. We all know what I can do to you."
"Yep, I know full well what you're capable of." Nedry focused his attention on Wu, who had retreated and now stood against the wall. "Henry's my InGen brethren. I wanna know how he's doing and what he's been up to, but Lopez who loves to kiss your ass has a problem with it."
Wu squinted at him, astounded by his nerve. For the first time since being down there today, he made an obvious move to respond. He mouthed, what the hell are you doing?! Pissing off Lopez as always, Nedry mouthed back. Lopez's eyes flickered from Nedry to Wu. He had caught their exchange.
"You can't leave Henry down here with him, Dr. Dodgson. Who knows what nonsense Dennis will put in his head?"
Dodgson spun around on Lopez. "I don't want you here by your damn self, never mind Henry. If you're here, you'll be too tempted to kill him."
Lopez played with the strap holding down Nedry's arms and pulled it hard, tightening it. "Why's that a bad thing?" He grinned when he saw Nedry wince. "We'll just cut off your circulation and let you rot away."
Tembo and Sonya watched with bated breath to see how Dodgson would react. They knew better than to challenge Dodgson, and they also knew what happened to those who did—like Nedry.
"Because I'm focused on taking down InGen. That traitorous shithead," Dodgson growled, pointing at Nedry, "is a fucking distraction for us."
"Aren't you the one who said to bring him back here?" Lopez countered. "Now he's here and we're doing nothing about it. We're just talking with him when we should be torturing him."
Dodgson yanked Lopez away from the gurney. He pulled him to the other side of the basement, ignoring Sonya's sharp gasp. Wu and Tembo turned in their direction as did Sonya to see what would happen. Even Nedry watched them, trying to hear what Dodgson was saying to Lopez.
"I don't want you laying a hand on him."
Lopez stared at the ground. He wanted to speak up, although he knew he shouldn't. Questioning Dodgson was like signing your own death warrant. You didn't do it if you wanted to survive under his employment. He forced himself to look up and was glad when he made eye contact with Sonya, who shook her head, and Tembo, who mouthed don't challenge him, we'll get Dennis later. Lopez's irate stare then landed on Wu who still sat comfortably in the chair near Nedry's gurney. Wu glared back at him, unflinching. Lopez sighed, frustrated. Once again, he knew Nedry was up to something—and this time it involved Henry Wu.
"Eyes on the prize, Raúl!" Dodgson snapped his fingers in front of Lopez's face, forcing Lopez to focus his attention on him. "We're not fucking up like last time. Got it?"
"What about George Lawala? He's not here because Dennis convinced him—" Being intimidated by Dodgson caused Lopez to forget to use Nedry's department identification number.
"What. Did. I. Just. Say?!"
"Eyes on the prize. Don't come down here by myself."
Dodgson smiled widely, but everyone could tell that his smile didn't light up his eyes. "Exactly. If you're gonna check on our little ex-con, then you're coming down with Roland or Sonya. Or Henry." He pointed at each of them, singling them out. "Not alone. Are we clear as fucking crystal or what?"
"As fucking crystal."
Lopez knew he hadn't come down to Nedry's basement prison by himself. He had been with Sonya and Tembo the entire time, while Wu was a quiet spectator. At the same time, he knew not to contradict Dodgson. He glanced at Nedry now and saw that self-satisfied smirk that always infuriated him. His hands closed into tight fists—it was an instinctual reaction whenever he was around Nedry. He wanted to pound in that hacker's face just as he did that night in the jail cell—break his nose or make it so that his eye was swollen shut—but he couldn't lay a finger on him…not with Dodgson around.
"Good." Dodgson walked away from Lopez, leaving him standing by himself on the other side of the basement. He went back to the gurney and picked up the scalpel. "I want you to understand one thing, Dennis—and it's very simple."
Despite being uncomfortable with the tightness of the gurney's straps restraining him, Nedry pretended to sit calmly, like an eager student wanting to show his teacher that he was paying full attention to the lesson being taught.
"Sure thing, Dr. Dodgson."
"You won't leave here unscathed; I can promise you that. I'm gonna give you something to always remember me by. You'll never see yourself the same way again." Dodgson tapped the scalpel on his own face before tossing it back on the tray.
Nedry had a serious expression on his face for the span of five seconds and then he burst out laughing. "Whatever you fucking say!"
Dodgson's expression remained deadpan. "Don't worry, I'll make sure it's a surprise." To the rest of everyone else, he pointed at the door. "Get out."
Tembo shook his head, obviously annoyed, but was the first to leave, followed by Sonya. Lopez watched them exit and then turned to Nedry and Wu.
"Dr. Dodgson, these two…"
"Get out, Lopez. Now."
Lopez sent Nedry a murderous glare. "Even now, you manage to manipulate Dodgson so that he caters to you." He turned back to Dodgson, as though begging him to listen to reason. "He's gonna be the end of us—I know it. We should just kill him already."
Nedry made an exaggerated pouting expression. "Please don't ugly cry!"
"Get the fuck out before I push you out myself!" Dodgson demanded. "Don't make me say it a fourth time!"
Lopez marched out, but not before throwing a dirty look in Wu's direction and pointing at Nedry.
Dodgson watched as Lopez left the basement, leaving Wu and Nedry. "I'll give you one minute, Henry, and that's it. You and everyone else can figure out how you want to guard our favorite prisoner."
Wu was surprised when Dodgson left him alone with Nedry. When he was sure Dodgson was out of earshot, he stood up in front of the gurney.
"You still got Lew wrapped around your finger." Wu didn't try to disguise his condescension. "How you do it, I have no idea. I'm not sure if it amazes me or disgusts me—probably both."
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Dodgson told Lopez to lay off you."
"That doesn't mean anything." Nedry shook his head, frustrated. "You think him putting Lopez in line in front of me means he's on Team Dennis?"
Wu smirked. "You mean Team zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?"
Nedry's jaw tightened as he stared at Wu in silence. That was the only visible sign that gave away his anger about being called by his department identification number.
Wu tried again, making sure that his mocking tone was obvious. "What's wrong, zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five? You got quiet all of a sudden. Dodgson's got your tongue?"
"I only respond to my name, and you know damn well what it is. So don't pull that yik-yak with me." Nedry pulled against the straps in a futile effort to free himself. "It's really pathetic how low you'll stoop in order to fit in with your beloved brood of vipers."
"I doubt there's anyone lower than you. Unless you know such a person?"
"I'm talking to him right now. Henry Wu, the lowest of the low. Once upon a time, he was known fondly as Jurassic Park's 'Miracle Worker'. Now, he's just a bottom-feeder ass-kissing Dodgson lackey who loves being willfully ignorant."
Wu's smirk vanished. An enraged snarl erupted from him as he balled up his fist and punched Nedry in the face. "Say that about me again and I'm punching you in the throat next time. Hopefully, it'll permanently damage your vocal cords." He wiped Nedry's blood on his pants.
Nedry watched Wu wipe his hands and licked the blood leaking from his mouth. "Fine, I'll play nicely—but you better use my name."
"It bothers you that much, huh zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five?"
Nedry let out a dry laugh. "Nope, because one day they'll only be known as numbers and be forced to eat their words. You'll be known as a number too, if you don't pull your head out of your ass." He let that sink in before making his final point. "What bothers me is you're still wearing that wool over your eyes, Henry. Even after all this time."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!"
"Pay attention, Captain Obvious. If you think I have Lewis Dodgson wrapped around my finger, you're lying to yourself. The last time he reprimanded Lopez in front of me, hours later you poured lizard guts on me at his command. It's his stupid mind games."
"What do you mean?" Wu sighed, his anger subsiding. He didn't want to admit it, but he was curious.
Nedry thought he was being deliberately obtuse. "You really love that wool, don't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Dodgson does this on purpose because he knows Lopez and I hate each other with an unrelenting passion. He'll act like he's putting one of us in check in front of the other—and then turn against the one he pretended to defend. It's nothing new." When Nedry saw Wu's knitted eyebrows, he elaborated further. "You forgot that day with the lizard guts? You were there when it happened. Stop acting like you don't know."
Wu fumbled with his pants pocket, unsure of how to respond. He knew what incident Nedry referred to. It was the time Biosyn had taken over Isla Nublar, Dodgson had Nedry turn off the fences so that he and Wu could conduct "scientific discoveries". Lawala and Tembo had slaughtered a baby stegosaur and Sonya and Lopez had poached a juvenile dilophosaur—both dinosaurs had been killed in their own paddocks at Dodgson's orders. After they completed their "scientific discoveries", Dodgson had the team eviscerate both animals and had the guts poured on Nedry to humiliate him further—all to keep him in line. Wu remembered the occurrence happening in the visitor center's cafeteria and that Nedry was made to feel like he was extremely held in low regard by Dodgson and everyone on the team. To add insult to injury, Dodgson made it so that Nedry had to report to Lopez. Wu also recalled now that he had been the one that dumped the dinosaur entrails…
"I don't have enough time to do this," Nedry mumbled under his breath.
Wu wasn't sure what he referred to and he stared at the door as more memories flashed through his mind. He had sought out Nedry later that night and they had a conversation in the cafeteria, which Wu had initiated. It was centered on the isolation both men felt. Nedry was more familiar with the loneliness associated with being a traitor, whereas for Wu, it was an entirely new experience and unbearable. He hated feeling like he had nobody to confide in or call a friend. The InGen staff rejected him for what he had done against them and the Biosyn team didn't fully accept him either. He was in the middle and completely alone.
"You're quiet today. That's not like you."
"What?" Wu asked, turning back to Nedry.
He was unsure if he had heard him right. Even though he had punched Nedry in the face minutes ago, Wu was surprised to hear the note of concern in his voice. If anything, Nedry should be furious at him, not worried for him—at least, that's how Wu viewed the situation. Wu knew for a fact that he wouldn't be worried for Nedry if their roles were reversed.
"I said you're quiet today. That's not like you."
"What's like me, then?" Wu challenged, resuming his mask of superiority. "Since you think you know me so well."
Nedry shrugged, but a smug grin lit his face. "Usually, you're in my face and beating on your chest about being Jurassic Park's 'Miracle Worker'."
"I've been doing a lot of thinking, that's all."
"About what?"
Wu was silent for a full minute before his words stumbled out. Inwardly, he was furious at himself for showing cracks in his psyche. He needed to be mentally solid, but…Nedry was good at honing on his weaknesses.
"It's nothing…I have to go…"
He wasn't sure what else to say, especially as a wave of shame hit him. Had he really backstabbed Hammond, poured dinosaur guts on Nedry, and participated in bullying his InGen coworkers? For some reason, he felt his entire betrayal crashing down on him now. He avoided Nedry's accusing stare.
"I'll be back later."
"Next time you're down here, throw out that damn wool. You should be tired of walking around blind, but for some reason you enjoy it." Nedry cracked up laughing, entertained by the thought of Wu choosing to remain in a state of blissful ignorance.
Wu rushed out and locked the door behind him. Long after he had left the basement, he still heard Nedry's harsh laughter ringing in his ears.