Chapter Text
John Hammond leaned onto the desk as he stared at the screen.
Red lights flashed as the electric fences showed signs that they would fail around the park in a matter of hours. He had important guests, currently out in the park who were unaware of the danger they were in and John hoped it would stay that way. If they realised, they would be unlikely to endorse his park.
His grandchildren, Lex and Tim were also out there and he had no idea what would happen to them though thankfully they were not on their own.
Dr Grant, Miss Sattler and Mr Malcolme and the kids were looking at the sick Triceratops with the ranger and there was an approaching storm.
Ray Arnald’s voice carried the urgent message that all guests should be back in the vehicle and he thanked Mr Gennaro for his patience as the lawyer sat in one of the cars.
Honestly, John had forgotten about that man and had mixed feelings about him. If any of them should become lunch, he hoped he would be it because after all, he was a bloodsucking lawyer. However at least he saw the profit potential that would be made, the other three were just concerned with the ethical side of things. He had watched the screens though, he saw their excitement once they got out into the park.
Denis was suspiciously missing and John thought that this mess could have been avoided if he had hired someone else. He might even have less grey hairs.
Hammond made a split second decision, It wasn't like he was hoping for such an event that required a radical solution or anything. He turned to Ray, “You know how we added that special feature on that plane of ours, I think this might be the perfect time to put it to the test.”
“This isn't a game, John,” Arnold warned. “We don’t even know if it works!”
“Robert can take care of things, he's the keeper who feeds and looks after the animals. If you don't fly me, there will be a lot of blood on your hands!”
“And Robert is just one man! What do you expect him to do? No offence but he is the least likely to be able to fix these computers and sending him out there with nothing but a rifle, that's suicide! Do I have to remind you that we already lost that contractor to the raptor.”
“Which is exactly my point. We need individuals that can overpower the animals without harming them and rescue my grandkids and the others. Robert can talk to them through the mic and keep them calm in the cars whilst we find their location and get them out of there, or he can find Denis. The more time you argue with me, the more time they have to figure it out!”
“You have a point. So far your guests have done exactly what you asked,” Arnold shook his head and walked away, calling Robert and Gerry Harding, to tell them they were in charge.
Aang sat at the Southern air temple trying something new with his air bending. Well maybe not exactly air bending but it was something to do with pressure in the air. If he could concentrate pressure, maybe it would create a blast like combustion man but it hadn't gone to plan.
So far, he had made a tornado, made it rain and just accidentally did something to Sokka’s ear which made him fall over saying bad words.
But Aang still hasn't made an explosion.
“Maybe you should give that a rest for a while,” Katara said, giving her brother a worried look. “We have some free time to spend together, we should relax and have some fun for a bit before things get all crazy again. It's not often that we get time with all five of us.”
“I just want to improve, you never know when you will be facing danger again.”
Zuko was laying on his back under a tree, inspecting an Leechi nut. “I'm the one who has to put up with assassination attempts but do you see me bending all the time,” he said. “Apart from that, there is no sign of any tensions between people and no confrontations.”
Toph who was picking her toe nail added, “and you're the Avatar, the most powerful bender there ever was.”
“Aang,” Katara put a hand on his shoulder. “It's ok to be worried about the future sometimes but I don't think we need to worry about any wars anytime soon.”
“Yeah Aang,” Sokka agreed. “Even Cabbage man has stopped bothering us and honestly what can possibly happen at the Southern Air Temple?”
Everyone looked at Sokka as a weird droning noise suddenly appeared and became louder and closer…
Sokka groaned, “Aaw man.”
Everyone got up and raced outside in time to see a strange metal flying contraption land and roll to a stop on a grassy stretch not far from the cliff edge. It was a long cylindrical shape with a pointed front, wheels beneath and long arms that had propellers on them. Small windows along the side showed that there was movement inside.
“What's Teo’s dad been up too now?” Toph said. “It's made of metal, I like it.”
“I don't think it's them, Toph,” Aang said. “ It's labelled as InGen, which I've never heard of.”
“I don't like it,” Zuko said. “I smell trouble.”
“But it looks so fascinating,” Sokka drooled. “It looks nothing like our flying contraptions.”
“I repeat, I don't like it,” Zuko said as a door folded down into steps and a round man with grey hair and strange white clothes appeared.
The man looked pale, like he was in shock or surprise to see them all standing there.
Katara laughed, “you're such a pessimist.” The stranger approached with a weird smile on his face and his eyes roamed over them. Katara beamed, “Hello there, welcome to the Southern Air Temple!”
“Hello, I'm John Hammond and well, I will get straight to the point shall I?”
“Go on,” Zuko took the lead, his arms folded as he eyed the man with his golden eyes.
John Hammond gave a nervous chuckle as he looked at Zuko, “I'm in need of assistance. Where I come from, some of my guests and my grandkids need to be rescued and there is no one else who I can ask for help. You see these creatures that have gotten loose, they are not your average rhino even tiger and if they can be … led back to their enclosures and grandkids saved, that will be really really great. However … if you love animals, then this trip will be right up your ally.”
There was nothing normal about these animals anyway! Just a rhino? Just a tiger? Though if Bosco the bear was possible...
Toph narrowed her eyes, which was never a good sign.
Zuko wasn't much better, “Why do you need us?”
“Well I really don't have time to explain! Will you help me?” John asked. “Its an emergency!”
Despite Toph and Zuko's suspicion, Aang had a troubling image in his head. Animals like the elephant koi or sabered mooselion and the wolfbats roaming or flying around and kids screaming for help as the adults tried to fend them off with a flaming torch or a simple water whip.
Aang had sorted a similar problem in Ba Sing Se when he had moved the animals out and made a new zoo outside the inner wall and there had only been a few minor issues. How much harder could this be? Anyway, Mr Hamond was asking the team for help with animals which was his form of fun! Katara said they should have some fun!
“We will do it!” Aang exclaimed, producing his bison whistle and blew.
Zuko face-palmed.
Katara frowned. “Aang. When I said fun… this wasn't what I meant.”
Aang thought she was going to start that whole ‘it's ok to say no’ thing again but Sokka butted in.
“Aang, I don't like the way you're just volunteering us all for this job,” Sokka frowned.
“Don't you want to ride in that thing!” Aang pointed at the strange airship thing. He didn't want anyone to be left behind and they worked better with Sokka.
“... yeah,” Sokka said. “But that's not the point.”
John Hammond tempted, “I'll let you in the cockpit.”
“Deal!” Sokka smirked, just as Appa landed beside him with a thud.
John Hammond’s eyes gleamed as the animal landed and he made a little excited sound. “Fascinating! A form of cattle that can fly. It wears a saddle? How much can it carry?”
“Er, Mr Hammond?” Toph asked. “I thought you said this was urgent.”
The man had walked over to Appa and was stroking him, wads of fur sticking to the man's clothes, “Your absolutely right! Everyone into the plane!”
Sokka was already climbing up the steps into what the man called the plane. The other four held back, seeming a bit less enthusiastic.
Aang chuckled, “I'm going to stick with Appa this time.”
“You can't!” John Hammond almost shouted. “This plane is the only way to our destination.”
“I'm not going without Appa! After all we have been through, I vowed that I would never separate from him again!” Aang folded his arms and glared at the man. As much as those people needed him, so did his best friend. The two of them were the last of their kind.
“Look Twinkletoes,” Toph yelled from over by the back of the plane. “The perfect solution is to get Appa inside the plane!” She raised the ground like a ramp and before John could protest, mentioning that it was a passenger plane - Toph ripped the side wide open.
Clambering inside, chairs, foam and strappy things were sent flying out, “Wow, there's so much junk in here and what is this rubbery stuff?!”
Aang started to move Appa forward. Katara leaned in and whispered, “Aang I'm not sure about this!”
“But what's life without adventure!”
She glanced towards John, “I just think it's a bit odd, and a bit too suspicious!”
Aang didn't look at Katara, “If you don’t want to go then don’t go. It's as simple as that.”
“Aang,” Katara closed her eyes and exhaled, making Aang pause. “As much as I would love to say no sometimes, I can't let you guys go off to who knows where without coming with you. Someone's got to get you out of trouble.”
Aang sighed with relief as he pushed Appa into the newly available space and as he glanced back, Zuko was bent over with his hands on his knees.
His hair covered his face so Aang couldn’t tell if he was shaking with laughter or something else.
Then he saw John Hammonds face when the plane buckled under the bison's weight.
He definitely wasn't laughing.