The Ninth Circle of Hell

by Sassy Lil Scorpio

Hammond returns to Isla Nublar and finds out everything that occurred during his hospitalization. Wu is miserable working for Dodgson and dreams of escape. Nedry is apprehended right after running into the Biosyn team. Hammond fights for Nedry's freedom on two conditions: convince Wu to return to InGen and bring down Dodgson and his gang. {Sequel to Reign of Chaos Trilogy} {AU}

25. Conviction Without Closure

Chapter 25 – Conviction Without Closure

"Sometimes the only way to get closure is by accepting that you'll never get it." - John Mark Green

oOo

The next day,a somber mood hung over the courtroom like a dark raincloud. Henry Wu thought he knew what to expect, and yet, he wasn't fully prepared. As comical as the previous day of courtroom drama had been, today would be serious. First, Judge Hoskins made it clear that any behavior that he deemed inappropriate or disrespectful of the court's proceedings would result in immediate removal from the courtroom by a court officer and lock-up for twenty-four hours at the county jail. From there, the person would be permanently expelled from returning to this specific trial.

Even with those ground rules laid out, Wu had a feeling of what was in store. He had watched how Paul Kirby and Udesky handled everything, so he wasn't worried about them. Lewis Dodgson decided to be his own attorney, so that he could represent himself. This was a huge question mark. Wu didn't know what to make of that, but he knew he might have to go through the experience of Dodgson cross-examining him on the witness stand. Malcolm spoke with him about it as the jurors filed in and took their seats in the jury box.

"He'll try to intimidate you, but remember, he's already been exposed by Dennis, and really, by all of us. All he has left is deflections and diversions."

"That's the thing—if I have to take the stand again, there's no telling what he'll do."

"Just remember this phrase, Henry. It's, uh, from The Wizard of Oz. Can you guess which line?"

Wu shook his head, bewildered. Malcolm had a weird sense of humor at times. "I have no idea."

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Right then, Judge Hoskins entered the courtroom, and everyone stood up. Once they resumed their seats, Kirby and Udesky wasted no time and called Wu back to the witness stand.

As he was being sworn in, Wu wondered how long he would testify. He barely heard the oath he was asked to repeat, nor did he feel the Bible's leather cover. Nedry had testified all day until he was removed from the courtroom. On that note, he thought about Nedry's back-and-forth exchanges with Peter Ludlow from yesterday. At times, it was uncomfortable when Ludlow publicly demeaned Nedry, by using his felon status to destroy his credibility. Other times, it was humorous because of Nedry turning the tables on Ludlow. Wu understood by now that Nedry used sarcasm as a weapon—attack others while also defending himself. And to cope when he was under stress, to cover his anger, fear, and hurt. Even so, Wu knew he didn't possess half of Nedry's nerve to behave that way in a court of law. The other part was Wu found it baffling. Based on the bits and pieces Hammond shared with him, Nedry was severely depressed while in protective custody. He wondered if Nedry's off-handed humor came out because Dodgson would finally have his day—and he was glad to play a role in Dodgson facing his comeuppance. Nedry did his part in contributing to Dodgson's eventual fate, and now Wu would have his turn. It was a dire situation that Wu took seriously as his eyes wandered around the courtroom.

The jury watched him carefully and he tried not to make eye contact with them. Instead, Wu watched Udesky review several papers on the prosecution desk, while Kirby approached the witness stand. Then the gallery caught his attention. Malcolm and Muldoon sat on either side of Hammond in the front row. Hammond grasped his walking cane. Anderson couldn't be present yesterday, but today he was here, sitting in the row behind them. Wu made eye contact with Hammond.

Just tell the truth, Hammond mouthed. Don't be afraid, put it all out there.

Wu nodded. The truth was a heavy burden to carry. It had kept him awake at night and caused him to experience a great deal of self-loathing...but it was the truth. The only way to ensure Dodgson got locked up would be to tell the truth—just as he had done in all the previous trials. Wu waited for Kirby to begin. Before beginning his cross-examination, Kirby flashed a reassuring smile. Wu appreciated it; he took it to mean Kirby was communicating to him that he had nothing to worry about. This gave him some relief—until Kirby announced how he was planned to start.

"I'd like to play a recording for the entire court to hear."

Wu's heart stopped in his chest—which recording would they play?! It couldn't be—

"We're gonna play a fun game very dear to my heart," Dodgson's deep voice filled the courtroom. "Russian Roulette. Roland, do the honors."

Metallic clicking noises echoed in the silent courtroom. Wu closed his eyes as suddenly he was there again. He was in that conference room, sitting across from Nedry. Tembo was preparing the revolver. Making sure there was only one cartridge. One bullet. Then a voice that hadn't been present that day interrupted everything. Wu was back in the courtroom again as he opened his eyes and saw Kirby standing in front of the witness stand.

"Are you okay?" Kirby whispered, leaning close to him. "I know this is really hard."

"I got this." Wu straightened up in the chair. He had to go through with addressing that horrible moment in time—especially if it would seal Dodgson's fate so that he never harmed anyone again.

Another minute of clicking mechanics passed and then Wu recognized Tembo's voice followed by Dodgson's.

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

"Excellent! Who wants to start?"

Then he heard Nedry's carefree tone. For the first time, Wu could hear Nedry's voice shaking although he tried to hide it. It was very subtle, but present.

"Why don't R&R do a live demonstration for us? I've never played this game before. I'm so into my computer programming and candy bars that it's all I focus on. I've never heard of Russian Roulette until now. I learn best by watching others."

Wu found his throat constricting now in court—just as it did that day. He looked past Muldoon, Hammond, and Malcolm—all three men watched him intensely. He had to distract himself, so he forced himself to stare at the courtroom doors. It helped so that he didn't tense up when he heard Lopez's and Tembo's recorded laughter. Every time their voices boomed in the recording, Wu's heart felt like it wanted to leap out from his chest, breaking free from the rib cage. Then he heard Lopez's smug tone.

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

More chilling laughter from Lopez and Tembo. Wu glanced quickly at the jury box. Some of the jurors were taking notes. He thought that was interesting and wondered what they were writing down. Then he heard Nedry asking about the lone survivor. Wu's stomach twisted into knots because he knew what the answer was already—and he knew who answered Nedry.

"So glad you asked! Whoever survives will be killed anyway, so that it looks like a murder-suicide."

Wu finally forced himself to look in Dodgson's direction. Dodgson sat on the side of the defense table, holding the arms of his wheelchair in a tight grip. Then, as though he noticed Wu paying attention to him, he relaxed and folded his hands on his lap, appearing calm. Docile. It was all an act for the jury, Wu knew. It's too late, Lew, they already know your true colors. It took every ounce of self-control to not shout out that message. A moment later Wu heard the recording of himself laughing uncontrollably. At first, he thought he was really laughing right now in real time, but then he reminded himself that he had busted out laughing just before him and Nedry started playing the deadly game. He supposed that made up for what he really wanted to say aloud…

From there, Wu only heard the voices from that day as they played in the courtroom, but they were disconnected. He recognized every person who spoke, including himself. Nedry. Tembo. Dodgson. Lopez. Sonya. Baselton. He realized that King was the quietest one. Sometimes hearing the maniacal laughter of those who wanted to destroy him and Nedry sent him into a silent frenzy in his mind that only he knew about. Intrusive thoughts of violent revenge would swarm in his head, and he had to take count backwards from twenty to center himself. It was better that it happened in his mind and not aloud. He needed to maintain a calm exterior even if his interior was shattering all over again from having to relive that terrible trauma.

Still, it stabbed him in the heart when he looked out at the gallery and saw Malcolm staring off to the side, his face solemn. Or how Muldoon slowly shook his head—Wu guessed he was infuriated by what he was hearing. The worst was Hammond. Wu tried to avoid looking in his direction, but it was impossible. Hammond sat with his amber cane clutched tightly in his hands and his head bowed. Wu thought he was seeing things, but then realized he wasn't—Hammond was trembling slightly. He watched as Malcolm leaned over and whispered something to him. Hammond held up his hand in protest and then resumed gripping his cane. Wu wondered what Malcolm had asked or told him—and he wondered if Hammond was becoming emotional as the scene's audio recording continued to play out. Then Wu saw Hammond look up briefly in his direction—and he caught the older man wiping his face with a handkerchief.

Wu exhaled, letting out a long sigh. This is all my fault. If I had just waited patiently and not jumped at my craving for fame, none of us would be here right now. A very small part of him realized that it was good that they were here—because everyone from Biosyn was being prosecuted—but still, when Wu saw Hammond's tearful reaction… His heart ached for the older man who had trusted him, believed in him, and shared his dreams with him. Hammond had given so much to Wu—and this was how Wu paid him back. Hammond wasn't one to cry, but Wu understood that it must be extremely difficult for Hammond to find out everything. First, everything that had happened during his hospitalization. And now the fact that both Wu and Nedry were a hair away from a cruel death—forced by their own hand.

From then on, Wu closed his eyes. He couldn't stand to look at anyone—not the jury, not Dodgson (who was probably smirking), not those associated with InGen, and not even Kirby. He didn't have much longer to wait though. A few minutes later, he heard the gunshot's thunderous bang. Wu's eyes snapped open. Udesky stopped the audio recording and now Kirby stood in front of him. Wu supposed he had never left the witness stand, but he didn't know for sure.

"Dr. Wu, if I may call you that," Kirby started slowly. "Can you tell me what happened when that gunshot rang out?"

Wu looked to his left and right, searching for the plastic cup and water pitcher. It was right in front of him. He poured water into the cup and quickly drank it. Setting the cup down, he took a deep breath and made sure to articulate clearly.

"I shot him…"

"Who did you shoot?"

Wu noted that Kirby's tone wasn't accusatory. He was gentle as though he knew this was very difficult to speak about.

"Lewis Dodgson."

"Why?"

"Because…" Wu poured himself another cup of water. "He wanted to see Dennis or me kill ourselves with that sick game he was forcing us to play…and even if one of us had survived, he would've made the other turn the gun on ourselves…"

"Could you tell the court what you were feeling during that time?" Kirby made an open gesture towards the jury, silently instructing Wu to face them.

Wu looked in the direction of the jury and all twelve jurors stared back, waiting expectantly to hear from him. They were a diverse group of people from all walks of life. He let out a shaky breath and spoke slowly, pausing several times to clearly state his experience.

"Terrified…that I would be the one…to shoot myself in the head…or that I'd witness Dennis shooting himself in the head…" Wu licked his lips; they were dry, and his throat was parched. He sipped the water and placed the cup down, trying to make sure he didn't spill it. His hands trembled and he willed himself to remain still. "Afraid that there was no way out…we would both be dead in less than an hour…If he went first…then I'd be next…if I went first…he'd be next…setting it up to look like a murder-suicide…neither of us would be alive to speak the truth…"

He stared at the cup of water he hadn't fully drank from. How strange that it was easier to stare at a cup of water than to see the reactions from Hammond, Muldoon, and Malcolm. He hadn't even considered what Judge Hoskins was thinking of all this. So far, Judge Hoskins had been silently listening and observing everything from the bench.

"What was the worst part of this situation for you? Granted, the situation in its entirety is horrific," Kirby pointed out, "aside from the very likely chance that you and Dennis Nedry would be dead—what else stands out to you?"

A long silence before Wu firmly stated his response. "That they took bets on our lives—on who would die first."

"That was in the recording Udesky played for the court?"

"Yes."

"And you said Lewis Dodgson forced you both to play this game of Russian Roulette?"

"Yes." At first, Wu was annoyed at Kirby's repetitive questions, and then he realized what he was doing: he was ensuring there were no lingering doubts in the jurors' minds about what had transpired.

"Is Lewis Dodgson in this courtroom today?" Kirby continued.

Wu hesitated before answering. "Yes, he is."

"Can you point him out?"

Wu looked up and he immediately wished he hadn't. Dodgson stared at him with that intense predatory gaze. The cold gray eyes. No emotion. No guilt. No remorse… Even so, he pointed at Dodgson who sat up straight in his wheelchair, unfazed that he was being singled out as the individual who forced Nedry and Wu to play the twisted death game.

Kirby looked over his shoulder at Dodgson and then he approached the jury box. "Let the record reflect that Dr. Wu has pointed out Lewis Dodgson who is sitting at the defense table." He returned to Wu again.

"We're gonna go backwards now, okay? Hopefully, this will be a lot easier."

Wu didn't smile, but inwardly he was relieved. "I think it will be."

For the rest of the morning, Kirby cross-examined Wu. Everything from how he had first met Dodgson, and what motivated him to align himself with the corporate enemy. Other questions came up, such as Wu's observations on how he knew about the plan to abduct Nedry, and how the team—especially Tembo, Lopez, and Sonya—treated Nedry when they held him captive. Wu was starting to feel slightly better—until Kirby brought up Dodgson's plot to kidnap Hammond's grandchildren, Tim and Lex. The moment Kirby mentioned their names, Wu wished he could disappear.

He dreaded seeing Hammond's reaction, and now, for the first time since agreeing to work undercover for Dodgson, he wondered what his professor and mentor, Norman Atherton, would think about everything. If he could see Wu now, would Atherton be repulsed by him? Wu shoved the thought away. He had stumbled and picked himself back up as Hammond had said that night when everyone had celebrated him and Nedry. He also knew he could continue condemning himself—and he didn't want to imagine Atherton condemning him as well.

"In the audio recording we heard with you and Mr. Nedry, you're telling him that Lewis Dodgson mentioned kidnapping John Hammond's grandchildren, Tim and Lex Murphy. Is that accurate?"

Wu didn't want to, but he nodded in agreement. It was true, and now Hammond's words rang in his mind: just tell the truth. Don't be afraid, put it all out there. He finally forced himself to speak up before Judge Hoskins reminded him that he had to speak aloud for the record.

"Yes, it's true."

"Tell the court about it."

Wu opened his mouth to speak, and then he closed it, his lips pressed into a thin line. He had lost his focus when he saw Dodgson glaring at him, silent and hateful. It was creepy and Wu tried not to look in his direction, but he couldn't help it. Kirby realized what was going on as he glanced over his shoulder at Dodgson and then pointed at himself.

"Eyes on me." Kirby directed Wu in a voice loud enough for the entire courtroom to hear. "Don't pay attention to him," he said, motioning towards Dodgson. "Remember, he's on trial. You're not."

Wu looked out into the gallery and saw Muldoon nodding in agreement. He tried to avoid looking directly at Hammond as he began to share the details of Dodgson's abominable plan…

"Dodgson wanted to get revenge on InGen for humiliating him, for making sure he got kicked off the island. Him and his group had taken over the island for a period."

"Were you part of that takeover?" Kirby asked.

Wu glanced at Udesky who scribbled everything on a legal pad. "Yes, I was."

"So, based on your first-hand observations—because you were in the same vicinity when he voiced these plans—what did Lewis Dodgson hope to gain from abducting Tim Murphy and Lex Murphy?"

Wu thought back to that meeting, and he heard Dodgson's gleeful voice in his mind as though it were yesterday. I wouldn't be requesting Jurassic Park. I'd be demanding it. Fuck that "requesting" shit. Are you kidding me? Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park will be the ransom in exchange for his grandbrats!

"He wanted to gain control, have complete ownership of John Hammond's island and biological preserve…and ultimately, he wanted to destroy Hammond."

Kirby nodded; his expression was thoughtful. "What would be your role in this plot?"

Wu purposely avoided glancing at the gallery altogether now. "Dodgson wanted me to pretend to join InGen again, so that I could lure Tim and Lex away—assist in their abduction basically."

Kirby bit his lower lip as he thought about his next question. He went forward with it. "Did he say what he wanted to do to them, once they were held captive?"

"No, he didn't." For Wu, this was the only saving grace of this entire atrocious plot. He also realized that he didn't want to know what Dodgson had planned for Tim and Lex.

"How old are Hammond's grandchildren, Tim and Lex, respectively?"

"I'd say thirteen and sixteen…" Wu thought about it and realized he was off by a year. Lex had turned sixteen a year after Nedry's sentencing and another year had passed after that. "I was mistaken. I'd say fourteen and seventeen—Tim is fourteen years old, and Lex is seventeen years old. I might be off by a year or two, but they're both teenagers."

"Both are minors then," Kirby stated. "Was there anything else?"

"He wanted to expose Hammond for everything that might've gone wrong during the construction of the preserve."

"Such as…?"

Wu swallowed nervously. He didn't know what was more difficult: acknowledging that Dodgson had planned to kidnap Tim and Lex and involve him in the plot—or that Dodgson wanted to expose InGen's dark secrets. Both were horrible and would've cornered Hammond in the worst way possible. Even if he did turn over Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar to Biosyn, there was no telling that Dodgson would follow through on his word. In fact, knowing Dodgson's propensity for being vicious, he would've gotten rid of Tim and Lex and exposed InGen anyway. That would've succeeded in obliterating Hammond permanently.

"There were accidents…fatal ones…some families of the workers sued."

"Dodgson wanted to expose everything about InGen that would've put them in a negative light?"

"Yes, that's it."

Wu thought Kirby would run with this, but thankfully he didn't. What was even more shocking was that not once did Dodgson object to any line of questioning from the prosecution. Wu didn't know what to make of it. He doubted Dodgson had given up. Then he decided that he didn't care about what Dodgson thought. What about Hammond? That was way more important. Wu quickly glanced into the gallery. Hammond looked at him directly, his mouth moving, but no words came out. Wu couldn't tell what he was saying, and he didn't want to imagine how Hammond felt knowing what he knew now.

Wu watched as Kirby went to the prosecution table and spoke briefly with Udesky. Udesky was shaking his head and then Kirby turned back to Judge Hoskins.

"The prosecution rests its case, Your Honor."

Wu breathed a sigh of relief. Kirby and Udesky were finished with their side of the case—but now that meant it was Dodgson's turn. He looked in Dodgson's direction, noticing how eager he appeared, even while sitting at the defense table by himself. Dodgson was about to come forward when Judge Hoskins ordered a recess and to reconvene in an hour. Wu slowly got off the witness stand and headed to the gallery. He said nothing as he sat on the bench next to Muldoon. What was there to say? What could he say now that Hammond knew the truth? He didn't have long to find out as Hammond spoke to him first, resting a reassuring hand on Wu's shoulder.

"I asked you to tell the truth, and you did, Henry. Thank you for that. It wasn't easy to hear, but it needs to be out there. It's the only way we will move forward from all this."

Wu noticed Hammonds sounded like himself: firm, strong, and determined.

"Thank you, John."

A short while later, Hammond, Wu, Muldoon, and Malcolm left the courtroom for a short lunch break. They were joined by Anderson who had sat in the row behind them during the proceedings.

oOo

Everyone returned from recess after one o'clock in the afternoon.

The trial picked up immediately. As Dodgson was acting as his own attorney, it was his turn to call his one and only witness: Henry Wu. Wu took his time as he approached the witness stand for the second time today. Inwardly, he wondered how this would turn out. During lunch, Malcolm had noted that Dodgson hadn't objected once during Kirby's cross-examination. In fact, he didn't obstruct the proceedings at all—unless you counted his hateful glares aimed at Wu, which were meant to intimidate him. Wu didn't know what to make of Dodgson calling him up to the stand or his weird silence in the morning. Was he accepting defeat? Or was he arrogant enough to think he didn't have to lift a finger to defend himself? Wu sat down after being sworn in again and saw Malcolm in the front row behind the prosecution table. He made a motion like drawing back a curtain. A wry smile flashed across Wu's face as he knew exactly what Malcolm referred to. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Wu watched Dodgson wheel himself so that he was in front of the witness stand. His hands tightly gripped the arms of the wheelchair. Then, as though realizing how his body language could be interpreted, he folded his hands on his lap. Dodgson was going with the pretense of being the calm and laidback defendant. Wu noted the expensive black Prada business suit Dodgson wore—all while knowing he had committed horrendous crimes. The contrast was sobering. He kept staring at Dodgson's legs, imagining them completely immobile. Dodgson's patent leather shoes were situated on the footrests. For an instant, Wu wondered if Dodgson was faking an injury, and in that moment, he imagined Dodgson leaping out of the wheelchair to choke him. Wu rubbed his forehead and cleared his mind of that bizarre image when he heard Dodgson speak to him.

"Are you okay? You can sit this one out if you want."

Wu looked at Dodgson who stared back at him with that same unblinking gaze. Dodgson was just as intimidating in the wheelchair as when he was able to walk. When he thought about it more, Wu realized he was worse now for the simple fact that he was in the wheelchair. Dodgson was ten times more manipulative and ruthless to compensate…because of his perceived powerlessness and underlying rage at what Wu had done to him. Asking if he was okay and if he wanted to sit out—the mercy was nonexistent. Instead, Wu heard the sheer hatred in Dodgson's voice which came out as mock sympathy and faux compassion. It was interesting how he heard all the undercurrents that he didn't before…or maybe he just chose not to hear what had been there all along. He didn't have time to think about it as Dodgson started firing questions at him.

"How did you meet John Hammond?"

"Through Norm—"

"Was he upfront with you from the beginning about the type of genetic engineering you would be doing?"

"He told me—"

"What made you decide to work with Biosyn?"

"They offered—"

Before Dodgson could shoot off another question, Wu turned to Judge Hoskins, holding up his hands in protest. "I can't answer his questions if he keeps cutting me off." His frustration was palpable as he sighed, annoyed at whatever games Dodgson was playing.

"Begin your questions again. Slower," Judge Hoskins directed.

Dodgson's lips curled into a dark grin. "I'll slow down, Your Honor." He turned to Wu again. "Are you ready?"

Wu didn't answer as he had locked eyes with Muldoon. Don't let him get the best of you, Muldoon mouthed. He was right. Wu nodded, trying to channel Muldoon's stoicism. Then, Dodgson went in a different direction.

"So, we met through Howard King, is that right?"

"George Baselton," Wu corrected him.

Dodgson backed up in his wheelchair, a puzzled expression on his face. "I recall it being my personal assistant, Howard King."

"It was George Baselton, the man who pretended to be Hammond's accountant while embezzling his funds."

"I think your memory is compromised, Dr. Wu."

"I think you're playing mind games."

Wu sat back in the chair, shocked that he had snapped at Dodgson. That's when he realized that Dodgson was trying to make him doubt his memory. He wanted to make Wu look like the one in the wrong—and the crazy one. Right then, Wu decided to take charge himself as he turned to Judge Hoskins.

"Can I just tell the court how I met Lewis Dodgson?"

Judge Hoskins nodded. "Proceed with your explanation."

Wu took a deep breath and ignored Dodgson's steely glare. Of course, he was angry because he lost control for the moment… "I had worked for InGen for several years, under John Hammond's employment to help create his biological preserve. He chose to keep the preserve closed due to Dennis Nedry's conviction in court, I became disenchanted—"

"Disgruntled?" Dodgson threw in as he wheeled himself closer to the witness stand, so that he was right in front of Wu again.

Wu let a moment pass before he answered. "Yes, I was disgruntled…I was hoping that I would become known for my work, but everything was put on hold. George Baselton told me he knew someone who was passionate about genetics like me, someone who respected my talents and abilities."

Dodgson smiled pleasantly as he knew the direction Wu was going in. "And who was that someone?"

"It was you: Lewis Dodgson."

"A brilliant geneticist such as you shouldn't have his talents taken for granted, his accomplishments fall to the wayside, or his dreams trampled on—that's what I told you when we first met."

Wu blinked as the memory replayed in his mind—only this time he pictured Dodgson sinking his claws into his psyche. "I remember."

"I greatly admired your work as a fellow geneticist, and had utmost respect for your genius mind, Dr. Wu. It's why I keep coming back to the question: why did you shoot me?"

A deathly silence filled the courtroom. No one spoke. Even the court reporter stopped typing. The jurors all tuned in, waiting to hear Wu's answer. Wu looked over at Malcolm in time to see him do the same motion: pulling back the curtain.

"You shot me, leaving me paralyzed, after Dennis egged you on. Tell the court what you were thinking when you committed that irreversible action."

Wu froze. What the hell was Dodgson doing? There was no method to his madness. He was all over the place, acting nonsensically, and now he was trying to paint himself as the victim. Kirby abruptly stood up from behind the prosecution table.

"Objection, Your Honor. Dr. Henry Wu is not the defendant in this trial—Lewis Dodgson is. It was previously established that he was under duress when he shot Dodgson—and so was Dennis Nedry when they were forced to play Russian Roulette and hear their own former associates taking bets on their lives. I'd like to remind the court that it was Lewis Dodgson who forced both men to play the deadly game."

Before Judge Hoskins made his judgement, Kirby already sat down, confident the ruling would go in his favor.

"Sustained. Henry Wu's testimony in this area is sufficient."

Dodgson pretended Kirby hadn't interrupted him. "I'm on trial, and yet here you are, a free man, with no charges being leveled against you for this atrocious assault that resulted in my current condition. Answer the question, Dr. Wu," he spat out. "Why did you shoot me? Were you expecting this to happen? Why didn't you aim for a nonvital body part—like my arm?"

He was interrupted by Judge Hoskins banging his gavel. "When I rule 'sustained', that means you can no longer ask questions about that topic."

There were some murmurings in the courtroom following this.

Malcolm spoke quickly to Muldoon. "He's playing mind games. Gaslighting."

"Pretending to be the victim?" Muldoon asked.

"Yes, while acting like Henry is the villain."

The gavel came down again. "Silence in the court. Continue cross-examining the witness, Dr. Dodgson, but do not revert to your previous question," Judge Hoskins ordered.

Dodgson tilted his head as he thought about what other direction he could take. "Can I go back to an earlier question I asked Dr. Wu?"

"Yes."

Wu watched Dodgson to see what he would do this time. Dodgson said nothing for several moments. Everyone in the courtroom had quieted down to see what would happen next—and then Dodgson went in for the kill.

"Why don't you share with the court all our interactions, Dr. Wu?"

Even as anger surged through him and his face grew hot with fury at Dodgson for his ongoing mind games, Wu decided right then how he would handle this.

"Once we started working together, you wanted your team to steal live specimens off the main island, Isla Nublar. I made it possible."

"How so?"

Wu ignored Dodgson's knowing smirk. "I managed to work it out so that John Hammond and I were never around when your team invaded the island. We were on the neighboring island, Isla Sorna."

Wu met Hammond's questioning stare head-on. The betrayer and the betrayed. This time, he wouldn't shy away from him. It was time he told the entire truth—the full extent of his betrayal. He hadn't done so the day Hammond invited him to take a walk in the park. Back then, Wu had held back. This time, he would reveal everything and cleanse himself while also pointing out Dodgson's part. Even so, he noticed the realization hit Hammond as the older man's eyes widened when he remembered what Wu spoke of. Wu's only hope was that Hammond would forgive him for his duplicity, and yet, he made sure to prepare himself in case Hammond wanted nothing to do with him after today…

"I took photos of various animals and sent them to you. I called the authorities in Costa Rica to let them know someone had gotten injured—that was one of your guys. I did that on my own accord—you didn't put me up to that. They questioned John Hammond nonstop, and he vented to me about it afterwards."

Dodgson couldn't contain his laughter now as it burst forth, much to the shocked gasps of some of the jurors watching and listening. Wu didn't let it deter him—instead, he continued to reveal everything.

"I knew you and your group had kidnapped Robert Muldoon and Dennis Nedry, leaving them stranded on Isla Sorna."

This time, Wu locked eyes with Muldoon. He had no idea how Muldoon would treat him after today especially with everything he was revealing—but he had to tell the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. Muldoon simply gave a curt nod in acknowledgement.

"During those two months, I helped you take over InGen. Later, when Muldoon and Nedry came back to Isla Nublar—I participated in the gang beating that you forced Nedry to endure. That same night, I watched you bribe a police officer—you paid him to look the other way while encouraging myself and the rest of the team to beat Nedry half to death for betraying you. You made sexual advances on Dr. Ellie Sattler—"

"She loved it! She couldn't wait to spre—"

"She didn't want anything to do with you!" Wu snapped, immediately silencing Dodgson. "She wanted no part of you, and you kept on! You bullied my coworkers when you micromanaged and overworked them. As you put it, 'crush the competition'." He stopped as he felt himself trembling with anger—and his fury wasn't just directed at Dodgson—it was aimed at himself. "I went along with everything. Not once did I try to stop what you were doing. I helped destroy Dr. Sattler's greenhouse along with Sonya Durant. She had worked hard to create that greenhouse, putting in countless hours. In no time at all, Sonya and I wrecked it beyond recognition."

This time, Wu's eyes shifted to Malcolm. Malcolm's expression was hard to read—he wasn't angry or happy. He simply took in everything Wu was confessing—especially the part about obliterating Ellie's greenhouse.

"I made everyone in InGen—including Hammond's grandchildren—wonder who the hell I was, and if they ever really knew me."

"We did a lot of phenomenal work together." Dodgson grinned, proud and triumphant.

"We did a lot of work together—but it wasn't phenomenal…it was traumatic to those who suffered at our hands."

"Then why in heaven's name would you commit such atrocities?"

Now it was Wu who wanted to push Dodgson out of his wheelchair for his bold callousness. He restrained himself and continued revealing the harsh truth.

"Because I wanted what you promised me from the beginning: fame, recognition, and acknowledgment for my work. I thought to get what I wanted, that I had to prove myself to you and Biosyn. In the end, I allowed my ego and selfishness to blind me and twist me into someone I wasn't—and someone I never want to be again," he added.

Wu finally faced the entire courtroom. A statue of Lady Justice caught his eye, and he wondered if justice was truly unbiased. From there, he looked at Hammond. Hammond's mouth was open as though he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. Muldoon folded his arms across his chest—despite his closed-off gesture, Wu knew he respected his honesty. Malcolm appeared to be in deep thought.

"I would conclude by saying that when I worked for John Hammond, it brought out the best in me, but in time, I let the success get to my head. When I worked for Lewis Dodgson, it brought out the worst in me, but I finally was able to face myself. That's all there is to it."

Dodgson seemed satisfied with this explanation. "I have no further questions. The defense rests."

Wu left the witness stand and returned to his seat. Right after, the prosecution gave its closing argument. Surprisingly, Udesky spoke to the jury about how it was unclear what Dodgson had hoped to accomplish when he cross-examined Wu. In the end, Udesky concluded that Dodgson's defense turned into a rigamarole, a huge mishmash of different ideas and ridiculous projections, with no real direction or sensible outcome. While listening to the prosecution's closing argument, Wu realized Malcolm had been right all along. Dodgson had hoped to create a diversion by showcasing Wu in a bad light, but as Kirby made it clear in his objection, Wu was not on trial—Dodgson was. Udesky reminded the jury of that point, one more time before concluding.

Dodgson shrugged, nonchalantly, when asked if he wanted to provide a closing argument in his defense. He briefly gestured at himself in the wheelchair, as though trying to evoke sympathy from the jury—but he said nothing in his defense.

Everyone listened now as Judge Hoskins gave the jury their instructions. He reviewed the applicable laws and indicated they would have both reading and audio material and evidence to examine as they deliberated and came to a decision.

"You must return with a unanimous verdict—it must be clear. The character and degree of the crimes, as well as guilt must be firmly established. I leave you to your deliberations."

The jury deliberated for a little over two hours. During that time, Hammond stepped outside of the courtroom. Wu had watched him leave, uncertain of how he had been affected by everything he had revealed. When the jury returned to the courtroom, Malcolm left and returned with Hammond.

Muldoon turned to Wu. "I think you nailed him."

Hammond kept his focus on the jury box when the jury foreman rose and spoke clearly.

"We, the jury, find the defendant, Lewis Dodgson, guilty of all charges."

The courtroom drew to a hush when the verdict was read. Soon after, Udesky and Kirby slapped a victorious high-five. Malcolm and Muldoon applauded loudly. Hammond looked drained as he clutched his cane close to him. Wu saw Dodgson staring straight ahead, his chest heaving up and down—he was trying to contain his rage that would burst forth at any moment. His face flushed beet-red—he was even more angry when the court officer put him in handcuffs and wheeled him out of the courtroom. Wu let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind Dodgson and the court officers. Before adjourning court, Judge Hoskins gave the date of Dodgson's sentence hearing—three days from today on a Friday.

It was almost over.

There was one more detail to be addressed before InGen finally closed the door on Biosyn forever…

oOo

Three days later, they were back in court for Dodgson's sentence hearing set on a Friday afternoon. Wu noticed that when Dodgson was wheeled in this time, he was dressed in a jail-issued orange prison jumpsuit. Instead of resting his hands on his lap, they were restrained with handcuffs. Wu realized what the changes meant: Dodgson was now a convicted felon. His trial was over and the final phase, his sentencing, meant he would be dressed and brought to court in a manner that indicated his new status. Three sheriff deputies also surrounded him—an additional precaution in case anything out of the ordinary occurred.

This time, the only spectators present for the sentencing hearing were Wu, Hammond, Muldoon, and Malcolm. Anderson entered the courtroom and sat in the row behind them as he had done before. The prosecution team, Kirby and Udesky, sat behind their desk. Everyone else continued to watch the proceedings from Isla Nublar. During the three days leading up to Dodgson's sentence hearing, Wu and Muldoon had spoken with Lawala and Arnold about Dodgson's conviction, while Malcolm followed up with Grant and Ellie. Hammond contacted Gennaro and Harding, and then caught up with Tim and Lex. Everyone else who had been present during Dodgson's trial was absent that Friday. Wu found out they were employees who worked out of InGen's headquarters in Palo Alto.

Today was different. The mood was solemn again and everyone knew why—not only would Dodgson be sentenced, but Hammond would finally address the court. Everyone stood up as Judge Hoskins entered the courtroom and took his seat on the bench. After they sat down again, he began the proceedings.

"We're here today for Lewis Dodgson's sentencing. This is the only case that will be heard this afternoon. For today's sentence hearing, we will start with the victim impact statements," Judge Hoskins said, as he looked around the courtroom. "Mr. Muldoon, I believe you shared you wanted to give your impact statement to the court."

"I do."

"Please step forward to the podium and state your name for the record."

Wu watched as Muldoon stood up and made his way to the podium.

"Robert Muldoon." He spelled out his full name for the record and then began his statement. "I'm going to keep this short while I address you directly."

Muldoon paused as he glared at Dodgson. Dodgson sat in the wheelchair behind the defense table. There was no lawyer by his side, only a sheriff deputy who had escorted him into the courtroom. Dodgson didn't turn when he heard Muldoon speaking to him. It was only then that Wu realized Muldoon didn't have a paper in front of him—he was going to speak straight from the heart.

"When I first found out that Dennis was working undercover for you—stealing for you—I hated him for betraying InGen. When he said that you had managed to convince Henry to work alongside you—I didn't believe him. After the last several years though, I now see for myself what a sick and twisted psychopath you really are because you were always the one pulling the strings."

Muldoon stopped and glanced at Judge Hoskins who nodded at him, indicating for him to keep going.

"You've convinced others to do your dirty work countless times. You abducted me and Dennis, leaving us stranded on an island in the hopes that we'd kill each other. You even had the same group beat the daylights out of him. You were glad that Hammond was hospitalized for all those months. Then you thought you could keep us prisoner on our own island—look how that turned out for you, you bloody bastard."

Dodgson stared down at the handcuffs as though they were more interesting than whatever Muldoon had to say. Muldoon saw Dodgson purposely ignoring him and continued anyway.

"You love to control and manipulate others while playing on their insecurities, using it to your advantage. Dennis finally saw that he was working for a monster, and that he in turn had become a monster. I'm glad he was able to see the truth, and that in the end, he had limits, whereas you don't even know the meaning of the word." The entire time Muldoon spoke, he maintained his stony demeanor. "He was able to guide Henry, by getting him out of your grip. He even helped my blood-brother, George Lawala. He showed George that he had better opportunities if he worked for a company that valued him—InGen. Unlike you and Biosyn who exploited him. I'll end this by saying I hope you bloody rot in whatever prison they send you to. And I hope the same hell you put Dennis and Henry through—that you put InGen through—will be your hell today, and everyday going forward until your last dying breath."

Muldoon gave a stiff nod and stepped away from the podium. He walked back to the front row and sat down next to Wu.

Judge Hoskins looked over his list of participants for providing victim impact statements and selected the next person. "Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm stood up, but he didn't go to the podium. "I'm waiving my right to provide a victim impact statement. I don't want to give He Who Shall Not Be Named any more attention since he thrives off it. I'll just say I'm glad that the man behind the curtain was exposed for the vicious monster he really is."

He sat down again next to Hammond. Wu waited to see who would be called next. He hadn't written his own statement…for his own reasons. Behind him, Anderson tapped on Hammond's shoulder.

"John, are you sure you're ready for this?"

Hammond nodded. "Yes, it's now or never."

"Alright…" Anderson pointed at Hammond in front of him and Judge Hoskins took notice.

"Mr. Hammond, you can make your way to the front." Judge Hoskins gestured to the podium.

Everyone watched as Hammond stood up and approached the podium, while leaning on his amber cane for support. Even Dodgson, who had ignored Muldoon's and Malcolm's statements, now glanced in his direction before going back to fiddling with his orange jumpsuit.

"State your name for the record. Then start when you're ready."

Hammond followed Judge Hoskins' directives. "John Hammond." He paused to take out a folded paper from his coat pocket and smoothed it out on the podium.

All was quiet in the courtroom except for the court reporter's typing. Hammond cleared his throat and then began reading his victim impact statement. The entire time he spoke, his voice was firm and clear. He spoke slowly to ensure that every word was heard by every single person in the courtroom.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I would like to address the entire court. I am John Hammond, founder, and CEO of International Genetics Inc. InGen for short. I want to speak on behalf of myself and my company about how Lewis Dodgson and Biosyn have interfered for years. First, I believe competition is healthy and can bring out the best in people. In the case of Lewis Dodgson, it brings out the worst in people, as my employee, Henry Wu, accurately pointed out in his testimony."

Hammond looked up briefly and turned back to his staff. Malcolm, Wu, and Muldoon sat together in the first row. Seeing Malcolm nodding encouraged him and gave him the push he needed. Muldoon was stone-faced and Wu avoided his gaze. He glanced at Anderson who mouthed to him, you got this, say everything you need to say. Hammond straightened his posture—he would continue to speak the truth. He cleared his throat again, and when he spoke, his voice was louder than before, resonating, and powerful.

"Over the past several years, Lewis Dodgson has convinced not one, but two of my employees, to betray me and my company." Hammond briefly made eye contact with Judge Hoskins as he held up two fingers. "I was devastated that they chose to join the competition, who only sought to destroy what I worked so hard to build—a unique biological preserve that I hope to open to the world in the near future. I was deeply hurt by their betrayal. However, upon learning all the abuse Lewis Dodgson heaped on them and my other staff members and consultants—I can't even put into words what I was feeling when I found out everything. It's impossible. I was angry at both my employees for following Dodgson, but I'm angrier that Dodgson valued them so little, that he thought nothing of snatching away their lives—all while convincing them to steal company secrets with false promises of fortune and fame."

Hammond paused as he glanced over at Dodgson. He wouldn't address him directly as Muldoon had done. In Hammond's eyes, there was no reason to give Dodgson the attention he wanted. Although he was doing so in a roundabout way by reading his victim impact statement, he still wanted Judge Hoskins to know how devastating Dodgson's actions were.

"My first employee, Dennis Nedry, had his trial in this very courtroom," Hammond said, opening his arms wide as though including the entire courtroom. "His certification was revoked, and he faced a lengthy prison sentence initially. He's hoping to have a brand-new start after accepting responsibility for his past choices, and after risking his own life to help a fellow employee from my company—Henry Wu." Hammond gently gestured to Wu who sat nearby in the gallery. "Prior to that, Lewis Dodgson tormented Dennis after he refused to do his bidding. Dodgson put a hit on him, and fortunately he survived attempted murder. Later, Dodgson had him brutally beaten to the extent that he had to stay overnight in the same hospital where I received care after my stroke."

Hammond took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. After putting it back in his pocket, he continued.

"I saw when he was brought to the hospital. To say he looked worse than me is an understatement, and I was in terrible shape when my stroke left me paralyzed for some time. My second employee, Henry, lived in fear for his life if he dared walk away from Dodgson. Recently, both Dennis and Henry were forced to engage in Russian Roulette. Both were under the threat of violence, that their lives would be over no matter how the so-called game ended. I had known about it the day it happened—but hearing it for the first time…hearing the actual recording of it taking place—"

He lost his words momentarily. Hammond waited for the words to come to him. He wanted to describe the tumultuous emotions he felt when hearing the recording played in court. The words never came because it was too overwhelming. The immense anger, the overwhelming sadness, the numbing shock… It was better to continue reading his statement.

"It shakes me to my core to know that two intelligent and hard-working men I had hired, nearly had their lives ended in such a cruel and brutal manner because of Dodgson's sadistic behavior. The worst part? Hearing how he and his gang of thugs turned it into a spectacle, taking bets on their lives of who would die first."

Hammond paused for a moment and adjusted his glasses. He looked directly at Judge Hoskins.

"What I'm going to say now isn't part of my statement, but I want it on record."

Judge Hoskins nodded, indicating Hammond could continue to speak for the record—even if what he was about to say wasn't part of his original statement.

"I was furious at Dennis Nedry and Henry Wu for betraying me. Earlier I had said I was 'hurt', but it's much more than that. Betrayal stabs the heart—not just the back—over and over again. As angry as I was at both men for their dishonesty and turning their back on me and everyone from InGen—I never wanted them harmed or killed. I never wanted them beaten up or to have their lives threatened."

He grabbed the sides of the podium. It was deliberate on his part—Hammond felt his hands shaking from the rage that threatened to overtake him. Holding the podium ensured that he could remain still. He could focus on reading the rest of his statement. It also ensured he wouldn't look in Dodgson's direction. That was the most important thing because he felt Dodgson's sharp gray eyes burning into him, staring him down while he read his statement.

"While my employees are responsible for their own choices and the consequences they must face, Lewis Dodgson has always gotten away with his crimes. He got away with killing ten innocent Chilean farmers when he conducted an experiment with an airborne version of rabies. He was indirectly responsible for my stroke and hospitalization. He has trespassed on my property numerous times, and last time he did, he did so with the intention to completely take it over. During that time, those dearest to me were at his mercy. They dealt with his abuse, his bullying, and his 'reign of terror' which I do not state lightly."

Hammond took a deep breath. He was almost there...

"Recently, we found out that he planned to kidnap my grandchildren in the hopes that I would hand over my biological preserve that my company and employees worked hard to construct. He planned to use my dear grandchildren, Tim and Lex, as pawns in his sick game."

His voice was getting shaky again, and this time, he didn't care. Maybe it was better for Judge Hoskins to hear firsthand how painful this experience was for him. When he looked up, he saw Judge Hoskins sitting with his hands folded. He was listening very carefully and hanging onto Hammond's every word.

"Knowing he wanted to harm my grandchildren has made it difficult to sleep at night. I lay awake wondering what would've happened if he had successfully carried out his sick plot. What would he have done to my grandchildren? I already saw what he had done to my two employees, my staff, my consultants—but now he wanted to harm my family. As you can see, Dodgson has no limits."

For the first time since he had started reading his statement, Hammond sent a murderous glare in Dodgson's direction. He had tried to avoid it this entire time, refusing to let Dodgson get the best of him, as Muldoon put it. Dodgson sat behind the defense table and looked the other way when his eyes clashed with Hammond's.

"He has no boundaries as to what he'll do to get what he wants—which is why I'm requesting for him to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Put him away for the rest of his natural life. No possibility of parole. No credit for 'good behavior'. If he's incarcerated for the rest of his life, he will no longer be a threat to myself, my family, my staff, and everyone associated with my company. Thank you."

Hammond folded the paper and placed it in his pocket, and then returned to his seat.

"You hit it out of the park, John—pun intended," Malcolm said as Hammond sat down beside him. His smile was sad—almost queasy, like he was seasick. "You know we never agree on anything, but, uh, this isn't the case here at all. Everything that needed to be said, you said it."

"Thank you, Dr. Malcolm." He turned to Muldoon and Wu, who were nodding in agreement. "Thank you both for being here." He turned around to greet Anderson. "Thank you as well, Detective Anderson, for all your efforts."

Anderson smiled. "Don't mention it. Just hang in there, we're almost done."

Judge Hoskins waited until everyone was settled before he continued. He wouldn't sentence Dodgson—not yet. Although he was certain that's what everyone was anticipating, he had to go in specific order. In every sentence hearing that he had presided over, after victim impact statements were finished, the convicted defendant always had the right to speak on their behalf—right before they were sentenced. Dodgson would be given the same opportunity. Judge Hoskins addressed him now.

"Before I impose sentence, you'll be given the opportunity to address the court, Dr. Dodgson."

Dodgson looked up from fiddling with his chains and jumpsuit. For the first time since being escorted into the courtroom, he appeared interested.

"Thank you for this opportunity to address the court, Your Honor." Dodgson had that syrupy tone that Wu and Nedry were very familiar with, and he turned to face Hammond and everyone else who sat with him in the gallery. With a wide smile, he began. "I'd like to share a story, some of you may've heard of it. It's called "Dante's Inferno". It's the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Divine Comedy. Purgatorio and Paradiso follow, but I want to focus on the first part."

Malcolm listened carefully, wondering where Dodgson was going with this. He had a hunch, but he'd wait and see if he was right.

"Dante's Inferno starts out with Dante trying to get through a forest. He sees a mountain he wants to climb and is faced with three beasts. From there he meets Virgil, the Roman poet. Virgil is there to guide him, walk side by side with him to the top of the mountain, but they must go through Hell first. Dante also wants to get to Beatrice, his beloved." Dodgson paused as he placed his hand on his chest. "I liken myself to Dante, and Beatrice is Dr. Ellie Sattler."

Malcolm scoffed and Judge Hoskins sent him a stern look. Dodgson nodded knowingly, pleased that he had elicited a reaction from Malcolm.

"Dante has to go through the nine circles of Hell. I will be succinct as to what those circles entail, but if your curiosity itches you about the monstrosities Dante sees in hell, it's well worth the full read. As I said before, I'm Dante—but I have no Virgil. I don't need anyone to lead me."

"Spoken like a true sociopath," Muldoon muttered under his breath.

If Dodgson heard him, he didn't bother to acknowledge his words.

"Limbo is the First Circle where the unbaptized and pagans reside. Given that it's the First Circle, it's not bad at all. If I was Dante, I'd see Howard King and George Baselton wandering around here—only because they're so whiny and oversensitive. The Second Circle is Lust…" Dodgson chuckled. "I'd be right there, being blown among the strong winds along with Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Alan Grant. We've all leered at Dr. Ellie Sattler when she's shown up wearing those shorts, crossed her legs, or when she's reached over to put her precious flowers on a table…" He looked directly at Malcolm now and wagged his pointer finger at him in a condescending scolding manner. "You and Dr. Grant belong in the Second Circle for fighting over her like rabid dogs."

Malcolm sent a pained look to Judge Hoskins. He couldn't believe Dodgson was allowed to spew out this nonsense. He wasn't allowed to speak for the moment, but if he could, he'd question why Dodgson was permitted to spout so much drivel. Judge Hoskins shook his head, allowing Dodgson to continue. Malcolm didn't know it, but Judge Hoskins had a method to his madness.

"The Third and Fourth Circles of Hell are two halves of the same coin: gluttony and greed. Funny thing is, you'd think you'd find Dennis here, but no, his place in Hell is far darker and deserving—it's fitting for a traitor like him! I'd place John Hammond here because he claims to want to entertain all the children in the world with his beloved 'biological preserve'."

Dodgson used air quotes for biological preserve and gleefully sneered at Hammond who glared back at him.

"The truth is, he wants to roll in the billions upon trillions of dollars he'll make with his biological preserve! Oh, and John, Donald Gennaro will be down there alongside you. Spare no expense! Your greedy selves will switch places between the Third and Fourth Circles. Just for fun, that loathsome cop who was brought off so easily—Antonio Contreras—he's already there, having the time of his life. Give that man a hundred bucks and he'll look the other way while a certain con is getting the living shit beaten out of him."

Judge Hoskins merely blinked at Dodgson's use of profanity. Any other time, he would've stopped Dodgson right then and called him out in front of the courtroom for using profane language. But no…he let Dodgson keep at it… Meanwhile, Dodgson twisted around in his wheelchair, as though giving this literary lecture was tiring him out and he needed to move around to regain his energy.

"The Fifth Circle—don't fall asleep on me, Henry, we're getting to you. Best comes last." Dodgson winked in a conspiratorial manner.

Wu stared blankly at him, refusing to respond to his bait.

Judge Hoskins noted the exchange and watched as the court reporter recorded everything.

"The Fifth Circle is a cesspool—the River Styx contains those who were full of wrath. For the fun of it, why don't we toss in Hammond's grandbrats down there, along with that quack of a vet, Gerry Harding. You know what? Ray Arnold and Robert Muldoon want to be there too, submerged in the River Styx. Ah, the Sixth Circle is for heretics, that fits you well, Dr. Malcolm. You love to toss out your chaos theory at every turn, so you deserve to lay in a flaming tomb. I bet you all want to know about the Seventh Circle."

When no one responded, Dodgson continued. He was the only one entertained by his musings about Dante's Inferno.

"The Seventh Circle is home to those who were violent to others and themselves. I know who belongs in there: Sonya Durant, Raúl Lopez, and Roland Tembo. Each one of them is cruel and violent. The Eighth Circle is a very special area where frauds reside. That's where George Lawala belongs after he pretended to work for Biosyn, only for him to jump ship to InGen. He had no backbone, or his spine was made of rubber. You'd think he'd be in the final circle of Hell, but no…" Dodgson shook his head and tsk-tsked. "Two very special people are there. Two people I once held in deep regard."

Dodgson paused dramatically as his gaze landed on Wu.

"So now we get to the final and lowest place in Hell—the Ninth Circle of Hell. There you'll find Lake Cocytus, a frozen lake where the residents are trapped in ice for all eternity. And do you know who's there? Or who it's reserved for?"

No one answered.

"Traitors. Traitors like Satan who was cast out of Heaven for his arrogance and pride, when he tried to put himself above God—back then he was known as Lucifer. Traitors like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ with a kiss. You might ask, what makes traitors different from frauds? Treachery is a crime of the heart—it's not just being a fake person, a fraud. To betray someone, you must not give a damn about the relationship that's being destroyed in the process. You do it to gain whatever it is that you want—money, fame, sex, power—and you obliterate the people who put their faith in you, who trusted you to do right by them."

Wu made sure to remain expressionless as he listened to Dodgson. And he made sure he remained seated. It would be so easy to get up and storm out of the courtroom, but he forced himself to hear whatever Dodgson would say next.

"The Ninth Circle of Hell is reserved for traitors. I can say with utmost confidence that Dennis Nedry and Henry Wu would be found trapped in that frozen wasteland. They deserve to suffer there for all eternity."

One would laugh only if they didn't know the depths of Dodgson's psychopathy. No one in the courtroom laughed though because they knew he wasn't joking around. He sat upright in his wheelchair, trying to put on a façade of dignity, despite the orange jumpsuit and chains that indicated he would no longer be part of a free society. No one interrupted him as he lamented Nedry's and Wu's betrayals.

"After everything I've done for them…" Dodgson shook his head, the only indication of his internal fury. "All my resources, time, and energy. All the effort I put into cultivating that ungrateful slob and propping up that insecure clone-artist. They turned their backs on me! I did nothing but try to uplift and empower these men to seek better for themselves."

He turned away from Wu as though disgusted with him, and now appealed to Judge Hoskins who sat quietly, listening to everything.

"Nedry was being exploited and blackmailed by InGen. His career was almost derailed! His IT skills are unparalleled. I offered him respect for his brilliance, plus a fancy salary that he more than deserved after Hammond screwed him over. Wu was ignored and trivialized. Imagine that you've discovered how to bring an extinct animal that hasn't been alive for millions of years. Wouldn't you want accolades? I planned to make him famous, so that he could have the worldwide recognition he longed for and rightfully deserved, after Hammond pushed him to the wayside. What did they do? They testified against me like the little rats they are. Those fucking snitches."

Dodgson stopped and everyone thought he was done, but then he continued his ranting.

"What really sickens me is what Hammond tried to imply about me in his little pity-me speech. I'm not abusive at all—I'm inventive and creative. It saddens me that none of these three men know the depths of my loyalty when they are too busy backstabbing and badmouthing me—and each other too! To conclude though, if I were Dante and I saw Dennis Nedry and Henry Wu frozen and trapped in that ice—I would leave them there to suffer forever because that's where traitors belong—in the Ninth Circle of Hell."

Everyone was quiet. No one knew how to respond to anything he had said. From where he sat on his bench, Judge Hoskins looked at everyone in the courtroom. Dodgson sat back in his wheelchair and grinned triumphantly. Hammond breathed calmly as he held his cane, trying to maintain himself. Muldoon's expression was serious and determined, while Malcolm appeared amused as he shook his head and muttered something inaudible to himself. Wu stared straight ahead at the witness stand in the courtroom, trying to mentally escape. Anderson was the only one who made eye contact with Judge Hoskins. The sheriff deputies surrounding Dodgson didn't give any indication of what they thought of the recent proceedings and the court reporter was the same way: impartial and focused on doing her job. As he read the room, Judge Hoskins knew the time had finally arrived.

"Before I impose the sentence, does anyone have anything else to add for the record?"

Everyone sitting in the gallery shook their heads simultaneously.

Dodgson simply smiled and shrugged. "I said everything I had to."

"Indeed, you have," Judge Hoskins said. "I'll start by saying that when Dennis Nedry was in my courtroom several years ago for his sentence hearing, I was harsh." He paused as he thought about it. "I handed down a just punishment that fit his crimes, and to teach him a lesson that his arrogance was the reason he was in his predicament. Compared to what I'm going to do today, back then will seem like I wore kid gloves. Today, the gloves are off."

"Hit me with it, Judge!" Dodgson said excitedly. He sat up straight in his wheelchair, ready for whatever came his way.

"I listened to your diatribe the entire time, Dr. Dodgson, and what struck me was your severe lack of remorse. Your lack of insight is appalling. Now, whether that's deliberate or a pretense, is irrelevant at this point. The whole time you rambled on about Dante's Inferno, and who you'd see there. You placed people from InGen and Biosyn in your story about journeying into Hell. This was a distraction on a grand scale from you. Not once did I hear any remorse expressed for those you harmed. In fact, you seemed eager to project your own character flaws onto everyone else—although you yourself embody the Seven Deadly Sins."

Dodgson pointed at himself, his wide smile never waning. Judge Hoskins facial expression was cold like granite.

"You're the only defendant in this courtroom, Dr. Dodgson, and I'm speaking directly to you. Let's go down the list. Lust—Dr. Henry Wu mentioned you sexually harassed Dr. Ellie Sattler. Gluttony—conquering InGen by any means necessary as though what you had with your initial company, Biosyn, wasn't satisfactory enough. Sloth, because you get others to do your dirty work. Wrath—I saw it on full display any time you fired your lawyers because they weren't able to manipulate the court to do your bidding."

Dodgson's mood suddenly changed as he shook his head feverishly. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"You had your chance to speak, now it's my turn. Envy, for the simple fact that Dr. Henry Wu is years ahead of you. Pride because you can't and won't accept responsibility for your role in your own downfall. If there really was a Ninth Circle of Hell, you'd be trapped there alongside those you condemn—the very same people who initially betrayed John Hammond to conspire with you—"

"What the fuck?!" Dodgson's ruthless personality burst forth. "This isn't about me!"

"Ahhh, so there he is. Welcome back, Dr. Dodgson—and yes, this is all about you." Judge Hoskins' smile didn't reach his eyes; he wasn't playing games. "You're a traitor for throwing your own associates under the bus—Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo—three of your most loyal workers, and yet now they're behind bars and will be for the rest of their lives. The men you would love to see frozen and trapped in ice: Dennis Nedry and Henry Wu have owned their poor decisions, and how their acts of betrayal devastated those around them. Whereas you, Dr. Dodgson—" Judge Hoskins leaned back in his chair now. "Are you a real doctor anyway? Or is that fraudulent too?"

Dodgson's chest rose and fell. He said nothing as he glared hatefully at Judge Hoskins.

"The court has taken everything into account. From the testimonies of everyone from InGen, to the audio recordings from Mr. Nedry's work as a confidential informant and his written statement—"

"I should've shot that slob in the head when I had the chance," Dodgson seethed. No one knew if he had meant to say that part aloud or not, but Judge Hoskins heard it.

"Make sure you get that on record, Miss Lockwood."

The court reporter nodded as she typed everything, making sure it was part of the permanent record.

"Everything your associates did under your supervision, your past actions against InGen, to your most recently planned one that was thwarted. Kidnapping is a detestable crime in an extensive list of horrible crimes you've committed, Mr. Dodgson. From what I understand though, your unofficial rap sheet goes back further than that."

"Oh really?" Dodgson's voice was dry, he was unimpressed by how much Judge Hoskins knew about him and his unsavory reputation.

"Really." Judge Hoskins served it right back to him as he opened a folder and took out several pages. He scanned them briefly and then looked down at Dodgson again. "Let's see here…expulsion from John Hopkins University to conduct unapproved human gene therapy experiments, or in other words, non-compliance with FDA regulations." He set a page inside and then held one up before setting it down again. "It says here you conducted an experiment on ten Chilean farmers with a rabies vaccine—and that they were all killed."

Dodgson shrugged. "So?"

Someone gasped in the gallery at Dodgson's callous response.

Judge Hoskins regarded him for several moments before speaking again. "So, I see a pattern emerging here, Mr. Dodgson. All these acts committed for profit no matter the cost of human life. Greed at its absolute worst. What you did with InGen, planning to reverse-engineer—"

"Hold up, stop your rambling for one moment. It's Doctor Dodgs—"

"Mister Dodgson is how I will refer to you as you lost the privilege to be called Doctor long ago," Judge Hoskins continued, talking over him. "Everything I just mentioned, and now contract murder, kidnapping, conspiring to kidnap, industrial espionage, trespassing, aiding and abetting a fugitive, instigating a prison escape, even contempt of court when you used profane language—is there anything you haven't done?"

"Hmm, let's see…" A malicious grin spread on Dodgson's face as he turned towards the gallery. "I didn't get to have my way with Dr. Sattler. I really wanted to get to know her intimately…" he let his voice trail off and licked his lips in a salacious manner. "When I imagine spreading those long legs…"

Malcolm bolted up from the bench where he sat, his reddened with anger. At the same time, Muldoon stood up alongside him and willed him to sit down again. Wu and Hammond watched; their eyes widened with shock. Malcolm rarely got angry, and Dodgson managed to hit a sore spot.

"If you had, I would've wrung your neck with my bare hands," Malcolm growled. "You'd already be six feet under where you belong so that you can take your little field trip to Hell by yourself."

"Don't give in to his bloody nonsense," Muldoon said, and he appealed to Judge Hoskins. "Let's finish up before he makes more incendiary remarks."

Judge Hoskins gestured for the sheriff deputies to come forward. "For the rest of these proceedings, stand around the defendant so that you're blocking him from seeing Mr. Hammond's entourage. We're almost done here, and I don't want him to have any more opportunities to antagonize his victims."

The deputies followed his instructions and surrounded Dodgson. It was more to shield Hammond, and everyone who was present with him, away from Dodgson—rather than the other way around. Now Dodgson couldn't see them to taunt them, and he was blocked from their line of sight. Muldoon and Wu glanced in Dodgson's direction, but the wall of sheriff deputies ensured they couldn't see him. On the other side, Dodgson kept twisting around in his wheelchair, but he was unable to see anyone past the sheriff deputies. The human wall was effective.

"Perfect," Judge Hoskins approved of the sight before him. "I should've done this earlier. Let's continue." He turned his attention back to Dodgson. "I'm sure you understand quite well the horrendous nature of your crimes, but I'm also certain that you don't care."

"You're damn right I don't." Dodgson scoffed.

"Good, because I'm sure you won't care about the sentence I'm about to impose." Judge Hoskins spoke slowly, allowing his words to sink in. "Given your past history, all the charges you've been found guilty of and numerous counts…the fact that there's no sign of personal accountability or remorse on your part…and based on your behavior now and during the entire proceedings…it's clear to the court that you present a real danger and threat to everyone…and that you should never be granted the privilege to walk the streets as a free man ever again."

He paused for a dramatic moment and then handed down the sentence.

"The court finds it appropriate that you serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Effective today, you will be incarcerated in the Department of Corrections, where you will remain for the rest of your natural life. You can file an appeal in thirty days if you choose but given the dire nature of your crimes and your gross behavior in this court, I doubt it will go in your favor."

Before Dodgson had a chance to utter another protest, Judge Hoskins banged his gavel on his desk. The sentence hearing was over.

"You can't do this to me!" Dodgson rocked in his wheelchair, agitated. He slammed against the back upholstery. "I'm gonna appeal the hell out of this bullshit!"

Judge Hoskins watched him impassively, as he motioned to the sheriff deputies to come forward so they could wheel Dodgson outside of the courtroom. Behind the courtroom railing, Hammond's jaw dropped in surprise at Dodgson's outburst. Malcolm and Muldoon watched, emotionless, as Dodgson raged on. They had seen his mask of charisma fall enough times to know that the loud furious version of Dodgson who dropped profanity like punctuation—this was who he really was.

"This is fucking wrong—unfair! You're biased! You chose the side of an actual convicted felon and his band of idiots, over me—an accomplished geneticist!"

Judge Hoskins shook his head as though he pitied Dodgson. He watched the sheriff deputies escort Dodgson out of the courtroom. Even the court reporter was memorized by the spectacle of a wheelchair-bound Lewis Dodgson, yelling, and cursing up a storm, furious that he was being accountable for all his crimes and facing life imprisonment. Dodgson was still ranting and raving to anyone who would listen as the door closed behind him and the sheriff's deputies. Finally, silence filled the courtroom as everyone took a moment to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"I almost expected him to leave here with his head held high, not the least bit ashamed that he had been convicted of so many awful crimes," Judge Hoskins said. "Nothing really surprises me in this courtroom these days, but his wailing like a banshee—wow. You can approach the bench."

"Is he really going to spend the rest of his life in prison?" Hammond asked as he stood up, still not fully grasping the implication of Dodgson's sentence.

Malcolm and Muldoon followed Hammond to standing in front of Judge Hoskins. Anderson joined them. Wu was the last to come forward. Judge Hoskins waited until they were together before answering Hammond's question.

"Yes, life without parole means he's in there indefinitely. There's nothing he can do or say that will get him released from prison. That might be another five years, ten years—even thirty or forty years. Whatever his remaining lifespan is, he will spend it incarcerated. I'm going to recommend for him to get sent to a super max facility. He's extremely dangerous, and I'm not taking any chances on him."

"What about his appeals?" Hammond found the questions mounting. "He can fight against the conviction?"

"He can, but it won't go very far. Knowing him, he'll try to say he wasn't allowed to speak on his own behalf, but if you noticed, I didn't stop him, even when he used profanity in the court."

"Ah, it all makes sense now," Malcolm said. "You let him hang himself with his own rope."

"Exactly." Judge Hoskins' enigmatic smile showed he knew exactly what he had been doing the entire time.

"Thank you for that. I want to be sure that everyone I care about is safe from that monster," Hammond said. He turned to Muldoon, Malcolm, and Wu. "Do you have any questions?"

Malcolm shook his head. "No questions on my end, I'm glad that he's gone forever. He's a one-man horror show that never ends. I hope he gets what's coming to him."

"Is Dennis going to be sentenced soon?" Muldoon asked.

Judge Hoskins nodded as he answered Muldoon. "Yes, I have to make sure to schedule him now that the trials from his former associates have concluded." He then motioned towards Anderson. "I'll let you know, Detective Anderson."

"Sounds good, and I'll pass that info to Daniel Walker." Anderson was glad to reach a much-needed conclusion, especially after everything Hammond and his company had experienced at the hands of Dodgson and Biosyn.

"All the information he gathered was highly effective in securing all the convictions. He's still very…" Judge Hoskins paused as he searched for the right word.

"He's still very Dennis," Wu filled in and everyone laughed.

"He is, but…sometimes we are who we are, and sometimes we have the capacity to change. It takes insight to realize you've made a wrong turn but that's good because you can turn around and do better. That's the case for both of you," Judge Hoskins pointed out.

"You're right," Wu agreed. He wanted to thank Judge Hoskins for permitting him to be granted immunity for cooperating with the prosecution. He didn't have the right words though, so he remained quiet.

"I'm glad that Dennis and Henry came around," Hammond agreed as he laid a reassuring hand on Wu's shoulder. He turned to Kirby and Udesky who had sat silently at the prosecution desk the entire time. They had watched the sentence hearing, and everyone had nearly forgotten their presence in the courtroom. "Thank you both for all your efforts."

Kirby and Udesky stood up, ready to leave the courtroom. "It was our pleasure to work with all of you. Judge, we'll be here next week for another case."

They saluted Judge Hoskins who returned the same friendly gesture. Without another word, Kirby and Udesky took their belongings and left through the side door. On their way out, they high fived and Kirby said in an audible voice loud enough for everyone to hear: another one bites the dust! They were referring to Dodgson.

Wu watched them leave. He wanted to laugh because Malcolm had said the same thing when Dodgson fired his last lawyer, but another part of him was somber: the very man he had foolishly trusted to gain him fame turned out to be the worst person he had the misfortune of meeting.

"Thank you, Judge Hoskins, for everything you've done," Hammond said. He felt humbled by everything and relieved that it was finally over.

"You're very welcome. After Mr. Nedry's sentence hearing, hopefully this will be the last time you're in my courtroom." Judge Hoskins offered a reassuring smile. "I wish you tremendous success in opening your biological preserve to the world, Mr. Hammond. Make sure to send me a free ticket. I believe I more than earned it."

Hammond chuckled. "You certainly have."

He joined Malcolm, Muldoon, Wu and Anderson as they exited the courtroom through the entrance doors they had come in from.

oOo

Outside of the courthouse, they walked down the stairs together, everyone in their own thoughts. The sun was still shining in a cloudless sky. Warm beautiful weather was always a good sign for Hammond. It reminded him to maintain hope against all the odds. Clouds would come, storms would rise, but in the end, the sun would always come out. As he reached the bottom of the steps with everyone, he heard Wu asking Anderson a question which he hadn't thought to ask.

"What about the other three?"

Wu looked around the large parking lot, noting the cars that belonged to court officers, staff, jurors, spectators, and everyone else who had been in the courthouse or was still inside. Muldoon and Malcolm were huddled to the side and then turned when they heard Wu's question.

"The other three?" Anderson asked, unsure of whom Wu referred to.

"Dodgson has three guys still out there: Miles Chadwick, Oscar Morales, and Nima Cruz. There might be others, but those are the ones that I know of by name."

Anderson took out his pocket notebook and jotted their names down. "I'll have to keep my eye open for them. See if they stay connected with Dodgson, if he gets any special visitors at the prison where he'll be serving time. I can let the police department know. That's the best I can do for right now. Thank you for bringing that to my attention."

Wu nodded. He wondered if Muldoon and Malcolm had the same concerns. Or even Hammond? Hammond appeared calmer and less stressed. It was the first time in a long time that he was relaxed and not on edge.

"I've been wondering something myself," Anderson said. "Everyone gave a victim impact statement." He gestured to Hammond, Malcolm, and Muldoon. "How come you didn't?"

Wu felt everyone's eyes on him. His smile was nervous as he shrugged, uneasy. "I'm not a victim. I made the choice to join Dodgson, even after I saw how vicious he was. I was there in the cell when Dennis was beaten up. I participated in that incident and many others when he took over Isla Nublar. That doesn't make me a victim—it makes me a willfully ignorant fool."

"Your honesty made an impact, probably bigger than you realized or even intended," Malcolm said. "Holding yourself accountable showed light on real darkness. Next to you, everyone in that courtroom could clearly see how depraved Lewis Dodgson really is."

"That's the thing I can't understand," Hammond said, his voice barely above a whisper. His bright mood had dampened slightly as his eyes were downcast. "I'm glad he got put away for the rest of his life, but it still feels like I have no closure."

"What do you mean?" Anderson asked.

The group moved away from the courtroom stairs and started heading into the parking lot.

"Dodgson didn't show a shred of remorse for his crimes—Dennis did, and so did you, Henry…" Hammond's voice trailed off. "I don't understand why he's so awful."

"Closure is a myth, just like perfection is a myth," Malcolm said, making a right towards a section where two cars were parked under a shaded area. "You wanted a perfectly clean staff before you opened Jurassic Park, but as it is, everyone has flaws and we must acknowledge that— granted, some personality flaws are very serious. There's always going to be an issue to deal with, but you shouldn't let that stop you from opening the park or moving on from all this. In fact, I'd say opening the park shows that you have moved on."

Wu, Muldoon, and Anderson listened to Malcolm's and Hammond's exchange. As always, Malcolm was brutally honest. Instead of getting upset, as he had in the past, Hammond turned to Malcolm and listened with an open mind.

"You will never get closure from someone like Lewis Dodgson because of who he is—when it comes to psychopathy, he checks off all the boxes. The most important one is his lack of empathy—he has no empathy, not even for his own team who carried out his dirty work—no questions asked."

Hammond glanced at Wu, and then looked away, as though he felt guilty. "Do you have empathy, Henry?"

"I knew you would be devastated if Dodgson's kidnapping plot was carried out," Wu said. "I don't know if—"

"That answers your question, John," Malcolm said, interrupting. "Change how you're defining closure."

Anderson opened the door to his police cruiser, while Malcolm, Hammond, and Wu went to their rental car. They were ready to part ways, and everyone listened to the wisdom that only Malcolm could share.

"Meaning?"

"If closure means you get a heartfelt apology from him, then you can forget it. If you define closure as accepting who he is and what he's done—and that the likelihood of him changing or having a lightbulb moment are slim to none—then that's a more realistic goal. That's your closure, John."

Hammond nodded as he tried to wrap his mind around what Malcolm was saying. He knew Malcolm was right and yet…he couldn't make sense of Dodgson's brutality. He understood why Wu and Nedry had betrayed him. He had made peace within himself about their decisions to go against him—but he would never comprehend Dodgson's cruelty and he shared this with the group.

"I agree with you, Dr. Malcolm, it's just that…" Hammond sighed as he looked in Wu's direction.

Wu stared back at him, ready to hear him out.

"I understand why you and Dennis betrayed me," Hammond told this to Wu, although he was also responding to Malcolm. "I've made my peace about it, and it wasn't easy…but I came around to understanding both your sides in the matter. You and him deciding to do the right thing helped, but I would've had to make my peace, so that I could move on. I told this to Dennis once." Hammond's hand closed on the door handle now, but he wasn't ready to go…not yet.

Wu nodded. He was unsure of what to say, but at the very least, he would acknowledge that he heard Hammond's thoughts and feelings on the matter of his betrayal.

"I just don't understand why Dodgson was so cruel. What makes someone behave as horrible as he did?" Hammond sounded genuinely baffled. He looked to Muldoon and Anderson for answers, and neither man gave him any. Wu didn't respond either.

"Some people are irredeemable," Anderson said. "Dodgson is one of them."

"And we may never know why—we just have to accept that's who he is," Malcolm said. "That's the closure."

There was nothing more to say on the matter. They could've hashed it out for hours in the parking lot about the notion of closure, if it was real and attainable, but by now, everyone was emotionally and physically exhausted and needed to rest. Now that Dodgson had been convicted in a court of law and sentenced to life without parole, everyone could finally move forward. After saying their goodbyes, Hammond left with his group, and Anderson headed for the precinct.

---

Author's Notes: The fic's title finally came into fruition! When changing the title to its current one, "The Ninth Circle of Hell", there were several inspirations. The most obvious one is Dante's Inferno. I remembered a reader leaving a review on one of my Walking Dead fics stating, "the ninth circle of hell is reserved for traitors". That stuck out in my mind, since this fic is about Nedry and Wu and their betrayals. Another random thing was seeing Bella Poarch's video "Inferno". I love the song and the video, and it's really her way of expressing what she wished she had been able to do when she experienced sexual assault. I found the video to be powerful and wanted to look up the meaning behind it (justice/revenge) and found out that much of it was inspired by Dante's Inferno. I was also able to find an animated movie based on the video game-which is loosely Dante's Inferno. It's called "Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic". I read the reviews, and it seems to be hit-or-miss for viewers. I liked a lot, however one day, I'll have to try and read "Dante's Inferno"-since I skipped over it in college!

Lastly, I was watching on YouTube a video called "Court Cam: Most Viewed Moments of 2022". There's a disbarred lawyer named Tex Mciver, and his story starts around the 1:07:00 mark. He was convicted of murdering his wife (the conviction has been recently overturned.) When he was asked to speak before his sentencing, he rambled on about Chic Fil-A, horse-racers in Perth, Australia. It was completely random and bizarre and even the judge called him out on it, stating that the courtroom heard all this nonsense, but no words of remorse or regret expressed. So, when thinking of how Lewis Dodgson would respond at his sentence hearing, I combined all those ideas mentioned above. (Campbell Scott's gray-haired Lewis Dodgson and Tex Mciver also struck me as similar in appearance, but that might be a stretch.) I couldn't picture Lewis Dodgson just being escorted out without him saying anything. Dodgson is like Nedry: he wants to have the last word. He needs to have the last word, and in true sociopath style, he will blame everyone around him, throw everyone under the bus, and paint himself as the victim. Thankfully, Judge Hoskins put him in line with the Seven Deadly Sins. That's that, farewell Dodgson!

Only five more chapters left. Thank you for continuing to read my story and share your thoughts! I really appreciate it! -Sassy Lil Scorpio