Before lunch break, Juan intended to show them a part of the facilities and leaving the hacienda by the courtyard door, they turned left, to take the large loop that Zia had seen on the map, the one around which the herbivores paddocks could be found. As they passed the hadrosaurs enclosure, which the employees dubbed the Cretaceous Plain and which also housed maiasauras, dryosaurs, pachycephalosaurs, the ceratopsian Achelousaurus, and the ankylosaurians Euoplocephalus and Panoplosaurus, the group noticed that the bamboo grove near the workers' bungalows and many of the northern fields had been abandoned and only the meadows were still cultivated, as their grass was being used to make hay for the animals. In the middle of one of the abandoned fields, the group noticed the presence of a grassy mound which the head keeper looked at with melancholy. They only learned later why there was a mound there.

As they followed the loop and looked at the various enclosures and their occupants, Alexander realized that the Farm had nothing in common with Jurassic World except the presence of dinosaurs. In Isla Nublar's park, everything was done to immerse the visitor in another world, with spectacular enclosures and backstage areas hidden by the scenery, while guaranteeing their comfort with pedestrian paths on which it was easy to walk, the Farm's enclosures were above all functional, relatively austere and containing the bare necessities for the animals, either waterholes or troughs to drink from and trees and bushes providing shelter against sun or rain. Some had night buildings, others did not, and the enclosures containing the most dangerous or aggressive animals generally had one or more smaller adjoining enclosures, which allowed them to isolate said animals when it was necessary to intervene inside the main enclosure. All the enclosures and the night buildings were connected by a network of dirt roads used by the service vehicles and which the group was taking, passing here and there beside ruts created by the passage of tractors and other heavy machinery, and they were watching their step in order to not trip over a rock.

About half an hour after their departure from the hacienda, they finished the loop, but instead of returning directly to the hacienda by the same path from which they had observed the Shantungosaurus and the other occupants of her paddock, they turned right at a fork, to head towards a large concrete and glass building: The Ark.

On their left, two paddocks passed, with the first containing an Udanoceratops, unseen, and the second, which was a little larger, two Placerias and three Mussaurus, two adults and a young. Although the group did not see the former either, as they probably were in their night building or hidden behind a corner, they did however see the latter, which rested a few meters from them, lying on top of each other.

They were pale green animals with black lateral stripes, strangely proportioned, with a rather long neck, a small head and limbs which ended in clawed hands, and their appearance was not the only aspect that could arouse curiosity. There was also the difference in the mode of locomotion according to age, with bipedal adults but quadrupedal juveniles, a difference which was explained by a displacement of the center of gravity backwards following changes in the body's relative proportions during growth, and so the adults' forelimbs were more arms than legs. But this kind of sauropodomorph had mainly attracted attention because of its size.

For years, Mussaurus, whose name means "Mouse Lizard", had been thought to be a tiny dinosaur, no bigger than a rat, given that the only skeletons found were between eight and thirty-seven centimetres long, tail included. This small size had been the factor that encouraged InGen to recreate the species when it obtained its genetic material in the early 1990s, wishing to exhibit it first in an eventual area dedicated to small species at Jurassic Park then, after the incidents of that decade and the subsequent buyout of InGen by Masrani Global, at Jurassic World's Children's Zoo where it would have had its place with its juvenile-like appearance. However, the corporation's geneticists were somewhat surprised to see the cloned individuals exceed the length of thirty-seven centimetres and grow, grow... until reaching a length of six meters. They were certainly dwarfs compared to their distant cousins like Giraffatitan, Apatosaurus and Mamenchisaurus, but six meters was quite a respectable length for an early sauropodomorph. It was first believed that misidentification occurred or that the geneticists who created the individuals had used the DNA of larger species but a few years later, adult specimens of Mussaurus were described by palaeontologists and their estimated size being consistent with that of Jurassic World's individuals, InGen realized that there had been no mistake.

One of the prosauropods watched the group pass, blinking softly a few times, then went back to sleep. Juan pointed out to the group a long glass roof at the top of the Ark which, with its curved prow-like western end, helped give the building a shape reminiscent of some representations of Noah's Ark.

"It's the roof of a part of the old laboratory, built a little less than twenty years ago when Simon Masrani was preparing the Jurassic World project and was in negotiations with the government and the United Nations," Juan explained, speaking more to the DPG members than to the couple, who he knew were familiar with this part of InGen's history. "Since Site B labs on Isla Sorna could not be reused for reasons you can imagine, and since the San Diego plant was too far from Nublar, InGen decided to build a lab here, using as a new bridgehead in Costa Rica what was once a simple farm who provided Jurassic Park with plants, both modern and de-extinct. This is where some of the animals present at the park's opening were born, and some of the paddocks you've seen were used to study them before their shipping to Nublar. We'll see the interior after lunch."

They arrived in sight of the eastern entrance, located not far from the Ark's "stern", and stopped in a parking lot where several vehicles were parked, both the personal cars of some of the employees and some service vehicles. .

"We'll meet here every morning, in the old canteen, and at the end of the day, the minibus departs here. Exceptionally, Valentine drove you today because the usual driver had a hold-up. You will not be alone because those who don't have their accommodation at the hacienda or in the bungalows have one in town or in the surrounding area. There should be enough seats for everyone but be on time. If the minibus ever leaves without you, you can still use the taxis in town, but I doubt that the administration will agree to pay your expenses. I'll just pick up my lunch inside and we'll eat at the hacienda."

He came out of the building a few moments later with a backpack and they headed for the hacienda, passing by a place right next to the farm buildings that the employees had nicknamed the Coop because of the presence there of paddocks which contained Gallinaceous-like dinosaurs, two species of oviraptorosaurs: Oviraptor and Avimimus. After the Coop, they walked past the horse paddock they had seen twice earlier and found out that it contained not equines but ornithopods. Those were muscular and tall as Percherons, with a sandy-yellow skin speckled with light green while the head and limbs' extremities were black: Mantellisaurus. In Jurassic World, these animals pulled tramways through the streets of Burroughs, much like the draft horses in Disneylands.

As they left them behind, they saw keepers and security guards entering the courtyard, heading too for the canteen.

The latter was a spacious room, located in the western part of the hacienda, with large openings looking out on one side to the courtyard's veranda and on the other to the patio's upper level. As Claire had told the DPG trio, it only had a few microwaves and a kitchenette. There was a kitchen nearby, but it was mostly used in the evenings to cook dinner for those accommodated within the facility, and in a later discussion, the group learned that the current crisis had forced management to hire cooks only for evening meals.

The group reached the canteen before the keepers they had seen moments earlier, but the security guards had already taken their places at one of the tables. Among these they saw Valentine Taylor, who had meanwhile put on his uniform again, and nearby Commander Austin and several of the ACU troopers could be seen while Jocelyn Hodgson and several employees of the administration were already eating at another table.

The DPG members sat down at one table and the couple at another, in the canteen's opposite side to where Jocelyn was, and after talking with a colleague from the administration, Juan came to join the couple at their table soon after, sitting across from them while they took out their lunch.

It was then that keepers entered the canteen and saw their former colleague with their direct supervisor. One of them, a skinny thirtyish Japanese-Canadian, greeted him:

"Yo, Owen!"

Owen looked up and recognized Judd Matsumoto, whose lips were so big and thick they looked like a duck's beak, which had caused him to be the subject of jokes given that he was in charge of the hadrosaurs back in Nublar.

"Judd!"

Owen stood up and went to hug Judd and the three other keepers who were with him. There was Allison, a twenty-something blonde American; Alfredo, a tall, skinny Costa Rican man in his fifties with short hair and a goatee; and Pasqual, also Costa Rican but smaller and paunchier than his colleague, with white hair and a thin moustache.

Meanwhile, Claire remained seated, wondering what the keepers would think when they'll notice that their controversial former boss is sitting there, wearing simple green T-shirt and pants, hiking boots, and eating a salad of rice and beans in a plastic box.

"Hello," she said shyly as they approached the table.

"Hello," they replied politely.

Claire didn't know if they would have said hello to her if Owen hadn't been there, but regardless, the four keepers sat down at their table with their lunch, with Alfredo to his left, Pasqual in front of him, Judd in in front of her and Allison on Pasqual's right.

Turning around, Pasqual saw the DPG members at their table and recognized Alexander. He turned to the couple.

"I see you brought the Muppet with you," he said quietly.

At the other end of the room, Jocelyn, who had just finished eating, got up and walked over to the table occupied by the security guards. Watching her, the couple and the keepers saw her ask Valentine Taylor for a lighter and she went out on the patio to smoke a cigarette.

"So, what do you think about Jocelyn?" Alfredo asked the couple.

"Hard to say," Owen replied, "she didn't stay with us for long."

"This is between us," Juan told him. "You can say whatever you want. Nobody's going to snitch about what you'll say, believe me."

Then Claire spoke up.

"Looks like me two years ago, only worse. It's like if the gods saw fit to parody me…"

Surprised, the keepers looked at her for a moment, before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Yeah, that's not wrong...," Alfredo admitted.

But she didn't take offense and laughed with them. Owen laughed too and the atmosphere at the table relaxed.

"Haven't you met her before, Claire?" Allison asked her.

"Before the Fall? Yes, on a couple of occasions, but we barely spoke."

"Hey guys," Alexander's voice said suddenly. "It's been a long time, huh?"

Those with their backs facing him turned and watched him sit down with his lunch to Alfredo's left, in the vacant chair across from Allison. Zia and Franklin were following him with their belongings.

"Do you mind if we come to eat with you?" The DPG founder asked.

"No, not at all," Pasqual answered in a neutral tone.

The IT technician and the veterinarian sat at the end of the table, with the second sitting next to Allison. Since the latter only started working at Jurassic World shortly before its downfall, she and Alexander didn't know each other and he introduced himself. As they shook hands, Alfredo cleared his throat.

"It's true that we haven't seen you in a while, Alex," he said. "What did you do in the meantime?"

"Oh you know, odd jobs as a zookeeper here and there back in the States. Then I left that field and worked in a community college."

"Poor souls…," Judd sighed softly.

"And finally, I created the Dinosaur Protection Group," Alexander added proudly.

"Never heard of that…" Alfredo said.

The DPG members widened their eyes in surprise.

"Seriously?" Franklin said. "I don't want to brag but we're starting to make some noise online."

"In the United States perhaps," Alfredo said, "but we're pretty busy here, kid. And we have other concerns..."

Other keepers arrived in the canteen and also came to greet Owen before taking their places at the neighbouring tables.

"Do you know what they planned for us after the tour?" Zia asked moments later.

"You're going to feed the carnivores," Pasqual replied.

"Carnivores?" Franklin repeated. "Like the T. rex?"

They turned to him, and Claire and Zia both gave him looks that could have been described as embarrassed. Had he even skimmed the list of animals housed at the Farm, which Claire had received and forwarded to the DPG?

"We don't have a T. rex here, and never had one," Juan told him, "Roberta died before we could save her. May she rest in peace and may her hunts in dinosaurs' heaven be successful..."

"No T. rex. Good...," the IT technician said in a reassured tone.

"We still have a nice panoply of predators," Alfredo said. "You'll see them this afternoon... Be assured, they're not evil. They'll just be very hungry..."

"Yeah. I prefer herbivores. They are nicer."

Pasqual began to sneer.

"Herbivores, nicer? Oh, it's not guaranteed. You see Bucephalus, our Shantungosaurus bull? Well he killed half a dozen people during the Fall and he wasn't even euthanized. He's a star you understand, and stars are untouchable, especially when they can bring in a lot of money. InGen would have paid him a lawyer in other circumstances. And wait to meet Yuriko the therizinosaur. She's a real bitch..."

"Or worse, Caerbannog the Pegomastax," Allison said. "Little but incredibly nasty, with sharp canines and quills... And Dren, the female, was no better."

"In short, we have some particular specimens among the herbivores…," Juan said. "On the other hand, the acros are quite chill, easier to take care of than Roberta or the Indominus. They're a bit like really huge dogs... Though they would gladly eat you if they get a little peckish."

"I think that the guys who infiltrated Burroughs a few days after the fall noticed that," Judd added.

"Listen," Pasqual began, "when you break into a property which you know is guarded by a potentially dangerous dog, you shouldn't be surprised if it tries to bite your balls."

The keepers continued to chat with the group and Owen ended up inquiring about others of his former colleagues.

"Kate also quit?" He asked Allison.

"Yeah, Jeanie's disappearance was the last straw," Allison replied. "We've lost all our Stenonychosaurus… Martin was very sad when she left."

"Trust me, I know how she feels..."

He nodded and then turned to the head keeper.

"Juan, can I see Blue before we resume the tour?"

"Sure. Though I don't guarantee a happy reunion… And I will have to accompany you. You'll need someone to open the Predators Camp's gate for you... and to reassure Jocelyn and Austin."

"I'll go with you," Claire told Owen.

Having heard her, Juan nodded and when the three had finished eating, they left the table, told the DPG trio that they were coming back soon, and left the hacienda.