The Ninth Circle of Hell

by Sassy Lil Scorpio

Hammond returns to Isla Nublar and finds out everything that occurred during his hospitalization. Wu is miserable working for Dodgson and dreams of escape. Nedry is apprehended right after running into the Biosyn team. Hammond fights for Nedry's freedom on two conditions: convince Wu to return to InGen and bring down Dodgson and his gang. {Sequel to Reign of Chaos Trilogy} {AU}

8. Spare No Expense!

Chapter 8 - "Spare no expense!"

"Forgiveness is above all a personal choice, a decision of the heart to go against natural instinct to pay back evil with evil." - Pope John Paul II

oOo

Detective Corey Anderson arrived at InGen's headquarters in Palo Alto after nine-thirty in the morning. As he got out of his police cruiser, he took the thick case file with him and then gave himself a quick look over. Dressed in plainclothes with his badge worn around his neck on a thin silver chain, Anderson preferred it this way. He was rarely seen in uniform and kept his firearm, taser, mace, and handcuffs on a belt under his jacket. As he prioritized his safety, he always made sure to wear a bulletproof vest. Anderson was firm, sensible, and curious. He had worked in the police force for ten years, and was younger than most of his colleagues, but he also held their respect for the fair way he treated those in his custody. Anderson had seen too many police officers abuse their authority and he swore never to be that way.

When a lawyer for InGen named Donald Gennaro contacted him a week ago after the high-profile capture of Dennis Nedry, Anderson was surprised. He was open to learning more about Nedry, his history, and John Hammond. Being that Gennaro was from InGen and representing Hammond, Anderson shared with him about Nedry's upcoming arraignment (the first one had been adjourned). It didn't take long for Gennaro to openly state that the InGen CEO—Hammond—wanted to meet with Anderson prior to Nedry's next arraignment, and today was the day. Anderson would meet with him in the morning as he had explained to Gennaro that the arraignment was scheduled for 11:30a.m.

Presently, he sat in what appeared to be a waiting room on the fourth floor—except that it was large and expansive with a wall-to-wall screen showing images of InGen's projects, funding, mission, goals, values… Anderson tried to glean more about the company, but the truth was it felt vague to him. He glanced around the walls, noting the blue and white InGen logo. The motto: We Make Your Future. He surmised it was a company using breakthrough technology— Just then, the young secretary called him over.

"Mr. Hammond will see you now."

She smiled as Anderson stood up with the case file and followed her down a hallway. She led him to a small conference room and opened the door for Anderson to enter. Anderson walked into the conference room noting the same blue and white InGen logo and motto on the far wall—and then the three people sitting around the table.

The man on his left was dressed entirely in black and had a self-assured aura about him. On his right was another man with a serious expression, steel blue eyes, and a fedora that he took off and placed on the round table. The man sitting between them was the oldest and dressed entirely in white. In front of him on the table was an odd-looking cane. If Anderson didn't know any better, he'd say that there was a large piece of amber on the top part of the cane with an insect inside of it—a giant mosquito? He thought that was strange but didn't question it. Instead, he held out his hand to shake the older man's who also stood up at the same time to exchange pleasantries.

"You must be Detective Corey Anderson? John Hammond, pleased to meet you."

Anderson smiled. "Likewise."

"Please sit down," Hammond said, gesturing at the empty chair across from him. "We got in yesterday and were looking forward to meeting with you today."

Anderson placed the case file on the table and sat down as the other two men introduced themselves. The man dressed in black smiled and placed a hand on his chest, indicating he was proud.

"Dr. Ian Malcolm, mathematician, and the proverbial thorn in John's side."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Malcolm," Anderson said, and then he turned to the other man who was not smiling.

"Robert Muldoon, game warden for John's biological preserve."

Anderson nodded, although he wondered what type of "biological preserve" Muldoon referred to. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Muldoon."

"Robert's fine."

Anderson noted that Muldoon presented as controlled and stoic, although he insisted on being called by his first name. "I go by 'Corey' or 'Detective Anderson'. I'm good with either one."

Muldoon gave a curt nod and then turned to Hammond. Aside from Malcolm, Hammond was the only man in a jubilant mood.

"Just call me 'John'."

"Got it," Anderson said, as he moved his chair closer to the round table. "Thank you for having me here. Where would you like to begin?"

Those six words seemed to have an interesting effect on the three men, Anderson noticed. Hammond's and Malcolm's smiles instantly vanished and were replaced by more serious expressions—almost matching Muldoon's.

"The reason why my lawyer, Donald Gennaro, contacted you was about the capture of Dennis Nedry. He saw it on the news, and I asked him to reach out to you."

Anderson took out a small pocket notebook and pen that he always carried with him, ready to jot down notes. "Tell me who Dennis is to you. What's your relationship or connection?" He remembered Gennaro telling him, but he wanted to hear it straight from Hammond. "I brought his case file, dug up whatever information I could find, but I'd like to hear from all of you."

Muldoon's eyes dropped to the thick case file at the same time that Malcolm pointed at it.

"May we take a look?" Malcolm asked.

Anderson nodded. "Go ahead."

"He worked for me," Hammond started. "We didn't have a good working relationship. I can give you all the details, but the quick version of it is that we had a conflict about his contract, which led to him aiding the competition. He stole from my company, sold secrets—which landed him in prison." He gestured to Muldoon now. "Robert is one of my two employees who caught him red-handed."

Malcolm opened the case file and started reviewing the papers. Inside were multiple documents: Nedry's booking photos, paperwork regarding the charges he had been convicted of years ago, the prison he had been incarcerated in… Malcolm's face paled when he saw the list of potential charges Nedry was facing. Closing the case file, he passed it to Muldoon, who now opened it for himself and began viewing and skimming the documents inside.

"I see…" Anderson said, scribbling everything down. He didn't appear to notice Malcolm's reaction, but then again, neither did Hammond who was focused on him for this introductory meeting. "Your company is InGen. Who is the competition?"

"Biosyn, they've been targeting my company for years. The man who oversees the targeting, if you will, is a man named Lewis Dodgson."

Anderson wrote those names on his pocket notebook. Biosyn. Lewis Dodgson. "Let's go back to what you were saying about Dennis being caught red-handed. You mentioned two employees." He looked in Muldoon's direction and then Malcolm's. "Robert you were one of them, and Dr. Malcolm, you're the second one who caught him in the act?"

Malcolm shook his head. "No, that was Ray Arnold."

"Okay…" Anderson jotted down Ray Arnold.

"What was he like when you apprehended him?" Hammond asked. "How did he behave?"

His question alerted Muldoon, who looked up from Nedry's case file that he had been pouring over.

Anderson noticed that Muldoon and Malcolm exchanged a curious look before focusing on Hammond. He sat back in his chair as he thought back to that night. Anytime he was asked about Nedry's demeanor, the person questioning assumed the worst. As though they expected to hear that he resisted arrest, put up a fight, talked trash to antagonize the cops…

"He was quiet." Anderson shrugged. Although Nedry was both a fugitive and a high-profile case, his capture wasn't exciting or thrilling—it was ordinary. Then he thought "ordinary" wasn't the right word. "Uneventful" was more accurate. "He spoke only when I asked him questions. He listened and cooperated, but overall, he was quiet."

Malcolm chuckled. "Uh, if there's anything Dennis isn't, it's quiet."

"He's only quiet if you say something that hits him hard. Other than that, he's mouthy as hell," Muldoon said, closing the case file. "Sarcastic, too."

"We've had our share fair of arguments—mainly financial debates. He can be obnoxious and likes to get under this," Hammond said, tapping his skin.

Anderson closed his pocket notebook and put the pen down on the table. "It's the quiet ones that are usually the most trouble. This will sound crazy, but he seemed relieved."

"Relieved?" Muldoon's eyebrows rose. That was the last thing he expected to hear.

"Being on the run gets exhausting. Lack of sleep, watching your back all the time," Anderson explained. "When you know you're being hunted down by U.S. Marshals, it takes its toll."

Determined to press forward, Hammond decided to cut to the chase. "I asked to meet with you, Detective Anderson, to find out if you can give us some guidance on a matter that I'd like to explore."

Anderson wasn't sure what Hammond meant. He leaned forward, curious. "Tell me more."

"Dennis and I have a history," Hammond said, slowly. For the first time, he glanced at the thick case file on the table. He instinctively knew it held information about Nedry's criminal record. "Just as he has history with Robert. It's different with Dr. Malcolm. It's a lot to explain right now, but the best way I can put it is this: I want to see if he can help us."

"In what way?"

"Another employee of mine is following in his footsteps—aiding the same competition that Dennis did. I'm hoping he can reach out to his coworker and get him to return to InGen. If that were to happen, it would help him to get a new start. Dennis has done a lot of bad—and a lot of good."

"The latter more so than the former most recently," Malcolm added.

Anderson sat back in his chair now, confused. Why did Hammond want Nedry to walk free? He had read up on Nedry's case file, his charges, trial, and conviction—and even the recent charges he was facing. Why would Hammond go out of his way to help Nedry get "a new start"? And who was the other employee that Hammond spoke of? He was about to ask when he saw the clock on the opposite wall. It was almost ten-thirty a.m.

"I'll tell you what. Let's head to the courthouse and you can all fill me in on everything. We can take it from there."

Anderson stood up, and Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon did likewise. Together, they left the conference room, and soon exited InGen's headquarters to head to the courthouse.

oOo

They arrived at the courthouse at eleven-fifteen in the morning. It was a clear sunny day in Palo Alto, California, however the mood around the four men was somber. During the drive to the courthouse, Anderson learned a lot more than he expected and he knew this was just the beginning…

"I promise we'll meet in my office at the precinct next time. Hopefully, that will be later today."

"Ah, is this a formality?" Malcolm asked as they approached the courthouse.

A dark sense of foreboding overcame Muldoon when he looked at the building. This was the same courthouse where Nedry had been tried and convicted. Muldoon was surprised that he reacted at all, but when he thought about it more, it wasn't surprising. He had testified against Nedry as did Arnold and Wu. Memories of Nedry glaring at him from behind the defendant's table flashed through his mind, and then just as quickly, they were replaced by other memories. The brutal fight they had outside by the raptor pen, when he and Arnold had captured Nedry after he snuck back to Isla Nublar hoping to make amends, being stranded on Isla Sorna and tied back-to-back thanks to Dodgson's group, finding the research facility, Nedry saving his life, building the raft together, the numerous conversations they had that helped them to see each other less as enemies and more as human beings…

Anderson nodded. "This is where we need to start, so that we can move forward. He's being arraigned today. The charges he's being brought up on include prison escape and account hacking."

"What about the charges of trespassing on InGen property and aggravated assault?" Malcolm asked.

Hammond looked from Malcolm to Anderson, confused as to why Malcolm brought them up. "I thought you said those charges were dropped."

"In Costa Rica, yes," Malcolm said. "I'm not sure if they carried over to the American court system."

"I don't think they did. The aggravated assault charge was against you, John?" Anderson asked.

They continued onward so that they were directly in front of the courthouse.

Hammond nodded. "Yes, although the situation is a little more complicated than I can explain."

Anderson held up his hand. "You don't have to. If the courts in Costa Rica deemed it appropriate to lessen or drop the charges altogether, let's just leave it at that," he said. "At least, when it comes to those charges." He headed up the stairs and Malcolm, Hammond, and Muldoon followed him. "He does have charges pending up here."

They were at the doors now. Muldoon peered inside and saw various court officers standing in the lobby as well as metal detectors lined up.

"Before we go inside, I want to prepare you." Anderson said, nodding a quick greeting at one court officer inside and then turned to them. "He'll be surrounded by deputy sheriffs and in full restraints. All defendants come in like that, but in his case, he's considered a violent offender and an escape risk. They want to ensure he and everyone else is safe and secure."

"An escape risk?" That was the only part Hammond heard. Everything else went over his head.

"He escaped from prison and went on a crime spree." Anderson made sure to be patient, although he felt the reasons should be obvious. "They're taking extra precautions by having additional law enforcement."

"Do they think he's dangerous?" Hammond asked.

"Yes, because of your hospitalization. The reports say he—"

"I know what the reports say, and I want it on record that it's not true. He didn't shake me or push me to the ground. Well, he…" Hammond glanced nervously at the inside of the courthouse, noting the court officers milling around. It was as though he was afraid they would hear him.

"He what?" Anderson asked, noticing Hammond's hesitation.

Muldoon and Malcolm waited, wondering what Hammond would say.

"He pushed me once, but he didn't cause me to have a stroke."

Anderson thought Hammond might be minimizing what Nedry had done to him, but he didn't voice that. Instead, he went in a different direction. "Why do you want to advocate for him?"

"Because he's a changed man!" Hammond turned to Muldoon and Malcolm, seeking their confirmation. "Both of you have seen how much he's changed."

"The three of you see that, and that's great. The judge must see it too," Anderson said. "I don't know how you last saw him."

"He was helping Ray with the new security system for the control room," Malcolm said. "After that, he was in the lab with Dr. Grant and everyone for the new arrival."

Muldoon thought about his last encounter with Nedry. "He was about to drive off. I remember him saying he wanted to remain free for as long as he could, and that he was looking to start his life over." He also had asked me if I felt free, Muldoon remembered, but he didn't bring this up. Instead, he thought of how they exchanged apologies and how he finally learned why Nedry betrayed Hammond.

"Last but not least, John."

Anderson offered a light smile to ease the increasing tension. He instinctively knew that all three men felt uncomfortable being at this courthouse as they associated it with unpleasant memories. The way they kept glancing around the courthouse spoke volumes. On the drive over, Malcolm explained this was the very courthouse where Nedry had his trial more than two years ago.

"How did you see him last?"

Hammond was quiet as he remembered that day in the hospital and how he was pleasantly surprised to have a decent conversation with Nedry. The change in Nedry had been very apparent and he hoped the judge saw the same man he had seen that day in the hospital. Hammond's turbulent employer/employee relationship with Nedry was well-known amongst everyone in InGen. Anderson had barely scratched the surface.

"He was like a different man. He had a…" Hammond searched for the right word. "A lightness to him that had never been present when he worked for me. Less bitter and more focused on doing the right thing."

"Let's hope this is the same man Judge Hoskins sees today." Anderson opened the door and was about to enter the courthouse when Muldoon's reaction halted him in his tracks.

"Judge Victor Hoskins?! That was the same judge from his trial. I'll be damned…"

"Ah, do you think Judge Hoskins will remember Dennis?" Malcolm asked.

Anderson entered the courthouse followed by the group. "Let's get this out of the way first, and then we'll get to that."

He gestured for them to go through the metal detectors, as well as put all their items on the conveyor belts. Each man was individually scanned by a sheriff deputy with a hand-held metal detector and all their items were collected from the bin on the conveyor belt. Anderson checked a schedule on the wall that had a list of defendants and corresponding courtroom numbers with the judges' names.

"It's Room 221," Anderson said.

"Funny coincidence," Malcolm said smiling. "Or a good omen, depending on how you view it."

Muldoon shot him a confused look.

"Judge Adela Rodriguez was on the second floor in Room 221—she's the judge in Costa Rica who dropped the trespassing and aggravated assault charges."

"After or before you spoke up?" Muldoon had a slightly humorous tone.

"Oh, believe me, it was after. Dennis wasn't doing himself any favors. He wasn't being obnoxious or sarcastic as usual—surprising, I know," Malcolm added, "but he wasn't able to say what needed to be said to get him out of there."

Muldoon nodded. "What about Judge Hoskins?"

Anderson led them through the courthouse and got in the elevator just in the nick of time as the doors opened and two court officers exited. The group got in and he pressed "2" for the second floor.

"Dr. Malcolm was asking if Judge Hoskins remembers Dennis," Anderson said. "I'll just say Judge Hoskins has a sharp memory. He never forgets a face."

"Dennis isn't forgettable either," Muldoon said.

At this, the group shared a light chuckle. The elevator doors opened and they walked down the hallway. It didn't take long to find the courtroom where Nedry's arraignment was to be held. Anderson had his hand on the knob and then turned to them again.

"Remember what I told you of how they will bring him in. I don't want you to be shocked, he's in custody."

Anderson noted that Hammond bowed his head. Hammond and Nedry once had a hostile working relationship. Now that it was more respectful, he could see why it would hurt him to see his former employee in this position. This wasn't new to Malcolm or Muldoon though.

"We're staying in the back row of the gallery," Anderson said. "We can't let on that we're there. Judge Hoskins will see us of course, but I don't want Dennis to get any ideas if he sees us."

Malcolm agreed. "He'll perform if he knows we're in his corner."

"Do you think Judge Hoskins will agree with John's suggestion," Muldoon asked. "Will he consider a pardon or a sentence reduction?"

Anderson sighed and released the knob. "It's hard to say, but what I do know is that this depends entirely on Dennis, how he carries himself inside that courtroom, if the change you've all seen in him, if Judge Hoskins picks up on it—and that it's sincere, not an act. He's perceptive and knows when someone has genuinely reformed versus just saying what he wants to hear." He sensed their anxiety from the way they kept staring at the courtroom doors. "Let's hope for the best—but hold no expectations either."

They nodded in unison. Anderson opened the door, and they entered the courtroom single file. He gestured to the last row in the courtroom closest to the entrance and Malcolm, Muldoon, and Hammond sat down in that specific order. It was unspoken between Malcolm and Muldoon that they had to be present with Hammond to support him through this phase. Hammond had been through so much already and especially coming to the courtroom where Nedry's full betrayal had been revealed had been emotionally traumatic for him. Given his reaction upon finding out Wu's betrayal, it was best to sit near him to increase his morale. Anderson sat beside them.

Five minutes passed. Judge Hoskins addressed another defendant before him. When that defendant was escorted out by the sheriff's deputy, only then did he acknowledge the group in his courtroom.

"Detective Anderson?" Judge Hoskins asked. "I know you're here for Case Record Number 14-5-4-18-25?"

Anderson stood up. "May I approach the bench before you start?"

Judge Hoskins nodded. "Proceed."

Muldoon watched as Anderson approached Judge Hoskins at the front of the courtroom, passing by the court reporter, two officials, and three court officers. To Muldoon, Judge Hoskins looked the same as he did more than two years ago. He was a middle-aged man with dark hair that was graying, sported a goatee, and wore a stern expression that appeared permanent. Anderson leaned over to speak to Judge Hoskins, a sense of uneasiness descended upon him. At first, he couldn't pinpoint it and then it came to him: Nedry wasn't being referred to by his first or last name, but by a number.

It wasn't his Department of Corrections identification number. Even so, to be referred to as a number and not by one's name irked Muldoon. He remembered when Hammond, him, Arnold, and Gennaro had visited Nedry in prison when trying to find out who the mole was. Nedry had become enraged and a correction officer had stood behind him saying that he was getting out of line—and hadn't even used his name. Inmate zero-eight-zero-seven-fifty-five is getting out of line. That time seemed like so long ago and it made Muldoon think of Henry Wu now. Doesn't he know he can end up the same as Dennis—as a number and not a man? It frustrated Muldoon; all he wanted was a quick sip of alcohol from his flask, but he'd have to wait until they were outside of the courthouse—or back at the hotel.

"What do you think he's asking Judge Hoskins?" Hammond asked them.

"Probably if there's a chance that Dennis can be given another option aside from a prison sentence." Malcolm suggested. "Whatever it is that you're aiming for."

"Or if we can meet with him after." Muldoon said as he stared at the witness stand. His mind went back to that time when he testified against Nedry. Nedry had stared him down—and Muldoon did the same to him, refusing to be intimidated. It was hard to believe that they were both vastly different men since that time.

They watched as Anderson continued to speak quietly with Judge Hoskins at the front of the courtroom. Judge Hoskins was looking in their direction and nodding now. Then he sat back in his swiveling chair and spoke loud enough for them to hear him.

"You know how this works, Corey. It all depends on the defendant. If he makes good choices in my courtroom today, then yes, I'll consider hearing Mr. Hammond's request. If he behaves as he did several years ago, then he knows what to expect. He knows I don't play around."

"He really doesn't," Muldoon whispered. "Ten to fifteen years, a revoked certification, fines in the six digits…" He shook his head as he remembered the sentence Nedry received—not only because he had been found guilty of all charges, but his arrogant behavior had pushed the judge to give him a harsh sentence.

"Let's hope for the best outcome," Malcolm said, mirroring what Anderson said earlier.

If Hammond heard the conversation between Muldoon and Malcolm, he didn't let on. He simply watched as Anderson resumed his seat next to them. Leaning over, Anderson whispered a quick summary of his conversation with Judge Hoskins. The three men turned in unison to hear what he had to say.

"The good news is he's willing to hear your request, John. The bad news is…"

Hammond's eyebrows rose, curious. "What's the bad news?" He tried to sound firm and not shaky.

Malcolm looked from Hammond to Anderson. He was thinking of how much was beyond their control—but he didn't want to say it—not yet.

Anderson took a deep breath as he did his best to prepare them for what lay ahead. "The bad news is his escape from prison will be counted against him. He committed more crimes, which means he'll face more charges, and more prison time. And that's not all…"

"What else is there?" Muldoon asked. He didn't think it could get worse. Could it?!

Anderson spoke in a hushed tone. "Judge Hoskins knows about the charges in Costa Rica that were dropped and is questioning it. He may not bring it up, we'll have to see. It's gonna be an uphill battle."

Malcolm and Muldoon knew it wouldn't be easy to accomplish Hammond's goal—but this was far more difficult than they anticipated.

"The other thing is we can't control Dennis," Muldoon said.

Hammond waited before responding. "I could've told you that."

"There's so much beyond our control, John," Malcolm said gently, finally voicing his thoughts aloud. In the past, he would go on a diatribe about such matters, but sensing Hammond's heaviness, he decided to keep it brief. "He's in control of himself and that's it. I told Robert that we have to hope for the best outcome, and we will."

Hammond stared at his cane, wanting to distract himself, but also knowing he needed to remain focused. "When is he coming out?"

"Any minute now—Judge Hoskins doesn't want him to know we're here," Anderson said. "We must be silent the whole time. No talking, no questions—nothing. Just be invisible. When they conclude his arraignment, then we take it from there."

The three men resumed their seating positions. Another defendant came out and had his case reviewed. The list of charges was read aloud in the courtroom. The lawyer next to him whispered to him. The defendant nodded and pleaded not guilty. Bail was set and then the defendant was taken away. They watched as Judge Hoskins review several files. He picked up two and opened them up. To the bailiff, he nodded.

"Bring in the next defendant, Dennis Nedry."

The bailiff left the courtroom and moments later reentered. True to what Anderson had mentioned earlier, Nedry was escorted in surrounded by sheriff deputies. Muldoon counted four deputies and watched Nedry shuffle into the courtroom, the shackles rattling as he moved. For him, it was surreal seeing Nedry like this, especially since he had made it clear that he would stay free for as long as he could, and how much he hated prison and restraints. Muldoon noticed that Nedry listened to the sheriff deputies who had escorted him in the courtroom. They pointed at him to stand in front of Judge Hoskins, and he did as he was told. Granted, Nedry didn't have a choice in the matter, but Muldoon knew he was more than capable of bucking against authority. He wondered what Malcolm was thinking. Malcolm watched intensely as was Hammond. Be the man you've become. Show Judge Hoskins what we all saw, Muldoon thought.

Judge Hoskins glanced at the back of the gallery, silently indicating that he was ready to begin. "This is the second time you're in my courtroom, Mr. Nedry."

"Yes; it is, Your Honor."

"I remember it like it was yesterday, I'm sure you do too." Judge Hoskins didn't smile.

"I do."

"You're here today for your arraignment and facing several charges. Three counts of trespassing and three counts of aggravated assault…"

"Those charges were dropped…I thought they were?"

Judge Hoskins held up a file and flipped it open. He read through it and then continued. "Yes, they were dropped. That was in Costa Rica."

"So doesn't that mean they're gone for good?"

"Not necessarily. When I decide on your case, I look at every crime you committed once you escaped from prison—which is a charge in itself. You should also know I review your prison file." Judge Hoskins tapped a thick folder that he had yet to open and then went back to discussing the charges Nedry had faced in Costa Rica. "And while Judge…" He paused as he opened the file again and reviewed the paperwork. "Judge Rodriguez dropped your charges in her courtroom. You're in my courtroom now and I take everything into account—including dropped charges."

Nedry couldn't see Malcolm's facepalm motion in the back of the gallery. Beside him, Muldoon noticed his expression of frustration. Muldoon peered at Hammond, who was completely focused on Nedry's and Judge Hoskins' exchange.

"I want to hear from you and not what's on this paper," Judge Hoskins said, holding up a form from Nedry's file, "how you racked up those charges—before we get to the rest."

"The rest?!" Muldoon muttered. "How many bloody charges is he facing?!"

Malcolm waved his hand, signaling for Muldoon to remain calm. Muldoon forced himself to refocus on Nedry, who was now trying to explain the charges that Malcolm had helped get dismissed in Costa Rica.

"What I just told you—" As though sensing his words and tone could be misinterpreted as him being contemptuous, Nedry quickly amended both. "I meant that I had trespassed on InGen property several times and I did…" he paused as he quickly searched for the right words, "I did stuff that was harmful to him and landed him in the hospital. I fought with my former-coworker, Robert Muldoon. Not once, but twice."

"Why is he bringing that up?" Muldoon whispered furiously.

Malcolm offered an explanation. "He's being as open and honest as possible. Omitting information will reflect poorly on him." He made sure to keep his voice low.

Muldoon understood, but he didn't see how this would help Nedry at all—it would only make things worse for him. "I thought he's supposed to just read the charges. He's treating Dennis like he's on trial—it's bloody unfair if you ask me."

"I don't disagree with you there, but if I had to guess, it would be a case of 'his courtroom, his rules'."

Oblivious to the whispered conversation taking place in the back of the courtroom, Judge Hoskins observed Nedry standing in front of him. "What do you think about what you did?"

"I'm sorry for the harm I caused John Hammond and my co-workers from InGen. I never meant for any of it to happen, especially John's stroke and his hospitalization."

Even from where they all sat, they could see that Judge Hoskins was scrutinizing Nedry. "Tell me why the charges were dropped."

"Judge Rodriguez told me to 'right my wrongs' and I did exactly that—after Dr. Malcolm spoke on my behalf."

"How."

"I gave them information about their corporate enemies plotting against them. I screwed up their plans though—the other company, not InGen. The other company was occupying InGen property and I helped get rid of them."

"Who's 'them'?"

"Lewis Dodgson from Biosyn. They're InGen's rivals."

Judge Hoskins nodded, indicating he had heard Nedry, but said nothing in response.

"Finally, he's saying something right," Malcolm whispered.

"Maybe they'll take that into consideration," Muldoon replied.

"Let's hope they do."

They continued to watch the arraignment in progress.

"We'll now review the most recent charges," Judge Hoskins said.

No one could see the mystified expression on Nedry's expression on his face. He tried to talk but no words came out and his eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. When he still didn't respond, Judge Hoskins did.

"Prison escape is a serious felony. That charge carries a sentence of up to five years—and that's not including the sentence you had begun serving."

"Can I respond to that charge?"

Judge Hoskins gestured to the court reporter, who sat between him and the witness stand. "You can. Be aware this is all going on record."

"I understand…" Nedry hesitated briefly and then pushed forward. "I didn't escape by myself. I had help."

Judge Hoskins' eyes narrowed. He was skeptical about what Nedry brought up. "I'm going to stop you right there: you still had a choice to remain in the facility or leave on your own accord."

"Not really. They came for me with chains." Nedry tried lifting his hands above his waist unsuccessfully, and then raised one leg, causing the shackles to jangle. "Like what I'm wearing now except for shackles. When transport officers show up to restrain you, you're not given a choice. You can fight and resist, but in the end, you're gonna end up in chains—and bruised up too."

"You raise a valid point. Who is the 'they' in your narrative?"

Muldoon wondered if Nedry would reveal the truth about his prison escape and he didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Raúl Lopez and Sonya Durant. They work for Lewis Dodgson—they were from Biosyn."

"So let me get this straight—they posed as transport officers with mechanical restraints—and you had no idea who they were?"

"At the time I didn't know Dodgson had sent them—although he said he'd break me out of prison."

Judge Hoskins sat back in his chair, thinking it over. "You said 'at the time'. At some point, you realized who they were, or rather who they worked for. When was that?"

"When we got to Biosyn headquarters."

"When they removed the restraints?"

"Yeah." Nedry sounded annoyed. "Why does it matter?"

Judge Hoskins visibly recoiled as though offended by the gall of Nedry's question. "I'll tell you why it matters. Once they set you free, you had a choice to either remain with them or to turn yourself in to the authorities."

Muldoon blinked as a recent memory replayed in his mind. He heard his voice and Nedry's as they argued back and forth about him turning himself in. The memory became more vivid, and he saw himself outside in front of the visitor center, while Nedry sat in a gas-powered jeep, ready to leave the island.

"So then turn yourself in. It's the right thing to do."

"Are you crazy? It's either stay around and help InGen or go back to prison—what kind of choice is that?"

"I'm not saying you want to go back there. I'm saying the right thing to do would be to turn yourself over to the authorities."

"I'm not you—if 'the right thing to do' is to turn myself in, then hell no, I'll do the wrong thing and maintain my freedom. I can't go back there."

Muldoon knew right away what Judge Hoskins was inferring with his line of questioning. He thought Judge Hoskins looked like he'd jump off the bench and shake sense into Nedry.

"You could've left them at any time and contacted the authorities to bring you in. Or you could've shown up at any law enforcement space—police or sheriff's department, state troopers, even Department of Corrections—to turn yourself in—but you didn't. Correct?"

Nedry was silent and Muldoon knew he was cornered. He couldn't talk himself out of the prison escape charge. When he spoke up, his voice was barely above a mumble.

"Correct."

"You made a choice to stay with your associates from Biosyn, and you made a choice to cause immense harm and distress to your previous associates from InGen. Do you see where I'm going with this, Mr. Nedry?"

Nedry was quiet again and the only sound heard was the rapid typing from the court reporter. He finally nodded.

"Speak up, for the record," Judge Hoskins demanded.

"Yessss." The word dragged out of Nedry's mouth as he was irritated.

Malcolm leaned over to Hammond, whispering quickly. "This is why his situation isn't black and white, John."

Hammond sighed as he looked down at his cane. Anderson was right: fighting for Nedry's clemency would be an uphill battle.

"You may not have used force to escape, but you were in the custody of Department of Corrections. The moment you stepped foot outside of the facility you were incarcerated in, you were deemed an escapee. If you weren't legally released from a court order, parole, or probation, then it's an escape."

Judge Hoskins skimmed through the papers on his desk and continued with the proceedings.

"Along with that charge is computer and account hacking. You also had a fake ID which you used to steal a car, so there's the charge of grand larceny."

"I paid for it." Nedry's response was subdued. "I didn't steal the car, I was…" He shook his head, completely baffled as to why he was being charged with grand larceny.

"You were what?" Judge Hoskins' tone was firm, but also had a subtle curious note.

"I was trying to start over again after helping InGen."

"So, you brought," Judge Hoskins said, making air quotes with his hands, "a car with a fake ID."

He reached into a manilla envelope in front of him and took out a small, laminated card. Those sitting in the back of the courtroom couldn't see what it was. Judge Hoskins held it up and Nedry gasped when he recognized the driver's license.

"Who is Elliot Knight?" When Nedry didn't answer, Judge Hoskins asked again.

"It was my…"

"Your fake ID." Judge Hoskins didn't skip a beat as he put it back in the envelope. "How did you pay for the car?"

"Monopoly money, obviously."

Judge Hoskins folded his arms across his chest. "Don't insult my intelligence, Mr. Nedry."

"You're insulting mine! I used actual cash, what else do you think I used?"

"Tell the court then: where did you get the money from? Was it yours?"

An uncomfortable silence filled the courtroom.

Finally, Nedry spoke in a hushed voice, "it was money Lewis Dodgson paid me to screw around with InGen."

"Blood money?"

Nedry had been staring down at his cuffed hands. His head jerked up when he heard Judge Hoskins' description. In the back of the courtroom, Muldoon's eyebrows furrowed together when he heard the phrase. Both men were very familiar with the term: blood money.

"Yes, if you want to call it that."

"It's not a matter of what I want to call it. It's what it is. You used the same money that was paid to you when you wreaked havoc on your former employer and coworkers—"

"What else was I supposed to use?! I have no job and no certification because you revoked it!"

"Watch your tone. I'm willing to hear you out—unless you want to continue being defiant, then you'll be charged with contempt of court. From there, you can enter your plea."

"I understand—"

"I'm talking and you're listening." Judge Hoskins pointed at himself and then at Nedry. "Considering the fact that you escaped from prison and continued to break the law on your own accord, you're lucky I'm listening to anything you have to say."

"I know—"

"You can enter your plea right now; I'll sentence you and you'll be on your way upstate." He waited to see Nedry's reaction. "Are we clear?"

Nedry muttered under his breath.

"I didn't hear you."

"Yes, you're clear—I'm sorry, Your Honor," he quickly added.

"I'm sure you remember why I revoked your certification."

Nedry tried to maintain a calmer demeanor. "I know why—it's because of what I did before."

Judge Hoskins nodded in agreement, as though glad that Nedry accepted responsibility for his actions.

"I was trying to do things the right way this time." He met Judge Hoskins' stern gaze. "I wasn't trying to hurt anyone or rip them off."

"Using a fake ID to purchase items is a crime. When you thought you brought the car with a fake ID, you stole it. How's that supposed to work in your favor?"

"I wanted to get my life back on track." Nedry stepped forward to emphasize his point and the sheriff deputy on his right side pulled him back by the arm. He continued in earnest. "That's all I was trying to do. Start over again."

Judge Hoskins was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, he shook his head as though disappointed. It was hard to tell if he was giving Nedry understanding or if he was saying what needed to be said as a judge talking to a defendant.

"Getting your life back on track doesn't include committing more crimes. When you're stuck in a hole, you don't dig yourself deeper into that hole. That's what you did here."

Nedry stared at the jury box, avoiding Judge Hoskins. He had done this on and off during the proceedings. Then, as though he realized his behavior could be interpreted as him tuning out Judge Hoskins, he changed his focus.

"I get it. I should've done things differently."

"You should've, but it's done now. All these separate charges when added up can easily amount to a sentence of over twenty years, depending on how they're served. Concurrently or consecutively. That doesn't include the charges you were previously convicted of, which you would still serve the remainder of time, about thirteen years."

Judge Hoskins explained it for the benefit of the spectators in the room, although he was talking to Nedry.

"Concurrently, your sentences are served at the same time. Consecutively, your sentences are served one after the other. That means once you serve one sentence in its entirety, then you begin serving the next sentence. In short, Mr. Nedry, you would be serving a life sentence. That's not to be confused with life without parole. A life sentence can be twenty-five years or more; and in your case, you're looking at a minimum of thirty years—from your first sentence and the pending one for these new charges. There's still a chance for release after you've served your time. Life without parole means you spend the rest of your natural life behind bars with no chance of release. "

"Bloody hell," Muldoon whispered. He was horrified by the realization of what Nedry faced when he counted his previous sentence of ten to fifteen years, two of which Nedry had served, leaving him with thirteen years. "A minimum of thirty years if…?!"

Muldoon couldn't finish his thought, and furthermore, he didn't want to. If Nedry were to be convicted of every crime he committed once Dodgson busted him out of prison—including all counts—and if he served his sentences consecutively… Muldoon listed them in his mind: assault, aggravated assault, trespassing, grand larceny, property damage, reckless endangerment of human life, computer hacking, using a fake ID, escape from prison…

Malcolm was thinking the same thing and felt the same pensiveness that Muldoon felt. They knew this situation was beyond their control. Hammond continued to watch; his face barely registered any emotion. For Anderson, this wasn't a surprising occurrence. He knew of many escaped prisoners who committed more crimes during their time on the run, as well as some ex-offenders who had difficulty getting their lives back together and turned back to crime. In both cases, the individual ended up right where they started: in prison. Even so, it saddened him to see their reactions.

Nedry had no idea who sat in the courtroom, watching everything. "It means I'd be locked up for a long time."

Those sitting in the back barely heard him.

Judge Hoskins sat back in his swiveling chair. "Do you understand your rights in this matter?" When Nedry didn't respond, he continued. "You have the right to legal counsel. We can provide an attorney if you are unable to afford one. You can enter in a not guilty plea, a guilty plea, or a no-contest plea." From where he sat on the bench, he could see Nedry was overwhelmed with the charges he was facing—and possibility of being sentenced to prison for decades on top of the first sentence he hadn't yet finished serving. "Let's backtrack."

Nedry gave a half-shrug.

"A not-guilty plea means you deny committing the crime, a guilty plea is admitting you did the crime, and no-contest means you don't disagree with the charge, and it can't be used against you in a civil lawsuit. Is that clearer?"

"I guess, yeah…"

"As I said before, you have the right to an attor—"

"I don't need one," Nedry quickly interrupted.

Judge Hoskins waited before asking his next question. "Are you waiving your right to legal counsel?"

"I am."

Muldoon leaned forward as he watched the scene play out. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was not happening. Malcolm was just as baffled. Hammond was completely focused.

"In the matter of the State of California versus Dennis Nedry, how do you plead to these charges?"

The courtroom was quiet for a full minute. The court reporter's typing punctuated the silence.

"Guilty." Nedry's voice was barely audible.

"Stop—stop these proceedings!" Hammond called out as he bolted up from his seat.

Time froze for a second and then everything started up again. Judge Hoskins looked up from where he sat on his bench—his focus was on the back of the courtroom. Nedry slowly turned around, following Judge Hoskins' gaze. His face reddened as his jaw dropped in shock when he saw Hammond standing in the back of the courtroom. Next to them was the cop who had captured him. That same man was trying to get Hammond to sit down. Hammond was shaking his head and pointing at Nedry. Muldoon and Malcolm were also trying to get him to sit down.

"Oh my God—no one told me they were here!" Nedry said, trying again to approach the judge's bench.

"Remove him from the courtroom," Judge Hoskins ordered.

There was a long uncomfortable pause. Hammond thought the directive was for him as he gestured to the courtroom doors. Then he realized that Judge Hoskins was talking to the sheriff deputies.

"I didn't—" Nedry started to defend himself, but it was futile.

Muldoon watched as Nedry was swiftly removed from the courtroom by the accompanying law enforcement. In no time at all, the door closed behind them, and they were gone. It struck him that not only was Nedry surprised to see them—he was embarrassed. He didn't want anyone to see him facing numerous charges with the possibility of a life sentence, chained up, and heavily guarded by sheriff deputies—completely different from the day of his trial when he offered a smug grin for any photographer who would take his picture for their newspaper. For the second time, he thought Judge Hoskins behaved unfairly—it was Hammond, and not Nedry, who interrupted the proceedings. Why Judge Hoskins chose to have Nedry removed from the courtroom was a mystery to Muldoon.

Anderson turned to Hammond, scowling, upset with him about his outburst. "I told you we can't say anything—nothing!"

"I can't let him plead guilty," Hammond said. He appealed to Malcolm and Muldoon for understanding. "You understand, don't you?"

Malcolm gently willed Hammond to sit down so that they were at eye level. "You have to understand that we don't know how this will play out for him and we can't interfere with these proceedings—not until the right moment." He explained about the time he had advocated for Nedry in Costa Rica, and how he had to tread carefully when doing so. "Otherwise, he might still be there, or Contreras would've already had him extradited to the States."

"Detective Anderson, please come forward," Judge Hoskins said. "The rest of your party can come forward too."

They followed Anderson to the front of the courtroom and sat down in the first row of the gallery, while Anderson went beyond and approached the bench where Judge Hoskins sat. For a few minutes, Judge Hoskins and Anderson spoke quietly amongst themselves. As they did, Hammond turned again to Muldoon and Malcolm, seeking their support.

"Do you think I ruined his chances of being freed?" Hammond asked. There was a pleading note in his voice.

Malcolm glanced around the courtroom. His gaze landed on the far wall where there was a statue of Lady Justice. In one hand, she held the scales and in the other she held a sword. As always, she was blindfolded. It made Malcolm realize how blind Hammond had been when he walked into the courtroom. Often, Hammond saw what he wanted to see, and turned a blind eye to reality. This wasn't new to Malcolm at all, who gathered his thoughts.

"We didn't know Dennis was going to plead guilty, and furthermore, his case is complicated."

"Meaning what?" Hammond his eyes flickered from Malcolm to Muldoon, hoping that one of them would tell him what he wanted to hear.

"Meaning that you have to remember that he's a prison escapee," Muldoon finished for him. "If it was just the other charges alone, it'd be one thing, but it's more than that."

"I don't want him going back to prison to rot there…I'm hoping he can help convince Henry to return."

"And right now, we don't know if that's a possibility," Malcolm said. "We might have to convince Henry ourselves."

Hammond shook his head vehemently. "That won't work—Dennis has been where Henry is and look at him now—he's done a complete one-eighty. I can get the best lawyer to defend him, bail him out—spare no expense!" He offered a confident smile.

Malcolm sighed. He was used to Hammond's stubbornness and naïveté, but it was still frustrating to deal with because it made him tune out unpleasant or inconvenient truths. "You're not being realistic with what we're dealing with."

"What're you talking about?"

"We're dealing with this!" Malcolm gestured to the courtroom, the Lady Justice statue, Judge Hoskins, the court reporter, and the jury box.

"What's 'this'?"

Malcolm looked to Muldoon to take over. At times like this, he couldn't tell if Hammond was willfully ignorant or truly in the dark about everything.

"The criminal justice system," Muldoon said. "We're operating under their system and have to play by their rules."

"Exactly." Malcolm was relieved that Muldoon understood, he knew that he would. He realized that after all this time, Hammond was still Hammond and he whimsically believed he could make the criminal justice system bend to his will—especially if he "spared no expense".

"Why was it easier in Costa Rica for him to walk free?" Hammond asked. "You said you spoke up for him at court, the judge listened, and they dropped the charges."

Malcolm thought about it. It was a valid question. He gave the only plausible answer that came to mind. "Because here in the States, he's a prison escapee, a fugitive. They didn't know that in Costa Rica. Either that or Antonio Contreras had oversight when putting the paperwork together—or he managed to get it sent to the States anyway. The latter is what probably happened, but we don't know for sure."

"That sounds about right," Muldoon said. "Leave it to that bloody corrupt cop to screw up Nedry's paperwork."

"Well, if he did, then maybe it was for the best," Malcolm agreed. "Or maybe not—somehow Judge Hoskins managed to get information about the trespassing and assault charges."

They halted their conversation when they heard Judge Hoskins bang his gavel, calling them to silence.

"Take a seat," Judge Hoskins gestured at the bench behind them. They sat down, waiting to hear more. "I want you to know I'm considering what Detective Anderson has told me—you want your former employee, Dennis Nedry, to help another employee who has gone down the wrong path—and in return, he's granted clemency."

Hammond nodded. "Can I pay his bail or get his sentence reduced? What needs to be done so that he doesn't return to prison?"

Judge Hoskins held up his hand. "Let's start with the obvious: Mr. Nedry is facing more charges and a longer sentence. He's returning to prison, and he'll be there by the end of this week if they don't transport him today. While I understand you're seeking clemency for him, there's several issues I have with this. The first is that he escaped—and when he escaped, he committed more crimes."

Muldoon and Malcolm had a feeling Nedry's recent crimes would dampen Hammond's aspirations. They didn't want to state aloud that what Judge Hoskins' confirmed their concerns.

"To add to that, when I sent him to prison initially, for ten to fifteen years, his crimes were non-violent. This time around, his charges indicate violent behavior. How long were you hospitalized?"

Everyone looked at Hammond now.

"More than six months, I believe," Hammond said, after a span of silent hesitation. He was afraid that answering the question would seal Nedry's fate.

"That's a lengthy amount of time. You were in rehab, and took physical, occupational, and speech therapy?"

"Yes, I was receiving all three services. The journey to recovery was difficult and emotional at times."

Judge Hoskins nodded as he considered what Hammond shared. "His actions that landed you in the hospital concern me. At the same time, he isn't the same man who entered my courtroom more than two years ago. Back then, he was one of the most arrogant and remorseless defendants I had ever encountered." He paused for a moment. "But that's not the man I saw standing before me today."

They waited patiently to see where Judge Hoskins would go next with his assessment.

"The man I saw has made, or rather, he's trying to make genuine changes in his life—and where it matters most, his character. He's remorseful and held himself accountable—but he also fell back on the behavior that landed him in prison—he turned back to crime, breaking the law. At times, he presented as trying to minimize some of his crimes—certainly not all of them."

"If given an opportunity, Your Honor, I'm sure he would make the best of it. His decision-making isn't…" Hammond searched for the right description. "…the best. He's impulsive and doesn't consider the consequences his actions will have on himself—"

"Or others," Judge Hoskins threw in.

"But I believe that he's intentional in wanting to get his life back on track. He wants to have a second chance and given all that he did for my company, I want to help him any way I can."

"Why, Mr. Hammond? Why are you seeking clemency for him?"

Hammond thought about how he would phrase this. How would he voice ownership for his part in the conflict he had with Nedry? "When he first worked for me, I kept him in the dark on many crucial matters. I wanted changes made at the last minute, but I didn't compensate him for the extra work that I asked—demanded of him. I pressured him towards the end." He shook his head, ashamed that he was admitting aloud how he nearly wrecked Nedry's career. He didn't want to mention the lawsuits, the letters he had sent to Nedry's clients stating he was irresponsible…

"You didn't make his decisions for him. He did."

"I agree whole-heartedly, but I also believe he's paid for his mistakes many times over. It's why I want to help him now."

"That's the biggest question here," Judge Hoskins said. "We're going in circles. Why are you so determined to help the man whose actions landed you in the hospital?"

Hammond felt everyone's eyes burning into him. Muldoon and Malcolm watched him to see what he would say. He had sensed Anderson questioning him the entire time—but not directly. And now, Judge Hoskins wanted to know his primary motivation for helping Nedry.

"Because the cycle of revenge must end. I don't want to repay evil with evil. You have to understand my perspective, Judge Hoskins." Hammond put his hand over his heart, indicating he was sincere. "To let Dennis Nedry rot in prison for the rest of his life for all the crimes he committed—this would be a natural reaction and easy to do—but it would solve nothing. He made his decisions because of my decisions. That was then, and this is now. He's changed and so have I…" He didn't want to go any further.

And he didn't need to.

Judge Hoskins nodded thoughtfully. "I have a proposal, one that I want you to seriously consider."

Hammond waited and tried to stay patient. Muldoon stared at the stenographer who was documenting the proceedings. Malcolm met the judge's sharp gaze head-on.

"If you're interested in seeking a sentence commutation, submit a recommendation from the California Department of Corrections. I'll consider it, given that he accepted responsibility for his actions, and even pled guilty to the charges against him—a far cry from the first time he was in my courtroom. He got a little belligerent but reigned himself in when reprimanded. That's a major change from the last time he was in my courtroom during his trial, when he continued to be defiant and outright disrespectful. I believe all of you see the same changes that I did?"

Hammond nodded along with Malcolm and Muldoon. "He's not the same man he once was. I don't want him rotting in a prison cell."

"I understand, but there's procedures that need to be followed. Keep in mind, this is regarding the charges that he was previously incarcerated for, and not the current ones."

"With the current ones…he hasn't yet entered a plea."

"He pled guilty before your outburst." Judge Hoskins offered a rueful smile. "You have one month to obtain the recommendation. Your other option—and Mr. Anderson, this is where you come in. You can explore if he's willing to be a CI."

Anderson nodded, knowing what Judge Hoskins meant. He turned to Muldoon and mouthed: confidential informant.

Muldoon and Malcolm exchanged a hopeful look. The confidential informant deal sounded more realistic and doable, especially since Nedry already had a history of informing InGen of Biosyn's plans. Neither of them knew how long it would take to obtain a recommendation for sentence reduction or who would write it. The complexities behind it made it even more daunting. Being a confidential informant sounded like the most straightforward approach. They looked in the judge's direction when they heard Hammond ask one more question.

"What about bail based on the new charges?" Hammond tried again.

Judge Hoskins shook his head. "Bail is not applicable in this situation—he's not in the county jail awaiting trial. He's already been tried and convicted, Mr. Hammond. He's a prison escapee as was made clear during today's proceedings. I'm remanding him back to the prison where he started serving his first sentence. He'll continue to serve his sentence while awaiting the next step in these recent charges. His next court date is in one month." He banged the gavel a second time, signifying the end of the arraignment.

Hammond thought about what Judge Hoskins was suggesting—and then he remembered that he had maintained contact with the prison warden where Nedry was first incarcerated, Daniel Walker. Walker had told him that Nedry had difficulty adjusting to prison life. Despite Nedry's challenging behavior, Walker had seen that he had potential to do better. Hammond wondered what would Daniel Walker say now if he learned everything that Nedry had done for InGen? Would he be willing to write a recommendation for sentence reduction? He was about to ask this aloud when Anderson approached them.

"Let's head back to the precinct. We'll go to my office and come up with a game plan."

Before Hammond could protest, Muldoon and Malcolm agreed to Anderson's suggestion, and they all left the courtroom.

oOo

A short time later, Anderson escorted Muldoon, Malcolm, and Hammond into his office in the police precinct. He offered them coffee and to sit down and relax—after all, it was a very heavy morning at the courthouse. After closing the door for privacy, Anderson sat behind his desk and took out his pocket notebook, ready to jot down more notes.

"Let's review Judge Hoskins' suggestions, the recommendation for sentence commutation or the police confidential informant idea," Anderson started. "FYI, reduction and commutation are different words for the same thing—judge decides to lessen the time, but it's not a full pardon."

"We have one month to obtain the recommendation?" Hammond asked, worried. "That's not a lot of time."

"His next court date is one month, thankfully not two months. Judge Hoskins understands the urgency of your situation and that was the best he could give you. I don't understand why he'd send Nedry back to prison instead of the county jail, but that's his call to make."

"Will that make things worse?" Hammond asked.

"No, but his situation is complicated, especially given his history. I had a chance to review his file and there's a lot in there about his past charges, the conviction, add that to his prison escape and current charges," Anderson said, shaking his head. "It's a lot."

Muldoon and Malcolm sat listening, not interjecting for the moment.

"I know the prison warden where Dennis was first incarcerated. Maybe if we speak with him about his change of character, he would be willing to submit a recommendation for him to have his sentence reduced?"

"That's possible," Anderson agreed. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. At first, I was surprised that he didn't send Dennis back to the county jail, but the prison might be better since the warden knows him. Again, you have to remember that he escaped, so the warden may not be enthusiastic about writing a recommendation letter."

Hammond now scooted forward in his chair. Malcolm and Muldoon sat on either side of him and appeared lost in their own thoughts, although they were paying attention to the conversation between Hammond and Anderson.

"It seems Judge Hoskins accepted his guilty plea," Anderson said.

"That's not a problem," Hammond offered a confident smile. "If needed, I'll hire the best lawyer for him. Spare no expense!"

Muldoon glanced at Malcolm, who shook his head. Again, Hammond was living in a dream world. He wondered what Malcolm was thinking and knew it was a matter of time before he spoke up.

"My original idea was to see if Dennis would agree to convince Henry to return to InGen—and if he's able to do that, we can fight to get him his freedom. I thought that would be a strong motivator for him."

"John, stop and think about what you're saying," Malcolm said, finally speaking up. "You're putting the cart before the horse—and in Dennis' case, there's several carts."

Anderson had been jotting in his pocket notebook and looked up when he heard Malcolm's sharp tone.

Muldoon waited to hear what Malcolm had to say, knowing it would bring more clarity to the current situation. As always, Malcolm was the most reasonable person in InGen, although Hammond viewed him as being pessimistic. At the same time, Muldoon remembered that Hammond had learned to respect Malcolm to the extent that he trusted him with his emergency funds—and he did ask Malcolm to accompany him here. Both Malcolm and Muldoon viewed Hammond as responding to problems the same unrealistic way: every problem was solved if he pulled out his checkbook and signed a check with any digit followed by six to seven zeroes. Muldoon thought Hammond's heart was in the right place, but there were more moving parts than they anticipated.

"What you're suggesting—it's nice, it's kind—it's great! But there's too many unknowns in that proposal, and there's also rigid systems in place that you're dealing with. You can't just write a check and expect him to walk free."

"But—" Hammond protested.

"And you can't just tell Judge Hoskins 'set Dennis free so he can get back Henry'. It doesn't work that way. He has a prior conviction, and now he's facing more charges after Dodgson broke him out of prison. We need to think this through."

Hammond was about to respond when Muldoon jumped ahead of him. "I agree with Dr. Malcolm," he said. To Anderson, he suggested, "You may want to write this down."

Anderson flipped to a new blank page. "Go ahead, I'm listening and writing."

"Let's start with the knowns," Malcolm said as he ticked off his fingers. "One, Dennis Nedry has changed for the better. Two, he wants a brand-new start and is trying to get his life back on track. That could be a good motivator for him to become an informant. Three, Henry Wu is still working under Lewis Dodgson, and he's called InGen's control room numerous times. Four, we need to get a recommendation for sentence commutation and return it in one month—or we need to consider the other option finding out if he is open to being a confidential informant. Five, John, you have a connection with the Department of Corrections: Daniel Walker, the prison warden where Dennis was incarcerated—or is incarcerated, since they're sending him back there as we speak."

"That's right," Hammond said, nodding. "Given all that you've listed, Dr. Malcolm, I think it's safe to say this idea of mine, it sounds quite doable, don't you think?"

"You haven't listened to the unknowns yet, John, and there's a ton of those."

Anderson was still writing and didn't look up. "Go ahead."

Hammond clenched his cane tightly. "Let's hear them," he grumbled.

"I'm afraid there's more unknowns than knowns. The first is, what if Dennis doesn't want to be involved? Part B to the first question: what if he decides to serve out his prison sentence and turns down all offers for sentence reduction?"

"He would never turn it down," Hammond said. "That makes no sense." He turned to Muldoon. "Robert, tell him it makes no sense."

Muldoon didn't answer and Malcolm continued as though Hammond hadn't contradicted him.

"Second, what if Henry Wu doesn't want to leave Biosyn or doesn't want to return to InGen? What if he uses the opportunity to run away? How do you plan for Dennis to convince Henry to return? Are you sure he wants to face them again—after everything they've done to him?"

"Them?" Anderson asked.

" 'Them' meaning everyone from Biosyn who Dennis used to run with," Malcolm clarified.

"Who said anything about him going there in-person to get Henry?" Hammond shot back. "I wasn't thinking—"

"That's exactly what you're talking thinking. You just haven't said it yet."

Muldoon thought back to what Lawala had told him the same day he left with Malcolm and Hammond and voiced it aloud. "George had mentioned that he was worried about Dennis' safety in case the plan is for him to meet with Henry in-person. He knows it puts Dennis at risk for running into Lewis Dodgson."

Malcolm gestured to indicate Muldoon said exactly what he was thinking. "Well, there it is."

Hammond twisted in his seat and glared at Muldoon and then Malcolm. "Aren't you the one that had him return to my island? "Weren't the same risks present then?"

Muldoon's eyebrows rose when he heard the edge in Hammond's voice. He sounded like the John Hammond he used to work for—the cutthroat version, who demanded to get his way, regardless of the costs to those involved.

"It's not the same because the entire InGen staff was there. The best example is when Dennis and Raúl had that vicious fight. If Robert hadn't come just in time, then Raúl Lopez would've succeeded in shooting and killing him."

Anderson held his pen in mid-air. Although he didn't know the full story of what Malcolm referred to, he was still surprised to hear this important information. He noticed Muldoon nodding in agreement.

"Dr. Malcolm is correct," Muldoon said. "Had I gotten there a second too late, we wouldn't be able to discuss him being a police informant. Lopez came close to putting him six feet under."

"If you're thinking of him going back to Biosyn by himself—that's his life on the line. We must consider that. Many police informants, or confidential informants as they're sometimes called, have been successful, and others have not. Some have been killed," Malcolm finished.

"Why?" Hammond started. "Why do you always—"

"Rain on your parade?" Malcolm grinned. "I see it as more of a reality check. I just gave you your daily dose. Based on some of the ideas you shared with us today, I might increase the dosage and frequency."

"Do they argue like this all the time?" Anderson asked Muldoon, while focused on Malcolm and Hammond who faced each other, the former firm in his resolve, and the latter upset about being questioned.

"It's nothing new," Muldoon's tone was dry. He was used to Malcolm and Hammond bickering.

Anderson held up his hand. "Why don't we backtrack a bit. We're all putting the carts before the horses. Let's start with your main goal, John."

Hammond looked from Muldoon to Malcolm, expecting them to answer. "Go ahead," Muldoon gently urged.

Hammond sighed, sadly. "One of my employees… His name is Henry Wu. He's fallen prey to the same sick individual that Dennis fell prey to. Lewis Dodgson…he's…" He shook his head, upset.

"He's a lot of bloody things—Dodgson, that is," Muldoon clarified.

"My staff has shared that he has been half-hearted about it, and I want him to return to InGen—before he gets in too deep like Dennis did, ends up breaking the law and facing prison time." Hammond stared at his cane with the amber-encased mosquito, as though afraid to face Anderson.

"He's already broken the law," Malcolm asserted. "He's shared company secrets with Dodgson, he aided Sonya Durant in destroying Ellie's greenhouse, and he even participated in Dennis' beatdown. So, he's already on that path, John."

Frustrated and not wanting to hear the truth from Malcolm, Hammond turned away in his seat as though this could erase everything he had just said—and everything Wu had already done.

"You're hoping that he'll be able to convince Henry to leave the corporate enemy?" Anderson asked, trying to keep the focus on Hammond's aspirations.

"Yes, and in return, he gets his freedom."

Anderson put the pocket notebook to the side and faced all three men. Hammond maintained a naïve hopefulness, Malcolm appeared skeptical, and Muldoon maintained a stoic demeanor. He could tell they were on all different pages, although Muldoon and Malcolm were aligned with each other. Hammond was going out on a limb.

"I'll be honest with you," Anderson started. "He may not be able to obtain a full pardon or complete freedom, but his sentence might be commuted as Judge Hoskins proposed. Maybe, parole or some form of community supervision. I think that's the best you can hope for."

"That's what I'm asking for," Hammond said.

"No, John," Malcolm said. "You want him to walk free—completely free with no strings attached. As though he doesn't have a record attached to his name. The odds of that happening aren't likely."

"Exactly," Anderson agreed. "However, having his sentence commuted isn't so bad either."

"What would that involve?" Muldoon asked. He now glanced around Anderson's office, noting the bookshelf with various books about law and police work.

"It could be a shorter prison sentence, parole, or community service. That sort of thing."

"That's better than being locked up," Malcolm said.

"Agreed," Anderson said. "So, let's come up with a plan of how to address this. I'm involved now and I'll do whatever I can to help you guys. First: the confidential informant idea sounds solid, especially if Henry Wu is the second person to be taken in by this rival company—what are the names again?"

"Biosyn and Lewis Dodgson," Hammond said. "Biosyn has more lawyers than scientists because of how often they break the law."

"Right, and for this to work—having Dennis go in as an informant, even if it's to gather more information as to what Dodgson has been doing lately or has done in the past, if he has any new plans up his sleeve—this would help tremendously. Dr. Malcolm is right though, it's very risky." Anderson looked in Hammond's direction when he said this. He noticed Hammond look down at his cane. "We have to acknowledge that."

"Thank you," Malcolm said. "I just want this to be on the table as a possibility."

"This operation can have both goals: get Henry out of there and bring down Lewis Dodgson and his group by getting information on them—firsthand. If Dennis can do both successfully, then it builds a stronger case for him. What do you guys think?"

Muldoon was quiet for a moment before he responded. "It sounds like it would work. What if he's not successful?"

"It may mean that he serves the rest of his sentence…the current and the new one, unfortunately," Anderson said, his tone solemn.

"What about convincing Judge Hoskins?" Malcolm said. "Would he be on board?"

"If we play our cards right, present a solid case, then it's possible," Anderson said. "Today we got past the first round, and he didn't even know it depended on him—Dennis."

"He accepted responsibility for his actions, which he didn't do last time," Hammond said. "He was also respectful in court—for the most part."

"Night and day difference," Muldoon added.

"It all matters. So, here's what we need to do going forward." Anderson jotted down his ideas as it helped him to remain focused and organized. "John and I will arrange to meet with the warden this week, while you both visit with Dennis and share with him the ideas we have for him to get the sentence reduction and his part in obtaining that for himself—this includes being a confidential informant and getting Henry out of there. The other thing is—Dennis can write a statement detailing how he met Dodgson and everything he's done with him until now."

Anderson was glad to see they were making progress in a short time—despite the bumps. The next step: meeting with Daniel Walker and Dennis Nedry would determine if they could move forward with their plans.