Richard Levine checked his watch as he paced around on the doorstep. God he was nervous. It was not even noon yet, and still, he was working up a sweat. He kenw that he stood out in this suit, he had not really worn anything like it for a while. Usually when he had to deal with the doll company. God, he usually put that part of his life in the back of his mind, only focusing on it when he really had to. Maybe that was something that was for the better.
He fit in that company only tangentially, by accident of birth, being the heir to the company. All he had wanted to do since he was a kid had been to study dinosaurs, uncover the secrets of the past. Once upon a time, it had seemed so very simple. Nothing more so than digging for their fossils and trying to reconstruct what sort of lives that they might have lived in the long ago. Once, that had been enough. And then there was now he thought, the path that had led him here. To the door of the manor that he was against.
It had only been a few days since he had done something this foolish. Going out into the field himself. The doorknob turned, as Levine felt himself swallow very hard, forcing himself to breathe normally. To his surprise, Mills had answered it himself. Levine finally got a good look at the man. He had seen him during the auction, but at a distance, as he had been near the back.
Levine seemed like a wiry man, his suit equally ill fitting as Levine's but for different reasons. He was attempting to hide this with glasses, but it was a purely affection on his part, Levine could tell. It didn't matter to him, as he would step inside, looking out into the foyer.
This manor was old money, he had known immediately when he had first gone in. It was something that he thought probably had to be maintained, probably regularly. He flashed a smile at Mills, hoping that this was right.
"Welcome…come on into my humble abode. Can I get you anything, water?" The man seemed like he was trying to be at ease with Levine, although Levine just smiled pleasantly. He was no detective, but he could tell already that this was not his house. He did not say outright that he knew this though, just played along.
After all, he still needed answers. He needed information. This was perhaps one of the best places that he could go to get these answers, as he would shake his head. "No thank you. I just thought I'd come to finalize my purchase?" He swallowed, hoping he was doing this right.
He had to know that Mills would be on the lookout for people trying to sneak in the auction. People who did not fit. Which was why it had to be him. Levine's part was not as well known, and the Sorna incident was not really focused on in public awareness as the Nublar incident was. Not that Mills sensed anyting, as he seemed relaxed, on hand in his pocket, the other hand loose and swinging.
Levine took a chance to look around the house, not really seeing…not really thinking, as he passed by some portraits and pictures. None of them had Mills in them, that was very clear. The man did not say anything, just seemed to be smiling oddly, almost as if this was something he did not care about.
Levine furrowed his brow, as he followed the man into a sitting room, as he could see that they were not going into the basement. Of course not, all the animals were gone now, to parts unknown. Some of the animals had never even been here, he thought, it was a sobering feeling, as he would get himself settled in his seat. Unsure how he felt about this.
Mills though, was already picking up a remote, as he turned on the television. The screen blared to life, as Mills could see what looked like video footage of a wooded area. Levine adjusted his seat, as he saw a red dot appear in the right corner of the screen, indicating that this was live and being taped. Of course it was.
"I'm sorry that we can't bring your purchase here at this time. At least not without attracting undue attention for both of us," the man's tone was particularly apologetic, as he would sound somewhat sincere. At least it sounded like he was trying to appear sincere in that space and time. It was hard to determine just what he really was feeling, as Levine had met many people like that.
But, Levine's face turned back to the screen, as an animal came into view. It seemed very large, as he would fill up the entire screen- "Sorry about that, I have it on zoom," Mills said, as he fidgeted with the remote, and the camera would pan out to show the full breadth of the animal. It was then that he could see that the camera was positioned from a perch above.
The dinosaur on the camera was at least the size of a school bus in length, and about the size of a second story building in height. Maybe it was the perspective playing tricks on his mind, but that was what he could see. Levine felt his knuckles turn white, as he breathed out.
The animal was a dull brown in color, with a large jaw that protruded outward from it's face. Like te largest crocodile in the world. On it's back there was a large sail, and e could see it's powerful legs making short work of the distance between where it had been and wehre the camera was. God it was fast, he thought.
"Spinosaurus Aegypticus. You picked a good one. Didn't think that one would get so furious of a bidding war…but aren't you lucky." Levine leaned back and swallowed, he knew that he was not very lucky. But he would not show that in front of the man. He probably only seemed alone after all.
He had hated to do it, but bidding on something had been one of the few ways to not raise any sort of suspicion. Initially, Levine had been planning to pick something small, something that he could release, after gathering enough information. However, when this…this animal had appeared, Levine had seen the looks on the faces of the other buyers. He could not in good conscience let this one go. It was going to be on him if anyone else at that auction got their hands on that animal.
Not that it had been cheap at all, he thought. Not that it had been cheap. He found his words. "I have a taste for the rare and exotic. And as far as I'm aware…this is it." He found himself nodding, "Not on any of the official documentation…"
But again, the Gastornis had not been exactly on the documentation either. Although he was unsure about that one. This one though. He knew Biosyn had cloned animals after the Islands before. That was true enough, btu they had sticked to InGen's list. This one however, he was not so sure about, as he would lean forward, facing the television as he scratched his chin in thought.
"She is the only one of her kind. We have made sure of that, so far…you can be assured that you are getting enough value or your money here." Levine was making mental notes all the while the other man was speaking. He was not sure which question to start off with that would not send this man's mental alarms blaring.
For now, at least he could tell that he was very uncomfortable with where this was going. "How can you be so sure. I thought…I thought…" he continued, thinking he was coming across as somewhat legitimately confused. For the question on the tip of his tongue was the one that no doubt this man had to deal with as well.
They watched the animal in silence, as the camera panned to what appeared to be a lavish meal of red meat for it. With a roar, the animal o screen lumbered over to the platform, diving into it's gruesome meal.
"Can't give away all our trade secrets. But if you're asking. This one is about three years old." Mills smile was frustratingly enigmatic, but Levine figured that there had to be something more. His eyes widened slightly, as he realized that maybe had just been given a vital clue, a piece of information that he would otherwise have missed.
Careful not to show his surprise and anticipation though, he forced a smile to his lips again. Forty million well spent, it seemed, as he knew that he would have a hard time explaining that one to his accountant. "I completely understand. Discretion is something that I practice as well in my day to day life. Can't be too careful. But I have to ask. When will I take possession of the animal?"
He had assumed that this would not be where it was, only that the exchange of the money was taking place. He had to be sure, as he saw Mills seemed to sit up straighter in his chair. After all, forty million dollars was serious money.
"Assuming you can pay." The man smiled, although it was a cold smile, and Levine paused. He had not seen anyone else coming in, nor were there anyone else to be seen in the lot outside besides what had to be Mills car. But there was no guarantee that Mills was here alone.
The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that this was not even his house. It was just a feeling he had, as Levine took a checkbook out calmly, and flipped through it. He landed on the back side, where he had his special slips, and wrote down his account number, an amount, and an authorizing signature. It did pain him to see that number actually written out.
Mills looked it over, and he would seem to study it. Well, that was… special, Levine thought as he forced himself to sit tight. His hand clutching the armrest of his chair as the man stood up. "Sit tight, I'll run it really quick and if it goes through, I'll give you something." Mills excused himself, getting up as he would exit the room.
Levine exhaled, as he looked around. No cameras, but he had to assume that he was already being watched. Still, this was a chance he probably would not get again. He had to make the most of it, he thought, as he stood up himself, taking a few steps towards the mantelpiece.
There were pictures on it that he had noticed before. The mantelpiece was a bit dusty, like as it would be I the owners were absent. Mills was absent from all of the pictures, as he had guessed. His hunch had been right after all, he thought, exhaling hard.
He did not have much time, maybe minutes at most, as he could already hear Mills talking on his phone from a corridor somewhere over to the side. He paced a bit, stopping at one picture in particular, as he grabbed his cell out of his pocket. An Iphone 3, but it would work, as he quickly snapped a picture of a photo frame, saving it to his pictures, and stuffing it back into his pocket. It had all been very much less than a second, but already he could hear the sound of feet walking back.
Swallowing hard, Levine scrambled back to his seat making it in just in time as Mills re-entered the room. He seemed in good spirits, as he was holding a small box in one hand. "Good news. Your payment went through, he said as he would place the box on the table between them.
Levine stared as the box was opened, there was what seemed to be a television remote inside, as well as a GPS radio transceiver. He immediately understood what he was looking at. There were also coordinates inside. "This will allow me to locate the specimen?" He was sure that this creature was being held somewhere special.
Mills shook his head. "Instructions are all in the box. But rest assured… you'll know the animal is yours the minute you start reading and pressing buttons." Levine got up as well, knowing that it was probably a bit past time to go. He picked up the box, nestling it over one arm as if he were afraid of it getting broken, or in this case, quite literally of it leaving his sight.
He allowed Mills to lead him out the door, his breath still shaking, as he got to his car. The first thing he sent to be backed up in his email was that picture. He recognized that face anywhere after that presentation. Jessica King.