Chapter 6 - Facing the Truth
"If you're betrayed, release disappointment at once. By that way, the bitterness has no time to take root." -Toba Beta
oOo
John Hammond stood alone, staring at the area that used to be the raptor pen.
The raptor pen had been completely torn down several months ago and a new enclosure had been built in its place for the park's new species, Crichton's ankylosaur. Compared to the rest of the paddocks, this one was much smaller in size, and seemed like a playpen of sorts. There was an artificial lake and new plant life placed in the new environment thanks to Ellie Sattler's expertise. The maintenance workers had also completed putting up the surrounding electrified fence.
Today was the day: Robert Muldoon, along with Gerry Harding, George Lawala, and Alan Grant, planned to place the first juvenile ankylosaur and then observe her behavior in the coming days and weeks. Should the transfer be successful, they would place a second ankylosaur, and later, a third one. If the paddock couldn't hold them, then they would create a new one in the park. Everyone would be present as anytime a dinosaur was placed in its paddock—when it was the first of its species—this was a celebratory occasion on Isla Nublar.
Hammond knew he should be thrilled: Project 16 had been an amazing success. The 16th species—which was now the 15th species since the velociraptors were no longer in existence—had been successfully genetically engineered and cloned. Hammond wanted to experience the same overwhelming excitement and achievement he always felt whenever a dinosaur was successfully recreated for Jurassic Park—but he couldn't celebrate this time. It was impossible to feel happy now that he knew the truth of everything that had happened—especially why Henry Wu wasn't standing by his side to see the new enclosure designed for Crichton's ankylosaur.
Henry Wu.
The name burned in his mind, and he thought back to that exact moment when he learned Henry Wu was no longer with InGen. At the time, he believed he was having a second stroke. Numbness spread throughout his body, dizziness overtook him, and he had difficulty walking. He had even blacked out temporarily from the severe shock of learning the truth. Despite the physical horror he felt upon learning of Wu's betrayal, it was the emotional aspect that was taking its toll on him. That's when he learned that facing the truth was much different than learning the truth…
Hammond found himself repeatedly returning to the genetics lab, looking for Wu and hoping to find him there. One night he had overheard Ian Malcolm speaking with Alan Grant about it. Hammond had been leaving the visitor center to go to the staff lodge when he heard them talking in the main lobby. Making sure to not be seen, Hammond had stayed in the hallway as he eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Do you think he'll ever accept what Henry did?" Grant had asked. "He's been isolating himself from everyone."
"He's experiencing Henry's betrayal like a death." Malcolm was serious. There was no hint of humor in his tone.
"Which stage is he in? I know there's stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance."
"The stages aren't linear. There's no specific order or timeframe."
"I wish we could help him. Ellie and I have tried talking with him, but he cuts out before we can really delve into anything."
"He needs time—a lot of time to process everything. Right now, he's grappling with denial."
Hammond agreed with Malcolm—his behavior was like someone whose loved one has died and keeps calling the deceased person hoping they will pick up the phone. Of course, the deceased person wouldn't pick up and the surviving person would come to terms with the fact that their loved one was no longer alive. Sometimes it would help them to accept the loss…and other times not. Hammond was grieving and he didn't know when it would let up. He woke up with Wu's betrayal on his mind, thought about it all day, and went to sleep with it still weighing on him. He didn't want to admit to Malcolm that he was right, nor did he want to share with anyone all the jumbled emotions he felt every day. That night, he had remained by himself waiting for them to leave the lobby before exiting the visitor center himself.
He stopped going to the genetics lab. It wasn't because of what Malcolm had said, but because it was becoming more hurtful and increasingly devastating to visit the empty lab. It forced him to face what he didn't want to face: Wu was gone.
Hammond found himself constantly second-guessing everyone's warm smiles and greetings. Were they sincere or fake? He would question any information told to him—not aloud, but inwardly. Avoiding everyone helped to lessen the doubt that always crowded his mind. He had wanted to spend more time with Tim and Lex, and instead, would find times to eat his meals by himself. That wasn't always possible as the park staff would invite him to sit with them if they were in the cafeteria together. Sometimes he found it ironic that he had been discharged from the hospital because he had finally healed from the stroke's physical impact on his body, only to return to Isla Nublar to have his emotions tangled up and his heart shattered from Wu's betrayal. He was extremely grateful for Nedry's role in making things right on the island again, but it did not cancel Wu's shocking dark turn.
As he thought about it, Hammond left the newly built paddock and went to his bungalow. The entire time he walked there, he replayed the scene in his mind about when he found out everything. It had been two weeks since his return to Isla Nublar. He isolated himself in his bungalow, in his office at the visitor center, and his suite at the staff lodge. Hammond had never expected this to happen. He had been alone for so many months in the hospital (since visits from the park staff were rare and scattered) and he had greatly looked forward to being back on the island. Now that he was back, he felt more alone than before. His mind still spun from everything he had learned. All the backstabbing, the drama, the division among his own staff, the boldness of Dodgson sending his team to invade his island multiple times—and even trying to take it over so that Biosyn could own Jurassic Park outright. However, learning that Wu had betrayed him to join Dodgson was the worst blow he never imagined would happen.
Hammond entered his bungalow, which he considered his own personal respite and escape (like what Ellie's greenhouse had been for her for some time). As he glanced around the spacious bungalow, he tried to picture Arnold and Muldoon holding Nedry captive in here—it sounded laughable. Then he pictured Lewis Dodgson and George Baselton lounging around on his black leather couches, going in his fridge, holding meetings there, pretending it was their own—and this frightened and angered him.
He went to the freezer and took out his favorite dessert, ginger ice cream. Placing the ice cream on the table, he went back to the kitchen for a bowl, spoon, and ice cream scooper. He scooped ice cream into the bowl and then let it sit there as he got lost in his thoughts about when he first met Henry Wu. Wu had been young and ambitious, willing to tackle a project unlike any he ever had before. Cloning dinosaurs. He was determined to make his mark in the field of genetics. Wu was excited back then and Hammond knew he had made the right choice to hire him. Hammond had promised he would be known one day for his accomplishments.
Wu was always enthusiastic, whereas Nedry was apathetic.
On that note, Hammond allowed himself to consider the difference between both men's betrayals. Nedry's betrayal was awful, but during those months spent recovering in the Hospital CIMA, Hammond had a lot of time to think about the part he played in their interactions that led to Nedry's choices. He started to accept the fact that he had kept Nedry in the dark, that he demanded big changes at the last minute, and then refused to pay him. Hammond had backed him into a corner when he threatened lawsuits—all while claiming that Nedry was a genius in his own way. It was no wonder why Nedry was disgruntled and betrayed him when the opportunity presented itself. Hammond stirred his ice cream with the spoon as he thought about it. Nedry was furious at him and understandably so. It didn't excuse what he had done, but it helped Hammond to understand him.
His mind wandered to Wu now as he served himself more ginger ice cream. Nedry's trial and incarceration had cast InGen in a negative light, especially in the American press. Hammond needed to distract himself and found the perfect solution. He had focused on what else could be added to Jurassic Park. The idea for cloning a 16th species was born. It served as a pleasant distraction, it reminded Hammond that he still had a spectacular theme park (even if it wasn't yet open to the public), and he got to work alongside Wu, which he greatly enjoyed.
That's what made Wu's betrayal his worst nightmare: he trusted him, treasured him, and respected him. Unlike Nedry where there were ongoing conflicts about his salary and contract, Hammond didn't have these problems with Wu. Wu was easygoing and wonderful to work with. Hammond had known Nedry was unhappy working for him, whereas Wu smiled in his face—and in that way, Wu's treachery stung him deeply. He needed another distraction to help him get through—but what? Hammond racked his brains. He could hire some more employees since the park staff was very small. He could even push forward to open the park. Those were two excellent ideas, but he realized no matter what he did, there would always be an emptiness in his heart that nothing could fill. The emptiness from knowing that two of his own employees—both directly involved in the park's construction—had aligned themselves with the corporate enemy.
Wu's and Nedry's betrayal affected him far more than he first realized. Before his hospitalization, he remembered telling Malcolm about his fear that another employee would betray him. Wu turned out to be a horrific self-fulfilling prophecy. Even his recovery at the CIMA Hospital had been hampered by processing his last exchange with Nedry outside by the raptor pen. To the park staff, Hammond made a quick recovery, but that was because they didn't visit him very often. Hammond didn't know why that was—well, now he knew that part of the reason was Dodgson making it almost impossible for anyone to leave Isla Nublar once he took over. Malcolm and Lex had gotten around that though and managed to visit Hammond.
They had been excited to see him walking again, but the truth was his recovery was long, slow, and complicated by the emotions he felt towards Nedry and his betrayal—especially the argument they had just before his stroke. Drop dead, Mr. Hammond. Nedry's words reverberated in his mind during the first month of his hospitalization. For some time, Hammond wondered if Nedry had intended to harm him this severely. Amid the confusion that had wracked him in the beginning, those thoughts haunted him: he purposely did this to me—he wanted to kill me. That led to depression and anxiety clouding his mind, followed by the constant questions that he had no answers to: what was going on at Jurassic Park? What about his animals? What was everyone doing? It usually went in that order: Jurassic Park, his animals, and everyone else. It wasn't until much later that his order of priorities would be reversed: his grandchildren, the consultants and park staff, the animals, and finally, Jurassic Park.
He had struggled with the physical side effects of the stroke, specifically his left side was paralyzed. His left arm had a prickly sensation. The words were clear in his mind, but once he tried to speak, it came out garbled. The irony was Hammond found he could hear and understand everyone around him, but he had difficulty talking. Walking was out of the question as he had used a wheelchair in the beginning of his recovery. That only added to his depression at the time.
Everything changed the day Nedry came to visit him in the hospital. That same day, Hammond had been exhausted with the repetitions he had done at his physical therapy session. The physical therapist had pushed him to do more exercises to regain mobility in his left arm. All the exertion had worn him down. He had never been happier to fall asleep in his bed. He had turned over and found sleep fading away so that when he woke up, Nedry was sitting at his bedside. At first, he thought he was dreaming—or having a nightmare. Why else would Nedry come to see him? He would taunt him for the fact that he suffered a debilitating stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side. There was no reason to believe Nedry was being kind to him, especially after their last confrontation in the park.
Hammond remembered smiling awkwardly before accepting why Nedry was here. In the forefront of Hammond's mind, Nedry was there to finish what he had started. Fearful, he had fidgeted in the bed and forgot to use the call button. He had so many questions to ask and he remembered opening his mouth to talk—but no sound came out. Hammond had gripped the bed's rails and Nedry misinterpreted his body language. He thought Hammond was trying to get comfortable. Nedry fixed his pillows so that he could sit up. This had surprised Hammond, although he couldn't express his shock. From there, Nedry had a one-sided conversation with him about making things right on the island and that it was never his intention for Hammond to end up hospitalized. Hammond had listened although he had desperately wanted to respond. The quiet manner Nedry spoke left a lasting impression on Hammond, since hostility and bitter arguing had been their usual way of communicating.
Nedry's visit was the last thing he ever expected. Especially when Hammond remembered visiting him in prison. That had blown up in his face with Nedry yelling and cursing at him while being dragged out by correction officers. After all this time, Hammond finally understood why he had such a volatile reaction. He had unfairly accused Nedry of still having contact with Dodgson, although it had been almost two years into his sentence. It was a terrifying encounter as Hammond no longer recognized his former employee. Incarceration had changed Nedry—and not for the better.
After Nedry left his hospital room that day, Hammond realized two things. He had to come to terms with Nedry's betrayal—and he had to forgive him. Not only was it necessary to forgive Nedry, but Hammond had also started to see the conflict from Nedry's perspective. He felt trapped in the hospital: he couldn't communicate and was barely able to move, although he did as much therapy as possible. It made him wonder: did Nedry feel trapped? When Hammond didn't give him information about what was needed for the park, and eventually overworked him and threatened lawsuits after Nedry had signed a nondisclosure agreement… Nedry had nowhere to turn until Lewis Dodgson offered him the monetary compensation that Hammond denied him. Hammond wanted to present himself as the grandfatherly showman of Jurassic Park, but the truth was he could be a cutthroat corporate businessman who put profit above his employees" safety. And he knew it.
The other way he had realized that forgiveness was important for his well-being came from meeting the hospital chaplain, Milton Gibbons. He was a gentle middle-aged man dressed in plain clothes. Although Hammond had difficulty talking at the time, he had listened to Gibbons speak on the subject of forgiveness, after sharing with him that sometimes people were hospitalized because of the terrible choices they made on their own—and sometimes because of the poor choices of others. Drunk driving, being at the wrong place at the wrong time, an attempted suicide, drug overdose. None of those applied to Hammond, but Gibbons spoke on the power of forgiving one's self and forgiving others. When it came to forgiving others, he said something that left an impression on Hammond: Forgiveness is for you, to set you free from bitterness and anger, and gives you the capacity to love and thrive.
Forgiving Nedry and forgiving himself, while also accepting his part in their conflict, had a healing effect on Hammond. He wasn't as rigid during his physical therapy sessions. It was as though his physical flexibility worked in tandem with his emotional renewal. Over time, he came to understand another fact: even if Nedry had never visited him, he would still have to forgive him. Nursing a grudge weighed Hammond down. Anger slowed down his healing; however, in forgiving Nedry, he felt freer. Before, Hammond had been full of anger, and he wanted to make Nedry pay for what he had done by ensuring he got locked up for the rest of his natural life. That very thought had crowded his mind. Now Hammond's mind was open to the possibility of making a full recovery, and how it meant he could return to Isla Nublar one day. Since he had changed, he wondered if Nedry had changed. It made him wonder if Nedry had forgiven him since he came to see him. His new outlook improved his condition and soon he graduated from the wheelchair to the walker.
Hammond looked down at the bowl of ginger ice cream. He had barely touched it as he had forgotten it when he reminisced about Wu and Nedry. The ice cream had melted and now resembled a thick soup. Hammond ate some anyway, enjoying the unique flavor; it tasted like eggnog.
Forgiving Nedry made him wonder: could he forgive Wu? Was it possible? Hammond still didn't understand why Wu had betrayed him. At least with Nedry, he knew the motives. Wu was a total mystery though. Somehow, he had to get himself to that point of forgiving Wu—even if Wu never returned to InGen, even if he never made amends or expressed remorse for what he had done—
His thoughts were interrupted when heard the loud knocking. At first, Hammond didn't answer it as he allowed himself to ponder about Wu more. He knew he didn't want to get stuck in anger again as he had almost done with Nedry— The knocking came again, and he was about to tell whoever it was to come in, when Tim, Lex, Ellie and Gennaro walked inside. Tim and Lex rushed up to him, excited smiles beaming across their faces. Seeing their happiness was contagious and Hammond found himself smiling too, although he didn't know what it was about.
"Grandpa, why are you sitting here by yourself?" Lex asked. "They're gonna do it soon!"
Hammond looked up at Ellie and Gennaro, unsure of what Lex referred to. "Do what?"
"You're coming with us," Tim said, urging his grandfather to get to his feet. "You wouldn't miss this for anything—you shouldn't."
Hammond stood up, still not understanding until Ellie broke the news.
"They're about to place the first ankylosaur in the new paddock!" Ellie said as she hurried back to open the door, so they could leave together. She shared Tim's and Lex's enthusiasm.
"I couldn't find you in your office, so I thought to check here. Good thing I ran into Dr. Sattler and the kids," Gennaro said.
Tim and Lex flanked Hammond on both sides in the same manner just as when he had first returned to the island. "You're coming with us," Tim repeated. "You don't have a say in the matter."
"Lead the way." Hammond laughed as his grandchildren escorted him outside of the bungalow with Gennaro and Ellie walking behind them.
It was one of the few times since returning that his laughter was warm and genuine. Maybe witnessing the new placement would be the distraction that Hammond longed for.
oOo
A short time later, they reached the new paddock. It still amazed Hammond that this same area once held the raptor pen. He had to admit that he liked the changes. Initially, it was strange not to see the miniature fortress that had been the raptor pen. It had been a staple of the park, but now that it was gone, the area was spacious and inviting. Instead of a sense of foreboding, now a welcoming aura was present. Hammond attributed it to how one could view the inside of the paddock, as opposed to the raptor enclosure that resembled a miniature prison—including a watchtower.
Hammond looked over the grassy area, the vegetation, the water hole—this was a pleasant setting for the new dinosaur species. Being that ankylosaurs were herbivores; Ellie had worked together with Grant on designing the setting that would best be suited for them. Tim and Lex brought Hammond over to stand with Ray Arnold and Ian Malcolm. Ellie and Gennaro stayed close behind to watch the placement. A group of maintenance workers stood nearby speaking in Spanish amongst each other.
"Fun times when a new species is introduced to the park," Malcolm said.
"Good afternoon, John," Arnold said, standing away from the enclosure. "They're just about ready."
He pointed with his lit cigarette in the direction of Alan Grant, Robert Muldoon, Gerry Harding, and George Lawala. All four men had entered the enclosure through the back maintenance road with a pick-up truck prior to Hammond's arrival. The cage had been on the flat bed of the pick-up truck, and now it was situated on the grassy area of the enclosure. Inside the large cage was the very first specimen of Crichton's ankylosaur, also known as Crichtonsaurus. Hammond noticed the armored plates on the dinosaur's back and the club at the end of its tail. As he was studying the dinosaur's physical characteristics, Grant came over to them. He stood on the other side of the fence and Hammond thought it was comical to see him that way.
"Robert tranquilized her before loading her into the cage." Grant pointed at where Muldoon stood near the cage with the lethargic ankylosaur inside. "He's waiting for her to wake up, so that she's not fully out of it. George is helping him."
"He's guiding George?" Hammond asked as he watched Lawala nod in agreement to whatever Muldoon and Harding were telling him. Harding was gesturing towards the cage while Muldoon pointed at the expanse of the enclosure as he spoke. Hammond couldn't hear them, but he noticed Muldoon's shotgun slung over his shoulder which probably held tranquilizer darts.
"Robert is training him in every aspect of the park warden position. He wants George to manage those responsibilities in case he's not here."
Hammond was confident that Lawala would make a qualified park warden since he was learning from the best. At first, he had his reservations, but from his brief talks with Lawala and gathering how the rest of the park staff took to Lawala, he felt it was a great decision to have him as part of the InGen family. He also noticed that Muldoon was less stressed and not as overwhelmed as before. In the past, Hammond had considered Muldoon an alarmist, but with the velociraptors finally eliminated from the park, he was calmer. He would say "relaxed", but Muldoon was never one to let his guard down. Ironically enough, Hammond felt worried about the time it was taking time for the group to remove the ankylosaur.
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine, John. She's the first of her kind that we're placing in the park," Grant explained. "Robert took extra precautions given that he wasn't sure what to expect. I'll go help them."
Grant left the fence, and they watched as he approached Muldoon, Harding, and Lawala.
"Mr. Lawala is awesome," Tim said as he came to stand next to Hammond. "He'll know how to handle Bumpy."
"'Bumpy'?" Hammond asked as he watched Lawala and Harding assisting Muldoon. He noticed that Tim and Lex had walked closer to the fence to get a better view of the ankylosaur that was finally starting to stir from her sleep.
"That's the name I gave her. Me and Lex have been naming all the dinosaurs in the park."
"Really?" Hammond was surprised—this was news to him.
"I prefer 'Acutus'," Lex said. "That's Latin for 'sharp', but we played rock, paper scissors. Tim got scissors and I got paper, so…"
"So, there's always next time," Tim teased as she playfully shoved him.
"At least Mr. Muldoon took my suggestion about 'Rexy'." Lex folded her arms across her chest in a prim manner.
"Oh please, Mr. Muldoon's always called the T-Rex 'Rexy'. You wanted to call her 'Roberta'. What kinda weird name is that?"
"That's better than your name for her. 'Tyrant'. That's corny, Tim."
"It makes sense—she's the tyrant lizard!"
"Now you sound like Mr. Nedry, calling them lizards." Lex giggled as though this was the funniest joke she had heard today.
Tim sighed in an exaggerated manner. "The last part 'saurus' means lizard, so he's not completely off base when he calls the dinosaurs 'lizards'."
Ellie and Arnold exchanged amused glances. Next to them, Gennaro shook his head, entertained at hearing Tim and Lex jokingly argue about whose name would be used for the new ankylosaur and then the tyrannosaur's moniker. They were aware that Tim and Lex had been working on their "Name Every Dinosaur in Jurassic Park" project for quite some time. They started a week before Hammond returned to the Isla Nublar and had a long way to go, given that there were over two hundred dinosaurs on the island. Now with the newest addition to the park, they would have to come up with more names.
"In case you two can't agree on names, I can always give suggestions," Malcolm said, intervening and coming to stand with them by the fence. "They'll have mathematical themes."
"Like what?" Lex asked, turning to Malcolm.
"Uh, let's say this ankylosaur is called 'Chaos'," Malcolm said, pointing at the ankylosaur in the cage that was slowly waking up. "If Alan and the group place a second anky, the name will be 'Theory'. Get it? 'Chaos' and 'Theory'?" He chuckled loudly.
Hammond turned to him and shook his head as though not surprised Malcolm went there.
"No way," Lex said.
"That we can both agree on," Tim said. "Not happening, Dr. Malcolm!"
"You two are no fun!" Malcolm joked and all three cracked up laughing.
"Look—there she goes!" Ellie pointed directly at the inside of the paddock where Lawala had opened the cage's entrance.
Hammond had been momentarily distracted by Tim's and Lex's playful argument with Malcolm's strange suggestion. Now he watched as the ankylosaur slowly made her way out into the field. The dinosaur was a juvenile, low to the ground, and over a meter in length. Her neck and legs were short and thick. The rear legs appeared longer than the front legs. Tiny stubs protruded from the head; they were the shape of spikes. Her head was wide and triangular. Armor plates covered the ankylosaur's entire back. The bony stubs on the plates would eventually form spikes. When she was first born in the hatchery, the club at the end of the tail had been the size of a marble. It had grown to the size of a volleyball. She was still a juvenile and had more growth before she became an adult. The ankylosaur continued to amble along, exploring her new home environment. She didn't notice her spectators on the other side of the fence—or the staff who had placed her inside her paddock. Instead, she walked slowly along, stopping to eat some greenery, before moving on.
"She's adjusting already," Arnold said.
"She really is. Looks like we picked the right foliage for her diet too," Ellie replied. "We'll have to get more, especially if we place a second ankylosaur."
"There's another one?" Gennaro asked.
"I believe so," Arnold said.
"See, the names 'Chaos' and 'Theory' work," Malcolm said.
"We're not doing that, Ian." Ellie smirked.
Tim and Lex started to clap and cheer. They stopped when the ankylosaur briefly looked in their direction as though confused by the commotion. Then she went back to moving around the area and headed for the water hole.
"Veggie-saurs are better than those meat-o-saurs," Lex said.
"You're only saying that because Bumpy won't make a meal out of you," Tim joked.
Hammond was so mesmerized by the sight of the ankylosaur that he didn't notice Muldoon, Grant, Lawala, and Harding place the empty cage back on the pick-up truck's flatbed and exit the enclosure. Nor did he hear the conversation between Ellie, Arnold, Gennaro, and Malcolm or Tim and Lex teasing each other. Instead, he heard a voice—his voice—when he first met Grant and Ellie in-person at their dig site when he enthusiastically told them about Jurassic Park: We have made living biological attractions so astounding that they'll capture the imaginations of the entire planet.
He had been so passionate, so excited, and so determined to open Jurassic Park to the world back then. All he needed was their endorsement and Malcolm's so that he could move forward with his dreams of the entire world witnessing living, breathing dinosaurs. And he had gotten their endorsement—so what was he waiting for?
The spark lit Hammond's spirit and now he knew what to do. He needed to go forward with his original plans for the park. Although he wanted to wait until he had trustworthy staff, he realized he couldn't let Wu's and Nedry's disloyalty be the reason why the world never enjoyed Jurassic Park. Watching the ankylosaur making her way around the paddock renewed his ambition. There was no reason to keep the park closed or have it enjoyed by a select few. He didn't spend all this time, effort, and money to create a magnificent and unique theme park just for it to remain closed all this time. It was time to move forward with a concrete plan to open Jurassic Park to the world…
"That went better than expected," Muldoon said. "Not bad for your first time, right George?"
"It went very well," Lawala said. "Do you always put them in when they're juveniles?"
"That's what we aim for," Harding said.
"We'll watch her for some time before adding another ankylosaur," Grant said. "For now, this paddock is large enough to hold about two ankylosaurs. She's a juvenile, so it'll be interesting to see how she does as a full-grown adult."
Hammond stood close to the fence and turned around when he heard their conversation. He had been so busy with his inner thoughts about opening the park that he didn't hear when Muldoon pulled up. Now Muldoon, Lawala, Grant, and Harding were together with everyone, watching as the ankylosaur continued to explore her new home.
"You all did a wonderful job," Hammond said. "I must say—today renewed my spirits."
Muldoon turned in his direction. Arnold also appeared curious as to what Hammond meant.
"I have some ideas…but first, I'm bringing Tim and Lex to my bungalow to discuss with them all the names they have for our park's residents."
Tim and Lex came forward to join Hammond.
"I'll see you all in a few hours for dinner. Terrific work, all of you," Hammond said as he nodded with approval. He wanted to showcase his new employee. "You're a natural, George."
Lawala smiled proudly. "Thank you, Mr. Hammond."
Everyone gathered together as Hammond headed towards his bungalow with Tim and Lex. Just when he reached the outside of the building, he turned to his grandchildren. He wanted to have this conversation in private with them. Before he considered opening the park, there was something he needed to address first: his current staff: Arnold, Muldoon, Harding, Lawala. His lawyer, Gennaro. And his consultants: Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I came back and found everything out. I'd like to know from both of you what you think I can do for the park staff—this includes Mr. Gennaro, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm. How can I best thank them for everything they've done?"
At first, Tim and Lex glanced at each other, confused as to why their grandfather would seek out their opinions. Then Lex spoke up.
"Tim and I've talked a lot about this, Grandpa. When things were upside down here, they did everything they could for the park—and for us." She gestured at herself and her brother. "They still do."
Tim nodded, agreeing with Lex. "They treat us like family and include us in everything. They always made us feel important, like we mattered. Everyone kept us safe when Dodgson's group was causing trouble."
"How should I show my appreciation?" Hammond asked, knowing that the question sounded silly, but curious to what they would tell him.
"Give them a raise," Tim said. His expression read: isn't that obvious, Grandpa?
"And tell them you appreciate them more often," Lex said. "It doesn't mean anything if you tell us that Mr. Muldoon is doing a great job, Dr. Harding is devoted, Mr. Arnold is loyal, and so on. You need to tell them to their faces—not behind their backs. It will mean a lot more if you tell them upfront."
Hammond nodded thoughtfully as he considered their feedback. Recognizing his staff came first before anything else—including opening Jurassic Park. This was a priority. He had already lost Nedry and Wu, and he didn't want to lose anyone else. With no staff, he wouldn't be able to open the park. Based on Tim's and Lex's wise advice, he knew which direction to take.
"Thank you. I know why I built Jurassic Park…and now I know what I need to do to keep my staff."
Author's Notes: "Milton Gibbons" - this unseen character is actually inspired by two hospice chaplains I work with who are very compassionate and insightful. This was my tribute to them and how I think they would approach the topic of forgiveness with our patients and families. Thank you for your continued readership! -Sassy Lil Scorpio