Chapter 2 - The Long-Awaited Return of John Hammond
"What is more important, that Caesar is assassinated or that he is assassinated by his intimate friends? … That," Frederick said, "is where the tragedy is." - M.L. Rio
oOo
Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler had been waiting inside the gas-powered jeep by the helipad for the past hour, their nerves itching and their minds racing. Although they had years of friendship behind them and always spoke about everything openly, this time they were quiet and stewing in their own thoughts as they anticipated what was to occur in the immediate future. The thudding of helicopter blades tore them from their thoughts. Sighing, they exchanged a worried glance and then looked through the windshield at the same time. The helicopter had finally arrived and began to descend to the helipad. They knew who was inside the helicopter…
John Hammond.
It had been a long time since Hammond had been on Isla Nublar. Today was the first time he would step foot on the island since his hospitalization. Both Grant and Ellie knew very well what had led to Hammond being hospitalized in Hospital CIMA the mainland for more than half a year. Nedry's actions of releasing the raptors for Lewis Dodgson inadvertently led to Hammond's stroke—right after Robert Muldoon pushed him to the ground before a velociraptor could attack him. Although Hammond's stroke was unintentional on Nedry's part, the damage had been done. Month after month, Hammond remained at the hospital, undergoing rigorous physical, occupational, and speech therapy to overcome the stroke's effects.
During that time, so much had changed. Neither Grant or Ellie—or the park staff—knew how Hammond would react once he found out everything that had happened. However, they were certain of how they would tell him. We tell him the truth; Grant mouthed the words. Ellie silently nodded. She knew what he referred to. Several weeks ago, the InGen staff discovered that Crichton's Ankylosaur was the mysterious 16th species—which Hammond had secretly planned with Wu. At that time, they had discussed how they would tell him everything.
Everything…
It was daunting to think about what "everything" entailed… Muldoon's elimination of the velociraptors. Grant's departure to the States. Biosyn's abduction of Nedry and Muldoon that left them stranded on Isla Sorna for two months. Wu's betrayal and decision to join Biosyn. Dodgson's oppressive rule over InGen in which he pushed the park staff to their breaking points. Malcolm's ambitious plan to send Lex to the States by herself to convince Grant to return. Gennaro's horrible treatment of everyone, especially Arnold, Tim, and Lex—and his temporary alignment with Dodgson. Thankfully, Gennaro eventually came to the realization of where his true loyalties lay. The dinosaurs that had died and been poached in their own enclosures. The destruction of Ellie's greenhouse thanks to Sonya Durant—with Henry Wu's assistance. Finally, Nedry's ultimate turn against Biosyn: he pretended to join them again only to backstab Dodgson for the second time by making the park inspection fail—a park inspection with the Biosyn higher-ups participating in the tour this time around. Nedry had started the chaotic events and turned it against Biosyn, giving InGen the victory, alongside with Muldoon's efforts to get rid of their corporate enemies by putting Tembo out of commission…
"Are you ready?" Ellie asked Grant, keeping her gaze fixed on the nearing helicopter.
"It's now or never." He thought over everything that could happen once Hammond knew the full truth. "Remember not to overwhelm him. It's gonna be a lot to take in; he needs to settle in first."
Ellie and Grant exited the gas-powered jeep at the same time, so that they could be ready to greet Hammond and Donald Gennaro.
The helicopter landed and the motors died down. The doors opened and Gennaro exited the helicopter followed by Hammond. Gennaro seemed eager to leave the cramped helicopter and Hammond took his time, using a new four-pronged cane. He wore his typical attire: all white clothes topped with a straw hat. Grant and Ellie exchanged a quick look as Hammond neared them, slowly at first, and then picking up his pace. Knowing Hammond, he'd prefer to use his regular cane—the one with the amber encased mosquito. Grant had left it in the control room and figured he'd present it to Hammond later.
"Good afternoon, John," Grant said and he nodded towards Gennaro, who returned the greeting.
"Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler—so good to see you both!" Hammond beamed when he saw them. "How long has it been?"
Grant exhaled in relief when Ellie jumped in. "Long enough," she said, returning Hammond's bright greeting. "Let's get going, the staff and Tim and Lex are eager to see you!"
In no time at all, Grant, Ellie, Gennaro, and Hammond got into the gas-powered jeep and made their way to the visitor center. Glancing through the rearview mirror, Grant noticed how Hammond kept looking over his shoulder and gasping in shock as though this was his first time on Isla Nublar. He was completely amazed by the thick jungle, the high electrified fences…and the inhabitants. One triceratops was ambling near the edge of the fence when they drove by. Hammond was wide-eyed and amazed—like a young child seeing their very first dinosaur.
"It feels like I was cooped up in that hospital forever. They gave me great care, so I'm not complaining." He sat on the edge of his seat, nearly leaning over the side and pouring his attention on everything outside the gas-powered jeep: the dinosaurs lingering near the fences or marching in herds, the lush greenery, and the low hanging clouds that gave the island its namesake—Isla Nublar—Cloudy Island. "I've missed this place so much—and all of you, of course! You'll have to catch me up on everything."
Gennaro coughed in the backseat. Next to him, Hammond appeared not to notice. He was mesmerized by Jurassic Park and stayed next to the window, watching the scenery fly by as Grant drove to the visitor center.
"We will, won't we Alan?" Ellie sat in the front passenger side and was aware her tone sounded off. They exchanged a knowing side-glance.
"Yes, absolutely. There's so much to discuss…"
Grant's voice trailed off as he parked in front of the visitor center. Tim and Lex Murphy were sitting on the steps and bolted to their feet. They quickly bounded down the steps just as Gennaro and Hammond exited the vehicle. Hammond opened his arms wide to receive his grandchildren, who warmly hugged him.
"You're back, Grandpa!" Lex kept her arms circled around his waist, not wanting to let go. "You're staying this time, right?"
"I hope so," Hammond said, laughing as he ruffled her hair.
"Of course he is, Lex," Tim said as though this was obvious.
Grant and Ellie walked with Gennaro towards the entrance, following Lex and Tim, who flanked Hammond on each side. They had reached the double doors that were suddenly opened on the other side. Ray Arnold, Robert Muldoon, Ian Malcolm, Gerry Harding, and George Lawala stood on the other side, as though they had been waiting to hear the gas-powered jeep pull up.
"Welcome back, John!" Arnold said, smiling at Hammond, and then quickly glancing at Grant and Ellie following behind him.
They caught his nervous glance. By now, Grant and Ellie knew how to manage Arnold's constant anxiety. They also noticed how Arnold started to reach into his right pocket, and at the same moment, how Muldoon briefly rested one hand on Arnold's shoulder. Muldoon knew Arnold well enough to know that reaching into his pocket meant that he was reaching for a cigarette, his lighter, or both—which indicated he was worried. Given the gravitas of everything that had occurred during Hammond's absence, Grant and Ellie believed Arnold's anxiety was valid. He certainly wasn't the only one feeling that way—everyone was. Arnold was more outward about his emotional state and Muldoon was good at hiding it behind a stony exterior.
"Thank you, Ray. It's so good to see you." Tim and Lex released Hammond so that he could greet Arnold.
Arnold smiled at Hammond and then gestured to the rest of the staff. "We're all here and ready for you."
Hammond's happiness radiated as he greeted Muldoon and Harding. "Good to see you, Robert, Gerry…" He shook his hands with both men.
Malcolm stayed off to the side, patiently waiting to greet Hammond. "Hello, John!"
"What've you been up to, Dr. Malcolm?"
Malcolm grinned. "Keeping everyone on their toes as always."
Hammond shook his head in mock amusement. "That's to be expected, right?" He then turned to a muscular black man standing next to Malcolm. His eyebrows knitted together as though he had a question he hadn't yet asked. "You're new to me; what's your name?"
"George Lawala," he said, offering to shake Hammond's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hammond."
"Call me 'John'. Are you new?" Hammond was shocked, but not upset, as he firmly shook Lawala's hand. He didn't remember Muldoon or Arnold mentioning a new employee. He also hoped that his surprise wasn't present in his voice as sometimes it hitched when he was thrown off guard.
"I am, I've only been here three months."
"Lawala's been working alongside me for the past couple months," Muldoon said. As usual, he presented as stoic, although he was like everyone else—apprehensive at Hammond's return. His worry came out in the form of giving everything a second glance over—sometimes a third and a fourth. Being that Hammond had viewed Muldoon as an alarmist in the past, this behavior wouldn't seem out of the ordinary for him..
"Good to know," Hammond said as he glanced around the lobby. It was just as he remembered it with the tyrannosaur skeleton and the banner overhead that read "WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH". He had no way of knowing that Malcolm had used his emergency funds to fix the exhibit after it had been damaged months before… "So, what's on the agenda?"
"We're setting up lunch—" Gennaro stopped when he saw Arnold shake his head.
"Change of plans," Arnold said. "We had planned to have you sit down for lunch and then do the park tour with Tim and Lex, but we'll do the reverse. Tour first, lunch after." He pointed to the front of the visitor center.
Tim and Lex cheered as they led Hammond back to the double doors of the visitor center. Everyone followed them outside except Arnold who went back to the control room to start the tour program.
"Wow, we're all over the place today," Hammond said as he got in the front seat of the tour jeep. Tim and Lex got into the backseat together.
Muldoon and Grant waved good-bye to an enthusiastic Hammond and his excited grandchildren. Hammond, Tim, and Lex waved to them, and in no time at all, the tour jeep left and started towards the park's entrance gates. Their smiles faded the moment the enormous park's entrance gates closed behind the tour jeep. Muldoon and Grant wasted no time in rushing up the stairs and pushing open the doors of the visitor center. Moments later, they entered the control room. Ellie and Malcolm were already there, watching the video monitors that showed Tim, Lex, and Hammond peering out the windows and pointing at the dilophosaur they had just seen. They were about to pass by the second paddock when Gennaro came in.
"Where's Gerry and George?" Muldoon asked, taking a seat at a station next to Arnold's.
Arnold turned in his swiveling chair. "They're putting the finishing touches in the cafeteria. You know, the 'Welcome Back' banner and the balloons. It's gonna be nice, John will appreciate it." He frantically lit a cigarette, which betrayed the anxiety he was really feeling.
"It's good that he's out there with them," Grant said. "But how are we gonna handle this when he comes back?"
Ellie and Malcolm looked at each other and then at Muldoon and Arnold. No one said anything.
"More importantly, how was he on the way here. What was his mood like?" Malcolm asked. "That will help set the tone for how we approach everything."
"Did you notice anything, Donald?" Arnold asked, turning away from the video monitor.
Gennaro looked at everyone, knowing that they were expecting him to reveal Hammond's emotional state. Arnold remained seated in the swiveling chair, Muldoon sat next to him, while Malcolm, Grant, and Ellie stood in a cluster together. They formed a semi-circle around Gennaro, who now felt put on the spot. He understood why as he had gone to the mainland to pick up Hammond once he was discharged from the hospital.
"He was in good spirits, and definitely excited to return," Gennaro said to the relief of everyone. "But we all know It's only a matter of time before he asks about what's gone on in his absence. He already brought it up on the drive here."
Arnold's eyebrows rose. "He did?!"
Grant and Ellie nodded simultaneously. "He mentioned that we'll have to catch him up on everything," Ellie said.
"Did he ask or say anything during the helicopter ride?" Grant asked.
Gennaro shook his head. "No, he was glad to finally be out of the hospital. He's been looking forward to seeing everyone."
"I think we forgot that he was in the hospital for many months. He said it felt like forever for him," Grant said.
A brief silence passed. Everyone listened to the conversation between Hammond, Tim, and Lex. It was both bizarre and comical.
"Did you know that paleontologists used to think that the stegosaur had a brain in its butt?" Tim asked.
"No, why would they think that?" Hammond laughed.
"That's crazy," Lex said. "What's the actual term?"
"Sacral brain—but it was disproven!" Tim was obviously amused by his older sister's reaction.
"By whom?" Hammond sounded curious.
"Dr. Grant, who else? He's the best paleontologist ever!" There was a proud note in Tim's voice.
Grant chuckled. "I didn't disprove that theory, myth, whatever you want to call it. I don't even know who made it up!"
"He still worships the ground you walk on, Alan," Ellie said. "To Tim, you are the Master of Paleontologists."
Everyone laughed in response. It was good to have a moment of fun and amusement. The laughter was needed as everyone was tense for the conversation with Hammond that would eventually happen. Then, just as quickly, a solemn mood filled the control room.
"It's gonna be very difficult to tell him about Henry," Muldoon said in a low voice. "I'm not sure if I'm up for this a second time."
"A second time?" Gennaro asked.
Arnold straightened up in his swiveling chair. "We were the ones," he said, gesturing at himself and Muldoon, "who first told John about Dennis's betrayal. That time we caught him at the east dock red-handed. It took an emotional toll on both of us."
Muldoon nodded in silent agreement.
"So, who'll be the one this time? I thought we had all agreed to tell him everything," Gennaro said, his eyes flickering to Muldoon and Arnold and then Grant and Ellie.
Malcolm cleared his throat. "Ah, I'll do it, I'll be the one," he said, raising his hand. "I have plenty of experience with being upfront with John—especially about topics he doesn't like. You know, "the park is dangerous", "the park is an accident waiting to happen", "chaos theory"—I can handle it."
"We can assist you," Ellie said.
"That's fine, all of you can feel free to jump in when I begin the conversation." He turned to Arnold and Muldoon, who appeared to be avoiding discussing the topic further. "Both of you shouldn't feel any pressure after all that you've been through when Dennis's betrayal was first revealed."
"Right," Grant agreed. "We understand that was tough, so this time, it'll be me, Malcolm, and Ellie who will bear the brunt. Whenever you can, just add your thoughts about the matter."
"Thank you, we both appreciate it." Arnold finally looked up. "We didn't want to go through this a second time, and I have a feeling he'll take Henry's betrayal worse than he did Dennis's."
"I think what's harder is knowing that Henry was behind the previous Biosyn heists," Muldoon said.
Grant stepped back, surprised. "You've never mentioned that before."
"That's because it just hit me. Ever notice how whenever Dennis would arrive with the Biosyn group, it was around the same time when John and Henry were on Site B, working on the 16th species? I don't think It's a coincidence." Muldoon unscrewed his flask, as though punctuating his thoughts. "It's a theory."
"I don't think that's the case," Arnold said, disagreeing.
"It's possible because we don't know how far back his bloody betrayal goes." Muldoon drank from his flask. "I don't even think Dennis knows."
"Are you going to bring that up to John?" Arnold sounded worried.
Malcolm sighed. "We'll have to see how this goes."
Arnold turned in his swiveling chair to watch the video monitors as if wanting to avoid discussing the topic further. Muldoon still appeared serious by the pronouncement he had made. Gennaro was taken aback but said nothing.
"How about I stay here, and we can discuss how the conversation will go," Malcolm said. He turned to Ellie and Grant. "You both can finish setting up the cafeteria with Gerry and George."
"Sounds like a plan," Grant said.
Ellie kissed Malcolm and then left the control room with Grant. Malcolm and Gennaro remained standing as they watched Hammond continue the park tour with Tim and Lex.
Muldoon folded his arms across his chest as he thought about what he had brought up. The idea that Wu might've known Biosyn was coming to the island and managed to get Hammond to Site B all those times, popped up in his mind today. He watched as Arnold put out the old cigarette—Arnold still didn't accept Wu's betrayal after all this time. Muldoon was starting to believe he never would.
As for Arnold, he lit a new cigarette and noticed his hand trembling. He almost dropped the lighter and was glad that he didn't. It meant anxiety was threatening to overwhelm him. Already, his mind was racing with unanswered questions: did Wu really get Hammond off the island on purpose? Did Hammond suspect anything? What would happen when everyone started sharing all that went on before? Arnold took a drag on his cigarette, willing himself to calm down. The possible truth behind this revelation about Henry Wu was too much for him to wrap his mind around—as though what they had to share with Hammond wasn't enough. For now, though, he just wanted Hammond to enjoy the tour with Tim and Lex.
Everything else would eventually unfold, and as Malcolm had told him many times, they had no control over how it would go down.
oOo
Later that afternoon, Tim and Lex walked through the visitor center's doors with Hammond just as Grant and Ellie came into the main lobby. Arnold and Muldoon trailed behind them. They had left Malcolm, Lawala, Harding, and Gennaro in the cafeteria to finish setting up the tables.
"How did you enjoy the tour?" Arnold asked as he led the way to the cafeteria. He watched as Tim and Lex ran ahead of them to open the double doors.
"It felt like I had never been gone," Hammond said. "I'm thinking of making it part of my weekly to-do list to go inside the park, take the tour myself, or just walk around."
"It feels great, right?" Ellie said, walking behind Hammond.
"More than great, Dr. Sattler. It feels amazing."
Ellie saw Harding waiting outside by the cafeteria's double doors.
"We have lunch prepared for you, John," Harding mentioned, gesturing towards the cafeteria. "It's late, but we made sure to put your favorite on the menu, Chilean sea bass."
Grant and Ellie glanced at Harding, who gave them a quick wink. They knew he was trying to move things along.
"Before you go inside, here's your trademark cane," Grant said, handing him the walking cane with the amber encased mosquito.
"Thank you, Dr. Grant," Hammond said as he exchanged the four-pronged cane for the one he had always used prior to his stroke. "I feel more like myself with this one."
"Why don't we catch up on everything," Gennaro said, gently ushering Hammond in that direction.
"That sounds wonderful." Hammond smiled, but inwardly, he had a sense of foreboding. He clenched his walking cane tightly, trying to maintain a calm mindset. He had been doing so ever since landing on the island…
Something wasn't right.
He wanted to believe that everyone was glad he had returned; but at times, their happiness seemed forced, and he couldn't explain why. It saddened Hammond as he had looked forward to returning to Isla Nublar and being at Jurassic Park. He tried not to dwell on it as he leaned on his cane for support. As he entered the cafeteria, his eyes widened in surprise. Beautiful decorations had been placed everywhere. A banner that read WELCOME BACK, JOHN! Turquoise and white pearlized balloons were placed on all the tables and tied to the chairs. The company's bright colors uplifted his mood for a few moments. He was thrilled to see his grandchildren and staff again—and they had put care and effort into making him feel welcomed. It was wonderful to be back in the very place where he had realized his dreams of bringing back dinosaurs to the world.
Still…something was off…
At first, he couldn't put his finger on it. He could've gone with how they had hired Lawala without consulting him first, but even that didn't stand out in his mind. No, it was something else. He had this weird inkling ever since he had boarded the helicopter with Gennaro. When they had reached the island, everyone seemed excited that he had finally returned after all those months in the hospital. Or were they all putting on an act? Then, it dawned on him that someone was missing—and now that everyone was standing around the round table together, it became even more obvious… Hammond held the back of his chair as he watched everyone sit down. They looked up at him, expecting him to join them. He finally voiced the question burning in his mind.
"Where's Henry?"
No one spoke.
Hammond looked at everyone. Ellie sat between Grant and Malcolm. He remembered that during the initial meeting about the 16th species, Grant and Malcolm could barely sit in the same room together because of their awkward love triangle involving Ellie. Hammond noticed that the conflict had resolved itself as Malcolm and Grant appeared to get along just fine. He then glanced at Tim and Lex sitting near Gennaro. All three paid close attention as they waited for Hammond to sit down with the group.
Muldoon's jaw tightened at the mention of "Henry". For the first time, Hammond saw the scars left behind from the raptor attack. He had seen it before, but it had been long ago. The one and only time he had seen Muldoon's scars was the day the group visited him. It had been two months after his stroke, but Hammond had lost his sense of time during his long hospitalization. Being hospitalized, the days blended into the next, indistinguishable from each other. Now he was able to see Muldoon's scars up close. One scar started above the right eyebrow and went down his cheek, ending at his jaw line in the form of a lowercase "j" without the dot. There was another scar on the other side of his face, but less pronounced.
Deciding not to stare at Muldoon's scars, Hammond changed his focus. The new employee was sitting next to Muldoon: Lawala. Lawala seemed nice enough. Eventually Hammond would talk to Gennaro about how Lawala came to be under InGen employment. Arnold's eyes were glued to the table. Right away, Hammond knew he was worried as he searched for a lighter in his pockets. Harding looked tired as he looked from the group to Hammond, back to the group again.
"John, why don't you sit down?" Ellie asked gently, gesturing to the chair that Hammond still held.
He slowly pulled out the chair, but still didn't sit down. For some reason, he felt he was standing across the cafeteria, far apart from everyone. The sensation felt alien to him, like he was detached. He didn't know what to make of it. Hammond swallowed nervously and reminded himself he was standing right there at the table with them. That didn't help because seeing everything made it worse. Sometimes they looked directly at him only for their eyes to flicker away. Harding wrung his wrists and Arnold was still fumbling with his pockets. Muldoon sat up straight in his chair. Gennaro opened his mouth to speak up but said nothing. Lawala simply folded his hands on the table. Grant and Ellie kept leaning over and whispering to each other. The only one who didn't appear apprehensive was Malcolm. Malcolm made direct eye contact with him. Even Tim and Lex—did they know something during the entire tour and not say anything? Hammond noticed they were looking at the adults to answer his question.
Seconds ticked by and still, no one answered his question: Where's Henry? Everyone's silence unnerved him. It allowed his imagination to come up with horrendous situations that he hoped weren't true. They were supposed to share lunch together on his first day back, and now Hammond found he wasn't hungry.
Grant took the initiative to break the tense silence. "Let's go slow with this."
Hammond wasn't comforted by Grant's suggestion. Why would they need to go slow? He hesitated to sit down until Ellie came over to him and gently eased him into the seat so that he was sitting with everyone. Once Ellie returned to her seat, Hammond spoke. The entire time, he made a conscious effort to sound neutral, although he was feeling a range of emotions, more than he could put into words. It felt like looking into a kaleidoscope, the colors and designs constantly changing, never staying the same. One moment, his face was hot with anger, and the next, his heart pattered with fear. Now his body felt heavy with sadness that he had yet to experience, but somehow, he knew he would soon.
"I want to know everything. It doesn't matter how long it takes."
Everyone—even Tim and Lex—nodded in unison. It was clear to Hammond that they had spoken about this already. They knew everything that had occurred in his absence would be revealed eventually.
"We'll take things slowly," Ellie said, repeating Grant's suggestion.
"Henry's not here," Muldoon said. "Why he's not here is another matter altogether."
Arnold and Harding exchanged an uneasy glance that Hammond picked up on. He also noticed that Tim and Lex kept their focus on the adults. They were clearly nervous about how this information would be delivered.
"Yes, I've noticed—where is he?" Hammond asked. He resolved not to lash out at his employees as that had cost him with Dennis Nedry…and possibly Henry Wu too.
He thought he saw Grant and Ellie nudging Malcolm. Did that mean he was supposed to talk? Hammond observed Muldoon and Malcolm exchange an awkward glance, expecting something from the other. Muldoon nodded and Malcolm tapped the table.
"Where do you want to begin?" Malcolm asked.
"The day of my stroke—or what was happening before then, let's start there," Hammond said, sitting up straight in his chair. "I know that sounds confusing."
The cafeteria staff came around and placed small plates of spring salad in front of everyone. No one touched their eating utensils. Everyone was completely focused on Hammond, who was eying everyone suspiciously. Malcolm leaned forward in his chair, unabashed, and began the challenging task of starting to share everything that had happened.
"It's not confusing," he said. "Dodgson's team had been coming to the island every time you went to Isla Sorna with Henry."
"When we worked on our project?"
Malcolm nodded slowly. "Yes, when you were planning for the park's 16th species."
"It seems Henry knew when Biosyn was coming so that he could get you off the island," Muldoon added. "Of course, we have no proof of this, but when we discussed it—"
"Who's 'we'?" Hammond asked, looking from Arnold to Malcolm.
""We" as in myself, Ray, Donald, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Grant—" Muldoon gestured to everyone sitting around the table. "We noticed that you were always away when they showed up." He looked at Malcolm.
"And we don't think that's a coincidence that you were out there when they came here," Malcolm said.
Already Hammond's mind was spinning at the implications. If Biosyn was invading his island, it meant Dodgson was behind it. His words tumbled out. "But how would he have known when they were invading my island?"
A beat of silence passed. This time, Hammond noticed that even Malcolm appeared hesitant.
"Because he's been working with Biosyn undercover." Harding finally said.
A long awkward silence followed. Once again, everyone avoided looking in Hammond's direction.
"What?!" Hammond's voice was barely above a whisper. "What are you talking about?" Then, as though he couldn't bear to hear the answers to those questions, he veered off in a different direction. "Was Biosyn behind Henry's lab being destroyed? The wrecked fence at the dilophosaur paddock?" He hated to ask the next part, but he knew it would confirm what he already knew to be true. "The raptors escaping from their pen?"
"Yes, all those things," Muldoon said. "Dennis was with you when the raptors escaped. It was around the same time as your stroke."
"I remember. I also remember him—"
Hammond stopped abruptly. He didn't want to retell the entire stroke incident from his point of view to everyone. Although he had come to an acceptance of what had happened, it was still painful for him to openly talk about it. He had spent much of his hospitalization going over in his mind that day's horrible events and what led up to it. He vaguely remembered what happened after the stroke's symptoms manifested. A hazy memory of Muldoon slamming his shotgun on Nedry flashed through Hammond's mind, but he didn't know what to make of it. Did Nedry and Muldoon get into a fight that day?
Tim and Lex picked up their forks and started playing with the salad on their plates, flipping over sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.
"Dr. Malcolm, should I—?" Lawala started to ask, but Malcolm cut him off.
"No, not now."
Hammond's face contorted into a grimace of confusion. What information was being kept from him this time? And he was still reeling in shock from finding out about Wu's betrayal.
"Why would Henry do this?! I don't understand." His shock turned to anger, and his clenched fists pounded the table. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
"We couldn't," Grant said, trying to keep an even tone. It wouldn't help if his emotions escalated like Hammond's. "There was so much going on—" He stopped when he saw Hammond push away from the table and stand up.
"I don't want to hear any more of this. I can't…"
Hammond's voice trailed off as he left the table and made his way to the cafeteria's double doors. He wanted to escape to his bungalow. Get far away from everyone. He couldn't stand sitting there while listening to these tall tales. It was all lies, he told himself. Eventually, he'd find out the truth. A wave of weakness overcame him just as his hand gripped the doorknob. His heart's pounding immediately turned to hammering and his chest ached as though his ribs were being smashed. He didn't know what was happening. Was it another stroke? Hammond's legs gave way, and he didn't feel anything when he collapsed to the floor. Nor did he hear the commotion as everyone got up from the table. They were running to him and calling out his name, but all he heard was silence.