Prompt #9 Disapproving look

If Looks Could Kill

Dennis Nedry sat on the edge of the hospital bed, cradling his right hand that was swathed in bandages. Antonio Contreras was arguing with the medical staff, and it wasn't going to end until he got his way. Nedry tried to ignore the shouting, but it was impossible given the small confines of the room. Although it was small, the hospital room was larger than the tiny jail cell he had been locked in. Nedry had no desire to return to the San José Detention Center. That place was horrible. At least in the hospital, he had a window that gave him a lovely view of the outside. As though knowing Nedry planned to enjoy looking outside, Contreras pulled away from his shouting match with the nurses to yank the curtains over the window, and then turned to Nedry, a permanent scowl etched on his face.

"Get on the bed and lay flat on your back. Keep your hands out where I can see them. Since these idiots think you need overnight treatment, I'll make sure you stay secure overnight."

Nedry did as he was told, knowing that resisting would only make things worse for himself. He could've made a smart-ass remark that he was already sitting on the bed when Contreras ordered him to lay on it, but he was burned out and didn't want to give the cop another reason to abuse him. He felt awkward the entire time as he got into a supine position. It was better to avoid making eye contact with Contreras and the two nurses in the room.

"He'll be safe in our hospital," a young nurse said, coming to stand next to Contreras. She was the nurse whom Contreras was arguing with.

In actuality, the only one arguing and shouting was Contreras. The nurses were advocating for Nedry's care—and for him to be treated as a patient. It had been like this ever since they got to the hospital. Nedry thought Contreras got a kick out of pushing around the hospital staff—only they were standing up to him, which made him angrier and more aggressive. Nedry wondered if it would've been better if he had been left in that jail cell to rot…

"As we mentioned before, this is only for one night so that he can receive extended treatment. His broken fingers aren't the only issue here."

"I wasn't talking to you. You better back off if you know what's good for you," Contreras said as he took out handcuffs. Without a word, he snatched Nedry's left wrist and cuffed it to the bed.

The female nurse gasped, shocked by what she was witnessing. "He's our patient—you can't treat people like this!"

"He's my prisoner, and yes I can."

"That isn't necessary. He needs time to heal from his injuries." A male nurse joined the female nurse in fighting for Nedry to receive humane treatment.

"He needs to know that he better not entertain the thought of escaping," Contreras growled. "He also needs to know that he has no rights as a prisoner, which is what I told the doctor earlier. You're all a bunch of bleeding hearts."

Contreras went to the foot of the bed. Nedry stared at the ceiling, trying to distract himself when he felt Contreras gripping his right ankle. The two nurses were still in the room, speaking to each other in Spanish about what was happening. Out of the corner of his eye, Nedry saw them gesturing wildly at Contreras. They were clearly disturbed by his actions. Nedry closed his eyes, not wanting to see himself getting shackled to the bed. He knew this was standard procedure, but the way Contreras enjoyed humiliating him made everything worse. He wished he could disappear, just vanish, or fly far away. He tried listening to the nurses' conversation, even though he only knew a few words in Spanish, just so he could drown out the metallic clicking of the restraints. Maybe they were telling each other that Contreras was horrible and abusing his authority. If only they knew how corrupt this asshole really is, Nedry thought.

Contreras had happily accepted money from Lewis Dodgson while he allowed the Biosyn team to beat Nedry within an inch of his life—and then let an entire week pass before finally getting him medical attention. That was the epitome of corruption in Nedry's view. He knew Contreras was capable of brutality and intimidation. The first time Contreras arrested him, he had forced Nedry to walk five miles to the east dock with his hands cuffed behind his back—and all over a stupid comment he had mumbled under his breath. Even so, Nedry had no way of knowing that Contreras could do far worse. In time, Nedry would learn that Contreras treated everyone horribly. This was especially obvious the night he and Muldoon made it back to Isla Nublar after the Biosyn team left them stranded on Isla Sorna.

That was a night Nedry would never forget, and he knew Muldoon wouldn't either.

For all their past bickering, insulting, and hating each other, Nedry was surprised that night when Robert Muldoon—of all people—defended him against Contreras' vicious behavior. Nedry had always called Muldoon a "self-righteous prick", and that night, Muldoon lived up to the moniker. In fact, Muldoon was treated like crap for not following Contreras' demands. He detained Muldoon that night for questioning, which still had Nedry reeling in shock. Muldoon refused to allow Contreras to bully Nedry. He stood up to the abusive cop when nobody else dared to do so. Muldoon even backed up Nedry when Contreas accused him of attempted murder. First, Contreras claimed Nedry beat up Hammond. Then he accused Nedry of pushing Muldoon off a cliff to kill him. Muldoon didn't make excuses for Nedry's decision to backstab InGen, but he also wouldn't go along with Contreras' ridiculous lies. It was a strange experience to go from viewing Muldoon as his worst enemy and blaming him for his legal troubles, to respecting Muldoon, and even appreciating him for doing the right thing.

Nedry stared at his right hand completely bandaged up. Wooden splints separated his broken fingers, allowing them to heal. He was grateful to finally be on the mend after enduring that torturous night. He wondered what Muldoon would say about what was happening now. It was dehumanizing to be treated this way. While it wasn't Nedry's first time going to a medical facility while under the custody of the police or the Department of Corrections, it was terrifying to be in the custody of someone who thought nothing of mistreating him. Even the correctional staff at Green Hills FCI treated him more humanely.

"Hello?! I'm talking to you, cara de picha!" Contreras shouted at him.

Nedry looked up and saw another police officer had entered the room and stood next to Contreras at the foot of his bed. He recognized the second officer who had taken him to the hospital; he worked with Contreras. The two nurses were standing near the doorway, watching everything. Nedry noticed they were still upset, but for now they didn't speak out against Contreras. Probably because they knew arguing against him made everything worse—and he might retaliate against Nedry.

"I'm leaving Estaban here to keep you company, and yes, he's staying overnight with you." Contreras pointed at the police officer who was younger than him. He looked like he had just joined the force. "Too bad your pal, Robert Muldoon, can't be here with you. I know you'd like to spend more time together since you've become best friends."

Nedry's eyes narrowed as he stared down Contreras with utmost hatred. He had an inkling that he only managed to send a disapproving look that was more along the lines of "Really? You're still stuck on that nonsense?!" This was Contreras' favorite theory to explain Muldoon's defense of Nedry: they had become best buddies, and that it had happened after Nedry kidnapped him. Either that or Stockholm syndrome, where Muldoon sympathized with Nedry, after Nedry traumatized him. Neither theory held weight. Nedry and Muldoon knew the truth of how they ended up on Isla Sorna and what had changed their dynamic. It would be a waste of time to explain to Contreras though. He was more entertained with falsehoods and enjoyed acting in a duplicitous manner, despite his career as a law enforcement officer.

"Good, you're learning to keep your big mouth shut," Contreras said, pointing at him. "You're a lot more tolerable when you're dead silent."

Nedry pretended to find the wall interesting so that he wouldn't be tempted to lash out against Contreras.

"I'll be back tomorrow around this time. Sleep tight!"

"And if he has to use the bathroom?"

The female nurse had gathered her courage to challenge Contreras again. Nedry shook his head, knowing it wouldn't do any good.

"Then he can use a bed pan and urinal to do his business. That's his problem if he refuses." Contreras shrugged and then turned to the younger police officer. "The chains don't come off until I return tomorrow to bring him back to the detention center. He stays in this bed the entire night."

He now faced both nurses, who were smoldering with anger. What they didn't say in words was expressed in their body language. The female nurse tapped her foot, impatiently. The male nurse's arms were folded across his chest. It seemed they had held their positions the entire time. They had to maintain their professionalism although they wanted to kick out Contreras. Contreras couldn't care less about their feelings. To him, their compassion was misplaced.

"If I find out he's been out of his bed, even if it's to pace around this room or to look outside the window, I'll make sure he gets charged with attempted escape, and you both will be charged with attempting to aid the escape of a convicted felon."

Before the nurses could protest, Contreras left the hospital room. The nurses stepped outside of the room and Nedry shifted in the bed, trying to see if they were coming back. A few minutes later, they returned. He watched as they spoke to Esteban in Spanish and pointed outside of the room. At first, Esteban shook his head, refusing whatever they were requesting. Then he held up his hand and spoke rapidly in Spanish. The two nurses nodded as though they and Esteban had come to an agreement. Esteban left the hospital room and closed the door. Nedry didn't hear him walk away, so he figured the cop was standing outside by the door, guarding the room.

Maybe now, he could try to get some sleep. He was in a safe place, his injuries had been tended to, and he was the most comfortable he'd been in a long time. The cuff and shackle dug into his skin, but he could ignore it for now. He was just relieved that he didn't have constant pain every time he moved. He could breathe without his chest burning him, and his body wasn't sore anymore. His bruises were fading, and the swelling was going down. His broken fingers were healing and would become stronger. It gave him hope that one day he would mentally and emotionally recover from the trauma and violence he had endured. Nedry was ready to close his eyes so he could sleep when the nurses came over to stand by his bedside.

"Senõr Nedry, we'll get you something to eat, but first we need to ask you some questions."

Nedry nodded, but his eyelids were heavy. After all the stress of suffering a severe gang beating while drugged up, coming to the hospital a week after the incident, and the intense shame he felt from the entire experience, he just wanted to fall into a deep sleep and escape the chaotic madness that had become his life. Sleep had always been the best escape for him ever since the start of his incarceration. That was the moment his life came to a grinding halt—

"How did you break your fingers?"

He shifted again in the bed and the shackle tightened on his ankle, while the cuff pressed in harder on his wrist. How in the hell had his life come to this? He had been successful in his career. He had made a name for himself, building his reputation as a brilliant systems analyst, while fulfilling his passion to design computer programs. Now he was a convicted felon and treated like he was subhuman. The realization of how far he had fallen was striking and painful. A dull ache spread across his body when he thought of who he once was, and who he was now. Almost like two different people. Once humble, he had become arrogant. Once lawful, he had become unlawful. What happened to me? So many stupid decisions I made…and it all started with one poor choice. He couldn't finish his thoughts. He heard the male nurse ask the same question and he resolved to try to respond. They were treating him with kindness, so the least he could do was answer their questions.

"How did you get the injuries on your hand?"

"I…I, um…"

Nedry had been resting his head on the pillow and now he sat up and looked at the door. His heart started to hammer against his chest when he imagined the worst-case scenario: what if Esteban overheard the conversation and told Contreras? What if he was listening in?

The nurses followed his gaze and immediately understood.

"You can write it down if you need to. We can get you pen and paper," the female nurse said.

A long silence passed while Nedry searched for a reasonable explanation—other than the truth of why he came to the hospital with every finger on his right hand broken, bruised, and swollen.

"One of the guys in the yard accidentally dropped a weight on my hand."

He noticed the nurses exchange an uneasy glance. Right then, he knew they didn't buy his story.

"How much was the weight?" The male nurse asked.

"Twenty pounds." Robert was right about me, Nedry thought. I lie like I breathe air.

"That doesn't explain how you came in with a swollen eye," the male nurse pointed out.

"I walked into a wall, bumped myself badly." Nedry tried to smile, as though showing the injury wasn't as bad as it looked, but the solemn expression from both nurses indicated they didn't believe him.

"You can tell us the truth about what happened," the female nurse said.

Nedry shook his head when a tear stung his uninjured eye. Not this again. One tear had escaped him that night after the beating was over. It happened when Dodgson was going on and on about nothing. Well, he had been justifying what he had the team do to Nedry: punish a traitor and put him in his place. Then, after Contreras tossed him in that tiny cell— "the box" or "the hole" was a fitting description—he had broken down and cried. It was the first time since the moment of his first arrest that he had allowed himself to cry. And it was the last time he would cry openly—or so he hoped.

"I can't."

"Why?"

He didn't answer her question. There was no way to explain the downward spiral of his life that he had brought on himself. From working at InGen for John Hammond, creating computer systems for a theme park with genetically engineered dinosaurs, to stealing for the corporate enemy, Biosyn, and everything else that followed. Even the reasons why he had betrayed InGen, being kept in the dark about what he was doing, facing lawsuits and threats against his career. The conflicts he had with John Hammond. Getting caught red-handed by Arnold and Muldoon and experiencing a humiliating arrest at the hands of Contreras. Going to trial where they testified against him. Trying to come to grips with his prison sentence of ten to fifteen years, which also included the revocation of his professional credentials. His incarceration in a maximum-security prison although he was considered a white-collar criminal. His stubborn way of constantly warring against Walker, the prison warden who had made every sincere effort to help him. Dodgson getting Lopez and Sonya to bust him out of prison. Every single time he had relished getting revenge on the InGen staff for turning him over to the police. How his biggest regret was releasing the velociraptors. That he never meant for Muldoon to get injured, and he never intended for Hammond to end up hospitalized. How running away from Dodgson meant signing his own death warrant, and that Dodgson's revenge was never-ending. It was why he ordered the entire Biosyn team to beat the living daylights out of Nedry: teach him a lesson he would never forget.

There was no way to explain any of this. So, he did the only thing he could do, and he hoped they would grant his request. It wasn't too much to ask for…

"Can I please sleep?" As though afraid they would reject his request, he quickly added, "I said the magic word, 'please'."

The female nurse sighed, resigned to the fact that Nedry wasn't going to be forthright about how he had ended up with these horrendous injuries. The male nurse started towards the door, and then turned back once.

"We'll send an aide over with a menu, so that they can bring you a meal. If you need anything else, just use the call button."

Nedry nodded. "Thank you…for everything."

For giving me my dignity, and for treating me like a human being. He wanted to say all those things, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't know why; he just hoped they understood what he was trying to say. Maybe they did, as they both smiled. It was comforting to see their warm expressions, even if their smiles held a hint of sadness.

The two nurses left the room and kept the door propped open. Esteban poked his head inside to check on Nedry briefly and remained outside on guard. Nedry was glad when they finally left him alone (and that Esteban gave him some privacy). He appreciated that they wanted to help him, but there was nothing they could do, and he had seen Contreras' barbaric actions harm Muldoon. He didn't want the two nurses—whose names he didn't even know—to be miserable because of one cop's power trip. Too many people had already suffered because of his selfish actions. He was sparing the nurses, although it didn't seem that way. Plus, he was exhausted, physically, emotionally, and mentally. He desperately needed the escape that only peaceful sleep could give him, even if it was only for a few hours.

Nedry closed his eyes, and in no time at all, he was fast asleep.

Had he stayed awake for another hour, he would've seen John Hammond pushing along a rolling walker while trying to peer inside his hospital room…