Chapter 27 – The Long Goodbye
"How unhappy is he who cannot forgive himself." - Publilius Syrus
oOo
Henry Wu and Robert Muldoon returned to Isla Nublar with John Hammond the next day.
Muldoon had given Hammond back his victim impact statement and briefly mentioned that Nedry was amazed by everything he had written. Wu noticed that was all Muldoon said on the journey back to the island. He remained quiet, staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts. As much as Wu wanted to ask Muldoon about why the dynamics had changed between him and Dennis Nedry, this wasn't the time to bring it up. When Muldoon was in a somber mood (which he usually was) and quiet, it was best to leave him alone.
Then Wu had wanted to share with Hammond how the visit with Nedry went, but he found himself unable to tell the truth: how seeing Nedry incarcerated hit him hard. Instead, he kept it simple: Nedry appreciated their visit and was looking forward to his sentence hearing but didn't want anyone to be present. Hammond found that odd but didn't question it. By the time the helicopter touched down on the helipad, Wu had in mind what he wanted to do. He waited until Muldoon disembarked first and then went to Hammond just as the older man stood up to leave.
"John…"
Hammond turned to Wu; his eyebrows rose in curiosity. "Is everything okay, Henry?"
Wu took a deep breath and pushed himself. "I'm going to leave earlier than planned— probably by the end of the week. Maybe before that if possible. It will be better for everyone if I do."
Although Hammond had asked him to hold off leaving until after Nedry had his day in court, Wu decided it would be best to leave before that point. Hammond was silent for a moment as he looked towards Muldoon who waited for them outside and then he turned back to Wu. He gently squeezed the younger man's shoulder.
"I understand…"
Wu noticed now that Hammond's hat covered his face so he couldn't see his facial expression, but he could hear his voice bend.
"I'll let everyone know."
That's all Hammond said. Soon after, he disembarked from the helicopter to join Muldoon. Wu followed right after.
oOo
That night, everyone met together in the cafeteria for dinner. Wu tried to enjoy himself, especially since he knew this would be his final week there. The hours leading up to dinner, he had avoided everyone by staying cooped up in his living quarters at the staff lodge. Now he was in the cafeteria that held a mix of good memories from his times spent with the InGen staff—and bad memories he wanted to forget from when he had aligned himself with Biosyn. He watched as Tim and Lex Murphy sat at a table with Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant, and Ian Malcolm. Their table was happy and lively, especially since Tim and Lex were still working on their project where every dinosaur was given their own individual name.
Wu sat with Muldoon, Ray Arnold and George Lawala. Wu noticed that Arnold barely touched his food while Muldoon and Lawala spoke in hushed tones. Donald Gennaro sat with them but maintained a neutral stance. Gerry Harding sat at the far end of the table, not interacting with anyone. Finally, Hammond stood up to make his announcement. Before speaking, Wu noticed that he swallowed hard—as though trying to push past his emotions. When Hammond finally spoke, his voice shook.
"I want you all to know that this will be Henry's last week with us. He is parting from the company on amiable terms. Please be sure to check in with him before the week is out."
That was it. Brief and straight to the point. Wu stared down at his unfinished salmon and vegetables, and only looked up when he heard the cafeteria's double doors open and close. Hammond exited alone while leaning on his amber cane for support. He wondered if Hammond had left because he didn't want to be present for any questions that may arise about why Wu was leaving. As he thought about it, he felt several pairs of eyes burning into him. He glanced in the direction where Grant sat with Tim and Lex. All three of them were looking at him questioningly. Malcolm didn't appear shocked, and Ellie was focused on eating her dinner. Wu wasn't surprised that Ellie showed no emotion and at that same moment Harding stood up and left the cafeteria without saying a word.
What should've been an exuberant celebration about Lewis Dodgson receiving life without the possibility of parole, turned into a dirge about his pending departure—or more so, he hoped that wouldn't happen. Wu felt the focus should be that their arch-rival would be incarcerated until the day he died. Instead, the uncomfortable silence that filled the cafeteria for the next half hour told him otherwise. Malcolm came over to the table.
"Uh, I can't say I'm surprised, but that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed."
Wu looked up at Malcolm towering over the table, unsure of what to make of his statement.
"It's something I've been thinking about for some time now," Wu managed to get out.
He saw Gennaro join Malcolm.
"If there's anything we can do to make this be a smooth transition, let us know," Gennaro offered.
Wu nodded. "Thank you."
Gennaro offered a bland smile and then turned to leave the cafeteria, leaving Malcolm still hanging around.
"Is this a permanent decision?"
"I don't know, Dr. Malcolm. It's for right now and may change in the future."
Malcolm took a step back. "Close doors, but don't lock them."
Wu considered his analogy. "That's a good way to look at it."
"I'm glad there's room for future possibilities. I'll leave you to all enjoy the rest of this evening."
Malcolm returned to his table to sit with Ellie. Wu watched as he leaned over and whispered something to her. Ellie glanced in his direction briefly and then went back to finishing her dinner. Grant came to the table with Tim and Lex.
"It'll take us some time to think over and share with you what we want to say," Grant said, gesturing to himself and Tim and Lex, who nodded in agreement, "but we'll be sure to check in with you before you leave."
"Thank you, Dr. Grant, I appreciate that." Wu offered a weak smile to Grant. It was apparent that Grant was trying to stay optimistic for Tim who stared at the floor and Lex who looked at Wu wide-eyed. "I appreciate you two as well."
They returned to the table they had been sitting at with Malcolm and Ellie. Some time passed and soon the cafeteria was empty. It didn't go unnoticed by Wu that Ellie and Harding were the only ones who left without speaking to him about his decision to leave InGen. Wu shrugged it off, deciding not to let it bother him. Now it was only Muldoon and Arnold who sat with him in the cafeteria. Lawala had retired early for the night and had remained quiet after Hammond made the announcement. However, he had wished Wu and everyone a peaceful evening, so Wu took that as a good sign that they were still on good terms. Lawala probably needed time alone to process everything.
"I guess now that it's just the three of us, I can get answers," Wu said, scanning the cafeteria. It seemed so much larger when there were fewer occupants.
Arnold lit a new cigarette. "Answers about what?"
"There's something I've been wondering about…" Wu started, averting his gaze from Muldoon's piercing one. "Why were you and Dennis behaving so differently when you made it back from Sorna?"
"What did he tell you?" Muldoon's voice was tight.
Arnold looked from Wu to Muldoon. Last time he and Muldoon had a similar conversation, they had argued nonstop, and Malcolm had to intervene. Arnold had been skeptical of Nedry helping Muldoon, especially given their history, but over time, he had come to believe him: Nedry had changed for the better. He just never spoke it aloud directly.
"Dennis mentioned you both learned that you struggle with your own demons. You realized he wasn't evil, and he understood you weren't perfect."
"That's it?"
Wu nodded. "That's it."
Muldoon glanced at Arnold, who shrugged in response. Wu didn't know what to make of that exchange.
"He hardly told you anything."
"He lied?!" A tremor of anger rushed through Wu. Had Nedry lied and manipulated him the entire time?
Muldoon shook his head. "No, he minimized what he did."
"What did he do?"
"He saved Robert's life," Arnold said, jumping in.
Muldoon turned to him, scowling, as though wanting to explain everything himself.
"He…?" Wu's eyebrows rose. Shock was an understatement to describe what he felt. His mind raced with questions and no answers. Nedry completely undervalued what he had done. "How did that even happen?"
"I fell down this hill, hit my head on a rock, and ended up in a river facedown. Completely out of it. If he hadn't gotten me out, I would've drowned in there."
This was a lot bigger than Wu had anticipated. He knew all too well about the long-running hatred between Muldoon and Nedry. Everyone did.
"I'm sure you remember we tried to kill each other when we were fighting outside by the raptor pen. What he demonstrated when we were stranded on Isla Sorna was the complete opposite."
"How could anyone forget that?" Wu asked, remembering how horrible that day was. Hammond needed to be rushed off the island because he had a stroke. Muldoon and Nedry were bloodied up from their fight. Everyone ran around from the pandemonium that occurred when Nedry released the raptors.
"No one will ever forget that fight," Muldoon said, taking out his alcohol-filled flask, "but no one should ever forget that he got me out of that river when he could've left me to drown."
oOo
Wu had started cleaning out his office in the visitor center the morning after his conversation with Muldoon and Arnold. He had gotten an early start as he woke up around seven, ate a quick breakfast by himself, and then went straight to his office. So far, he had five boxes packed away with numerous journals, notes, and books when Gennaro stopped by.
"Mind if I come in for a few minutes?" Gennaro asked, lingering near the doorway. He glanced at the filled-up boxes.
Wu had been going through the drawers on his desk, dumping their contents out, and sorting out what he wanted to keep and discard. He looked up, surprised to see Gennaro.
"Sure, that's fine."
Gennaro watched him. "I hope you seriously reconsider, Henry."
"Reconsider what?" Wu didn't look up as he sorted out pencils, pens, and stick-it notes.
"Returning at some point. We used to have a lot of great conversations."
"Yeah, we did."
Wu agreed outwardly, but inwardly he shuddered. The bulk of their conversations centered around opening Jurassic Park to the world, how much money they'd rake in… Wu's mind abruptly shifted to other memories. Gennaro had treated Nedry horribly, blaming him for Jurassic Park remaining closed. Wu had happily joined in scapegoating him—it was easy to do so since Nedry had been incarcerated for serious crimes. Gennaro enjoyed reminding Nedry of his criminal record every moment that he could. Wu tried not to beat himself up for participating. Back then, he had been angry at Nedry, but now things were different. After all this time, he was able to acknowledge that while it was partially Nedry's fault, Hammond had also made the decision to keep the park closed until further notice.
And he finally accepted the poor choices he had made, stemming from his desire for worldwide recognition.
"I just think you deserve recognition for your accomplishments. For you to walk away from all this…" Gennaro's voice trailed off, and he shook his head, saddened by Wu's decision.
Wu looked up, noticing Gennaro's disconnected stare. Gennaro had come a long way since that time of blaming Nedry. Right then, Wu decided his sentiment was sincere: Gennaro wasn't looking at how much money Jurassic Park would make from the world seeing live dinosaurs. He truly respected Wu's astounding talent—and said so.
"What you've accomplished here is beyond brilliant, Henry. You should be proud of everything you've done for InGen."
Wu nodded. "Thank you, Donald."
"Anytime…reach out if you need anything."
Gennaro left and Wu stepped around his desk and went to the doorway. He saw Gennaro walk down the hallway, his head down. Gennaro must've been more upset about his anticipated departure than he first realized. Wu thought about calling him back, but then decided not to. Glancing around his office, he was pleased that he had managed to pack away most of his belongings. The pile in the center of the room was garbage to throw away. With a heavy sigh, Wu decided it was time to start packing his belongings in the staff lodge.
oOo
It was midafternoon when Malcolm poked his head from the doorway of his suite in the staff lodge. He saw Grant down the hallway; Tim and Lex were with him. Grant looked in his direction and mouthed, we'll be here for a bit. Malcolm nodded knowingly—they had spoken about this earlier. The door opened and Wu invited them into his suite. Malcolm knew Tim and Lex wanted to speak with Wu but weren't sure how to approach him. They had gone with Grant as he would help facilitate the conversation. Malcolm closed his door and turned to Arnold and Muldoon, who had arrived ten minutes ago. Both men had sought him out, wanting to hear his views as to what was going on with Nedry, Wu, and Hammond. The person with the most valuable insight on the island was Ian Malcolm.
"So, uh, where do you want to begin?" Malcolm asked, as he went to sit down at his desk. He gestured at the two chairs situated against the wall in the living room area of the suite. Malcolm kept his living area sparse like Muldoon. He mostly had books about mathematics and chaos theory on his bookshelf. "You both can sit down, no need to stand."
Muldoon and Arnold sat down and glanced at each other, unsure of where to start.
"I'd like to know your thoughts on why Dennis threw that Molotov cocktail," Arnold said. "Robert and I have discussed it many times and can't understand it."
Muldoon nodded in agreement. "He's self-sabotaging after all the good he's done. Why would he do that?"
Malcolm was quiet as he considered Muldoon's question. "Dennis doesn't think anything will change for him. His self-esteem is shot to hell. He's a mental mess and his life is in shambles. When he pulled that stunt with the Molotov cocktail, he already believed his life was over, so what's the use of trying to do better. It wasn't just about destroying Biosyn. I have a question for you."
Arnold gestured at himself and noticed that Malcolm pointed in Muldoon's direction.
"What made him decide to agree with John's suggestion to convince Henry to return to InGen? What's your thoughts about it?"
"He said he wanted to do something good, something right," Muldoon said. "He thought his amends from before weren't enough."
"What Robert's saying, and I agree: he's still making amends," Arnold said, taking out a full unopened pack of cigarettes.
"I think he self-sabotages because he doesn't think he deserves better for himself; he might even be unconsciously punishing himself—which he shouldn't do, he's been punished more than enough. Even so, in Dennis' mind, his past is tethered to him," Malcolm said. He let them absorb that morsel of truth. He had more insight to offer them, but for now, he held back and observed Arnold.
Arnold started hitting the bottom of the cigarette pack, breaking the silence. He wanted to distract himself from the conversation. Conversations about Nedry had always been awkward for him—especially when he had them with Muldoon, who for a long time believed that Nedry had changed. Arnold had been slow to warm up to the idea. He finally believed it when Nedry screwed up Dodgson's plans to sell off InGen and Jurassic Park to Biosyn's top executives.
Malcolm waited to see if Muldoon would respond. Muldoon sat with his arms folded across his chest in deep thought. When he didn't reply, Malcolm continued.
"Dennis also has a vengeful streak. When he feels he's been wronged, he turns against others easily. Hammond was cruel to him, almost ruining his career. In turn, Dennis steals from InGen, sells the company secrets to the highest bidder—Lewis Dodgson. He went after you and Ray, when you both did the right thing in turning him over to the police.
"The Molotov cocktail—it's unclear to me if he wanted anyone killed when he did that dangerous stunt. On one hand, he has limits as to how far he'd hurt InGen—such as his regret when you and John were the worst affected by him releasing the raptors. Then again, Dodgson has tried numerous times to kill him—often using others to do his dirty work—mainly Lopez and Tembo—so in a way, that Molotov cocktail was meant to get back at them—even if it didn't kill them."
"And in doing so, he threw away all the progress he made," Muldoon said quietly.
Malcolm noticed Arnold appeared downcast. Over time, Arnold seemed more understanding of Muldoon's views when it came to Nedry. In fact, he was the one that started the conversation. Malcolm found that to be a fascinating development.
"What about John?" Arnold asked as he shifted in his seat. He was uncomfortable that he had brought up his employer. "Gerry thinks John's foolish for forgiving Dennis and Henry."
"Do you think he is?" Malcolm reversed the question back to Arnold.
"I don't think he's foolish for forgiving them, I just think it was fast when it comes to Henry." Arnold took out a cigarette from the pack, as though intending to light it, and then placed it back in. "I want to give Henry a second chance, too."
"You're conflicted," Muldoon said.
"Very." Arnold sounded glum.
Malcolm leaned forward. "We're on the same wavelength. I think John forgiving Henry before he's made amends was premature."
"Why do you think he did it?" Muldoon asked, sending Arnold a sideways glance. Arnold was staring down at his cigarette pack.
"Because it's too painful for him to process another betrayal. He wants to jump to forgiveness because it's easier and spares him the constant back-and-forth of trying to understand and accept that Henry betrayed him." Malcolm paused, as though amending his thoughts. "Then again, maybe he has truly forgiven Henry, and just wants to move forward. When he was stuck on Dennis' betrayal, the park remained closed and there was no movement to open it to the public. He doesn't want to make the same mistake again."
All three men were quiet as they considered everything. Then Malcolm brought up an idea that surprised both Muldoon and Arnold.
"John's trying to redeem himself, too."
"What?!" Arnold was surprised and saw Muldoon's eyebrows furrowed together. He was glad he wasn't alone in his reaction. Both men were taken back by Malcolm's suggestion.
"He's been trying to redeem himself this whole time, especially for not listening to Dennis when they had a hostile working relationship. Dennis made his own choices, but now John acknowledges the role he played. He accepts that he was wrong to pressure Dennis, keep him in the dark, and threaten his career. He's hired three more employees to help run the park, and he's been very accepting of George Lawala," Malcolm pointed out. "He gave everyone a raise including myself, Alan, and Ellie. John wants Dennis to receive clemency for his part in helping Dodgson and his gang get locked up."
"Hammond has changed a lot," Muldoon agreed. "We used to clash all the time about the dinosaurs. I almost quit when he first refused to let me have lethal weapons, but then he gave in."
"If only Dennis had threatened to quit…" Arnold's voice trailed off.
"I don't think he felt he had a choice," Malcolm said. "Let's go back to Henry."
Arnold sighed, sadly. "Henry's carrying a heavy burden, it's so much. I wish he'd let it go."
"Seeing Dennis in prison affected him too," Muldoon said, keeping his voice low, as though he didn't want them to hear what he had said aloud. "You know, when we visited him."
"How so?" Malcolm asked.
Muldoon saw the odd expression on Arnold's face and continued. "He saw how he could've ended up. No matter how much Dennis tried to play it off, he's depressed, and it showed. He's afraid of what will happen at his sentence hearing. Henry saw it too—and he now realizes how close he was to landing in prison."
"Maybe he needed that wake-up call," Malcolm said, leaning back.
Arnold sent him a hurt look and sighed heavily.
"It's gonna take a lot, Ray. Look at how much Dennis did against everyone, and then everything he went through to make amends," Muldoon said. "Henry made the right choice to come back to InGen."
Malcolm nodded. "That's a start. Henry's full of guilt; he doesn't know how to make amends, but desperately wants to. He wants to show everyone that he's not the same man who sold out InGen so that he could have a taste of fame. He's worried about what everyone thinks of him."
"He's leaving us by the end of today or tomorrow," Arnold mumbled.
"Did anyone pressure him to make that choice?" Malcolm asked to confirm.
"He made it himself," Muldoon said. "We don't know if it has anything to do with Dennis, John—or even Gerry. Gerry and Ellie haven't been receptive to him since he came back."
Malcolm looked towards the door now, as though expecting Grant to walk in with Tim and Lex and share with them how the conversation with Wu went. He was aware of Ellie's misgivings towards Wu, given that they had spoken privately about it. At first, learning about Harding's mistrust came as a shock to him, but the more he thought about it, the more he understood why: Wu had been brutal to Harding when he wanted to prove to Dodgson that he was fully aligned with Biosyn. Neither Ellie nor Harding were quick to forgive and forget. Whereas Arnold and Muldoon had a very different experience with Nedry, and so they took a different approach with Wu.
"Henry Wu walking away from the very source of the fame he craves is the ultimate penance," Malcolm concluded. "He knows no other way to show that he's truly sorry for the harm he's caused."
Arnold suddenly looked up, a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. "Do you think he'll come back?"
Malcolm shook his head. "I have no idea."
oOo
Wu sat on the sofa in his suite across from Grant. Tim and Lex sat on either side of Grant on the adjacent sofa. Wu had been surprised by their arrival. He had been packing his clothing, hygiene products, photos, and other knick-knacks when he heard the knocking on his door. Upon opening it, he had been pleasantly shocked to see Grant standing outside with Tim and Lex. Without hesitation, he had let them in, while apologizing that his living suite was in disarray. It would be cleaned up by late tonight; Wu was working fast to pack up everything. For now, though, he gave his undivided attention to Hammond's grandchildren and Grant.
"Where would you like to begin?" Grant asked, turning to Tim and Lex who sat on either side of him.
Tim shrugged and Lex played with an African violet she held, twirling it around. Wu watched them, aware that they still felt awkward around him. He noted the African violet in Lex's hands—it had come from Ellie's greenhouse. Ellie stayed away from him. As for Hammond's grandchildren…that was one of his biggest regrets: in joining Dodgson, he made Tim and Lex feel uncomfortable around him—probably afraid, which was far worse.
Noting their avoidant behavior reminded Wu of Dodgson's horrific plan to kidnap Tim and Lex. It made Wu wonder if they watched the entirety of the trials. Were they aware that Dodgson wanted to kidnap them—and that he wanted to use Henry Wu to accomplish that twisted goal? Wu hoped for their sake that the kids knew nothing, but given how intelligent they were, and how much they easily picked up on, he believed they already knew the horrible truth. Given the circumstances, Wu respected the fact that they even came by to talk to him. They probably felt awkward because of what he had done when he was with Biosyn—not because he was leaving. Then again, even if Tim and Lex had any feelings about what had gone on before, they wouldn't voice it. Their hesitancy at the visitor center when Wu first returned spoke volumes.
"Do you want me to begin?" Grant tried again.
"Maybe I should be the one to break the ice." Wu forced himself to smile when Tim met his eyes. He tried to read Tim's facial expression, but it was difficult to tell if Tim was feeling sad by the way his eyes flickered away—or flushed with embarrassment that he was here.
"Sure." Grant nodded.
"Thank you all for stopping by," Wu said. "Sorry that everything is out of order." He gestured to the mess that was his suite. Clothing was strewn everywhere, books were stacked up, an unzipped gym bag containing various hygiene products was laying in the corner.
"Why are you leaving?" Lex finally looked up, facing Wu.
Wu swallowed nervously. "It was a decision I made—a difficult one. I felt it was the right thing to do after I…" he paused and decided to be upfront. He was aware that Tim and Lex would immediately know if he was lying. "After I hurt your grandfather and the company."
"But you made up for it by coming back," Lex said.
"Grandpa's glad you returned," Tim added. "That meant everything to us, to see him happy again."
"I'm happy that I was able to do that for him…" Wu's eyes lowered to the floor.
"We are too," Lex said quietly. "We're glad you came back, even if it was for a short time. Thank you."
"What are you gonna do now?" Tim asked.
Grant watched as Tim and Lex asked questions on their own. He knew this was best—allow the teens to explore openly with Wu about his eventual departure from the company.
"Right now, I need to sort out my life."
"What does that mean?" Tim's eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to imagine what Wu meant.
Grant leaned towards Tim. "It means Dr. Wu is thinking over what's most important to him, what his priorities are."
"Like what?" Tim pressed.
Grant gestured to Wu, who leaned forward to indicate he was open to answering Tim's questions. "You can ask Dr. Wu."
Tim looked from Grant to Wu, and then reached over, tapping Lex on her knee. "What are 'priorities'?"
Lex sighed, as though annoyed and then smirked at her younger brother. "Dr. Grant just told you—it's what's most important to you."
"What are Dr. Wu's priorities?"
"Oh my God, Timmy—ask him, he's sitting right across from you!" Lex motioned to Wu with the African violet. "I'm sorry, Dr. Wu."
"It's fine." Wu chuckled. Watching Tim and Lex bicker playfully had always been amusing to him. The last time they went back and forth was because of their disagreements on the dinosaur names. "I have to rethink my career, the direction I want to take, that sort of thing."
"You're not gonna clone no more dinosaurs?" Tim asked, his eyes widened.
"Anymore dinosaurs," Grant corrected, while smiling sadly. "I've been wondering that myself Henry. Are you staying in the field?"
"I'll stay in genetics," Wu said slowly, "but I'm considering other areas in that field."
"You'll find your path. I gotta tell you though…" Grant sat closer to the edge of the sofa. "I'll always remember the first time I came to the island with Ellie and Ian. Seeing the brachiosaur, that was the first dinosaur John introduced us to…" He paused as he stared into space, remembering that amazing breathtaking moment. "When we came across the sick triceratops Gerry was working with…" Grant met Wu's eyes but didn't notice Wu flinch at the mention of Harding. "Henry, that was one of the best days of my entire life."
"I remember when Rexy ate the goat!" Tim said, grinning. "Look at Lex, making faces! She's still a vegetarian."
"That was gross—no offense, Dr. Wu," Lex tried to hold back a laugh.
Grant was serious, but it was obvious that Tim's and Lex's enthusiasm was contagious.
"I can't even begin to tell you what it meant to see those dinosaurs, extinct for millions of years—and now I was seeing them up close and personal." Grant made a movement with his arms, holding them wide apart. "Just seeing their enormous size—there's nothing like it."
Wu beamed. For the first time in a long while, he felt genuinely happy. Then just as quickly, his heart sank to the middle of his chest. The dinosaurs weren't truly real. He had used amphibian DNA in genetic sequencing where there were gaps. Against his better judgement, Wu mentioned this aloud—not that it was news to Grant or even the kids.
"That doesn't make the dinosaurs any less wonderful."
Wu nodded, forcing himself to take in the praise Grant gave him. "Thank you, I appreciate that, Dr. Grant."
"No need to thank me, and always call me 'Alan'."
Wu admired Grant for his modest personality. Grant was world-renowned, published, and well-known in his field of paleontology—and he always behaved like he was just any everyday person. Grant was the antithesis of Wu at his worst. He was passionate and humble, kind and approachable.
"Thank you, Alan."
"Absolutely." Grant stood up now, and Tim and Lex mirrored him. "No matter what happens, your accomplishments are phenomenal. One bad choice doesn't erase that."
Wu let out a long sigh and felt a calm peace wash over him. He was grateful for their brief visit. He could see that Tim and Lex had said everything they needed to, as did Grant. He walked them to the door and opened it to let them out. As he walked out, Tim turned to him once more.
"Thank you for coming back, Dr. Wu. We hope you return one day—when you do, stay for good!"
"When you're here, Grandpa is happy," Lex added, smiling.
"And us as well." Grant held out his hand.
Wu looked down at Grant's hand, surprised by his kind gesture. Without hesitation, he took Grant's hand, shaking it firmly. "Thanks again for stopping by. I really appreciate it."
At the same moment that Lex and Grant had followed Tim, Wu saw Malcolm's door open down the hallway. Muldoon and Arnold exited out and he wondered what they had discussed with Malcolm. Just then Ellie hurried down the hallway. Wu tried to focus on Arnold and Muldoon as they started towards him, but instead his attention was on Ellie and Malcolm. Grant, Tim, and Lex waited near Wu's suite, waiting to see if Ellie and Malcolm would join them, which they did. Arnold and Muldoon were several feet away from him, and Wu stood in his doorway, watching Ellie's interactions with Grant, Malcolm, and the kids.
"We're heading to dinner in an hour or so," Grant said, gesturing to Tim and Lex who waited patiently. "Would you like join us?"
"That would be great," Malcolm said.
"I gotta get to the greenhouse." Ellie's words were jumbled together. Apparently, she was in a rush to leave the staff lodge. "I had planted these new flowers yesterday and they need to be checked on in twenty-four hours."
The entire time they spoke, Ellie completely ignored Wu. He watched, feeling the pangs of being an outsider who yearned to be involved and included—but was destined to remain out of reach. He wondered if Nedry felt this way when he was with InGen after he made his decision to join Biosyn—or perhaps, he felt more like an outsider after he decided to leave Biosyn. Lex noticed Ellie's stand-offish behavior as she looked from Wu to Ellie, and then back to Wu again. Tim gazed at Wu too, appearing mystified as to why Ellie didn't greet him. Thankfully, Muldoon and Arnold joining them distracted the kids. At the same moment, Ellie quickly kissed Malcolm and asked Grant to stop by the greenhouse later. Then she continued down the hallway. Malcolm turned to Wu.
"In case I don't see you before you leave, I want to wish you the very best in everything you do, Henry. Don't let this be the end."
A wistful smile flashed across Wu's face. Coming from Malcolm, that was quite the compliment. "Thank you, Dr. Malcolm."
"See you at dinner?"
Wu wanted to join everyone one last time for dinner, but another part of him wanted to hide away in his suite. "I'm not sure, I'm still clearing out my area."
Malcolm gave a polite nod and then left the area with Grant and the kids.
He glanced in Muldoon's and Arnold's direction, wondering if they wanted to speak with him. He hoped not. By now, he wished he could just magically pack everything away and send it to California via mind control. For himself, he'd jump on a broom and fly away off the island if he could. That way he wouldn't have to see or interact with anyone. It would be a done deal. Everything and everyone from InGen would be in his past.
"It'll take time to build back the bridges that were broken," Muldoon said.
Wu blinked. Muldoon had seen the entire tense exchange. Arnold did too. At the same moment that he realized Arnold had also witnessed everything, he heard a lighter click shut and the sharp smell of cigarette smoke filled the air. Arnold was back to addressing his anxiety with smoking. Wu vaguely wondered if he'd miss the smell of smoke when he finally left Isla Nublar. For him, cigarette smoke would always be associated with Arnold.
"I'll be honest," Arnold said, taking a drag. "I'm still having a rough time accepting your decision, but I respect it."
"Thanks, that's nice to know," Wu muttered, turning towards the doorway. He needed to finish packing—or more so, he needed to avoid everyone.
"Do you want to meet for dinner? We can bring the food back to your suite," Muldoon said.
Wu thought about it. He was tempted to turn down Muldoon's offer, and then thought better of it. "Sure, that would be nice."
"We'll grab a little of everything and bring it over."
"Thanks, Robert."
Wu didn't bother to watch as Arnold and Muldoon went down the hallway. He needed to detach himself and this was the only way to do it. He felt he was behaving as he did when he was with Biosyn. Aloof. Isolating himself. No one seemed to notice or care. Or perhaps they cared but understood he was doing what needed to be done to cope with his pending departure. Wu went inside his suite and closed the door.
Sighing, he scanned his living room area, amazed at how messy it was with all his clothing and belongings strewn about. He usually took pride in being neat. He supposed the colossal mess represented his mind—he was all over the place, disorganized, and needed to make order for everything. Pushing those thoughts aside, Wu stepped over the opposite wall where he had framed pictures of the park staff during the construction days. Next to it was the plaque they had given him.
Wu picked up the plaque from the shelf and stared at it for some time: Henry Wu: A Trailblazer in the Field of Genetics. The Miracle Worker of Jurassic Park. At first, he thought to dump it in the trash—he was no longer a miracle worker. Then he thought better of it when he remembered what Grant had told him: no matter what happens, your accomplishments are phenomenal. One bad choice doesn't erase that. Wu wrapped the plaque with newspapers. He went inside his bedroom and placed the plaque in his luggage. Perhaps one day, he'd believe in the message on the plaque, especially if he kept it with him when he finally left.
oOo
The next morning, Hammond invited Wu to have breakfast with him in his bungalow. The entire time, Hammond spoke excitedly about the new hires and his ideas to open Jurassic Park for one or two days a week with small groups in attendance as a starting point. Wu remained quiet and polite. He didn't share Hammond's enthusiasm, but he didn't want him to know that. When it was time to leave, he took one last look around Hammond's bungalow. He had so many memories of meeting there with Hammond to discuss everything related to Jurassic Park. Wu sighed, saddened to know this would be the last time he'd be there, or at least, it would be some time before he returned—but this was for the best.
"We'll take care of everything else, Henry," Hammond said, as they waited outside for Harding and Muldoon to arrive in a gas-powered jeep. "I know you have more belongings that need to get shipped back to the States."
"Yeah, taking these two is enough," Wu said, pointing at the large luggage carrier at his feet and the gym bag slung over his shoulder. "I have enough clothes and other items to hold me off for two weeks."
"By then, we'll have your stuff shipped over. Do you know where you'll be staying?"
Wu shrugged. "I'm not sure, but as soon as I know, I'll let you know."
"That sounds good."
Hammond became quiet when he saw Muldoon drive over with the gas-powered jeep. Wu realized it had finally hit Hammond that he was leaving Isla Nublar—and not just the island, but the company, InGen. He saw that Harding was with Muldoon on the passenger side. Muldoon put the vehicle in parking mode as Harding got out and placed Wu's luggage in the backseat.
"I won't be joining you on that ride to the helipad, Henry…" Hammond said, his voice faltering. "I hope you understand."
"I do." Wu thought about what he wanted to say. He knew it sounded cliché, but it was the best thing he could say under the circumstances. "This isn't goodbye, John. This is 'see you later'. Thank you for the opportunity to work for InGen. It's truly been a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
Hammond sniffed and he took out a handkerchief to wipe his face. "Thank you, Henry, for everything you've done. All your contributions, but more importantly, for who you are. I hope you'll stay in touch."
"I will."
Wu climbed in the backseat and Hammond shut the rear passenger side door. Harding got back in on the front passenger side. Moments later, Muldoon drove away, and Wu stared at the rearview mirror, noticing Hammond's image shrink. It was strange to see such a powerful man seemingly shrink in size the more distance there was between them. For Wu, knowing John Hammond as the eccentric billionaire and founder of InGen, meant the older man would always be larger than life.
oOo
Fifteen minutes later, they were outside at the helipad. The pilot and helicopter were already there. Harding took out Wu's rolling luggage. Wu thought about the upcoming journey. The pilot would take him to a landing point in Costa Rica. From there, he'd catch a flight back to the States. He'd probably go to Palo Alto in California. From there, Wu would decide on a plan of action.
"Safe travels, Henry," Muldoon said, standing outside and pulling his fedora over his face. "Call the control room when you get back to the States. Let us know you arrived safely."
"You got it. Thanks for everything."
Muldoon got back inside the gas-powered jeep. Then he came out again and handed a letter to Wu.
"George wanted you to have this…I think seeing you leave Biosyn to return to InGen, only to completely go out on your own…it's hard for him," Muldoon explained. "He said to read it after you've left the island."
"Thank you," Wu said, putting the letter in his pocket. His curiosity was aroused, but he'd have to wait until he was traveling to read what Lawala had written to him.
He started towards the helicopter when he heard his name being called. He turned around and blinked in surprise when he saw it was Harding who called out to him. Wu waited, unsure if he should go to Harding. Harding seemed to read his mind and came over to him.
"Look…I'm not sure how to say this but…for the stuff I said before after all the hell you went through…" Harding stared at him intensely, trying to get the rest of his words out.
Wu's eyebrows knitted together, confused. Was Harding apologizing to him? He thought quickly: Harding had cut him off and hadn't spoken a word to him since that time in the recreation room at the staff lodge. Months went by without a single syllable exchanged between them. Ever since Wu made it known he was planning to leave—after Harding shared what he thought of Wu—the two men had barely spoken a sentence to each other. Wu decided to interject before Harding could complete his thought.
"You don't have to apologize, Gerry." Wu realized he had to speak louder over the thumping of the helicopter's blades. "I'm not holding a grudge against you. If the shoe were on the other foot, I would've reacted the same way."
Harding's eyes had been fixed in a glare, contrary to whatever apology he would've given. He had appeared tense when he first called out to Wu, not knowing what to say. Now he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Best of luck to you, Henry. Stay focused."
Wu nodded in appreciation. "Thank you."
Harding went back to the gas-powered jeep where Muldoon waited. Once he was inside, Wu boarded the helicopter. He barely sat down for five seconds to put on his safety belt in the cabin, when the helicopter lifted into the air. In no time at all, the pilot was flying over Isla Nublar.
Wu felt his heart lodge in his throat.
He saw how tiny the gas-powered jeep appeared from high up in the air; it looked like a toy car. The dark blue curvy strip from above was the jungle river that ran through the entire island. Some of the triceratops herded together at the lagoon. Even from above, Wu was able to make out the massive head of the tyrannosaurus rex. The silver lines with blue and red blinking lights—the electrified fences that were all over the island to ensure the animals and staff were both protected and safe. Finally, the visitor center and the staff lodge looked like model buildings. Then the vastness of the ocean was beneath them as the pilot started flying towards Costa Rica.
Wu remembered the letter Muldoon gave him and he took out of his pocket and read it:
Henry, I'll keep this short. I wanted to stop by and see you before you left, but I didn't have the right words. I understand what it's like to be on the wrong side, and then see the light. You see the light now. You came around. Focus on that as you start a new path for yourself. I'm glad I was able to have a new start with InGen. I finally have peace. I hope wherever life takes you, that you find your peace. – George L.
A sad smile flashed across Wu's face as he folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. He wished Lawala had stopped by to see him before he left. If there was one person, outside of Nedry, who understood Wu's treacherous journey, it was Lawala. Lawala had started off on the wrong side of the tracks, and eventually went to the right side. Now he was flourishing in his employment at InGen, and in his role as associate park warden, working side by side with Muldoon. Wu found that he was happy for Lawala—and he was grateful for his encouragement.
Wu watched the waters below him now. He knew in his heart after seeing Nedry in prison, reflecting on his conversations with Muldoon and Arnold, and knowing that Hammond was still pressing forward with opening Jurassic Park to the world—that he had made the right decision. His one hope was that his departure would lead to healing for himself, for the park staff, and especially for Hammond. Fame and recognition were no longer important. It was time to reinvent himself after realizing where he had gone wrong. Now he could focus on going down the right path. What goes down, must come up, Wu thought, smiling, as he remembered his catchphrase. Things would get better for him from hereon, and especially for the rest of InGen…