Chapter 26 - What Could Have Been

"Don't think about it. Don't think about what could have been. It's too unbearable." - Sophie Kinsella

oOo

It was a quiet Saturday morning, the day after Lewis Dodgson's sentence hearing concluded. There was a collective relief felt by InGen as a company that they didn't have to worry about him interfering or sabotaging them anymore, since everyone associated with him from Biosyn had been sentenced to lengthy prison terms. John Hammond and everyone who worked for him could finally move on and focus on his vision for Jurassic Park. Whether that meant hiring more staff and opening the park to the world public—it was agreed this was a more positive direction to take. It was refreshing to look forward and not have to continually worry about their corporate enemies causing havoc.

Hammond was getting ready to return to Isla Nublar the following Tuesday. He had decided to remain in California for the weekend. The first reason was to meet with the new job candidates—the newly hired employees that had been interviewed and vetted by Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ray Arnold, and Donald Gennaro. The second reason was to honor Robert Muldoon's request to visit Dennis Nedry in the prison he was currently incarcerated in. They had discussed it in the hotel's restaurant over breakfast. Henry Wu was also present listening to their conversation. Ian Malcolm was still sleeping when they knocked on his door, and they figured they would catch him up later.

"You're seeing him on Monday?" Hammond asked, after sipping his coffee.

"That's the plan," Muldoon said.

"Did you schedule the visit yet?"

"I'll do that when I get back to my room." Muldoon placed his eating utensils on the plate. "Do you want to come, Henry?"

Wu had been staring at his plate of half-eaten French toast and pork sausages when he heard Muldoon call his name. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Muldoon stared at him oddly before answering his question. "I'm visiting Dennis on Monday. Do you want to come?"

Before he gave it much thought, Wu found himself nodding. "Sure, I'll go." He wasn't sure what he felt about visiting Nedry in prison, but he decided to do it.

Hammond smiled brightly. "Excellent! I'll be meeting with the new hires that day in Palo Alto. Please give Dennis my regards. Oh, and give him this." He reached into his pocket and took out a folded paper. "That's a copy of my victim impact statement that I shared with the court when Dodgson was sentenced. I know Dennis couldn't be present for it, which he would've wanted. Show it to him when you visit."

Muldoon took the papers and put them in his jacket. "Thanks, John. I'll let him know you asked about him." He turned to Wu. "This'll be interesting."

Wu's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing. More like enlightening, he thought.

oOo

On Monday, Muldoon drove the rental car for several hours into the upstate region while Wu sat on the passenger side, watching the scenery flash by. Wu had never been inside a prison, so he didn't know what to expect. When he thought about how he listened to Muldoon's conversation as he set up the visit, it made him realize Nedry had really been reduced to a number. Muldoon had been asked which inmate he planned to visit, to which he had responded Dennis Nedry. Shortly after that, Wu surmised he must've been asked Nedry's identification number because he heard Muldoon recite it: zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five. Tembo, Lopez, and Sonya had taunted Nedry about it as a cruel form of psychological abuse. Now they're known as a number, Wu thought.

"Are you alright, Henry?" Muldoon asked as he turned down what seemed to be a long driveway. "You've been quiet all this time."

"Just tired." He was embarrassed to admit he felt anxious about seeing Nedry incarcerated. What would it be like? What would they talk about? "I didn't sleep well last night. Are we there yet?"

"We just arrived."

Wu had closed his eyes briefly as the drive was long and seemed to take place mostly in the desert. He wasn't prepared for what he'd see when he opened his eyes. The sight before him made him gasp in shock. Seeing a prison in real life was vastly different from seeing one on television. The high gray concrete walls, the tall gates, rolls of razor wire, the watch towers—in no time at all, the reality of the prison was right in front of him. Vehicles labeled "Department of Corrections" and "Sheriff's Department" were present in the parking lot. He hadn't yet stepped out of the car yet, hadn't yet walked into the facility, and already he wanted to turn back around. It was on the tip of his tongue to say so, but he bit down, restraining himself.

"He's in PC but can accept visits," Muldoon said.

"That's good."

Muldoon steered the car into a parking spot. "Dennis should've been present to see Dodgson get escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs after being sentenced to life without the possibility of parole—especially after everything Dodgson put you both through."

"I wish he had been there too."

Muldoon turned off the car and turned to Wu, eyeing him up and down. "Take off your watch and leave your keys in the glove compartment. Bring your ID. You're wearing the right clothes."

Wu's eyebrows furrowed together. "The right clothes?"

"You're not allowed to wear certain colors due to gangs. That's why I stick to my usual khaki. You'll be fine wearing gray and black."

"Oh…" Wu silently wondered what he had got himself into as he and Muldoon exited the car and started making their way to the facility. "Is there anything else I should know?"

Muldoon wore his usual stoic expression. "Be prepared to be treated like a criminal by the COs. I never had that problem the first time I came with John, Ray, and Donald. We met with the warden first."

"Then how do you know?"

"Dennis shared stories about prison life when we were stuck on Isla Sorna. He said the inmates told him how some COs would bark orders at their family and friends, among other things…"

They reached the visitor entrance and entered the building. Upon walking in, they saw a group of men and women waiting to visit their loved ones. The room was dim, gray, and extremely crowded. The process to visit an inmate would take more time than he anticipated—and he and Muldoon hadn't even reached the visitation room yet. He watched as one blonde woman went through the metal detector and it beeped loudly. The correction officer spoke harshly with her and pointed at the women's bathroom. Wu watched as she rushed to the women's room, wiping away tears. Moments later, she came back out holding her bra.

"Take it back to your car," the correction officer demanded, gesturing to the parking lot.

"That cuts into my time—"

"That's not my problem. Put it in your car. You won't be allowed in until it's out of this facility."

"But I—"

The correction officer towered over her. "If I have to say it again, you'll be denied visitation today and for the rest of the month."

The blonde woman raced out of the crowded room in a hurry to get to the parking lot. Everyone watched her leave. There were soft murmurings, but no one said anything to defend the woman—or to contradict the correction officer.

"What the hell was that about?" Wu whispered to Muldoon as the door slammed shut.

"She had on an underwire bra," Muldoon said.

Wu didn't know what to say. The entire experience was from another world. By the time it was his and Muldoon's turn to go through the metal detector, a father had been turned away from seeing his son because he brought him fifty dollars. Muldoon told Wu about putting money "on the books" so that Nedry could purchase items from the commissary. That's where he should've put the money, he explained. Before that, an elderly man had been denied visiting their friend because he brought in a case of beer. Wu had questioned Muldoon incredulously: they can't bring in food or drink? Muldoon's response was terse: definitely not and you know how much I love my whiskey. The woman standing in line in front of Muldoon wasn't permitted to go in because she wore leggings and a mesh top. According to the corrections staff, she was dressed "too provocatively". Muldoon hadn't commented on that incident, he simply shook his head, saddened by the rigidity of prison visitation. Wu sighed—this was taking longer than he expected, and yet; it was a real eye-opener. Then they had to be patted down by another correction officer.

"Prison's no joke," Wu said when he caught up with Muldoon who waited for him.

"You got that right."

oOo

Muldoon and Wu sat waiting at a table at the far end of the visitation room, waiting for Nedry to come out. While they waited, Muldoon pulled out a folded paper from his pocket: Hammond's victim impact statement.

"I should've showed this to the officer up front before we got in here," Muldoon said, as he waved at a nearby correction officer. "I'm gonna show it to one of the guards to make sure we can let Dennis read it."

Wu nodded absently. He looked around, taking in the large gray visitor room. The paint was peeling. Steel bars were set into the windows. There was a vending machine and adjacent to it was a wall with a floor to ceiling painted mural of a waterfall and tropical birds. It was the only spot in the entire room that wasn't steel gray or institutional white. Wu wondered if that's where inmates took pictures with their loved ones. He was amazed to observe the functions in the facility, from the correction officers, all the different rules when he came in, and the inmates themselves, some of whom were already seated with their family and friends. Nedry hadn't mentioned to him that prison was like a society within a society. He heard Muldoon speaking to a correction officer and turned to see him hand over the folded paper Hammond had given him yesterday.

"I'm hoping to show this to him. It's a victim imp—"

"I know how to read, thank you."

Wu recoiled at the correction officer's sharp tone, while Muldoon stared at the staff member, impassive and unaffected. A minute later, the officer handed the paper back to Muldoon.

"I'll permit him to read the impact statement, but he's not allowed to keep it. Once he finishes reading it, he must return it to you. If you don't leave with that paper, I'll assume only one thing."

"And that is?" Muldoon asked, not really wanting to know.

"He's smuggling it into the prison, and in that case, he'll be disciplined, and you'll be banned from visiting."

Wu noticed the hard stare Muldoon sent the correction officer. The truth was Muldoon's everyday demeanor was so tough, that he could pass for a correction officer—or so Wu thought. He watched as the correction officer walked away and leaned over to Muldoon.

"What's that guy's problem?" Wu asked as he saw the correction officer go to another table where an inmate had just sat down at a table where a young woman waited for him.

"Can't take it personal, Henry. You're in a prison. The rules are very strict. Most COs do their jobs, others are overbearing."

Wu nodded as he considered what Muldoon was saying. When he thought about it more, he didn't want to imagine what incarceration was like for Nedry. Every single aspect of his life being controlled and watched. Having to submit to authority figures—some who had his best interest and others who didn't.

"What do we do now?"

"We wait for a CO to return with Dennis—there he is," Muldoon pointed ahead of him.

Wu watched as the correction officer led Nedry to their table. Something seemed off and completely different from the last time he had seen Nedry. Then he realized this was the first time he had seen Nedry incarcerated and wearing his navy-blue prison uniform along with an ID tag on the left breast pocket. He wore a white long-sleeved thermal top underneath the jumpsuit which concealed the long scar on his left arm. His right wrist bore a gray wristband. Now that Wu thought about it, all the inmates in the visiting room had different color wristbands. He wondered what they meant.

When Nedry sat down, he was able to get a closer look at the ID tag. At the top in all capital letters, the tag read: California Department of Corrections. Nedry's first and last name, along with his middle initial, was printed with his signature underneath. Below his name was his department identification number: 0807-55. In the right-hand was his photo and in all capital letters in the left-hand corner read the word INMATE. Seeing the actual number made Wu do a double take and he tried not to stare.

Nedry was oblivious to Wu's staring at his ID tag and prison uniform. If anything, he was more surprised than Wu.

"Wow!" Nedry wore a wide grin as he looked from Muldoon to Wu. Usually, his expression was difficult to discern. One could never tell if he was laughing with or at someone, but this time, his expression showed that he was happy to have visitors. "You two are the last folks I expected to see here! What's going on?"

"We wanted to check on you, and also update you," Muldoon said. "I'm not sure how much they told you once you got back here."

"Hardly anything, so let's not waste time. We only have an hour." Nedry motioned to the clock on the wall.

"It's Dodgson," Muldoon started, his eyes darting around the visitor room as though looking around for anyone who may eavesdrop. He kept his voice low when he spoke again. "Life without…"

Nedry's eyebrows rose. "…Parole?" he whispered in disbelief. "He got back door parole?!"

Muldoon nodded, solemnly.

Wu watched as he digested the news. He didn't hear when Nedry had said "back door parole"—if he had, he would've realized he had heard the term before when Dodgson antagonized Nedry in court. Back door parole was prison slang for life without parole—a prisoner who would die behind the walls. For someone who always had something to say, Wu was struck by how Nedry couldn't find the right words. Nedry's shocked silence was temporary, and he leaned forward on the table. When he spoke, he kept his voice to a rushed whisper.

"Good for that dumbass! Wished I could've seen him roll out of there, cuffed to his wheelchair, wearing his pumpkin suit! A sight to behold!"

"It gets better."

"Give me the deets, Robert. All of it!"

Muldoon's demeanor remained icy, but even so, Wu could tell he was glad to share with Nedry what happened during Dodgson's sentence hearing.

"He mentioned you and Henry, that he helped you both when you wanted to be paid fairly and Henry wanted recognition for all his hard work. The craziest thing is when he said you and Henry are going to suffer for an eternity in the Ninth Circle of Hell—where it's a frozen wasteland. Because they deserve it after everything that I've done for them: all my resources, time, energy, and effort I put into cultivating and shaping that ungrateful slob and insecure clone-artist." Muldoon shook his head when he remembered it. "He went on and on with his bloody gibberish. Judge Hoskins let him have it though."

Instead of being dismayed, Nedry was entertained as he grinned widely. "You hear that, Henry! We're taking a one-way trip to the Ninth Circle of Hell!" He laughed heartily as he turned in Wu's direction. He noticed Wu sat quietly at the table, not interacting. Nedry reminded himself to get Wu to talk later and continued his conversation with Muldoon. "He's got some damn nerve. I'm not a slob anymore, and Henry's a genius geneticist. I'm telling you; Lew pisses and shits green. Probably vomits it too. He's jealous that Henry successfully cloned lizards. I thought Lopez's jealousy was bad—and look at that—Lew outdid him!"

"The judge threw the book at him after that."

"This is I gotta hear!"

"It was way worse than the first time Judge Hoskins threw the book at you, so that gives you an idea."

"Oh yeah, Judge Hoskins didn't play around when he first sentenced me."

"Nope, and this time he was furious."

Wu watched as Muldoon and Nedry continued to talk. Muldoon was quiet and somber as he sat still in the same position with his arms folded on the table, while Nedry was excited and animated, twisting in the chair and waving his hands as he spoke. Wu figured this was the happiest Nedry had been in a long time, especially since returning to prison and being forced into protective custody. Wu thought it was odd that Nedry sounded cheerful—and he couldn't stop staring at his ID tag.

Nedry caught him staring.

"You haven't said one syllable since I sat down, Henry. What's got you so quiet?"

Wu looked startled. He had been trying to figure out if there was any significance to 0807-55. He knew it was Nedry's department identification number, but was there any other meaning attached to it? Wu thought maybe it meant Nedry was transferred to the prison on the seventh day of the eighth month, August, and the fifty-fifth inmate to be booked that day.

"Don't you recognize me? Your ole pal, fellow traitor, Dennis Nedry. Remember?"

"Of course—"

"I know what it is—you're used to seeing me strapped in Dodgson's lethal injection gurney. We had so many heart-to-heart talks in that execution chamber!"

Wu's mouth moved but he couldn't formulate the words he wanted to say. He abruptly got up and hurried out of the visitor room.

Muldoon bolted out of his seat. "Be right back."

Nedry watched Muldoon rush out of the visitor room after Wu, unsure of what had just happened. "Was it something I said?"

Muldoon caught up to Wu, just as he was going past the metal detectors. "What the hell are you doing, Henry? You can't just leave—there's no guarantee that they will let you back in!"

Wu froze in place as he listened to the correction officers talk amongst themselves. Everything was larger than life. The chattering on their walkie-talkies was nonstop. The black and gold badge patches that read California Department of Corrections sewn onto their sleeves. The silver gleam of their handcuffs on their duty belts. He noticed that none of them carried guns and he thought that was odd. He stared at the gray concrete walls that made up the entire structure. Why was he here? What could he say to Nedry after all this time? It was strange to see him like this although it had been his reality for a long time now.

"I'm just shocked, that's all."

"Shocked by what?" When Wu didn't respond, Muldoon said it aloud for him. "You're seeing where you could've ended up if you kept following Lewis Dodgson."

Just then, a correction officer came over to them and asked what was going on.

"Stepped out for a moment," Muldoon quickly explained. "We're going right back in after we use the restroom."

Muldoon went into the men's bathroom and Wu followed him. They huddled in the corner and Muldoon talked in a rushed whisper.

"You know this would've been your fate if things had turned out differently—if you had chosen differently. Knowing it intellectually is one thing. Seeing it up close and personal is another."

Wu felt like he had swallowed a cup of sand. He was embarrassed to openly confirm what Muldoon said, although he knew Muldoon was right. Muldoon had always been perceptive. His issues with alcohol didn't dull his senses or integrity, and he was sharp as ever.

"Being here makes everything real. It makes what happened to Dennis real—the choices that led to his incarceration, and what happened to everyone else in Dodgson's group—what could've happened to you and George Lawala if you both didn't cooperate with the prosecution. But you must understand two things."

Wu stood over the sink and glanced at himself in the mirror. For an instant, he pictured himself wearing the same prison uniform and badge that Nedry wore. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind of that image and forced himself to face Muldoon. As always, Muldoon's face was painted in a serious expression. He didn't smile, his eyes were steely, and tone was stern. He hadn't had anything to drink before they came because as he explained to Wu on the way over, if the prison staff smelled alcohol on his breath, he wouldn't be allowed in to visit.

"The first thing is—you're not here. You made the right decision to leave Biosyn and return to InGen."

"Thank you."

"I'm not telling you that so you can express gratitude. It's a bloody wake-up call. The second is a harsh dose of reality: Dennis cannot get up and leave when he wants. We have that privilege, and he doesn't. If he gets up from that table as he did last time when Ray, John, and Donald and I were here—the COs will snatch him up, cuff him, and drag him out in front of everyone."

Wu's face paled. He was horrified by this revelation. He remembered when Muldoon and Arnold had told him and Harding about that incident. Wu found it hard to believe at the time, but now that he was here, he could picture it happening. That made it far more frightening.

"He can't even stand up to go over to the bloody vending machine in the room. You and I can do that—but he can't. He doesn't get many visitors, and us being here today means everything to him. It means we haven't forgotten him."

"You're right."

"Damn right I am. Pick your face up off the floor and go back in there."

Wu gave a curt nod. They left the men's room and returned to the visiting room, walking past several tables where inmates sat with their family and friends. Wu and Muldoon were near the table Nedry still sat at when they saw a correction officer saunter over and start questioning him. It was the same correction officer that Muldoon had shown Hammond's victim impact statement to.

"They drank a liter of vodka, Pepsi, whatever, just minutes before coming in. They're in the men's room, pissing like racehorses—" Nedry waved and gestured for them to return to the table. "There they are! See, I told you they'd come back."

Muldoon and Wu resumed their seats and the correction officer walked away.

"I'm glad you both came back quick," Nedry whispered. He looked over his shoulder at the correction officer who now went across the room to monitor the inmates and visitors. "He almost brought me back to my cell and I'm not ready to go back yet."

"Are you still in…?" Muldoon purposely didn't finish the question.

"Yeah, I am. It's freezing down there, that's why I'm wearing this. I also have it for my legs too. Guess I'm really stuck in that so-called 'Ninth Circle of Hell' that Dodgson's fond of." He chuckled as he picked at the long sleeves of the thermal top he wore under the navy-blue jumpsuit. "No socializing, no work assignments, nothing…I get to pace back and forth in a cage, that's my hour of recreation. I can make two calls a week, that's about it. I'm grateful I can have a visit." He turned to Wu now. "You okay, Henry?"

"I just needed to collect my thoughts." Wu tried to act nonchalantly, but the truth was he didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry about what I said before, it was in poor taste."

Wu shook his head. "It wasn't, I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

Nedry's eyebrows knitted together, confused. "Like how? You mean seeing me in my prison uniform?" He fixed the collar, so that it was folded and neat.

"I know it's stupid."

"It's not stupid, but just remember you came here to hang out with me and not my clothes." Nedry said, gesturing at the jumpsuit he wore. "As for that other stuff I said…Henry, it's either I crack up or break down. Laughter over tears. It's better that way and helps me get through. You should try it sometime! I have an idea."

"What's that?" Wu looked up, curious.

"Next time you visit, I'll wear my birthday suit—" Nedry pretended to pose like a fashion model.

"Stop with that nonsense," Muldoon interrupted. "We don't want that bloody image stuck in our heads." Even so, he laughed briefly before becoming serious again.

"Is it demeaning?" Wu asked. "Wearing the uniform?"

"Not really." Nedry straightened up in his chair. "It's my Halloween costume that I wear every day except I get no chocolate candy bars, no Skittles, no Coke, and you know much I love all three."

"Do you want something from the vending machine?" The vending machine was on the far wall in the back of the visitation room.

"Nope! I'd rather make the most of my time with you and Robert. I don't get many visitors, so this is a real treat."

Wu nodded, finally realizing how much time had passed—they only had thirty minutes left.

"To answer your question, what's really humiliating is what I had to do before I got to you guys, and what I have to do after you leave here."

"What's that?"

Muldoon glanced at Wu, uncertain if he was joking. "You really don't know, Henry?"

"Don't spoil it for him." Nedry shot Muldoon a mocking glare and then beamed at Wu. "I get strip-searched. It's degrading, but I gotta deal with it. I'll spare you the gory details. Outside of that, I felt demeaned when I went to the doctor. The warden made me get a full workup after dealing with that phony screw. I'm glad I went; I just don't like how I went. It's one of a million reasons why I'm eager to leave this place forever."

Wu realized Nedry was referring to Eli Mills when he mentioned "phony screw". He tried to focus on the positive aspect of what Nedry brought up. "It's good that the warden got you checked out."

"It is except for the DOC's procedure of how I leave here. It's never fun when folks stare at you like you're a monster." He shrugged, nonchalantly, as though he was used to this. "Some parents even pull their kids close to them. The doctors were nice though and treated me like a human being—because that's what I am! Don't let the orange jumpsuit and chains fool you."

"Why orange?" Wu was confused, and yet he was intrigued. He found himself regretting all the times he had mocked Nedry for being incarcerated. He had done so because of his own fears of landing in prison. He now understood why it was hurtful to Nedry. "I thought you wear navy-blue like now?"

"When we're transported outside of the facility, we wear orange. If I escaped, they'd know right away because the bright orange stands out. Blending in with free folks wouldn't work. They'd find me easily since I look like a pumpkin."

Wu saw Muldoon nodding. Clearly, Muldoon understood certain aspects about prison life that Wu was naïve about.

"What about your gray wristband? Everyone here has different colors…" Wu scanned the cafeteria. Three inmates wore yellow wristbands. Two inmates had green wristbands. There were other colors on the other inmates, but these stood out to him.

"It means I'm in Purchase College."

"Purchase College?"

Nerdy cracked up laughing. "It's a joke—think of the initials."

Wu smacked his forehead, annoyed at himself for not understanding it sooner. Nedry meant "protective custody". He heard him explain the rest.

"The colors mean different things—medical issues, mental health concerns, if an inmate is violent, the risk level—be it high or low. In my case, Henry, I'm isolated from everyone 23/7."

"23/7?!" Wu was horrified.

"Dennis is on lockdown twenty-three hours a day, seven days a week," Muldoon explained.

"Very good! Robert knows the deal!"

Muldoon didn't smile at Nedry's faux enthusiasm.

"I get one hour a day of rec—that can mean a phone call or pacing back and forth like a lion in a cage."

"Figuratively?" Wu asked.

Nedry shook his head. "Literally. The dimensions are very small, but it gives me some fresh air and sunlight. I'll go over everything again and you'll be quizzed when this is over."

Muldoon simply sat stone-faced, not in the least bit surprised, unlike Wu who was way out of his element.

"When I leave the facility for any reason, I wear a blindingly bright orange Halloween costume so that it makes escape more difficult. I get to accessorize and wear silver bracelets with matching silver anklets." He tapped his wrists. "Before I saw you and Robert today, I did a striptease, and I'll have to do it again before I'm locked in my single occupancy unit. I have to do the same striptease every time I leave and return here. I get to stay inside twenty-three hours in my humble abode. For one hour, I'm allowed to leave if I have a visit, make a phone call, or pace around in a small cage like I'm a lion in a zoo. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not allowed access to the vending machine. I can't get myself a Snickers bar, and I'm thinking of filling out a grievance form to the warden about it." He pointed to the vending machine where a visitor inserted a dollar bill to get a snack for themselves or the inmate, they had come to spend time with. "I'm not even allowed to open doors. Aren't you enjoying Prison 101?"

"That…" Wu started, but he had no words.

What was there to say? Wu felt repulsed at himself more than ever—and at Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo for how they had bullied Nedry. How in the world did Nedry find the humor to mock the entire situation? Then Wu remembered: laughter over tears. Nedry made jokes to hide his depression. The more he laughs, the worse off he is, Wu thought.

"To backtrack, that's how it is when we leave here for anything: doctor appointments, court dates, transfer to another facility. I'm glad I got a full medical check-up, but I like telling my silly version of it, it helps to deal with stress of being locked up."

"That's downright awful…all of it is…" Wu said as he realized Nedry had described aspects of his confinement in two different ways: the first was heavy and serious, and the second was light and humorous.

"That's reality," Muldoon said. He glanced at the clock on the walk. The time was flying fast—too fast. They only had fifteen minutes left.

"Don't waste time feeling sorry for me, I put myself here. Focus on yourself and your dreams, your goals. That's what you should do—what you need to do."

Wu stared at the table now, unable to look Nedry in the eye—especially knowing that he had put in his resignation. He was running away from the place that would've made his dreams a reality. He didn't want to tell Nedry, and he figured one day he would find out what happened and why he left InGen. He might even understand Wu's decision. Still, he questioned inwardly what Nedry meant. Nedry used Wu's silence as his cue to continue.

"You can still experience a lifetime of success in your field, Henry. You can still be famous."

"I don't want fame anymore."

A long pause of silence passed. Even Muldoon didn't break it.

"If it means anything, you're famous to me and Robert, and everyone from InGen. To John, you're a god. For Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler, you made their dreams come true. You brought to life what they've always studied. Dr. Malcolm, the kids—Tim and Lex, and everyone like Ray, Gerry, and George. Same with Donald. Everyone's amazed by your accomplishments."

Wu twisted his fingers, a sign that he didn't know how to respond. Nedry was often sarcastic, so for him to show sincere admiration said a lot. Shouldn't he be the one encouraging Nedry? "What about your career?"

"My career is finished. It's been that way for a long time now. I won't have a career if I leave here—"

"When you leave here," Muldoon inserted. "And you will get back on track with your career, even if it means starting over again in a different field. Stay positive, Dennis."

Nedry sighed. "I try to, but it's hard. My last position as a systems analyst was with InGen, and you both know I screwed that up."

"You'll get a new start," Muldoon said, firmly. "Bloody hell, I almost forgot!" He took out a folded paper from his pocket and passed it across the table to Nedry.

Nedry looked down at it and then back at Muldoon and Wu questioningly. "What's this?"

"John's victim impact statement. It's what he read to Judge Hoskins before the judge sentenced Dodgson."

"It's powerful," Wu added.

Nedry was quiet as he read Hammond's victim impact statement. He knew they were read in court by the family and friends of crime victims, and usually detailed how the crime impacted their lives. Nedry didn't recall Hammond reading a statement like this at his sentence hearing, although he knew his crimes had a negative impact on Hammond and InGen as a company. Another minute passed as Muldoon and Wu watched him read the statement. Nedry turned over the first page to read the back. When he was finished, he looked up at Muldoon and Wu.

"He shared this entire statement with the court?"

"Every last word," Muldoon said. "He also said that although he was hurt and angry from what you and Henry had done, that he never wanted you both to have your lives threatened."

Nedry whistled as he folded the paper and gave it back to Muldoon who placed it in his pocket. "I'm amazed that he wrote everything here. Even what he said! I mean, we caused him a lot of grief." He looked in Wu's direction. "Me way more than you, Henry."

"That's debatable," Wu mumbled.

"He talked about how Dodgson's actions hurt everyone from InGen, even his grandchildren," Muldoon said.

"That warped plan to kidnap Lex and Tim was beyond gross," Nedry agreed.

Wu wasn't sure what to add, so he decided to distract himself. "I'll be right back—I'm gonna get something at the vending machine."

"Sure thing…" Nedry watched as Wu got up and headed towards the opposite end of the room. He leaned across the table to Muldoon. "What's up with Henry? Is he okay?"

Muldoon mirrored him, while keeping an eye on Wu, who stood in front of the vending machine. "He's struggling, that's all I can tell you."

He didn't want to tell Nedry yet about Wu's decision to resign. Another time might be more appropriate, or more so, if Wu himself revealed his decision to Nedry. Right now, Muldoon didn't want to upset Nedry with the news that Wu would no longer be part of InGen in less than a week's time.

"He'll be alright. He needs to forgive himself."

"That's where he's struggling." Muldoon was tempted again to add more but held back. "Maybe you can help him in that area."

Nedry sat up straight again. "I'm not sure I can when I'm no good in that area for myself."

"Just try if you can. You're the only one who understands the path he's been on."

"I know. I'll do the best I can."

"Fair enough." Muldoon also straightened up in the chair.

"For John to write what he did in this statement shows some level of forgiveness towards us. Me and Henry made shitty choices, but John knows life was no picnic under Dodgson—especially since that dumbass was targeting everyone in the company. I mean, to even drag in Lex and Tim?! You think Dodgson has sunk low enough and he sinks even lower."

"Agreed," Muldoon said, remembering the silence in the courtroom as Hammond read his statement. "John's focus was for Judge Hoskins to know how dangerous Dodgson really is."

Muldoon and Nedry continued to talk quietly about Hammond's victim impact statement as Wu made his way back to the table. He had brought a Snickers bar for Nedry, potato chips for Muldoon, and for himself, Doritos. As he neared the table, Wu thought it was amazing how Muldoon and Nedry could interact where they didn't just tolerate each other—they truly respected what the other man had to say. If Wu hadn't been present in Hammond's bungalow the night Muldoon and Arnold captured Nedry, he would never believe that the two men once hated each other with every fiber of their beings. Wu made a mental note for himself: he needed to find out why their dynamic had changed so drastically. He sat down again and distributed the snacks on the table just as Muldoon was telling Nedry about the new job candidates.

"You talked bloody sense into him, Dennis. It just took forever for it to get inside his head that he needs more staff to run the park. George Lawala has been a fantastic addition; having him on staff has shown John that the park is better with more people."

"Better late than never, right? I'm glad it worked out with George, he's good people." He grinned as he unwrapped his Snickers bar. "Thanks, Henry."

Wu focused on opening his bag of Doritos. "No problem."

Muldoon took the bag of potato chips. "I'm saving this for the flight back to the island. When's your—"

"Five minutes! Wrap it up, everyone!" The correction officer who had asked Muldoon and Wu what they were doing outside gave the announcement.

All around them, the mood shifted from one of jubilance to heartache. During the next five minutes, there was shifting and moving around, muffled crying, and good-byes exchanged. Very brief hugs. One by one, visitors left the room, and correction officers milled around, ready to bring the inmates back to their cells—after the routine "striptease".

"Tell us fast," Muldoon said, as he stood up. "When's your next court date?" He thought Nedry might know, although he had asked about it after Dodgson was sentenced.

Beside him, Wu stood up, looking around. The crowded visitation room that had been lively with talking and laughter, became quiet as it emptied out. Only the prisoners remained seated. Soon, Muldoon and Wu were the only visitors left. Wu watched Nedry wolf down the Snickers bar and hold up his pointer finger as he swallowed fast.

"Might be in two weeks. Judge Hoskins hasn't set a date yet."

"This is for your sentence hearing?" Wu asked.

Nedry glanced quickly at the clock. "Damn, that hour flew by. Yeah, I'll finally find out where I'm spending the next thirty years of my life."

"We'll be there," Muldoon said, determined, as he gestured to Wu, who nodded in agreement. "We're coming back."

"No, you're not. I don't want anyone showing up."

"What?!" Muldoon and Wu both spoke at the same time and wore identical quizzical expressions.

Nedry hung his head, unable to face Muldoon's piercing stare and Wu's questioning gaze.

"Last time I went to court thinking I'd have my sentence commuted, Judge Hoskins said, 'thank you for your service' and adjourned court. Nothing was explained to me. I flipped out and made an ass of myself. Two court officers grabbed me, put me in cuffs, and forced me to leave. I was brought back in and offered the chance to apologize and made it worse for myself by yelling and cursing at the judge. This was after foolishly thinking I'd leave that courtroom a free man, or at least, that Judge Hoskins would even say if I was still able to have my sentence reduced. None of those things happened. It was humiliating as hell, and I hope to God that I don't experience that nonsense again. I'd rather no one be there in case he decides to put me away for the next several decades. I'm preparing myself for the worst this time."

Wu was about to respond when the same correction officer who gave the five-minute warning approached them now. It was only then that he realized that Nedry remained seated.

"I promise I'll let John know how everything turns out. From there, he can share the news…but please don't show up."

"Why not?" Muldoon hadn't gotten over his shock.

"I just told you why—I even said the magic word. Isn't that enough?" Nedry forced a half-smile, but it came off as a grimace.

"Time to go back, Nedry." The correction officer stood behind him now. "Say your good-byes."

"Just let me have a few more seconds of visiting time, Mr. Johnson." Nedry pointed at the clock. "See, the clock says I have half a minute left."

Wu realized Nedry still remained sitting. It only hit him then what Muldoon had told him about Nedry not being permitted to stand up unless given the order to do so by a correction officer. As he and Muldoon backed away from the table they had been sitting at, he found the situation to be surreal. They would leave the visitation room, and eventually, the facility. The prison would shrink in the rearview mirror. Nedry would remain here. He couldn't leave with them. The prison wouldn't shrink—it would continue to be massive all around him, consuming his every waking and sleeping moment.

"Thank you for coming to see me—this was the best visit I've ever had," Nedry called out to them.

"Stay positive, Dennis," Muldoon said.

"I'll try." Again, that half-smile, only this time it was weaker.

"Don't try. Do it," Wu said, adamantly.

"Okay, I will! Geez Henry, you're becoming like Robert—ultra serious and a hard-ass!"

This time Wu saw the dark depression that Nedry tried so hard to conceal. His eyes were glassy, and he kept glancing in the direction where the visitors had left. This time, no jokes, no sarcasm, and no witty remarks could hide what was so obvious: Nedry wished he could leave with them. He wanted to walk out of the prison and live a free life in the outside world. A free life where he could come and go as he pleased, where he could have more room to move around, and didn't have to wear chains for something as mundane as a doctor's visit or endure a humiliating strip-search.

"See you guys, soon…thanks again…"

Before long, Wu and Muldoon left the visitation room and made their way out of the facility. They reached the parking lot and got in the rental car, ready to leave. The visit had impacted both men, but neither could openly state why. It was something they both struggled with internally, and they knew the visit had made a difference even if Nedry wasn't able to leave with them.

Wu couldn't voice what he had been thinking the entire visit. How he had imagined himself living life as an incarcerated man. Not even living, just existing. Never having his dreams realized. His character and reputation forever tainted. Being under someone's control, day and night. What about showering in a clean stall? Going out to the movies or his favorite restaurant? Life as he knew it would cease to exist if he had been locked up like Nedry, Dodgson, Lopez, Tembo, Sonya, Baselton, and King…

"I hope we never see him that way again," Wu said.

Muldoon sent him a sideways glance as he drove down the road. "You hope you never end up there."

There was a grain of truth in both their statements. They didn't speak again during the entire ride to the hotel.