Chapter Text
The Jeep ride back to the Visitor Center passes in silence, and it's not the comfortable kind.
Everyone walks their way back to the cars they rode to the beach in, and Laura empties the sand from her hikers out the side of the Jeep as they pull down the dirt road.
Alan sits next to her, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his flannel and a contemplative look on his face. He doesn't ask for her input on the situation, and she doesn't give it. The three of them fade into various states of deep thought over the twenty-minute drive and when they pull back up to the main compound, Laura has to shake Alan out of his thoughts. "We're here," she whispers, as though she's waking him from a nap.
He jerks up, his glazed-over eyes focusing back on her. Alan nods, opening his own door and hoping out, Ellie following. Ian walks over from his Jeep, his face pulled into some sort of solemn expression like he's preaching a sensitive topic to a sanctuary full of people.
Hammond and the lawyer take the lead, weaving through construction equipment and workers, all the while chatting about the park and prices. The four scientists listen in silence, Laura has a feeling they're all thinking relatively the same thing: 'this is a horrible idea.' John files them into a room with a large buffet table, a place set for each of them. The room is darkened, a projector on the ceiling throws a slideshow of glowing images on the walls. There's a dim voice-over of John, explaining different aspects of the park, and Laura watches as an image of the beach flicks on, then off again.
Hammond gestures for all of them to sit, Laura takes the seat next to Alan with Ellie on his other side. Ian sits across from them, the lawyer, and John to his right.
A man in a suit and tie walks in with a cart, placing a plate of food before each of them before wheeling it out the way he came. "Alejandro makes a wonderful Chilean sea bass," John says, smiling and picking up his fork and knife. He gestures for the rest of them to do the same, and with a wavering smile, Laura takes a bite.
It's good, probably a lot better than most of the food she has, but it's all overshadowed by the thought that this park is a horrible idea, and people are in danger.
Alan seems to have the same train of thought because all he does is pick at his food, she sees him swallow maybe two mouthfuls. Hammond and the lawyer (Donald, he calls him. She makes a mental note) take prices and other attractions that are in the works. Hammond says something about- through all revenue streams- the park should make eight to nine billion dollars a year and Laura chokes on her fish.
Alan looks over at her, raising an eyebrow that seems to say 'yeah, I heard it too' and he nudges her water glass closer. Donald and John are still talking about money when Ian pipes up and says, "the lack of humility before nature that's been displayed here staggers me." Laura silently thanks him and sends him a teeny smile from across the table. He winks back.
Donald scoffs, as though this is the most preposterous thing he's ever heard. "Thank you, Dr. Malcolm, but I think things are a little different than you and I feared."
"Yes, I know. They're a lot worse."
The lawyer looks aghast. "Now, wait a second, we haven't even seen the park yet. Let's hold out concerns until-"
John interrupts. "That's alright Donald, let him talk. I want to hear all viewpoints." Donald raises an eyebrow. "Truly I do."
And on they go. Ian points out (several times, in several different ways) how bad of an idea this is, and how his scientists have too much power. Hammond argues this park is a discovery, it should be cherished, credit given where credit is due. "Why not give extinct species a chance?" He argues, throwing in a pleading tone with an empathetic face, and Laura feels a twinge of sympathy. It vanishes as Alan and Ellie join in, taking Ian's side, and Laura feels comforted that yes, this is the right mindset, this park is dangerous, and she has chosen the right side.
A small part of her brain reminds her of the 100,000 dollar check with her name on it, and she speaks up to give herself something different to think about.
"I have a question," she interrupts, and the arguing scientists stop for a moment. Laura folds her finger together under her chin. "Your Mosasaur, when did you breed it?"
Hammond shrugs, "If I recall correctly, about four years ago, why?"
Laura nods slowly, considering the data. "By all accounts, Mosasaurus' reached up to fifty feet fully grown, and that's being generous. Average would've been about 30 feet, your's is a juvenile and it's reached that mile-marker. What I want to know is how you got a juvenile- a four-year-old to be the size of an adult?"
Malcolm swings his head toward Hammond. "What did you do, give it steroids? A protein shake?"
Alan looks at her from her right, dropping his fork, clearly done with trying to eat. Laura does the same as Hammond and Malcolm argue about giving steroids to prehistoric sea monsters.
Doctor Sattler puts her head in her hands, sighing, and takes a large swig of water.
"As if this wasn't a bad enough idea," Alan whispers, raising an eyebrow.
"It just makes you think," Laura replies, equally as quiet as Ian and John continue to argue, Donald now jumping in to the old man's defense. "What else has Hammond got in here that he's genetically modified beyond necessity?"
Something changes in Alan's eyes, maybe the thought process he's going through, and Laura can feel herself doing the same. We should leave, she thinks, before things start getting out of hand.
"Mr. Hammond," she calls out, and it takes a minute for him to turn to her, he's still making his case, as though there's any way to change Malcolm's mind. "I commend you for your creativity and dedication. It's truly a tremendous feat, but what happens when something goes wrong?"
The old man scoffs, as though the idea is completely preposterous. Laura supposes in his mind, it is. "We've taken every precaution, you've seen the tank, three separate walls of concrete and metal, and an emergency wire net to boot. There is nowhere else in the world more equipped to hold it."
"That's all well and dandy," she counters tearing her eyes from Alan. "But we have to consider the possibility. If something- say your Triceratops- breaks loose, it's not the end of the world, it's still contained. There's a few hundred miles of ocean separating it and the mainland. If that Mosasaur gets out, that thing you've created is going wreak havoc on the ecosystem, nothing is stopping it, or your other aquatic experiments, from greeting the new world with sharpened teeth."
Hammond sputters, looking more angry and flustered by the minute, and Laura's internal sense of worry grows. Alan must feel the room's atmosphere too, because, under the table, he nudges her gently with his foot, a comforting gesture. Laura nudges him back as one of the waiters appears from the corner of the room and walks over to Hammond.
He whispers something in his ear, Hammond nods and thanks him. The waiter walks away and Hammond smooths down his shirt, trying to calm himself. "Well, I hate to cut this very informative conversation short-" Laura has a feeling he's lying. "But they're here."
Alan does a double-take, Laura has to hide her own surprise. "Who?" He asks.
Hammond smiles, genuinely smiles, not the twisted kind like he's hiding something. He stands from his chair, gesturing from the waiters to clear the table, and the rest of them stand as well. "The grandchildren," he answers, and both Ellie and Ian choke on the water. "You should have a little company in the park, spend a little time with our target audience, maybe they'll help you get the spirit of the place." He finishes, maybe a little bitterness creeping into his voice.
"You invited kids? "Ian asks incredulously, and even Alan looks shocked.
"It's perfectly safe," Hammond says, opening the door and walking through. He doesn't tell them to follow, but Laura knows this is a sign of dismissal. "They'll be in good hands."
All Laura can think about, however, is how she's going to keep track of herself, dozens of dinosaurs, and kids to boot.